Today, I did a science lesson with the fourth-graders about the reflection and absorption of light. This lesson was the first of the light unit and I don't think the lesson have could have much better! For the lesson, I divided the class into five groups and assigned each group member a role (recorder, reporter, scientist, and group leader). When creating the groups ahead of time, I decided to mix up the students a bit more than normal.
I had prepared materials for students to investigate with and the materials included foil pans, aluminum foil, cds, wax paper, two mirrors, flashlights, brightly colored index cards, and the students were also free to use objects throughout the classroom. In their small groups, students designed set-ups that they would share with the class for 2-3 minutes. Students were able to create systems to shine rainbows and reflections on the ceiling; one group made a "projector" that was just so creative. The students would observe at each group's station as the the reporter walked the class through what was happening.
I was so fascinated by the impressive level of collaboration and the groups worked really well together. The class loved the lesson and couldn't stop talking about how much fun they had throughout the hour. I felt as though I was in control and really peaked the interests of the students. The students enjoyed having a hands-on activity and how they were able to showcase/present their work to others. Just wanted to report on how well everything went today!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
"Growing Up Online"
Click on the title of this post to view an extremely powerful and eye-opening website. This FRONTLINE video/article is called "Growing Up Online." You can watch the entire program from the website - I strongly suggest watching at least a few clips! The focus of this website is to clue in adults about the silent world that young adults and children are creating online and with other technology, such as text messaging. I was absolutely fascinated by the video clips and recommend watching them a few times to really let the message sink in about virtual societies.
According to the website, the film "takes viewers inside the private worlds that kids are creating online, raising important questions about how the Internet is transforming the experience of adolescence. At school, teachers are trying to figure out how to reach a generation that no longer reads books or newspapers. Fear of online predators has led teachers and parents to focus primarily on keeping kids safe online. But many young people think these fears are misplaced. Online media has also intensified the social dimensions of adolescence as teens create and play with identities on sites like MySpace and Facebook and encounter intense peer pressure in a variety of virtual worlds. Parents are confused about how to respond to the increasingly private worlds inhabited by their children, lacking an understanding of both the creative potential and the genuine risks of this new dimension of our cultural environment."
I believe as future educators that it is our responsibility to be current with issues such as the untouched virtual world of students today. There is a very helpful section on the website for educators, which is complete with suggested lesson plans and more in depth analysis of internet use in different settings (i.e. home, school, etc.). Read this section and let me know if it helps you at all!
Here are some questions that I have and I would love to hear your thoughts/opinions:
-What are some ways to protect students while online?
-How can parents tap into this private tech savvy generation?
-Should parents and teachers collaborate to help control online environments?
-When is a parent or teacher overstepping their boundaries?
-What are some implications of being so dependent on technology?
I believe this is an overwhelming issue for teachers because our students will be greatly affected. For example, the website mentions cyber-bullying and how it is even more problematic than traditional in-school bullying - these will be newer issues that we may face in school systems. This website will help us start thinking proactively about issues and scenarios that we may encounter in the future.
According to the website, the film "takes viewers inside the private worlds that kids are creating online, raising important questions about how the Internet is transforming the experience of adolescence. At school, teachers are trying to figure out how to reach a generation that no longer reads books or newspapers. Fear of online predators has led teachers and parents to focus primarily on keeping kids safe online. But many young people think these fears are misplaced. Online media has also intensified the social dimensions of adolescence as teens create and play with identities on sites like MySpace and Facebook and encounter intense peer pressure in a variety of virtual worlds. Parents are confused about how to respond to the increasingly private worlds inhabited by their children, lacking an understanding of both the creative potential and the genuine risks of this new dimension of our cultural environment."
I believe as future educators that it is our responsibility to be current with issues such as the untouched virtual world of students today. There is a very helpful section on the website for educators, which is complete with suggested lesson plans and more in depth analysis of internet use in different settings (i.e. home, school, etc.). Read this section and let me know if it helps you at all!
Here are some questions that I have and I would love to hear your thoughts/opinions:
-What are some ways to protect students while online?
-How can parents tap into this private tech savvy generation?
-Should parents and teachers collaborate to help control online environments?
-When is a parent or teacher overstepping their boundaries?
-What are some implications of being so dependent on technology?
I believe this is an overwhelming issue for teachers because our students will be greatly affected. For example, the website mentions cyber-bullying and how it is even more problematic than traditional in-school bullying - these will be newer issues that we may face in school systems. This website will help us start thinking proactively about issues and scenarios that we may encounter in the future.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Interesting Website
Check out this website if you are interested in literature circles (just click on the blog title "Interesting Website"). I know I have spent a great deal of time writing about literature circles - I just love how everything is unfolding with my Sounder literature circle! There are helpful tips and links that are easily accessible.
Some of the tips include:
* Offer students a choice: letting students pick a book, a theme, and a project gives even the most reluctant reader a vested interest in the material.
* Don't dominate the discussion: part of the fun is seeing where the students go in the circle, therefore teachers should observe, offer feedback, and gently guide things back on track when necessary, but not micromanage.
* Encourage reflection: after the students finish their circle, have them write about what they thought of the discussion. For younger students, it can be a few sentences. For older students, it can be a stream-of-consciousness-style journal entry.
* Assign a project: many teachers have their students do projects at the end of the book discussion because this is an especially effective way for the nonverbal students to express themselves.
* Be aware of common pitfalls: students who read too far ahead and give away the ending, students who are unprepared, and discussions that go too far off track can derail a literature circle.
Some of the tips include:
* Offer students a choice: letting students pick a book, a theme, and a project gives even the most reluctant reader a vested interest in the material.
* Don't dominate the discussion: part of the fun is seeing where the students go in the circle, therefore teachers should observe, offer feedback, and gently guide things back on track when necessary, but not micromanage.
* Encourage reflection: after the students finish their circle, have them write about what they thought of the discussion. For younger students, it can be a few sentences. For older students, it can be a stream-of-consciousness-style journal entry.
* Assign a project: many teachers have their students do projects at the end of the book discussion because this is an especially effective way for the nonverbal students to express themselves.
* Be aware of common pitfalls: students who read too far ahead and give away the ending, students who are unprepared, and discussions that go too far off track can derail a literature circle.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Planting the seed...
Even though this week was Spring Break, I still visited my fourth grade classroom. The class was so excited when I came in because they didn't think I would be there at all! I wanted to go in because I didn't want to miss the literature circle and I also had some great lesson ideas to share with Mr. B.
The students in my literature circle asked me why I wasn't supposed to come in for the day. I explained that Spring Break in college is similar to their February Vacation. They couldn't believe I went to school when I didn't have to go! One student then asked if I would be visiting every Tuesday for the remainder of the year and that was the first time I realized how hard it would be to break it to the kids that this wasn't a permanent placement. I told the group that I have a few more Tuesdays and immediately the group asked if I could still stop to visit. I happily agreed to come by here and there until the semester ends.
Here is the big question... how do you plan on planting the seed that we are done in a few weeks? I don't know about you, but I have grown so attached to each student and I will be sad when our placements have ended. I would love to hear some ideas about what you think you will say to the students in your class. How will you approach saying goodbye? I bet this will be harder than we think!
The students in my literature circle asked me why I wasn't supposed to come in for the day. I explained that Spring Break in college is similar to their February Vacation. They couldn't believe I went to school when I didn't have to go! One student then asked if I would be visiting every Tuesday for the remainder of the year and that was the first time I realized how hard it would be to break it to the kids that this wasn't a permanent placement. I told the group that I have a few more Tuesdays and immediately the group asked if I could still stop to visit. I happily agreed to come by here and there until the semester ends.
Here is the big question... how do you plan on planting the seed that we are done in a few weeks? I don't know about you, but I have grown so attached to each student and I will be sad when our placements have ended. I would love to hear some ideas about what you think you will say to the students in your class. How will you approach saying goodbye? I bet this will be harder than we think!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Combatting Stress!
Tuesday was quite a day!
My teacher and I agreed that I would be able have about an hour to complete a science lesson that I had been planning. I spent a great deal of time prepping for this lesson and I was so excited to see the kids' reactions. I planned on opening the lesson using sign language and spending a few minutes reflecting on how different life would be for each student in class if they lost their hearing (i.e. how would their favorite hobbies/activities be different, what would school be like, would people treat them differently, etc.). I thought this would be an interesting way to start a lesson because the CMT prompt last Tuesday was to describe how life would be different if students woke up one inch tall. After sharing ideas, I would move onto how the human ear functions and feeling vibrations in our throats by humming in different pitches (we would talk about how people who cannot hear are unable to hear the vibrations even though they can feel the vibrations). I then planned for us to move into a hands-on activity using rulers - the students would investigate the range of vibrations and pitches of sound the rulers made while hanging different lengths over the edges of desks.
Most of this went well...
Except for the fact that my one hour time slot was slashed down to thirty minutes!!!!
Thirty minutes?!? How do you squeeze anything into thirty minutes? Especially everything I just described! I panicked and immediately became stressed out! If I were an experienced teacher, I would immediately be able to modify the lesson to be appropriate for a thirty minute time slot. However, I felt the extreme pressure of the clock ticking and both the teacher and my supervisor watching me/taking notes. I think I did a fair job given the circumstances, but I certainly do not look forward to that EVER happening again!
My teacher and I agreed that I would be able have about an hour to complete a science lesson that I had been planning. I spent a great deal of time prepping for this lesson and I was so excited to see the kids' reactions. I planned on opening the lesson using sign language and spending a few minutes reflecting on how different life would be for each student in class if they lost their hearing (i.e. how would their favorite hobbies/activities be different, what would school be like, would people treat them differently, etc.). I thought this would be an interesting way to start a lesson because the CMT prompt last Tuesday was to describe how life would be different if students woke up one inch tall. After sharing ideas, I would move onto how the human ear functions and feeling vibrations in our throats by humming in different pitches (we would talk about how people who cannot hear are unable to hear the vibrations even though they can feel the vibrations). I then planned for us to move into a hands-on activity using rulers - the students would investigate the range of vibrations and pitches of sound the rulers made while hanging different lengths over the edges of desks.
Most of this went well...
Except for the fact that my one hour time slot was slashed down to thirty minutes!!!!
Thirty minutes?!? How do you squeeze anything into thirty minutes? Especially everything I just described! I panicked and immediately became stressed out! If I were an experienced teacher, I would immediately be able to modify the lesson to be appropriate for a thirty minute time slot. However, I felt the extreme pressure of the clock ticking and both the teacher and my supervisor watching me/taking notes. I think I did a fair job given the circumstances, but I certainly do not look forward to that EVER happening again!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Tonight was a very interesting night for me! I had dinner with a teacher in Torrington and we talked in great detail about our philosophies and beliefs. I loved being able to connect with a peer who is already in the field. I was able to connect some of my Tuesday experiences with her experiences in her third grade classroom. Tonight was the first night that I felt like a professional and I look forward to student teaching because I will have many more of these experiences! We were able to share some great ideas with one another - such as classroom management, seating arrangements, and classroom libraries. For student teaching and when I have my future classroom, I will certainly collaborate with friends that are already teaching! Have you had the opportunity to talk with others that are already in the field? I would love to hear about people you already know teaching and some of the advice they have told you!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Progress of My Literature Circle
As I had mentioned previously, I started my literature circle with my group of fourth graders. I was given the option by the teacher to decide which book to use and I selected Sounder by William H. Armstrong. I selected this book because I have never read the book and also because I could tell how interesting the story would be by skimming the pages and looking at the illustrations.
My coordinating teacher chose which five students would be participating with my literature circle and he also gave me a packet that he uses for other literature circles. I sensed that the packet could be greatly improved, so I took the liberty to create a new one based on the old one. My teacher loved the new packet and even asked if he could use it in the future! I was so excited that he was pleased with my work and I felt proud.
Preparing for the literature circle was not overwhelming. I reviewed Tompkin's section on literature circles and researched online at various websites. I cherry-picked what I thought were the best suggestions and put together was I believed was best for my group. I planned well in advance; I made a chart illustrating who will have what role each week (six weeks in total). Also, I created some activities that were directly related to topics in the book. I have learned that preparation is key, though the discussion is dynamic which you can not always prepare for!
Overall, I absolutely love the literature circle. I am trying hard to make the students feel invested in their work, which is seemingly successful thus far. I will continue to blog about our meetings in detail.
Please ask any questions that you may have. Also, if you would like to see a copy of the packet (before and/or after) just let me know!
My coordinating teacher chose which five students would be participating with my literature circle and he also gave me a packet that he uses for other literature circles. I sensed that the packet could be greatly improved, so I took the liberty to create a new one based on the old one. My teacher loved the new packet and even asked if he could use it in the future! I was so excited that he was pleased with my work and I felt proud.
Preparing for the literature circle was not overwhelming. I reviewed Tompkin's section on literature circles and researched online at various websites. I cherry-picked what I thought were the best suggestions and put together was I believed was best for my group. I planned well in advance; I made a chart illustrating who will have what role each week (six weeks in total). Also, I created some activities that were directly related to topics in the book. I have learned that preparation is key, though the discussion is dynamic which you can not always prepare for!
Overall, I absolutely love the literature circle. I am trying hard to make the students feel invested in their work, which is seemingly successful thus far. I will continue to blog about our meetings in detail.
Please ask any questions that you may have. Also, if you would like to see a copy of the packet (before and/or after) just let me know!
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