Reading Response Blog 2

I found the Bell and Jarvis (2002) article to be highly enlightening. Instilling confidence into children is vital to their success as learners. We may have varied definitions of reading and writing, but children can read and write in their own way. They can read the bag that says "McDonald's", and they can write in scribbles, pictures, strings of letters, or even actual words. 

I was personally a reluctant reader. I could not read when I was in kindergarten, and my teacher did nothing to instill confidence in me. Yes, I could read a McDonald's bag or a Pizza Hut box, but she never opened my eyes to the fact that seeing symbols and connecting with meaning was reading. If I had been given the confidence of knowing that I was already a reader, I would have been eager to attempt reading, and I would have known that my teacher already saw me as a reader. This is what I want for my students. I want them to feel confident so that we can grow as readers and writers throughout the school year.

The IRA/NAEYC joint position statement (1998) was eagerly as enlightening as the Bell and Jarvis article. As a teacher, it is always helpful to know the appropriate developmental checkpoints for children in your class. By using this article, I will be able to provide a lesson that is adapted for each child's developmental needs. 

Facebook door- have a laminated strip for every child and they get time to update status about something they learned, liked or happened during school that day!