I love teaching first grade. I have taught first
grade for three years, and while I would like to experience teaching other
grades, I would not be surprised if I decide to eventually go back to first. In
my opinion, it is one of the most important grades, and one of the most
rewarding. Students need to build a strong foundation of skills, and it is my
job to help them. When I am at work, I teach children how to read. Think about
it. If you are reading this blog, you know how to read and have known for many
years. It is a skill many people, including myself take for granted. But there
was a time when you looked at a paper and tried to figure out how the words
went together. That is part of my job. When students enter first grade, they
may know how to combine some letters, or know certain words. By the time they
leave, they have become fluent readers who can comprehend texts. It is an
amazing accomplishment and I am a part of that experience for twenty-plus kids
every year.
Each child enters a first grade classroom at
different levels. Some may still be struggling with their letters and some may
already know how to read higher-level books. I differentiate my instruction to
the best of my ability based on each student's needs. One of my favorite parts
of the year, regardless of the skill, is when it clicks for the students. A
student who had difficulty blending sounds together, all of a sudden, gets it.
A student who didn't understand how to put thoughts together to form a
sentence, writes a meaningful story with multiple sentences. It is exciting for
the students and rewarding for me to observe. I remind myself, they just needed
time. I allowed them to take the time they needed, and it paid off.
In my Research into Practice education class, many
people have shared stories of their children or students in early childhood
grades needing more time to develop certain skills. A four year old may not
want to write his or her name. A first grader might love to read but hate
sounding out words. Certain people may feel the best way to solve these
challenges is to encourage those students to practice the skills they hate. I
would argue, that unless it is clear to expert educators that there may be a
learning disability, the children just need time. Instead of forcing them to
practice something they connect with negative feelings, try encouraging them
and provide positive experiences that will help the students build confidence
in those skills. For example, express interest in a child's wonderful drawing
with lines that represent letters, rather than reminding her she didn't add her
name. Take time to read books with your children that represent enjoyable
experiences rather than forcing them to sound out a word in a book. Through
literacy experiences and practice in school, students will be ready. You can't
force children to do something they are not ready for, but can help build their
confidence and let them know they are supported.
While I feel strongly about allowing students to take the time they
need, it is difficult as a teacher to find that time. Teachers feel pressure
from administrators to make sure their students are meeting benchmarks by a
certain time. Teachers are evaluated based on whether students meet those
benchmarks, or pass a standardized test. I understand the need for benchmarks
and assessments, but I have an issue administering standardized assessments in
early childhood grades. The students may have not had the time they need to
fully develop their skills, and therefore the standardized tests are not a
reliable determination of what the students know. Randi
Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, and Nancy
Carlsson-Paige, a professor of early childhood education at Lesley University
feel that implementation of the Common Core Standards needs to reflect how
children learn, through real world, hands on experiences, developing skills
over time. They expressed that "this process is not always linear
and is not quantifiable; expecting young children to know specific facts or
skills at specified ages is not compatible with how they learn. It emphasizes
right and wrong answers instead of the developmental progressions that typify
their learning." (Strauss, 2013) They suggest the best way to evaluate
students is through expert teacher observation. In this Washington Post article, they recommend rejecting
standardized tests in K-2 classrooms. I agree with this recommendation. I have
seen second graders cry over confusion when taking standardized assessments. I
have seen results that are not useful for teachers to reflect on their
practices to best help their students. I do not think administering
standardized tests supports the developmental philosophy of allowing children
to have time in early childhood education classes. If we feel strongly about
children's success, we need to allow them to participate in developmentally
appropriate experiences.
Reference:
Strauss, V. (2013). Reject common core tests in k-2: Weingarten, Carlsson Paige. The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/11/17/reject-common-core-tests-in-grades-k-2-weingarten-carlsson-paige/
