Kimberly Hitchcox

EDUC 340 Final Paper

All teachers are teachers of reading
Coming into this class, I thought that there would be many lessons that would not
be applicable in Agricultural education. It quickly became apparent I was beyond wrong.
I began to see the importance of reading in every single classroom, and the need for
every student to be equipped with the skill of reading. Observing different classrooms
allowed me to see that no matter the subject being taught, reading comprehension is at
the root of all lessons. Teachers provided individual support to each student ensuring
that they were not simply reading text, but more importantly comprehending it.
The past semester has opened my mind to new ways of thinking and engaging
students within a classroom. I understand that there are so many creative ways to teach
a lesson, without being redundant and still being successful. Using different visual aids
and graphic organizers allows students to be creative each day, while showing a teacher
that they understand the lesson. Learning how graphic organizers can be tailored for
each student enlightened me to a new idea of teaching that I think has wonderful
potential for struggling students.
As I began working with small groups in Mrs. Dudleys classroom, I began to see
firsthand the need for students to feel confident in reading and comprehension. I also
began to experience how to connect reading with an activity. While reading Touching
Spirit Bear with a group of 5 boys, I quickly picked out the strong versus struggling
readers. It became apparent that not only do students need strong literacy skills for
school work, but always to feel comfortable around their peers. When the boys finished
reading the assigned chapter, we worked on writing a RAFT (Schmer). It was exciting to
see the students have fun and enjoy the task, and equally moving to see that they were
able to convey their comprehension of the text in a creative manor.
Towards the middle of the semester, I sat with a small group of students who
were presenting posters they created from their individual books. One student became
very hesitant to share his drawing with the table, and not wanting to overstep my
bounds, I asked Mrs. Dudley for assistance. It was very helpful for me to see her stay
solid in that she did make him present but while doing so in a friendly manor. Being that
she knew he was a good reader and simply shy about sharing, it helped him to have a
little coaxing. After class we spoke about the incident and she pointed out that she picks
her battles. If he would have been a struggling reader, she said a different approach
would have been more appropriate. It was a great experience to see a teacher work one
on one, even in a group setting, and give him the confidence he needed to share his
poster, working on speaking skills, and in turn become a better reader.
The last lab I had in Mrs. Dudleys classroom became one of the most influential
for me. The small group I worked with was put in charge of summarizing a chapter of
Touching Spirit Bear. This was one of the most traditional activities, but also hardest for
the students. While everyone in the group did well reading aloud, not every student did
as well summarizing multiple pages into a paragraph. I noticed myself giving each
student more feedback than previous labs and leading them towards main ideas and
points. Certain students did very well with small hints or suggestions, while others
leaned heavily on me and their peers. I saw that when you ask for a summary paragraph
students have a harder time than providing them with a more specific task. It became
very important that Mrs. Dudley and I stepped in and offered some assistance to prevent
any of the students from feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. This is a very important
concept I plan to take with me as I move forward teaching.
Having an understanding of the importance of reading in education allows me to
see many applications within Agricultural education. One of the first lessons that came
to my mind revolves around mechanics and being in the shop. Students not only need to
read the safety tests, but they need to completely comprehend the material. The shop
can be dangerous so accurate understanding is crucial for a students wellbeing.
Allowing students to create a RAFT prior to the safety test would be a great review, as
well as let me know what students are still missing pertinent information. I think it
would relieve some of the test anxiety certain students have, while also allowing
creativity within a shop setting. The RAFT could work very well when teaching about the
history of Ag programs, animal science, horticulture and even Ag business. It provides
students a way to be creative, while showing the information that they have learned in a
nontraditional format. The RAFT activity opens up a new way of thinking by showing
students of a new way to think.
Text-to-Reader connection is another organizer I would use when teaching and
incorporating readings about the FFA. Many aspects about the FFA seem out of date or
impractical to students. Having students make their own connections will not only aid
them in remembering the information but also helps them strengthen their reading
skills by reading different types of materials, as hearing others speak around them.
Helping students to make connections about their readings benefits them for further
education and job preparation.
Using a verbal/visual in an Ag classroom will be very beneficial. Not all students
come from an Agricultural background, so learning the word, definition and picture is
ideal. I think that having a space within a classroom that these verbal/visual sheets can
be displayed and accessible to students at all times would be very valuable while
teaching. As mentioned in recitation, students may be more likely to ask their peer
before a teacher about a word meaning. The verbal/visual model provides students a
way to make personal connections, as well as their peers to learn definitions.
A summary organizer would work very well in agricultural education when
reading articles with lots of information that needs to be mainstreamed. Areas such as
Ag law and business can be overwhelming and I think this organizer would help
students see the most important information. For students that struggle with reading,
portions of a summary organizer could be filled in, thus relieving some anxiety.
A quickwrite has the potential to be used during any lesson. I think it would be
great to use in place of a pop-quiz so that students could express anything they know
about a topic in a short 2-3 minute period of time. Following up a quickwrite with a
conversation incorporates reading, writing and speaking which are all very integral and
important to each other.
All teachers are teachers of reading is definitely accurate. From an English
teacher to an Agriculture advisor, reading is crucial for every student. Reading leads to
writing, speaking and overall communication throughout life. Providing students the
gift of reading is the main key to success in all areas of schooling.





Bibliography

Pearson Custom Education: EDUC 340: Literacy & The Learner. Boston, MA: Pearson
Learning Solutions, 2011. Print.
Schmer, Amy. "Recitation - Lab #3." Preston Middle School, Fort Collins, Colorado. 27
Feb. 2014. Lecture.