Throughout a typical school day in our classrooms, our students need the opportunity to work with assistance from us, and independently. As we teach, all of our students are making connections to the content with the foundation of their individual prior knowledge. They utilize their existing knowledge to help them learn new information, and this happens at different rates for different students. Apprenticeship in Literacy states, “an important principle of apprenticeship learning is the role of routines in promoting literacy development” (Dorn, et. al., 1998). The book explains that our classroom environments need to be well organized and encompass routines to help the children succeed in their learning process. This is where we as teachers come in, and have to map out and execute routines and lessons that promote our students’ independent learning. Part of the process of creating classroom norms and routines is utilizing the children during the planning, rehearsing, and organizing of your classroom. I believe this gives the students a chance to take ownership for their classroom, and move from simply gaining knowledge to also having an experience. Using Rosenblatt’s notion of efferent and aesthetic learning together while establishing routines and organization. Once children understand the classroom routines, it is easier for them to focus on the content they are being taught.
The book gives a few organization techniques that are directly linked to the development of self-regulation in our students. Having an organized system will help your students learn self-management techniques. A few ways of doing so are, teaching your students to put things away properly, how to correctly move from one activity to another, and everyday classroom routines, such as when to line up at the door. As children comprehend and enact classroom norms, the students can build upon their experience with the lessons we teach.
As we think about our students, it is also important to be well organized when planning and delivering small group activities, whole class instruction, and independent learning times. We are responsible for not only teaching the students present that day, but have a system that never leaves behind a student that was absent. This becomes more difficult since we have so little time with our students and so much information to cover. Nonetheless a well-organized teacher can even help their students learn routines to catch up if they are absent. A beneficial resource for not only having time for children that missed school, but also ones that may need more assistance in general, is a Literacy Corner. I think that all grades can incorporate a learning center or literacy corner into their classrooms. Such designated areas allow for additional resources for reading and writing that promote self-paced learning.
It is important for teachers to organize their materials to enhance their students’ learning. I believe that all teachers have this ability; some more so than others, but that is when teachers need to help fellow teachers find better ways to promote student learning. Along with teachers helping each other organize, it is also important to share resources with one another. So often I hear of teachers not wanting to give up their prized resource, or share their amazing library. I think this is crap, and that those teachers need to not be hoarders but understand that they have the opportunity to teach and help other teachers. Makes sense to me, but anyways. As for literacy corners and learning centers, it is important to always remember to have age appropriate materials and yet still challenge your students. If we continue to think outside of the box, include both aesthetic and efferent learning, create and perform classroom routines, and design productive learning opportunities, our students will in turn move from apprenticeship to masters.
“Apprenticeship literacy implies that children will become more competent learners through guided participation with a knowledgeable person, which the student then applies to independent work” (Dorn, et. al., 1998).
No comments:
Post a Comment