Praxis II

Finished taking the Praxis II yesterday.  That was such a relief.  My nerves were all shot. I couldn't even sleep the night before.  After I finished taking the test, my mind began to wonder, what could I have written differently on the essay part and I questioned myself on some of the multiple choice answers. This wondering made me go back and look at my notes, study guides, etc.once I got home.  Then, the actual relief set in.  Now I pray that I passed; well I prayed that before I took the test, but you know what I mean.

What I have Learned

I have frequently wondered how I could be more engaging with my EC students rather than just teaching basic phonics skills.  I think I have a better handle on incorporating the math with the reading.  I would like to try some different approaches for next year.  Integrating lessons does take a lot of time.  It is a lot easier if it done collaboratively like we did.  Unfortunately for me, there is very little time for me to have input or collaborate with the regular education teacher.  I wouldn't mind being able to assist in developing some lessons with 3rd and 4th grade and would like to see some lessons built with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade so by the time 2nd graders get to 3rd grade are familiar with a lot of the concepts.  I'd learned that students actually learn more from their peers, therefore, activities can be centered around cooperative learning groups.  The hands-on activities are very good for the EC and ESL students.  For many of the students it is important to help students develop prior knowledge.  Prior knowledge helps students in comprehending particular topics better.  I also have a better understanding of what our principal has been saying.  Her motto is: "Beginning with the end in mind".  The concept when she said it did not have as indepth impact as it does now.  As far as I could relate was we want the kids to pass the end of grade test.  But it goes further than that. I also learned about vertical and horizontal alignment of the standards and the essentials.

Professional Goals for the Summer

The summer session was intense for me and it was very difficult for me to keep up with assignments.  I had to try to remember to go here or there to complete assignments or here or there to retrieve a particular document.  That's what made it so difficult for me.  Thankfully I have good classmates and co-workers who kept me abreast most of the time.  My professional goals for this summer will include studying for the Praxis to be taken on July 23rd.  There doesn't seem to be much time for anything else.  I felt bad having to do so much work while my son was home.  He's in the military and is getting ready to be deployed to Iraq July 8th. I pray that God will keep him safe and bring him home in time for our graduation.

Task 3: Art Integration Lesson

Students will view the John Singleton Copely:  http://ncmoa.org/artnc/artifact.php?artifactid=25 which depicts a family together appearing to enjoy one another.  Students in grades 4 will incorporate language arts, social studies, art, and math.  Students will create a diorama in a box made of modeling clay of a favorite activity, tradition, game, etc. they enjoy doing as a family.  Students will also create a family tree.  They will ask parent(s) about their family history as far back as they can go.  Students will write the names of the family members on the tree houses.  Students can create a timeline to illustrate important events that occured in their family or in their lives (such as first steps, first tooth, first word, etc.) with the dates/years they occurred in chronological order and be able to illustrate on the timline and tell how things have changed over the years by looking at family photos.

Task 2: Unit 2 of Melber & Hunter's Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies

I liked the map skill on page 51 where students would be responsible for constructing a grid of letters and numbers.  Although the book states this activity is for 6th-8th grade, the standards have changed. I believe they get into using a grid using numbers and letters in 2nd grade if not, then I know they do in 3rd.  This webiste, http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/books/applications/imaps/maps/g2_u1/index.html#top, has a cute interactive grid.  It's a good example of how students can create one for their community or the community in which their school is located. It will also read the questions to the students; keeping EC students and ESL students in mind.  I liked this because you are also tying in math as well as language arts and social studies. Students could also use the KWL chart to find out what they know and don't know.  A lot of people, like myself, are not aware of a lot of the history of their own town. It would be a good activity for students to research their own town, interview some relatives, towns people, etc. and share with the class. I have used virtual field trips in my class. This gave students a chance to interact with a mole, its habitat, environment, etc. without being in any type of danger.

Task 1: Teaching Social Studies: A Literacy-Based Approach by Schell & Fisher

Chapter 4 of  "Teaching Social Studies: A Literacy Based Approach by Schell & Fisher"  offered some really good suggestions.  Some I think would be fun as well as engaging for the students rather than just sitting, reading the chapter and answer the questions.  I liked the "Four Corners" idea, "Jigsaw Reading" and definitely the simulation activity since our group will be focusing on flight; would like to try and possibly tie these in with our unit but am not sure how at this point.  Anyone one with any ideas, let us know.  I can see using these strategies in my classroom for next year and more so if I have the opportunity to do some inclusion.  "Book Bags"  is another strategy I've used in my class.

End of the Year: Beginning of the Year

Well the end of the year is a sad time but also a happy time for me.  I will truly miss my students that will transition from 4th to 5th grade.  As always, you never know where you will be the next year.  The other EC teacher that is at my school is retiring this year.  That's sad too because we could always cover each other and help each other out.  We could always ask each other EC questions to confirm what we were doing was correct.  The state seems to think that one EC teacher can effectively serve 35 students on a case load with varying abilities.  If anyone has any suggestions as to how to effectively do this, please share!!  Looking towards next school year I will try to figure out how to tie in some of the strategies we have discussed with EC students learning to read.  I feel overwhelmed already.  Then there's the Praxis II to think about. I guess I'll try to take that in July.  The positive side, next year at this time with the Lord's help, we'll be done with grad school, y'all!!

Family History

This is my great-great grandfather.  From what I am told, he was of Irish decent.  This could be integrated into a social studies unit by talking about slavery, how some African Americans were treated, times following slavery,  and forbidden integration of the races (willingly & unwillingly), and also incorporate the migration of Irish settlers to the United States due to the famine of the 1840's.  This artifact also represents how things have changed over the years.

Teaching the Best Practice Way

One thing that stood out for me in chapter 2 of Teaching the Best Practice Way was on page 44.  In attempting to get my special education students to read and enjoy reading, I had to first give them books in which they were able to achieve some success.  More than that, I had to allow room for them to see that they could be successful independently.  Therefore, I initially had to incorporate Accelerated Reader books that ranged from kindergarten level to first grade level; what I called easy reads.  Once students gained confidence in themselves they wanted to read more.  They gradually progressed to more difficult books.  Some students were able to make as much as almost 2 years of growth by the end of the school year.  The author stated "...evidence shows that students, including struggling readers, progress faster when given opportunities to read books that make sense to them."  I agree with the author that it does not take geniuses to realize that.   It's not that these kids don't want to learn, it's that they have failed so much they have given up.  However, it takes common sense and some patience to realize that these children need something in which they may be successful; even though you may have to tie a little incentive to it.

Some students still struggle with fluency, decoding and comprehension skills.  I have found with my special education students are short on prior knowledge in areas in which we would like for them to focus.  They come to come with enourmous amount of community knowledge or street knowledge.  You have to be creative to be able to tap into this prior knowledge in a postive way.  If not then provide them with the prior knowledge necessary to comprehend.

I had a group of my students to create of list of strategies that they felt they could use that would assist them in understanding what they are reading.  Thus far, we have been able to come up with over 20 strategies.  Then as students practice reading selections and answering questions, they have to tell me what strategies they used.  One that they must use is go back in the story and underline where they found the answer and put the number of the question. That's a must!

Welcome to My Blog

This is an introduction to see if I know how to use this "blog".  You see, I'm over the hill and the professor wants to see if us old folks can be LEARNT new stuff using this gadget.