Blog it!

I loved this chapter. As a future educator I think it is so important to stay in touch with what students are doing outside the classroom and how it can be brought into the classroom to relate to them and that right now is through technology. I mean look at one of Kajder's first topics-blogs. I think that we should have a classroom blog along with our individual blogs, to help share more ideas with classmates. And even though we do not all share the same teaching area-math, English, science, history-I think that we can all learn from each other and the difference of teaching each subject. But anyways, the idea of having a classroom blog where there is more than just words is exciting, bringing in videos, pictures, outside sources and even comments from those who are not even in the class brings all sorts of new perspectives to students. Podcasting and book trailers sound like a good medium for students who are more artistically or communicationlly inclined. The wiki page is something I want to utilize in the classroom, it sounds like a great way to really dig deeper into a novel or play, and it might even be fun. The only problem with all of these ideas is that they are definitely geared towards English classes. I can see how social sciences might be able to get their foot in the door, and I am interested how math and sciences can apply these tools to their teaching methods.

Everybody Talks

Robert E. Probst takes the idea of talking in the classroom to a whole new level in this chapter. Whenever I think of talking in class I don't normally think of deep conversations but rather getting students to listen and not whisper snide comments and rude remarks to their friends. Speaking in class is not a fun thing. I have never enjoyed it and I'm not sure that I ever will. Peers are harsh and judgmental. Getting ideas across clearly is also a concern. I had always wished that teachers would provide some sort of sheet with discussion topics on it so that coming to class with thoughts prepared was an option. I think a problem that educators are faced with is getting students to clearly articulate their thoughts. That is one of the worst things about speaking up in class, making sure that your thoughts are clear so that everyone can understand what you are trying to communicate. Not only is clearly explaining your thoughts important, but actually having a thought on the topic. Sometimes a student just doesn't care about the topic at hand. One day in high school my AP Lit teacher was having a particularly hard time to get discussion out of us after a dry portion of The Grapes of Wrath. Instead she turned the conversation completely around and made us argue as to why the due date for our paper on the novel should be pushed back. Every single hand shot up in the class. After the debate (which we won) my teacher asked us why couldn't we communicate like that during other aspects of class discussion. Allowing for students to be more prepared for classroom discussion while at the same time making sure that there is at least a kernel of interest to the students I believe will go a long way in improving classroom discussion.

Expectations

The idea of adapting teaching your teaching style is not new information, but it is the way that teachers did it that is different; the refusal to accept failure. This almost seemed like a 'duh' moment while reading. of course you don't want your students to fail, but as I read it became clear that many students were not learning because they were allowed not to try. Excuses were accepted, allowed. I appreciated Carter's approach to interest his students in writing. Carter eased them into it, introducing music that students could connect to and then having them act it out and finally putting the story into words. By doing other activities it allows for a student to feel out what the characters are thinking, how they are feeling, and helps make it easier to put words on a paper. Something that I noted about the teachers from both case studies (Carter and Miss M.) although obviously wanted their students to succeed, presented themselves as professional, not as the students friend. They were almost cold, although not, in their teaching style. They just wanted their students to succeed. The story of Donny and his mother made me wonder at the school system in general; Donny's mother tried so hard to contact the school, to voice her concerns for her son and nothing was done. There cannot be an acceptance of failure in students because of their background or it is just "to be expected."

ELL in the Classroom

      This chapter was definitely differently styled than the rest of the book so far. Danling, Cindy, and Carol's explanation of what is needed in the classroom to promote more understanding for ELL students. in figure 8-4 it discusses different ways to "cultivate cultural harmony" which I found would be easy enough activities to include in the classroom setting. My personal favorites were to ask the ELL students to share literature that they read in their native language. This could also be modified to their favorite book, a popular book, or a historically significant piece. Another was letting all students talk about family stories about culture and tradition. This way it includes everyone, and ELL students can see that they are not alone in different cultural roots, creating an opening environment for all students. The survey given by the teacher to students concerning ways that can help the student made my heart break a little bit. Students are obviously trying to hard to adjust to a new language, situation, and perhaps even life. Patience is key, while being supportive of the transition while at the same time providing the tools and skills necessary to helps the ELL students learn to excel.

Understanding

I found Ellin Oliver Keene's chapter "The Essence of Understanding" to speak true to how students understand. Students in Keene's demonstrative lesson were very similar to myself and the students I went to high school with. Learning information solely for the purpose to answer worksheets, get by in class discussions, and finally take the test, then losing any and all of that information to make room for the next chapter or unit. One of the students brought up the point that teachers do not spend enough time on a topic or subject, but go over it quickly. I've experienced this all through my schooling years and even still now in college. Material is quickly gone over to make sure that there is time to get to everything, but this does not help in understanding in the material or being able to remember it for that matter either. Not to mention that a student will most likely not ask a question about something they find confusing or do not understand in fear of  seeming dumb in front of classmates. I think it is important as educations that an environment be created where students don't need to feel that fear, or even make themselves available outside of class time to discuss with students their questions.

The Change of Books

I really enjoyed this chapter. As an avid reader I always find it interesting to see what other have to say about a book I've read, how they see it. Right away I noticed that The Outsiders was considered a high school book, but that was a book I read, and greatly enjoyed, in the 8th grade. Times are changing and the content in which we give to our students is changing as well. When it comes to choosing novels that students should read it got me thinking; what is appropriate and what is not? Some titles that were given as examples as to the many new situations kids are face with today made me realize that I had read many of those books, and would never want to participate in a school discussion about them. As a teacher how do you find books that are non-offensive to everyone? Although Lesesne noted that novels today are dealing with many "new" topics, literature has been dealing with these issues all along, although more covertly. Personally I like classic novels best, because they deal with many similar situations that students are going through, perhaps just harder to understand.

Multiliterate and Underachieving

Donna E. Alvermann brings up interesting points in her chapter Multiliterate Youth in the Rime of Scientific Reading Instruction about the definition of “reading” in a time when everything is being digitalized. Avlermann discussed the idea of Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives, which to me pushed the idea that teachers need to be able to keep up with the changing ways that students are learning. It is important for the older generations of teachers, Digital Immigrants, to be able to adapt and change teaching styles to fit the new generation of Digital Natives. The excerpt from Steven Johnson’s book Everything Bad Is Good for You was an enlightening thought process into the technological generation that is being breed to view books as a thing of the past and boring. Although as I am not sure I could ever personally enjoy video more than Wuthering Heights or even The Hunger Games, I recognize that the way in which we perceive literature and reading is changing.

            Yvett Jackson and Eric J. Cooper in their chapter Building Academic Success with Underachieving Adolescents brings up the concern of the underachieving students and teaching to their learning needs. Jackson and Cooper relate that every student can achieve; it is important for each student’s need to be recognized because each student learns differently. The formula NUA has created, understand what is expected of them (students), a connection between understanding and motivation, confidence, and affect motivation is different. It helps to ensure that students know what is expected of them while promoting the confidence and motivation to accomplish the necessary means. I think this would be a great tool to implement in the classroom. However, I found the Thinking Maps by David Hyerle to be a tool was not so sure of. Perhaps it is because my brain does not work in the way of shapes and graphs/patterns, although I still see the benefit of the process for students who do think in that way. 

Accommodation and Adaptation

Tim Burke in his chapter Teaching English Language Arts in a "Flat" World gives a list of eight roles that student will need to acquire to be successful in their futures. Burke relies heavily on the ideas of Tim Friedman as he proposes the changing way of the work field and the necessary needs that students will need to adapt to. Burke focuses in on the ever changing work field that as it changes and adapts, students will need to be able to evolve along with the process. Although I found this chapter to speak very truthfully, it seemed to be obvious information. With technological advances occurring within the blink of an eye it seems apparent that students will have to be prepared for these changes. I found that Burke's suggestions and examples for how students can develop these skills in the classroom to be flat and uninformative. Perhaps it is because of my generation, but I found many of his examples to be things that I feel like things I have been doing since high school, none of which I ever found particularly enjoyable in the classroom setting. However, as I was reading I realized that many of the skills that were trying to be cultivated in the classroom I gained through working at my summer job at a Ford dealership. Personally I think these lessons are more difficult to teach in the classroom and better taught through experience. I'm not sure how I would go about teaching this in an academic setting because it is one thing to tell your students they will one day needs these skills and tools versus actual experience.

Chapter 1

The first chapter we read by Kylene Beers, “The Measure of Our Success” brought about points that I have never considered when it comes to teaching. As an English education minor I have not had to take any teaching classes so far at Olivet, this being my first, and so this is all a little different to me. However, I found myself agreeing much with what Beers had to say regarding education and what was considered “literate.”  I thought back to testing in school, I had always excelled in state testing, reading, writing, and history always my areas of strength, while only being considered “average” in other areas. My literacy rate had never been a problem for me, and while I was always aware of the less than average scores of the students in my class I never knew the steps that were being taken to “help” my classmates. Beers pointed out that schools are concerned with the state testing scores more than the individual, bribing students as they did in my high school to ensure high testing scores. The ability to raise test scores might look good on paper, but in the end does nothing to help the student’s understanding of the material or their ability to read it for that matter. I agree with Beers in many of the pints that she made, the importance lies with teaching students how to understand and use the information that they gain from school, not to only apply it to the mandated state testing. Another imperative point Beers made was closing the gap between poverty and students. I felt for Derek who did not have the supplies needed to succeed, each of setting off a chain reaction denying him something that was required to succeed in school. I believe that it should be the job of the state to make sure each child is given what they need to fruitfully accomplish school, whether that be running an extra bus route to get kids to school earlier to use the computers which might not be at home, or to seek teachers for extra help. Overall, I believe that Beers made some excellent points when it came to mandated state testing and provided some achievable recommendations for the schooling systems. 

The Beginning

Hi, my name is Lilly Patton and I am a sophomore this year at Olivet. I enjoy reading novels, watching good movies, and hanging out with my roommates. I am not an education major, it is my minor, so I am interested in learning what this class has to offer.