Sunday, September 30, 2012
Welcome to the blog for the READ408: Literacy in the Elementary Grades class! Here is where you sign in and post for assigned readings/questions on your syllabus. Also, here is where you respond to what others have written for additional credit but, more importantly, for a chance to get the conversation going. So, here's to your first post! Good luck and enjoy!!
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Lauren Criscuolo
ReplyDeleteOctober 4, 2012
READ 408-04
Blog 1
Children all over the country struggle every day with reading. Many students struggle with reading or cannot read at all. There were two reading programs introduced to different schools while watching the video “A Tale of Two Schools.” Both programs had their strengths and weaknesses. The program I wanted to focus on is the reading mastery program. This program, Reading Mastery, seemed to have more structure than the other program, Project Reading. The students read words but did not actually read books that could involve comprehension skills. Overall the only thing the kids were doing was reading sounds and sentences, and not thinking of them contextually. Also the students did not have any pictures, colors, or anything to give any context clues. The strengths about this program is that I think it is a good way to have students understand words and begin sight words. However, students need to be able to take a sentence and understand what it is actually saying. This program did not actually have a book or story to follow along, which makes reading a little more stark. This makes it that the students are just reading words and not a story. This does not make reading any more interesting than any other activity a student may do. It is great that the students can tell the improvement they are doing, but the students need to know an actual story out of a book. I think I would teach Project Read, because that program goes more contextual than the other program. The students are able to embrace, and enjoy what they are reading instead of just reading it to figure out the word. I do think that Reading Mastery and Project Reading could be used in different schools. I am sure that certain parents would enjoy their child being able to read, however a parent must think to him/herself if it is actually teaching his/her child anything contextually. I do not really find this program to be effective, if a student does not get a concrete understanding of a story then they are just “reading” words. The students must be able to actually understand the story to get a full enjoyment out of reading.
Lauren, even I was wondering if both of these programs could be used in other schools. I know we were having a discussion about this in class and there was controversy about making minor alterations. However, I wonder if it's possible to for example, keep Reading Mastery but include additional books that contain illustrations. This way, students will learn the core of learning how to read, and then apply it with reading other books that show pictures and colors.
Delete@ Paula Dente: I liked your idea of including such books in the Reading Mastery Program - I really think it would be effective once the core skills this program focuses on are mastered. It would be an excellent door opener for creativity and making connections, yet still following some type of structure.
Delete“Across the country, schools are struggling with their most basic job, teaching how to read” (Morgan Freeman). After watching this video, I have realized how important it is to embrace reading reform. Even though the video demonstrated two different schools in two different locations, they both had children who had difficulty reading. Each had a program, “Reading Mastery” and “Project Read.” Based on what was occurring in the movie, I believe both of these programs had strong influences on decoding, phonics and fluency. One of the most important aspects of learning how to read is having an understanding of all sounds in words and sound-letter correspondence. This is one of the strengths I found in both of the reading programs. Reading Mastery was more “scripted” in comparison to Project Read where teachers were given more freedom. However the teachers in Project R had little professional development. However I believe Reading Mastery would be less effective because it did not contain literary rich books with illustrations. Therefore I would prefer to teach in the Project Read program. It is essential for children to build a word-to-picture association because it shows their comprehension. I believe parents would agree that this program is teaching their children how to fluently read and make sound-letter correspondences. But I also think parents would not want this program due to the lack of pictures, objects, colors etc. Towards the end of the video I found it beneficial for the school to have a book sale. It was a way for the students to bring in family members and get them involved with not only the teachers but with their child’s reading experience as well. It was great to know that 400 people showed up and that the children actually enjoyed going around the gym to pick out books that were interesting and appealing to them.
ReplyDeletePaula, you make a very good point with regard to the Reading Mastery program lacking in word-to-picture association. Without literacy rich books with illustrations, children will miss out on opportunities to grow as a reader. They will be limited in their ability to recognize words and read. A lack of comprehension will also be inhibited since children utilize illustrations to help them understand what is happening in text.
DeleteAmanda Brija
ReplyDeleteBlog 1
Reading fluency is a crucial goal for every student in the United States. Many students find reading to be incredibly difficult, find themselves giving up and losing motivation/interest in reading. The video that we watched in class, A Tale of Two Schools, documented the journey of two schools who were trying two different programs that they believed would be beneficial to children learning to read. The school in Fort Worth, Texas was using a program called Reading Mastery. In Sumner, Mississippi, the school was trying a program called Reading First. The Reading Mastery program was scripted and very organized. There were verbal cues that allowed children to stay on track and know what was expected of them. The Reading First program seemed to be very free and all over the place. To me, Reading Mastery was definitely the better program. The children were very into reading and following along with their teacher. I enjoyed watching how Tavares, the little boy that they followed throughout the documentary, improved with reading and actually enjoyed learning how to read. The teachers were also incredibly motivated. I would love to be able to implement something like it in the classroom due to the fact of how organized it is and how well it seems to work. The Reading First program seemed to not have much organization but that could have been due to the fact that the teacher was a first year teacher, thus she did not have much experience. The school also did not have much interest in learning more about the program. I'm interested in seeing how the school has progressed with the program or how other schools have dealt with it. I don't feel like we saw a fair representation of how well children can do with the program. I thought it was also interesting to see how well the children in the RM program did considering the area in which they are growing up in. Many of the children most likely don't have a great home life so the fact that this program is able to shine though that definitely says something.
I agree that the Reading Mastery program would be more beneficial in the classroom. It was more organized and structure which made it easier for the teacher. Support is key when trying somehting new and that is why it was great the teachers using Reading Mastery had lots of it. Although reading is difficult, I believe with a strong, structured yet fun literacy program would have a huge success rate.
DeleteResponse to Amanda: I agree with you in that the "Reading Mastery" program was very scripted and organized. Guidance and direction is truly important when it comes to teaching. I believe that as educators we need to start somewhere and if we do not have some sort of scripted program or organized program we can follow, it would overall crate limitations that will lead to ineffective teaching. All in all, I completely agree with everything you had to say and I too believe that the "Reading Mastery" program is the better program!
DeleteResponse to Amanda Brija:
ReplyDeleteI would also like to implement the Reading Mastery program in my classroom. During my Clinical I experience, I am noticing how many students struggle with phonemic awareness and phonics. The teachers appear to be frustrated at not being able to help the students master these skills in order to teach them how to read. Have you noticed this in your Clinical I experience? What changes do you think the Reading First program needs in order to be effective?
Response to Eunice: Its interesting that you mentioned noticing in your clinical I classroom that many students are struggling with phonics and phonemic awareness, because at the elementary school I work in - many students are having the same problem. I mostly deal with 2nd and 3rd graders and it really frightens me when I am doing homework with them. Their reading skills are not what I expected, especially at that age with very simple words and when I ask them to decode the words, some sound out letters that aren't even apparent. Does this relate back to their lacking of phonemic awareness? (obviously, but at the same time shouldn't this be back tracked? prior to trying to conquer more strategic skills?)
DeleteThere were many parts of A Tale of 2 Schools that really opened my eyes. It also helped me connect to the literacy aspect of my Clinical I expereience so far. The different programs implemented in the schools have different effects on the students. This is also because of program was used in Texas and the other in Mississippi. Getting to know more about the Reading Mastery verse Project Read was something I enjoyed. Even though there is more support and structure with the Reading Mastery program, Project Read is more free for the teachers and students. This can have both positive and negative effects on the class. I would personally rather using the Reading Mastery program in my own classroom because it seemed like the children were more involved in it. They were more motivated and paid more attention during the lesson. The teachers, as well as the students were very open in learning about the ways of teaching this style. I liked that. It seemed more enjoyable overall. Many students have a constant struggle with literacy, so i feel this way would be more effective. There is also a lot of support that comes along with this program. Being able to get the attention the students need while in the classroom is extremely important. I would think the parents would also like this program becasue the kids are getting so much out of it. Overall, I think both programs are great, but Reading Mastery would be more effective in the end.
ReplyDeleteI agree Shari that having too much freedom in the classroom can have a positive and a negative effect on the class. The kids can run away with that and there can be a lack of structure, focus, and an inability to accomplish tasks. However, having some freedom in the classroom can allow for creativity, independence, and responsibility, especially on the part of the student.
DeleteI agree with Shari and Alyssa! I see the positives and negatives to each program but personally, I like structure which is why I chose to use Reading Mastery in my classroom. I feel as though every child needs to start off with structure in order to learn effectively.
DeleteShari, I agree with you. The fact that Reading First is so free could have both positive and negative effects and I hadn't really weighed those before so I'm glad you mentioned that. However, I agree that RM is the better program. I'm interested in seeing how Reading first would change had the teachers/administrators actually known what they were doing.
DeleteLearning how to read is one of the most essential tasks a child must undergo during their time at school. It is a teacher’s responsibility to teach students and prepare them for their future. The video, “A Tale of Two Schools” did a wonderful job depicting the many struggles teachers and students may face during this process. “A Tale of Two Schools” followed two school districts that both implemented two different reading programs. Walton Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas implemented a program called Reading Mastery which was very successful, but lacked in certain areas. Bearden Elementary School in Sumner, Mississippi incorporated a program called Project Read which was also successful, but much more complex. The Reading Mastery program focused mainly on letter-sound correspondence. This program was designed to teach children how to read through a steady and structured program. It was well-organized and contained a script for the teachers to follow. The teachers in this program were deeply motivated and determined in teaching their students to read. I definitely could feel how strongly they were committed to achieving their goal throughout the video. Having teachers who care and those who are motivated and determined make a huge difference in a child’s education. Teachers in the program used verbal cues to help students through their journey of reading. I definitely believe that the Reading Mastery program is the better program. It proved to be very successful and was even implemented in other school districts. Reading Mastery showed great success by the end of the video. Students made considerable progress and began to thrive in their reading. They were excited and engaged in learning. The little boy Tavares was adorable and the way the teachers tackled his situation was amazing. Although the Reading Mastery program prevailed and achieved great success, the only downside to this program is the lack of creativity and focus on reading comprehension strategies. Both of which are essential aspects to include when teaching children how to read. The Project Read program in Bearden Elementary was successful for some children, however was very complex. It did not have much organization and it seemed to be very hard for teachers to grasp and implement this new program. I also felt a disconnect from the school’s community. The first year teacher really wanted to help her students, but there was not enough support and motivation from the rest of the school. This school district was also at a disadvantage due to a lack of school supplies and reading materials. Having to choose between the two programs to work with, I definitely would choose the Reading Mastery program. I think parents would want this program for their children because success is the key and whatever is showing the best success rate is what every parent would want. I believe the Reading Mastery program is highly effective. If the program continues to have a positive success rate and teachers who are whole-heartedly committed, then Reading Mastery will continue to be effective.
ReplyDeleteBlog 1
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the Reading Mastery program is excellent for children that are struggling with phonics. Since the documentary did not go in depth on Project Read, I have no input on this program.
Despite the fact that the Reading Mastery program is scripted, there is research that shows its effectiveness in children that attend urban schools. With this said, I would prefer to teach Reading Mastery to a group of children that are struggling in reading. I noticed that the lessons are very short and that children pick up the sounds of letters rather quickly. I dislike the fact that they sound like robots and I do not know how the transition would be from the curriculum that children are accustomed to reading from to an actual book that has no symbols on letters.
I do not think the Reading Mastery program would be used in an affluent area because of the expectations of wealthy parents. Most parents in affluent areas want their children to learn skills rather quickly and with this program children are encouraged to take their time and learn at a slower pace.
Overall, the Reading Mastery program is effective because it incorporates techniques for teaching both comprehension and decoding and integrating them into successful reading.
Eunice, I agree that the Reading Mastery program is effective but I also struggled with the fact that it is so scripted. However, we did learn a lot more about this program and saw results so it seems that it works best for the children and the teachers will have to adjust to working with a scripted plan.
DeleteEunice, I try to respond to you under your comment but it would'nt let me for some reason. I have seen children in my Clinical experience who have a lot of trouble with reading fluency and I wonder how the RM program would work with them. Most of the students are bilingual so i think it would actually be beneficial to hear the sounds being said out loud like that. I agree with you that they sound like robots but in a way i feel like that helps them out to have such structure like that. I see what you mean about affluent neighborhoods having expectations as well.. that is something to think about.
Delete*Extra Credit Blog*
ReplyDeleteIf you were to teach in one of the two schools we have seen in the "A Tale of Two Schools.." thus far, what would be your questions and concerns? What would you be thinking about and what do you see the curriculum concentrating on?
If I was to teach in Walten School the questions and concerns that I would have are the following: “How are the children going to learn how to become fluent readers when they are spending their time focusing on phonemic awareness and learning how to decode and encode words in class? Why aren’t the teachers making an effort to encourage the parents to help the children practice their reading skills at home in a more structured way?” In the documentary, I noticed the participation of one child’s aunt while the rest of the parents and caregivers lacked participation in their child’s learning.
As a teacher, I would be thinking of a way to help the students learn how to progressively become fluent readers. The curriculum in this school is focused on blending and phonemic segmentation. The students in this video have not mastered reading with fluency and have difficulty with comprehending text.
After analyzing the video, I noticed there were spots in both Project Read and Reading Mastery. However, there were positives in both programs. Personally, I would prefer to teach with Reading Mastery because I like structure and the whole freeness in Project Read doesn't appeal to me. People say that a weakness in Reading Mastery would be that it does not have pictures or colors like in Tavares' books but I see this as somewhat of a positive because it allows the child to use their imagination and paint their own pictures in their heads. Perhaps I would teach using Reading Mastery but have picture/colored books on a separate shelf for my students to look at during their free time. Based on my clinical I experience with my second graders so far, it's more important for students to learn how to read words correctly instead of the content. The content will be understandable after the fact, they can recite the letters, sounds, and words correctly. All in all, I see both programs being effective depending on the teacher and the student but as said earlier, I prefer the Reading Mastery program.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the idea you brought up about having students paint their own pictures of the text. I think this is a good idea and students should be exposed to all types of books, not just picture books. I do think the pictures are beneficial for children at a younger age because it helps them with comprehension and sometimes if they don't know a word they can use the pictures to help them figure out what the words say. A combination of word study and picture books might be a good idea and I think it all depends on the age of the students as well.
DeleteKatherine- A weakness I found with the Reading Mastery program was that it did not provide the students with materials that would be of interest to them; for example, books with pictures and books that are relative to their lives. I do, however, enjoy your positive position on the lack of picture books in these classrooms. I have found that classrooms and lessons often guide students away from using their unique, individual creativity. If students are not provided with these books, they are given the ability to use their own imagination to create the pictures – which further builds their reading/comprehension skills!
DeleteAmanda Beideman
I truly enjoyed watching the video A Tale of Two Schools. I have heard about reading programs used in our area but not for schools in such communities as Walton Elementary and Bearden Elementary. Both of these schools used different reading programs; Walton Elementary used Reading Mastery and Bearden Elementary used Project Read. These two schools needed programs that would significantly change their students’ lives and how they are taught to read. There are many factors that add to their poor reading skills, one major reason being that they don’t have the money to buy reading materials to read outside of the classroom. The classrooms only have what they can afford and need. This video showed the everyday struggles we have in our country when it comes to reading and comprehension.
ReplyDeleteI liked certain aspects of both reading programs. They had aspects on phonics, fluency, and all of the other factors that it takes for decoding. Project Read’s biggest downfall was the lack of training given to the teachers. The teachers needed help learning how to use the program to its full advantage. 2 days of training was not enough. I think if there was more training and support given to the teachers this program would exceed expectations over time. Reading Mastery was very well scripted. They were so into the lesson and what the teacher was doing and how it was being done; that was missing from Project Read. These programs are effective in their own ways but definitely need more practice with them. I would personally use Reading Mastery in my own classroom because of the involvement. It is hard to make children want to read and love to read. This program did its best to do just that. You could see the excitement and progression in the video when watching the students participate.
Response to Randi: I think that poverty in our student's community is something that as future educators we need to consider. As you mentioned, some students may not have the necessary resources at home to help in their reading due to poverty and overall lack of money. What can we as teachers do to make sure that even those students who have limitations at home are part of a reach literacy environment?
Delete**I meant "Rich"
Delete“A Tale of Two Schools” depicts the problems of teaching students how to read. There are two different programs highlighted in the film, that these teachers are using to try and improve their students’ reading. Each program, Project Read and Reading Mastery, both have positive and negative aspects, however, the Reading Mastery program would be my method of choice if I were to choose between the two. The Reading Mastery program is very scripted, meaning the teachers are given what to say. This is a positive aspect because they knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing. All of the strategies and methods are there, making the teachers feel more confident with teaching this program to their students. By having books with verbal cues already written over the letter, helped students know exactly how to pronounce the word. This can be a positive and a negative thing. The students may rely too much on seeing the cues that they will have a more difficult time when trying to read a "normal" book. The Reading Mastery program seemed to work better in the end for the students and gave better results. However, I still think that the program could use improvements with some things like having books with pictures and give the students a chance to connect with what they’re reading rather than just having them know what words are on a page. Connecting to text is a huge part of literacy development and it is just as important as being able to read the text in general. Reading Mastery is an overall effective program and is proving to be successful.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video, "A Tale of Two Schools", I thought it was very sad to see schools struggling so much to keep going and having no support from community. I think there were positives and negatives to the reading programs in both schools, but if I had to use one of the methods I think I would like to use Project Read. I liked the flexibility of this program and its focus on decoding, phonics and phonemic awareness. I think children need to have these skills before they can become fluent readers and comprehend what they are seeing in the text. The downside to this program was the teachers did not receive enough training and it is a complex program. However, every class is different and all the students will learn differently and need support in various ways. I don't think the reading mastery program would benefit the children as much because it is so scripted and I think it would be harder to change it to meet each students needs. As a future teacher I want to be able to adjust my lessons to meet the needs of ALL students and not have to worry about following a script and making sure I say everything exactly as it says. As we have learned, not all programs will work for all students and a textbook doesn't know your students. I don't think Project Read was effective at Bearden Elementary because the teachers didn't get sufficient training to teach the students. I do think this program could be effective, but it would probably work better in a more affluent area because the schools would have enough money to provide proper training for the teachers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you say that Project Read would be effective if used in more affluent areas. I think the teachers in this film were under trained and pressed for time to help these students. But if this program were used in an area where more money was available I think this program would be a big success. More books could be available and the proper training could be given, which could lead to a higher reading rate in that area.
Delete"A Tale of Two Schools" was an interesting eye opener to me. I never knew so many children did not receive the education they deserved, nor did I know that people lived in third world conditions in this day and age in the United States. If I had to choose which reading program I liked most, I would have to go with Project Read. I liked that it was structured, yet gave freedom to the teachers to adjust if needed. For example, if a student did get the concept right away, they were able to spend a little more time on it. Rather than Reading Mastery, where everything seems to strict and I felt like the students were basically memorizing what was given to them, then actually understanding the concepts. Also mentioned in the film, the teachers have to read off of a script. I don't think that is really teaching because I don't think it gives room to help the student if they are struggling, I feel as though the teachers would have to push through and move on to the next lesson. Although both programs do offer decoding fluency, phonics, letter/sound, phonemic awareness and understanding of the sounds, I do think that Project Read would be a success if more schools started using it. Even though I do like Project Read rather than Reading Mastery, I do still believe that there should be pictures involved when teaching younger children how to read. I think visualization is key for children remembering what they have learned. I think with a combination of visualization and a little bit of both of these programs combined, would be a success for students to learn how to read.
ReplyDeleteDuring the developmental period of a young learner, many strategies, experiences, skills, and milestones are reached, although mastering reading (one of the most important) is an ongoing struggle for students - particularly portrayed in the video “A Tale of Two Schools”. The Reading Mastery Program, which is utilized at the Walton Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas worked exceptionally well for its location and majority of urban populated students. In urban areas as described, reading materials, communal activities, and money is not as readily available as it may be in other locations, which is why these teachers did such a successful job implementing the program. Although the Reading Mastery Program is very structured and focuses on decoding and comprehending the meaning of print, it also enables the teacher to build confidence and independence among the students. Yes incorporating your own ideas into a lesson may sometimes work well, as Project Read allows, I do feel that a teacher following a well-organized plan during these beginning stages is crucial - to make sure each essential reading component is taught upon. The effective teachers in Walton Elementary demonstrated confidence and embraced the program, making it more motivating and easier to build determination within the students. The downside of this program, lacking creativity and connection to a storyline, may disappoint parents who expect more from the education their child is receiving, although prior to comprehending and creating connections - I do think spelling instruction, word recognition, decoding, etc.. is crucial to master to excel in more complex skills - like Project Read. While all of these factors play into the success rate of each program, location should also be considered, as the accessibility to reading material, instruction, technology, varies from place to place.
ReplyDeleteBlog 1:
ReplyDeleteTeaching students to read may be one of the most difficult tasks teachers face, each child learns differently, has varying motivations to read, and accessibility can sometimes be an issue. Many school districts are turning to reading programs that will boost the success rate of reading fluency for their students. In the video "A Tale of Two Schools", we see two such reading programs as well as the varying way that the school implements the programs practices. The first school was located in Fort Worth, Texas where there are both lower and upper class the make up the school community of Walton Elementary. Walton Elementary utilizes a reading program called Reading Mastery, which was a very organized method and had specific scripted words that seemed to motivate students. Furthermore many of the teachers at Walton Elementary were on board with this instruction. Unlike the other school, which was located in Sumner Mississippi, the teachers knew from the beginning of the year how the program was designed and how they were going to incorporate the program into their class. Sumner Mississippi follows the program called Project Read but they didn't have a proper introduction to the program until February. Another reason why I believe Project Read was less successful was because the community shut down two of the three libraries, the books and other materials for reading were not order until half way through the year and the teachers did not receive the same professional development that the Reading Mastery teachers did.
“The Tale of Two Schools” Blog
ReplyDeleteThe Tale of Two Schools provided great insight about the diverse reading programs used in the world of education. This documentary introduced two reading programs one in an urban Elementary school in Fort Worth Texas and the other in Sumner Mississippi. Both schools were located in rural communities with high poverty. Though different, both focused on providing students with an adequate education aimed towards improving reading performance through reading programs. Walton Elementary in Texas practiced the “Reading Mastery” program, and Bearden Elementary in Mississippi practiced the “Project Reading Program.”
Despite the great effort made in each program to improve student’s reading skills, the “Reading Mastery” program made a greater impact in my philosophy of teaching. This program placed special attention to decoding (sound-letter correspondence), phonics, phonemic awareness, and fluency. However, it lacked focus on comprehension and text-self connections which is truly concerning as reading is not meaningful unless comprehension takes place (i.e., it’s a richer experience when you are able to comprehend and relate to the text). This program was scripted, meaning that it provided teachers with a framework to follow, whereas the “Project Reading Program” did not. Though it lacked focus in comprehension, this program provided students with leadership opportunities to demonstrate their learning and understanding (e.g., reading in front of class, reading to other students, peer work).
With that, it is clear that I would prefer to practice the “Reading Mastery” program because of the reasons stated above. Though this program has its strengths, it would only be effective and efficient if a greater emphasis is placed on comprehension. As this documentary stated “All kids can learn, all kids can be successful” which was clearly demonstrated by the educators in Walton Elementary who seemed to never give up despite the many struggles their student’s faced with reading. Thus, this documentary was very useful and allowed me to reflect on my philosophy of reading education.
“The Tale of Two Schools” Blog
ReplyDeleteThe Tale of Two Schools provided great insight about the diverse reading programs used in the world of education. This documentary introduced two reading programs one in an urban Elementary school in Fort Worth Texas and the other in Sumner Mississippi. Both schools were located in rural communities with high poverty. Though different, both focused on providing students with an adequate education aimed towards improving reading performance through reading programs. Walton Elementary in Texas practiced the “Reading Mastery” program, and Bearden Elementary in Mississippi practiced the “Project Reading Program.”
Despite the great effort made in each program to improve student’s reading skills, the “Reading Mastery” program made a greater impact in my philosophy of teaching. This program placed special attention to decoding (sound-letter correspondence), phonics, phonemic awareness, and fluency. However, it lacked focus on comprehension and text-self connections which is truly concerning as reading is not meaningful unless comprehension takes place (i.e., it’s a richer experience when you are able to comprehend and relate to the text). This program was scripted, meaning that it provided teachers with a framework to follow, whereas the “Project Reading Program” did not. Though it lacked focus in comprehension, this program provided students with leadership opportunities to demonstrate their learning and understanding (e.g., reading in front of class, reading to other students, peer work).
With that, it is clear that I would prefer to practice the “Reading Mastery” program because of the reasons stated above. Though this program has its strengths, it would only be effective and efficient if a greater emphasis is placed on comprehension. As this documentary stated “All kids can learn, all kids can be successful” which was clearly demonstrated by the educators in Walton Elementary who seemed to never give up despite the many struggles their student’s faced with reading. Thus, this documentary was very useful and allowed me to reflect on my philosophy of reading education.