I have one Practicum blocked left and I want to answer this question for my understanding "How would I help develop Language of my students ? Every activity, task, day work should have meaning in a classroom. I would provide clear goals for students to work towards and inform them of the learning strategies they can use. I would use multi-modal literacy in my classroom from Shrades (Drama) to digital videos ( stories, facts, history, art) etc. I would give students ideas a boost so they use own ideas to stay encouraged and see their projects to the end. They will be encouraged to present their thinking and learning in different ways that they are interested in.I will celebrate their accomplishments and let my students know why and how the information they just learned would help them. I will be a guide, a partner and a listener (I found this most useful in assessing the students thinking and understanding)
I love to teach and my teaching depends on my learning. My learning is successful when I practice and my practicums have showed that I am a good learner. I hope my future experiences make me a better teacher.
- by MKH
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Practicum and Literature-What inspired my beliefs and teaching? (Part Two)
In Debra Millers book that was assigned to us we talked about her program of reading, writing, analyzing, critical thinking and most importantly the students learning about their learning. Everything that you would think high school students usually do language classrooms. She made it look so easy, the interviews with students, group discussions, development of meta-cognition in students, encouragement on thinking, being curious and critical of what they learn. I got inspired by millers use of students authentic ideas, emerging questions and ideas and developed exploration time In every unit I taught because to me development of language arts should not be compartmentalized under LA. They are using oral and written language while they learn about their friends, their communities, nature, science, physical education and music. In addition to writing about memories and celebrations, creating winter scenes for children to use their sense of touch(representation of their thinking)
; they make use if their language and prior knowledge in other topics. The following picture is a shot of students ideas of what smells were in canister A-F for a science unit.
This to me is more worthwhile then using leveled reading books. Here their ideas are taking form in images and progressed In to words, sentences and then stories. This reflects the notion of authenticity that I hold very important in my teaching beliefs. We talked about this in first year of education and second year of education.
As a guide, creating a curious an informational environment where students are bound to ask questions, they learn about learning strategies, work in groups, learn to use all resources that are available yo them. A complete learning experience that I get to be a part of everyday.
- by MKH
; they make use if their language and prior knowledge in other topics. The following picture is a shot of students ideas of what smells were in canister A-F for a science unit.
This to me is more worthwhile then using leveled reading books. Here their ideas are taking form in images and progressed In to words, sentences and then stories. This reflects the notion of authenticity that I hold very important in my teaching beliefs. We talked about this in first year of education and second year of education.
As a guide, creating a curious an informational environment where students are bound to ask questions, they learn about learning strategies, work in groups, learn to use all resources that are available yo them. A complete learning experience that I get to be a part of everyday.
- by MKH
Practicum and Literature-What inspired my beliefs and teaching?
I noticed at my first Practicum, the teacher modeled and believed that students should love to read. The way she read books aloud to students showed her interest in various types of books. The students sometimes seemed restless but most of the time they were engaged when she read aloud, during reader's theater, and singing songs. The librarian complimented my teachers efforts in the middle of the year, that the students interest in reading have increased very much. They discussed their readings, asked for more resources(books, videos, intellectual websites etc) I talked to her about it.she said that she never send books home as homework and never use reading as a punishment or as a time out.
In class we had the same kind of discussion during our triple-entry notebooks, when we read about the developing the love of reading.we discussed importance of the involvement parents and the recognition that children start to develop language in infancy however love of reading is noticed by the children when they can comprehend what they are reading or what others are reading to them. Parents and teachers can work together to model, share and show the joy that is spread by reading. The following story is One of the examples of a student love reading at my first year Practicum, she introduced me to this book and I was amazed at how much she loved it. She was going through friendship issues in class and this book helped her express her feelings to her friends. This book is about sharing, courtesy, happiness on simplicity and I think child understands all of that, may not be able to express it but the right book, poem, song will do that for Them.
We talked about making connections and making use of books in everyday learning so the students recognize books as one of the resources they can use if they are curious about something.
In class we had the same kind of discussion during our triple-entry notebooks, when we read about the developing the love of reading.we discussed importance of the involvement parents and the recognition that children start to develop language in infancy however love of reading is noticed by the children when they can comprehend what they are reading or what others are reading to them. Parents and teachers can work together to model, share and show the joy that is spread by reading. The following story is One of the examples of a student love reading at my first year Practicum, she introduced me to this book and I was amazed at how much she loved it. She was going through friendship issues in class and this book helped her express her feelings to her friends. This book is about sharing, courtesy, happiness on simplicity and I think child understands all of that, may not be able to express it but the right book, poem, song will do that for Them.
We talked about making connections and making use of books in everyday learning so the students recognize books as one of the resources they can use if they are curious about something.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Confidence building
My first lesson in my first practicum was an Art lesson. I took on the responsibility of teaching the elements and principle of design and planned my first lesson. The first element was line and my teacher suggested to use the grade 3 Art folder that contained pitures of different painting and talk about it as an engagement phase with the students. I was nervous because i did not know where to start, what to ask them. Yes i draw well but talking about art to my students. I was nervous my voice cracked my "v" and "w" sounds got mixed up and yes the students noticed.
Anyways i sat there put the painting up on the white board with magnets and asked them what they see and from there on every students in that classroom spoke and i asked questions and we were on a roll. It came to me not because i knew what questions to ask but how to use their prior knowledge in the context of learnign the new knowledge.
Here is an example:
Anyways i sat there put the painting up on the white board with magnets and asked them what they see and from there on every students in that classroom spoke and i asked questions and we were on a roll. It came to me not because i knew what questions to ask but how to use their prior knowledge in the context of learnign the new knowledge.
Here is an example:
Language Arts: My experience as a student
I learned two languages at the same time which were English and Urdu during my early education. Interesting i would bring better marks in english more than Urdu, eventhough we spoke urdu at home and in the classroom. There were more chances of doing well (marks) in reinforcing what we learned, however i always did well in english. Do you thing a dilemma? i think not. Our Instruction for English (Language arts) was very practice based and the predictability of tests was easy as our parents went through the same school system.
We would practice (Singular/Plural) (Spelling/Dictation) (Word/sentesnces) (Passage/questions) (stories/questions) etc. We would practcie at home and the lsit of words would go home before the test and text units would be highlighted for our ease. The exams contained 80% of what we already worked on in the classroom. I also want to say English was a territory where not a lot of teachers wanted to go deep. It is about comfort level. So we learned english grammar and we never spoke in class until my fifth grade which i will talk about later.
I found Urdu hard because the way it was taught. There were very few literature books(texts) with images in early years classroom. It all comprised of the same activites that i have mentioned above with the lack of connections between spoken language and written. I know that Now but then i thought i dont even know my own language. I needed context as a child so i could connect. I had a knack for poetry but what teacher would notice that if she/he had 40 students in a class and no EAs :(
My mom, My Nano, My grade two teacher all helped me in my early years to develop my language skills. They did few things knowingly ( asking me to write a story and dont worry about spellings) and some things unknowingly (reading me a story, and connecting personal stories with them, Singing a poem to my little brother "eating sugar, no mama" with gestures).
I know the importance of expression in every mean possible, for it is there time to be amazing ine verything and they can be with our guidance, little change, a lot of thought and practice.
We would practice (Singular/Plural) (Spelling/Dictation) (Word/sentesnces) (Passage/questions) (stories/questions) etc. We would practcie at home and the lsit of words would go home before the test and text units would be highlighted for our ease. The exams contained 80% of what we already worked on in the classroom. I also want to say English was a territory where not a lot of teachers wanted to go deep. It is about comfort level. So we learned english grammar and we never spoke in class until my fifth grade which i will talk about later.
I found Urdu hard because the way it was taught. There were very few literature books(texts) with images in early years classroom. It all comprised of the same activites that i have mentioned above with the lack of connections between spoken language and written. I know that Now but then i thought i dont even know my own language. I needed context as a child so i could connect. I had a knack for poetry but what teacher would notice that if she/he had 40 students in a class and no EAs :(
My mom, My Nano, My grade two teacher all helped me in my early years to develop my language skills. They did few things knowingly ( asking me to write a story and dont worry about spellings) and some things unknowingly (reading me a story, and connecting personal stories with them, Singing a poem to my little brother "eating sugar, no mama" with gestures).
I know the importance of expression in every mean possible, for it is there time to be amazing ine verything and they can be with our guidance, little change, a lot of thought and practice.
I as a student
I was broght up mostlty in Pakistan. My elementary education took place mostly by my parents and Miltiary school in different towns. Now i think about it its was a franchise of the same school. I have wonderful memories and some ......lets just say great learning experiences. You love everything and anything growing up as long as you have safety and security. The philosophy of these schools was teacher centered and mainly comprised of direct teaching. i sometimes wonder how i passed my grade 1 final exams as dont seem to remember anything except my parents constant effort to help me memorize poems in English and Urdu ? :)
It makes me laugh to think about the stress my parents had to suffer just so i do well (A grade) in grade 1. |
| Similar to one of my classrooms-Taken from Child Reach International |
My language i believe very much started at the age of 15 months (i have been told by my parents). I was loved and cared for. I had a lot of company that encouraged me to speak and express my happiness by laughter and dancing and my discomfort in not laughing just focusing on people. Yes i cried very little.
I was three and half years old when i started montessori of 6 hours everyday. My mom was my teacher and she an educational assisstant. I dont remember anything except yelling at the EA :( and my mom getting mad when we got home ...haha. Oh a funny story so on the basis of my misbeahvior my parents had a talk with me. They tried explaining my rudeness and that i need to say sorry to her when i see her the next day. The next moring my dad was getting ready for office anf my mom was making breakfast. My mom asked "Mehru what are you going to say to Mrs Fazila?" Very confidently and lovingly i said "I am going to say thank you."
Oh boy i got hearing out of that. Imagine my surprise when my mom got upset with me when in my head i said the right thing. In her upsetting manner she repeated what i said and then i realised oh wait i ll say sorry. My mom thought i was being a smart *** child.
I ,as almost a four year old had a connection between the words sorry and thank you. In my head i knew these two words are used in special circumstances. Mostly a person would say thank you to people in a loving manner hence i confused them. I promise i meant the gesture, i just said wrong word maybe because in the past i was forced to say thank you ;)
After two fantatsic years or learning and teaching, i am able to undertsand my process of learning. Which helps me to teach my students. I recognize and learned the importance of communication in education, for education and i cannot teach without basic skill of knowing language and literacy.
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