Barb

I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend Barb's lecture. So many of her words have stuck with, even now a day later--after only 2 hours of sleep :( Yet, I'm still reflecting on the experience. I keep thinking about the excerpts from her book--how she takes the time to appreciate the rainbow of colors from a droplet of condensation on a cup or how she can feel her hair follicles expanding as she feels the warmth of the sun. This message couldn't have come at a better time for me. I often juggle so many things at once and forget to take time to just..be. 

Barb's words about there being a flip-side to every neurological coin really made me think. So often we jump to medication. Barb urges us to consider the fact that we don't what we are missing if we medicate it away. This made me think about how I will approach this matter in my own classroom. For example, a child with ADHD who can't sit still and wants to move--I should let them move. I want my students to be themselves and be comfortable. If that means standing up while they are taking a test while everyone is sitting because they are more comfortable, that is fine with me. Barb's favorite quote, by Dolly Parton "Find out who are, and be that on purpose"captures the kind of environment I want to have in my classroom. I want to inspire my students to be comfortable in their own skin and enjoy life. 

To do this, Barb suggests that teachers should not be afraid to meet these individuals where they are--get on their level, find out where they are comfortable, be patient, and be open to other communication levels.

What really stuck with me however, is how strong her voice really is. It is clear that Barb is remarkably intelligent, strong-willed, passionate, and equipped with a tremendous sense of humor. In her lecture, she mentioned that without the technology that Stephen Hawking uses, he wouldn't have a voice either.  No one would know. He would have been "another tree falling in the woods for no one to hear." This makes me think about how many other individuals are out there who are disguised as poor thinkers. How many other strong voices are out there? I will always remember Barb's. 

Kill Santa

First off, I didn't come up with that title! It's the name of the article, I promise. I have nothing against the 'ole guy. I chose the article Kill Santa: Religious Diversity and the Winter Holiday Problem, to read this week initially to learn more about how to approach this in my classroom. I had expected the article to offer strategies for talking--or not talking about--Christmas in a diverse classroom. At this point in our lives most of us have heard both sides of the issue and may have even divided individuals into two categories...those who want Christianity in schools and those who do not. What I liked most about this article, however, is that it went a completely different route. Instead of focusing on those for or against the teaching of religion in schools or how one viewpoint is more right than the other, the article focused more on making the idea of privilege visible--noting that the primary way in which privilege operates is by virtue of its perceived normalcy. The author suggests that instead of speaking in code about Christmas that we should be using it as a platform to teach young people how to be comfortable with tension and discomfort so that they can become kind, compassionate, and well-informed individuals. I'm fascinated by this idea--but I'm still not quite sure what this would look like in a real classroom. The author is forthcoming with her opinions in regards to Christian privilege, giving examples of the many school activities that are clearly celebrations of Christmas, even if the name is left out of it. When I think back at my years in elementary school, Christmas and Christianity were everywhere. Our Christmas plays had Santa's, reindeer, and even a nativity scene. What I really think this article was getting at is instead of focusing so much on watering down our religion and faith based practices we should be acknowledging that some groups have dominance over other groups in society. The next step then, would be to determine what we should do next--how do we then create, knowledgable, compassionate students? The more we know--the more we are aware of one groups dominance over the other--the more responsive we can be. Regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I do think Children need to be aware of the role that religion plays in the world--how it has shaped our society. To do this, we can teach about world religions and their historical significance in our classrooms year-round, not just during Christmas.

The article made me think about my own experiences with Christmas activities in school. Here is a picture of me in my awkward stage (I wonder if I'll ever get of that?) in 3rd or 4th grade with my mom getting ready for our school play of The Nutcracker.

the angels and wise men from the nativity scene

QTC 2.1 & 2.2

(2.1) One of the most cited theories of human development is that of Swiss biologist Jean Piaget.  After reading about Piaget’s basic assumptions (p. 27-32) look with particular attention at the stage of child development you would like to teach.  The other most cited theory of human development belongs to Russian developmentalist Lev Vygotsky.  Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development leads us to expect greater diversity among our same-aged students than Piaget.  Given these two influential theorists’ ideas on cognitive development, how might you accommodate students who are not yet working at the level of their peers?

Just as we all learn differently, our cognitive development varies as well. As teachers, it is critical that we learn to address the diverse needs of our students, developmentally, socially, and academically. I am interested in teaching first or second grade, where according to Piaget, children typically fall in the concrete operations stage. In this stage, a child’s thought process becomes more logical in nature. It is in this stage where Piaget believes children become more aware of their own perspectives and feelings and realize that they are unique to them.  Children who may have not yet reached the concrete operational stage might have difficulty understanding that someone else does not agree with them, as they may assume everyone shares the same feelings or thoughts. To help these students work in group settings more efficiently I might introduce activities that bring awareness to our differences. Authentic activities like taking a survey on a real issue that impacts my students or having a debate may help these students understand other worldviews. In addition, read-a-louds are a great way to incorporate new ideas and celebrate diversity, and are easily accessible by most all students—even if they are not working at the concrete operational stage, just yet.

2.2) Theories in educational psychology promote the idea that language plays a critical role in cognitive development.  Examine Table 2.2 (p. 51), paying particular attention to the age range that you are interested in teaching.  Consider how you might incorporate or adapt the strategies presented for use with your own students.

I love some of the strategies that the book listed for working with students grade K-2. I will certainly be integrating many of these into my classroom. Reading aloud every day is something that I am going to make a habit in my classroom. As children learn to read independently, this will also be part of our daily routine. Reading age-appropriate storybooks that are not only fun and engaging but that include language that will enhance their vocabulary is imperative. I believe that children learn a lot through observation and modeling. Often times, a student will want to read the way you do. They may mimic your facial expressions, voice inflection, or mannerisms. Frequent exposure to language and new vocabulary words will in turn, enhance their own language development as they begin to practice what they observe. In addition, Asking the students to construct narratives about recent events, such as “tell me about your trip last weekend” will help them practice sequencing and story-telling, focusing on the beginning, middle, and end or cause and affect. In addition, this type of conversation will help you get to know your students and may uncover student interests that will help you plan your instruction. 

Preventing Abuse Case Study #1

Case Study #1 "One of your 4th grade female students is very well developed physically and looks as if she is 15 instead of 9 years of age. Today you heard a group of 5th grade boys commenting on her body in a lewd and humiliating manner. Two other teachers also heard these comments but blew them off as "boys will be boys," and "she needs to get used to it."

Considering teacher ethics and responsibilities, describe how 

you might respond to and handle this situation. 

Unfortnately, this type of behavior is probably more common than we would like to think. However, the act of ignoring is one of the reasons it persists, as it sends the message that it is 'okay' to disrespect one another.  5th graders or not, regardless of age, it is still exploitation and should be treated as such. Every child deserves to live and go to school in an environment that is safe and supportive. Bullying and exploitation have no room in schools. As a teacher, it is my job to protect my students. I feel that the only ethical option a teacher has in this position is to take it seriously and intervene. In this situation interference is needed immediately. In doing so, you are letting your female student know that she is safe and you will stand up to protect her. At the same time, the boys who have made the comments will understand that this is completely unacceptable behavior and it will not be tolerated. It will also send the message to other students that there are consequences for behaviors such as this. In addition, I think it is important to talk with the boys individually with another staff member, perhaps your school guidance counselor and principal, so they understand the severity of the matter and take the time to consider how their actions affect others. Furthermore, the comments of the other teachers also bring forth concern. Their dismissal of the behavior is setting a terrible example to all parties involved. An adult authority figure has the responsibility to protect the children they are caring for, as they cannot protect themselves. I would also speak with my co-workers and express my concern. Perhaps they are reluctant to report activity such as this for various reasons. Talking with them about the severity of the situation may help them realize their own responsibilities. Moreover, as educators in the same school you are team. Immediate feedback is necessary to make sure that you have a strong, productive team. Finally, this situation needs to be recorded in writing and reported to my supervisor. Included in the report should be the actions of your co-workers, as it is there responsibility to report exploitation such as this. 

10.1 & 10.2 - Jenny's QTC

Lower Level Thinking: (Knowledge & Comprehension)

 From a social –cognitive perspective, describe what effect a nonoccurrence of an expected consequence can have on a learner.

Higher Level Thinking: (Analysis, Synthesis & Evaluation)

Study the 4 conditions that are essential for successful modeling (pg 333). Choose one condition and briefly explain how you might use this condition to teach a new behavior to a learner in your classroom.  

9.1 & 9.2 - Jenny's QTC

Lower Level Thinking: (Knowledge & Comprehension)

What is a token economy? Explain why a teacher might use this technique in their classroom.

Higher Level Thinking: (Analysis, Synthesis & Evaluation)

Evaluate the effectiveness of using group contingencies. Give examples of how and when you might use this technique in your own classroom. 

8.1 & 8.2 Jenny's QTC

Lower-order - knowledge, comprehension

Distinguish between overt and covert learning strategies. Provide an example of each.

Higher-order - Application, Synthesis

According to the text (pg. 265), transfer increases when the cultural environment encourages and expects transfer. Consider your future classroom. How will you create a culture of transfer?

Jenny Holt - QTC (7.1 & 7.2)

Lower-Level QTC (7.1) - knowing and understanding

Explain the difference between problem-based learning and service learning. Why are authentic activities benefical?  

Higher-Level QTC (7.2) - analyze and creating

In the text, on page 231, it states that authentic activities can be developed for virtually any area of the curriculum. Using what you have learned, develop at least 3 authentic activities you could incorporate into your own classroom. 

6.1 & 6.2

6.1 Lower Level Question:

(knowledge, application)

Explain the difference between a recognition task and a recall task. Give two examples of how you might provide retreival cues to students in your classroom.

6.2 Higher Level Question: 

(synthesize) 

Imagine you are teaching a new social studies unit to your students. In this unit, there is a very long list of vocabulary words that you want to introduce to your students. In the past, you have spent a lot of time before starting the unit focusing on vocabulary. You want them to be well-equipped to understand the content but you’ve noticed that it has been hard to keep their attention and they seem bored with the task of defining long vocabulary lists. Devise a plan for how you might teach this unit’s vocabulary while keeping their attention.