This is that blog entry that always comes when one thing ends and something new begins. TE 402 Math/Literacy is finished and the internship process is that much closer.
When I think back to major themes that have stuck out to me over the course of this semester in this class, I can hear DIFFERENTIATION being screamed so loudly. The literacy component of this class inspired me so much to explore what it really means to differentiate lessons to accommodate the needs of the learners in my classroom. As a special education major, I’ve heard about differentiation in every single CEP course I’ve taken; however, the application process of differentiating is something new and different.
This course inspired me to read a text on differentiation instruction in mixed-ability classrooms by Tomlinson. I have to say, if there is one major thing that I’m taking with me from this semester, it is the actual implementation of differentiated lesson planning.
My field placement this semester has allowed me to work one-on-one with four focus/target students, all whom have varying academic support needs. The requirements of this class, to actually teach one-on-one lessons and/or small group’s lessons, have allowed me the opportunity to move away from the large group focus and really see the significance of knowing who your learners are. I have learned so much about these four students from our one-on-one lessons that I can’t imagine trying to teach them without knowing the things that I know.
The importance of knowing your students has never before been made so clear to me. I am very glad that I can walk away from this class having this kind of knowledge.
As an educator of students with special needs I will be focusing a lot on small group/individualized lesson plans. In the field of deaf education, most deaf/hard of hearing students attend school with 100% hearing friends. The role of a deaf education then becomes very individualized. Therefore, the opportunities that I’ve been provided with during this course have, and will be, a very important piece of my future career.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
New Literacies Exploration
So, it looks like almost everyone has uploaded their New Literacies Exploration and I have had a chance to look at a lot of them--well, at least the ones with active links!
I chose to explore the realm of digital storytelling because it is something that I had never heard of before I stumbled upon a website about what it was and how it can be used. At first, I thought to myself, this seems like too much work. I watched a sample video called "The Look" which was created to teach jr. high students about science fiction--real science fiction that is. It's an interesting video, but my first thought was that it would take more time to make a video about it at home than it would to prepare a lesson a teach about it in the classroom. Then I thought some more--would it really? Would it take more time? No. Time is not the issue. Equipment would be my issue. After all, once you've made your video then you just have to press play the next day in your classroom.
But digitial storytelling, using The Look example, is really more that the time that it takes to create the document. It's really all about reaching your students. Face it, we live in a society today that puts the boob-tube on a pedastal! Most people spend a significant amount of their day in front of a TV screen and the quality of what they set before their eyes is piss poor--yet entertaining to some degree. Doesn't it make PERFECT sense to take the mode of information gathering that your students prefer and channel something high quality to them via it? I think so!
In order to really make my New Literacies Exploration my own I didn't want to simply recreate a document I'd already seen. As I was searching my brain trying to think of something to do for this assignment using what I have learned about digital storytelling I remember some pictures that I had from a trip to Shawnee Park Elementary in Grand Rapids. Shawnee Park has a phenomenal hearing impaired program and their focus is using Oral/Auditory training for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. In one of the classrooms I had visited, the students were putting their finishing touches on their "All About Me" books. I was able to take pictures of each page of one young boys book and upload those pictures into Microsoft Photo Story 3 (which I had downloaded during my learning portion of this exploration). Once I had the pictures I thought to myself, it would have been great if I could have recorded the little boy reading these pages to me--but that wasn't an option at the time being, so I found a willing male in my dorm to audio record. And walla, I have a digitial story!
I would encourage ANYONE and EVERYONE to check out digital storytelling because it is a great technology and it's EASY. The bottom line is that it is DOABLE in the classroom setting. It is NOT a huge, extensive project that you have to create--I created both of the stories embedded in my write up in less than 15 minutes--and you're students will LOVE it!
Too often I think we shy away from technology because there is a set-up time involved that we just don't have. It takes A LOT of time to create a classroom webpage and even more time to keep it updated. One thing I have observed in my various placement settings is that teachers rarely have that extra time. If we want to bring technology into our classrooms, we have to find applications that work for us!
I chose to explore the realm of digital storytelling because it is something that I had never heard of before I stumbled upon a website about what it was and how it can be used. At first, I thought to myself, this seems like too much work. I watched a sample video called "The Look" which was created to teach jr. high students about science fiction--real science fiction that is. It's an interesting video, but my first thought was that it would take more time to make a video about it at home than it would to prepare a lesson a teach about it in the classroom. Then I thought some more--would it really? Would it take more time? No. Time is not the issue. Equipment would be my issue. After all, once you've made your video then you just have to press play the next day in your classroom.
But digitial storytelling, using The Look example, is really more that the time that it takes to create the document. It's really all about reaching your students. Face it, we live in a society today that puts the boob-tube on a pedastal! Most people spend a significant amount of their day in front of a TV screen and the quality of what they set before their eyes is piss poor--yet entertaining to some degree. Doesn't it make PERFECT sense to take the mode of information gathering that your students prefer and channel something high quality to them via it? I think so!
In order to really make my New Literacies Exploration my own I didn't want to simply recreate a document I'd already seen. As I was searching my brain trying to think of something to do for this assignment using what I have learned about digital storytelling I remember some pictures that I had from a trip to Shawnee Park Elementary in Grand Rapids. Shawnee Park has a phenomenal hearing impaired program and their focus is using Oral/Auditory training for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. In one of the classrooms I had visited, the students were putting their finishing touches on their "All About Me" books. I was able to take pictures of each page of one young boys book and upload those pictures into Microsoft Photo Story 3 (which I had downloaded during my learning portion of this exploration). Once I had the pictures I thought to myself, it would have been great if I could have recorded the little boy reading these pages to me--but that wasn't an option at the time being, so I found a willing male in my dorm to audio record. And walla, I have a digitial story!
I would encourage ANYONE and EVERYONE to check out digital storytelling because it is a great technology and it's EASY. The bottom line is that it is DOABLE in the classroom setting. It is NOT a huge, extensive project that you have to create--I created both of the stories embedded in my write up in less than 15 minutes--and you're students will LOVE it!
Too often I think we shy away from technology because there is a set-up time involved that we just don't have. It takes A LOT of time to create a classroom webpage and even more time to keep it updated. One thing I have observed in my various placement settings is that teachers rarely have that extra time. If we want to bring technology into our classrooms, we have to find applications that work for us!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Field Thoughts...
I just spent the 2 longest hours of my life in my field placement. As soon as I got some place where I could sit down and reflect this is what I came up with. Please read and respond with your thoughts....
Dealing with the unmotivated, unchallenged student in your classroom…
An underlying lack of motivation may explain why many students are disengaged from classroom activities and fail to participate with their peers. Motivation is the presence of a personal drive that pushes us, as human beings, towards a goal. When school becomes an insignificant goal to a student there is a lack of motivation. Teachers can impact a student’s level of motivation by finding out the student’s interests and framing at least on aspect of a lesson plan around what the student likes. But what happens when the lesson plan that you based upon that student interests fails to appeal to them still?
I’m talking about the unchallenged student. The student in your classroom who has the potential to complete more challenging tasks, but chooses not to. Every once in a while, he/she “slips” and says something profound or does something that you can’t believe. But the other 99% of the time, this student sits in his/her chair and stares off into space, is completely oblivious to the fact that you just assigned something, sits in the math circle and looks straight through you. This student doesn’t care that you call on him/her to answer because they’ve already made up their mind that they’re not giving an answer. And don’t try to bribe him/her because he/she is one step ahead of you. This student is so smart that it frustrates you to no end that they won’t just participate and do the work that you assign.
Even though you hate the way it sounds, you admit that most of the time you let this student get away with being disengaged, reminding yourself of the other 26 students in your class and the education they deserve. You try and try and get nothing back in response. Wouldn’t it just be easier to give up? runs through your mind constantly, but you fight it because this is one of your kids, one of your students, and you just can’t give up. You feel like you’re running out of options.
You’re so sick of hearing “differentiated lessons” from people who have never worked with this particular student. You differentiate all of your lesson plans and you’re doing a great job with the other students in your classroom. It’s just this one kid…And you’re class isn’t the only classroom he/she acts this way. You hear the same thing from the drama teacher, the music teacher, the gym teacher, and even the lunch lady has concerns.
The month of February is coming to an end and you’re at a loss. What are you going to do?
Dealing with the unmotivated, unchallenged student in your classroom…
An underlying lack of motivation may explain why many students are disengaged from classroom activities and fail to participate with their peers. Motivation is the presence of a personal drive that pushes us, as human beings, towards a goal. When school becomes an insignificant goal to a student there is a lack of motivation. Teachers can impact a student’s level of motivation by finding out the student’s interests and framing at least on aspect of a lesson plan around what the student likes. But what happens when the lesson plan that you based upon that student interests fails to appeal to them still?
I’m talking about the unchallenged student. The student in your classroom who has the potential to complete more challenging tasks, but chooses not to. Every once in a while, he/she “slips” and says something profound or does something that you can’t believe. But the other 99% of the time, this student sits in his/her chair and stares off into space, is completely oblivious to the fact that you just assigned something, sits in the math circle and looks straight through you. This student doesn’t care that you call on him/her to answer because they’ve already made up their mind that they’re not giving an answer. And don’t try to bribe him/her because he/she is one step ahead of you. This student is so smart that it frustrates you to no end that they won’t just participate and do the work that you assign.
Even though you hate the way it sounds, you admit that most of the time you let this student get away with being disengaged, reminding yourself of the other 26 students in your class and the education they deserve. You try and try and get nothing back in response. Wouldn’t it just be easier to give up? runs through your mind constantly, but you fight it because this is one of your kids, one of your students, and you just can’t give up. You feel like you’re running out of options.
You’re so sick of hearing “differentiated lessons” from people who have never worked with this particular student. You differentiate all of your lesson plans and you’re doing a great job with the other students in your classroom. It’s just this one kid…And you’re class isn’t the only classroom he/she acts this way. You hear the same thing from the drama teacher, the music teacher, the gym teacher, and even the lunch lady has concerns.
The month of February is coming to an end and you’re at a loss. What are you going to do?
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Portfolio
You've read many cases, watched video, and discussed problems and solution strategies about the base ten system. For your writing prompt:
1) What ideas about numbers and the base ten system have ben highlighted fotr you by these readings, videos, discussions, and activities?
2) What questions do you have?
We've spent a lot of time talking about teaching students the base ten system of numbers and one thing still perplexes me--I never learned about it in elementary school!
It was not until I was taking TE 201 at MSU my Freshman year that I even heard of the term "base ten system" and learned how systems would be different if the base number was different, two or five for example.
So, when we're teaching our students about the system of numbers we just teach them how to count and manipulate number to perform the tasks we are given--but we never really say "This is the base ten system". Or should we? I guess this is a question that I still have, even though I have a gut instict about the answer.
And that is simple--if we try and teach our students so much and expect them to remember all kinds of unrelated things, they will develop a negative attitude of learning as it becomes a difficult task for them. When we make things too complex we are really making them even more abstract for our students and eventually we may burn them out. So, having said that, I feel that if we are going to introduce our students, explicitly, to systems, such as the base ten system, we must make it relevant to them.
In fact, all teaching should be relevant to our students and we need to be tuned into their interests so we can make learning exciting and valuable for them. This is not a theory only to be applied to math; instead, it is simply effective teaching.
1) What ideas about numbers and the base ten system have ben highlighted fotr you by these readings, videos, discussions, and activities?
2) What questions do you have?
We've spent a lot of time talking about teaching students the base ten system of numbers and one thing still perplexes me--I never learned about it in elementary school!
It was not until I was taking TE 201 at MSU my Freshman year that I even heard of the term "base ten system" and learned how systems would be different if the base number was different, two or five for example.
So, when we're teaching our students about the system of numbers we just teach them how to count and manipulate number to perform the tasks we are given--but we never really say "This is the base ten system". Or should we? I guess this is a question that I still have, even though I have a gut instict about the answer.
And that is simple--if we try and teach our students so much and expect them to remember all kinds of unrelated things, they will develop a negative attitude of learning as it becomes a difficult task for them. When we make things too complex we are really making them even more abstract for our students and eventually we may burn them out. So, having said that, I feel that if we are going to introduce our students, explicitly, to systems, such as the base ten system, we must make it relevant to them.
In fact, all teaching should be relevant to our students and we need to be tuned into their interests so we can make learning exciting and valuable for them. This is not a theory only to be applied to math; instead, it is simply effective teaching.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Interview Plan
After watching the video of the six year old boy being interviewed, I decided to duplicate the structure that the interviewer uses.
1. I want you to start counting and keep going until I say stop.
Doesthe student count smoothly?
Is there an obvious pattern to the students counting?
Does the student slow down and speed up at all?
2. What is the largest number you know?
3. Can you write that number for me?
Can the student write the largest number he/she knows?
4. I’m going to start counting and when I stop, I want you to keep counting from where I leave off
7, 8, 9, ___
27, 28, 29, ______ (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, _____)
42, 43, 44, 45, _____ (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, ______)
86, 87, 88, ____ (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, ______)
95, 96, 97, 98, 99, ______
5. When I was counting aloud, what were you thinking about?
6. I want you to pick up one of the markers and write down the number that I say aloud.
9
14
27
58
63
100
113
Monday, February 11, 2008
E-Notebook Submission
Free Write
More on differentiated lesson planning...
The text How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms (Tomlinson) was recommended to me a few weeks ago. I have to say, as a full-time college student, mentor, employee, and fiancé who is ecstatically planning a wedding, I don’t have a lot of extra time for reading. But something stuck out about this text…and I ordered it.
After reading two chapters I’ve been recommending this book to every teacher/teacher candidate I know. It’s a great tool to have.
I believe that too often, we hear differentiated lesson planning and get this image in our minds of one teacher and 25 different students, each requiring a different method of teaching and the overwhelming impossibilities that are in our minds are burned there are they just get worse and worse over time.
The bottom line is that every student is different; each individual in your classroom will take in the information you give in a different way. This is inevitable. So where do you start?
According to Tomlinson, the very first thing you have to do is identify the needs of the below average student as well as the above average student. This is your range. Identifying this range can come from assessments, but also from observations, looking at a student’s previous work, talking wit the student, etc… By knowing this range and understand it, you will be less likely to teach above or below your student’s level. If you have a gifted learner and their mind is never challenged, what happens to their potential? If you have a student who struggles and you are constantly reminding that student that he/she is struggling, how will they ever succeed?
When you’re teaching a lesson, you focus should be ‘how can I connect what this student already knows with the new information?’
You have to know your students; they don’t come with manuals. You have to be aware when Jaime can’t understand you because school is the only place that he hears English, or how confused Erik is because he only understands the story if someone else is reading it, or how peaceful school is for Sarah because it’s the only setting that allows her to escape the abuse at home.
If you don’t know your students, how will you reach them? If you can’t reach them, how will you engage them? If their brain is not engaged in learning, how will learning take place?
More on differentiated lesson planning...
The text How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms (Tomlinson) was recommended to me a few weeks ago. I have to say, as a full-time college student, mentor, employee, and fiancé who is ecstatically planning a wedding, I don’t have a lot of extra time for reading. But something stuck out about this text…and I ordered it.
After reading two chapters I’ve been recommending this book to every teacher/teacher candidate I know. It’s a great tool to have.
I believe that too often, we hear differentiated lesson planning and get this image in our minds of one teacher and 25 different students, each requiring a different method of teaching and the overwhelming impossibilities that are in our minds are burned there are they just get worse and worse over time.
The bottom line is that every student is different; each individual in your classroom will take in the information you give in a different way. This is inevitable. So where do you start?
According to Tomlinson, the very first thing you have to do is identify the needs of the below average student as well as the above average student. This is your range. Identifying this range can come from assessments, but also from observations, looking at a student’s previous work, talking wit the student, etc… By knowing this range and understand it, you will be less likely to teach above or below your student’s level. If you have a gifted learner and their mind is never challenged, what happens to their potential? If you have a student who struggles and you are constantly reminding that student that he/she is struggling, how will they ever succeed?
When you’re teaching a lesson, you focus should be ‘how can I connect what this student already knows with the new information?’
You have to know your students; they don’t come with manuals. You have to be aware when Jaime can’t understand you because school is the only place that he hears English, or how confused Erik is because he only understands the story if someone else is reading it, or how peaceful school is for Sarah because it’s the only setting that allows her to escape the abuse at home.
If you don’t know your students, how will you reach them? If you can’t reach them, how will you engage them? If their brain is not engaged in learning, how will learning take place?
Monday, February 4, 2008
E-Notebook Submission
Take a digital natives quiz and read information from the website (http://coe.sdsu/eet/articles/digitalnatives/index.htm). Write about the following: Are you a digital native or immigrant? To what extent does the term "emergent" apply to your own digial literacy?
I was able to identify with 4 out of the 6 terms (blogs, massive multiple player online games, instant messaging, wiki's) on the digital natives quiz.
In terms of the digital world and new technologies, I'm not a native. I grew up on a farm where we literally rode on the backs of pigs for fun instead of instant messaging our friends or posting online journals. My family didn't even own a computer until I was in Jr. high. We had no need for one; I used the computers at school whenever I needed to type something and to this day my parents rarely have any interactions between a keyboard and their fingertips.
I was introduced to technology via school, not home. This is a major difference between myself and the students that I work with in my field placement and I believe it is something to capitalize on. If the attraction of multi-media arouses my students then why wouldn't I want to use it?
Too many "experienced" teachers steer away from utilizing technology in their classrooms because they themselves are intimidated by the endless capabilities that are available to them. They don't want to learn new things to teach with; they have their lesson plans that they developed 25 years ago when they first started teaching and other than a few changes in benchmarks and/or district curriculum, those lessons haven't changed.
So I ask myself, am I native or an immigrant? It's clear to me that I moved into the digital world before I entered high school, and because I wasn't born into it, I'm not a native. But the term immigrant doesn't fit me either.
When I think of an immigrant, I think of someone who left where they once were to reach a better place, a place with more options and resources. There was a purpose for their departure fom wherever they were before to where they are now. However, technology was something that I believe just came to me; I didn't necessarily find it. School introduced us, but like a child acquring language, my knowledge of how to operate the digital world soared. I didn't go looking for technology, instead, it was something that emerged.
Since taking CEP 416, Teaching with Technology, here at MSU, my digital literacy has been jumpstarted. I am more eager than ever before to learn about the new technologies that are available for me to utilize. With no previous knowledge of online works, such as blogs, I stepped into the first day of class knowing that "blogging" was the dumbest word I'd ever heard. But really, I had no idea what it was. It was foriegn to me and I wasn't ready, quite yet, to give it a try.
However, after learning that my instructor had his entire class outlined online (via a blog), which made it so much more assessible to me than a paper copy that I may lose, I was ready to learn more.
Now I have experience with podcasting, making webpages, using Skype, creating wiki's, and all other sorts of new technologies that I can't wait to try and bring into my classroom.
One thing that has always been in the back of my mind, and was reiterated to me in the Tompkins chapter is that you have to reach students at their level. Whether you're working with preschoolers or college students, you, as the teacher, have to meet them at their level-and if multimedia stimulates their learning, why not use it?
I was able to identify with 4 out of the 6 terms (blogs, massive multiple player online games, instant messaging, wiki's) on the digital natives quiz.
In terms of the digital world and new technologies, I'm not a native. I grew up on a farm where we literally rode on the backs of pigs for fun instead of instant messaging our friends or posting online journals. My family didn't even own a computer until I was in Jr. high. We had no need for one; I used the computers at school whenever I needed to type something and to this day my parents rarely have any interactions between a keyboard and their fingertips.
I was introduced to technology via school, not home. This is a major difference between myself and the students that I work with in my field placement and I believe it is something to capitalize on. If the attraction of multi-media arouses my students then why wouldn't I want to use it?
Too many "experienced" teachers steer away from utilizing technology in their classrooms because they themselves are intimidated by the endless capabilities that are available to them. They don't want to learn new things to teach with; they have their lesson plans that they developed 25 years ago when they first started teaching and other than a few changes in benchmarks and/or district curriculum, those lessons haven't changed.
So I ask myself, am I native or an immigrant? It's clear to me that I moved into the digital world before I entered high school, and because I wasn't born into it, I'm not a native. But the term immigrant doesn't fit me either.
When I think of an immigrant, I think of someone who left where they once were to reach a better place, a place with more options and resources. There was a purpose for their departure fom wherever they were before to where they are now. However, technology was something that I believe just came to me; I didn't necessarily find it. School introduced us, but like a child acquring language, my knowledge of how to operate the digital world soared. I didn't go looking for technology, instead, it was something that emerged.
Since taking CEP 416, Teaching with Technology, here at MSU, my digital literacy has been jumpstarted. I am more eager than ever before to learn about the new technologies that are available for me to utilize. With no previous knowledge of online works, such as blogs, I stepped into the first day of class knowing that "blogging" was the dumbest word I'd ever heard. But really, I had no idea what it was. It was foriegn to me and I wasn't ready, quite yet, to give it a try.
However, after learning that my instructor had his entire class outlined online (via a blog), which made it so much more assessible to me than a paper copy that I may lose, I was ready to learn more.
Now I have experience with podcasting, making webpages, using Skype, creating wiki's, and all other sorts of new technologies that I can't wait to try and bring into my classroom.
One thing that has always been in the back of my mind, and was reiterated to me in the Tompkins chapter is that you have to reach students at their level. Whether you're working with preschoolers or college students, you, as the teacher, have to meet them at their level-and if multimedia stimulates their learning, why not use it?
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