Expectations
1. Use appropriate language
Logical Consequence: If student is using language that is not appropriate I will take the student aside when possible to address the reason why the language is inappropriate. If the student continues to use inappropriate language then I will escalate to the administration.
2. Be responsible for your education
Logical Consequences: The student is responsible for meeting the class goals and assignments; if he or she is not prepared then grades may suffer. If the student comes to me and explains what the issue is then arrangement may be made.
Be respectful of everyone
3. Raise hands when answering a question
Logical Consequences: The student will not be called upon and not be able to express their views on the given subject being discussed. I will reinforce the raising of the hand to be called on to the student so the concept will be fresh in the minds of all students present.
4. Turn cell phones and IPODS off during class
Logical Consequences: The cell phone, IPOD, PDA, or whatever the student may have will be confiscated for the remainder of the day. Depending on the school protocol the item may be picked up after school from the teacher or the parent may have to come down to the office to pick up the item.
5. Define consequences of expectation when they are not meet
Logical Consequences: After going over the classroom expectations and rules with the students and if rules are broken I will have a conversation with the student, if the rules continue to be broken the administration, parent will be contacted so we can resolve any issues that the student may have towards the running of the class and their expectations while in the class.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Rethink Schools Article "The Hows and Whys of Peer Mentoring"
We all know how hard it is to take time out of our busy day and sit in another classroom and monitor a peer. The logistics of this can be a nightmare, when do we do it? Will the administration see a value in peer mentoring? When do we eat? These are real questions when a teacher begins mentoring another teacher, however if these issues are dealt with the rewards are worth the sacrifice.
The article discusses three benefits from peer mentoring: 1.To rethink the way we do things and adapt to changing times. 2.Another interesting benefit was how our colleagues acted as a "reality check." 3.A third hidden benefit is that the children see their teachers practicing what they preach.
As student teachers we are constantly being observed, so we are constantly working on the perfect lesson plan, and trying to figure out how we will present the information to our students to keep them actively engaged.
Coming up with the greatest lesson plan in the world in our eyes may fall short to our peers. Having a reality check from our peers help with our personal growth as educators. Input from our peers will help with better lessons and issues that we would normally not see due to being in our own routine.
We grade and talk to our students on how to improve but the students never see our improvement. Having a peer in the class observing the teacher allows the students to understand that even the teacher is being graded per say to become a better teacher. This would allow the teacher to gain more respect from the students.
Peer mentoring is an important way for us as educators to grow and become more efficient. We need to have input in our teaching lives so we do not become stagnant nor become stuck in a rut. The only time peer mentoring would become counter productive is if constructive feedback is taking negatively and not implemented into ones teaching practice.
The article discusses three benefits from peer mentoring: 1.To rethink the way we do things and adapt to changing times. 2.Another interesting benefit was how our colleagues acted as a "reality check." 3.A third hidden benefit is that the children see their teachers practicing what they preach.
As student teachers we are constantly being observed, so we are constantly working on the perfect lesson plan, and trying to figure out how we will present the information to our students to keep them actively engaged.
Coming up with the greatest lesson plan in the world in our eyes may fall short to our peers. Having a reality check from our peers help with our personal growth as educators. Input from our peers will help with better lessons and issues that we would normally not see due to being in our own routine.
We grade and talk to our students on how to improve but the students never see our improvement. Having a peer in the class observing the teacher allows the students to understand that even the teacher is being graded per say to become a better teacher. This would allow the teacher to gain more respect from the students.
Peer mentoring is an important way for us as educators to grow and become more efficient. We need to have input in our teaching lives so we do not become stagnant nor become stuck in a rut. The only time peer mentoring would become counter productive is if constructive feedback is taking negatively and not implemented into ones teaching practice.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Designing Groupwork chapter 1-3 reading response
Chapter 1
Group work is beneficial to the students in many ways, it allows for the collaboration of ideas, and disagrees with peers in a more intimate environment. Each member should have their own role and each role should be as important as the next. Each member needs to count on the others to obtain the final task. This allows for the teacher to stand back and have the students assume a greater responsibility for a given task. I have used group work many times and each time the results have been extremely positive. Students prefer in my science class to learn from doing then learn from boring instruction. I would like to know more about how to keep each group member engaged so that one does not do more work than the next.
Chapter 2
As stated above group work will encourage students that are unsure about a concept to obtain help from their peers. Peer to peer interaction is key for the understanding of concepts. Peer interaction will help with social skills and interpersonal interactions while allowing the student to formulate ideas with that of others in their group. Group work as well is so much more interesting and engaging than reading from a text book or listening to the instructor for hours. I used grouping with students that were vastly different in their personalities and they just blew me away with what they came up with as a group. I did not think they would work well together and I was very much wrong. I wonder how much group work is too much?
Chapter 3
This chapter deals with issues when grouping students up to complete tasks. Each person in a group has a certain status when the group is initially formed. Regardless if the students believe this to be true or not there is a pecking order to any group. In school there is a social status that students follow and this social status will be incorporated in the groups students are in. As well some students are more vocal while others are shy allowing for a more dominant position by some students and a more subservient position by others. Other issues with group work is keeping students on task while some students view group work as a social connection and have a hard time being on task others find group work to be non productive. With each of these issues mentioned above I as a teacher need to be pro-active and keep my finger on the pulse of my students so that I can mediate when needed so all students have a voice in their classroom groups.
Group work is beneficial to the students in many ways, it allows for the collaboration of ideas, and disagrees with peers in a more intimate environment. Each member should have their own role and each role should be as important as the next. Each member needs to count on the others to obtain the final task. This allows for the teacher to stand back and have the students assume a greater responsibility for a given task. I have used group work many times and each time the results have been extremely positive. Students prefer in my science class to learn from doing then learn from boring instruction. I would like to know more about how to keep each group member engaged so that one does not do more work than the next.
Chapter 2
As stated above group work will encourage students that are unsure about a concept to obtain help from their peers. Peer to peer interaction is key for the understanding of concepts. Peer interaction will help with social skills and interpersonal interactions while allowing the student to formulate ideas with that of others in their group. Group work as well is so much more interesting and engaging than reading from a text book or listening to the instructor for hours. I used grouping with students that were vastly different in their personalities and they just blew me away with what they came up with as a group. I did not think they would work well together and I was very much wrong. I wonder how much group work is too much?
Chapter 3
This chapter deals with issues when grouping students up to complete tasks. Each person in a group has a certain status when the group is initially formed. Regardless if the students believe this to be true or not there is a pecking order to any group. In school there is a social status that students follow and this social status will be incorporated in the groups students are in. As well some students are more vocal while others are shy allowing for a more dominant position by some students and a more subservient position by others. Other issues with group work is keeping students on task while some students view group work as a social connection and have a hard time being on task others find group work to be non productive. With each of these issues mentioned above I as a teacher need to be pro-active and keep my finger on the pulse of my students so that I can mediate when needed so all students have a voice in their classroom groups.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Week Three Reading Reflection: Ethnography
3 things that you learned/connected with
• I learned that ethnography is based on the views of the person that is doing the filming and shows the audience what they find the most important.
• Ethnography is guided by a point of view
• I learned that with careful thought and consideration that ethnography can be rewarding and can show and describe things that most people may not see or would not have focused on initially
2 things you disagree with or have questions
• I do not agree with that the person filming or providing the ethnography can use their biases to get their point across. I believe that there should be more of a check and balance system and with this there is no check and balance system.
• My second question builds on the first statement. How does one make ethnography without pushing ones biases into their piece?
1 thing I would want to learn more about
• One thing I would like to learn more about would be if schools would be interested in making ethnographies part of a class that would show how the school evolves throughout the year. The final showing could be done the last few weeks of school to the entire school. I would like to know if this would even be feasible.
• I learned that ethnography is based on the views of the person that is doing the filming and shows the audience what they find the most important.
• Ethnography is guided by a point of view
• I learned that with careful thought and consideration that ethnography can be rewarding and can show and describe things that most people may not see or would not have focused on initially
2 things you disagree with or have questions
• I do not agree with that the person filming or providing the ethnography can use their biases to get their point across. I believe that there should be more of a check and balance system and with this there is no check and balance system.
• My second question builds on the first statement. How does one make ethnography without pushing ones biases into their piece?
1 thing I would want to learn more about
• One thing I would like to learn more about would be if schools would be interested in making ethnographies part of a class that would show how the school evolves throughout the year. The final showing could be done the last few weeks of school to the entire school. I would like to know if this would even be feasible.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Disrupting Class Reflection #2
This article was interesting and insightful and made me ponder on aspect of my teaching style and that of whom I have studied under. There is no doubt that there are many wrong ways to go about teaching, many ancient, out of date ways to get the point across. The problem with these approaches is that the point is lost in translation.
I learned many things in this article; one I found interesting is that the author states we learn genetically and from our experience from early years. This is interesting in that scientist have a debate over which is more important nature vs. nurture. Another point I found interesting and learned was that 1/3 of a budget goes to special education. Though this is important I can not see the justification of giving so much money to one program when the majority of students are not in the special education program. Lastly, I learned that there are eight distinct types of intelligence. I find this fascinating; to understand that there are so many ways people think and comprehend is riveting.
Two aspects of this article that I disagreed with was the premise that if a teacher has 120 students that he or she would have little time. Currently I am teaching classes with 35 plus kids so I am looking at 180 students. Second idea I would disagree with would be using computer based learning more than teacher based learning. Though computer based is important and should be done we should make sure that there is plenty of time for students to interact with peers and the teacher.
One aspect of the article that I want to learn more is the eight type of intelligence. I find this fascinating, to figure out the different types of intelligence of each student in my class would make teaching that much easier.
I learned many things in this article; one I found interesting is that the author states we learn genetically and from our experience from early years. This is interesting in that scientist have a debate over which is more important nature vs. nurture. Another point I found interesting and learned was that 1/3 of a budget goes to special education. Though this is important I can not see the justification of giving so much money to one program when the majority of students are not in the special education program. Lastly, I learned that there are eight distinct types of intelligence. I find this fascinating; to understand that there are so many ways people think and comprehend is riveting.
Two aspects of this article that I disagreed with was the premise that if a teacher has 120 students that he or she would have little time. Currently I am teaching classes with 35 plus kids so I am looking at 180 students. Second idea I would disagree with would be using computer based learning more than teacher based learning. Though computer based is important and should be done we should make sure that there is plenty of time for students to interact with peers and the teacher.
One aspect of the article that I want to learn more is the eight type of intelligence. I find this fascinating, to figure out the different types of intelligence of each student in my class would make teaching that much easier.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Week One Reading Reflection - Rethinking High School
What resonated with me the most was the author’s explanation of our current educational system and the consistent and continual trends. It is easy to sit around and just stay the course and keep the norms that have been around now for close to 100 years. The authors took a risk, seen an opportunity to try something new that would benefit not only the students but the attitudes of teachers, administrators and parents. I find that not only bold by invigorating that regular teachers can analyze, find fault, and want to fix the system instead of just casting blame and sticking to the norm which would be the easiest and safest thing to do. One area that I think still needs to be looked at for higher reform is that of creativity in our students. The current system is still using the factory model which may have been the right way to look at education 100 years ago, but now with technology and the change in attitude with education we need adapt to the twenty first century. Once we allow our students to become more creative I believe that the attitudes about school will become more positive, and with a positive outlook all assessments could easily improve over time. One reform that I did find in this chapter that seems to be working is making high schools smaller. Having a small school would give the students a sense of ownership of their school and their education which may push them to wanting to strive for a better education. I would like to investigate if the school systems throughout the United States are working on changing their philosophy of a conveyor belt system to a system that values what each student has to offer.
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