How do you address the bumps in the road?

Reflection Poem: Something to think about…

The most valuable time spent teaching…
Is not spent teaching.
How can that be?

The most valuable time teaching,
Is the time spent reflecting?
Thinking.
Questioning you.

What went well?
What flopped?
What has promise?
What caught the interest of the learner?
What lost the interest of the learner?
Who needs my attention the most?
Why can’t I get Robert engaged?
Why does Kim seem to fade into the woodwork?
How can I break through Michael’s anger?
Who seems interested enough to explore on their own?

It’s strange,
Almost eerie,
How, in reflection,
The day becomes clearer than the reality
On which it was based.

The following are some reflection questions for you. 

 

What have you done when a carefully thought-out lesson didn’t go as planned? When an experiment/ activity  didn’t work as you expected? When you felt certain your students understood a concept, but a formative assessment showed they didn’t?

 

How did you address this “bump in the road”? What did you do to ensure your students learned what they needed to learn? What do you plan to do differently the next time? If you were new to teaching when it happened, to whom or what did you turn for help? Did this unexpected result also have any benefits/positive consequences to it?

 

 

 You do not need to comment on every question but share what you have done to overcome bumps or challenges.

#8 Embracing the Mind Set of Change

Blog Entry #8

Does the "enrichment mind-set" prevail at your school? Is every staff member united in the belief that every kid can succeed?



 Think of some specific strategies and activities you can use to strengthen the processes in your students' academic operating systems.

#7 How Poverty Affects Behavior and Academic Performance

 Blog Entry #7  

In chapter 2 we will discuss the effects of poverty on behavior and academic performance in the classroom. 

 In chapter 1 Jensen describes four primary risk factors caused by poverty (emotional and social challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags, and health and safety issues)  that we should understand.   

Comment on the following:  
In what ways are the emotional lives of low-SES kids different from those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families? What behavioral manifestations of these differences do you observe in school? How will you (or your colleagues) need to change your own behavior to succeed with these students?

#6 Teaching with Poverty in Mind, Jensen

Blog Entry 6

 "Teaching with poverty in mind: 

What being poor does to kids brains and what schools can do about it"

 

 

We are starting to discuss the book,  "Teaching with Poverty in Mind:  What being poor  does to kid's brains and what schools can do about it" for our Social Justice application in this course.   In Chapter1, Understanding the Nature of Poverty,  Jensen gives us a definition of poverty.  Which of the six types of poverty (situational, generational, absolute, relative, urban, and rural) are most prevalent at your school?
 


How might the book's definitions of these types of poverty change the way you think about or approach poverty at your school?

Classroom Management

It is said that classroom management is hard to teach because it must be built from experience and from discussion with mentors.   In this light I was wondering….

 

What classroom management techniques are you using?   Did you learn these in the field or in the classroom? 

What difficulties are you experiencing?   Be honest.  We could use this forum to share ideas.      

 

You have been recommended a text by Nissman.   What helpful ideas/tips have you utilized or will you utilized from your Nissmam  Classroom Management textbook?

Active Learning

Hello,  The reflections for the next week come from the Why didn't I learn this in College? Book  We are on chapter 4.  Active Learning.  What kind of Active Learning strategies do you use in the classroom?  What have you observed your teacher use? What seems to be effective?   How do you use active learning strategies?  What does it mean to you?    

 Page 66-67 gives some examples of how they are used.   Do you think about applying/utilizing these when you’re planning your lessons?    Try to really examine how you plan your instruction.  Do you utilize these best practice strategies? 

Look at the quote on Page 65.  WOW!!!!! 
“ No matter how well planned, how interesting, stimulating, colorful or relevant the lesson, if the teacher does all the interacting with the material, the teacher’s not the student’s brain will grow.””   Pat Wolfe 


Comment on this topic for your reflection this next week. 

Creating a Culture for Learning

Hello Student Teachers:


Your text, "Why didn't I learn this in College?",  is organized around the big question "What do schools look like when they are organized around the commitment to the achievement of high standards by all students?" That is a powerful question. That is the type of question that transforms schools and children. It is a question that I myself am grabbling with in terms of the college experience.

This is a quote from the author on how we move to forming a picture of what those type of schools should look like.

“A focus on building a positive and productive learning environment rather than an environment based on compliance and control seems to be an important first step."

"F. J. McDonald wrote in 1980 that teachers within the first six months of their teaching experience adopt a teaching style that will be the basis of their decision-making throughout their careers. If beginning with chapter one and marching through a text, focusing on compliance and control, or activity-driven decisions frame that style, we will never reach our goal of high achievement for all students. It is, therefore, essential that we "begin with the end in mind" and provide guidance for those new to our profession as they learn to do the same with their learners."

The Book , "Why didn't I learn this in College" provides an excellent summary of the practices that you have learned through out your years here at Etown.   The first area to address is creating a culture for learning ( Danielson Domain 2, Rutherord Chap. 2).   

Blog Entry 2 is based on Rutherford  Chapter 2 


 Reflection:   How are you  trying to create a positive learning environment in your classroom?  What are you doing to create a culture of learning?
 

Expectations

Expectations

 Hello teachers,
Welcome to seminar and your class blog. You have had a few days to get adjusted to your teacher, children and school.  I'm sure you are starting to settle in to the routines and expectations. Hopefully you are still enjoying your placements as much as you were after the first day!

A few things for you to think about:
1. How is student teaching just what you expected?
2. How is student teaching NOT what you expected?
Also...
3. Any ideas for issues, etc. that you'd like us to cover in class? Remember, this is your class, so be sure to make suggestions to get the most from it!

See you later.   Dr. Blouch