Group 3: Module 2 Video Reflection by JoDell Heroux

Madeline Dolan

dolan1m — 2025-09-17 15:15:42 UTC

One thing this teacher does is a “book talk”. This is where the teacher does almost like a review of the new books they received. This reminded me of a trailer to a movie and how seeing that trailer can help push people into wanting to go see that new movie in the theater. Sometimes it can be hard to get into something new if you haven't heard anything about it, but when everyone around you is saying it's great, that can definitely make it easier to want to start.

Madeline Dolan

dolan1m — 2025-09-17 15:15:58 UTC

I think this teacher is successful due to how much she makes sure the students are enjoying what they are doing. Something that really stuck out to me was how she made sure not to use reading as a punishment. I remember this being something I had to do in Elementary school, and it definitely didn’t help the students love to read any more than they did before they got in trouble. This is something I will definitely continue within my classroom.

Madeline Dolan

dolan1m — 2025-09-17 15:16:19 UTC

This teacher uses choice to help motivate students. This teacher says that allowing students to have a choice can help them feel ownership and pride in their decisions and the actions that follow. This can allow them to want to pursue their projects with more passion than if it was chosen for them by the teacher. With the letter writing, for example, it isn't as fun when the teacher tells students they are all writing letters to her rather than being able to choose to write it to whoever they want to.

Madeline Dolan

dolan1m — 2025-09-17 15:17:25 UTC

Choice is so important because when students choose to do something in literacy, it makes them take more pride in it. For example, when writing a story, if students get to choose the topic, they will be able to write it about something they feel passionate about. Similar things happen even in college. When students get freedom to make their own decisions about work, they feel more motivated to put as much effort into it as possible. It is important to feel prideful about our work because it makes us value it and learn better.

Lily Swatosh

2025-09-18 16:42:49 UTC

The teacher expresses her own love for books to the students and how it is something we should be grateful to do. Reading is used as a reward instead of a punishment so students want to do it. The teacher also created a "Please Read" bin where the students get to take ownership of read-alouds. This allows the students to take ownership of what the teacher is reading and they have more control and choices in the classroom and it makes them more excited!

Lily Swatosh

2025-09-18 16:46:34 UTC

I think this teacher is very successful because one of her main teaching choices is to make reading seem like a fun activity over a chore that students are required to do. I also notice how she chooses books that she knows students will enjoy and are interested in. I think this is very valuable and is something I will use in my classroom in the future. By encouraging reading and reading interesting books to her students, she builds stronger and motivated readers. I will be sure to read books to my students that are of their interest to encourage them.

Lily Swatosh

2025-09-18 16:53:42 UTC

This teacher uses choice to motive her students by giving them their own individual book bins where they can choose what books to add to their bin. This ensures that students choose books that are interesting to them which makes them more motivated to read. The teacher also has free choice time where students get to choose what area of the classroom they want to go to. When the students are given choices it sparks a new level of excitement in them and encourages them to take ownership in their reading which encourages and excites them.

Lily Swatosh

2025-09-18 16:57:13 UTC

Choice is important to a students' literacy development because it increases motivation and engagement leading to improved skills. When students are given the choice of books, they are more likely to read them, which builds essential reading skills. Choice also allows students to connect with topics they genuinely enjoy and love instead of just completing an assignment or something that seems like a chore. Lastly, choice also foster independence, responsibility, and self-motivation.

Avery Machala

2025-09-18 17:21:45 UTC

The first thing that the teacher talks about is about how much she loves books. She loves to read both inside and outside the classroom. She talks about how reading is a reward and should not feel like it is something they are forced to do. Reading and writing are not used as a form of punishment, but a fun activity that they get the privilege of doing. The second teacher gets the excitement going about new books. She also does fun activities with reading like flashlight reading and pajama day reading.

Avery machala

2025-09-18 17:24:28 UTC

I think that these teachers are successful because they make their love for reading very clear to their classes. Their classes feed off of their energy towards reading, which gives them the motivation to want to read and have a different outlook on it. The students don't feel pressure to read or feel like it is something that they do not want to do. The children seem very receptive to the teachers approaches on reading.

Avery Machala

2025-09-18 17:29:50 UTC

The teacher's give the students choice to motivate them to want to read by allowing them to choose what book club they want to be a part of. Giving the students their own book bins allow for them to create their own library of books that they are interested in rather than making them all read the same book. The second teacher gives the students more choice about what they are writing about. The students get to express their experiences and share their own stories.

Avery machala

2025-09-18 17:32:46 UTC

Choice is very important in the development of student's literacy. Giving them the choice about what kind of books they want to read increases their motivation to want to read. They can read what they are interested in rather than something they have zero interest in. Allowing students to have a choice when writing increases the quality of their writing. Overall, students having choice about what they read and write about increases success.

Makenna Bailey

baile6ma — 2025-09-19 02:16:13 UTC

To generate excitement about reading and writing, M(r)s. Brazelton brings her love for literature into the classroom enviornment. She makes sure that the students know that reading is a reward rather than something a person is forced to do. Furthermore, she makes sure that students are not being punished through forms of reading or writing to ensure that they aren't making those negative connections. Just like M(r)s. Brazelton's perspective on teaching, M(r)s. Case also tries to make reading feel more intrinsic than extrinsic. She also makes sure that students can recognize and feel the excitement that their teacher is feeling regarding a new or certian book. I found M(r)s. Case's situation regarding when she started teaching to be intersting, but also likely common. While it is not a teachers goal to connect reading with extrinsic motivation, it often happens. Instead of rewarding students for reading, she tried to use her own enjoyment for reading and reflect it in her teaching strategies, through book talks. This is a good approach to introducing books to students, especially when trying something new can be intimidating to students.

Makenna Bailey

baile6ma — 2025-09-19 02:52:55 UTC

I think that both M(r)s. Brazelton and M(r)s. Case are very successful in their role as educators. The strategies they implement into their classroom reflect their love and interest in not only the job, but also the topic of reading. Approaching topics such as reading and writing by showing students that you, someone that they usually look up to, have a love for the topic they are working on can be very motivating and engaging. I found strategies from both educators to be inspiring and something I want to implement into my future classroom. For example, M(r)s. Brazelton's concept of a "Please Read" bin is an effective way to keep building students enjoyment to read. Instead of simply turning students away, leaving them feeling disapppointed that they could not read their book, this bin allows them to look forward to reading the book later and encourages ownership. On the other hand, M(r)s. Case's experience with students reading has altered my approach to consequences in the classroom. My experience with punishments during school utilized both reading and writing. In the case that I had not been paying attention during class, my teacher might tell me to stay inside for recess and write an apology and ways I plan to change my behavior. Doing things like this makes children connect writing with a negative experience rather than a positive one, causing disengagement in literacy.

baile6ma — 2025-09-19 03:03:25 UTC

To generate motivation and engagement M(r)s. Brazelton gives students multiple options to pick from. Students are able to look through the organized bins in the classroom library and choose what books they would like to keep in their individual baskets. Then during independent reading time, they can decide which of those books they would like to begin/resume reading. Furthermore, students are given the opportunity to choose where they would like to spend free choice time at. Since each space is designed to address topics of literacy, it does not matter where they go. In one of M(r)s. Brazelton's examples, she turned the dramatic play area into a post office. As the students practiced writing mail they were engaged and excercising various aspects of writing. Another way to encourage motivation and engagement is by giving students choices during writing. In M(r)s. DeCoster's classroom students are often given an umbrella topic to go off of. This allows them to feel in control of their project and feel motivated to complete it since it is something they chose to do.

Makenna Bailey

baile6ma — 2025-09-19 03:08:25 UTC

Choice is important to students' literacy development since it significantly increases their feelings of motivation and engagement. Choices are more likely to lead to intrinsic motivation since they are in control of how their education develops. When students are able to choose what type of book they want to read they are more likely to make personal connections to it and retain the knowledge better. Choice improves a child's confidence so they feel better when using their reading skills. Many people who have a love for reading had good experiences with the process of learning. By giving students a choice in where their learning goes, they are more likely to develop that positive mindset.

Paige Gutowski

2025-09-21 19:30:05 UTC

The teacher does several things in her classroom to make reading and writing exciting and one of those things is her sharing her love for reading in class and outside of the class. Along with that, she also describes reading as a reward and something that they get to do not something they’re forced to do. She also has a bucket that students can put books they would like to be read to the class for read aloud time and this makes it feel like they are part of the choice for what they’re listening to her read. They also make reading exciting by getting excited themselves if a new book comes into the classroom so they’ll show off the book and be super excited about it so then the students are interested in reading either that book or reading other books in general. Likewise, they give time for students to talk to other students about the books they’re reading so then if the kid reading it is super excited then it makes another student wanna read it and it passes on.

2025-09-21 19:32:24 UTC

Paige Gutowski

2025-09-21 19:43:46 UTC

The teachers use choice to encourage their students to read and write by giving choices of what book club to be a part of, getting their Book bins that they can go through all of her books and choose which books they want to have in their own book bin. Likewise, they also get a choice of where they go during their free choice time, And a lot of times they will go in their dramatic play area where they can write letters to people which improves their writing. The second teacher also talks a lot about writing and how when students have choice in their writing . The teacher gives them a choice in their writing by having a topic, but having the opportunity for them to choose something within the larger topic. Poor example she wanted her students to persuade them to go to somewhere in Michigan, but the students have a choice of wherever they want to write about based off their own feelings and choices they get to choose what place they write about.

Paige Gutowski

2025-09-21 19:45:19 UTC

Jillian Poma

2025-09-22 02:19:33 UTC

The teachers share their own love of reading and the new books in the classroom. I loved the please read bin and I know that I would be very excited about it if I were a student in that classroom. I also loved the book talks, I think it’s a great way to get kids interested in the new books coming into a school library. I also loved that the teachers don’t use reading or writing as a punishment such as sitting in the hall and reading, and any rewards they have are new fun ways to read such as a pajama day.

Jillian Poma

2025-09-22 02:21:42 UTC

Both teachers implement a lot of ways to get the kids interested in reading. Kids being interested in what they are learning is one of the most helpful things we can do. Being interested in the subject leads to kids listening to the lessons and wanting to learn more.

Jillian Poma

2025-09-22 02:26:52 UTC

The kids in these videos are allowed to chose what book clubs they join, where they want to sit and read, what to write about. These students are also given choices for homework and can chose between activities like finding an educational website or interviewing family.

Jillian Poma

2025-09-22 02:28:08 UTC

Reading a book you choose and are interested in is much more engaging than reading something you are forced to. Kids want to have autonomy. Giving kids choices in what and where to read is a great way to give them the autonomy that they want. Along with choices in reading, it’s much harder and less fun to write when you are being forced to write something you dont want to. When kids are given the choice on what to write they are much more motivated as its actually interesting to them.

Lleyton Byrnes

lleytonb3 — 2025-09-22 02:48:28 UTC

Choice is what enables an individual to really engage in what they're doing. With literacy development, it is very important because choice might be exactly what engages a student in writing or in reading. Giving a student choice enables them to take their own learning into their hands to some degree, and that alone makes choice very important.

Lleyton Byrnes

lleytonb3 — 2025-09-22 02:52:22 UTC

The teacher uses choice to motivate her students by giving them the freedom to make their own literary choices, whether it's through the use of individualized book bins or through more choice in the individual student's writing. This helps to not only motivate students but also to further engage them in topics they care about and want to learn more about.

Lleyton Byrnes

lleytonb3 — 2025-09-22 02:58:44 UTC

The teacher expresses her love for reading and writing very vocally and makes it known that reading and writing aren't punishments, but rewards. Another great way to get the students excited about reading specifically is the teacher's use of a "Please Read" bin which takes student suggested books and makes them an active part of the lesson.

Lleyton Byrnes

lleytonb3 — 2025-09-22 03:00:29 UTC

I think this teacher is very successful and I think one key take away from the entire video is that reading and writing should never be a punishment. It stuck with me when the teacher said that reading and writing were rewards in the classroom and I would love to make that a core practice in my own classroom.

Samantha Svoeuy

2025-09-23 15:32:16 UTC

This teacher talks about the books and what how they could possibly interest students in an excited way to the kids before they read them. Using her own enjoyment, through their book talks, got kids excited about books and reading. The other teacher generated excitement about reading and writing and she kept all negative connections with it out. She made sure it was never a punishment or something they were forced to do, but rather a reward.

Samantha Svoeuy

2025-09-23 15:35:20 UTC

I think that this teacher is successful because she makes sure students are excited about what they are doing with reading and writing. I also think that her having the "please read" bin helps get students excited that she will read aloud the books of their choice. I really liked this idea, and I think it helps keep students wanting to look for books to read and I will definitely use this in my classroom.

Samantha Svoeuy

2025-09-23 15:43:19 UTC

This teacher uses choice to motivate her students by giving them each their own book bins. They get the opportunity to choose which books they want to have in their bins. This helps them stay motivated to read and look at different kinds of books. The other teacher gave her students choice by giving them an "umbrella" of what to write but overall allowing them to choose their own topic. In their persuasive essays, they had to write about a place in Michigan, but each kid got to pick where. This allowed them to feel excited about what they were writing about since they picked it.

Samantha Svoeuy

2025-09-23 15:45:17 UTC

Choice is important to students literacy development because it allows them to find what they like. It gives kids a sense of ownership and pride in their decisions with reading and writing. It also gets students excited about what they are doing and motivates them. This motivation comes from them having that opportunity to pick what they read and write.

Johnna Hanson

snapple188 — 2025-12-08 02:55:54 UTC

I liked how we see the teacher share her passion for reading and writing. She even includes book talk to generate excitement about reading and writing. I think it's a great way to get them interested and also to see types of books they would like to read. The highlight too, was also how reading should not be used as a punishment. I dove a little deeper and looked up different ways reading can be made fun. Such as theme days mentioned, but you can do book mark stations/create, Mystery Reader, flashlight friday, etc.

Johnna Hanson

snapple188 — 2025-12-08 02:59:41 UTC

The teacher makes the reading relevant and giving students opportunities to talk about what interests them, she builds their interest and intrinsic motivation. The way she models excitement, offers choice in texts, and encourages discussion helps students feel ownership over reading

In my future classroom, I want to do the same. I will offer students choices in what they read, relate texts to their experiences, and encourage peer discussion around books. I also want to read aloud with enthusiasm, show that I value reading, and invite students to share their thoughts and feelings about stories.

Johnna Hanson

snapple188 — 2025-12-08 03:02:58 UTC

She allows them to choose books or reading materials rather than assigning the same text to everyone. By giving students meaningful options, she invites them to take ownership of their reading. I want to build in similar opportunities for choice: providing a varied classroom library, letting students pick from several reading options, and encouraging them to explore genres or topics that speak to their personal interests.

Johnna Hanson

snapple188 — 2025-12-08 03:04:12 UTC

Choice is important to students’ literacy development because it gives them a sense of ownership and control over their learning. When students get to choose what they read, they are more likely to pick books that match their interests, experiences, or curiosity. This builds stronger engagement, deeper comprehension, and a more positive relationship with reading.