Data Story - Barbara Cloninger
I really thought I had not collected enough data to do a good job on this assignment, but boy, as I begin to analyze the data and do the data representation, I am beginning to see what the data is really telling me. I began by interviewing students on their feelings about reading and what they like and dislike about reading. Most of them indicated they they liked reading, but not enjoy reading on their own. They also did not enjoy having to go back into the story and pull out details, and having to think critically about the story. One student admittted that he still had problems with reading comprehension.
I then allowed these students to have input in designing learning/reading activities, and the materials they will use. I have found that their motivation levels are skyrocketing which was maintained throughout the project. They went above and beyond what I expected and that was surprising to me since this group is below grade level. They are working with grade level material and most of them are doing a great job! I can not express to you how much this is a total change! Most of class is either working below grade level or struggling due to lack of motivation or learning difficulties. Not only did this small group's motivation level increase tremendously, but the entire class became interested in the activities and they became motivated.
The students in my small, project group decided to use literature circles to carry out their activities. We had previously done literature circles in class, and they had enjoyed doing them. However, they wanted to modify the activities by using playdoh to build a model of the book. They chose the book they wanted to read by decided first that they wanted to read a funny book. One of the students had already read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the second book in the series previously with his older brother, and liked it. There are several other books in that series, so they wanted to do the first book.
Once the students started the project, their motivation became contagious to the other students who weren't in the group. The entire class wanted to participate, so I ended up having to find books for the class to participate in small group lit. circles with these books. I ended up having 4 groups of students working in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. They all enjoyed it, although the teacher next door, was very critical commenting that the Diary books weren't "good literature". I was offended by that remark.