Classroom Environment
Our classroom environment reflects real, relevant teaching and learning. Our classroom curriculum incorporates all the language processes (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in a meaningful context using a Balanced Literacy approach that values purposeful reading and writing.
Our classroom encourages children to see themselves as readers, writers, and problem solvers. We value the process as well as the product, and understand that all children are unique individuals. The teaching process is based on what we know about how children learn.
We are excited to be an International Baccalaureate Primary Years school. The Primary Years Programme is an inquiry-based approach to learning, focusing on the growth of the developing child, addressing the social, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic progress. More information can be found in a link on the Spicewood website.
Our classroom strives to:
Teaching Reading is Based on These Beliefs
The best approach to teaching reading is a combination of approaches, offering instruction in phonics skills as well as experience with good literature. This is the essence of "Balanced Literacy."
Components of a Literacy Lesson
Phonemic Awareness/Phonics Instruction - Teacher uses sound picture cards, Big Books, music and movement activities and integrates this instruction into writing and guided reading activities.
Read Aloud - Teacher reads stories / poems that are at or above the students’ independent and guided reading levels. This familiarizes students with book language, story structure, descriptions, plot development, concepts of print, phonics and phonemic awareness.
Shared Reading - Provides the beginning support that enables children to read independently. The teacher reads a story to the whole group or class. The children participate, reading more and more of the text each time.
Guided Reading - A small group, teacher-directed process that helps the children to develop the reading strategies they need to become independent readers.
Independent Reading - Provides opportunities during the day for children to practice and internalize strategies learned during shared and guided reading, using many different types of text.
Write Aloud / Modeled Writing - The teacher models the processes an author uses in planning and writing a story or other product, for the whole class or a small group.
Shared Writing - The teacher and the children work together through the processes that occur in writing: concepts and conventions of print, sound/symbol relations, phonics, and spelling.
Guided Writing - The children write with or for the teacher, following the same processes as Shared Writing.
Independent Writing - Children learn to write by writing for their own purposes and from their own experiences. They learn to think of themselves as authors.
Our classroom encourages children to see themselves as readers, writers, and problem solvers. We value the process as well as the product, and understand that all children are unique individuals. The teaching process is based on what we know about how children learn.
We are excited to be an International Baccalaureate Primary Years school. The Primary Years Programme is an inquiry-based approach to learning, focusing on the growth of the developing child, addressing the social, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic progress. More information can be found in a link on the Spicewood website.
Our classroom strives to:
- Immerse the students in oral and written language, offering ample opportunities for experience and practice.
- Create a cooperative classroom where children are encouraged to interact in a positive way.
- Create a print-rich environment.
- Give children choice times during the day, where they have opportunities to be responsible for their own learning.
- Provide multiple opportunities for children to work – independently or with the teacher – in large groups, small groups, and individually.
- Allow opportunities for the teacher to observe and record children and their learning.
- Give children experience with real mathematical and scientific processes.
Teaching Reading is Based on These Beliefs
- Reading programs should be child centered
- Reading for meaning is paramount
- Reading must always be rewarding
- Children learn to read by reading, and also by experimenting with writing
- Children need to be read to every day
- Children learn best with books that have meaning and are rewarding
The best approach to teaching reading is a combination of approaches, offering instruction in phonics skills as well as experience with good literature. This is the essence of "Balanced Literacy."
Components of a Literacy Lesson
Phonemic Awareness/Phonics Instruction - Teacher uses sound picture cards, Big Books, music and movement activities and integrates this instruction into writing and guided reading activities.
Read Aloud - Teacher reads stories / poems that are at or above the students’ independent and guided reading levels. This familiarizes students with book language, story structure, descriptions, plot development, concepts of print, phonics and phonemic awareness.
Shared Reading - Provides the beginning support that enables children to read independently. The teacher reads a story to the whole group or class. The children participate, reading more and more of the text each time.
Guided Reading - A small group, teacher-directed process that helps the children to develop the reading strategies they need to become independent readers.
Independent Reading - Provides opportunities during the day for children to practice and internalize strategies learned during shared and guided reading, using many different types of text.
Write Aloud / Modeled Writing - The teacher models the processes an author uses in planning and writing a story or other product, for the whole class or a small group.
Shared Writing - The teacher and the children work together through the processes that occur in writing: concepts and conventions of print, sound/symbol relations, phonics, and spelling.
Guided Writing - The children write with or for the teacher, following the same processes as Shared Writing.
Independent Writing - Children learn to write by writing for their own purposes and from their own experiences. They learn to think of themselves as authors.