Reflective Statement for Language Arts TS 1 Brittany Granquist

Artifact: “6 Minute Solution” Record and Graph

LATS 2: The competent teacher must know a broad range of literacy

techniques and strategies for every aspect of communication and must be
able to develop each student’s ability to read, write, speak and listen to his
or her potential within the demands of the discipline.

1. Write a paragraph explaining your knowledge and understanding of the

standard-put the

standard in your own words.

I think that this standard wants me to recognize that at any grade level, students will differ

in literacy abilities, including reading, writing, speaking and listening, and that as an

educator, I need to be able to develop each student’s ability using effective literacy techniques

that best activate prior student knowledge and enhance comprehension. According to the

standard, competent educators will not only be able to effectively identify specific objectives and

goals for students within the discipline areas of reading, writing, and language arts, they will also

be able to put into practice these techniques. Another main point this standard is communicating

is that competent teachers should be able to utilize strategies and communication techniques that

make reading meaningful and comprehensible to students of all literacy abilities.

2. Explain how the artifact you chose demonstrates your understanding and
application of the

standard.

The artifact I chose that demonstrates my understanding and application of the standard is a

particular student’s Fluency Record and accompanying Student Fluency Graph. The record and

graph are representative of all fourth graders that participate in “6 Minute Solution,” however the
two fifth graders are recorded each day of the week. Eight fourth grade students participate in “6
Minute Solution.” The premise of the fluency program is to increase students’ reading fluency by

giving them weekly opportunities to read familiar passages and participate in their own

assessment. On Monday and Friday of each week, I take students individually to record their

CPWM, or correct words per minute, for the same passage appropriate for their various reading

levels. I then graph their CPWM so to monitor their growth in initial CPWM and ending CPWM

for the week, and how their initial CPWM and ending CPWM have changed over several weeks.

In that the “6 Minute Solution” program allows students to track their own progress, I believe

that I am applying this aspect of the standard: “practices effective literacy techniques to make

reading purposeful and meaningful.” In addition, differentiating literacy time for students who

need to make progress in reading fluency using this program shows that I “understand and can

articulate the need for literacy development in general in specific disciplines or at specific grade

levels.”

3. A If the artifact has been used in your practice, reflect on how your
teaching will change in

the future to further meet the standard.

B. If the artifact has not been used in your practice, i.e., a class
assignment, reflect upon how

your teaching will be impacted by the assignment.

The artifact has been used on a weekly basis in my practice, and has undoubtedly affected my

philosophy on teaching as it applies to differentiating curriculum and instruction for students of

diverse needs. I believe that in having mastered this literacy strategy, and that in having seen its

enormous benefits in many students’ fluency and confidence, I feel inclined to research and put
into practice various other techniques and strategies. I also plan on using this strategy in my

future classrooms as a means for assessment. I might tweak the program by teaching my students

how to time each other for CPWM, and graph their CPWM on the Student Fluency Graph. I

believe that in allowing them to take accountability for their fluency growth, they will become

more invested in the program and reading will continue to become more purposeful and

meaningful.

4. Conclude with a paragraph discussing how you are more prepared to

Teach and Learn in a

Diverse Society as a result of satisfactorily meeting the standard.

As a result of administering the “6-Minute Solution” reading fluency program on a weekly basis

to both fourth graders and fifth graders of DRA levels ranging from 28 to 40, I am better

prepared to teach and learn in a diverse society. Through having the experience administering

this program, I have learned specific ways in which to cater to the diverse literacy levels

represented in grade level classrooms. In order to teach in a diverse society, educators must

differentiate curriculum and instruction. From having administered “6-Minute Solution” and

having seen its benefits on students’ confidence and fluency levels, I feel prepared and inclined

to use this differentiation technique, among others, in my future classrooms to meet the diverse

literacy needs of my students.