Monday, April 26, 2010
Prompt 7
My experiences and observations as a tutor are shaping my teaching identity by helping me see how to handle certain situations, how to act, what to expect, and many other things. Though I am a secondary ed major, and I am only tutoring fourth graders, I still get the experience of working in a culturally mixed school. This is a good experience for me, because I came from a private high school, so I wasn't aware of the diverse backgrounds of the students. I have been observing my teacher handle situations such as making up for missed days (due to the snowstorm), students missing school (mostly due to the flood, or to sickness), gathering and supplying students with materials, teaching students under time constraints (due to assembly or early dismissal days). I have also examined her teaching methods and have been trying to separate what would be effective for older students versus what is effective for younger students. Unfortunately, my scheduled time does not match up with the English learning block that the teacher has provided for the students, but the curriculum will differ greatly from that of secondary education schools. Mostly I have learned that public schools can be very diverse, and you may have to deal with students in a different manner, but I will always keep in mind that we are all human, and we are not very different from each other no matter what our culture or race is.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Prompt 6
As I have mentioned before, my class has a student that is hard of hearing. Many times the teacher has demonstrated sensitivity and responsiveness to this student by providing help in the form of teaching assistants and tutors to read to her or help take notes. She also tries her best to speak clearly, facing the class, so the student can read her lips. When the student is progressing at a slower pace, she tries to help the student along if it is a communication problem.
Also, I have heard the teacher and the teaching assistant speak in a different language to the students (mostly Portuguese). They do not speak it often, but occasionally, when communicating one on one with a student, they will say a few sentences in a language that the student speaks. This could be to convey a message more clearly, telling the student something in their language they use to communicate with their family. It could also be to show that the teacher and the student have something in common, that they can communicate in both classroom and "home" language. It can sometimes give a student a sense of reassurance that the teacher is there to help them.
Also, I have heard the teacher and the teaching assistant speak in a different language to the students (mostly Portuguese). They do not speak it often, but occasionally, when communicating one on one with a student, they will say a few sentences in a language that the student speaks. This could be to convey a message more clearly, telling the student something in their language they use to communicate with their family. It could also be to show that the teacher and the student have something in common, that they can communicate in both classroom and "home" language. It can sometimes give a student a sense of reassurance that the teacher is there to help them.
Prompt 4
As a secondary ed teacher, my sociocultural characteristics and personal history will intersect with those of my students.
I do not have a problem with students of a different gender, race, sexuality, or religion than mine. There is a possibility that since I am a white middle class male, students could have a problem with me. I can't change any of this, however, so I will have to prove their perception of "my type" wrong by treating them with respect and assisting them when needed.
I went to a private high school, where faculty held higher expectations for their students and offered more advanced classes. As a past private school student, if I go on to teach at a public school, I may factor the expectations I had previously striven to achieve into the expectations of my own students. Also, the demographics of private schools often differ from that of public schools, where private schools are mainly Caucasian students, and public schools are prominently African American and Hispanic students. Though my high school lacked in diversity, I feel that my experiences in a public elementary school, middle school, and college have allowed me to interact with a multitude people and learn to respect others regardless of their differences.
I do not have a problem with students of a different gender, race, sexuality, or religion than mine. There is a possibility that since I am a white middle class male, students could have a problem with me. I can't change any of this, however, so I will have to prove their perception of "my type" wrong by treating them with respect and assisting them when needed.
I went to a private high school, where faculty held higher expectations for their students and offered more advanced classes. As a past private school student, if I go on to teach at a public school, I may factor the expectations I had previously striven to achieve into the expectations of my own students. Also, the demographics of private schools often differ from that of public schools, where private schools are mainly Caucasian students, and public schools are prominently African American and Hispanic students. Though my high school lacked in diversity, I feel that my experiences in a public elementary school, middle school, and college have allowed me to interact with a multitude people and learn to respect others regardless of their differences.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Prompt 3
The teacher I am working with addresses diverse learners by separating the students into two groups. Most of the class has no problem working on material such as tests and quizzes. Those students stay in their own seats during a test. Students that have trouble are sent to a table in the corner of the room, where they have the questions of the test read to them, so they can better understand what they are being asked to write about. This helps to accommodate students that have trouble with taking tests. Also, I have the privilege of assisting a student who is hard of hearing by repeating what the teacher says if necessary, and writing down notes for the student. This helps to keep the student on track with the rest of the class, and stops the teacher from stopping the class to repeat or re-explain anything. As for cultural differences, the teacher sometimes includes homework that incorporates different cultures in it. A few weeks ago, students worked to complete a problem using Turkish numbers. After completing the problem, one of the students stepped forward and explained that they were from Turkey. The other students, unaware of this fact, remarked on how "cool" it was. As a whole, the students interact very well with each other, and have no problem getting along.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Prompt 2
I am obviously, still focusing on my first visit, as a day has not yet passed.
-Due to the snowstorm, and school vacation, my school has unfortunately been closed for the past two weeks, so I have only visited once. Luckily, however, my next visit is scheduled tomorrow! (I attend twice a week) but in order to keep up with the blogs, this one will be updated immediately after the previous blog (prompt 1).
After a bit of research on my school, I learned through the Infoworks website that it has a majority of students from Hispanic backgrounds, with 58% of students of Hispanic descent. This is followed by 21% of students being of African American descent, 13% of students of Caucasian descent, and 9% of students being of Asian descent. 12% of the student population is comprised of ESL students, and 84% of the student population qualifies for reduced or free lunch. This information was recorded in the years of 2006-2007.
The 2007 No Child Left Behind report card for my school shows that it met the Math, and Attendance target scores, and 100 percent of students were tested in the English and Math categories. Though the school fell short in achieving the English target score, the target is listed as "met" because though it did not achieve the posted goal, it did make sufficient progress. Overall, the school is listed as "Moderately Performing".
As I continue to attend my sessions, I will continue to learn more about the different characteristics of my school.
Russ
-Due to the snowstorm, and school vacation, my school has unfortunately been closed for the past two weeks, so I have only visited once. Luckily, however, my next visit is scheduled tomorrow! (I attend twice a week) but in order to keep up with the blogs, this one will be updated immediately after the previous blog (prompt 1).
After a bit of research on my school, I learned through the Infoworks website that it has a majority of students from Hispanic backgrounds, with 58% of students of Hispanic descent. This is followed by 21% of students being of African American descent, 13% of students of Caucasian descent, and 9% of students being of Asian descent. 12% of the student population is comprised of ESL students, and 84% of the student population qualifies for reduced or free lunch. This information was recorded in the years of 2006-2007.
The 2007 No Child Left Behind report card for my school shows that it met the Math, and Attendance target scores, and 100 percent of students were tested in the English and Math categories. Though the school fell short in achieving the English target score, the target is listed as "met" because though it did not achieve the posted goal, it did make sufficient progress. Overall, the school is listed as "Moderately Performing".
As I continue to attend my sessions, I will continue to learn more about the different characteristics of my school.
Russ
First visit - Prompt 1
My first visit to my school brought me back to my own grade school days.
Though not the same school, kids still lined up in single file lines to enter the bathroom in pairs, lockers had names drawn on shapes and construction paper taped to them, two-by-two lines were greatly utilized in getting from place to place, and lined-up students would have to "stop and let someone pass" if a faculty member was in a hurry. All of the school rules, order, and pleasantries of my own experiences as a child had long since been forgotten, and remembering them was an experience on its own. However, I hadn't come to the school to reminisce, I had come to the school for my first experience as a VIPS tutor.
Upon arriving, I met with my supervisor and five other tutors in a brief meeting, where we went over activities, and received our room assignments. I was assigned a third grade class, with a teacher who was highly renowned in the school. The students had a great deal of respect for her. I noticed that I was not assigned a group of students like the rest of the tutors at the meeting, and it was explained to me that the teacher worked with the program in a different way, and was the only teacher allowed to do so, because she went by her own schedules and plans.
Upon walking into the classroom, I was introduced to the class, and met with a big hello from a bunch of intrigued students, probably wondering what a bigger kid was doing in their class. I was seated by the teacher next to a student who had lost most of her hearing, but could read lips well, and I watched the teacher check to see if each student had their homework. If a student didn't have her homework, she explained to them in an assertive (but not aggressive) scolding tone, telling them that they were supposed to have their homework today, and asking the student if his or her parents knew that their homework was not done. The teacher immediately established power in the classroom, and did not give the students an option of disobeying her. Either your homework was done, or it was not. If it was not, and your parents knew about this, you would be in big trouble, not to mention your homework grade would not be doing so good.
After helping the child with hearing loss take some notes, we sent the students off to the gym, and I was sent on my way back to RIC (for my secondary ed meeting) after organizing some report cards for the teacher.
It seemed to me that the school greatly valued friendships. Through my experiences in traveling with my supervisor, all of the faculty were very friendly and polite with each other. Also, the school valued diversity. Walking to the bathroom, I had to make my way through a herd of children, returning back to class from the black history month assembly. I had overheard from one of the faculty members stopping to talk to my supervisor that the assembly had taken over two months to prepare for, and they believed it to positively affect the children. The classroom I had specifically worked in greatly valued not just learning, but using visuals to help understand things more clearly. Visuals were posted everywhere in the classroom, from pictures to charts to posters and many other things.
I greatly enjoyed working with this class, and I look forward to my next visit (tomorrow!)
'Til next time
Russ
Though not the same school, kids still lined up in single file lines to enter the bathroom in pairs, lockers had names drawn on shapes and construction paper taped to them, two-by-two lines were greatly utilized in getting from place to place, and lined-up students would have to "stop and let someone pass" if a faculty member was in a hurry. All of the school rules, order, and pleasantries of my own experiences as a child had long since been forgotten, and remembering them was an experience on its own. However, I hadn't come to the school to reminisce, I had come to the school for my first experience as a VIPS tutor.
Upon arriving, I met with my supervisor and five other tutors in a brief meeting, where we went over activities, and received our room assignments. I was assigned a third grade class, with a teacher who was highly renowned in the school. The students had a great deal of respect for her. I noticed that I was not assigned a group of students like the rest of the tutors at the meeting, and it was explained to me that the teacher worked with the program in a different way, and was the only teacher allowed to do so, because she went by her own schedules and plans.
Upon walking into the classroom, I was introduced to the class, and met with a big hello from a bunch of intrigued students, probably wondering what a bigger kid was doing in their class. I was seated by the teacher next to a student who had lost most of her hearing, but could read lips well, and I watched the teacher check to see if each student had their homework. If a student didn't have her homework, she explained to them in an assertive (but not aggressive) scolding tone, telling them that they were supposed to have their homework today, and asking the student if his or her parents knew that their homework was not done. The teacher immediately established power in the classroom, and did not give the students an option of disobeying her. Either your homework was done, or it was not. If it was not, and your parents knew about this, you would be in big trouble, not to mention your homework grade would not be doing so good.
After helping the child with hearing loss take some notes, we sent the students off to the gym, and I was sent on my way back to RIC (for my secondary ed meeting) after organizing some report cards for the teacher.
It seemed to me that the school greatly valued friendships. Through my experiences in traveling with my supervisor, all of the faculty were very friendly and polite with each other. Also, the school valued diversity. Walking to the bathroom, I had to make my way through a herd of children, returning back to class from the black history month assembly. I had overheard from one of the faculty members stopping to talk to my supervisor that the assembly had taken over two months to prepare for, and they believed it to positively affect the children. The classroom I had specifically worked in greatly valued not just learning, but using visuals to help understand things more clearly. Visuals were posted everywhere in the classroom, from pictures to charts to posters and many other things.
I greatly enjoyed working with this class, and I look forward to my next visit (tomorrow!)
'Til next time
Russ
Friday, February 5, 2010
Introduction
Hi!
My name is Russ. I am 20 years old and a transfer student at Rhode Island College. I transferred from the University of Rhode Island this semester, after attending school there for two years. My semester so far has been great, especially since I am able to spend more time on schoolwork instead of driving to school (URI was an hour drive away from my house, RIC is a mere 15 minutes!). When I am not in class, I am either at home (I am a commuter), working, or playing one of my 12 guitars. I work as a guitar teacher at a local music studio. I have been playing guitar for 11 years, and teaching it for three years. It is a great experience and I enjoy myself not only because I am helping others, but I get to play guitar for work! (how cool is that?)
But enough about me, welcome to my blog for my Foundations of Education class. I am glad to share my experiences with you, and I hope you enjoy reading!
-Russ
My name is Russ. I am 20 years old and a transfer student at Rhode Island College. I transferred from the University of Rhode Island this semester, after attending school there for two years. My semester so far has been great, especially since I am able to spend more time on schoolwork instead of driving to school (URI was an hour drive away from my house, RIC is a mere 15 minutes!). When I am not in class, I am either at home (I am a commuter), working, or playing one of my 12 guitars. I work as a guitar teacher at a local music studio. I have been playing guitar for 11 years, and teaching it for three years. It is a great experience and I enjoy myself not only because I am helping others, but I get to play guitar for work! (how cool is that?)
But enough about me, welcome to my blog for my Foundations of Education class. I am glad to share my experiences with you, and I hope you enjoy reading!
-Russ
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