My Approach to Teaching & Learning

There are many approaches for how to begin mapping out a unit or even a school year. Some teachers start with standards. Some teachers start with an assigned curriculum. Others start with data like reading levels and last year's test scores. I start with the child in mind. I remind myself that I am entrusted with teaching this unique person. I wonder what they are into, where they come from, what they need, and how I can address their needs. I create a general guide and plan but I do not have each and every lesson lined up for an entire year or even an entire quarter, because I have not yet met my students. I allow my instructional plan to have space and flexibility to be adjusted along the way. As I get to know my students as learners, anchor charts are created, more examples are provided, rubrics get tweaked, or lessons may be shortened or lengthened, all based on student progress and ability. My teaching is very scaffolded and looks a bit different each year because my class is different each year. The abilities, motivations, background knowledge, and previous learning expectations of my students are what guides the way in which I teach them. To me, teaching and learning should be as personal and individualized as possible.

When it comes to the structure of content being taught, I create a loose and general plan of teaching. First, I rough out how many weeks of the year I plan to teach the whole group( school/district) curriculum, and how many weeks I want to dig deeper with book clubs (or guided reading). Then, I decide what reading strategies I’d like my students to practice. Next, I ensure there are MANY ways for students to practice the strategies that will be taught. I use the Fountas and Pinnell Literacy Continuum to guide the strategy practice for students based on individual reading levels. Then, I look at standards to see how much is already covered within this general plan, and what still needs to be addressed. I don’t teach anything as a stand alone topic. I deconstruct standards and thoughtfully layer strategy practice in a way that builds upon each other throughout the year. To become good at anything, practice over time is required. The teaching I do is a very intricate dance between what I know they need to learn, what my school or district expects me to teach, where my students are as individual learners, and how to bring it all together. It’s a daily tango of meeting students exactly where they are and guiding them smoothly across the dance floor so that learning feels accessible to them and is scaffolded for their success. My goal is for each student to meet their maximum potential and so this requires me to make lots of adjustments to their learning path. My 16 years of teaching experience has allowed me to build an extensive tool kit of ideas on how to differentiate and scaffold learning for students. I am able to cultivate the skills and ideas they have, tap into their interests and motivations, and guide them to becoming even more competent readers.