Nicole Lalonde's Professional Portfolio
- Philosophy of Teaching
Philosophy of Teaching Reading
It is my belief that the value of reading must be demonstrated as early and as often as possible by those that may carry an influence over young readers. As teachers, we play an important role in revealing the power of literacy to our students. It is with these convictions that I have shaped the way I teach reading (and writing) in my classroom.
On a daily basis I try to demonstrate that reading and writing have a variety of purposes in our everyday lives. Whether it be for communication purposes (formal or informal), or for recreation purposes (to unwind, or to have a pleasurable experience), I am constantly modeling a passion for these important skills.
Although I would love to wholeheartedly embrace the Social Constructivist Theory and thus a Balanced Literacy Program, I have had difficulty letting go the Transmission Theory and teaching basic skills. Throughout my B.Ed. courses many of my teachers stated that: ?We tend to teach the way we were taught?. I am a product of the phonics and Basal Reader craze of the early ?80?s.
Research now supports the idea that motivating students to read with meaning is of the utmost importance in order to produce effective readers. Teaching basic skills does not always motivate or excite students, however, because of my own experiences as a young reader (and an avid one at that) I find it difficult to leave this method of learning (and teaching) behind.
Since taking over my own classroom two years ago, I have found myself constantly adjusting and readjusting my language program. Having received intense literacy training through the Turn Around Project, I was finally given a focus (or at least a place to start) when we, as a primary division, began to use Fountas and Pinell resources to help create, implement and guide our literacy programs.
My professional philosophy for teaching reading seems to evolve almost as much as my language program does. Although I have implemented many of the components of a Balanced Literacy Program in my classroom (Guided Reading, Independent Reading, Readers and Writers Workshops), I still see the benefit in teaching basic skills (such as phonics and grammar). I fear that by incorporating the teaching of basic skills into my Balanced Literacy Program, my students will not have enough exposure to the explicit teaching of these skills to master them.
I am always willing to try new ideas or approaches suggested by colleagues, or professional resources. It is my hope that throughout the course of my career and with ongoing professional development, I will gain the confidence and knowledge needed to further develop and improve my Language Arts program.
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