Brief description of the lesson/topic presented on the PowerPoint
The lesson plan I created covers Magical Realism, which is a specific genre of literature. The lesson plan is experimental so I played with the Concept Attainment scaffolding to see what might happen. The students explore their own personal definitions of Magical Realism before they research the author - Gabriel Garcia Marquez and his contributions to the Magical Realism genre. (Students will also listen to Columbian music for a cultural feel (experimental idea). In addition, students will study other prominent authors such as: Pablo Neruda, Nilo Cruz and Lin-Manuel Miranda. After they research Don Marquez and the others, they will create their own MYSPACE/FACEBOOK pages 'as an author' The assignment encompasses a number of tasks that are required for instance:
• Add a picture
• Create/fill out bio/info page
• Create/fill out Interests page
• Create a status
• Write on another ‘authors’ (classmates) page
• Birthday
And then optional/extra credit choices like:
- Music/playlist
• Google Map
• Back round or friend list
• Add famous quotes
• Video
The objective would be that students get a real understanding of these authors from a different perspective. The goal of the assignment would be that students discover their own understanding of 'voice' and a perspective of the 'author's voice', as well as a solid back round of events, places and social contexts that may have contributed to the author's writing - as they comment on each other's pages and write their own material to express the information they have learned. Once I learn more about how to use these social-networking sites I would like to better this lesson plan and see if it helps to make the assignment and material more engaging for students.
Brief description of the features used in your PowerPoint. Did you use any "challenge" features? Why/Why not.
Did you learn anything new in the process?
I used the required components as well as some special features that weren't around for my use 6 years ago in the office I worked in NYC!!! Features like for example: SmartArt graphics, Effects for images and content, and sound/music. It truly made the PPt more interactive I believe. I had a lot of fun doing it. Especially experimenting with things like, Custom Animation, where you could make the text of the PPt come alive! All of these were features that I had never had the chance to work with and I was very pleased with how much PPt has changed and become such a wonderful tool.
How can a lesson be enhanced with Presentation Software (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Docs Presentation software, etc.)
I think there is an assumption out there that PowerPoint etc are boring lecture tools that are used in businesses or classrooms but it is quite the contrary. With all of the animation and 'action' tools visual learners and auditory learners might be more stimulated and motivated to participate. I think it could intrinsically motivate students to be more creative in their approach to certain projects or PowerPoint projects of their own because the wide range of tools and options would parallel with their interests and the ever-changing youth culture :)
I really had a lot of fun with this assignment!
Cheers for now,
AA :)
Grand Canyon
Me and my friend Sayer on our 7 mile hike through the Grand Canyon!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
EDCI 5825 Week 5 Reading Reflection Qs
1. Should all teachers be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms? Please explain.
I think that all teachers should be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms if the resources are available to their students. I think it might be a good idea for the teacher to assess the learning styles or needs in her classroom before adjusting online activities to her pupils as well. An interesting perspective on this as well from the readings is when the VHS Head Mr. Droste discussed the fact that although you may incorporate online activities in your classroom it does not mean that all activities must be based off of this teaching style: "It doesn't all have to be Internet based. It could be, 'Go out and interview somebody. Come back. Share with us what the interview is.' A lot of what we are trying to do is have these courses act as springboards away from the machines..." (November 2010 86). I think that if online activities are used to foster cognition because students are adapt to learning this way then it can be a dynamic and wonderful addition to any classroom. One fact that I thought was interesting was the fact that Scotland is building the leading online resource for K-12, a nationwide learning platform called GLOW. This will links all schools together for the benefit of sharing resources. I think this is an incredible concept! Nowadays, using online learning in the classroom is as easy as a click away to the website MOODLE, which makes design and delivery of online courses more accessible. With tools like this there is a window of opportunity for teachers that need more experience creating the online activities for their students as well.
One critical issue that I believe was very well discussed in the reading is the fact that some students would feel more comfortable expressing themselves online. This is an interesting point and perspective I do not share as I am from a generation where email was impressive! One student (Ruth Williams) quoted states that: "I like being anonymous" (November 2010). I feel though that grading based on online activities is a topic I would need more insight to as a pre-service teacher. Some students may feel comfortable expressing themselves anonymously but not publicly, like, for example, in a blog setting. In addition I believe that when using online activities teachers should make sure that students feel comfortable with assignments and protect their online safety and more importantly, their Emotional safety when using online activities no matter what.
2. Envision the role of social networking in 21st century learning environments. Write a brief description of this vision.
As a teacher, I think it would be important first to establish a clear definition of how social networking would be used in learning environments for the simple reason that there are two kinds of possible uses as defined in the reading. In a study based on people's participation in a "new media ecology' research noted that: "A key finding in the study was this: our kids are using social technologies in teo important ways. First, they engage in what the report calls "friendship-based-ways" [...] but the other way that youth are beginning to connect using these tools is more compelling. That is, kids are using social networks to "explore interests and find information that goes beyond what they have access to at school or in their local community" (Richardson 2010). That said, I believe that using social networking with scaffolded approaches to content area could definitely be incorporated with online activities and learning in a positive way! In addition when using sites like Facebook, assignments should be clearly explained to students, for example the fact that the online activity will be "internet-based" and not "friendship-based" (Richardson 2010). One idea I was brainstorming about for my Unit Plan in Cory's class was having the students create Myspace/Facebook pages that represented profiles (based on other research and class tutorials) of prominent authors studied. Some parts of the assignment would be required for example: Picture, bio, posting on another classmate's 'Author Page' and 'friending' other 'Authors' as well. Students would however be greatly encouraged to incorporate creative ideas to demonstrate their new knowledge and cognitive development as well as EQs if they can master, for example, the writing style of Pablo Neruda through poetry posted to their pages. Other optional requirements might entail using music from the the culture of the author, quotes, back round and especially linking to social media tools like, Delicious bookmarks, Twitter account, Flickr photos, and even Youtube! I think there is a lot I could do to develop this assignment in a way that engages students and makes them feel like their personal interests and youth culture are being addressed :) P.S My English Content Area teacher Ms. Sue Pet is already using Ning, which was also mentioned in the reading and seems really neat!
That's all for now, cheers, AA
I think that all teachers should be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms if the resources are available to their students. I think it might be a good idea for the teacher to assess the learning styles or needs in her classroom before adjusting online activities to her pupils as well. An interesting perspective on this as well from the readings is when the VHS Head Mr. Droste discussed the fact that although you may incorporate online activities in your classroom it does not mean that all activities must be based off of this teaching style: "It doesn't all have to be Internet based. It could be, 'Go out and interview somebody. Come back. Share with us what the interview is.' A lot of what we are trying to do is have these courses act as springboards away from the machines..." (November 2010 86). I think that if online activities are used to foster cognition because students are adapt to learning this way then it can be a dynamic and wonderful addition to any classroom. One fact that I thought was interesting was the fact that Scotland is building the leading online resource for K-12, a nationwide learning platform called GLOW. This will links all schools together for the benefit of sharing resources. I think this is an incredible concept! Nowadays, using online learning in the classroom is as easy as a click away to the website MOODLE, which makes design and delivery of online courses more accessible. With tools like this there is a window of opportunity for teachers that need more experience creating the online activities for their students as well.
One critical issue that I believe was very well discussed in the reading is the fact that some students would feel more comfortable expressing themselves online. This is an interesting point and perspective I do not share as I am from a generation where email was impressive! One student (Ruth Williams) quoted states that: "I like being anonymous" (November 2010). I feel though that grading based on online activities is a topic I would need more insight to as a pre-service teacher. Some students may feel comfortable expressing themselves anonymously but not publicly, like, for example, in a blog setting. In addition I believe that when using online activities teachers should make sure that students feel comfortable with assignments and protect their online safety and more importantly, their Emotional safety when using online activities no matter what.
2. Envision the role of social networking in 21st century learning environments. Write a brief description of this vision.
As a teacher, I think it would be important first to establish a clear definition of how social networking would be used in learning environments for the simple reason that there are two kinds of possible uses as defined in the reading. In a study based on people's participation in a "new media ecology' research noted that: "A key finding in the study was this: our kids are using social technologies in teo important ways. First, they engage in what the report calls "friendship-based-ways" [...] but the other way that youth are beginning to connect using these tools is more compelling. That is, kids are using social networks to "explore interests and find information that goes beyond what they have access to at school or in their local community" (Richardson 2010). That said, I believe that using social networking with scaffolded approaches to content area could definitely be incorporated with online activities and learning in a positive way! In addition when using sites like Facebook, assignments should be clearly explained to students, for example the fact that the online activity will be "internet-based" and not "friendship-based" (Richardson 2010). One idea I was brainstorming about for my Unit Plan in Cory's class was having the students create Myspace/Facebook pages that represented profiles (based on other research and class tutorials) of prominent authors studied. Some parts of the assignment would be required for example: Picture, bio, posting on another classmate's 'Author Page' and 'friending' other 'Authors' as well. Students would however be greatly encouraged to incorporate creative ideas to demonstrate their new knowledge and cognitive development as well as EQs if they can master, for example, the writing style of Pablo Neruda through poetry posted to their pages. Other optional requirements might entail using music from the the culture of the author, quotes, back round and especially linking to social media tools like, Delicious bookmarks, Twitter account, Flickr photos, and even Youtube! I think there is a lot I could do to develop this assignment in a way that engages students and makes them feel like their personal interests and youth culture are being addressed :) P.S My English Content Area teacher Ms. Sue Pet is already using Ning, which was also mentioned in the reading and seems really neat!
That's all for now, cheers, AA
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
LEARNING THEORIES [EDCI5065] WEEK 5 T2P
T2P Hypothesis Week 5:
If students are having trouble meeting learning skill objectives, then teachers should analyze their approach and use a Heuristic to find a solution, because most often it is the teacher who can create a more engaging, appropriate lesson to help students reacher higher critical literacy levels.
Case study hypothesis:
If AP students have high content 'IQ' but fail to understand the importance of group work, then teachers should develop FUN, scaffolded, emotionally supported group work projects in a low-stakes environment, because, students with a 'won't do' attitude can succeed in an environment with low or no stakes (and no grades) due to their EQ levels.
~ With the absence of extrinsic rewards students will be intrinsically motivated to succeed in the their group tasks, thus enhancing their individual EQs as well.
Today was a very interesting class. In the beginning when we worked in our pairs with creating our own Heuristics - I definitely had to push harder to find a "rule of thumb" that could be put to test on any conundruums that we may run into as teachers. Luckily, my partner Mo and I had some clear similarities in the videos we chose and the hypothesis we created. When creating our road-map, we investigated many Key Questions that would be important to the Initial Stage of our class Heuristic. Guided inquiry led us to map out further stages. I am proud of the results though it definitely was a struggle to get there. Here is a brief example of our class Heuristic: Initial Stage: Observe as participant & formulate preliminary hypothesis, Middle Stage: Ask myself as a teacher, 'Is this a problem I need to attend to?" If YES, then begin to research, collect data & consult experts for help pinpointing important data for growing hypothesis, Final Stage: Formulate a path to test initial solution to conundruum, Evaluate important moral/political implications & short/long term effects. Align solution with pedagogical goals and test while revising as needed. Throughout experience -> reassess goals as necessary. The final group work session with the case studies truly re-affirmed my understanding of todays lesson. Our group worked with Ms. Elizabeth Rhodes's case and we hypothesized that if she created fun, scaffolded, emotionally supportive group work sessions in a low-stakes environment, her students would successfully learn the group working skills she knows will benefit them throughout their lives. In addition, by using this solution, for example, a team Jeopardy game, the children would not be so afraid of failure and as their confidence in themselves, and each other grows, so will their EQs. I believe that the most important Big Idea I got from today is that in most cases the teacher can be held responsible for issues in the classroom and consequently, we as teachers only truly have control over ourselves, so as teachers we must search inside ourselves for the answers, destroy our biases, collect data and test solutions to work those conundruums one at a time.
T2P WEEK 3 Response:
New hypothesis: If the teacher can make a lesson challenge the EQs of the students, then they will learn through intrinsic motivation, because Hot Cognition makes learning engaging.
Pedagogical Practice: In the English classroom students will have the opportunity to respond creatively to works studied. This environment allows students to reflect on the material but also its relevance to them and their lives in general. Mr. Duncan-Andrade speaks to this frequently regarding Critical Pedagogy. For example, if students are exposed to writing they have not been exposed to before that although different in style or time period aligns with emotional stages they are on the verge of understanding the result would be that students personal perspectives grow from this challenge if you bridge the gap in their critical thinking regarding the material. In Duncan-Andrade's research he found that students new what music touched them but when he showed them how to analyze other elements of the songs they listened to, they found deeper ways to enjoy the music and thus realized there are many angles at which a person can tackle any material, be it artwork, music or film etc...to find deeper meaning.
For a specific example of this I would say if my students were reading a play from Shakespeare, say Twelfth Night and were having trouble with the language I might break it down for them with character analysis/emotions - I would ask them to respond to what the characters were going through in the plot. Did they ever feel like they had to be or act like someone else to get by? How did that make them feel? How might others feel about that 'public' personality? What kind of pressure does that put on a person? (main character Viola does this literally in the play) Through guided inquiry and their responses I would ask them to respond, in diaries or reflective essays and challenge them to take it to a deeper level. Then after my assessment of their answers to questions, class discussion and the essays see if they could create their own scenes or skits to portray their feelings based on memories that impacted them. (Fitting in, high pressure scenarios, competitive situations, times with friends, family or approaching something un-known and alone etc..) - To see if they can relate memories and emotions to the characters in the play, to feel what they might be going through. To emphasize empathy and further the essential understanding that writers, even Shakespeare write (wrote!) about everyday emotions we all feel and struggle with. I think that would make the material more engaging. It would also help the students critically analyze the work through emotions they understand.
AND if that didn't quite go as planned I would help them analyze the play and then take them to see it live! Because Shakespeare is supposed to be seen anyway! :)
If students are having trouble meeting learning skill objectives, then teachers should analyze their approach and use a Heuristic to find a solution, because most often it is the teacher who can create a more engaging, appropriate lesson to help students reacher higher critical literacy levels.
Case study hypothesis:
If AP students have high content 'IQ' but fail to understand the importance of group work, then teachers should develop FUN, scaffolded, emotionally supported group work projects in a low-stakes environment, because, students with a 'won't do' attitude can succeed in an environment with low or no stakes (and no grades) due to their EQ levels.
~ With the absence of extrinsic rewards students will be intrinsically motivated to succeed in the their group tasks, thus enhancing their individual EQs as well.
Today was a very interesting class. In the beginning when we worked in our pairs with creating our own Heuristics - I definitely had to push harder to find a "rule of thumb" that could be put to test on any conundruums that we may run into as teachers. Luckily, my partner Mo and I had some clear similarities in the videos we chose and the hypothesis we created. When creating our road-map, we investigated many Key Questions that would be important to the Initial Stage of our class Heuristic. Guided inquiry led us to map out further stages. I am proud of the results though it definitely was a struggle to get there. Here is a brief example of our class Heuristic: Initial Stage: Observe as participant & formulate preliminary hypothesis, Middle Stage: Ask myself as a teacher, 'Is this a problem I need to attend to?" If YES, then begin to research, collect data & consult experts for help pinpointing important data for growing hypothesis, Final Stage: Formulate a path to test initial solution to conundruum, Evaluate important moral/political implications & short/long term effects. Align solution with pedagogical goals and test while revising as needed. Throughout experience -> reassess goals as necessary. The final group work session with the case studies truly re-affirmed my understanding of todays lesson. Our group worked with Ms. Elizabeth Rhodes's case and we hypothesized that if she created fun, scaffolded, emotionally supportive group work sessions in a low-stakes environment, her students would successfully learn the group working skills she knows will benefit them throughout their lives. In addition, by using this solution, for example, a team Jeopardy game, the children would not be so afraid of failure and as their confidence in themselves, and each other grows, so will their EQs. I believe that the most important Big Idea I got from today is that in most cases the teacher can be held responsible for issues in the classroom and consequently, we as teachers only truly have control over ourselves, so as teachers we must search inside ourselves for the answers, destroy our biases, collect data and test solutions to work those conundruums one at a time.
T2P WEEK 3 Response:
New hypothesis: If the teacher can make a lesson challenge the EQs of the students, then they will learn through intrinsic motivation, because Hot Cognition makes learning engaging.
Pedagogical Practice: In the English classroom students will have the opportunity to respond creatively to works studied. This environment allows students to reflect on the material but also its relevance to them and their lives in general. Mr. Duncan-Andrade speaks to this frequently regarding Critical Pedagogy. For example, if students are exposed to writing they have not been exposed to before that although different in style or time period aligns with emotional stages they are on the verge of understanding the result would be that students personal perspectives grow from this challenge if you bridge the gap in their critical thinking regarding the material. In Duncan-Andrade's research he found that students new what music touched them but when he showed them how to analyze other elements of the songs they listened to, they found deeper ways to enjoy the music and thus realized there are many angles at which a person can tackle any material, be it artwork, music or film etc...to find deeper meaning.
For a specific example of this I would say if my students were reading a play from Shakespeare, say Twelfth Night and were having trouble with the language I might break it down for them with character analysis/emotions - I would ask them to respond to what the characters were going through in the plot. Did they ever feel like they had to be or act like someone else to get by? How did that make them feel? How might others feel about that 'public' personality? What kind of pressure does that put on a person? (main character Viola does this literally in the play) Through guided inquiry and their responses I would ask them to respond, in diaries or reflective essays and challenge them to take it to a deeper level. Then after my assessment of their answers to questions, class discussion and the essays see if they could create their own scenes or skits to portray their feelings based on memories that impacted them. (Fitting in, high pressure scenarios, competitive situations, times with friends, family or approaching something un-known and alone etc..) - To see if they can relate memories and emotions to the characters in the play, to feel what they might be going through. To emphasize empathy and further the essential understanding that writers, even Shakespeare write (wrote!) about everyday emotions we all feel and struggle with. I think that would make the material more engaging. It would also help the students critically analyze the work through emotions they understand.
AND if that didn't quite go as planned I would help them analyze the play and then take them to see it live! Because Shakespeare is supposed to be seen anyway! :)
Monday, June 28, 2010
LEARNING THEORIES [EDCI5065] WEEK 5 T2P
Level 7 T2P Hypothesis: A) “Keep Your Head Up”
Youtube Video: Young Women United
If the classroom does not provide students with safety and basic human needs, then students will search elsewhere within their social environment for protection because students seek emotional affinity. (Strength in numbers)
For example, in the video “Who We Be,” five female students describe their encounters in school that drive them to seek safety in numbers within a group which they describe as a, “Circle of Strength.” Their growing understanding of a woman’s identity in their town of Albuquerque, NM - though at first based on their own experiences - blooms to encompass and question the identity of women in society. The personal experience of these women brought them together, in a group that speaks out against violence and ill treatment of women. In many cases the school environment was the setting for sexual harassment. The following examples illuminate the issues that forced these women to seek refuge in each other. But keep in mind, that instead of stopping there, these women went on to conduct research that fueled their growing understanding that to survive is to fight against the injustice by standing together. One example from the video is a girl named Sheila, and she tells of a teacher that sexually harassed her in the school setting, she responded to her teacher, Mr. Pena: “Don’t ever touch my ass like that again…Cuz you’re not supposed to be touching me like that, and I just walked away.” Another example from one of the students is from a girl named Keyna, she says, “Guys treat women like shit, like a sex object, and use them for whatever they want.” The student named Charlie mentions that she is hyper-aware of the segregation and separation of students based on their skin color. And finally another student in the group tells of the research the group conducted about “women of all races and all faces” – here she describes that no matter what, all the women describe the same feelings of physical abuse, low self-esteem, drug abuse and the notion that women are pushed out of positions where they could succeed based on their gender in this male dominated society. This is a national issue. Their collective ability inspired them to create a community group in which they collaborated to collect data on how women, other than themselves were being treated, and how they felt about it. In this particular case, the students were teaching themselves emotional intelligence levels that some other students may never achieve. Their social environment lacking basic needs fosters this understanding at a very young age. As a teacher, I must be aware of the social environment that my students are a part of, but I must also provide a safe environment where they can question that same environment. How can students be motivated to learn if their basic needs for safety are not met? (Maslow’s Hierarchy) More importantly, teachers can not always assume that their EQ is at a higher level than the student because in many cases the students life experiences have forced them to mature long before a student of their same age, in an environment where basic needs are met – ever has to. Mr. Duncan-Andrade studied the fact that awareness of youth culture is very important to make classroom material relevant. As a teacher, it is my moral responsibility to care for my students enough to find out if their safety is threatened and I must stand beside them in questioning this. I must help make who they are as people and classroom material relevant to where they want to fit into society. While this goal scares me, it reminds me that to start, I must provide a space where students can talk about these ethical issues to share and develop their voice. And through this process I must be a constant ‘bridge’ to help them bond together in strength so that their collective voices may be heard.
Level 7 T2P Hypothesis: (B) “Nostalgic Regretful Feeling”
Youtube Video: High School
If a student’s prior knowledge builds on top of prior learning then their emotional intelligence grows because a supportive social environment fosters their learning.
When watching this particular video I couldn’t help but think that children who have their basic needs met tend to be more susceptible to distractions. But they don’t deserve that hypothesis. I tried to dig deeper to find some evidence in the video. The video is described by the author “as a scrapbook of sorts to explain the hidden truths in American Public High School.” As I watched the film it seemed to be to more emotional assumptions based on similar/typical/generalized personal experiences of adolescents in a certain social context. The most interesting thing though was the comments posted by other youtube.com users in response to this video. The first example from data collected is from a high school student (darcylikesbeanies) in Australia who writes, “This made me sad. :( Even though I'm Australian and we do things differently, I can see those stages clearly in our High School lives.” And the second was by a student in the U.S (6524 Dancer) who writes, “Thank God! Someone says the truth!” How could I, as a pre-service teacher ignore the evidence when clearly there are students out their who empathized with this video. I remembered these videos are through the eyes of the students. Students are hyper-aware of their surroundings on a level that us teachers can only strive to understand. Social context. In this case, the secondary school level is when students begin to understand that there are hidden truths that exist. They build on knowledge and questions answered each year of high school, from freshman year all the way to senior year. But, because the students who created this film (and I am speculating here) had their basic needs met, they were able to concern themselves with other learning experiences. For example the video author notes that Freshman seek attention, then sophomores worry about fitting into functioning school society, juniors worry about sexuality and stress while seniors put all of that together to worry about what the future holds and who they are in society. Are not all of these things (in many contexts of course) something that every person feels as a member of society? Every person worries about getting attention for his or her basic needs or gaining, keeping, losing their income status. And everyone seeks to know with what group they can belong to and how that group functions within society as a whole. Children grow into adults who worry about the same things in a continuous cycle. In this case, school environment mirrors society and the mysteries of existence that it holds. The way that students analyze their school environment will therefore greatly impact the rest of their lives. Students that have basic needs (Maslow’s Hierarchy) met in school environments are able to analyze these social scenarios and how they fit into certain institutions. After looking at the responses on the video and challenging my pre-service teacher perspective - I realized that there is a good possibility that High School is a sort of training ground for the society structure students will become a part of. And I will be a part of this structure. Even with out knowing it students and teachers alike are building on their prior-knowledge, picking it apart and forming hypothesis that come up again and again (baggage) in situations throughout their experience as growing adults. Lessons learned in these phases of development will stay with students (and teachers) throughout their lives. The part that impacted me the most in this video data was the very last statement, “[seniors] …start to realize how different life will be in September, start to sort of appreciate the things they were sick of, start worrying about money, start missing friends before they are gone, wish they’d tried harder, wished they’d dressed better, wished they’d made more friends, wished they hadn’t hated so much, wished this nostalgic-regretful feeling would go away – start to notice this nostalgic-regretful feeling in adults.” I am going to go ahead and make an educated guess that although not everyone cares about ‘what they wear’ they have experienced that ‘nostalgic-regretful feeling” about something or some point in their life. As a teacher I think the data suggests that students (& their EQ) are aware of the Big Picture but that the teacher can help navigate these feelings to a clearer understanding for each individual and to support their changing perspectives.
Level 7 T2P Hypothesis: (C) “My Teachers”
Youtube Video 1: Is Anybody Listening?
“A testament by Village Academy High School students on the economic crisis”
AND
Youtube Video 2: Youth Voices
If there is a mutual enhancement/teacher-student relationship in place, students have a better chance at navigating their social environment, because a teacher can promote social justice.
I chose to put these two videos next to each other because they deal with similar data. Students in these particular social contexts greatly relied on their teachers for support and help in their personal lives. This is a responsibility that is realized but not always fulfilled. In the first video, Is Anybody Listening? Students describe how the economy has affected their families and therefore their education. Each student is extremely emotionally affected by their parent’s struggles, specifically – job loss. One student (Evelyn) tells us that because her parents could no longer afford to keep the family home (which was part of their personal ‘American Dream’) they had to move in with relatives. Now their living condition is twelve people in a one-room house. As the students attempt to describe their stories a common theme is apparent – students can’t focus in school when their social environment is emotionally volatile. One student (Maritssa says, “I can see [my mom] struggling … I want to help her but she tells me to focus on school. But, I can’t focus on school when I know she is struggling.” Their teacher Michael Steinmann (Village Academy High School, Pomona, CA) asked them in class one day how they all were doing – and their response inspired him to make this video. He stated that some students described situations where there was no food in the house and that their families were separating. He finished though; with the comment though that by strengthening community bonds good things were possible. Clearly he felt a responsibility. While reading the responses below this video I noticed a notation that President Obama met these students and spoke to their situation during his Presidential Address. As a teacher I can understand that sometimes my students will need me to make that extra push for them. Mr. Steinman did just that. He raised community awareness and national awareness that could have otherwise gone unnoticed. Not every teacher has to take this action; I want to be the kind of teacher who would know how to do so in the best way appropriate.
The second video also deals with a mutual enhancement/teacher – student relationship but through the eyes of an individual named Eric who attends 9th grade in Southern California. Eric describes his father’s health conditions, his extremely hard physical labor, ‘young gangster’ -controlled school environment and his teachers who guide him through it all. He tells us that, “Some of the teachers, they help me out, like Mr. Felix, he never gave up on me […] he was dyslexic and he did it too.” It is apparent that Eric trusts Mr. Felix. He looks to him not for answers, but for navigation. They mutually respect each other, trust each other, and because of this trust Eric takes his teachers help and uses it in a positive way in this life. Another teacher that Eric mentions helps him fill out his job applications. It is evident that the teachers in his life go outside the typical job description to help Eric. Or do they? Perhaps society calls for this kind of caring relationship. Teachers have to be willing to give students a chance to succeed at the student’s definition of success. Eric closes with perhaps one of the most powerful moments in the whole collective 25 videos. He says, “We are not all fuckups, just try to help us out, we like to keep to ourselves but try to figure out what’s wrong with us.” I would love to end this commentary with a happy ending for Eric but there is no ending. Eric may or may not go on to the Army and he may find the means to help his family but no matter what the teachers in his life have impacted him. As a teacher it will be my responsibility to act when because of political implications, a student’s situation is threatened. Eric is like any other high school boy in many ways, but I think the role of the teacher is to make the student know that they are not alone. I won’t be able to solve every problem but I will try to be there for them in the way they need me. I will take the time to get to know them and learn from them, so that I will in turn help them and help their peers. It is the student’s choice essentially, what path they desire to take, but it is mine to show them the bricks that make up that path, and all the other paths they have to chose from.
****
To close, here are some of the words I wrote down while finding similarities in all of the twenty-five videos (some are just emotions) and they made me understand (or at least remember!) some of the things students feel in the difficult high school years - something that we should all keep in mind as we enter the field...
~ VOICE. LONELINESS. CHANGE. RESPONSIBILITY. CHANCE. RESPECT. FEAR. QUESTIONS. HOPE. ~
Youtube Video: Young Women United
If the classroom does not provide students with safety and basic human needs, then students will search elsewhere within their social environment for protection because students seek emotional affinity. (Strength in numbers)
For example, in the video “Who We Be,” five female students describe their encounters in school that drive them to seek safety in numbers within a group which they describe as a, “Circle of Strength.” Their growing understanding of a woman’s identity in their town of Albuquerque, NM - though at first based on their own experiences - blooms to encompass and question the identity of women in society. The personal experience of these women brought them together, in a group that speaks out against violence and ill treatment of women. In many cases the school environment was the setting for sexual harassment. The following examples illuminate the issues that forced these women to seek refuge in each other. But keep in mind, that instead of stopping there, these women went on to conduct research that fueled their growing understanding that to survive is to fight against the injustice by standing together. One example from the video is a girl named Sheila, and she tells of a teacher that sexually harassed her in the school setting, she responded to her teacher, Mr. Pena: “Don’t ever touch my ass like that again…Cuz you’re not supposed to be touching me like that, and I just walked away.” Another example from one of the students is from a girl named Keyna, she says, “Guys treat women like shit, like a sex object, and use them for whatever they want.” The student named Charlie mentions that she is hyper-aware of the segregation and separation of students based on their skin color. And finally another student in the group tells of the research the group conducted about “women of all races and all faces” – here she describes that no matter what, all the women describe the same feelings of physical abuse, low self-esteem, drug abuse and the notion that women are pushed out of positions where they could succeed based on their gender in this male dominated society. This is a national issue. Their collective ability inspired them to create a community group in which they collaborated to collect data on how women, other than themselves were being treated, and how they felt about it. In this particular case, the students were teaching themselves emotional intelligence levels that some other students may never achieve. Their social environment lacking basic needs fosters this understanding at a very young age. As a teacher, I must be aware of the social environment that my students are a part of, but I must also provide a safe environment where they can question that same environment. How can students be motivated to learn if their basic needs for safety are not met? (Maslow’s Hierarchy) More importantly, teachers can not always assume that their EQ is at a higher level than the student because in many cases the students life experiences have forced them to mature long before a student of their same age, in an environment where basic needs are met – ever has to. Mr. Duncan-Andrade studied the fact that awareness of youth culture is very important to make classroom material relevant. As a teacher, it is my moral responsibility to care for my students enough to find out if their safety is threatened and I must stand beside them in questioning this. I must help make who they are as people and classroom material relevant to where they want to fit into society. While this goal scares me, it reminds me that to start, I must provide a space where students can talk about these ethical issues to share and develop their voice. And through this process I must be a constant ‘bridge’ to help them bond together in strength so that their collective voices may be heard.
Level 7 T2P Hypothesis: (B) “Nostalgic Regretful Feeling”
Youtube Video: High School
If a student’s prior knowledge builds on top of prior learning then their emotional intelligence grows because a supportive social environment fosters their learning.
When watching this particular video I couldn’t help but think that children who have their basic needs met tend to be more susceptible to distractions. But they don’t deserve that hypothesis. I tried to dig deeper to find some evidence in the video. The video is described by the author “as a scrapbook of sorts to explain the hidden truths in American Public High School.” As I watched the film it seemed to be to more emotional assumptions based on similar/typical/generalized personal experiences of adolescents in a certain social context. The most interesting thing though was the comments posted by other youtube.com users in response to this video. The first example from data collected is from a high school student (darcylikesbeanies) in Australia who writes, “This made me sad. :( Even though I'm Australian and we do things differently, I can see those stages clearly in our High School lives.” And the second was by a student in the U.S (6524 Dancer) who writes, “Thank God! Someone says the truth!” How could I, as a pre-service teacher ignore the evidence when clearly there are students out their who empathized with this video. I remembered these videos are through the eyes of the students. Students are hyper-aware of their surroundings on a level that us teachers can only strive to understand. Social context. In this case, the secondary school level is when students begin to understand that there are hidden truths that exist. They build on knowledge and questions answered each year of high school, from freshman year all the way to senior year. But, because the students who created this film (and I am speculating here) had their basic needs met, they were able to concern themselves with other learning experiences. For example the video author notes that Freshman seek attention, then sophomores worry about fitting into functioning school society, juniors worry about sexuality and stress while seniors put all of that together to worry about what the future holds and who they are in society. Are not all of these things (in many contexts of course) something that every person feels as a member of society? Every person worries about getting attention for his or her basic needs or gaining, keeping, losing their income status. And everyone seeks to know with what group they can belong to and how that group functions within society as a whole. Children grow into adults who worry about the same things in a continuous cycle. In this case, school environment mirrors society and the mysteries of existence that it holds. The way that students analyze their school environment will therefore greatly impact the rest of their lives. Students that have basic needs (Maslow’s Hierarchy) met in school environments are able to analyze these social scenarios and how they fit into certain institutions. After looking at the responses on the video and challenging my pre-service teacher perspective - I realized that there is a good possibility that High School is a sort of training ground for the society structure students will become a part of. And I will be a part of this structure. Even with out knowing it students and teachers alike are building on their prior-knowledge, picking it apart and forming hypothesis that come up again and again (baggage) in situations throughout their experience as growing adults. Lessons learned in these phases of development will stay with students (and teachers) throughout their lives. The part that impacted me the most in this video data was the very last statement, “[seniors] …start to realize how different life will be in September, start to sort of appreciate the things they were sick of, start worrying about money, start missing friends before they are gone, wish they’d tried harder, wished they’d dressed better, wished they’d made more friends, wished they hadn’t hated so much, wished this nostalgic-regretful feeling would go away – start to notice this nostalgic-regretful feeling in adults.” I am going to go ahead and make an educated guess that although not everyone cares about ‘what they wear’ they have experienced that ‘nostalgic-regretful feeling” about something or some point in their life. As a teacher I think the data suggests that students (& their EQ) are aware of the Big Picture but that the teacher can help navigate these feelings to a clearer understanding for each individual and to support their changing perspectives.
Level 7 T2P Hypothesis: (C) “My Teachers”
Youtube Video 1: Is Anybody Listening?
“A testament by Village Academy High School students on the economic crisis”
AND
Youtube Video 2: Youth Voices
If there is a mutual enhancement/teacher-student relationship in place, students have a better chance at navigating their social environment, because a teacher can promote social justice.
I chose to put these two videos next to each other because they deal with similar data. Students in these particular social contexts greatly relied on their teachers for support and help in their personal lives. This is a responsibility that is realized but not always fulfilled. In the first video, Is Anybody Listening? Students describe how the economy has affected their families and therefore their education. Each student is extremely emotionally affected by their parent’s struggles, specifically – job loss. One student (Evelyn) tells us that because her parents could no longer afford to keep the family home (which was part of their personal ‘American Dream’) they had to move in with relatives. Now their living condition is twelve people in a one-room house. As the students attempt to describe their stories a common theme is apparent – students can’t focus in school when their social environment is emotionally volatile. One student (Maritssa says, “I can see [my mom] struggling … I want to help her but she tells me to focus on school. But, I can’t focus on school when I know she is struggling.” Their teacher Michael Steinmann (Village Academy High School, Pomona, CA) asked them in class one day how they all were doing – and their response inspired him to make this video. He stated that some students described situations where there was no food in the house and that their families were separating. He finished though; with the comment though that by strengthening community bonds good things were possible. Clearly he felt a responsibility. While reading the responses below this video I noticed a notation that President Obama met these students and spoke to their situation during his Presidential Address. As a teacher I can understand that sometimes my students will need me to make that extra push for them. Mr. Steinman did just that. He raised community awareness and national awareness that could have otherwise gone unnoticed. Not every teacher has to take this action; I want to be the kind of teacher who would know how to do so in the best way appropriate.
The second video also deals with a mutual enhancement/teacher – student relationship but through the eyes of an individual named Eric who attends 9th grade in Southern California. Eric describes his father’s health conditions, his extremely hard physical labor, ‘young gangster’ -controlled school environment and his teachers who guide him through it all. He tells us that, “Some of the teachers, they help me out, like Mr. Felix, he never gave up on me […] he was dyslexic and he did it too.” It is apparent that Eric trusts Mr. Felix. He looks to him not for answers, but for navigation. They mutually respect each other, trust each other, and because of this trust Eric takes his teachers help and uses it in a positive way in this life. Another teacher that Eric mentions helps him fill out his job applications. It is evident that the teachers in his life go outside the typical job description to help Eric. Or do they? Perhaps society calls for this kind of caring relationship. Teachers have to be willing to give students a chance to succeed at the student’s definition of success. Eric closes with perhaps one of the most powerful moments in the whole collective 25 videos. He says, “We are not all fuckups, just try to help us out, we like to keep to ourselves but try to figure out what’s wrong with us.” I would love to end this commentary with a happy ending for Eric but there is no ending. Eric may or may not go on to the Army and he may find the means to help his family but no matter what the teachers in his life have impacted him. As a teacher it will be my responsibility to act when because of political implications, a student’s situation is threatened. Eric is like any other high school boy in many ways, but I think the role of the teacher is to make the student know that they are not alone. I won’t be able to solve every problem but I will try to be there for them in the way they need me. I will take the time to get to know them and learn from them, so that I will in turn help them and help their peers. It is the student’s choice essentially, what path they desire to take, but it is mine to show them the bricks that make up that path, and all the other paths they have to chose from.
****
To close, here are some of the words I wrote down while finding similarities in all of the twenty-five videos (some are just emotions) and they made me understand (or at least remember!) some of the things students feel in the difficult high school years - something that we should all keep in mind as we enter the field...
~ VOICE. LONELINESS. CHANGE. RESPONSIBILITY. CHANCE. RESPECT. FEAR. QUESTIONS. HOPE. ~
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
EDCI 5825 Week 4 Reading Reflection Qs
What is the right balance between giving students freedom to explore the Web for research and providing them with structure and guidance?
There definitely seems to be a certain balance - like most work in the classroom setting when it comes to students and their use of the web. I am afraid I am going to have to agree with Ms. Lee Ann Potter when she notes that students should be provided with guided and focused search scaffolding: "...Nor should we be sending our students to the Web and then simply saying, "Go." (November 2010. 72). Students need to understand that searching for material, sources and other information on the Web is a skill in itself- a skill in fact that I may not have ever learned quite as successfully as my future students will b/c I grew up when the Internet was not being widely used for projects in high school. By the time it was used I was already in college where there was a sort of 'fend for yourself' result. The chapter touches on this during the section regarding Database Search Skills. For example, exploring different search results by using the key word aircraft OR airplane. (November 2010) In this section of the chapter the discussion lends itself to the fact that sometimes it is OK for the teacher to take a step back and let searches fail to demonstrate the power of the aforementioned skill: "Feeling the frustration of continued failed searches and then finding success can be very empowering for students" (November 2010. 73). I think I could definitely use this skill in the English Literature classroom - perhaps to even take it to another level by creating search games all with the goal of studying the power of words. Even with all of the technology access at our fingertips - words & language and the ability to manipulate them are an ever important discovery for students and teachers alike.
What is the role of the teacher in helping students to make meaning of primary source material?
In addition to what I spoke to above I think that the teacher is sort of an 'empty vessel' in which whatever changing technology tools out there must float into and then the teacher can manipulate them for class purposes. The teacher can take sites like the Digital Classroom of the National Archives to develop lesson plans that truly incorporate primary sources. Then students can create their work based off of these amazing sources that would never have been available to students years ago. It is simply amazing. Not only do students understand the research & discovery elements of using primary sources but they also discover amazing new perspectives they might not have had access to before, for example: "students value the skills of the historian - asking important questions, seeking clues, constructing hypothesis, and presenting to authentic audiences" (November 2010. 66). My favorite example though was discussed in the book when the teacher used material from the digital classroom with the book Little House on the Prairie and found the actual census records of her family. Fantastic. Totally interactive, engaging and a worthwhile endeavor for any student -> Little House in the Census: Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder.
How can teachers use Podcasting and/or multimedia tools to promote collaborative learning?
Teachers can incorporate the projects above with Podcasting which would be very cool but the book also discusses some other ideas. In the classroom setting students and teachers alike can view many Podcasts for resources or learning/lesson activities but perhaps the coolest thing about them is that students and teachers alike can create their own. Some sites that may already come to mind are Youtube.com and Google Video but there are a vast number of other technology examples to use with Podcasts in the classroom as well like: itunes and Garageband to name a few. Projects utilizing these tools can for the most part be creative group projects but I think I would like to provide the opportunity to do individual projects as well and the good news is I can with all of these tools. Another way teachers can promote collaborative learning is by visiting the website Education Podcast Network to view directories of podcasts for the classroom. I checked out the English Language Arts link and found a ton of really cool examples using Shakespeare that I would love to incorporate into my Internet Workshop somehow. Students are so attuned to using video, watching video and playing video games in the present age that I think there is something truly special about adapting our lessons to the technology interests of our students and Podcasting is a great way to do that while they collaborate together to make amazing things!
See you all in class ~ aa
There definitely seems to be a certain balance - like most work in the classroom setting when it comes to students and their use of the web. I am afraid I am going to have to agree with Ms. Lee Ann Potter when she notes that students should be provided with guided and focused search scaffolding: "...Nor should we be sending our students to the Web and then simply saying, "Go." (November 2010. 72). Students need to understand that searching for material, sources and other information on the Web is a skill in itself- a skill in fact that I may not have ever learned quite as successfully as my future students will b/c I grew up when the Internet was not being widely used for projects in high school. By the time it was used I was already in college where there was a sort of 'fend for yourself' result. The chapter touches on this during the section regarding Database Search Skills. For example, exploring different search results by using the key word aircraft OR airplane. (November 2010) In this section of the chapter the discussion lends itself to the fact that sometimes it is OK for the teacher to take a step back and let searches fail to demonstrate the power of the aforementioned skill: "Feeling the frustration of continued failed searches and then finding success can be very empowering for students" (November 2010. 73). I think I could definitely use this skill in the English Literature classroom - perhaps to even take it to another level by creating search games all with the goal of studying the power of words. Even with all of the technology access at our fingertips - words & language and the ability to manipulate them are an ever important discovery for students and teachers alike.
What is the role of the teacher in helping students to make meaning of primary source material?
In addition to what I spoke to above I think that the teacher is sort of an 'empty vessel' in which whatever changing technology tools out there must float into and then the teacher can manipulate them for class purposes. The teacher can take sites like the Digital Classroom of the National Archives to develop lesson plans that truly incorporate primary sources. Then students can create their work based off of these amazing sources that would never have been available to students years ago. It is simply amazing. Not only do students understand the research & discovery elements of using primary sources but they also discover amazing new perspectives they might not have had access to before, for example: "students value the skills of the historian - asking important questions, seeking clues, constructing hypothesis, and presenting to authentic audiences" (November 2010. 66). My favorite example though was discussed in the book when the teacher used material from the digital classroom with the book Little House on the Prairie and found the actual census records of her family. Fantastic. Totally interactive, engaging and a worthwhile endeavor for any student -> Little House in the Census: Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder.
How can teachers use Podcasting and/or multimedia tools to promote collaborative learning?
Teachers can incorporate the projects above with Podcasting which would be very cool but the book also discusses some other ideas. In the classroom setting students and teachers alike can view many Podcasts for resources or learning/lesson activities but perhaps the coolest thing about them is that students and teachers alike can create their own. Some sites that may already come to mind are Youtube.com and Google Video but there are a vast number of other technology examples to use with Podcasts in the classroom as well like: itunes and Garageband to name a few. Projects utilizing these tools can for the most part be creative group projects but I think I would like to provide the opportunity to do individual projects as well and the good news is I can with all of these tools. Another way teachers can promote collaborative learning is by visiting the website Education Podcast Network to view directories of podcasts for the classroom. I checked out the English Language Arts link and found a ton of really cool examples using Shakespeare that I would love to incorporate into my Internet Workshop somehow. Students are so attuned to using video, watching video and playing video games in the present age that I think there is something truly special about adapting our lessons to the technology interests of our students and Podcasting is a great way to do that while they collaborate together to make amazing things!
See you all in class ~ aa
Critical Web Resource Evaluation
What feedback on your Internet Workshop did you receive from your two group members online?
The feedback from my group was very helpful so thank you guys! They suggested that instead of or in addition to my handout with the agenda and web evaluation Cornell University link (from our class WIKI) - I should include a handout that gives specific directions on how to use mapping as a backup to what students will learn during the tutorial. This way students would have a guide in their hand while evaluating the sites. They also suggested that I create an additional rubric for my own purposes to evaluate the group work with the MAPing as well as with the Shakespeare Death Mask Creative project. Overall I received positive feedback regarding the clear objectives & goals for my lesson as well as the creativity of using the MAPing portion in a two part lesson with a creative project. They thought the Death Mask Story (which is true!) was really creepy but fun for high school students! :) Go and see for yourselves: Shakespeare's Death Mask
Will you use the Internet Workshop, or use a revised version of the Internet Workshop in your future classroom? Please explain.
In retrospect I would definitely take their advice and create a handout with specific MAPing points to follow. However I am 50/50 on the teachers rubric. I like the idea that the students evaluate their own and each others work. I think my assessment will be ongoing throughout the lesson and perhaps guided by questions and sitting with/brainstorming with the students throughout.
Briefly summarize your group's discussion of the statement, "Students will become victims of the expansive dark side of the Internet unless we teach the critical thinking necessary to make meaning out of the overwhelming and potentially manipulative amount of information that is now available and growing every day" (November, 2010, p.27).
All three of us agreed (while staring at the really cool ichat back round images - one of our members was in Paris at the time ;) that the internet can be a very distracting and dangerous place for young children. ANYONE can create a website so researching authors etc are basic skills that will help students be more aware of the information they are getting out there as well as provide them with skills they can use throughout their lives in school and beyond. Also, technology is always changing, so with new things happening almost everyday it seems it is easy for students to be manipulated without the right knowledge and skills - students can learn that THEY are in control of what they chose to do while using technology in general. This is a valuable life skill as well -> "Always make your own decisions, have your own personal standards - be in control of the choices you make. "
See everyone in class ~ aa
The feedback from my group was very helpful so thank you guys! They suggested that instead of or in addition to my handout with the agenda and web evaluation Cornell University link (from our class WIKI) - I should include a handout that gives specific directions on how to use mapping as a backup to what students will learn during the tutorial. This way students would have a guide in their hand while evaluating the sites. They also suggested that I create an additional rubric for my own purposes to evaluate the group work with the MAPing as well as with the Shakespeare Death Mask Creative project. Overall I received positive feedback regarding the clear objectives & goals for my lesson as well as the creativity of using the MAPing portion in a two part lesson with a creative project. They thought the Death Mask Story (which is true!) was really creepy but fun for high school students! :) Go and see for yourselves: Shakespeare's Death Mask
Will you use the Internet Workshop, or use a revised version of the Internet Workshop in your future classroom? Please explain.
In retrospect I would definitely take their advice and create a handout with specific MAPing points to follow. However I am 50/50 on the teachers rubric. I like the idea that the students evaluate their own and each others work. I think my assessment will be ongoing throughout the lesson and perhaps guided by questions and sitting with/brainstorming with the students throughout.
Briefly summarize your group's discussion of the statement, "Students will become victims of the expansive dark side of the Internet unless we teach the critical thinking necessary to make meaning out of the overwhelming and potentially manipulative amount of information that is now available and growing every day" (November, 2010, p.27).
All three of us agreed (while staring at the really cool ichat back round images - one of our members was in Paris at the time ;) that the internet can be a very distracting and dangerous place for young children. ANYONE can create a website so researching authors etc are basic skills that will help students be more aware of the information they are getting out there as well as provide them with skills they can use throughout their lives in school and beyond. Also, technology is always changing, so with new things happening almost everyday it seems it is easy for students to be manipulated without the right knowledge and skills - students can learn that THEY are in control of what they chose to do while using technology in general. This is a valuable life skill as well -> "Always make your own decisions, have your own personal standards - be in control of the choices you make. "
See everyone in class ~ aa
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
ED PSYCH T2P Week 4
Week 4 T2P Hypothesis:
If a teacher is faced with a "Won't Do' student, then the teacher should create a caring environment for the student and try to make material more relevant to them, because the student may be dealing with EQ issues that prevent them from engaging in the task.
To be honest, I had trouble connecting the dots today. I know that Helms's Theory dealt with stages of development regarding Racism and in particular White Racial Identity. But as far as making connections between all the amazing things we read about Mr. Duncan - Andrade, finding resources that discussed this theory and how it might exactly effect the student - I was lost. We had some trouble finding sources online and then asked GNA for help. We ended up using Eric's Case Study. That was helpful. But Eric's case study is not a real case with many details or evidence and I felt like we were speculating rather than forming a true hypothesis.
I felt really inspired and empowered when I read Mr. Duncan-Andrade's work this past week and I scribbled all over the pages of my book with thoughts and ideas! Early on in the class I felt confident in our discussion of the different theorists. Especially when we discussed Andrade, his research, and his theories of the teacher as a 'navigator' or 'bridge' between the canonical literature and the student. In addition, that a teacher should make material relevant to the student/youth culture and enforcing Critical Pedagogy. I was able to tie the reading into the work of Paulo Freire's as well. His work is just amazing - these are ideas and theories that I was never exposed to before. I want to know more! In class today I could tie in the Big 3 (Dan Pink video) with topics of discussion like the "Can't Do's & the Won't Do's and I truly began to connect the theories of Andrade's work with elements like Hot Cognition and EQ, that I want to be a part of my pedagogy one day.
I guess I was so inspired that I really hit rock bottom when the presentation part of the class started. I still feel unsure about Helms's Theory, in fact there are many things that I don't think I completely understand/agree with as well.
We also attempted to do a Constructivist Lesson plan which I am not quite sure worked? Perhaps if anyone reads this they could provide feedback? Our group worked great together gathering sources and answering the data questions. But the lesson did not play out quite as we had imagined it I think and I want to know why?
The last thing is the Big Idea that I took from class today. And that is our discussion about stealing money from the bank 'Robin Hood Style' for Johnny's case. J/k hahaha! ;)
I really enjoyed our discussion about the changing information landscape that our students are experiencing, regarding technology and how people learn with technology. One of the elements discussed was Cognitive - Offloading, which is when we let technology do things for us, e.g. Cell phone numbers are stored by our phones and most of us probably do not have them memorized. This discussion helped my growing understanding of the possible perspectives of my future high school students! The fact that students are learning differently and processing information differently is going to impact our teaching in an extensive way. (things have changed so much since we were little tots :)
In addition, we discussed the idea of letting students explore interests they love in high school and what impact that might have on a student's motivation (pretty neat!) However, per that conversation I think seeing the video would help me understand this concept more. With my limited understanding of this video at this moment in time, I don't fully understand how letting children explore artwork in the same capacity as Math or Science in high school will foster their skills for the 'real world.' I do understand how it could assist in their cognitive development and literacy but in the big picture there are not many careers in the Arts either. At least in my experience to date, sadly, Art programs seem to get 'the short end of the stick' - forgive my expression. I would feel guilty encouraging a student to pursue a career in the Arts unless they had a minor (college level) as a sort of back up plan. And please understand, I am a student of the Arts myself so I by no means demean the importance of Art or the study of Art. (So you might go to school for it but when you graduate you work in a restaurant?) I have many friends who are still trying to make it as artists in New York. For example: even in this program setting, scholarships were offered for Science I believe? And I am not aware of any for Language Arts etc... (just thinking out loud here- I have a limited perspective regarding these issues so I am open for debate!)
That said, I think it is unclear what Education actually is in this country - is it to filter people into certain fields of study and then jobs or is it used as social reform tool to maintain class systems and structure, or both? Is it a tool for Social Justice? Or is it a tool for children to become who they really want to be as members of society? Learning about the history of Education in this country has got me asking this before I even feel like I can analyze certain theories or create my own pedagogy and become a teacher.
Sorry - guess I got a little ornery today - I should have brought a better lunch :)
Till next time guys! ~aa
If a teacher is faced with a "Won't Do' student, then the teacher should create a caring environment for the student and try to make material more relevant to them, because the student may be dealing with EQ issues that prevent them from engaging in the task.
To be honest, I had trouble connecting the dots today. I know that Helms's Theory dealt with stages of development regarding Racism and in particular White Racial Identity. But as far as making connections between all the amazing things we read about Mr. Duncan - Andrade, finding resources that discussed this theory and how it might exactly effect the student - I was lost. We had some trouble finding sources online and then asked GNA for help. We ended up using Eric's Case Study. That was helpful. But Eric's case study is not a real case with many details or evidence and I felt like we were speculating rather than forming a true hypothesis.
I felt really inspired and empowered when I read Mr. Duncan-Andrade's work this past week and I scribbled all over the pages of my book with thoughts and ideas! Early on in the class I felt confident in our discussion of the different theorists. Especially when we discussed Andrade, his research, and his theories of the teacher as a 'navigator' or 'bridge' between the canonical literature and the student. In addition, that a teacher should make material relevant to the student/youth culture and enforcing Critical Pedagogy. I was able to tie the reading into the work of Paulo Freire's as well. His work is just amazing - these are ideas and theories that I was never exposed to before. I want to know more! In class today I could tie in the Big 3 (Dan Pink video) with topics of discussion like the "Can't Do's & the Won't Do's and I truly began to connect the theories of Andrade's work with elements like Hot Cognition and EQ, that I want to be a part of my pedagogy one day.
I guess I was so inspired that I really hit rock bottom when the presentation part of the class started. I still feel unsure about Helms's Theory, in fact there are many things that I don't think I completely understand/agree with as well.
We also attempted to do a Constructivist Lesson plan which I am not quite sure worked? Perhaps if anyone reads this they could provide feedback? Our group worked great together gathering sources and answering the data questions. But the lesson did not play out quite as we had imagined it I think and I want to know why?
The last thing is the Big Idea that I took from class today. And that is our discussion about stealing money from the bank 'Robin Hood Style' for Johnny's case. J/k hahaha! ;)
I really enjoyed our discussion about the changing information landscape that our students are experiencing, regarding technology and how people learn with technology. One of the elements discussed was Cognitive - Offloading, which is when we let technology do things for us, e.g. Cell phone numbers are stored by our phones and most of us probably do not have them memorized. This discussion helped my growing understanding of the possible perspectives of my future high school students! The fact that students are learning differently and processing information differently is going to impact our teaching in an extensive way. (things have changed so much since we were little tots :)
In addition, we discussed the idea of letting students explore interests they love in high school and what impact that might have on a student's motivation (pretty neat!) However, per that conversation I think seeing the video would help me understand this concept more. With my limited understanding of this video at this moment in time, I don't fully understand how letting children explore artwork in the same capacity as Math or Science in high school will foster their skills for the 'real world.' I do understand how it could assist in their cognitive development and literacy but in the big picture there are not many careers in the Arts either. At least in my experience to date, sadly, Art programs seem to get 'the short end of the stick' - forgive my expression. I would feel guilty encouraging a student to pursue a career in the Arts unless they had a minor (college level) as a sort of back up plan. And please understand, I am a student of the Arts myself so I by no means demean the importance of Art or the study of Art. (So you might go to school for it but when you graduate you work in a restaurant?) I have many friends who are still trying to make it as artists in New York. For example: even in this program setting, scholarships were offered for Science I believe? And I am not aware of any for Language Arts etc... (just thinking out loud here- I have a limited perspective regarding these issues so I am open for debate!)
That said, I think it is unclear what Education actually is in this country - is it to filter people into certain fields of study and then jobs or is it used as social reform tool to maintain class systems and structure, or both? Is it a tool for Social Justice? Or is it a tool for children to become who they really want to be as members of society? Learning about the history of Education in this country has got me asking this before I even feel like I can analyze certain theories or create my own pedagogy and become a teacher.
Sorry - guess I got a little ornery today - I should have brought a better lunch :)
Till next time guys! ~aa
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