Growing into Life Long Reading
"The man who does not read great books
is no better than the
man who can’t."
Mark Twain
Allow me to introduce the super stars of today's blog
Jennifer Drewry and Karyn Jones
English Teachers
Pinkston Middle School ~ Mountain Home, Arkansas
It's no coincidence that today's blog connects to my last one about motivating readers with the hope of ultimately creating life-long readers. Yesterday, I was one of several who judged student entries for Pinkston Middle School's annual Literacy Fair. Displays were created by all 7th grade Pre-AP students and any other 7th grade English student who wished to participate. The result: 80 dazzling entries.
I interviewed Karyn Jones and Jennifer Drewry, the two teachers responsible for this magnificent literacy celebration. Karyn and Jen have also generously agreed to respond to any questions you might have--which I bet might include a request for a copy of judging forms, etc. (Isn't sharing what we teachers do so well!) You will find their emails at the end of this blog.
This was my second time judging, so I felt like I had a better handle on what I was looking at and listening to when the students presented their books. In addition to creating a tri-fold display for their choice of book (and genre selection) students were required to design and present:
A Creative Display
·
a
creative display based upon salient aspects of the book
·
a
well written summary of the book
·
an
interactive, age-appropriate literary activity to create an interest in the
text
·
an
interactive, age-appropriate content area activity to create an interest in the
text
·
a
well-researched component to include bibliographic references
A Polished Oral Presentation
· a succinct
summary of their book
· direct eye-contact and professionally appropriate body language
·
demonstrations
of their interactive activities
·
answering
of any clarifying questions from the judges
Because of our stretched thin time tables, the interview was short but I know you will enjoy hearing these ladies' thoughts on this assignment which improves from each year's tweaks and additions. Along with the interview there is a pictorial celebration of some of these remarkable achievements by their students. If you haven't already, please grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and enjoy.
The Interview
Saturday Morning: Is
this a cumulative, end-of-the-year project? If yes, what do you expect the
students to have under control by the end of Feb? Would you list all the skills
needed to complete this project.
Jennifer and Karyn: I would say it is a cumulative
activity. The students are required to complete 6 creative book projects, with
2 projects being completed in each of the first 3 quarters of the school year.
We provide 2 project options and students have the choice of which they prefer
to tackle first. Along with the project each student is required to complete a
book assessment form that focuses on language arts topics being taught in the
classroom. By the end of February, students should have presentation skills,
basic research skills, and a strong knowledge of identifying writer’s
craft.
Saturday
Morning: You had mentioned you had added a research piece this year.
Can you talk a little bit about this?
Jennifer and Karyn: With each year, we have identified the need to
challenge students at different levels in order to prepare them for 21st
Century. One of the areas that we identified for this year is the need to
increase student ability to conduct effective research. Although this piece is
challenging for students this age, it is a great introduction allowing them to
grapple with the steps involving research. Adding the research piece
strengthens the educational value and ties into Common Core.
Saturday Morning: What are the pro’s to this project? Cons?
Jennifer and Karyn: The benefits are that students gain knowledge on how to
analyze literature for multiple curriculum connections. They get to the see the
value of the book, not just for enjoyment and entertainment, but also for those
teachable moments. Students are able to reach the highest levels of Bloom’s by
evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing information presented in their
novel. Students' natural tendency to procrastinate is a deterring
factor. Some students struggle with
correctly creating quality activities and overall presentations due to their
lack of experience. However each student shows pride in their accomplishments
when they complete the project.
Saturday
Morning: What do the students take with them
in terms of learning?
Jennifer and Karyn: Participants of the Literacy Fair take away the ability to
not only understand the content at hand but also the value of the social
experience. Students must present themselves in a manner that is appropriate
for the professional field; they are learning and practicing interviewing
skills, speaking, listening, eye contact, composure, and the overall aspect of
having an educational conversation with others.
Saturday Morning: What are you
most proud of in terms of this assignment?
Jennifer and Karyn: The most fulfilling aspect for us, the teachers, is the
pride that each student projects through the displaying and presenting of their
projects. They begin to understand and experience the intrinsic reward of a job
well done.
Saturday
Morning: How do you equalize the opportunity
for students who do not have family assistance and support?
Jennifer and Karyn: Our student body has a vast array of parent involvement,
for those students that do not have access to technology or access to the
materials needed to complete the project, we provide it for them. By the time
this project comes around we have built that student/teacher relationship to a
point where we know our students’ needs.
We provide all students with access to computers at any time they need
them, as well as attending computer lab once a week. Many of our lower income and/or struggling
students are also in a study skills class where they can use that time for
research or printing information. Each year we recycle project boards in order
for students to have if needed, and every teacher keeps a set of art materials
in the classroom for student use. Other faculty and staff are very helpful in
meeting EVERY student's needs.
The Student Creations
The projects were amazing. Two things struck me even more than the technical artistry of the boards and the students' incredible creativity. Every student was articulate and able to present their project with ease and to demonstrate their interactive activities with such professionalism and pride. In most cases I left them with one final question: How would you rate your book on a scale of 1-10? Their faces brightened by at least three shades, eyes sparkled, and without hesitation most said "At least a 12!" Do I think Jennifer and Karyn have created life-long readers? It certainly looks promising. How did Jennifer and Karyn feel about this year's Literacy Fair? Once all the students had left the gym for lunch, they were huddled together, already plotting new ways to make this wonderful learning experience even stronger for next year's students. They came up with some really great ideas, but my lips are sealed. You'll have to wait til next year :)
As always, thanks for hanging out with me for a few minutes. Enjoy your week and especially, have a very happy Saturday.
P.S. If you have any questions for this assignment, don't hesitate. Please feel free to email me at cmccoyread2@yahoo.com or email Jennifer or Karen directly. Their emails are jdrewry@mtnhome.k12.ar.us or kjones@mtnhome.k12.ar.us
No comments:
Post a Comment