After watching the Four Corners segment titled ‘Digi Kids’, I found myself thinking about my kids and my teaching practice.
As a secondary English teacher, I experience the difficulties of students coming to my classroom with such a range of abilities and experiences. I see a lack of phonics, grammar and punctuation knowledge, and the stress or disengagement experienced by those students who are lacking confidence in these areas. I, like the teachers in the segment, was never taught these things explicitly yet find the need to learn so that my students can achieve.
My school has shifted focus to lots of close reading and deconstruction of texts with a lens on word and sentence level teaching. We value reading and are bringing student choice to the fore.
Part of my motivation for choosing to go back to study and become qualified as a Teacher Librarian stems from my desire to provide the opportunities that students need to become passionate about reading and seeing learning as exciting and not a means to an end.
As a parent, I worry. I think most of us do. I worry about the impact my behaviors will have on my children. Food for thought and a good chance to reflect on whether or not we are in control of the technology in our lives, or if the technology is in control of us.
Hi Nina,
I found the ‘Digi Kids’ episode interesting too. I have noticed that my son, who used to be an avid reader in primary school, has hardly opened a book this year.
I currently teach a Year 3 class of 30 students, and the range of abilities include IM through to G+T students. I think smaller class sizes, a return to a phonics/whole language approach and more support in primary schools would boost literacy levels for our students before they enter high school.
Students need teachers like you that have a passion for them to succeed and ignite their love of reading.
Nicole
So pleased to see someone else realise the significance of such a report. I sent it to my principal prior to meeting with him to discuss my role and give him my TL report. I see it as evidence that we need to include space in the school timetable for reading. Powerful stuff.