Guided Reading Lesson Reflection #2

• What did students learn and which students struggled with the lesson?

Students learned that they could make connections to not only themselves, but also to texts as well as the world. Students were able to summarize many ways that texts could be related to the world. Some of the students' examples were: the internet, history, movies, magazines, textbooks, etc. 

Not many of my students struggled with this lesson. All students were able to find the required three connections, however, some students had difficulties distinguishing between text-to-text connections and text-to-world connections. Both high and low achieving students struggled alike with deciding which type of connection they were making.

• What are alternate reads (interpretations) of your students’ performance or products?

For this type of connection, I believe that students are able to display their worldly knowledge. The other two types of connection (T-S and T-T) require students to reflect on themselves and what they have read. Text-to-world knowledge allows students who accelerate with facts and students who obtain the majority of their knowledge from television and magazines to have an opportunity to make more connections. 

• What did you learn about your students’ literacy practices that extend beyond your objectives?

I learned about my students' knowledge regarding the world. Different students referred to different types of knowledge. For example, one of my students is from Lebanon. Many of her "world" references regard her home country and how their lifestyle is similar/different to the Native Americans were are reading about in Ta-Ne-E-Ku. I also learned about what students do in their free time. Students made connections to whatever they spent a lot of their time doing: video games, television, social media, other countries, etc.

• When and how will you re-teach the material to students who need additional support?

To re-teach the material to struggling students, I would watch or read a few news articles that I know can relate to our reading. I would then work with students in small groups and talk about the news articles. Afterwards, we would work together to find connections between texts we have read and the news articles. This would ensure that every student understands which connections we are reading, since we have worked on the text-to-world connections together.

• If you were to teach this same lesson again, what would you do differently and how do you think the changes would improve students’ learning?

If I taught this lesson again, I would make sure to spend more time distinguishing between text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections. Many students had questions regarding which type of connection they had made. There were a few scenarios in which I was confused as to which type of connection the student found, and whether they found a connection that could apply to two different type of text-____ connections. I believe if I could make the text connections more specific, students would be able to focus on which type of connection they formed in more depth.  

• What did you learn so far about implementing your ‘core practice’ and what do you need to do to continue your professional learning?

I learned that students really enjoy making text connections as long as they understand which type of and how to make connections. Even the students who initially disliked making connections (the ones who could not find connections) have begun to like using sticky notes and finding connections. As a result, I believe that I need to continue improving on how I display the three different text connections. I need to make my own Reading Journal that will serve as an example for students in the beginning stages of learning these techniques. I will also save student examples that were exceptional. These examples could be viewed by students at their own leisure.