Until this class, I had never even heard of disciplinary literacy. For the most part right now, it is still something I am not totally sure I would be able to explain it to someone who had never heard of it either. However this article has made it clear that it can be pretty important and can help all of our students. When they mention that many students are struggling to read in write in subjects that aren't reading and writing, it makes me think of when we are in schools with the children. A lot of the schools we have been in for primary grades, teachers/students days are generally revolved around math and reading. For my experiences, when I ask about social studies or science, teachers tend to say that they integrate it into the math or reading sections. For example the class could be reading about the stars and planets and learning about our universe. So they are practicing their reading but also learning about science. I feel like there is this sort of teaching reading and writing across subjects but teachers don't seem to make it known to the students that they don't have to just be studying "one subject" at a time. But that certain topics or activities can be combined and help you succeed. What are your thoughts on this? Do you like this type of teaching? Should we not departmentalize subjects until high school? Or you might completely disagree/hate everything I've said or the article has said. Thanks for reading. Let me know
Rhys
Rhys,
ReplyDelete"When they mention that many students are struggling to read in write in subjects that aren't reading and writing, it makes me think of when we are in schools with the children." Lack of practice in reading and writing in various subject areas are the main reason why students dont know how to do these things. I was taght these things in high school but not grammar school, but it wouldve been better if I was taught earlier because I struggled. I struggled when I had to write a science research paper in high school. I didn't know what APA format until high school. Its a very useful thing to know for higher education. Writting a science research paper also helped me find short cuts of how to read a science research paper, and its been the most helpful thing for me.
Ashley I was sort of the same way with writing or reading in other subjects. I always just associated science as experiments or animals and nature. I think that integrating the reading and writing into these other subjects would have helped you in high school.
DeleteRhys
Hi Rhys,
ReplyDeleteI like this type of teaching and I feel like I don't really see it as much. So fat I've seen my teacher do math but hasn't made the students really focus on the reading and it's more numbers. I haven't seen her add any reading or writing into math. I don't think we should departmentalize at all. In high school I took a math class that was integrated with art and we implemented reading in and writing in it as well. We were making comics with geometry shapes and it was awesome. Why don't we see that in other schools? I agree with you, Rhys.
Thanks,
Besan
Hey Besan, i will say i dont mind departmentalizing once students are older because I think that if you don't then you could end up having to pick and choose which subjects are more important as the day goes on and you start to run out of time in your day. However I do think that teachers should try to integrate before that happens. Then in high school you could have more classes like your art math class and that would be normal because you have had a class or lessons like that before.
DeleteRhys
Hey Rhys,
ReplyDeleteI like this type of teaching because it seems more fluid to me. You are able to make connections across different subjects rather than transitioning from one subject to another. Even though I think it is a great way to teach, from my experience in the classrooms, I have rarely seen this. I am currently in third grade where they are departmentalizing for the first time, so I will let you know how that works out. As of now, I do not think we should departmentalize until high school only cause it is important for students to be able to feel like the subjects are connected in some way or another. I agree with you on the fact that disciplinary literacy is something that I still fully do not understand.
Tina I'm with you in terms of making the connections across subjects. I think that is better for students learning when they can see it across multiple areas and don't just view subjects to be on their own. It also will help them build a foundation for when they are older if they do have to write a paper for a math class or another class where writing a paper isn't typically done.
DeleteRhys
Hey Rhys,
ReplyDeleteI definitely think this type of teaching is super beneficial because students can make multiple connections and experiences with different content areas. But like many people have said, I've hardly seen in it being used in the classroom.
Something really neat that my mentor teacher does during math is she has our students write in math journals about the different strategies they use to solve a problem. It kinda incorporates language arts into math because students are articulating their math thinking and get to understand the "why" behind different numbers and symbols.
Hey Hallie, I really like the math journals. I have seen them before. I think that it really helps the students for when they have to deal with word problems. When you have to write using the language of math, it helps you develop the concept and then when you have to decode a math word problem, students will not be as confused when it comes to picking out the terms that help them solve the problem.
DeleteRhys
My thoughts on this focus on strictly English and Math by teachers brings me back to this stress on standardized testing scores, and how teachers need to focus on that to keep their jobs and keep their schools open. Having this stress on these two subjects definitely does affect how other disciplines are taught in schools today.
ReplyDeleteIt's scary to see how different covering subject areas in the curriculum is now than it was when we were in elementary school. It definitely puts more pressure on teachers to add this extra content to these lessons, and covering subject area vocabulary to make sure their students are exceeding in all aspects. This takes a very dedicated and hard-working teacher to go above and beyond just teaching for the test.
To answer your questions, I do like the inclusion, but we need to make sure kids are being taught all subject areas, no matter what form it might be in. They deserve the opportunity the learn in all disciplines, not just reading and math.
I agree with you on all of that. Testing has really forced the teachers to focus on specific topics. But I still believe that they can include other subjects while still covering the standards that will be on the tests. I really think that this also helps the students become more well rounded with all subjects in school and not just reading and math.
DeleteIn the article it explains, "Accomplishing the goal of disciplinary literacy
ReplyDeleteinstruction requires that teachers be well versed in
the content, discourse patterns, literate practices,
and habits of mind within specific disciplines." With that being said, I believe that classrooms starting in middle school are right to departmentalize. During this time children are getting a higher understanding of each subject by someone who is endorsed. Teachers who are endorsed in this sideline must understand how to include literacy in these disciplines. Rico was good at integrating math and literacy. He had his students in his math class read and elaborate on an issue. They would then use math to solve and issue or present an issue. Once teachers understand how to do this, they should implement this in the class. This will not only give them a better understanding of the subject but allow them to communicate and evaluate their understanding of the subject and interactions with certain issues, problems, or solutions.
I agree with you. But I think part of those teachers being able to integrate the literacy into the math has to do with the student having done something like that in the years before. A student who has never really seen any literacy in math before, isn't just going to be able to jump right in and understand it instantly. They should at least be introduced to the idea and have some work with it before hand to at least lay a foundation to help them once they get to the upper grades.
DeleteHI, Rhys!
ReplyDeleteI love the forms of teaching that students are learning knowledge without realizing it. "Subjects" should not stand for its own but have to interact with multiple aspects of learning. In my field work, we do have science, but the teacher asks students to take notes on what they are learning and comprehend science terms. Even though literacy and math are the two major things that students have to learn in school, teachers need to realize there are many other ways to build students' skills beyond only focus on "subjects."
Hey Bing, I like the taking notes on the science terms as long as they are then reading about them and being able to practice reading while using them. That way they are seeing how the reading can involve the science aspect as well. If not then I feel like the students are just seeing the words and knowing their definition but not connecting the fact that science can involve reading and reading can involve science.
DeleteRhys
HI, Rhys!
ReplyDeleteI love the forms of teaching that students are learning knowledge without realizing it. "Subjects" should not stand for its own but have to interact with multiple aspects of learning. In my field work, we do have science, but the teacher asks students to take notes on what they are learning and comprehend science terms. Even though literacy and math are the two major things that students have to learn in school, teachers need to realize there are many other ways to build students' skills beyond only focus on "subjects."
I think reading and writing should be integrated in every subject. I think all subjects should be integrated because it becomes extremely helpful for the students. For example, my discipline is english but i am in a science classroom. When speaking to my mentor teacher, he said English can be integrated into any subject.
ReplyDeleteI think reading and writing should be integrated in every subject. I think all subjects should be integrated because it becomes extremely helpful for the students. For example, my discipline is english but i am in a science classroom. When speaking to my mentor teacher, he said English can be integrated into any subject.
ReplyDeleteHello there Rhys,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with everything that you said in your blog post. I think that because of the different tests, observations, requirements that schools are placing on teachers, the idea of "combining" different subjects doesn't seem too bad of an idea to me. Personally. I like the idea of integrating reading and writing in everything because everything that we do requires reading and writing in all of the different subjects that we may teach or be learning from.
Hi Rhys!
ReplyDeleteI definitely see the type of teaching you describe in your post in classrooms I've observed. In the class I'm in now, my CT has told me that he wants to incorporate writing into every lesson. In addition, I know that the school is very focused on developing the students writing skills in every subject. It'll be interesting to see how much their understanding and comprehension in various disciplines improve throughout the school year. As for departmentalizing, I see both the benefits and the drawbacks, but overall I think it's advantageous for both the students and the teachers. This allows teachers to focus on their area of expertise while also incorporating litaeracy. In the end, this expert knowledge will be more of a benefit to the students. I think it's fitting for departmentalization to start in middle school because it gets students into the rhythm of it so the transition to high school is more fluid.
Hi Rhys,
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't like the idea of departmentalizing subjects, because I feel that the more we departmentalize different subjects, the more the students will begin to think of them as different things. I know growing up I have always thought science is science and math is math. I would never have thought that I can use reading for science, even though it is so obvious. My point is I personally think it is important for teachers to start showing students how different subjects can be integrated into other subjects. For an example, I can write a math word problem talking about planets, and that will incorporate math, science, and reading. By not departmentalizing subjects, students will realize the importance of knowing each subject since one can't really go alone. This can motivate them to learn other subjects as well as change the way they originally think about reading, math, science, history, etc.
I like this type of teaching where everything is fluid and can connect but I do like departmentalizing as long as every subject gets taught the same amount. I do think that if you choose to not specifically teach a certain subject but rather include into other subjects like literacy and math, it is important to explain to students, especially the younger ones, why those other subjects are important to learn. I like departmentalizing because I have been in classrooms where a literacy lesson somehow dragged for the entire day and the students were not taught any other subject that day. With departmentalizing, I know that, as a teacher, I can't accidentally take too long teaching something and miss out on other content.
ReplyDeleteWell i think departmentalizing subjects can be both good and bad. I do think all subjects should be taught equally and departmentalizing helps schools achieve that goal, my only problem comes when it is done at a very young age I think we should hold off on it until 7th/8th grade. I also think its beneficial because it allows teachers to teach the class/subject they find themselves most comfortable and strong in which in turn gives the students a great learning experience. I know that their are certain subjects or lessons that every teacher enjoys teaching and others they struggle with.
ReplyDelete