Strengths Vs. "Weaknesses"

Literacy is such a huge part of child development that it effects so many other aspects of a young child's life. It is important for us as teachers to focus on what a child can do rather than what a child can't do. We do not want to discourage our students. We want to encourage them to expand their knowledge so that they keep advancing their skills. 

Marie Clay wrote an article, About Running Records. Running Records are assessments of text reading. By conducting this assessment, teachers are able to learn a lot about their students. Clay tells us that "the record provides evidence of the kinds of things that this can do..." (pg. 3). This statement alone tells us that we should be focusing on what a child can do. It does not say to focus on what they cannot do and to try to fix their "mistakes." After all, these children are still learning and developing their literacy. Marie Clay also says that a "running record is not just about right or wrong words..." (pg. 7). This also tells us that conducting these assessments is not to inform us about what the child is doing "wrong." They are to be used to help us develop a plan to further a child's literacy.