The most interesting idea that i found in the final chapters also correlates with how the author and Sir Ken Robinson share the same views. After reading this paragraph, I had to stop myself and really think about what today's school system is like. Gee suggests that there are two ways to handle disadvantaged children. While one way is to accept public schools in their public form, another way is to "fight the neoliberal agenda and make schools sites for creativity, deep thinking, and the formation of whole people: sites in which all children can gain portfolios suitable for success, but success defined in multiple ways, and gain the ability to critique and transform social formations in the service of creating better worlds for all" (Gee, 2010). Obviously the second route is the road we want to head down. The current generation has been trained to put Gee's above thoughts into action. However, although today's school system stresses the importance of creativity, engagement in lessons, problem based learning, etc. it seems to just stop there. The plans are "dreamed" about instead of being put into action. In other words students are not having meaningful learning experiences.
This book has really helped me "think outside the box" when it comes to good teaching. Through most of the book Gee focused on gaming as a way to learn. Before reading this I never would have thought about the use of "modern gaming" to help students learn. What I took most from this book is that we as teachers have to be prepared to teach in different modes so that our students have learning experiences that build a "shape-shifting portfolio".
Monday, December 3, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Affinity Spaces
1. A community practice that I am currently engaged in is within the 75 hour clinical. Through these classes and the classroom experiences I am learning how to become a better teacher.
2. The author suggests to look at community in terms of space because you can see the extent to which the people of the community interact. To think of a group of people, it is often thought that they share the same views and feelings. However, this is generally not the case. Therefore it is better to think of community as a space rather than a group.
3. A generator is what the space is "about" Its counterpart in school would be the content being taught.
4. A content organizer is how content is designed or organized. In school this would be the lesson plans created by the teacher.
5. A portal is how we gain access to content and to the interactions related to the content. In school we can relate this to books, internet, whole group or small group discussions, etc.
6. People have an affinity for what they can relate to or what they are interested in. This informs me of good teaching because you need to know what your students interests are. Knowing this will help the teacher develop lesson plans that foster meaningful learning.
7. Affinity spaces support inclusive classrooms because:
2. The author suggests to look at community in terms of space because you can see the extent to which the people of the community interact. To think of a group of people, it is often thought that they share the same views and feelings. However, this is generally not the case. Therefore it is better to think of community as a space rather than a group.
3. A generator is what the space is "about" Its counterpart in school would be the content being taught.
4. A content organizer is how content is designed or organized. In school this would be the lesson plans created by the teacher.
5. A portal is how we gain access to content and to the interactions related to the content. In school we can relate this to books, internet, whole group or small group discussions, etc.
6. People have an affinity for what they can relate to or what they are interested in. This informs me of good teaching because you need to know what your students interests are. Knowing this will help the teacher develop lesson plans that foster meaningful learning.
7. Affinity spaces support inclusive classrooms because:
- having a sense of community is created when students can feel that they are not discriminated against for their interactions within the space
- a common vision is often found in inclusive classrooms and affinity spaces.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Learning and Gaming
1.) The main argument that the author is making in chapter five is that there is a relationship between learning (well-created) video games and academic learning.
2.) Gee refers to "patterns and principles" that make a theory of learning. He says, "Learning is not infinitely variable and there are patterns and principles to be discovered-patterns and principles that ultimately constitute a theory of learning. Indeed, what I am offering her is a case study meant to offer suggestions for a theory of how deep learning works".
3.) The author struggled to learn how to play Warcraft !!! because he didn't interact with it in a way that the game was designed for. In his own words he says, "...Failed to engage the good learning principles that are built into the games". What needs to happen before good learning principles is the "motivation for an extended engagement with the game".
4.) The authors' struggle to learn the game can be compared to a struggling learner in school. In a school setting, his struggle would have been interpreted as failure.
5.) "Horizontal" learning might be a better way to approach at risk students. This strategy implies that leaning experiences do not progress up or down but stay on level for an ample amount of time. Not until exploring the concept will the students' learning progress onward.
6.) The schools' interpretation of "at risk" only leads to a "dumbed-down" curriculum. It is basically interpreted by the student as not having faith in their potential to learn. Therefore, this leads to a bad experience for them.
7.) In order for schools to function more like a good game, they need to implement lessons that encourage students to take on identities in another "world". Students can then see and think like the "character" they are playing to see the concept in new ways.
8.) In the school system, students are assessed by taking tests, quizzes, presentations, etc. The teacher then assigns them a grade by looking at how they think the learner should handle the problem. Games on the other hand allow the student to do a self assessment and then decide on how they want to proceed in the game.
9.) A fish tank tutorial is one that (when finished) is a simplified version of information that can bring out "basic and important relationships". Information is given at crucial times and is shown to meet all learning style needs (visually, linguistically, and orally). Schools however don't give much verbal information up front, but are expected to remember it when needed in the future.
10.) A sand box tutorial allows the player to explore and have "free roam" with the game at your own pace. However, the game doesn't allow anything "bad to happen" because it offers hints and explanations. This is effective because it puts the player/student "in the game" but they can't lose without giving a good effort. Duirng school based learning students can fail because they don't want to explore or take risks because they could fail.
11.) Genre refers to a specific type of something. For example there are different types of books and music. It is crucial for good learning because students need to know what "type of thing they are being asked to learn and do". Learners also need to experience this in action and not just be given a set of rules.
12.) Gee says, "For humans, real learning is always associated with pleasure and is ultimately a form of play-a principle almost always dismissed by schools". Learning and gaming also have the sense of "pleasurable frustration" when succeeding.
13.) The skills tests in games are developmental whereas the skills tests in school are evaluated by authority figures.
14.) RoN supports collaborative learning by providing websites and online groups where learners can share their experiences and knowledge with peers.
15.)
2.) Gee refers to "patterns and principles" that make a theory of learning. He says, "Learning is not infinitely variable and there are patterns and principles to be discovered-patterns and principles that ultimately constitute a theory of learning. Indeed, what I am offering her is a case study meant to offer suggestions for a theory of how deep learning works".
3.) The author struggled to learn how to play Warcraft !!! because he didn't interact with it in a way that the game was designed for. In his own words he says, "...Failed to engage the good learning principles that are built into the games". What needs to happen before good learning principles is the "motivation for an extended engagement with the game".
4.) The authors' struggle to learn the game can be compared to a struggling learner in school. In a school setting, his struggle would have been interpreted as failure.
5.) "Horizontal" learning might be a better way to approach at risk students. This strategy implies that leaning experiences do not progress up or down but stay on level for an ample amount of time. Not until exploring the concept will the students' learning progress onward.
6.) The schools' interpretation of "at risk" only leads to a "dumbed-down" curriculum. It is basically interpreted by the student as not having faith in their potential to learn. Therefore, this leads to a bad experience for them.
7.) In order for schools to function more like a good game, they need to implement lessons that encourage students to take on identities in another "world". Students can then see and think like the "character" they are playing to see the concept in new ways.
8.) In the school system, students are assessed by taking tests, quizzes, presentations, etc. The teacher then assigns them a grade by looking at how they think the learner should handle the problem. Games on the other hand allow the student to do a self assessment and then decide on how they want to proceed in the game.
9.) A fish tank tutorial is one that (when finished) is a simplified version of information that can bring out "basic and important relationships". Information is given at crucial times and is shown to meet all learning style needs (visually, linguistically, and orally). Schools however don't give much verbal information up front, but are expected to remember it when needed in the future.
10.) A sand box tutorial allows the player to explore and have "free roam" with the game at your own pace. However, the game doesn't allow anything "bad to happen" because it offers hints and explanations. This is effective because it puts the player/student "in the game" but they can't lose without giving a good effort. Duirng school based learning students can fail because they don't want to explore or take risks because they could fail.
11.) Genre refers to a specific type of something. For example there are different types of books and music. It is crucial for good learning because students need to know what "type of thing they are being asked to learn and do". Learners also need to experience this in action and not just be given a set of rules.
12.) Gee says, "For humans, real learning is always associated with pleasure and is ultimately a form of play-a principle almost always dismissed by schools". Learning and gaming also have the sense of "pleasurable frustration" when succeeding.
13.) The skills tests in games are developmental whereas the skills tests in school are evaluated by authority figures.
14.) RoN supports collaborative learning by providing websites and online groups where learners can share their experiences and knowledge with peers.
15.)
- Dewey: They allow learners to practice enough so that they routinize their skills and then challenge them with new problems that force them to re-think these taken-for-granted skills and integrate them with new ones.
- Vygotsky: They offer supervised fish tank tutorials. (simplified versions of the real system)
- Piaget: They let learners create their own unsupervised sandboxes
- Gardner: They give information via several different modes.
- Bandura: They ensure that the learners have and use an affinity space wherein they can interact with peers and masters.
- Skinner:They allow learners to practice enough so that they routinize their skills and then challenge them with new problems that force them to re-think these taken-for-granted skills and integrate them with new ones.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Fostering High Quality Formative Assessent
1. Formative assessments are informal or formal assessments that occur during the learning process.
2. The purpose of formative assessments are to provide feedback to the teacher of student achievement. This will help the teacher modify and re-teach lessons if needed.
3.A best practice in formative assessment can be linked to summarizing as well as advanced organizers. When students make an organizer they are creating and summarizing the content of a subject into one area. This allows the teacher to see what they student know and what they need to work on.
4. You can use a rubric or formative and summative assessment. Students can look at the description and know what is expected. You can also calculate a grade from the point values.
5. Each morning the students have an activity to complete before their day starts. The activity is usually a worksheet that reflects a concept they were taught the day before. If the teacher sees that the students did well she uses it as a summative assessment. If they still need some work, she provides feedback and allows them to re-do the assignment.
6. For formative assessment to be effective the teacher needs to provide feedback in a timely manner so that students stay motivated with their work.
7. Two advantages of formative assessment are:
2. The purpose of formative assessments are to provide feedback to the teacher of student achievement. This will help the teacher modify and re-teach lessons if needed.
3.A best practice in formative assessment can be linked to summarizing as well as advanced organizers. When students make an organizer they are creating and summarizing the content of a subject into one area. This allows the teacher to see what they student know and what they need to work on.
4. You can use a rubric or formative and summative assessment. Students can look at the description and know what is expected. You can also calculate a grade from the point values.
5. Each morning the students have an activity to complete before their day starts. The activity is usually a worksheet that reflects a concept they were taught the day before. If the teacher sees that the students did well she uses it as a summative assessment. If they still need some work, she provides feedback and allows them to re-do the assignment.
6. For formative assessment to be effective the teacher needs to provide feedback in a timely manner so that students stay motivated with their work.
7. Two advantages of formative assessment are:
- teachers are better aware of student achievement
- students are aware of their work success
- teachers do not know how to implement high quality formative assessment
- this type of assessment isn't supported by those outside of the classroom
Simulations and Bodies
1. When the author says " Learning does not work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West", I interpret this as him saying that many classrooms expect students to only bring themselves to class. When students enter the room, they should be able to bring not only themselves but their experiences as well. Gee says When people learn something as a cultural process their bodies are involved because cultural learning always involves having experiences that facilitate learning, not just memorizing words" (Gee,____). Lessons should be hands-on and incorporate the "funds of knowledge" that a student has.
2. The best way to acquire a large vocabulary is having experience with words. Reading books and then engaging in conversation opens the door to a world of new experiences.
3. The meaning of a word depends on the context in which it is being used. For example, the author uses : "Joe is really working the system", "Relationships take work", "I managed to work my point in". All three sentences present a different definition of work.
4.
2. The best way to acquire a large vocabulary is having experience with words. Reading books and then engaging in conversation opens the door to a world of new experiences.
3. The meaning of a word depends on the context in which it is being used. For example, the author uses : "Joe is really working the system", "Relationships take work", "I managed to work my point in". All three sentences present a different definition of work.
4.
a. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present.
- In this sentence "off the hook" means that the sister no longer has to buy a gift.
b. Them shoes are off the hook dog.
- Here, "off the hook" means that "those shoes are awesome!".
c. Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!!
- In this instance, "off the hook" is standing for crazy/insane/amazing.
6. By not reading the directions, students are gaining a better understanding of the task that is before them. They are able to think at a critical level and refer or relate back to the concept when needed.
7. Knowing the literal meaning of a word basically leads to a dead end. By only knowing this meaning students can not relate the information to other concepts.
8. When the author refers to the terms "games" and "identity" he is meaning that there is a role to take on in being noticed as a reader or other "identities".
- Being a teacher requires me to act professional.
- As a finance I am to be loving and supportive.
- As an aunt I am funny, loving, and caring.
10. This completely supports my view of teaching because I believe that meaningful learning is made by having hands-on, real world experiences.
11. Peer to peer interaction is important for children's language experience because they get to interact with each other and engage in conversation to create experiences.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Language and Identity at Home
1.Some of the features of language spoken in a home that align with academic language are story telling, structure of text, and comprehension. These concepts are learned through being read to by parents/adults and also using games (video and card).
2. The features of Leona's specialized form of language is that it comes in the form of a poem. Leona speaks in stanzas that present syntax structures and rhythmic flow of words.
3. Leona's language isn't excepted in school because she is mistaken for "rambling". Leona is viewed as having a cultural deficit when really she is showing something quite unique.
4. Snow's research shows that "children living in high-poverty areas tend to fall further behind, regardless of their initial reading skill level". His recommendation contradicts this however because he says that reading should be taught in the traditionalist approach. If his research proves true, his recommendation puts the child in a situation where learning is hollow.
5. Other factors that can make or break good readers are "power, status, and solidarity". Students need the sense of being wanted/needed. When a teacher is culturally responsive learning is at its peak.
6. Students find thee "ways with words" isolating because the academic language does not support the language that they use in their home.
2. The features of Leona's specialized form of language is that it comes in the form of a poem. Leona speaks in stanzas that present syntax structures and rhythmic flow of words.
3. Leona's language isn't excepted in school because she is mistaken for "rambling". Leona is viewed as having a cultural deficit when really she is showing something quite unique.
4. Snow's research shows that "children living in high-poverty areas tend to fall further behind, regardless of their initial reading skill level". His recommendation contradicts this however because he says that reading should be taught in the traditionalist approach. If his research proves true, his recommendation puts the child in a situation where learning is hollow.
5. Other factors that can make or break good readers are "power, status, and solidarity". Students need the sense of being wanted/needed. When a teacher is culturally responsive learning is at its peak.
6. Students find thee "ways with words" isolating because the academic language does not support the language that they use in their home.
Monday, October 22, 2012
A Strange Fact About Not Learning to Read
- The fact that we should find strange is that being poor or from a minority group hinders you from learning how to read. This fact is strange because one of the goals of education is to create a sense of equality among students. Stating that one group struggles reading because of their background is discrimination. What teachers need to realize is that the link between poverty and learning to read is not because poor children are "being less good at learning than rich kids". According to Gee there was no difference between the capability of a poor student and a privileged student playing Pokemon. The disturbing thought however is that the school system doesn't feed of students' likes. This causes the student to lose interest because it isn't something that motivates them to learn therefore they fall behind and turn into struggling readers.
- There is a major difference in traditionalists and progressive educators. Traditionalists teach in a "kill and drill" step by step method. They start with phonemic awareness then move to phonics, fluency and comprehension. It is an "assembly line" process. The progressive approach focuses more on making meaning with the text. Students can't learn to read by exposing it to them one time. Reading is not a natural process like learning to walk. This doesn't necessarily mean that reading is an instructed process. Instructed processes are how you acquire knowledge. Natural processes are built withing and happen easily for most. There is also cultural processes which are things that are so important to a group that they ensure everyone who needs to learn these "things" will. Although reading is taught as an instructional process in school, humans learn better by cultural processes.
- According to the author the "fourth grade slump" occurs because students have to rely on reading to learn. When the content becomes to difficult to read then they fall behind.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Situated Language and Learning: Chapter 1
The main challenge in this book is that "people learn new ways with words, in or out of school, only when they find the worlds to which these words apply compelling" (Gee, 2004). When the author refers to "ways with words" he means exactly that. It's how we use words and their meanings in a language. Simply stated from the quote above, if we like the subject then we are more willing to learn about it. From my experience in working in a physical therapy office I've learned to use their jargon of diagnoses, exercises, and body parts. I could say that a patient was diagnosed with lumbago, but to simplify it I could say they have low back pain.
According to the author, people learn a specialized variety of language best by relating the words and structures of that language to experiences they have had. A person can very easily say that they understand a concept. But if they have actually come in contact with that concept it will have more impact/meaning for them. In the author's opinion, in order to become successful in today's society, you must be open to having diverse experiences. When you do this, you can "transform and adapt" to the fast paced status of our lives.
When the author states that only learning academic language will not be enough for success in modern society, I half agree and half don't agree. I believe that people can be as successful as they want to be. If to them reciting the language they learned from the book in school is successful, then that is precisely what they are. On the other hand, if someone takes their academic language and sets forth to make first hand experiences out if it, then they are just as sure to be successful as well. This author used his "ways with words" extremely well. He didn't speak in such a way to confuse his readers with "fancy language". What he did was use his words to help people understand the main point in his book by giving examples and using analogies.
Resource:
Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. New York, NY: Routledge.
According to the author, people learn a specialized variety of language best by relating the words and structures of that language to experiences they have had. A person can very easily say that they understand a concept. But if they have actually come in contact with that concept it will have more impact/meaning for them. In the author's opinion, in order to become successful in today's society, you must be open to having diverse experiences. When you do this, you can "transform and adapt" to the fast paced status of our lives.
When the author states that only learning academic language will not be enough for success in modern society, I half agree and half don't agree. I believe that people can be as successful as they want to be. If to them reciting the language they learned from the book in school is successful, then that is precisely what they are. On the other hand, if someone takes their academic language and sets forth to make first hand experiences out if it, then they are just as sure to be successful as well. This author used his "ways with words" extremely well. He didn't speak in such a way to confuse his readers with "fancy language". What he did was use his words to help people understand the main point in his book by giving examples and using analogies.
Resource:
Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. New York, NY: Routledge.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Student Interviews
High Performing Student
* Do you like school?
- Yes
* What do you do for fun outside of school?
- I play with friends and sometimes play sports.
* How would your classmates describe you?
- We're best friends and I'm fun.
* Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?
- Cameron. We play on the playground or go to each others' house.
* Tell me a good memory you have about school.
- In kindergarten me and Cameron would play army guys in class.
* Tell me a bad memory about school.
- We were playing and Adam and Cameron yelled at me.
* Describe a good teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.
- Mrs. Romano let me line up first and helped me with work.
* What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?
- Everyone is my friend
Struggling Student
* Do you like school?
-Yes
* What do you do for fun outside of school?
- Play with my dog, hes wild!
*How would your classmates describe you? The student didn't understand the question so I asked if they would say that he was nice, fun, or smart etc.
- The never say anything like that about me
* Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?
- We just play
* Tell me a good memory you have about school.
- The student could not think of a good memory. I tried to give examples but he said he "didn't have any good memories".
* Tell me a bad memory you have about school.
- In kindergarten a kid did a back flip and his feet hit my face. My nose was all bloody.
* Describe a good teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.
- Mrs. Joyce, because she take me to recess down the street.
* What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?
- I can do a front flip.
Characteristics of a struggling student in my classroom include:
The high performing student in my class is very outgoing and has many friends in the class. He succeeds in every subject but gets in trouble for shouting answers and being a distraction when he finishes with his work early. The teacher explains that he shouldn't shout an answer without being called on. This works for one lesson but he quickly forgets.
* Do you like school?
- Yes
* What do you do for fun outside of school?
- I play with friends and sometimes play sports.
* How would your classmates describe you?
- We're best friends and I'm fun.
* Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?
- Cameron. We play on the playground or go to each others' house.
* Tell me a good memory you have about school.
- In kindergarten me and Cameron would play army guys in class.
* Tell me a bad memory about school.
- We were playing and Adam and Cameron yelled at me.
* Describe a good teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.
- Mrs. Romano let me line up first and helped me with work.
* What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?
- Everyone is my friend
Struggling Student
* Do you like school?
-Yes
* What do you do for fun outside of school?
- Play with my dog, hes wild!
*How would your classmates describe you? The student didn't understand the question so I asked if they would say that he was nice, fun, or smart etc.
- The never say anything like that about me
* Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?
- We just play
* Tell me a good memory you have about school.
- The student could not think of a good memory. I tried to give examples but he said he "didn't have any good memories".
* Tell me a bad memory you have about school.
- In kindergarten a kid did a back flip and his feet hit my face. My nose was all bloody.
* Describe a good teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.
- Mrs. Joyce, because she take me to recess down the street.
* What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?
- I can do a front flip.
Characteristics of a struggling student in my classroom include:
- writing letters and numbers backwards
- very quiet
- needs more explanation than others with assignments
The high performing student in my class is very outgoing and has many friends in the class. He succeeds in every subject but gets in trouble for shouting answers and being a distraction when he finishes with his work early. The teacher explains that he shouldn't shout an answer without being called on. This works for one lesson but he quickly forgets.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Challenges with Inquiry Approaches
* Lack of teacher skills and knowledge in how to engage in this type of approach
*student management of work: how to work together , time management, and motivation after setbacks
*Time management from teachers: juggling new responsibilities, designing and implementing lessons, facilitating groups, scaffolding, and supporting lessons
*student management of work: how to work together , time management, and motivation after setbacks
*Time management from teachers: juggling new responsibilities, designing and implementing lessons, facilitating groups, scaffolding, and supporting lessons
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Teaching for Meaningful Learning
The "dominant paradigm" that is showing signs of wear is the traditional instructional method where knowledge comes directly from the teacher through textbooks, lectures, discussions and readings. This way of teaching versus the new movement in instruction is not preparing our students for real world situations.
Unlike traditional teaching, in Project-Based Learning students are completing more complex tasks that typically result in a realistic product, event or presentation. It focuses on bringing real world problems into the curriculum. Research has found:
1. "students who engage in this approach benefit from gains in factual learning" (Thomas, 2000)
2. students show an increase in the ability to define problems (Gallagher, Stepien, &Rosenthal, 1992)
3. students have an "enhanced ability to plan a project after working on an analogous problem based challenge ( Moore, Sherwood, Batemna, Bransford, Goldman, 1996)
Problem-Based Learning is where students work in groups on authentic problems to see what they need and produce a solution. Research shows:
1. medical students score higher on clinical problem solving and clinical performance (Vernon & Blake, 1993; Albanese & Mitchell, 1993)
2. students from correct hypotheses and are able to explain with accurate reasoning(Hmelo 1998b; Schimdt, et al., 1996)
3. teachers have a better acceptance of cultural diversity (Darling-Hammond & Hammerness, 2002)
Learning by Design allows students to design and create an artifact that requires deep understanding of what they're learning. Research shows:
1. Students have a better understanding of complex systems (Perkins, 1986)
2. ... increases motivation in both groups and individuals Fortus and colleagues (2004)
3. this approach leads to better learning outcomes ( Holton & Kolodner, 2000)
From reading the article I think the approaches are different in that project based focuses on creating realistic products, problem based is generating a solution to a problem, and learning by design is creating artifacts.
In my opinion the most important benefit between the approaches is that they relate to real world issues and offer a different type of instruction rather than the traditional textbook and lectures.
Resource:
Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. Teaching for meaningful learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf
Unlike traditional teaching, in Project-Based Learning students are completing more complex tasks that typically result in a realistic product, event or presentation. It focuses on bringing real world problems into the curriculum. Research has found:
1. "students who engage in this approach benefit from gains in factual learning" (Thomas, 2000)
2. students show an increase in the ability to define problems (Gallagher, Stepien, &Rosenthal, 1992)
3. students have an "enhanced ability to plan a project after working on an analogous problem based challenge ( Moore, Sherwood, Batemna, Bransford, Goldman, 1996)
Problem-Based Learning is where students work in groups on authentic problems to see what they need and produce a solution. Research shows:
1. medical students score higher on clinical problem solving and clinical performance (Vernon & Blake, 1993; Albanese & Mitchell, 1993)
2. students from correct hypotheses and are able to explain with accurate reasoning(Hmelo 1998b; Schimdt, et al., 1996)
3. teachers have a better acceptance of cultural diversity (Darling-Hammond & Hammerness, 2002)
Learning by Design allows students to design and create an artifact that requires deep understanding of what they're learning. Research shows:
1. Students have a better understanding of complex systems (Perkins, 1986)
2. ... increases motivation in both groups and individuals Fortus and colleagues (2004)
3. this approach leads to better learning outcomes ( Holton & Kolodner, 2000)
From reading the article I think the approaches are different in that project based focuses on creating realistic products, problem based is generating a solution to a problem, and learning by design is creating artifacts.
In my opinion the most important benefit between the approaches is that they relate to real world issues and offer a different type of instruction rather than the traditional textbook and lectures.
Resource:
Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. Teaching for meaningful learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Reverence and Listening in Teaching and Leading
Quote: "If an educational leader's community is foolish enough to make say, only test scores the good of education, then that lack of reverence limits even the best leaders" (Rud, 2010).
Response:
I chose this quote because in today's school system I feel that the wrong things are emphasized. Case in point: test scores. I am by no means saying that test scores are worthless.They provide essential information to educators in order for them to modify and teach the curriculum. However in my experience, as testing season becomes closer and closer, instruction changes considerably from engaging and meaningful to drill and kill "learn the facts". As the article suggested, school leaders (superintendents and principals) focus a surplus amount on raising the scores in math and English and exclude the fine arts subjects. When this happens students are likely to have an aversion to language arts and math because the subjects that offer equal or greater values are being taken away. This example does not hold a strong foundation for reverent and culturally responsive teaching.
Reverent listening is the "recognition of the need for aid and sustenance by others" (Rud, 2010). This supports culturally responsive teaching because as educators you need to listen to your students in order to know their needs. This can happen through communication or more powerfully, silence. Reverent listening requires you to know the students in your classroom inside and out to be able to teach them effectively . If you are culturally responsive this should be easy to do.
In order for reverent listening to take place, teachers must be able to catch their students' attention. My high school biology teacher always had an interesting story to tell relating to what we were learning. This often turned into a whole block period off subject but in the end his students learned not only through hands on experiences but having a story to connect the concept as well. Having an engaging lesson or just like the teacher in the Hobart Shakespearean movie, having a passion for what your teaching isn't forcing your students to listen. If you are enjoying what you are teaching, more than likely so will your class.
Having a "laundry list of value ethics" is saying that you have a predetermined ranking of ethical values. Many teachers run a "tight ship" when it comes to their classroom because they want things done their way. This is not culturally responsive because not everyone has the same "predetermined list". Teachers need to be flexible and prepared to help students when they are struggling. If students are seeing something differently it doesn't mean that they are incorrect, they just don't have the same views.
I've had many teachers that expressed reverence. They each took their time to listen to a students explanation and didn't single a student out when a mistake was made. Having a teacher like this made me want to go to their classroom and not be afraid to participate when needed. Each student was valued and made to feel important.
A "toxic" school is one that exhibits "irreverent culture where listening no longer occurs" (Rud, 2010). In schools like this, teachers are arrogant, dominating, and do not take difference into account.
"...reverent teachers exhibit the following traits. They show awe and wonder before the subject matter they teach. These teachers also have deep respect for their students while seeking to deserve their respect. Reverent teachers show strong leadership and include others in their deliberations. They also understand the importance of ritual and ceremony in establishing classroom and school community" (Rud, 2010).
This quote fits into my teaching philosophy because I believe that by possessing these traits you're establishing a respectable reputation with your students and creating an atmosphere that allocates student learning.
Below is a link to a list of activities to use to teach students respect. I think it is extremely important for students to not only respect their teacher but also their peers. These are great activities that can be modified to any level.
35 Activities for Respect
References
Teachers College Record Volume 112 Number 11, 2010, p. 2777-2792
http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 15792, Date Accessed: 9/19/2012 9:32:00 PM
Borba, M. (2006). 35 activities your students can do to learn respect. Retrieved from http://www.micheleborba.com/Pages/BMI05.htm
Response:
I chose this quote because in today's school system I feel that the wrong things are emphasized. Case in point: test scores. I am by no means saying that test scores are worthless.They provide essential information to educators in order for them to modify and teach the curriculum. However in my experience, as testing season becomes closer and closer, instruction changes considerably from engaging and meaningful to drill and kill "learn the facts". As the article suggested, school leaders (superintendents and principals) focus a surplus amount on raising the scores in math and English and exclude the fine arts subjects. When this happens students are likely to have an aversion to language arts and math because the subjects that offer equal or greater values are being taken away. This example does not hold a strong foundation for reverent and culturally responsive teaching.
Reverent listening is the "recognition of the need for aid and sustenance by others" (Rud, 2010). This supports culturally responsive teaching because as educators you need to listen to your students in order to know their needs. This can happen through communication or more powerfully, silence. Reverent listening requires you to know the students in your classroom inside and out to be able to teach them effectively . If you are culturally responsive this should be easy to do.
In order for reverent listening to take place, teachers must be able to catch their students' attention. My high school biology teacher always had an interesting story to tell relating to what we were learning. This often turned into a whole block period off subject but in the end his students learned not only through hands on experiences but having a story to connect the concept as well. Having an engaging lesson or just like the teacher in the Hobart Shakespearean movie, having a passion for what your teaching isn't forcing your students to listen. If you are enjoying what you are teaching, more than likely so will your class.
Having a "laundry list of value ethics" is saying that you have a predetermined ranking of ethical values. Many teachers run a "tight ship" when it comes to their classroom because they want things done their way. This is not culturally responsive because not everyone has the same "predetermined list". Teachers need to be flexible and prepared to help students when they are struggling. If students are seeing something differently it doesn't mean that they are incorrect, they just don't have the same views.
I've had many teachers that expressed reverence. They each took their time to listen to a students explanation and didn't single a student out when a mistake was made. Having a teacher like this made me want to go to their classroom and not be afraid to participate when needed. Each student was valued and made to feel important.
A "toxic" school is one that exhibits "irreverent culture where listening no longer occurs" (Rud, 2010). In schools like this, teachers are arrogant, dominating, and do not take difference into account.
"...reverent teachers exhibit the following traits. They show awe and wonder before the subject matter they teach. These teachers also have deep respect for their students while seeking to deserve their respect. Reverent teachers show strong leadership and include others in their deliberations. They also understand the importance of ritual and ceremony in establishing classroom and school community" (Rud, 2010).
This quote fits into my teaching philosophy because I believe that by possessing these traits you're establishing a respectable reputation with your students and creating an atmosphere that allocates student learning.
Below is a link to a list of activities to use to teach students respect. I think it is extremely important for students to not only respect their teacher but also their peers. These are great activities that can be modified to any level.
35 Activities for Respect
References
Teachers College Record Volume 112 Number 11, 2010, p. 2777-2792
http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 15792, Date Accessed: 9/19/2012 9:32:00 PM
Borba, M. (2006). 35 activities your students can do to learn respect. Retrieved from http://www.micheleborba.com/Pages/BMI05.htm
Monday, September 10, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Honoring Dialect and Increasing Student Performance in Standard English
One of the things that this article brought to my attention is that students have trouble picking answers on standardized tests because of what their dialect features. These students are at a severe disadvantage when it comes to taking these types of tests. This is where the second topic I have learned comes into play. "Code switching" is something I think highly of. We've had this discussion in class about "proper English"; if it's a legitimate thing and if it should be taught in our classrooms. By teaching code-switching students are able to stay within their dialect but are also able to understand how language works in other variations. I also learned that keeping students' dialects in the classroom makes them more willing to share their ideas in class through speaking, reading, and writing. The fear of saying or writing something on a piece of paper the wrong way should not hold anyone back from success.
This article portrays culturally responsive teaching by building bridges of meaningfulness between home and school experiences and acknowledges the legitimacy of the cultural heritages as worthy content to be taught in the formal curriculum. The teachers in this article kept their students dialect in their classroom and didn't force them to speak "proper English" at school. They acknowledged the students' background and used it to their advantage. What students bring from home is vital to how they learn. By keeping these two things in mind, their students were able to learn with full advantages.
An experience I've had in school relating to culturally responsive teaching happened in third grade. My teacher used to tell us "Ain't fell into a bucket of paint and was never heard of again". "Ain't" clearly isn't a part of Standard English, but in our dialect people use it all the time. Students were constantly corrected for they way they spoke. I'm sure this teacher meant no harm by correcting all the time. She thought she was doing her job. Little did she know that she was hindering students learning experiences by making them shy away from sharing in the classroom.
The link below is a blog posting from a teacher who made being culturally responsive a big part of her instruction. What I like about this post is how she reflects that she wasn't allowing the students to bring their culture into her room as much as she thought. It made me realize how fine the line is between being culturally responsive and teaching "our culture".
Early Years Blog
This article portrays culturally responsive teaching by building bridges of meaningfulness between home and school experiences and acknowledges the legitimacy of the cultural heritages as worthy content to be taught in the formal curriculum. The teachers in this article kept their students dialect in their classroom and didn't force them to speak "proper English" at school. They acknowledged the students' background and used it to their advantage. What students bring from home is vital to how they learn. By keeping these two things in mind, their students were able to learn with full advantages.
An experience I've had in school relating to culturally responsive teaching happened in third grade. My teacher used to tell us "Ain't fell into a bucket of paint and was never heard of again". "Ain't" clearly isn't a part of Standard English, but in our dialect people use it all the time. Students were constantly corrected for they way they spoke. I'm sure this teacher meant no harm by correcting all the time. She thought she was doing her job. Little did she know that she was hindering students learning experiences by making them shy away from sharing in the classroom.
The link below is a blog posting from a teacher who made being culturally responsive a big part of her instruction. What I like about this post is how she reflects that she wasn't allowing the students to bring their culture into her room as much as she thought. It made me realize how fine the line is between being culturally responsive and teaching "our culture".
Early Years Blog
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Where I'm From
I am from the winding road of Duck Creek and the sweet smell of fields full of wild flowers in the wind
I am from endless summer days at Tygart Lake, from a Crownline boat and long ski pulls up and down the smooth water
I am from the creek banks filled with crawdads, the driveway lined with Queen Anne's lace and the harmonic sound of birds as the sun rises
I am from Sunday dinners and story telling from my Papa and those ornery boys
I am from the calloused hands of my dad and the old fashioned home cooking of my mother
From " I can do all things through Christ" and " Love like there's no tomorrow"
I am from the little white church on Main Street; the blood of Jesus Christ who set us free
I'm from the Blackfoot Indian tribe, the Irish, the Dutch, and German roots that my Nanny has traced ever so meticulously
From the giggling of two sisters and our mother because we're tired, and a brother and dad who sat back and called us crazy
I'm from WVU football games, nature lovers and animal cuddlers
From rolling farmland where the grass meets the horizon
I am from a place called West Virginia
I am from endless summer days at Tygart Lake, from a Crownline boat and long ski pulls up and down the smooth water
I am from the creek banks filled with crawdads, the driveway lined with Queen Anne's lace and the harmonic sound of birds as the sun rises
I am from Sunday dinners and story telling from my Papa and those ornery boys
I am from the calloused hands of my dad and the old fashioned home cooking of my mother
From " I can do all things through Christ" and " Love like there's no tomorrow"
I am from the little white church on Main Street; the blood of Jesus Christ who set us free
I'm from the Blackfoot Indian tribe, the Irish, the Dutch, and German roots that my Nanny has traced ever so meticulously
From the giggling of two sisters and our mother because we're tired, and a brother and dad who sat back and called us crazy
I'm from WVU football games, nature lovers and animal cuddlers
From rolling farmland where the grass meets the horizon
I am from a place called West Virginia
Friday, August 31, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Adolescent Literacy
Most of the time elementary reading instruction focuses on the actual process of reading rather than reading for "ideas, information, and concepts". When students reach higher grade levels teachers aren't emphasizing the importance of a student's fluency, they are looking for comprehension skills.
Test scores are not only important for teachers to monitor progress and plan instruction. They are also important nationally and globally. According to NCTE, "the U.S. share of the global college-educated workforce has fallen from 30 percent to 14 percent in recent decades as young workers in developing nations demonstrate employer satisfying proficiency in literacy" (NCTE, 2007).
I was most surprised by the reality of using informal writing to increase student learning of concepts. When you're a student, you often don't have good study skills and you don't see the meaning behind writing a paper "x" amount of pages. I've come to learn that I remember more when I have actually written content down. (E.g. vocabulary, formulas, etc)
When teaching comprehension in the content area, I find that making the reading as engaging as possible helps the student gain meaning. For example, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's I Have a Dream speech is extremely powerful but overwhelming if you read it straight through. In a lesson you could make numbered sentence strips and have the students read the lines breaking them down one at a time. It's more effective if they read it once, read it again while breaking it down, then read it straight through for the last time to fully grasp what Dr. King is trying to say.
Literacy practices include: vocabulary, fluency, blending and segmenting, and comprehension.
We are all part of a discourse community. These communities are groups of people who are linked through languages pertaining to a certain interest. I am part of the WVU football discourse community because I know the chants that the fans yell when a good play is made. For example, shouting "Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuceee!" when Bruce Irvin would tackle someone. If you aren't a fan then you wouldn't know what that meant.
If students' valuable literacy practices are ignored they are going to lose interest in the literary material you are trying to teach. Teachers can help build on extracurricular literacy by allowing students to read or write something that they can relate to. If a student is not interested in Shakespeare, let them write about an author whose books they enjoy reading.
Throughout my schooling I have written many book reports, given plenty of presentations, and been involved in group projects. However I can not remember a single time when I was able to choose my topic. English in high school was awful. Being forced to read Shakespeare and other literary works turned me away from reading for pleasure. I loved to read as a child and I love to read now as an adult. But during those high school years I felt like my interests were ignored.
In third grade we celebrated the Jewish culture by having a "feast" of different types of Jewish food. I remember we had finished reading a text and celebrated with matzoh ball soup and bread pudding!
Resource:
The
National Counsel of Teachers of English. (2007). Adolescent literacy.
Retrieved from
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Positions/Chron0907ResearchBrief.pdf
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Tall Tales of Appalachia
Quote:
"My own father spent his life backing up, apologizing for the space he
took up in the world. He took the hillbilly stereotype to heart and all
of his life believed that he was backward and inferior..."(O'Brien, 2003).
Reaction:
I chose this quote because I believe that many people can identify with this man. We as West Virginians are constantly being put down for being hillbillies and our lack of education. However, I do not agree with him for being sorry for taking up space. Although we are criticized for who we are, we should be proud of where we come from and the hard work that our ancestors put into our land to make it thrive the way it has. I can remember being in Georgia at a farmer's market one summer. My dad was having a conversation with a man who asked where we were from. My dad told him West Virginia and the man replied "Oh you are from western Virginia?" If we are ignorant hillbillies, what do you call someone who doesn't even know the states of their own country?
Below is a video that I think sets the record straight about the stereotypes in our state.
Resources:
O'Brien, J. (May, 2003 10). Tall tales of appalachia. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/10/opinion/tall-tales-of-appalachia.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm
kleecole45. (02, 15 20). West virginia - more than a stereotype . Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBdgxBHfO7s
"....As Soon As She Opened Her Mouth!": Issues of Language, Literacy and Power
Quote:
" The degree to which you do not experience these extensive uses of print in your young life is the degree to which you do not know / understand the concepts that are so crucial to making sense out of beginning reading and writing instruction in school" (Purcell-Gates, 2002).
" I believe that if we claim to allow equal access to educational opportunity to all children in our schools then we must. But i also know that whether we interpret differences among children----or adults---- as deficit or difference depends primarily on our preconceptions, attitudes toward, and stereotypes we hold toward the individual children's communities and cultures" (Purcell-Gates, 2002)
Reaction:
I chose these quotes because they are extremely powerful. To sum up the author's extensive research, if you do not have an adequate amount of literacy knowledge you will have trouble understanding the basics of learning how to read and write. This leads to the second quote explaining education for all students without discrimination. It is truly sad to see how often teachers write off students like Donny because of the lack of background they have or the culture they are from. As sad as it is, I am sure that it would be easy for a novice teacher to get confused between having a lack of experience or actually having a learning disability. As a "soon to be" novice teacher myself, this opened my eyes to see that you have to have a clear mindset in order to "diagnose" a student in your classroom. Are they struggling because of a deficit or a difference?
Literacy knowledge is the knowledge that children have before the start of literacy instruction. It doesn't necessarily mean that the child knows how to read or write, but that they have formed ideas about literacy by observing the things that others do. Some examples are: looking at a book and "reading the pictures" , knowing which way to turn the pages in a book, knowing that the " Golden Arches" stand for McDonald's or that the red sign means stop. I have had a similar experience to the little girl the author mentions. I had been reading a book silently and my four year old nephew Caleb asked what I was doing. I responded "Reading to myself". He said, "Well how are you doing that? You're not even talking!".
As mentioned in the quote above, it is easy to have a stereotype against someone when you notice something different about them. By letting stereotypes sink in, you are taking a portion of that child's education away. Stereotypes make it easy for teachers as well as the school to have a "no care" attitude when a student is having difficulty in a subject or when a teacher thinks they know the full background on their students. Through working with Parks and Recreation, I can easily say that in many instances assumptions based on parent appearances are wrong. Just because a child comes from a low SES family does not mean that that family is illiterate. In retrospect, the bad image reflects on the school and the teacher that do not take the time to know the family of the student who they are teaching. In order to improve literacy instruction schools need to get on the level that the families are. Break the content down to simplest form and start at step one. Involve the parents as much as possible (e.g. hold workshops for parents who struggle with literacy, send home newsletters with ways parents can help at home, etc.)
The relationship between language, social class, and denial of education is this: If you come from a middle class family you will have an equal opportunity education and have the knowledge of literacy that is needed. However, if you are from a poor, working class family with little background knowledge, your education is forgotten about because you aren't "capable" of learning. Many misconceptions are formed from this relationship. If you are from West Virginia you are often thought of as a non-educated hillbilly. What people fail to look at are all of the successful West Virginians and the ability of all the rest to succeed.
I feel that the term "proper English" is old fashioned. As the author suggests, no one speaks the same way. We each have a different way / sound in which we talk. It is merely part of our individual cultures
Resource:
" The degree to which you do not experience these extensive uses of print in your young life is the degree to which you do not know / understand the concepts that are so crucial to making sense out of beginning reading and writing instruction in school" (Purcell-Gates, 2002).
" I believe that if we claim to allow equal access to educational opportunity to all children in our schools then we must. But i also know that whether we interpret differences among children----or adults---- as deficit or difference depends primarily on our preconceptions, attitudes toward, and stereotypes we hold toward the individual children's communities and cultures" (Purcell-Gates, 2002)
Reaction:
I chose these quotes because they are extremely powerful. To sum up the author's extensive research, if you do not have an adequate amount of literacy knowledge you will have trouble understanding the basics of learning how to read and write. This leads to the second quote explaining education for all students without discrimination. It is truly sad to see how often teachers write off students like Donny because of the lack of background they have or the culture they are from. As sad as it is, I am sure that it would be easy for a novice teacher to get confused between having a lack of experience or actually having a learning disability. As a "soon to be" novice teacher myself, this opened my eyes to see that you have to have a clear mindset in order to "diagnose" a student in your classroom. Are they struggling because of a deficit or a difference?
Literacy knowledge is the knowledge that children have before the start of literacy instruction. It doesn't necessarily mean that the child knows how to read or write, but that they have formed ideas about literacy by observing the things that others do. Some examples are: looking at a book and "reading the pictures" , knowing which way to turn the pages in a book, knowing that the " Golden Arches" stand for McDonald's or that the red sign means stop. I have had a similar experience to the little girl the author mentions. I had been reading a book silently and my four year old nephew Caleb asked what I was doing. I responded "Reading to myself". He said, "Well how are you doing that? You're not even talking!".
As mentioned in the quote above, it is easy to have a stereotype against someone when you notice something different about them. By letting stereotypes sink in, you are taking a portion of that child's education away. Stereotypes make it easy for teachers as well as the school to have a "no care" attitude when a student is having difficulty in a subject or when a teacher thinks they know the full background on their students. Through working with Parks and Recreation, I can easily say that in many instances assumptions based on parent appearances are wrong. Just because a child comes from a low SES family does not mean that that family is illiterate. In retrospect, the bad image reflects on the school and the teacher that do not take the time to know the family of the student who they are teaching. In order to improve literacy instruction schools need to get on the level that the families are. Break the content down to simplest form and start at step one. Involve the parents as much as possible (e.g. hold workshops for parents who struggle with literacy, send home newsletters with ways parents can help at home, etc.)
The relationship between language, social class, and denial of education is this: If you come from a middle class family you will have an equal opportunity education and have the knowledge of literacy that is needed. However, if you are from a poor, working class family with little background knowledge, your education is forgotten about because you aren't "capable" of learning. Many misconceptions are formed from this relationship. If you are from West Virginia you are often thought of as a non-educated hillbilly. What people fail to look at are all of the successful West Virginians and the ability of all the rest to succeed.
I feel that the term "proper English" is old fashioned. As the author suggests, no one speaks the same way. We each have a different way / sound in which we talk. It is merely part of our individual cultures
Resource:
Purcell Gates, V. (2002). As soon as she opened her mouth. In L. Delpit & J.K Dowdy (Eds.),
In The skin that we speak: An anthology of essays on language culture and power.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Double Journal Entry #1: Research Review for Inclusive Practices
Quote:
"I have learned that we all share the same dream...of being valued members of society with an equal chance of success." ---Judy Heuman ( Inos , 2012)
Reaction:
Inclusion is simply defined by Webster as "including all". According to authors Rita Hocog Inos and Mary Anne Quiqley, "Inclusion is education that provides access to appropriate support and remediation at every level to facilitate each child's ability to participate and achieve"( Inos , 2012). As teachers we not only need to help students with their academic needs but with their emotional needs as well to make sure they are "included" in the classroom. In my opinion there isn't a specific "kind" of student that inclusion benefits. I agree with the authors that every student no matter what their situation can benefit from this concept. Three specific types of students that can benefit from inclusion are those that are culturally diverse (ELL'S), have learning disabilities, and come from a low socioeconomic status. Inclusive practices can help these students by making them feel like they are part of their peer community.
One characteristic of an inclusive school, as mentioned above, is having a sense of community. Students should be able feel that sense of being wanted/accepted as a student. Getting to know your students is key in establishing this. Another characteristic is co-teaching. I have had the experience of co-teaching several times throughout my education. I've found that working with someone not only helps when students need one on one time but you're also able to feed off of each others strengths and weaknesses. In the end this comes out to benefit the student.
A way that students become more responsible and effective in the inclusive practice is through being problem solvers. The authors list several things that students can do: peer mediators, peer tutoring, cross-age tutoring, cooperative learning, and buddy systems are a few options. Once again this goes back to the "sense of community" aspect. Students are interacting with peers and gaining the sense of belonging.
Related Resource:
I chose this video about a student with down syndrome being placed in a regular classroom. I love his parents explanation for why they chose to have him in a regular room and how it is helping the other students as well.
INCLUSION AT WORK
Resources:
(2008). Inclusion at work in elementary school. (2008). [0]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=ji3R30PT1PQ&feature=related
Inos , R. H. (2012). Research review for inclusive practices. Retrieved from
http://www.prel.org/products/Products/Inclusive-practices.htm
"I have learned that we all share the same dream...of being valued members of society with an equal chance of success." ---Judy Heuman ( Inos , 2012)
Reaction:
Inclusion is simply defined by Webster as "including all". According to authors Rita Hocog Inos and Mary Anne Quiqley, "Inclusion is education that provides access to appropriate support and remediation at every level to facilitate each child's ability to participate and achieve"( Inos , 2012). As teachers we not only need to help students with their academic needs but with their emotional needs as well to make sure they are "included" in the classroom. In my opinion there isn't a specific "kind" of student that inclusion benefits. I agree with the authors that every student no matter what their situation can benefit from this concept. Three specific types of students that can benefit from inclusion are those that are culturally diverse (ELL'S), have learning disabilities, and come from a low socioeconomic status. Inclusive practices can help these students by making them feel like they are part of their peer community.
One characteristic of an inclusive school, as mentioned above, is having a sense of community. Students should be able feel that sense of being wanted/accepted as a student. Getting to know your students is key in establishing this. Another characteristic is co-teaching. I have had the experience of co-teaching several times throughout my education. I've found that working with someone not only helps when students need one on one time but you're also able to feed off of each others strengths and weaknesses. In the end this comes out to benefit the student.
A way that students become more responsible and effective in the inclusive practice is through being problem solvers. The authors list several things that students can do: peer mediators, peer tutoring, cross-age tutoring, cooperative learning, and buddy systems are a few options. Once again this goes back to the "sense of community" aspect. Students are interacting with peers and gaining the sense of belonging.
Related Resource:
I chose this video about a student with down syndrome being placed in a regular classroom. I love his parents explanation for why they chose to have him in a regular room and how it is helping the other students as well.
INCLUSION AT WORK
Resources:
(2008). Inclusion at work in elementary school. (2008). [0]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=ji3R30PT1PQ&feature=related
Inos , R. H. (2012). Research review for inclusive practices. Retrieved from
http://www.prel.org/products/Products/Inclusive-practices.htm
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