Quote: "Educators learn to incorporate students' texts written outside school, but to understand and build on their literacy practices. This perspective gives educators the challenge of finding out about the literacy practices of their students, sharing them in a community of practice with the class, and building on these practices in classroom settings. We need to examine what literacy activities our students are engaging with our of school and consider how we can form bridges to support students within school. This will give us the opportunity to think more clearly about what literacy is being supported where." (Paul 70)
Comment: Sorry this was a long quote. But I thought it did a great job summing up the main points that really inspired me through out this entire chapter. We need to understand the literacy that is going on within each child's home. We need to learn to build from that as we work on literacy in the classroom. If we can connect the learning to some extent with what students feel comfortable with or with what students know from home they will be more likely to respond positively. If we can build a supportive nest with the home and school our students will have so many opportunities to thrive in literacy. Even when we think a home may not be supportive for a particular student, we can glean something from that child's life outside of school that can help us touch and better connect with that student.
Question: What are some ideas you have on "forming bridges to support students with in school." What does that phrase mean to us personally and what ideas do you have to make this happen once you begin teaching?!
I think it will be important to let students have free write time. A time where they can write about anything that inspires them. Students have so much going on in their lives that writing gives them a chance to get some of it out. Free write also gives them a chance to write about anything that they want to, from Pokemon to Hannah Montana. Journals also allow you a chance to see what interests your students. You can see their likes and dislikes and find ways to possibly incorporate those things into the classroom as you see fit.
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