Paley's Literacy Instruction Inspires Me To

Paley took a risk when she began to focus on a new idea for Literacy Instruction. Although Paley in the text voices concern over her new method of teaching her class of second grader's, she loves the outcome. I think that the risk Paley has taken in the education world is an inspiration to teachers.

One thing that I find so great about Paley's Literacy Instruction is her ability to let go and allow her students to lead her in choosing what they learn, and where they go with this learning. 

Another thing that I love about Paley's teaching method is that she allows her students to teach her as well. She is open to learning from her students and is fascinated by what her kindergarten class teaches her about larger life issues from reading the stories of author, Leo Lionni.

Finally, I greatly appreciate that Paley fosters the children's creativity and natural inclination to continue to learn and discover even more. In other words, I love that the learning in the classroom never stops.

The Main Theme Is We Can Learn From Children

The Main Theme Is We Can Learn From Children. In reading pages 1-42 of The Girl With The Brown Crayon, so far we as readers, learn that children can be our biggest teachers. Already in reading this section of the assigned pages, we can see Paley, the teacher learn from her children. Paley shows us what she has learned about such pressing topics in our society as: race, greed, the need for acceptance and fear of rejection, from one student in particular, Reeny.

Paley learns another perspective on Tico's decision to give up his golden wings through listening to Reeny's interpretation. Reeny teaches her that maybe Tico made the decision to give up his golden wings not because, he had a need to be like everyone else, as Paley felt was the case, but because, he knew keeping the golden wings would cost him his friends. Reeny seems to take the position that Tico gave up his golden wings in order to not be alone. Something that is an issue children, and adults alike experience every day. Paley was opened up to a new understanding because, she choose to delve into the understanding Reeny took away from the story. (Text-Self and Text-World)

Another lesson that Paley learned from Reeny in this section of the book, came after reading Little Blue and Little Yellow. Paley gets angry at the story to the surprise of Paley. Paley learns that from Reeny's point of view the story is harsh, cruel and wrong. She becomes inragged at the idea that a parent could ever not be able to identify their own child. She also points out that in society we do not change colors if we hug another person of a different color. Perhaps she does not realize the symbolism of such a story, and just sees the concrete. When she hugs her friend who is of another color than her own she does not change color nor does her friend. (Text-Self and Text-World)

Just from reading the assigned pages 1-42 the theme that we can learn from children has been very strong in this book. Paley continues to learn and is forced to reevaluate her own understanding of such prevelant issues in our society, as race, acceptance, greed and fear of being alone through the eyes of her students, in particular one student, Reeny.  

The Girl With The Brown Crayon covers important topics that can not be learned in any college course.

The Girl With The Brown Crayon covers important topics that can not be learned in any college course. From reading the assigned pages 1-42 of this story, the reader learns to reevaluate and discover such prevalent topics in our society as: color of skin, greed, the need for friendship and acceptance by our peers and the fear of being alone. 

Reeny in the introductory chapter to this book, teaches us more about her understanding as a kindergartner of her own color. The author, and teacher Paley, describes Reeny's pain staking efforts to carefully select the perfect shade of brown for her own skin as she draws herself. She does so by consistently working to apply just the right amount of pressure to select the color that best matches her own view of herself. (Text-Self) 

Reeny and her class mates are reading series of books written by the same author, Leo Lionni. When Reeny first encounters the mouse Frederick, one of the first books the class reads, she immediatly identifies herself with Fredrick, who is brown just like her. It is not until further into the book, that Reeny relaizes not all of Fredrick is just like her, in esscence realizing that her skin color and the color of the mouse are not the only things to identify her. (Text-Self) and (Text-World)  

The concept of greed versus the need for friendship, and the struggle that we all face to balance acceptance by our peers for fear of being alone is a concept that the reader must examine in this section of our book. 

This is especially seen in the story about Tico. Tico is a bird who wishes for golden wings, and his wish is granted. At first, Tico enjoys this advantage and is happy with his golden wings that allow him to excel in society, and reach far beyond others. This mimics what we see in the inbalance of power in the world today, where those at advantage rise over the disadvantaged. However, in time Tico struggles with deciding which is more important losing the acceptance of his friends who don't approve of his new position in society or staying in his current position and risking being alone. In the end Tico decides to loose his golden wings to keep his friendship and to no longer be alone. (Text-Self and Text-World)

So far in reading the pages assigned 1-42, we are forced to reexamine our own understanding of such life topics, topics that can not simpley be learned of in college, but are lived and that we must face and struggle to understand each day. 

 

 

How do teacher's acess student's learning?

Assement of student learning in language arts is not an easy task. Assesment of students in language arts should reflect real language use within the classroom. There are many ways to acess and monitor students progress within the classroom. Ways to monitor student progress include the following: classroom observations, anectdotal records, conferences and checklists. Often times all of these methods, or a combination of these methods may be used to create a student portfolio.

On my first tuesday in the classroom, I saw my teacher implement some of these strategies to acess her students learning throughout the day. Most of what I saw the teacher doing was through observation of her students during the varoius scheduled activities during the day. At some points she would interact with students. She would do this through conferences with a small group of children or an individual student to evaluate learning. Since, it was my first day, I didn't see my teacher using anecdotal records or checklists. I also didn't see if my teacher has portfolios for each of her students. However, it is likley that she does.