Research Reflection
The Process: Finding My Topic
As this class started I felt eager to be finishing my degree and ready to get the ball moving. After week two was over I realized that my must work ahead philosophy was going to be hard to manage. So, I decided that I needed to slow down, relax, and everything would work out. Therefore, I began taking this class and project one day at a time and my ideas, thoughts and plans commenced together.
I felt that my ideas, thoughts, and plans where all over the place and I didn’t know what path to take. I picked a couple of topics that I were of interest and started learning more about them. Once I decided on Daily 5 I had a hard time narrowing down that broad topic. This was a challenge for me to narrow a whole topic down to one small aspect of that specific topic.
While I was at an off site meeting one day I was in a room with first grade teachers and was over hearing a conversation over Daily 5. I listened for a while, then I started asking questions over this topic. It sounded very interesting and something that would be great in my own classroom. The areas it incorporates are : reading, read to self, writing, word work and listen to reading. This topic manages all areas that I needed help in as well as allowing time for me to meet with small/individualized groups.
A few days after my meetings I emailed one of the teachers I got to know that day. I asked her if she had any resources that she could lead me towards on Daily 5. She directed me towards Boushey and Moser "the Sisters." As I kept reading and researching I came to a stand with finding new researchers on this topic.
What I Learned:
Educators around the world are dedicated to helping students develop literacy needs. Teachers need to make sure to have high expectations for all students, and many turn to the management system of Daily 5.
What I enjoyed the most learning about was how educators realize the importance of collaboration based on student learning. It is so interesting how colleagues of Daily 5 turn to each other for solving problems and exchanging ideas. That is something that is not always available to have working in a small district as I do.
Gaining more experience with Daily 5 has given me a chance to develop a valuable skill set to help my students. It has allowed me effective research training to have a sound classroom management. I love that the Sisters (Gail and Joan) share changes and keep up to date with the growing changes and demands that are in education.
While researching about this topic I have started implementing a few of the steps in my own classroom. The students have been really good about trying this out and have enjoyed it. It has been great to see the improvement in them and I can’t wait to keep implementing all the different steps. As a teacher it has allowed me to work with more groups and one-on-one with students when I wasn’t able to get that time into my schedule as easily.
Conclusion:
I learned how important it is for teachers to continue learning and growing alongside the students. As a teacher learning never ends and I feel as if I will forever be a student. It can be overwhelming at times with the consistent changes in education teachers are faced with.
It is very important to remember that each class is different than the last year’s class. Every decision is based on the needs of the current group. When we are keeping this at the forefront of our daily work, it is much easier to flex to meet their needs. If a group is more wiggly, it is important to provide more frequent brain and body breaks. If they come to us without strong behaviors of independence, we build endurance in insignificant boosts.
"Be A Guide On The Side and Not A Sage On The Stage."
As this class started I felt eager to be finishing my degree and ready to get the ball moving. After week two was over I realized that my must work ahead philosophy was going to be hard to manage. So, I decided that I needed to slow down, relax, and everything would work out. Therefore, I began taking this class and project one day at a time and my ideas, thoughts and plans commenced together.
I felt that my ideas, thoughts, and plans where all over the place and I didn’t know what path to take. I picked a couple of topics that I were of interest and started learning more about them. Once I decided on Daily 5 I had a hard time narrowing down that broad topic. This was a challenge for me to narrow a whole topic down to one small aspect of that specific topic.
While I was at an off site meeting one day I was in a room with first grade teachers and was over hearing a conversation over Daily 5. I listened for a while, then I started asking questions over this topic. It sounded very interesting and something that would be great in my own classroom. The areas it incorporates are : reading, read to self, writing, word work and listen to reading. This topic manages all areas that I needed help in as well as allowing time for me to meet with small/individualized groups.
A few days after my meetings I emailed one of the teachers I got to know that day. I asked her if she had any resources that she could lead me towards on Daily 5. She directed me towards Boushey and Moser "the Sisters." As I kept reading and researching I came to a stand with finding new researchers on this topic.
What I Learned:
Educators around the world are dedicated to helping students develop literacy needs. Teachers need to make sure to have high expectations for all students, and many turn to the management system of Daily 5.
What I enjoyed the most learning about was how educators realize the importance of collaboration based on student learning. It is so interesting how colleagues of Daily 5 turn to each other for solving problems and exchanging ideas. That is something that is not always available to have working in a small district as I do.
Gaining more experience with Daily 5 has given me a chance to develop a valuable skill set to help my students. It has allowed me effective research training to have a sound classroom management. I love that the Sisters (Gail and Joan) share changes and keep up to date with the growing changes and demands that are in education.
While researching about this topic I have started implementing a few of the steps in my own classroom. The students have been really good about trying this out and have enjoyed it. It has been great to see the improvement in them and I can’t wait to keep implementing all the different steps. As a teacher it has allowed me to work with more groups and one-on-one with students when I wasn’t able to get that time into my schedule as easily.
Conclusion:
I learned how important it is for teachers to continue learning and growing alongside the students. As a teacher learning never ends and I feel as if I will forever be a student. It can be overwhelming at times with the consistent changes in education teachers are faced with.
It is very important to remember that each class is different than the last year’s class. Every decision is based on the needs of the current group. When we are keeping this at the forefront of our daily work, it is much easier to flex to meet their needs. If a group is more wiggly, it is important to provide more frequent brain and body breaks. If they come to us without strong behaviors of independence, we build endurance in insignificant boosts.
"Be A Guide On The Side and Not A Sage On The Stage."