Module #2: The Components of Balanced Literacy

 As an early childhood educator, I always ask myself when is the best time to complete Shared Reading/Writing, Read-Aloud, Interactive Writing, and Reading/Writing Workshop, which are the different components of a balanced literacy program,throughout the day. After reading Chapter 5, titled The Components of Balanced Literacy, it all makes more sense! In Chapter 5, Mermelstein states, "Spiegel has defined balance as a "decision making approach through which the teacher makes thoughtful choices each day about the best way to help each child become a better reader and write," (Mermelstein, 2006). This approach is about making the connection between both reading and writing by using a balanced literacy program. An educator can only plan out their balanced literacy program after assessing their students and really understanding their individual needs and strengths in the classroom. The chapter breaks down each component and the author provides insight and strategies on what each component may look like in a classroom. 

Mermelstein compares her yoga practice to a balanced literacy program. Her yoga poses are connected to one another. To perfect one move, she had to perfect the pose before. For example, "Like how Half Moon gets you ready for Awkward Pose, and Awkward Pose gets you ready for Eagle Pose," (Mermelstein, 2006). Just like a balanced literacy program, all the different yoga poses prepare you for the next pose.

I compared a balanced literacy program to teaching my cheerleaders how to stunt. In order for them to be able to complete a full stunt, liberty and so on, they need to be able to perfect a simple half. All the other stunts are formed after learning how to do a basic half.

 

All of the components, Shared Reading/Writing, Read-Aloud, Interactive Reading, and Reading/Writing Workshop, all come hand in hand with one another. Shared Reading and Read-Aloud both allow for student build up independently, in understanding the meaning of the text. Interactive Writing and Shared Reading allow for student build up in understanding the visual aspect of a text. Reading and Writing Workshop are a combination of all. Students are to build up meaning, independently, to construct meaning into the text being read (Mermelstein, 2006).

As an educator, I will definitely take these components and combine them together to construct a successful balanced literacy program in my Kindergarten classroom. With such a rigorous curriculum, it is imperative to incorporate the different components to allow my students to grow and become better readers and writers. After assessing my students and understanding their individual needs and strengths, I will have a better idea of when to incorporate these different strategies into my ninety minute reading block. 

The video below shows a teacher and her students during Shared Reading, which is one of the components in a balance literacy program.

References

Mermelstein,L.(2006).Reading/writing connections in the K-2 classroom.Boston:Pearson.

Module #1: Literacy Autobiography

Growing up, I developed a great amount of love towards reading! As I entered Kindergarten, my parents remind me still to today, the excitement and interest I showed towards reading. I vaguely remember my early elementary years but my parents have shared many memories with me. I would come home from school, excited to share with them that I was able to read a simple sentence as "I see the red ball."  I see how my students, today, get excited over reading sentences as simple as that. It gives me an insight as to how I reacted when I was in their shoes years ago. My Kindergarten teacher would send home flash cards, weekly, with words being taught that week. I would sit down with my parents and show them how to blend the sounds together in a word. Being able to complete that task, allowed me to gain a love for reading!

Fast forwarding to years later, starting fourth grade, I was left back. My parents transferred me from a catholic school to a public school. I was behind in the curriculum and was not able to catch up in time to advance to fifth grade. Being in fourth grade, for the second time, my teacher made me lose interest in not only reading and writing, but school as a whole. She would single me out and reminded me that I should be aware of the skill being taught as I was taught the same skill the previous year. My love for reading and learning went out the window!

It wasn't until fifth grade that I gained my love for reading and learning, as a whole, because of the FABULOUS teacher I had. She showed such great interest in her students goals and interests and never once singled any of us out. She encouraged me to READ, READ, READ, and KEEP READING and that is exactly what I did until I entered high school! I remember, every morning, she would allow us to have fifteen minutes of free reading time. We were allowed to read a book of our choice and when the timer went off, we had to write in our journal and reflect on what we read. When it came to writing, she taught writing in a fun and creative way that engaged all of us to write. She inspired all of us to keep a journal so that whenever we had a thought come to mind, we could jot it down. It was like having our own personal diary.

Not only did she make a big impact in gaining my love for reading and learning back but my parents also played a major role in my studies and pushed me to never give back. Even after all my struggles in my second year of fourth grade and being in fifth grade, they were all my backbone and encouraged me everyday to be better than I was the day before. They all took great interests in my studies. After completing fifth grade, my fifth grade teacher still supported me in sixth grade and continued to encourage me to NEVER GIVE UP!

Being a Freshman in high school I thought I was TOO COOL to read and put reading aside! I lost interest in reading books and would much rather watch the movie instead of reading the book. When my college years began, I did not realize how much reading would be required. It wasn't until my Sophomore year of college that I started to read, not only what was required from my professors, but I put time aside for myself to read for pleasure. Today, I am someone who needs to read the book before watching the movie, which half of the time the book is 1,000 times BETTER than the movie.

As an educator, I express to my students the love I have for reading. I take great interest in what they love to read about and explore with. I put time aside, everyday, where they are allowed to have free time to read a book of their choice. In Kindergarten, many of my students are just learning how to read sight words such as I, the, my, we, it, she, he, etc..., become aware that letters make up sounds that are blended together to make up words which are segmented together to make up sentences. Many of my students are unable to read at the beginning of the year but it is GREAT to see how they are able to tell a story just by looking at the pictures. Seeing them develop a love for reading, MAKES MY HEART HAPPY, which is something I share with them daily. :)