Friday, September 20, 2013
classroom fort.
WIth the help of class discussions and readings talking about classrooms and how they affect learning I was able to think of some cool ideas on how to make a classroom conducive to learning. A reading area/ nook is a great idea I think. My class in 3rd grade had two bookshelves and between them was a beanie bag chair, a rug and throw pillows. It made it feel like you were just right in the middle of the library and I loved it! Also, someone mentioned in class even having a reading area for your students in a high school setting. I really liked that idea. You could just set up a chair and floor lamp and BAM! a cool looking place to read (great idea person in class!).
We know that a lot of people are visual learners and I think that having things on the walls, no matter what grade, just helps visual learners and gets creative thoughts going instead of just white walls. I think asking the principal of your school how lenient they are about you painting things and hanging things is a great idea. I had a class in high school and the walls had tons of things from history painted on them. It was my great moments in history class and it had the US and when each territory was bought and important dates attached to each state, a nazi flag (not really a great moment but something that was discussed), a railroad, an old plane, etc etc. It was so interesting and it made the class more interesting. Other than that hanging up pictures and laying down rugs..I don't think you can go to far in laying things out to make students feel like this class is different from others, that the teacher cares and they're going to learn something in this class.
Seating is very important in setting up an environment to learn. We've all seen this while we're doing TPs. If you divide the groups up into a too large group and students aren't close enough to talk to everyone it's harder to get a discussion going between them. I think tables are good instead of desks. Or setting up desks to face each other with a walk way down the middle. This setup makes it easier for students to engage and facilitates communication between them - something that is very important to me.
Finally, I believe that to set up a class where students want to learn teachers need to look at themselves and not only their class. I think a teacher should be warm and inviting. I would really want my students to understand that I care and want them to succeed. An open door policy ( a believable one) is a must. I think that staying on your toes, watching how each student is doing and trying new ways to get the subjects across is the best way to make sure the class is learning.
My case study was about a boy named Luke whom I am interpreting for. His behaviors aren't appropriate for class and I have now been requested to contact his parents, who are both hearing, to set up a meeting by his math teacher.
I am having a problem with this because it wouldn't be in my job title to call his parents and request a meeting. I know that his math teacher and I have both noticed the problems and are probably both frustrated but that should be something the teacher does. I think the parents would be very thrown off hearing from me, someone they don't really know, instead of their teacher. It would also look bad on the teacher that he is not himself taking this student's education into his own hands. Also, it says it's my first week so the parents probably don't know me from Steve. Maybe my name is Steve..They have no idea.
I would try talking to the teacher about how that's not something I should be doing and that it would probably be received better by the parents if hearing from him. If he didn't comply I would go ahead and take it to the principal so they could contact the parents. I would happily be involved especially if the teacher felt he didn't need to be and I would discuss what I've seen in the classroom but I would be uncomfortable contacting them on my own. Maybe before that I would try talking to Luke before or after class and see if I could talk to him then. Maybe it's something at home or the fact that his teacher obviously doesn't seem interested in working with him. It seems that he got pretty upset when I was trying to interpret a discussion between him and his teacher so maybe I could start there when trying to talk to him.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Motivate Me.
I had a hard time thinking of a way to discuss motivation the classroom and that probably stemmed from my lack of sleep and creativity but I finally chose to discuss motivating a deaf child in a hearing classroom.
The question of how to motivate students once you're in the classroom is a question every aspiring teacher has. Different students (visual learners, kids who need repetition) are all considered but then you get in your new classroom to see that, while you thought you'd considered it all, you have a deaf student. Now, yes the student will have an interpreter and that interpreter will help you in facilitating communication but it's still your job to teach them and motivate them to learn.
These children are going to need a lot of motivation and support because they will be dealing with lots of feelings such as being different, maybe feeling like they don't understand and maybe even the feeling that they're incapable of understanding. Some early steps to take are to motivate your other students to learn sign. Maybe give your class sign names (you can discuss this with your interpreter). Try and have the deaf student help in coming up with sign names so that they feel connected to the classroom. One idea that I discussed in a class this semester is, using the ASL alphabet, spell out everyone's name and put it on their desks. By including the deaf child and helping them make connections to their fellow students you have already started the process of making them more comfortable and leading to them to be motivated to be active and participate in classroom discussions. Also the other children will most likely be motivated to learn sign and BAM! you've taught them a new language! The last thing you want for the deaf student is for them to feel unmotivated or disconnected because the second they stop paying attention to you and their interpreter - they're gone. These children are the definition of visual learners and it helps to have lots of visual learning exercises.
In my experience with deaf adults they've discussed feelings of disconnect in their classes if they were mainstreamed (fancy word for going to a hearing school). My friends have talked about kids making fun of them, being uncomfortable around them or just ignoring them. Their interpreters were their best friend and their education suffered because of this. This is the last thing you want. So in educating your class on Deaf culture you are only helping your deaf student's feelings of self-worth and helping them get excited to learn with their class.
I remember when I was in elementary school we would go to library all the time to learn about different cultures. However; Deaf culture was never discussed. What a better way to motivate and include your deaf student then to take your class to the library during National Deaf History Month (March 13th-April 15th)? If the student is having a hard time getting motivated to read it might be easier by having them read about their culture. Librarians have an allotted amount of money every year to buy books talking with them about buying books about Deaf culture or with deaf characters is a great way to motivate the child to read. Not only will all of this help your student learn it will also enrich the rest of the students' knowledge about Deaf culture and ASL.
Motivating these students will only lead to wonderful outcomes. Not only are you educating them and making them excited about school you're building their self-eestem and making them more comfortable in a hearing world. That is something they will always be grateful for.
http://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2013/03/national-deaf-history-month-exploring-deaf-culture-with-library-of-congress-primary-sources/
http://www.youtube.com/user/coda8810?feature=watch **an awesome YouTube channel that illustrates the differences between Deaf and hearing culture. It's all funny but incredibly true!
The question of how to motivate students once you're in the classroom is a question every aspiring teacher has. Different students (visual learners, kids who need repetition) are all considered but then you get in your new classroom to see that, while you thought you'd considered it all, you have a deaf student. Now, yes the student will have an interpreter and that interpreter will help you in facilitating communication but it's still your job to teach them and motivate them to learn.
These children are going to need a lot of motivation and support because they will be dealing with lots of feelings such as being different, maybe feeling like they don't understand and maybe even the feeling that they're incapable of understanding. Some early steps to take are to motivate your other students to learn sign. Maybe give your class sign names (you can discuss this with your interpreter). Try and have the deaf student help in coming up with sign names so that they feel connected to the classroom. One idea that I discussed in a class this semester is, using the ASL alphabet, spell out everyone's name and put it on their desks. By including the deaf child and helping them make connections to their fellow students you have already started the process of making them more comfortable and leading to them to be motivated to be active and participate in classroom discussions. Also the other children will most likely be motivated to learn sign and BAM! you've taught them a new language! The last thing you want for the deaf student is for them to feel unmotivated or disconnected because the second they stop paying attention to you and their interpreter - they're gone. These children are the definition of visual learners and it helps to have lots of visual learning exercises.
In my experience with deaf adults they've discussed feelings of disconnect in their classes if they were mainstreamed (fancy word for going to a hearing school). My friends have talked about kids making fun of them, being uncomfortable around them or just ignoring them. Their interpreters were their best friend and their education suffered because of this. This is the last thing you want. So in educating your class on Deaf culture you are only helping your deaf student's feelings of self-worth and helping them get excited to learn with their class.
I remember when I was in elementary school we would go to library all the time to learn about different cultures. However; Deaf culture was never discussed. What a better way to motivate and include your deaf student then to take your class to the library during National Deaf History Month (March 13th-April 15th)? If the student is having a hard time getting motivated to read it might be easier by having them read about their culture. Librarians have an allotted amount of money every year to buy books talking with them about buying books about Deaf culture or with deaf characters is a great way to motivate the child to read. Not only will all of this help your student learn it will also enrich the rest of the students' knowledge about Deaf culture and ASL.
Motivating these students will only lead to wonderful outcomes. Not only are you educating them and making them excited about school you're building their self-eestem and making them more comfortable in a hearing world. That is something they will always be grateful for.
http://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2013/03/national-deaf-history-month-exploring-deaf-culture-with-library-of-congress-primary-sources/
http://www.youtube.com/user/coda8810?feature=watch **an awesome YouTube channel that illustrates the differences between Deaf and hearing culture. It's all funny but incredibly true!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
The Many Forms of Assessment
Informal vs. Formal Assessment
Informal: An informal assessment is unlike a test or quiz as it is an everyday assessment of how your children are doing and learning in your class. It's nothing they can study for but more so just something a teacher should do everyday to see where their kids are. One way to do this would be to have every child keep a journal where they explain the stories and plays we read in class. I wouldn't always be quick to grade on their grammar (but still giving feedback) and instead be more interested in how they interpret the stories, if they remember each character's name and how well they remember what we read that day.
Formal: Formal assessments are unlike informal assessments because students are aware of the assessment and are given time to study for it. I could give formal assessments once a week on vocabulary we pick out as a class from our readings and other vocabulary I find important or that pertains to what we were reading that week. The test could also include questions about the readings and character analysis.
Paper-Pencil vs. Performance Assessment
Paper-Pencil: These assessments are exactly what they sound like. They're assessments on paper. While it seems that a lot of teachers try to shy away from these and think "outside of the box" on how to assess their kids it's hard to beat a good ole' quiz or test. I could use paper-pencil assessments in my class by giving vocabulary quizzes, worksheets (filling in paragraphs with vocab. words), and reports on books and plays we've read.
Performance: Performance assessments are different from paper-pencil assessments because a student would get up in front of the class and give a presentation instead of writing out what they know on a test or quiz. I could use performance assessments in my class by having students get up in front of the class and give presentations on the readings or have them act out plays we've read in groups to show that they have an understanding of what the stories and plays were about.
Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment
Traditional: Most traditional assessments would come in the form of paper-pencil assessments. A traditional assessment that I would use in my class would be vocabulary tests. I could have a test every week that went through the vocabulary we learned. Or I could give essay tests in class where the student is expected to write an essay in class on a subject discussed or even a prompted essay where I come up with the prompt and see how each student performs.
Authentic: I know that up until this assessment I've described myself having an english class of sorts but this assessment is easier for me to describe as having a sign language class. Authentic assessments aren't written essays or tests that a student can study for but instead a chance for the child to apply what they've learned in real life experiences. This would be easily applied in an ASL class by teaching ASL grammar and vocabulary and at the end of the year taking a field trip or requiring the student to go to an after school assignment. The assignment? A deaf chat! They are held in malls or coffee shops usually and the students could go and use their newly learned language with a deaf person!
Standardized Tests vs. Teacher-Development Assessments
Standardized Tests: Standardized tests are used a lot in classrooms as its easier to use them than come up with tests each year over a subject or book that you require to be mastered or read. Basically, these tests are just published and available for teachers to use in their classrooms. I know that I would use these on books that I had my students read every year and the vocabulary that was I picked for each week (not counting the vocab. we would pick out from readings together).
Teacher-Developed Assessments: Tests that go over what we have specifically gone over that year in class would have to be teacher-developed. These tests would consist of the vocabulary we picked out as a class, symbolisms that we discussed for each book or play and basically just different things we learned specifically that semester. This also applies to an ASL class as our tests couldn't always be standardized because maybe we learned more signs or got excited talking about specific points of deaf culture and I would quiz my students differently on these topics.
Criterion-Referenced vs. Norm-Referenced Assessments
Criterion-Referenced: A criterion-referenced assessment is basically a test that shows how a student stacked up compared to a predetermined standard. I'm sure that many teachers use these in their classrooms just as I would. I could use these tests after every book we read. Throughout reading the book we could discuss the meaning of the book, symbolisms and their meanings and then after the book is finished they could take the test to see if they understand the meaning and if they can understand the symbolism and why it means what it does.
Norm-Referenced: While trying to think of a way to use this in a classroom I remembered how a favorite teacher and another chemistry teacher used this assessment and we all really enjoyed it. At the beginning of the semester we were told that we would have a test on the Periodic Table where the sheet is blank and we have to fill it in..no hints, no clues just a lot of studying. We studied them off and on all semester and studied at home as well. During the semester there would be quizzes for different parts of the table and everyone's grade from the two classes would be posted until the end of the year when we, after making team shirts and doing fun activities, took the test and saw how we compared to the other Chemistry class. It was fun because it was competitive and it also helped the two teachers see how all the seniors (they did it for all semesters) compared to each other. I think that doing something like that would be a good way to perform a Norm-Reference and it's way more fun than filling in bubbles on a worksheet.
Informal: An informal assessment is unlike a test or quiz as it is an everyday assessment of how your children are doing and learning in your class. It's nothing they can study for but more so just something a teacher should do everyday to see where their kids are. One way to do this would be to have every child keep a journal where they explain the stories and plays we read in class. I wouldn't always be quick to grade on their grammar (but still giving feedback) and instead be more interested in how they interpret the stories, if they remember each character's name and how well they remember what we read that day.
Formal: Formal assessments are unlike informal assessments because students are aware of the assessment and are given time to study for it. I could give formal assessments once a week on vocabulary we pick out as a class from our readings and other vocabulary I find important or that pertains to what we were reading that week. The test could also include questions about the readings and character analysis.
Paper-Pencil vs. Performance Assessment
Paper-Pencil: These assessments are exactly what they sound like. They're assessments on paper. While it seems that a lot of teachers try to shy away from these and think "outside of the box" on how to assess their kids it's hard to beat a good ole' quiz or test. I could use paper-pencil assessments in my class by giving vocabulary quizzes, worksheets (filling in paragraphs with vocab. words), and reports on books and plays we've read.
Performance: Performance assessments are different from paper-pencil assessments because a student would get up in front of the class and give a presentation instead of writing out what they know on a test or quiz. I could use performance assessments in my class by having students get up in front of the class and give presentations on the readings or have them act out plays we've read in groups to show that they have an understanding of what the stories and plays were about.
Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment
Traditional: Most traditional assessments would come in the form of paper-pencil assessments. A traditional assessment that I would use in my class would be vocabulary tests. I could have a test every week that went through the vocabulary we learned. Or I could give essay tests in class where the student is expected to write an essay in class on a subject discussed or even a prompted essay where I come up with the prompt and see how each student performs.
Authentic: I know that up until this assessment I've described myself having an english class of sorts but this assessment is easier for me to describe as having a sign language class. Authentic assessments aren't written essays or tests that a student can study for but instead a chance for the child to apply what they've learned in real life experiences. This would be easily applied in an ASL class by teaching ASL grammar and vocabulary and at the end of the year taking a field trip or requiring the student to go to an after school assignment. The assignment? A deaf chat! They are held in malls or coffee shops usually and the students could go and use their newly learned language with a deaf person!
Standardized Tests vs. Teacher-Development Assessments
Standardized Tests: Standardized tests are used a lot in classrooms as its easier to use them than come up with tests each year over a subject or book that you require to be mastered or read. Basically, these tests are just published and available for teachers to use in their classrooms. I know that I would use these on books that I had my students read every year and the vocabulary that was I picked for each week (not counting the vocab. we would pick out from readings together).
Teacher-Developed Assessments: Tests that go over what we have specifically gone over that year in class would have to be teacher-developed. These tests would consist of the vocabulary we picked out as a class, symbolisms that we discussed for each book or play and basically just different things we learned specifically that semester. This also applies to an ASL class as our tests couldn't always be standardized because maybe we learned more signs or got excited talking about specific points of deaf culture and I would quiz my students differently on these topics.
Criterion-Referenced vs. Norm-Referenced Assessments
Criterion-Referenced: A criterion-referenced assessment is basically a test that shows how a student stacked up compared to a predetermined standard. I'm sure that many teachers use these in their classrooms just as I would. I could use these tests after every book we read. Throughout reading the book we could discuss the meaning of the book, symbolisms and their meanings and then after the book is finished they could take the test to see if they understand the meaning and if they can understand the symbolism and why it means what it does.
Norm-Referenced: While trying to think of a way to use this in a classroom I remembered how a favorite teacher and another chemistry teacher used this assessment and we all really enjoyed it. At the beginning of the semester we were told that we would have a test on the Periodic Table where the sheet is blank and we have to fill it in..no hints, no clues just a lot of studying. We studied them off and on all semester and studied at home as well. During the semester there would be quizzes for different parts of the table and everyone's grade from the two classes would be posted until the end of the year when we, after making team shirts and doing fun activities, took the test and saw how we compared to the other Chemistry class. It was fun because it was competitive and it also helped the two teachers see how all the seniors (they did it for all semesters) compared to each other. I think that doing something like that would be a good way to perform a Norm-Reference and it's way more fun than filling in bubbles on a worksheet.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
First Class
I was very hesitant about our first class and I did not understand how this class would pertain to me. I have always sworn that I would never work in the school systems and was kind of "forced" into my major as there was no way to only major in interpreting. However; as soon as class started I realized that while I still don't see the connection I was going to enjoy the teacher and the discussions (especially after the second class) between students. I hope to make connections between what this class teaches and what I hope to do for my deaf clients and hopefully, be better understanding of how they learn and think. I enjoy seeing my fellow students passionate about a subject even if I am not.
One concern that I have that I feel will be addressed in this class is my inability to feel comfortable talking in front of crowds. I have never been good at it but am still so interested and excited to learn how to better handle myself in front of groups.
Anyway, enough about me. See you all next class.
One concern that I have that I feel will be addressed in this class is my inability to feel comfortable talking in front of crowds. I have never been good at it but am still so interested and excited to learn how to better handle myself in front of groups.
Anyway, enough about me. See you all next class.
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