Dr. Brown's Lecture 6.27.14

Were there any things which occurred during your on site visit which addressed access to the language necessary for the class? Any connections you made between the on-site activities and the sessions with Dr. Brown.

Breakout sessions: Discuss - How to manage time?
Find people who will support you, question you and make you a better teacher.

What time management strategies will you utilize to be an effective teacher?

Check out the site below for effective management strategies for teachers.
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-methods-tips/4419-time-management-tips-for-teachers/

Franklin Covey - TimeManagement

If you didn't have any questions, where are you?

• Absence of direct connection...humor was used for discipline.
• Language issues went unaddressed.
• What did learning look like in your session? What was the context for learning?

When you are on your on-site, it is important to look for how students are being instructed, how does the teacher approach instruction? Even if the teacher is not addressing the lesson in an effective manner, use this time to reflect and determine how you would construct your practice.

If you are going to write or collaborate with the speaker later, what are the language demands you would suggest he address for the next audience?

How do we use questioning as a tool; as a resource to get to your coverage?

1. Leading/guiding questions
2. Construct meaning
3. Learning through questioning, what is this about? IRE sequencing is a questioning style which states from a top down model. Teacher ask question, students respond. What is wrong about this model? Students are not encouraged to think and question, this is based upon indoctrination. 
4. Inquiry based - learning through what students want to learn. How do you create a whole class of individual Learners?
5. Socratic IRI 
6. Using content to predict students questions
7. If coverage equal students needs, questioning works - how do you know when questioning works? (Spend time learning about your Learners)

Be conscientious of equity vs. equality

Equity ensures that each student can learn at their ability level. Equality ensures that all students learn at the same level/ pace.

You must be careful of how you ask questions?

You can use the IRE model which provides a very limited amount of student learning, or you can use an IR model where the teacher ask a question and provides the space for students to question discuss and learn to comprehend.

What was challenging for you when writing the mini lesson on language demands?

1. Determining what would be challenging for students.
2. Selecting what might be important. (How do you decide this?)
3. Thinking in sequencing.
4. Is there a hierarchy of units?

CTD: On - Site Pictures

Hi Scholars,

Attached below are a couple of photos Brittany Z. sent from the Build A City - Lego group.  If you have photos you would like posted on the blog, either upload them or email them to me at ddotson102@aol.com and I will post them for you. 

                       

Reflection Seminar 6.26.14

Select any two questions from number one through five to answer and post your response on the blog. Additionally answer question number six.

1. What is the instructional objectives of the day? Were they met and how do you know?
2. Were the students productively engaged? How do you know?
3. What teaching strategies were utilized throughout the lesson?
4. What was your role in the lesson? How did this go?
5. What changes would you make if you could do this again?
6. What did you learn from this lesson?

Language Demands

Golden Apple Session III - Language Demands

To date you have done the following things...

1. Read Chapter I
2. Discussed language and identity
3. Identified and analyzed how language and identity influence learning experiences
4. Discussed how teacher ideology about language influences teaching approach
5. Critiqued the social policies of language

What is the discourse of schools?
School is not the place where conformity should take place. Try to make sense of how students know when the language code changes and why it changes. What is to be learned from the changing language code?

Chapter Seven
What does it take In order for students to be successful in reading? Reading begins to change as student get older. Reading changes at grade four. Why does reading change?

You go from learning to read (phonics, sounds) to reading to learn (increase in informational text). Reading becomes more complex at fourth grade, students are reading to provide explanations and respond to thinking demands.

What should students be doing to support the increase in thinking demands?

1. Think abstractly and connect it qconcrete concepts. (Text to self connection)
2. Using tools to sift through materials (Brain folders)
3. Make connections from text to prior knowledge.

As a teacher you have to be able to anticipate student responses and accept them...this facilitates engagement. Engagement is an extension of allowing students to relate, explain and become connected to the concept.

Which key comprehension strategy directly connects to your style of teaching?
(You must pay attention to the age level of your students) What was the complicated strategy and why?

Figurative language -Special needs students
What do you need to do?  Draw pictures of the figurative meaning, using stories as examples, develop another set of literacy skills as a source for the next step, improv.
Echo read p.189
Modeling punctuation with your voice and having students repeat this modeling.
Brain Folders 
Developing the meta cognitive skills so students understand why they are doing what they are doing.

In your lesson where and how do you show your students how to use the academic language?
(Whenever you get a rubric of expectation, go to the highest level and work from that.)

Language demands are not limited to special needs students or ELL Learners but extend to communities, and socio and economic foundations, too. You must be able to address all of these.

Small Group Discussions

1. What key concepts of your content area have specific vocabulary?
2. How do you plants develop comceptual understanding of that vocabulary?
3. What methods will you use to assist students in being able to use that vocabulary when engaging in instructional activities?

Bring in a typed outline for a key concept students will learn in your course

Include a list of key vocabulary words that are central to that concept.

Using one of the strategies outlined in Chapt. 7, write your mini lesson (10-15 mins) articulating your teaching of the concept using one of the vocabulary words.

- Be conceptually brief 

- Refer to rubric for guidance 

educational philosophy

I believe that my educational philosophy, my aim as a future educator can be summed up very briefly in the following way: I will work as hard as I can to make sure to immerse my future students in worthwhile learning experiences in which they will be challenged to think, and most importantly, be a part of a fun and engaging learning community.

The First Year of Teaching

The first year of teaching will be quite the whirlwind for most of you. Over the course of the past few years many documentaries have been created following the experiences of new teachers as they delve into the teaching profession. Here is one of those documentaries for you to watch and get a feel for other new teachers experiences during their first year.

What is Your Educational Philosophy?

Please provide, at a minimum, a brief synopsis of your philosophy about teaching and education. If you would like to upload a document, that's fine.

Instructional Language

What is it? The language you would use when talking to another teacher about your practice. It is the register of the profession.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/middle-school-vocabulary-development

What are the different ways which instructional language shows up?
Examples: English Language Learners, Jigsaw Vocabulary, Grammatic Link (using inference to encourage thinking), Extending Understanding, Big Ideas, Text (reading, video, diagram, song...), Dissect

Academic Language
InstructionalDiscourse
Content Area Discourse
Community Discourse
Family Discourse

Code Switching - Being aware of when, where and how to use varying levels of language.

How does language relate to identify?
Language describes who you are.
Language develops as a group.
There are various forms of language (written, verbal, jestures...)

Know Your Audience - knowing your audience will determine the language you use.

Our First Field Trip

It was a great seeing you all having such a great time at Challenger. Here are just a few photos from the event. I also have a video that I will upload over the next day, or two.

    

Welcome to Summer Institute @ Elmhurst

Welcome to Summer Institute at Elhhurst!

Kayla and I both hope to offer you an abundance of advice in helping you grow as an educator. You have already accomplished quite a bit in just being a Golden Apple scholar! Over the years I have seen many newbies entering the teaching field without the guidance, preparation, and understanding of what it takes to be a great teacher - each of you have this. During the upcoming weeks we hope to provide you all with those last words of wisdom and encouragement to ensure that you have a great first year teaching.

Danna & Kayla