Co-Teaching Lesson Plan

          After watching the lesson planning process last class, I couldn't help but wish that someone could ask me the tough questions when I prepare my lesson plans.  As a student, we are expected to ask these questions ourselves and bring ourselves back from tangents.  I wish that our program would implement a talk through lesson plan where the students could meet with the professor and discuss their idea for a lesson (much like a conference about a paper).  This way we could practice getting feedback and hearing the questions like "where's the point of this lesson" and allow us to bounce off ideas with our instructor.  I have found lesson plans to be very hard to conceptualize because I'm not sure how students act in a classroom.  Having a peer to bounce ideas from would be a great resource that we could take advantage of.

          I also liked the lesson plan format that we were given from the session.  The student learning targets are right at the top which follows the UBD backwards design process.  The objectives are the first thing to think about, then how do they compare to Common Core standards?  It was also interesting to see a section about "language".  Since we are currently working in an urban school setting filled with many cultures, it is important to think about language conflicts that might arise.  Are there words that the students haven't encountered yet?  Are there things that the student might not have prior knowledge to draw off of?  In the same top section there are sections for "per-assessment" strategies and also "evidence of learning".  For anyone who is observing the class, all the information they need is right at the top of the lesson plan.  Basically, here's what we want to accomplish and here's how you can see it was achieved.  

          Watching the lesson planning process helped me to see what I've been missing; I need to visualize my class.  Of course this sounds silly and like I should have thought of it sooner, but I found it hard to teach people that I didn't know.  One of the teachers in the demonstration easily knew her students' strengths and weaknesses and was able to adjust her lesson accordingly.  I need to imagine my students (or try to learn the students from my observations) enough to understand how I should differentiate and adjust my lesson.  

Did you guys have trouble visualizing your students? 
How did the lesson planning demonstration influence your process? (Or not?) 

Ch. 9 - Book Clubs

What?
     Chapter 9 focused on implementing book clubs for every classroom.  Ideally, the teacher would produce a list of books ranging in reading level that all revolved around the same subject. Students would choose a book based on interest and form book groups around their choice. Students would develop a reading schedule and lead the discussion in their groups.  The class would create a book club rubric that they could self-evaluate for participation grades, and the teacher would monitor discussions rather than lead them.

So What?
     This strategy allows students to take responsibility for their education.  We want to create life long learners and book clubs will encourage students to pick materials that they want to read. Students will also experience and practice cooperative group work, which is the most successful way to have students work in groups.

Now What?
     I can't help but worry about students who don't complete their reading assignment.  I understand that I will obviously tell if they don't complete the assignment and I can give them less credit, but if they miss one reading assignment they will be far behind their group.  Plus, the group members are depending on each other to spark discussion and if they don't read then they will all lose out.  
     Book clubs are also something that we will have to develop over the year as a class.  You can't just start a book club any random day, there needs to be immense planning with lessons on reading strategies and cooperative group work.  Sure, having the clubs meet every other Friday for 20 minutes isn't a lot of class time, but the amount of preparation and planning that goes into book clubs will take quite a while.  Like our administration panel explained, we will need to sell this activity and really get students hyped about book clubs.  Is it something that could be implemented anywhere? Perhaps.  
     This link is another resource that suggests book clubs in the high school class, and reading it made me feel more confident.  Perhaps I'm just over-worried because I haven't been in front of a classroom yet!  The author of this blog taught her students to brainstorm solutions to problems as they arise which allows the students to accept responsibility and self-reflect.  I really like the idea of students taking control of their education and learning with each other.   
Do you think this is a strategy that could be implemented in an inner city public school?

Ch. 6 - How to Use Textbooks

    

     There were a lot of great strategies in this chapter that offered extra guidance and practice for students while they are reading textbooks.  In my last two blog posts I kept saying that we need to teach out students how to navigate textbooks, but I honestly had no answer.  I was happy to have some answers, but I was also a little weary of some of the techniques. 

     Jigsawing through a textbook seems like a great technique that can be used for all grade levels.  I would love to implement this activity in cooperative groups where students each have a job (after they all read the text).  Students could even create a presentation on the section of the textbook and use large post-it paper to diagram the section out.  The modifications that I made to the lesson would probably be used for a section that I have chosen to expand rather than contract.  At the same time, it would be a good idea to have students Jigsaw a section that we are "glazing over" to allow students to interact with the text, but also not spend too much time on it.  The only challenge that I can immediately think of is how much class time will be dedicated to Jigsawing.  Would I have the students read the section in class and then discuss it?  Or should the students know what sections to read for homework and come in ready to discuss?  What if certain students don't complete the homework and the group suffers?  

     While reading about the "Guide-O-Rama" and "Textbook Circles", I can't help but question if these two strategies are geared for younger students.  With the "Guide-O-Rama" I can see how a teacher would be able to pose guided questions or help prompt students' thinking, but I can't help but question if the students would use it to their advantage.  In my own experiences in high school I know that the majority of the "honors students" wouldn't have used the guide and instead would have read the textbook straight or tried to copy the answers from another student.  I can see how the "textbook circles" would work, especially by giving each student a specific role in the group.  I think maybe the idea of book clubs or circles is seen as a younger activity and I wonder if high school students would think that they deserve a more challenging activity.  At the same time, "textbook circles" would allow the students to work in cooperative groups and explore the text with their peers.  I would be interested in trying the activity out and getting  the students' opinion of it. 

     While looking for strategies online I came across this website which offers the advantages and disadvantages of textbooks in the classroom but also gives you advice on how to improve on the disadvantages.  Its easy to say something doesn't work, but this site gives you some answers about how to fix the problem!

Were there any strategies that you particularly liked or disliked?
Did you find this like helpful? 

     
     

Textbooks For Reference

     This week we had a lot of important readings, but one of the most important facts that stood out to me was that textbooks are created to be reference books.  Would we ever have students read the dictionary or an encyclopedia from cover to cover?  (I know teachers that used this as punishment!)  The answer should be "no!", so why do we see teachers repeatedly forcing students to read every chapter in a textbook?  As teachers, it is our responsibility to teach students how to read/use the textbooks. 

    "Textbooks are designed to inventory huge amounts of information that can be looked up when needed"(40)

       Our book explains that there is too much information for students to digest at once.  We need to show our students how to look up the information they need, and when they can simply skim a section or chapter. Not every picture or figure is necessary to every topic, and sometimes students are forced into information overload. Follow this link to see some textbook strategies directed toward college students.  The method of looking at headings, subheadings and pictures before you start reading the chapter is a great way to break information up into sections or topics.  

     "Central topics are not covered in enough depth to give student a chance to truly understand them" (39). 

     In this case, we (the teacher) need to provide additional resources and information about certain topics.  If the textbook grazes over a large topic,event or person we need to open up the topic and provide extra sources.  At the same time, we can use textbooks to provide background information or to show the connections between topics.  The textbooks provide a skeleton or outline of what we can cover as teachers, but we need to "open" certain topics and bring the information to life.

     This chapter helped me to understand that sometimes textbooks are necessary (especially if they are required by law) and we need to make the best use of the mass of information.  Should students read textbooks straight through and constantly answer the end of the section questions? Definitely not!  But they should learn the skills to navigate through reference books and how to use primary sources to fill in the gaps!

Is It Necessary to Use Textbooks?

     After reading this chapter, I started to question the use of textbooks in class.  The author's suggest that textbooks should be used in conjunction with other materials, but I am thinking about completely removing textbooks all together!  
      
     My main reason for removing text books is because they produce lazy work.  Everyone knows that its not difficult for a teacher to say "read chapter one in class and complete the discussion questions at the end of the section for homework", but it is not teaching students how to read and analyze, it is teaching them how to skim and copy answers word-for-word.  I recall the many times that a teacher had me work or read from a textbook and I found it very easy and "safe".  I knew that I would finish before my classmates and I would be able to do other work or read to pass the rest of the class time.  Even copying definitions from the glossary was a joke, because so many of my classmates would copy the entire paragraph word-for-word without understanding the meaning.  They would endlessly copy the examples and other definitions of the word, without looking at the context of the word and determining the correct definition.  This is NOT learning.  Textbooks are the easy way out for students and teachers when it comes to lessons.  

   Another reason that I am against textbooks, is because they are almost always BORING.  There, I said it.  When I heard about the policy that all students would have to read mostly non-fiction, my heart dropped because it sounds so dreadful.  Then I realized... non-fiction isn't always boring!  As long as something is written well, students will enjoy it.  I have read numerous forms of non-fiction literature and I didn't even realize that it was non-fiction.  There are interesting stories to be told and the best way to share them is through personal accounts, diaries and articles.  Our students need to learn how to read and analyze in the real world!  

     Textbooks almost always present one side or one aspect of what they are teaching.  This is most obvious in my experience through history textbooks.  I know I already brought up this point but, history is written by the winners.  (In reality, there are accounts of both sides, but the winner's story is the one most widely taught.)  This can apply to my major (English)
 as well.  Last semester my professor had us read historical accounts about Othello and Julius Caesar after we started reading Shakespeare's plays.  (WAIT! You mean the plays are reflective of real historical events?!?! - me last semester).  We were able to look at the ways Shakespeare changed the details of the the stories to make them more dramatic, and I learned a lot about Shakespeare in that class than any other class on Shakespeare combined.  Who said that non-fiction had to be boring?

     I'm gonna leave you with two challenges:
          1.) Stop using that dreaded textbook! (Nobody likes it!)
          2.) Look for exciting/interesting non-fiction works for your students to read! 

 

Central Falls Scavenger Hunt

Central Falls Scavenger Hunt Results
   

     In this sacred space, the famous and infamous are side by side.  But in one part you can see the bullet holes left by a battle that took place between strikers and the National Guard

          One of the most interesting questions on our list was about the Saylesville Massacre, which took place during the Great Textile Strike of 1934. According to rifuture.org, a strike started on Labor Day in 1934 because workers wanted higher wages and better working conditions.  When a local factory called for protection, bullets were fired and hundreds of protesters were severely injured. I also found this video footage of the massacre.

When people dine out, what types of restaurants are most popular? 

   I found this question to be one of the hardest to answer because it is hard to tell which restaurants are popular just by looking at online data and seeing the restaurants.  I did, however, find this picture from an event called "dine Central Falls". This shows some popular restaurants and what type of food they serve.  In a quote from the online article, "it may be the smallest city in the smallest state, but Central Falls is home to more than 30 unique restaurants, many serving authentic ethnic cuisine from eight different nations". 

 I also looked at information on UrbanSpoon which suggested that the most popular restaurants are: Aui's Paisa Restaurant, Beirano, and La Sopresa Bakery.   

 Becoming wealthy during the Gold Rush of 1849, she remembered her hometown and donated $50,000 to build the most recognizable feature of the city.  Everyone knows who she is and can see her donation... time after time.

I can't help but laugh at myself for not realizing the "time after time" pun!  This is of course a reference to Caroline Cogswell who donated Cogswell Tower.  Accodring to Cenrtalfallsri.com, "A bequest by Caroline Cogswell led to construction in 1904 of the eppnymously-named tower, whose four clock faces provide unparalleled views of the city in all four directions".
  




Visit the Central Falls library.  What events and resources are available?

Online, I was able to look at the library's calendar.  I found out that every Thursday at 11am, there is "Story Time" for children ages 0-5 and at 3pm there is an all-ages "Movie Time".  On Tuesdays at 3pm, there is a meeting for the Manga/Anime Club which is geared towards teens.  I was very happy to see that the library offers free activities for children and families!




     Overall, this scavenger hunt was a great experience!  I loved trying to figure out the answers to the clues and it was great to learn about a place that I honestly knew little about.  I always knew that there was a ton of history in Rhode Island, but I never knew how much history happened just 20 minutes away from my house!  This activity seems imperative for a teacher when they are moving or teaching in a new area.  Knowing the facts that I just learned, I would try to form cool lessons where the students could see the history where they live and make real-life connections.  Looking into restaurants, parks and churches also helped me to get a better feel for the type of things my students might be interested outside of school.  I can't wait to discover more information about Central Falls and other areas in Rhode Island!  

Understanding By Design

     

     One of the biggest ideas in this week’s reading assignment was essential questions. Until now, I never really thought about them as important, but I have definitely been converted!  Students should always question what they are being taught, because there is always a bias present.  Questions like, “from whose viewpoint are we seeing or reading?” and “what’s the evidence, and how reliable is it?” should be asked regularly by every person, especially students!  How many people studied the Holocaust from Germany’s point of view? My guess is not many.  Every historical war or event is told/taught by one side but there is always another perspective.  Students need to learn to be critical about the information they receive, and this is a skill that will help them throughout life. 

     To take the idea of essential questions a little further, I think teaching students to question everything will help them gain a critical lens, but it will also make critical writing more accessible.  Many students have trouble coming up with the abstract idea of a thesis or essential question for research papers, but if we teachers make it second nature to spark questions and challenge ideas, critical writing may become easier for students.  It is one thing to have an opinion, but another thing entirely to be able to formally produce a thesis-driven paper with evidence to support your opinion.  An assessment for essential question – related themes could be a culminating debate, discussion or essay where students can look at all the research they have collected, choose a stance, and present their ideas to the class.

     As teachers, we are NOT looking for a regurgitation of our own thoughts, but a well-developed idea formed by our students on their own.  Like we discussed last class, its about teaching the skills more than the content.  Our students need to be able to write, argue and debate using support from a variety of sources both in and out of school.        

Here is an interesting video that I found about essential questions in the classroom its only about 2 minutes long, but it solidifies the idea of essential questions and why they are important in the classroom!

Follow this link to the video :) 

Let me know what you think!