Md. Sitting in a jumbled semicircle on the floor around Laura Grenon's rocking chair, the 1st graders listen raptly as their teacher reads The Old Man's Mitten from a big book resting on a nearby easel. Grenon asks her students as one forest creature after another in the story wiggles into a lost glove. But the lesson isn't over. Throughout the day in Room 11 at Fairland Elementary School, Grenon blends the elements of whole-language instruction with the basic skills that she and many experts believe beginning readers need. This is the sixth year of teaching for Grenon, who thinks of herself as a whole-language teacher.
Some kids really struggle.
It's my job to figure out what's best for that child. Writing is a central activity of every school day. The students have daily writing workshops and conferences with Grenon and each other. From the first day of school, Grenon had her charges write. Those who didn't know any of their letters drew pictures.