A Grounded Theorizing of the Learning Opportunities Afforded to Third Graders Who Read Below Grade Level
A Grounded Theorizing of the Learning Opportunities Afforded to Third Graders Who Read Below Grade Level
Research Objective
This project is meaningful to me because it will research why students cannot read on grade level by third grade and so many students are being sent to the office with disciplinary referrals when it is time for instruction. After reflection, was it issues with reading itself or transitions such as disruptions like attendance, eloping, fighting, or behavior stemming from some sort of fear or embarrassment the student have about reading, and acted out to avoid the activity.
My research design will be like that of Creswell and Poth (2018) and Cohen et al. (2018), who uses the grounded theory approach to take on the qualitative research method. I will investigate the phenomena of why students, after reaching the third grade, are still unable to read on grade level. Even with the introduction of classroom instruction/curriculum, phonics, and the Science of Reading since kindergarten, students still struggle, and some results show below-grade-level reading scores.
"And how are the children?"
The Masai tribe in Africa has a traditional greeting: "Casserian Engeri," which means "And how are the children? (Sutherland & Shultz, 2014)." The Masai, renowned for being fierce warriors, measure the strength of their society in terms of the safety and well-being of its youngest and most vulnerable members (Sutherland & Shultz, 2014). The traditional response is said to be, "All the children are well." Oddly, the members ask about the children who will replace the parent rather than ask about the health of the parent. The Masai believe that monitoring the status of the children might be the best way to ensure the health of the entire tribe and if the parent has the best interest being the child. Transformational education must start asking parents to partner with schools that put students at the center of the educational community because they will one day be the next generation of literate or illiterate adults in society.