Literacy Week 8

I've been working closely with primary students and helping them towards their goals of becoming independent readers and writers. Over the last three months I've been a resource for spelling and the person who encourages imagination and creative writing. I've watched K, 1st, and 2nd graders devour book after book even if they aren't yet reading. To see a student eager and excited to read is just the first step. I consider my job as a student teacher to extend this interest and to promote and encourage their willingess to keep practicing.

As we've been talking about this past quarter, literacy is a multi level subject. We've been throughly disccusing and researching the methods behind teaching and assessing which really makes me thinks how I will incorporate and continue this experience and class into my own classroom.

As Au mentioned in the article titled, An Expanded Definition of Literacy, "Today instruction should center on students' efforts to make meaning from text, whether in reading or in writing, and skills should be taught in the context of this meaning-making" (p. 30) As we've also been learning, comprehension as means for making sense of our reading allows us to make connections and understand the meaning behind what is being read. I strongly believe that Au's statement is crucial in our understanding of how we teach and learn literacy. We can read and write but we can't do either well if we do not have a background of knowledge that supports our understanding and initial interpretations. Where I draw meaning from this quote is from my own personal reading and writing history.

I often found myself struggling to become engaged in the books handed to me as a child. I had difficulty imagining a fictional story in my mind. I was also less interested in cartoons than in television shows that depicted real life characters. I was a strong concrete learner who was successful at making meaning and connections as long as it met within my own life. I see how this may be also the case for some of my present students. They are less interested in reading than they are in writing about their own lives.

Routman's chapter 7 and 8 successfully illustrates how we can integrate reading and writing skills. I believe that by reading and writing relflections we can make meaning of what we learn. In primary grades I've seen many great examples of teachers instructing students to write about their own lives and to make connections in the books they are reading. Genius!

Assessment

This quarter is quickly coming to an end and I am thankful that UWB has given us the opportunity to visit local schools within our community and work closely with students attening them. I have been working closely with 2 students, one a Kindergartener and the other a third grader. Both experiences were rewarding but to be fair they were both extremely opposite experiences.

My Kindergartener was shy and we were lucky to get a few words out of him. The 3rd grade student was talkative, energetic, and could talk to us for hours. With my experiences in mind, I hope to always remember how these experiences gave me the opportunity to work with different types of students. We must all try to remember that as teachers our instruction must be differentiated in order to meet the needs of all students. Always easier said than done, but this is the ultimate goal. With this as a key point in my mind, I can't help but wonder what else I musn't forget...

Assessment can be given and seen in a large variety of ways. Not only should our teaching be differentiated, but our techniques for assessing should be as well. We are not robots, we don't learn the same, and we definately do not function on the same page. So what should we keep in mind as we assess our students without forgetting that each student learns differently?

Key Points:
Not one assessment method works best.
A differentiated classroom is also one that has differentiated assessment.
Comparing one student to another is NOT assessment.
Assessment can tell us more about what a student does know than what a student doesn't know.
Assessment can direct us where we need to be focused.

Blogging Community & My Comments

Commenting on other public blogs is something new to me. As I've been reading through a few blogs about teaching and technology, I've also been introduced to many helpful resources as well as some controversial activities.

These are the comments I made to two different blogs introducing two very different topics.

The first image that captures my comment in regards to a blog highlighting technology and the types of programs we can use to create videos within our classrooms. Because they did not include PHOTOSTORY3 as a resource I suggested it. It was wonderful to read about all the other types of programs out there. I plan on looking over the ones included in the blog to see how user friendly they are.

The second image captures my comment in regards to a blog topic on technology, vandalism and what we can do to protect tour resources from being stolen. The blog sugggested an art type expression be painted in a chaotic way as to make the laptops appear "ugly" and "unwanted." My initial thought was that this statement appears to resemble vandalism but on the other hand it was a community based problem solver.

Technology

Here is a snip it of my Weebly site. It includes5 pages: Home, Wikiwork, Tools, Literacy, and iGoogle. It has been fun to learn more about the free technology available for teachers.

Writing Conferences

I've had a busy few weeks during this lovely, rainy month of November. I can proudly say I have successfully planned and taught three lessons all on my own! I am so thankful that my Dyad teacher was as supportive and positive about the entire unit, she really is an amazing teacher.

This weeks prompt for blogging specifically asked us to elaborate on our writing conference experiences. It just so happens that two out of my three lessons invovled a great deal of whole-class sharing. My main objectives for this was to get a better understanding of how well the students could adapt the lessons into their own writing. To create a better picture of this environment, let me explain. I taught three lessons, or one unit if I may on Onomatopoeia just as I had planned. One of the lessons was centered around a poem I found and as I was teaching the poem I thought it would be fun and meaningful if I prompted my students to creat a final verse all on their own as long as it included at least one Onomatopoeia. Once the students had completed this task I gathered everyone on the rug and had each student indivudally read aloud their verse. As Regie Routman explains in his book Writing Essentials, "Students just learning to write need and benefit from having their efforts celebrated" (p. 207). I have learned that when students are given the chance to stand out, even if its for a few mintues it allows them to feel capable, succesful, and appreciated. Having them share, allowed me to listen to their writing and get a better understanding of who got the lesson.

I really enjoyed Routman's use of the word celebrate because I think that that is how we should look at the hard work our students have been doing, otherwise they may not feel motivated at all. I was also able to address the differences expressed it the writings. I made sure not to make any comments such as "Wow, you really did a great job" or "Wow, maybe we can work more on that later." I've learned from my dyad teacher to just keep my comments low key yet accepting. Words like "Thank you" and "I like how you did this because____" are much more meaningful. I would never want to highlight one students success more than the others. It's also important to me to make sure that not just one example is correct. If I can highlight the many possible ways that one assignment can be done, I hope to be more encouraging towards their own creativity.

Because I am working with such young students it's important to not discourage their love of writing, they are just learning and beginning to explore what it is all about. No negative comments are necessary. Positive reinforcment is what I am working with, nothing less.

Perspective

Imagine yourself a teacher, if you aren't already one. Imagine yourself entering your classroom on the very first day and you find yourself surrounded by twenty-four round little faces. Some of them are beaming, some of them appear nervous and shy, and then the rest appear a bundle of emotions you haven't quite figured out yet. It's September and right away you feel a longing to get to know each and everyone one of them. In the back of your mind you fear that 10 months wont be nearly enough time to get to know them as well as you hope but you remind yourself that your job is to be there for them, to listen to them, to teach them about life and learning to get a better sense of how their own life journeys have helped create the little people that they are today.

Isn't it interesting to think how each and every child can enter your life with a truely unique personality? We all come from different families, cultures, neighborhoods, experiences, and beliefs and with these differences we find ourselves coming together in one room aiming for one goal: education. We cannot ignore these differences and we must therefore embrace them. With our differnces we realize that there isn't one way, belief, solution, or answer because there are many. We realize that we adapt and exerpience differently than others and learning is an entirely unique situation for all who experience it. We must learn how to be open minded and willing to listen if not agree with all that makes us diverse. What better place to create a smiliar representation of a diverse yet functioning community than what you promote within your own classroom.

I want to revist the importance of getting to know your student and how such a connection can enhance the learning relationship you help build with them as their teacher. If we great a positive learning environment full of students that are comfortable being themselves and able to express the way they see the world I believe that this environment provides an optimal learning opportunity for all. In Anne Lamott's book, Bird by Bird she explains how one situation can be easily depicted and experienced in a number of different ways. Lamott writes "If I tell thirty students to write me a story about two married people who are considering divorce until something unforeseen happens, they'll give me thirty wildly different stories, because they will have thirty different personal histories and sensibilities" (p. 58). I feel that this particular vignette in which she tells the reader is significant for a number of reasons. Firstly, I appreciate how she introduces the possibility for many different ways one story could play out. For one person divorce may have a particularly negative connotation and elicit horrific memories. For another, it could bring about a positive situation, the beginning of a life of freedom and happiness. What I see to be significant here is that no matter what story is told we must remember there is a person behind each and every one of them. It is the person who we must pay attention to, their life, their experiences and all that they can teach us about perspective and personal reality.

I'm working at remembering that behind each face is a story and I need to come across as that teacher who is willing to listen.

Literacy Vignette 1

I can remember the very first play I ever decided to be a part of in elementary school. I was unconfidently standing on our gymnasium stage, it was the biggest most frightening stage I had ever had the privilege of appearing on. I was a young and innocent twelve years old and new to the acting gig. I stood there shaking in my boots for most of the rehearsals and what went through my mind as I continued to rehearse is beyond me. My choice to be there was purely based on peer pressure. I wasn’t getting paid, and with what very little talent I thought I had, it definitely wasn’t worth bragging about. Wait a minute, it’s coming back to me now, I am slowly remembering how horrific of an age being twelve really was for me. I was at the stage in my life where I was unsuccessfully trying to discover, or uncover, or recover my true identity….I guess I am still trying to figure that one out. I was still defining myself as an individual, but we all know how that story goes…many of us struggle to find who we are by following the lead of everyone else. I was trying to do whatever it was that my friends did, and at this time they were performing on stage, so yes, you guessed it, I too was performing.

You never would have guessed just how well I was at accidentally acting. I call it accidentally acting because the part I was about to play required me to be a hopeless, frightened and lonely child. Perfect! There was no better part to play than one that directly correlated to myself at that very moment! My attempt at costume and makeup was tragic. The truth was that during my efforts to look like a castaway I ended up looking like a kid who took scissors to her clothing and cut out perfectly round circles in the knees of her sweat pants. I cut up one of my beloved t-shirts, and in order to look dirty, I simply covered my face in a ton of makeup. How entirely cliché!

My wardrobe was misleading, my confidence was non existence and my acting skills were less than recognizable. I was the epitome of many who believe but cannot do. I was setting myself up for failure and in the biggest most public form imaginable. I could have done many a things to accomplish a sense of failure within the privacy of my own room but no, I had to do what my friends were doing. I grinned and I bared it because the show had to go on. The lights were so bright they reflected right off my face and most likely blinded many of the brave onlookers in the audience. I was sweating and pale and sick enough to vomit but I kept with it despite my reservations. I dragged my limp body out onto stage stared my costars blankly in their make up covered faces and I pitifully begged them for their lines. I could have sold my right arm at that very moment for just one hint. Nothing. All I could hear was the deafening silence of pure and utter shock of a blank mind. My lines escaped me as if the fear they felt mirrored my very own. I was alone on stage and the world stopped spinning, the seconds felt like hours and my very last time as an actor haunts me to this day.

Literacy Week 4

This week's posting is prompted from Regie Routman's book titled Writing Essentials.

This past week, our class has been swimming amongst the ways in which we can become better writers. I say this because I just finished reading the first ninety-four pages of Lamott's book Bird By Bird in which she carefully explains her own writing process and how she uses her own experiences in order to help other aspiring writers develop their own skills.

Routman lists the 12 Writing Essentials for All Grade Levels on page thirteen. I can easily speak for many students when I say that we have all heard these essentials day in and day out. We have been constantly reminded to think of our audience, be organized, catch the reader's interest from the beginning, and to elaborate. These essentials appear ideal and often easier said than done. Writing can be a complex and timely task and can sometimes be more free flowing and imaginative with less structure. But for the most part I believe these essentials lay out the ground rules for any type of writing. They appear to successfully guide us as we begin and as we continue on through the process.

From a teacher's perspective, I believe that yes these writing essentials are in fact essential. I believe there is nothing more important than teaching students how to create purposeful writing that aligns with lanquage standards. I aim at being the type of teacher where my own writing lessons will use these and only these essentials. I aim at creating a welcoming environment where my students feel confident enough to write and safe enough make mistakes. Allowing students to see how writing can be a positive and enjoyable experience will be my essential goal.

For as long as I can remember I have been a writer. I believe as long as someone has the materials and basic skills, they too can be a writer. I do however wish to mention that there is a fine line between being a writer and the production of good writing. For me, writing has typically been a fun activity despite a few college classes where subject matter had little success in finding my interest. That aside, my inner child made a valuable connection to writing because it allowed me to explore my own mind in a deeper, more engaging way. Through writing I was able to better understand my imagination. Writing for me was like an escape.

I understand for some that that task of writing echoes a negative connoation, and I believe this is true due to the fact that we all have different writing experiences that have collected overtime to form one's own writing history. For me however I have been keeping a journal since I was ten. When I turned fifteen, the way I felt about writing changed because I allowed myself to get burried udnerneath a teacher's negative view on my writing getting to me. I guess more than anything she left me confused. Was I poor writer or was it okay because I was still learning? Nonetheless, her intention was unclear and all I was left with was doubt. Even with negative reviews I have been able to move on because there were teachers in my life who made me reevaluate my potential. My very first quarter paper assignment at UWB was read aloud to the entire class and as I received it I noticed a shining "A" at the very top. It was then that my confidence grew. I believe that everyone has a personal writing history that has been shaped by the experiences and people who have been a part of it. We can learn from our writing, we can learn from those who read it, and we can keep on learning as long as we continue to practice. I think that where we fall short is when we let our doubt overcome our creative and powerful reason for writing. After all, we just want our voices to be heard and for our thoughts to be acknowledged. There is more to life than just existing!

Onomatopoeia

For this week I plan on doing my read-aloud assignment. For those who are unsure of what this exactly entails I get to read a book of reasonable context and supply my very own lesson along with it. I have been on the hunt for a so called "perfect book" and so far what I have come up has been narrowed down to three likely books/candidates. Because my teacher room (at home) is poorly unorganized I was extremely unlucky in my search for a book I already own thus my hunt lead me to my local library!

I was deeply saddened by the poor layout of my local library, in fact I left feeling strongly disappointed in my selection. I was actually shocked at how non child-friendly it was. Aligned the walls lay signs reading "Easy Picture Books" and "Non-fiction" and "Fiction" what happened to descriptive signs, I kept asking myself how a child would be able to navigate themselves around. The word "Easy" still haunts me as I think about, how discouraging for a young student to read that word and feel discouraged that their hard work and achievement is being belittled. I also found only 2 Halloween related books mixed within all the shelves. I was hoping that at least a few seasonal books would be strategically placed for all to admire. I felt it was cold and uninviting.

On a more positive note I did bring three great books home with me. Two of which I found in the language section of the library. I really have my heart set on two books. Because my Dyad students are really interested in the use of language and all the neat types of descriptive words I really wanted a book on homonyms. Luckily I found a great book written by Brian Cleary titled How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear? and If you were Onomatopoeia written by Trisha Speed Shaskan. Both look amazing so I will just have to see where my heart and mind meet in terms of my big decision!

This book If you were Onomatopoeia is really great, I feel like they will just adore the illustrations and the use of language. How much fun will they have learning that sounds can be written in words and that they have their own very special identity.

Why Blog?

Over the Summer I had the opportunity to meet with a group of teachers for lunch. As we were conversing I shared a bit about where my passions lie and what type of things I see becoming valuable among the technology world, especially within the educational system. I shared with them my personal relationship with Blogging and how important it is for us to really use what we have available to us. I was shocked when they immediately questioned my ideas and narrow-mindedly suggested this entire idea to be pointless. Was I witnessing a gap in generations? I was extremely shocked and could not believe how strongly they felt about it...had they no idea?

I'm proud to say I didn't let this situation discourage me. I've chosen to take it as a suggestion to myself to keep up with technology because it is constantly changing. For this reason, I blog!

I'm including this video that I saw on Jane's site because I feel it will help prove my point:



Here is a link to some serious and "true" suggestions, and some rather biased and opinnionated beliefs as to why we should and should not blog:

Literacy Week 3

Last week in my dyad placement I was able to listen in on a student who was willing to read aloud to me during free reading time. I was excited because my September experience primarily consisted of reading to the students so this was a great opportunity for role reversal.

When I first met these students I learned that many of them were already reading advanced chapter books. I was actually suprised by the amount of requests for free reading time. This let me know that these kids were readers! What I was most interested in was how well they could read and what types of things they enjoyed reading. I saw a few students caught up in comic books, others were reading thick and highly advanced chapter books, and some were reading picture books. Students at all different levels loving to read, it was a beautiful sight!

I had asked a few other students the previous day if I could read with them but unfortunately, one student told me that they would rather read alone, and another student and I were about to begin and realized we didn't have enough time to really get through a reasonable amount of reading. Finally, I was going to be able to see how hours of literacy practice would pay off. She began reading to me from the middle of a chapter book so I was unable to fully understand the story which now reminds me that I should have asked her what she had read so far in order to catch me up with the story and to see if she was comprehending the story. As she was reading I realized that there were at least 5 words on each page that she had a difficult time saying but her efforts were wonderful. She sounded out the letters and gave it her best shot. Even if she misprounounced a word I was careful to not correct every mistake because I was learning the importance of fluency. I wanted her to feel comfortable enough to keep reading with me and if she asked me to help her with a word then I would. I learned this lesson when we were working on our writing skills. Because I am still new to this classroom I am unsure on their use of phonics strategies. For this student in particular I was able to see the use of breif scimming and letter recognition.

I am still at the point where I am trying to learn how to assess students without doing formal assessments.

Literacy Week 2

Within the classrooms I've had the opportunity to visit and observe, emergent literacy has been a prominent aspect in the lives of young students. While many of my students are just learning how to read I also have a group of students who are highly capable of writing entire chapters. Emergent literacy as I see it requires a wide array of visual learning where words and sentences can be commonly found throughout everyday life. I strongly agree with Sulzby and Teale in their article titled Emergent Literacy: New Perspectives when they say that, "young children's literacy learning grows out of a wide variety of experiences" (p. 5). With their article, we are reminded how important it is to read with or to our children on a daily basis. As I am learning now, reading with children doesn't simply mean reading because there is a level of comprehension that we must acknowledge.

Without fail, my master teacher's always take time out of their day for storytelling and read alouds. I feel passionate enough when I say never underestimate the power of reading a book to a child. Even if they merely listening to you read there is still learning going on. I've even had the opportunity to sit one on one with students as they read to me. Some are able to read word for word while other interpret their book for me by what they see in pictures.

Thankfully I've had the opportunity to be surrounded by many postive experiences where the teachers I'm with strongly support and encourage young children's literacy in a wide array of experiences. I do believe this is crucial for any "good" teacher.

Subs

Yesterday's class went surprisingly well. We had a wonderful sub who really carried our class time well. We all really appreciated her time and effort to keep on us track and I know we all learned a lot because we were able to share what we have been learning in the schools in terms of classroom management, etc.

The whole session made me really wonder what it would be like to be a substitute teacher. I feel a bit more prepared to have a sub in my own class because we did discuss what types of things would be important to include alongside lesson plans. To be completely honest, I am terrified at the thought of trying to adjust to several different classrooms at this point in my learning process. I am still working on feeling confident and comfortable in one classroom.

My Last Days

Wow.

Today I taught the class for roughly 20 minutes which doesn't seem like a lot when you really think about it but I learned so much! Eventhough I made a few mistakes I feel like the overall routine went well. Tomorrow I will be leading this routine again and hope to use what I learned today to improve my instruction tomorrow. I feel lucky to have such a positive master teacher who makes me feel comfortable enough to make mistakes and she knows just went to offer advice. I know that tomorrow I will have to use a few of the tips she uses in order to sustain classroom management. At times I lost a bit of control but quickly realized that what I had done needed to be changed. It's interesting to see how my actions and reactions often affect the way that students respond. I am currently reading "How to Talk so Kids Can Learn" by Adele Faber. So far it has some amazing insight. My biggest challenge is to remember how to talk to them during each given situation.

I can't believe that tomorrow will be my very last day with the Kindergarteners until January...where did the time go? Everyday I am amazed at how quickly the hours pass. My master teacher keeps telling me how surprised I will be when I come back because they will have learned so much. I feel like I am going to miss out on so much. As much as I wish I could spend the rest of 2009 with them I am excited for my next adventure.

As of last night I found out that I will be interning at The Evergreen School in Shoreline instead of at Einstein in Redmond. I have a very positive feeling about this transition because it is a private school. I have never been inside the walls of a private school so I feel I can learn a great deal from its differences. I have been placed in a 1st/2nd grade classroom which is exactly where I was hoping to be placed!

Emotions

One of the most important ongoing lessons for me thus far is that student personalities forever evolve. Everyone comes to school in a different mood or even mindset than the day before. It is difficult to adjust to these moods and to meet the needs of all students when feelings and emotions are often in a fragile state. I have witnesses a broad range of emotions in just a few weeks but I believe a large part of that comes with the territory- Kindergarteners are fragile. They are learning how to be independent and how to take care of themsevles with very little help. What happens to the student who falls down at recess and gets a huge cut and is sent to the doctor? What happens to the student who realizes that a friend of hers is hurt? What happens when another student gets a scratch and their mom is nowhere to be found? What happens to the student who is having a rough day and really doesn't want to say goodbye to their parents?You've got it...tears start flowing! I am engulfed in a pool of emotions that are always unpredictible. This may sound obvious but, emotions affect the way that students learn if any learning is even possible. There is often no way to work around it without dealing with it.

Happy Learning

After last Friday, I really did start thinking about my own biases as you can begin to read about in my last posting. I guess I never thought I had assumptions going into this experience but boy was I wrong. We must learn to never assume anything because you never know a person's walk. As part of our classtime we read a few case studies that highlighted some all to real situations about students and their families and how life's situations sometimes make school an even greater challenge.

I feel as if I need to keep reading for there is so much I want to know. Mostly, I need to know how to talk to students so that they feel safe enough to trust me and more than anything I want to talk to them so that they can learn. One of the biggest lessons I have learned this week is that if a child is distracted by negative emotions, learning is a greater challenge. Happy kids make for better learners!

Assumptions and Biases

My own biases have really made me stop and think about how my students learn and where they are in terms of learning levels. One student in particular is a very good reader and is tested every day at a different level. My own bias was to assume that a great reader is also somewhat similarly great at spelling. It turns out that no matter how often one reads or how advanced they are in reading, their spelling ability may be somewhat similar to a student just learning how to write. It was surprising to me to see how varied each of my students are in terms of ability and that just because someone is good at something we should never assume they are good at other things or even struggling with another.

I can't believe this is going to be my last week with the kiddos until January, and I already know they will be taller and wiser in just three short months!

The Measure of Success

As we learn, we expand our minds and sometimes we struggle for understanding during this process. It is our job as teachers to not let students give up when things become difficult but to motivate them to try and try again. I am learning that through struggle comes frustration and it is through hard work and determination that we can overcome some of life's most trying times. Learning a new language for some of my students is exactly the struggle they face each and every day. The last thing I want for them to think is that it's too hard and to give up. I've been in a similar situation where sweat and tears were just the beginning of my triumph. I find myself more determined than ever to help these students understand that learning is not always easy and through the continuous use of practice that we will learn together how to do things.

Remembering that each student is at a different learning level and that their strengths and weaknesses are so vast is key. I am still working on really knowing my students so that when it does come for the time to work with them I am meeting their levels. How do I best measure their abilities?

To be honest I am starting to feel these school days wearing me out. I am loving my days in Kindergarten but at times I feel it requires more energy than I have. I admire my master teacher for her ongoing enthusiasm, she has been inspiring and pure motivation. It really isn't a problem until I get home and realize I feel little excitement to do much else other than hw and relax.

Today I spent some time one on one with students working on letter recognition. More than a few of the students I met with had difficulty recognizing almost half of the letters. Before today, I was beginning to assume that a majority of our students were at level but today was quite an eye-opening experience for me. I sat with two of my ELL students and two other students who were often stumped. When I was working with them on their writing they also had a difficult time matching sounds to letters. Today I realized how diverse our students are according to their abilities. Some students needed a little extra time.

Curriculum Night

Last night was curriculum night for Kindergarten families. The first twenty minutes consisted of a collaboration of announcements delivered by the Principal, PTSA President, and all three Kindergarten teachers. I would say that the main message that these three voices aimed at getting across to these families was that 1.) reading requires the help and support of not only teachers but the families of students as well. 2. ) we must remind ourselves that even though Kindergarteners are the youngest of students, learning how to be independent is one of the most valuable lessons they will take away from this experience. 3.) Let's embrace our new math curriculum with open arms for it is a new way of teaching and learning, one that we really believe in. As a bystander, I watched and listened intently in the back of the room and was saddened by the lack of parents that attended the event. So many chairs were empty and then today I found out that a number of parents walked out before the event was even over.

On a more positive note, I learned more about what curriculum night means and what it does for parents. More than anything I felt that my teacher's main job was to reinforce the fact that she is indeed doing exactly what she is being paid for: teaching. A few parents expressed their concerns and were immediately advised at how we would be taking care of their concerns and to not worry because everything would be just fine in time.

Today was our first day of the third week of classes so far and it was a great day! The students are really starting to settle in to the classroom and every task keeps getting accomplished quicker and quicker.

Because it's the first few days of school we have been really taking the time to meet with each student one on one to see where they are with their reading and writing. I have been given the opportunity to work through several assessments with the students and have been learning a great deal of ways that I too can assess my future students. Systems like "doing words," listening to the stories they create as they draw scenes and questionares about their home reading patterns. It is so interesting to see how well some of them can read, write, and explain their stories to me. Eventhough each student is at their own level they all have weaknesses and strengths that I am learning to navigate around. I find myself wanting them to understand and succeed and I am trying to witness as many forward steps as I can!

5th Graders?

After our 3rd Friday session, I left feeling even more anxious about my dyad placement this Fall. I was placed in a 5th grade classroom with never having the intention of teaching that age before. I fully understand why we are given the opportunity to experience something different in an entire new setting but I guess I was just a bit shocked. It appears that many of my other cohort members have already heard about their placements as well so we were all eager to discuss our initial thoughts. I came into this program hoping that I could gain some more experience in 2nd or 3rd grade and have discovered that this program has given me the opportunity to be challenged and to become more open-minded. I am excited yet nervous as I take on this challenge...I wonder where it will take me. As far as my official placement, it is still up in the air due to location and communting issues.

Little Learners

There is so much to learn just from observation. Through sight and through our ability to hear we soak up all the knowledge that we possibly can in order to fully understand what is going on and why things are working the way they are.

Today, I sat as my master teacher taught an entire lesson on expecations. This wasn't a new lesson and as a matter of fact the entire class had been practicing it the previous 4 days. I focused my ears and eyes on the students as they became more and more used to their daily routine. I couldn't help but to wonder who would improve from last time and if fewer students would ask for help. Kindergarten is largely focused on daily routines and it is so interesting to compare how the class listens, behaves, and acts compared to the previous day. So much learning is going on. We have begun the transition of teacher helping student to student helping student. I really enjoy watching the students use teamwork. I am also encouraging self-help as well as motivating them in their own ability to do things themselves and to be independent. They are quick learners and sometimes just need a little encouragement. They are growing up so fast!

Listening Skills

What I have come to know about my students thus far is that Kindergarten is an entirely new atmosphere for them. A few of them have been to daycare before but I like to believe that the school setting has a different feel, one that is structured, disciplined and based around the core of teaching and learning. I feel that the students have been a bit hesitant to pick up all the rules at first because they are still getting a feel for positive behavior. What I am witnessing most often is their eagerness to share out of turn. They want to be vocal at all times and even if the teacher wants to hear them it isn't fair to disrupt the class during a lesson. I am trying to adjust myself also when it comes to them wanting to tell me things because there is a right time and place for every situation. Learning how to listen has seem to be the major theme in our classroom these first few days.

We're Learning Together

After last Friday's class I learned that all members of my cohort were also eager to share with me their experiences during the first week of school. Those who also began their September experience the first week had many stories, some were even similar to what I had seen, heard, and I could relate and even sometimes offer advice. It was easy for me to realize that we were all exhausted, nervous, excited, and a bit overwhelmed. More than anything I learned that even with a mixture of emotions we were still learning. We've all learned how we will and wont be running our own classrooms which is to me one of the most important lessons we can take away from our first month.

During the frist week of school I was also learning more and more about the students. I tried to make my rounds around the classroom as fair as possible. When they were given choice time to do any activity of their choice I traveled around the room and spent a few minutes with each of them to explore with them. I also got to read a bit with four students to see where they were reading and when we all did the handprint art project I was able to talk to them a bit more. I am learning slowly that you have to make the most out of every moment because with twenty-four students you have to make sure that each and everyone of them knows that you care about them and how they are doing that day.

One of our assignments was to find out 3 things we didn't already know about our students that we couldn't tell just by looking them. This is what I discovered:
1. Student A loves to read and can read well for his age level. He told me that he practices a lot at home and I even learned that with his older siblings he may have been even more encouraged to read more.
2. Student B told me about his first time riding a bus when he was in daycare. He told me that because he had already been on a bus before he wasn't as scared the first day of Kindergarten. He trusted me enough to tell me that his first time was scarey and he did miss his mom but now he is used to it.
3. Student C was a bit hesitant to participate in PE because he wasn't as interested in the activities that were going on so he chose to sit out while the other students were running and dancing. He told me that he would rather play with his cards or go bowling. As I looked around the gymnasium I realized that a few other students were sitting out as well. Luckily, the last activity of the day was a ball game and student C was immediately excited because he wanted to participate.

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Today was the last day of the school week for me. Here is a picture of our classroom a few days before the students arrived.

Over the last two days I took each student out into the hallway individually in order to help them create the first page of their Kindergarten poem folders. I asked them who brought them to school and how they felt on the first day. Many students told me they were excited, some said they were really excited and only a few said they were nervous or scared. Together with my help I painted one of their hands and we did a hand print in their choice of colored paint. The students got a kick out of how ticklish the paint felt on their hands. Together we practiced washing hands. I was so impressed with how well the students listened and kept clean. They loved the activity and I got the chance to have some one on one time with them. Being a bit naive I would have assumed that such a messy task would be too much for 24 students to be able to do without creating a huge mess but they were great and they really did love it! I am sure the parents will love to see it too.

Daily Blog: Classroom Management

As instructed we were asked to interview our master teachers. Yesterday I had the chance to site down with her and ask her a few questions regarding her plans and techniques for managing the classroom. Her plans are as followed:

During the first week or so it's important to not give too many rules and to stick to the basic behavioral guidlines such as hands to yourself, and when to listen to the speaker. Her plan is to slowly incorporate more rules into each day as time goes on in order for the students to adjust to being in school.

Her plan of action for getting the students to listen, stop, and pay attention is to clap four times, have them clap back four times and then place their hands on their heads and keep their eyes on the teacher. The biggest key to success she said "repeat, repeat, repeat." The better the know the routine the better behaved they will be.

With practice comes the importance of clear instruction, so she really inforces clear instruction. If for whatever reason a student knows what they should be doing but still does not follow the rules they will be told that a few minutes out of "Choice Time" will be dedicated to practicing how to perform said task correctly.

My master teacher strongly believes in instristic rewards rather than altruistic. She will never take time away from recess for bad behavior because she feels the need for kids to run around and get fresh air.

Some of her rationale behind the ways in which her classroom is structured follows closely with her strong belief that if students know what they are supposed to be doing they will benefit the most academically and socially. She has many small group areas throughout her room all with a special purpose. These groups include the most important learning areas: whole group learning on the rug, small group reading workshops in the front, and small group writing workshops where the teacher can work one on one in the back. She finds that desk arrangement can be more easily structured once the learning areas have been constructed first. The desks are grouped because she finds that groups are great for socialization and sharing of ideas.

Her advice for me for the first day was to take it slow and to remember that the students will feel more at ease if I am feeling confident and comfortable. She also told me that even though the first day seems a bit hectic it's okay because we will be teaching everything from learning how to line up all the way to math so the lessons are informative.

After today, I realized how important classroom management can be because these guidelines set the structure and vibe for the entire learning process. If the kids know what they are supposed to be doing and how things can be done then we can all focus on the daily activities and lessons with less interruption. Classroom management can be difficult at first to teach especially to kindergartners but I feel that once management has been put into place the kids get a better sense of what school is all about.

Friday Blog

What are you excited about regarding student teaching/teaching?

The most exciting part of student teaching that I am looking forward to is having the opportunity to be with the Kindergartners for an extended period of time and really getting to know them! Never before have I had the opportunity nor the time to be so dedicated to a group of kids before. I have been told many many times by my instructors that "you will know your kids." In the past when I would volunteer, I would come to the classroom for a few hours a day maybe a couple of times a month at the maximum which really limited my ability to observe and learn about the students and where they were as learners. Even when I participated in the YMCA's Youth Summer ELL Camp, I was only with the students on Fridays so my relationship with them was limited. With my internship, I will be able to meet them at the beginning of the year, get to know them throughout September and be with them again starting in January, and be their teacher starting in the Spring. I am so excited to build my relationships that I can't hardly wait!

Building Relationships

Describe a great classroom activity that you observed. What made it great? What was the impact on student learning?

Today we began our first day of UWB classes during our September Experience. I was reminded today how valuable and powerful the relationships we build are. One of the most important jobs as teachers is to "let each of your students know that you care." If we can take the time out of each day to connect with our students individually through communication we can quickly gain a better understanding of their personalities even if it simply by asking a question about their day, their dislikes and likes or their favorite hobbies. When I look back on my own learning throughout grade school I really appreciated those of my teachers who took the time to teach us who they are not only as teachers but as people. Today I was lucky enough to learn some of the things that my teacher enjoys and a favorite hobby of hers. I believe that if students can see teachers as people that their ability to create a positive relationship is more easily accessible.

The activity I observed today involved a white water paddle and some questions. We were encouraged to ask her anything about the paddle that might help us to learn more about her as a person. I learned that eventhough she loved to partake in this sport now she wasn't always so comfortable participating in such a high adrenaline-rushing activity. She overcame her fears of being underwater and discovered a passion of hers. She made the decision to start her life over after she moved her a couple of years ago. I found her activity to be extremely engaging and inspiring! I appreciated the time she took to share with us a part of who she is. She allowed us to ask her any question which allowed us to be creative, personal, and engaged.

If I was able to do this same type of activity with my own classroom I think I would bring in my snowmobile helmet. Because my helmet looks like an average helmet I think my students would begin to ask me more and more about why I brought in such a helmet. I would love to share with them a fun activity that I enjoy doing with family during the cold winter months. I think the most interesting thing to reflect on would be how I took the time to learn a new activity that was sometimes scarey. I overcame some of my fears and was able to explore areas I might not have otherwise had the opportunity to see. I enjoy trying new things as long as the safety risk isn't too high. I am the type of person who is extremely greatful towards those who take the time to teach me something new.

Math Lessons

Today was the second and last day of Northshore's introduction to a new math curriculum. Northshore SD newly adopted Math Expressions for Kindergarten through 5th grade which has created a big change for Kindergarten teachers who were used to creating their own in the past. In the process of learning more about the books and overall format of the curriculum I got to visit the newly built theatre at Bothell High School as well as Sunrise Elementary in Redmond. Both were a positive experience.

I was telling one of the other teachers whom I met at the workshop that I couldn't picture myself not being present at the meetings. They were not required for interns yet the experience provided us with so many wonderful lessons and I learned so much working with teachers all throughout the district. I was given the opportunity to explore the first ten lessons in depth and to share insight, ideas, and overall understanding of its structure with some great mentors. Not only did I get to participate in small group discussions but I also got to help lead a very small instruction.

Even though I never had the intention of teaching Kindergarten nor did I ever imagine that this was where I would be placed I can't help but to be extremely optimistic and enthusiastic thus far. School starts next week and while I still feel a bit overwhelmed I am lucky to know I have so many peers who are experiencing this with me and I am also realizing how many great people I will be working with and learning from. These last two days just flew by, I am trying to absorb as much knowledge as I possibly can. I wonder who will be learning more, me or the kids?

Always be prepared?

Summer vacation is quickly coming to an end and even though I still have a few more days to relax I am finding it extremely difficult to do just that. I have to continually remind myself that while there are 91 pages of and Intern Handbook staring at me, I am still on vacation. This isn't like any vacation I have had before. We were given three glorious weeks to truely enjoy the sunshine and the season so I took full advantage of my time off with a trip to California. I was partly successful at unwinding and letting my mind escape while there, but now I can't help but to imagine how the beginning of the school year will unfold. I am overwhelmingly excited and anxious to meet the students and to really get to know the school but all the while I am still so nervous! I want to be prepared and I want to be ready so that is truely where my mind has been these last couple of weeks.

One might choke at the thought of a ninety-page handbook full of information just as I was but at the same time I can't help but question, "Is it really only ninety pages?" While I patiently waited for each page to shoot out of the printer, I began wondering how a ninety-page handbook could feel so overly extensive yet so very small all at the same time. Was this handbook going to prepare me as well as I had hoped it would? I quickly attempted the efforts of reassuring myself with words like, what we are unprepared for isn't always a bad thing. It is impossible to be prepared for everything and as I continue with my efforts to stay positive, I can't help but to find myself more excited at the challenge that being unprepared will bring. In my particular case, I don't feel that any one person can be fully prepared for the first day of school, and that too is just fine. I know one of the most important things I need to learn is to how to handle and deal with the unplanned. Remember now, I am trying to stay positive!

Next week, I will begin my September experience. I will meet with my Master teacher again, learn all about the new math curriculum, begin classes, and start fully engaging myself in school. Bring it on!

How Cliche!

I am currently sitting on the couch feeling a bit relieved as I just finished writing a 7 page photo essay exploring the opportunity I had to teach someone something new! As the guidelines went, I was to teach a 7-12 year old student something they knew nothing about. Immediately I started to panic as I brainstormed for possible students. I soon realized I know only one person within this age range and it just so happened this person was willing to be my student!

So you ask...what did I teach said person? Blogging of course! It is one of my most favorite things to do so why not share one of my hobbies with a willing soul!?

As I watch my student loans quickly increase month by month It seems only clear to actually take what I'm learning to heart and practice what I preach : We learn by teaching, right?

While I did not find this assignment daunting nor difficult it was however a long and on-going process. I began my teaching assignment by creating worksheets about blogging in order to get some creative juices to flow. I hoped that my student would feel inspired and take on to blogging just as I did. We worked through the worksheets and I shared with my student a brief history on how blogging came about and just how influential such a network can be!

Fun fact: Did you know that there were roughly 22 million blogs created by 2005, and about 70,000 new ones are created every day? That is a lot of reading we need to catch up on!

I shared with my student my own blogging history and how I find blogging to be one of the best ways to journal about, remember, and to record some of the most life-changing and exciting times in our lives. Not only have I been working on this blog for some time I also have a wedding blog under my belt for I too felt it was one of my most life-changing and exciting times of my life.

I really do suggest blogging as a way to share with the world or even with close friends and family bits and peices of your life as you feel neccessary to share. Funny how blogging about blogging can even be interesting...I hope!

We learn by teaching

Hello again. We just wrapped up with our first week of Summer quarter classes! Legally I have changed my last name to Grove so now I am all ready to start the 09-10 school year as Mrs. Grove. Still getting used to it!

We have done so many fun activities this week. Nothing so far as mirrored any of my summer class expectations which is a good thing. We have been working hard learning how children learn. During this process we have come to discover our own learning styles. With a bit of work and help from Kolb, I have learned that I am mostly a divergent learner. Some of the qualities a divergent learner posseses according to Kolb are:
Sees lots of alternatives
Uses imagination
Creates with emotions, aesthetic interest
Oriented to relationships with people, supportive
Uses eyes, ears; listens observes, asks questions
Observes others, can model behavior
Good at seeing, imagining self in different situation
Unhurried, casual, calm, friendly, avoids conflict
Like assurance from others
Learns by listening, then sharing without small groups.

I would definately say that yes I do hihgly resemble a diverger. Other than the fact that I find myself extremely hurried much of the time, the other qualities are very much words I would describe myself in terms of how I learn, how I interact with others and how I accomplish tasks.

Learning how I learn in comparison to other members within my cohort I could see how a group of divergers could have more difficulty working together because everyone is always looking for acceptance. For example when we did group together we were more than willing to share our ideas however a leadership role was almost non-existance. We had trouble coming to a conclusion and much of our work and progress was through the sharing of possible ideas in the form of brainstorming. We found it difficult to decide a final product that would be pleasing to all members within the group. Ideally I felt as if our group would have been more productive if the group was more balanced with an equal ratio of members from all groups; divergers, convergers, assimilators, and accommodators. We needed a leader, we needed a plan, and we needed to be decisive.

With this idea in mind I begin to picture my future classroom. I know that each student will have their own learning styles and I know not to assume that each student will fall neatly into one group because it is not always that black and white. By knowing our students as learners we can improve the dichotomy of learning groups. I felt that Kolb opened my mind to a clear structure of many possible learning styles. I was able to realize things about myself in terms of how my own experiences have influenced the overall mood I create within a learning group. I learned it is okay to be the observer and it's okay to be different from other learners. Each style has a way of complimenting and assisting another.

Kolb's model was just one activity we explored and while I'd love to touch upon others that we have practiced I think I will just talk about yesterday because it full of so much fun and laughter. We were grouped once again with the task of acting out the water cycle. In a dramatic style we were to use body motions and dance to explain how water transforms and presents itself into many different forms. We became so involved in this idea. We came together and shared our many different ideas. How should we show condensation? How should be present evaporation? It was easy to resort back to elementary aged entertainment. We wanted to make it fun and eye catching so we decided to dance using our entire body. I honestly felt as if I was a young student again. What better way to learn than by teaching!

Interviews and first meetings

It is literally the last week of my first quarter! I am ready to start learning more and more!

Last week I had a meeting/interview with Woodmoor Elementary School in Bothell. Seven other students and myself met with the principal and all of our master teachers. I was beyond nervous because I had no idea what to expect. I showed up about 30 mins early and had some time to wait in the parking lot. I was amazed at how many parent pick-ups there were, so different than when I was in school. I felt instantly relieved when I saw my other cohort peers waiting in the office. We were brought back at 3:45 right after school was out for the day. We sat in a circle, introduced ourselves and were matched up with a master teacher. The assistant principal was so friendly and made me feel right at home. I was quite amazed at how the school's building was structured. It felt as if we were in a submarine and the halls were never ending. Me elementary school was the complete opposite where you had to go outside if you wanted to go anywhere.

I was so happy to see all of the teachers who work at Woodmoor, it was easy to see that they all loved working there. When I was assigned my master teacher I was pleasantly surprised. She was extremely kind and friendly towards me. She offered to show me to her classroom and even though we were very limited on our time to converse we still managed to squeeze in a good amoutn of small converstation. I was getting so excited for the 09-10 school year to begin because I knew I would be sitting in the front of the room teaching!!! Unfortunately, I do not get to return until August, but she kindly offered her classroom starting August 1st because that is when she will begin planning. More updates to come!

The Purpose of Schooling

We are winding down to the very last days of class and have been asked to ponder the purpose of schooling. If I had the opportunity to ask this question to a classroom full of 2Nd graders, I would jump on the chance. The way a 2ND grader thinks is often so awakening to me because I find their ideas often organic and pure. I would ask them "Why are you here today?" If I could work past such possible responses as "Because I have to be," or "I don't know" I would really hope to create a more inspiring setting, one that would encourage them to think more deeply about their presence and overall purpose as a student.

I decided to write about the purpose of schooling because I keep realizing out much standardized testing can influence and affect the overall mood of a classroom if you let it. I am a strong believer that these tests show us very little about our students and what they are fully capable of. Perlstein's decision to write an entire book on this idea is what has been most shocking to me. There are schools out there that believe testing is above all the most important issue worth focusing on because results are the largest reflection of how well a school is functioning according to the State. This is not to say that I agree with the idea that test results do mirror how well a school is doing because while I believe it may be some indicator I do not support a method that limitingly tests.

So I am curious as to how many still believe that the purpose of schooling is to teach children the knowledge they need to know in order to meet state-wide standards. For those of you who may think that yes, this is in fact one of the primary reasons, I find the need to add the thoughts of one of the authors we have been reading in class. Perlsetin argues that students are tested on many areas that often ignore listening ability, reading aloud, the use of creativity and imagination as a means of learning, or even how well students perform comparatively during less-stressful situations when there is no test formality. I'd like to share why I believe testing is so limited. I have always been a poor test taker even from a very young age. Testing always brought upon feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and anger because of the fact that I was required to pass a test made up of completely unknown questions and material. Because I had no idea what was expected of me I would often give up long before the testing time began. I was often unmotivated to study because it always reminded me about how much I don't know and my memory was always never as good as anyone elses. How unfortunate to be tested and graded when just the thought of testing probably brought down my score.

It is for my own personal experiences that I find testing to be an unfair method to use as the primary resource for grading. What about my ability to write well, to read well, to be imaginative, to be socially and mentally adaptive? That would all go ignored the second I began to test. For these reasons I fully intend to take into account all aspects of student ability. Afterall, my purpose of a teacher is to see the strengths in all students in all areas. I realize everyday how much I hope to teach about schooling, how it isn't all about curriculum but how we grow as individuals within a small community.

September Experience

Last week I recieved a email informing me of my September Experience placement! My options were either Maywood Hills or Woodmoor Elementary. Because I had previous experience working closely with Maywood I was secretly hoping that was where I would be placed. I like to believe that things happen for a reason and that if it's meant to be it will happen. With that in mind, I did not get Maywood but I did get Woodmoor!! I am pleased to have this opportunity and I am lucky to have been given placement within my first chosen school district. I feel that by growing up within Northshore school district a part of me owes a lot to it.

We will be spending the end of August until the end of September with our schools.

My meeting/interview with their principal is May 28th at 3:45 and I am fairly nervous and extremely excited. I know my job will not be easy but I can hardly contain the excitement I feel because of all the new things I will be given the chance to learn, practice, and teach! I will post how it all goes in the near future! Wish me luck as I come closer and closer...

Relationships, Community, & Battling Rejection

I've been spending a great deal of time wondering about how well I will be able to cope with everyday situations within my own classroom. More specifically, how will I encourage and foster new relationships to begin and grow within my classroom?

I've been reading multiple articles and books that cross reference this idea of community based classrooms and how they are constructed. Why a community-based classroom you ask? Why not? The most important role of a community-based classroom for me is just one of the building blocks for successful teaching and learning. When I aim to create a setting where each student feels safe and accepted, my motivation for doing so will be the result of many new positive relationships and friendships. Without these positive school relationships, it's easy to feel lost, unwanted, and alone. How awful it feels to be unwanted by a group of students and to be told you cannot play. Because it is impossible to be accepted by everybody every time, this problem of public rejection must not continue. When students feel unwanted their entire self becomes focused on why they aren't good enough and why they have been excluded. Because I never want my students to feel separated or unwanted, I hope to focus much of my attention on the idea of a community based classroom where students are willing to co-exist no matter who may be part of the community.

Vivian Paley's book titled, You Can't Say You Can't Play, allows outsiders like you and I to see how rejection affects children. Both teachers and parents are often the ones who hear about stories of rejection and are sometimes at a loss of words of how to make these situations less painful. For me, it's easy to thumb through my childhood memories and relive a time where I felt rejected. This feeling is so easy to relive because I still associate rejection will feelings of sadness, anger, bitterness, jealousy, and loss of self-worth. An entire community has no hope of successfully developing into it's full potential if limitations are set. When one student is told they can't play because they don't have the "right" kind of shoes on the rejection they feel immediately makes them feel unwanted and disconnected from the group. I find Paley's rule "You Can't Say You Can't Play" to be a great motto. If this rule can work for a group of twenty something students who struggle with creating an ideal community-based learning environment, relationships will begin because those who were previously rejected are now given the opportunity to grow with one another rather than alone.

Even though I was once a student who often dealt with rejection, my new role as teacher brings on a new challenge. Because I am not yet a teacher, I am still unfamiliar with how student relationships begin, grow, and sometimes crumble. If I can keep Paley's rule and adopt it as my own, will I be able to strengthen my ability to foster new relationships and help them grow? I like to think of myself as an optimist and so I will say "yes!" Paley states something rather alarming yet very true, "Rejection in play is the forerunner of all the rejections to come."
(p. 27). It is sad to think that even if teachers exhaust the rule that says no one can't play, life will be a rude awakening for them. There will be times outside of the classroom where this rule is unknown and not followed. It will be my job as their teacher to remind them that rejection is a nasty feeling and that actions have consequences. It takes a lifetime to forget how it feels to be unwanted and that by rejecting someone you are telling them they aren't part of the community that was so long in the making.

Paley's book was difficult for me to get through because it was easy to see her classroom broken up into many small groups of students who were so dissaproving of one another. It wasn't until the end that she felt comfortable enough to enforce the rule. She wasn't sure if the rule was fair or even if it would work so she went to the students, she listened to their personal stories about rejection. I admire her for going to them because she taught me that the best way to understand your student's relationships is to ask. Never be afraid to question what you don't understand. Much of what I have rejected in life is most of what I don't understand. Wow. What a lesson learned!

Dream a Dream

For this week, I hope to continue yet not exhaust my practice of getting to know more about who I am. My plan in doing so requires reminiscing on my childhood. This week's assignment: writing a poem titled, 'Where I'm From.' I thought I'd share.

Where I'm From
I come from hot summer days,
Coca Cola slurpees and six-lets.
I come from backyard pools and trampolines,
daddy-built swing sets and manicured lawns.
I come from make believe adventures,
wheel barrow rides and monkey bar races.
I'm made up of Barbie's clothes and makeup.

I come from Mr. Handyman and Mrs. Suzie homemaker.
I come from popsicles and sprinklers,
Culs-de-sac bike rides and side walk chalk.
I come from smiles and laughter,
dandelion weeds and skip-it.
I'm made up of hair scrunchies and salt water sandals.

I come from roller blade races,
tree houses and homemade forts.
I come from summer camp and soccer games,
soccer fields and tennis courts.
I come from summer parties on the beach,
sunburns and mosquito bites.
I'm made up princess crowns and a Girl Scout uniform.
I'm made up of badges, and dress up.

Now that you've read more about what I've associated with my own childhood, I encourage you to sit and ponder what your childhood days consisted of. I hope that my poem helped to pain a picture of who I was because by writing this poem I found it easy to escape my life today and remember where my life was at back then. When I found out we were to write about our childhood I knew writing something like this would bring a smile to my face. My childhood was grand, almost pure bliss. I know I am lucky because not all children have such an easy childhood and therefor I aim to open my mind for all possible scenarios. On a more happy note, If I was prompted to look back on where my mind was focused at an early age I just might be able to reach my students on a different level. I then began the process of wondering how I have changed if at all over the last fifteen years. Am I still just a kid at heart? I like to think so!

How can we work towards knowing our students without truely knowing ourselves? Have you ever asked yourself what it was in your childhood that helped mold you into the person you are today? I believe that most of our growing up was not only in inches but in our abilites to adapt into society with a wide range of unique individuals. I would like to strongly argue that imagination and make believe played an enormous role in creating who I am today. It was also because of people like Walt Disney who helped root imagination as a positive attribute. Unfortunately, the fire that fuled my imagination as a child has slowly been dying over the years. How can I relate to my students and children if my imagination is anything less than ignited? Finding myself again after what feels like I've being separated from my childhood it is sometimes difficult to remember who I was back then. I can't even count the times I've been told by society that growing up into maturity with a sense of realism and structure is what's most highly valued. I must say that by cutting off my childhood never did me any good because most of who I am is a result of who I was back then and what I believed.

I believe knowing one's self requires the ability to rewind the tape of childhood, really narrow in on what made us happy, who and what made us cry, and what inspired us to be imaginative and creative. Childhood to me screams make believe, fairytales, wonderland adventures. Soon we find out that much of what we once believed true is in all actuality only real in our minds. If we never fed our imaginations with the help of books and movies where would our imaginations be? I owe a lot of my upbringing to fairytales I read and the adventures I followed with make believe stories. If it wasn't for imagination, how do we create dreams for ourselves? Without imagination would we be less likely to set goals for ourselves especially when they seem far out of reach? With imagination, I can invision an unlikely even to happen. Without itI find myself aiming towards something already likely to happen. I ask myself "Where would I be without a dream or a goal?"

While the arguement remains on whether or not school should be fun, I would definately say that while it doesn't need to be fun always, it should be engaging. While reading Perlstein's chapter 12 last week I found myself inspired by Sheila McDermott's teaching tactics. She was not amused by nap time or play time but she did believe that school should never dismiss or ignore opportunites that promote learning, creativity and imagination. She found ways to fit a learning lesson into every crevice. She suggests that time is invaluable. What I gathered from her knowledge was if we let time pass us by that is exactly what will happen. If we can use our imaginations and be creative with teaching we can find a lesson to go with almost every activity.

Parts of a Whole

These past few weeks my mind has been geared towards the purpose and roles of school district Board meetings. It was almost a month ago that I participated in Northshore's and it wasn't until this last weekend when I began writing my paper on their agenda that I really began to disect and analyze the meeting in its entirety.

I arrived fairly early to find only a few people preparing for the day's meeting. I sat quietly as I curiously ran over possible scenarios in my mind. I began asking myself in wonderment if all the seats surrounding me would eventually fill up. My biggest concern as the newby was how formal and uncomfortable I would feel sitting in this meeting. My preconcieved notions were fairly accurate when I found myself struggling to understand the agenda and all of the initiatives being discussed. I found our assignment to be highly valuable in the sense that now I am no longer hesitant or curious about what goes on during these meetings. I assume this to not be the last meeting I attend.

To my surprise, the room quickly filled and the meeting began. I began writing notes as quickly as possible to not miss a single important word. I found the guest speakers to be admirable. Teachers, parents, principals, students, and community members were present and I felt as if my own presence was worth something. Is it not important to know what decisions are being made in our schools? Why weren't more families there?

As far as budget goes, I feel the topic has been exhausted over time but that doesn't go to show the topic is ever any less important. Budget affects each and every member of the community and this was evident at the meeting. Passionate members of the district stood to voice their opinnions regarding I-728. While this discussion was depressing for it brought about a pessimistic dark cloud above us all, there was one uplifting presentation that followed. While this next presentation was not closely linked to budget issues it did however touch upon much needed resources for the Spanish speaking families within the district. Iram Aguilar's words were inspiring. Irma shared with us her dedication towards Natural Helpers. With much of the readings we have been sharing in class, multiculturlism has been a bold topic of choice.

As we have discussed from the beginning, it is often extremely difficult to meet the needs of every individual even without language barriers. It was Irma's presenation at the meeting that almost brought light to a situation I knew little about. How are teacher's helping ELL students? Lets be honest, it is not realistic for teachers to learn every native language, this does not mean we stop or give up when we find ourselves struggling to relate or communicate with eachother. If we seek outside help and if the help is willing to be there, then I see a strong communial commitment setting a positive example.

From the movie we watched in class based on the struggle for educational equality, the 1950's was an extremely segregated time for schools. Not only was race a means for separation but so was gender. Teachers were not left out of this equation either. American history is known for separating people into groups and I believe that we aim to de-track but it's always easier said than done. If language barriers create another means for grouping students it is obvious that education is often unequal and many would argue it's often unfair. Linda Perlstein mentions in her book "Tested" that "Vast gaps in abilities exist in any given school" (p. 145) So what is there to be said about unequal fairness? In all reality, there really isn't a whole lot to be said. I am still trying to figure out how to keep a happy medium of helping the individual while still making them feel part of the whole.

Professionalism

I can't help but relate this idea of being a professional to sports. I grew up in home where golf was often played and watched on the television. When I hear that someone is a professional I automatically assume that they are someone famous because of how much attention they have recieved through the media for their talents. I often question how someone becomes a professional chef, a professional golfer, a professional hair stylist, or even a professional model because many professional labels I have seen highlighted on television do not require a college degree but for some reason recieve a lot of praiseworthy attention.

So I am still sruggling to answer the question, What makes a professional different from the rest? I believe that becomming a professional requires different steps for every individual because each journey is different. Teaching in my book has very seldomly been associated with professionalism because the skill and knowledge that is required varies for everyone. Society and the media rarely highlights teaching successes as compared to shows that often highlight average people competeing for such titles as America's Next Top Model, Shear Genius, and Top Chef. Interesting to note I don't ever think I've seen or heard of a show where average people are competeing to become the best teacher out there.

I believe teachers are wonderful because they want to be the best for their students and it's rarely about the fame. Is it fair to say that teaching is never about status? Buchman's reading titled Role Over Person, discusses how "Tenure and salary are based on years of service rather than competence or commitment" (p. 533). I like to think that teaching is one of the few careers where people can age gracefully because knowledge and experience are highly valued. Teachers who are dedicated, passionate, and hard-working are often most likely to make teaching their life-long career. I have always wanted to make teaching my career and while I see it as a profession, I am still unsure about how I become the professional within it. I have no idea how I go about proving to the world that this label is apropriate and I also believe that because teaching can always be improved so the line of professional is somewhat blurry. I see myself becoming certified and trained in order to successfully complete my role as a teacher but how do I become a professional?

I'm Ready!

Here I am approaching week five and I can't help but wonder what other challenges I have ahead of me. I can proudly say that I am feeling more and more comfortable with my classmates names. After last weeks name game, I still find myself laughing because we were to come up with an adjective to describe ourselves. I quickly came up with "Curious Christina" and I am almost certain we all might continue to associate ourselves this way. What a great game because it really did help us to remember all 37 names! Challenge one can now be checked off my list.

Getting to know one another over these last five weeks has been an ongoing task. Even with our limited class time we have been able to learn bits and pieces of each other's family lives, where we grew up, where we live now, what we hope to teach, but most importantly we have grown to learn we share most of the same fears and goals. Week 4 has taught me to appreciate every one's differences whether they be challenges or strengths because if we can acknowledge individuality in our classroom now, we might be more easily adaptive in our own classrooms. Oakes chapter 1 goes into depth discussing "The American Schooling Dilemma." This is when I was confronted with another challenge; Despite each and every inequality that comes with multiculturalism, how do I as a teacher provide the most positive educational environment for every one of my students?

I can't help but attempt to solve this question so I find myself wondering about all the 'what-ifs?'
What if I am the only Caucasian person in my classroom or what if half of my class speaks a language other than English? I am terrified that I will not be able to connect or relate to my students if I cannot communicate effectively with them. Oakes discusses the shift in demographics over the last thirty years and how this has affected areas such as the northeast and Midwest United States. This shift has brought an increase of students who speak languages other than English as well as students with more diverse learning disabilities. Whatever is brought into my classroom I have got to be prepared.

As a new teacher, there is no way I will be able to predict the makeup of my classroom. The amount of students I have with the combination of how much time their parents dedicate to my classroom will always be a mystery. The bottom line is I still have no idea what I am getting myself into. The one thing I am in control of is the quality of teaching I bring to these students. It is my job to look beyond economic inequalities without ignoring them altogether. While home environments significantly contribute to a student's well-being, each case is not always a direct result of under or over achievements. Oakes mentions that "racial disparities in wealth and income create racial disparities in children's access to the basics of life - food, health care, and housing- as well as in access to high-quality schooling" (p. 13). When Oakes mentions the risk of losing out on quality schooling due to the linkage between race and finance I begin looking back on last weeks discussion of stereotypical assumptions. Her entire first chapter is extremely depressing because she strongly reinforces almost all of these assumptions.

As I came across yet another one of our readings for this week I saw a correlation. The article written by Peggy McIntosh on white privilege and the invisible knapsack addresses more and more ideas about the advantages of being Caucasian over not being Caucasian and how society makes America an almost easier place to live in if you are white. I want to link back to the first part of this blog by saying that even if our entire cohort was white that doesn't mean we are entitled to make characteristic assumptions about one another. We are still learning who we are and even though skin color in America brings about certain stereotyped traits we cannot ignore these differences because part of being multicultural is learning how to work with, achieve with and overcome obstacles with people different than ourselves. We must continue to work with the challenge of learning how we are all different and working with these differences in order to reach our goal. Remembering that each of us is aiming for the goal of becoming the best teacher possible already strongly links us. When we learn how to work with one another by learning from one another we have already begun the process of learning how to succeed in a multicultural environment.

I remember the first day of class when I walked into our classroom and I couldn't help but wish that I would find other people who I could relate to so that my presence there would no longer feel awkward. I had been all too familiar with the uncomfortable feelings of being a new student in a new program with new teachers and peers. There is just something about the unknown that scares me, a feeling I'm sure most of us have had. Where should I sit? I wonder who will sit by me? Do I look okay? Will my teacher like me? All of these questions started to fill my mind because all I wanted was to feel accepted into this program for being myself. I wanted my peers to get to know me, the real me, flaws and all. I knew being a part of this cohort already meant I was part of something good but would I need to prove it? That would mean everyone else would have to put their stereotypical assumptions aside and if that meant I needed to do the same I would have to be ready to do that.

Looking back now, I'm more ready than ever to put everything aside.

How Ironic

Let me start today's posting with a question:

How do we go about meeting the needs of each individual student without creating conflicts of inequality? After reading the articles assigned during last weeks class I feel I can't even come close to a solution. One of our readings written by Joan Spade titled, Gender and Education in the United States reminds us how educational experiences vary for girls and boys. Sadly, after reading Spade's article I wasn't one bit surprised or even disheartened. Spade's article was reinforcing everything I already knew about gender stereotypes. The bottom line is that educational institutions often have difficulty meeting the needs of each student equally. Is it wrong for me to then question whether or not gender issues are stereotyped or factual?

One truth I do know is that society pressures us to compare ourselves with others. When we compare ourselves to our neighbor we really want to know which group we belong in. There is nothing worse than having no where to fit in. Much of what was discussed in my blackboard group was how grouping affected our social relationships in school. Academic placement can ultimately lead to positive and negative group labeling as Oakes argues in chapter 8 titled, Grouping, Tracking, and Categorical Programs: Can schools teach all students well? Because grouping and tracking can begin as early as kindergarten, students are told from a very young age that they are either part of an elite, average, or struggling-to-learn group. This type of labeling misguides students, telling them where they do and don’t fit in. If students are told their test scores are not good enough to place them into a group with friends, students social relationships may be forever altered.

Grouping and tracking is such a dominant procedure and I feel that the overall motivation behind doing it is because the state does care how each student is being taught. Ideally, if we as teachers could use this method in order to teach thirty different students at thirty different levels all in one classroom then why not take advantage of the system? I believe that we must not ignore the consequences that come along with grouping students into categories based on how well they take tests or perform during certain assignments. One classmate brought up an interesting point when she asked “How in the world can we asses a person’s potential, and how do we asses a person’s future accomplishments? As educators we can’t simply assume that because one student has difficulty reading aloud or even during time limitations that they must have a learning disability. If this is assumed then wouldn’t we assume that this student should start reading at a lower level and that extra help be required outside of class? What if this wasn’t the case but said student was actually a very intelligent student but was shy and got nervous when given time restraints. I am already seeing how assumptions can be discouraging and detrimental to their educational achievements

A large part of our classroom structure thus far has been circled around becoming aware of such differences between race and gender. When we were asked to write our own educational autobiographies and to remember what it was like growing up as a girl we were motivated to reconnect with how our educational experience helped create who we are today. School for me built a foundation for social relationships, an academic environment, and personal development. Much of what I know about myself today is a result of how I managed to survive and thrive through elementary, junior and high school. When Jean asked us to think about how our lives would have changed if we were born the opposite sex I very quickly discovered that there was very little, if anything that wouldn’t have changed. If I was born male, how would the relationship I have with my parents been different? Would I still have the same group of friends? Would society still accept me as a boy who loved art class? How would societies views alter the way in which I chose to live my life. I discovered that because I have no idea how it would be to grow up male that It was easier for me to let society tell me how it was going to be. I immediately fell sad about the whole situation because I realized that life should never be about what should be it should be about what is.

It feels ironic to be a student learning how to teach other students. I don’t ever want to lose touch with how it feels to be a student even when I am a teacher. I want to become a teacher who tries to understand my students with empathy rather than sympathy because I feel that a part of being empathic is being motivated to act. I know it’s entirely impossible to understand every situation and that is why I feel this past week has been so interesting to me. We have been discussing how stereotypes can be either viewed as disadvantages or advantages. Even if some stereotypes have the ability to present themselves as false I do not want to entirely dismiss them as truth because I feel that my dismissing something altogether requires ignorance. If I’ve learned one thing this week it has been to recognize differences and to become aware of how everyday issues exist and while there isn’t always a solution, we can change our actions. If we aim to positively acknowledge our students daily we might raise our hopes of reaching equality.

Did You Hear Christina's Learning to Teach?

Welcome!

I have created this blog in order to share with those who are interested in following me through my journey of learning how to teach. This is my first of five quarters at The University of Washington's Teacher Certifcation Program and I couldn't be more excited to be here.

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-Christina