Objective

The measurement of success in teaching reading is subjective. All too often theories are put into practice inside the classroom with the expectation that children will easily grasp the written word and progress according to plan. Reading methods have come and gone, been re-visited time and time again, changed, updated, removed entirely and renamed. Sometimes a teacher will find that the oldest methods still work fine, but with progress and change new methods must be implemented even when the instructor believes otherwise. My experience with teaching first and third grade have taught me that there is nothing more important than teaching reading to my students. No two students learn at the same pace. There are endless hindrances, diversions, and social and hereditary thwarts that make the job of teaching the young reader a continual challenge. Educators of young readers should be equipped with a wealth of knowledge to make them excellent teachers. They should amass a diversified portfolio of reading methods, techniques, and practices to reach every type of student that sits before them in their classroom. This is no easy task. There are endless reading methods tried and true, but there are endless reading and learning obstacles that make many reading methods virtually useless. This is why I am taking this course. I want to learn all reading methods, if possible. I want to be able to meet each student's challenge and offer the best possible method or technique to make every student that sits before me a successful reader. It is my objective to reach every child and make them enjoy reading and develop a love for the written word. I know this is possible, but only if the teacher learns what works and what does not work for the individual student. Yes, reading is fundamental. It is the basis for all successful learning. I trust that this class will allow me the opportunity of finding what makes each individual a successful reader. I want to emerge from this course with a wealth of knowledge in reading literacy so that I might be able to select the most appropriate technique and customize it to fit nearly perfectly into each student's reading profile.