Recent Changes

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Literacy in the Community:
numerous libraries and places in the town where take out books orbooks, volunteer to help younger readers.readers or even brush up on their music literacy skills.
{test_h1.jpg} The library in Irondequoit High School
Rodequoit and the Yearbook Club allow students to continue using their literacy education outside of the classroom and apply it to real life situations. Rodequoit is the school newspaper and it is published monthly by members of the Newspaper Club. The newspaper contains different types of articles ranging from critiques of events going on in school to a sports coverage. The newspaper seems like an excellent way to use their writing skills and express their opinions about what is going on in the world around them. The Yearbook Club is quite similar in this respect because students are allowed to create their own text. The Yearbook Club meets once a week as students prepare to create a book that tells the story of a school year. The club is an excellent opportunity for students to share their love of different types of literacies and create something all students will remember for years to come.
{50262_21252240048_3356058_n.jpg} A copy of the student newspaper, Rodequoit
school and is open to the entire community. It serves as library in differenta variety of positions.
{g12c000000000000000f206d0bfabf6ca1f6afa0fed502c09cfda98bc6b.jpg} A library in the Irondequoit community.
Besides the typical chances to use literacy in the community, there is also a variety of text students may encounter when they are outside of school. The town is filled with different restaurants, stores, and boutiques where advertisements are filled with different kinds of writing. The most popular student hang out, The Cooper Deli, has so much text on the window that it is nearly impossible to see inside of the building! The legendary House of Guitars is another store students often go into to buy the latest music, or to possibly take up learning an instrument. Music literacy plays an integral part in any community and the House of Guitars defineatly helps make Irondequoit one of the must musically artistic towns I have ever seen. Another great part about Irondequoit, is that the town (with the exception of the Ridge Road area) has been able to hold onto a sort of Main Street America feeling because there is very little large chain stores taking a lot of space (i.e. Henrietta).
{housemicro.jpg} The House of Guitars which has been part of the Irondequoit community for over 45 years
The chances for students at Irondequoit High School to utilize literacy outside of the classroom are many, and further display how literacy is not just simply a school approach, but a community one as well.
{620632403_2216570643_0.jpeg} A comfy place to read in the IHS Library

Dr. Peck
The School and The Research:
class geared towards specifically towards literacy in school. I also found my
www.westirondequoit.org (for more information)
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The Interviews (Goals and Expectations):
The similarities comecame as a twelfth grade. ThisThe curriculum is college classroom. This is a positive for any balanced literacy approach because creating a love for reading and writing could lead to improved scores on exams.
Classroom Texts:
these texts hadhas its own
The play Billy Budd describes the life of an impressed sailor during the late 18th century in Europe. The play begins with the capture of a young sailor, Billy Budd, and his experiences aboard the British warship the HMS Indomitable. The play describes his time on the ship, and his relationships with other characters that eventually lead to his execution at the conclusion of the play. As a teacher, and former high school student I have never been a fan of reading plays, but this play seems to be an exception. Overall, most of the students seemed interested in this play; eagerly raising their hands at any chance to act during class. Acting is an excellent opportunity for the students in the class to further their understanding of the reading by actually performing what the text is describing.
An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusasbagenia is an autobiography written by a man who saved hundreds of lives during the Rwandan Genocide. The autobiography goes into detail about the experiences of man who used his hotel to protect the lives of both Hutus and Tutsis during the genocide that engulfed the entire country during 1994. This was a great reading because it aligned well with the Social Studies curriculum at the time that was also focusing on African history. In addition, there is an excellent film that follows along with the book entitled Hotel Rwanda. The combination of both text literacy and media literacy seems to be an excellent way to draw the interest of a secondary high school student and increase their knowledge of the text.
Reading
{620632005_2216569196_0.jpeg} A selection of books on display at the IHS Library
group, small groupgroup, and individual
Whole Group:
of this would be pointingwas when students pointed out a literary element withinin a story. in giving the students a
Small Group:
particular literary elementelement, and it about particular chapters,chapters and work
{Billy_Budd_jacket.jpg} The play Billy Budd, used by one the classes I worked with.
Individual:
to how effectivelyeffective they are actually using the strategies;are; further research in the hallway.hallways. Some rooms
Building effective reading skills are necessary for students at any level. Whether the student is entering the real world, or going to college effective reading skills are vital to any person who wishes to succeed after high school.
{620488843_2216049394_0.jpeg} A list of books students have recommended to the class
Building writing skills is split into two different sections for teachers at West Irondequoit. These are “learning to write” i.e. learning how to actually write an essay and “writing to learn” or using writing to gain knowledge about a particular topic. Both of these strategies are used in whole group, small group and individual instruction. Similar to reading, writing is a cross-curricular skill that is necessary for student success in each of their subjects
Whole Group:
typically models athe type of like to use (the teacher only models the one style of organizers).use. The teacher analyze the informationinformation, and relate class of seniorsseniors, a teacher utilizedused a large tool for seniorseniors who are in small amountsamounts, and primarily
Small Group:
groups, students usually complete guided reading packets areis also collected when students wherewere asked if
{an_ordinary_man.jpg} The autobiography, An Ordinary Man used in class by one the teachers I observed.
Individual:
in whole group and small group instruction. WhenBy the time students began and notes on how to from the story.story for their larger essays. It seemed
Assessment and Projects:
Each grade level has its own assessments that occur at various times during the year. For this section I am going to focus on different types of assessments and projects that s student will encounter during their time at Irondequoit High School. These projects include: The New York State English Language Arts Assessment, The Evidence of Mastery Level Reading Option Project, and a Book Tour Scrapbook assignment.
to answer multiple choicemultiple-choice and short Regents exam havehas taken recently, analyze it. These optionsOptions for analysis include ideas characters of athe book in of the assignment.project. The greatest
{620632156_2216569749_0.jpeg} Possible books for the student's projects
own book to read and then
{620561592_2216312427_0.jpeg} A page from the Scrapbook assignment
school) in some students that
{621065321_2218178935_603824746_1299116851723.jpeg} A book case loaded with books in a Social Studies classroom
Supplemental Literacy Instruction
There are a many opportunities for students at Irondequoit High School to pursue a balanced literacy lifestyle outside of the classroom. Clubs such as Rodequoit (the school newspaper) and Yearbook Club allow students to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real life situations. Along with this, there are numerous libraries in town where students can take out books or volunteer to help younger readers.
{test_h1.jpg} The library in Irondequoit High School
school newspaper thatand it is published a sports page.coverage. The newspaper
{50262_21252240048_3356058_n.jpg} A copy of the student newspaper, Rodequoit
as a hang outgreat place where hold jobs atin the library
{g12c000000000000000f206d0bfabf6ca1f6afa0fed502c09cfda98bc6b.jpg} A library in the Irondequoit community.
The chances for students at Irondequoit High School to utilize literacy outside of the classroom are many, and further display how literacy is not just simply a school approach, but a community one as well.
{620632403_2216570643_0.jpeg} A comfy place to read in the IHS Library
Coaching and Suggestions
program and verticalhorizontal alignment with discussed how the students have reading program wouldcould possibly increase the
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classes are somehow related. This students have. Although, whenWhen successfully implemented,
Reflection:
that I have gained new school setting. Although it may be different from an elementary classroom, the same root ideas were utilized, but at a higher level.
{621064300_2218174815_0.jpeg} The Neodaondaquat, the school yearbook that is created annually by the Yearbook Club

Creating effective sentences is another important skill teachers try to develop. When observing a class of seniors a teacher utilized a large packet entitled: “Effective Sentence Patterns.” This packet was created by all of the teachers in the English department. The packet contains all sorts of guided activities that give students knowledge on simple topics like how to use compound sentences with a semi-colon; to more complex ones like how to use introductory subordinate clauses. Each of the sections is gone over, as the teacher provides instruction and gives students time to work on sample sentences. The packet also serves as an excellent writing tool for senior who are about to enter college. Again similar to reading, whole group instruction is used in small amounts and primarily for the activities the class will be doing in small group and individual instruction.
Small Group:
question, students also discuss key
{an_ordinary_man.jpg} The autobiography, An Ordinary Man used in class by one the teachers I observed.
Individual:
Each grade level has its own assessments that occur at various times during the year. For this section I am going to focus on different types of assessments and projects that s student will encounter during their time at Irondequoit High School. These projects include: The New York State English Language Arts Assessment, The Evidence of Mastery Level Reading Option Project, and a Book Tour Scrapbook assignment.
The English Language Arts Regents Exam is required for any student who wishes to graduate from high school in New York State. As stated in previous sections, one of the major goals of the entire department is to achieve the maximum passing rate on this exam. The exam consists of different texts to which the student has to answer multiple choice and short answer questions. The questions test the students reading comprehension and reading analysis skills. The test culminates with a critical lens where the student has to respond to a quote or an idea using the knowledge they have gained throughout their time in high school English. Despite the flak the Regents exam have taken recently, I believe they are necessary in seeing exactly what a student has gained from their time in secondary English.
for the entireevery part of the assignment. The
{620632156_2216569749_0.jpeg} Possible books for the student's projects
Another project I found interesting was the Book Tour Scrapbook assignment. In this project students were allowed to choose their own book to read and then were told to create a scrapbook where the students copied the passages or pages that meant the most to them. Students were then asked to explain why the particular passage meant a lot to them. I found this project to be excellent for enhancing literacy because students related their books to their own lives. When I was interviewing the teacher about this particular assignment she told me (I am paraphrasing here), “I was tired of students just looking up books on Spark Notes and writing me papers about them, I wanted to create an assignment where students could actually become interested and personally relate to the books they read.” This assignment is great for all students and may draw a few students in who are not always interested in what the class may be reading at the time.
There are a many opportunities for students at Irondequoit High School to pursue a balanced literacy lifestyle outside of the classroom. Clubs such as Rodequoit (the school newspaper) and Yearbook Club allow students to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real life situations. Along with this, there are numerous libraries in town where students can take out books or volunteer to help younger readers.
{test_h1.jpg} The library in Irondequoit High School
a week per year as students
{50262_21252240048_3356058_n.jpg} A copy of the student newspaper, Rodequoit
The local libraries present students with different opportunities to utilize what they learned in the classroom. The first library I will discuss is the newly renovated library in the high school. The library is located in the old courtyard of the high school and serves as a hang out place where students come to read or catch up on some homework they forgot to complete at home. The library is home to many books and contains different places where students can read comfortably. The libraries in the community provide a place for students to help promote literacy in the town. Students are allowed to volunteer in a variety of programs such as the summer reading program for the younger students. In this program teens assist the younger reader pick books that are suitable for them to read over the summer. Along with this, many students at the school hold jobs at the library in different positions.

The teacher uses whole group instruction to direct the class in larger concepts about a particular reading. An example of this would be pointing out a particular literary element within a story. A good example of this was when I observed a teacher instructing her class about theme in the play Billy Budd. The theme being pointed out was good vs. evil, and after explaining to the students theme is defined as the “main idea” of a story she asked students to provide examples of good vs. evil that they have encountered in their life. The strategy seemed effective with the students as they were easily able to find examples of the theme throughout the play. Teachers also used whole group instruction to guide students through more difficult readings (like Shakespeare) with the use of different direct instruction methods like Power Point presentations and graphic organizers. These strategies seemed effective in giving the students a framework before they began working in small groups or as individuals. Once working in small groups or as individuals students began applying what they learned in whole group instruction.
Small Group:
for the ELAE.L.A. Regents exam.
{Billy_Budd_jacket.jpg} The play Billy Budd, used by one the classes I worked with.
Individual:
necessary to discoverydiscover this information.
Building effective reading skills are necessary for students at any level. Whether the student is entering the real world, or going to college effective reading skills are vital to any person who wishes to succeed after high school.
{620488843_2216049394_0.jpeg} A list of books students have recommended to the class
Building writing skills is split into two different sections for teachers at West Irondequoit. These are “learning to write” i.e. learning how to actually write an essay and “writing to learn” or using writing to gain knowledge about a particular topic. Both of these strategies are used in whole group, small group and individual instruction. Similar to reading, writing is a cross-curricular skill that is necessary for student success in each of their subjects
Whole Group:
skills for essayessay, paragraph and sentence to help the students prove the The teacher typically models a use for the particularan essay, but they also givegives the students a
When instructing students on how to form paragraphs the teachers use a format known as C.E.I. (Claim, Evidence, and Interpretation). The first part is for students to create a claim or topic sentence for their particular paragraph. The next section, evidence, is where students are told to place the information they received from the reading into their paragraph. The final section, interpretation, is where students analyze the information and relate it to their thesis. I found this to be a very useful way to organize paragraphs and is a method I plan to implement with my own students.
Creating effective sentences is another important skill teachers try to develop. When observing a class of seniors a teacher utilized a large packet entitled: “Effective Sentence Patterns.” This packet was created by all of the teachers in the English department. The packet contains all sorts of guided activities that give students knowledge on simple topics like how to use compound sentences with a semi-colon; to more complex ones like how to use introductory subordinate clauses. Each of the sections is gone over, as the teacher provides instruction and gives students time to work on sample sentences. The packet also serves as an excellent writing tool for senior who are about to enter college. Again similar to reading, whole group instruction is used in small amounts and primarily for the activities the class will be doing in small group and individual instruction.

Dr. Peck
The School and The Research:
by the PrincipalPrincipal, Patrick McCue.
www.westirondequoit.org (for more information)
{IHSSign.jpg}
The Interviews (Goals and Expectations):
a month where teachers come
Classroom Texts:
The teachers I interviewed used a multitude of different texts and a rich classroom to support literacy education. Some of the novels used by the teachers were: Billy Budd by Herman Melville, Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alghieri, and An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusasbagenia. Each of these texts had its own distinct characteristics that addressed different ideas within a balanced literacy approach.
that eventually ledlead to his high school student,student I have
An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusasbagenia is an autobiography written by a man who saved hundreds of lives during the Rwandan Genocide. The autobiography goes into detail about the experiences of man who used his hotel to protect the lives of both Hutus and Tutsis during the genocide that engulfed the entire country during 1994. This was a great reading because it aligned well with the Social Studies curriculum at the time that was also focusing on African history. In addition, there is an excellent film that follows along with the book entitled Hotel Rwanda. The combination of both text literacy and media literacy seems to be an excellent way to draw the interest of a secondary high school student and increase their knowledge of the text.
{620456185_2215931827_0.jpeg} A teacher using paintings to enhance student understanding on Dante's Inferno

West Irondequoit High School Instructional Inquiry
A look atAn examination of literacy methods
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By: Aaron Nobles
{620456185_2215931827_0.jpeg} A teacher using paintings to enhance student understanding on Dante's Inferno
Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alghieri was written during the Italian Renaissance. The fictional text describes the experiences of Dante as he travels through the different circles of hell and learns many different lessons as a result of it. The classical writing style of this text is sometimes very difficult and requires a large amount of scaffolding by the teacher. However, the text seems to be worth going through the trouble of deciphering the old English because it is full of different literary techniques and beautiful uses of language that allow the reader to think critically, and perhaps gain some knowledge about writing throughout the story. The teacher who I observed also placed various images around the room to help the students visualize the world of Dante.
in Dante's Inferno.Inferno
Each of these novels were utilized in different ways in the different classrooms. I will discuss in further detail how they were utilized during the Literacy Methods section.
Literacy Methods:

West Irondequoit High School Instructional Inquiry
An academicA look at
{ihsfront.jpg}
By: Aaron Nobles
The teachers I interviewed used a multitude of different texts and a rich classroom to support literacy education. Some of the novels used by the teachers were: Billy Budd by Herman Melville, Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alghieri, and An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusasbagenia. Each of these texts had its own distinct characteristics that addressed different ideas within a balanced literacy approach.
The play Billy Budd describes the life of an impressed sailor during the late 18th century in Europe. The play begins with the capture of a young sailor, Billy Budd, and his experiences aboard the British warship the HMS Indomitable. The play describes his time on the ship, and his relationships with other characters that eventually led to his execution at the conclusion of the play. As a teacher, and former high school student, I have never been a fan of reading plays, but this play seems to be an exception. Overall, most of the students seemed interested in this play; eagerly raising their hands at any chance to act during class. Acting is an excellent opportunity for the students in the class to further their understanding of the reading by actually performing what the text is describing.
during the RwanadanRwandan Genocide. The
{620456185_2215931827_0.jpeg} A teacher using paintings to enhance student understanding on Dante's Inferno
Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alghieri was written during the Italian Renaissance. The fictional text describes the experiences of Dante as he travels through the different circles of hell and learns many different lessons as a result of it. The classical writing style of this text is sometimes very difficult and requires a large amount of scaffolding by the teacher. However, the text seems to be worth going through the trouble of deciphering the old English because it is full of different literary techniques and beautiful uses of language that allow the reader to think critically, and perhaps gain some knowledge about writing throughout the story. The teacher who I observed also placed various images around the room to help the students visualize the world of Dante.
{an_ordinary_man.jpg} The autobiography, An Ordinary Man used in class by one the teachers I observed.
Individual:
write a CEIC.E.I. paragraph at
Assessment and Projects:
Each grade level has its own assessments that occur at various times during the year. For this section I am going to focus on different types of assessments and projects that s student will encounter during their time at Irondequoit High School. These projects include: The New York State English Language Arts Assessment, The Evidence of Mastery Level Reading Option Project, and a Book Tour Scrapbook assignment.

Reflection:
After reviewing the literacy instruction methods within the English department at Irondequoit High School I feel that I gained new ideas for ways to approach literacy in my own classroom. I really enjoyed the activities that allowed students to make choices in the texts they would like to read. These activities are excellent in getting students involved in their learning, and would be a great addition to any classroom environment. I also enjoyed activities that forced students to think critically and discuss different texts. My inquiry into the literacy studies at Irondequoit High School enhanced my knowledge on how a balanced literacy approach can be implemented into a high school setting. Although it may be different from an elementary classroom, the same root ideas were utilized, but at a higher level.
is created yearlyannually by the

{620561592_2216312427_0.jpeg} A page from the Scrapbook assignment
After looking at a few assessments from the secondary level I realized the key seems to be (with the exception of the Regents) to find a way to give students a choice in what they read and how they wish to analyze and reflect on their reading. This will not only lead to a large amount of student success on the project, but could end up fostering a love of reading (and possibly school) in some students that could last a lifetime.
{621065321_2218178935_603824746_1299116851723.jpeg} A book case loaded with books in a Social Studies classroom
Supplemental Literacy Instruction
In addition to a balanced literacy approach in all English classrooms at the high school there are additional supports to help students who struggle with reading and writing. The two additional supports are the English department center and the English support program.