As a Teacher

I believe that if a student touches, manipulates, and experiences learning, he or she will be more likely to truly understand the content being taught. For this reason, my classroom is set up to be an environment of inquiry and kinesthetic learning.

I have turned my classroom in a High Progress Literacy Classroom. I have achieved this through the implementation of the Daily 5 literacy model. I use Fountas and Pinnell in my classroom with small group instruction. I use the CAFE menu from the 2 Sisters to set goals for student progress. Other professional texts have enhanced my instruction: In the Company of Children by Joanne Hindley, The Art of Teaching Reading by Lucy Calkins, Read it Again by Brenda Parkes, and Reading Essentials by Regie Routman are a few of my favorites.

Here are a few examples of classroom resources that I have used for reading instruction.

Do's and Don't's of Balanced Literacy

I have also produced a leveled book list for parents. When I first place a child in a reading level, I send home a sheet with a list of books that students can read that are on their reading level. When a child moves up, a new list is sent home. The leveled book list has books that are available at the Spartanburg County Public Library.

Leveled Book List for Parents