Response to Field Trip to YWCA

My first thought when we got to the YWCA is that it was very similar to another place close to my hometown. I was caught off guard when we found out we were going to have to get 10 hrs of practicum for this class. I really enjoyed learning about the program and understand how working with the kids could be related to teaching high school kids in inner-city Chicago but the reason I'm not a El. Ed major is because I wasn't comfortable working with younger kids. I think it will stretch me and I'm ok with that. That was my initial reaction to the YWCA and I wouldn't have an issue with going back again to visit but I don't know how I am going to get the 10 hours. I have another class that requires practicum that I haven't been assigned yet either, and I have several obligations on campus. I grew up in a very diverse area and I have worked with younger kids in my neighborhood. I know how important it is for those kids to have people care about them and interact with them. That is what I am looking forward to most.

Response to "Delpit"

Schools today are set up for the student to meet standards. Teachers and students alike are taking advantage of the way student learning is measured. I have heard stories of teachers changing answers on standardized tests so the grades would reflect student learning. This action only hurts students because they will be passed on to the next level and will miss out on the previous knowledge. The article we had to read for class explained a case of a teacher being passive with a student's learning progress. The girl had learned however that not participating in the writing lesson would be frustrating enough for the teacher that she could get out of doing the work and also cover up her limitations in both speech and reading. As teachers, we can not give our students "permission to fail" because that will set a precedent that will only hurt them in the future. We need to fight through that hopeless feeling when students give up too quickly and remind ourselves that what they need is practice, not permission to fail.

Response to "Unleashing Potential with Emerging Technologies"

Let's face it; technology has progressed dramatically since we went to high school. It would even be fair to assume that technology has progressed quicker than we, as teachers, can keep up with. Because we don't understand how recent technology works, some teachers are afraid to use it because of the possibility for students to get distracted by access to other things or cheating amongst classmates. Teachers need to realize that properly maintained technology can not only entertain a classroom of unruly students but also be very educational. Things like weblogs, wikis, digital storytelling, and podcasts can all keep students attention. One hang-up brought to attention by the author was, "[d]oes doing something old with new technology mean that I'm teaching with technology and that I'm doing so in such a way as to really improve the reading and writing skills of the students in my classroom? (Kajder 214)" I feel that this is a key question to ask when using any technology because if new technology isn't helping the students, then it shouldn't be used.

Response to "English Language Learners in the Classroom"

In today's classrooms, teachers are met with the task of working with some students who are not ready to fully communicate in English. For those students who have either come to America or have grown up in a foreign-speaking family, being in a classroom where everyone speaks a different language can be hard and scary. I remember entering a classroom in Nairobi, Kenya and everyone was speaking Swahili. That was a challenge to try to participate but not want to feel stupid. I know what ELL students feel. I liked how the book really emphasized the need for teachers to let students take their time with english and participation in classroom activities. Building off their previous knowledge like a tiered system is a possible option for teachers. Also being proactive about their situation helps too. Having a form for each student in the class to fill out the asks questions about language and culture will help the teacher understand where the student is at language-wise. I will probably use that in my classroom so I am not caught off guard when I have students who don't speak much English.

Response to "Mastering the Art of Effective Vocabulary Instruction"

This chapter actually made me think. To break down something in the English language that is key to communication as well as the way to describe life, words are often overlooked. I've never thought about the stages of "word knowledge." Once I read about it, I could see how that process could be broken down but before then I never noticed. While that was a new perspective for me, my favorite part of the chapter were all the different teaching tools and ideas that instructors could use to increase students' vocabulary. This was my favorite part because I've experienced the struggles of trying to learn a new language (swahili) and if I had known of any of these strategies, I'm sure I would have learned a lot more and quicker. While history teachers aren't known for teaching about language, I feel like I could use the concept circles to help students understand foreign words. Even the little knowledge can go a long way with the kids.

Response to "The Essence of Understanding"

I have to admit that this is something I struggle with. I go to class, do my homework, study for tests, and research for presentations, but once any or all of those are done, I don't remember anything that I learned. None of it sticks and it is very frustrating. In this chapter the author offers several ways for teachers to help students retain information in an age where if it's not interesting, it won't be remembered. He also offers even more specifically, resources that will help the students' retain even more. He writes that a problem today is that students are only engaged because they are focused on the grade and not true understanding. I think this is a bigger problem than some realize. This is one of the biggest lessons students are learning in today's classrooms. They have learned that it is ok to work for a certain grade, that as long as you reach that mark, you don't have to try anymore. This mindset stays with them throughout life and is showing up in adults' work habits as well. People cut corners and do the bare minimal because they have learned over the years that the final result just needs to meet standards, nothing more.

Response to "Of TImes, Teens, and Books"

In this reading, I felt like this was the most accurate reading thus far. It is talking about technology and it's effects on students and the classroom. I liked how the author said that adolescence is focused on speed, connivence, and immediacy today and this affects the way students learn. The internet and access to computers has really improved the ways to find accurate information about any subject. One of my other professors has talked about requiring his classes to subscribe to a national magazine because it has been proven in studies that readers learn more when their physically holding something. I can see that being true because I know I scan for important information when reading an article online but if I read an article in the paper, I read the whole thing. So, following the author's lead, promoting graphic novels and other books that are about more than reading can really improve the drive for students to read more and encourage them to actually pick up a book even though they could find the information faster by "googling" it.

Response to "Multiliterate Youth in the Time of Scientific Reading Instruction"

Beer's talks about the difference between "print literacy" and "digital literacy." He says that print literacy tends to take the form of public schooling while digital literacy takes place outside of the classroom. He also stresses the need for teachers and educators to close the gap between the two types of literacy. Instead of teachers restricting students to "print" literacy why can't they also promote digital literacy as a way to increase their knowledge of a certain subject. I feel that if we as educators can tap into the way students think and communicate, whether it be through art, music, photography, video, or books, we can use our knowledge on a subject or ability to research to help them. As soon as teachers and school administrators stop fighting "outside" learning in the form of technology, the sooner they can start to understand how to reach students where they are.

Response to "Teaching English Language Arts in a 'Flat' World"

This chapter was very interesting from the viewpoint that student's today will always be 'students' because the world is ever-changing. Back in the day, people would find a profession and be able to work at their job without learning anything new. Mr. Burke talks about the guest speakers he has into his classes and how everyone from the police officer to the mechanic said that they are constantly learning new things as technology and society change. Student's today need a whole different set of skills to be successful in today's world. They need to be good communicators as well as understand various aspects of technology. I think about how people can just "google" a question or piece of information instead of knowing a "professional". This makes those specialized people less necessary so student's need to be prepared to make the extra effort to be unique. This doesn't have to be just for student's but for all people. The world is always changing and we need to keep learning unless we are going to be passed up by those in our footsteps.

Response to "The Measure of Our Success"

This chapter is something all teachers should read; no matter their endorsement. The mindset that literacy means reading simple sentences and also being able to write has expired. On page 7, Beers talks about the progression of the idea of literacy from colonial America up to the end of WWII. Since then we have been in a rut and that is keeping students from reaching their full potential. In today's classrooms, schools need to understand that literacy means a whole lot more than reading and writing their names. I feel like the Technology class here at Olivet is very useful in this situation because we have been exposed to so many different mediums to teach with that students can relate as well as stay involved. We, as teachers, need to meet the students where they are at as opposed to forcing every student to attempt to learn the same way. That is why some students fall through the cracks in a school system based on lectures and tests.