Philosophy of Literacy

This page is to let parents, families, and fellow future teachers know my philosophy about literacy. Learning to read and write can be very scary and intimidating to a young child. I believe that there many components and strategies that help support their learning in literacy. I think that having a literate rich environment is one of the best things that can be provided to our young learners. My classroom will have print and text all over the walls- the alphabet, calendar, my student's names, sight words etc. I will also have a great classroom library with books organized by color code to make the accessibility to the students even easier. The "library corner" will have comfy pillows, bean bags etc. where the students are able to read as many books as they would like during centers. I believe that communication between parents and myself is another key element that will effect students literacy development. Creating a literate environment at home helps students become exposed to everyday text and print which will further enhance knowledge when they begin to read and write. Students also need to use reading and writing strategies when learning new skills, whether it be in the classroom, at a store, or at home. I also believe that ongoing assessment needs to take place to make sure that meaningful learning is happening. This can be done in a number of ways, and either in a formative or summative manner. I don't believe that students need to be assessed through formal tests all of the time, and if they can be assessed through other informal ways I believe we truly gain an understanding of what they have really learned. Overall, I want my students to learn as much as they can everyday, and will provide them with the tools and strategies necessary to achieve their goals in literacy!