I think this activity is absolutely amazing. You can see how reading meaningful literature created a whole new world of understanding and deep thinking for these students.

This is absolutely incredible. What a teachable moment this must have been. Here, it is evident that the readers are further developing their critical thinking skills by asking deep questions relevant to the issues in the text as they appear within society.

I think this is an important part of this reading. Reading becomes more comprehensible as the readers can infer about the issues the characters are facing.

Just reading this paragraph makes me smile. It is so wonderful to learn how reading can have such a positive impact on these students' lives. Simply within this paragraph, I can gather that these students are creating connections with the reading and the learning is being associated as an enjoyable process.

This is an awesome thematic concept for fostering perspective taking skills and analytical thinking skills.

I think this is a strong point that should be taken note of. It is critical to keep students involved and focused in learning material, especially when it concerns literacy. It is important to provide all students with material that is appropriate for their learning. If it is meaningful, students can grow intellectually.

While classic fairy tales and other sources of literature can still hold strong meaning within literature lessons in early childhood classrooms, I do agree that more contemporary themes need to be transcended in literautre throughout the elementary, middle, and high school years as the reader's abilities are developing and social interactions are changing. Moreover, themes in literature should be meaningful to the reader as he/she grows in school.

I never realized the accuracy of this statement until I read it... Interesting! After reading this, I definitely agree. On a similar point, I feel that children better connect with and understand information when it is relatable. With a child narrator, the story now becomes extremely relatable!

Yes, this is extraordinarily important. Even if the piece is fictional, students must be able to make concrete connections between the written material and the period in history. This will not only confirm their understanding of the time period or historical figure/event, but will also reinforce this knowledge.

I agree with this statement entirely! Journal entries by historical figures help young students better conceptualize the events and way of life that occurred in that time period. As for biographies, reading material that personally comes from the historical figure can seem like an intimate conversation between author and reader. Readers are thus able to make new connections to the material and may learn it better.

This statement is so relevant, even with students in college. Critical thinking skills should be addressed in literacy as early as Kindergarten and first grade. It is important to help our readers become the best readers they can possibly be. Educators should encourage young students to ask questions while reading and to reread texts. By doing this, students will be able to develop analytical skills that help them better understand the text and move on to more complex readings.

I think this is such an awesome approach to providing a deeper understanding of the key components of mythology to students, especially to those who are visual learners! This is an excellent unit and maybe I will incorporate it into my future teaching!

I feel that often times, teachers are ill prepared to teach such concentrated, but undeniably valuable, lessons. I think colleges should require courses that provide future educators with a well-rounded framework, ensuring that they will be able to effectively teach concentrations in literature, math, and science.

I think this is an awesome strategy on effectively teaching mythology. Incorporating mythology with forms of media that current students are well adapted to, such as films, songs, and television, is a great way to enhance comprehensions amongst connections.

I think this is a very true and great definition of both mythmaking and mythology. As Jeff House mentioned previously, we oftentimes think of Greek tales as well as tales of other ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and the Romans. Mythology is a wonderful way for students to grasp an understanding of the key values of another culture, in a fun and creative way.

I completely agree with this statement. I think using fables is an excellent way to help students gain perspective taking skills, reasoning skills, and problem-solving skills. Often times, answers are not cut-and-dry, and it is important that students understand this from a young age. One must think through their problems to resolve them productively and effectively. And if the problem remains unresolved after implementing a solution, the failed attempt can only help the child's understanding of the situation grow.

I think this is a very important notion to introduce to young children during mini lessons that require group participation.For example, if a teacher is doing a read aloud and frequently stops to ask her/his students questions relating to information in the book to confirm their understanding of the material, it is important for the students to additionally understand that while everyone's thoughts and answers are valued, we are collectively trying to determine which answer works best for the question concerning the story.

I love creative, out-of-the-box-styled books like this one. These books touch upon so much meaning and symbolism through the imagery. Young children are absolutely marveled by books that challenge their mind, especially a visual challenge such as this one. I think that books like this make children think about the story and the literary elements far after the book has been read or shared. This outcome can only enhance a child's critical thinking and analytical skills, which is pretty incredible.

What strikes me most about the illustration technique piece in picture books is the vast room for creativity in drawing the images. Another amazing idea picture books teach young children is that there is endless possibility in visually expressing one's imagination. This idea, in and of itself, is so important with a young audience. They must never lose sight of their boundless imaginations!

In middle school, high school, and college, readers should be able to identify and elaborate on the literary elements found within various texts, whether they be short stories, monologues, novels, or poems. Thus, it is key to start the informational piece about literary devices early on in a student's education. Early childhood educators can use picture books to help begin students's understanding of the literary devices they will defining and interpreting throughout their lives as critical readers.

I had never thought about how so many important literary elements can be incorporated in picture books. I think this statement is awesome because it explains how educators can use certain texts to hone in on a child's visual learning. Seeing that most children are visual learners, I feel that using picture books to help students conceptualize, and thus, internalize various literary elements is undeniably effective.

In other words, I think picture books create a safe place for students that are "reluctant readers, nonreaders, and poor readers." Students who are reluctant to read due to their insecurity with personal reading levels and poor readers who feel they cannot compare with other students in reading can find comfort and security in the realm of picture books. After years of being told they are low level readers, these students can finally gain confidence in knowing that comprehension is more than possible in picture books.

I think this statement is extremely interesting. I have always thought that Where the Wild Things Are was a complex book. There is so much raw emotion within the imagery. Even the film that was created based on the book not too long ago displayed so much adventure, complexity, and emotion. The pictures truly add another level of comprehension for readers.

I think this statement is extremely important in regard to how teachers are reluctant to teach poetry. This statement tells me that, as an educator, it is utterly vital to show to your students in your words, emotions, and physical demeanor that you are not only open, but also EXCITED with whatever learning material is being taught to your students. Sure, I might not have had the most wondrous experience with fractions throughout my academic career. However, if I show THAT to my students, in some way, shape, or form, then it is possible for them to develop a similar feeling of reluctance toward that subject of study. Educators model behaviors for their students. Reluctance to learning material or a new subject of study should not be one of these behaviors!

Mad Lib, that sure does bring me back! ANYWAY, this statement in particular made me think about the question Dr. McVerry had asked in the module video about what emotions or ideas make for bad poetry. Initially, I had responded by saying there are no emotions or ideas that make for bad poetry because poetry is all about expression and interpretation for both the writer and audience. However, this statement is making me reevaluate my previous answer. In the context of teaching, I think Mad Lib and rebus make for bad poetry. Similar to what is described in the writing, both methods do not provide students with a framework in understanding creative writing. In fact, I feel these tools take away from the beauty of the true creative writing process.

I never truly thought about this. Now that I am reading this statement, the realization is very sad to me. Poetry is such a beautiful and magical outlet for expression that every student, teacher, and person should feel comfortable with.

This actually made me cringe and laugh simultaneously, as I reflected on my AP American Literature class in high school. RIP Edgar Alan Poe

This explanation pulled on my heart strings! I have always been so fond of poetry and I could not have elaborated on the amazing personal benefits more perfects than Perfect.

I think this is a critical take-away point from the research and literature presented. This approach may not work for every learner. Therefore, it is important to differentiate methods so that they appropriately accommodate and meet each student's learning needs.

This is so true. Less confident and lower level readers can learn from students of different abilities. It also gives all students the opportunity to equally be heard and through all-inclusive participation.

I have a student I work with who prefers blended sounds over individual sounds. What I do with her is tap it, sing it, say it, replace it. So if we are working with the word family, "at," and sounding out the word, "cat," we would first tap out the c sound and then the at sound. "C-AT." Then, to make it more fluid, we sing it. "Caaaaat." Then, we snap and say quickly, "Cat!" Finally, I have the student replace the first letter with a letter in the word bank. (I have large and colorful felt letter that I use). So, she grabs the letter, "B," and repeats the same process,. It goes to show that each child learns sounds and words differently, and therefore, differentiated instruction is necessary.

I think the repetition of this approach is awesome. It reinforces the skill being learned and then gives students the opportunity to try the skill out on their own

I think this is a great recommendation for a "combination program" or combined approach when teaching whole language instruction. By having students actively participate in the lesson, they can hear themselves say the sounds, and, therefore, increase word recognition and phonological awareness skills

I think this statement need not be looked over. Create a language environment that will promote better language learning. A lot of what young children learn is through modeled behaviors. If educators and adults model a rich language environment, students and young learners are more likely to speak and understand language in a formal, grammatically correct, and effective manner.

Phonological instruction is so important, especially for our young readers. It also goes to show that the younger you are, the more malleable your brain is, and therefore, the more receptive it is to learning new skill sets. I wouldn't question that comparatively, if students learn phonological awareness skills when they are younger, they will be much better off in their future careers in reading than those students who are not taught phonological awareness skills at a young age.

The necessary approach is one that includes both intensive instruction in phonic analysis and assisted reading/shared-book experiences. In other words, completing reading tasks or readalongs together with the incorporation of phonics instruction can help students and readers not only read willingly, but also read independently and confidently. It is important for educators to help students understand that the story and the meaning of the story is just as important as the phonological structures within the sentences.

I think this is such an important aspect of reader's and writer's workshop. By first modeling to students with guided practice what they are earning and how they can perform these tasks on their own, then connecting enjoyable and engaging assignments to the mini lesson, such as storyscape, students have the freedom of creating literary works while still working on critical skills in writing.

I definitely agree with this suggestion. With young readers, especially those who are below level, highlighting a specific sound in a word that is currently being learned and explored is so helpful! It literally reinforces the sound over and over again and therefore, it promotes word recognition for whatever letter sounds are being learned.

I think this is such a wonderful way to engage young readers. The idea of activating an animation in a story is super cool to begin with. I know if my first graders used storyscape, it would literally bring reading to life for them. Moreover, they would be more interested in the reading and enjoy the material. I think the active involvement storyscape offers forces readers to be more attentive to material, which, in turn, ensures they have a deep understanding of the material.

Creating a concept of reading for students that elicits a positive reaction and not an aversive one. Reading should be enjoyable for students! We want our students to LIKE reading.

A community, not a classroom of individuals. A community directly relates to the idea of togetherness. The mentality in the classroom is not, "Me against you", but, rather, "us, as a team." This allows for perspective taking and empathetical skills.

Developing respect and gratitude for one another by initially reflecting on positive attributes, IE, what we appreciate about the student, what we feel similarly about, etc.

As educators, it is important to consider factors outside of what is taught and expected within the classroom. In regard to this reading, the students' home-lives and their social tensions descending from their home-lives permeated their learning environment. Therefore, it would be unfair of the teacher to expect that to effectively practice literature discussion skills when this is an area that which the students struggle within due to external factors. Educators should ensure opportunities for development in such areas, guided by the teacher in a positive and productive manner that will best suit the learning needs of the students.

This is interesting and very real. How can educators break through tensions existing outside the classroom to help students feel comfortable and positive within the learning space? How do we turn a classroom into a community when the community these students live within, outside of school, is so vastly different? I think at this point, educators need to take on the role of role-models. In this, educators should not only be teaching, but also modeling behaviors appropriate for school. These behaviors should also coincide with a positive trajectory of life outside of school, to help students better problem solve in scenarios existing outside the domains of the classroom. This reminds me of the other reading, Engaging African American Males in Reading.

What are some different ways in which we can create a classroom climate where these issues can not permeate the learning environment?

Allowing for more student-choice/ free-choice activities and learning helps students perceive learning more positively. Learning and literacy should not be about trapping students in confined learning structures that are implemented primarily by the teacher. Interaction between students allows for more learning opportunities.

I agree with this statement entirely. I think that literature circles are a great way to foster critical discussion about the text between the children. The exchange of ideas and inferences about the text differ amongst the children, making the conversation even more meaningful. In essence, every student gets something from the conversation and can thus further develop their understanding of the literature.

I think this last piece of Readers Workshop is extremely important. It brings closure to Readers Workshop by gathering students together to collectively discuss and respond to the literature. Each student can share his/her reading and the inferences they made about that reading, which is a wonderful way to ensure that everyone's thoughts and progress in learning are being appreciated, acknowledged, and respected.

While I feel free-choice approaches to activities are awesome, I do feel there is issues with this. Students may opt to have their LRGs with close friends. When this happens, distractions and side-conversations run rampant and productive work rarely gets accomplished. I do think, however, teachers should assign mixed-level groups. There is a lot of research on how mixed-level groups are truly effective, especially when looking into Lev Vygotsky's research on learning and learning theory. Students working together from different levels of learning and understanding can better help guide each other as well as foster good conversation about the material than students working together from similar levels of learning and understanding.

I observe my main teacher's mini lessons during the very beginning of our reader's workshop everyday, and they are super effective. Each day, she teaches the students a new strategy to help them critically think about several ideas in the book, including what they might learn, the plot, the characters' feelings, the lesson, etc. For instance, today, she taught the kids a "sneak-peak" strategy, wherein she sat in front of the classroom with the main text as the students sat across from her on the carpet. She asked the class several questions about the cover and back of the book. She guided the mini-lesson by engaging in a conversation with students that went something like this:

"Hmm I see that there is a Raccoon on the front of my non-fiction book, and the blurb on the back of my book lists different animals you can find in your backyard! So maybe this book will be about Raccoons and how they are a type of animal you can find in your backyard? Raise a quiet hand and tell me if you agree or disagree and why."

After that conversation, she told the students to look at the Table of Contents of their own non-fiction books. Each "chapter" would hint to them what they would be reading about.

She's done "sneak-peak" with fiction books as well. The strategy pulls the readers in entirely! They are really excited to use the strategy when they go back to their seats for independent reading time.

Sparking interest with students in their reading is a sure-fire way to make reading and literacy, in general, an enjoyable experience. If the primary educator is engaged in the text and introducing some interesting ideas that will be presented in the text, but not telling students ALL of the details, naturally, the students will be curious to read and discover exactly what the literature entails.

Yes!!! This is so important. Reading, whether it is completed together, as a class, or independently, should be an enjoyable process of delving into literature through several modalities. It is important that reading is not something that students interpret aversively. It should be a positive stimuli! Worksheets in place of instruction are busy work, anyhow. Let's engage the students. That's where the true learning occurs.

I think in middle and high school, using worksheets to guide readers during or after their reading is completed is not a terrible way to reinforce the ideas and concepts recently learned in the text. However, those are the ages when students can developmentally apply some critical thinking skills. In earlier grade levels, especially early childhood, worksheets and workbooks can become very complex for young readers. While independent reading is wonderful, I think engaging in a conversation about the reading material is a great way to foster analytical skills with the youngsters!

In essence, higher fluency rates and rates of enjoyment/pleasure are reported when children are continually presented with books containing engaging material. Engaging material may include relevant thematic statements, relatable characters, dramatic/funny/interesting plots, imaginative scenarios, etc. Stories should be both relevant and meaningful to what is developmentally and age appropriate for students.

Maybe one method could be incorporating awareness and exposure in daily lessons. Let's read more books about varying family structures and gender diversity. Let's watch documentaries in class to engage children, first hand, on the experiences of these individual, and then bring closure to such an activity by requiring an open discussion with thought provoking questions. Though my knowledge in social psychology is limited, I am aware of this: the central way of confronting negative stereotypes about minorities is exposure. Bring awareness through education!

To "transform social order" is to change the current societal normative ideas about gender and sexual identity that which shape our attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors about gender and sexual identity. Moreover, the author's writing is bringing awareness to the harsh norms in our society pertaining to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual, and with that, attempting to raise support for those listed above, who are, inarguably, discriminated against.

Teaching and exposing children to diversity, not just in terms of race/ethnicity, but in terms of gender, religion, socioeconomic background, family structures, parents and sexual orientation, gender identity, etc., is extremely critical. "One generation plants the trees, the next gets the shade" (Chinese Proverb). If we provide our children with a diverse education, where all different backgrounds are learned about, recognized, respected, and accepted, our youthful students will develop a much richer understanding of the world. This will then help them in their future educational paths as they continue to learn, grow, and develop.

This statement is utterly powerful. Education should truly and always be kid's first. Education should be for the kids and about the kids. This is NOT kid's first education. Window books, especially for students of minority, neglect their needs in terms of learning and development.

These facts are as frightening as they are unnerving. How are our students supposed to understand literature, and thus, learn from the literature when the texts they are reading are not ones that which they can mentally, emotionally, or physically relate to? On the other hand, how are children, not of minority, going to obtain a full, multicultural, multi-perspective education with the lack of exposure they are getting from the texts they currently read?

These two, broad opinions about the common core standards truly resonate with me. In regard to whether they are developmentally appropriate or not, I feel that many of the standards require too many complex cognitive processes. The truth is, early childhood students have yet to develop most of these complex processes. It is almost as if the CCSS are attempting to speed natural development of children. I think this point also relates to the next statement, "whether too much emphasis has been placed on non-fiction at the cost of literature." While non-fiction is beneficial to readers, in the sense that it is both instructional and informational, I feel it takes away from the enjoyment in literacy and learning. I am not sure if I can speak on how non-fiction texts tap into the imaginative and creative processes that which fiction texts do. I fear we may be trimming our future generations of their true, expressive, and creative selves.

Grade 4 students must be able to utilize the skills of drawing on the similarities and differences on how stories are narrated in text. Moreover, students must be able to identify the difference between first and third person stories, by analyzing the texts for key-words such as "I" when referring to quotations.

This common core standard for firth grade students could be greatly applied to the book series, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Students will be able to identify themes such as human atonement or redemption, and relate this theme to specific character actions, like how Aslan sacrificed his own life to save that of another character's.

Grade 4 students must be able to pull information from both the text and from their existing knowledge to figure out the meaning of new words and phrases.

This common core standard for literacy for third graders reflects their knowledge on not only recounting and recalling several variations of stories, but also using what they know about different cultural practices to identify a central message or moral.

Second graders must have the skill sets of both asking and answering critical questions relating to the story, specifically, who, what, when, where, and why. After identifying the answers to these questions, second graders must also support their conclusions through retrieving information from the texts. The skills used in this common core standard include asking, identifying, and supporting.

An adequate story to use to convey this reading standard for Literature K-5 would be The Snitches by Dr. Seuss, for the central message is about getting along and respecting one another, despite physical differences. This should be easy for students to understand based on character emotions and major events in the story.

At this point in reading, first graders should be able to make predictions and inferences, prior to, during, ad after the reading of a text. First graders will be able to do this by using key information as well as context clues from the text, such as descriptive details, punctuations denoting voice inflections, pictures, etc.

With the use of scaffolding teachers help kindergarteners further develop both their knowledge in stories kindergarteners have previously heard/read as well as their skills in retelling the key details of the familiar story. Recalling a story's major events, characters, settings, sequential details, etc. require kindergarten students to tap into their prior knowledge and skill sets in accurately retelling a story.