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AR Reading Program - Reading is so crucial in middle school. This hasn't changed since I was in school, but the requirements concerning everything else that needs to happen has changed.
There has been a change in the focus of literature/fiction reading to nonfiction informational types of reading. There is also a larger focus in writing that needs to happen in class. We just don't have time in class to do the type of fiction reading necessary to really help students grow as readers. The key words here are "in class."
That's why our AR program is homework and so crucial to students. The AR program is a daily 20-30 minute homework assignment for all students. We also expect students to read in homeroom and when they are finished early in all classes. We require students to carry an AR book with them at all times during the school day.
Students take a test at the beginning of the year and get their reading level and then have a zone to read in - somewhere around one grade above or below their zone. They then take quizzes at school to get credit.
Reading - We have a great literature book filled with short stories that we will use throughout the year. We will always read for enjoyment and comprehension, but we will also answer questions about the story using the CER method - making claims, using evidence from the story, and reasoning/elaborating about the evidence.
We will read one novel together in class at the end of the year. The novel relates to part of our history unit on Islam. We will do a storyboard that involves summarizing each chapter and drawing a picture to go along with it. It's always one of the students' favorite projects, especially those who love art.
Writing - It took me awhile to figure out what the reasoning was behind the Common Core Tests. For me, it is a move away from multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks to demonstrating how a person thinks through their writing. Of course, if a person has difficulties with the basic mechanics of writing, spelling, and grammar, then demonstrating how they think is going to be difficult. Also realize that they not only have to write for language arts on the test, they have to write in all subject areas.
I am not a fan of standardized testing and do not believe in teaching towards the test, but I can find no reasons why we shouldn't prepare our students in the best way possible by ensuring that they can express their thoughts with their writing. In our new age of computers and data collection, I feel that at some point people may evaluate students, teachers, and schools based on these test results(it's already happening), so I feel a responsibility to prepare my students in the best way possible.
This is why I tell my students that writing and the things involved with writing may be their most important subject in school in middle school. That is how I treat in my class, and we try to write every day.
When I was in first grade, my teacher made us read a small children's book every night. I was in shock. Of course, I was only six and had just started my career as a student, and I already had homework every night. I also was not happy about this at the time, and I didn't realize what she had done until I was older, but I never had a problem with reading for the rest of my academic career. I hope that by the end of this year my students will have a similar effect with their writing.
AR Reading Program - Reading is so crucial in middle school. This hasn't changed since I was in school, but the requirements concerning everything else that needs to happen has changed.
There has been a change in the focus of literature/fiction reading to nonfiction informational types of reading. There is also a larger focus in writing that needs to happen in class. We just don't have time in class to do the type of fiction reading necessary to really help students grow as readers. The key words here are "in class."
That's why our AR program is homework and so crucial to students. The AR program is a daily 20-30 minute homework assignment for all students. We also expect students to read in homeroom and when they are finished early in all classes. We require students to carry an AR book with them at all times during the school day.
Students take a test at the beginning of the year and get their reading level and then have a zone to read in - somewhere around one grade above or below their zone. They then take quizzes at school to get credit.
Reading - We have a great literature book filled with short stories that we will use throughout the year. We will always read for enjoyment and comprehension, but we will also answer questions about the story using the CER method - making claims, using evidence from the story, and reasoning/elaborating about the evidence.
We will read one novel together in class at the end of the year. The novel relates to part of our history unit on Islam. We will do a storyboard that involves summarizing each chapter and drawing a picture to go along with it. It's always one of the students' favorite projects, especially those who love art.
Writing - It took me awhile to figure out what the reasoning was behind the Common Core Tests. For me, it is a move away from multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks to demonstrating how a person thinks through their writing. Of course, if a person has difficulties with the basic mechanics of writing, spelling, and grammar, then demonstrating how they think is going to be difficult. Also realize that they not only have to write for language arts on the test, they have to write in all subject areas.
I am not a fan of standardized testing and do not believe in teaching towards the test, but I can find no reasons why we shouldn't prepare our students in the best way possible by ensuring that they can express their thoughts with their writing. In our new age of computers and data collection, I feel that at some point people may evaluate students, teachers, and schools based on these test results(it's already happening), so I feel a responsibility to prepare my students in the best way possible.
This is why I tell my students that writing and the things involved with writing may be their most important subject in school in middle school. That is how I treat in my class, and we try to write every day.
When I was in first grade, my teacher made us read a small children's book every night. I was in shock. Of course, I was only six and had just started my career as a student, and I already had homework every night. I also was not happy about this at the time, and I didn't realize what she had done until I was older, but I never had a problem with reading for the rest of my academic career. I hope that by the end of this year my students will have a similar effect with their writing.