Teaching to the low Socioeconomic

           One of the questions the girls asked during their peer taught lesson was: What rules might a child be asked to follow at school that they are not asked to follow in a low Socioeconomic Status(SES) home?

From experience working with underprivileged children, I have learned first had that the expectations in a civilized community, such as a school, can be vastly different than those at home. In working with these children, the first thing I jumped out at me was simply their ability or desire to follow explicitly stated rules in regards to respecting others and property.  Also, when asked to do something by an authority figure which they don't find beneficial, children of low SES tend to avoid the task at all costs. They are masters of coming up with excuses as to why they are unable. Appropriate language is also an issue. Often times, it seems these children don’t even notice they are using language that is inappropriate.

            I presume these characteristics exist because there is less moral pressure from parents or guardians than children of for fortunate households at home, and the children get away with ‘walking over’  rules (if there are any at all). Though my observations are of low SES children, they are not exclusive to the underprivileged.  Nor are they universal for underprivileged children.

           A teacher can learn more about the upbringing of a child by administering a survey at the beginning of the year/semester. The quote, “Poverty does not mean ignorance”, was included in the peer taught lesson on the issue of students of low SES homes. Such a quote could help remind a teacher how to handle issues as they arise and prevent future issues with students underprivileged children with behavioral management issues.  Their actions may be subconscious, but that is not to say they can’t be corrected. 

Assessment of Our Reading Strategies Lesson

http://prezi.com/xx0n6frbh2y9/presentation/

Teaching today's reading strategies lesson was a great experience. For the first time, I had the opportunity to actually teach a lesson to a class rather than simply present information from a power point. Through the delivery of the lesson and the reflections of my classmates I was able to learn a lot. Though I thought the lesson went very well, we omitted some vital aspects of a powerful lesson. Most notably, there were no models of what we expected the students to do. In planning the lesson, I had difficulties figuring out how to model the strategies without giving too much assistance.  As Dr. Edge suggested, we could/should have provided examples of our expectations to the strategy by pulling them from another text. A text that we are all familiar with would have been the most effective. Some of the suggestions made by peers to better the lesson were to allow the students to develop their thoughts more thoroughly. Whether it was Craig or myself, we had apparently been cutting off students to redirect their thoughts to better align with our expectations. We certainly learned the difficulties in regards to wait time.

But there were several things I felt we did very well. First off, we provided each group with a different article to read which they then taught to the class. This method was very well received. Also, I felt that all three strategies were suitable for the lesson. We were both told that we projected our voices well and that our visits with the students while they were working were appropriate and helped prompt topics of discussion.  I thoroughly enjoyed teaching the three reading strategies through texts of Industrial Revolution articles and am excited to try out new reading strategies in the future.

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Posts to follow are of the first portion of the Praxis Notebook.

Self-Assessment

      My Praxis notebook is worthy of an ‘A’ as the work I have provided is exemplary.  I have included 3 entries a week through the first four weeks of class of thoughtful observations and/or connections with in-class learning or assigned readings. My notebook entries are all meaningful and relevant to my success as a learner and in the progress of my education in becoming the best teacher I can be.  Several of my entries include artifacts I have compiled through the first four weeks of class and learning experiences outside of class. In my synthesis you will find the basic focus of my learning, what knowledge I have acquired thus far, my goals as a learner and responses to essential questions imperative to learners in ED319 and ED349. Below I have included the criteria for Notebooks deserving an ‘A’.

·         Notebook includes multiple (3+) entries each week.

·         Includes a thoughtful response to at least one selected reading, a brief rationale for selecting the reading, and complete bibliographic information (or copy of Notebook article/book chapter, etc.).

·         Notebook includes numerous artifacts from course work and/or field experiences as well as reflections on or writings about the artifacts collected.  Artifacts from all required assignments for current course segment are included.

·         Notebook entries and notebook artifacts are dated and clearly labeled.

·         Writings include observations, connections (between learning various courses, readings, classroom observations, personal connections, etc.), interpretations, questions, and thoughts that appear to be meaningful and relevant to the learner.

·         Synthesis of learning is 2-4 pages in length, focuses on individual’s learning, addresses the essential question(s) from current segment of the course (Reader, Context, or Text),and addresses progress toward personal learning goals or the refining of those learning goals.

·         Notebook includes a thoughtful self-assessment with clearly stated criteria for assessment and sufficient examples to support that assessment.

·         Notebook generally demonstrates that author is taking ownership of her/his notebook and learning process.

·         Notebook is handed in on time.

·        Overall quality of Notebook reflects the thoughtful, engaged work of a prospective teacher.

Synthesis 1

     Upon enrollment in a class titled “Teaching for Reading”, I admittedly scoffed at the idea of a future Industrial Technology (IT) teacher required to learn skills to teach children to read. It did not take long however for me to realize that this course is not designed merely for English Education students, rather is vital for all. I had never considered teacher reading to be my responsibility until committing myself to Tovani’s ‘Do I Really Have to Teach Reading”.  Tovani tells a story of asking an Industrial Tech teacher how students are to learn to read schematics and blue prints without the guidance of an IT teacher. Certainly that role is not the responsibility of the English teacher. She later explains that we are masters of reading within our content area and often take that skill for granted. In tandem these concepts are what fully made me realize that this class was intended for all Secondary Education students for good purpose, and I became engaged.      
      With purpose as a motivating factor, I began to wonder: what is it that I do when I read a basic text to form understanding? Often times when I am reading, as an assignment for a class or throughout my daily life, I continue to ask myself this burning question. I have come to realize comprehension is an inherent result of active reading. Sometimes active reading entails following the words in a text with the tip of a pen and other times highlighting significant details. Some people choose to use sticky notes or simply jot notes in the margins. But for me, more often than not, active reading is merely keeping my conversation voice busy and my reciting voice in submission.  Like active listening, my internal conversation voice helps me attend to the text. I paraphrase sentences, paragraphs and pages to test my comprehension when necessary, I reread. I have never been a fast reader, but have learned to accept and actually appreciate my leisurely pace for what it is. Not worried about speed as an underlying determinant of ability, I am awarded time to engage in deeper thought about the text which allows ample opportunity to commit what I deem necessary to long-term memory.    
      As I previously mentioned, there are several forms of texts that an IT student will encounter exclusively in such courses. Like reading a map, there are skills necessary to understand technical drawings. I have been exposed to and interpreting these drawings for nearly ten years, to the point where I have difficulty realizing the skills involved as they have become second nature. I cannot assume children will have acquired these reading skills from other sources; it is my responsibility to enlighten my students. From the more basic concepts such as visualization based on a ratio scale, to interpreting finer assembly or finish details, my students are novice readers, and I am their coach. By modeling the processes I use to form comprehension, I will be able to impress skills that I formerly took for granted.    
      Teaching with regards to diversity can also be a challenge, but nevertheless is imperative to assure as teachers, we are teachers of ALL students. Also, approaching the issue promotes inter-student acceptance. I have learned the best method to approaching cultural diversity is to embrace uniqueness rather than kick it under the rug. In digging deep enough, we can find something commendably unique about each student. Prompting students to discuss their diverse backgrounds and experiences in a classroom and opening discussion or developing lessons in specific regard to that student/culture is a great way to display importance of such differences. Acceptance of cultural diversity, in such a diverse country and in an exponentially globalizing economy, is vital for all students’ success. In IT classes, this can be achieved quite easily. In a woodworking class for example, I will promote indulgence in culturally significant projects such as a totem pole. Such a project not only teaches a student the skills of the content area but also promotes a deeper understanding of a culture more worldly than they were familiar. Several other cultural projects would contribute similarly to the overall development of students.     
      My main goal in this course is to arouse personal excitement in reading a text I am asked to read that I would not otherwise choose. If not excitement, I would like to at least be able to establish purpose when I am otherwise struggling to find some. Finding purpose within a text makes reading with an active voice much more plausible. When I am asked to read a dry text with no personal motivator, I try to establish purpose by asking several questions in the beginning with the intent of answering those questions by the end. Usually within the first few paragraphs of a chapter or an article, I can determine what is most important that the author is intending to impress on me as the reader. With that in mind, I have found I have to literally write down questions to continually revisit while reading. This process is helpful, but certainly there are other ways to establish purpose in order to better comprehend a boring read. If I can conquer this goal, I will be able to extend my skills to future students, making me a better teacher overall.  

KWLQ Guide

What I know I can do:
I know I can read a difficult text and comprehend a significant amount of it. (01-30-2012)
I know I can take encode a difficult text and internalize the concept(s)/plot in order to
later engage in intelligent conversation. (02-14-2012)

What I want to know or Learn to do:
I want to be able to find purpose for reading a text that I am not personally interested in
to help engage my 'conversation voice' as described in Chapter 5 of Tovani's "Do I
Really Have to Teach Reading?" (01-30-2012)
As a result of preparing our peer-led 'Intro to Race and Ethnicity', I want work better
with others and consider opinions/contributions that conflict with my own. This will
value my daily life and in reflections from readings. (02-06-2012)

What I have Learned or Become Aware of:
Though I am a slower reader than many of my peers, speed is not the underlying factor that
determines ones ability to read well. I see the advantages of reading at a slower pace
and how it enhances my comprehension. (01-30-2012)
I have learned that text based inferences and world based inferences guide our internal
text. (02-06-2012)
I know now that I am responsible to propel students ability to read within my content area.
(02-06-2012)

Questions or Ideas I now have; Actions I'm taking:
When I was in high school and even my beginning years of college, I did everything within
my realm to avoid reading. How can I stimulate the interest of students like myself
before giving an assignment? (02-02-2012)
Recently I started reading a long book to an 11 year old girl with whom I work. I read the
first chapter to her and put the book down. She picked it up and continued reading. She
is not a strong reader, but it certainly helped her to have me start the book to engage
her into the story. (02-14-2012)

What metaphor, symbol or image describe how my Industrial Tech students learn.

            The learning processes of students of Industrial Technology classes are unlike those in other classes. First and foremost, in IT, only a small percentage of learning occurs while seated at a desk. Another small percentage of their learning i as result of instruction from a teacher. The rest, and vast majority, of learning for students in IT classes is based on experiences, particularly failure. I will expect failure from students again and again. But the failure comes in the form of trial and error. They learn how to and how not to go about processes by making mistakes, then having to backtrack and use more care or a different approach in attempt to counter those mistakes.

             The process of attaining knowledge in courses such as metals,welding, woodworking, or any other manual craft brings to mind the classic american children's story, "The Little Engine that Could". For those of you unfamiliar, the story is of a long train in need of an engine to pull it over a high mountain. After several refusals from larger engines, the little engine accepts the challenge. While repeating the mantra, "I think I can, I think I can," the little engine succeeds in a seemingly impossible task. 

             I suppose the metaphoric correlations between the learning curve for tech ed students and the little blue engine is loose. Nevertheless, the story reminds the reader that we can accomplish great things  if we put our minds to them. Learning a new craft is surely a difficult task which may seem overwhelming in its vast intricacy. But with self motivation, the reward from completing a project that may exceed the learners comfort zone is powerful enough to spark the interest in a world of education that was never previously considered. 

I felt that all of the approaches we took to construct meaning in this poem were effective for me and I see how they could be for others as well. Verbally expressing our thoughts helps us realize what we are thinking and writing them down helps remember the thoughts that were thunk at the time of the reading. Also, having them written down makes it easier to see those thoughts when looking for connections between the text and personal experiences. The teacher modeling stanza helped me know what kind of connections and annotations you expected us to draw. When we shifted to guided practice through scaffolding, having a partner read and think out loud to me to jot down his thoughts, I benefited by being shown the poem from a different perspective from someone drawing off other experiences. And then finally, for the last stanza, after analyzing the poem from several different methods, I was able to better approach the conclusive stanza. I feel each one of these approaches can be used to help a struggling reader to make sense of the poem. It helps to be shown from a teacher and from peers a variance of POV when interpreting the text. 

The House, from a whole new perspective

      The purpose of this assignment, to stress the influence of perspective as a reader, was perfectly crafted. We read through the passage three times with different intent each pass. The text underlined in green was read from my perspective. I was simply asked to note parts that jumped out at me. The word 'Mom' in its context inferred, or at least I thought it may, that the narrator and whom he was talking to, were siblings. I also noted that they were skipping school and that their yard which they were crossing was hidden from the road. Nearly all of what I found to be significant was in the first paragraph; that information helped determine the setting.
      For my second read through, I selected significant information  as if I were a burglar (highlighted in yellow). What I found to be significant was quite different that time through. And for the third read, I was to read from the perspective of a potential home buyer (overlined [<= that is not a word, though underlined is] in blue). Nevertheless, the information that I found to be significant was greatly determined by the perspective from which I was reading.
       This approach to understanding differing perspectives of a reader was very effective. It goes to show that what some might note significant text may or may not be found to be significant to another reader. Purpose and past experiences go a long way to guide the thoughts of a reader.

Soical Text Observations

I am sitting down in Starbucks on the lower level of the LRC at when I overhear a conversation between three girls, approximately between the ages of 18-20. The conversation was lead by one of the three girls in particular:

Conversation leader: "Well yeah, I don't know if we are actually dating. I mean, its not like I'd call him my boyfriend or anything. But we are like, You know, hehehe. I don't know, I think he must be afraid of rejection or something. But whatever, I guess its all good the way things are right now. He is so funny.Tra-la-la"

My interpretation of the thoughts of friend one and friend two based on facial expressions: 'O geeze, he is probably just another scum bag who is getting what he wants from her. And he probably doesn't want to go facebook official because he is just playing her and other girls at the same time. I sure hope she doesn't fall too hard for this fool. Why hasn't this chump asked to meet us yet, we are her best friends. That is a sure sign that he is not looking for any thing serious. Is she? I wonder? not enough to ask though, id rather keep reading this book so i can get my homework done before we go to the Vera bar tonight.'

Of course my perspective, as a male and as an outsider was a little bit different: O great, I'm down here trying to work on my school work. I have so much to do to make sure I don't fall behind in my classes. Typical. This girl over here is blabbing about some guy she claims she isn't dating. She is. He may be seeing other people too, but she is devoted. She thinks he might be afraid of rejection... well that's plausible, who likes to be rejected. Well if that is the case, maybe SHE should ask him if he would like to be exclusive. Women always think its the mans job to bring up that conversation. She is probably going to try to hard to win him over, and then push him away when all she needs to do is bring it up. poor girl. Its really loud down here. not an ideal place to try to get work done.

Breakfast with Dr. Ed Zlotkowski

        This morning I attended a workshop presented by Dr. Edward Zlotkowski, a nationally known presenter and scholar on academic service learning. Beyond leaving with a full stomach, the experience was very rewarding. The basis of the presentation was on building deeper, more effective learning experiences by connecting the community with the classroom. He started the workshop by asking each of the guests to recall a learning experience of their own more influential than any other. And then we were to share with our tables. My most influential learning experience was not classroom based at all. It was hardly academic for that matter either. I shared of my first tutoring job in which I helped several at-risk children with their after school work at their group home here in Marquette Michigan. Reflecting on this learning experience brought two things to mind: First off, teaching is hard. I found that I only had success with the children if I had an opportunity to get to know them first. I found that when I let the students release any pent up emotions, be them of joy, anger, jealousy or any other, more learning would occur. Which brings me to the second thing I learned from that experience: this community alone is more diverse than I could have ever imagined before. One cannot begin to  guess what experiences have molded another person. I heard several stories from young boys and girls about their lives that brought them to that group home. It is imperative that I as a future educator and other educators consider the diverse backgrounds of their students. We need to be sensitive to all possible scenarios, because a smile can hide a lot of dirty truths. 

         The majority of my table-mates told other stories of profound learning experiences which occured outside of the classroom.  As Dr. Zlotkowski had anticipated and was the moral of this presentation, the experiences that stick with us the longest and have the greatest impact on us are those that we experience, not those that we read about or are lectured about.

Additional Reading- Al Capone Does My Shirts

Reflection on Autism and Students With Autism

               According to the definition of autism spectrum disorder, as defined by the Revised Administrative Rules for the State of Michigan, Natalie from ‘Al Capone does my Shirts’ displays many characteristics of a child with autism. Her fixation with buttons and stones can be described as having a restricted range of interests with repetitive behavior. Furthermore, Natalie makes no attempt to share these things of interest with her brother Moose, whose relationship she seems to value more than any other. Though Natalie is frequently with her brother, and as a result, with other children of the island, she makes no attempt to invite them to play with her and the things she shows interest in. Natalie’s inability to use pronouns regularly in conversation proves that her social educational ability is greatly under developed for a 16 year old. She showed an inability to initiate, sustain, or engage in reciprocal conversation with others.  Natalie seems unable to establish relationships appropriate for her developmental level with her peers.

               Natalie’s autism is far too severe for her to be placed in a general classroom at this point in her life. However, not all children with autism have such severe cases. Natalie’s ability to verbally communicate with others is almost non-existent. Students with high functioning autism have more normal language functioning and better social functioning (Reed, 1996). Students with high functioning autism benefit greatly through inclusion in the general classroom for much of the school day. Those with high functioning autism have higher cognitive abilities than do people with more severe cases and often times also higher than those without autism. In fact, many people with high functioning autism are never diagnosed, or if they are, are diagnosed late in life because their intelligence overshadows the disability. When undiagnosed, those with high functioning autism often do not receiving the proper attention they need for optimal development. Therefore, it is important for teachers in preschool, elementary schools and high schools to be aware of the symptoms and be able to determine if a student may be in need of an evaluation.

               Early identification and diagnosis of autism can provide access to services which offer a greater chance to succeed independently later in life for that student (Dahle, 2003). However, high functioning autism is often undetected during the early years. As a teacher, it will be essential for me to recognize common characteristics of autism as I will likely be teaching to undiagnosed children of high functioning autism. One sign to be aware of as a suggestive indication of autism regards social deficits. Children with autism may appear not to take notice of other children and often times have problems interacting appropriately with peers (Reed, 1996). In regards to personal relationships with peers and family members, children with autism may be non-affectionate. There are several other indicators suggestive of autism. For example, some children with autism ARE quite affectionate, but display several other characteristics of autism such as repeating behaviors or object fixations. No one indicator can be the basis of a diagnosis. That being said, the absence of one of several autistic characteristics does not necessarily suggest that autism is not present. It is important that a teacher analyze a child carefully and if there is any supported suspicion of autism, that it be reported to a team of professionals to perform a more thorough evaluation.

               It is likely, almost certain, that I will have students who have been diagnosed with high functioning autism in my class throughout my career as a teacher. These students have special needs which I must address to ensure they are receiving the best education possible. Before teaching a student with autism, it is essential that I read professional literature or even attend professional training about the disability to prepare myself for the adaptions I will need to make.  It is imperative that I become familiar with general, commonly used instructional strategies for students with autism and be able to apply them to the specific needs of each child. Autism is a broadly defined disability.  Two children with autism may share few or no characteristics with one another that define their autism. Each individual with autism is unique and will respond differently to various approaches in the classroom (Dahle, 2003). Therefore, establishing communication with the parents of the child is very important so I can get a strong grasp of their child’s symptoms. Parents know their children well and can provide excellent insight on how to connect with him/her.

               Though teaching to a student with autism in the general classroom requires more preparation, their inclusion is inevitable. As with any disabled student, it is important to recognize them as contributing members of the classroom community, while avoiding overwhelming them with undesired attention. These children will have been placed in the general classroom on the basis of a decision from trained professionals who determine such inclusion to be the least restrictive and most natural environment (Dahle, 2003). The opportunity to teach children with autism is a challenging and rewarding experience for teachers. Having a rudimentary understanding of the principles of a good educational program and adaptive strategies for teaching students with autism will go a long way to benefit the disabled student, the rest of the students, and me as the teacher.

                      

Autism. (2012, January 24). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:28, February 1, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Autism&oldid=473043499

Dahle, Karen Bowen, (2003). Services to Include Young Children with Autism in the General Classroom. Early Childhood Education Jounrnal, 31(1), 65-70.

Reed, Vicki (1996). High Functioning Autism. Lousiville, KY: Annual School Social Work Association of America Confrence. (ERIC No. ED408765)