04 September 2014 - Blog One, Week Two
First day in the classroom. I have to say I am extremely anxious right off the bat. This is my first formal day "teaching" in a school. Right after my collaborating teacher (CT) introduces me, I am approached by one of the students who requests my assistance with her bell work. The CT promptly informs me this student is an attention-seeker and does not actually need help. Straight away I begin to watch all the tiny personalities unfold and can spot those who have behavioral issues, those who are exceptionally bright, and those who are reserved. My biggest fear in the classroom is being unable to control the students and I can tell I have a lot to learn in that department. Trapnell is a Title I school with extended reading time (ERT) and many of the students are well below their reading level. In addition, many are ESOL students. In fact, one of mine is an ELL. I can tell that this semester will be extremely beneficial for me with the courses I am taking and understanding how to better myself as an educator.
One of the first things that I believe anyone would notice in Trapnell’s classrooms is diversity. I would actually consider it to not be very diverse, as, in my class, the percentage split is 7.1% African American, 71.4% Hispanic, 7.1% multi-racial, and 14.3% Caucasian. In addition, my class is split 50-50 by gender with 14 males and 14 females, so this is not diverse. 26 out of 28 are on free and reduced lunch and one is currently being considered, so they are almost all on the same socioeconomic scale. My CT tells me that, for the most part, the only students whose families are not living in the immediate area on the farms and in run-down trailers are the faculty and staff’s children. That being said, I think diversity is actually virtually nonexistent in my class because these kids are almost all in the same boat. They say that many of the parents do not know English and are essentially illegal migrant workers, so I can only question how involved they actually are when it comes to the child’s schooling and homework, etc.
Something that I have not yet inquired about is the No Child Left Behind policy in the school and how my CT feels, but I will definitely make a note to ask her about it next time I see her because I wonder how this works and her opinion about it. She briefly mentions that it reflects poorly on the teacher when students do not progress in the grade level and, I believe, if they are held back. I have to question how often these students get pushed through to the next grade level when they are not yet ready.
My last stand-out moment is a student named Mary (pseudonym). She had a bad case of encephalitis a year ago that changed her brain chemistry. According to my CT, she is basically a whole new person now and has behavioral issues because of it. I know we briefly touched on behavioral issues in class and they are very apparent in my room, but her case stands out because it is beyond her control. Her doctors have her on high doses of ADHD medication, but the CT does not see it working as well as it should. I have many questions about how her particular situation works and would love nothing more than to hear from a psychologist, his or her thoughts on Mary’s condition and how it can be kept at bay.
First day in the classroom. I have to say I am extremely anxious right off the bat. This is my first formal day "teaching" in a school. Right after my collaborating teacher (CT) introduces me, I am approached by one of the students who requests my assistance with her bell work. The CT promptly informs me this student is an attention-seeker and does not actually need help. Straight away I begin to watch all the tiny personalities unfold and can spot those who have behavioral issues, those who are exceptionally bright, and those who are reserved. My biggest fear in the classroom is being unable to control the students and I can tell I have a lot to learn in that department. Trapnell is a Title I school with extended reading time (ERT) and many of the students are well below their reading level. In addition, many are ESOL students. In fact, one of mine is an ELL. I can tell that this semester will be extremely beneficial for me with the courses I am taking and understanding how to better myself as an educator.
One of the first things that I believe anyone would notice in Trapnell’s classrooms is diversity. I would actually consider it to not be very diverse, as, in my class, the percentage split is 7.1% African American, 71.4% Hispanic, 7.1% multi-racial, and 14.3% Caucasian. In addition, my class is split 50-50 by gender with 14 males and 14 females, so this is not diverse. 26 out of 28 are on free and reduced lunch and one is currently being considered, so they are almost all on the same socioeconomic scale. My CT tells me that, for the most part, the only students whose families are not living in the immediate area on the farms and in run-down trailers are the faculty and staff’s children. That being said, I think diversity is actually virtually nonexistent in my class because these kids are almost all in the same boat. They say that many of the parents do not know English and are essentially illegal migrant workers, so I can only question how involved they actually are when it comes to the child’s schooling and homework, etc.
Something that I have not yet inquired about is the No Child Left Behind policy in the school and how my CT feels, but I will definitely make a note to ask her about it next time I see her because I wonder how this works and her opinion about it. She briefly mentions that it reflects poorly on the teacher when students do not progress in the grade level and, I believe, if they are held back. I have to question how often these students get pushed through to the next grade level when they are not yet ready.
My last stand-out moment is a student named Mary (pseudonym). She had a bad case of encephalitis a year ago that changed her brain chemistry. According to my CT, she is basically a whole new person now and has behavioral issues because of it. I know we briefly touched on behavioral issues in class and they are very apparent in my room, but her case stands out because it is beyond her control. Her doctors have her on high doses of ADHD medication, but the CT does not see it working as well as it should. I have many questions about how her particular situation works and would love nothing more than to hear from a psychologist, his or her thoughts on Mary’s condition and how it can be kept at bay.
11 September 2014 - Blog Two, Week Three
I am feeling more comfortable in the classroom already. i have begun helping out during centers, guiding the students while the teachers take part in administering the FAIR tests. (We later find out that these tests have been discontinued on an indefinite basis and my first question of the week is why did this happen? My CT thinks it has to do with the results they were getting). Today I also administered an ERAS (Elementary reading Attitude Survey) with the student I had hoped would be my focus student, but my CT warned me that his attendance is spotty and I later learned that he left Trapnell permanently.
I try to use what I have learned about Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory in the classroom by asking my CT how the students' home lives appear. This also helps me fill out my Classroom Community Packet and understand how some of the students act in class reflects upon the things they encountered at home like siblings, parents' work, etc. It appears many of the students have siblings, most at the same school. Does having older siblings at the same school make the experience easier, knowing there is a familiar face around in case the child feels lonely or has separation anxiety from the parents? My sister and I are almost six years apart, so we were never in school together and I have little knowledge on the topic.
This week I wonder about a particular student who has been asking for me a lot in the classroom. Charlie (pseudonym) informs me that his father is in jail. I know he has a sister in fourth grade and that they are picked up by an afterschool-care van. He acts up a little in class, but my concern lies in the inappropriate things he likes to ask me. That makes me wonder if they are raised solely by a mother or if other family members help out in the home. I have learned a lot about the four types of parenting and I would like to know how does having a father in jail play into this?
I am feeling more comfortable in the classroom already. i have begun helping out during centers, guiding the students while the teachers take part in administering the FAIR tests. (We later find out that these tests have been discontinued on an indefinite basis and my first question of the week is why did this happen? My CT thinks it has to do with the results they were getting). Today I also administered an ERAS (Elementary reading Attitude Survey) with the student I had hoped would be my focus student, but my CT warned me that his attendance is spotty and I later learned that he left Trapnell permanently.
I try to use what I have learned about Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory in the classroom by asking my CT how the students' home lives appear. This also helps me fill out my Classroom Community Packet and understand how some of the students act in class reflects upon the things they encountered at home like siblings, parents' work, etc. It appears many of the students have siblings, most at the same school. Does having older siblings at the same school make the experience easier, knowing there is a familiar face around in case the child feels lonely or has separation anxiety from the parents? My sister and I are almost six years apart, so we were never in school together and I have little knowledge on the topic.
This week I wonder about a particular student who has been asking for me a lot in the classroom. Charlie (pseudonym) informs me that his father is in jail. I know he has a sister in fourth grade and that they are picked up by an afterschool-care van. He acts up a little in class, but my concern lies in the inappropriate things he likes to ask me. That makes me wonder if they are raised solely by a mother or if other family members help out in the home. I have learned a lot about the four types of parenting and I would like to know how does having a father in jail play into this?
18 September 2014 - Blog Three, Week Four
Today I want to focus on a little on peer context. I have many ESL students in my class, but some are on different levels than others. I have a group of three boys that my CT calls the "Three Amigos" because they seem to always be together, one could even say in a clique. Does having a class so primarily ESL help those ELLs learn better because they are surrounded by other Spanish speakers who make them feel comfortable, or does this hinder that process because it is easier for them to use the language around others who understand and can respond?
Charlie, who I spoke about last week is an African-American and, from the "gossip" I hear amongst the students, he is "dating" Amelia (pseudonym) who is Caucasian. Unfortunately, interracial relationships are still taboo to many, and one of the boys asked me, seemingly concerned, "can a black boy and a white girl get married?" I, of course, assured him this is okay, but he wanted to know why. I told him that when two people are in love they get married. I know this concept is controversial. We often think that children are incapable of understanding such concepts. I find this to be true, in a sense. More often, they do not see it as anything more than "if two people love each other they should be together". In fact, I have watched a video of children observing gay couples proposing and they all think it is heartwarming, even if they are confused at first. This question can branch off a million ways, but definitely hits hard in the psychology community- is that acceptance of what so many people become adamantly against an inborn trait?
Fortunately for me, I am in a first grade class, so bullying isn't as primarily portrayed as it is in the later years, but I am not so naive to think it cannot become an issue early on. I tend to notice little behaviors like exclusion, but I think this plays back into the cliques, which are mostly harmless at this age.
Today I want to focus on a little on peer context. I have many ESL students in my class, but some are on different levels than others. I have a group of three boys that my CT calls the "Three Amigos" because they seem to always be together, one could even say in a clique. Does having a class so primarily ESL help those ELLs learn better because they are surrounded by other Spanish speakers who make them feel comfortable, or does this hinder that process because it is easier for them to use the language around others who understand and can respond?
Charlie, who I spoke about last week is an African-American and, from the "gossip" I hear amongst the students, he is "dating" Amelia (pseudonym) who is Caucasian. Unfortunately, interracial relationships are still taboo to many, and one of the boys asked me, seemingly concerned, "can a black boy and a white girl get married?" I, of course, assured him this is okay, but he wanted to know why. I told him that when two people are in love they get married. I know this concept is controversial. We often think that children are incapable of understanding such concepts. I find this to be true, in a sense. More often, they do not see it as anything more than "if two people love each other they should be together". In fact, I have watched a video of children observing gay couples proposing and they all think it is heartwarming, even if they are confused at first. This question can branch off a million ways, but definitely hits hard in the psychology community- is that acceptance of what so many people become adamantly against an inborn trait?
Fortunately for me, I am in a first grade class, so bullying isn't as primarily portrayed as it is in the later years, but I am not so naive to think it cannot become an issue early on. I tend to notice little behaviors like exclusion, but I think this plays back into the cliques, which are mostly harmless at this age.
25 September 2014 - Blog Four, Week Five
Nature vs. nurture is one of the greatest debates, and I definitely have no desire to debate that, because there is honestly enough evidence to show that there is no clear line between the two, moreso that they both aid in one's development. I would like to question, however, which seems to have the bigger impact? This question could get me in trouble, but I would love to sort of take on my own case study to see how it has impacted him/her. For now, I would like to discuss some of what I have seen in my class that fuels the great debate. We have one student, Drake (pseudonym), who has an IQ of 140 and, for lack of a better word, annoys many of the teachers. In fact, one of my fellow classmates worked with him in Kindergarten where they tried to bump him to First Grade and it fell through for a reason I cannot recall. He is definitely an intelligent child, but my CT thinks that nature is half of the issue. She believes he has been told many times that he is very smart, so he knows it and likes to play it up to his advantage. In his case, I think the nurture he has received plays into his behavioral issue, but having an IQ that high that early is generally a nature thing that a fortunate few develop.
This week, in class, we discussed Piaget vs. Vygotsky and the majority of the class seemed to favor Vygotsky's theory as it has flexibility where the individual is concerned. I believe Drake to be a fabulous example of this, due to his early intelligence. Some other students in my class may also reach this IQ, while others my not (I have one whose is only at 40). This proves that not all students develop at the same pace. Because of this, my questions becomes, since these two particular students in my class are the outliers who are extreme cases, is it true that, generally, most children do develop within Piaget's set levels?
I find language development to be another stressed element in my particular classroom because, as aforementioned, many of the students are ESOL and do not necessarily show the same language results for that age as the students who were raised in an English-speaking home. I have one student whose English is so poor, that testing him in any type of reading is difficult and brings upon such low results that someone from the outside who does not know his situation may think that he is simply developing slowly. This, of course, is not the case. I have to question, though, how do these students fare when it comes to testing and being promoted to the next grade when their English is so poor? This is a growing concern for me as an outside viewer and it definitely brings forth many other questions about having to learn a second language.
Side note for Internship Blog- I define inquiry as an active quest for information, generally executed well through collaborative research. This pertains to the classroom as inquiry-based learning is an effective method for many students. Allowing them to be a part of what they learn by questioning and working things out for themselves. I see this often practiced in my classroom.
Nature vs. nurture is one of the greatest debates, and I definitely have no desire to debate that, because there is honestly enough evidence to show that there is no clear line between the two, moreso that they both aid in one's development. I would like to question, however, which seems to have the bigger impact? This question could get me in trouble, but I would love to sort of take on my own case study to see how it has impacted him/her. For now, I would like to discuss some of what I have seen in my class that fuels the great debate. We have one student, Drake (pseudonym), who has an IQ of 140 and, for lack of a better word, annoys many of the teachers. In fact, one of my fellow classmates worked with him in Kindergarten where they tried to bump him to First Grade and it fell through for a reason I cannot recall. He is definitely an intelligent child, but my CT thinks that nature is half of the issue. She believes he has been told many times that he is very smart, so he knows it and likes to play it up to his advantage. In his case, I think the nurture he has received plays into his behavioral issue, but having an IQ that high that early is generally a nature thing that a fortunate few develop.
This week, in class, we discussed Piaget vs. Vygotsky and the majority of the class seemed to favor Vygotsky's theory as it has flexibility where the individual is concerned. I believe Drake to be a fabulous example of this, due to his early intelligence. Some other students in my class may also reach this IQ, while others my not (I have one whose is only at 40). This proves that not all students develop at the same pace. Because of this, my questions becomes, since these two particular students in my class are the outliers who are extreme cases, is it true that, generally, most children do develop within Piaget's set levels?
I find language development to be another stressed element in my particular classroom because, as aforementioned, many of the students are ESOL and do not necessarily show the same language results for that age as the students who were raised in an English-speaking home. I have one student whose English is so poor, that testing him in any type of reading is difficult and brings upon such low results that someone from the outside who does not know his situation may think that he is simply developing slowly. This, of course, is not the case. I have to question, though, how do these students fare when it comes to testing and being promoted to the next grade when their English is so poor? This is a growing concern for me as an outside viewer and it definitely brings forth many other questions about having to learn a second language.
Side note for Internship Blog- I define inquiry as an active quest for information, generally executed well through collaborative research. This pertains to the classroom as inquiry-based learning is an effective method for many students. Allowing them to be a part of what they learn by questioning and working things out for themselves. I see this often practiced in my classroom.
02 October 2014 - Blog Five, Week Six
Today, I want to discuss one of my troubled students who struggles with a bit of aggressive behavior. According to what we learned in class, this is a sociomoral developmental delay. A habit of his that I have noticed is he loves to make himself the victim, becoming upset when he talks back and my CT shuts him down. I imagine he must know he is in the wrong; she tells him very often not to talk back and he still manages to do it every time. I also notice he is big on "tattling" and feels like many students are out to get him. Putting on my psychologist hat, I wonder the best way to help a student develop in a way that stomps out that unwanted behavior?
Another behavior I would like to address that falls under advancing moral development is that of peer relationships. I briefly spoke about peer context and how certain students for certain cliques, but in this developmental stage, peer relationships displays many traits. I notice that my students who stick together are those who seem to be similar as far as gender, race, etc., and I think they sort of feed off of each other. We learned that peer relationships must include reciprocity and it seems that the students who always want to be together in the classroom are those who know they are both benefiting from the relationship. I could be very far ahead of myself here developmentally, but I wonder when do these students who form relationships start to separate the friendships that maybe do not benefit them and are not "worth their while"?
On another note, we learned a lot about brain development in class. We learned about how some of it is genetic, which makes a lot of sense as far as the basic contribution. However, this is only one factor. Humans need a stimulating environment to achieve optimal learning and development. Some of my students concern me because their home lives are not the the most optimal environments for fostering learning. I worry they are not developing as quickly as they can be because they do not have the opportunity to practice what they learn in the classroom when they get home. In addition, I have concern for one of my students because I think he lives primarily with his grandma, who smokes. Smoking is a teratogen that can cause detrimental effects on anyone, but especially becomes worrisome in a home with young ones.
Side note for Internship Blog- Jamie, my focus student, stood out to me because of her personality. In a positive manner, I was attracted to how sweet she is and how eager she seemed to be to participate. She seems to be a very strong little girl and I really have enjoyed working with her. I wonder many things about her, particularly about her home life. I know a little about where she lives and I have background information I have obtained about her scores, but I wonder more about her learning style and how it is for her to try to learn this curriculum while she is primarily Spanish-speaking.
Today, I want to discuss one of my troubled students who struggles with a bit of aggressive behavior. According to what we learned in class, this is a sociomoral developmental delay. A habit of his that I have noticed is he loves to make himself the victim, becoming upset when he talks back and my CT shuts him down. I imagine he must know he is in the wrong; she tells him very often not to talk back and he still manages to do it every time. I also notice he is big on "tattling" and feels like many students are out to get him. Putting on my psychologist hat, I wonder the best way to help a student develop in a way that stomps out that unwanted behavior?
Another behavior I would like to address that falls under advancing moral development is that of peer relationships. I briefly spoke about peer context and how certain students for certain cliques, but in this developmental stage, peer relationships displays many traits. I notice that my students who stick together are those who seem to be similar as far as gender, race, etc., and I think they sort of feed off of each other. We learned that peer relationships must include reciprocity and it seems that the students who always want to be together in the classroom are those who know they are both benefiting from the relationship. I could be very far ahead of myself here developmentally, but I wonder when do these students who form relationships start to separate the friendships that maybe do not benefit them and are not "worth their while"?
On another note, we learned a lot about brain development in class. We learned about how some of it is genetic, which makes a lot of sense as far as the basic contribution. However, this is only one factor. Humans need a stimulating environment to achieve optimal learning and development. Some of my students concern me because their home lives are not the the most optimal environments for fostering learning. I worry they are not developing as quickly as they can be because they do not have the opportunity to practice what they learn in the classroom when they get home. In addition, I have concern for one of my students because I think he lives primarily with his grandma, who smokes. Smoking is a teratogen that can cause detrimental effects on anyone, but especially becomes worrisome in a home with young ones.
Side note for Internship Blog- Jamie, my focus student, stood out to me because of her personality. In a positive manner, I was attracted to how sweet she is and how eager she seemed to be to participate. She seems to be a very strong little girl and I really have enjoyed working with her. I wonder many things about her, particularly about her home life. I know a little about where she lives and I have background information I have obtained about her scores, but I wonder more about her learning style and how it is for her to try to learn this curriculum while she is primarily Spanish-speaking.
09 October 2014 - Blog Six, Week Seven
**Made up 05 December 2014**
**Absent due to illness, will be making up**
**Made up 05 December 2014**
**Absent due to illness, will be making up**
16 October 2014 - Blog Seven, Week Eight
Ethnic identity can be helpful for many people, especially younger ones who maybe do not know much about their own culture or struggle to relate to other students because they are not sure what they might have in common. Back to my "Three Amigos" I mention a few blogs ago, those are three Hispanic boys who hang around together because they can speak to each other in Spanish. This is something they cannot share with some of the Caucasian students who only know English. These students have a common element and this draws them to each other. Ethnic identity has the potential to be enlightening for many people because your ethnicity can really contribute to understanding yourself and your family, as well as understanding others who share your ethnicity. I wonder, though, when these students branch out and what really prompts them to feel open to accepting students of other ethnicities?
Gender identity is another self-realization that children begin to acquire around this time and, as I keep pointing out, they already have such strong personalities. I can sir down with some of my girls who are far from "girly", but on the flip side have some who come in every day full of accessories and love pink. I think either of those "roles" are healthy and young boys and girls should embrace their gender identities freely. Unfortunately, it is all too common for them to be picked on later on, but young ones are often pretty open and accepting. My question is how early do students start to fall into these gender roles when given the opportunity to explore that on their own?
I feel like emotional intelligence is incredibly apparent in the young years and only increases, but it is interesting to watch unfold. As per the power-point in class, IQ only accounts for around 20% of a person's career success. I find this particularly eye-opening because of my student Drake with the high IQ who is sort of a nuisance. Should he grow up with the same personality, he will continue to rub people the wrong way. High career success oftentimes can be achieved by working hard and being a good, charismatic person. I have some students who have such wonderful personalities that I have no doubt will be liked in life and appreciated for things like loyalty, timeliness, helpfulness, etc. Those things are appreciated in the work field with many companies as well.
Side note for Internship Blog- I was pleasantly surprised this week when my CT told me that Jamie is always very happy, never causing any problems. She had oral surgery was not even phased, remaining positive. I would definitely consider that a strength for her outside of academics. On the other hand, she is still struggling with English. She does not seem to get discouraged by reading English or completing assessments for me. She always remains happy and goes along, even though her responses are often incorrect. She has the attitude, she is just not quite where she needs to be with her Literacy.
Ethnic identity can be helpful for many people, especially younger ones who maybe do not know much about their own culture or struggle to relate to other students because they are not sure what they might have in common. Back to my "Three Amigos" I mention a few blogs ago, those are three Hispanic boys who hang around together because they can speak to each other in Spanish. This is something they cannot share with some of the Caucasian students who only know English. These students have a common element and this draws them to each other. Ethnic identity has the potential to be enlightening for many people because your ethnicity can really contribute to understanding yourself and your family, as well as understanding others who share your ethnicity. I wonder, though, when these students branch out and what really prompts them to feel open to accepting students of other ethnicities?
Gender identity is another self-realization that children begin to acquire around this time and, as I keep pointing out, they already have such strong personalities. I can sir down with some of my girls who are far from "girly", but on the flip side have some who come in every day full of accessories and love pink. I think either of those "roles" are healthy and young boys and girls should embrace their gender identities freely. Unfortunately, it is all too common for them to be picked on later on, but young ones are often pretty open and accepting. My question is how early do students start to fall into these gender roles when given the opportunity to explore that on their own?
I feel like emotional intelligence is incredibly apparent in the young years and only increases, but it is interesting to watch unfold. As per the power-point in class, IQ only accounts for around 20% of a person's career success. I find this particularly eye-opening because of my student Drake with the high IQ who is sort of a nuisance. Should he grow up with the same personality, he will continue to rub people the wrong way. High career success oftentimes can be achieved by working hard and being a good, charismatic person. I have some students who have such wonderful personalities that I have no doubt will be liked in life and appreciated for things like loyalty, timeliness, helpfulness, etc. Those things are appreciated in the work field with many companies as well.
Side note for Internship Blog- I was pleasantly surprised this week when my CT told me that Jamie is always very happy, never causing any problems. She had oral surgery was not even phased, remaining positive. I would definitely consider that a strength for her outside of academics. On the other hand, she is still struggling with English. She does not seem to get discouraged by reading English or completing assessments for me. She always remains happy and goes along, even though her responses are often incorrect. She has the attitude, she is just not quite where she needs to be with her Literacy.
23 October 2014 - Blog Eight, Week Nine
This week, I only actually worked on one thing all day. I helped my CT by completing a series of tests on each individual student, assessing Phonological Awareness through Phoneme Isolation, Phoneme Blending, Phoneme Segmentation, and then a Phoneme Test. Spending the entire day doing this was actually very eye-opening to see how far behind many of my students are. This leads me to my first question of what is the best course of action to make sure all the students can get to the same place? This, of course, is something I could work on with my focus student and completely intend to.
My focus student happens to also be an ESOL. I expected her to be much worse off with her phonemic awareness, but she surprised me. I have attached a PDF of her results. As you can see, she has mastered most of the tasks. They consider a 70% passing, and she reached that on everything but short vowel sounds with consonant digraphs, short vowel sounds with consonant blends, and vowel +e. The words that are circles are the words that she missed. Many of the students did miss the "nonsense words" but I noticed that the words themselves do not actually phase them because they do not recognize that they are nonsense. Coincidentally, the only student who happened to pick up on the fact that the nonsense words did not exist was Drake with the 140 IQ.
One last thing I can touch on that I have noticed from day one is operant conditioning. Trapnell uses "trapper tickets" to reinforce good behavior. Using this reward often completes its purpose- if my CT says "I am giving a trapper ticket to the next three people who are working quietly on task" then everyone is going to be on his or her best behavior, hoping to earn a trapper ticket. However, an issue with the trapper tickets is that there is no repercussions for negative behavior. So I have to wonder if this is as effective as it could be and, if not, what would be a better method to control behavior to account for misbehaving?
This week, I only actually worked on one thing all day. I helped my CT by completing a series of tests on each individual student, assessing Phonological Awareness through Phoneme Isolation, Phoneme Blending, Phoneme Segmentation, and then a Phoneme Test. Spending the entire day doing this was actually very eye-opening to see how far behind many of my students are. This leads me to my first question of what is the best course of action to make sure all the students can get to the same place? This, of course, is something I could work on with my focus student and completely intend to.
My focus student happens to also be an ESOL. I expected her to be much worse off with her phonemic awareness, but she surprised me. I have attached a PDF of her results. As you can see, she has mastered most of the tasks. They consider a 70% passing, and she reached that on everything but short vowel sounds with consonant digraphs, short vowel sounds with consonant blends, and vowel +e. The words that are circles are the words that she missed. Many of the students did miss the "nonsense words" but I noticed that the words themselves do not actually phase them because they do not recognize that they are nonsense. Coincidentally, the only student who happened to pick up on the fact that the nonsense words did not exist was Drake with the 140 IQ.
One last thing I can touch on that I have noticed from day one is operant conditioning. Trapnell uses "trapper tickets" to reinforce good behavior. Using this reward often completes its purpose- if my CT says "I am giving a trapper ticket to the next three people who are working quietly on task" then everyone is going to be on his or her best behavior, hoping to earn a trapper ticket. However, an issue with the trapper tickets is that there is no repercussions for negative behavior. So I have to wonder if this is as effective as it could be and, if not, what would be a better method to control behavior to account for misbehaving?
30 October 2014 - Blog Nine, Week Ten
This week was particularly interesting for me, because my CT and her partner went off to a meeting at noon and left me with the students from then until dismissal. Granted, I was with one of the specialized teachers who works one-on-one with many of the students, they ultimately left me in charge and that was a learning experience for me. It was during math, so they left many worksheets for the most part. It felt like babysitting a little more than anything, but I still got to practice leading. However, I had little classroom management because I was not prepared for the lessons left and the way it worked out, the students were all over the place as far as the amount of work they completed. I constantly had students up and at my desk, wanting me to check their work and requesting the next assignment. This is another management technique I have not mastered but question what would be the best way to handle that situation?
Memory is an interesting thing to observe, especially in a young student. I notice a lot of sensory memory with my students, like when they are given instruction and it seems that it goes in one ear and out the other. This is likely because auditory memory typically only lasts about 2-3 seconds. In order to transfer this information into working memory, they have to be given the same information over and over and practice methods to help recall the information. They must practice this in order to focus attention. Something for which I continually find myself striving is building up my personal repertoire of said tips and tricks to aid students in high road transfer of knowledge. I wonder what are some of the tested tricks that I could use in the classroom?
While I am discussing memory tips, mnemonic devices are one of my favorites. I remember taking Anatomy and Physiology at my prior university with a professor who relied on mnemonic devices in his teaching. When it comes to a subject that truly requires memorization (in basic Anatomy, there are not many concepts to grasp, simply names of bones and muscles to memorize) mnemonic devices work very well. For instance, when learning the lobes of the brain (and I love using this example from Anatomy because it can also relate back to Psychology!), I was taught using my hand. If you put your hand over the top of a skull with fingers in the front, a great way to remember the lobes is relating fingers to frontal lobe, thumb to temporal lobe, palm to parietal, and then wrist as other to occipital lobe. This is something that I will never forget and is the type of thing I hope to use in my own classroom.
Side note for Internship Blog: My progress on the diversity case studies is steady. I have enjoyed reading the studies and really love the questions they pose at the end. I love to feel mentally challenged in the field because I know it is entirely likely I will run into many of these situations or those that are similar and being prepared is helpful. Although I truly believe that nothing can actually 100% prepare you for a situation, especially something like a diversity controversy. It is a matter of having good morals and ethics and being an understanding person who embraces equality. Stepping into these types of situations is no light thing and it takes the right kind of person to handle it as best as possible. While nervous about the future, I feel hopeful.
I believe the wordle will be no issue. I know how to use the website and I think that will be a very neat representation of my reflections of the case studies. As far as the Inquiry to an Individual Learner, I feel a little behind, honestly. I have to look into it more, but I am sure I will be just fine. As far as my focus student, the prior blogs mostly accurately reflect what I have learned about her thus far and am still learning every chance I get.
This week was particularly interesting for me, because my CT and her partner went off to a meeting at noon and left me with the students from then until dismissal. Granted, I was with one of the specialized teachers who works one-on-one with many of the students, they ultimately left me in charge and that was a learning experience for me. It was during math, so they left many worksheets for the most part. It felt like babysitting a little more than anything, but I still got to practice leading. However, I had little classroom management because I was not prepared for the lessons left and the way it worked out, the students were all over the place as far as the amount of work they completed. I constantly had students up and at my desk, wanting me to check their work and requesting the next assignment. This is another management technique I have not mastered but question what would be the best way to handle that situation?
Memory is an interesting thing to observe, especially in a young student. I notice a lot of sensory memory with my students, like when they are given instruction and it seems that it goes in one ear and out the other. This is likely because auditory memory typically only lasts about 2-3 seconds. In order to transfer this information into working memory, they have to be given the same information over and over and practice methods to help recall the information. They must practice this in order to focus attention. Something for which I continually find myself striving is building up my personal repertoire of said tips and tricks to aid students in high road transfer of knowledge. I wonder what are some of the tested tricks that I could use in the classroom?
While I am discussing memory tips, mnemonic devices are one of my favorites. I remember taking Anatomy and Physiology at my prior university with a professor who relied on mnemonic devices in his teaching. When it comes to a subject that truly requires memorization (in basic Anatomy, there are not many concepts to grasp, simply names of bones and muscles to memorize) mnemonic devices work very well. For instance, when learning the lobes of the brain (and I love using this example from Anatomy because it can also relate back to Psychology!), I was taught using my hand. If you put your hand over the top of a skull with fingers in the front, a great way to remember the lobes is relating fingers to frontal lobe, thumb to temporal lobe, palm to parietal, and then wrist as other to occipital lobe. This is something that I will never forget and is the type of thing I hope to use in my own classroom.
Side note for Internship Blog: My progress on the diversity case studies is steady. I have enjoyed reading the studies and really love the questions they pose at the end. I love to feel mentally challenged in the field because I know it is entirely likely I will run into many of these situations or those that are similar and being prepared is helpful. Although I truly believe that nothing can actually 100% prepare you for a situation, especially something like a diversity controversy. It is a matter of having good morals and ethics and being an understanding person who embraces equality. Stepping into these types of situations is no light thing and it takes the right kind of person to handle it as best as possible. While nervous about the future, I feel hopeful.
I believe the wordle will be no issue. I know how to use the website and I think that will be a very neat representation of my reflections of the case studies. As far as the Inquiry to an Individual Learner, I feel a little behind, honestly. I have to look into it more, but I am sure I will be just fine. As far as my focus student, the prior blogs mostly accurately reflect what I have learned about her thus far and am still learning every chance I get.
06 November 2014 - Blog Ten, Week Eleven
I have briefly discussed in prior blogs the "Trapper Tickets" that Trapnell uses as a reward. These tickets are awarded for good behavior, task completion, etc. They can be considered both a task-contingent reward as well as a performance-contingent reward, depending on its purpose for the particular situation. When it comes to Trapper tickets, the concern becomes that students lose the intrinsic motivation to solely complete the task for the sake of mastering it—rather they become invested in the extrinsic motivation of gaining the reward. This can be concerning and it makes me wonder: how effective are Trapper Tickets in the long run? Does allowing children to be extrinsically motivated so frequently benefit them?
The good news is that there seems to be a flow in students' task completion. This is where the intrinsic enjoyment comes into play, as the students accomplish certain tasks simply to feel that accomplishment as enough of a reward to tackle it in the first place. It gives them a feeling self-worth for having achieved an understanding of the topic. I can see this in some of my students more than others. I am sure this is to be expected. It takes the right mindset to be inspired by learning for the pure sake of learning and sometimes I do not blame students who struggle to take value in intrinsic motivation. I completely understand that, in school, some subjects feel less important and can lead to questioning of relation in life later on. As an aspiring teacher, I can only wonder how to reach those children who do feel this apprehension; is there a way to inspire them?
Right alongside the previous topic comes that of motivation. What motivates a student? This question has more than a few answers, and could vary student to student, which takes a lot of one-on-one time. Students can have very high expectations for success. I fear that this could lead to a negative impact on self-esteem if students find they struggle with a certain task, decreasing a feeling of self-worth.
Side note for Internship Blog: I would love to say that I have spent a lot of time with my focus student, particularly working with her on the things with which I know she struggles. Unfortunately, I have been working a lot toward the class as a whole, helping my CT as much as possible around the class. All that I have been able to do with my focus student is assess her as discussed in many prior blogs, as well as obtain some information from my CT. I have not gotten to practice anything new with her, nor would I truly feel comfortable, considering my status as a student
I have briefly discussed in prior blogs the "Trapper Tickets" that Trapnell uses as a reward. These tickets are awarded for good behavior, task completion, etc. They can be considered both a task-contingent reward as well as a performance-contingent reward, depending on its purpose for the particular situation. When it comes to Trapper tickets, the concern becomes that students lose the intrinsic motivation to solely complete the task for the sake of mastering it—rather they become invested in the extrinsic motivation of gaining the reward. This can be concerning and it makes me wonder: how effective are Trapper Tickets in the long run? Does allowing children to be extrinsically motivated so frequently benefit them?
The good news is that there seems to be a flow in students' task completion. This is where the intrinsic enjoyment comes into play, as the students accomplish certain tasks simply to feel that accomplishment as enough of a reward to tackle it in the first place. It gives them a feeling self-worth for having achieved an understanding of the topic. I can see this in some of my students more than others. I am sure this is to be expected. It takes the right mindset to be inspired by learning for the pure sake of learning and sometimes I do not blame students who struggle to take value in intrinsic motivation. I completely understand that, in school, some subjects feel less important and can lead to questioning of relation in life later on. As an aspiring teacher, I can only wonder how to reach those children who do feel this apprehension; is there a way to inspire them?
Right alongside the previous topic comes that of motivation. What motivates a student? This question has more than a few answers, and could vary student to student, which takes a lot of one-on-one time. Students can have very high expectations for success. I fear that this could lead to a negative impact on self-esteem if students find they struggle with a certain task, decreasing a feeling of self-worth.
Side note for Internship Blog: I would love to say that I have spent a lot of time with my focus student, particularly working with her on the things with which I know she struggles. Unfortunately, I have been working a lot toward the class as a whole, helping my CT as much as possible around the class. All that I have been able to do with my focus student is assess her as discussed in many prior blogs, as well as obtain some information from my CT. I have not gotten to practice anything new with her, nor would I truly feel comfortable, considering my status as a student
13 November 2014 - Blog Eleven, Week Twelve
Something about which I am a huge advocate is that of multiple intelligences. When I am with students, the mama bear comes out in me and I take on this role where I get excited when my students achieve well. However, I can get excited about any kind of achievement, not solely about academic success. Gardner's Theory covers linguistics, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. I would be more than proud to watch my students achieve mastery in any of these areas, and I watched my CT find this same excitement when our student Jose (pseudonym) was able to answer many of his math questions during a timed quiz. When she turned over his paper and saw how much he had improved from the last assessment, she very loudly praised him. Jose has a very low IQ and has a low English-speaking ability, so during most class assignments he rarely completes anything, especially with any type of accuracy. For me, I, of course, have an ultimate goal of pushing my students to achieve academic success, but I find pride watching them in all aspects of intelligence. Of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, which are most often sought out in students in the classroom? (Which seem to be of more value in the classroom?
I have discussed IQ in some of my students before and how this relates to some being placed in gifted programs. My one student Drake with the IQ of 140 who is currently going through the process of being placed in a gifted program and Jose whose is 70 (I believe) and really needs individualized help. Jose being an ELL concerns me, because something that I have not inquired about him but would like to is what assessments were used to determine his IQ. He does not know enough English to complete the standard IQ test that traditional English speakers take. If I am not mistaken, ELLs have to take special assessments for IQ and I wonder if these truly test them fairly? I also have to wonder what his home life is like because this can easily affect IQ. I do know that my CT has had trouble getting Jose's parents to sign for him to be put into a special program.
The sheer amount of students who suffer from disabilities disheartens me and some days makes me with I went into special education. They have very little to no control over their disabilities, especially for those who were born with them and have no way of properly keeping them at bay. While some can take medication, others simply cannot. I always worry about these students not being advocated enough and am constantly wondering about ways to do so. I loved the group who showed the video of the camp geared toward disabilities that portrayed students giving "do" and "don't" statements about how to treat them. That video touched me and really made me happy to see a camp that cares for those kids and helps them express themselves. My stepmother is a speech pathologist, so since having her in my life I have become increasingly more educated about disabilities and how to be much more aware of my own actions.
Side note for Internship Blog: I have really enjoyed the diversity case studies and having the opportunity to see into some situations in order to challenge myself morally and ethically as far as determining the best resolution. As a teacher, too many of these situations arise and it truly helps to be prepared. Especially for Trapnell Elementary, many of these diversity case studies feel realistic and I would be completely unsurprised to hear one arise. It can be anything from gifted learners to SES to religious beliefs. Diversity is absolutely everywhere and it can take adjusting to ensure fairness and equality.
Something about which I am a huge advocate is that of multiple intelligences. When I am with students, the mama bear comes out in me and I take on this role where I get excited when my students achieve well. However, I can get excited about any kind of achievement, not solely about academic success. Gardner's Theory covers linguistics, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. I would be more than proud to watch my students achieve mastery in any of these areas, and I watched my CT find this same excitement when our student Jose (pseudonym) was able to answer many of his math questions during a timed quiz. When she turned over his paper and saw how much he had improved from the last assessment, she very loudly praised him. Jose has a very low IQ and has a low English-speaking ability, so during most class assignments he rarely completes anything, especially with any type of accuracy. For me, I, of course, have an ultimate goal of pushing my students to achieve academic success, but I find pride watching them in all aspects of intelligence. Of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, which are most often sought out in students in the classroom? (Which seem to be of more value in the classroom?
I have discussed IQ in some of my students before and how this relates to some being placed in gifted programs. My one student Drake with the IQ of 140 who is currently going through the process of being placed in a gifted program and Jose whose is 70 (I believe) and really needs individualized help. Jose being an ELL concerns me, because something that I have not inquired about him but would like to is what assessments were used to determine his IQ. He does not know enough English to complete the standard IQ test that traditional English speakers take. If I am not mistaken, ELLs have to take special assessments for IQ and I wonder if these truly test them fairly? I also have to wonder what his home life is like because this can easily affect IQ. I do know that my CT has had trouble getting Jose's parents to sign for him to be put into a special program.
The sheer amount of students who suffer from disabilities disheartens me and some days makes me with I went into special education. They have very little to no control over their disabilities, especially for those who were born with them and have no way of properly keeping them at bay. While some can take medication, others simply cannot. I always worry about these students not being advocated enough and am constantly wondering about ways to do so. I loved the group who showed the video of the camp geared toward disabilities that portrayed students giving "do" and "don't" statements about how to treat them. That video touched me and really made me happy to see a camp that cares for those kids and helps them express themselves. My stepmother is a speech pathologist, so since having her in my life I have become increasingly more educated about disabilities and how to be much more aware of my own actions.
Side note for Internship Blog: I have really enjoyed the diversity case studies and having the opportunity to see into some situations in order to challenge myself morally and ethically as far as determining the best resolution. As a teacher, too many of these situations arise and it truly helps to be prepared. Especially for Trapnell Elementary, many of these diversity case studies feel realistic and I would be completely unsurprised to hear one arise. It can be anything from gifted learners to SES to religious beliefs. Diversity is absolutely everywhere and it can take adjusting to ensure fairness and equality.