Double Entry Journal #14

Chap. 7 and 8

1. What was the most interesting idea you encountered as you read the chapter?

Gee compared two sentences that conveyed the same idea about hornworms and their rate of growth. One in a vernacular way and one in an academic way. He mentioned that by using one you lose something or gain something. Particularly, with these sentences, one gains empathy for cute little hornworms with the vernacular speech. With the Academic speech, though, one gains understanding of abstract things (significant amount of variety), traits, and categorization of traits. Gee's point is sometimes people will lose what they do in the vernacular language to gain in the academic language, only if the person sees the gain as an actual gain. But, his main point is this, "why would anyone-- most especially a child... accept this loss?" As teachers who want to teach the academic language we need to ask ourselves: "why should the students justify this as a gain in language?" and be able to answer that question well. 

2. What connections can you make between Gee's critique and Sir Ken Robinsons' critique of traditional schooling?
Gee was a big proponent of tutorial based learning within a given "Space" (rather than community). He used many video games to create a preferred teaching method and an example of immersion. First and foremost, Gee believes that the learner needs to become the subject, live the world of what they are learning, and then they can learn what they need to succeed, because they will have the situational understanding that is brought through experience.
Robinson talked a lot about creativity, and the way that creativity builds intellegience because of the immersion. Students need to learn to be creative by figuring out new ways of learning. He talked about how one student learn how she learned best by dancing while learning.

3. How did this book change or support your understanding of good teaching?
It definitely taught me that learning doesn't have one right way. and that learning needs to have experience attached to it, rather than  boring lecture time. Students not only need meaningful learning, they also need to have authentic, real-life learning that centers around a curriculum that uses situated learning to help students succeed. This is in addition to cultural understanding and building of relationships.

Sir Robinson video Notes

Find three ideas you agree with, two ideas that surprised you, and one idea you disagree with or confused you.

Agree
1.We are teaching students 5 years into future, but we don't know what the future holds in 5 years.
2. If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll be afraid to take risks.
3.If humans stay for 50 years, then life systems will go extinct. If humans all disappeared, in 50 years life systems will flourish.

Surprised
1. Everywhere on Earth, Math and language is on top and Humanities are on the bottom. Under Humanities: Music and theater on top and dance on bottom.
2.The story about the dancer, her doctor, instead of dosing her, told her she was a dancer. These days, doctors will just give her drugs and to calm down.

Disagree/confused
1.

Double Entry Journal #13

Chapter 6: Affinity Spaces

1. Give an example of a "community of practice" in which you are currently participating in.

Of course, being a musician, I am sort of apprenticing myself, but there's a more accurate situation. I work as a grill cook at the local Bob Evan's restaurant. There I have been an apprentice of the other, older, cooks for more than a year now. It has taught me everything I know about cooking there. These boys are experienced (the youngest one had been there for at least 2 years before I showed up) and knew everything about how to cook the food there, which really helped me learn.

2.Why is the term "community" better defined in relation to spaces rather than groups of people?

The author says that "community" is better defined in terms of spaces rather than groups because it is simpler. Too many questions are asked after the fact when they are separated in groups. In terms of a space, someone can ask a couple preliminary questions and be able to define the group more securely.

3. What is a "generator"? What is it's counterpart in school?

A "generator" is the "about" of a subject. It is the creator of ideas, and facilitator of thought. In school, it is what a particular class is about (i.e. math, science, art, reading, etc.) 

4. What is a "content organizer"? What is it's counterpart in school?

A content organizer is whatever helps the content make sense in context, and helps keep the learner informed and practicing that content. In school, it is basically the curriculum designed by the teacher.

5. What is a "portal"? What is it's counterpart in school?

A "portal" is anything that gives access to the space, or content. In school, it is compared to a textbook or teacher.

6. What do people have an "affinity" for in an "affinity space"? How does this inform your understanding of good teaching?

People in an affinity space have an affinity for the interest around which the space is created. This is not first and foremost the end all be all, but it is very important  to people in spaces. This helps with good teaching by showing me that the people can help, but it is the content that the people are involved with that helps the learning process most.

7. How do "affinity spaces" support inclusive classrooms? Choose two characteristics below to make connections between "affinity spaces" and inclusive classrooms.

Using a Common Language - Within a space, or a classroom, students and teacher use a common language within the  content of the class. When the teacher has students living the environment of a subject, the students learn the "language" or the life of that subject.

A Common Vision - This is true in all senses of a good classroom or affinity space. In AoM the common vision is to take over the map, and to succeed in a colony. In a classroom, the common vision is to learn.

8. How are traditional classroom different from Affinity Spaces?

In a traditional classroom, there is more of a community rather than a space. Too many extra beings can be included in the community that aren't a part of the community but count as part of the community.

Student Interviews

This blog is dedicated to a set of interviews I gave students in my clinicals.

Both students were 5th graders in Mrs. Dunn's General Music classes. The first student was in her first period class, and the second was in her second period class.

I began each interview with a few questions of my own (unrecorded) to get the students relaxed and ready to answer truthfully, questions included how are you, hows your morning, what'd you do this weekend, etc.

High Performing Student
Female, enthusiastic, confident, relaxed, good posture.
Seemed to be multi-talented, has hinted to piano lessons in class, and being a swimmer.

I: Do you enjoy school?
S: Yes!
I: What about it do you like?
S: It gets me away from home, sitting around. My friends are here too.
I: What words would you use to describe yourself as a student? What kind of student are you?
S: Respectful, good listener.
I: What do you do for fun outside of school?
S: Swim, I really like swimming!
I: What are some other things you enjoy?
S: Dancing around!
I: What is your favorite kind of music?
S: Christian Songs, I also like Rascal Flatts
I: How would your classmates describe you?
S: Same as before, respectful, good listener, and they like to call me a Know-it-all
I: What do you and your friends do together?
S: Talk, study together, and we like to have sleepovers
I: Tell me a good memory you have from school.
S: hmm... Well, when I got elected for student representative, also Christmas shows.
I: What does a student representative do?
S: We have meetings. We plan spirit week festivities.
I: What is your spirit week?
S: It's the week during the East-West game.
I: Any bad memories?
S: I got throw up on my shoe once from another student.
I: Anything else?
S: Once the toilet got clogged, that wasn't so great.
I: Can you describe your favorite kind of teacher to me?
S: Strict, I like structure. I also like one that keeps to my pace.
I: That sounds a lot like Mrs. Dunn.
S: Yeah, I really like Mrs. Dunn, she is probably my favorite teacher.
I: What is one thing you wish your teachers knew about you?
S: That's one thing I love about Mrs. Dunn, she knows a lot about me. I wish my teachers knew my parents were divorced, so that they don't load me up on homework. That way I can see my dad more often.


Struggling Student
Male, football player, seemed reserved and nervous to talk to me, slouching quite a bit in chair.

I: Do you enjoy school?
S: I like that I get to hang out with my friends.
I: What kind of student are you?
S: ... Smart, talkative.
I: What do you do for fun outside of school?
S: I like to play football, also watch it.
I: How would your classmates describe you?
S: um... fun. And that's about it I think.
I: Who are you friends with?
S: Mostly friends from football practice.
I: What do you and your friends do outside of school?
S: We like to play football video games, other video games, and football outside.
I: What is a good memory you have in school?
S: um... well, I'm class president. Also, the team is undefeated right now, that's pretty cool.
I: What about a bad memory?
S: When I got a "D" in math.
I: Do you like math?
S: No, it's hard.
I: What is a favorite teacher you've had?
S: My third grade teacher. At recess, she let us stay out to play longer than other teachers.
I: What makes a good teacher?
S: Not a lot of homework, or easy homework.
I: What's one thing you wish your teachers knew about you?
S: That I don't like homework. I also like to dissect things, those are my favorite days.

Double Entry Journal #12

Chapter 5: Learning and Gaming

1 What is the main argument the author is making in Chapter 5.

The author is arguing that the tutorials in video games tend to use a better use of learning than schools these days. By this he means that students are more engaged and have an easier learning curve in video games than in school.

2. What constitutes a theory of learning?

   A theory of learning is something that allows students to learn and still have a full understanding using increasingly difficult challenges. When students are allowed to explore and take things at their own pace, then they can learn the best.

3. Why did the author struggle to learn to play Warcraft III? What needs to proceed before good learning principles?

The author had troubles because he wasn't as motivated to move on, since he was unfamiliar with the games learning and design. Motivation for extended engagement needs to proceed before good learning principles.

4. How would have the authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III been interpreted in school?

In school, the author would have been interpreted as being lazy and would fail a class.

5 What kind of learning experience might be better suited for at risk students?

"Horizontal learning" it is a way of learning that allows students to take their time. It allows students to not progress fast, but learn the basics on their own while building their way up the skill ladder when they eventually can relate the skills to real life events.

6. Why does the school-based interpretation of "at risk" lead to bad learning?

Schools tend to make "at risk" students go back for remedial classes and hold them back, because they don't progress fast enough, rather than at their own pace.

7. What do schools need to do to function more like a good game?

Schools need to use a more tutorial like approach or a more experience based approach. They need to let the students engulf themselves in the world of subject matter. Total immersion in an area of expertise lets students build those skills in a meaningful way.

8. What is different about how good games and school assess learners?

Schools use tests that assesses students in a way that uses meaningless knowledge rather than real world skills in meaningful situations, like a good games.

9. What are the attributes of a  fish-tank tutorial that make it an effective learning tool? How is it different than school-based learning?

fish-tank tutorial: uses hand-holding, multimodal means of learning, lots of redundancy, and the information is given right when it is needed. In "real life" situations, the tutorial gives the information the student needs to put the basic building blocks together to learn the greater knowledge in the end. 

It uses Vygotsky's zone of proximal development to help students learn and feel successful in their learning.

10. What is a sand-box tutorial? Why is effective? How is it different that school-based learning? 

a sand-box tutorial is when a real life situation is presented in a safe, clean way, like a real sandbox to a child. In a sandbox, kids can learn and explore the world in a safe, timely manner, just like in this same tutorial style. like the "quick start" in RoN.

11. What is a genre? Why is it important for good learning?

A genre is a type of something. In learning, it is always good to know what type of thing you're doing, that way you can structure your mind process to wrap your mind around it.

12. According to the author, what to learning and play having in common?

If learning stops, then fun stops, and eventually play stops.

13. How are the skills test in good games different from skills tests in school?

Skills tests in games are developmental for the learner and not evaluative.

 

14. How does RoN support collaborative learning?

It uses the multiplayer interface as well as the computer to build cooperation within the game.

Formative assessment blog

What is formative assessment?
Formative assessment is a form of assessment that uses the students quality of work to build techniques of better learning. Rather than a form of assessment that monitors student performance, it is one that enhances and improves performance. It uses proper timing, teacher comments and appropriate use of assignments to allow student achievement, and assessment happens during the process of learning rather than after

What is the CENTRAL purpose of formative assessment?
The central purpose is that of allowing students better confidence and a growing curve of learning. Rather than telling students they did something wrong, it shows them what they can do to improve upon only. This eliminates hurt feelings.

Connect a best practice in formative assessment to one research-based strategy.
Providing feedback, this includes using comments and peer and self assessment used in the formative assessment.

Give an example of how a specific assessment can be used formatively and summatively.

Using a rubric given to students to guide an assignment. Students can use what you'll be using as a grade to help build a quality assignment, but then the teach can use the rubric to do the actual grading. The rubric as a tool for the students and teacher is (to guide assignment) is formative, and the rubric as a grading tool for the teacher is summative. 

Give an example from your field placement related to formative assessment and timing.

In music most evaluation is formative. We must use everything we ask of the students as the students use of guiding assignments. We have videos with worksheets that need questions answered, we use listening assignments where students write down what they hear, we have coloring assignments. We can't use a lot of tests because that isn't an accurate depiction of a student's abilities. So participation in assignments needs to be used as assessment much of the time.

What are some strategies to help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback? Use peer assessment strategies. As a student, having friends and people in the class provide truthful feedback was always more meaningful than a teacher giving the feedback.

Name two advantages to high quality formative assessment.

Teachers can identify struggling students and provide help much faster and easier. Students can build confidence and feelings of control better.

Double Entry Journal #11

Chapter 4- Simulations and Bodies

 This chapter emphasizes the importance of full emergence in subject matter for full understanding of that subjects vocabulary. When the author says, "learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West," he means to say that the students can't merely sit around and work. As part of our culture of learning, we must use our bodies and our physical power as a means to learn about subjects. Students must have specific learning experiences rather than memorizing words. No one just reads, rather, the learner reads a specific material. According to the author, merely "reading" is not enough to gain a large vocabulary. He believes that one must actually experience the worlds that the vocabulary words refer to. Those words have a specific place in those places they belong. The meaning of the word depends on that words usage, as a word could mean something different in many different places. In essence, a words meaning comes from its usage in the subject. For instance in the sentence "My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present," the term "off the hook" means that the subject of the sentence does not need to buy his/her sister a wedding present any longer. In the sentence, "Them shoes are off the hook dog," "off the hook," means that the shoes are very much desirable and the speaker is interested in them. Finally, in the sentence, "Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!!" the term "off the hook," means that the fighter beating up 6 people at once was intense, ridiculous, and unexpected. 

     According to the author, the "work" of childhood is play. Children, when given the opportunity to play, are given the opportunity to learn. They can learn the true meaning of different aspects of life, for example, sharing, compassion, love, hard work, leadership, discipline, as well as vocabulary, basic math, and many other basics for subjects. I agree with this, as students are much more prone to want to play if they learn that they are doing something they don't like to do in the process of playing. One example the author uses when it comes to reading literally and cognitively is reading the instruction manual for a video game. This can be confusing with all of the new vocabulary introduced that requires explanation and rereading different sections, if one does not have the original knowledge of the game. By NOT reading the instruction manual first, the player can play the game and begin learning through doing, and when a question arises, they can refer to the manual, with the newer knowledge of the vocabulary they didn't know beforehand. 
     Although it is advantageous to read the manual, the literal meaning of a word may not be what is required to understand the word. There is a lot of implied meaning that goes in with a word in many subjects. By narrowing one's eyesight to the literal meaning of a word, the reader might become confused or frustrated completely by the word's meaning. In games, a player needs to be following rules to be identified as playing the game. The game, in real life, could be used in place of identity. One of my games I play is the game of music educator, and I am following the rules of learning to teach music, and teaching music, as well as getting my degree to graduate with a certification. Another game I play is that of conductor. I must plan rehearsals and keep the beat for the ensemble. I also play the game of friend. As a friend, I must be available to be talked to, I must also be compassionate and share my feelings with others.
     According to the author, good learning is learning that is done, rather than studied or taught. The learner needs to be actively engaged in an activity to be a sufficient learner. This can only be done through experimentation and experiences.

Double Journal Entry #10

1. What are the features of the forms of language that are spoken in a home environment that align with academic varieties of language?
Many students learn through interpretation of specialized language into their home language. Students decipher new language at hone that tends to serve as useful in school. One way this works is through imitation of the spcialized learning scenario in school, at home. Another is by using the language they learn at home in school and participating in activities that enhances their language skills.

2. What are the features of Leona's specialized form of language?
Patterns in the way she speaks, like similar endings and beginnings of lines. Where she improvises the story she know, when its structured like a well thought out poem. She speaks in a way that the writer makes her sound smarter than she is. She is very poetic in her language

3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?
It isn't accepted because she sounds like she is rambling on. The teacher isn't letting her finish the story and learn great ways to conclude a story. Rather, the teacher has her sit down mid story. This language isn't accepted due to clisemindedness. This happens, though, and in this case it hurts young "leona."

4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998).
Snow talks about the fact that students need early skills development especially for low SES students. This is contradictory in that they need to have a starting base before they can have the skills. And schools aren't taking that into account when teaching students many times.

5. What other factors besides early skills training will make or break good readers?
Having some more home experience helps these students get a head start. Building scenarios to play with reading at the home can build a good relationship to reading. A better learning curve could help. Students could also be given a better set of lessons to help with reading

6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school?
These ways with words aren't used at home. And so they learn a little bit of may different ways in school, and then come home only to never hear it again. It doesn't reinforce the concepts taught. This is a hard thing to accomplish and until more understanding into ways to combat this are found, then video games and POP culture will be what helps facilitate this.

Double Entry Journal #9

 A strange fact!
 (question-answer version[questions by Dr. Lindstrom, answers by me])

1. What is the strange fact about not learning to read? 

The strange fact is that poverty and the inability to read go hand-in-hand. It is hard to argue, based on the research, and just a lifestyle shouldn't make a difference in someone learning to pronounce letters and create sentences, but it is true.

2. Why is this fact so strange?

It is so strange because students from low SES or from minority groups can learn just as easily as anyone else on all subjects. The fact of the matter is that these students have a harder time learning to read. These are no less of people than any other human being, but they have that trouble with their reading skills. 

3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who at good at learning things like Pokeman into children who are not good a learning? 

The recognition of different learning style with the lack of teaching that particular way. Sudents have the trouble and dont get the attention they need to learn the rules

4. What is the differences between a traditionalists approach to learning to read and more progressive educators?

A traditonalist is more about lectures and listening and taking noes where a more progresssive teacher is there to assign projects and authentic situations for each student to learn how to read from those situations.

5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?

No. It begins as a new skiill, since we havent always had to write/ read regularly enough to cause it to become a natural process in the human bodies. where communicating at all (most usually orally) is more natural.

6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?

Natural is an adaptaion/ instinct the body knows inherently like eating and protection. Instructed is an idea or process taught to the student. Cultural process is a process taught to the person for cultural necessity, and this deals mainly with tradition.

7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school? 

The cultural process teaches humams most efficiently, since the humans control that area of their lives as an inherently important area. In school, students learn to read in an instructional way, rather than culturally.

8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grade slump."

 Some students can "read," can decode and assign superficial meanings to meaningless words, and some students can "read," ones who can derive full understanding from multiple viewpoints and depth

9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?

"Early language ability." it is the experience students have had to use language at early ages. Students who had more exposure to language was able to understnad the phonics of language against those who don't. 

10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give an example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "a specialized variety",  about a topic in your content area.

Vernacular tends to be more associated with everyday words of the audience. Specialist language is more aimed towards experts of that field. ex. (vernacular) The Phish show was really cool! Their jams were very interesting and long, I like it when they start singing again though.

ex. (specialist) The recitative section of Mussorgsky's Opera is much more dynamically interesting than Mozart's, this is because of the era of time both composers were active.

11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed?

It is developed through experience at home, with parents, as well as with friends and school mates, in school. But mostly, experiences outside of school prepare a student to be ready to read in school.

12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail?

It is not supporting home language use. The children need the extra experience at home to accelerate the learning of their language skills. It only makes sense because like they say, "practice makes perfect." and this holds true here.

13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school?

Not necessarily, but they parents have a very strong influence on the accuasition of language in the classroom. The parents need to be the ones supporting the learning at home and be the ones to facilitate the learning. Parents have a huge impact and they sometimes don't care, and thus don't even try, because they think school is where you learn, not home.

14. Did you struggle with reading this text? Why? Are you a poor reader or are you unfamiliar with this variety of specialized language?

I struggled to read this text book because I was very tired. late nights and early mornings take their toll on the human body. I could undertsnad many of the words, but was having trouble with processing them properly to make the most sense out of it. In hindsight, doing this homework at a decent hour is the answer to this.

Double Entry Journal #8

      The main challenge that this book is addressing is the student's "way with words" and the motivation it takes (or doesn't take) to find that way. In school, some students naturally have a way with words and don't have trouble learning new subjects. But that is rare, and a lot of students have trouble finding that way and need help with subjects in school. The authors phrase, "way with words," refers to the students' understanding of subject matter jargon and textbook vocabulary. This, as he defines, is a major component in the learning of ideas associated with the subjects (mathematics, science, etc.). The core argument is that learning new ways with words when they find the worlds the words apply to compelling. Students do not enjoy learning new ideas if they don't understand what is going in, only by immersing them in the language and a way they can understand and participate in, will they enjoy learning subjects.
     When I was little, I played a computer game called "Age of Empires" which was a strategy game that took place in the middle ages. I learned a variety of vocabulary words through that game: trebuchet, cavalry, monk, feudal. All of these were phrases used during that time which were words I hadn't come across yet, that I learned through playing a video game at home rather than at school. The author talks about learning specialized language best outside of school or through the world the word applies to. If a student can live in the world created through that language, then they can learn that language, which is why video games can be a good tool.
      To be successful in the 21st century, people are to become learners, learners who can use their world to gain knowledge they need. The author states that  learning academic language is NOT sufficient for success in modern society, and I agree with this. People do not necessarily need to sound like they are "smart," to be successful in the world. If someone is an expert in their field and are successful, then they obviously only needed to learn what they needed to learn to become an expert. The author talks this up completely. I like the way the author uses his term "way with words," because it is true what he says about the use of textbook and subject jargon. It is the portal to the understanding of the subject, and one of the best ways to pass through that portal is by immersing yourself in the world of that subject. As you live inside this world, you learn to love it, and you experience the jargon firsthand.

Double Entry Journal #6

Edutopia article

      The "dominant paradigm" that is beginning to wear includes the traditional ways to teach, using teacher and textbook. It uses lectures, discussions and readings to educate students. This article will give several other ways to give students the knowledge and experiences they need to succeed.

      In Project-based learning, students participate in large projects with groups or in the context of the whole class. The students design and engage in a project with real world subject matter, or with a practical use later. It is based on a pre- and post-test model, where students retest what they have learned by doing the project. One benefit of this approach is increase in critical thinking and a confidence in learning, as with Shepard's (1998) study. Another benefit is that it helps students with conceptual questions within tests and life. Boaler's (1997, 1998) study used a control group of traditionally taught students, and followed this group and a group of students in a project-based learning environment and rated them in tests. The PBL students rated equal in the mathematics section as the control, but higher in the conceptual problems. They learned a more useful approach to math rather than following rules. Another study (Penuel, Means, and Simkins, 2000), found that students who engaged in a multimedia project classroom had better content mastery, sensitivity to audience, and their coherent design.
    Students who may not do well in the traditional classroom have been found to excel in project based learning environments, as the approaches may be closer aligned with these students' preferred learning styles.

      In Problem-based learning, the students are given a practical problem, or situation, and must work together to hypothesize, experiment, or research solutions to the problem. It is a way of learning that involves full engagement in the situation, creating a sense of a real researcher or scientist, in students. It promotes problem-solving, in that students learn the correct way to approach each situation presented and the fact that there is no "right" way to answer it. The problems always have several different approaches to different answers that could be accepted if the students justify. The students teach themselves while the teacher is more of a facilitator for that knowledge, guiding the students using questions, and keeping the students involved. This approach helps with scientific understanding (Williams, Hemstreet, Liu, and Smith, 1998), through increased accuracy of hypothesis and critical thinking.

      In Learning by design, Students create projects. But with these projects, the learning comes from the planning and execution of these projects rather than the actual project itself. Students plan, research, learn, and build a project that is asked for by the teacher. In one study (Hmelo, Holton, and Koldner, 2000), students had a better understanding of complex systems and a better grasp of how each part of the respiratory system worked together. Another benefit is that students take more ownership of their knowledge and are more motivated to learn (Fortus, et al, 2004).

      I feel that the most important part about all three of these approaches is that the students are doing the teaching. The teacher sets the tone for learning, helps guide it, and is available for assistance to the students learning of concepts. These approaches are as successful as the students make it, if the teacher can instill an understanding of excitement in the subject matter into the students, and the students want to do the projects, then they can teach themselves by doing the projects, or solving the problems.

Double Entry Journal #5

"Part of the Deweyan ideal of a participatory democratic classroom is that everyone learns together, which does not presuppose that they are learning the same thing, though they are studying the same subject matter. At the same time, they are also studying each other. (Rud, 2010)" 

     I selected this quote because I really agree with it. It is in reference to modeling within the classroom. As a teacher we need to model the behavior, and activities illustrated in the study. This quote taught me a lot about the child's mind in reference to these kinds of activities. I never realized it until now but this quote is spot on, and even though it talks about a researchers entire perspective on the matter, I still learned a lot. As a student, when a teacher is modeling something and I am working with other students to follow his/her instruction, I tend to learn a lot about my classmates with whom I am working. This is purely unintentional, but I am focusing on what i am doing in relationship to the other students and I am learning twice as well. The article goes on to talk about how important communication is as learners.

1. Reverence is the true understanding of another's mind. It takes into account all of the known factors needed to surface a true listener. Creating wonder, models, and learning in it's purest form. Reverent listening is the combination of these factors found in teachers to create the community needed to build a worthy learning environment for students. It supports culturally responsive teaching by allowing the teacher to listen to each and every one of the students regardless of anything about the student. The teacher takes those thoughts and creates meaning out of them and becomes fully aware of that student and his/her responses.

2. My freshmen year of High school, I had an english teacher who hated males and used humiliation within the classroom by creating activities that were to hard for many of the students. She demanded us to listen to her rather than giving us the opportunity to listen to her. 

3. A laundry list of value ethics is basically a list of rules to follow that set the tone for classrooms. They are used as a tool for keeping respect for each student and rather than using reverence, they are more enforced. 

4. I can't currently recall having a teacher that exhibited these values. That isn't to say i had bad teachers. Just not ones that followed all of these rules.

5. A toxic school culture is one that does not give respect. One that demands it, without giving any in return. This kind of culture is one that chooses to not listen to their students and prefers to tell them what they need to do without establishing ritual or sharing sessions.

6. I really like the quote I stated above as a great addition to my philosophy.

7.link!!
This webpage explains what routines are in the classroom and how beneficial they are to students. One thing I have witnessed in observation of a music classroom is a "Rhythm of the Day," This is a different rhythm written on the board each day that the students enter the room to. The students are tasked with figuring out the rhythm, particularly how to play it, before starting the day. This activity is open to the whole classroom, and by the end of the activity, the entire classroom plays the rhythm together.

activity 3

Michael Robinson 9/13/12 In Victoria Purcell-Gates’ Essay, “As Soon as She Opened Her Mouth…” she builds a scenario on which to further illustrate her point. It includes a middle-eastern foreign exchange student, Phil, in driver’s education class in America. The boy speaks very good English, so language is not a problem. He is having trouble in the classroom because he has never experienced automobiles in his country. He has never needed to use them and so he doesn’t see the point in them. He has rarely witnessed a car ride nor heard the language associated with driving a car. His trouble lies in his lack of experience in automobiles in general, not in his language, or his intelligence. All of the class requirements depend on his background with driving. She makes a good point and drives that point home with the final paragraph of this section of the essay: “Are we going to interpret this as a flaw, a deficit, in Phil? Or are we going to interpret it as a lack of crucial experience, a difference in the experiential backgrounds between Phil and the other members of the driver’s education class? (Purcell-Gates, 129)” Most people would assume the child is some kind of “back desert dunebilly,” or something; not knowing anything about cars. A concerned teacher, on the other hand, would take this as a chance to change this boy’s life, to give him the experiences he needs to succeed in this class. I really like this situation Purcell-Gates uses, because it is a great thing to think about to keep ourselves from judging our own students. Using this principal, I learned that we cannot judge our students because of their language. If they speak some way, it is because of their experiences in their lives, and if they can’t do something, it is not because they are dumb, or ignorant, it is because they have NOT experienced that concept. Not having experience in a concept, as a teacher, can sometimes be rewarding for the students. In Luis Moll’s research article, he mentions one teacher who had great success in culturally responsive teaching. Hilda Angiulo, a bilingual sixth grade teacher who used basal readers and novels and other media outlets to teach, decided to become more culturally responsive in her classroom of construction kids. “She took a big risk, since construction was a topic she knew almost nothing about.” This ended up helping her not only learn more about construction from her students, as well as guest speakers, but also to get her students to begin understanding the English language, especially in writing. So, how can teachers overcome cultural deficits perspectives on their students? By opening their mind and learning. There isn’t only one way to do everything, and many teachers believe that the way they teach is the best way for students to learn, and many times this is not at all the case. By allowing the local culture to be integrated into the classroom, and allowing the students to embrace it, the classroom can become a more successful place for us all. Still, some schools and teachers contribute to poor literacy instruction. This is because they write students off as ignorant, or lazy, just because they are having trouble learning material. Rather than adjust and work to teach the troubled students, the schools are content to “pass them along,” setting these kids up for failure. This is known as a cultural deficit idea of education. “Cultural deficit theory… the belief that certain groups were intelligently inferior to others, particularly the group in charge. (Bolima)” This pertains to education and the culture in which poor testing individuals are pushed into. Schools and teachers follow this “deficit” theory by thinking that students have a problem because they cannot learn a concept, rather than thinking they learn it in a different way, or they do things in a different way. This is called the cultural difference theory. This theory explains that students are all different and have all different experiences from one another. This makes them learn more difficultly in things they haven’t been exposed to as much. It is a theory of “everyone can learn the information, only in different ways,” and “everyone has had different experiences with these concepts, and that is okay.” As stated, many schools and teachers adopt the close-minded “cultural deficit theory,” which can be very bad for the students who need the extra help, or have had the lack of experience needed to properly learn. This can be helped by adopting a better, more open-minded variation to that theory. The “cultural difference theory,” where all students are different and need different guidance and have had different backgrounds, needs to be the overall function of the schools or teachers. One way the “Where I’m From…” project helped me shape my culturally responsive teaching strategies was by showing me that many people come from many different backgrounds that are very different, as well as very similar. I learned that many other students in my class love the outdoors, as do I. I also learned that many of my classmates are very close to their family, where as I am not as close to my family. As a teacher, I need to learn how to pick up on much of this from my students, and embrace it. I can ask students to show and tell about a family member, or I can ask students to write about experiences they have had in the outdoors. I also learned ways to make the rift between home-life and school-life, more meaningful, and how to encourage students to learn from their parents, whether it is what to do, or what not to do. I have always believed that a wealth of knowledge is learned outside of the classroom, and that many people can and will learn concepts with or without help, outside of the classroom. Another thing I learned was that I need to appreciate others’ love of different things, like family. Letting students show their love of their family can be a great way to help tie the knots between school and home, and in turn, begin learning in the ways THEY want to learn.

Where I am From Video!!

Here is my "Where I am From..." video. I am a musician and a dedicated educator currently. In the past, I just wanted to have a good time with friends out in the woods with tents, music, and good times.

Double Entry Journal #4

     This week I read this article. It is basically a short summary of an ongoing research project after a year. The project was whether or not working with each student's dialect within the English classroom, rather than harping on "Standard English," makes a positive change within the learning environment. The project, after a single year, was successful. The teachers participating actually noticed a positive difference in students' grasp of "Standard English," when the teacher adopted the use of the students natural dialects in the lesson plans.

One thing I learned from reading this article is a good way to go about research (I know not what the reader was expecting, right?). Bringing in multiple professionals of different environments and experiences as well as using a previous study or piece of literature as a basis for beginning research are two good ways to get started. I like that they studied two books that pertained to their study. They did not just read it, they "studied" it. That is a great way to go about it, it may seem simple, but I enjoyed the enlightenment.
 Another thing I learned from this article was that I didn't know students had trouble learning Standard English just because it doesn't pertain to their original dialect. I figured students learned it like it was a completely new subject, like math, or music, something they never may have experienced, but are open to new things.
One last thing I learned was that is a great idea to honor students own dialects when teaching a subject, especially language.

• Build bridges of meaningfulness between home and school experience.

An example of this would be teachers using examples of the way students' parents act (in a positive way), or talk, at home to drive home a point. The teacher would learn about the student's experience, and use it in context of the lesson. This can show how learning at home is just as great as learning in school.

• Use small groups to foster collaborative learning.

An example of this is to have students sit in a group and create a paragraph to read to each other, each group member reading the same paragraph to the other group members. After each person reads the paragraph, have the others in the group talk about how that student read that paragraph compared to how it is written on the page. Then to compare each others dialects.

     I don't have too many examples that come to mind of good or bad literacy instruction. I didn't pay a lot of attention to these things when I went through school. I do know how much I used to correct other people's grammar if anything was wrong. At the time, what I didn't know was that speaking and written language are two different things. So, technically I was mostly wrong during those situations.

 

    This video is a video posted for Mr. Triplett's class in college talking about his appalachian dialect. It includes an interview with a student who has a similar dialect and about her experiences with other people asking about her dialect. I think it pertains, since it is one example of this dialect that we have been using as an example for classroom lectures. This video also mentions that many people stereotype those with this dialect and that sometimes it can hinder students' abilities to learn effectively. 

Where I'm From

I am from beautiful, whistling songbirds outside my tent, from Microsoft and Yamaha.
I am from the brick house near the source of pepperoni rolls, above the wooded ravine.
I am from the sweet silence of the forest, the sweat covering my body.
I am from special plates and inappropriate jokes around the dinner table, from Robert Ralph Robinson and Doris Virginia Abbot and Rebecca Leigh Robinson-- Stubborn, Silly, argumentative, story-tellers, having discipline.
I am from a religious mom, and a non-religious dad, and I had my choices.
From my mother's crush on Paul McCartney and Mariah Carey.
I am from my dad's self-reserve, and my mother's million friends.
I'm from home, I am from West Virginia, pepperoni rolls and chocolate milk.
From the Weekend camp-outs, and the Music Festivals and I am from learning.
I am from Summers with the neighbors, and Winters with the friends. 
I am from being myself, from encouraging the "Silly," and never letting myself be anything else.

--Michael Robinson

Double Entry Journal #2

"Are we going to interpret this as a flaw, a deficit, in Phil? Or are we going to interpret it as a lack of crucial experience, EL difference ín the experiential backgrounds between Phil and the other members of the drivers education class?"
        I like this quote from the essay, '"... As Soon As She Opened Her Mouth!": Issues of Language, Literacy, and Power' by Victoria Purcell-Gates. This quote is the last lingering lines from an example scenario Purcell-Gates uses to illustrate the importance of experience in the learning process. The scenario depicts a foreign exchange student from the middle east who is enrolled in a driver's ed. class. This student doesn't realize the importance of automobiles in the human life, and thus doesn't understand the teacher's lessons, since he doesn't understand the language of driving a car, or the workings of a car, or why people use them.
        I picked this quote because it was such a great example, and it really helped me to understand what it is like to learn a new concept. It is important to experience something before someone can even think about learning about it. I have never experienced the act of swordplay, or a sword fight, so I couldn't begin to understand the slang, or the visuals of the technique to a sword fight.

Because I wrote my notes on each question in a Q,A sort of way, I will now state the questions being asked and then answer them.\


1. What is literacy knowledge? Give examples of both print and non print literacy knowledge.

     "Literacy knowledge ---the concepts children acquire during their preschool years, during the years preceding the beginning of formal literacy instruction, in kindergarten and first grade, in reading, writing and printed language.

2. How do stereotypes interfere with literacy instruction?

      Stereotypes- If a school or teacher holds some sort of stereotype among the students, then they might change the way the teach those students with the held stereotype, in a negative way, again following the stereotype. For example, a teacher might not try to teach the poor, black kid who sits in the back as closely because the teacher knows that it isn't any use, the kid isn't going to learn it anyway. That is an example of a stereotype that many teachers tend to think, rather than going out of their way to help the student gain the experiences s/he needs to build a foundation for learning.


3. How do schools and teachers contribute to poor literacy instruction in school?

     Allowing failing students to be "passed off" to the next grades, leaving them behind. following the stereotypes and not helping rid the world of stereotypes. allowing students to "slip through the cracks" of the learning environment, and never gain the experiences needed to begin learning a concept.


4.What is the relationship between language, social class, and the denial of educational opportunity?

     Some teachers have a problem with the families who they think are "ignorant" or "don't try." The teachers assume that because students are from a low income SES, that they have low language skills, and thus, they don't deserve the chance to learn language, because they are too "ignorant." These teachers are misguided and of poor quality, and to change, they need to learn more about how learning works and provide more opportunities for these children to learn.

5. What are some misconceptions about the relationship between language and literacy?

    Language and literacy are the same, but they don't entirely work the same way. One does not speak in the same way that one reads. They are two different things. Another misconception is that they can't be taught in the same way as other subjects, that they can be passed off to other teachers in the other subjects as a whole to teach students specialized vocabulary, and in turn, the vocabulary they need to succeed. This is untrue as well. Students need to gain experience by doing, or observing reading and writing. Just like they might observe someone doing math, or heading a science experiment. Students don't know concepts exist if they don't experience those concepts.

6. What can schools and teachers do to improve literacy instruction?
    
     First of all, the schools can get rid of negative stereotypes associated with learning, language, and thought. Secondly, they can begin giving students true "experiences" with subjects, be it by watching it happen live, or on video. This should be done before hand to illustrate the importance of that concept, or the unimportance. Schools can also use the parents as a resource for trouble kids. This is a bit difficult, because all parents know that "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MY KID, IF YOU THINK OTHERWISE YOU ARE A BAD TEACHER." If a parent, however, knows their kid needs help, or tutoring, the best thing to do is to help that kid, if no to save your own butt, but to make sure that student is getting the best education they can possibly receive.

7. How do you feel about use of the term "Proper English"?

     "Proper English," after reading this article, means nothing to me. English has a written and a spoken set of rules for grammar, and the spoken ones tend to be much more lenient. That being said, there are a lot of different dialects and languages used in America, and no one of them is the absolute correct way.




"My own father spent his life backing up, apologizing for the space he took up in the world."
This is a quote from the article 'Tall tales of Appalachia' by John O'Brien. The article speaks of the joke people of Southern Appalachia have somehow become to the world, and it's insensitive inaccuracies to the culture of this area of the world. This article, much like the Purcell-Gates article, speaks of this as a sort of racism against the people of that culture. I feel like I disagree with this quote, as much as I have preferred to live somewhere else much of my life, I have recently become proud of being from West Virginia. As a huge fan of going against the grain, I an happy to be from the part of the world that people seem to write off as a joke without fear of insulting. I don't think we should stand for having to hide away from the rest of the world, and should stand up and act like we love our state, because we do.

References
Purcell-Gates, V. (n.d.). "..as soon as she opened her moouth!": Issues of language, literacy, and power. In L. Delpit & J. K. Dowdy (Eds.), In th skin that we speak: An anthology of essays on language, culture, and power (pp. 122-40). Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6DFAmexYq7vMGQxMjI1OTEtMjAyZS00NzJmLTg1OTUtODlmMGQ0ZDIxOTVk/edit?hl=en_US

O'Brien, J. (2003, May 10). Tall tales of Appalachia. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/10/opinion/tall-tales-of-appalachia.html  

Double Enry Journal #1

Inclusive Classrooms

     Inclusive Education: What is it? This is one thing my Intro to SpEd teacher (Dr. Moroose) said many, many times (probably so we get it through our heads). "The laws designed for special students' needs include 'least restrictive environment,' 'most integrated setting possible,' and 'not separate or different.'" These are all stated in Inos and Quigly's research review I was tasked with reading.

     Inclusive education is learning, understanding, and participation in a variety of subjects to all student, no matter what. This includes people of all ethinicities, backgrounds, religions, SES, mental or physical health, intelligences, or special needs. Effective inclusive education makes sure that all students get the opportunity to learn just as much as everyone one else in the classroom, in the least restrictive means possible.

What kinds of students does "Inclusion" mean to benefit? All students, if they are meaning to be educated in some way, they are included.

3 types of students "Inclusive Education" is meant to serve?

•  Students from different cultures- These students may have their own way of learning, or their own language they are comfortable with, and need special attention to help them be comfortable with their culture and to embrace their heritage, rather than let them settle with being different for the wrong reasons. They may need help with learning the language of the classroom (most commonly English or Spanish).
• Disabled Students- These are very diverse individuals. No two disabilities or handicaps are different, and thus, they need their own specialized help with learning  and understanding material. Special teams are developed for each student that includes the classroom teacher, the parents, the student's doctors and other professionals.
• Students from different SES- These students need their own attention in the classroom because they probably are not receiving the proper attention they need from home. They may not have the motivation to even learn the information typical classroom teachers are teaching, because they would rather do something that they want to enjoy, to get away from trauma or the problem home.

2 characteristics of inclusive schools?

• Parents as partners- This is the most important characteristic, in my opinion, because the parent knows the most about the child's habits, learning curves, activities, interests, and the best ways the child learns. It is also important because this makes the parent feel like they are a part of something that is really helping the child learn, and thus, can help bring the attention from the school, back to the home environment.
• Students as problem solvers- This is a great idea I learned from the research article mentioned above. I never thought to use peers to help students be their best. If a friend or acquaintance is helping someone with something and giving real world examples that students understand, they can do a lot to help the learning process.

A strategy that helps students become more responsible and effective in the learning process

• Using other students in the classroom seems to be a great one. As stated directly above, students can be the most help in certain situations when it comes to learning. They are like a huge group of little helpers that know what they are doing and willing to help others.

 

The above picture is of a band called "The Kids of Widney High" a group of either alumni or current students who participate in the school's songwriting class. The kicker- the class is open only for the special ed students in the school. The band members are all disabled in some way, either physically or mentally. Most of the songs are all songs written by the students, as well as performed by them. This band was featured in the 2005 movie "The Ringer" and they perform very frequently. I like this concept, because as a musician I hate not having the opportunities I strive for, and the fact that these students get the chance to perform makes me very happy. (Snusgrop, 2009)

Inos, R. H., & Quigly, M. A. (n.d.). Research review for inclusive practices. Retrieved                                          from http://www.prel.org/products/Products/Inclusive-practices.htm 

Snusgrop, D. (2009, March 09). [Web log message]. Retrieved                                                                              from http://monkeybastardsv20.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html