Reading

Reading opens up a world of discovery! To foster a love of reading, and aligned with current developments in the field, I incorporate structured literacy with elements of reading workshop to meet individual student needs and learning styles. My passion and training as a Literary Specialist, M.S.Ed., act as a foundation to deepen student learning and spark lifelong curiosity.

A sound wall and color-coded library provide the scaffolding needed for fluent student readers!

Students explore their interests during independent reading time!

Color-coded reading bins support students in picking books that match their reading level.

Decodable readers support students in effectively practicing phonics skills.

My FUNdations board showcases phonics skills we’re currently working on. Students can reference it throughout the day and during reading groups.

I have an extensive library of read-alouds focusing on social-emotional learning, building community, and inclusivity. Students also love to take them off the shelf for quiet reading time!

I create visuals like this to encourage students to see books as valuable currency for their learning.

I teach students to ask questions while reading to develop as active readers and critical thinkers.

Drawing on mini-lessons from Jennifer Serravallo’s The Reading Strategies Book, students apply the “Title Power” strategy, using titles as clues to determine a book’s main idea.

Using a creative take on a Venn diagram, I teach students to think critically while reading, encouraging them to form their own opinions about any information they take in.

I use a story mountain visual to share the elements that make up a plot.

As a strategy for learning to read with expression, I teach students to read dialogue in a way that matches the character’s feeling.

Reading Groups & Structured Literacy

Practice, collaboration, and individualized learning are key to a student’s reading journey. Blending structured literacy with elements of reading workshop, I spiral curriculum to build through phonics, decodable readers, phonemic awareness, and student choice books. I utilize small-group learning and a variety of hands-on and kinesthetic activities to meet individual student needs and learning styles. Students learn how to pick “just right” texts, and love selecting books from my extensive classroom library to explore their interests during quiet reading time. I also curate a social-emotional learning section for class read alouds and advanced readers. Click through for a look inside my reading groups and a few of my favorite mini-lessons.

Book Commercials Curriculum

Students practiced persuasive writing, presentation, and summarizing through a book commercials unit I designed, utilizing iMovie. Each child reviewed their favorite book, fostering a love for reading and a tight-knit classroom community as we learned more about each other. Check out my 2nd grader’s review of Ramona’s World to see if she’s convinced you to take a read!

PHCS Loves to Read!

In collaboration with the reading team at PHCS, we created a reading incentive program to get K-6 students excited about reading. I took the initiative to create a video with my students to launch the program in each classroom, providing the opportunity for my students to practice writing and presentation skills through script writing and acting. Take a look!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Dr. Seuss is a great role model for a growth mindset and persistence, having faced many rejections before finally publishing his first children’s book. While teaching K-6 reading at PHCS, we celebrated Dr. Seuss’s birthday for Read Across America week. To engage with the school’s greater community on and offline, I filmed and edited this video, interviewing students on their favorite Dr. Seuss books and quotes.