I always enjoy coming to this class, there is so much to learn and so many ideas to use in my future class and I love that! I thought the comment you made about getting frazzled because the other teacher was doing a million and one things in the time it took you to do one was funny because that's how I feel. I get so nervous sometimes because I'm learning so many new things and its very overwhelming! Its true I will have to keep in mind that when I'm a first year teacher there will be other teachers who have taught for years whom I will want to be as good as/better than, but the fact is that practice makes perfect, so I will have to keep that in mind!
I really like the red/green/yellow writing format you use. I thought it was very creative and will definitely be using it in my classroom.
Also, Thank you for the ideas for mini-lessons. I always think of side ideas to incorporate into my lessons but i never realized they could become a separate mini-lesson in themselves. Now I realize just how important they are to the lesson as a whole.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Instructional Game
I have come up with 2 instructional games which I would use in my classroom.
1. Letter Bingo
- Students will each receive a Bingo Game board with each bingo square containing a letter.
- Teacher will then show the students pictures of animals.
- Students will have to place a bingo marker on their game board if they have a the letter that animal begins with.
- The first student to Bingo wins the game.
*This game will help students relate sounds to the letter they belong with.
2. Letter Matching
-Students will be given a stack of flash cards. Half of the flashcards will contain letters, the other half will contain pictures.
-Students will turn the flash cards upside down so they cannot see the letters or pictures.
- Students will then turn over 2 cards. If there is a match the student will collect those two cards into their "winning" pile. If there is not a match the students will turn the cards back upside down and their opponent will pick two cards.
- This game will continue until all the matches have been found.
- The student has the most matches at the end of the game wins the game
* Not only does this game help students to learn the letters of specific pictures but it will also help them to improve memory skills as well as tactile skills.
1. Letter Bingo
- Students will each receive a Bingo Game board with each bingo square containing a letter.
- Teacher will then show the students pictures of animals.
- Students will have to place a bingo marker on their game board if they have a the letter that animal begins with.
- The first student to Bingo wins the game.
*This game will help students relate sounds to the letter they belong with.
2. Letter Matching
-Students will be given a stack of flash cards. Half of the flashcards will contain letters, the other half will contain pictures.
-Students will turn the flash cards upside down so they cannot see the letters or pictures.
- Students will then turn over 2 cards. If there is a match the student will collect those two cards into their "winning" pile. If there is not a match the students will turn the cards back upside down and their opponent will pick two cards.
- This game will continue until all the matches have been found.
- The student has the most matches at the end of the game wins the game
* Not only does this game help students to learn the letters of specific pictures but it will also help them to improve memory skills as well as tactile skills.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Observations
Observation #1 – Resource Room –
This observation was done in a 3rd grade resource room class at Bells Elementary School in Washington Township, New Jersey. This school is located in a suburban, predominately white middle to upper class town in Southern New Jersey. The class was taught by an an experienced special education teacher with over fifteen years at Bells Elementary. This class had eight students in a very small classroom. The desks were organized in rows which encouraged the students to work on their own.
The class was very structured; all the students knew what they are supposed to do and how they are supposed to complete their tasks. The classroom is very much centered on individual skills verses lecture by the teacher. The students work on tasks at their own pace and teachers and teacher assistants keep a record of the students tasks completions. During reading class the students read a short story on their own (they were permitted to choose from a selection) and then create their own story log (similar to the example we were given in class). On the story log students wrote the main ideas and also drew pictures of the main ideas. This allowed the students to express what they read through means other than writing. Once the students had finished a story log they were then expected to re-read the story to a teacher. The teacher then recorded the students’ progress. This seemed to be helping the students gain confidence in their reading skills because they were not pressured to read in front of their classmates. The student was then able to pick a new book and make another story log. It is also important to note that the books are grouped into levels and the teacher determines which level book a particular student should choose. The students were encouraged to work at their own pace and read books that were interesting to them. The students seemed to enjoy the fact that they had a choice, and that there was no pressure to complete tasks on the same pace as the rest of the class. The literacy techniques used in this classroom made reading and writing fun for everyone!
Observation #2 – Inclusive 2nd Grade Classroom –
This observation was also done at Bells Elementary School. For this observation, a second grade regular education classroom with inclusive support was observed. This class had twenty-three students, one regular education teacher, one in-class support special education teacher, and paraprofessional support for a student with high functioning Autism. In this classroom the students did not have desks; instead they sat at tables of 4 or 5. There were a lot of posters covering the walls of the room. These posters put the children in a extremely literary environment.
In this class the lesson was taught by both the regular education teacher and the special education teacher.. During the observation the regular education teacher read a story to the students on the rug at the front of the room. She read with enthusiasm and often stopped to ask the kids comprehension questions as well as general inquiries about their thoughts about the story. After she finished reading the book she asked several comprehension questions which were answered by the students. If a students was unable to answer the question the teacher offered hints until the student was able to come up with the correct answer. The students who answered the questions were chosen at random using Popsicle sticks with their names on it that were drawn from a can. After the lesson taught by the regular education teacher, the special education teacher taught a phonemic awareness lesson. The students were asked to tell the teacher words that ended in –ame, and –ake. The students were asked to tell the teacher words ending in these sounds. They were also expected to spell the word to the teacher. Meanwhile, the teacher wrote the words the children were spelling on a big poster board so the students could see the words. While this lesson is centered on phonemic awareness, it also helps students spell and expand their vocabulary. Overall, this class was wonderful to observe because they had a very interesting and student centered approach to language arts. I felt like the teachers covered a lot of material in a short period of time and the students were really learning and were comfortable in their environment, even when they made a mistake or did not know an answer. The positive attitudes in this classroom were incredible!
I really enjoyed doing these observations! I feel like I learned a lot about the different techniques which can be used to teach language arts. It was great to see the lessons taught through two different approaches; one which allowed students to work at their own pace and quietly on their own. The other was more group oriented and the students worked together to answer questions and learn new things! It was great to see these different methods!
This observation was done in a 3rd grade resource room class at Bells Elementary School in Washington Township, New Jersey. This school is located in a suburban, predominately white middle to upper class town in Southern New Jersey. The class was taught by an an experienced special education teacher with over fifteen years at Bells Elementary. This class had eight students in a very small classroom. The desks were organized in rows which encouraged the students to work on their own.
The class was very structured; all the students knew what they are supposed to do and how they are supposed to complete their tasks. The classroom is very much centered on individual skills verses lecture by the teacher. The students work on tasks at their own pace and teachers and teacher assistants keep a record of the students tasks completions. During reading class the students read a short story on their own (they were permitted to choose from a selection) and then create their own story log (similar to the example we were given in class). On the story log students wrote the main ideas and also drew pictures of the main ideas. This allowed the students to express what they read through means other than writing. Once the students had finished a story log they were then expected to re-read the story to a teacher. The teacher then recorded the students’ progress. This seemed to be helping the students gain confidence in their reading skills because they were not pressured to read in front of their classmates. The student was then able to pick a new book and make another story log. It is also important to note that the books are grouped into levels and the teacher determines which level book a particular student should choose. The students were encouraged to work at their own pace and read books that were interesting to them. The students seemed to enjoy the fact that they had a choice, and that there was no pressure to complete tasks on the same pace as the rest of the class. The literacy techniques used in this classroom made reading and writing fun for everyone!
Observation #2 – Inclusive 2nd Grade Classroom –
This observation was also done at Bells Elementary School. For this observation, a second grade regular education classroom with inclusive support was observed. This class had twenty-three students, one regular education teacher, one in-class support special education teacher, and paraprofessional support for a student with high functioning Autism. In this classroom the students did not have desks; instead they sat at tables of 4 or 5. There were a lot of posters covering the walls of the room. These posters put the children in a extremely literary environment.
In this class the lesson was taught by both the regular education teacher and the special education teacher.. During the observation the regular education teacher read a story to the students on the rug at the front of the room. She read with enthusiasm and often stopped to ask the kids comprehension questions as well as general inquiries about their thoughts about the story. After she finished reading the book she asked several comprehension questions which were answered by the students. If a students was unable to answer the question the teacher offered hints until the student was able to come up with the correct answer. The students who answered the questions were chosen at random using Popsicle sticks with their names on it that were drawn from a can. After the lesson taught by the regular education teacher, the special education teacher taught a phonemic awareness lesson. The students were asked to tell the teacher words that ended in –ame, and –ake. The students were asked to tell the teacher words ending in these sounds. They were also expected to spell the word to the teacher. Meanwhile, the teacher wrote the words the children were spelling on a big poster board so the students could see the words. While this lesson is centered on phonemic awareness, it also helps students spell and expand their vocabulary. Overall, this class was wonderful to observe because they had a very interesting and student centered approach to language arts. I felt like the teachers covered a lot of material in a short period of time and the students were really learning and were comfortable in their environment, even when they made a mistake or did not know an answer. The positive attitudes in this classroom were incredible!
I really enjoyed doing these observations! I feel like I learned a lot about the different techniques which can be used to teach language arts. It was great to see the lessons taught through two different approaches; one which allowed students to work at their own pace and quietly on their own. The other was more group oriented and the students worked together to answer questions and learn new things! It was great to see these different methods!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Class 4 reflection
I was not in class last night, but I would still like to reflect on what I have seen on the wikispace website.
First, Norm, I e-mailed you about not making it to class and also sent you a copy of my lesson plan. I never got an e-mail back from you so I just want to make sure you recieved it.
I Saw on the wikispace a set of questions that which I would like to comment on. I'm not sure if this was done in class or not, but since I was not there I thought it would be something good for me to blog about.
Reflective Questions:.
2. Comprehension problem because of laziness or interest level? What can we do?
I do not think problems with comprehension are due to laziness. Some kids just cannot absorb information as well as others. It has nothing to do with being lazy, rather it is a disability. We can try to make it easier for students to comprehend stories by reading slower, and reinforcing key facts, and asking many questions. Also we could tell the students to take notes on the story.
3. Do you refer to the Delaware standards for each lesson plan that you create?
Yes I do. Without refering to the standards I would have no way of knowing if what I was teaching was going to meet any requirement. Students need to learn what the standards say in order to achieve succcess on standardized tests in the future.
4. Do you implement the same plan for 5 lessons if they are connected with each other?
No, lessons should be differentiated. Students need a variety of different ways to learn material.
5. When you teach students different strategies and have them practice them, at what point to you expect them to start utilizing them on their own? How do you ween students from direct instruction to the part where they should be able to utilize the strategies on their own? Is it a natural transgression or do you need to slowly back out?
I think as a general rule students are not going to be able to complete activities on their own right away. Students need the teacher to scaffold them up and then in baby steps let them go off on their own. Students need to see the teacher as a model and then they will be able to succeed. The teacher should show strategies that work so the students know what they should be doing. The students will let any teacher know when they don't need help. I work in a pre-k class and the students tell me everyday when they understand and they can do it by themselves!
7. How would you use guided reading in upper grades?
In upper grades I would use guided reading as a tool to help the lower level readers understand what they are reading. I would read out loud as a class and allow the stronger readers to read out loud. The other students who are not as strong can listen and as a result they will be able to get through the reading much quicker and on to other tasks which will help them learn .
First, Norm, I e-mailed you about not making it to class and also sent you a copy of my lesson plan. I never got an e-mail back from you so I just want to make sure you recieved it.
I Saw on the wikispace a set of questions that which I would like to comment on. I'm not sure if this was done in class or not, but since I was not there I thought it would be something good for me to blog about.
Reflective Questions:.
2. Comprehension problem because of laziness or interest level? What can we do?
I do not think problems with comprehension are due to laziness. Some kids just cannot absorb information as well as others. It has nothing to do with being lazy, rather it is a disability. We can try to make it easier for students to comprehend stories by reading slower, and reinforcing key facts, and asking many questions. Also we could tell the students to take notes on the story.
3. Do you refer to the Delaware standards for each lesson plan that you create?
Yes I do. Without refering to the standards I would have no way of knowing if what I was teaching was going to meet any requirement. Students need to learn what the standards say in order to achieve succcess on standardized tests in the future.
4. Do you implement the same plan for 5 lessons if they are connected with each other?
No, lessons should be differentiated. Students need a variety of different ways to learn material.
5. When you teach students different strategies and have them practice them, at what point to you expect them to start utilizing them on their own? How do you ween students from direct instruction to the part where they should be able to utilize the strategies on their own? Is it a natural transgression or do you need to slowly back out?
I think as a general rule students are not going to be able to complete activities on their own right away. Students need the teacher to scaffold them up and then in baby steps let them go off on their own. Students need to see the teacher as a model and then they will be able to succeed. The teacher should show strategies that work so the students know what they should be doing. The students will let any teacher know when they don't need help. I work in a pre-k class and the students tell me everyday when they understand and they can do it by themselves!
7. How would you use guided reading in upper grades?
In upper grades I would use guided reading as a tool to help the lower level readers understand what they are reading. I would read out loud as a class and allow the stronger readers to read out loud. The other students who are not as strong can listen and as a result they will be able to get through the reading much quicker and on to other tasks which will help them learn .
Monday, November 12, 2007
Class 3 Reflection
I thought tonight's class was very helpful. I had been a little bit unsure how to go about planning my guided reading lesson but after this class everything is very clear. The powerpoint was very informative and the group work at the end of class were really helped me grasp the concept and what I need to do for my lesson plan. So, Thank you Norm for teaching such a great and informative lesson!
On another note, I just took a look at the websites for graphic organizers and they all seem really great! I might go a little crazy printing what I like because they are all excellent. I think graphic organizers are one of the single most important tools to use in a classroom (and in life), especially for those students who learn better visually verses auditorally. I cannot wait to start using these graphic organizers in my classroom!
Lastly, I would like to comment on the debate whether it is harder to teach a 17 year old, or a 2nd grader. I think in general it is harder to teach a 2nd grader because it is more difficult to gain their attention and hold their attention for long periods of time. Also, 2nd graders often give up very easily ot make excuses when something is hard. However, if I was tryign to teach a 17 year old I think it would be easier because they have longer attention spans, you do not have to sing songs and do other crazy things to get their attention. I have found that high school students know why they are in school and what they have to do to learn, and in a lot of cases they actually teach themselves a lot of information and all you need to do is tell them what to learn. Whereas 2nd graders need you to walk them through every step of the day, and if you are unable to help them learn a specific subject, it will be obvious. However, in highschool if a student doesn't 100% master a subject, the effect on their overall being will not be as obvious as if you failed in teaching a 2nd grader how to read.
On another note, I just took a look at the websites for graphic organizers and they all seem really great! I might go a little crazy printing what I like because they are all excellent. I think graphic organizers are one of the single most important tools to use in a classroom (and in life), especially for those students who learn better visually verses auditorally. I cannot wait to start using these graphic organizers in my classroom!
Lastly, I would like to comment on the debate whether it is harder to teach a 17 year old, or a 2nd grader. I think in general it is harder to teach a 2nd grader because it is more difficult to gain their attention and hold their attention for long periods of time. Also, 2nd graders often give up very easily ot make excuses when something is hard. However, if I was tryign to teach a 17 year old I think it would be easier because they have longer attention spans, you do not have to sing songs and do other crazy things to get their attention. I have found that high school students know why they are in school and what they have to do to learn, and in a lot of cases they actually teach themselves a lot of information and all you need to do is tell them what to learn. Whereas 2nd graders need you to walk them through every step of the day, and if you are unable to help them learn a specific subject, it will be obvious. However, in highschool if a student doesn't 100% master a subject, the effect on their overall being will not be as obvious as if you failed in teaching a 2nd grader how to read.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Class 2 Reflection
I really enjoyed tonight's class! First off, I would like to say how much I appreciated the packet full of tools to use in the classroom. They all got me thinking about how many different and exciting teaching methods I can use in my classroom. Also, a lot of the methods we discussed tonight were of particular interest to me because I work in a preschool classroom. In our classroom the different levels of the students are so evident that sometimes I find myself shocked at what some students know, and how some others have absolutely no clue. For example, some of our students can write their name and recognize short common words. On the other hand, some could not even begin to tell me what letter their name begins with. Therefore, the techniques and methods I learned in today's class will definately be something I apply to our classroom. Also, you mentioned that children learn their begining literacy at home with whomever they are close with and It is our jobs as teachers to build on what they have learned/are learning at home. I teach in a low-income school district. Usually low income goes hand in hand with little education. I notice all of the time that the parents of my students are not very literate. They write notes with many simple grammar errors, they speak in slang, and do not set a proper example for their children. It is a shame because the parents aren't purposely setting a bad example, its just the way they were taught and the environment in which they grew up. As a result I think my job is more important than ever because most of my students parents are not involved, or are not properly educated to help their children. I am very excited to see the progress my students will make this year when I use many of the methods I learned in tonight's class!
On a side note, I thought the article one of my classmates presented on "Are we failing our geniuses?" was a good article. But, I disagree with it very much. I think that a genius is a genius no matter what. No one thought Albert Einstein would amount to anything when he was a 'mute' but he did invent the theory of relativity. But, without extra help -many special education students will most likely amount to nothing. Also, I would like to know more about the statistical research about drop out rates for geniuses and kids with low IQ...just because a student has a high IQ doesn't mean they apply themselves, or do their homework, or enjoy going to school and learning. I just think their needs to be further research into the drop out rates and the reasons these students dropped out.
On a side note, I thought the article one of my classmates presented on "Are we failing our geniuses?" was a good article. But, I disagree with it very much. I think that a genius is a genius no matter what. No one thought Albert Einstein would amount to anything when he was a 'mute' but he did invent the theory of relativity. But, without extra help -many special education students will most likely amount to nothing. Also, I would like to know more about the statistical research about drop out rates for geniuses and kids with low IQ...just because a student has a high IQ doesn't mean they apply themselves, or do their homework, or enjoy going to school and learning. I just think their needs to be further research into the drop out rates and the reasons these students dropped out.
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