Response+Journals

Response Journals

1. Your supervisor observes a lesson in which you use a large block of time for students to read. Afterward, the supervisor says that you should assign reading as homework, rather than "wasting" valuable class time. She adds that if you continue with lessons like this, your students will be lucky to finish one of two books over the entire year. Consequently, you request a meeting with the supervisor. What arguments might you bring to this meeting to help convince her of the validity of your approach? - First and foremost, I would emphasize the importance of reading comprehension across academics, so it is vital that students have time to practice. Also, many students will not read if required to do so outside of class; giving them class time to develop their reading skills guarantees that students will progress in reading. Some students, on the other hand, have much more outside of school to deal with, often events that take pertinence over homework; unfortunately, some students have to worry about taking care of younger siblings, making dinner, and housework; we cannot expect our students to do homework when outside events are more important to that student. In addition to this, many students need the educator's guidance for reading. Some vocabulary words may not be readily available to students, through means of a dictionary, outside of class. Others need help in simply decoding text, which may be difficult for them. Again, students do not always have the outside assistance from a parent or guardian. Therefore, it is impossible to make sure students are progressing in their reading skills if a substantial amount of time is not given to them in school.

2. Picture a science class of twenty five students from very diverse backgrounds-- different social classes, different ethnicities, and varying achievement levels. Many of the students struggle with text materials. Describe some classroom strategies you might use to respond to struggling readers while maintaining high standards of content learning. -To me, diversity is so much more than just skin color; diversity entails gender orientation, location, religion, socioeconomic status, and even culture. These are all things to consider when tailoring my lessons to a group of diverse students. I would use many different reading strategies that may help struggling students with the content in a science book. Using an SQ3R, for instance, would help guide students in deciphering the material. I may also allow cooperative learning by grouping some struggling students with gifted students; in doing this, students will learn from each other. Research proves that if students teach one another, they retain 90% of the material. Also, this challenges the gifted students who are often left out. Another strategy I may utilize is a Word Splash to catch the students' interest, have them organize and reorganize new information, and assist with the more difficult words that need defining and relevance.

3. To what extent do you believe students should participate in the selection of documents from websites for the use in a content course? Would you answer differently for students of various ages? -I believe a great way to spark the interest of students is allowing them to participate and have choice in the classroom. Especially when utilizing technology, students become excited for new content; giving them a voice and choice in the content they choose via the internet would greatly aid in keeping their interest. Students also need to learn what a reliable source looks like on the internet, so this is an opportune time for me to make sure all students are knowledgeable about which websites have reliable and credible information. Of course, for younger grades, I would still give them choice, but my guidance would be heavily implemented throughout. Older students, however, would be given more freedom and choice when selecting information from the internet for content.

4. Why do many students seem to dislike doing research in a library but are enthusiastic about surfing the Net for information resources? -For today's students, research in a library is ancient and boring; searching through stacks of references, regardless of one's age, is never that enjoyable. The internet, however, is using technology, and technology is something they are familiar and comfortable with. Utilizing the internet to find resources is convenient, easy, and much quicker than searching through encyclopedias and periodicals; an abundance of information is readily available at the fingertips of a student's hands. Since students are so tech saavy, educators should embrace this idea and allow students to be enthusiastic about research, even if it is via the internet and not a library.

5. What are the similarities between learning with new literacies and traditional print texts? What are the differences? -There are many similarities and differences between learning with new literacies and traditional print texts. New literacies allows students to tap into their technologically advanced ways and learn through these means. With the use of a Kindle, for instance, students are learning the same information as they would using traditional literacy; __To Kill a Mockingbird__ is the same in a paperback book as it is on the Kindle. These two literacies do differ, however. For example, students may individualize their reading through new literacies; in other words, they do not have to read in a linear fashion. Also, students are able to interact with other readers when doing so through new literacies. Ultimately, new literacies are a radical new way in approaching reading and tapping into adolescents' strength with using technology.

6. What are the barriers facing teachers who want to assign more projects involving new literacies? What are ways to overcome those barriers? Are the benefits worth the effort? -Involving new literacies with projects proposes some barriers that educators need to be aware of. Not all students have access to technology outside of the school, like using a computer or video camera for a project. In order to avoid this, educators need to supply ample time throughout the day to allow students to utilize the technology available to them in school. Also, all students need to be trained on how to properly handle technology; if a child does not understand how to operate a computer, one cannot expect them to do so for a project. This means that the teacher must be trained in the technology being implemented, too, so that he or she can model the same behavior to students. Overall, the benefits of using new literacies are worth the effort. Often, these projects are more engaging and students have fun when producing the project. As long as students are enjoying the content and understanding the concepts, I believe new literacies should be implemented along with traditional print literacies.

7. What are the challenges of assessing new literacy projects? -It can be difficult to assess said projects. First off, in order to have creative projects, the educator must create a rubric that is fitting for each project. Not only is this time consuming, but also difficult to decipher between what entails each grade letter. Another challenge is being confident that the project was created by the student and not by another student or adult. Sometimes, parents decide to help their child so much that they take over the project and then it is not an accurate or authentic representation of what the student actually knows. Still, it is difficult to assess new literacies altogether. For instance, if one is to assess speaking as a literacy, does one judge the content of the material one is speaking of, or the confidence of the speaker? New literacies are a difficult subject to assess students on.

8. According to the latest census projections, by the year 2020 half of all public school students will be from minority backgrounds. How do you believe this change will influence learning strategies in the classroom? -This statistic, indeed, will completely change the learning strategies being implemented into our classrooms. With such a large number of students being minorities, educators will be forced to reevaluate how they are teaching their students. I am sure new learning strategies will be created in response to such a drastic shift of backgrounds present in public schools. One strategy that may be helpful is peer teaching; if students have a language barrier and are struggling in school, their peers are often able to be their best teachers. I believe teachers will see a rise for the necessity to implement cooperative learning often. Also, graphic organizers and reading strategies will probably be used more; this will assist the struggling students in organizing new information effectively. Ultimately, such a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds will require teachers to tailor their lesson plans daily to meet the individual needs of each student.

9. In some classes, teachers do most of the talking, and students recite one- or two-word answers. What learning strategies are denied to students in this type of classroom design? How can teachers share their knowledge with students and still avoid over lecturing? -In this type of format, students are denied the ability to create, construct, and participate; they are unable to express their opinions, which may have the potential to make an enormous impact on them self as well as the rest of the class. If students are not able to create, they will never be reaching the highest order of thinking, according to Bloom's Taxonomy. In addition to this, students cannot construct opinions or new ideas if they are unable to participate throughout class. Educators need to find a balance between lecture and time for response. Ideally, teachers would minimally talk in order to allow students to respond. This assists the teacher in checking the students' understandings of the material being discussed. It also allows for adolescents to learn from their peers through cooperative learning and sharing of their own ideas. In this type of situation, the educator would act more as a guide rather than a Tyrant. Students would learn more effectively in this way.

10. Imagine that you are a new teacher reviewing the required text you will be using in the fall. Initially, you find the book fascinating, and you are certain it will excite many of your students. Yet after analyzing the work, you discover that its readability appears to be above the reading level of most of your students. How might you use this text effectively? -Even though the text may be above readability for many students, it can still be effectively utilized. Doing a sentence scrambler, for instance, would transfer the information from the text into images and sentences that would be organized by the students based on their own understanding. Activating their schemata and exposing new schema would allow students to better understand the difficult text in the book through means of a strategy they understand. I would also have the students look at the text, paragraph by paragraph, and have them rewrite a single paragraph in their own words; each student chooses a different paragraph from their peers so that they may become an expert in that area. Then, I would have the class Jigsaw the new information back together so that the necessary information was put into simpler words by the students. I would also use this text to allow authentic assessments to be created; for instance, students may draw a picture of what a battle during the Civil War may have looked like. Maybe students would choose to make a film and reenact a battle, instead. Others would rather create a diorama of a battle during this time period. Still, some may prefer creating a presentation and presenting it to their class. Regardless of what a student chooses, they will be utilizing the text that is above their readability and still absorbing the information, but just through a different route.

11. Recognizing that students with different abilities and interests learn differently, to what extent should a teacher attempt to organize a class so that all the students in the class will learn the same concepts and information? Would your answer be the same for a third-grade science class and a high school advanced physics class? What general guidelines can you develop as a group to help a new teacher organize learning to balance course content with individual differences? Also, what type of physical classroom design do you think would best facilitate your philosophy? -This is a tough question to answer, for I believe there is a very fine line that an educator should be aware of. It is good to group students based on abilities; in doing this, lower students will not be left behind and higher students will still be challenged. Even though this is true, it is very beneficial for students to have the opportunity to learn from each other and teach their peers. This cannot be done, however, if all the students with similar abilities are grouped together. In addition to this, organizing students in this way may cause labels to be created; there may be the "smart" class, the "average" class, and the "low" class. Labeling students like this is never a good idea. I believe that for elementary students, abilities should range from student to student and still be present in the same classroom. For middle school students, I think that most classes should have the variety of abilities within it, but also offer some more specialized classes that group students with higher abilities together. This way, gifted students will still be challenged while being able to help their peers in other classes. High school, however, should also be more specialized and grouped based on abilities. Students at this age need to be preparing for college and given options for classes they want to take, including advanced courses if desired. For classes that have a mixed variety of abilities, I think putting students in pods or semi-circles around the room with all levels of abilities present would be beneficial to students.

12. Suppose you go to the library looking for a good book to read. You see a cart with a sign: "Current Best- Sellers." Because you have little familiarity with any of the books, how will you make a selection? How will you anticipate which book is for you? Because students rarely have the opportunity to select their course textbook, what can teachers do to help students make the book "fit"? -First, I would look at the titles and covers of books. If any are appealing to me, I would then proceed to read the short description on the back of the book to help me decipher which book would best fit my interests. I understand that students have little to no say in what text is assigned to them, so I believe giving them options within their text is important to them. I would do this by allowing different types of authentic assessment to be performed and frequently implementing cooperative learning. Allowing students to personalize their work related to the textbook would make it more relevant to them and help them take pride in their work.

13. Eliot Eisner believed that brains are born but minds are made. What do you believe is the teacher's role in a classroom filled with twenty-five brains waiting to be made into minds? Is the teacher the molder, shaper and maker-- that is the only active partner? Is the teacher to serve as a model learner, a guide through knowledge, or a facilitator-- that is an equal or superior partner? Or do you see some happy medium? -I wholeheartedly agree with Eisner and his point of view. Teachers are much more than vehicles to information; teachers are role models in every aspect of life. They are personal cheerleaders for students. Teachers are mothers and fathers to those who do not have any; they are positive influences when the world seems devoid of happiness. Teachers have to be all the above before they can pass on knowledge, in my opinion. Teachers are the guider for discussion, but the students do the discussing. Teachers are the facilitator when necessary, but the students work through their own problems. Teachers are superior, but the students have a say, too, in classroom rules, content, and assessment. Teachers allow the students to be creative in their studies; they provide scaffolding when necessary; they allow students to problem solve independently and cooperatively. Teachers play a large role in passing on new knowledge, but they must allow the students to take an active approach to their own academics. In the end, teachers help mold the students' minds, but the adolescents make the conscious effort to fill that mind with knowledge.

14. What and how will instructional strategies that you have studied help you guide students in reading? -I have learned many instructional strategies that will assist me in guiding my students when reading. I will question them and have them analyze throughout the text. I will utilize and implement graphic organizers to better organize and reorganize new schema. There will be a variety of reading strategies employed in my classroom to make sure students at all levels are able to comprehend, decipher, and summarize information. Students will have choice in my classroom, from the books they read to the projects they construct. Making these connections with them will create interest within content. Ultimately, using learned strategies will help me appropriately guide my students while reading.

15. Picture a content area class of twenty-five to thirty students (your choice of grade level and subject) from diverse backgrounds. Describe how you would use discussion webs and KWL strategies while maintaining high standards of content literacy and learning. -Again, diversity is more than skin color, and teachers need to recognize this difference. Diversity makes up students and their differences, from gender orientation to religion to location; all are contributing factors for how students learn. My classroom, however, would be full of 7th grade students in a Language Arts classroom; for this age, KWL charts and discussion webs may be extremely helpful in situating the students' ideas. In order to best use discussion webs and KWL charts, I would make sure the students were drawing from their culture and background knowledge to answer questions. For instance, I could pose this question to the students when utilizing a KWL chart: "What is diversity?" Now, with a broad question like this, students could respond by stating 'Skin color, socioeconomic status, heritage, gender preference, and religion'; activating their prior schemata would help answer this question in a variety of ways, based on what they believe to be the factors of diversity. Discussion webs would be generated in a similar fashion. The main topic would be diversity and the students would be able to participate in constructing subgroups and details about diversity, based on what they already know.

16. A few of your students come to you and ask why they aren't using dictionaries to help them learn vocabulary words as they did last year. What is your response? Justify your response. -I would explain to the students that we were using a slightly different approach to learning vocabulary this year. I would emphasize using context clues to figure out what a word means. Also, I would discuss with them the importance of making connections to their life and the world outside of vocabulary. Making these types of connections would help them remember the definitions of words, for they will be much more able to remember definitions that make sense and connect to something they already know. Plus, this provides the opportunity for students to personalize their work by forming their own definitions in their words; definitions in dictionaries are often wordy, confusing, and irrelevant to middle school students. This may be true, but if students create their own definitions, they will be operating at the highest level of thinking, according to Bloom's Taxonomy, and they will remember the words and their definitions, too. Of course, I would verify students' definitions, for not all of them will be correct or sensible. Making connections to the real world and their own live will make vocabulary interesting and relevant to them. This justification for not using dictionaries so heavily as the year previous would be more response to the students and their inquiry.

17. What strategies do you believe would be most useful in making writing assignments meaningful for learning? -There are several strategies that I believe to be important to students in making their writing relevant. Unsent letters are a great way to have students become involved and to express their opinion. It also allows students to be creative with their work while analyzing the text or content that was previously covered. Similarly, simulated journals are an effective way to engage students. Presenting the opportunity for students to role play and experience an event from a different perspective adds interest to a writing assignment while also making it memorable. Entrance and Exit Slips provide for a quick assessment for students' knowledge on a subject. An educator may also chose to lie the students' entrance or exit slips around the room and provide time for students to answer each others questions on the slips; learning from peers may be very helpful for some students. Ultimately, there are many different routes an educator could take to support their students in their writing and provide meaning and relevance, too.

18. If a study guide is offered as an independent activity, students will get little out of it; failure will be just as frequent as with the traditional question-laden worksheet. Students need to be led through the use of study guides, sometimes working independently, sometimes working together. Reflect on the role of the content teacher in designing and using guides for learning. -As stated previously, study guides have the ability to be a very helpful tool to students, but it may also be a heavy burden. I feel that, if the teacher is to supply study guides, the students need to initially be guided through it. For example, the educator could assist the students with answering the first bullet or question on the study guide so that the students understand what the teacher is looking for and the format to use. I believe the students should also be given the option to either work alone or with a small group of students; again, choice matters at this age. Cooperative learning, in this setting, could be very helpful to students. It provides the opportunity to learn from one another when in question. During this time, the teacher should be monitoring the students and asking any questions pertaining to the content on the study guide. In essence, the study guide should accurately reflect what should be expected on the test; there should be no surprises on the test that were left off the study guide. Teachers are supposed to encourage student achievement, not practice trickery.

19. During a job interview, the principal of a middle school asks if you are "highly qualified" for the position. How would you respond? -I would ensure the principal that I was, indeed, highly qualified for the offered position. Being "highly qualified" simply means having a specialized degree in content area and grade level. My degree states that I am highly qualified for any position in a middle school with content in language arts, social studies, or science. According to the previously stated definition, I would absolutely be a highly qualified candidate for the teaching position.

20. Imagine that you are part of a committee in charge of planning a professional development program for teachers in your school. How would you determine what that professional development program should encompass? What factors would you consider as you prepared to implement that program? -Creating an effective professional development program relies on some key factors that must be considered. State requirements, of course, must be kept in mind when developing this program. In addition to this, classroom management strategies, content development, and instructional strategies would be focused on in the professional development program; in order for veteran teachers to stay up-to-date, they need to be aware of new strategies that may be employed in their classrooms that would be very beneficial to their students. I would keep the term "highly qualified" in mind when implementing the program. Since the educational system emphasizes this aspect so strongly, it must be a determining factor that defines an excelling educator. All in all, the program would focus on aspects that every educator, no matter how long they have been in a classroom, may improve upon and update.