Technology Survey

1. How many computers are in the classroom?

2. Do they have internet access?

3. Can you access Google tools?

4. Do you have access to a laptop cart? Can they get on the Internet?

5. Is there a computer lab? Do the computers have Internet access? Can you access Google tools? How do you reserve it?

6. How many of your students have computers with Internet access at home?

7. Are there locations in the community where students can access the computers and the Internet?

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1. 6

2. 4

3. Yes.

4. There is no laptop cart, but teacher has laptop.

5. Yes ; Yes ; Yes ; Teacher puts name on calendar and gets the keys from the office.

6. 12

7. Public library

Double Entry Journal #10

Kidwatching allows teachers to learn about students while watching them learn. Teachers can plan their curriculum to best meet the needs of students’ by watching how they respond to various tasks, texts, and each other. For example, if a reader is struggling to make sense of text, a teacher can use kidwatching strategies to play close attention to how the reader is approaching the task, the level of enthusiasm for reading, the types of miscues or errors made, and what sorts of strategies the reader employs to make the text more comprehensible to help the student. Kidwatching is a way for teachers to closely observe and document the actions and behaviors that students exhibit in class.
Kidwatching is informed by the cultural difference theory because it allows teachers to be more observant of the difference in cultural among his or her students. I have a girl in my daycare from Saudi Arabia who knows absolutely no English. I use the kidwatching strategy with her every day. I am so interested in how she learns so I play close attention to her behaviors and how she interacts with her peers. I am learning by watching her learning.

Link to text.

Double Entry Journal #9

Link to article:

It is important for linguistically diverse students to use a language they feel most comfortable with. It aids in students remembering more of what they learned and become linguistically savvy. Primary language support is a reinforcement of the validity of students’ language, self-esteem booster, stress reducer, and sets the stage for a positive education experience.

 Students with an Appalachian dialect are also encouraged to speak in their dialect. Students should be encouraged to make meaningful connections between their lives and school experiences. Their academic performance is heightened and students are encouraged to use what they know to acquire new knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

 Below is a table that compares and contrasts Teacher vs. Learner-Centered Instruction. I found it on a website with no other information except the table. So, I have included the link.

Teacher vs. Learner-Centered Instruction

Teacher-Centered	Learner-Centered
Focus is on instructor	Focus is on both students and instructor
Focus is on language forms and structures (what the instructor knows about the language)	Focus is on language use in typical situations (how students will use the language)
Instructor talks; students listen	Instructor models; students interact with instructor and one another
Students work alone	Students work in pairs, in groups, or alone depending on the purpose of the activity
Instructor monitors and corrects every student utterance	Students talk without constant instructor monitoring; instructor provides feedback/correction when questions arise
Instructor answers students’ questions about language	Students answer each other’s questions, using instructor as an information resource
Instructor chooses topics	Students have some choice of topics
Instructor evaluates student learning	Students evaluate their own learning; instructor also evaluates
Classroom is quiet	Classroom is often noisy and busy

Related source:

I found a website with resources for K-12 from the Appalachian Studies Association. I never knew there was such a thing!

Source:

"A Resource Directory for Teaching Appalachian Topics." Appalachian Studies Association (2005): n. pag. Appalachian Studies Association. Web. 23 Sep 2011. <http://www.appalachianstudies.org/resources/K12/index.php>.

Double Entry Journal #8

The first reason I found that it is not a good idea to group English as Second Learners together is the students may or may not be proud of where they are from. Many students want to fit in with other students and grouping them with students from the same culture as them may make them feel left out. For example, in the reading, Bianca is a Mexican student in Mrs. Rosales class. Mrs. Rosales thought it would be a good idea to partner Bianca with another student from Mexico. They were the only two students in the class from the Hispanic culture. However, Bianca would not talk. Mrs. Rosales later found out Bianca did not think fondly of her Mexican Culture. Mrs. Rosales thought she was doing the girls a favor by seating them together, when in reality she was creating a problem.

Some English Language Learners are only able to speak their primary language. According to the text, teachers often group English as Second Learners together because they think they have similarities. However, sometimes, the only thing they have in common is learning to speak English. Therefore, if English as Second Learners are grouped together they may not get much accomplished because they are not very familiar with the English Language. Their Educational history plays an important role in grouping the students. Some may have little or no schooling due to the lack of teachers in the rural communities, family poverty, of frequent mobility. These factors must be taken into consideration when grouping students, especially ELL.

According to the text, it is also important to recognize that English Language Learners do not all have the same background when assigning groups. It is a tendency to group students together as though their experiences and knowledge are the same. This is often the case with English Language Learners. Students need to be grouped together with consideration of their previous experiences, such as the age in which a student is exposed to English, the quality and quantity of this exposure, their language and learning aptitude, and whether the primary language is Latin based.

A virtual school bag is a concept whereby a teacher considers the knowledge, skills and ways of being that children carry with them in a virtual back pack. Inside a virtual backpack, students carry with them a number of practices, resources, skills, knowledge, values and assumptions about learning, teaching, and life.

Link to text

Related Source:

Digital Story Response

Having students create a digital story is a great way for teachers who are guilty of being culturally deficit, grow to understand their students and the culture they come from, instead of placing judgment on them. According to the cultural deficit model, students of color and poor students often enter school with a lack of “cultural capital.” The cultural deficit model fails to address the instructional barriers that prohibit these students from learning, such as low-income, family issues, etc. Implementing the creation of a digital story is a great way to allow students, as well as the teacher, to see the diversity amongst the classroom.

As we discussed in class, a digital story can help build community in the classroom. Students, as well as the teacher, are given the opportunity to learn more about each other in an informally fun way. Students are able to learn about their peers and the different interests they may have, or they may even find they have something in common with one another. Students can learn about the different cultures and backgrounds their peers have, which can help them better understand each other. As I mentioned before, this activity could greatly benefit a teacher who is guilty of being culturally deficit. If many of them took the time to learn about their students’ cultures and backgrounds they would possibly become more inclined not to pass judgment on them.

According to the Funds of Knowledge article, it is important to use a qualitative approach to connect homes and the classroom. Having students create a digital story is the perfect activity to do so! Moll believes the secret to literacy instruction is for schools to investigate and tap into the "hidden" home and community resources of their students. The digital story will allow students to explore further into the history of themselves, their family, and their community. It will help themselves learn to appreciate where they come from, as well as the students’ peers and teacher.

The Purcell-Gates article is full of instances where judgment is being passed. For example, the teacher who claims she knew the mother of one of her students was “ignorant” as soon as she opened her mouth due to her “hillbilly” dialect. If the teacher would of taken time to get to know her students, for example by creating a digital story, the teacher could have learned about her students background and been more open to where he or she was from and learn to appreciate the mother’s accent. This is just one of the many instances where it proves that it is a very wise idea to take the time to get to know your students, as well as the people around you.

Throughout my time as a student at Fairmont State University, I have learned, not only in this class but others, it is truly a good idea to get to know your students. As a future teacher, I plan to not only get to know my students but learn about the community I am teaching in, as well. It is important to find out the community population, what historical landmarks are located nearby, socio-economic statuses, percentages of cultural diversity, etc. I hope to learn as much about my students as possible and plan to always be open-minded because you never know what someone is going through, even a student in your very own classroom.

Where I'm From

Here is the final draft of my Where I'm From video!! (O:

Double Entry Journal #6

I really enjoyed reading the Principles for Culturally Responsive Teaching because I was able to think of so many examples that I have witnessed and experienced throughout my time as a student at Fairmont State University.

The example I am most able to relate to is the first principle: Positive Perspective on Parents and Families.

While attending Fairmont State, I work at a daycare, We recently we decided to take on a new classroom management plan. Every child is given a red, yellow, and green mouse. At the beginning of each day, each child begins with a green mouse. If they start misbehaving their mouse is moved to yellow, which means "Think about it." If they improve their behavior, they get their green mouse back. If they continue to misbehave, their yellow mouse turns to a red mouse. The children become very upset when their mouse has to change colors, as well as the parents. Every evening the parents ask their child "What color is your mouse?" One parent even created their own red, yellow, and green chart at home using frogs. It is truly a great classroom management plan that I will implement in my classroom.

According to the Principles for Culturally Responsive Teaching, it is very important for parents to be partners with the students and teachers. I have witnessed that at my daycare and it is very pleasing to see parents who care and are involved and support our classroom management plan. I have learned it is very important to have the support of parents in many of the education courses I have taken, while being a student at Fairmont State University.

I have also learned, over my course as being a student at Fairmont State, that it is very important for teachers to have high expectations for their students. It is, also, the second principle for culturally responsive teaching. All students should receive the consistent message that they are expected to obtain high standards in their school work. I learned that in Dr. Smith's class and I have taken it with me every where I go, whether it be at daycare or the cheerleading team I coach.

Additional Resource:

The additional resource I found is a report done on 8 schools in Kanawha County, West Virginia who used culturally responsive teaching!

(You do not have to buy the report.)

References:

Principles for culturally responsive teaching. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/tdl/tl-strategies/crt-principles.shtml

Rough Draft_Take 2

Finally got my video to upload! No one judge me to harshly, I'm pretty much changing it all. I consider this to be an outline. I am going to change the font color and placement of the font, add effects, and music, etc. Also, how did you all add your music other than ITunes and the music that comes with the website?

Double Entry Journal #5

3 Things I learned:

1)      The teaching of writing should assume students will begin with the sort of language with which they are most at home and most fluent in their speech.  That language may be a dialect of English, or even a different language altogether.  The goal is not to leave students where they are, however, but to move them toward greater flexibility, so that they can write not just for their own intimates but for wider audiences.

2)      Writers often talk in order to rehearse the language and content that will go into what they write, and conversation often provides an impetus or occasion for writing.

3)      Writers have a definite idea of who will read their words, not just a generalized notion that their text will be available to the world.

2 Things I found interesting:

1)      Writing conferences, wherein student writers’ talk about their work with a teacher, who can make suggestions or re-orient what the writer, is doing, are also very helpful uses of talk in the writing process.

2)      Writers start in different places.  It makes a difference what kind of language a writer spoke while growing up, and what kind of languages they are being asked to take on later in their experience. It makes a difference, too, what kind of culture the writer comes from, the ways people use language in that culture, and the degree to which the culture is privileged in the larger society.

1 Question:

1)      In what grade should students begin learning the writing process?

Related Source:

Here is the actual link to the National Council of Teachers of English. It is jam packed with goodies that we, as future teachers, can benefit from.

Resources:

NCTE Beliefs About the Teaching of Writing. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://docs.google.com/document/d/1kBob4rwoBfMr5KibZlGhE7RopH9ZVrXij2XWhbNzeVk/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1#

Where I'm From Video

This is just a VERY ROUGH draft of my video. I consider it to be more of an outline. I want to change the font, add effects, and add music. I do not like the choices of music Photo Story has. However, I do not know how to add music from another place. So, if someone could fill me in I would greatly appreciate it.

I haven't had the opportunity to travel home to get the rest of the pictures I want to add to my project. So, I have added notes to kind of guide me for when I go home this weekend to get them.

I am aware the fonts don't match and are not all visible, but like I said, this is a very rough draft and it will look different when I'm finally fnished.

**I just uploaded my video and it says "There was an error in processing your video". So, I'm not sure if anyone can even view it. Please let me know.

Double Entry Journal #4

"He believes the secret to literacy instruction is for schools to investigate and tap into the "hidden" home and community resources of their students." (Moll, 1992)


I chose this quote because I couldn't agree more with it. One of the most important things I learned from Dr. Smith is to get to know your students. Research the community your school is in, find out the socio-economic statistics, students benchmark test scores, their background, parents jobs, if there is anything going on at home with your students that you should know about, etc. It is very important to get to know your students because not only are you able to develop a relationship with them, but you are able to understand the reasons for their behavior a little easier.

For example, if little Suzie sleeps in class every day the teacher may think she doesn't care about school. The teacher may become frustrated with her, treat her differently, and so on. What the teacher doesn't know is Suzie's mom is a single parent who works midnight and Suzie is left at home to take care of her little brother in sister every night. She has to feed, bathe, and put them to bed. She doesn't have time to do her homework. Had the teacher gotten to know Suzie she would of learned this from the beginning and been able to find solutions to help her.

Situations like these occur in the classroom all the time. As future teachers, it is our responsibility to get to know our students and prevent things like this from happening. This, also, goes for everday life. I was always taught.. "Smile, you never know what someone is going through." (:

Related Source:

I found an article on getting to know your students. It explains that getting to know your students is very crucial because it allows you to develop a relationship with them.

References:

Craven, Heather. "Getting to Know Your Students." Inspiring Teachers. Inspiring Teachers, Publishing Inc., 2011. Web. 5 Sep 2011. http://www.inspiringteachers.com/classroom_resources/articles/beginning_of_the_school_year/getting_to_know

Moll, L.C. (1992). Funds of knowledge. Theory into Practice, 31(2), Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/pss/1476399

Where I'm From

WHERE I'M FROM

I am from the rocky banks of the ol’ Buffalo Creek from daddy’s famous vegetable dumplins’ and mommas fried green tomatoes.

I am from the very last house that sits on the left on Dancer Avenue filled with lots of love and animals who think their people.

I am from the rhododendrons, roses of Sharon, and pine trees that surround my whole yard.

I am from late nights at the Mannington Fair selling cotton candy and candy apples and crazy Italian women who talk with their hands.

From “Don’t make a face, it will get stuck that way” and “Where’s the other half of your pants? Ya waitin on a flood?”

I am from a loving Christian family who all attend the First Baptist Church in Mannington, where my momma plays the Organ. I am from a family whose blessing for meals always began with “Father, it is thankful we are”. Thanks grandaddy.

I'm from Mannington, West Virginia where we eat sugar on our mashed potatoes and take pride in our gardens.

From the family of the famous “Gabby” Wilson, who went to the moose for hours and left on his little blue moped with the rubber chicken tied to the front. Rest in Peace Grandaddy Long Legs. I miss you more than words can say.

I am from a family who keeps every voicemail you ever leave just to play at the next family dinner to make fun of you, a family of 5 boys who taught me how to spit, play pool, and climb trees, a family who calls me "Crash" thanks to my great driving record, a family who has supported me in every pageant I have ever done, and most importantly, molded me into the woman I am today.

I am from a family who is sweet like fudge and crazy with just a few nuts.