In my classroom there are a total of 13 students. With a class this small, I will need to be aware of including students in discussions in which they may not feel comfortable with. While I may simply be trying to include the whole class in a discussion, I need to remember that there are some students who are not comfortable speaking or reading in front of the class. This is a major part of setting up a safe environment where students feel comfortable enough to come talk to me about potential issues they face. Being open to my students’ feelings and understanding of their unique personalities is going to be very important for me to remember.
In my class there are 4 boys and 9 girls who are between the ages of 11 and 12. I think there are two really good things to keep in mind when teaching this class. The first is the difference in the ratio of boys to girls. I will need to make sure that I am not simply referring to my class as, “hey guys”. I am also going to need to remember to include examples of women’s activities and not only use masculine examples. I am going to have to also remember that these so called ‘masculine’ examples can also be interests that the girls in my class have. The second thing that I need to remember is the age of my students. Making classroom discussions and work, age appropriate is very important. I can’t be talking to my class about in depth discussion such as the ethical controversies of cloning. My students are going to be more interested in why they are having troubles with their friends or how they can deal with their parents getting a divorce. I also need to remember that these are students who are going through significant physical and emotional changes. Being conscious of this fact will help me to better set up a healthy, safe environment for my students.
In my interactions as their instructor I have noticed a behavioral issue that I will need to be aware of. There is a student who has been moved to the front of the class. He seems to have difficulty staying still and lacks in group work participation. Although he does not seem to distract the others in the class, I feel like he is missing out on some important concepts that are a part of my curriculum. I am going to need to learn how to micro-manage his behavior and talk with him to discuss potential solutions that will help facilitate his learning in my classroom. I think that this also brings to my attention the fact that students may be learning even while an outside observer may think otherwise. I need to remember that just because a student seems to be letting his thoughts wonder elsewhere, they may in fact be actively learning the course content.
From my observations of the students I cannot find any cliques that I will need to be aware of. The students all seem to interact well with one another, and participate in active listening during classroom discussions. I have observed that there are two girls who seem to be treated differently than the rest of their peers. I can only guess that this might be because of the socio-economic differences of the girls and the rest of the class. These two girls seem to be dressed a bit nicer and present themselves a little more confidently. It seems that their peers treat them like the leaders of the class, choosing to defer to their suggestions. However, these are just assumptions that I am making and may be lead by the enthusiasm that the two girls have in answering questions, and regardless, the two girls work well with their peers in class.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Contextual Factors: Description of the Classroom
My classroom is located out in one of six portables on campus. Because the 6th grade health class only meets every other day, the classroom is shared with another teacher. Health teachers are one of the only school faculty that do not have their own classroom. As a result, the health teachers move to a new classroom every period. In my classroom I am provided a single shelve to hold my students workbooks, papers and supplies. I am also provided with the use of only one whiteboard and the smartboard. The beginning of class, roughly the first 3 minutes, is usually accompanied with the instructor logging in to the host computer. This creates a challenge for the teacher who must try to begin the class effectively while waiting for the technology to boot up. I will need to take this into account when I design my lessons and make sure that the first few minutes of every lesson do not depend on the availability of technology.
Over the past couple of weeks the mornings have been increasingly darker. There are only two windows in my class which keep the classroom very dark without having the classroom lights turned on. Because my classroom is a first period block I will need to be aware of keeping the environment bright, so as to provide a more academically motivational classroom for my students. The dark complexion of the classroom will also provide a great atmosphere for viewing video. My current curriculum incorporates short video clips that provide realistic visual representations of situations that they may be involved in, and effective examples for dealing with those situations. I really enjoy being out in the portables. I feel like it gives me a better environment which might otherwise be interrupted more frequently with students and faculty coming in to talk to my students or myself. I also fell like being in control of the lighting gives me the opportunity to create appropriate atmospheres for each of my lessons.
My classroom seating structure consists of four seats per row with a total of eight rows. Because I am technically a guest of the teacher whose classroom I am borrowing for the period, I have little control in how the seating is arranged. However, since a major part of my unit deals with group work and building positive communication skills, I will make sure to allow my students the chance turn their desks towards one another and create small groups of 3 to 4 students. This will be done with the understanding that before the end of class the room must be straightened back into its original form. As nice as it would be to be in charge of the seating arrangement in my classroom, the rearrangement of the desks into groups will help to provide a short stretch and break time for my students. With such short periods, 58 minutes total, any time that I can find available to give my students a quick break and get their blood flowing in a semi-aerobic activity is an added bonus. I will just have to make sure that I do not provide too much time and that the days lesson is cut short as a result.
Overall, I am thoroughly excited about my classroom. There may not be any space to place student’s drawings or health related posters on my wall, but I intend to incorporate plenty of health visuals using the classroom smartboard and classroom handouts. I believe that the teacher sets up the classroom environment more so than the classroom itself and I fully intend to set my classroom up so that it promotes conversation, reflection and healthy learning.
Over the past couple of weeks the mornings have been increasingly darker. There are only two windows in my class which keep the classroom very dark without having the classroom lights turned on. Because my classroom is a first period block I will need to be aware of keeping the environment bright, so as to provide a more academically motivational classroom for my students. The dark complexion of the classroom will also provide a great atmosphere for viewing video. My current curriculum incorporates short video clips that provide realistic visual representations of situations that they may be involved in, and effective examples for dealing with those situations. I really enjoy being out in the portables. I feel like it gives me a better environment which might otherwise be interrupted more frequently with students and faculty coming in to talk to my students or myself. I also fell like being in control of the lighting gives me the opportunity to create appropriate atmospheres for each of my lessons.
My classroom seating structure consists of four seats per row with a total of eight rows. Because I am technically a guest of the teacher whose classroom I am borrowing for the period, I have little control in how the seating is arranged. However, since a major part of my unit deals with group work and building positive communication skills, I will make sure to allow my students the chance turn their desks towards one another and create small groups of 3 to 4 students. This will be done with the understanding that before the end of class the room must be straightened back into its original form. As nice as it would be to be in charge of the seating arrangement in my classroom, the rearrangement of the desks into groups will help to provide a short stretch and break time for my students. With such short periods, 58 minutes total, any time that I can find available to give my students a quick break and get their blood flowing in a semi-aerobic activity is an added bonus. I will just have to make sure that I do not provide too much time and that the days lesson is cut short as a result.
Overall, I am thoroughly excited about my classroom. There may not be any space to place student’s drawings or health related posters on my wall, but I intend to incorporate plenty of health visuals using the classroom smartboard and classroom handouts. I believe that the teacher sets up the classroom environment more so than the classroom itself and I fully intend to set my classroom up so that it promotes conversation, reflection and healthy learning.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Contextual Factors: Description of the School
Houck Middle School, home of the Huskies, has an average student enrollment size of 1,025 students. The current enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year is 966 students. It serves student grades 6th -8th. There are a total of 353 6th graders, 284 7th graders, and 329 8th graders. The school is run by the current principle Susan Rieke-Smith and the assistant principle Leeana Fletchall. There are a total of 59 licensed teachers on staff with a support staff of 34. There are also 3 school counselors as well as a fulltime bilingual services staff member.
There are a total of 2 gymnasiums which provide a place for afterschool sports like basketball and volleyball, along with wrestling. There are also track and field facilities as well as both a football field and soccer field surrounding the school. The school provides an afterschool program in the cafeteria in which students can hang out and play a variety of video games such as guitar hero. This offers students a chance to interact with entertainment technology that they may not have a chance to at home.
The school has just recently enforced a mandatory dress code for their students. As I walk the halls I can sense the students responses to having to wear white, black or gray. Most are ok with the dress code, as it has helped lower violence and gang activity on campus. Others however, feel they are being ignored a chance to display their personalities in how they dress. Overall, the teachers have positive things to say about the enforcement. There are little to no problems with inappropriate female and male attire, and most teachers participate in the new dress code.
Overall, the middle school has an atmosphere of excitement and energy. Students walk around with smiles on their faces and seem eager to interact with one another as well as with their educators. There is quite a contrast in how I feel from the outside community where it seems so desperate, to inside the school where I feel safe and excited.
I think that the overall feel of the school is going to help improve my investment in the school. If my students are excited to be there, even if it is because they receive a hot meal and a safe eight hours, I am going to make every effort to be excited to be there. I think it will help to make my lessons more exciting and interactive. It says a lot about a classroom if a teacher is excited about a subject. Feeling the energy in the halls and making sure to bring that energy into my class is going to be a top priority. As a middle school educator, I have a crucial roll to play in the educational development of my students. Here in middle school they are beginning to come into contact with core classes such as math, social studies, science and language arts. If I can influence my students to be more excited in these core classes, it will help to provide a strong foundation for them as they move on to high school and college. Houck Middle School will influence me to be aware of my students. I know what lies outside of these halls and so I am better prepared to provide for the needs of my students while they are here.
There are a total of 2 gymnasiums which provide a place for afterschool sports like basketball and volleyball, along with wrestling. There are also track and field facilities as well as both a football field and soccer field surrounding the school. The school provides an afterschool program in the cafeteria in which students can hang out and play a variety of video games such as guitar hero. This offers students a chance to interact with entertainment technology that they may not have a chance to at home.
The school has just recently enforced a mandatory dress code for their students. As I walk the halls I can sense the students responses to having to wear white, black or gray. Most are ok with the dress code, as it has helped lower violence and gang activity on campus. Others however, feel they are being ignored a chance to display their personalities in how they dress. Overall, the teachers have positive things to say about the enforcement. There are little to no problems with inappropriate female and male attire, and most teachers participate in the new dress code.
Overall, the middle school has an atmosphere of excitement and energy. Students walk around with smiles on their faces and seem eager to interact with one another as well as with their educators. There is quite a contrast in how I feel from the outside community where it seems so desperate, to inside the school where I feel safe and excited.
I think that the overall feel of the school is going to help improve my investment in the school. If my students are excited to be there, even if it is because they receive a hot meal and a safe eight hours, I am going to make every effort to be excited to be there. I think it will help to make my lessons more exciting and interactive. It says a lot about a classroom if a teacher is excited about a subject. Feeling the energy in the halls and making sure to bring that energy into my class is going to be a top priority. As a middle school educator, I have a crucial roll to play in the educational development of my students. Here in middle school they are beginning to come into contact with core classes such as math, social studies, science and language arts. If I can influence my students to be more excited in these core classes, it will help to provide a strong foundation for them as they move on to high school and college. Houck Middle School will influence me to be aware of my students. I know what lies outside of these halls and so I am better prepared to provide for the needs of my students while they are here.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Contextual Factors: Description of the Community
I will be doing my practicum teaching at Houck Middle School located at 1155 Connecticut St. S.E. in Salem, Oregon. Located off the busy commercial Lancaster Street, Houck Middle School has the feel of both an inner city district and a suburb. According to the school website, Houck is a traditional middle school serving students in grades 6 - 8. The average enrollment for the school is 1,025 students. The school itself is fed by Miller, Eyre, Four Corners and Bethel Elementary schools within the Southeastern part of Salem-Kiezer School District.
According to the website, School Matters, Houck Middle School has an average household income range of $30,000-$50,000. Only 25% of the population has had an education higher than a high school degree. Most of the population in the community surrounding Houck Middle School falls between the ages of 5yrs-40yrs.
Walking around the surrounding neighborhoods I found several new developments next door to the school. After surveying one particular neighborhood I found that the median home price, for those that were for sale, was around $180,000 with a few extremities that included a home for $122,000 and $280,000. However, most of Houck is surrounded by older family homes reminiscent of the ranch home architecture found in the 1950s and 1960s.
The overall feel of the community is shady. Its not quite dark, because of the patches of light that show up throughout the community. There are parts in which I feel safe and secure and I observed kids laughing and playing out in their front yards. Other parts are less lighthearted and I felt lonely and depressed looking at the fading paint and un-kept lawns. There is a definite divide between impoverish and middle class. Just by observing the number of students who stayed at school in afterschool programs until they were forced to leave around 6:00pm told me how disparate their need for supervision might be.
It seems to me that I do develop a bias towards the community. For me, this bias is not a negative bias, but an increased awareness to the needs of safety and security for my students. I don’t think you can ever visit a community and not make an assumption as to what you might expect at the school. It’s a part of our mental evolution that allows us to categorize things to help better our own survival. Before having spent a day with the middle schoolers of Houck I would have expected to find great diversity in ethnicity, race and income and indeed I found these things within the school. However, I may show up to class and feel a bias towards what I may expect, but it is how I adapt after observation and the ability to not let yourself take away the equity of your students that really defines who and what kind of a teacher you are.
According to the website, School Matters, Houck Middle School has an average household income range of $30,000-$50,000. Only 25% of the population has had an education higher than a high school degree. Most of the population in the community surrounding Houck Middle School falls between the ages of 5yrs-40yrs.
Walking around the surrounding neighborhoods I found several new developments next door to the school. After surveying one particular neighborhood I found that the median home price, for those that were for sale, was around $180,000 with a few extremities that included a home for $122,000 and $280,000. However, most of Houck is surrounded by older family homes reminiscent of the ranch home architecture found in the 1950s and 1960s.
The overall feel of the community is shady. Its not quite dark, because of the patches of light that show up throughout the community. There are parts in which I feel safe and secure and I observed kids laughing and playing out in their front yards. Other parts are less lighthearted and I felt lonely and depressed looking at the fading paint and un-kept lawns. There is a definite divide between impoverish and middle class. Just by observing the number of students who stayed at school in afterschool programs until they were forced to leave around 6:00pm told me how disparate their need for supervision might be.
It seems to me that I do develop a bias towards the community. For me, this bias is not a negative bias, but an increased awareness to the needs of safety and security for my students. I don’t think you can ever visit a community and not make an assumption as to what you might expect at the school. It’s a part of our mental evolution that allows us to categorize things to help better our own survival. Before having spent a day with the middle schoolers of Houck I would have expected to find great diversity in ethnicity, race and income and indeed I found these things within the school. However, I may show up to class and feel a bias towards what I may expect, but it is how I adapt after observation and the ability to not let yourself take away the equity of your students that really defines who and what kind of a teacher you are.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Reflection 4.1
Kids I find it easy to like?
-Those that have like interests, sports, movies, readings, faith.
Kids I find it hard to like?
-Those that show little respect, behavioral issues, lack of interest in class.
Kids I am sorry for?
-Outcasts, lower economics, disabilities.
Kids I feel threatened by?
-Those that display violent tendencies, dress inappropriately (boys and girls)
Kids I identify with?
-Athletes, outdoorsmen, gamers.
Kids I gravitate towards?
-Students with like interests, do well in school, easy to talk to and dont shy away from teacher interest.
Kids I feel inadequate around?
-Those I cannot "fix" their lives. (I can always help to improve, but seeing self-destructive behaviors really pulls on me)
Kids I probably don't even notice?
-Quiet, back of class, little participation.
-Those that have like interests, sports, movies, readings, faith.
Kids I find it hard to like?
-Those that show little respect, behavioral issues, lack of interest in class.
Kids I am sorry for?
-Outcasts, lower economics, disabilities.
Kids I feel threatened by?
-Those that display violent tendencies, dress inappropriately (boys and girls)
Kids I identify with?
-Athletes, outdoorsmen, gamers.
Kids I gravitate towards?
-Students with like interests, do well in school, easy to talk to and dont shy away from teacher interest.
Kids I feel inadequate around?
-Those I cannot "fix" their lives. (I can always help to improve, but seeing self-destructive behaviors really pulls on me)
Kids I probably don't even notice?
-Quiet, back of class, little participation.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Reflection 3.10
So I interviewed two students from a field biology class which had 8 IEP students and 13 honors students. I was able to find an honor student who was female that would talk to me about teacher expectations. She told me that she felt like her teacher thought she was very smart. Probably in part because of her “honors” title. She also thought that her teacher would think she would be “some nerdy” biologist. She said that she really liked the field biology class, but it wasn’t necessarily her “thing”. She didn’t think that her teacher knew she was more interested in architecture and engineering.
The second student I interviewed was an African American student who started on the varsity football team. He had been spending most of the class causing disruptions and interrupting his teacher. When I asked him what his teacher thought he would be when he grew up he said sarcastically, “Playing professional football.” He also thought that his teacher thinks he is “having difficulty” and “is dumb”. He said he thinks that because he never really trys hard during the assignments. “Its just an elective”.
Interestingly enough, when I asked what my teacher thought both of the students would be doing when they grow up he replied that both would be successful in their own ways. He thought that both would probably go on to college and get a post-secondary education. He did however; agree with both students personal assessments of their academic potential in class. He agreed that the first student was very smart and understood the concepts in class. He also agreed that the second student was having difficulty and brought up several examples of disruptive behavior. I think its great that even though the teacher was frustrated with the second students behavior and felt like academically he was having quite a bit of difficulty, that he still genuinely felt that he would succeed in life.
The second student I interviewed was an African American student who started on the varsity football team. He had been spending most of the class causing disruptions and interrupting his teacher. When I asked him what his teacher thought he would be when he grew up he said sarcastically, “Playing professional football.” He also thought that his teacher thinks he is “having difficulty” and “is dumb”. He said he thinks that because he never really trys hard during the assignments. “Its just an elective”.
Interestingly enough, when I asked what my teacher thought both of the students would be doing when they grow up he replied that both would be successful in their own ways. He thought that both would probably go on to college and get a post-secondary education. He did however; agree with both students personal assessments of their academic potential in class. He agreed that the first student was very smart and understood the concepts in class. He also agreed that the second student was having difficulty and brought up several examples of disruptive behavior. I think its great that even though the teacher was frustrated with the second students behavior and felt like academically he was having quite a bit of difficulty, that he still genuinely felt that he would succeed in life.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Chapter 2 Reflections
Opps, sorry guys, I accidentally posted to my other blog.
It was interesting to hear each of the responses for their greatest achievements in life. No one answered that it was how great they did on their SAT’s or Praxis, but I did receive the answer graduating from college. This was interesting to me because college deals so heavily on academic achievements. However, the most common answer for what kind of achievements do you admire in persons you respect had little to do with examinations. They said they admired people they trusted, and people who had leadership skills. People who had love of their family’s.
My cousin was able to find a couple of things that were both affirmed and contradicted by outside influences. In her science class she was learning evolution, but at her home, her Christian family was struggling to find meaning within this context. In school she was also learning about the health effects of marijuana, but on the news, down in California, she was watching the debate over legalization of the drug.
One of the things that I shared with my cousin was our interests in after school activities. She played softball and volleyball and watched a lot of football (mainly due to my uncle). I shared a passion for coaching softball and enjoy playing beach volleyball. We also shared the same reaction to our sense of belonging. We both felt secure while with close family and friends but left out in the open amongst people we were unfamiliar with we both became introverted.
One of the most important things that came up while doing this last reflection was how a teacher influences their environment. Environment is so important to learning. Without a safe secure place a student will not be able to focus properly on learning material. As a teacher it is going to be important for me to understand this and begin by presenting a classroom environment where a student does not feel foolish for asking a question. I can remember times while I was in high school that I was curious about something but did not feel secure enough to raise my hand and question it. We have to help our students become secure in our classroom.
It was interesting to hear each of the responses for their greatest achievements in life. No one answered that it was how great they did on their SAT’s or Praxis, but I did receive the answer graduating from college. This was interesting to me because college deals so heavily on academic achievements. However, the most common answer for what kind of achievements do you admire in persons you respect had little to do with examinations. They said they admired people they trusted, and people who had leadership skills. People who had love of their family’s.
My cousin was able to find a couple of things that were both affirmed and contradicted by outside influences. In her science class she was learning evolution, but at her home, her Christian family was struggling to find meaning within this context. In school she was also learning about the health effects of marijuana, but on the news, down in California, she was watching the debate over legalization of the drug.
One of the things that I shared with my cousin was our interests in after school activities. She played softball and volleyball and watched a lot of football (mainly due to my uncle). I shared a passion for coaching softball and enjoy playing beach volleyball. We also shared the same reaction to our sense of belonging. We both felt secure while with close family and friends but left out in the open amongst people we were unfamiliar with we both became introverted.
One of the most important things that came up while doing this last reflection was how a teacher influences their environment. Environment is so important to learning. Without a safe secure place a student will not be able to focus properly on learning material. As a teacher it is going to be important for me to understand this and begin by presenting a classroom environment where a student does not feel foolish for asking a question. I can remember times while I was in high school that I was curious about something but did not feel secure enough to raise my hand and question it. We have to help our students become secure in our classroom.
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