Friday, March 12, 2010
Classroom Discipline Plan
Be Prepared: bring all necessary materials (homework, pencil, paper, book, etc.)
Students will need to stay after class for every offense that disrupts the learning process, the more times students are unprepared, the longer they will have to stay (1st time 2 minutes, 2nd time 4 minutes, etc.)
Be Respectful: Treat others the way the way you would like to be treated. This includes no talking while others are talking
If students are disrespectful, they will need to stay after class and write a letter to whom they have disrespected.
Be on time: Must be ontime for class and after any breaks
Students will need to stay after class for the amount of time they were tardy if unexcused. This can occur 3 times before I begin detentions, saturday school, etc.
Appropriate language: We are in an academic setting and should use academic language. Slang and foul language will not be tolerated.
There are many different levels of severity to this offense. The more severe the more drastic. Swearing or offensive language will result in being sent outside the classroom or to the office. This will be determined by the number of offenses. If academic language is not used, the student must share what they actually meant to say using academic language.
Properly store electronics: Cell phones, ipods, etc. need to be put away while there is a lecture, class discussion, etc. ipods may be used during individual or quiet work time.
If I see them out when they should not be, I will take them and return them at the end of the class period. they will not get them back even if there is individual work time.
Students will need to stay after class for every offense that disrupts the learning process, the more times students are unprepared, the longer they will have to stay (1st time 2 minutes, 2nd time 4 minutes, etc.)
Be Respectful: Treat others the way the way you would like to be treated. This includes no talking while others are talking
If students are disrespectful, they will need to stay after class and write a letter to whom they have disrespected.
Be on time: Must be ontime for class and after any breaks
Students will need to stay after class for the amount of time they were tardy if unexcused. This can occur 3 times before I begin detentions, saturday school, etc.
Appropriate language: We are in an academic setting and should use academic language. Slang and foul language will not be tolerated.
There are many different levels of severity to this offense. The more severe the more drastic. Swearing or offensive language will result in being sent outside the classroom or to the office. This will be determined by the number of offenses. If academic language is not used, the student must share what they actually meant to say using academic language.
Properly store electronics: Cell phones, ipods, etc. need to be put away while there is a lecture, class discussion, etc. ipods may be used during individual or quiet work time.
If I see them out when they should not be, I will take them and return them at the end of the class period. they will not get them back even if there is individual work time.
Extra Credit Reading Reflection Two - Getting to the Heart of Quality Teaching
I chose this article because this is the reason I became a teacher. I had a low quality teacher that made me dislike math. I then had three different teachers who I would say were high quality. Not only did they teach me math, but they gave me the confidence that I could do whatever I put my mind too.
This article talks about many different aspects of quality teaching. A few of these include how new teachers are usually placed in the lowest level classes with the hardest students. Also, many teachers leave the profession causing it hard to have expert teachers in the classrooms. Causes for leaving the profession include having too little plan time or having too many students. When teachers get their credential, they are not necessarily a quality teacher. Quality teachers do things such as get involved in students lives, are activists, hopeful, and critical. The school, teachers, families, and unions all need to work together to produce and retain quality teachers.
I will use this in the future by making sure that I focus on the qualities that make a quality teacher. I need to be sure to be critical, involved in student lives, an activist and hopeful.
This article talks about many different aspects of quality teaching. A few of these include how new teachers are usually placed in the lowest level classes with the hardest students. Also, many teachers leave the profession causing it hard to have expert teachers in the classrooms. Causes for leaving the profession include having too little plan time or having too many students. When teachers get their credential, they are not necessarily a quality teacher. Quality teachers do things such as get involved in students lives, are activists, hopeful, and critical. The school, teachers, families, and unions all need to work together to produce and retain quality teachers.
I will use this in the future by making sure that I focus on the qualities that make a quality teacher. I need to be sure to be critical, involved in student lives, an activist and hopeful.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Extra Credit Reading Reflection One - Teaching's Revolving Door
I chose this article because I am concerened about actually staying a teacher. I am afraid that something will make me leave the profession such as administration. I want to try to figure out what I should do to make sure I stay in this profession.
This article gave a personal account of somebody who left the profession due to poor staff and student support. She had not been prepared for the urban school setting. She still teaches, but she teaches at the community college level. There are many teachers who leave the profession every year; only about one-third of those who leave do so for retirement. On top of those teachers who leave the profession, other teachers switch districts to get a "better" job. A few urban schools found that residency programs help retain teachers. Creating residency programs that support new teacher is costly, however they found that it is less costly then constantly recruiting new teachers. This article also stresses the importance of learning proper classroom management before entering an urban classroom.
I could use this information in the future by making sure I am prepared for all classroom settings I encounter. I also need to prepare myself for entering a school for with I do not feel as though I belong. I will need to remind myself why I have entered this profession in the first place. I will also be sure to ask for support or advise whenever needed.
This article gave a personal account of somebody who left the profession due to poor staff and student support. She had not been prepared for the urban school setting. She still teaches, but she teaches at the community college level. There are many teachers who leave the profession every year; only about one-third of those who leave do so for retirement. On top of those teachers who leave the profession, other teachers switch districts to get a "better" job. A few urban schools found that residency programs help retain teachers. Creating residency programs that support new teacher is costly, however they found that it is less costly then constantly recruiting new teachers. This article also stresses the importance of learning proper classroom management before entering an urban classroom.
I could use this information in the future by making sure I am prepared for all classroom settings I encounter. I also need to prepare myself for entering a school for with I do not feel as though I belong. I will need to remind myself why I have entered this profession in the first place. I will also be sure to ask for support or advise whenever needed.
Week Five Reading Reflection - Transforming Teaching
I chose this article because I feel like the current traditional teaching model needs a little modification. I do not feel like teaching in this manner meets the needs of enough of the students. I feel we should teach to the student needs.
The article talks about having teacher led committees on different issues such as multiculturalism and early childhood education. These teacher committees can run in-services which include workshops for other teachers. This allowed current teachers to learn from people who were currently still in the classroom. The district had paid substitutes so the teachers on the committees could go to workshops and conferences else where and bring back what they have learned to share with the other teachers. The goal of all of the committees was to help create a curriculum where students needs were the focus. Eventually budget cuts led to most of the committees breaking down. There was no evidence of how these committees actually affected student learning.
I could use this information as a teacher by doing as much professional development as possible. This development should come from individuals recently in the classroom. As a community of teachers we will need to make sure that our students' needs are being met.
The article talks about having teacher led committees on different issues such as multiculturalism and early childhood education. These teacher committees can run in-services which include workshops for other teachers. This allowed current teachers to learn from people who were currently still in the classroom. The district had paid substitutes so the teachers on the committees could go to workshops and conferences else where and bring back what they have learned to share with the other teachers. The goal of all of the committees was to help create a curriculum where students needs were the focus. Eventually budget cuts led to most of the committees breaking down. There was no evidence of how these committees actually affected student learning.
I could use this information as a teacher by doing as much professional development as possible. This development should come from individuals recently in the classroom. As a community of teachers we will need to make sure that our students' needs are being met.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Week Four Reading Reflection - Designing Groupwork
Chapter 1
When working in groups, students should have clearly assigned individual tasks in order to complete the group task. Teachers need to be sure they are in charge of the class, but not necessarily each group. If a group feels the teacher is incharge of their group they may ask questions or expect explanations from the teacher.
When I first used groupwork, I got a lot of questions. I realized there was little to no group discussion. I had to teach the students to ask these questions to each other before asking me.
Chapter 2
For students, groupwork helps them achieve not only content goals, but intellectual and social goals as well. When all students are working together the group can arrive at standings that no one individual could have ever achieved. Groupwork causes students to think critically, creatively, and also analytically. Groupwork situations should be things such as simulations, demonstrations, and debates, where it is required for students to work together.
I see too many situations where groupwork is not being used properly. I see students dividing up the work and working individually to complete the task at hand.
Chapter 3
There can be many problems when trying to implement groupwork in the classroom. When working in groups, there is usually one student who dominates the groupwork. things such as academic or social status help determine which students will talk in the group. Teachers need to make sure all students are participating.
Last semester, I had assigned a group project and I had one group of students where one person did almost all of the work and the other two students did not participate much at all. When I confronted the group, the two students not working on the task said they were happy with what the other group member was doing. The group member that was doing all of the work was frustrated he was not getting any help even if he asked.
When working in groups, students should have clearly assigned individual tasks in order to complete the group task. Teachers need to be sure they are in charge of the class, but not necessarily each group. If a group feels the teacher is incharge of their group they may ask questions or expect explanations from the teacher.
When I first used groupwork, I got a lot of questions. I realized there was little to no group discussion. I had to teach the students to ask these questions to each other before asking me.
Chapter 2
For students, groupwork helps them achieve not only content goals, but intellectual and social goals as well. When all students are working together the group can arrive at standings that no one individual could have ever achieved. Groupwork causes students to think critically, creatively, and also analytically. Groupwork situations should be things such as simulations, demonstrations, and debates, where it is required for students to work together.
I see too many situations where groupwork is not being used properly. I see students dividing up the work and working individually to complete the task at hand.
Chapter 3
There can be many problems when trying to implement groupwork in the classroom. When working in groups, there is usually one student who dominates the groupwork. things such as academic or social status help determine which students will talk in the group. Teachers need to make sure all students are participating.
Last semester, I had assigned a group project and I had one group of students where one person did almost all of the work and the other two students did not participate much at all. When I confronted the group, the two students not working on the task said they were happy with what the other group member was doing. The group member that was doing all of the work was frustrated he was not getting any help even if he asked.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Week Three Reading Reflection - Ethnography Piece
3 things I learned/connected with:
1. I learned that ethnography means writing about the nations. Before this reading, I was actually not sure what ethnography meant. I had assumed it would have had something to do with ethnicity, but there is more than that.
2. I learned that it is important to be reflective of your findings. We need to take our findings and truly look at what we have discovered, and not just state what we have found and be finished.
3. I learned that the questioner must sometimes suppress their own beliefs. I would think that if we are trying to come to a conclusion, that it would be okay to leave some findings out that we did not agree with or that disagreed with all of our other findings. It is actually very important to be objective and share all findings equally.
2 disagreements/questions:
1.Can the questioner not guide the answers desired by asking the proper questions to get the desired results? I feel like I could ask a certain question to hint at a desired result, only ask certain people, or only share certain information that benefits my study.
2. Becuase there is a lot of information available for ethnographers, how do we decide what is "good" information to use and what is not? There are a lot of topics to choose from to research, and there is a lot of information for each topic. I am just not sure how to make my project worthwhile for me and others.
1 thing I would still like to learn:
1. I would like to learn about school ethnographies done in the past and also look at those done today. I feel that it would be interesting to learn how people felt about certain schools in the past versus the same school as today. I feel like this might show how the school has or has not moved forward in keeping up with the twenty-first century.
1. I learned that ethnography means writing about the nations. Before this reading, I was actually not sure what ethnography meant. I had assumed it would have had something to do with ethnicity, but there is more than that.
2. I learned that it is important to be reflective of your findings. We need to take our findings and truly look at what we have discovered, and not just state what we have found and be finished.
3. I learned that the questioner must sometimes suppress their own beliefs. I would think that if we are trying to come to a conclusion, that it would be okay to leave some findings out that we did not agree with or that disagreed with all of our other findings. It is actually very important to be objective and share all findings equally.
2 disagreements/questions:
1.Can the questioner not guide the answers desired by asking the proper questions to get the desired results? I feel like I could ask a certain question to hint at a desired result, only ask certain people, or only share certain information that benefits my study.
2. Becuase there is a lot of information available for ethnographers, how do we decide what is "good" information to use and what is not? There are a lot of topics to choose from to research, and there is a lot of information for each topic. I am just not sure how to make my project worthwhile for me and others.
1 thing I would still like to learn:
1. I would like to learn about school ethnographies done in the past and also look at those done today. I feel that it would be interesting to learn how people felt about certain schools in the past versus the same school as today. I feel like this might show how the school has or has not moved forward in keeping up with the twenty-first century.
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