I had major [MAJOR] doubts about coming to Oklahoma. It was a very difficult decision... but in my heart I knew I was supposed to come; I knew I needed to be in Oklahoma. Why? I wasn't sure.
I cannot even begin to express how content I feel now that I am here. I feel like I'm home. I forget I'm in Oklahoma (I was teaching my kids about iguanas, which live in South America, and I used a globe to show them where we were and where iguanas live... "So, we are here in Ida- Oklahoma and iguanas live way down here). I forget that I've been here for three weeks and don't really know what I'm doing. I forget that I'm lonely. I forget that I was nervous.
Have I found my niche? No. Do I know my way around Tulsa? Heck No. Am I an awesome teacher? No.
But, for probably the first time in my life, I feel like I'll figure it out. I'm not scared. I'm not anxious. I'm not worried about the future. And that says a lot considering my personality and the newness of the situation I am in.
I love my kids more than anything. I can't wait to see them again on Monday. I believe in them. If they only learn one solitary thing in their entire summer school experience I hope it is this.
"I can do it. I am smart. My success is up to me."
There is a huge {achievement} gap within my classroom. I have about 17 students. Only 2 of these students are reading on grade level. Two. 2/17. 11.7% of my students.
Of the other 15 students, 10 are reading at a PreK/K level, 3 are at an early first grade level and 2 are mid-first grade.
Of my 17 students 8 are English language learners (ELL - English is not the primary language spoken at home).
It probably still sounds a little abstract... let me explain.
A level 1 book (PreK; age 4-5) would look like this. "I can run." "I can jump." "I can swing." The book has between 20-60 words and no more than one sentence on each page. There is no plot and character development is non-existent. The pictures are directly related to the text; a student could look at the pictures and essentially tell the 'story' as it is written. There is a lot of repetition and most of the words are sight words which students are still learning at this point.
A level 4 book (Kindergarten; age 4-6) would look like this. "When Jack sat down Lily sat down. Go away Lily! Go Away!" "When Jack played Lily played. Go away Lily. Go Away!" These books have between 40-100 words, with as many as three sentences per page. They have very descriptive pictures that tell the story almost as well as the words do. The words are all very decodable and most of them are sight words.
A level 20 book (beginning of 2nd grade; age 8-9) would look like this. "People call me Eggy. But that's not my real name. When my brother Jordan first saw me when I was a baby he said, "His head looks like an egg!" The nickname stuck." These books are between 400-600 words and sometimes even have chapters. There are paragraphs of text on each page and the pictures (if there are any) are more abstract and, because there is more happening, do not illustrate the plot well enough to be used as any major hints for the reader.
... anyway ...
This morning I was reading with the students in my class with the lowest reading scores: one of these children is reading at a level 1, two are reading at a level 3, and two are reading at a level 4. If they were reading exactly on grade level they would be a level 20.
They are usually the least willing to participate in class because they can't read the directions on their assignments, or the examples on the board. Most of them can't write very well. They know they can't read. They know they CAN'T... they know that they are behind. They have failed a lot, and they know it... and they feel it and it has changed them. They doubt their own abilities and have very little confidence in themselves.
While we were reading today and reviewing/discussing the th- and ch- sounds in our small group every single one of them volunteered to read pages in the book. Every single one of them had a giant grin on their face at some point in the lesson. Every single one of them left that small group time feeling a little bit better about themselves and their own abilities. Every single one of them could remember what we had talked about when I asked them as we were walking to the bus/car. Every single one of them look at me with a little shimmer of hope as we high fived to celebrate their successes.
I do not care how many times I have to walk these students through their words. I don't care if we review sight words 3 time a day, every day, for the next 3 weeks. These kids will learn to read and they will learn that they CAN. It is a powerful thing to teach a child to read, especially a child who has been failed in the past.
I haven't done it yet. I'm new. I'm inexperienced and I'm not the best teacher all the time. But I'm trying and I will continue to try until all kids can read.
I get emotional when I think of them. I love them and I will do everything it takes to makes sure they learn to read and feel good about themselves and their abilities.
It makes my day when they give me hugs or smile when they sound out a word or spell something right.
There is NOTHING wrong with these kids. They are smart and they are SO well behaved (usually). They are not troubled kids with impossible situations. They are just stuck. The system has failed them in ways that will, unless someone intervenes, set them on a path that does NOT lead to college and future opportunities.
You don't think the achievement gap is real? Meet my kids.
This is just for a little comic relief. The question asks if the equation presented is the correct equation to use to answer the word problem. "Explain why or why not." In response she wrote, "Why is when you don't get something. Why not is when you make a plan and nobody wants [to] do it." LOL! So funny.
