Nearing the end of the semester

Well, we’re almost there. Another successful semester at our AHS Professional Development School. I didn’t teach this week, but I did get to observe, chat with interns and cooperating teachers, as well as former interns. And, I think what impressed me most this week is that this PDS thing really does work. Our interns came to us looking, talking, and acting more like students than teachers. Seeing them out in their classrooms this past week and in the Eagle’s Nest, it was obvious they look, talk and act a LOT more like teachers now. It’s reassuring and gratifying to know that Prof B and I have had a small part in helping our new teachers make the transition from college student to teacher.

And, although I didn’t teach or spend much time in the block this week, I did spend time thinking and talking about the block with our teacher preparation colleagues in Art, Music, and PE. They shared with us some of their concerns about the relevance of the general education curriculum and the literacy curriculum to their new teachers, the quality of cooperating teachers, and their belief that the all-level certification-seeking new teachers need to have more elementary school field experiences rather than secondary school experiences.

So, that’s the question I’ll leave you with this week. Should all-level interns do their field experience (block) in an elementary school? Is is possible to spend 1/2 the semester in elementary and 1/2 in secondary (knowing that you only have about 18-19 half-days within the semester to be in classrooms with kids? Could you build rapport with a class in 9-10 sessions and be effective in your teaches?) Should you be able to self-select into secondary or elementary depending on your career goals? And, what about middle school? Many of you will start your careers in middle school. What experiences should you have at that level?

Lots of questions, once again. I look forward to lots of great answers!

Writing to learn…. hmmmmmmmm…. is this what these blogs are all about?

Had fun this week with writing to learn activities. Obviously, I’m a strong advocate of reading across the curriculum, but, you know, writing across the curriculum is easier to incorporate in every class AND it has the benefit of promoting thinking and therefore learning. A person can read and not learn, but it’s pretty hard to write, at least in meaningful ways, and not at least make some sense of ideas. Just like I’m doing here; I’m making sense of my teaching this week, and sense of reading and writing, and sense of learning in general, just by working through these ideas.

Hmmmm… I wonder, is that what these blogs are all about? You know, when Prof B and I decided to use blogs this semester instead of having our interns write us weekly emails, we considered the advantages of blogs – newer technology, more capabilities, more public, more interactive – but we didn’t consider how the act of writing in blogs on a weekly basis as well as reading and commenting on blogs would help both our interns and ourselves work through ideas.

Perhaps I ought to ask you, my readers… Is blogging helping you learn? Gain insight? Develop your thinking and doing as a teacher? Why don’t you share some of your thoughts about the power of writing in general and blogging in particular. I invite you to be honest. I know for some of you, blogging is just another chore but does it have to be? How might we use it more effectively? How might you use it in your future careers as teachers?

I look forward to hearing back from you!

Forests and trees

Not a bad week, but not a great one either. Taught about using graphic organizers to help readers see the big picture as well as the details and their connections. Gained some insights into text structure in the process (like how cause/effect really is more complex in many ways that description) as well as was reminded how each text structure when working from description to problem/solution appears to subsume the previous structures, ala Bloom’s taxonomy (that was an insight!).

So, what was memorable for me is the fact that each time I teach a known (to me) concept to a new group of students, I gain new insights into the concept and into how we learn. Isn’t that wonderful? It’s like learning is constantly being created anew, constructed differently. And, as I think about this insight, it occurs to me that this is the essence of learning/experiencing. It’s like hearing a piece of music performed for the first time and then hearing it performed a week later or a year later. It takes on a different sense, a different meaning; it’s appreciated differently. Or reading and then rereading a book or a poem. Or seeing a work of art. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all our teaching could help our students experience these insights as well? Sadly, I think we simply have to cover SO much that we often fail to develop insights and deep meanings.

Better not end on a negative note… went for my walk today after last night’s storm. The air was fresh and cool, everything was newly washed by the rain, the birds are very much into singing to attract their mates, and the wildflowers are absolutely gorgeous! Hope everyone gets a chance to get out and enjoy spring this weekend.

Any questions? March 19 / March 21

Okay, so it was a pretty good week… I didn’t teach on Monday but had the WHOLE afternoon to myself and my interns on Wednesday. Cool! We explored questioning from the “reading” perspective and I think the lesson itself accomplished several objectives: 1) knowing that “good” questions are clearly related to the teacher’s objectives for his/her students; 2) knowing that we need to ask questions at the literal, interpretive and applied levels of comprehension if we’re to help guide our students in developing their comprehension; 3) that the interpretive questions are the hardest ones to write and also the hardest ones for students to answer; and 4) just asking questions isn’t sufficient – you’ve got to teach students how to answer questions.

We’ll return to this last issue next week because it’s really as important as all the others… as with any teaching, it’s not just telling students to do something and expecting they’ll get it. So… here’s where constructivism meets instructivism. While I’m a firm believer that knowledge is constructed, I do believe that skills have to be modeled and then students have to practice these skills under the guidance of a more expert “teacher”.

Concerns this week – I’m afraid some of the interns are falling behind in keeping up with their ongoing tasks. I had the “behinder” talk with them and hope that they’ll be able to catch up within the next week so that the few days remaining in the semester will go “swimmingly” as my mother-in-law used to say.

I’m going to read and respond to some interns’ blogs now… talk to you again soon.

Are you engaged? Do you want to be? (No rants – just speculations)

There are lots of things that I like to teach. However, there are a couple of things that I really like! Teaching about engagement strategies is one of them. I know… nerdy teacher stuff. Fine… It really doesn’t matter what others think but this stuff is really cool!

If you can engage students, intellectually and emotionally, you can succeed in getting them to learn. So, I just love talking about and trying out a variety of engagement activities. And, you know what? My new teachers like doing the same. Even better, they chose one of the strategies I thought would be a “loser” as one of their favorites–book bags/boxes. Of course, being me I could carp about the fact that they totally neglected Anticipation Guides which is about the only strategy that has research to support that it works. But, NO, I will not complain this week. I will not RANT. I WILL congratulate my new teachers on the fact that they found potential uses for “cool” strategies in their future classrooms. If I visit one of those classrooms next year or the year after… will they be using the strategy? Hmmmm…. One really has to wonder how much effect one has on one’s learners.

Does what I teach really make a difference? And, if it doesn’t, should I be teaching it? Another big hmmmmmmmmmmm….

Print in the classroom – How to promote literacy across the curriculum? (Feb. 19-Feb. 21)

What I learned this week continues to confirm what I struggle with every semester; that is, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to convince many performance-based teachers that print DOES have a place in their classrooms. I think everyone accepts the rationale that we need to promote our students’ literacy and that the only way to do this is to have students reading and writing… “but, not in my classroom!” they say. “Let the English teacher do that, or the Social Studies teacher, or maybe even the Science teacher.”

I’m frustrated that few new teachers, let alone experienced teachers, are willing to challenge the status quo, to consider other ways of teaching and doing. And, yet, I still remain hopeful that maybe just one or two new teachers might try “print in the classroom” and find out that its use can enrich their curriculum and build their students’ knowledge and skills. So… I offer my interns this challenge: try it, try using print in your classroom. Try it more than once or twice before dismissing it out of hand.

My week “not” in the block… (Feb. 12 & 14)

It had to happen, sooner or later, I couldn’t continue to remain free of colds/viruses for many more years (please note, it’s been since 2001 when my mother died. that I had a real cold). This past week was my week… and it was miserable. However, I’m on the mend. But, I also have nothing to report about my “learning” in the block. No… that’s not true. I did read this week, talk to a few interns and my co-teacher, and I did think about things… so, here’s my weekly reflection.

I hate missing classes. I get behind in my teaching. I feel out of touch. And, my students miss important instruction. However, they did survive and when I saw several of them briefly on Wednesday, they seemed to be thriving. That’s really encouraging! Mostly, I heard and read about the ELL buddies. It seems that relationships are being developed and the interns are enjoying this somewhat “novel” experience. With that in mind, I read about some questioning strategies this past week that may help the interns help their buddies (advice from Mohr & Mohr. (2006). Extending English-language learners’ classroom interactions using the Response Protocol. The Reading Teacher, 60 (5): http://www.reading.org/publications/journals/rt/v60/i5/abstracts/RT-60-5-Mohr.html

1. Correct responses – Praise these even when they’re yes/no or literal level answers but probe for more elaboration and explanation. “That’s an excellent response. Could you tell me more? How did you arrive at that? Could you point to information in the text that supports that?”
2. Partially correct responses – Praise these and add further elaboration and explanation on your own. “That’s an excellent response. Did you know that … If you’ll look at … you’ll see there’s additional information”
3. Responses in languages other than English – Use of the home language should be viewed as students’ attempting to make sense and engage as learners. Encourage them to explain in their home language and seek translation from other students who are willing to paraphrase what a student has said.
4. Responses that are wrong – Take this opportunity to determine whether the incorrect response is language or content based and teach either the appropriate language or the content needed for a correct response. “Thank you for your answer. Let’s see if what you’re saying answers the question or if there’s more information needed.”
5. Silent response – Realize that students do go through a silent phase and their lack of response is not necessarily a lack on understanding. Give them time, rephrase questions for yes/no responses, and direct students to other sources of information to find answers (text, notes, peers, demonstrations).

So, it’s back to work tomorrow. In the library. Whoo-Hoo! Lots of print resources. How perfect for lessons on choosing and evaluating print resources. Hasta el lunes.

My week at AHS (Feb. 5 & Feb. 7)

Well, I’m feeling a little better about my teaching this week. I think I helped my interns see the connections between the theory I’ve been presenting/they’ve been reading about, and how it translates into practice. Of course, I realize some of the connections are still tenuous. But, given that I’ll come back again (and again) to schema and negotiating meaning through reading, speaking, writing and listening, I expect the theoretical foundation will be strong and hopefully long lasting. It’s funny how the literature circles serve as such rich examples of how we engage as readers and learn through reading and talking. I sometimes wonder how successful I’d be if I made the class one big discovery learning adventure… I’m guessing I’d have quite a few interns who’d feel frustrated The urge to change things up, though, is such a big part of who I am as a teacher. I can never leave well enough alone, maybe because it’s not really “well enough” or maybe I just get bored with the same old, same old. That’s why I’m sitting here on a Saturday morning writing in this blog.

One of my ongoing struggles is how to help the performance-based teachers see where literacy activities fit within their curricula. I sense a good deal of healthy skepticism but also open-mindedness among this group of interns. I just wish I had practicing teachers who could model how this is done… Unfortunately, they’re few and far between. It’s funny, I’ve been teaching new teachers how to incorporate literacy into their classes for almost 20 years and I can’t see that I’ve had much of an impact. I know from talking to the Literacy Task Force committee at AHS as well as the some of the Disciplinary Literacy folks from both AHS and Central Office that everyone is struggling with this issue. I’m looking forward to visiting classes on Monday with Assistant Principal W. to see just how “print” is being used in various classes.

So, all in all, it’s been a pretty good week. I have to get to the library to pick out some good music, math, art and PE books and rearrange my lectures for the next couple of weeks because of upcoming TAKS testing. Good tasks for a cold, gray day.

Just have to include the following that I “borrowed” from one of the blogs showcased when I logged in to WordPress yesterday (from http://sayings.wordpress.com/).

Definitions
CARPERPETUATION (kar’ pur pet u a shun) n. The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string or a piece of lint at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.

DISCONFECT (dis kon fekt’) v. To sterilize the piece of candy you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, somehow assuming this will `remove’ all the germs.

ELECELLERATION (el a cel er ay’ shun) n. The mistaken notion that the more you press an elevator button the faster it will arrive.

FRUST (frust) n. The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until he finally decides to give up and sweep it under the rug.

LACTOMANGULATION (lak’ to man gyu lay’ shun) n. Manhandling the “open here” spout on a milk container so badly that one has to resort to the `illegal’ side.

PEPPIER (pehp ee ay’) n. The waiter at a fancy restaurant whose sole purpose seems to be walking around asking diners if they want ground pepper.

PUPKUS (pup’ kus) n. The moist residue left on a window after a dog presses its nose to it.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Spring 2007 Awesome High School Secondary Block Blog hosted by Professors Nicholson and Bond. You’ll be posting comments to this blog and to your own blogs as the semester progresses.

About Blogging

What’s a blog, you ask? Click on the Blogroll link (it’s over there on the right, below the calendar) entitled “What is a blog?”. You’ll be redirected to a page that shows several folders, also on the right below their calendar. Click on the “Getting Started” folder and then open the next folder, “What is a blog?” You’ll find several good articles to read about blogs, but the one I found most enjoyable was “Grumpy Girl and the Questioning Ant”. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it and its Part II.

When you’ve finished reading, maybe you’ll want to come back to our blog and post a comment… You can do so by clicking on the small “comments” link below this message. You’ll be asked to give your name (first name only is best), an email address (this is NOT visible to anyone else), a link to your website (if you have one and would like others to visit), and post your comment.