All Good Things Must Come To An End

The only words that come to mind when I think about our Literacy and Learning III class are “simply amazing”. I did not think that I could take away so much valuable information from just one course. The readings, assignments and class discussions were so well thought out, that I feel so much more prepared to teach literacy than I did five months ago. I understand how important reading and writing are, and the skills and concepts that I have learned this semester will help make my classroom experiences meaningful to my students’ lives.

Even though the assignments may have been stressful at times, they were well worth the time and effort. For example, I am now more confident in my abilities to conduct a highly effective read aloud (including the process of selecting a book that is meaningful for the class). Also, projects such as the OTSMA, instructional conversation, writing assessment, etc. ensure that I am ready to apply them as a teacher once I begin working. Furthermore, the class readings and discussions were extremely helpful to my learning in regards to literacy. Before this class, I was only able to slightly envision what my classroom would look like, but thanks to discussions and readings (such as Debbie Miller) I can visualize how I might setup my room to promote and integrate literacy into my students’ lives.

One idea that I really took away from this class (that I did not think about as much before) is the idea of conferencing with students. The more that I get to know my learners individually as readers and writers, the better I will be at constructing important and relevant lessons for them. I always knew that you could check on students individually as they were writing, for example, but various discussions and class texts have specifically provided me with the correct tools and knowledge to conference with my kids.

If I were to continue to write about everything that I have taken away from this class, however, I would be able to write a novel’s worth for all of my ideas. Not only has this information helped me, but the ideas and information that comes from this class will positively impact my students’ lives as well.