Adapting literacy practices Meeting the needs of all learners Kindergarten teacher Kathryn Flintoft was searching for a literacy program that would help her create a toolbox of strategies and practices to best meet the needs of all learners in her classroom. Specifically, she wanted a literacy program that would not only help her meet the needs of the young learners in her classroom but would also help her down the road if she decided to move into the role of a literacy coach. After searching for multiple programs she came across CMU’s Master’s in Reading and Literacy and knew that it would meet her needs. Kathryn is a kindergarten teacher who works in a Spanish immersion program where she teaches English, social studies and ELA content while her co-teacher teaches science and math in Spanish. This unique program is split 50/50 between students whose native language is English and students whose native language is Spanish.
Institute. This same amazing approach served as a catalyst for applying concepts and strategies from her courses into her own classroom. For example, in one course her instructor talked about questioning even the small things, such as how sounds and letters are represented in classrooms. This a-ha moment caused her to rethink the visual representations in her classrooms through the lens of her young learners. She noted that slight changes such as this have had a significant impact on her students’ learning. She also highlights the importance of visuals for students learning content in English when it is their second language.
“My heart just bursts seeing the kids growing right in front of me, especially what you can’t see on paper. The kids are coming in and they’re speaking to me in English and they’re so excited.” —Kathryn Flintoft
Kathryn’s growth mindset and passion for empowering young learners through their literacy development is immediately apparent when she talks about why she sought out a master’s program and attended CMU’s Virtual Summer Literacy
“Thank you to the educators of our first two editions of this newsletter. I felt so fortunate to be able to interview such amazing, compassionate and dedicated professionals.” — Kathryn Dirkin PATHWAYS FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS | SPRING 2022
Additionally, she looked at the opportunities presented in the program with an eye towards her own professional growth. An example of this was when she needed to select a student to tutor in the clinical component of the program. She purposely selected a middle school student. By tutoring an older student, she was able to become familiar with assessments and strategies that can later be applied from the role of a literacy specialist for students K-12.
One can’t help but be inspired when talking with Kathryn about her teaching. She talks about her time with her students as a gift and with that gift comes the responsibility of making the most of her time with them to help them grow and develop.