This course was one of the “bundle” courses in the Elementary Education & Teaching major. It was one of the best experiences I have had this far and one of the most educational courses I have taken at Longwood. Dr. Suskind was certainly an expert in her field, but also made learning fun and engaging. Despite the course being at 8am, I enjoyed this class more than most.

One thing I most appreciated about this course was that Dr. Suskind modeled everything she taught. For example, if we were learning how to give a Running Record, she would explain the process in a traditional lecture style, then she would model it with a student. This modeling was not standard, as she actually embedded herself in the role as the teacher and asked us to act the same. I wouldn’t think that acting like a third grader in a college course would be worth anything, but it was so meaningful to my education.

I used the skills and practices from this course in my practicum every week. It often worked out that what I was learning in class, was also happening authentically in my practicum classroom. I was able to learn how to give a Running Record, then actually give it in my class. I learned how to lead a small book group, then I actually lead two groups. This was so exciting; it’s not everyday you get to witness your knowledge and experiences come to fruition in real life.

My honors enhancement for this course was to create 3 emergent reader lesson plans. You can find the lessons below. These plans are targeted for readers who are developing comprehension skills and word-attack skills. These lesson plans specifically focus on layout and design, a concept from Katie Wood Ray’s In Pictures and in Words.

The lessons can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ez846WVs_MjaYR_0kNDj83idu9Xa_lUkJARJskKZnnk/edit?usp=sharing