Well, I was hoping that my classes last semester would provide blogging inspiration but instead it left me buried in paperwork and exams. Has it really been six months since I’ve written a blog?!?! This semester is not panning out to be much different, however I will say that my classes are much more meaningful now that I can actually relate them to my career.
In my brief but glorious 3 week break from classes I read Debbie Miller’s book, Reading with Meaning. The books takes the reader through the school year with a class of first graders during their reader’s workshop. Man, was I impressed with what these first grader’s were capable of by the end of the school year! Several student artifacts were presented in the book and, from a developmental perspective, these students seem to be thinking at a much higher cognitive level than is typical of a 7 year old.
Her technique had a strong focus on metacognition and comprehension. She modeled, explicitly, the thinking process of readers and spent a significant amount of time characterizing qualities of readers. These first graders were making insightful inferences and comparisons. They were having thoughtful discussions and (in an unexpectedly abstract manner) making metaphors to describe reading. Below are a couple of quotes provided by her students, one about inferring and one about synthesizing:
“When we infer together, it’s like a wire that connects from my head to someone else’s head, on and on and on, all around the circle.” – Riley (Reading with Meaning, Miller, 2002)
“Synthesizing is like putting a puzzle together. You have to sort out your thinking and put it in the right place.”- Cory (Reading with Meaning, Miller, 2002)
Maybe its lack of experience spending enough time with first graders, but that seems highly philosophical for that age in my mind. It’s amazing to me that her method instilled such a deep understanding not just of the texts but of the process, the strategies which they will probably be using throughout their academic career. I guess I have become accustomed to expecting reading instruction to first focus on how to read, then to move into comprehension. I think Miller’s approach is brilliant. What resulted was that students became highly motivated to build reading skills.
I recommend this book, although some of the comments on Amazon stated that the book is probably more suited for new teachers. I learned a lot from her technique that I intend to use and will likely be re-reading this book a few times to re-absorb it.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Good Ideas
While playing on the internet a little, I found a website with some great lesson plan resources. I like to read lesson plans and keep ones that I like in a file and on my blog so that I have something to draw from my first years of teaching- one can never be too prepared.
Sometimes the plans I read just inspire lots of great ideas (thank you to experienced contributers who post those to share:). One that I viewed on this site tied in to the theme of community building that I have been thinking about a lot lately. The plan was intended to help young students become more familiar with their environment in the first days of school. The lesson was to introduce mapping skills while going through the rules and procedures important in those first couple days of school.
The idea led me to think of all kinds of variations on this idea that could serve as fun icebreakers as well as the introduction to the classroom community, reading, and map skills. It also reminds me of how important map skills are, even in our GPS; Mapquest, Google Earth society. In fact I almost think that they are more important because of that, children are not exposed to the same natural learning experiences- technology although fantastic in may ways also puts us in a weakened position when expected to survive with out it. I think kids of this technological generation are at a real disadvantage in that respect.
The lesson plan had children mark important spots on a simplified map of the school, as they toured the building and received instruction on rules bathroom use, library etiquette, cafeteria use, ect. I think the same concept could be used when introducing students to the setup and use of classroom resources. Re-enforcement to the use and procedures of the classroom can be turned into an icebreaker scavenger hunt, where kids are placed in groups and work as a team to find items on a list according to their use and storage in the room and then have to recite, write and/or discuss the procedure for use with their group.
Another really great lesson plan I read on this site is for older students as a year end culmination to the studies in history- whats great about this lesson is that it can incorporate several different components that build upon one another and also allows for integration into other subject areas such as research, writing, art and math. There is also the opportunity for independent work and collaboration. One of the things I might do is have students research and complete a portion of a timeline as a small group and then have them exchange their materials with another group and use the information gathered by the other group to create a diorama or theatrical re-enactment.
Sometimes the plans I read just inspire lots of great ideas (thank you to experienced contributers who post those to share:). One that I viewed on this site tied in to the theme of community building that I have been thinking about a lot lately. The plan was intended to help young students become more familiar with their environment in the first days of school. The lesson was to introduce mapping skills while going through the rules and procedures important in those first couple days of school.
The idea led me to think of all kinds of variations on this idea that could serve as fun icebreakers as well as the introduction to the classroom community, reading, and map skills. It also reminds me of how important map skills are, even in our GPS; Mapquest, Google Earth society. In fact I almost think that they are more important because of that, children are not exposed to the same natural learning experiences- technology although fantastic in may ways also puts us in a weakened position when expected to survive with out it. I think kids of this technological generation are at a real disadvantage in that respect.
The lesson plan had children mark important spots on a simplified map of the school, as they toured the building and received instruction on rules bathroom use, library etiquette, cafeteria use, ect. I think the same concept could be used when introducing students to the setup and use of classroom resources. Re-enforcement to the use and procedures of the classroom can be turned into an icebreaker scavenger hunt, where kids are placed in groups and work as a team to find items on a list according to their use and storage in the room and then have to recite, write and/or discuss the procedure for use with their group.
Another really great lesson plan I read on this site is for older students as a year end culmination to the studies in history- whats great about this lesson is that it can incorporate several different components that build upon one another and also allows for integration into other subject areas such as research, writing, art and math. There is also the opportunity for independent work and collaboration. One of the things I might do is have students research and complete a portion of a timeline as a small group and then have them exchange their materials with another group and use the information gathered by the other group to create a diorama or theatrical re-enactment.
Thinking About the Thought Organ
A friend from school sent me this article on the brain and adults ability to learn new information. It is interesting and made me think…
Retention is something that plagues me with my school work. I just can’t seem to memorize facts the way I used to. I often resort to creating elaborate stories to relate information I am learning to things that are a part of my everyday life so that a person, object or event in my daily life will repeatedly make me recall something I am learning and hopefully help me internalize by test time. And along the same line, where the article states that adult brains rely on “similarity of sounds” in order to recall information, such as names, reminds me a lot of my own method of going through each letter of the alphabet mentally to recall a name. For some reason, if I focus on a particular letter and its sound, with the intention of trying to figure out a word or name I have forgotten, it helps me to remember what it starts with, then eventually I remember what it is I am trying to recall.
I have always been intrigued by the human brain. It truely is like a giant sponge, able to absorb massive amounts of information and hold it within. We know that children, especially in their earliest years are capable of absorbing and retaining even the most complex information. We also know that it seems the younger the brain that is absorbing information, the greater the retention, recall and affect that the information has. When we get older, our brain sponges are so full and heavy that information may begin to simply try to find free space where it can be stored. Maybe this is part of the problem- with limited free space left information is not able to order itself in meaningful ways; organize information according to type and use.
Several images appear when I think of this theory. The first is walking into an almost full movie theater, where available seats are scattered between groups of people because people tend to leave one or two seats between their group and others. People who arrive late often can’t find a group of seats together. Another image that conjures up is a computer that needs its files de-fragmented. The computer does not operate at an optimal speed of information recall when files are not compressed and organized efficiently, but spread out and saved only where there is free space.
Much the same as a computer, or a sponge, or the movie theater with several groups randomly spread, our brain sometimes need to be re-organized, useless info needs to be squeezed out to make space for more important things.
I think this is why journaling is such a useful tool. It allows for the brain to rid itself of things that are not important for long term retention, so that the brain can make room for important things. I notice that schools are utilizing journaling a lot these days- definitely more than it was used when I was in my primary and secondary school. I wonder if it is intentionally for this purpose- a result of research- or if it is simply a useful side effect to something that is used mostly as a literacy tool.
The psychological impact of journal writing was something that was greatly stressed when I worked in holistic health care. It was a great tool for helping people overcome somatic patterns. I also found it a useful suggestion for people with memory issues, trauma recall and emotional instability. I basically would recommend it anytime I sensed someone was not grounded.
I find it extremely interesting when I can draw correlations between my former career and teaching. Its amazing to discover how tools used for educational purpose can transcend academics and become valuable to other levels of the human experience. It’s another level of education to consider.
Retention is something that plagues me with my school work. I just can’t seem to memorize facts the way I used to. I often resort to creating elaborate stories to relate information I am learning to things that are a part of my everyday life so that a person, object or event in my daily life will repeatedly make me recall something I am learning and hopefully help me internalize by test time. And along the same line, where the article states that adult brains rely on “similarity of sounds” in order to recall information, such as names, reminds me a lot of my own method of going through each letter of the alphabet mentally to recall a name. For some reason, if I focus on a particular letter and its sound, with the intention of trying to figure out a word or name I have forgotten, it helps me to remember what it starts with, then eventually I remember what it is I am trying to recall.
I have always been intrigued by the human brain. It truely is like a giant sponge, able to absorb massive amounts of information and hold it within. We know that children, especially in their earliest years are capable of absorbing and retaining even the most complex information. We also know that it seems the younger the brain that is absorbing information, the greater the retention, recall and affect that the information has. When we get older, our brain sponges are so full and heavy that information may begin to simply try to find free space where it can be stored. Maybe this is part of the problem- with limited free space left information is not able to order itself in meaningful ways; organize information according to type and use.
Several images appear when I think of this theory. The first is walking into an almost full movie theater, where available seats are scattered between groups of people because people tend to leave one or two seats between their group and others. People who arrive late often can’t find a group of seats together. Another image that conjures up is a computer that needs its files de-fragmented. The computer does not operate at an optimal speed of information recall when files are not compressed and organized efficiently, but spread out and saved only where there is free space.
Much the same as a computer, or a sponge, or the movie theater with several groups randomly spread, our brain sometimes need to be re-organized, useless info needs to be squeezed out to make space for more important things.
I think this is why journaling is such a useful tool. It allows for the brain to rid itself of things that are not important for long term retention, so that the brain can make room for important things. I notice that schools are utilizing journaling a lot these days- definitely more than it was used when I was in my primary and secondary school. I wonder if it is intentionally for this purpose- a result of research- or if it is simply a useful side effect to something that is used mostly as a literacy tool.
The psychological impact of journal writing was something that was greatly stressed when I worked in holistic health care. It was a great tool for helping people overcome somatic patterns. I also found it a useful suggestion for people with memory issues, trauma recall and emotional instability. I basically would recommend it anytime I sensed someone was not grounded.
I find it extremely interesting when I can draw correlations between my former career and teaching. Its amazing to discover how tools used for educational purpose can transcend academics and become valuable to other levels of the human experience. It’s another level of education to consider.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Breaking Bad Habits
Every now and then I like to take a look at articles which cover potential questions a teacher may encounter during a job interview. It gives me an opportunity to think about where I am at right now and how I might begin to formulate the answers to certain common questions as I move along in my education.
One of the questions that often show up in the articles is variations of the question “What is your behavior management plan?” I’ve mentioned, probably several times, that I often think about, stress, and otherwise try to prepare myself for managing a classroom full of children. I’ve picked up lots of good ideas as I’ve read more and more about this topic but I have also learned that there is no one size fits all approach to managing the classroom and child behavior.
This combined with my impending child and educational psychology classes has had me thinking about how to create a strong classroom community. I have decided that at this point, I am starting to build a foundation for my teaching philosophy which also happens to be the base layer for how I plan on managing my classroom someday. This most basic level is building an accepting, functional, tight knit classroom community. I really want my classroom to be a place where students enjoy coming to. I want it to be a place where each person feels that they contribute something valuable and that they feel respected and valued. I have been a member of a classroom community where I did not feel safe and comfortable before and it has stuck with me for many years. I never want any one of my students to feel out of place or afraid. I don’t have an complete behavior management plan yet, as it is much too early, but I know for sure that the first step in avoiding problems that require behavior intervention is to achieve an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable.
That being said, I have been reading about the psychological effect of our words and how the way in which we phrase something can have a strong impact psychologically. This is something I have learned about before but it is also one of those things that I often don’t think about on a daily basis. At some point we fall into habits which are hard to break.
As part of preparing myself for the responsibility of working with impressionable children, and also as a bit of a New Years resolution for myself, I have decided to really make a habit of thinking about how I phrase things. Some important points I need to remember are:
1. Stating the positive side, rather than the negative of a statement. Instead of saying “I don’t want…” I would state what I do want. Instead of saying what I don’t like, I should say what I do like. My hope is that it will turn into a habit to always state the positive angle of my point. As a teacher I think it will help to make my guidance appear as a new way of doing something or a different approach rather than a critique of what a student has done or a statement of wrong doing.
2. Spend more time complimenting good qualities rather than pointing out undesirable ones. I don’t know what it is exactly, but it’s a lot easier to voice one’s opinion about something that upsets us than to randomly compliment something we like about another person. It’s really not a good way to go through life, but another one of those habits we pick up. I think that as a teacher, this is a good behavior to model so that students will learn the positive effects of boosting another’s self esteem by focusing on their best qualities.
One of the questions that often show up in the articles is variations of the question “What is your behavior management plan?” I’ve mentioned, probably several times, that I often think about, stress, and otherwise try to prepare myself for managing a classroom full of children. I’ve picked up lots of good ideas as I’ve read more and more about this topic but I have also learned that there is no one size fits all approach to managing the classroom and child behavior.
This combined with my impending child and educational psychology classes has had me thinking about how to create a strong classroom community. I have decided that at this point, I am starting to build a foundation for my teaching philosophy which also happens to be the base layer for how I plan on managing my classroom someday. This most basic level is building an accepting, functional, tight knit classroom community. I really want my classroom to be a place where students enjoy coming to. I want it to be a place where each person feels that they contribute something valuable and that they feel respected and valued. I have been a member of a classroom community where I did not feel safe and comfortable before and it has stuck with me for many years. I never want any one of my students to feel out of place or afraid. I don’t have an complete behavior management plan yet, as it is much too early, but I know for sure that the first step in avoiding problems that require behavior intervention is to achieve an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable.
That being said, I have been reading about the psychological effect of our words and how the way in which we phrase something can have a strong impact psychologically. This is something I have learned about before but it is also one of those things that I often don’t think about on a daily basis. At some point we fall into habits which are hard to break.
As part of preparing myself for the responsibility of working with impressionable children, and also as a bit of a New Years resolution for myself, I have decided to really make a habit of thinking about how I phrase things. Some important points I need to remember are:
1. Stating the positive side, rather than the negative of a statement. Instead of saying “I don’t want…” I would state what I do want. Instead of saying what I don’t like, I should say what I do like. My hope is that it will turn into a habit to always state the positive angle of my point. As a teacher I think it will help to make my guidance appear as a new way of doing something or a different approach rather than a critique of what a student has done or a statement of wrong doing.
2. Spend more time complimenting good qualities rather than pointing out undesirable ones. I don’t know what it is exactly, but it’s a lot easier to voice one’s opinion about something that upsets us than to randomly compliment something we like about another person. It’s really not a good way to go through life, but another one of those habits we pick up. I think that as a teacher, this is a good behavior to model so that students will learn the positive effects of boosting another’s self esteem by focusing on their best qualities.
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