09-24-2016
RDLG537-01
Rachel Pinkstone - Student Profile
Student Profile – “Charlie
T.”
In order to find a
student participant learner for our observational purposes, I needed to think
outside of the box to find my subject. As a full-time weightlifting coach as
well as a full time graduate student, my access to “free time” and also a
Kindergarten through 6th grade aged student is rather limited. I
luckily work with amazing individuals, one of which mentioned that her son has
just started Kindergarten and they would be more than happy to have me “join
the family” during my fall semester as he begins his academic journey of
literacy.
Due to my particular
circumstances, the process of choosing “Charlie T.” as my subject for
observation and tutoring was an act of kismet more than anything else. He is,
thankfully, an enthusiastic child with a proclivity and gusto for learning.
Charlie comes from what can be considered and upper middle class family living
in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has two–full
time working parents; however, they are able to commit time outside of school
on a regular basis for family activities ranging from “homework help” and
dinners together, to before and after school activities, hobbies and sports;
and vacations. Charlie is 5 years old and began Kindergarten at Horatio B.
Hackett Elementary in Philadelphia at the end of this past August. Before
entering the Philadelphia public school system, Charlie attended what his
mother considers “a great daycare” from 3 months old to 2 years old and then
went to a preschool in Northern Liberties [an adjacent neighborhood to
Fishtown] called A.K.W.D. (“Any Kid Will Do”), which models itself on the Montessori
Method; however, it does not officially call itself a Montessori school.
Although Charlie
is not yet reading, He is efficient with his letters, can comfortably write his
own name, along with a handful of other words without assistance, and is just
starting to learn site words. After a full month of public elementary school,
he really seems to enjoy his class and talks about learning to read with a
promising level of excitement.
Our initial
“tutoring session” was primarily a meet and greet, as this was my first
introduction to Charlie, and it was out of the classroom environment that we
were finding our acquaintance. After some discussion with his mother, it was
decided that our time together for observations—due to school/work schedules and
a respect for the family’s time together—would range from a 30-60 minute
session, one time a week.
Throughout this
observation and tutoring schedule, I hope to gain a practical understanding of
the current kindergarten level literacy experience. I would like to see the
rate at which 5-6 years old are intended to understand reading and writing
techniques, what types of lessons and practice skills are the most effective,
and what the student actually feels to be the most enjoyable form of
engagement. Finally, in order to reflect on this process, I will be submitting a
“Tutoring and Reflection Journal in the form of a blog, that will also include
a “hard copy” of the assignment, for page-length requirements.
