Seedfolks and more on the MGRP

I was so excited at the beginning of this semester when I saw we had to read the book, Seedfolks.  I had read it a very long time ago as a child and I remember loving it.  I still love it!  I just enjoy reading about positive experiences.  As readers, we are introduced to a sad, poor, dirty Ohio city area and it is transformed by one little girls actions.  It is just wonderful to read the different characters thoughts and opinions as they begin becoming a part of the garden!
I also continued to read about the MGRP and I love the idea of showing characters and not telling about them.  I feel as though it is a writing technique that I myself should be trying to improve upon.  One thing, I guess you could say makes me disappointed, is that we didn't write our MGRP's on people.  I loved reading chapter 7 about how people dress and act out their researched person and I feel as though I would maybe get more excited about the project!  I am sure it would be very embarrassing, but I feel as though there are a lot more options for multiple genres when you are focusing on a person. 

Poetry and Literacy Invitations!

While reading about poetry this week, I was thinking back to my knowledge about poetry and what I had learned about it as a  young child.  I felt as though I could relate to Sadie, the girl quoted at the beginning of the chapter.  I feel as though it was always a topic that was brought to light for a few days or a few weeks and then pushed aside.  I know I am unable to name many poets.  I had never really thought about my lack of poetry knowledge until today.  I love all the ways Allen suggests introducing it to the children.  I really like the I am poems and the list maker poems because I feel as though they are very accessible to all students, and I feel as though anyone could feel confident writing in these styles. 
I also read about literacy invitations this week.  I had previously read, viewed, and constructed my own literacy invitation for a class this past summer.  I find them to be very neat, mind opening, projects for children.  They allow for a lot of critical thinking skills to develop and for children to almost direct their own learning.  I feel as though if literacy invitations were used when I was a child, I would have loved them.  I feel as though everyone enjoys learning about what interest them.  I am curious to know how long the idea of these invitations as been around.  I have worked in a couple of schools and sadly, I have never seen an invitation in action.  I have only seen what one looks like on paper, not in action.  I wonder if many teachers use them or if many teachers are informed about them.

The MGRP

While reading a few select chapters from the MGRP book by Camille A. Allen, I felt as though I was better able to understand what our finished classroom projects will look like.  I really enjoyed reading about how the children got so excited when assigned these projects!  It is so great when teachers can find a project for students to work on that develops both their reading and writing skills.  The idea I love most about this project for young children is that it is developed over a three month period and the children are responsible for self evaluating.  I believe that if children are serious about their work this can essentially be a wonderful idea.  Without a teacher standing over them, children will be much more relaxed and able to focus on their work.  I know when I am working on a paper, such as the one I was writing earlier, I am unable to find enjoyment in my research because I am consumed with worry about my grade.  I don't want my future students to become overwhelmed with an A and become unable to enjoy their research.  Through the readings of the chapters, I have decided I really like the idea of the MGRP because it encompasses many different skills necessary for children to develop! 

Opening my Eyes to the Importance of Critical Literacy

Through a previous class I took this summer, I learned a little bit about critical literacy and its importance in elementary classrooms.  When I was first introduced to the idea of critical literacy, I wasn't sure what it entailed.  To ensure everyone is understanding critical literacy in the way I am using it, it is literacy which causes questioning, focusing on and understanding critical issues in society and working toward social justice.  It is so important for children to read stories which cover many different social, racial and cultural issues so they are given to the opportunity to better understand the world around them.  This is why I have chosen to focus on critical literacy for my MGRP.  I want to focus on it so I can ensure I am able to incorporate it well into a future classroom. 
When I began reading the article, Critical Literacy in the Elementary Classroom, by Donna C. Creighton, she opens with a child quoted as saying, "When I was in grade one or two and my teacher would read a book to the class, I'd always imagine myself as the main character when she read aloud to the kids.  But when she showed us the illustration, the character would be White.  I was confused for a while, but I've gotten over it."   The article doesn't mention what race or culture the child is, but I can tell by his questioning, he is most likely not white.  It is very interesting to think about many of the books we read as children and read today.   Most of the stories of our childhood focus on white, middle class children.  A lot of the time these children are boys.  It is hard for children to relate with the characters when their lives have little similarities.  If children aren't able to relate to the stories they are reading or hearing aloud, how is independent reading being promoted?  It's something to think about.....

Finishing Crafting Writers!

Having just finished reading Crafting Writers by Elizabeth Hale, I feel as though I no longer need to worry about not being able to teach a successful writer's workshop.  The last school I worked in had writer's workshop and reading about it the past couple of weeks has been fun.  I knew the basics of the program but I wasn't sure the reasoning behind it all.  I was never in the classrooms when the children were writing or conferring with the teacher.  I wish I had been now!  It would be interesting to actually see the conferences in action.  Reading about them is one thing but being able to see a few would be great!
Although I didn't work in the general education classrooms during writer's workshop, I did work with a lot of children one on one with their writing and I wish I had known about Elizabeth Hale's book then.  I feel as though I would have been able to help the students so much more than I did.  I am just happy to have read about her ideas and classroom suggestions before I enter my first teaching position.  This book is a keeper!!