It seems like the semester is starting to wind down to the end. I am surprised at how quickly it has gone by, but also I am realizing how much more work there is to do! This week’s discussion board prompt about “The Pedagogical Continuum” was very engaging because it is a topic that has been on my mind for a number of months. I exerted my opinion that I tend to like “direct teaching” and “teacher-centered instruction” over “discovery learning” and “student-centered instruction.” I was wary about posting my true opinion because I know it is against the most recent movement in education. Although I do maintain that I personally enjoy “teacher-centered” classrooms, one of my classmates brought up the point that students that are going through the education system now are growing up with “student-lead instruction” methods and it is normal to them. This was a point I had not considered and it was a very relevant point. It made me think about how the way in which a person learns as a child directly effects how they are comfortable learning later in life.
Module 6
This chapter was entitled, “Student-Centered Instructional Strategies” and was a most interesting chapter. Through this chapter I really examined the difference between “delivery mode” and “access mode.” I could clearly see the strengths and weaknesses of both ways of teaching. I also enjoyed reading my classmates’ posts about their college experiences and what level on the ladder (pg. 236, figure 6.4) their experience was positioned.
Website Recommendation: http://www.inspiringteachers.com/index.html
This website is a great general resource for teachers. It contains helpful hints on how to deal with a gamut of issues including irate parents.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Week 9 Reflections
This week’s decision about what “special needs” means to us was very interesting. I had not even considered that students who are “gifted” students could be placed in the category of “special needs.” I enjoyed reading my classmates’ responses to that prompt.
This week has been busy due to planning for Assignment 2. I have found that it was bigger than I expected, but I am certain I will get it done if I just stick to it. I found Module 5 to be helpful in working on Assignment 2.
Module 5
This chapter turned out to be a great resource for the preparation for Assignment 2. I thought the outlines of various units and lesson plans were very helpful. I had been having a difficult time picturing what a unit would look like on paper. It was nice to see a sample of what a unit might be like and what is really included. I am finding that since I have only had one year of teaching experience (which was to adult students), I am lacking the knowledge of how to line up my ideas with Florida Standards, specific instructional objectives, and the general procedure of a k-12 class. I am not sure if that makes sense, but my experience in teaching was in English as a second language, and I worked with Korean college students so Florida standards and all of that was not included in my lesson plans. I am sure that in time I will understand exactly what is expected and will be able to construct a unit plan and a lesson plan with ease.
Website Recommendation
http://www.teach.gov/
This website would be useful for when people are looking for teaching jobs after they graduate.
This week has been busy due to planning for Assignment 2. I have found that it was bigger than I expected, but I am certain I will get it done if I just stick to it. I found Module 5 to be helpful in working on Assignment 2.
Module 5
This chapter turned out to be a great resource for the preparation for Assignment 2. I thought the outlines of various units and lesson plans were very helpful. I had been having a difficult time picturing what a unit would look like on paper. It was nice to see a sample of what a unit might be like and what is really included. I am finding that since I have only had one year of teaching experience (which was to adult students), I am lacking the knowledge of how to line up my ideas with Florida Standards, specific instructional objectives, and the general procedure of a k-12 class. I am not sure if that makes sense, but my experience in teaching was in English as a second language, and I worked with Korean college students so Florida standards and all of that was not included in my lesson plans. I am sure that in time I will understand exactly what is expected and will be able to construct a unit plan and a lesson plan with ease.
Website Recommendation
http://www.teach.gov/
This website would be useful for when people are looking for teaching jobs after they graduate.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Week 8 Reflections
This week has been a busy, short week. I am going out of town this weekend and have been trying to make sure I have had time to get everything done. It seems like online classes are more demanding on a regular basis than traditional classes. I am sure I could be wrong about this, but it is how I feel, especially lately when I have been trying to allocate enough time to get all of the discussion posts ect. done. Anyway, I will move on from my complaints to blogging about this week’s discussion and reading.
I enjoyed the discussion prompt about using multiple texts in the classroom. It made me think back to various classes I’ve taken and what the teachers or professors used as a tool for instruction. I specifically remember in high school, my government teacher used the local newspaper as supplemental reading for his classes. I liked reading from the paper because it was more relevant to my real life and the contents related to events in my own community. Also, I did not mind that the newspaper reading was shorter than a chapter in the textbook!
It seems like the internet is becoming another source for teachers to use as a resource for reading material as well. Recently, I took a class on Reading, and how to assist students in learning to love to read. In that class, they mentioned incorporating the internet as an avenue to approach reading. Some of my classmates did presentations on different programs that teachers can use for reading online. I learned that the internet can be an incredible resource for reading via the web; in addition students generally find it more interesting.
Module 4
One particular blurb from module 4 that I found to be interesting was from Activity 4.1 entitled, “Oprah’s National High School Essay Contest.” I learned that Oprah has made a profound impact on reading because of her book club and through the books she has recommended weekly. It struck me as amazing that someone, just one person, could make such a huge impact on the culture of reading in a nation. It gives me hope for the literacy of our nation.
Website Recommendation: http://www.magickeys.com/books/
This site is great for young readers. The books are all illustrated and you click the mouse to change the page. It might be a way of getting young readers interested in reading.
I enjoyed the discussion prompt about using multiple texts in the classroom. It made me think back to various classes I’ve taken and what the teachers or professors used as a tool for instruction. I specifically remember in high school, my government teacher used the local newspaper as supplemental reading for his classes. I liked reading from the paper because it was more relevant to my real life and the contents related to events in my own community. Also, I did not mind that the newspaper reading was shorter than a chapter in the textbook!
It seems like the internet is becoming another source for teachers to use as a resource for reading material as well. Recently, I took a class on Reading, and how to assist students in learning to love to read. In that class, they mentioned incorporating the internet as an avenue to approach reading. Some of my classmates did presentations on different programs that teachers can use for reading online. I learned that the internet can be an incredible resource for reading via the web; in addition students generally find it more interesting.
Module 4
One particular blurb from module 4 that I found to be interesting was from Activity 4.1 entitled, “Oprah’s National High School Essay Contest.” I learned that Oprah has made a profound impact on reading because of her book club and through the books she has recommended weekly. It struck me as amazing that someone, just one person, could make such a huge impact on the culture of reading in a nation. It gives me hope for the literacy of our nation.
Website Recommendation: http://www.magickeys.com/books/
This site is great for young readers. The books are all illustrated and you click the mouse to change the page. It might be a way of getting young readers interested in reading.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Week 7 Reflections
This week’s theme was about motivating students and teachers. I liked the posts I read about motivating teachers because it is true that many teachers get burned out over time. I think it is vitally important to keep both students and teachers motivated to do their best. I am not sure how I misunderstood what type of article we were supposed to write about this week, but somehow I misread the assignment goals. After reading my classmates blogs, I saw my mistake. I thought that we just needed an article on motivation, not necessarily motivating students or teachers in particular, so I chose an article called “Motivation and Reading.” I actually thought the article was interesting though its findings were not extremely profound. I felt bad that my article was not exactly on topic, but I figured that someone could get some use of it anyway.
I also thought the “sugar, spice, and everything nice” prompt was interesting. It made me think about what teachers do in order to keep students motivated, and I wondered to myself whether those actions were able to sustain the student’s interest. I enjoyed reading my classmates opinion on this subject as well.
Here were my insights from Wong Chapters 21, 22, 24.
Wong 21
This chapter was about the value of what students actually accomplish in class, not the goals that the teacher sets out to teach. I liked this chapter because it gave a step-by-step procedure for creating effective assignments that checks to see if the students are learning. I think this can be a fault in many classrooms; the teacher fails to sincerely look at how much the student understands and what they actually need to do to understand.
Wong Chapter 22
This chapter is revolving around when to give a test and what a test is actually for in the student’s educational process. Teachers are meant to create objectives before their lessons, which contain what will be taught, and directly relates to the content the students will be tested. This chapter also goes over the difference between summative tests (given at the end of unit or semester) vs. formative tests (given throughout the classes to check for comprehension). Summative tests are graded, and many times formative tests are not. I thought this chapter was good because it briefly went over when and how to test and the objective of testing.
Wong Chapter 24
This chapter is about teamwork between teachers and the increased effectiveness that is a result of their collaboration. By working together, teachers can learn strategies from one another and increase their overall effectiveness with their students. The chapter explains the positive elements of collaboration. I know that when I was teaching, it helped immensely to get feedback from my co-workers. I am sure that every teacher needs the assistance of others in order to continue to progress in their profession.
Website Recommendation
https://ycped200.wikispaces.com/Classroom+Layout
This website was great for creating classroom layouts. The page allows you to see different classroom arrangements and you can even alter the arrangement to your liking. I think it would be a good resource for a new teacher who is figuring out how to use his or her classroom space in the most efficient, effective way.
I also thought the “sugar, spice, and everything nice” prompt was interesting. It made me think about what teachers do in order to keep students motivated, and I wondered to myself whether those actions were able to sustain the student’s interest. I enjoyed reading my classmates opinion on this subject as well.
Here were my insights from Wong Chapters 21, 22, 24.
Wong 21
This chapter was about the value of what students actually accomplish in class, not the goals that the teacher sets out to teach. I liked this chapter because it gave a step-by-step procedure for creating effective assignments that checks to see if the students are learning. I think this can be a fault in many classrooms; the teacher fails to sincerely look at how much the student understands and what they actually need to do to understand.
Wong Chapter 22
This chapter is revolving around when to give a test and what a test is actually for in the student’s educational process. Teachers are meant to create objectives before their lessons, which contain what will be taught, and directly relates to the content the students will be tested. This chapter also goes over the difference between summative tests (given at the end of unit or semester) vs. formative tests (given throughout the classes to check for comprehension). Summative tests are graded, and many times formative tests are not. I thought this chapter was good because it briefly went over when and how to test and the objective of testing.
Wong Chapter 24
This chapter is about teamwork between teachers and the increased effectiveness that is a result of their collaboration. By working together, teachers can learn strategies from one another and increase their overall effectiveness with their students. The chapter explains the positive elements of collaboration. I know that when I was teaching, it helped immensely to get feedback from my co-workers. I am sure that every teacher needs the assistance of others in order to continue to progress in their profession.
Website Recommendation
https://ycped200.wikispaces.com/Classroom+Layout
This website was great for creating classroom layouts. The page allows you to see different classroom arrangements and you can even alter the arrangement to your liking. I think it would be a good resource for a new teacher who is figuring out how to use his or her classroom space in the most efficient, effective way.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Week 6 Reflection Blog
This week has been a busy week, especially since we have the Classroom Management Plan due Sunday. I did like the discussion from this week and found that reading everyone’s stories on teacher caused misbehavior was interesting. It was a topic that I had not considered in great depth, but now I have a more robust understanding of how the teacher’s role both in and out of the classroom can affect students. Here is my synthesis of the qualities of an effective teacher. I used both my own thoughts and added some of my classmates’ listed qualities.
1. Disciplined
2. Flexible
3. Organized
4. Prepared
5. Enthusiastic
6. Kind
7. Considerate
8. Patient
9. Timely
10. Engaging
11. Encouraging
12. Creative
13. Proactive
14. Accepting of constructive criticism.
15. Effective use of teaching strategies
16. Effective communicator
17. Reflective about their own strengths and weaknesses
18. Knowledgeable about content
19. Knowledgeable about cultural differences
20. Knowledgeable about teaching methodologies
Kellough & Carjuzaa Module 3: Page 93-110
I thought that the scenarios in this chapter were very insightful. I particularly like the scenario about the new teacher Lily and her interaction with her class. I learned that there has to be a balance between friendly and seeming overly stern. Lily really did love her students and enjoyed teaching, but she was perceived as strict and unhappy. I know that in the past, I have been too friendly with my students, and I learned that I must be a little sterner. In the case of Lily, she needed to relax a little and learn that students need to see her smile in order to know that she is not upset with them, but is enjoying teaching.
Wong Chapters: 6, 18, 19, 20
Wong Chapter 6
The key idea was stated on page 37, “Your expectations of your students will greatly influence their achievement in your class and in their lives.” I would have to agree with this statement. Students sense their teacher’s expectations of them, and will act accordingly. Students will even create a negative perspective about themselves that may stay with them for the rest of their lives if their teachers had low expectations. I thought it was interesting how on page 39, the authors gave examples of negative vs. positive expectations given by parents, teachers, and the students themselves. Although I knew teacher and parent expectations were important, this chapter further solidified that for me.
Wong Chapter 18
This chapter was excellent for the use with the Classroom Management Plan project. I liked how it gave examples of classroom rules and a plan for disciplinary action in the classroom. I can see that the use of rewards can be useful and can give students something to work towards. In general it was an excellent chapter for new teachers who do not know how to deal with discipline problems.
Wong Chapter 19
This chapter was about creating routines and procedures in the classroom that prevent discipline problems. When students are on a regular schedule, and the classroom time is used effectively, there is less time to misbehave and students feel safe and secure in their scheduled environment. I liked how on page 169, the author makes the distinction from a “rule” vs. a “procedure: “A rule is DARE to be broken, whereas a procedure is not. A procedure is a DO, a step to be learned.” I know that I will try my best to implement excellent procedures in order to minimize misbehavior and increase student involvement.
Wong Chapter 20
In this chapter, I learned that a well-organized and procedural classroom promotes a learning environment for students. When I think back to my education growing up, I realize that I learned the most and was engaged more frequently in classes that were well organized. This chapter provides helpful methods for using time efficiently and effectively completing activities.
1. Disciplined
2. Flexible
3. Organized
4. Prepared
5. Enthusiastic
6. Kind
7. Considerate
8. Patient
9. Timely
10. Engaging
11. Encouraging
12. Creative
13. Proactive
14. Accepting of constructive criticism.
15. Effective use of teaching strategies
16. Effective communicator
17. Reflective about their own strengths and weaknesses
18. Knowledgeable about content
19. Knowledgeable about cultural differences
20. Knowledgeable about teaching methodologies
Kellough & Carjuzaa Module 3: Page 93-110
I thought that the scenarios in this chapter were very insightful. I particularly like the scenario about the new teacher Lily and her interaction with her class. I learned that there has to be a balance between friendly and seeming overly stern. Lily really did love her students and enjoyed teaching, but she was perceived as strict and unhappy. I know that in the past, I have been too friendly with my students, and I learned that I must be a little sterner. In the case of Lily, she needed to relax a little and learn that students need to see her smile in order to know that she is not upset with them, but is enjoying teaching.
Wong Chapters: 6, 18, 19, 20
Wong Chapter 6
The key idea was stated on page 37, “Your expectations of your students will greatly influence their achievement in your class and in their lives.” I would have to agree with this statement. Students sense their teacher’s expectations of them, and will act accordingly. Students will even create a negative perspective about themselves that may stay with them for the rest of their lives if their teachers had low expectations. I thought it was interesting how on page 39, the authors gave examples of negative vs. positive expectations given by parents, teachers, and the students themselves. Although I knew teacher and parent expectations were important, this chapter further solidified that for me.
Wong Chapter 18
This chapter was excellent for the use with the Classroom Management Plan project. I liked how it gave examples of classroom rules and a plan for disciplinary action in the classroom. I can see that the use of rewards can be useful and can give students something to work towards. In general it was an excellent chapter for new teachers who do not know how to deal with discipline problems.
Wong Chapter 19
This chapter was about creating routines and procedures in the classroom that prevent discipline problems. When students are on a regular schedule, and the classroom time is used effectively, there is less time to misbehave and students feel safe and secure in their scheduled environment. I liked how on page 169, the author makes the distinction from a “rule” vs. a “procedure: “A rule is DARE to be broken, whereas a procedure is not. A procedure is a DO, a step to be learned.” I know that I will try my best to implement excellent procedures in order to minimize misbehavior and increase student involvement.
Wong Chapter 20
In this chapter, I learned that a well-organized and procedural classroom promotes a learning environment for students. When I think back to my education growing up, I realize that I learned the most and was engaged more frequently in classes that were well organized. This chapter provides helpful methods for using time efficiently and effectively completing activities.
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