CHapter 5

Chapter 5 is about Poetry.  Poetry is a musical language.  Rhyme is one of the most important aspects of sound in poetry.  What makes the poetic language music to the ear is sound.  This is one of the main reasons why poetry is better read out loud.  One of my favorite poets when I was little was Shel Silverstein.  I was always checking out his books from the library my favorite was Where the Sidewalk ends. http://www.shelsilverstein.com

There are different forms of poetry for children.  While children are not really concerned abut the form they are taught bout haiku.  Poetry can be categorized in several different ways.  Here are some examples by author, type of collection, literary device used, and theme.  Many poets often use repetition so that they can develop rhythm of a poem.  This can be done by repeating one word at the beginning of the line or it can have a bigger pattern.  

Author Profiles

One of my favorite authors as a child was Zeno Zeplin.  He actually came to my elementary school and read us one of the stories and we could buy books and he signed them for us.  I searched all across the Internet but cant seem to find a website for him.  From the back of the book I found out that he is a Texan native who graduated from Texas A&M with a B.S. Degree.  He started writing stories for his grandchildren. 

 

Another book series that I was really into was the Lemony Snicket A Series of Unfortunate Events.  I started reading this series in Junior High and I was addicted to it. http://www.lemonysnicket.com/

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 has been a very fun chapter.  This chapter talks about a connection with schemata and what readers respond about the text.  Today in class Ms. Pickett handed us out a story but she told us not to read it.  Then we got out three different colored markers to use.  She then told us to, as she was reading highlight what we found interesting.  Then we talked about it.  Next she told us to imagine that we were a burglars going to look for items in the house.  After we highlighted we explained it.  Lastly we highlighted as if we were buying a new house.  Then we explained it.  I think this is an excellent way of describing different views of a story.  I remember back in school we would go to the library to pick out books to read.  After we read the books we had to take the AR test over it.  When we read as a class there were always worksheets or quizzes to follow.  I like how the book gives different examples of activities that teachers can do.     

Chapter 3

Wow what another great chapter.  Every time we start a new chapter I’m learning something new.  Chapter three begins talking about comprehension, which is the process of understanding.  When Ms. Pickett starting talking about as a child reading James and the Giant Peach and how the teacher would read a few pages then stop to explain.  I remember back when I was in school my teacher would do the same thing.  All we would want is to find out what happens without having a lecture about what she had just read to us.  Another point she said is that when children go to the library and pick out a hard book the librarian has them sit and read the first pages to make sure they will be able to do it.  If the child can’t do it then they wont want to read and wont make an effort.  I know for a fact that if a book is not interesting for me I’m probably not going to get far in it.  She also said that every time she is up front in the class talking that she is becoming smarter.  If students are able to stand up and do that then they would probably learn better.  Louise Rosenblatt is a very important person.  She changed the way of reading researchers and the theories about compensation.  Her view of reading often defines how readers often read differently for different purposes.          

Chapter 2

Chapter two is amazing and full of great information.  It’s referring to the different types of culture.  Culture is “ways of knowing, believing, valuing, and thinking among a group of people.”  The book discusses several different types of cultures.  One for example is school culture.  School cultures have many differences that you have to take into deep consideration.  Schools have a daily routine of what they do throughout the day.  In class today Mrs. Pickett talked about what would happen if you would take the spelling words out of a classroom.  You would probably get some angry and upset parents.  I can remember being a kid coming home and my mom quizzing me on my spelling words.  It was a daily task that I knew I had to get done before I could go outside to play.  One thing I found really interesting is the Culturally Responsive Model.  I think that if when you first meet your students that you should get to know them and see what kind of cultural background they come from.  When getting to know your student you might figure out within the first few weeks of how your students learn.  All students have different ways of learning.    Another topic the model talks about is community participation.  By using this you are getting the family involved with the student.  Getting the parents to talk about their culture will help the students see how different people grow up with their different backgrounds.  This chapter has taught me a lot of useful information that I can use when I start teaching.