Language Arts

One thing the (in)famous Mr. Teach-Cop said when I told him I was teaching was "Language Arts? I've never heard of that."

I think most people are used to hearing about teaching reading or writing, not both - and I'm teaching both.

I mean, how can you teach one without teaching the other? Text must be written; what is written must be read. Two sides of the same coin. Two peas in a pod.

Naturally, I thought teaching both would be a breeze. After all, I was on such a role with teaching reading my first week at Institute, writing must come naturally, right?

No. Not by a long shot. The achievement gap is a literacy gap. And with literacy must come advanced thought, and creativity. That is lacking in underprivileged schools, many of which are so focused on testing and funding, and the unrealistic and unrepentant and unfounded demands of the teachers' unions, that creativity and analytical thought are not stressed. How can you teach prewriting when your kids cannot brainstorm? For that matter, how do you teach brainstorming when your kids' creative synapses have not been nurtured and taught to burst forth and fire at random?

Teaching writing is tough, and I let it show. Not that teaching reading skills are really that easy, but it certainly came more naturally for me.

I got frustrated when I taught writing, especially with kids with special needs who needed some differentiation. I tried a one-size-fits-all approach; didn't work. I tried writing investment strategies; didn't work.

What does work? Individual, one-on-one writing workshops. Modeling. And I learned that a little late in the game for my Agua Fria SuperStars.

Day One in my new classroom, and I'm fortunate enough that Pioneer starts late and I can still look forward, and not back, at Day One, I'm integrating both reading and writing in my Language Arts instruction. Two sides of the same coin. Two peas in a pod.

Maybe I learned a thing or two from Institute, after all.

peace and love from the grand canyon state,

pb