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Curriculum Implementation:

There is nothing easy when it deals with curriculum, especially when it comes to the implementation. It is due to the complexity of the process. However, the implementation is very important as it will give us evidence and the interpretation of the curriculum from teacher’s perception though it may take times. It can be a very slow process, step by step as teachers must be familiar with it. However, the implementation of it depends on few themes, firstly, adoption, implementation standardization through testing, and lastly restructuring. However to see the success of curriculum implementation through one lens which can be measurement upon the easiest measurable character is not desirable as it does not give exact feedbacks. Usually, they will depend on exam result. I disagree with it as I think it is just an effect from a fidelity approach that denies the dynamicity of teachers and his/her involvements in curriculum. It is like a dead body, because teachers’ autonomy has been restricted. I prefer to have mutual adaptation in implementation of curriculum. Teachers will only implement the curriculum if they think it benefits the students.

I am grateful to read in depth of Action Research that I used to be involved few years ago. It gives me understanding of the 2nd, 3rd and more cycles of it but while reading this chapter, the author said that it can lead to greater school-staff collegiality and feelings of empowerment. However, I failed to see or sense that at that moment. Reflecting again the political nature in my department, I realize there is not much connectedness between management and teachers. I think it is not just teachers that should do action research on curriculum, management should do it as well, and the findings should be shared and criticized. It can lead to horizons’ broadening and corrective steps. Head of Department/Principals should do action research as well.

Curriculum Evaluation and Student Assessment:
When reading this chapter, I ask myself this question again and again;” What is the best way (precise, exact and fair) to evaluate curriculum that is very complicated and dynamic in nature?”. Looking at the lists and variety types of student assessment, I am satisfied as the writers understand there must not be one way to assess students achievements rather it must have various strategies and ways. It can be a good way to determine the success of curriculum on the condition that I stated above, or else, it can be a bad way as it cannot provide a full scope of curriculum ability or students capabilities. The best example that I can put here is using the only standardized test to approve the capability of students’ success.
I am thinking by doing curriculum evaluation, we can see and decide which curriculum is above and has priority over xyz curriculum. Method of curriculum evaluation must not be done at the end of the curriculum being implemented as it will lose the strength of its dynamicity. Something (curriculum) complex worth a chance to be evaluated from many angles. Limitation to only specific foci or depending only on essential information in determining the good and the bad of curriculum evaluation make it equal to what standardized testing does to students.

Creating New Inequalities: Contradictions of Reform.

Reform can be irony, though it means good. Our failure to see the reform from others perspectives might lead to it, anyway, blaming to our hectic schedules and responsibilities to cloud our minds to see others perspectives should not be our way. Teacher can avoid that by being proactive in sensing the effect of mandating a non curriculum. Among the questions that teacher should ask themselves such as; is it necessary to create relationship with teachers and businessman? What if consultants/businessmen have more power to decide than teachers?
Teachers that implement the curriculum should see it from beginning as it is crucial as we must not let any reform to become tools of certain elite groups because the negative effects behind them are big. Firstly, the performance criteria of education entirely will be one side, which is based solely on standardized test scores, so basically it is a doomsday for whole school quality which emphasized on quality and equality. When this norm becomes persistent in society, we are giving away our freedom because local school will act not be empowered and act according to policy of a powerful and elite groups that create it. Less can we see teachers do trial and error on ideals they have on curriculum because they are directed to achieve higher test scores. Less learning, more drills, remind me on behaviorists style of education. Secondly, I can sense the idea of equity promoted based on set of indicator which is again belongs to majority is the based for the norm, which is to me unfair if the minority is in the system.
After all, test scores are statistic that can be manipulated and viewed from many angles of interpretation. I saw too many manipulations in favor of the policy intended, so what is so great about that?

Controlling Soldiers:
I read and took these from Law and Military in Early China: Robin D.S Yates :

“First he organized the entire population under Qin control into household groups of five, and possibly ten and then on up into larger units, each level legally responsible for the behavior of its members under the “mutual responsibility” lianzuo system. In the Qin army, squads of five men and platoons of then were drawn from these household units so that one man from each of the group of five households served in the five man unit in the army. This ensured that men who served in the army would know each other intimately, would probably also be related to each other by blood and/or marriage, and would therefore be prepared to fight to the death to save the other members of their unit. The hierarchical organization of the civilian population as a whole mirrored that of the army. At each level of both institutions, officers or officials were given the authority by the state to manage their unit and were held legally responsible for their underlings’ performance. Thus, through the establishment of this order the state was able to control and manipulate all the members of the society, penetrating right to the heart of the family and rupturing its internal solidarity. The loyalty and solidarity of every member of society were turned toward the Qin state” Pg 31.

This is difficult and not practical nowadays. Anyway by implementing strategy to build up the sense of belongingness between buddies, this again can be manipulated by State. The strategist must know how to execute program to build this up.( feeling and responsibility, the band of brothers)

“Second, under the system of mutual responsibility, in civil life members of the five man households, led by a group head, were responsible for each other’s behavior and were obliged to denounce a fellow member’s crime: otherwise they would be held equally responsible for the crime. In military, the squad members were responsible for each other’s safety. If one were killed, all the other members would be killed by the commanding officer unless they manage to kill an enemy and present his head to recompense the loss of one of their own.”Pg 31

Curriculum Development and Change:

I realize there are many approaches to curriculum development and change; before reading these two chapters, I thought the change and development of curriculum are easy but it is not. There are many reasons for that, one of it is dynamics of the nature of curriculum and due to the nature of curriculum development that usually involve collective activity and processes, it complicates it further. Through these activities, I can sense the methodology of changes open to all,because how it takes palce is always at issue, for there is no one right way to go about it and it is beneficial or not is always open to questions.

We don’t have to go further evaluating the process, enough to say if we look at different terms involve in curriculum development. It is complicated as it involves interpretation of terms and every interpretation depends on own views. For example, diffusion and dissemination which to me conveys the same meaning, however looking at the term and application of them, I realize it is related to culture and very much involve with the practitioner perspectives. I put it in mind as terms and implications. That’s why the application must be based on prevailing norms.

At one point, I can see it as Irony though it is called a planned activity. It has its own committee which consist of experts from 6 areas but still, the process to develop is hectic, well, it is not a one man’s show. The reason is that it involves lots of interaction and involvement from society,schools, parents and students. Furthermore, for a curriculum to be adopted, it needs evaluation and supports. I can see hierarchy involves, anyway, does curriculum development has top down or bottom up approaches?

Various responses against NCLB shows how much they values the First Amendment which is related to Freedom. It is shown towards their commitments on preserving the freedom of control on school, everybody has right to access the education and lastly, it is a reflection of though standard are created by federal still, the empowerment is on local school because they will implement the policy. From it, it has synergy relationship between the sides. This is the beautiful part of curriculum development in America that I can compare to my own country.

Curriculum Planning: Levels and Participants

When reflecting back NCLB development, I wonder if it was created hurriedly without proper planning, because first, local school must abide by the rules and regulations in order to continue receiving federal financial aids. That depends on schools’ AYP. Though in this book, specifically it mentions at Micro Level, teachers have power to mould the curriculum based on his own perspectives, however, it tends to rupture everything off because later will result in losing federal financial aids. NCLB depends so much on standardized assessments, that when I reflect back is not suitable for Democratic and Liberal society that focus on equality and justice when education is a right to every citizen. Though teachers maybe be able to interpret and use the curriculum creatively but it does not worth because at the end the focus will be on preparing students to meet the standard that can be derived by achieving high scores in the standardized examinations provided. What about the constructivist approaches like Scherer mentioned which focus on teachers seek and value students’ points of views, lessons are structured to challenge students suppositions and critically teacher plan lessons around ideas? What will happen to Dewey’s ideas that students will be able to make sense and see the relation between this subject and the other subjects? I can sense the focus of NCLB is more on measurement that can be reflected back on Positivism. Are we moving back to the old days?Unless NCLB can offer alternatives for school to fulfill the goals by letting local schools to decide.

The Paideia Proposal vs A Critical Review of The Paideia Proposal:

In page 160, paragraph 6, it mentions, “ The innermost meaning of social equality is: substantially the same quality of life for all. That calls for: the same quality of schooling for all.” Anyway, I am thinking that yes, everybody should get proper education but not everybody can receive the same quality education. Is NCLB trying to achieve the same quality of schooling for all by impending the goals through standardized examinations? Though it mentions in the paragraph 11 that “ there is no acceptable reason why trying to promote equality should have led to a lessening or loss of quality but in my opinion, I am not running for Utopian dream. Or is it me the one that betray the ideal of what Horace Mann put which is “ Education is the gateway to equality” ? I just put it as a challenge that Dewey put us through to think and strive towards it. I can say, Paideia is an ideal and Noddings puts it to down to earth by refuting the premises and secondly, put a reality if the proposal was implemented. It is not the target to have classless education because NCLB is another Paeideia. Is not it the same when every school is judged by the fixed standards that is closely applied to the academically talented which is reflected through standardized examinations?

I will definitely consider our kids legitimate interest in our educational planning. I share the same vision with Nodding because he believes that education must have the personal interests and talents of the students who study them, and how skillfully they are laid out against the whole continuum of human experience. I just could not accept Paeideia’s writer notion that believes students minds to be filled equally with the same quality material? Was he saying kids come in empty?

Reflection on “School of Rock”:

One of the features that gets my attention is the name of the teacher,his name is Dewey Finn. His character is moulded by film’ director to have John Dewey ideas. Maybe it is just a coincidence but it fits the purpose. Firstly, Dewey Finn, manages to get his students attention when the music lessons are meaningful and related to their daily life. His students motivation increases when he coordinates everybody roles according to their talents and interests. Not just that, as John Dewey himself focus on play so that it can be transferred and develop kids creativities, so goes Dewey Finn, when he allows and permit his students to develop their talents in music based on their interest. Dewey proves his point when he in fact appreciate and use his student piece of artwork for the competition.

In contrast to Dewey Finn characters, I think the Principle, Rosaline Roz Mullins is more strict, following exactly the subject matter teacher’s point of views. Everything must be black and white,that reminds me when she asked about Dewey’s approach in teaching his students, she is being so defensive on what she believes by asking where does Dewey get his methodology from and etc and importantly, she does not value Dewey’s ideas even order Dewey Finn to change the way/ methodology that he uses to teach his students. I think she is so narrowed and focused by believing every lessons must stick to the curriculum and emphasis on goals/objectives. I think her views will make education is not enjoyable and meaningful to the students. Rather than permitted herself to be love bearing teacher or educationist, she inclines to be more like a policewoman. Anyway, I think she becomes like that due to pressure from parents that wanting everything. This reflects and reminds me that parents can be involved in curriculum development but their voices should not be authoritative over us, educationist that learn and understand education better. I can sense the control over education that society exerts in nowadays situation. However, I am perplexed to see how the parents mood and views towards the school change when they see their kids performed and win the competition. I wonder what will happen if their kids do not win? This makes me thinking, Is the result so important for parents? What about the inspiration and joy education/ educationists/ teachers/epiphanies bring to students?

I believe if John Dewey still alive today, he will definitely HAIL this movie.

Kyle said: We are giving everything that we have to protect ourselves. It just can’t be stopped.( Mine thinking: The waves are started for so long but as Allah said, in front of you, back of you, above and down,left and right, you will find walls that are not penetrable by light, as your light is dying) He is observant as I expected, on his own missions. I just could not know and sense it.

I like his stands on war…He does not hesitate to accept truths. These are so dynamics..I like the label concept that he told me, pretty much interesting..

On the other hands, I found my Afghan brother is totally stupid though critical he seems to be. Being too critical lead to narrow point of views that make you blind to see from crucial and hidden angles. You would not be able to build up your country if you think stopping dog fighting is too unbearable because it is deep within their blood. Leaders create change, not static. What am I reflecting is just a small part from bigger aspect of changing your country, it starts from within..

Rather than accepting it, he shows the error of being too critical and stupid tennis player in conversation that benefits me( though others are laughing) when I am doing my reflection back..

Bak kata orang Melayu, cita cita tinggi membukit, tapi akal tak de.. but pretty much he is good. He will get his Ajr on that.

Observation:
I feel glad reading these paragraphs. I feel the writer of this journal sums up almost 80% of Chapter 6 from our text book. She writes: “Formative assessment gives assessment information that is useful for continued student learning, positive classroom change, and other improvements. Summative assessment gives assessment information that is useful for making final decisions: for example, assigning end-of-term grades. This sounds like a neat distinction, but in classroom use the boundaries blur, for a couple of reasons. First, formative and summative assessments describe two assessment functions. That is, they describe the use of assessment information. Whereas some information is more conducive to being used formatively and some is more conducive to being used summatively, it is the use and not the information that makes the distinction.

The same information can be used for both functions. For example, you might use final exam scores in assigning your course grades and also use them to make modifications to the course content or to the exam itself for the next term. Or you might use midterm exam scores as part of your course grade, and a student might also use the information to change the way or she studies. If I gave you a copy of a test or a description of a project or paper assignment, you would not be able to tell whether it was a formative or a summative assessment. You would only know that by asking me what I did with the information about student achievement yielded by the assessment. There is evidence that no matter what instructors intend, good students will try to use any information about their achievement in a formative way for their own future (Brookhart, 2001). That is part of distinguishes good learners.”

Feelings:
• Happy
• Excited
• Confident

Thoughts:
I feel happy after reading these journals because it clears up my confusions that I had when reading Chapter 6. I feel excited because while doing RWJ, actually, it is one form of assessment that we learn in class. I feel confident because there are many type of assessments that fall under these two categories to be implemented by me later on.

Learning:
Step One: Prior taking this course, I assumed formative assessment meant formal assessment and that could be associated with standardized examination. I assumed summative assessment means the other way around. My assumption was depended upon the root word of formative which is “format” and “summary”. I assumed it would be very difficult to use formative and summative assessments as their types were very limited. I assumed it was necessary to depend on standardized examinations.

Step Two: When I read the definition of formative and summative assessment, I laugh at myself. I should not assume on anything especially when it comes to rich content words that involve/associate with academic terms and explanations. After reading more from Chapter 6 and the journal, I realize there are so many types of assessments that I can provide to my CLD students and not depending only on standardized examinations. Students will not be able to retain information that is not meaningful to them, especially if it is related to examination for the sake of passing!

Step Three: I was being unaware and not concerned of the changes that happen within education field (especially assessment) which is dynamic and changing. I did not make thorough observation and research on what my students needs when it comes to assessment because I believe whatever exists in my education and degree were enough to be a competent teacher. In fact, it was not! I will read more and updating my knowledge as it is gateway to successful teaching, not just me but for my students as well.

Application:
Step One: After reading this journal and Chapter 6, I feel so happy. I am having epiphany when reading this line from the paragraphs taken that mention, “Whereas some information is more conducive to being used formatively and some is more conducive to being used summatively, it is the use and not the information that makes the distinction.” It gives me a strong feeling that the focus here is to ensure learning happens to students and teacher being able to know that students do learn from the assessment. Not just that, when I read further from this journal, my understanding is so clear when the author mentions the type of assessments that consist of three:

• Assessment Type 1: Paper and pencil assessments include objective item tests that use multiple choices, true or false, matching, and fill in items as well as essay tests. Paper and pencil tests are usually given in on demand settings, as when students sit for an exam.

• Assessment Type 2: Performance assessments use observation and judgment to assess either a process (how the student does something) or a product (student created work). Common performance assessments include term papers, academic or technical projects, oral reports and group demonstrations.

• Assessment Type 3: Oral communication is an often forgotten assessment method. Its most common use in college classrooms is for formative assessment during instruction, when the instructor asks students questions in class.

• Assessment Type 4: Portfolios are systematic collections of students work over time, often with accompanying student reflections. The work can be scored as a set; individual pieces of work in the portfolio can be scored; or the portfolio can be used as information for conferences, written feedback, or other communication between instructor and student.

Step Two: I will ensure to use these 4 types of assessment as I cannot depend on assessment type 1 only that I think focusing on standardized examination. It will not give better understanding on my students’ performances. As teachers, I need to apply these assessments so that their abilities will be demonstrated as a whole. These assessments will help them to show their ability of their cognitive and meta cognitive as well by making sense of what they learn. Importantly, it is a good benchmark on reflecting my teaching performances.

References:
1. Brookhart S.M. 2004 “ Assessment Theory for College Classroom” In Alternative Strategies for Evaluating Student Learning,2005 Jossey-Bass , San Francisco

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The School and Social Progress:

In order to understand/define what school is, we need to see it from the perspective of teacher, student and parents. These groups are interwoven between each other. We tend to create standards which we use certain measure to know how far it goes. We develop this because knowledge and progress is related. It shows how practical human is, when it comes to school and curriculum.

Community and parents should share same inspiration towards their kids; however we must not suppress this notion beyond the target of achieving self realization of the kids themselves. What I mean by achieving full realization of students is letting them to be alert and active so that it suits over native. It must be meaningful and related to task of life in the future. It must be spontaneous and can catch attention of the children.

Society plays integral part of schools however it is impossible to imitate school to be as natural social unit of society because it lacks common and productivity of society. What happens there (school) must be natural, inevitably and spontaneous. So there must be a portion of school curriculum that tries to implement the tendency of society to prepare them for understanding the world. However, we need to put in mind that the aim is not to be the economic value but the development of social power and insight.

Dewey really focuses on developing students’ insight. He perceives education is successful if children manage to gain insight on the education that they receive. He gave an example how children manage to make meaningful relationship with the late development of cotton industry due to the difficulties to free the boll and seeds. In my opinion, I believe educational system will be progressive if teacher/curriculum explores more on the insight and turn it into something that is practical. In this case, what I mean is perhaps, the next stage is developing/finding ways on how to free the boll and seeds and explore possibilities’ and various solutions.

I am thinking, this kind of thinking (finding creative solutions) makes Japanese or Koreans advance in the field of creativity.

The School and the Life of the Child:

Reading through this chapter reminds me of the time when I was in kindergarten level. It was the best time in my life and yet, I haven’t given so much thought of finding the reasons behind it. Then I realize, my kindergarten was the time that I explored my senses. That makes it so interesting and fun.

I agree when Dewey wrote: “There is very little place in the traditional schoolroom for the child to work.” I notice how much weight he gave to kids education because Dewey understands the nature of kids and learning themselves and at the same time against the notion of “ the passivity of attitude, its mechanical massing of children, its uniformity of curriculum and method” which is the main criteria of old education.

When Dewey mentions about Copernicus, I sense that we must be bold when it comes to changing perspectives and paradigms of our values. He does not want teacher to be in the circle of rigid and dogmatic beliefs especially when it comes to curriculum and education.

Those who disagree with Dewey will say his point of views just emphasized on kids who the nature of them are insatiable, however, it gives me a relief when he mention;
“But if we have organization of equipment and of materials, there is another path open to us. We can direct the child’s activities, giving them exercise along certain lines and can thus lead up to the goal which logically stands at the end of the paths followed.” It means, we are more there to mould. I don’t think Dewey neglects portions of society when it comes to developing curriculum because he specifically mentions “The child must be brought into contact with more grown people and with more children in order that there may be the freest and richest social life.”

Waste in Education:

I think it is considered a waste in education when school can not make connection between different types of schooling system that exist in a community. Though the level of education in terms of its content and materials as well as the level of understanding are different, still every level conveys/carry meanings on its own. For example, kindergarten that focus much on sense exploration and moral development, the meaning/impact behind it can be continued to secondary education through the appreciation of how nerves/ senses organs in our body. This level can be applied in Science lesson.

It won’t be considered a waste of education if meaningful learning can be established especially when the kids can make sense of whatever that he/she learns in and outside school. It shows how strong/powerful the involvement of curriculum in kids’ life. Thus, whatever subjects teach in school must have balance. I think education in fact, is a balance between social and individual sides.

Only through this understanding of balance, we can achieve harmony.

The gist of creating a balance curriculum lies in unifying, organizing, educating and to bring all its various factors together, through putting it as a whole into organic union with everyday life. This will be a working model of unified education rather than reflecting on education that only focus on being promotion of economy and efficiency.

I am glad Dewey mentioned that in this chapter as it reflects our freedom and democracy in education.

The Psychology of Elementary Education:

Dewey believes in order to achieve progress, educationists must release themselves from tradition because it tends to limit. Rather, they must focus on scientific realms because through that, they can see what it promises especially of the belief on conditions of normal growth.

I think this kind of thinking can lead to the elements of Positivism because it neglects the qualitative aspects, however, I don’t put the blame on Dewey as his time was history. It was not the era of post modernism. I don’t reject on scientific methodology as I believe in Science too, but thinking, it would be good if both combinations are taken into consideration.

I can sense his interest in Science methodology due to the fact that it has relations with progressive. He compared it to Traditionalists, when he mentions that “no social element was found in the subject-matter nor in the intrinsic appeal which it made to the child; it was located wholly outside in the teacher- in the encouragements, admonitions, urgings and devices of the instructor in getting the child’s mind…”

I don’t think Dewey abhors traditionalist so much but he insists on Science that has power over child on how they “can learns to estimate and treat the bare physical stimuli”.

In conclusion, he focus on kids’ exploration on his/her owns using their faculties of minds which is parallel to Science.

Froebel’s Educational Principles:

I notice the similarities between Dewey’s ideas of Curriculum and Froebel’s Educational Principle. As Dewey emphasis on supporting kids’ natural behavior, I found it as well in Froebel’s ideas that focus on direct experiences of kids that come from their main activities which is play.

Frobel considered play as a base for learning, because kids later will develop their own thinking. He defends his point of views by believing that there are many processes involve and happen in kids’ own brains when playing that will be useful to later life. The development of imagination that can be transferred into creativity and abstract thinking is one of the obvious examples that I think relevant to his idea.

The role of educationist is not to hinder them but to delve and develop further.

The Psychology of Occupations:

The aim of “Occupation” that Dewey’s mentions is to avoid it be based on routine or custom. It must be based on natural but at the same time it has relation to work that will be carried on in real life. I think he produces this notion to avoid misconception on school as factory that produces workers for economy. That is what I can think in relation to his explanations. He insists more on saying that Occupation that the ends of it is for the growth and the interplay of ideas by directing them to the actions.

Yes, I can see the differences in a real scale, because firstly, it is based upon personal experimenting and planning in contrast to getting and completing tasks that are received from CEO like what happens in factory. Secondly, it has connection with historical development with students, and I believe it will be meaningful to them. It brings values into life, education into life.

The Development of Attention:

The crucial part in developing attention falls into finding how to help to focus our students power of observation, helping them to interpret materials so that it will be meaningful and connected to them later as well as making them to think and reflects of all the subjects being taught to them.

This can be done under the name of correlation. In education, correlation is associated with continuity of subject matter and society. These two elements, like what I mention in the first paragraph, interwoven with kids/children. This helps us to understand the school better. This notion makes sense with what Dewey mentions later, when he emphasized that attention is never partial or divided and at the same time depending on something external.

The Aim of History in Elementary Education:

It makes sense to me why I perceive History subject that I learnt at school was boring after reading Dewey’s thoughts on this topic. It leads me to wonder that did my teacher fail teaching me or Am I the one that fails to integrate between the past history and today situation thus lead to me to failure to see connection between history and myself? I think I will pro for the latter because that means, history subject was not meaningful because I could not establish the connection. How true it is, when Dewey said that in relation to this by giving an explanation: “He finds no clues into its labyrinth of detail and can mount no eminence when to get a perspective of arrangement.”

In fact, it’s not the subject of History only but it should be extended to any other subjects. The main point is being able to make connection and making sense of it in our students’ daily life and onto the next level of education (Secondary ?Tertier ). I agree when he said, “When a child is capable of appreciating institutions, he is capable of seeing what special institutional idea each historic nations stands for…. But this period arrives only when the child is beginning to be capable of abstracting causes in other realms as well; in other words when he is approaching the time of secondary education.”
I believe learning of particular subjects involves exploration, discovery and self reflection, intertwined with the content/matter and self.

The Child and The Curriculum:

In educating the child, I believe it is normal to have various methodologies and approach though Dewey believes it will distract from the focal points. In my opinion, this should not be an issue as it will enrich the field. If it is a problem to see education as a whole, I blame on the individual inability to make connections between the divisions, not the educative process. It does not mean my notion’s above against the child’s life as an integral. Indeed I strongly support Dewey’s ideas on this.

When Dewey mentions about the emergence of subdivision within the aspect of curriculum, I realized it happens because of the differences between perspectives. It happens because of development in curriculum itself. He must convince what he believes on the relation between the child and the curriculum and make sense to the Traditionalists. However, I believe Dewey’s thoughts on curriculum is having more advantaged over other previous curriculum division.

The ideal of education is by reflecting on child’s growth because it has the elements of personality over subject matter which is important to the development of inner self. Secondly, learning itself must start from within the child’s self. I am not against the learning of something that is formal and mechanical as Dewey’s patches through; it needs a valid and reliable blend.

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Observation:
I found this particular paragraph from a book. It mentions knowledge about reading and writing. The paragraph says: “When a skilled student encounters a word, she or he recognizes it quickly and zeroes in on the appropriate meaning. For instance, in the sentence “The thief lifted the rock from the jewelry case”, a skilled reader likely can tell immediately from the context that the rock refers to a precious gem. Struggling students will make inefficient guesses at the letter-sound, word and meaning level that produce lots of irrelevant associations. They are unable to pare down these associations to make appropriate sense of what they are reading or writing (Pressley, 2006). Not surprisingly, the development of writing relies on many of the same abilities as reading: understanding how letters and sounds work, understanding how letters and sounds work, understanding how letters and words combine into sentences and larger pieces of text and meaning, using vocabulary and prior knowledge, and writing for different purposes (Shanahan,2006). Students who expend all of their effort figuring out letters, words and sentences are limited in ways they are able to attend to the sense or message of what they are writing.”1

Feelings:
Happy
Relief
Confident

Thoughts:
I feel happy after reading these two paragraphs because it validates the four chapters that I have been reading that deals about Literacy or Teaching Reading to English Language Learners. I feel relief because this paragraph summarizes the four chapters that I read. I feel confident as now I can see bigger picture of what I have been reading for the past weeks.

Step One:
I had an assumption that reading skills were easy to grab by students. Everybody could be a good reader as long as he knows the letters of targeted language. I had an assumption students could not become good readers simply because they were lazy. I assumed literacy means literate/being able to read.

Step Two:
For a long time, I believe reading skills are easy to teach to students but in fact, they are not!! Reading involves more than one step process. Motivation and schemata play vital role in assisting reading and understanding too. Not just that, students must be able to make reader- text connection to understand the text. It means reading is not just the ability to decode text like a parrot. It leads me to think that reading is a part of literacy if the reader can derive meanings from the text.

Step Three:
Before, I am convinced that students who recognize the letters in targeted language will not have problem with reading but I was wrong. I believed in that because when I was young, I could read after remembering all the Roman letters. It should not be my bench mark because though I could read at that moment, I realized still I could not make sense of most material that I read. I still need my mom’s explanation to understand Alice in Wonderland’s story and what ever I uttered from the book. I remembered how motivated I was when reading Alice in Wonderland’s story that had pictures. How powerful it was my experiences of reading when I was small could shape my perceptions on reading and literacy.

Applications:
Step One:After reading few chapters on Reading and Literacy, I feel like having lots of new perspectives on the topic. I realize only by understanding what is Literacy and Reading will help me to teach my future students better of the concepts and the applications. I tend to appreciate the complex and dynamic reading process that happen inside my students’ brains and willing to assist them because I realize how difficult it is to nurture the reading skills to them. I feel I have grown personally because after knowing and understanding the reading process, I feel so excited to be an active reader.

Step Two: Reading above paragraph that I put in Observation can reflect my own teaching in many aspects. Firstly, I will set a good example by modeling a good reading habit that reflects my deep understanding of the reading process itself. This can be done by sharing my reading materials with my students the ways it suits them. I must find something that is their preference. Secondly, as reading is a very difficult process, I will not be easily frustrated. I will nurture my students need accordingly as I understand reading and literacy is interactive. I will help my students to have various strategies and help them to adapt accordingly to the strategies that suits them. The main thing is to create opportunities for them to explore literacy so that it is meaningful to them.

References:
1.Conley, M.W. Content Area Literacy : Learners in Context.Boston: Allyn and Bacon,2008.