The readings on comprehension really interested me this week. Looking back on my own comprehension history has really helped me to understand that there are many different way students learn and think about different topics. I really liked the idea of letting your self as the teacher become a part of the discussion, and not just lead. I know something I struggled with was coming to college and having a discussion about a book with both my peers and the professor, versus having the main concepts told to me while I take notes. This idea of discussion would also be helpful as a teacher to see what concepts the students found to be important or memorable, because this could help draw on their own comprehension techniques.
Along with watching how students answer questions and participate in discussions, I want to address the article on special education. Being a special education major I feel that general education teachers seem to send students out far too often. There are numerous students in my placement classroom that are pulled out for things that could be easily accommodated within the general education classroom, but are not. It is also very frustrating that MSU general education majors do not take any classes on accommodating students or even a basic class on identifying disabilities; it is primarily their job to refer students to special education, and with no formal training that could postpone the process thus putting the student at a greater disadvantage.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Week 6 Response
Profiles in Comprehension gave a way more in-depth view into comprehension that I was originally aware of. It begins by establishing how important the teacher’s questions are, “The questions that teachers ask help to shape the student understanding and expectations about reading comprehension” and “Teachers who regularly use such higher order questions to engage pupils in discussion are likely to find that their students read more” (CP 161). How that for a challenge to educators?! Like we have been reading throughout this semester, these quotes further illustrate the importance of scaffolding the material for our students.
The article also discusses eight different comprehension profiles: Literalists, Fuzzy Thinkers, Left Fielders, Quiz Contestants, Politicians, Dodgers, Authors, and Minimalists. I had never heard of these before so I was really interested in what the author’s were saying here. I thought the politician one was absolutely hilarious, “Politicians will do their best to tell you what they think you want to hear” (CP 167). I literally laughed out loud when I read that! Some common intervention/helpful strategies amongst the profiles were the ideas of creating concept maps, story maps and group work. I really liked how the authors not only discussed the profiles, but also gave strategies that can be used to help each individual profile/student. I feel like works that actually provide applications are hard to come by in this field! They are all about shelling out definitions but when it comes to applicable ideas/strategies…good luck! I guess they figure since we’re teachers, we can teach ourselves?!
The other reading for this week, How Can I Help Children with Learning Disabilities, really hit a sensitive spot for me. On the first page of the article the author states, “Teachers are responsible for providing educational services appropriate for their needs-a responsibility they share with special educators” (CP 173). While I do agree that this is responsibility to be shared, I feel that all to often teachers rely too much on special educators; basically pawing off these poor students because they don’t want to deal with them. It really saddens me. My brother is a prime example of this instance. Instead of being given a little more patience and attention by the teacher or even experiencing the said shared relationship between teacher and special educator, from a young age he was ‘pawned off’ to a resource room specialist so his elementary teachers could focus on other, less ‘needy’ students. By doing this, his teachers basically labeled him and that label has stuck with him all through his education. The authors also state, “When the different teachers who work with the child stay in touch with each other, the child receives an integrated education” (CP 172). Again, I’m on the fence with this statement as well. While it is crucial to keep the lines of communication open between all parties involved, educators need to be careful that they aren’t labeling the student and passing judgment along the way. If one person sees the student like so and tells the other person involved their feelings, that other person is very likely to have similar feelings initially. While every party should be kept informed of progress and status, the individuals working with the student must take caution and not label and/or pass judgment.
The article also discusses eight different comprehension profiles: Literalists, Fuzzy Thinkers, Left Fielders, Quiz Contestants, Politicians, Dodgers, Authors, and Minimalists. I had never heard of these before so I was really interested in what the author’s were saying here. I thought the politician one was absolutely hilarious, “Politicians will do their best to tell you what they think you want to hear” (CP 167). I literally laughed out loud when I read that! Some common intervention/helpful strategies amongst the profiles were the ideas of creating concept maps, story maps and group work. I really liked how the authors not only discussed the profiles, but also gave strategies that can be used to help each individual profile/student. I feel like works that actually provide applications are hard to come by in this field! They are all about shelling out definitions but when it comes to applicable ideas/strategies…good luck! I guess they figure since we’re teachers, we can teach ourselves?!
The other reading for this week, How Can I Help Children with Learning Disabilities, really hit a sensitive spot for me. On the first page of the article the author states, “Teachers are responsible for providing educational services appropriate for their needs-a responsibility they share with special educators” (CP 173). While I do agree that this is responsibility to be shared, I feel that all to often teachers rely too much on special educators; basically pawing off these poor students because they don’t want to deal with them. It really saddens me. My brother is a prime example of this instance. Instead of being given a little more patience and attention by the teacher or even experiencing the said shared relationship between teacher and special educator, from a young age he was ‘pawned off’ to a resource room specialist so his elementary teachers could focus on other, less ‘needy’ students. By doing this, his teachers basically labeled him and that label has stuck with him all through his education. The authors also state, “When the different teachers who work with the child stay in touch with each other, the child receives an integrated education” (CP 172). Again, I’m on the fence with this statement as well. While it is crucial to keep the lines of communication open between all parties involved, educators need to be careful that they aren’t labeling the student and passing judgment along the way. If one person sees the student like so and tells the other person involved their feelings, that other person is very likely to have similar feelings initially. While every party should be kept informed of progress and status, the individuals working with the student must take caution and not label and/or pass judgment.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Week Six 2/23/09 M.Clover
Whenever I think about my own reading comprehension process, I try to remember exactly what I did when I was learning how to read. However, because that was SO long ago and my memories are beginning to evade me, I'm not sure that I can recall exactly how I go about reading and comprehending something. I swear there are times when I could read a whole article or chapter of the book and have NOTHING to show for it. This leads me to believe that I'm not a very "accomplished" comprehend-er. Meaning that I do not sit down and think about what I'm reading EVERY time I read something. I have to really have a vested interest in order to read it.
I think that knowing this about myself will definitely help me teach reading comprehension to my students in the future because I understand that not everything they read is going to be interesting to them. I know there are multiple techniques, which Tompkins talks about in order to get students interested in their own reading comprehension, but the idea I like the most is to acknowledge the fact that your students have different interests and that they may only want to attempt to comprehend readings that they feel are important to them. What I'm trying to say is that I think in order for students to be successful comprehend-ers they must be interested in the readings. Or that they must know the "purpose" of their readings.
I also am a very large fan of the idea of participating in discussions ( of course that is if students behavior will allow it). After all of the readings and work we've done for TE classes, I think the importance of whole class/small group discussions have really stuck out like a sore thumb. In reading comprehension there is no difference. I know that in TE 348 when we had to read many different childrens books, I found, through classroom discussion, that there were many more view points of the story and that each person had interpreted the story in a different way than myself. It was not only really helpful to know that this happens but really neat to hear other people opinions and see what they had and hadn't noticed. When it comes to discussions in the classroom, I think that book talks or book discussions are one of the most important.
I think that knowing this about myself will definitely help me teach reading comprehension to my students in the future because I understand that not everything they read is going to be interesting to them. I know there are multiple techniques, which Tompkins talks about in order to get students interested in their own reading comprehension, but the idea I like the most is to acknowledge the fact that your students have different interests and that they may only want to attempt to comprehend readings that they feel are important to them. What I'm trying to say is that I think in order for students to be successful comprehend-ers they must be interested in the readings. Or that they must know the "purpose" of their readings.
I also am a very large fan of the idea of participating in discussions ( of course that is if students behavior will allow it). After all of the readings and work we've done for TE classes, I think the importance of whole class/small group discussions have really stuck out like a sore thumb. In reading comprehension there is no difference. I know that in TE 348 when we had to read many different childrens books, I found, through classroom discussion, that there were many more view points of the story and that each person had interpreted the story in a different way than myself. It was not only really helpful to know that this happens but really neat to hear other people opinions and see what they had and hadn't noticed. When it comes to discussions in the classroom, I think that book talks or book discussions are one of the most important.
Week 6 Blog Kelsi Vidal
The readings this week about developing comprehension reminded me that students need to be specifically taught strategies. I think comprehension strategies are something I take for granted and don't really think about consciously using because I have been using them for so long that it just kind of comes naturally by now. However, for students who are just beginning to learn and connect comprehension with reading and writing it is important for them to be explicitly taught strategies and be made aware of reader and text factors. I think it is also important to recognize and be aware of the prerequisites for comprehension because without an adequate background knowledge or fluency it is impossible to comprehend materials at a higher level. I found it interesting in the section about purpose that if students are not motivated or do not have a purpose behind their reading that they certainly will not comprehend what they are reading. As a future teacher, I feel this is something important to remember and to always present a purpose behind what is being read.
I found the "Profiles in Comprehension" article to depict different types of student comprehension in an interesting way. In the beginning it sort of seems like the authors are generalizing and putting students into categories, but I like how the article later says it is not trying to label students but rather trying to describe the way certain people think so that the teacher can better adjust and assess to the way that their students learn best. I think this can be an effective way to monitor comprehension as long as it is not used to specifically label students in a negative way. The profiles themselves were quite intriguing in the way they described the different learners. It was interesting to read about all of the profiles and the characteristics of the students in each. I also appreciated the 'intervention' section after each profile that gives ways to help students step out of that profile. I'm wondering how you would approach the situation though if students are identified within more than one profile? And also if students in a classroom all fall under different profiles, how do you approach a lesson and meet all of the students needs?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Meryl McLaughlin: Week 4 & 5
The past two weeks have completely gotten away from me, so I have some catching up to do!
Week 4:
I really enjoyed the poetry and choral reading that was done in class. I took TE491 fall semester Junior year and it has totally opened up my eyes to poetry and the different ways it can be used in the classroom. When the class was given just a few poems to pick from to present, it was great to see all of the different ways people portrayed the poem. The poem also took on a different life when it was presented in a different fashion. Having the poem read numerous times helped to make the poems memorable to the point where on Thursday, a classmate and I still laughed about it.
I also really enjoyed brainstorming and then writing my own personal poem. Just the prompts along brought back so many found memories that it was hard to pick a few to touch on in the actual poem. This would be a great assignment to do with students when getting to know them, or even as a form of assessment on a story line of a book, etc.
I could not believe all of the amazing technologies we were introduced to during class this week. It was great to be able to go around and play with the technologies and have an expert there to ask questions to or show you some of the hidden tricks. I also loved how easy they were to use and feel comfortable with, even after a few minutes. The one thing I would like to see expanded on was the station of accommodation technologies. It was nice to see the different key boards and physical accessories, but there are so many wonderful digital technologies that could have been presented. Another suggestion would be show all of the different disability accessibility options with all of the other technologies presented. Through different laws at both the state and national level there are certain options every program must have or it is discrimination, I wish I would have looked more closely to see how accommodating they are to different users.
This rotation we did reminded me of something we did in one of my special education classes last semester. They had us go around and do similar things only it was focusing on low-tech accommodations instead of simply technology. It was a great experience, and we replicated it for our TE401 class, to see the simplest things can make the biggest difference.
I believe that technology used positively in the classroom can do the same thing. We are so dependent on having technology skills in today's world, that to not include technology in your classroom is really putting your students at a disadvantage. Even being in a kindergarten class I am looking at the different types of technologies I could use. I think sometimes we get too caught up in thinking about what the children can and can't do as far as GLCEs go, but there are so many ways we could be teaching children using technology and kind of "kill two birds with one stone", if you will.
Week 4:
I really enjoyed the poetry and choral reading that was done in class. I took TE491 fall semester Junior year and it has totally opened up my eyes to poetry and the different ways it can be used in the classroom. When the class was given just a few poems to pick from to present, it was great to see all of the different ways people portrayed the poem. The poem also took on a different life when it was presented in a different fashion. Having the poem read numerous times helped to make the poems memorable to the point where on Thursday, a classmate and I still laughed about it.
I also really enjoyed brainstorming and then writing my own personal poem. Just the prompts along brought back so many found memories that it was hard to pick a few to touch on in the actual poem. This would be a great assignment to do with students when getting to know them, or even as a form of assessment on a story line of a book, etc.
I could not believe all of the amazing technologies we were introduced to during class this week. It was great to be able to go around and play with the technologies and have an expert there to ask questions to or show you some of the hidden tricks. I also loved how easy they were to use and feel comfortable with, even after a few minutes. The one thing I would like to see expanded on was the station of accommodation technologies. It was nice to see the different key boards and physical accessories, but there are so many wonderful digital technologies that could have been presented. Another suggestion would be show all of the different disability accessibility options with all of the other technologies presented. Through different laws at both the state and national level there are certain options every program must have or it is discrimination, I wish I would have looked more closely to see how accommodating they are to different users.
This rotation we did reminded me of something we did in one of my special education classes last semester. They had us go around and do similar things only it was focusing on low-tech accommodations instead of simply technology. It was a great experience, and we replicated it for our TE401 class, to see the simplest things can make the biggest difference.
I believe that technology used positively in the classroom can do the same thing. We are so dependent on having technology skills in today's world, that to not include technology in your classroom is really putting your students at a disadvantage. Even being in a kindergarten class I am looking at the different types of technologies I could use. I think sometimes we get too caught up in thinking about what the children can and can't do as far as GLCEs go, but there are so many ways we could be teaching children using technology and kind of "kill two birds with one stone", if you will.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Week 5 Blog Kelsi Vidal
I thought having the iTECs come in and introduce us to new educational technology was very beneficial! It also kind of made me feel like I wasn't a digital native because I wasn't familiar with some of the stations, but I guess its hard not to feel that way when technology is constantly changing and evolving into something new. I think learning about all these new technologies will put us at an advantage and help us bring new ideas into the classroom. I actually didn't get to explore many of the stations, so I am looking forward to seeing everyones presentations and use of technology. I think it is fascinating how many different ways technology can be presented and used in the classroom as compared to what we used to have growing up.
I think students will appreciate the use of technology in the classroom because their lives are centered around it. Technology will have the ability to connect us to our students and "bridge the gap" between teachers and students. I think students would enjoy using blogs, digital stories, skype, or comic strips to communicate or present information. I know last semester when we visited the 4H Children's Garden and Norm (the man that showed us around and worked with elementary students when they visited) said students loved to post of the Wonderwall which was technology based.
The classroom I am placed in is a kindergarten classroom that doesn't use much technology. They have computer class once a week and really enjoy it, but don't use technology in the classroom at all. I wasn't sure if that was because it was a kindergarten classroom or the teachers preference? The computer room has a smart board in it, but I have never seen it used besides for a projector. I know this is a great tool and they are lucky to have one, I am just wondering why it isn't used and taken advantage of?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Week Five 2/17/09 M.Clover
I loved the technology round-a-bout thing we did in class on Tuesday. I feel like I learned so much in just one class. I was with Evan, so that was really helpful as well (that guy knows his stuff!) I thought that growing up with a computer would have made me a digital native, but after all of the new info I learned on Tuesday, I'm not sure that I' in that category anymore. I suppose that I would think of myself more of an in-betweenie. haha. I mean, I'm able to work the computer and a lot of technology, but I'm no expert.
As far as this assignment goes, I think it will be very interesting to both learn new technology and notice what is needed in order to learn it. I think this is a project that I'm actually looking forward to doing and I can see how it would have great classroom relevance. However, there is one thing that sort of worries me. I have noticed that in my CT's classroom, there is hardly ANY technology. I mean, she has one working computer and it's from like, the 90's. There isn't even an overhead projector in my CT's classroom.
We talked a bit about this today, when I was talking about our latest project and I told her that we had to learn a new technology in order to incorporate it into the classroom. She laughed at me. (not kidding) and said that I'd be really lucky if I found a classroom that would have the types of technology that we're trying to learn. I know that the Lansing district isn't the wealthiest district, but we talk about kids being so technologically advanced and I don't understand why we don't try harder to get new technology into the classrooms. Perhaps it would be more wise if our project for this class was trying to get us involved in obtaining funding for the schools we're in in the future? Do you know what I mean? I just think that knowing how to use these technologies is useful, but it might be MORE useful for us to learn how to obtain these technologies for our class? Thoughts?
As far as this assignment goes, I think it will be very interesting to both learn new technology and notice what is needed in order to learn it. I think this is a project that I'm actually looking forward to doing and I can see how it would have great classroom relevance. However, there is one thing that sort of worries me. I have noticed that in my CT's classroom, there is hardly ANY technology. I mean, she has one working computer and it's from like, the 90's. There isn't even an overhead projector in my CT's classroom.
We talked a bit about this today, when I was talking about our latest project and I told her that we had to learn a new technology in order to incorporate it into the classroom. She laughed at me. (not kidding) and said that I'd be really lucky if I found a classroom that would have the types of technology that we're trying to learn. I know that the Lansing district isn't the wealthiest district, but we talk about kids being so technologically advanced and I don't understand why we don't try harder to get new technology into the classrooms. Perhaps it would be more wise if our project for this class was trying to get us involved in obtaining funding for the schools we're in in the future? Do you know what I mean? I just think that knowing how to use these technologies is useful, but it might be MORE useful for us to learn how to obtain these technologies for our class? Thoughts?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Week 5 Response
Last week I considered myself a digital native; up to speed on all of the wonderful, new and emerging technology. However, after class on Tuesday, I felt like a digital immigrant! I had no idea there were that many digital options out there for the classroom. There must have been 10 different avenues that I had never explored before. Some of the ones I really liked were the classroom blogs, YAK PAK, Digital Storybooks, Comic Strips and Skype.
I know we have all done our fair share of classroom blogs but the way the teachers set their blogs up for their elementary students was awesome. What a great motivator for students to get their work done in a quality, timely manner. By posting their pieces they are not only sharing their ideas, opening up the opportunity for a wonderful classroom environment, but they are also becoming more familiar with a form of technology/digital literacy. I was in the group that talked about the Buckingham article so I am now a firm believer in the importance of technological integration within the classroom! I really feel that this blog was a great idea in so many aspects: students sharing work, becoming familiar with the technology and being motivated to complete work, the teacher’s ability to monitor work and communicate with students and the opportunity for parents to be in the know with their child’s education/progress.
As for Skype and Yak Pak…Wow! I had never used either of those tools so I was really interested. How amazing is this technological age we are in; we can communicate to anyone, anywhere with an ease that is truly amazing. I really liked the Yak Pak idea for the aspect of not only providing classroom communication within your own classroom but also with classrooms from other parts of the world!
The comic strips and the digital storybooks were great too. I really am jealous that we never had these options growing up. Instead of writing a yet another boring summary on something, these students get to be engaged and excited about their projects. What kid doesn’t like cartoon/comic books! Talk about getting a kid excited to participate and pay attention; and pictures to express your ideas/feelings, too cool.
So to sum up my experience of Tuesdays class; amazing. There really is a whole other world out there of digital literacy/technology to be explored. I cannot wait to dive deeper into these and add some of them to my portfolio. How cool will it be to walk into a job interview and lay some of these works on the table. Talk about blowing away the competition! I’m excited to see everyone’s projects and also looking forward to learning more about an issue that will really be a tangible, beneficial tool for all of us in our education futures.
I know we have all done our fair share of classroom blogs but the way the teachers set their blogs up for their elementary students was awesome. What a great motivator for students to get their work done in a quality, timely manner. By posting their pieces they are not only sharing their ideas, opening up the opportunity for a wonderful classroom environment, but they are also becoming more familiar with a form of technology/digital literacy. I was in the group that talked about the Buckingham article so I am now a firm believer in the importance of technological integration within the classroom! I really feel that this blog was a great idea in so many aspects: students sharing work, becoming familiar with the technology and being motivated to complete work, the teacher’s ability to monitor work and communicate with students and the opportunity for parents to be in the know with their child’s education/progress.
As for Skype and Yak Pak…Wow! I had never used either of those tools so I was really interested. How amazing is this technological age we are in; we can communicate to anyone, anywhere with an ease that is truly amazing. I really liked the Yak Pak idea for the aspect of not only providing classroom communication within your own classroom but also with classrooms from other parts of the world!
The comic strips and the digital storybooks were great too. I really am jealous that we never had these options growing up. Instead of writing a yet another boring summary on something, these students get to be engaged and excited about their projects. What kid doesn’t like cartoon/comic books! Talk about getting a kid excited to participate and pay attention; and pictures to express your ideas/feelings, too cool.
So to sum up my experience of Tuesdays class; amazing. There really is a whole other world out there of digital literacy/technology to be explored. I cannot wait to dive deeper into these and add some of them to my portfolio. How cool will it be to walk into a job interview and lay some of these works on the table. Talk about blowing away the competition! I’m excited to see everyone’s projects and also looking forward to learning more about an issue that will really be a tangible, beneficial tool for all of us in our education futures.
Week 4 Response
The Choral Reading we did in class was really cool. It was really interesting to listen to see how different each group’s reading was. Even though most of us picked the same poem, every group made the piece sound special and unique. This would be a great activity to do with a classroom. It would really get the students engaged and interested. They would likely enjoy this much more than sitting back and listening to yet another piece being read to them. Like the other readings we have gone over, student involvement is highly beneficial!
Digital Natives:
This article did not come as much of a surprise to me. I think we are definitely apart of a digital generation. From names like, “Digital Natives, Generation-D (digital), Nintendo Kids, the MTV generation” this generation basically eats, breathes and sleeps technical. For example, I don’t know about you guys but my cell phone is literally like a life line for me. It’s my alarm clock, planner, map, communication tool (phone, e-mail, text), weatherman, etc. I’m not sure what I would do without it. However, my mother only uses her phone for calling when she’s not at home to use the landline. We are definitely from different generations than even our parents.
When I took the quiz, I was expecting to do pretty well. I ended up with a 4/6 because I wasn’t familiar with the terms ‘modding or smart mobs’. The rest, I knew from prior experiences or like blogging and wikis, were terms that I became more familiar with from my experiences in my Education classes.
On another note, I was really intrigued by the term, ‘Digital immigrants’; it makes perfect sense! Immigrants have a difficult time with adjusting to their new lifestyle as it is so throw in a totally different generation and they will definitely have it harder than most. Anyone not familiar with this digital lifestyle could almost be considered an immigrant. My mother for example, once again, would be classified as a digital immigrant. The technologies that are being used to today are as foreign to her as a new language would be to an ELL student. She must start with the very basics on any new technology before she masters it and it takes her a little longer than most to figure it out.
“Digital Natives perceive technology as their friend and rely on it to study, work, play, relax and communicate. Natives dominate the seats in our classrooms and are an increasing presence in the entry-level workplace.” That statement sums up the digi-lifestyle extremely well. Technology in this day is definitely our friend. We use it for everything and continue to learn from it. It’s constantly expanding and we’re following right along with it. Like the article states, everyone from the United States Army to Harvard Business School has jumped on the Technology Train and is using it in as many ways as possible in hopes of effective expansion and inclusion of more individuals.
The final issue that struck my attention was the relation of ADD to this generation. What did everyone else think of that because I really wasn’t sure how I felt about it! On one hand there have been an increased number of students being ‘diagnosed’ with ADD but to say that it’s a bi-product of this digital generation is going off on a whim in my opinion. I personally found the shirt to be quite dead on when it said something along the lines of, “I don’t have ADD I’m just not listening to you”. I feel that if teachers had a little more patience with their students they would find that the students do not need to be ‘diagnosed’ or labeled as I like to think of it; they merely need a little more guidance and attention.
Digital Natives:
This article did not come as much of a surprise to me. I think we are definitely apart of a digital generation. From names like, “Digital Natives, Generation-D (digital), Nintendo Kids, the MTV generation” this generation basically eats, breathes and sleeps technical. For example, I don’t know about you guys but my cell phone is literally like a life line for me. It’s my alarm clock, planner, map, communication tool (phone, e-mail, text), weatherman, etc. I’m not sure what I would do without it. However, my mother only uses her phone for calling when she’s not at home to use the landline. We are definitely from different generations than even our parents.
When I took the quiz, I was expecting to do pretty well. I ended up with a 4/6 because I wasn’t familiar with the terms ‘modding or smart mobs’. The rest, I knew from prior experiences or like blogging and wikis, were terms that I became more familiar with from my experiences in my Education classes.
On another note, I was really intrigued by the term, ‘Digital immigrants’; it makes perfect sense! Immigrants have a difficult time with adjusting to their new lifestyle as it is so throw in a totally different generation and they will definitely have it harder than most. Anyone not familiar with this digital lifestyle could almost be considered an immigrant. My mother for example, once again, would be classified as a digital immigrant. The technologies that are being used to today are as foreign to her as a new language would be to an ELL student. She must start with the very basics on any new technology before she masters it and it takes her a little longer than most to figure it out.
“Digital Natives perceive technology as their friend and rely on it to study, work, play, relax and communicate. Natives dominate the seats in our classrooms and are an increasing presence in the entry-level workplace.” That statement sums up the digi-lifestyle extremely well. Technology in this day is definitely our friend. We use it for everything and continue to learn from it. It’s constantly expanding and we’re following right along with it. Like the article states, everyone from the United States Army to Harvard Business School has jumped on the Technology Train and is using it in as many ways as possible in hopes of effective expansion and inclusion of more individuals.
The final issue that struck my attention was the relation of ADD to this generation. What did everyone else think of that because I really wasn’t sure how I felt about it! On one hand there have been an increased number of students being ‘diagnosed’ with ADD but to say that it’s a bi-product of this digital generation is going off on a whim in my opinion. I personally found the shirt to be quite dead on when it said something along the lines of, “I don’t have ADD I’m just not listening to you”. I feel that if teachers had a little more patience with their students they would find that the students do not need to be ‘diagnosed’ or labeled as I like to think of it; they merely need a little more guidance and attention.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Week 4 Blog Kelsi Vidal
I would consider myself a "digital native" for the most part as I have grown up using technology in my every day life and "perceive technology as a friend and rely on it to study, work, play, relax and communicate." However, technology is quickly evolving and there were a couple of the concepts on the digital natives quiz that I was not all that familiar with (modding and smart mobs). I think the term "emergent" applies to my own digital literacy when I am using a new program or introduced to a new technological concept, I am developing an understanding and beginning to create understanding associated with that tool. When a program is newly introduced I am in the emergent stage of development in regards to my connection and comprehension to that program. Emergent digital literacy relates to children's emergent literacy in that both are new concepts that lead to further development whether it be through reading and writing or technology. A digital immigrant "struggles to understand and master new technologies" which is the same problem an emergent literacy child might face, but in regards to understanding and mastering new strategies in reading and writing. Both require the learner to acquire new skills and learn the basics as emergent literacy learners before they can build on their knowledge and develop further.
Week Four 2/10/09 M. Clover
The readings in Gibbons this week really opened my eyes to what it would be like to be an ESL student. They talked a lot about the different types of information and the proper or appropriate writing in each genre. This seems like an immense amount of information for a young ESL student to handle. I mean, we grew up this way…seeing the news, reading magazine articles etc. We know what is expected, even if we don’t actually learn it in school. It’s one of those things which we take for granted and if you’re not in the ESL student’s shoes, I think it is very hard to understand what they go through.
When I really think about it, I feel like there should be a special school for students who are ESL students, even though I know that would be impossible. It just seems that the way our teaching system is set up doesn’t promote ESL learning in any way, shape or form. ESL students need a lot of specialized and one-on-one instruction in order to keep them up to pace with other students. So, we’re back to square one. I do enjoy how Gibbons gives examples about what to do with ESL learners. This book is a keeper for me.
I really enjoyed reading how Mrs. Firpo teaching phonics in her 1st grade classroom. That is one thing that I feel I haven’t been able to touch on in my CT’s classroom(1/2 split). I know that there are at least 3 students who are still having trouble with phonics and therefore are having trouble with reading and writing (obviously). I think that my CT takes more time working on site words because they have to be memorized (according to GLCE’s) rather than working on phonics, because the majority of students do understand phonics. But it’s not working for everyone and some students are still being left behind. I know these students go off to a “reading special” in the afternoon. I’m going to try to follow them this week so that I can see what they are working on.
Overall, I felt that this reading was significantly different than a lot of reading I’ve done for TE. It was insightful and helpful.
When I really think about it, I feel like there should be a special school for students who are ESL students, even though I know that would be impossible. It just seems that the way our teaching system is set up doesn’t promote ESL learning in any way, shape or form. ESL students need a lot of specialized and one-on-one instruction in order to keep them up to pace with other students. So, we’re back to square one. I do enjoy how Gibbons gives examples about what to do with ESL learners. This book is a keeper for me.
I really enjoyed reading how Mrs. Firpo teaching phonics in her 1st grade classroom. That is one thing that I feel I haven’t been able to touch on in my CT’s classroom(1/2 split). I know that there are at least 3 students who are still having trouble with phonics and therefore are having trouble with reading and writing (obviously). I think that my CT takes more time working on site words because they have to be memorized (according to GLCE’s) rather than working on phonics, because the majority of students do understand phonics. But it’s not working for everyone and some students are still being left behind. I know these students go off to a “reading special” in the afternoon. I’m going to try to follow them this week so that I can see what they are working on.
Overall, I felt that this reading was significantly different than a lot of reading I’ve done for TE. It was insightful and helpful.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Meryl McLaughlin: Week 3
This weeks readings continued to discuss incorporating English Language Learners in the classroom. The main point I took away from the readings is that the bottom line for ELLs is to improve their communication within this new culture. A way to think of this is similar to the way we are taught to think about literacy. Literacy is not just reading and writing, it has so many more components such as listening, comprehending, explaining, requesting, etc. but they all go back to this idea of communication.
The idea of including the ELL students in the general education classroom reminds me a lot of bringing special education students in as well. The more we read in each of out TE classes I find that everything comes back to interacting with your students’ one on one to get to know them, and then customizing instruction. I think this is something that teachers often let fall between the cracks. It is understandable that making each student’s lesson or assessment slightly different is unrealistic, but it could be a trend among a group of students. The same is true for ELL. Just because you have 3 students in your class that are all learning English, and all speak a different first language doesn’t mean they can’t all benefit from the material being presented in a similar fashion.
The idea of including the ELL students in the general education classroom reminds me a lot of bringing special education students in as well. The more we read in each of out TE classes I find that everything comes back to interacting with your students’ one on one to get to know them, and then customizing instruction. I think this is something that teachers often let fall between the cracks. It is understandable that making each student’s lesson or assessment slightly different is unrealistic, but it could be a trend among a group of students. The same is true for ELL. Just because you have 3 students in your class that are all learning English, and all speak a different first language doesn’t mean they can’t all benefit from the material being presented in a similar fashion.
Week 3 Blog Kelsi Vidal
I enjoyed the Tompkins text this week in the "Literacy for the 21st Century - A Balanced Approach" book because it provided a lot of useful information and tools for success for teachers while teaching reading and writing. I liked in chapter one where they mentioned teachers needing to understand how children learn to be effective teachers and connect information in meaningful ways.
I also enjoyed the idea of critical literacy that involved using students and teachers as "agents of social change." This is often not a concept we think about, but with the examples they provided such as teachers interacting differently with boys and girls, students being silenced in the classroom, differing expectations for minority students, etc. it is apparent these can be modes for social change extending beyond the classroom. This is something I think is important to remember especially with the increasing number of ELL students and students from various cultures found in classrooms today. The classroom can be a good starting point to present equality and hope they will extend on into the community and beyond.
The idea of modeling and guiding students in reading and writing practices was interesting to me because it is something I have seen in my classroom. Sometimes we forget that younger students don't know how to do simple things we may take for granted or forgot we were once explicitly taught how to do things. In the kindergarten classroom I am in the teacher must remind students how to work in groups or how to have a group discussion. Being in school so long, this is something many students internalize and eventually just know, but for students just being introduced to concepts in reading and writing it must be modeled and laid out in an very specific and procedural way. I know from personal experience it is always less intimidating and more productive if I have an idea of the task at hand and so modeling seems like a positive method of instruction to me.
Something I found impressive and amazing while reading was in the section about cueing systems was that children have a vocabulary of approximately 5,000 words when they enter school and acquire 3,000-4,000 more each year in the elementary grades. These numbers seem astounding when you think about how many words that actually is. The fact that young students have such an extensive vocabulary coming into school and learn 8 to 10 new words each day really conveys to me that students are "sponges" and will absorb new experiences (word interaction).
I also believe the link between school and home is infinitely important and I feel I can attest to this first hand. I had positive experiences with reading and writing at school and at home and remember my parents being involved in my literacy development throughout childhood. This reminds me that for students who do not receive this at home may need more help at school and can be at a disadvantage. If students are not encouraged at home in reading and writing, are there ways to still keep them interested and ahead in literacy development? I have and am currently tutoring "at-risk" students and it is difficult to get them excited and interested in reading and writing when they are only encouraged at school and by tutors. When there is an extreme between home and school life, it is hard to create a balance. I also find that many of these students are not motivated to read or write at home and do not enjoy it. Is there any way to get students more excited and involved with reading and writing if they already have negative feelings about it?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Week Three 2/1/09 M. Clover
When reading the Tompkins book for class this week I had another round of Deja Vu. ( I say another round, because I have the same feelings towards the Math section of TE 402) I feel like this is all information which we learned/talked about in TE 301. Not that I don't think that it is useful information, but I just feel like I've already absorbed this information and now we're re-hashing it. So, here goes nothing.....
Whenever I read about the stages of literacy development, I instantly compare what the author writes to how my 4 year old nephew would be viewed. I think about what he can and can't do, and what I could do to help promote his learning. The more I think about it, the more I feel like it is out of my hands because I don't see him as often as I'd like to. Then I begin to think about what his parents should be doing and end up coming to the undeniable conclusion that in order for students to be fluent in literacy, they must have both parental and school support. In my future classroom I plan to let parents know how crucial their role is in their students learning! ( I like the idea of the take home bag that Tompkins talked about!)
Anyway.....Although I feel that my nephew is coming along quite fine, I begin to think about the students in my classroom who are 5 or 6 years old and how little they know about literacy. I'd have to say that the majority of the students in my class are in the beginning stages of learning to read and write... or as the author states, they are still beginning to "crack the alphabetic code". Many of these students do not see themselves as successful readers or writers, they get caught up on what letters look like and spelling, instead of trying to convey a message to someone else through text.
Last week, my CT had the students in my classroom tell a story about a time that they did something with a friend. We brainstormed as a class, talked about stories having beginnings middles and ends and then finished with allowing the students to tell their story on paper. In the end of the lesson, only about 5 students actually had a story which somewhat fit the description that the teacher was asking for. Many of the students only wrote one sentence, other just drew pictures and some refused to work at all. I think the teacher was very frustrated with this ( as was I!).
After reading this weeks readings, I think something that I'd like to try in her classroom would be the Language Experience Approach that was talked about. I think that this would show the students that their own text can easily be written (or changed to a different mode) and still be seen as successful. Also, since the teacher would actually be writing the text, the students wouldn't be as worried about getting things correct and they could learn a bit about the concepts of print, which is something that I feel they really need to know as of now.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the Gibbons book because for ONCE it gave examples of how to work with ELL students, instead of just telling us what not to do! (They even made it sound kind of easy!?)
Whenever I read about the stages of literacy development, I instantly compare what the author writes to how my 4 year old nephew would be viewed. I think about what he can and can't do, and what I could do to help promote his learning. The more I think about it, the more I feel like it is out of my hands because I don't see him as often as I'd like to. Then I begin to think about what his parents should be doing and end up coming to the undeniable conclusion that in order for students to be fluent in literacy, they must have both parental and school support. In my future classroom I plan to let parents know how crucial their role is in their students learning! ( I like the idea of the take home bag that Tompkins talked about!)
Anyway.....Although I feel that my nephew is coming along quite fine, I begin to think about the students in my classroom who are 5 or 6 years old and how little they know about literacy. I'd have to say that the majority of the students in my class are in the beginning stages of learning to read and write... or as the author states, they are still beginning to "crack the alphabetic code". Many of these students do not see themselves as successful readers or writers, they get caught up on what letters look like and spelling, instead of trying to convey a message to someone else through text.
Last week, my CT had the students in my classroom tell a story about a time that they did something with a friend. We brainstormed as a class, talked about stories having beginnings middles and ends and then finished with allowing the students to tell their story on paper. In the end of the lesson, only about 5 students actually had a story which somewhat fit the description that the teacher was asking for. Many of the students only wrote one sentence, other just drew pictures and some refused to work at all. I think the teacher was very frustrated with this ( as was I!).
After reading this weeks readings, I think something that I'd like to try in her classroom would be the Language Experience Approach that was talked about. I think that this would show the students that their own text can easily be written (or changed to a different mode) and still be seen as successful. Also, since the teacher would actually be writing the text, the students wouldn't be as worried about getting things correct and they could learn a bit about the concepts of print, which is something that I feel they really need to know as of now.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the Gibbons book because for ONCE it gave examples of how to work with ELL students, instead of just telling us what not to do! (They even made it sound kind of easy!?)
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