Classrooms are places of literacies learning. Literacy learning occurs in multiple ways. Each teacher approaches the beginning of a school year individually, creating what she feels are possible places of literacies learning for the students she has the opportunity to work with this year.

As an elementary teacher I am responsible for delivery of all subject areas and therefore literacy learning in all subject areas. At the beginning of the school year I begin to lay the groundwork for the way I expect the students will interact/communicate with each other in the classroom, understanding that each subject area will have it's own specialized language and curriculum but that underneath that language and curriculum is a foundation of communication.

The first full day of classes, September 6, 2006, I began our first novel study. Our first novel study is completed in Literature Circles. There are as many versions of Literature Circles as there are teachers, (see also Computer Mediated Literature Circles, Amy Hughes).  The first novel that I choose to read each year in a grade 6/7 class is at a grade 4/5 reading level. Currently, I have two novels that I rotate between years. Each of the novels has a storyline that I have found to engage reluctant as well as avid readers. These novels include characters that are approximately the student's age doing activities that potentially the students have not done but would be of interest for them to do, such as backcountry wilderness camping or living on a farm. The novels are written by prolific authors, so the students can find other books by the same author should they be interested; as well, the language in the novels is challenging enough for the more advanced readers but not too challenging for the less advanced readers. Most importantly, the characters in the stories have lives that the students can read themselves into. So as I read each chapter aloud, and they follow along in the text they want to know what is going to happen next, they are sad when the novel is finished because they feel they are losing new friends in the characters.

I choose to use Literature Circles as the vehicle for novel study at the beginning of the year for several reasons. First, it builds the previously mentioned foundation from which many other conversations springboard. These foundational conversations between students in relation to their learning is transfered to all subject areas, through multiple modes of communication.  Second, it gives me a conduit for teaching language structures and models for discussing other salient topics such as vocabulary, character development, personal connections and individual learning styles (to name just a few).  Thus it builds common language between the students for future discussions.  And third, it is an opportunity for us to share together a story, a story that allows me to expose who I am and what I am passionate about - learning and teaching. In hopes of inviting the students into allowing themselves and their passions to be exposed, as they see fit.

The first day sets the tone for the year, as does each day that follows. We come to school to learn together - learning is a social venture. Learning is fun, it is interesting, enjoyable and engaging. There are high expectations set for each one of us in the classroom. We will all have strengths, we all have weaknesses, we can all learn from/with one another and we all want to become the best that we can be. We utilize each day as an opportunity to learn, from the very first day in September to the very last day in June.