Mrs. Rule/ Field experience/ Reading a Christmas Carol

The third time I went to Mrs.Rule's classroom they were reading a Christmas Carol. They were expected to finish a packet on the book that consisted of critical questions about the main themes, comprehension, and vocabulary. Before they began to go over some of the packet questions she read a few parts of the book out loud in an interesting voice. Her reading out loud brought me back to my childhood and it made me realize why I love English so much.
Some of the questions throughout the packet really struck me. One consisted of asking what the importance of gift giving is on the holidays. Many kids answered by calling out that it is important to give more than you receive. This was very touching for me to hear because when I was in middle school, all the kids ever talked about during Christmas was about all the gifts they wanted or how unhappy that they were when they did not get them. In addition, she asked what the universal themes in the story were. Many of the kids stated that money can not buy happiness, do onto to others as they do onto you, and people can change. This part of the lesson really touched me the most because I enjoy reading so much because everyone can take a piece of advice out of what they have read and relate it to their own life. I think it is very important to teach the next generation of kids the importance of treating others with respect and to always be thankful for what one has. At the end of the packet there was a quote that stated "It's sharing your gifts, not purchasing gifts. It's not wrapping presents, it's being present and wrapping your arms around the ones you love. It's not getting Christmas cards out on time, it's sending cards, anytime, at the right time. It's not having the best Christmas light display, it's displaying the light of Christ that comes from your heart. It's not Santa coming down the chimney, it's Jesus coming down from Heaven and giving us the gift of eternal life." This really showed me the importance of teaching our kids what is right and encouraging them to do so. I hope to be a teacher one day that can influence many kids to be the best that they can be for themselves and others.

Mrs. Rule Field experience/ Grammar and Writing workshop

The second time I came to Mrs.Rule's classroom they were having a grammar and writing workshop. She told me that they go over grammar once a week and that they all have their own book that they have to work on for homework. She had them underline certain verbs, circle nouns, and fix any punctuation that was wrong in the text. She was not afraid to tell the kids that they need to raise their hands if they have not answered something yet. I do not know if I agree with this method of making everyone speak. Although, it would guarantee class participation, I do not know if I would feel comfortable making every kid answer even if they do not want to. Many times in classes where I knew I was going to have to answer something, I usually got more nervous; especially if I was not confident with the information. She also corrected them when they were wrong with their answer. Even though it is very important to tell the kids if they are wrong, I think she should have said "you are close" or "not quite" instead of shutting them down completely. As a student, I know how it feels to be wrong and become embarrassed in front of the class. Although, this is something that is very little to address, it is very important, especially to the students. At the end of the lesson she asked them a little bit about what they were going to be learning about next week to know how much she would actually have to teach the class. Many of the kids new what abstract nouns and the different points of view. This made me very proud.
During the writing workshop, the girls were working on their research papers. Each were given an author to write about and explain their childhood, accomplishments. and anything interesting about them that they had learned. She said she had them work at their own pace and let them turn anything in when they are ready because each student writes differently. She first had them complete 40 notecards and checked them. After that, they then completed a rough draft that she went through and checked all their grammar. The more grammar mistakes they made, the more points she took off. She explained to me the importance of checking their papers at every step because they still do not know how to write a paper on their own. Although, I understood that in 8th grade I could not write a paper like I can today, I think she should have given then more credit. Overall, I thought it was very clever to let them work at their own pace because it also builds independence. I though roughly enjoyed being in a classroom of all girls and was very interested in who they were writing about.

First field experience/Mrs. Rule

The first time I walked into Mrs.Rule's room I had noticed that it was very similar to Mrs.Elliott's. The agenda was written on the board in numerous colors and there were many posters all across the room. The desks were arranged in two groups, one on the right, and one on the left. They were both faced towards the center of the classroom in which each group could see the other group. Although, they could not see Mrs. Rule very well when she stood at the front of the classroom, I feel like arranging the desks in this way would help build community throughout the classroom. Having children sitting faced towards each other I feel would help them to become more comfortable and familiar with each other over time. During the class, they were reviewing the book, "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London. Mrs. Rule read through part of the chapter with a very intriguing voice that kept the students interested to listen. She pointed out literacy examples such as personifications, similes, and metaphors and had the students look for examples as well. She then had them fill in answers to their packet which had many questions about the characters, plot, and vocabulary of the book. She told them mostly what to write in their characters box and had a few kids answer a couple of questions. She made sure that whatever they were writting was short and simplified in order for them to get the main point across. She was also very strict by calling out students that did not have their books open or were not following along or trying to answer the questions.
Towards the end of the second class, she gave me a copy of a finished portfolio that the students had been working on. It consisted of the books they have read within the year and an analysis on each one. Each book had questions relating to symbolism, vocabulary, literary examples, that they had to answer. In addition, they had to write three paragraphs relating to a question for each book. I found this as a great assignment because it truly had the students reflect on what they had learned and gotten out of the book. One of the main reasons why I want to teach english if I chose to teach middle school or high school is because each book has a meaning that you can take with you and apply to your own life.

Agnon Field Visit

Going to Agnon was very interesting for me. Driving up to the school, I was very surprised from the outside of the building. It was very stone-like and did not look like a normal school. I was first placed in a first-grade classroom that was teaching a spelling activity. The classroom was very small and the class only consisted of ten children. Each child was expected to categorize words into familiar categories based on how they sounded or their meaning. Many kids had a difficulty with this. After, they were working on the concept of subtraction. The teacher had them pull out their math books and place their pencil in the book as they looked up at the board. She had the higher-level children go out in the hallway and work with the other co-teacher. She then tried to describe the concept of subtraction with coins. She first had the kids try to answer a question in which Sam had eight coins and Mia had six. She asked the students how much more did Sam have than Mia. Many of the kids had a really difficult time trying to figure this out. She told Justina and I that it would take several months if not a year for her students to grasp the concept of subtraction.
After we went to a 2nd grade english classroom. The teacher was very nice and outgoing. The kids were expected to complete a grammar packet that consisted of pronouns and other grammar mistakes that the teacher had found that they were having difficulty with in the past week. Many of the kids were very silly and enjoyed coming up to the teacher, Brooke. After they were done they were asked to take out a book and read or give their folder to the teacher so she could clean it out for break. As Brooke had talked to Justina and I, she told us that she use to teach 8th grade in California and Florida but her husband had got a job at the Cleveland Clinic causing them to move. Despite the great change, she says she loves her job. You could see the way she smiled when she talked and spoke to her kids. She had a playful personality that would joke around with the kids when they had asked her questions. She had told us that you have to get use to them asking you a question about something that you have already said four times. I thoughroughly enjoyed being in her class and could tell that they had a class in which discipline was a major priority but having fun was as well very important.

Mrs.Elliott Math and Reading lesson

When I walked into Mrs.Elliott's classroom when she was teaching a reading lesson, I again saw that the agenda was up on the board and the students were silently reading. There was even a christmas tree in the corner and a reef on a side table in the back of the classroom. I thought it gave the classroom a very homey and cozy touch. They were given twenty minuets to read the rest of the chapter and if they did not get done they had to finish it for homework. She had each pod of tables go and take a bathroom break one at a time before she started their math lesson. I was very impressed how she was constantly at all times able to keep a calm and soothing voice even when the kids became loud when leaving for the bathroom. I could not help but write down in my notebook that I loved the atmosphere of the class and that I thought all the kids were beautiful. Every time I have observed in Mrs.Elliott's class I have found that I have loved it more and more.
The first problem that she wrote down on the board was "National elections in the United States are always held in November. The date of the election is the first Tuesday that follows the first Monday in November. What are the possible elections?" She first had a student read the question out loud and then another student read it again. I thought this was a very clever strategy to make sure that all the students were able to listen and comprehend what the question was asking. Mrs. Elliott then asked a student to come up to the board that had gotten the question done. The student came up and answered and explained how he had gotten the numbers:2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8. I was very impressed once again by how much these students knew and how they were able to articulate how they had gotten the answer at hand.
The next part of the lesson consisted of students learning how to multiply numbers. She explained to them that 25x20 is the same as 25 x (2 x 10) because 10 is a multiple of 20. She had them think of multiples as groups that could fit into a different number so many times. In addition, she handed out a sheet with long multiplication questions. They were expected to get to number 12 and then had students volunteer to come up to the board and explain how they got their answers. During this lesson, I was very surprised with how she was easily able to break down such a hard concept such as multiplying double digits. I was also very shocked how comfortable they were in getting up in front of the class. This behavior definitely represents what a strong and comfortable community Mrs.Elliott  has created within the classroom. Lastly, she had the students close their eyes and hold up a thumbs up or a thumb down to show her wether they were getting the information. I though this was a very clever way to cultivate their feelings on the material. After walking out from this class, I was very proud of the students for their hard work and dedication to learn.

Science at Gesu/ Mrs.Elliott

The science lesson that I observed at Gesu consisted of students learning about owls. I was told that the following week the students were going to be dissecting owl pellets. I thought this was very exciting and do not remember dissecting anything ever in elementary school. The students were expected to be completing a research paper about owls and a specific one that they have chosen to learn about. She had the students take out iPads from a cart to use in order to complete their assignment. I was very surprised that the school had two carts of iPads that any teacher could use. This really made me realize how much technology has effected our classrooms today. I think allowing students to use such technology allows them to fulfill their curiosity and to learn about the things that they are the most interested about. In addition, I was very surprised how all the kids knew how to work the iPads and only needed help knowing what to write down. Their sheet had five bullets in which they had to write down five general facts about the owl population and then two facts on an owl that they had chosen to focus on. Mrs. Elliott had told first told them the directions, waited a few minuets and told them what she had expected of them again. As an elementary teacher, I think it very crucial to understand that it may take many times for children to listen and comprehend what you are saying. Personally, I think this is very easy to forget as an adult sometimes because it has been so long since we have been that age.

Social Studies with Mrs.Elliott/ Field Experience

When I went to Gesu to observe a Social Studies class I was very surprised at how much the students knew. They were learning about how we vote and why we do. She had a powerpoint slide up on the board that went along with each topic that the kids had to answer questions on. The students were taught the requirements for a president and fun facts about each one in our nation's history. It was very evident that they were very excited once they were told that there was going to be a student election held. Each fourth grader had to come up with a slogan that rhymed with their name or was catchy that would make their students vote for them. If a student had a problem with coming up with their own slogan, they would ask the class as a whole to help them. I thought this was a very good way to build community within the classroom and to show the importance of teamwork. When a student needed help they raised their hand and everyone else shared an answer that they had. They then had to write five qualities that they had as a person that would make them a good president. While they were writing their qualities down, I was able to walk around and observe what they were writing. I saw many papers that said they were friendly, honest, smart, and fair. I thought this was a great lesson to tie in the morals that all kids should know. At the end of the lesson she had them chose two other people that they would form a political party group with. Each student was either the president, vice president, or treasurer within their group. She highly emphasized the importance of letting anyone that wanted to be in their group to allow them to, and to treat everyone equally. Lastly, she told them that no one will be left out and if they are she will chose their groups.
In addition, I thought the kids again were very well behaved. Whenever she would ask the class a question so many kids would raise their hands and whenever the room got too loud she would say "I don't answer anyone who calls out." This seemed to remind the kids the importance of listening to others who are talking and waiting their turn.

First Field visit to Mrs. Elliot's

The first time I walked into Gesu, I got very excited due to the school reminding me of my own childhood. There were many little kids in uniforms of skirts and navy blue dress pants roaming the halls. I was very curious about what Mrs. Elliott’s class would be like and what children I would get to learn about.

Mrs. Elliott is a very sweet and calm teacher who never raises her voice or yells at her students. As I walked in, she had the whole entire agenda on the board that was color coated to each subject. The class felt bright and inviting. Throughout each area of the room, there was a place for everything. There was a math section where many math posters hung, an area where books about God laid, and even an area with stuffed giraffes. I was very surprised how much was in the room without it feeling cluttered or unorganized.
The lesson that she was teaching was a reading lesson. She calmly had each group of students to get a bathroom break before they went over what they had read the night before. The desks were arranged in small sections and rows in which each student had a small group of two to three to talk to. The reading was about a Japanese boy who came to live in America with another family. As the students talked about what they read, Mrs.Elliott put critical reading questions up on the smart board for all students to see. Whenever the students had the wrong answer she never denied their answers or said they were wrong. Instead, she would say "not quite" or "okay we are getting closer". At the end of the reading she asked students what the overall message the author was trying to tell his readers. I was very surprised how many kids had gotten this question right. The main message is that it is always important to treat others how you want to be treated, and the importance of being a good friend to someone. Many of the kids went around and shared the qualities that would make up a good friend such as being honest, kind, and giving. I could not believe how smart these fourth graders were!
As a whole, I found that I really do enjoy being in the presence of an elementary school, and think all the kids are amazing.

Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography/ ED 101

Brittany Jacobs visits teachers’ classrooms and gives them advice on how they can improve their teaching methods. She believes that “what you see from the students can give you even more information about the teaching in the room than the teacher’s actions do”.

The first question she asks herself is, is everyone in the class focused on a clear learning goal? For example, do the students know what they’re doing? The next one is, is there full participation in which all students are participating? In addition, she asks are the students on task and thinking with care, such as thinking critically throughout the lesson (“are they being engaged to do so”). Lastly, she asks is nearly all of the class time used for learning activities, and is there a positive energy within the room?

I believe that these are great questions and hope to ask myself them in the future while I am teaching to further evaluate myself. I think that evaluation and constant feedback for a teacher is very important in order to be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and what needs to be done within the classroom.

"What Does Great Teaching Look Like?" TNTP. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

Dannae Earwood the author of Effective Teaching: What Does it Look Like believes that as a teacher, their job is to learn as well. She states quote from Yount “The day I stop learning is the day I stop teaching”. She also believes that a teacher that is effective is human, meaning they are willing and determined to develop positive relationships with their kids and want to get to know them. By also showing interest in their non-academic lives they can discover the strengths and weaknesses and it will develop their self-concept as a learner. She also believes that they must be “human with the parents” and must be familiar with the student’s family background and the parents’ concerns. Moreover, she believes that they must be mature professionally, academically, and spiritually. Young believes that for a teacher to be mature academically they must be mature in their particular academic field as well as supplementary subjects such as literature, painting, and music in order to relate to a variety of students.

She believes that these aspects are very important

-Accommodates the needs of all learners

-Practices good classroom management

-Discipline of behavior

-Routines and Procedures

-Uses appropriate Instructional strategies and Methods

-Questioning students

-Motivation in students

-Variety

One of the most important aspects that I took out of this article was that a teacher’s job is to not only teach, but to learn as well. As a teacher you must be constantly learning in order to grow along with your students while getting to know them.

I also strongly agree with this article in the terms of building strong relationships with your students. The impact of a close positive relationship can last a lifetime. Due to a teacher I had my freshman year of highschool, until now has constantly been there for me and has always made an effort to ask me how my life is in and out of the classroom. Knowing that she genuinely cares about me not only motivated me as a student but has inspired me to become the teacher that I want to be.

Earwood, By E. Dennae, T "Effective Teaching: What Does It Look Like." (n.d.): n. pag. Aacs.org. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.

In the article “To Teach Facts, Start With Feelings” it talks about the importance of tying emotion into what you are teaching in order to make the information more memorable. It emphasizes that making basic connections from lesson to lesson is not enough and that storytelling is an effective tool. It explains that the reason why students don’t need flashcards to remember the plot of their favorite movie or most embarrassing moment because it consists of a balance of context and emotional.

I believe in this immensely because the classes where I could relate to the majority of content I did the best in. Teachers, in addition that make the information more memorable or exciting are definitely easier to remember or recite. As a teacher I hope to present all information in a memorable and exciting way, as well as adding an emotional aspect.

"To Teach Facts, Start With Feelings." Edutopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

In the last article it stressed the importance of these 5 benchmarks in order for class participation.

1. Level of Academic Challenge
2. Student Interactions with Faculty Members
3. Active and Collaborative Learning
4. Enriching Educational Experiences
5. Supportive Campus Environment

This article had reminded me of the discussion that we had had in class about the rate of students speaking up and taking intellectual risks. I think it is crucial for kids to have a safe, supportive environment in which they feel comfortable among their peers and teacher. Without a supportive campus environment, students are censored and learn to be passive and may lead them to think that their thoughts are not important.

"Five Benchmarks For Student Engagement." Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

Blog post 10

           Over the past few weeks, many of my thoughts and opinions on certain issues within the educational field have grown and are still developing. The most important thing that I have learned is that being a teacher will never be easy but it will always be worth it and rewarding day by day. This class has truly motivated me to stop and think about the specifics of how I want my classroom to be like one day.

           I have learned that every kid is different and therefore it is important that the subject at hand is taught in many forms. For example, if I am teaching a high school English class and am focusing on vocabulary, I could have the kids read the words out loud, write the words on the chalkboard, use white boards or technology, or lastly play an interactive game. It is very important that I change my lesson plan up daily instead of just teaching it how I would learn best. Although this is a fairly simple concept I think it is an issue that many teachers still today overlook.

          Another important strategy that I have found useful is knowing that students will learn better if you incorporate something they are interested in within the lesson. As a student in high school, I have no doubt that I would be even more excited to learn if my teachers really put in the time to make the information connect to us in a more realistic way. For years I was always use to my teachers answering with the same answer to the why are we learning this question by replying "because you have to or it is on the test". Regardless, of what my kids are interested in and no matter how creative I will have to be, I look forward to tying in their interests with the criteria.

         Lastly, I really agreed with the idea that in order to be the best teacher one possibly can, they must know their students. I found this topic to be something that I can greatly relate to. I have had numerous teachers in high school that had taken the time to get to know me and it made a tremendous impact not only on my grade, but on my life. When teachers have a strong and supportive relationship with their students, students are more likely to reach out and take intellectual risks. Due to a teacher forming an incredible bond with me, she is the reason why I want to become a teacher, and thus be just like her one day. Getting to know each and every student should be a priority for every teacher.

Blog Post 9/ What do good schools look like

I believe that there are a number of things that can make a school "good". The first major aspect that I agree that every school should have is a comforting and welcoming environment. All teachers, administrators, principles, and workers should be approachable, positive, and act as roemodels for all. When I think of a school where I would be confident in myself and interesting in learning, all my teachers would be friendly and encourage taking intellectual risks even if one is wrong. All teachers would implement problem-posing education and would grow with the students. These teachers would engage their students often in class discussion, hands-on lessons, and constantly be open to feedback from students. It would be an environment where kid's ideas in the classroom will be valued and the teacher's thoughts and ideas will not be any more significant then theirs. Kids will feel empowered and able to believe in their abilities, instead of teachers constantly telling them that they are the teacher and that they know more and  that they always will. 

All classrooms would be bright and colorful with a source of a window or windows if possible. As silly as this sounds, I think it is very important for students to feel comfortable in the classroom when they are there for 6 hours a day. It is essentially their "second home". From personal experience I have found that when in a dull, unorganized room I have been unmotivated to do my work than when in a bright room that a teacher has put some effort into decorating. 

Furthermore, I believe that no matter what age level, every school should have a wide variety of sports and clubs or activities students can participate after school. Not only does this help students to discover what they're interested in, but it produces discipline and helps them to become more involved.  Everyday after school, and during the day it would be very helpful if there was a type of "homework club"  where students could get help with what they were struggling with. This way every kid could have an extra opportunity of getting help. 

Lastly, I believe that a "good school" has small class sizes where every child is accounted for. By allowing having smaller classes, kids will receive more attention and teachers will better be able to  serve them. In conjunction with this, ever kid should be considered mportant and unique in their own ways. Coming from a large highschool, I personally felt just like a number at times. Overall, a "good school" to me is a place where children are nurtured and encouraged to  be the best that they can be.

Field Post/ Cleveland heights

Going to Cleveland Heights was a very interesting experience for me being that it was very different than my high school. The class I observed in was Mrs.Brown's 9th grade English class. The kids were very loud and crazy. The first thing that I realized was that the classroom was very messy and Mrs.Brown's desk had not been organized in days. In my opinion, as a teacher or student I would not be able to concentrate with a lot of distracting, misplaced objects around me. Despite the messiness, there were a lot of colored posters up on the walls which helped. The desks were arranged in separate pods of three or four desks so kids were able to work together. I personally liked this set up because it gives every student a "support system" or people to collaborate and share ideas with. The lesson of the day was that students were analyzing a summarized text of the original copy of a story, along with the original copy. Previously in class they had read the simplified one and were looking for the details they missed in the original one. There was a lot of confusion between the students of what they were expected of and what they were suppose to do with each piece. If I were teaching the same lesson I would of got up in front of the class and explained to them first what they were doing instead of telling each individual group to do after they started working. It was very obvious that Mrs.Brown did not have control over her students. Many of them were on their phones or just sitting there doing nothing. Others were highlighting paragraphs at a time because they did not understand the point of highlighting as a whole, or what specifically they were looking for.

One thing that I really appreciated was that she was very concerned about vocabulary. They had a list of words that they would work on each week up on the board that they were expected to know. She kept telling them to do whatever they had to do if they did not understand a term such as looking it up, circling it, or asking her. Overall, I think it was a very opening view to the discipline that teachers may have to partake within high school. I have learned from being in this class that students may also need a lot of encouragement and motivation to do their work. They need a teacher that will make them want to jump out of their chairs in order to learn.

Blog Post 8

Lately, it has been very difficult for me to decide wether I want to go into elementary school teaching or high school teaching. I love both of them very much for very specific reasons.

I could see myself being an elementary teacher because I love kids and I enjoy watching them grow. I would be very excited to be in a classroom with little kids because they would keep me smiling all day long. In addition, I feel that my personality would fit in better in elementary because I am honestly a kid at heart. I enjoy watching disney movies, playing on the playground, going to pumpkin patches, and of course acting silly. I feel like at times I would be able to relate to the kids in a very large way. Although, I could see myself teaching little ones, I think it would be very hard for me to stay calm if a kid is having a breakdown or the class is in chaos. I would be able to stay calm and collected on the outside, but in any situation of crisis I would freak out or get stressed on the inside.  In addition, I think it would be very hard to create lesson plans because the material they are having to learn would be something that I have known for years. It would be very difficult to train my brain to think that I have never learned it in order to think up a way I could teach them the chosen concept.

I have always been drawn to teach high school because while I was in high school I had some of the best teachers that anyone could ever ask for. By having these teachers, they have changed the way I look at myself and have truly helped me succeed in our world today. Specifically, I had a teacher named Mrs.Weiant that made an incredible impact on my life. From day one that she had started to teach me freshman year, she was always compassionate, caring, and encouraging to all her students. She made a great effort to let you know that every kid is important and that each one has a special strength. Throughout all her teaching she has helped me to see who Christ really is. Over the years, I have formed an amazing relationship that I will never forget and that I will be able to cherish for forever. She will always be someone who is very dear to me.

In addition, I had two math teachers, Mrs.Taylor and Mr.Nutter that have truly taught me to believe in myself. I have always struggled in math and it for sure is not something I'm comfortable with, let alone confident with. These two teachers were always willing to give up extra time after school, during my study hall or in the morning to help me. Instead of judging a student of their test scores, Mr.Nutter would always acknowledge how much effort I would put into homework and practicing after class even if I did get a bad test score for my first test. He always told me to believe in myself and that I knew what I was doing. I will never forget his warm smile. In addition, I would always look forward to going to the math lab during study hall because Mrs.Taylor would be there. Although, I hated math she always made it fun and was a teacher that I have formed an awesome relationship with. She would always form conversations with me even if they did not have to do with math. It made me feel like we were on the same level and that I "was not just a kid". Till today, I am in contact with all these teachers.

Although, I have had some great experiences in high school, I sometimes am hesitant to think about how I would feel if I had a lot of kids that would refuse to do their homework and actually learn. I would also be hesitant to see if I fit in, in this setting because I am sometimes shy when it comes to talking to a big group of people. 

Blog Post 7/8

After writing the blog post 7 on Bill Ayers "Building Bridges" I would like to elaborate on engaging students and growing together. In my opinion, in order to engage students teachers must find a mode of common interest to help transport what needs to be comprehended. If I am in an elementary classroom and am teaching addition and subtraction I might have kids using marbles or candy to figure out the answer. If I am in a high school classroom and am teaching english, I may have them play an intense review game that involves throwing a ball into a bin and keeping score. In each classroom there is a way to spark your students interest and curiosity even if they do not like the subject you are teaching. I strongly believe that in order to find a mode of common interest for your class, you need to get to know them first. Other ways to engage your students is to hold class discussions, encourage hand raising, and to reward a child that answers a question even if they are wrong.
Another aspect of teaching that is critical not only for "building bridges", is growing with your students. Letting students know that they have a say too, and that they are important is something all teachers need to keep in mind. Many teachers may get up in front of the class each day, lecture, have students take notes, and then dismiss them and not even realize how detrimental or inferior they are making their students feel. In order to grow with your students, teachers must keep an open mind and be ready for change in order to accommodate for their students. They must ask questions, be open to feedback, and listen to them.
When I become a teacher I plan on having the kids help me create the syllabus if I am in a high school setting. This way it will make them feel like they have a huge say in the class and are in a class that keeps them proactive. If students mention that they would want to be able to chew gum or have their phones I will fully take it into consideration because it will be our classroom, not mine. Finding every way that you can to make the students feel that they are important will not only make your class prosper, but it will increase their confidence within themselves and in their ability to learn.

Blog Post 7

Building Bridges in Bill Aryer's perspective means building an understanding of simple basic knowledge to comprehending more complicated and difficult criteria. There is a pattern that can be extended by class discussion and activities that have students engaged and working together. In addition, "building bridges" is when the teacher is learning from his or her students and they are growing together, thus building a brig from "childhood to adulthood". If I were to be teaching Language arts in high school and had to form a lesson about Shakespear, I would first have all of the students come up to the board and draw or write anything that first came to their mind when they thought of the play "Romeo and Juliet". While teaching this lesson I must consider that they may not know very much or if any about this topic. By seeing what they drew on the board I would have a better understanding of what they know and what I should address with more emphasis throughout the lesson. By also having everyone come up to the board at once, it would decrease the pressure that they might have had if they had to go up in front of other people. After coming up to the board, I would arrange the desks in a circle and assign reading parts to children that volunteered. By having the desks facing towards each other, it would imply that "we are all in this together" and are a team. While reading I would encourage children to raise their hand anytime they felt confused or had a question referring to the text and I would explain it or have any other children explain it if they felt like they had the answer.  This way, I would be sure if someone didn't get something or felt overwhelmed when reading the difficult text, and would be able to show them that they have a say in everything we do in class regardless if I am the teacher or not. After reading I would ask for help to think of a few scenarios in real life that could be compared or related to the reading and would write them on the board ("Comparing basic knowledge to more complex knowledge"). This way children could grasp a better and fuller understanding on the reading and how it pertains personally to themselves. Lastly, I would ask the children what they liked about the lesson and what they didn't and take suggestions, allowing us all to grow together.

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Beachwood Education Field Blog

After going to Beachwood Middle school I was very shocked from the initial feelings I felt after walking out to the bus. The first class that I was placed in Mrs. Norton's 6th grade spanish class while they were having a "fiesta" in the cafeteria. The kids were very rambunctious and energetic. Many were running around like ants and had a hard time listening when she had told them to sit down and wait patently for the rest of the food to be made. While some kids were helping Mrs.Norton scoop avocado for the guacamole, others were arranging the food that they had brought in. I was very impressed to see what a generous amount of food they had brought in. It looked like the kids were very excited to share and to eat this meal! Although, it was very loud in the cafeteria there was one experience that was very hard to watch. There was one boy that would not listen and was screaming and shouting rude comments at other kids and encouraged his friends to toss the bags of chips around with him. Mrs.Norton had to furiously yell at him at the top of her lungs and make sure that he sat right next to her and was the last to get food. In addition, I heard a few girls sitting at a table laughing at him and making fun of the boy. This really upset me and reminded me how much bullying can occur in middle school and what a difficult stage of life it is for these kids. I think it is safe to say that at this age many are trying to find out who they are and could have many insecurities due to the pressure of wanting to fit in. Another thing I had noticed was that the classroom had a lot of diversity and and they seemed to interact equally to one another even though there were cliques of girls. After observing this classroom I had felt personally that I may not enjoy teaching 6th grade but can not base this opinion after only one experience.

My second placement was in Mr.Smith's 8th grade english class. Right away I had noticed that a lot of the kids seemed very mature and focused. Mr.Smith started talking about recent projects and assignments which had clearly shown that he expected a lot out of his students. Throughout the whole class they went over their vocabulary homework and many of the kids knew some very hard and difficult words to comprehend! Although they were just going through the book, Mr.Smith made it interesting and fun with his powerful voice and even made the students a bet for extra credit if they could get 20 questions right in a row. He made sure that every kid had rose their hand and had encouraged a few that were shy at first to do so. Overall, his enthusiasm about english made me even more excited to teach english if I do so in the future. By observing in his classroom, I feel like I am leaning towards the older side of the spectrum of kids if I were to be teaching middle school in the future.

The Banking Concept of Education

          After reading "The Banking Concept of Education" by Paulo Freire I have found that I completely agree with his position that the coined term of "banking education" needs to be changed throughout all schools. I have experienced so many instances where I have had teachers that have used this concept in my own school and I often found it at times to be very frustrating when trying to get something out of the class. Freire has shown us that this type of education involves memorizing terms and concepts just for the sake to rattle them off instead of being able to comprehend what is being taught. In addition, teachers most likely give off the persona that they know everything and that the students are treated like objects. I can relate to this from being in my World Studies class freshman year and in my english class currently. In world studies our grades were only based on how much information we could retain during the test day. The information was never applied to real life circumstances and I never truly felt like I was able to grasp the information. Currently, my english teacher as well is very strict and always puts a student down in regards to answering questions and always thinks her response is better. Not only does this concept of teaching make students less inclined to learn, but it makes them feel inferior.

         I have found that while in problem-posing atmospheres throughout high school I have felt highly comfortable in the classroom and more inclined to take risks and try my hardest. In this concept of learning both the students and teachers are students. In other words, "everyone grows together". This was my favorite post it note that I had created. I think being able to learn from your students is an extremely important skill to have no matter what grade you are teaching. Throughout my junior year of high school I had a teacher that strongly used this concept and was highly encouraging of all students. Creativity and discussion was a main priority of the class and she was always excited to hear our point of view. When I am teacher I hope to always enforce the problem-posing concept in order to keep my kids happy and constantly learning.

Blog Post 5/ Rofes E.

       After reading about Rofe's childhood, his view on LGBT'S, and our society as a whole, I was very enlightened. My over all feeling when I had started to read was that I was upset due to his personal struggles in school, such as being bullied on the play ground and having to worry about potentially hurting the kids that have pushed him around for numerous years. I have always known that people with different sexual orientations can face numerous amount of pressure and mental abuse by their peers, but I have never heard direct and personal experiences from someone suffering from it. It definitely has showed me that this is reality and the way our kids are feeling in our school systems needs to change. In conjunction, he had claimed that instead of viewing LGBT'S as vulnerable and fragile individuals, we should see them as "daring, powerful, and rebellious". Personally, I can really relate to this statement because whenever the subject of gay and straight individuals comes up, I generally feel bad and continue to think that I could not imagine what they are going through. In the future I am going to focus on changing this state of mind.

Another aspect that I thought was very interesting was the way Rufe talked about, was the amount of LGBT'S teachers in our school system. It was very interesting when he had talked about how there is an uprising of openly LGBT teachers in high school and higher grades, but not in early education. I was never aware of this and personally think that if our nation is going to own up to its slogan that "All people are equal" there should be a wide variety of teachers of different sexualities in all fields of education. When we are young, we constantly look to the people above us to see what is acceptable or not. If all that young kids are surrounded by are straight teachers, our society is going to be stuck in the rut that we are in now, and our newer generations will will continue to discriminate against LGTB'S. In addition to this, I thought it was very upsetting to know that when Rufe's was a kid he felt like he had no one to talk to and had no rights to do anything about the obstacles he had to overcome due to "choosing to act" as a girl.

I strongly agree with his point that as a society as a whole, we also discriminate against children. We are constantly taught through the media and the ones around us that the adults are superior. Even though I am considered an adult at 18, I still feel sometimes as if my opinion or train of thought is not valuable when talking to someone older. I think a lot of the times we just assume that everyone older than us is smarter and knows better, but this is not always the case. Rufe pointed out that during school, he had no lawyers to go to, no self-defense, and no resources to go to about children fighting back with his issue. Although many liberal schools have been creating support groups for LGTB students, all of our schools need to become equipped with help centers and groups that students can become a part of. I think that due to Rufe's experience there should be some sort of support group in lower education as well.

Although, I had agreed with most of his points, I had a hard time agreeing with his belief that he was not genetically born as gay but "chose to do so early on as a child". In psychology class, we are constantly learning about people not having enough of a certain hormone or that a certain gland did not form to the correct size and therefore, changes can change one's behavior. I am not saying that when one is gay they have completely no choice over it, I just think that genetics could potentially play a huge part in wether a person decides to change their sexual identity.

 At my high school kids that identified themselves as LGTB's were not welcomed or accepted by the majority of people that went to my school. It was very difficult to see that a lot of my peers would make fun of them and talk behind their backs. I want the school system where I will be teaching to be highly supportive and encouraging to all kids, regardless of their sexual orientation. There should be a support group for LGTB students and kids should be able to feel as if they could talk to any teacher about any of these issues.

Agreeing with Lisa Delpit/ Ebonics

After reading the story "What Should Teachers Do" by Lisa Delpit I was very shocked by the information that she had given. I hadn't put much thought into how correcting a student's dialect that wasn't use to English could be hurtful or even detrimental. Most teachers would think that they are just helping the student to become proficient in english and don't realize that they're doing more than just that. The article states that when a student is corrected with language, it suggests that there is something wrong with their family or even culture. Let alone, coming to school where a lot words are different than home would be very difficult. I definitely think it's up to the teachers to encourage and engage these children in language, but in a fun and positive way. The article mentioned that teachers should practice role play activities such as puppet shows so they can practice standardized english and students won’t feel pressured from correction. In my opinion, teachers should be more concerned about kids knowing and understanding what they’re reading instead of just knowing how to pronounce a word.

Our class exercise proved that when correcting kids on how the way they speak, it creates silence. After we were divided into the readers, correctors, and test makers, the readers were expected to read Shakespeare. When reading, the correctors yelled and corrected them for every word mispronounced and most of them had gotten softer when they spoke or didn’t want to read at all. In addition, when asked comprehension questions about what actually happened in the story very few could answer correctly. This clearly shows that correcting kids on how they speak can very easily shut them down and show them that what they’ve learned from their loved ones is not right.

What should my classroom be like?

The Fundamentals of my classroom

After reading the Chapter 3 Creating an environment for learning I started to wonder about what my classroom would look like and how it should make my kids feel. Even though I don’t know whether I want to teach young children or high schoolers there were a few things that I definitely feel that are beneficial to have within my room. First off, I will have a jar of pencils and pens on my desk for children to borrow if they forgot one, because we all forget things time to time no matter how responsible we are. I would also have a few family pictures or knick knacks on my desk that are important to me to help my students to get to know me better. In addition, I would love to have a small pot of flowers on my desk to brighten up everyone’s day when they walk in the room. I think it’s very important to have a clean and healthy room for students to relax and be able to comfortably do their work in. Throughout high school, there were many classrooms that didn’t have tissues or hand sanitizer which made me very embarrassed when having a runny nose and self-conscious when I was sick. There will always be soft tissues and hand sanitizer for all kids to use, as well as Febreeze when it gets hot and the rooms tend to not smell their best. In addition, I hope to have a basket with blankets on the floor if I teach elementary or high school english because I always had difficulty trying to read in my english classes when it was freezing in the winter. There will also always be a visual aid to what is for homework each night and the board will always be legible and written in big letters. Even though I didn’t need glasses in highschool I struggled to see the notes that my teachers would write if I sat in the back row and it was very frustrating. Therefore I hope to arrange a seating arrangement in which every student has the right to see everything and learn in the best way that they can. I hope to constantly be changing the seating arrangement so students can over time become more comfortable with everyone. I think it’s very important for my students to feel emotionally comfortable as well. Hand raising and speaking up about one’s own opinions will be greatly encouraged and there will be no such thing as a stupid question. Respecting others in the class will be held at a top priority and open discussion about certain topics that we are learning will happen often in order for everyone to get to know each other. Also when my students tend to look tired or unmotivated I hope to give them a few minutes to stretch and grab a piece of candy. Overall, I want my students to feel special and loved when they are within my classroom.

Observation at Legacy Village/ Blogpost 2

Description:

• Chinese woman and tall guy. The guy is wearing Jordan shoes, tan pants, a retro black and red shirt, and has a small bag in his hands. The girl has a striped black and cream dress on with black ballet flats and a small black tote wrapped around her waist.They look like they're in their mid twenties, maybe 26 or 27.

• 2nd guy: Wearing a blue button up collared shirt with dark jeans, earrings, and Nike blue tenner shoes. His dark brown hair is spiked up and was fixing his shirt.

• 2nd woman: Is wearing a red collared shirt with a black stripe across her stomach with black pants and tan rubber flip flops. Her hair is black and up in a bun with a large pony tail. There is also a cupcake or ice cream symbol on her shirt.
• There are three women in the background. They are all carrying large over sized purses and are huddled around each other like they are talking. They all are wearing black or tan pants and have dark hair that is up in either a ponytail or bun. There is a small girl that looks 10-12 with a green soccer jersey standing next to them. Her hair is in pink tails. 
• There's a tall guy with dark hair in a white polo shirt with stripes and tan pants. He has puma tenner shoes on and is walking very quickly by himself. Looks 18-21
• There's a girl with curly black hair with a leather white purse across her back. She has a huge green shopping bag in her hand and is wearing short jean shorts with a formal white top. She also has an additional white shopping bag pressed against her chest.

Interpretation: 

• The woman and the guy are a couple because they were walking together and were standing very close to each other.The guy may like rap music or hip hop because of his retro shirt. He also may be interested in basketball because of his shoes. The girl may be well off financially because she is dressed nicely. They may be getting engaged or are engaged because of their age
• The 2nd guy may still think he is young because his hair is spiked up and he's wearing earnings. He may also be concerned with the way he looks or self-conscious because he was trying to fix his shirt.
• The 2nd woman may work at fast food place and just got off or in to work.
• The 3 women are moms because they're older and have a child with them and all have big purses. The girl next to one of the mom's must be a daughter to one.
• He likes to dress nice and may be athletic due to his tenner shoes. He may be on a mission to somewhere or needs to find a bathroom.
• She may be very well of financially because of all the bags she's carrying and the clothes she's wearing. She may be aware of how she looks.

Parking Lot:

• The guy and the girl that are a couple. Are they engaged? 
• Is the woman in the red shirt struggling with money because she's working in a food court? Is that her only job?
• Does the girl with the nice leather purse and shopping bags consider herself to have a good personality?
• Where was the guy that was walking quickly going?

Webpost1: Class Survey

Webpost1: Class Survey


1. I prefer to be called Adrianna or Adri. (Whatever is easier)

2. My hometown is Hilliard Ohio.

3. I am still unsure of what grade I would like to teach but I do know that I would enjoy Spanish, English, or Biology.

4. My hobbies include being creative, helping others, interacting with kids, and eating ice-cream. I would say what makes me special or unique is that I really enjoy trying to make other people laugh and have a good time. I also am very young for my grade and am cheering at Carroll.

Learning Style and more:

1. In order for me to feel comfortable and take intellectual and creative risks in the classroom, a safe environment must be formed between my peers and I. No question should be a "stupid" question and respect should be held as a high priority. In addition, everyone knowing each other's names would be very helpful.

2. In class, I enjoy speaking up and raising my hand when I become comfortable within a class. I would consider myself to be fairly responsible when it comes to getting my work done and getting to class on time. I have found that over the years I am more of a visual learner and do well when I can explain what I'm studying to another person.  Whenever I have a hard time of understanding something I usually ask someone else to try to explain it because they more than likely will have a different way of going about it.

Education Past and Present:

7. A formative memory has been the relationship that I have made with my spanish teacher from high school. When I was a freshman I remember being so surprised on the first day about how she had acted and treated all people with love and generosity. She accepted all students, no matter how different and constantly knew how to keep a positive attitude. Having her again my junior year and being able to keep in touch with her has truly shown me who and what I want to be. I hope to one day to become a teacher just like her.

8. Some of the significant issues in the education field that I am worried about is the removal of teaching cursive and handwriting in elementary schools, the push for standardizing testing, and the gender gap between boys and girls.

About Dr. Shutkin

1. What has been your most memorable experience while being a teacher?

2. My email link to my blog is: adeptula.blogspot.com