Double-Entry Journal #14

1. What was the most interesting idea you encountered as you read the chapter?

The most interesting idea that I encountered as I read the chapter was the discussion about success. I found it interesting that Gee believes that there are multiple definitions for the word success.  He believes that different students can succeed at different levels and that the measure of success is depended based on an individual and not on a group of students.

2. What connections can you make between Gee's critique and Sir Ken Robinsons' critique of traditional schooling?

The connections that I can make between Gee's critique and Sir Ken Robinsons' critique of traditional schooling is that they both believe that for students to succeed, they need creativity and innovative teaching methods. They both believe that traditional schooling is taking the creativity out of the school and simply teaching to the test. For schools to succeed, the creativity must be put back into the school systems.

3. How did this book change or support your understanding of good teaching?

This book has supported my understanding of good teaching by allowing me to use the student's interests to help them through the learning process. This book has supported my learning theory that student's learn best when they are given the opportunity to use personal experiences to help their understanding about a particular concept. 

Double-Entry Journal #13

1. Give an example of a "community of practice" in which you are currently participating in.

An example of a "community of practice" that i am currently participating in would be the education program. I am working towards becoming an educator and work along with my host teacher to complete the necessary tasks to become an educator. 

2.Why is the term "community" better defined in relation to spaces rather than groups of people?

 The term "community" is better defined in relation to spaces rather than groups of people because people are not always together within the same groups. Many people have different ideas, views, and perspectives. With that being said, people are not always going to be within the same community because they have different outlooks on different things.

3. What is a "generator"? What is it's counterpart in school?

A "generator" is described as the content. A generators counterpart within a school could be the content, or lesson plans, that the teacher uses.

4. What is a "content organizer"? What is it's counterpart in school?

A "content organizer" is the way that the content is organized within a lesson. A content organizer's counterpart within a school could be the CSO's or Skill Set Standards (Business Education) that teachers use to design their lesson plans.

5. What is a "portal"? What is it's counterpart in school?

A "portal" is anything that gives access to the material being taught. A portal's counterpart within a school is the textbook.

6. What do people have an "affinity" for in an "affinity space"? How does this inform your understanding of good teaching?

People have an "affinity" within an "affinity space" by the endeavor or interest around which the space is organized.” (Gee, 2004, p. 84). This informs my understanding of good teaching because it shows me that to become a good teacher, you must teacher to your students needs and interests instead of teaching strictly to the content.

7. How do "affinity spaces" support inclusive classrooms? Choose two characteristics below to make connections between "affinity spaces" and inclusive classrooms.

"Affinity spaces" support inclusive classrooms by all students are made to feel like they belong. No students are left out based on ability. The two characteristics that make connections between "affinity spaces" and inclusive classrooms are:

1. A Sense of Community - An inclusive school is a school where every child is respected as part of the school community, and where each child is encouraged to learn and achieve as much as possible. In order to achieve that sense of belonging for each child, many schools have found that fostering a sense of community is of primary importance.

 12. Flexible Scheduling - A major challenge is how to manage instructional time in the most efficient way, not only to teach the curriculum but also to build a sense of community. Each successful inclusive school devised various methods to increase flexibility to meet the diverse needs of the school population.

8. How are traditional classroom different from Affinity Spaces?

Traditional classrooms are different from Affinity Spaces because students within a traditional classroom are grouped together based on abilities and disabilities. However, in affinity spaces, students are all treated the same. 

Double Entry Journal #12

1. What is the main argument the author is making in Chapter 5.

The main argument that the author is making in Chapter 5 is that a connection between video games and learning is evident and that good games have the potential to be a huge factor in the progression of learning within schools. 

2. What constitutes a theory of learning?

The thing that best constitutes a theory of learning are patterns and principles.

3. Why did the author struggle to learn to play Warcraft III? What needs to proceed before good learning principles?

The author struggled to play Warcraft III because it was "too hard". To make a good game, it should not be too hard for a player to play that they can't even figure out the first few levels.

4. How would have the authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III been interpreted in school? 

The authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III would have been interpreted in school as a failure.

5. What kind of learning experience might be better suited for at risk students?

The learning that would best be suited for an at risk student would be a horizontal learning environment. This allows at-risk students to be in a motivational environment instead of a classroom that has made the material "easier".

6. Why does the school-based interpretation of "at risk" lead to bad learning?

The school-based interpretation of "at risk" leads to bad learning because the students are not learning at their full potential and are not engaged in challenging instruction.

7. What do schools need to do to function more like a good game?

For school's to function more like a good game, they will need to make school more motivating and engaging as video games do. When a student plays a video game, they are engaged and challenged to complete a task. Students need hands-on learning, not worksheets.

8. What is different about how good games and school assess learners?

The difference about how good games assess and how schools assess learners is that schools assess their learners based on cumulative and standardized testing. Good video games assess learners by allowing them to assess themselves based on things that they do and do not know.

9. What are the attributes of a  fish-tank tutorial that make it an effective learning tool? How is it different than school-based learning?

The attributes of a fish-tank tutorial that make it an effective learning tool is that they are an easier version of real-world events and environments. This is different from school-based learning because information and material is given in different varieties of learning through the fish-tank tutorial. 

10. What is a sand-box tutorial? Why is effective? How is it different that school-based learning?

The sand box tutorial allows a player to feel more free to explore what the game might be like. This allows the player to figure out what is occurring and make discoveries. This is effective because the player has an opportunity to figure out what is expected of them before continuing. This is different from school-based learning because schools only teach to the book and not to the students needs.

11. What is a genre? Why is it important for good learning?

A genre is the type of what something is. They are important for good learning because many different things are learned in different ways. Not everything can be taught in the same way as something else.

12. According to the author, what to learning and play having in common?

According to the author, learning and play should always be fun, motivating, and engaging to the student.

13. How are the skills test in good games different from skills tests in school?

Skills test in a good game is different from skills tests in school because skills tests in school are not developmental or evaluative.

14. How does RoN support collaborative learning?

RoN supports collaborative learning by creating a social space where people can communicate based on the same interests as others who share the same knowledge.

15. Match at least one learning principle of good games (on page 74) with each the following learning theorists you have studied in 3352:

Dewey: #17

Vygotsky: #12

Piaget: # 5

Gardner: #14

Bandura: #9

Skinner: #15

Double Entry Journal #11

1. What does the author mean when he says, "Learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West."

When the author says "Learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West", he means that students are not encouraged to learn by doing but that they are taught to learn by just listening. It is crucial for students to use real-world experiences and interactions with peers to advance their learning abilities. 

2. According to the author, what is the best way to acquire a large vocabulary?

According to the author, the best way to acquire a large vocabulary is to "have experienced the "worlds" to which these words refer." (Gee, 2004)

3. What gives a word a specific meaning?

There are many different ways that words are given specific meanings. Words can gain meaning within the context that it is used and also by the experience that an individual may have witnessed dealing with a specific word. Almost all words have different meanings to different people.

4. What does the term "off the hook" mean in each of these sentences?

a. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present.
It means that she does not have to complete the task of buying a wedding present.

b. Them shoes are off the hook dog.
It means that the shoes are cool and hip.

c. Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!!
It means that the cat fight was crazy that the cat beat 6 people. 

5. According to the author what is the"work" of childhood? Do you agree?

According to the author, "work" of childhood is play. I agree and disagree with this statement. Play is key to childhood. However, children also need to have an understanding of when it is time to be serious and complete work.

6. Why is NOT reading the instruction for how to play a game before playing a game a wise decision?

By not reading the instruction to how to play a game before playing a game allows the player to

7. Does knowing the general or literal meaning of a word lead to strong reading skills?

Knowing the general or literal meaning of a word does not lead to strong reading skills. Just because a child can define a word, it does not mean that they understand the phonics of the word.

8. What does the author mean by the terms "identity" and "game". Give an example of 3 "identities" or "games" you play?

When the author describes the terms "identity" and "game" he means that a person's identity are the different roles that the person plays and game are the surroundings that help the person maintain their identity. An example of my identities would be a student, a child care worker, and a girlfriend. 

9. According to the author what is good learning?

According to the author, good learning is learning through experiences or real world issues.

10. How does understanding that being able to build a mental model and simulations of a real-word experience is closely tied  to comprehending written and oral language support of change the way you think children should learn in school?

By allowing students to create models and simulations of real-world experiences we, as teachers, are giving the students the opportunities to take their learning experiences to a whole new level. Students in today's world need the hands-on experience to be able to relate and understand the concept that they are trying to learn.

11. Why is peer to peer interaction so important for the language development of young children? How does knowing this support or change the way you think children should learn in school?

Peer to peer interaction is very important for the language development of young children. In my clinical class, the students are encouraged to ask their peers for help on something if they don't quite understand. In my Business Computer Applications I class, if the students don't completely understand a specific topic that we are covering, it is sometimes easier for them if a peer explains it to them. In many instances, peers use language that is understandable to other students. By knowing that students sometimes learn best from other students supports the way I think children should learn in school because it allows the students to become educators as well. They sometimes need a peer to explain it to help understand.

Fostering High Quality Formative Assessment

What is formative assessment?

Formative assessment is the feedback students receive—timely, specific, and task-focused—from teachers or other adults, peers, or through structured self-assessment, not the absence of grades, that makes formative assessment high-quality.

What is the CENTRAL purpose of formative assessment?

The central purpose of formative assessment is always putting student learning at the center.

Connect a best practice in formative assessment to one research-based strategy.

An example of connecting formative assessment with a research-based strategy would be providing feedback. To use formative assessment, the teacher could provide feedback to the students work or leave comments to allow the student to understand what needs changed or fixed.

Give an example of how a specific assessment can be used formatively and summatively.

An example of how a specific assessment can be used both formatively and summatively is the use of a rubric. The rubric allows student to know what is expected of them and lists criteria that needs to be included in the assignment (formative) and the rubric can be used summatively to assign a grade to the project.

Give an example from your field placement related to formative assessment and timing.

An example from my field placement that is related to formative assessment is step-by-step projects. In Business Computer Applications I, the students work on step-by-step projects. The instructions clearly describe how the project should be completed and the students know exactly what is expected from them.

What are some strategies to help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback?

Some strategies that help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback include:

• Emphasize the quality rather than the quantity of student work
• Prize giving advice and guidance over giving grades 
• Avoid comparing students in favor of enabling individual students to assess their own learning
• Foster dialogues that explore understandings rather than lectures that present information
• Encourage multiple iterations of an assessment cycle, each focused on a few issues
• Provide feedback that engenders motivation and leads to improvement

Name two advantages to high quality formative assessment.

Two advantages to high quality formative assessment are helping teachers identify students who are struggling with particular tasks or operating under misconceptions and fosters student motivation, on-task behavior, and self- awareness.

 

What are some challenges to implementing high quality formative assessment?

Some challenges to implementing high quality formative assessment are distinguishing between high-quality formative assessment and assessment that is under-conceptualized or not fully developed and developing mechanisms of support for teachers who employ high-quality formative assessment in their classrooms.

Double Entry Journal #10

1. What are the features of the forms of language that are spoken in a home environment that align with academic varieties of language?

Some of the features of language spoken at home that are similar to academic language are:

• Turning an everyday event into a literary story. (Announcing the beginning and ending of the story and an overview of what the story would be about)
• Adopting a frame that mimics a story book reading. (You can read aloud in your story book, etc.)
• Offering a title for the story. ("How the friends got unfriend.")
• Using syntactic structures that are typical of literary books. (Once upon a time)
• Using a lot of literary sorts of repetition and parallelism. (Boys play transformers, girls play with Cabbage Patches and "punching, pulling, banging)
• Using sympathetic fallacy. (Fight between the boys and girls is followed by the dark sky)

2. What are the features of Leona's specialized form of language?

Some of the features of Leona's specialized form of language are the use of vernacular language. She grouped her lines of her story into stanzas where each line had a parallel structure with other lines in the stanza and o match them in content. She also used complex parallelism, repetition, clear structure, generic summary statements, and evaluation.

3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?

Leona's specialized form of language is not accepted in schools because this form of language is not what many teachers are used to listening to. Many teachers are only concerned with listening to the language that they are expecting and used to listening to. They do not realize that the form of language that Leona is using is a form of language that many students at this age don't even understand. 

4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998).

The research that was conducted by Snow et al. (1998) says that they gap between the blacks and whites in reading test scores was beginning to close significantly between the 1960s and 1980s. However, the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998) suggests that the improvement of reading test scores was higher than the phonemic awareness training.

5. What other factors besides early skills training will make or break good readers?

The other factors that will make or break good readers other than the early skills training include engaging and exciting forms of language. Many students become poor readers because the types of literacy that students are made to read are not engaging to the students. Students need to be able to relate to the material that they are reading.

6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school?

Many students struggle to identify the ways with words taught within the schools because this language is much different than the language they are used to hearing within their homes. Students listen and gain literary knowledge within their homes at young ages. Once they begin school, the language completely changes and they begin to feel alienated and singled out.

Student Interviews

When I began interviewing the two students that I chose, I realized that they had more in common than I had realized. Both students were very involved in athletics. I was also shocked by some of the answers that the students gave for the questions. The struggling student showed me that he excels in almost every class that he has been in. However, he sometimes struggles in the class that I observe. He informed me that he is not a very good at typing on the computer and that is what they majority of the assignments within this class contain. I really enjoyed interviewing and getting to know these students a little better.

• Do you enjoy school?

HP: I usually enjoy coming to school but, sometimes I'm tired and don't want to come.
SS: No. The teachers are too strict and assign too much homework.

• What kind of student are you?

HP: I would say that I am a loyal and honest student.
SS: I am usually the class clown and I like to goof off during class. 

• What do for fun outside of school?

HP: I usually hang out with my friends or play sports.
SS: After school, I go to practice or go to one of my friends' house to hang out. 

• How would your classmates describe you?

HP: I think my classmates would describe me as being outgoing and fun to be around.
SS: My friends would probably describe me as being annoying. I never shut up and I get on their nerves.

• What do you and your friends do together?

HP: Go to the movies, go shopping, or play sports.
SS: Play sports.

• Tell me a good memory you have about school? 

HP: I don't have many good memories about school. Well, I guess when one of my teachers let us take our                  shoes off and relax one day would be a good memory.
SS: A good memory that I have had during school was when I got a 100% on an Algebra Test.

• Tell me a bad memory you have about school?

HP: A bad memory that I have about school was when I was in middle school and I had a bottom locker. One              day I bent down to get something out of my locker and my jeans ripped. I was very embarrassed. Another              bad memory that I have is when I was taking the West Test and was sick and threw up all over the test.
SS: During my freshman year, I stayed up until 3:30 a.m. working on an extra credit assignment that my teacher          didn't even grade.

• Describe a "good" teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.

HP: A good teacher to me would be a teacher who likes to joke around but, can also be serious when needed.
SS: I like teachers who have a sense of humor and like o have fun. I also like teachers who are organized and            have all of their work finished on time.

• Would you consider your learning experience throughout high school as being motivational and engaging? If not, how could it be more engaging and exciting?

HP: No. I wish teachers would make their lessons more hands-on.
SS: Yes.

Double Entry Journal # 9

1. What is the strange fact about not learning to read? 

“The majority of children who do not fare well in early reading are poor or come from minority groups whose members have faced a history of prejudice and oppression (Gee, 2004)."

2. Why is this fact so strange?

Because of this question: “Why should being poor or a member of a particular social group have anything whatsoever to do with learning to read in school?” (Gee, 2004, p. 7).  “The strange fact that poverty and learning to read in school are linked is not caused by poor children being less good at learning than rich kids.” (Gee, 2004, p. 8).  “The real issue is failing, for whatever reason, to be a member of a particular group” (Gee, 2004, p. 7)

3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who are good at learning things like Pokemon into children who are not good a learning?

I believe that many schools offer different after-school activities for students to better their education. However, many of these activities cost money and the students who come from lower incomes can not afford these different activities. Students from higher income homes are expected to excel in school more so than students who come from lower income homes. Also, many students who come from lower-income homes do not have the support system that the higher-income students have.

4. What are the differences between a traditionalists approach to learning to read and more progressive educators?

When a student is being instructed on how to read, traditionalists teach only the basic skills needed when reading. Traditionalists typically teach only the basic skills needed to read because learning to read is not similar to learning to talk. Learning to talk is a natural process. A progressive approach typically expresses a more meaningful approach. They believe that a student learns to read best when they can acquire the skills that the traditionalist approach is teaching.

5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?

Learning to read is not a natural process like learning to speak a language. “Today’s reading traditionalists, supported by many linguists, argue that learning to read, unlike acquiring one’s first oral language, cannot be a biologically supported process and, thus, cannot be ‘natural’ (Gee, 2004)". 

6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?

A natural process occurs without instruction from others. An example of a natural process would be breathing. Instructed processes occur when a person learns from instruction from a skill of information that is given to them. Cultural processes occur when a person learns things from a cultural group that is found important to them.

7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school?

Humans learn best through cultural processes. However, schools usually teach through instructional processes. Reading is usually taught through an instructional process rather than a cultural process.

8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grade slump."

The fourth-grade slump occurs when students are active in reading within the early grades but as the content of the upper grade levels increases, the students begin to fall behind. This is an example of phonological awareness. It helps students in the early stages of reading by does not hold and long-term benefits to them.

9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?

A better predictor of reading success other than phonemic awareness would be learning vocabulary, story recall, and comprehension. All of these are gained by interaction with adults.

10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give an example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "a specialized variety",  about a topic in your content area.

V: Balance the accounting statement.

S:  Please use your knowledge of the addition and subtraction processes to balance the accounting statement by adding the debit column and subtracting the credit column.

11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed?

An early language ability is something that is acquired within the early years of life and are typically developed within the child's own household.  

12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail?

According to the author, schools teach children “to read only in the sense of being able to do phonics and dealing with the superficial literal meanings of words mostly in the vernacular.  Poor children suffer the same sort of plight that someone who tries to pass French 4 with out French 1, French 2, and French 3 does.”  I totally agree with this quote from the text. Children are being passed through the different grade levels without the appropriate skills needed to read. They have not gained the proper reading skills to begin learning the advanced reading skills.

13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school?

I do not believe that it is the economic status of the parents fault for the children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language. For children to become experienced with language it takes interaction with adults, children, and other human beings. Children learn through experiences and if children are exposed to different types of language, they will have a better understanding of the language.

14. Did you struggle with reading this text? Why? Are you a poor reader or are you unfamiliar with this variety of specialized language?

I found that I actually enjoy reading this book. I finding it intriguing and sometimes surprising. While I read, I find myself questioning some of the things that Gee says. However, after I read through them, I realize that many of the things make sense and I agree.

Double Entry Journal #8

1. What is the main challenge being addressed in the book?

The main challenge being addressed in this book is how to make academic reading and learning more enticing to the students. Many students find it difficult to continue their reading or learning because of uninvolvement or carelessness about a particular topic. 

2. What does the author mean by the phrase "ways with words"?

When the author discusses the phrase "ways with words" he specifically means that the way words are portrayed to students are more meaningful now than ever. Having a "way with your words" can make a listener more motivated than in the past. "These new ways are the ways with words connected to contemporary digital technologies and the myriad of popular culture and specialist practices to which they have given rise."

3. What is the core argument being made by the author of this book?

The core argument being made by the author of this book is how people learn new ways with words, in or out of school, only when they find the worlds to which these words apply compelling. 1`

4. Give an example of a specialized variety of a language or "way with words" you have learned outside of school?

An example of a specialized variety of a language or "ways with words" that I have learned outside of school would be the language of cheerleading. The language that cheerleaders use is most often hard for "outsiders" to understand. The terminology used is sometimes confusing and misleading.

5. According to the author, how do people learn a specialized variety of a language or "way with words" best?

People learn a specialized variety of a language or "ways with words" best when they can tie the words and structures of those languages to experiences they have had.

6. If people are to be successful in the 21st century, what must they become?

If people are to be successful in the 21st century, they must become "shape-shifting portfolio people". This means that they are "people who gain many diverse experiences that they can then use to transform and adapt themselves for fast-changing circumstances throughout their lives."

 

7. The author states that  learning academic language is NOT sufficient for success in modern society? Do you agree? Why or Why not?

I disagree that learning academic language is not sufficient for success in modern society. It is essential that students learn academic language. If students do not have a clear understanding of the content that they are learning, they will not be able to succeed within the course. 

Resources

Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning. New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

Double Entry Journal #7

What are some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning?

 

The main challenge when it comes to inquiry approaches to learning is that when it comes time for statewide or standardized testing, many students are not as prepared as expected. Inquiry-based learning is described as a "student-centered, active learning approach focusing on question, critical thinking, and problem-solving." This approach to learning is what many students crave when walking into a classroom. Inquiry based learning allows students to use concepts that they are interested in and things that are occuring around them in the real world to help them learn new material. However, there are many critics that believe that inquiry based learning does not properly prepare students for the necessary testing that they must pass. Many administrators and parents are against inquiry based learning simply because of this reason.


References

Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (1991). Teaching for meaningful learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf

 

 Concept to classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/explor_sub1.html

Double Entry Journal #5

Quote:

"Children are like wax, not iron, and can be molded (Horace Mann)."

1. What is reverent listening and how can it support culturally responsive teaching?

Reverent listening is needed in the classroom and is defined as an act of mutually given respect, no matter what the ethnicity or social status of the speaker is.  Reverent listeners are respectful of those speaking, but they also realize that at the right moment, they have the right to be heard as well. In one example, he talks about a special chair that a teacher used to promote "reverent listening" in her classroom. I really liked this practice because I believe that this gives each person in the classroom the chance to feel special and that the message that they were trying to portray was heard.

2. Give an example from your own schooling experience of what this quote means:

    Reverent listening is not to be confused with humiliation and domination by others who force us to listen, and even less so, with the kind of incompetence that wants to be told what to do.

When I was in the third grade, my teacher made all of the students stand in the front of the classroom and have a contest on who knew their times tables the quickest. We had just begun learning about multiplication and I was still apprehensive about the subject. However, every night my mother and I would practice my multiplication until I would cry. But, I still had a difficult time repeating them quickly in front of the classroom. This experience was very humiliating for me and made learning how to multiply a difficult task for me for a long time. By making me stand in front of all of the students and humiliating me did not help me learn how to multiply. It actually made it more difficult.

3. What is meant by a "laundry list of value ethics"? Give an example from your own schooling experience. And then explain how this approach to character education can be NON-culturally responsive.

I think of the “laundry list of value ethics” is similar to the classroom rules that teachers set at the beginning of the year.  Many teachers make rules such as keep your hands, feet, and other objects to yourself, no talking when the teacher is talking, and raise your hand to speak. This approach to teaching in the classroom can be non-culturally responsive because in some cultures children are expected to have some input in what occurs. I believe that by making the students raise their hand every time that they want to speak we as teachers are silencing the students and not allowing them to fully express their feelings.

4. Have you ever had a teacher that at one time or another exhibited the traits of a reverent teacher? What did they do? How did they make you feel?

I have had many teachers in the past that demonstrated characteristics of a reverent teacher. However, I have also had many who did not demonstrate characteristics of reverent teaching. With the teachers who demonstrated reverent teaching, were able to speak our minds and share our opinions while in the classroom.  While I was in these classrooms, I felt that my opinion mattered and what I was saying truly meant something.


5. What factors contribute to a "toxic" school culture?

I believe that a “toxic” school culture is a culture that is not open to diversity, closed minded, and do not have the appropriate tools to help diverse learners gain knowledge. A toxic school culture is unappreciated of students who learn in different ways and are not allowing students to voice their opinions within the classroom.

6. Find a quote in this article that you would like to incorporate into your own philosophy of education and explain how it fits or changes your philosophy of education.

"Children are like wax, not iron, and can be molded (Horace Mann)."

I believe that this quote best fits in my philosophy of education because many secondary educators believe that by the time students leave elementary school and enter middle and high school, they have been molded into who they will be and they will not be able to change. However, I believe that no matter how old a person is or what grade level they are in, they are still capable of learning. It is our job as educators to make sure that students obtain all of the knowledge that is possible while in our classroom. I want to be able to help mold a child’s life and future into something outstanding.

7. Find a strategy/activity conveyed in a video, blog posting, lesson plan, or online article that will help you become a teacher who cultivates a reverence in their classroom and school community (key search terms: teachers and reverence, teachers and mindfulness, teachers and rituals, routines (do not search teachers and ritual without the routine qualifier. If you do you will se disturbing stuff ). Link to it and describe how you will use it in your future classroom.

In today's society, it is crucial for teachers to be mindful of their students emotions and learning capabilities. If teachers humiliate or dominate their students, the learning experience for many students will be non-existient. However, it takes a large amount of practice to become a mindful teacher. I found a website that lists a few tips for teachers to become mindful of their students. The main aspect to being a mindful teacher is to get your students involved. I plan to use the tips given on the website to help me become mindful of my future students learning experiences.
 

References:

Cowan, M. (2010, May 13). Tips for teaching mindfulness to kids. Retrieved from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_teaching_mindfulness_to_kids

Double Entry Journal #6

1. Read the Introduction. What "dominant paradigm" is showing signs of wear?

The dominant paradigm that is showing signs of wear are is the "instructional
model of the teacher and the textbook as the primary sources of knowledge, conveyed
through lecturing, discussion, and reading, has proven astonishingly persistent."

2. According to the research, how does Project-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.

In today's workforce, it is crucial for employees to be able to work together and to complete tasks such as presentations. I believe that project-based learning supports student learning better than traditional approaches because it allows the students to work towards completing a real-world task. Project-based learning also allows students to transfer their learning to new kinds of situations and problems and to use knowledge more proficiently in performance situations. Shepherd (1998) studied the results of a unit in which a group of fourth and fifth graders completed a nine-week project to define and find solutions related to housing shortages in several countries. Researchers also created a performance task in which students participating in the Challenge 2000 Multimedia Project and a comparison group developed a brochure informing school officials about problems faced by homeless students (Penuel, Means, & Simkins, 2000). A more ambitious, longitudinal comparative study by Boaler (1997, 1998) followed students over three years in two British schools that were comparable with respect to students’ prior achievement and socioeconomic status, but that used either a traditional curriculum or a project-based curriculum.

3.  According to the research, how does Problem-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.

Problem-based learning supports student learning better than traditional approaches because students are learning real-world problem solving skills. The students learn how to deal with problems and the best way to solve and deal with these issues. Students work in small groups to investigate meaningful problems, identify what they need to learn in order to solve a problem, and generate strategies for solution (Barrows, 1996; Hmelo- Silver, 2004). Problem- or case-based approaches have been used in business, law, and teacher education to help students learn to analyze complex, multifaceted situations and to develop knowledge to guide decisionmaking (see, e.g. Lundeberg, Levin, & Harrington, 1999; Savery & Duffy, 1996; Williams, 1992). Additional studies have demonstrated that students who participated in problem-based experiences are better able to generate accurate hypotheses and coherent explanations (Hmelo, 1998b; Schmidt et al., 1996).

4.  According to the research, how does Learning by Design support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.

Learning by Design supports student learning better than traditional approaches because it allows students to design and create an artifact that requires understanding and application of knowledge. By using learning by design, once students have completed an assignment, they feel that they have accomplished something and are very proud of the outcome of their designs.

5. What are the differences between the three approaches?

The differences between these three approaches are that  project-based learning allows students to explore real world problems and find ways to handle and fix the issues. Problem-based learning is to teach students problem solving skills. Learning by design is a project-based inquiry that deals with reasoning.

6. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit to learning that is common across the three types of inquiry-based learning approaches?

In my opinion, the most important benefit to learning that is common across the three types of inquiry-based learning approaches is that the students are learning about real-world issues and how to handle this situations. They also allow students to participate in real-world activities.


Resources

Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (1991). Teaching for meaningful learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf

Culturally Responsive Teaching Reflection

 


Although language, literacy, and power all have different meanings they are all part of the same concept. "None of us is born knowing how to talk appropriately in church, in court, in school, in a group of friends, and so on. Similarly, none of us is born knowing how to write a personal letter, a story, a science report, an excuse note, and so on (Purcell-Gates, 2002)." For educators to teach in the Appalachian region, they must understand that the language spoke in this region is different from other languages across the United States. The people within the U.S. who hold powerful positions believe that people who speak with the Appalachian dialect are unintelligent and ignorant. However, the students within the Appalachian region have a vast amount of knowledge but they must fight the cultural deficit placed upon them. Many people within society place cultural deficit perspectives on students and this makes a teacher’s job even more difficult. Teachers and schools help contribute to poor literacy instruction by viewing students with cultural deficit perspective rather than with a cultural difference perspectives on the students.
One way for teachers to overcome the cultural deficits perspectives placed on their students is to allow each student to create a digital story to portray where they come from. By allowing students to create this digital story they are able to demonstrate many skills dealing with literacy and language that may not be portrayed with a pencil and a piece of paper.

Teachers and schools help contribute to poor literacy instruction by placing cultural deficit and difference perspectives on the students. For example, after reading about the Moll research, I had never put into perspective how it may feel to totally not understand one or more important concepts of life. However, the Moll research stated that it is unfair to tell someone of a different nationality that they are incompetent and unable to learn to drive when in reality they just need to be taught differently than the people within the United States. I thought that this was a wonderful example of how teachers contribute to poor literacy. The cultural deficit perspective is a wonderful way to describe the issue about driving. However, cultural deficit perspective is also portrayed against students from different cultures within the U.S. Some teachers and school districts do not want to take the time to teach struggling student’s different strategies to become proficient in literacy. An example of a strategy that can improve literacy instruction for speakers of non-standard English to allow the student to create their own digital story about their heritage and where they come from. By allowing students to create their own digital story, a teacher is drawing on students’ cultural capital and allowing them to exhibit their strengths without feeling pressure from others.

Teachers can eliminate cultural deficit perspectives of their students by creating teaching lessons around their students "funds of knowledge" (Moll, 1992). For instance, the article written by Moll about Funds of Knowledge is about examing what is going on within the society and how the community can help the teacher prepare and implement lessons dealing with the things occuring. By teaching things that the students understand and believe is usefull in their lives, the students can better relate and understand the concepts. By using the student's funds of knowledge, they will be able to participate better within the classroom and on their daily assignments.

The where I am from project supported culturally responsive teaching and inclusive practices by allowing each student to tell their own story and use their own background information within the story. The digital story designed instruction that was appropriate to each student’s stages of development, learning styles, strengths, and needs. It also created a learning community that respected each student’s individual differences. It is sometimes difficult for students who come from different backgrounds to feel comfortable telling people about their heritage and family. This project made the concept of a family history paper and made it a project for the 21^stcentury. I look forward to being able to allow each student in my class to create a “Where I Am From” project. I believe that this project is a great way to get to know each of your students and to begin a new school year. Implementing culturally responsive teaching practices is essential to having a functioning classroom. As teachers, we should be advocates to students and should be there whenever our students need our help. We need to be able to understand their heritage and background information to be able to help them gain their full potential within the classroom.


References

Moll, L. (1992). Funds of Knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. (1992). Theory into Practice, 31(2), 132-41.

Purcell-Gates, V. (2002). “...As soon as she opened her mouth!” In L. Delpit & J.K. Dowdy (Eds.), The skin that we speak: An anthology of essays on language, culture and power.

Where I'm From

Double Entry Journal #4

3 Things I learned about teaching and  literacy development

Three things that I learned about teaching and literacy development were 
1.) To include the dialect spoken by the students in classroom discussion
2.) Look to people within the community to help develop teaching strategies
3.) Do not dismiss the dialect spoken by the students. This could make the students believe that the way they speak is bad or incorrect.

  

2 examples of how the strategies for literacy instruction presented in this article reflect Culturally Responsive Teaching.

Two examples of how the strategies for literacy instruction presented in this article reflect culturally responsive teachings are

1.) Build bridges of meaningfulness between home and school experience.

2.) Encourage students to share their varied perspectives and experiences & create a supportive environment where this can occur.

1 example of literacy instruction from your own schooling experience and explain how it reflects or does not reflect Culturally Responsive Teaching.

An example of a literacy instruction from my own schooling experience would be when I was in middle school and was instructed to write my first, long essay. I was instructed to write a five page essay on any subject thought I would like. I was very excited to write the paper. However, once the paper was graded and returned to me, I was not as excited anymore. I did not receive a very good grade. Once I asked the teacher why my grade was so poor, she told me that the grammar in the essay was awful. I was bothered by this because as a class, we were never corrected when we spoke. But, when we wrote the words like we said them, we were wrong.

Response

 

I chose this picture because I felt that it gave different resources for literacy instruction that reflects culturally responsive teaching. Children and families, as well as the teacher, need to use different groups and members of the community to help build literacy. If people within the community are used to help instruction of literacy, children will feel more comfortable when speaking and writing. 

References

Epstein, P., & Herring-Harris, L. (2011, Sept. 15). Honoring dialect and increasing student performance in standard english. Retrieved from http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3655 

Weigal, D. & Martin, S. (2007, June 01). Identifying key early literacy and school readiness issues: Exploring a strategy for assessing community needs Early Childhood Research and Practice, 8(2), Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v8n2/weigel.html