Educators engage in professional learning.
Professional learning helps educators remain effective and responsive to the changing needs of students. Education has been evolving with new research, teaching strategies, technologies, and policies emerging. Professional learning ensures that teachers stay current with these changes and be able to implement new methodologies effectively in the classroom.
As a teacher candidate, I was curious about the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) program, which is a comprehensive framework for literacy instruction using explicit and systematic teaching methods. Although I had seen many UFLI lessons taught by different teachers, I still felt overwhelmed because I was not sure how to deliver the lessons myself. That is why I used my Pro D activity to explore the program.
After watching the webinars, I feel much more informed and confident teaching UFLI to my students. Every week, students will learn two new phonetic concepts. Each new concept will be taught over two days: Day 1 introduces the new concept, and Day 2 focuses on practicing it. Both days are well structured with step-by-step guidance and assigned time for each part of the lesson. This structure makes the lessons flow smoothly and logically. However, I think teachers also need to be flexible in adjusting the time frame for each day to best meet their students’ needs. We should be mindful of where students need more review time and practice, rather than strictly adhering to fixed schedules and learning activities.
The UFLI lessons are visually well-presented. Students can follow a visual schedule where check marks are placed in boxes, showing their accomplishment during the lesson and indicating the next steps. This helps establish learning routines in students and frees up mental space for studying. I also like that the UFLI program offers choices of word chains for Step 6 Word Work, allowing teachers to adapt their lessons to different students’ levels.
The webinars on the UFLI program are extremely helpful for teachers and student teachers like me. This professional learning allows me to better support students’ reading. Also, I believe that teachers serve as role models for students. By committing to ongoing professional growth, I can demonstrate the value of lifelong learning to my students.
