Applying my teaching philosophy, where my role as a teacher is not limited to the communication of knowledge but also involves facilitating its acquisition and understanding, I am committed every day to be a constant researcher of the best strategies I can use to ensure that all my students have the same opportunity to learn.
Now, what is the guide to follow? What are we going to teach? What is our goal? It seems that ensuring competency according to the curriculum is a challenge, but is it enough just to learn to read? When researching the impact of illiteracy worldwide, I come across speeches like Trischitti's (TEDx Talks, 2017b), where he focuses on illiteracy as a condition that affects almost a billion people globally, and if it were incurable, it could be considered an epidemic. However, this was not what I found most interesting in his speech; it was his vision of what it means not to be able to learn to read proficiently.
According to Trischitti (TEDx Talks, 2017b), individuals who cannot read proficiently (functional illiterates) are highly likely never to catch up educationally, become school dropouts, or illiterate, or come into contact with the juvenile court. In other words, it is not enough to read; the real challenge is to do so proficiently, understand what is read, and be able to use it to evolve and engage in other processes.
Hence arises the need and the great challenge of proposing as a goal the learning to read proficiently. It may seem simple to set this goal; however, is it sufficient to establish that objective? How can we ensure that learning to read ensures that it is done proficiently? By incorporating different scenarios or stations where students practice the skill of reading, it requires them to master that skill and demonstrate if they do it proficiently.
But, as argued by Sinek (FightMediocrity, 2015), "people are not so much interested in what they need to do as in why they need to do it." Therefore, a strategy must be implemented, and a meaningful environment created that emotionally involves students in achieving the goal of reading proficiently, understanding what they can do, but also why and for what purpose they do it.
Aligned with this strategy and meaningful environment is my Innovation Plan, "Implementation of Blended Learning on Reading and Writing Instruction for First Graders" This proposal aims to provide students with different stations that facilitate and guide their learning in reading and writing, offering different approaches that satisfy their learning preferences, taking advantage of the benefits of interaction and collaboration among peers, as well as the use of technology.
The Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) proposed for my first-grade Reading Unit 2 is conceived taking into account all these variables of my Innovation Plan. Students will be immersed in a Blended Learning dynamic that will require them not only to learn to read but also to do so proficiently. The stations will invite them to challenges in which students will have to understand what they read, making them aware of this proficiency and what they can achieve with it.
The following table and the Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (BHAG) align with my Innovation Proposal, as it integrates into the dynamic rotation model of Blended Learning, incorporating technology and collaborative activities among classmates.
Aligning learning outcomes/goals with activities and assessment:
Fink L. Dee's Taxonomy of Significant Learning serves as a guide to integrate each of the fundamental components that make up a goal: what is to be achieved, how it can be achieved, and finally, how it is confirmed that the goal has been achieved. Moreover, this guide interrelates these three components with the human aspect, meaning that students will have learning at the level of personal and emotional growth, focused on the growth mindset.
By using this guide for the development of the Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG), it becomes evident that my teaching philosophy applied in my innovation plan covers each of these components. The implementation of Blended Learning stations is based on personalized learning, offering various resources, tools, and strategies so that students can be supported according to their learning styles, including the connectivist philosophy, which relies on the support of technological resources.
How will the Course Outcomes planning process and 3 Column table influence or impact my innovation plan?
When initially designing the innovation plan, each of the fundamental components that ensure the goal is strategically and emotionally compelling enough to visualize where students will be at the end of their first grade, that is, who they will be or become as a result of their ability to read with proficiency, was not fully broken down. With the Course Outcomes planning process, as outlined in the three-column table, a guide is completed to clearly define the content of each of its components, identifying the variables, resources, and goals that constitute it. This guide profoundly influences my innovation plan because it establishes a solid framework on which I can rely to effectively monitor my main objective, focusing on specific learning outcomes.
Blended Learning in its rotation model offers a learning strategy where students learn in various ways, with different approaches that motivate them to complete activities and where they can provide evidence of their educational growth. For example, in stations where students must master the reading process, they will complete activities where text comprehension is necessary. In the station where the interaction is with a digital application, it will generate a record of the student's performance in reading comprehension. By integrating all these learning stations, the student will be aware of what they can do (read) and what that means for their personal and educational growth. Students will start their learning process based on their prior knowledge and progress according to their abilities. The proposal of my innovation plan suggests guidance in this learning process, where, regardless of the student's abilities, the tools used, the inclusion of games as part of a meaningful environment, and the use of technology become the successful combination to achieve the goal of reading with proficiency.
References
FightMediocrity. (2015, May 31). START WITH WHY BY SIMON SINEK | ANIMATED BOOK SUMMARY [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb8KpHqU5tg
Fink, L. D. (2005). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning. Retrieved from: https://www.bu.edu/sph/files/2014/03/www.deefinkandassociates.com_GuidetoCourseDesignAug05.pdf
Harapnuik, D. (2016, June 16). Mapping your learner’s journey. Retrieved from: http://www.harapnuik.org/?p=6420.
Harapnuik, D. (2016, June 13). Why you need a BHAG to design learning environments. Retrieved from: https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=6414.
Team, F. a. P. (n.d.). The benefits of shared Reading for Primary Readers: A bridge to independence. https://fpblog.fountasandpinnell.com/the-benefits-of-shared-reading-for-primary-readers-a-bridge-to-independence
TEDx Talks. (2017b, May 26). Literacy is the Answer | John Trischitti | TEDxACU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-h-BhcV7DM
Attachments
Learning Environment & Situational Factors to Consider
1. Specific Context of the Teaching/Learning Situation
How many students are in the class?
The enrollment ranges from 18 to 22 students in the Dual Language program. This number allows the creation of 3 to 4 groups for station formation.
Is the course primary, secondary, undergraduate, or graduate level?
It is a first-grade course in a primary school. Students are aged between 6 and 7 years, seeking creative and enjoyable activities where the incorporation of educational games is ideal for meaningful learning.
How long and frequent are the class meetings?
Reading and writing classes occur daily and last no more than 3 hours.
How will the course be delivered: live, online, blended, flipped, or in a classroom or lab?
Lessons are delivered in a public school classroom, with all resources available on-site and visual support from boards, digital boards, and manipulatives (magnetic letters, puzzles, boards), among others.
What physical elements of the learning environment will affect the class? What technology, networking, and access issues will affect the class?
The rotation model depends on the arrangement of tables for team formation and stations. The digital station depends on electronic devices (tablets or Chromebooks) supplied by the school district.
2. General Context of the Learning Situation
What learning expectations are placed on this course or curriculum by the school, district, university, college, and/or department? The profession? Society?
The school district's expectation, and consequently, the school's, is based on the first-grade curriculum, specifically on surpassing or achieving reading levels according to the District Benchmark. In terms of society, they expect students to finish first-grade reading.
3. Nature of the Subject
Is this subject primarily theoretical, practical, or a combination? Is the subject primarily convergent or divergent? Are there important changes or controversies occurring within the field?
Reading lessons are a combination of theory and practice. For the first-grade level, the practice has a higher percentage, but concepts are introduced to comply with the curriculum and for future development. The rotation model's dynamics follow a divergent criterion, encouraging creative thinking, analysis, and developing viewpoints based on texts where solutions are not always concrete and unique. Regarding controversies in this field, continuous changes, and teaching modalities are being incorporated, making the rotation model flexible and open to innovations and changes to enhance efficiency. The use of technology and continually emerging applications also does not ensure stability.
4. Characteristics of the Learners
What is the life situation of the learners (e.g., socio-economic, cultural, personal, family, professional goals)? What prior knowledge, experiences, and initial feelings do students usually have about this subject? What are their learning goals and expectations?
Most students come from low-income families of Hispanic culture, and the majority of parents do not have a university education. A significant percentage of students lack a foundational knowledge that would aid quick progress in reading. Their expectations and goals focus on learning to read and write, making it the primary incentive at the beginning of classes.
5. Characteristics of the Teacher
What beliefs and values does the teacher have about teaching and learning? What is his/her attitude toward: the subject? Students? What level of knowledge or familiarity does s/he have with this subject? What are his/her strengths in teaching?
As a teacher, my beliefs and values such as respect, tolerance, and credibility guide me in creating a meaningful environment. I aim for students to feel comfortable and supported, viewing me as someone who not only imparts knowledge but is also available to help them progress and become independent learners. I enjoy teaching reading and writing, considering it a significant milestone in anyone's life. Although I am not highly familiar with this profession due to it not being my specialty, I utilize it as a strength, learning from scratch with the most recent information and strategies, keeping me updated. One of my main strengths is my maturity and personality, being a mother contributes experience in dealing with children, and I enjoy creating games and dynamics that entertain children while they learn.
Questions for Formulating Significant Learning Goals
"A year (or more) after this course is over, I want and hope that students:
• Read short texts and can comprehend what they read, to the point of being able to answer questions related to it.
• Learn to interact and collaborate with others, regardless of educational level, being tolerant and respectful.
• Develop the ability to interact with digital resources, to the point of mastering the applications used in class to find texts they are interested in reading.
• Awaken an interest in reading, making them aware of the benefits it brings to their future professional and personal life.
My Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) for the course is:
Develop proficiency in reading short texts, sparking an interest in seeking information or texts they want to read and can use in their environment and daily life.
Foundational Knowledge
What key information (e.g., facts, terms, formulae, concepts, principles, relationships, etc.) is/are important for students to understand and remember in the future?
The starting point after learning to read is a significant milestone in anyone's life. Hence, the importance of doing it proficiently to make it a useful tool for a lifetime.
What key ideas (or perspectives) are important for students to understand in this course?
Although the reflection by Trischitti (2017b, May 26) that "While vaccines help eliminate and stop the spread of diseases, literacy can help us eliminate and stop the spread of famine, poverty, and crime. It is the necessary tool to break difficult social cycles" may be too profound for first-grade students, I would try to adjust the form while maintaining the substance.
Application Goals
What kinds of thinking are important for students to learn?
• Critical thinking, in which students analyze and evaluate.
Students can read and comprehend. From there, they can communicate their viewpoints, opinions, or simply respond based on the analysis of the text read.
• Creative thinking, in which students imagine and create.
Students can create their own stories based on a topic or information read, utilizing their imagination.
• Practical thinking, in which students solve problems and make decisions.
Students learn from others' experiences or information related to the problem presented. These previous experiences and information can be acquired through fiction or non-fiction texts.
What important skills do students need to gain?
Proficient reading, collaboration with peers, use of electronic devices.
Do students need to learn how to manage complex projects?
No.
Integration Goals
What connections (similarities and interactions) should students recognize and make…:
Among ideas within this course?
Reading applies to all life environments. Students will feel progress in understanding other lessons since, at least in mathematics, no matter how many operations are required, the first step is to understand the situation (word problem) before solving with calculations. Similarly, students can apply their reading proficiency in different environments of their daily life, contributing to greater participation in the real world, such as reading a menu, street names, magazine news, names on package labels, etc.
Human Dimensions Goals
What could or should students learn about themselves?
Students will learn about the great potential they have and what they are capable of learning. Fostering a growth mindset is essential to ensure the success of this goal. Learning to read is a journey with stumbling blocks, but one learns from successes and mistakes, strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes recognizing the first sound of words is easy, but the last sound is more difficult, some learn rhymes faster, and so on. But at the end of the year, all students can recognize how much they have grown, the barriers they have broken down, and the lessons learned.
What could or should students learn about understanding others and/or interacting with them?
Blended learning in its rotation model creates spaces where students must collaborate in teams; hence, tolerance and respect are fundamental values learned in these dynamics. Working in a team contributes significant maturity to any student. The use of educational games and group activities helps them understand the importance of accepting other ideas and respecting turns.
Caring Goals
What changes/values do you hope students will adopt?
Feelings?
Interests?
Values?
Reading is an activity that is often imposed; however, if students can be interested in it through motivating and enjoyable strategies, this activity can transform into a habit that can change their personal and professional future.
"Learning-How-to-Learn" Goals
What would you like for students to learn about:
How to be good students in a course like this?
How to learn about this particular subject?
How to become a self-directed learner of this subject, i.e., having a learning agenda of what they need/want to learn, and a plan for learning it?
Students in this course, I would like more than just learning; I would like them to be interested in reading, understand the importance of doing it regularly, discover a type of reading that they are passionate about or interested in, and thereby feel motivated to seek books, whether in libraries or digitally. This way, they can develop the skill of reading autonomously.