7 th/8 th grade Resource Room

Reading/Writing

Ms. Diers, 304A

kadiers@seattleschools.org
Phone # 252-8984
Availability: 8:45-9:35, as well as before and after school

Teacher Bio:
This is my third year teaching at Denny. As I grew up in the Rainier Valley of Seattle and attended the Seattle Public Schools as a student, I am thrilled to be teaching at a school rich with diversity and committed to eliminating the disproportionality gap. Outside of school I’m an avid runner, swimmer, and kite-boarder. I also enjoy reading, especially books that take me to new parts of the world.

State Standards Taught in Class:

Students will understand and use different skills and strategies to read.
Students will understand the meaning of what is read (Comprehension)
Students read different materials for a variety of purposes.
Students set goals and evaluate progress to improve reading.

Course Description:
I teach my reading/writing class as a two-hour block using Scholastic’s READ-180 Program and writer’s workshop. The day starts with a read-aloud where I model fluent reading and demonstrate reading strategies for the class. Whole-group instruction follows, with twenty minutes of themed reading instruction where students interact through writing, partner and whole-class discussion, and vocabulary activities.
During the second hour, twice a week students break into rotation groups, where they rotate between READ-180 software on the computers, independent reading and response, and small-group, where I can differentiate instruction for the specific learning needs of my students. Three days a week, we spend the second hour engaged in writer’s workshop, where students have the opportunity to write stories from their own lives, learn new strategies from mini-lessons, and fine-tune their writing with the help of a partner. Each day concludes with a whole-group wrap-up.
As a result of taking this class, a student will be able to self-select an appropriate level reading book and demonstrate strategies to read with comprehension. He or she will be able to generate topics, write, edit, and publish stories from his or her own life.
Assessments used in my class include:
SRI computerized reading test
Data from reading software
Classroom observations and work samples
Unit tests

Materials used in my class include:
READ 180 R books
Computers and READ 180 software
Classroom library and CD players (for audio books)
Document camera
Writer’s Notebooks

The learning experiences planned will enable students to view concepts, issues, events, and themes from the perspective of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. For instance, our first unit is Immigration where students are exposed to challenges that new immigrants face when they arrive in the United States.

My goal is to provide opportunities for all students to be successful and to enjoy learning through lessons that meet the diverse interests, unique learning styles, and strengths and needs of each student.