Welcome! |
Compelling Question ResponseThrough my journey as a graduate student, I discovered that facilitating reflective practices, designing student-centered, differentiated instruction, and utilizing technology increase motivation, interest, and engagement of adolescent readers. Each component will be discussed in detail throughout this site. Jenna Peterson
NC State Design Studio May 2012 |
Background and Rationale
Why graduate school?
My graduate studies began as I neared the completion of my second year of teaching. Throughout my first two years, I quietly observed other teachers while hoping to glean nuggets of wisdom, information, and knowledge. In attempting to simply survive as a new teacher, I discovered it was difficult to stay abreast of educational trends, changes, and practices. I did not want to fall behind and challenged myself to continue to grow as an educator by enrolling in the graduate program at NC State with a desire to evolve into a more confident, prepared, and knowledgeable teacher. |
Why reading?
During my first year of teaching, the reading teacher at my school took me under her wing and became my unofficial mentor. Our friendship quickly blossomed as she helped me navigate the chaos of being a first year teacher, and she eventually invited me to observe her reading lab in action. Within the first few moments of observation, I desired to learn more about reading instruction. |
Why this compelling question?
My first years of teaching produced sentiments of confusion, frustration, and concern, among many others. I quickly discovered that many of these negative emotions stemmed from my students' disdain for reading. In my roles, as first a middle school language arts teacher and then a high school In-Class-Resource English teacher, reading was unavoidable. I loved to read. Quickly, I realized that most of my students did not share this feeling. Yet, it was my job to teach them, but beyond teaching them I hoped to ignite an interest in reading. The question I repeatedly asked myself and others is - how can I achieve this? This became the focus of my studies and served as a beacon for me throughout the program. |
The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss
The more you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss