Dialect Response Cues
Chapter 6
1. One question/comment/insight
I really like the idea of having students be aware of some unfairness and the other parts of living in a democratic society. I realize how important it is for teachers to not only teach the content areas, but also teach their students how to live in a democratic society where things may not be fair and where others may be different.
2. How does this relate to your student teaching?
The comment I made before is very special to me because I feel that it is very important to let children know what is going on. For example: I think that it is important to share with my students that even though some one may be different, they still count, which is an issue we were having one day during our Discovery Time. I think that by addressing the situation and talking to the students about how it is ok to be different from others and that everyone in the classroom is the same was very important because it allowed my students to see that they were treating some students very poorly who did not deserve to be treated the way they were. I also think that it is very important for teachers to become unbiased in their classrooms, no matter what the norm is in the school. I feel that my classroom is the perfect example of this. We have a few students that are of a minority, but my teacher does not push them to the side, different from what some teachers may do. My teacher and I take those differences and use them to our advantages by asking the child to speak in their native tongue. That way, they are seen as a part of the classroom, and are not shunned because they may not fit the norm of the school. I think that in the early years of education, it's really important that we hit hard on these concepts so that our students can make informed, democratic decisions about the world and the people in it.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Dialect Response Cue- Chapter 5
Dialect Response Cue
Chapter 5
1. One question/comment/insight
I think that surrounding yourself with people who are passionate and who are self-aware in what they want to achieve in life is important so that there is support and also new perspectives.
2. How does this relate to your student teaching insight?
This relates to my journey in becoming a teacher and surrounding myself with fellow student teachers. Not only have I developed critical colleges, I have formed new friendships and opened my eyes to new ideas and concepts. Having positive people around me for the last two years has helped me not only stay in this program, but helped me to see that there are people who really care about what we are going to be doing. By creating both these social and professional relationships, I have better been able to plan for my lessons because I have more input about what could work and what wouldn't work, and also have learned that I enjoy reading more (which comes from my room mate) and that I love being outdoors. The last 5 semesters have helped me to become more self-aware because I have surrounded myself with those kinds of people: Those who know who they are and what they want to achieve in their lives, which in turn has helped to do the same for me.
Chapter 5
1. One question/comment/insight
I think that surrounding yourself with people who are passionate and who are self-aware in what they want to achieve in life is important so that there is support and also new perspectives.
2. How does this relate to your student teaching insight?
This relates to my journey in becoming a teacher and surrounding myself with fellow student teachers. Not only have I developed critical colleges, I have formed new friendships and opened my eyes to new ideas and concepts. Having positive people around me for the last two years has helped me not only stay in this program, but helped me to see that there are people who really care about what we are going to be doing. By creating both these social and professional relationships, I have better been able to plan for my lessons because I have more input about what could work and what wouldn't work, and also have learned that I enjoy reading more (which comes from my room mate) and that I love being outdoors. The last 5 semesters have helped me to become more self-aware because I have surrounded myself with those kinds of people: Those who know who they are and what they want to achieve in their lives, which in turn has helped to do the same for me.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Dialect Response Cue- Chapter 4
Dialect Response Cue
Chapter 4
1. One question/comment/insight
I like the thought about how when people are listening to other's ideas, they are not just listening but actively putting in their ideas as well. By doing this, everyone is able to look at the issues at hand with multiple perspectives and deliberate to make it fair for everyone involved.
2. How does this relate to your student teaching experience?
One day, while preparing for Discovery Time, many of the students raised the issue of who was going to play in the kitchen area. Many of the students thought that it was unfair that the same students were in the kitchen everyday, which is the same issue my mentor and I were have a problem with. Instead of saying, "You 4 are not allowed to go in there today," my mentor and I decided to let the children take over the discussion. As the children started to talk, the ones who were always in the kitchen started to understand that they were always running to get into the kitchen. So not only did the discussion touch on the issue of fairness, but it also touched on the issue of safety. In the end, the children who were constantly in the kitchen were able to understand that they were being unfair, saying things like, "I didn't realize how many times we were in there," to, "I think that we need to make a compromise as a class about who gets to go in there," and they did. Those who were always in there said that they would not go in for the rest of the week, and everyone in the class said that they would only go in the kitchen once a week. I don't think that the children in the classroom would have completely understood the issues at stake here had my mentor teacher or I stepped in. It helped the students see from multiple points of view and understand some of life's challenges: There are times where you need to talk to others and really listen to their thoughts to make the best decisions.
Chapter 4
1. One question/comment/insight
I like the thought about how when people are listening to other's ideas, they are not just listening but actively putting in their ideas as well. By doing this, everyone is able to look at the issues at hand with multiple perspectives and deliberate to make it fair for everyone involved.
2. How does this relate to your student teaching experience?
One day, while preparing for Discovery Time, many of the students raised the issue of who was going to play in the kitchen area. Many of the students thought that it was unfair that the same students were in the kitchen everyday, which is the same issue my mentor and I were have a problem with. Instead of saying, "You 4 are not allowed to go in there today," my mentor and I decided to let the children take over the discussion. As the children started to talk, the ones who were always in the kitchen started to understand that they were always running to get into the kitchen. So not only did the discussion touch on the issue of fairness, but it also touched on the issue of safety. In the end, the children who were constantly in the kitchen were able to understand that they were being unfair, saying things like, "I didn't realize how many times we were in there," to, "I think that we need to make a compromise as a class about who gets to go in there," and they did. Those who were always in there said that they would not go in for the rest of the week, and everyone in the class said that they would only go in the kitchen once a week. I don't think that the children in the classroom would have completely understood the issues at stake here had my mentor teacher or I stepped in. It helped the students see from multiple points of view and understand some of life's challenges: There are times where you need to talk to others and really listen to their thoughts to make the best decisions.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Dialect Response Cue- Chapter 3
Dialect Response Cues
Chapter 3
1. One question/comment/insight
I believe that it is very important for a teacher to see the uniqueness of each individual student in their classroom, and that these differences should drive their planning, along with assessment.
2. How does it relate your student teaching experience?
During my student teaching, I have seen multiple times where my mentor teacher has planned different activities based on different styles of learning. She and I both understand that while planning, we need to think of all the children's' needs and how each child is different. That also helps us to develop more meaningful activities because it allows us to create much more meaningful experiences for our students because we know what they will excel in and what style of learning they may need extra support in. I feel that when a teacher understands that all students are unique and that we need to make sure that we are giving them the support they need to keep that uniqueness.
Chapter 3
1. One question/comment/insight
I believe that it is very important for a teacher to see the uniqueness of each individual student in their classroom, and that these differences should drive their planning, along with assessment.
2. How does it relate your student teaching experience?
During my student teaching, I have seen multiple times where my mentor teacher has planned different activities based on different styles of learning. She and I both understand that while planning, we need to think of all the children's' needs and how each child is different. That also helps us to develop more meaningful activities because it allows us to create much more meaningful experiences for our students because we know what they will excel in and what style of learning they may need extra support in. I feel that when a teacher understands that all students are unique and that we need to make sure that we are giving them the support they need to keep that uniqueness.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
"Have fun with teaching!"
I really wanted to combine the last two weeks into one post this week. This is because we have been working on a unit with Bears, both and fiction (Teddy Bear) and non-fiction (Bear Facts). I loved this idea because it was the perfect lead in from fiction bears to helping the students in my classroom understand what facts meant and also the difference between fiction and non-fiction. For Teddy Bear week, the students in the school were able to bring in their own tedddy bears to have in the classroom. The students needed to teach their bears what their teddy bears needed to do in our classroom to be a good friend and learn. This concept was a little strange to me, and I thought that this was a waste of time. However, I was completely wrong. With these teddy bears, my mentor teacher used this time as a time for reinforcement of behaviors in the classroom such as sitting safetly during morning meeting, reading strategies, and even social studies concepts like sharing. It was great to see that these students were able to use these bears and, in a way, relearn what they already knew but seemed to forget when January started. Also, something that I thought was really interesting was that my mentor teacher really enjoyed this teddy bear unit because the students need to pretend with their bears. This was something that I had not realized needed to be addressed, but after talking with my mentor teacher about it, that was a big benefit with this unit. My mentor teacher told me, "Children need to learn how to pretend now-a-days," and I could not agree more. I realize that I do not need to make sure that all of my units need to be so formal, and that I can play around with units to make them more meaningful and playful for my students. These types of lessons seem to be much more meaningful, and I saw the difference in my students. The students were able to "teach" their bears how to read, and modeled the the strategies for reading. What a great unit to teach concepts to children!
This past week, we worked with non-fiction bears and I was able to lead my own Writer's Workshop in my classroom. It was so exciting because I created my very own concept for my students to write about, and I felt very much like a teacher! :-) We talked about what facts are and how scientists, when researching something, write notes about their findings. So, I created a Bear Notes journal where my students were able to write about the new information they found about certain bears. My students became really interested and I was really glad that my students wrote as much as they did. My lessons were thrown off because of the multiple snow days, and I had to revamp my lesson plans around the days off. I learned about being flexible with my lessons. I needed to include multiple days in one Writer's Workshop, so I had to consider the more important concepts I wanted the students to understand. This helped me greatly understand that lessons are constantly changing, but the changes are changes that are benifcial to the students in your classroom.
This past week, we worked with non-fiction bears and I was able to lead my own Writer's Workshop in my classroom. It was so exciting because I created my very own concept for my students to write about, and I felt very much like a teacher! :-) We talked about what facts are and how scientists, when researching something, write notes about their findings. So, I created a Bear Notes journal where my students were able to write about the new information they found about certain bears. My students became really interested and I was really glad that my students wrote as much as they did. My lessons were thrown off because of the multiple snow days, and I had to revamp my lesson plans around the days off. I learned about being flexible with my lessons. I needed to include multiple days in one Writer's Workshop, so I had to consider the more important concepts I wanted the students to understand. This helped me greatly understand that lessons are constantly changing, but the changes are changes that are benifcial to the students in your classroom.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Learning to trust myself
After my second week in the field, I feel that I am finally becoming a teacher. Everything that I have learned about is finally falling into place. I am learning that it is necessary to take risks, and often those risks are worth it. As I gain more control over the classroom, I have learned that there will be times when I say the wrong thing or go outside my students' norm. How I chose to handle those situations are up to me. I could hang my head and give up, or I can learn from the mistakes and do things differently. I am going to choose to learn. I feel that knowing that I am going to make mistakes but will see them in a positive way helps me to trust myself in this profession. I have had many situations in the classroom where I was given a choice in what needed to be done. I've realized that that is what teaching is all about: Going with your instincts and trusting that you are making the right decision for your students.
Dialectic Response Cues
Chapter 1
1. One question/comment/insight
I really liked the concept that I liked about this chapter was the fact that educators need to educate for diversity. It's important for students to understand and accept differences between people. I think that this is so important in a classroom because students are not the same and in order to create a caring learning environment for all students. I feel that educators often times have a difficult time with this concept because there is so much controversy surrounding the studying of different cultures. I think that teachers need to make sure that they introduce the ideas of being different to their students. Also, I think that every teacher believes in the beauty of differences. Why else would you be in a profession that works best when everyone is different? If we show our students the beauty of being different, they will be able to learn acceptance and the appreciation of human differences.
2. How does this relate to my student teaching experiences?
This is something that I see everyday in my classroom. My mentor teacher thinks that it is very important to see the differences in students and that even though we may all be different, we all bring something to each other's learning. My mentor teacher will often read stories that are from other countries and talk about the people there. I think that this has helped me to see that teaching diversity is something that is very powerful and necessary in a classroom. We did a lesson for Christmas about different holiday traditions from other countries. After talking about the traditions, many of the students wanted to ask their parents if they could include something like that in their homes. By teaching acceptance and awareness of diversity, my classroom is accepting of anyone who walks through our classroom door.
Dialectic Response Cues
Chapter 1
1. One question/comment/insight
I really liked the concept that I liked about this chapter was the fact that educators need to educate for diversity. It's important for students to understand and accept differences between people. I think that this is so important in a classroom because students are not the same and in order to create a caring learning environment for all students. I feel that educators often times have a difficult time with this concept because there is so much controversy surrounding the studying of different cultures. I think that teachers need to make sure that they introduce the ideas of being different to their students. Also, I think that every teacher believes in the beauty of differences. Why else would you be in a profession that works best when everyone is different? If we show our students the beauty of being different, they will be able to learn acceptance and the appreciation of human differences.
2. How does this relate to my student teaching experiences?
This is something that I see everyday in my classroom. My mentor teacher thinks that it is very important to see the differences in students and that even though we may all be different, we all bring something to each other's learning. My mentor teacher will often read stories that are from other countries and talk about the people there. I think that this has helped me to see that teaching diversity is something that is very powerful and necessary in a classroom. We did a lesson for Christmas about different holiday traditions from other countries. After talking about the traditions, many of the students wanted to ask their parents if they could include something like that in their homes. By teaching acceptance and awareness of diversity, my classroom is accepting of anyone who walks through our classroom door.
Monday, January 17, 2011
After my first week...
So, after being at home for 3 weeks on Winter Break, I felt that getting back into the swing of being in a classroom was going to be difficult. However, I found the swing was what I was missing the most from my break. I am in a kindergarten classroom in Tallmadge City Schools. As a matter of fact, I'm in the same classroom I was in during my previous semester. Through the first week, I saw myself as a teacher, not so much as an observer or a field student. I was taking over times of the day and was feeling very confident while doing so. I even took over for a whole day. One issue that I need to continue to work on, however, is time management. I feel that I am getting much better at this in my classroom because I have experienced the way my mentor teacher sets up the day, but I still need to realize that as a teacher, you may not get to everything that you have planned for that day, which is a concept I seem to be struggling with. I realize that as time goes by and I start having more opportunities to take over in the classroom, I will become better at my time management skills. This is a teaching lesson that takes a lot of practice to achieve and is something that I'm excited to succeed in this semester. Another thing that I hope to learn from my student teaching is who I am as a teacher. I feel that so far I am learning a lot more about not only my students, but me as well. I am learning that the more opportunities I have to learn about teaching, the more confident I become not only as a teacher, but also as an individual.
I'm so excited to see what this semester holds for me and for my fellow student teachers. Let the learning begin!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)