Sharon+O'Leary

Sharon O'Leary Summer 2009 Cybercamp Project Proposal Creating a love of books while exploring technology

I am a Literacy teacher at Westview Middle School and my job is to move non-proficient readers into the proficient range. My job involves direct reading instruction and mastery of comprehension strategies during a daily, 40 minute class period. The students have my class in leu of an elective class. One of the major stumbling blocks for my students when reading is their lack of background knowledge. Also as an educator I recognize the importance of being a proficient reader but at the same time I think it is equally important to guide my kids to a love of reading. In an attempt to accomplish this we read one book as a class and delve into it deeply. It is through this class read that I try to create a love for books.
 * The Way It Is:**

I would guess that 90% of my students do not have computer access once they leave school. With this lack of exposure to technology it makes it hard for them to imagine possibilities for their future. My WIP will expose them to technology and I decided to begin with my 6th grade class when we read "The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963". Whenever we read a book for pleasure I always incorporate non-fiction to support it and bring in whatever I can to create better background knowledge. With that being said, I set up my [|Virtual Campus] according to the chapters in the book and supported it with audio & visual to help create immediate understanding while reading the book. My goal is to move the class through the book while simultaneously exposing to technology that they will encounter in their lives. My expectation would be that students respond to questions through Virtual Campus and dialog with one another. My classroom is a safe place for my literacy student to master new technology skills so feel that I must expose them to it.
 * What It Could Be:**

-Create a love for reading -Increase background knowledge -Expose students to technology -Allow opportunities to practice literacy skills in a public forum
 * Essential Learnings**