OTSMA

 I performed an over the shoulder miscue analysis with a first grade boy.  We read the book The mouse and the Fox, a short story for on level readers from a previous curriculum the school had used.  It was very repetitive and included many short words that followed the journey of a mouse through the forest as he tried to outrun the fox.  Overall it was very informative to listen to him read.  One on one was a great opportunity to evaluate how he was doing as an individual reader.  I was able to gage what kind of reading strategies he used when he was struggling with a word and watch him work through words he struggled with.  Beyond this I was able to evaluate his reading fluency and his read aloud skills.  Did he pause after a period? Did his voice fluctuate properly with the story? 

            After asking him to retell the story back to me I was able to observe how well he was able to comprehend the story. Was he able to recite back main events? Did he remember details? Did he remember them accurately? From here, as a teacher you can evaluate how well he was able to actually understand what he was reading.  After looking at how many miscues the reader had and what kind of miscues you can better assess the reader and what kind of literature they should be reading and exposed to daily. 

            However, as a flourishing reader it is important to stay motivated.  This particular student was already an excited reader but for those who do not enjoy reading as much it is important to give them choice in their reading and allow them to read about things that they are interested in.  If they are more interested in the selection for the miscue they may be a more or less actively engaged reader than usual.

            Next time I perform an over the shoulder I want to be more prepared with what I will be reading to them.  I think it would be beneficial to have tried to locate difficult words before having him read so that I could be sure to observe how he problem solved.  I think having prepared questions to ask him about what specific reading strategies he thought he was using would be beneficial.  Although it takes time to do this with each student I think that it is a great way to individually assess how your students are progressing as readers.  Some readers can become content with reading their on level books and books that are too easy for them.  Through the over the shoulder you can even quickly evaluate that they perhaps need to be reading more challenging books and then suggest works to them accordingly. 

Classroom Set Up

In my classroom I want them to have many spaces available for reading.  Reading is so important and thus they will need places besides their desk available to them to engage in reading for both academics and enjoyment.  For example, having rugs, rocking chairs, couches, etc. will give them options of places to sit and enjoy reading.  Beyond this it will be essential for them to have individual reading baskets with both on target, challenging and engaging material for them to read.  This way they have a variety of material to explore during free read time.

Secondly, it is so important for students to have ownership of their work in real life ways.  Having their work posted around the room, on the wall, or in the book shelf for everyone to see is a great way for them to be proud of their work.  It will also inspire them to work harder knowing that it will be on display for their peers and fellow teachers.  Allowing your classroom to flow into the hallways and other parts of the school allows for the entire school population to enjoy their work and opinions.

Thirdly, because I believe that group discussion is so important for learning, both small and large.  There should be space set up for students to converse and work together in both settings.  When in large group it will be important for the students to be able to see each other and feel included in order to invite maximum participation. The small group set up should also be similar. It might also be helpful for it to be in one of the corners of the room so that they can feel comfortable to share and not be distracted with everything else that is going on.


Lastly, I think it is so crucial for the room to be well organized.  It is important for students to have structure and routine that might not be received at home. You can do this by having things in order and a routine that they follow everyday day.  Having their daily and weekly schedule displayed allows the students to know what is ahead both short and long term to help them have smoother transitions throughout the day. For example it would make sense for them to put their gym shoes if they know that they have gym class next. Having student jobs displayed on the board is also helpful for students to have ownership of their classroom and perhaps be more respectful of their surroundings.  Having resources and visuals displayed for current learning is also important for differentiation purposes.  Different learners may need visuals, reminders, etc. 

Teaching Beliefs

As a teacher it is important to have a set of beliefs and goals to guide our actions in the classroom.First I believe that there needs to be a safe and comfortable environment in order for learning to take place. It is crucial that students have their basic needs met before they are able to learn.  I want students to be able to feel like they can confide in me and trust me to listen openly to their ideas even if they aren't answers that I perhaps had in mind while asking questions of the class.

Second, it is also important to have an organized classroom with a dependable routine. Students might not receive the dependence of structure at home and thus school is where they will need it.

Third, our beliefs about whats important should grow with us as educators while we gain experience.  We are so young and inexperienced at this point in our career that we are going to be observing conflicts first hand in the months and years to come.

Lastly, we should try to align our beliefs with our practices.  As educators we will be pressured to teach certain content and it is important to stick to our beliefs and teach the content using  methods that engage the majority of the class.

As I am just beginning my journey as a figure in the classroom, I am so excited to explore the many and differing ways to motivate students in the classroom.  We have learned that student engagement and performance directly correlates with their motivation to learn and complete that specific project.  For example in Language Arts you might motivate them as authors to create a poem to be published in a book for their peers to check out from the library for example.  I am excited to explore methods of motivation for not only Language Arts and reading, but for all subjects and differing topics within the classroom.  Finding ways to motivate students will not only keep them engaged in the activity, but can lead to improvement in classroom management, push them towards critical thinking and inspire them as learners to be continually excited to be in the classroom.