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I started off in this course, in the newborn/infant stage, grew through the toddler stage, and now I’m in the child stage.  I consider myself a new teacher and even though I have learned some things at university, I did not embody the knowledge until I had the 2-year full time teaching experience.  I had no idea about classroom management until I was in my own classroom.  Then it became perfectly clear, what they were trying to teach me at university.  I feel the same way about teaching reading.  I did not know about the cueing systems, why an organized library was necessary, comprehension strategies, or even direct explicit instruction.  I consider, learning about these areas, to be growing through the toddler stage.  Being in the child stage, means I am ready to put what I have learned into practice.  After a year of practice, I would consider myself to be in the adolescent stage, and of course once I have 10 years of experience or more, I would consider that to be the adult stage.     Angi J

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I would classify myself as a child. I choose a child because I was working backwards from adult. I first identified what I believe an adult would be and I honestly don’t think that any of us could be adults. I say this because there is always more to learn, there is always a new method that we could learn to help some of our students learn. Moving one step younger would be a teenager. I believe a teenager would be a teacher who’s not only had the opportunity to learn but to also implement what they’ve learned and been able to make modifications throughout their experiences. Next is a child. A child has had the opportunity to take this AQ and is learning how to best implement reading into the classroom but has not yet had the opportunity to do so. Then there is toddler. A toddler has the knowledge that they learned from their faculty of education.  This knowledge could be recent or could be learned 10,15, 20, 30 years ago. Finally, there is newborn or an infant. This stage is when a teacher or educator has had no formal training on how to implement reading in their classroom. I believe that I am a child because I’m currently enrolled in the this AQ but I have not yet had a change to implement my learning in my own classroom, as I am a supply.
-Angela V

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When thinking about my growth in Reading Part I, I would classify my growth as beginning as a newborn/infant and growing into a child. I think I began the course having very limited previous knowledge as a new Ocassional Teacher with limited experience, and so much of what I have read throughout and discussed with my peers has been new knowledge I have benefitted from. I think I have grown enough through this knowledge throughout the course so far that I have surpassed the toddler stage and onto the child. I do not consider myself at the adolescent or adult stage (or what could be considered expert level) because I think this course provides a much broader wealth of knowledge than what I have taken in so far. I do not think I have reached my full potential in this course as I still have one more learning module to work through, and many discussion posts and resources provided for to me that I could benefit from reading and exploring further.

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This is a tough one! Depending on the different areas I am focusing on I think I am at different stages of reading growth. (some areas stronger than others). I think if I had to choose overall, I would say I am at the “adolescent stage.” I think I am at this stage because over this last year I have grown a lot with my literacy program (adding things into my program that were successes etc) and having the mindset of “more is not always better.” Keeping this mindset throughout the year has really allowed me to see the different learning styles my students have, and creating that warm, cozy, inviting space where the students can relax and enjoy, especially during reading! With this being said, I have so many more ideas that I can’t wait to test out, just need to secure a classroom so I can begin to build on the previous year, rather than starting from scratch every year!
Kate

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I actually feel that this is a tough question! I want to say I'm at different stages depending on what aspect of reading I'm referring to. However, overall I think I would say I'm at a late child level, just heading into adolescence. Although I have been teaching for 10 years now, most of those years I have been supply teaching or for a few, on maternity leave. It's only been the last couple years where I've had my own classroom and therefore have done the most growth before this course. Since starting this course, I feel like I have been exposed to so much information and have been slowly trying to incorporate things into my classroom or on my 'to do' list for next year. I look forward to continue my growing into adolescence and finally, maybe, into adulthood.
Thanks to all of you for helping me grow!
Jessica

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If I had to choose a stage that describes my growth throughout this course, I would say that I am at about an adolescent level. I think that I started at the level of a child and I have progressed and learned throughout this course in order to advance. I chose the adolescent stage because I know that I still have a lot to learn in order to make my reading program as successful as possible; however, I also feel like I have gained quite a lot of knowledge and skills through my prior schooling, experience, and this course. Because I am a relatively new teacher, I think that it will take me awhile to try out new strategies in a classroom and to reflect and adjust my teaching practices before I advance to the adult level of growth in my reading program. I recognize that if I advance to this level, that does not mean that I have nothing left to learn. I believe that regardless of the growth category one is in, there are always new things to learn, especially as instruction and assessment changes in the 21st century.
-Kelsey

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I feel that my growth from this course has moved from TODDLER to CHILD. I am still quite new in my teaching career and I feel that I still have a large learning journey ahead. I have gained new knowledge to add to the personal experience I have acquired. Although I am not anticipating perfection (or ADULTHOOD), I do feel that I am learning from my students and tweaking my personal practice each and every day. This course has definitely opened up my eyes more in terms of differentiating and cueing systems that I may not have otherwise implemented. I look forward to putting these learned ideas into practise and see where else I end up on the ongoing learning adventure.
-Amanda

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I would choose to be at an adolescent stage in my reading development. I’m choosing this because I think it is a good point where I’m not staring in my journey about my knowledge in reading, but I’m not quite at an adult stage. When I signed up for this course, I had some knowledge in reading through my years of experience. I have had the opportunity to work with many colleagues and seek advice, as well as do some professional reading and try out some new strategies. Before the course, I would say I was at a child level because I was missing foundational knowledge.Though I have tried many different strategies to create a comprehensive reading program, I felt I had a lot of gaps in my learning. I now feel that some of those gaps have been closed. I’m at an adolescent stage because I will continue to learn even after this course and I have yet to really get into the stage where I can put the learning into practice. I’m excited to take my learning and use it in the classroom. Lots of summer planning! I’m sure along the way, I’m going to have many more questions, but that is what the adolescent stage is about! Finding your path and what works for you! And developing the teacher I want to be in relation to reading and solidifying my comprehensive literacy program.  Jenn

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If I were to classify my growth in Reading Part 1 to coincide with a developmental phase, I would probably choose Adolescence. At the beginning of this course, I had some knowledge about the processes of reading development, balanced reading, and teaching strategies, from my prior education and professional development. Therefore, I was not at the start of my development (such as newborn or toddler.) As I completed each learning experience, my understanding of reading grew and changed. One major component involved in my learning is being able to reflect on what I do know, and to dig deeper when I need more information. I think this coincides more with the adolescent stage, as critical thinking and self-awareness become more developed than during childhood. However, what I do know is still only a small fraction of the information there is about reading, so I have not yet entered adulthood.
- Laurie

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I would have to say that I am in the adolescent stage in my learning. My thinking about what a reading program should look like has changed. Also as our students grow from childhood to adolescence, they begin to become more and more responsible for their own learning. I feel that this stage represents my learning as well. Reading all the amazing posts and using resources and ideas shared has definitely pushed my learning forward. I feel that I still have tons to learn and will continue learning even when my learning has reached the adult stage...if it ever does ;)  As teachers, we are life-long learners.
Vicki

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The stage of being a child would best represent and reflect my growth throughout Reading Part 1. I now understand the four components of a comprehensive reading program such as read alouds, guided reading, shared reading and independent reading. I value the process of structuring a reading program to be inclusive and relevant to students by providing them access to rich and diverse materials and resources. The research in terms of the gender differences between how boys and girls perceive the act of reading has informed my practice. For example, I am more conscientious of being attentive to their personal interests. Moreover, I have become familiar with strategies to engage the English Language Learners in my classroom including using their first language(s) and experiences as cultural tools to empower their language learning.

At the same time, I do not feel like I have “matured” enough to say I know everything there needs to be known about reading. I still have a lot to learn and apply in my teaching. For example, I do not know how to assess metacognition when a student is reading. What constitutes an “A” versus a “C”? Also I feel that I need to be strategic about the types of questions I am asking students before, during and after reading to ensure they not only comprehend what they are reading, but can demonstrate critical thinking by making connections. In other words, asking questions which are open-ended yet are purposeful in achieving learning goals. Therefore, though I have progressed in my reading knowledge, I am still a “child” and have yet to mature into an “adult” who possesses an array of experiences and skills.

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I would classify my growth in Reading Part 1 as being in the adolescent stage. I have been familiar with many of the topics through professional development and experience, much as adolescents know lots about the world they live in. My readings and writings, specifically participating in discussions and preparing our final tasks, have allowed me to consolidate my learning in a way that I feel teens have a chance to do as the experiment and take risks. Lastly, teens are very idealistic people and I feel that I maintain a real excitement when it comes to teaching reading and learning about teaching reading. 

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I would classify my growth in Reading Part 1 as being in the adolescent stage. I have been familiar with many of the topics through professional development and experience, much as adolescents know lots about the world they live in. My readings and writings, specifically participating in discussions and preparing our final tasks, have allowed me to consolidate my learning in a way that I feel teens have a chance to do as the experiment and take risks. Lastly, teens are very idealistic people and I feel that I maintain a real excitement when it comes to teaching reading and learning about teaching reading. 

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Denise

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Childhood to Adolescence

"During this period of development, children will often be highly engaged in learning and exploration, focusing on mastering new skills and expanding their knowledge. Erikson understood this stage of development as being key for an individual’s development of self-confidence and a sense of industry" (Switzer, Christine., Stages of Child Growth & Development, Retrieved from <https://www.livestrong.com/article/157908-stages-of-child-growth-development/>).
I believe I am somewhere between the childhood and adolescence stage of development where I have been "highly engaged in learning and exploration" (Switzer, Christine). I am expanding my understanding of teaching reading and using this knowledge to refine my teaching practices. Throughout this course, I have developed more confidence in my ability to reach a diversity of learners and apply this knowledge in practice. I look forward to the learning more about assessing reading in this module to move further through the stages of development.
Emma

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I would classify my growth in Reading Part I as being in the Adolescent stage. I believe that I have moved past Infant, Toddler and Child simply due to the amount of knowledge that I have gained at this point in the course. I would say that I am at the Adolescent stage, because just like an adolescent, I have had many experiences that have helped shape my learning about effective reading instruction, but I still have much more learning to do before I am an “expert” or an Adult. Also, as an adolescent, I look to my fellow classmates/colleagues to help me fill in gaps in my own knowledge and to look at ideas from other perspectives. I am looking forward to continuing my growth in the Reading AQ courses, as there is always more and more learning to do!

Carolyn :)

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I think I would compare my gained reading knowledge to the adolescent stage of human growth. I don’t necessarily resonate with the newborn, toddler or child stage because those stages involve learning so many things for the very first time; new concepts, vocabulary, etc. While adolescents are also continuing to learn new concepts, they have some sort of familiarity with the things they are interested in. At the adolescent stage, there is often a lack of full understanding about a concept that usually requires some higher-level education and/or experience that you gain throughout time. Much like an adolescent, I began this course with some sort of foundation…I understood aspects of the reading program but not the program in it’s entirety (application, strategies, tools, etc.). However, after this course I feel like I understand so much more about the reading program but have yet to apply that knowledge to it’s extent within the classroom as I am currently an Occasional Teacher. I think with time, I’ll have the opportunity to grow and eventually be able to relate my gained reading knowledge to the adult stage of human growth.
-Deprise

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Adolescence is marked by a period of dramatic physical growth and maturation.

I could describe my level of growth as that of an adolescent because I feel like I have done a tremendous amount of growth and change thus far in this course.  Adolescence is also a time of cognitive change when one begins to think of new possibilities and consider abstract concepts.  I feel like this describes my current growth quite well.  I have been reminded of and presented with both new and old ideas (possibilities) and have been thinking of ways to implement these concepts into my teaching and reading program.  Learning about cueing systems and their importance, all of the elements that make up an effective balanced literacy program, the importance of differentiation and strategies we can use to do this effectively; have all become a part of my schema.  Now I am working on synthesizing all of my learning so that I can implement it into my teaching and become a more effective educator.
Doreen

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I will have to place myself as a adolescent on the continuum. I’m in the transition between childhood and adulthood. This course has reaffirmed many of my current teaching practices and has taught me many also. Before taking this course, I feel as though I had a pretty firm understanding of how a reading program should look like in a primary class. It was so nice taking this course and seeing a lot of my current practices are also being done in other classes therefore letting me know that I’m generally on the right path in my learning and practice. The course has also opened my eyes (especially the amazing discussions) to new learning and directions I can bring into my current practices. Corrine

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I will have to place myself as a adolescent on the continuum. I’m in the transition between childhood and adulthood. This course has reaffirmed many of my current teaching practices and has taught me many also. Before taking this course, I feel as though I had a pretty firm understanding of how a reading program should look like in a primary class. It was so nice taking this course and seeing a lot of my current practices are also being done in other classes therefore letting me know that I’m generally on the right path in my learning and practice. The course has also opened my eyes (especially the amazing discussions) to new learning and directions I can bring into my current practices. Corrine

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If I were to compare my growth in this course to the growth and development of a human (infant, toddler, child, adolescent, adult) I would place myself in the middle at the stage of a Child.  I have gained a great deal of knowledge from this course through the diverse assignments provided and the expert knowledge of my colleagues.  My teaching practice has benefited as I’ve learned many new strategies to meet the strengths, needs, and interest of my diverse group of learners.  Just as children have gained experience and understanding of what the world around them looks, sounds, and feels like; I am more confident with the overall picture of what a successful reading program should look, sound, and feel like.

Physical; children are stronger than infants and toddlers, and they gain strength and new skills daily.  My reading program has also physically gotten stronger as a result of this course.  I’ve adding new resources, skills, and strategies to my program as I’ve learned the importance of providing a variety of rich text and resources for my students to enjoy.

Social and Emotional; children go through social and emotional changes to become more compassionate and understanding of their peers. I have placed more emphasis on being aware of and taking into consideration the interests, lived experiences, and home lives of my students when planning my reading program, including expectations and book selection for my classroom.

Cognitive; children have the ability to learn and solve problems at this level of development.  I have used my knowledge from this course to meet the ever changing needs of my students.  I’ve learned that problem solving is an ongoing process and when one method of reading instruction doesn’t work for a student I have to try another approach until I’ve found what works for each individual student.

I recognize this course is just the beginning and I’d like to further my knowledge by taking Reading part 2 and 3, in order to gain an even deeper understanding of providing an effective reading program for my students.  Hopefully, over time and with experience I will grow up to be an adult.  -- Stacey

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At this point in the course I feel as though I am at the status of a child. I think of it in terms of how children function at school. They understand the routine, they are engaging in the learning and taking risks as they learn. I relate to this phase of learning, where I am beginning to see the structure of the reading classroom and I am dappling with the ideas and thinking of ways to apply them. However, I haven’t had the opportunity to physically apply them in the classroom yet. This component is so important to growth and therefore, that is what is keeping me from advancing to Adolescent. I feel the adolescent phase, there is more application. I think in terms of grade 8 students that are starting to apply their learning in new and inventive ways through projects and more self directed hands on experience. I think, being in the child phase at this point (a Part 1, of a three part course series), is a good place for me to be. There is so much discovery taking place and I am wrapping my head around all I am learning.
-Annika

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I would say my learning in this course has taken me from newborn to child. I have learned so much! With that said being on maternity leave that because I can't yet take this learning and directly apply it I would say I am at the TODDLER STAGE. I am happy I will return to work with so much more knowledge to inform my reading program but so wish I could try new strategies out as we are learning them.

The biggest take away was really that I need to give my students more time to read.  Jaime D