Reflective Journal Entry #4

Chadrick Shoales
REED 502: Teaching Reading in the Content Areas II
Reflective Journal Entry #4
The Process of Getting Desired Results
03/27/10


Incorporating Reading into My Art Content Classroom.
Within my strategy plan implementation, I have been using strategies 2, 3, and 7 for the past couple of weeks to incorporate reading into my art content classroom. Some aspects (the different things teachers can do) of the strategies were things I already have been doing, and saw it as a chance to incorporate that aspect even more. Other aspects were new to me and I had to come up with a plan to implement each individual aspect of each strategy. Below, I included the 3 strategies my group chose, what the teacher (myself) could do, and how I did it:

Strategy 2: Independent strategic readers connect new knowledge to existing knowledge to make personal meaning

• Provide multiple opportunities for students to read
o I have done an anticipation guide with my students requiring them to take a test on their knowledge of Obama. After the test, the students were given a brief biography about Obama they were to read to find the answers to the test within the reading. Students are motivated by Obama and they enjoy learning about him. After the anticipation guide and article reading, I did a giant group mural of Obama.

• Ensure classroom access to various types of print (books, magazines, internet, CD’s)
o 2 reading and writing areas are in my classroom that consists of writing activities as well as a library of art related books that students may use once finished with their project.
o Projects have required the use of the internet and books because we have been creating altered books filled with collaged pages.
o I did a fluency practice of a short story with the students. Students were given a book. I had a CD that would narrate the story as they would read along with the computer. Technology motivates my students. The story I chose related to the art lesson I was teaching.

• Use brainstorming and surveys to identify prior knowledge and interests or experiences
o Students were creating personal chameleon snake designs. Before they could sketch, I made them brainstorm first all of their favorite hobbies. Once they did that, I told them to pick that hobby they liked best. Within those hobbies, they were to brainstorm all of the different things and details that go along with that hobby. My example was “teaching art”. Details that went along with that were symbolic images such as an apple to represent teaching or easily recognizable images that relate to art such as paint brushes, crayons, scissors, glue, painting palettes, etc…

• Share content specific vocabulary at the beginning of the unit

o Before every lesson, I point on to the students the new vocabulary word that I have placed on the Word wall. I have them spell the word, sound it out, then say it for me before I place it on the wall. Students can refer back to the wall and remember that new word. I also leave those words up there during art tests. They are more likely to pay attention to the words on the wall if it serves them purpose and they see that they will be able to get a better grade from paying attention.

• Give opportunities for students to see how things are alike and different (comparisons, classification, analogies, metaphors)

o I did several art lessons where we would compare and contrast artwork and the purpose for each work. Within each work I addressed classification, analogies, symbols, metaphors, and compared these English concepts to art. I also would make a connection for the students and tell them that reading artwork that tells a story is just like reading books that tells stories. Once they know how to read books they can compare and contrast those books just as they do the artwork in my class. We did a lesson on army uniforms and personal sneaker designs and then followed the lessons with a positive critique of the work.

Strategy 5: Independent strategic readers create images of what they are reading

• Model the use of visuals and graphic organizers
o I use visual and graphic organizers daily by giving the students step by step PowerPoint handouts that include text. They can then see the process of every art lesson. I also write the days activities on the board numbers 1 through whatever number of activities I have planned. By doing it this way students will be able to visually organize the process of the days activities. For example:
 1) read article
 2) respond to questions
 3) powerpoint
 4) demonstration
 5) begin sketching

• Use models and charts
o Before students sketch, I make them brainstorm Word webs. Before students write about art in my class, I have them fill out a compare/contrast template.
• Use video clips that emphasize or demonstrate the key learning
o I go on YouTube and find videos that directly relate to my instruction so students can see a meaning to why were doing something, what were doing, and often times can see and end result of what were doing. Sometimes videos I show are strictly for motivational purposes only. Videos can motivate students about subject matter, reading, art projects, etc…

Strategy 7: Independent strategic readers use textual clues, visuals, and text organization to increase their understanding

• Introduce students to the text by providing a “talk aloud” that introduces the structure and clues provided by text features
o When I give students time to research artists on the computer, I have them review the Table of contents, headings, photos, and captions within each site to make sure it has relevance to what they are searching for
• Introduce activities (such as scavenger hunt) to become familiar with the various parts of the book
o When students created altered books I had them hunt for their favorite letter in the book and circle it over and over. This is practice for students looking closer at details within the text.
• Consider highlighting text to indicate main ideas
o When students created altered books I had them hunt for words that related to their theme in the book and circle those words. This is practice for students looking closer at details within the text. It also has students altering a book to establish a more personal main idea. One student chose heavy metal music so they circled words like angry, heavy, repetitive, etc…

Anticipating and Planning Desired Results
When planning the results of my strategies, I was thinking in terms of what would benefit my students the most to prepare them for the MSA tests. I began by looking at each grade levels reading ability and asked the teachers what the students reading and writing capabilities were. Once I was aware of this, I was able to align my instruction to each class and be very grade level specific for each individual class. I was able to plan reading connections with my content area and the student’s current reading levels. Knowing my students learning levels, abilities, and interests pointed me in a specific direction with each class.
Beginning Process and Results after Initial Implementation
Within my strategy plan implementation, I have been using strategies 2, 3, and 7 for the past couple of weeks to incorporate reading into my art content classroom. Some aspects (the different things teachers can do) of the strategies were things I already have been doing, and saw it as a chance to incorporate that aspect even more. Other aspects were new to me and I had to come up with a plan to implement each individual aspect of each strategy. With strategy 2, students seem to be taking advantage of opportunities to read in my art class, enjoy the art lessons that are inclusive to the various types of print, are able to organize their ideas better when sketching and brainstorming, are more aware of the learned vocabulary inside my classroom, and are able to see a connection with reading, comparing, and contrasting art with reading, comparing, and contrasting texts. With strategy 5 students understand process and order of operations better whether is the organization of my class, a lesson I’m teaching, the daily activities, or the organization of a book itself. Strategy 7 is making students more aware of text features and forming their own ideas and stories. Between the 3 strategies I have been using, students have become more creative. Overall, more activities with reading helps my self as a teacher fill each 1 hour class with options to make my instructional hour more meaningful.
Making Necessary Revisions
Teaching grades prek-8, each class is unique with different reading and motivational levels. Certain things work for some classes. Those same things don’t always work with other groups. This depends on age, maturity level, prior knowledge, etc… After implementation of the reading strategies, I took notes on what worked and what did not. I am going back and making the necessary changes to each individual class, revising my original plans. In the end, my overall goal is to help students become better readers and writers. I want these students to pass that MSA test and be able to read and write about art so that they can make more sense out of what I teach them. I will continue to find more strategies to improve my well rounded instruction filled with cross curricular connections. The more connections students make between one subject to the other, the more meaningful instruction becomes.