How I will access my students

            In this course we have learned about several different ways teachers can access their students. Selected response (multiple choice, true/false, matching), constructed responses (short answer or essay), performances based (if the student is able to complete the task successfully) or portfolio based (keeping track of how the students have progressed from the beginning to the end).

            I will access my students either by performance or portfolio based assessments. I feel that these are the best ways to see if students truly understand what they’ve been taught. It matters what the subject/lesson is to determine which one would be better used.

            If I was accessing the students writing I would want to use a portfolio based assessment to show the students progress and access them based on how they’ve improved. If I was accessing the student’s capability to do a measure liquid in a break I would use performance based assessment to make sure the student is able to measure the liquid.

            Difficulties I would encounter would primarily come from the other teachers. The other teachers would want me to give the same tests they give out. They could think that I’m being too easy on the students or I’m not teaching the same contents they are because they wouldn’t be able to measure it on same test.  Assessing the students my way and not giving out the test would prove that the students improved or truly understood the context and not just memorized the material for the test. 

Motivation Blog

           Keeping your students motivated for the entire class period is something that is very difficult for most teachers to do. It is possible though. As a teacher is it our responsibility to recognize that students go to school for 40 hours a week, some have extra curricular activities on top of that. Then teachers add homework on to all of that. As a teacher, you need to use all of the time you have with the students to the fullest so there is no or very minimal (when necessary) homework.

            As teachers there are many things that we can go to keep our students motivated in the classroom. One thing a teacher can do is stay in the students zone of proximal development. When students aren’t being pushed to do something that is very difficult most students will give up. On the other hand if the schoolwork is too easy, then students won’t try. Keeping in the ZPD is a great way to keep students motivated.  Some students will need their schema’s to be adjusted.  You will need to do this by fitting it in (assimilation) or  completely reconstruct their schema (accommodation).

            Other things teachers can do are not act as if they are better than the students, learn their names right away, show the students you respect them, make your expectations known to the class and keep the class relevant- don’t get off topic.  By doing these, students will show respect for you, the teacher and will be motivated to work during the class time because they know the information is stuff they will need to use and know why they are needing to learn it.

Classroom Management

          Classroom management is something that can be very difficult for some teachers. I plan on showing my students that I respect them from the first day of class. To do this, we’ll sit down as a class and make a class set of rules and consequences. I will also make my lesson plans to keep them actively mentally engaged while we’re in the classroom. Finally, I will make sure that there is a consistent pattern in my room and that the students know that I am available to talk to before and after class if they need help with something or need an adult to talk to. In doing this, my students will see that I respect them. I will start my classroom off in rows to show that sidebar conversations will not be tolerated. Once the students are aware of what I expect from them, they will be moved into pods. Another tactic is having a bell ringer on the board when students walk in the room so they can get busy with that right away instead of sitting and talking. You will most likely me be adjusting the students schema’s and keeping them actively mentally engaged so this is an example of Constructivist Learning Theory.

            While being a teacher is an authoritative figure, I will act more as their more knowledgeable peer instead of acting like I am better than my students. My students will notice this and in return give me respect. Connecting respect to the learning theories can be done through Behaviorist Learning Theory. The students know that I respect them and they will respect me.

            Another main aspect of classroom management is how the teacher goes about handling situations that present themselves during class. If a student is consistently talking over me and goofing off, I would be aware of what they are doing and go stand by the student. If it turns into an everyday issue, I would talk to the student after class and discuss with them that their actions are not what I expect from my students. We would see if there is something going on that we can change to prevent this problem from continuing to happen. I would never call a student out in front of the class.  If the student is doing these actions to get attention that you are encouraging them. Another reason is it disrupts the rest of the class. How a teacher handles situations in the classroom is an example of Behaviorist Learning Theory. You are showing the students what you expect out of them and how they should be acting. In return they know that there won’t be able problems in the future and that the teacher is not “out to get them”.

            Overall, I feel that making it known that you respect your students and that you’re not out to get them they will show respect back for you. This will make the teachers life and the students life easier because they both are aware of the expectations that they should meet and they are aware of the consequences of their actions. 

Day 2 Mini Lessons

Group 1 brought us back to 4^th grade. They have really cool intro with having us take a poll on our cell phones. Showed food pyramid and had a representative from each food group on our table to try. Really enjoyed your lesson!

Group 2 taught us about homophones. Started off by asking if he remembered what homophones were. We then had to make a list of as a group as to how many homophones we could think of. Then we filled out riddles that were at our tables. We chose one and read it out loud to the class.

Group3 brought us back to 3^rd grade. They had us come to the front of the classroom and sit on the floor. They asked us what respect was, then read us a book. While reading they would  ask questions of about what was going on to keep us mental engaged. At the end, they asked if the characters were disrespected and if so how, then asked for when we have been disrespected.

Group 4 brought us back to kindergarten. We counted off  of 1 and 2. We played a game were we raced we were given a letter and raced the person to go get the letter at the end of the classroom then had to read words starting with  that letter.  Team 1 dominated. 

Mini Lesson

In our mini lesson plan on Tuesday, we brought the class back to second grade. We gave each table a state and made them become and “expert” on each state, then present to the class. I thought that our concept went really well. It would have been more effective had we had more time for the lesson. I think that we should have been more prepared when it came to the graph we used on the ELMO. We just threw that together really fast when we should have made it the night before. Overall I think our mini lesson went really well. 

How would you teach?

My roommate was in my room and I asked her if I could take a few minutes of her time to ask a question. She willing agreed. I asked “How would you teach a second grader how to read?” Her eyes went bug-eyed and responded “ughhh hand them a book?” So, I realized I should narrow the topic. I thought about what I learned in second grade. I then asked “How would you explain the process of photosynthesis?” Once again looked at me as if I had four eyes, said “I don’t know how explain how I would explain that! I’m not an Ed. Major, I can’t do this stuff!”

            I think it’s funny how everyone always says that “teaching is easy” or “gosh, I just wish I could be an Ed. Major/teacher so I didn’t have to do anything!” Yet, when asked how to explain something at a second grade level they’re unable to. I think this helped my roommate to realize that teaching is harder than it seems. She even said to me “wow Car, I never really thought about what you do.” Not going to lie, this made me really happy! J

DLT and SLT with More Knowledgeable Peer

DLT and SLT are very similar while they are still different. I feel that you when teaching, you need to start with a concrete form of DLT from there you move to abstract DLT. You continue to move from concrete to abstract to make sure your students are fully understanding and grasping the concepts you are teaching them. There is a gap from concrete to abstract and that’s where SLT comes into play. SLT is the social interaction you have with your students. It bridges the gap so that the more knowledgeable peer can help how the context is worded.

            The more knowledgeable peer is a peer (or teacher) that has the knowledge and tries to help others out. Using SLT focuses on other people who you are teaching. An example is once a teacher asks a question, they go straight into group conversation. It’s SLT because the students are interacting with each other and being social and the more knowledgeable peer could help if a student in the group is not grasping the concepts the way they should be and can re-explain the situation.