Originally, I sought out this program because of the roll out of the Common Core State Standards. Content area teachers were now being held responsible for teaching students literacy skills that were critical to success in the content areas. As the science department at my school began to unpack and really look closely at what these standards are asking us to do, I realized I was ill prepared to meet this challenge. In my preparation to be a science teacher I had learned how to engage students in experiments and explain theories but teaching students the skills they needed to communicate well in science was a whole different beast that I was not ready for.
Throughout this program I have learned that literacy is not just reading skills. It is not just decoding the words, or understanding the vocabulary it is much more. To be scientifically literate means that students can not only read scientific texts, interpret these texts, and communicate findings but they can also use information to form opinions and predictions. In my course work I have found ways to tie literacy and science together seamlessly so that my students are getting quality instruction rather than the "ugh lets do a literacy lesson today" type of activities I was guilty of in the past.
The quality of instruction in my classroom has improved tremendously. I have seen my students become engaged in scientific topics and debates based on global current events. I have seen students labeled as struggling readers find success through leveled texts and B-D-A reading strategies employed in my classroom. I have seen vocabulary knowledge improve for all of my students through strategies I have found in this program.
Throughout this program I have learned that literacy is not just reading skills. It is not just decoding the words, or understanding the vocabulary it is much more. To be scientifically literate means that students can not only read scientific texts, interpret these texts, and communicate findings but they can also use information to form opinions and predictions. In my course work I have found ways to tie literacy and science together seamlessly so that my students are getting quality instruction rather than the "ugh lets do a literacy lesson today" type of activities I was guilty of in the past.
The quality of instruction in my classroom has improved tremendously. I have seen my students become engaged in scientific topics and debates based on global current events. I have seen students labeled as struggling readers find success through leveled texts and B-D-A reading strategies employed in my classroom. I have seen vocabulary knowledge improve for all of my students through strategies I have found in this program.