FINAL Blog (#6)

1. Thinking about Ravitch—a game: After the resignation of the Secretary of Education, President Obama has called you on the phone and wants to know what you think are the first five things to be done about education. What is your response?

The first five things I would tell Obama to change about education are:

1. Abolish NCLB, immediately!

2. Every district should establish an “Emergency Reform Committee”.

3. Curriculum needs to be evaluated and we need to ensure a well-built curriculum for ALL students, everywhere.

4. We need to provide districts with adequate supplies and resources, while enlisting the partnership of local communities for support.

5. Experienced and well educated teachers need to be recruited, especially to help rookie   teachers in their first few years. This type of mentorship program nationwide could help keep teachers in the field.

2. What has been meaningful for you about Ravitch?

            After reading Ravitch, the most meaningful thing to me was the information presented in this book. I appreciated her way of giving background information on NCLB, charter schools, “The Billionaire Boys Club”, etc. before heading into discussion on the effect they have had on the public education system as a whole. I felt this text provided a way to be updated on the current issues, especially after reading the Epilogue. More specifically, I was taken aback by the Obama Administration’s position on education. I was especially surprised to discover how the current administration used “carrot and stick strategies” to get schools to buy into charter schools and merit pay. It seems to me that this administration is following in the same footsteps as previous administrations, which follows the current fad or trend. This is a scary realization.

            Another meaningful component of reading Ravitch was the awareness it brought to me and other educators. This book has become a topic of discussion between myself and other teachers at my school. A couple other teachers have asked my opinion of the book and I have encouraged them to give it a read. Overall, this book has made me aware of the issues at hand, as well as my opinion on these matters. Reading the disparities we face as educators motivates me to inform those around me (including non educators) and to get out there and do something. Before I was sheltered from the issues surrounding school reform and now, I am in the light, yearning for more. Furthermore, I am considering a future in education reform, of course after MANY years in education. I think it is imperative we take heed of some of Ravitch’s ideas.

3. Given the current state of American education, what can you do as a teacher and as a citizen?

            As a teacher, I believe it is important for me to make others aware of the impending danger that our public schools face. Spreading the word of the disparities and encouraging those close to me to take a look at the literature behind the issues can help make more and more people aware. Additionally, getting teachers and administrators at my school to employ strategies that help the students, and their families, get and stay motivated is another way to improve the state of education. On page 240 Ravitch argues, “Families must do their part to get children ready for school. Families implant basic attitudes and values about learning, as well as the self-discipline and good manners necessary for learning in a group”. We must all do our part for the overall success of education. As a teacher, part of my responsibility, I feel, is to breakdown negative stereotypes in and of education.

            As a citizen, I can stay current on social and economic issues in order to have a deeper understanding and awareness of other factors that affect education reform. It is also important to see to it that schools in my own neighborhood, not just the one I work at, have community support and find ways to volunteer my time and resources. After noticing a few school closures in my area I never thought to ask what I could have done. Now, after reading and becoming more aware of the types of issues in the public education sector, I am eager to find out how I can help schools in my local community.

4. Find two national or state associations from your subject area and describe what you find from each website.

1.     National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)-This website provided an array of information for teachers, some of which was a bit confusing, nonetheless I would like to join. The NCTE offers teachers with resources that are from other teachers, a great networking opportunity, which also allows teachers to focus in on their specific needs. Particularly informative was the tab on the website called “Get Involved”. Here there are numerous ways for someone to get involved for example, participating in National Day on Writing, joining online conversations, and volunteering for the NCTE. Another component of the NCTE website that I especially enjoyed was the tab for “Professional Development”. I am always looking for ways to increase my content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge; this is a great resource in finding places to do this.

2.     California Teachers Association (CTA)- The one question I still have from reviewing this website, what is the exact application process for the CTA? After much review, the CTA appears to be union-esque in nature. This website is organized in a user-friendly manner with a lot of resources to get lost in. The CTA website provides users the chance to learn about current events in education, ways in which to become part of the change, and places in which to find further education on said topics. Specifically, this website has a place for parents and the community. Having a resource for parents and members of the community, on a website that provides information from teachers and for teachers, can be extremely helpful. This is a great way to promote a positive attitude toward education.

5. Because it was impossible in the six weeks for you to find al the resources you might wish to find in your content area, and/or investigate the experiential resources held in the Bay Area, please respond to the following:

Over the next three years, if you could, what would you…

            a) still like to see in the Bay Area—name 5:

·      Medocino Writers’ Conference

·      Bay Area Poets in the Schools

·      DeYoung Museum

·      Bay Area Writing Project-Stegner Writing Program

·      Shut up and Write! SF Bay Area

            b) still like to read—name 5:

                        Books I would like to read are Improving Literacy by Teaching                                     Morphemes, Language, Culture and Communication, How Languages are Learned, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, and Games for Language Learning

            c) still like to investigate—name 2:

                        Journals I would still like to investigate are the Reading and Writing: An             Interdisciplinary Journal and the Journal of Literacy Research.

            d) still like to attend—name 2:

                        Conferences I would like to attend include National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Convention in Las Vegas (this year) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in Atlanta (this year).

            e) still like to see in the world connected to your subject area—name 5:

·      Oxford University in England

·      Teach English to students in a foreign country through American English Language Teachers’ Association (AELTA)

·      National Museum of Language in College Park, MD

·      International Reading Association

·      Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Blog #5

       The most relevant part of Dr. Robert’s presentation for me was simply the overall premise of how impacted our youth is, and even us, by technology. Something that still resonates with me is the concept of Media Multi-tasking. This is something I have done for years and never realized the impact this had on me. There are so many different types of technologies that exist; sometimes it is hard to keep up. After listening to the findings obtained from his studies, I found myself feeling the need for a balance of technology. Understanding that this is the way the world is moving, it is still important to not over rely on the use of technology in the classroom. As evident from the study, students in this era are getting plenty of exposure to different types of technologies. I also agree with the notion that we as teachers should reinforce positive technology etiquette but ultimately I believe this should be left to parents. I really appreciated Dr. Roberts’ command of the subject, it was evident how much his studies and this topic means to him.

    I am wondering what the data would show if this study was conducted in the present day? Is there a way in which we can get the public to separate from their devices to “get back to basics”, at least for the sake of education?

     In reading the New York Times article, there were a few positives pointed out that I can understand the reasoning behind. For example, offering make up courses to students who fail a course (or other circumstances), and in some places offer more elective classes. However, I find it hard to believe that online classes, at the K-12 level, can take the place of actual class time. Although administrators in Memphis say online classes are a way to “enhance student learning”, I do not believe a computer screen can enhance the knowledge of a student who is in remediation and using online courses as a means to obtain “credit recovery”. Those students, who fail a course, especially, should have to meet in person to truly help them understand the material. Additionally, online classes seem to be another fad in saving money. In essence cutting corners because there is not enough funding. It is an injustice to students to cut corners in education, as is evident in many of our prior readings. In my particular school community, I cannot see this type of learning occurring in regards to remediation but for elective purpose this would be useful for an after school enrichment. It would be extremely beneficial for the students at Northern Light School to participate in something of this nature in order to bridge any gaps in learning. In my own teaching, using online classes can provide students extra support and bridge activities during the summer months. It is also important to note this could be used to accommodate learners who need more of a challenge.

            1. http://mrholshoe.com/Teachers.html

·      This website is multi-faceted and I cannot wait to use this in my classroom. The resources are organized in an easy to use fashion and make this site exciting every click of the mouse.

            2. http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=145153

·      This particular website was extremely relevant in the fact that they offer resources in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These are all fields of study that can use additional positive promotion. This website is interesting and eye catching, with LOTS of resources to use.

            3. http://quizlet.com/

·      Often I have the students make flashcards in class. This website is useful in the sense that students can have a means to make flashcards at home, with a parent (if they are not old enough), a potential homework activity. I also liked how user-friendly this website is, another motivator to get students and parents into making their own flashcards at home.

            4. http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

·      I used this website in the credential program and forgot how useful it can be. Rediscovering this useful site will be important to restructuring the assessment process in my class this year. The way in which this site is organized makes it easy to navigate, which is essential in an online resource.

Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning

As a Kindergarten teacher in the 21^st century, part of my curriculum includes getting students to write. As this is often a terrifying task, students need ways in which they stay actively engaged and motivated in writing. Additionally, this task can often be difficult in students who are lacking a command of their fine motor skills.

A few years back I started teaching about penguins and wanted to incorporate writing and art. Using a technique I had learned about at the California Kindergarten Conference, I decided to incorporate “interactive writing”. Interactive writing is a way in which to involve students in the process of writing. Through the use of interactive writing, students are able to hold the pen (marker) and be the writer without fear because we are all acting together to create a piece of writing. Before writing, as a class, we discussed what information we wanted to include in our writing, much of this being what was learned. We used many resources to build our knowledge. To start, we read non-fiction books on penguins, watched Happy Feet and March of the Penguins, in which we compared and contrasted reality vs. fantasy, and watched a live video feed from the Monterey Bay Aquarium of real life penguins eating and playing. After discussing and deciding what was most important information we wanted to include, the writing process began. Each student took turns writing. Depending on their academic level, students wrote either letters or entire words. This activity is multifaceted, while a student is writing on the poster the teacher can facilitate a mini-lesson on address handwriting skills to students who are on the rug using a small whiteboard. After we were finished writing we chorally read our piece, while tracking the print with a pointer. To foster student pride in what they had accomplished we hung the chart paper up for all to see when they entered the classroom. After the writing piece was finished, we made small penguins, which incorporated the use of their fine motor skills. Students did not use scissors to cut anything out; instead they tore the construction paper to make a penguin.

Many students in Kindergarten are excited to learn about animals. In the above case, I found that after the first day of reading about them students were hooked and were eager for more. Incorporating writing was useful in this particular situation because the students were enthralled with the subject matter and the writing portion was viewed as, “let’s look at what we know”. The interactive writing process was so engaging that after this lesson, many of my students would ask when the next writing time would be. Furthermore, art is a great way for students to build on, or in some cases, enhance their fine motor skills by cutting tearing and folding. Students created a penguin from sheets of construction paper into a 3-D penguin that was part of a bulletin board. Through the use of technology, I was able to provide students a well-rounded view of penguins and open doors to other means of getting information, i.e. documentaries.

The penguin lesson that turned into a unit of study was one of my favorite lessons to this day. I had a wonderful time planning and instructing this particular information. I was especially happy when the students were demonstrating their understanding through imitations on the schoolyard (huddling like penguins and articulating the why, etc.). However, a challenge to this approach is that it takes a great deal of planning and organizing to make sure the different parts are cohesive. I feel the integration of other subject areas can be a bit overwhelming if there are specific skills that some students are lacking. More often though, I feel that interdisciplinary teaching makes it easier to incorporate elements in the curriculum that may be skimmed over or deemed not a priority by others. The length at which science curriculum is covered is difficult to accomplish with the reading, writing, and math demands. With that said, interdisciplinary teaching allows a teacher the opportunity to incorporate everything from physical education to technology. More importantly, students can benefit from the plethora of information they obtain through this type of learning. Interdisciplinary teaching enables all students in some way, shape, or form to connect personally to the material. It’s like a buffet of learning!

Useful links-

Monterey Bay Aquarium Splash Zone Web Cam:

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_splash/splash_cam.aspx

California Kindergarten Association:

http://www.ckanet.org/

I responded to Lloyd Schine's Blog

Mind the Gap

“Mind the Gap: Session 2”

1. Chapter one:  In recounting her journey through many educational reforms, Diane Ravitch makes a number of provocative statements. Choose two, quote them, and personally respond.

            The first provocative statement that caught my eye was on page 3 when Ravitch states, “I have tried to show in my work the persistence of our national infatuation with fads, movements, and reforms, which invariably distract us from the steadiness of purpose needed to improve our schools”. This statement is one that begs for attention and notice. If someone who has worked among the country’s top leaders in education can point out something, why are we still experiencing problems, in the same areas nonetheless? I believe this can somewhat be answered by Ravitch’s initial statement; our country is especially concerned with the most popular idea any given time. If one person publishes an article about it, more and more people are likely to jump aboard and go for something, even if it does not make sense. It leaves me feeling as though we are doomed to repeat (and already have to some extent) the events of the past.

            “Doubt and skepticism are signs of rationality. When we are too certain of our opinions, we run the risk of ignoring any evidence that conflicts with our views. It is doubt that shows we are still thinking, still willing to reexamine hardened beliefs when confronted with new facts and evidence” (2). As one who is constantly open to new ideas and ways of learning, I am left questioning why more people are not in tune with this type of ideology? I find that some of the colleagues I have or have had are unwilling to hear out or even try a certain idea/thought that I may present. I have always believed this is harmful in the effort of collaboration and building community among the school staff. For me, Ravitch supports this idea in a way that simply points to the negative of being unwilling to take a second look at the facts.

2. Chapter two:  On page 16, Ravitch gives a brief definition of a well-educated person.  How would you characterize a well-educated person? What should any well-educated person know in today’s world?

            I would characterize a well-educated person as one who possesses a wide breadth and depth of knowledge, on many subjects. Additionally, I agree with Ravitch in that a well-educated person “has learned how to explain ideas and listen respectfully to others” (16). Acquiring and retaining knowledge is just one component to education, being able to articulate that knowledge after it has been synthesized is vital. Even more, listening attentively to what others have to say shows that you have a willingness to learn and having a dialogue about a certain subject increases awareness of other viewpoints. Lastly, having some type of personal experience related to the subject is important in gaining a deeper knowledge. In essence, I believe a well educated person is one who is not ignorant and if so, they seek the means to acquire that unknown.  

            In today’s world, I think the above listed qualities are important even still. I believe in today’s world, due in large part to technological advances, staying current with any type of information is an active, constant progress. More importantly, possessing knowledge of other cultures is a trait of a well-educated person. I have a huge admiration for those people who have visited many different places and cultures, as it deepens ones understanding and knowledge on another level.

3. Thinking about the class discussion on the book, what stands out for you?  What would you have liked to say that you did not say?

            In general, the fact that Ravitch reflected to the extent she did is what resonates most with me. Something that is difficult for many people, being able to admit when something you once believed in is not all it seems, she is ready to stand up and point the finger at herself. She even says, “…my views changed as I saw how these ideas were working out in reality” (2). I immediately was struck by this admission, as it is not something I have encountered too much in my readings. I feel as though much of what I see are “fads” not working effectively and those in position to change them just move to the next fad and try to use those methods to fix the former. If more people were willing to take on this type of thinking I believe the issue of school reform would look very different. I am strong-willed and do believe that I have the power to help in the school reform movement. However, the issue of school reform leaves me feeling somewhat discouraged about the direction of education, in that, there does not seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I will remain to stay focused on my goals in and around this topic area and hope for the very best, for the sake of education.

4. Choose one gap you listed from your subject area and identify 3 resources: a web site, an article, and a book that can help you fill that gap.  List these and discuss what you learned from one of these.

            The following resources were obtained in collecting more information on spelling development in grades K-2:

·      National Association for the Education of Young Children (http://www.naeyc.org)

·      Word Crafting: Teaching Spelling, Grades K-6 by Cindy Marten

·      From Childhood Education, Spelling Development Research Necessitates Replacement of Weekly Word List by Maryann Manning and Clark Underbakke

                                    This article gave me a perspective that is one I really appreciated. I felt as                                     though it really suited my philosophy on education and I plan to try out some                                     suggestions to see the outcomes in my own classroom. This article begins by                                     painting a portrait of how many young children in grades K-2 do not possess                                     confidence in themselves, particularly in the subject of literacy, due to the                                     current practices of spelling. Manning and Underbakke point out that educators                                     play a role in this by “insisting they use conventional spelling…” (236). Their                                     arguments for why this insistence is harmful immediately caught my attention.                                     This article speaks to the issue of why spelling development is one that has many                         levels, all of which may occur at different times. Most importantly, Manning and                                     Underbakke conclude that educators have an array of strategies to use that will                                     not harm the confidence of our students.

5. Your annotations of resources are meant to be both scholarly and brief.  In the blog, discuss in detail why/how any two of these articles were useful to your topic/question(s). 

            Resource #1: “The Development of Children’s Orthographic Knowledge: A Microgenetic Perspective” by Ann C. Sharp Ralph E. Reynolds and Gale M. Sinatra

            After reading this article, I was delighted to not only feel supported in my opinions of spelling, but I was also enlightened. First off, this article was organized in a way that made it an easy read and in a way that is clear and concise. In general the study was conducted to examine a new perspective as it applies to spelling development. The new terminology acquired through reading this left me excited to delve even deeper into the issue of spelling development. In addition, information was presented on past theorists and ideologies. For instance, phase view (as it pertains to spelling development), overlapping-wave perspective, Henderson, Frith, Ehri, Read, etc. Moreover, the authors point to the fact that more research is necessary and the results, if conducted, could be tremendous. I feel as though my philosophy of spelling coincides with their findings and on which theorists they cite. From this I learned about theorists I had never heard of before, which is promising as I continue on with my research. Before reading this article I felt as though I might have bit off more than I could chew, not knowing which direction to go in my research. I finally feel some confidence in which way I am headed.

            Resource #2: “The Effects of an Adapted Interactive Writing Intervention on Kindergarten Children’s Phonological Awareness, Spelling, and Early Reading Development: A Contextualized Approach to Instruction” by Sharon A. Craig

            In this article, I was able to gain another perspective in the world of literacy. One specific statement that still sticks with me is “Moreover, children who learn to use phonological information to encode and decode print consistently demonstrate the greatest gains in reading and spelling in the first grade and maintain these gains in future years of schooling” (Byrne & Fielding-Barnsley, 1995; Byrne, Fielding-Barnsley, & Ashley, 2000; NICHD, 2000) [715]. I am eager to further my research using some of sources this author used, as I believe there are important connections that were made within the article, that can help me further decipher the intricacy of spelling development.

6. Question for Meg: I am concerned with my guiding questions and feel they are too broad. Do you have any suggestions? Is too broad a bad thing? 


I responded to the following blogs:


Alana-mademoisellescott.blogspot.com


Nora-astudentbecomesateacher.blogspot.com


Melina-MAIT-MelinaR.blogspot.com

Session One Blog

       Outside-school experiences have helped to deepen my subject area content knowledge by helping me understand more about a particular subject area and/or look at it in an entirely new light. This in turn provides me with a deeper level of understanding that can be relayed in my own teachings to my students, in a given subject. Additionally, I encourage my students to ask critical thinking questions in order to dig deeper to foster a love and interest for a given subject. Growing up on the East Coast has given me many historical educational opportunities, though I did not realize this when I was young, which I am so thankful to have had. As a kid, my mother loved to explore the outdoors of New England. Rather than go on vacation to Disney World or a local amusement park, my mother thought it would be more beneficial to “get back to nature” so-to-speak leading us on many adventures, from state parks to old family homes in upstate Maine. These places were all oozing with history and stories; it was so exciting to me as a young learner! I was always one to ask a lot of questions because I had a thirst for knowing EVERYTHING. Yet because questioning was not encouraged in school, I did not question what my teachers told me in class. Conversely, after moving to California my theory on questioning changed. I noticed that I did not just thirst for more knowledge anymore, I also questioned if information was reliable. In my own teaching, I am not at all like my teachers when teaching content to my students. I, unlike most of my teachers, encourage my students to ask questions, ESPECIALLY when something is “squishy” (my term for hard/difficult to understand). I believe questioning and analyzing are important parts to a deeper understanding of all subject matter. With that said, I hope to continue my journey in mastery of content knowledge, all the while growing and learning from those around me.

            In response to the class discussion of Ball’s “The Subject Matter Preparation of Teachers”, my initial judgments have changed in the sense that I feel more enlightened on the specifics of “subject area content knowledge”. As I reflect, during the discussion I was more focused on pedagogical content knowledge and those factors that have influenced mine. Now that I focus more on subject area content knowledge, I realize that I was most influenced through my college education than my K-12. I believe this is consistent with the fact that most of my teachers enforced the “teacher authority” model. This, not being conducive to my learning, is something I do not want to repeat, as I believe it is a disservice to students in many respects. I appreciated hearing and sharing thoughts with my classmates, as it provides me with an entirely new way in which to view the topic at hand.

            I have developed a line of inquiry that I have retrieved some readings on, but feel as though my topic may be too broad. My initial question is as follows, what is the history of English Orthography? I am satisfied with my question, as I am extremely intrigued by this topic. After looking for further information, I realize this topic is extremely broad and is typically linked with other aspects of literacy. With that said, I need to be sure I locate articles with more than one paragraph about English Orthography, which is part of the challenge I have run into. One of my ideas for an experiential learning source is taking another class at St. Mary’s. I have questions on which classes qualify but have not chosen a specific one yet. Additionally, I plan on interviewing a member of the Board of Education at my school (she is a former Kindergarten teacher and Principal), attend a conference, and hopefully, connect with a local author. The last two years I have gone to the CKA’s Kindergarten Conference in which I met Bob Barner, who is a local author/illustrator of children’s books. Bob Barner also holds workshops and I am hoping to connect with him about his work.

            One specific thing I would like to share about reading in my Kindergarten class is the following story. Throughout my first two years of teaching I have always expressed my love for reading and taking adventures through the use of books (non-fiction AND fiction). A little background information about me, I use to HATE reading. My 1^st grade teacher (Mrs. Berry) was the ONLY teacher who shared her love of reading with us and I equally loved reading that school year. After her, reading felt like a chore and I swore I would not let my students feel that way when I taught. So, I did just what I wanted to, I created a place that would foster eager readers. Both of the years I implemented this plan it started out just the same, which was feeling as though the students would not truly enjoy reading. In my mind, if my students did not love to read then I had failed them as their teacher. In both scenarios by year’s end, my students were reading to each other on the rug. Throughout the school year, when reading aloud I allow them to ask a friend for help if they get stuck on any “squishy” words, etc. They look like little mini-Ms. (Mr.) O’Connell’s! It left me feeling that if they learned just one thing from me, it was a passion for reading and books. The best part of all of this is when I begin a read aloud and Theo asks me, “Ms. O’Connell, if you have trouble with any of the words, can I help you?” and I always reply with an eager, “of course you can!”

Course I Reflection

A few of the expectations I had coming into this class were that I would receive information or resources on how to conduct my research for my project. Additionally, I expected that I would have to articulate my thoughts and be able to write and discuss my thinking.

One main reason I enrolled in this program was to expand my knowledge on teaching. I am very intrigued by learning all that I can about my profession, which I believe is important in properly educating my students. After finishing my credential program in the Spring of 2010, I had a thirst for more knowledge and was impacted a great deal by the teachings in my credential program.

One of my strengths as a teacher, I believe, is that I have strong classroom management skills, which I hope to continue to have throughout my teaching career. Additionally, I believe my passion for learning and expanding on curriculum helps to motivate my students to be more eager learners. I believe if you have passion, the students will in turn respond in a similar manner, with passion and an eagerness to learn. Lastly, I believe I have the ability to integrate subject matter in a way that is useful and meaningful for the learners in my classroom.

Areas, in particular, which I would like to improve my skills, include parent-teacher partnerships and assessments. I am a true believer that parent-teacher partnerships are of high importance in contributing to classroom success, I want to learn better ways in which to deal with parents. Throughout the first two years of my teaching, like most, I have experienced some ups and downs with parents. Although we touched on the topic in my credential program, I feel as though this skill is something that comes with experience, which takes time. In regards to assessments, I have so much information on what type of assessments are out there, I would like to understand which are most effective in my current grade level, Kindergarten.

During this course I learned a good amount of knowledge to help me make informed decisions about the research I will be conducting. Through the class readings I was able to acquire new information on teacher reform, specifically through readings from Shulman. This has led me to be even more motivated to continue the program to see what new and deeper information I can attain. So far, all of the questions I have had have been answered. As I proceed through this program, the most helpful thing to me would be to have faculty support, which is something I know happens at St. Mary’s College. I am the type who, as they are working through the research, will have questions. I believe it is important to feel as though my instructors are available, especially if I hit a roadblock. 

Possible Guiding Questions

Content Knowledge:

1. What is the history of English Orthography?

Pedagogical Content Knowledge:

1. What research is known about spelling development in K-2 classrooms? What methods are most effective for future development in literacy skills?

2. What research-based methods are most effective in primary grades?

3. Using a balanced literacy approach, can future success in spelling development be predicted?

4. How do students in primary grades acquire spelling skills?

5. How do students in primary grades learn to read and write?

6. What does a “balanced literacy” program look like in Kindergarten?