Artifact 5

Artifact Five: Literature in the ClassroomA variety of children's responses and reactions to books are included in the artifact, Literature in the Classroom. These are presented in conjunction with reflections on articles and reflections on actual classroom experiences related to the use of literature.

Context: The samples of responses to literature included in this artifact were documented while I was in the Advanced Study of Children's Literature at ASU. This graduate course provided me with opportunity to extend my knowledge of children's books. Emphasis was placed on an examination of the history of major publishers of children's literature, multicultural perspectives in reading and writing, and the theories of response to literature. Consideration was given to how literature contributes to learning and language development. I began the course by setting goals for myself and writing my personal statement about children's literature. Next, I read and wrote reflections on journal articles entitled: "Ya' mean all we hafta do is read?," Thirteen Steps to Becoming a Children's Literature Expert," "Teaching Comprehension Through Literature," and "Exploring Literacy on the Internet" from The Reading Teacher. These readings stimulated my thinking as I then participated in and listened to renowned authors and illustrators at the literature symposium held on the ASU campus. Next, I learned the elements of a literary critical review and applied this new knowledge to write a critical review of A Day at Damp Camp by George Ella Lyon and a reflection of this process. Finally, I extended this knowledge to my Title I classroom where literature was shared with my students, and these students responded to it through various activities.

Impact: My reading students became highly motivated as we embarked on an in-depth study of children's books. As a reading teacher, I strongly believe that children should deal with texts on their instructional level in the classroom; therefore, I used readability formulas to determine the reading level of each book used in my classroom and matched the literature to the developmental/instructional level of my students. Each piece of literature was examined carefully and students were engaged through discussions centering around three broad statements: (1) Talk about what you notice in the story.: (2) Talk about how the story makes you feel.; and (3) Talk about what the story reminds you of in life. Further connections to the text were made as students responded to books through reading centers, artwork, writing, and use of my personal computer and the classroom computer for research. These activities were aligned with the NC Standard Course of Study goals and objectives for language arts, computer/technology, information skills, second language, visual arts, and social studies.

Alignment: The samples of my studies and work for the artifact, Literature in the Classroom, are aligned with the following INTASC standards:

Standard 1- Final products of my students which came as a result of the use of the inquiry method modeled in the classroom are evidence of my knowledge of subject matter and creating learning experiences that make aspects of the subject matter meaningful for students.
Standard 3 - The adaptation of the use Molly's Pilgrim with my Hmong students demonstrates my ability to create instructional opportunities for the diverse learners in my classes.
Standard 4 - Through modeling and application of methods of inquiry learning, cooperative learning, concept attainment, and class discussions in relation to a study of children's literature, I have demonstrated multiple instructional strategies.
Standard 5 - Classroom motivation and management is evidenced through the class discussions, learning centers, and final products of my Title I reading students.
Standard 6 - The recorded discussions about pieces of literature and the photographs of students engaged in computer research in my classroom provide evidence of my knowledge of effective verbal and non verbal techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom as outlined in communication skills.
Standard 7 - Including lessons that provided my Hmong students to share their culture through literature is proof of my instructional planning skills based on knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum.
Standard 8 - The photos of performance samples of assessment are evidence of my effective use of assessment of student learning.
Standard 10 - The letter from the mother of one of my students demonstrates the partnerships I have with parents in the Title I program and the parental support I have for the students' learning and well-being.