Double Entry Journal #9

1.) The strange fact is that students from poor or minority groups who have faced a history of oppression and prejudice are the students who usually have difficulty learning to read. Author finds this strange because they are not at a disadvantage based on ability and he reminds us that the education system is suppose to provide a level playing field for these students.

2.) It is strange because there is no difference in ability to read from these students to any other. The difference is how students are taught and how certain groups get neglected or disregarded based on cultural differences.

3.) There is no connection to with the way they are taught at school and the experiences they have at home. There is no effort made by most teachers and schools to use a students culture and experience to create meaningful learning.

4.) Traditionalists believe that it should be taught the same way with the same basic steps and principles that have been used for hundreds of years to teach people how to read.
The other side of the spectrum are educators who believe that students will learn to read more effectively if they relate it to a subject or interest and apply it to their learning.

5.) It is not a natural process, it is completely different from learning a language. Reading is a skill that must be acquired.

6.) Reading is a cultural process because it is something that everyone feels is important to learn in that culture in order to function and succeed in that community and culture. Learning that specific language and being able to read it will allow a person to have every opportunity to pursue anything they desire.

7.) We all learn best through cultural processes and things we can relate to in our own personal world. Reading is typically taught through instructional processes which is usually very different than anything a student has experienced in their past.

8.) They have not been taught to apply critical meaning to the things they are reading and adapt to the new concepts and vocabulary they are exposed to.

9.)Their early way with words. How well a student communicates to family or adults and relates to their culture is a better predictor of later reading success.

10.) Vernacular- "Go run down the street to Adam's house"

Specialized Variety- "You must drive with your opposite leg and leap upward while taking the ball in your dominant hand and laying the ball of the backboard to make a layup."

11.) Early language ability develops from experiences children have with people of higher language ability and experiences where students hear and learn new words.

12.) He believes the traditional approach is very superficial and creates larger problems later. We identify certain students as learners who can read proficiently but it is such a superficial understanding of reading that they are not able to survive when reaching later grades and facing more difficult material.

13.) I personally think a family has a huge responsibility to help their child learn to read and communicate and make it a part of their early childhood. People can't expect schools to work miracles if there is no experience or help being provided at home but schools also have to make sure they help these students who do not have families preparing them to read.

14.) I am a proficient reader and can adapt to different styles and texts. I had no problem reading this material.

Double Entry Journal #8

The main challenge is helping students from all backgrounds and experiences to be successful in school and for all of these children to be able to learn, think, and adapt according to the global, high-tech world that we live in.

This phrase describes the different types of meanings and tones that can be presented by using different ways than words. One of the main issues addressed is having students adapt to the new way with words in education today.

Traditional schooling is being disintegrated before us as education leaders are deciding new ways to teach students how to be problem solvers, to be able to think in different ways, and adapt to changing environments.
Students need to be prepared for the new schooling environment that uses different ways with words to help these students be able to adapt to the new global high-tech environment they will be asked to work and succeed in.

There are different languages and different meanings for different activities or interests we may have. Some of these activities may have a very unique culture with many words that have different meanings that someone who does not participate in these activities may know. There are countless examples from playing baseball that can be used. Someone who hasn't played and isn't familiar with the terminology may not understand when you say drive the ball that it means to hit the ball hard into the outfield. They may think of driving a car or handling a steering wheel when they hear the word drive.

The author makes it very clear that people must have meaningful experiences that they can tie in to their learning and relate to the new vocabulary. Interest and experience cultivate people to easily pick up specialized languages.

The author explains that people must have a wide variety of experiences to be able to problem solvers in the world we live in today. They must have a wide base of knowledge and experiences to be able to adapt and think progressively in an ever changing, technology driven world.

 I agree, people must be able to learn all different ways with words other than the traditional academic languages learned and used in school settings. People must be able to use that language they have learned and be able to adapt to specialized languages in all different types of situations.

I think this author relates to the reader by not trying to talk over their head. He does use vocabulary that is very advanced but isn't trying to jumble academic words together so the reader can pick up the meanings even if they don't know the meaning of every word they read.

Student Interview

Interview of a high-performing student and a struggling student while doing my 75-hour clinical observation at East Fairmont Junior High School. I picked the specific struggling student because I have observed quite a few days where he has had a meltdown and just can't seem to cope with anything going wrong and seems to be in over his head trying to get work done and learn. The high-performing student was not hard to find as there were many in the class and my host teacher gave me quite a few candidates to pick from.

Interview of Struggling Student
Question- Do you enjoy school?
Student Response- Yeah, I have fun sometimes
Question- What kind of student are you?
Student Response- I am a good worker but just struggle with laziness sometimes
Question- What do you for fun outside of school?
Student Response- I love to skateboard and play basketball sometimes
Question- How would your classmates describe you?
Student Response- Weird, Alot different than regular kids. I cry alot and that really puts a target on myself for other kids to pick on me and think I am weird.
Question- Who are you friends with?
Student Response- My friends are alot like me, crazy and different than the crowd
Question- What do you and your friends do together?
Student Response- Talk and hang out
Question- Tell me a good memory about school?
Student Response- I don't have one yet
Question- Tell me a bad memory from school?
Student Response- All the times I have been bullied
Question- Can you describe a good teacher or one of your favorite teachers?
Student Response- He was fun and gave us some freedom in the classroom
Question- What is one thing you wish teachers knew about you?
Student Response- Nothing, I feel like they know me pretty well

Interview of High Performing Student
Question- Do you enjoy school?
Student Response- Yes
Question- What kind of student are you?
Student Response- I am a good student, I try to study when I need to and I care about doing well and making good grades
Question What do you do for fun outside of school?
Student Response- Basketball
Question- How would your classmates describe you?
Student Response- I am a good friend, I will help people if they need it
Question- Who are you friends with?
Student Response- Everybody, I try to be friends with everyone but I typically hang out with people who have similar interests
Question- What do you and your friends do together?
Student Response- Play sports together
Question- Tell me a good memory about school.
Student Response- First day of school is always exciting, I get to meet new friends
Question- Tell me a bad memory from school.
Student Response- I hate WestTest week, it is so boring
Question- Can you describe a good teacher or one of your favorite teachers.
Student Response- One of my math teachers, they were always there to help, cared for me on a deeper level than a normal teacher and cared about my life outside of school
Question- What is one thing you wish teachers knew about you?
Student Response- Nothing

Double Entry Journal #7

What are some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning?

"Thomas (2000) identifies five key components of effective project-based learning. It is: central to the curriculum, organized around driving questions that lead students to encounter central concepts or principles, focused on a constructive investigation that involves inquiry and knowledge building, student-driven (students are responsible for designing and managing their work), and authentic, focusing on problems that occur in the real world and that people care about."

Teachers have to be able to think on their feet and know their subject matter in a very up to date manner. This kind of learning forces us to have the proper information to solve problems and come up with the best ways to go about it. In order to do this we have to keep up with all the global information that can be shared on our specific subject or project. This information changes constantly with new technologies, studies, etc. We have to be able to feel comfortable with the projects the students select and we have to acquire a very wide knowledge base to be able to help our students.

It can also be hard to fit the types of approaches of learning and have them match up with the CSO's mandated by our state boards of educations. Teachers are constantly under pressure to keep up with test scores and cover CSO's, some feel if they take any extended time away from focusing on preparing the students for these tests then they will not succeed when it comes time to take these tests. Most teachers are not prepared or comfortable to teach outside of the normal style of giving information to the student and the student receiving the information and trying to draw meaning and remember the information. Also, teachers will have to be very aware of all the different learners in their classes and be able to help them through inquiry approaches to learning. This can be very hard as there is usually only one teacher to go around a classroom and provide feedback and assistance.

Source
Baraon, B. (2003, August 01). www.edutopia.org. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf

Double Entry Journal #6

The dominant paradigm showing signs of wear is the old style of teaching and learning that focuses on the teacher delivering information and the student memorizing and retaining that information. Today, students need to be learning skills and contributing to the learning process themselves so they can be able to adapt, problem solve, and think critically for their future work environment and the world we live in today.

Project based learning allows students to learn by doing, they have an active involvement in the learning and now have a real life experience to relate that learning to. These students have to use different brain functions and different parts of the brain to problem solve and complete tasks. This helps their ever developing brains continue to grow and get denser. Here is a quote cited from the article

"Shepherd (1998) studied the results of a unit in which a group of fourth and fifth graders completed a nine-week project to define and find solutions related to housing shortages in several countries. In comparison to the control group, the students engaged in project-based learning demonstrated a significant increase in scores on a critical-thinking test, as well as increased confidence in their learning. "

Students can learn better through problem based learning because they understand how to ask critical questions that will help guide them to solve problems and adapt to situations. This type of learning also causes them to collaborate to find other viewpoints for possible solutions and helps them understand that every assignment or task isn't always going to have an easy, clear-cut formula to solve a problem.

Learning by design seems to help students who are different learning levels progress based on their individualized plans and ideas. I think allowing students to learn this way helps encouarage that their ideas are important and students can contribute to a class or society just as much as a teacher or anyone else. Our main goal should always to help students feel empowered and build their self-efficacy.
 
Design-Based Instruction -
Students create, assess, and redesign products through stages of revisions. The work often requires collaboration and specific roles for individual students, enabling them to become experts in a particular area.
Project-Based Learning -
Students explore real-world problems and challenges, developing cross-curriculum skills while working in small collaborative groups. Also known as project learning.
Problem-Based Learning-
Students learn through the process of solving a problem. The approach is also inquiry-based when students are active in creating the problem.

*All three ways help empower students and help their brains think and learn in different ways which allows the brain to grow and become more dense and capable of higher levels of thinking.

I think the most common benefit to all of these learning approaches is that it helps build students confidence in themselves and builds self-efficacy. Also, I think it is very important to use these styles to break out of the normal routine. Anyone can lose focus, passion, and excitement if things become routine, predictable, mundane. Learning and education is no different. Students need to be challenged and taught in all different ways if they are to ever reach their full potential.

Double Entry Journal #5

Reverent listening refers to our ability to listen and give the respect and admiration the person we are listening to deserves. To know that we are not able to be all knowing, all powerful, or to have any sort of extreme supernatural quality. We can all become better and more knowledgeable people by reverent listening.

I think the quote refers to the fact that you are not just listening because you are being forced to or because that person has more powere or influence than you so you have to listen. It refers to the fact that you are listening to be respectful, and to gain something from listening to someone else's knowledge or insight.

I think the laundry list of value ethics refers to what teachers feel to be most important and the values and ethics they want children to learn and focus on in the classroom. I always felt that most of my teachers throughout school didn't have to broad of a perspective outside of their passion, teaching, or moral standards. I think in school we need to look at other people's perspectives and passions to help them relate to ours and what we are teaching.

I would definitely say I have experienced more of these types of teachers throughout college. Most professors will make sure the class feels involved, respected, and that their input and knowledge is useful and necessary. Most students would certainly thrive in this type of teaching environment because it does not allow the student to be passive and it builds their self-efficacy. Allowing students to believe they can achieve anything they work hard at and have a passion for is so important in today's culture.

Toxic culture's in school can be many different things such as allowing bullying to go on, favoring certain students, not having fair policies or policies not being followed through the same way for all students. Also,  teachers only focusing on teaching CSO's and making good test scores does not necessarily mean students are gaining useful knowledge and are going to be able to take that knowledge out into the world.

"Children are like wax, not iron, and can be molded."
This is definitely a part of my philosophy already but as we have learned more about inclusive education and cultural capital in this class, I have definitely been more motivated to make sure I have more of a passion and make more of an effort to reach all students and understand that no matter what they can learn and be changed for the better through effective teaching.


http://www.sugardoodle.info/Reverence/Some%20Reverence%20Ideas.shtml
I hope even if it is in a simple way, I can teach all students how to be better listeners and show more respect to others. That respect will be reciprocated back to them.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Reflection

The Where I'm From project is so important to help us realize everyone has a beautiful story and everyone is valuable and equal. Every student that comes into our classroom will have differences to a wide variety of extents based on their culture, family environment, etc. All students need to be believed in and taught based on their individual needs.

It is very important to realize relationships between literacy, language, and power. As teachers, we should feel responsible for giving every student a fair and equal opportunity to learn. A quote from one of the articles we read said this, "Some children bring literacy knowledge to school with them." Being able to identify students who bring different levels of literacy knowledge with them to the classroom is very important. Each students' experience and knowledge needs to be embraced, nurtured, and furthered. We need to use different strategies to make sure students with different dialects and backgrounds are not left with a poor educational experience because we refused to teach in any other way than the way people who have control and power dictate. Moll contends that "existing classroom practices underestimate and constrain what Latino and other children are able to display intellectually." (Moll, 1992) We should never judge students or assume they won't be able to learn just because they come from a different experience or come to our classroom with a different type of literacy knowledge. We should believe in ALL of our students!

I think teachers have contributed to poor literacy instruction over the years by neglecting how well we learn from working together and using each other's knowledge, experience, insight, etc. to relate to the material or skill we are learning. Teachers for too long have taught literacy skills in a straight-forward by the book way, refusing to break out of the typical ways of teaching that just want to achieve certain standardized testing scores and cover all their CSO's. We need more interactive work in the classroom with groups and activities. "Teachers, parents and students involved admitted that they had gained insights from the process of sharing information across groups." (Bolima, n.d.)

In this article, teachers used the fact that their students had cultural capital from their own heritage and funds of knowledge that could be valued and used to help them succeed and transition their own dialect into complete literacy."Collaboratively, these teacher-researchers compiled the rules and structures of their local dialect as a tool for transitioning young writers into Standard English." The students dialect and culture was embraced and was a big help for the teachers in transitioning them to write in Standard English. I plan on using many ways to reach all cultures in my classroom. Teaching health and physical education I will have many opportunities to relate the material to the different cultures in my classroom. I could be an inclusive teacher by teaching a sport or dance from different cultures in physical education or giving a cultural background to the foods eaten in those cultures and the healthy byproducts of eating those foods in my health class.


Sources
1.)
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6DFAmexYq7vMGQxMjI1OTEtMjAyZS00NzJmLTg1OTUtODlmMGQ0ZDIxOTVk/edit

2.) Moll, L. (n.d.). Funds of knowledge: A look at luis moll. In Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B38BSV_Zo7aHSGVoMWEtOFRGMVE/edit

3.)  Bolima , D. (n.d.). Contexts for understanding: Educational learning theories. Retrieved from http://staff.washington.edu/saki/strategies/101/new_page_5.htm

4.)  Epstein P., H. (2011, September 15). Honoring dialect and increasing student performance in standard english. Retrieved from http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3655

5.)  The National Counsel of Teachers of English. (2007). Adolescent literacy. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Positions/Chron0907ResearchBrief.pdf