There has been a lot of recent talk scurrying around my school about STEM education. For those of you who do not know what STEM education is, it is an acronym for fields of study in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Over the last several years, there has been a decrease in study of those fields; students are either not being adequately prepared to study such fields in college, or they are simply no longer interested in it. I would like to suggest that it is the former: students are not being adequately prepared to study those complex fields because too much focus is being done on standardized test education. Now that our nation has noticed this problem, they are quickly scrambling to fix it. And their solution to the problem is to introduce a new form of education in school systems: STEM education. Many schools are seeking to acquire a STEM lab, which is a computer lab that will enable students to do anything from web design to engineering designs to rocket science to flight simulations; pretty much the options are endless when pertaining to the aforementioned fields of study.
This sounds like a great opportunity for our students, right? I think it is; however, I can't help but feel that our nation is doing this for selfish reasons based on this article. According to that article, our nation is implementing STEM education so that American maintains its "competitive edge as a global innovator." And while this may be good for our kids because it enforces useful skills, I also can't help but worry about the state of Humanities. With a rise in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, a decline in the Humanities will naturally appear. That cannot be good for our nation either. There needs to be balance. What programs are we inviting into our school system that encourages students to participate in field of Humanities? A problem is not fixed by completely ignoring other components that are equally important. I suggest a revisit so our educational plan.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
No, No Drama, No, No, No, No Drama
Well, Fergie might not like drama (did you catch the Black Eye Peas "My Humps" allusion in my title?), but I sure do...but only when it's used as an educational tool. So, let's talk drama in the classroom:
Using drama in the classroom is authentic, meaningful, relevant, engaging. While I used to think having students act in class wasn't something to take seriously, my mind has since changed. Due to the literature I have read on using drama in the classroom, graduate classes I have taken, and actually imparting drama in my own classroom, I can confidently say that drama is an essential tool that all teachers should use.
I recently had a discussion with my Scholar Sophomore English students about the seven deadly sins to help prepare students for a character analysis of Prince Prospero in "The Masque of the Red Death". I enjoy discussing the deadly sins with my students because we find out that there is a gray area for each sin, and they all seem to bleed into each other with regard to meaning. To help students to better understand the meaning of each word, I had them apply a sin to a real world example, and to do that, students had to act. Since there are seven deadly sins, I had seven groups of students. I especially liked that students worked in a group because that gave the shier students a mode of comfort; not one individual was acting alone in front of the class.
I gave students roughly ten minutes to come up with a non-scripted (or scripted if that made students feel comfortable) skit to perform in front of the class. After each performed skit, we had a brief description about how their skit embodied the sin and why it is considered to be a dark side of human nature. We even applied students skits to other real world examples. Students were active participants in their learning, and they facilitated a discussion on and an application of real world examples.
The acting and the discussions were a complete success; students got to momentarily live the sin and really explore the meaning both in their acting and in our discussing. Additionally, this drama activity was authentic in that students took ownership over their learning and made it their own, which is what teachers ultimately seek to achieve in their classrooms.
I urge you all try to try incorporate drama into your lessons. Students really do appreciate it because they are having fun while they are learning. The day after I had my students do the drama skit, I had a student exclaim in class, "Guess what! I was watching [insert TV show] last night, and they were talking about envy, and I knew exactly what they were talking about because of what we did in class the other day!" Wahhhhoooo! I call that a success!
Using drama in the classroom is authentic, meaningful, relevant, engaging. While I used to think having students act in class wasn't something to take seriously, my mind has since changed. Due to the literature I have read on using drama in the classroom, graduate classes I have taken, and actually imparting drama in my own classroom, I can confidently say that drama is an essential tool that all teachers should use.
I recently had a discussion with my Scholar Sophomore English students about the seven deadly sins to help prepare students for a character analysis of Prince Prospero in "The Masque of the Red Death". I enjoy discussing the deadly sins with my students because we find out that there is a gray area for each sin, and they all seem to bleed into each other with regard to meaning. To help students to better understand the meaning of each word, I had them apply a sin to a real world example, and to do that, students had to act. Since there are seven deadly sins, I had seven groups of students. I especially liked that students worked in a group because that gave the shier students a mode of comfort; not one individual was acting alone in front of the class.
I gave students roughly ten minutes to come up with a non-scripted (or scripted if that made students feel comfortable) skit to perform in front of the class. After each performed skit, we had a brief description about how their skit embodied the sin and why it is considered to be a dark side of human nature. We even applied students skits to other real world examples. Students were active participants in their learning, and they facilitated a discussion on and an application of real world examples.
The acting and the discussions were a complete success; students got to momentarily live the sin and really explore the meaning both in their acting and in our discussing. Additionally, this drama activity was authentic in that students took ownership over their learning and made it their own, which is what teachers ultimately seek to achieve in their classrooms.
I urge you all try to try incorporate drama into your lessons. Students really do appreciate it because they are having fun while they are learning. The day after I had my students do the drama skit, I had a student exclaim in class, "Guess what! I was watching [insert TV show] last night, and they were talking about envy, and I knew exactly what they were talking about because of what we did in class the other day!" Wahhhhoooo! I call that a success!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
You Want Me To Write A What?
I'd like to think that I teach my students real world skills. I'd also like to think that I relate canonical texts to my students' lives. My philosophy on teaching is that it needs to be relevant and meaningful. However, never have I ever experienced completely grasping each and every students' attention like I have this week. Students were interested, invested, and inspired.
As part of our districts move to make learning more authentic, we have revamped our students' graduation project. Instead of students completing a project during their senior year, students now start it as a freshman. Each year, students gradually prepare themselves to either attend college or acquire a job upon graduation from high school. That means students participate in career surveys, create a resume and cover letter, fill out applications (job and college), go on interviews, visit colleges, etc. I love this idea. And I love that it is truly authentic and meaningful for our students.
Because I am a sophomore English teacher, my role in the graduation project is to teach my students how to create a basic resume, write a focused cover letter, and fill out a job application suitably. My students were hooked. They have never been taught such skills, and they genuinely wanted to learn how to write those materials. The reason why they were so engaged is because they found their learning to be meaningful; they saw what they were doing in class as actually benefiting their future. Students finally saw that a state test is not ruling their education.
Folks, don't underestimate the value of teaching students the basics; writing a cover letter may open your students eyes and genuinely prepare them for their future.
As part of our districts move to make learning more authentic, we have revamped our students' graduation project. Instead of students completing a project during their senior year, students now start it as a freshman. Each year, students gradually prepare themselves to either attend college or acquire a job upon graduation from high school. That means students participate in career surveys, create a resume and cover letter, fill out applications (job and college), go on interviews, visit colleges, etc. I love this idea. And I love that it is truly authentic and meaningful for our students.
Because I am a sophomore English teacher, my role in the graduation project is to teach my students how to create a basic resume, write a focused cover letter, and fill out a job application suitably. My students were hooked. They have never been taught such skills, and they genuinely wanted to learn how to write those materials. The reason why they were so engaged is because they found their learning to be meaningful; they saw what they were doing in class as actually benefiting their future. Students finally saw that a state test is not ruling their education.
Folks, don't underestimate the value of teaching students the basics; writing a cover letter may open your students eyes and genuinely prepare them for their future.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Research: Students Love to Hate it, and They Hate to Love it!
While I love research, most of my students, year after year, loathe the Sophomore English research project. I see eye rolls; I hear heavy sighs; I experience complete resistance; and serious tension develops between my students and me. You're probably thinking: so, if you know this to be true every year, what do you do to change it? I have simplified the project by reinforcing researching and essay writing skills from last year and introducing one new skill to further their writing ability. It's very important to me that students continue to develop as writers. Despite simplifying the project, students still hate it. I get that not every student will love research, but the stubbornness from students is downright frustrating. How do you help a student that refuses to be helped because they just don't want to complete the project?
To give you an overview of the Sophomore research project, students select a controversy of their choice to research. Then they are to do the following:
(1) After preliminary research, students are to choose one side of the issue and argue it with three main reasons.
(2) I provide a graphic organizer to help them establish the basics of the controversy--background information and status quo--and a thesis statement.
Sample Thesis Statement: Gay marriage should be legalized in all U.S. states because (reason 1), (reason 2), and (reason 3).
(3) Practice skimming sources for supporting details for each of the three reasons in their thesis statement.
***Each reason paragraph needs to have three supporting detail notecards (nine in total) and one opposing detail for each of the three reasons (three in total). It's important for students to address the opposing argument and refute it.
(4) Create at least three introduction notecards: attention grabber (they could choose to write their own), background information about the development of the controversy, and status quo.
(5) Organize notecards and write outline: I provide a template that students simply fill out.
(6) Provide instruction and models for how to write the paper: focus, organization, development of ideas.
(7) Draft: teacher graded and peer review
(8) Final MLA formatting day
For each step of the process, there is ample explanation, modeling, time to work in class, and teacher-student conferencing. I have the process of this research paper completely organized and chunked so that students feel in control and don't panic; however, students are still not happy with the project. I will admit--it's not engaging! How do I make it engaging?!
Well, I may have found the answer....or my school librarian has found the answer! Easybib, and not just the free edition, but the school edition.
Here's what it has to offer:
And here's a nifty video that will walk you through the benefits of Easybib visually.
Yes, it does cost money, but I really think it may be worth it. My school hasn't purchased the program yet, but we are for the upcoming school year. The reason why I like Easybib is because it allows students to use mostly media to conduct research and write their paper. For example, notecards are written in the program, and they can be neatly organized. Class materials don't have to be lost ever again! Now, I don't think students will miraculously love this research project because of Easybib, but I think it may make the process more enjoyable for students.
What do you all think? What have your experiences been with the school edition of Easybib?
To give you an overview of the Sophomore research project, students select a controversy of their choice to research. Then they are to do the following:
(1) After preliminary research, students are to choose one side of the issue and argue it with three main reasons.
(2) I provide a graphic organizer to help them establish the basics of the controversy--background information and status quo--and a thesis statement.
Sample Thesis Statement: Gay marriage should be legalized in all U.S. states because (reason 1), (reason 2), and (reason 3).
(3) Practice skimming sources for supporting details for each of the three reasons in their thesis statement.
***Each reason paragraph needs to have three supporting detail notecards (nine in total) and one opposing detail for each of the three reasons (three in total). It's important for students to address the opposing argument and refute it.
(4) Create at least three introduction notecards: attention grabber (they could choose to write their own), background information about the development of the controversy, and status quo.
(5) Organize notecards and write outline: I provide a template that students simply fill out.
(6) Provide instruction and models for how to write the paper: focus, organization, development of ideas.
(7) Draft: teacher graded and peer review
(8) Final MLA formatting day
For each step of the process, there is ample explanation, modeling, time to work in class, and teacher-student conferencing. I have the process of this research paper completely organized and chunked so that students feel in control and don't panic; however, students are still not happy with the project. I will admit--it's not engaging! How do I make it engaging?!
Well, I may have found the answer....or my school librarian has found the answer! Easybib, and not just the free edition, but the school edition.
Here's what it has to offer:
And here's a nifty video that will walk you through the benefits of Easybib visually.
Yes, it does cost money, but I really think it may be worth it. My school hasn't purchased the program yet, but we are for the upcoming school year. The reason why I like Easybib is because it allows students to use mostly media to conduct research and write their paper. For example, notecards are written in the program, and they can be neatly organized. Class materials don't have to be lost ever again! Now, I don't think students will miraculously love this research project because of Easybib, but I think it may make the process more enjoyable for students.
What do you all think? What have your experiences been with the school edition of Easybib?
Thursday, October 31, 2013
It's OK to Whine Sometimes
Today, I feel
four years old. I’m not a complete
crybaby like a three year old, and I’m not as smart as a five year old, nor as
independent—if you would every consider a five year old to be independent. No, today I feel exactly four years old. Every boo-boo, snarl, word, and action is
making me cry; my emotions are running ramped, and I want nothing more than to
run into my mother’s arms and have her make all the evil in the world that is
trying to kidnap and hurt me go away. I
want to throw my arms up in the air, dramatically cross them over my chest, and
throw my bum onto the ground. I want to
give up. I want to whine and scream and
cry and yell. Life is just not fair! Why me, why me, why me? Will someone please hand me a juice box, a
fruit snack, and put on a cartoon so that I can completely zone out frustration,
my adult years?
I just finished
reading and discussing Sandra Cisnero’s “Eleven” with my AP students. We read that text to better understand what
voice is and how it is established. We
concluded, as a class, that age is merely a number, and a person rarely acts or
feels their age all the time. Instead, a
person really embodies a myriad of ages, ranging from four to ten to sixteen to
twenty two to forty to sixty, because of their experiences. To act four or forty when you really aren’t
that age is completely acceptable and expected; humans are complex beings!
So, with that
said, lately, my four year old self has been making an appearance. I feel overworked and underappreciated, and,
because of that, I want to find comfort in my mother and the simply joys in
life all the while I scream, cry, and throw a huge temper tantrum. I know I can’t do that. I can’t let my four year old self burst out
of my tear ducts whenever I want it to.
No, I must wait to expose my four year old self when I am away from my
students, when I have finished grading all that needs to be graded, when I have
planned and made copies for the next work day, when I have attended all of the
many meetings before, during, or after school, when I have driven an hour home
from work, when I have cooked dinner, when I have tended to my cats, when I have
made my husband feel like he does exist.
As I reflect on
one of the ages I have been feeling lately, I can’t help but think of my
students. I’m always thinking about my
students, even when I don’t want to. I
imagine while I am feeling four, some of them feel like they are forty because
of the amount of responsibility they are forced to have at an early age, or the
hardships they are facing outside of school—maybe at home. “Eleven” is a nice reminder that no human is
perfect, and we all need to empathize with others and consider how they might
be feeling and why.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Education Equity: What Is It?
I'm currently taking a class called Education and Society, and in that class we analyze and discuss the various perceptions of education in society (go figure- the title says it all!). Last week, we discussed the social foundations of education: race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and class, for example. Educational institutions are mandated to educate all types of students from many different backgrounds. Despite this, research suggests that there is educational inequity when it comes class. Simply put, not all students are motivated to learn, and often times that lack of motivation is associated with the lower class. It has been proven that teachers teach much differently to the lower class students than they do the upper class students. For the lower class students, teachers aren't explaining the significance behind what they are learning, nor are they having them think critically and create; rather, teachers have them sit quietly at their seats, write directions on the board, and have them fill out a simple worksheet. On the other hand, the upper class students are taught in the opposite manner; they are the ones that receive thorough explanations on what they are doing and why- how it applies to their lives- and they are permitted to work in small groups to discuss and create.
My question is, do you think this is accurate? Mind you, this was one study that was done. The data came from various school districts ranging from lower class, rural and upper class, private schools.
Since we were discussing equity that week, we were given a picture to analyze for fairness. What is "fairness" in education? Are the hypothetical students in the pictures being treated fairly so that they can all succeed? If you look closely, the box in picture 2 appears to have been taken away from the taller person and and given to the shorter person..... What is your take on that? Is it fair?
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Young People: Our Future, Our Inspiration
I know I said this week that I would reflect on my AP blogging assignment some more and provide a plethora of materials for all to share, but that's just going to have to wait. Something much more urgent has come up, and that is the Malala Yousafzai. (Admit it, I'm building the anticipation, too, for learning more about my blogging assignment; I'm sorry to be such a tease!) Yousafzai is an inspiration, and she's only 15 years old. She's the age of my Sophomore students. She has published, and she has spread her passion and stayed firm in her beliefs. She. One person. One single person, a young person, has made a difference. If you watch this video of her interview on the Daily Show, you will learn that she was wanted dead because she fought for women rights and equal education in Pakistan. Yes, you read that right: a 15 year old girl is fighting for the right to be educated. As educators, it's common to feel that our students don't value education like they should. But that's not true. There are so many students that do value their education, and those who don't just need to be reminded of why they should value their education.
I urge you to use this interview, use Yousafzai to inspire your students, in a lesson in the near future. It's current, it's real, it's honest, and it's inspiring. I truly believe your students will be captivated by her words and empowered, even if only temporary. It's our right as an educator to remind students why they are in school and constantly show them the value of learning.
I plan to show this video in class this week. After the video and a class discussion, I will extend my students knowledge of another culture by having them complete a short webquest where they research Pakistan and Yousafzai and reflect/connect in a journal entry.
Share how else we as educators may use Malala Yousafzai as a lesson in the classroom.
I urge you to use this interview, use Yousafzai to inspire your students, in a lesson in the near future. It's current, it's real, it's honest, and it's inspiring. I truly believe your students will be captivated by her words and empowered, even if only temporary. It's our right as an educator to remind students why they are in school and constantly show them the value of learning.
I plan to show this video in class this week. After the video and a class discussion, I will extend my students knowledge of another culture by having them complete a short webquest where they research Pakistan and Yousafzai and reflect/connect in a journal entry.
Share how else we as educators may use Malala Yousafzai as a lesson in the classroom.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
What I Learned This Week
Like all good school girls, I measure what I learn by success....errrr....or lack of success in this week's case!
I learned this week that:
(1) Technology is tricky, and sometimes it can be more of a headache than it is helpful. It can also make students curse you under their breath. I wasn't terribly insulted by their profane muttering, because I know just how truly frustrating technology can be. Case in point, technology can and will make make your students your enemy at times, especially if you try to help them and are unsuccessful.
(2) Scaffolding is your friend. However, my scaffolding friend was nonexistent this week. Case in point, it's never a good idea to get way too excited about an idea (ie, blogging) and literally toss a seven page assignment in your students face and move on. What was I thinking? I know better than this!
Ok, I need to be honest: these are lessons I have already learned. So why did I make two past mistakes? Time was an issue. Excitement was an issue. And thinking I was 100% knowledgeable when I wasn't was an issue. I guess you could say, I was human. As teachers, we will make mistakes- all the time. It's identifying when you have made a mistake and rectifying the situation that really counts.
Let me back up. Some of you may know from a prior post, I have been in the works of creating a blogging assignment for my AP students to complete weekly. (I completed the assignment, and I will post it sometime soon- just as soon as I iron out all the wrinkles in it) As soon as I finished my assignment, I was overtaken by a whirlwind of excitement. I literally couldn't wait to present it to my AP students the very next day. Forget what I originally had planned! I needed to present this project to them like now! So, I halted discussion and spent a period reviewing the assignment. That night, everyone was to create their own blog so that we could post their URLs to our class wiki space. Everything sounds good, right? Wrong. I didn't have a small discussion on what a blog is or why I feel they are super important. I didn't review what I deem to be stellar blogs with my students so that they have a model. Instead, I just said, "Hey, we're doing this. Now set it up!" Why, why, why didn't I scaffold!?!?!?! Looking back, I know what I did was so very wrong. Because I know I did wrong by my students in not really explaining blogging, I decided to have a blog work day in class, for which I first described what a blog is and why they are important. Students weren't really listening. I blew it. I missed my shot. At this point, they were too worried about their blog and what they were going to post. What's even equally worse is half my students were unsuccessful in creating a blog, and I had a heck of a time helping them because our school computers were so erratic!
After a long week of trials and tribulations, I will be reviewing my students' first blog post Monday morning. I think the dust has settled; the huge gaping wound that I had created has begun to heal....but time will tell- actually, Monday morning will tell me!
Here's a quick list of what to do should you choose to use my blogging assignment with your students:
(1) Spend a day just introducing the idea of blogging- probe your students minds, and have a discussion. Share with them valuable research that highlights the positive effects of blogging.
(2) Have a pretend blogging day with paper. Have students write a blog post on paper; "post" them all over the room. Then, teach students about the value of good comments, and give students sticky notes so that they can post comments on the posts throughout the room. Review with your students successful vs. unsuccessful posts and comments so that students know what is really expected of them. Visuals help.
(3) Definitely have a blog work day in class so that students can begin to write their first post with you; however, make sure every student has their blog established before this work day.
I hope this post has been helpful. I decided it was of value to go out on a limb and reveal my worst week of teaching this year- so far- with all of you. You know what they say: learn from others so that you don't make the same mistake. And they also say, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again!
Stay tuned for more updates on my students' progress with my blogging assignment.
I learned this week that:
(1) Technology is tricky, and sometimes it can be more of a headache than it is helpful. It can also make students curse you under their breath. I wasn't terribly insulted by their profane muttering, because I know just how truly frustrating technology can be. Case in point, technology can and will make make your students your enemy at times, especially if you try to help them and are unsuccessful.
(2) Scaffolding is your friend. However, my scaffolding friend was nonexistent this week. Case in point, it's never a good idea to get way too excited about an idea (ie, blogging) and literally toss a seven page assignment in your students face and move on. What was I thinking? I know better than this!
Ok, I need to be honest: these are lessons I have already learned. So why did I make two past mistakes? Time was an issue. Excitement was an issue. And thinking I was 100% knowledgeable when I wasn't was an issue. I guess you could say, I was human. As teachers, we will make mistakes- all the time. It's identifying when you have made a mistake and rectifying the situation that really counts.
Let me back up. Some of you may know from a prior post, I have been in the works of creating a blogging assignment for my AP students to complete weekly. (I completed the assignment, and I will post it sometime soon- just as soon as I iron out all the wrinkles in it) As soon as I finished my assignment, I was overtaken by a whirlwind of excitement. I literally couldn't wait to present it to my AP students the very next day. Forget what I originally had planned! I needed to present this project to them like now! So, I halted discussion and spent a period reviewing the assignment. That night, everyone was to create their own blog so that we could post their URLs to our class wiki space. Everything sounds good, right? Wrong. I didn't have a small discussion on what a blog is or why I feel they are super important. I didn't review what I deem to be stellar blogs with my students so that they have a model. Instead, I just said, "Hey, we're doing this. Now set it up!" Why, why, why didn't I scaffold!?!?!?! Looking back, I know what I did was so very wrong. Because I know I did wrong by my students in not really explaining blogging, I decided to have a blog work day in class, for which I first described what a blog is and why they are important. Students weren't really listening. I blew it. I missed my shot. At this point, they were too worried about their blog and what they were going to post. What's even equally worse is half my students were unsuccessful in creating a blog, and I had a heck of a time helping them because our school computers were so erratic!
After a long week of trials and tribulations, I will be reviewing my students' first blog post Monday morning. I think the dust has settled; the huge gaping wound that I had created has begun to heal....but time will tell- actually, Monday morning will tell me!
Here's a quick list of what to do should you choose to use my blogging assignment with your students:
(1) Spend a day just introducing the idea of blogging- probe your students minds, and have a discussion. Share with them valuable research that highlights the positive effects of blogging.
(2) Have a pretend blogging day with paper. Have students write a blog post on paper; "post" them all over the room. Then, teach students about the value of good comments, and give students sticky notes so that they can post comments on the posts throughout the room. Review with your students successful vs. unsuccessful posts and comments so that students know what is really expected of them. Visuals help.
(3) Definitely have a blog work day in class so that students can begin to write their first post with you; however, make sure every student has their blog established before this work day.
I hope this post has been helpful. I decided it was of value to go out on a limb and reveal my worst week of teaching this year- so far- with all of you. You know what they say: learn from others so that you don't make the same mistake. And they also say, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again!
Stay tuned for more updates on my students' progress with my blogging assignment.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Toddlers & Tiaras....SAY WHAT?!
Yup.....you read it right. This week I am blogging about the TLC reality TV show "Toddlers & Tiaras". Admit it- you instantly have an opinion about the show or my use of it (that is if you have ever seen the show or heard of it). Either you rolled your eyes or you let our a little laugh; either way, you reacted, which is exactly what I wanted from my students.
In order to write effectively, you must have a reaction to elicit a written response. My Sophomores are embarking on what I call "The Research Journey". For their research paper, they have to research a controversy and choose one side of the controversy for which they will provide an argument. I like this paper because they get to choose a controversy of their choice to research, and I get to really teach them how to analyze details and incorporate their own voice into their writing.
Anyhow, to get my students prepared for researching and arguing for one side of a controversy, I had them watch one episode of "Toddlers & Tiaras". Their research question was: Is it appropriate to put a child in a beauty pageant? While watching the episode, they had to make a T-Chart that examined why children should or should not participate in beauty pageants based on evidence from the show. We did, however, discuss beforehand that this is reality TV and certain actions are embellished for entertainment, which also leads to a discussion about source credibility. Using the notes they wrote in their T-Chart, we discuss and answer our research question by turning it into a statement.
One reason I really like having students watch an episode of "Toddlers & Tiaras" is because it teaches them to read between the lines; students have to analyze the behaviors, actions, etc. in order to come up with evidence. Unlike some database articles that they will be using as research, some texts will not overtly say, "This is one reason why a child should not be a in a beauty pageant....." Students need to learn to think critically and formulate their own reasons why people should be in support or against a controversy based on evidence that may not clearly state a reason.
Another reason why I love showing Season 4 "Storybook Pageants" of "Toddlers & Tiaras" is because of the rich discussion. Seriously. Students become so engaged with the show and have so much evidence that they want to share that is in support and against putting your child in a beauty pageant. They really build off each others ideas and are passionate about their claims. Even guys. My male students are often times more into this episode than my female students.
Click here to watch the episode I showed my students. I used Netflix in my classroom, not Amazon, and I could not find this episode on Youtube to post it here. However, you can watch this episode for free as a trial!
In order to write effectively, you must have a reaction to elicit a written response. My Sophomores are embarking on what I call "The Research Journey". For their research paper, they have to research a controversy and choose one side of the controversy for which they will provide an argument. I like this paper because they get to choose a controversy of their choice to research, and I get to really teach them how to analyze details and incorporate their own voice into their writing.
Anyhow, to get my students prepared for researching and arguing for one side of a controversy, I had them watch one episode of "Toddlers & Tiaras". Their research question was: Is it appropriate to put a child in a beauty pageant? While watching the episode, they had to make a T-Chart that examined why children should or should not participate in beauty pageants based on evidence from the show. We did, however, discuss beforehand that this is reality TV and certain actions are embellished for entertainment, which also leads to a discussion about source credibility. Using the notes they wrote in their T-Chart, we discuss and answer our research question by turning it into a statement.
One reason I really like having students watch an episode of "Toddlers & Tiaras" is because it teaches them to read between the lines; students have to analyze the behaviors, actions, etc. in order to come up with evidence. Unlike some database articles that they will be using as research, some texts will not overtly say, "This is one reason why a child should not be a in a beauty pageant....." Students need to learn to think critically and formulate their own reasons why people should be in support or against a controversy based on evidence that may not clearly state a reason.
Another reason why I love showing Season 4 "Storybook Pageants" of "Toddlers & Tiaras" is because of the rich discussion. Seriously. Students become so engaged with the show and have so much evidence that they want to share that is in support and against putting your child in a beauty pageant. They really build off each others ideas and are passionate about their claims. Even guys. My male students are often times more into this episode than my female students.
Click here to watch the episode I showed my students. I used Netflix in my classroom, not Amazon, and I could not find this episode on Youtube to post it here. However, you can watch this episode for free as a trial!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Reflection = Idea
In wrapping up my MEd, I've been taking this online course called "New Media & Literacies in Education". It's required me to do a lot of reflecting and practice, and it has inadvertently inspired me. In fact, this course has inspired me so much that I now know what I want my research for my MEd thesis to be: blogging. Yes, go figure- I'm blogging right now. But, right here is where it all began. I truly believe in the purpose of a blog- a way to genuinely share information publicly about a given topic to support a common theme- and the authentic dialogue that ensues. I love it. And I can't help but wonder if my students will love it and benefit from it as I have. My curiosity has led me to conduct some research about blogging- it's definition, purpose, and role in the classroom. I've found a rich array of sources along my search, and today I'm going to share one of those sources. See attached link:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/blogging-in-21st-century-classroom-michelle-lampinen
This source details one teacher's experience with blogging. What I love about this source is that she includes the assignment she gave her students when she presented the idea of blogging to them. Her assignment is a great starting point for any teacher who is looking to incorporate blogging into their curriculum. A "starting point" is key here, because you want to be sure to tailor the assignment to your class purpose and your student body. Right now, I'm in the process of tailoring her assignment to better suit my AP class purpose and students' needs. I plan to present this assignment to my students some time this week so that they can begin blogging right away. I'm excited to see the successes of this assignment, and I'm curious of the speed bumps I may encounter along the way. I, of course, will be sharing the results of my findings with all of you next week!
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/blogging-in-21st-century-classroom-michelle-lampinen
This source details one teacher's experience with blogging. What I love about this source is that she includes the assignment she gave her students when she presented the idea of blogging to them. Her assignment is a great starting point for any teacher who is looking to incorporate blogging into their curriculum. A "starting point" is key here, because you want to be sure to tailor the assignment to your class purpose and your student body. Right now, I'm in the process of tailoring her assignment to better suit my AP class purpose and students' needs. I plan to present this assignment to my students some time this week so that they can begin blogging right away. I'm excited to see the successes of this assignment, and I'm curious of the speed bumps I may encounter along the way. I, of course, will be sharing the results of my findings with all of you next week!
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Let's Discuss Being Indifferent
It's that time of year again. The time of year when my AP students study and discuss my favorite speech ever: "The Perils of Indifference" by Elie Wiesel. I love this speech for a variety of reasons: Wiesel develops a strong ethos, his diction is sophisticated, his tone is completely appropriate and commendable, the organization is clever, and while I can go on and on about all the things I love about his rhetoric, I love most that this speech inspires my students. As a class, we really dissect what it means to be indifferent, why people are indifferent, when people act differently, and whether or not it is ever acceptable to be indifferent. In fact, our discussion on indifference really got me thinking about myself. Again, I reflected. I mentally debated for quite some time if I acted indifferently. Do I go against the grain of education? Have I done anything to try to reform education, like my last post suggests? My conclusion upset me. More times than not, I act indifferently toward the directive of my administration and our whole educational system. And that's just plain wrong. I then thought, well, I alone can't make a difference - a change. Or can I? Maybe if I inspire enough teachers to stop being indifferent, we, as a collective whole, can make a change. Teachers and students no longer have to be victims of educational genocide. We no longer have to lose valuable teachers and the minds of our students.
Here's Wiesel's speech. Read it and be inspired. Together, we can make a change. It just takes people willing to act and realize that they, alone, can make a difference.
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/wiesel.htm
Here's Wiesel's speech. Read it and be inspired. Together, we can make a change. It just takes people willing to act and realize that they, alone, can make a difference.
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/wiesel.htm
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Reform?
Since I've recently re-enrolled to finish my MEd, I've read and viewed some really enlightening texts that have really inspired me to be an even better teacher. One of the most important skills a teacher can have is that of reflection--reflection of themselves, their students, their skills, their plans. Really, shouldn't all people be reflectors? Lately, I wonder if the superiors of our education institution do any reflection.
The attached video calls to question the motives of our educational system. Should our goal as educators be to prepare students for the 21st century economy? If you answer yes, you may reconsider after watching this video. As educators, are we meeting the needs of all students and really reaching them with our teaching? We can only hope, but I really doubt my (our?) effectiveness after watching this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
The evidence this video provides for why we need to reform our educational system is rich, and the visuals only help to further develop the need to be creative and have free expression. I mean, look at how this one person--the creator of this video--put together a comprehensive analysis using drawings and captions.
The attached video calls to question the motives of our educational system. Should our goal as educators be to prepare students for the 21st century economy? If you answer yes, you may reconsider after watching this video. As educators, are we meeting the needs of all students and really reaching them with our teaching? We can only hope, but I really doubt my (our?) effectiveness after watching this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
The evidence this video provides for why we need to reform our educational system is rich, and the visuals only help to further develop the need to be creative and have free expression. I mean, look at how this one person--the creator of this video--put together a comprehensive analysis using drawings and captions.
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