With a little Love: How one summer school teacher reaches a diverse set of learners

It was mid-morning at Prairie Mountain School on July 9 and first-grade teacher Lanelle Love’s summer learning class was itching for a dance break.

But first they had to finish phonics practice. 

In small groups, students slid magnetic letters around on small boards to make different words, sounding out each word together. “Met” changed to “net” with the switch of the first letter, then to “get.” Love then prompted them with a more difficult change.

“Where do you wish you were right now?” she asked. 

“Bed,” one student answered. 

“We need a double-letter switch, stat,” she said, keeping up the pace as attention wavered.

After a lively discussion about the number of pillows on each students’ bed, Love rounded up the class of first and second-graders for a movement break — enough to keep the thoughts of naps at bay.

Love, 24 and a rising second-year teacher, is one of 46 staff members running Bethel’s elementary summer learning program. In a classroom of 20 diverse learners, Love’s ability to reach students and shepherd them through their inevitable moments of discomfort gives students a shot at not only reading better but also feeling safe to make mistakes.

Reading the room

The class moved back and forth throughout the morning from large group to small group instruction. Reading was the goal. Staying on task was the challenge. 

But Love’s attention moved seamlessly from the needs of individual children to the needs of the whole group. She used hand signals to accompany each direction she gave and repeated instructions in different ways. While leading a discussion on a book about Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician, Love squatted on the rug where her student Alex lay, getting on his level.

“Why did she calculate the launch and land positions of the rocket?” she asked him, ignoring the fact he wasn’t in a chair.

He sat up and answered correctly. She praised him.

Love has wanted to be a teacher since she “came into consciousness.” She likes that every day is different, that she’s always learning and that she’s constantly in motion. It matches her personality.

“I, as a person, can’t sit still,” she said.

Her commitment to teaching in a way that is accessible to many learners comes from seeing her two brothers struggle in school — one of them from being on the autism spectrum and the other from having a learning disability. There was less awareness about the importance of inclusivity in teaching methods at the time.

“I saw so many students not being reached,” she said.

Denee Newton, one of the administrators who runs Bethel’s summer reading program, said catering to a diverse set of learning styles is where Love shines.

“I have observed a really good balance in warm-demanding and holding students to high expectations, while creating an environment where they feel like they belong,” Newton said of Love.

A “warm demander” is a teacher who expects a lot from their students while also encouraging mistakes and providing structure for students to succeed.

Loriah Aina, an educational assistant in Love’s summer learning class, said she appreciates the pacing and routines of Love’s teaching.

“She’s very high energy with the kids and keeps a really good vibe in the room, is very structured but also gives a feeling of being able to relax,” she said.

Juniper (also known as Junebug), 7, said Love “always makes her smile.”

Teaching literacy — and how to be human

For Love, teaching summer school is fun. From the smaller class sizes, the large amount of time spent in even smaller breakout groups, and the shorter days, she finds it more accessible for kids who are below reading level. 

Bethel’s focus on reading in summer school follows the Oregon Department of Education’s push for summer literacy instruction. According to the district, last year’s elementary summer reading program resulted in 25% of participating students not needing intensive reading support by the end.

Love said one of her favorite things about teaching summer school is the books they get to read, which are the main scaffolding for the summer curriculum. She’s seen progress in her students’ ability to use vocabulary and understand what they’re reading.

But it’s the smaller moments that highlight her abilities to reach all of her students and to meet their many needs.

In the last five minutes of the day, one of Love’s students, Jameson, got angry. He threw his glasses and curled up on the floor. Love offered him a choice between two stuffed animals to hold and guided him to her desk chair to sit, all while keeping the rest of the class focused on reading comprehension questions.

A minute later, Jameson picked up his glasses and rejoined the group, right before class ended for the day.