I am currently in a 4th grade class for my 75 hour clinical experience. I have noticed a few students that seem to struggle a bit in different areas, but there are two that I have really decided to focus on. The first child is a young girl who just recently moved to the area from Delaware. She has been said to have OCD, and it is evident in the way she keeps her desk and worries about the condition of those around her. She also tends to get very distracted by how others are acting and wants to control their behavior. This causes her to lose focus in class and focus on others. However, she seems to attempt to pay attention to class more than she does on others. Her grades, on the other hand, are not very good. My host teacher has been unable to get records on this child so far, to my knowledge, so we are unsure of any other areas she may be struggling in. She also misses a great deal of school. I'm am unsure of how to assist her at this moment, since not much is known about her due to lack of records, but I try to assist her when I can, as much as I can.
The second student is a boy who is very outspoken. He is a constant behavior disturbance in the class - talking out, backing talking the teacher, bothering his peers, being a class clown, etc. Ever since day one, I have been interested in finding out what is going on with this child. The teacher has not said much about anything that may be going on with this boy, other than he "wears her down," which is visible, because she is always having to correct him. The token reinforcement/discipline system in the school does not seem to phase him. He will get upset when he has to move a stick, but then regresses back to the same behavior within ten minutes. He is a very smart child, and does well on his work, when he puts the effort into it and actually completes it. Last week, I noticed that he seemed to be uninterested in the math lesson. I asked him if he was understanding what was being presented, and he said yes. However, I could see on his paper that he didn't understand. So, I pulled a chair up to his desk and began working one-on-one with him. This seemed to help him, and he was focusing more on his work. He seemed to also be prouder of himself when he got an answer right. I think part of his problem is that he feels alone/left out. His desk is away from the others and beside the teacher's desk. When I went to go back to my desk, he said, "Don't leave! I like having someone to talk to." So, I stayed and continued to watch him finish his math. This strategy did not seem like much to me, at the time, but it seemed to make a little bit of a difference. I am going to try to use proximity more with this child, and see if that will help him, as well as the teacher. If she does not have to focus on him as much, the entire class may benefit in the long run. He's a good kid, and I can see his potential. I just need to figure out how to best help him see it, as well.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Double Entry Journal #15
1. Give an example of an authentic form of assessment the students engaged in a PBL performed well on? The mathematical/geometry project of developing the playhouse for the community center was a very interesting and authentic assessment, and the students did very well initially on the project, and were even able to tweak their designs after to make even more improvements.
2. How does project based learning promote intrinsic motivation? Intrinsic motivation is promoted through project based learning because students are often solely responsible for the completion of the assignment. The projects are also more interesting, most times, than your average content that is being taught. The students get more involved and dedicated to the project, and in turn, have more motivation because they really want to do well on the project and do the best they can to succeed.
3. What do students who experience PBL do better than student who receive traditional direct instruction? PBL students tend to work more interdependently because they have more group experience. They also develop social skills that will not be developed in the traditional classroom because they are not able to interact as much. Students also develop confidence and are able to take control of their learning, which
4. How does PBL align with John Dewey's philosophy of education? Dewey calls for using more imagination in the learning, and PBL allows for creativity to take place in ways that traditional learning doesn't even begin to touch. He also talks about how we need to accompany all types of children and learners, and PBL reaches to all of the children in different ways so that they all can succeed.
5. Why do our assessment practices need to change if we are going to prepare students for the 21st century? Our current assessments are too generalized and standardized to really assess what our students know. Also, they do not allow for children who learn differently to succeed because they are aimed at one kind of learner with too much information being tested. We need to change into more authentic and active types of assessment that can be tweaked to meet the needs of any kind of learner, and that can show us more than whether or not they can make educated guesses and color in the correct bubble.
2. How does project based learning promote intrinsic motivation? Intrinsic motivation is promoted through project based learning because students are often solely responsible for the completion of the assignment. The projects are also more interesting, most times, than your average content that is being taught. The students get more involved and dedicated to the project, and in turn, have more motivation because they really want to do well on the project and do the best they can to succeed.
3. What do students who experience PBL do better than student who receive traditional direct instruction? PBL students tend to work more interdependently because they have more group experience. They also develop social skills that will not be developed in the traditional classroom because they are not able to interact as much. Students also develop confidence and are able to take control of their learning, which
4. How does PBL align with John Dewey's philosophy of education? Dewey calls for using more imagination in the learning, and PBL allows for creativity to take place in ways that traditional learning doesn't even begin to touch. He also talks about how we need to accompany all types of children and learners, and PBL reaches to all of the children in different ways so that they all can succeed.
5. Why do our assessment practices need to change if we are going to prepare students for the 21st century? Our current assessments are too generalized and standardized to really assess what our students know. Also, they do not allow for children who learn differently to succeed because they are aimed at one kind of learner with too much information being tested. We need to change into more authentic and active types of assessment that can be tweaked to meet the needs of any kind of learner, and that can show us more than whether or not they can make educated guesses and color in the correct bubble.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Double Entry Journal #14
From: Teaching for Meaningful Learning
What are some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning? Teachers that want to implement these approaches, or are being asked to, may not completely understand the approaches, what they require, etc. They may not be as confident in this form of teaching. Time for planning and implementation may also be difficult to juggle. With these stressors on the teachers, students may not have the required support to be successful at these approaches.
What are the benefits of group work? Give two concrete examples from the reading. When students are able to work in groups, they tend to have better social and behavioral skills developed. Children are able to bounce ideas off of their peers, collaborate and share the work load, stay on task better, connect with their peers on different levels and learn from each other. Also, through collaborating with their peers, they are learning vital life lessons about working with others that will carry throughout their entire lives.
Name one strategy to support group work and find an example of that strategy on the Internet and link me to it. Using Roles in Groups - Role Cards, Multiple Group Strategies for Older Ages
What are some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning? Teachers that want to implement these approaches, or are being asked to, may not completely understand the approaches, what they require, etc. They may not be as confident in this form of teaching. Time for planning and implementation may also be difficult to juggle. With these stressors on the teachers, students may not have the required support to be successful at these approaches.
What are the benefits of group work? Give two concrete examples from the reading. When students are able to work in groups, they tend to have better social and behavioral skills developed. Children are able to bounce ideas off of their peers, collaborate and share the work load, stay on task better, connect with their peers on different levels and learn from each other. Also, through collaborating with their peers, they are learning vital life lessons about working with others that will carry throughout their entire lives.
Name one strategy to support group work and find an example of that strategy on the Internet and link me to it. Using Roles in Groups - Role Cards, Multiple Group Strategies for Older Ages
Verbatim Questions
Questions asked by the teacher:
- Who can tel me what's going on so far?
- What does the word "marine" mean?
- What does it really mean to work a million hours?
- Why do ranches have to be so large?
Questions asked by the students:
- I really did not hear too many questions being asked by the students, other than the basic, "May I go to the bathroom?" "Do you have a pencil?" and "How do I do this?"
- Who can tel me what's going on so far?
- What does the word "marine" mean?
- What does it really mean to work a million hours?
- Why do ranches have to be so large?
Questions asked by the students:
- I really did not hear too many questions being asked by the students, other than the basic, "May I go to the bathroom?" "Do you have a pencil?" and "How do I do this?"
Learning Style Survey Data
Of 22 students surveyed, here is the data reflecting their learning styles:
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Double Entry Journal #13
From: Teaching for Meaningful Learning
1. Read the Introduction. What "dominant paradigm" is showing signs of wear?
The instructional model of the teacher using a textbook as the main source of knowledge in the classroom.
2. According to the research, how does Project-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies. As seen in the two-year British study done by Bosler, the students who were involved in the project-based learning did better when exposed to conceptual problems on the exam. Bosler commented that the students had a more "flexible" knowledge of mathematics that allowed them to be better engaged in thinking and exploring than the children that were traditionally taught. The studies that Thomas did also favored project-based learning because the children were able to think more critically, and therefore also carried more confidence in their learning than those from traditional teaching. Several researchers have also noted the changes in motivation, not only for students, but for teachers as well, that take place with project-based learning. These researchers have noted changes in attitudes toward learning and skills as well.
3. According to the research, how does Problem-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies. Problem-based learning allows for students to better connect with problems that they may potentially face in their lives, and create solutions by working in groups for the best solution. These students are more in control of their learning than traditional students, and they are developing critical problem solving skills that will connect with every aspect of their lives. Problem-based learning is used in the medical field a great deal, and a lot of the research comes from this usage. Problem-based learning can also be seen in the use of case studies in Teacher Education. I can account for the fact, that I often learn a lot from working on solving cases, and I like this method of learning.
4. According to the research, how does Learning by Design support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies. Learning by design varies from traditional teaching because the students are actually creating something. This approach is much more hands-on and involved than traditional teaching. The students are working to design, revise, and create something using 21st century skills that is unique to them. By doing so, they are taking the reins in their learning and working to create a way to learn best. The "Where I'm From" project reminds me of this approach.
5. What are the differences between the three approaches?
Each approach has a different guiding aspect - projects, problems, or designing. They all use these aspects to make the inquiry processes a little different for each approach, and therefore leading to potentially different ways of learning, which can allow all kinds of learning styles/students to be reached by any one of these approaches.
6. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit to learning that is common across the three types of inquiry-based learning approaches? With all of these, the children have a say in their learning. That is not always the case with traditional learning, and is very sad, if you ask me. I feel that, since the students are learning, they should have some control. They should be able to learn in the best manner for them, and through the best approach that fits them. I like all three of these approaches, because they are different, but yet they all have a similar goal - to allow students to branch out, develop their learning, and to make it stick and last for more than just a testing period.
1. Read the Introduction. What "dominant paradigm" is showing signs of wear?
The instructional model of the teacher using a textbook as the main source of knowledge in the classroom.
2. According to the research, how does Project-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies. As seen in the two-year British study done by Bosler, the students who were involved in the project-based learning did better when exposed to conceptual problems on the exam. Bosler commented that the students had a more "flexible" knowledge of mathematics that allowed them to be better engaged in thinking and exploring than the children that were traditionally taught. The studies that Thomas did also favored project-based learning because the children were able to think more critically, and therefore also carried more confidence in their learning than those from traditional teaching. Several researchers have also noted the changes in motivation, not only for students, but for teachers as well, that take place with project-based learning. These researchers have noted changes in attitudes toward learning and skills as well.
3. According to the research, how does Problem-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies. Problem-based learning allows for students to better connect with problems that they may potentially face in their lives, and create solutions by working in groups for the best solution. These students are more in control of their learning than traditional students, and they are developing critical problem solving skills that will connect with every aspect of their lives. Problem-based learning is used in the medical field a great deal, and a lot of the research comes from this usage. Problem-based learning can also be seen in the use of case studies in Teacher Education. I can account for the fact, that I often learn a lot from working on solving cases, and I like this method of learning.
4. According to the research, how does Learning by Design support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies. Learning by design varies from traditional teaching because the students are actually creating something. This approach is much more hands-on and involved than traditional teaching. The students are working to design, revise, and create something using 21st century skills that is unique to them. By doing so, they are taking the reins in their learning and working to create a way to learn best. The "Where I'm From" project reminds me of this approach.
5. What are the differences between the three approaches?
Each approach has a different guiding aspect - projects, problems, or designing. They all use these aspects to make the inquiry processes a little different for each approach, and therefore leading to potentially different ways of learning, which can allow all kinds of learning styles/students to be reached by any one of these approaches.
6. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit to learning that is common across the three types of inquiry-based learning approaches? With all of these, the children have a say in their learning. That is not always the case with traditional learning, and is very sad, if you ask me. I feel that, since the students are learning, they should have some control. They should be able to learn in the best manner for them, and through the best approach that fits them. I like all three of these approaches, because they are different, but yet they all have a similar goal - to allow students to branch out, develop their learning, and to make it stick and last for more than just a testing period.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Double Entry Journal #12
From: Social Significance of Patterns of Questioning in Classroom Discourse
Three things you learned:
1-Despite all of the technology available in the classrooms, language is still the primary source for communicating the curriculum and teaching in the classroom.
2-Language communicates control, especially in crowded situations, and is there to establish and maintain social relationships.
3-Teachers also bring personal perspectives and anxieties into the classroom with their language.
Two things you found interesting:
1-Language reflects personal identity, cultures, etc.
2- IRE - Teacher initiation, student response, teacher evaluation - is the most common pattern of classroom discourse in classroom of all grade levels.
One question you have:
1-Not sure of a question...
From: Learning to Ask Essential Questions
Essential questions can be valuable for teaching because they provide an overall thought for the lesson that can keep the students on task, questioning throughout the lesson, and guiding the lesson. These questions do not have an immediately known answer, and may sometimes be learned over the course of a few days/lessons. These can also help teachers base curriculum and stay central around the same thing as they are teaching and building the concept.
Three things you learned:
1-Despite all of the technology available in the classrooms, language is still the primary source for communicating the curriculum and teaching in the classroom.
2-Language communicates control, especially in crowded situations, and is there to establish and maintain social relationships.
3-Teachers also bring personal perspectives and anxieties into the classroom with their language.
Two things you found interesting:
1-Language reflects personal identity, cultures, etc.
2- IRE - Teacher initiation, student response, teacher evaluation - is the most common pattern of classroom discourse in classroom of all grade levels.
One question you have:
1-Not sure of a question...
From: Learning to Ask Essential Questions
Essential questions can be valuable for teaching because they provide an overall thought for the lesson that can keep the students on task, questioning throughout the lesson, and guiding the lesson. These questions do not have an immediately known answer, and may sometimes be learned over the course of a few days/lessons. These can also help teachers base curriculum and stay central around the same thing as they are teaching and building the concept.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Double Entry Journal #11
From: Teacher Reflection of the Top Ten
Examples of the 6 A's:
Category: Authenticity, Exemplary: "There is an external audience for the student work." -- This is seen through the cluster map on the Wiki that the students created, which shows the students where people are visiting the site from, and how many people are viewing in each area. The students also presented this project to the Board of Education, which gave them a different external audience, and another chance to get the information they learned out to others.
Category: Academic Rigor, Exemplary: Students develop new habits of mind (e.g., questioning; precision of language and thought; persistence). -- I feel that students were able to develop new habits of mind because the teacher let them control a lot of their learning in this lesson/unit. The students were challenged to find solutions to the problems that arose (the rankings, for example), and find ways to implement the solutions. The students took the reins a lot throughout this project, and they were able to create their learning, while the teacher mainly guided them.
Category: Applied Learning, Exemplary: Students use multiple high-performance work organization skills (e.g., working in teams; using technology appropriately; communicating ideas, collecting, organizing, and analyzing information). -- The students were always using diverse methods while learning. There were multiple aspects on the Wiki that were learned and used, as well as working in teams on the information, problems, solutions, etc. The students had the opportunities to vary their instruction constantly throughout the lesson/unit, which I feel helped them excel and learn what was being presented to them.
Category: Active Exploration, Exemplary: Students gather information from a variety of primary sources and use a variety of methods (interviewing and observing, collecting data, model-building, using on-line services). -- The students used the internet for their research, and then transformed it into their own words and built their own pages on the Wiki (animal profiles, Wiki in general, etc.) They had the chance to look at multiple resources and use different techniques to learn about and build on their knowledge.
Category: Adult Connections, Exemplary: Students have multiple contacts with adults outside of school who have expertise and experience and who can ask questions, provide feedback, and offer advice. -- This goes along with how the people around the world commented on the students' Wiki about the information, layout, etc. The Board of Education was also there to ask the children questions, and give them feedback on how the project went, and so on.
Category: Assessment Practices, Exemplary: The final product is a culminating exhibition or presentation in front of an informed audience. -- This basically covers how the students presented the final project and the findings, etc. in front of the Board of Education at the end of the project.
CSO's that match this lesson:
Science:
SC.O.4.1.6:
support statements with facts found through research from various sources, including technology.
SC.O.4.2.1:
describe the different characteristics of plants and animals, which help them to survive in different niches and environments.
SC.O.4.2.2:
associate the behaviors of living organisms to external and internal influences (e.g., hunger, climate, or seasons).
Reading & Language Arts:
RLA.O.4.1.3:
use pre-reading strategies to comprehend text (e.g., activating prior knowledge, predictions, questioning).
RLA.O.4.1.9:
determine the author’s purpose in literary and informational texts and use supporting material to justify author’s intent:
* to persuade
* to entertain
* to inform
* to determine a specific viewpoint
RLA.O.4.1.13:
judge the reliability or logic of informational texts.
RLA.O.4.1.14:
select and use a variety of sources to gather information (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, informational texts, electronic resources).
RLA.O.4.2.12:
use strategies to gather and record information for research topics:
* note taking
* summarizing
* paraphrasing
* describing in narrative form
* gathering information from direct quotes, maps, charts, graphs and tables
RLA.O.4.2.14:
use strategies to compile information into written reports or summaries (e.g., incorporate notes into a finished product, include simple facts-details-explanations-examples, draw conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from data of different sources, use appropriate visual aids and media).
RLA.O.4.3.4:
create an age appropriate media literacy product that reflects understanding of format, characteristics and purpose.
RLA.O.4.3.3:
recognize communication skills (e.g., speaking rate, audience, etiquette, active listening).
Examples of the 6 A's:
Category: Authenticity, Exemplary: "There is an external audience for the student work." -- This is seen through the cluster map on the Wiki that the students created, which shows the students where people are visiting the site from, and how many people are viewing in each area. The students also presented this project to the Board of Education, which gave them a different external audience, and another chance to get the information they learned out to others.
Category: Academic Rigor, Exemplary: Students develop new habits of mind (e.g., questioning; precision of language and thought; persistence). -- I feel that students were able to develop new habits of mind because the teacher let them control a lot of their learning in this lesson/unit. The students were challenged to find solutions to the problems that arose (the rankings, for example), and find ways to implement the solutions. The students took the reins a lot throughout this project, and they were able to create their learning, while the teacher mainly guided them.
Category: Applied Learning, Exemplary: Students use multiple high-performance work organization skills (e.g., working in teams; using technology appropriately; communicating ideas, collecting, organizing, and analyzing information). -- The students were always using diverse methods while learning. There were multiple aspects on the Wiki that were learned and used, as well as working in teams on the information, problems, solutions, etc. The students had the opportunities to vary their instruction constantly throughout the lesson/unit, which I feel helped them excel and learn what was being presented to them.
Category: Active Exploration, Exemplary: Students gather information from a variety of primary sources and use a variety of methods (interviewing and observing, collecting data, model-building, using on-line services). -- The students used the internet for their research, and then transformed it into their own words and built their own pages on the Wiki (animal profiles, Wiki in general, etc.) They had the chance to look at multiple resources and use different techniques to learn about and build on their knowledge.
Category: Adult Connections, Exemplary: Students have multiple contacts with adults outside of school who have expertise and experience and who can ask questions, provide feedback, and offer advice. -- This goes along with how the people around the world commented on the students' Wiki about the information, layout, etc. The Board of Education was also there to ask the children questions, and give them feedback on how the project went, and so on.
Category: Assessment Practices, Exemplary: The final product is a culminating exhibition or presentation in front of an informed audience. -- This basically covers how the students presented the final project and the findings, etc. in front of the Board of Education at the end of the project.
CSO's that match this lesson:
Science:
SC.O.4.1.6:
support statements with facts found through research from various sources, including technology.
SC.O.4.2.1:
describe the different characteristics of plants and animals, which help them to survive in different niches and environments.
SC.O.4.2.2:
associate the behaviors of living organisms to external and internal influences (e.g., hunger, climate, or seasons).
Reading & Language Arts:
RLA.O.4.1.3:
use pre-reading strategies to comprehend text (e.g., activating prior knowledge, predictions, questioning).
RLA.O.4.1.9:
determine the author’s purpose in literary and informational texts and use supporting material to justify author’s intent:
* to persuade
* to entertain
* to inform
* to determine a specific viewpoint
RLA.O.4.1.13:
judge the reliability or logic of informational texts.
RLA.O.4.1.14:
select and use a variety of sources to gather information (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, informational texts, electronic resources).
RLA.O.4.2.12:
use strategies to gather and record information for research topics:
* note taking
* summarizing
* paraphrasing
* describing in narrative form
* gathering information from direct quotes, maps, charts, graphs and tables
RLA.O.4.2.14:
use strategies to compile information into written reports or summaries (e.g., incorporate notes into a finished product, include simple facts-details-explanations-examples, draw conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from data of different sources, use appropriate visual aids and media).
RLA.O.4.3.4:
create an age appropriate media literacy product that reflects understanding of format, characteristics and purpose.
RLA.O.4.3.3:
recognize communication skills (e.g., speaking rate, audience, etiquette, active listening).
Monday, October 3, 2011
Technology Survey - Clincal Activity
My clinical placement is in Mrs. Basagic's 4th grade classroom at Jayenne Elementary.
How many computers are in the classroom? There are 4 student computers and 2 teacher computers.
Do they have internet access? Yes.
Can you access Google tools? Yes.
Do you have access to a laptop cart? Can they get on the internet? Yes; Yes.
Is there a computer lab? Does it have internet access? Can you access Google tools? How do you reserve it? Yes; Yes; Yes; Reservations are made by a sign-up sheet. However, at the moment, the lab is only being used for Reasoning Mind - a mathematics program funded by grant money. The mobile lab is in the process of becoming it's own stationary lab on the first floor of the school.
How many students have internet access at home? 25 out of 27 students have access to the internet at home.
What are some locations in the community where students can access computers and internet? The students can go to the public library. Many students also attend after school day-care type programs, such as 6-12 Mac, where they can access these resources.
How many computers are in the classroom? There are 4 student computers and 2 teacher computers.
Do they have internet access? Yes.
Can you access Google tools? Yes.
Do you have access to a laptop cart? Can they get on the internet? Yes; Yes.
Is there a computer lab? Does it have internet access? Can you access Google tools? How do you reserve it? Yes; Yes; Yes; Reservations are made by a sign-up sheet. However, at the moment, the lab is only being used for Reasoning Mind - a mathematics program funded by grant money. The mobile lab is in the process of becoming it's own stationary lab on the first floor of the school.
How many students have internet access at home? 25 out of 27 students have access to the internet at home.
What are some locations in the community where students can access computers and internet? The students can go to the public library. Many students also attend after school day-care type programs, such as 6-12 Mac, where they can access these resources.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
