Friday, February 25, 2011
Classroom design for promoting literacy
In our class we read the excerpt from "On Solid Ground" about the importance of your classroom environment for promoting literacy. I found the conversation very rich and thoughtful. In addition we discussed the chapter from our text "Literacy Beginnings" and ended up in a rather diverse discussion around commercialism in the classroom. Thinking about both of these discussions take a moment to comment on how these readings and discussions have changed and/or enlightened your thoughts about how to set up a classroom to encourage reading and writing activities. You may also comment on how you've implemented something different due to the readings or discussion.
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I do have a well-stocked supply of markers, pencils, crayons, and paper out at all times on our “art table.” I have clipboards for the children that get carried around the room. I added a phonebook to the dramatic play area (which promptly got torn….) . Teaching the kids what is and isn’t okay to do with the materials is a struggle…we have several kids that are still working on the concept of keeping writing on paper and not on walls or other objects. The care of books is another struggle I have. This week I did set aside some Mrs. B only books…and felt awful doing so. I am working on classroom labels for environmental print. We have recently rearranged the room, and things are settled enough for labels…but we do have some kids that seem determined to take apart posters, or displays that I have put up. I have a small laminator, and a large roll of contact paper, and make lots of use of Velcro, so that I am not always worrying about things I have created coming down. We have been venturing into write on wipe off markers on a floor easel white board.
ReplyDeleteI guess the biggest Aha that I have gotten from the readings this far is that read alouds can be more than stories at this age level…I have done really well with finding great stories, now I need to work on the informational books that will serve read aloud purposes. I do point out the print features on the page as I read aloud, and employ many of the strategies suggested in the articles. I have not tried KWL charts at all….I am a little afraid to do so with my class of threes…I might try it in small groups first to see how it goes. We are still a very active class and it feels like an accomplishment to get in a well received read aloud.
from Valerie Kosednar:
ReplyDeleteWell, I spent a bunch of days over this week's school vacation replenishing and re-organizing the books in my First Grade classroom. It always takes me a long time to "rotate" the books from the baskets, bins that I have placed throughout the room and on the display shelf in the meeting area. I do this (rotate books) about every 4-6 weeks. I have organized the classroom to have books available within easy reach throughout the various corners. The school library helps keep the book supply "fresh" as does the budget of $400 each year for books (I just spent the last of that money yesterday!) Baskets offer a variety of types of books (of many different reading levels, fiction and non-fiction, poetry). Bins are labeled with specific themes (ABC's, 123's, Animals, Folktales/Fairytales, Science, Chapter Books, Mexico (our current theme) Biscuit, Frog and Toad, Sing a Story, etc).
After the reading what I found lacking in my classroom was the availability of writing materials throughout the room. Pencils, art pencils, crayons and markers are each available on only one writing table/shelving unit. This is the only location of writing materials in the room. I am inspired to re-think and re-organize this aspect of my classroom! Also, I do not have an area/table that is writing specific, as mentioned in the textbook. Art and writing supplies are grouped together. I need to re-think this!
Another struggle I'm having is how to organize the "Leveled Books" within this structure. I have gone back and forth in my mind about whether or not to organize the Leveled Books in an obvious way (in numbered bins). This is currently the system in most primary classrooms at my school, though I have to admit that I am uncomfortable with it. There are so many schools of thought around this - how children select books for themselves and how much teacher control should be involved in their self-selection process. Many educators believe that it is important for children to "know their Level". Welcoming any thoughts on this. Thanks, All! -VK
I was so glad to see this topic, as i have been thinking and working on my classroom environment recently as our class discussions and reading have inspired me to make some changes. I am fortunate this year to have a group of preschoolers who are very enthusiastic about reading--hearing stories, telling stories, acting them out, using any and all literacy materials that i introduce (flannel board, dramatic play props, puppets etc.) I have had a harder time finding ways to engage them in print and writing activities. i was glad to get some fresh ideas from the reading and our classroom discussion, including adding cookbooks, phone books and magazines. (somehow, i had forgotten about magazines! when i added these to some reading baskets i have in the classroom for use during transitions, the kids immediately showed great interest.) i have also been thinking a lot about ways to get more environmental print into our space. i have always been a little reluctant to use the pre-fab plastic and cardboard food containers in my housekeeping, as i am not crazy about the quality, but after our discussion in class i realized i was missing a good opportunity to incorporate environmental print in a way that would be meaningful to the children, so i am adding this material as we switch our dramatic play area over to a restaurant. this will also allow me to include menus, order pads and a cash register, which i expect will really engage the kids.
ReplyDeletei am also planning to revitalize my writing center with new materials and organization. Since my group of children have been not so interested in writing activities, I will use my 'mystery box' to introduce a few new items, as the children are always eager to use something that i present this way. (i put an item in a covered box, and give them clues to guess what it contains).
in addition to these ideas, i have been reflecting a lot on what i am observing in the kindergarten and second grade classroom where i am doing practicum activities. i am interested in figuring out developmentally appropriate ways to make connections between the literacy experiences the kids have in preschool with what they will encounter in elementary school. small changes in the way that present something--such as a daily calendar--can be a great way to build children's confidence and competence as they make the transition
Nicole Says:
ReplyDeleteThe most important think I took from the readings concerning literacy environments was just the shear amount of books and book spaces that were in the classroom described. In my classroom there are lots of writing opportunities (clipboards, writing table, dramatic play props) and times where we read, but really wish that there were more books in more places. I also thought that the insight behind wall charts was important. I am a less-is-more kind of thinker, even in my classroom, and do not like having charts and posters all over the place. However, the way the charts were described in the reading as being purposeful and functional (children using them as tools) makes me open to incorporating them into my classroom.
After our discussion about commercialism I decided that all commercialism should be kept out of the classroom if possible (Don’t use Cap’n Crunch or Kashi). Students are exposed to this stuff from other angles and school should be a place where new opportunities are explored. If you need cereal boxes in your dramatic play maybe you could create your own. Ask students questions about cereal (What would our box look like? What do we need to have to let others know that it is cereal inside? What words should we include?) The whole class can engage in writing and reading as they design food package labels.
This year has been rather intense in our school as we have implemented new curriculum; continue to learn about co-teaching and implement it; and have a commitment to renewed focus on data collection and analysis. Along with the increased pressure of being a school not meeting AYP, my current classroom has many children with some pretty intense needs. I can see from the data and observations that the children are engaged and growing but I have struggled this year with how far behind they are and also with how the classroom is structured physically.
ReplyDeleteThe readings and class discussion caused me to reflect on my teaching and on my classroom. There have been many ideas for physical structure of the room and for materials that give children the opportunities for self-selected engagement that will help them move forward. There are so many changes that I would like to implement when I set up my classroom next year but also some things that I would like to change this year. The readings gave me ideas for additions that are so simple, such as adding cookbooks to our dramatic play area and our discussion caused to think about how to enhance opportunities for children to see print. I wonder about making our own cereal boxes and other food items so that the children get practice writing and ‘own’ the dramatic play area. There was a discussion in one of the readings about children n the classroom helping to create their own phonebooks, a simple idea and easy to do.
Everyday we create books during Writer’s Workshop but adding a writing center with a variety of materials would be a great addition to our choice time activities. The reading clarified for me that when children write to communicate, they are more likely to engage in writing for longer periods of time. This leads me to want to add more opportunities for writing in all the center choices.
I have gotten so many wonderful ideas while reading the text and articles and I am looking forward to adding them to our classroom.
Commercialism...Our discussion about commercialism in the classroom was very thought-provoking. I found myself weighing my own personal values:I feel strongly that commercialism does not belong in school, along with my desire to educate and encourage healthy decisions, and my desire to respect others and their own, uniquely personal, choices. Cathy's statement about valuing the relationship with families over one's views touched me. In addition, the bottom line for me is that I want to encourage children to learn and to feel motivated. There may be times that I may allow for a little commercialism or "pop culture," if that is what it would take for some children to become enthusistic about literacy. However, it would not be my first choice...
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the reading from On Solid Ground. It was so impressive how the entire classroom seemed devoted to literacy. In addition to the incredibly organized literary rich classroom, I really liked the idea of a long uninterupted literacy block with two opportunities for children to read: free choice independent reading books and leveled books. I,also, thought the reading folders were very cool and complete. I think that is valuable for students to have access to assessments as a learning tool.
Our text offered many excellent ways to infuse literacy throughout the classroom and in the various centers. Particularly meaningful to me was the use of shared reading and interactive writing. What great ways to encourage everyone's participation and to model strategies and skills! In addition, I liked the emphasis on flexible grouping based on current needs, and varying lessons for small groups, whole group and independent practice.
I look forward to implementing some of these concepts and ideas when I have my own classroom.
FOR VALERIE... Instead of numbering the level of books, some teachers organize the books with colored stickers. It's more gentle. Just wanted to share that with you...
The class discussion and reading of On Solid Ground also inspired me to rethink my classroom. It is my first year in this classroom and I share the room with another teacher. All month long I have been thinking about ways to rearrange and create more space for the preschoolers. February was a pretty hectic month but this past week I was able to share to my thoughts with my co-teacher. She has agreed that we need change and as excited as I am to go through with it. We actually started on this today!
ReplyDeleteThis biggest change that we are making is taking our desk right out of the room. At the moment it is a catch all for miscellaneous items and things that we don’t have time to take care of. So I came in with the idea of doing away with it and coming up with different organization systems to take care of the clutter. We have been trying to think of ways to get a discovery center going but have been trying to envision it. Without the desk in the classroom we have so much more room and are able to see possibilities. I also like the idea to get the materials more accessible to the students. We have some supplies out but there are a few things (Like glue bottles) that we keep up on the shelves. So good changes are coming to our classroom and I am very excited about!
Thinking along the lines of commercialism, I am still on the fence. Head Start has very strict policies and ideas about nutrition and healthy bodies that we tend to keep most of it out of the classroom. We are expected to educate families on healthier choices in a way that doesn’t impose on their beliefs. The families we work with teach their children what they were taught and may not realize there is a healthier alternative to what they are doing. But I can see both sides of the coin.
responding to other comments
ReplyDeleteso many of us have questions and conflict about this topic we are broadly calling 'commercialism.' striking a balance between honoring children's family experiences, interests and preferences while ensuring that our classrooms and teaching represent the best of what we know to be safe and healthy is tricky work. I would love to see a class on this topic!
i was curious, so i went to NAEYC to see if they had a position statement specific to this topic. The closest was their statement on media violence, one portion of which reads: "
"During early childhood, the foundation is laid for future social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. During this formative period, young children are particularly vulnerable to negative influences. In most instances, children have no control over the environmental messages they receive. Up until age seven or eight, children have great difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality, and their ability to comprehend nuances of behavior, motivation, or moral complexity is limited. This special vulnerability of children necessitates increased vigilance to protect them from potentially negative influences. Parents are ultimately responsible for monitoring their children’s viewing habits; however, parents cannot be omniscient and omnipresent in their children’s lives. Parents need assistance in protecting their children from unhealthy exposure to violence."
they also make these recommendations (among others) "• promotion of more developmentally appropriate, educational programming that meets children’s diverse needs for information, entertainment, aesthetic appreciation, positive role models, and knowledge about the world (Huston et al., 1989) • development and dissemination of curriculum for teachers to improve children’s critical viewing skills and to teach nonviolent strategies for resolving conflicts"
i think our responsibility is to give children a safe and healthy environment where they get many opportunities to develop their critical thinking skills. for example, if we had a unit on the food pyramaid, and practiced making foods together and writing our own ingredient labels like those we find on store packages. then with older children, you could expand the literacy--and nutrition--lesson by looking at ingredients listed on some commonly recognized favorite commercial foods: what fits in to the food pyramaid? what does not...etc.
i keep going around and around about the environmental print question: better to have a neutral 'milk' carton, or a print rich local organic container...or the possibly most familiar "Quik Strawberry". i think i am reaching the conclusion that for me, i am most comfortable using what i consider to be the healthiest choices that are also likely to be familiar. and i have thought about adding some information about program policies on representations of commercial products to our handbook...
After reading and discussing some of the ideas about environmental print in the classroom I made some changes to the dramatic play area in the classroom I work in. I decided to incorporate a grocery store theme into the play area. The rest of the teachers and I decided to use packages from our recycling bins at home. This seemed to make the most sense in terms of cost and availability. This also seemed to be a happy medium as far as commercialism in the classroom. The packages were not necessarily the most familiar and appealing to children(no fruity pebbles) but they were realistic and contained environmental print. We also created store shelves labeled with different words and pictures of foods so that the children could sort and shelve the food packages. We had spots for the different food groups, introducing vocabulary like dairy and grains. The other words on the shelves were basic food names that the children could use to match the packages to, like cereal and pasta. In addition to food packages we included clipboards, paper and pencils so that children could create shopping lists and write the ‘grocery store’ room. My favorite part of the store is a chalkboard that was used for an open/closed sign, a store name sign and also a price list of available food. The students were able to write independently or be guided by teachers to spell different things on the chalkboard. The grocery store also provided an opportunity to expand our math unit on pennies and nickels and their values.
ReplyDeletePart I Posted for Cathy S.
ReplyDeleteresponding to other comments on commercialism...
so many of us have questions and conflict about 'commercialism.' striking a balance between honoring children's family experiences, interests and preferences while ensuring that our classrooms and teaching represent the best of what we know to be safe and healthy is tricky work. I would love to see a class on this topic!
i was curious, so i went to NAEYC to see if they had a position statement specific to this topic. The closest was their statement on media violence, one portion of which reads: "
"During early childhood, the foundation is laid for future social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. During this formative period, young children are particularly vulnerable to negative influences. In most instances, children have no control over the environmental messages they receive. Up until age seven or eight, children have great difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality, and their ability to comprehend nuances of behavior, motivation, or moral complexity is limited. This special vulnerability of children necessitates increased vigilance to protect them from potentially negative influences. Parents are ultimately responsible for monitoring their children’s viewing habits; however, parents cannot be omniscient and omnipresent in their children’s lives. Parents need assistance in protecting their children from unhealthy exposure to violence."
they also make these recommendations (among others) "• promotion of more developmentally appropriate, educational programming that meets children’s diverse needs for information, entertainment, aesthetic appreciation, positive role models, and knowledge about the world (Huston et al., 1989) • development and dissemination of curriculum for teachers to improve children’s critical viewing skills and to teach nonviolent strategies for resolving conflicts"
Part II of above comment (For Cathy S.)
ReplyDeletei think our responsibility is to give children a safe and healthy environment where they get many opportunities to develop their critical thinking skills. for example, if we had a unit on the food pyramaid, and practiced making foods together and writing our own ingredient labels like those we find on store packages. then with older children, you could expand the literacy--and nutrition--lesson by looking at ingredients listed on some commonly recognized favorite commercial foods: what fits in to the food pyramaid? what does not...etc.
i keep going around and around about the environmental print question: better to have a neutral 'milk' carton, or a print rich local organic container...or the possibly most familiar "Quik Strawberry". i think i am reaching the conclusion that for me, i am most comfortable using what i consider to be the healthiest choices that are also likely to be familiar. and i have thought about adding some information about program policies on representations of commercial products to our handbook...
Commercialism in the classroom - Hmmm. I feel that my first instinct is to incorporate environmental print into the classroom by using real items that I consider to be healthy models for the kids. Most of the items that I add to my classroom are from my home and so they are not commercial. However, I also welcome children to bring in things from their own life outside of school even if it's not something that I would I support (like the Cookie Crisp cereal box sitting on top of the play frige). But the child now has a sense of ownership over something in the classroom and they have made a contribution to our environment. I think that's really important. I think it also helps me to learn more about the child and if I can make literacy connections to the things that they are actually going to see outside of school then the concept is more likely to be reinforced, I think.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the whole commercialism in the classroom thing is about balance. I will always try and model "healthy" and varied choices, but I have to be realistic about what's out there. I think that it's all about the conversations we have.
Throughout the readings I was getting so excited about all the literacy ideas! I just found out that I will be teaching kindergarten next year and I can't wait to set up my new classroom filled with opporunities for literacy discovery!
I always feel like there is room for change/improvements in my classroom as well as in my curriculum. Some of the best tips and help I receive are from peers and parents, who notice things that I dont notice during the day or know things about their children that I may not see during a typical 3 hour day. It is extremely challenging for me to challenge the older students in my classroom who will be heading off to kindergarten this fall, while keeping my little kids( the barely 3 year olds) in the loop of what is going on. I find balance in opportunities that are equal for everyone to do as a whole class, such as journaling. Everyone can draw a picture and tell us what it is.
ReplyDeleteWe scribe for those who can't write, and many of the students in my class are beginning to write. Also, this month we just added in a grocery store to our dramatic play area, which is literacy rich in text that children recognize and can read.