Reflection

It has been such a pleasure being in this amazing program. I have learned the importance of researching teaching methods and implementing them with scholars consistently to see if it benefits my scholars' learning. One particular teaching method that I always rave about is reciprocal teaching. In C&T 740, I read “The Princess Storyteller, Clara Clarifier, Quincy Questioner, and the Wizard: Reciprocal Teaching Adapted for Kindergarten Students" by Pamela Ann Myers and learned how and why to use reciprocal teaching. I used it for the first time last year and it was a success! My scholars were using the language from the sentence frames used with this method, such as "“I predict, I believe, in my opinion, I need clarification, I wonder, this story is mainly about,” and so on. It has helped my scholars and myself making reading flow in an organized and manner. What I mean is, in reciprocal teaching we begin with making predications, then asking questions, asking for clarity about anything confusing in the text, and then summarizing the text. These steps engaged my scholars during whole group, small group, and independent reading. It sounds complex but it has been so effective! To follow these steps easily, I always refer to the anchor chart in Figure 1.

In addition to learning about reading teaching methods, I have also learned how to think about and create a long-range plan for teachers to learn more about how to teach literacy. It has been very helpful to think deeply about what literacy struggles are present in the school so the reading specialist can support and help solve those issues. Creating a two-year plan and a sample professional learning session on how to teach a specific reading learning skill has been a great way to practice being a reading specialist.

My portfolio demonstrates that I have been an avid researcher, teacher, and learner this past two years. I have researched activities to use for different reading skills, such as phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension. All of these findings can be found in my Literacy ToolBox under Standards Artifact #2. Not only has this program guided us to find activities to improve our scholars' reading skills, but it also encouraged us to find ways to differentiate lessons and activities in order to meet the needs of all of our scholars while also meeting state standards. Lastly, this portfolio also shows that I am a teacher and learner because I have documented the activities and plans I have implemented with my scholars to see whether or not they were helpful to guide my future instruction.

When reflecting back on my M.S.E Curriculum and Instruction graduate program journey, I feel so extremely blessed, proud, relieved, and excited. Blessed because I was able to complete this program by paying it off myself and getting reimbursed by my county school system for less than half of what I paid for this program. I would have struggled enormously without the support of my family and county. Proud because I continued my education in a field that brings me joy, peace, and knowledge. I can transfer the joy, peace, and knowledge to my day-to-day life and teaching life which makes me and others around me happy. As I mentioned in my introduction, it's all about a balance to live a happy life. Relieved because I can relax this summer with my family and friends without worrying about homework. Lastly, I am excited to have my master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading Specialist Licensure Track so I can eventually move up from working in the classroom with one grade level to working with multiple grade levels, teachers, and families as an elementary school reading specialist.

In this profession I will always be a life-long learner and earning my masters degree is part of that journey. The instructors and classmates have been so extremely supportive, kind, motivating, and helpful. I have learned so much through the feedback, group work, discussions, and projects. I feel encourage and interested to continue learning about how to become a better teacher and colleague. I will take the knowledge and memories with me for the rest of my teaching career.

References

Myers, P. (2005). The Princess Storyteller, Clara Clarifier, Quincy Questioner, and the Wizard: Reciprocal Teaching Adapted for Kindergarten Students. The Reading Teacher, 59(4), 314- 324. Retrieved June 14, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20204356

Oczkus, L. (n.d.). Chapter 1. The Fab Four: Reciprocal Teaching Strategies. The Fab Four: Reciprocal Teaching Strategies. http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/118045/chapters/The-Fab-Four@-Reciprocal-Teaching-Strategies.aspx.