Reflection Reading Lesson 1

·       What students learned and which students struggled with the lesson.

Students reviewed previewing, predicting, and using prior knowledge from a previous reading unit.  They gave specific examples of how to execute each skill.  Students also filled out a KWL chart with confidence.  They needed very little guidance when filling it out, again because this was review.  While students were filling out their KWL chart they learned about animals and their habitats.  Students struggled with filling out the “K” section of the KWL chart because they felt like since they were in a group they needed to write down what their partner knew. 

·       What are alternate reads of your students’ performance or products?

I collected their KWL charts and listened to groups as they met to fill out the KWL chart. This gave me more insight on what I need to review and what I need to teach in further lessons.  Again some students struggled with filling out the “K” part of the chart.  I can review with them in the next lesson about the “K” and how that part really only applies to themselves.

·       What did you learn about your students’ literacy practices that extend beyond your objectives?

My objective was, students will preview, predict, and use their prior knowledge while reading an informational text by discussing with a partner and sharing aloud to the class what they learned and how well it matched their predictions.  I learned that students can expand their knowledge of previewing, predicting, and using their prior knowledge by filling out a KWL chart.  I also learned that students use these skills to better understand text.  I learned this while teaching the mini lesson.  I asked students “why do we preview, predict, and use our prior knowledge?”  Students replied, “So we know what’s happening in the story.”  I was impressed with students responses because  it directly related to my core practice of monitoring comprehension.

·       When and how will you re-teach the material to students who need additional support?

Like mentioned above I will review the KWL chart during lesson 2 of the unit to all students.  I will focus on the “K” section of the chart because from conferencing with groups I realized they were confused about this section because they thought they needed to put the same information in that section as their partner.  I will review how this section is about what YOU know and not what your neighbor knows.

·       If you were to teach this same lesson again, what would you do differently and how do you think the changes would improve students’ learning?

If I taught this lesson again I would show students what groups they were in and then before they broke into groups I would have had them fill out the “K” section of their KWL chart to avoid the confusion of having to add what your partner filled out.  I think this would have improved their learning and understanding of a KWL chart.  I think that it would also help me as the teacher know what my students know individually rather than what they know as a group.

·       What did you learn so far about implementing your ‘core practice’ and what do you need to do to continue your professional learning?

I learned that these skills help students comprehend what the text is about.  They seemed to be very aware of this because they have done so with narrative text in the previous unit. To continue implementing my core practice I will continue to tie each lesson to comprehension and ask students how we can use this strategy or skill to better help us comprehend the text.  I think that it is important to use comprehension vocabulary throughout my unit because it will get students in the habit of not only using the vocabulary, but also always thinking about comprehension.