While reading chapter 9 the passage
about literacy rich physical environment was what caught my eye. I know we have
talked a lot about this topic but I still fell really strong about it. I
completely 100% agree with the text that literacy rich physical environments is
a huge deal every teacher should consider. Simply providing students will
literacy rich daily activities is not enough. Providing a literacy rich
environment that supports literacy activates and materials is even more
beneficial in the since that the physical environment models literacy 24/7.
Students will, with out feeling pressured, find themselves practicing literacy
without realizing it. The text suggests thinking about the set up of your
classroom. Do you already have a plan for how your classroom will be laid out?
Personally
I want many different stations in my classroom. I want a loft with activates in
it, reading corner with fun chairs and lots of books, a computer area or IPad
area, mail box/writing station, a book audio listening stations, and a group
activity rug area. These are the few for sure things I would like to have in my
classroom. At all of these areas of the room I will decorate to make the
environment more enriching. This may be by providing lots of anchor charts
throughout the room, inspiring quotes about reading, or example materials at
stations in room.
In your
classroom, if students finish their work early will they be able to go to these
areas of the room and work on their own? In my opinion, it depends on what we are
working on. If some students need a good bit of time I will allow students to
visit the different areas of the room IF their work is finished and finished
well. During these times I would allow students to choose where they visit.
Other times in the day I will have students have a rotation through the
different areas of the room to work on different skills. Will you allow
students to choose where and how they work on literacy?
The great thing about providing students with
a rich literacy environment is that it will transfer over all subject areas throughout
the day. This environment will allow the students to stay more focused with fewer
distractions. This environment will also help remind students of different things
to remember will reading or writing.
Having a literature rich environment is extremely important. I love how you mentioned that by having your classroom be as literature rich as possible it enforces lit. skills 24/7. I had never thought of it like that before, but i love that idea. Children are in your classroom 5 days a week for 7 hours a day, and we need to take advantage of those precious hours to make it as enriching as possible. I do have a plan in mind for my classroom that is quiet similar to yours. I would allow my students to explore the different areas of the room during free time. I'm not sure if i would allow it if they finished work early before students because it might distract the other students. Instead I might bring a center activity to them such as a fun lit. worksheet. I would also allow students to chose where they wanted to go but in order to make sure they visit every station i would have a bingo card with all the stations that they have to try and fill.
ReplyDeleteI agree that if you have a literacy rich classroom, your students will be more motivated to read 24/7. I think about that as a teacher that we are told all the time to push reading as much as we can, but if it is being forced on them they are not going to want to read all the time. You have to be modeling what you want them to do. If the students see you reading then they will want to read. I believe personally that if one of your students finishes their work early they should be able to go anywhere in the room and read. I feel like if you tell them they have to stay at their seat they are not going to want to and it is going to make them hate reading. I hated reading until i could pick my own book to read, the more i was assigned books the less likely i was to read it. I want my students to feel like they can read whatever they want. It is all about learning after all.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that having Literacy rich environments is important at school, but it is just as important at home. However, I understand why people do not discuss that part, it is even harder to make sure parents obtain. I agree with Miss Popa, when people are forced to do something, how much "fun" can it be? I remember being told to read in grade school, and I HATED it. I hated reading until I was not longer told or required to read. I think it is best to encourage reading, and commend students who do read. There can be games created, reward systems, anything to make reading fun.
ReplyDeleteHaving a literacy rich environment is important because it shows the importance of literature in the classroom. One way to do this is by having many lit centers and visuals around the classroom.
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