Chapter 10: Going Beyond the Classroom

Chapter 10 discussed the importance of taking learning outside the four walls all students are used to and bored by. Just the simple fact of leaving the classroom to go outside of the school can be just the thing a student needs to be able to connect concepts that may be tough to explain in a classroom. Teachers can use all kinds of examples outside of the class to teach students and have it be fun. It's also a way teachers can connect with students whose ability is to learn by doing.
This part of the chapter jumped out to me because this is exactly how I learn best. This past summer I took a geology class with Dr. Gibson, consisting of a considerable amount of time in the field. It's just not a subject that can be taught effectively in a classroom all the time. By going out in the field we were able to see what he wanted to explain, not just sit and take notes on it. I learn better by actually doing things and seeing them, so this was a great benefit to me. I contribute the good grade I got in the class by having the ability to go out and experience what he wanted to teach us.

Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong

Giving students motivation to do well in class was the main focus of chapter nine. When students don't feel comfortable in class, they won't answer questions. So they won't learn. Some students would rather sit in the back of the class and just blend in so as to not be noticed by the teacher or even their peers. Under the subtitle "When Students Feel Discouraged", the co-authors thought that having the ability to assess their teachers performance is an important part of the learning process for teacher. The teacher can then take this critique and change some things they may to to better the classroom.
I think the reason this part of the chapter stuck out to me is because I agree with the part discussing students ability to "grade" their teacher. When I get to fill out my teacher evaluation I think about how important it is for both me and the teacher. I can influence how that professor will teach and that helps out future students. We are only helping ourselves as teachers by letting our students tell us what we do right and what we do wrong.

Chapter 8: Teaching Teenagers Who Are Still Learning English

Chapter eight dealt with the important issue of being able to adapt teaching to students with different ethnic backgrounds who may not be proficient at speaking English. It can be hard for students to do well in school if they have a language barrier. "It's difficult for us because we don't make a lot of friends. You just make ELD friends, because we be afraid about talking wrong English with other students who speak English. That makes it harder to learn to speak English, if we have no chance to speak" (Fires page 146).
This chapter connects a lot with the early chapters in the book that talk about getting to know one's students. Building that comfort level early on with your students has different benefits. However, making a student who speaks another language comfortable enough to practice English can break down a lot of barriers.

Chapter 7: Teaching Difficult Academic Material

Having to teach a difficult curriculum can be a tough task. Finding ways to get students interested in learning the tough topics is a struggle, but that makes it so much more rewarding in the end. Under the heading "Getting Kids Going", the key concept was finding multiple ways to teach certain concepts. Every classroom will have students with multiple learning personalities, and a good teacher will be able to adjust their teaching style to adapt.
This part of chapter seven stuck out to me because so far in practicum we have spent a lot of time learning how to teach students with multiple learning styles. Not everyone learns the same way, and a good teacher needs to be able to adapt their teaching to cater to all the students. After being in the schools for three weeks it has helped me understand how important it is to teach everything different ways and see which works best.

Chapter 6: Motivation and Boredom

This chapter was one that discussed why students need school. It also discussed what teachers can do to motivate them to learn. Under the heading "passionate teachers", the co-authors discuss how the passion they see in a teacher is what motivates them to want to learn as well. " If they have passion for teaching kids, it's much easier for them to teach, period. I don't think most teachers have a passion, and you can tell if they do" (Fires page 104). Also, students lose motivation to learn if the teacher is apathetic and unenthusiastic about what they're teaching.
I believe this part of the chapter jumped out at me because I could easily relate to what the co-authors were saying about their experiences. I have had the teachers who really care about their subject and even though I might not love the subject, he/she makes me want to learn. It's all about their enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject. I have also had the apathetic teachers described in chapter six, and because of their lack of interest, I don't believe I got everything I should have out of the class. A teachers attitude makes a huge difference in how their students learn.

Chapter 5: Teaching to the Individual, Working with the Group

An interesting part of chapter five came under the heading "different levels in one class". It's important for teachers to understand that it's crucial to create a positive learning community amongst your students. Having a discussion about a certain topic is more advantageous and comfortable to students then asking multiple questions with shorts answers. "Kids learn more when teachers ask open-ended questions" (Fires page 91). Giving all students equal opportunities to take part in class discussion is equally important.
I chose this section of chapter six because it is something that has been talked about at length in Beth Evans' classes. The topic of tracking and how to encourage class discussion has been a big focus. I liked seeing how the book said to handle students struggling with questions. Saying things like "Can anyone help him/her" or things that get other students involved and keep the teacher as just a moderator are things that I have been trying to do in my class this semester in practicum. It's reassuring to me to see that the book and I are on the same page in this aspect of running a classroom.

Chapter 4: Creating a Culture of Success

The section of chapter 4 that jumped out at me was "other pressures students feel". Teachers, friends, family, and society around them as a whole effects their schooling. Many students have the aptitude to do well in school, but because of what their reputation among their peers may be, they might not try their hardest. "I know a person that missed the last five question on the SAT just so she wouldn't get a perfect score"(Fires page 73).
The part of the chapter jumped out at me because I think it is very true. I remember being friends with some really smart kids, but they were also kind of known trouble makers. Their reputation had control over their grades. They were pressured to not do as well because of how being smart would look to their peers. It's really important for students to feel comfortable in a class setting and making learning something fun so everyone takes part.

Chapter 3: Classroom Behavior

The part of chapter 3 that jumped out at me was the section entitled "Follow up promptly and consistently on the agreed upon expectations". Warning a student two or three times is acceptable before punishment is placed. The key is that if a teacher says they are going to do something (call home, give detention, etc.) then they need to follow up with it. Students will take advantage of that.
The reason I chose this small section of the chapter is because I have been in too many classes and seen teachers threaten to punish a student over and over again and in the end do nothing about it. Students will pick up on the fact that a teacher wont follow through with punishment and take advantage of it. If I as a future teacher say that I'm going to do something as a consequence to a students behavior, I need to be sure and do it. It will earn my students respect.

Credits MEL Webquest

Here is the citations for our Movie:

Ron Clark Academy-Permission Pending
http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/media/uploads/space_camp_2008_048.jpg

Andrea Stein-Permission granted
http://girlmogulmagazine.com/blog1/wp-ontent/uploads/2009/06/kids_bird_watching.jpg

ImaginitPhotos-Permission Pending
http://reycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/planting.jpg

Photo courtesy of Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School-Permission Pending
http://www.indy.gov/eGov/PublishingImages/Dr.%20Seuss%20Day%20051.jpg

UNESCO/Serraillier http://www.unc.edu/world/Global_Updates_2008/May_June/China%20School%20Photo.jpg

Stoughton Chamber of Commerce-All Rights Reserved
http://www.stoughtonwi.com/2009dancers500.jpg

Felicia Kenney
http://www.westcascadepca.org/projects/images/WCPCA-HomeEconomics5.jpg

The National Academy for the Gifted http://www.thenationalacademyforthegifted.org/images/multiple_intelligences_9.jpg

Boston Public Schools-All Rights Reserved
http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/files/content_images/dad%27s%20day%20at%20trotter.jpg

Raymond Rose-Permission granted
http://www.concord.org/publications/newsletter/2005-fall/images/tpd.jpg

Seigfreid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2kKjpNWHks&feature=player_embedded

Dan Stefanilo and Josh Daigle give permission to use their video footage.

Chapter 2: Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness

What jumped out at me came early in chapter 2. It was a simple quote: "It's okay if kids hate you at first. If you care about your teaching, we'll get past that. We're not going to be receptive to someone so quickly-we're kind of young in our thinking." It was interesting to me to get that perspective from a student. I find it a true statement as well. Teaching is not necessarily a popularity contest. It's nice to be liked, as a teacher you want to be liked. But, you don't have to be liked. Being tough at first is good because it will give your students a sense of your expectations. Once you notice them following the rules and behaving accordingly, then I feel you can loosen the reigns.

This jumped out at me because it was a response from a student I would not normally expect to hear from a student. Usually the student just wants the teacher to be nice no matter what. This student is not too young in their thinking like the quote says. As long as the teacher proves that they care about what they are teaching and show respect to their students, I believe that the students will in turn show respect to the teacher.

Chapter 1: Knowing Students Well

What jumped out at me while reading was the whole idea of having a questionnaire to have students fill out on the first day of school. I feel that it is a great ice breaker for the student and the teacher. The student can say everything he or she want the professor to know as it is a pretty informal series of questions. The teacher can take this information and use it to affect how he or she will not only teach that student, but the class as a whole.

This aspect of the chapter jumped out at me because I think it's a good way to start off the year. The teacher is getting a lot of knowledge about his/her students just by having them fill out this simple questionnaire. They can then use it to gauge how they will go about presenting information to the classroom, as well as having a better understanding of their students and where they come from.

Type I and Type II Technology

Type I technology can be defined as technology in education that helps to continue teaching in the same way that it has always been taught. Type II technology uses new and more engaging ways of teaching.
In middle school, I was in a keyboarding class. The computers and programs we used to "teach" us how to keyboard correctly were very old. There was very little interaction between me and the computer. Whether what I did was right or wrong, the computer program would just continue with the lesson, giving me a simple grade when I was done.
I remember my 9th grade history class having what would be considered Type I technology. We would use these very old head sets and tape players to do activities. There were also a couple of very old computers with some of the oldest french teaching software available. The programs were automated and did not have really any interaction with the user.
My first desktop had some Type I technology programs on it. I remember using some of the flash card programs to help me with things like memory when I was younger. It was easy for me because at the time I would not have been able to do well with a lot of technology.

My high school engineering class used what I would consider Type II technology. It was state of the art, interactive, and fun. I learned what I wanted to at my pace the and the computer would stay with me.
I also took a high school keyboarding class after not being satisfied with what I head learned in middle school. Technology had improved and the computer program I used was much more advanced. It was not boring to me and the computer adjusted its teaching to match my learning.
I remember an activity in my SED class last year where we learning about the technology for learners with disabilities on computers. The programs are very interactive in teaching the user how to operate it. I feel that most computers today use Type II technology in most aspects of their operation.

My MEL experiences

• Student/Teacher relationships: My favorite teacher is one whom meets all the criteria listed under this category in the learning model. Mr. Dufour was my freshman year history teacher, and was fun, respectful, and had a great sense of humor. He had a great attitude and though he expected a lot from his students, he made learning enjoyable.
• Helping Students Succeed: My sophomore year high school science teacher did not do much to help her students succeed. She often talked at us, giving us all the information we needed without having us do any of the work. She would ask questions, call on someone and if the slightest hesitation was noticed, would give the answer. She challenged very few minds in the class, giving us, her students, low confidence in our knowledge of science.
  
• Hands-On: This past summer I took a summer-term Geology class with Dr. Gibson. The class was very much hands-on, as we spent the majority of our class time out in the field studying and analyzing. I learn better as a hands-on learner myself, so this was beneficial to me. Going out into the field and doing my work there led to me being a more productive student in the classroom as well.
• Learning Styles: Last year I took an introduction French class. I believe that for any language being taught, a professor can fairly easily use styles for multiple intelligences to engage all students. We watched videos, did written work, had oral exams, and commonly spoke in French with other classmates. This is a perfect way to reach out to students who learn better in any of the multiple intelligences.
• Autonomy: I was fortunate enough to have been enrolled in an engineering program while attending Lewiston High School. This involved a lot of independent work and decision making. I did a lot of my own learning in this class, all part of the hands-on experience I find most helpful. I designed and created many things, and won a couple of awards along the way, showing the knowledge I gained while in the class.