Sunday, May 27, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
At El Camino High School I was able to witness some rather
amazing advances in technology integration. IPads were used in all the Math
classes that I observed, as a way to independently and
collaboratively, instruct and assess. I do feel that student learning was
promoted by raising students’ level of interest in the subject matter. This entire
campus looked as though it had recently been renovated with high tech
classrooms in the building we occupied. Because I began the 3rd trimester
at MCHS, and arrived late, I was unable to learn about the class theme.
Although, I do know that the theme of the whole school is one of core course
completion, and it looked like the iPads were also facilitating students to
review old concepts and get used to the long and standardized tests. Altogether
I thought this was a very hands-on, user-friendly tool.
At El Camino High School I was able to witness some rather
amazing advances in technology integration. IPads were used in all the Math
classes that I observed, as a way to independently and
collaboratively, instruct and assess. I do feel that student learning was
promoted by raising students’ level of interest in the subject matter. This entire
campus looked as though it had recently been renovated with high tech
classrooms in the building we occupied. Because I began the 3rd trimester
at MCHS, and arrived late, I was unable to learn about the class theme.
Although, I do know that the theme of the whole school is one of core course
completion, and it looked like the iPads were also facilitating students to
review old concepts and get used to the long and standardized tests. Altogether
I thought this was a very hands-on, user-friendly tool.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Fewer Follies
Ahh. A moment to breath. As
Clinical Practice II has progressed I have begun (as all student teachers do)
to experience a whole new world. One of sleepless nights, surreal days, and
looming deadlines; the life of a teacher (or something like it).
“Can
I go to the bathroom?”, “How many points is this worth?”, ”I wasn’t here last
week, what did I miss?”, ”Are you serious?”
As
I transition from Student to Teacher I find myself with more questions than
answers à
questions from my students and questions from myself. I’ve embraced our
programs emphasis on “The Reflective Practitioner”, as skills that “just come
with time” can be greatly improved through brief sessions of honesty.
Today
I am happy to claim that I have witnessed myself (through self-progress
monitoring) achieve more of my academic teaching goals. Many lessons still end
with me obsessing over those things that didn’t work out as well, but I’ve
learned to make a note of them, move on to the next task, and revisit the downs
and ups at the end of the day.
2
of the skills I have found to be the most important for me to focus on were
some of my least favorite before this semester. Being able to juggle a
multitude of tasks and getting students to follow directions were never
abilities I gave much thought. However, now that I’ve been teaching a nearly
full class schedule, I analyze and refine the ways that I create and separate
information throughout notebooks, on computers, and in my head. Likewise, I
spend much of my time trying to say and pace student directions in a way that
will steer them in the right direction and away from my repetitive reiterations.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Sentimental Synopsis
Wow! THE TEACHING CREDENTIAL PROGRAM is almost complete. It’s been a wild ride this year. The past 9 months seem to have flown by and lasted an eternity all at once. From classes at CSUSM with Annette, Anne René, Jannis, and Jeff where I learned the tools of the trade and met some awesome “teachers in waiting”, to my intensive and rewarding Student Teaching experiences. Throw in work, TPAs, CSETs and getting engaged and it was a rather hectic year; if teaching doesn’t work out I’ll try professional juggling.
My Student Teaching experience this semester is going well, as I am getting better at:
Quickly grading papers
Planning Activities
Designing worksheets
Communicating with parents
Effectively using my “free time”
Pacing lessons (quickly reading Analog clocks)
Picking the right “battles”
Managing mountains of paperwork
Getting enough sleep
Etc.
All in all, I look forward to possibly having my own classroom and teaching more students in the future, while I think back to all the teachers I’ve ever had --> with a newfound and profound respect.
Monday, March 12, 2012
EDSS 530 --> "Disrupting Class" Responses and Comments
Chapter 1: Why Schools Struggle to Teach Differently when each Student Learns Differently
1. Explain the difference between interdependence and modularity. How is education currently organized?
Interdependences is where all the parts of a product must be changed in order to change 1 part. With interdependence products are standardized, allowing little or no variation. Modularity is where different parts go together so seamlessly that one part being modified does not affect the other part. Unlike interdependent parts customization is possible with modularity, for example, a household lamp exhibits modularity in that the bulb and the base of the lamp will fit because the interface (thread) remains the same.
Schools are interdependent in that they have hierarchical power structures and in the way that subjects are taught one after another. In order to assess whether students are learning anything, much emphasis is put on one-size-fits-all tests which don’t acknowledge the many intelligences of our learners.
Chapter 2: Making the Shift: Schools meet Society’s need
2. Explain the disruptive innovation theory. What does this have to do with schools?
The disruptive innovation theory describes innovations that upset, or “disrupt” established products and markets. This theory acknowledges that the disruption usually does not occur immediately because the innovation tends to be limited early on and the more established product continues to be needed. However, with this disruptive innovation theory it is believed that the disruption improves, little by little and begins to eliminate the need for the sustained, more expensive product.
The disruptive innovation theory is applied to schools in that our school system needs to be more aware of the importance and impact disruptive innovations could have, and the process that they need to go through in order to truly be disruptive. Schools have to believe in change and evolution, but they also need to give things time to grow and improve rather than rush into just anything that promises change.
Chapter 3: Crammed Classroom Computers
3. Why doesn’t cramming computers in schools work? Explain this in terms of the lessons from Rachmaninoff (what does it mean to compete against nonconsumption?)
Simply cramming computers in schools doesn’t work because it isn’t changing the way teachers teach and the students are learning. This chapter proposes the argument and if we were to allow computers to be a disruptive innovation to the established innovation of actual teachers teaching, material would be taught to students in a way that is more conducive to how young students thinks now, and would tap more into their interests, while giving teachers more time to focus individually on students.
Rachmaninoff uses the analogy of the invention and evolution of the phonograph to explain how cramming the schools with computers is not aligning with the disruptive innovation theory. Disruptive innovations (like the phonograph) always start out targeting the non-consumers- they’re innovations that have no market at first, then improve and eventually dominate in their field. The Rachmaninoff lesson proposes that technology in schools will only be successful if it is allowed to compete against nonconsumption, like all other disruptive innovations, then slowly improve and change the way learning takes place in schools.
Chapter 4: Disruptively Deploying Computers
4. Explain the pattern of disruption.
First the innovation competes with nonconsumption, then it starts drawing applications from the original, established innovations and slowly begins to improves while the underlying cost declines.
5. Explain the trap of monolithic instruction. How does student-centric learning help this problem?
The author describes monolithic instruction as the mode of teacher-led instruction, which does not cater to all different learning styles. Student-centric learning is a way that technology can customize instruction for individual learning modes and preferences.
Chapter 5: The System for Student-Centric Learning
6. Explain public education’s commercial system. What does it mean to say it is a value-chain business? How does this affect student-centric learning?
Public education’s commercial system is all of the activities entailed in decisions about what to teach and how to teach it. First text books and other instructional materials are made, then people choose which textbooks to adopt, then teachers teach the materials and participate in various teacher trainings, then what the students learned is assessed.
A value-chain business is one that acquires materials, transforms them by adding value, then delivers or sells the a higher-value product to their customers. The process of the education system’s value chain prohibits student-centric learning in that the people who write the textbooks and make the instructional materials are typically specialists within the field they write about, and the way they write and present information usually only caters to others who think and learn like they do. However, the marketing and distribution step threatens student-centric learning even more. States and districts become influenced by other states and districts curriculum decisions and will often not even review the materials they choose for their students themselves.
1. Explain the difference between interdependence and modularity. How is education currently organized?
Interdependences is where all the parts of a product must be changed in order to change 1 part. With interdependence products are standardized, allowing little or no variation. Modularity is where different parts go together so seamlessly that one part being modified does not affect the other part. Unlike interdependent parts customization is possible with modularity, for example, a household lamp exhibits modularity in that the bulb and the base of the lamp will fit because the interface (thread) remains the same.
Schools are interdependent in that they have hierarchical power structures and in the way that subjects are taught one after another. In order to assess whether students are learning anything, much emphasis is put on one-size-fits-all tests which don’t acknowledge the many intelligences of our learners.
Chapter 2: Making the Shift: Schools meet Society’s need
2. Explain the disruptive innovation theory. What does this have to do with schools?
The disruptive innovation theory describes innovations that upset, or “disrupt” established products and markets. This theory acknowledges that the disruption usually does not occur immediately because the innovation tends to be limited early on and the more established product continues to be needed. However, with this disruptive innovation theory it is believed that the disruption improves, little by little and begins to eliminate the need for the sustained, more expensive product.
The disruptive innovation theory is applied to schools in that our school system needs to be more aware of the importance and impact disruptive innovations could have, and the process that they need to go through in order to truly be disruptive. Schools have to believe in change and evolution, but they also need to give things time to grow and improve rather than rush into just anything that promises change.
Chapter 3: Crammed Classroom Computers
3. Why doesn’t cramming computers in schools work? Explain this in terms of the lessons from Rachmaninoff (what does it mean to compete against nonconsumption?)
Simply cramming computers in schools doesn’t work because it isn’t changing the way teachers teach and the students are learning. This chapter proposes the argument and if we were to allow computers to be a disruptive innovation to the established innovation of actual teachers teaching, material would be taught to students in a way that is more conducive to how young students thinks now, and would tap more into their interests, while giving teachers more time to focus individually on students.
Rachmaninoff uses the analogy of the invention and evolution of the phonograph to explain how cramming the schools with computers is not aligning with the disruptive innovation theory. Disruptive innovations (like the phonograph) always start out targeting the non-consumers- they’re innovations that have no market at first, then improve and eventually dominate in their field. The Rachmaninoff lesson proposes that technology in schools will only be successful if it is allowed to compete against nonconsumption, like all other disruptive innovations, then slowly improve and change the way learning takes place in schools.
Chapter 4: Disruptively Deploying Computers
4. Explain the pattern of disruption.
First the innovation competes with nonconsumption, then it starts drawing applications from the original, established innovations and slowly begins to improves while the underlying cost declines.
5. Explain the trap of monolithic instruction. How does student-centric learning help this problem?
The author describes monolithic instruction as the mode of teacher-led instruction, which does not cater to all different learning styles. Student-centric learning is a way that technology can customize instruction for individual learning modes and preferences.
Chapter 5: The System for Student-Centric Learning
6. Explain public education’s commercial system. What does it mean to say it is a value-chain business? How does this affect student-centric learning?
Public education’s commercial system is all of the activities entailed in decisions about what to teach and how to teach it. First text books and other instructional materials are made, then people choose which textbooks to adopt, then teachers teach the materials and participate in various teacher trainings, then what the students learned is assessed.
A value-chain business is one that acquires materials, transforms them by adding value, then delivers or sells the a higher-value product to their customers. The process of the education system’s value chain prohibits student-centric learning in that the people who write the textbooks and make the instructional materials are typically specialists within the field they write about, and the way they write and present information usually only caters to others who think and learn like they do. However, the marketing and distribution step threatens student-centric learning even more. States and districts become influenced by other states and districts curriculum decisions and will often not even review the materials they choose for their students themselves.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Reading Response #15
Lesson 1 (Monday)
10. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
A. Anticipatory Set/Into
TC tells 2 stories, 1 of a daughter who’s ideals were different from her father’s, and another of a father and son who had friction at first over aspirations until the son eventually followed his father’s wishes. CT then reveals the 1st story to be about Angelina Jolie and Jon Voigt and the 2nd about George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. (5 minutes)
B. Instruction/Through
TC shows “Civics Family Tree” for the Bush family on the overhead, explaining that what they learned about family genealogy in US History can be used as a backdrop for civics. (5 minutes)
C. Guided Practice/Through
TC passes out Famous Family Tree worksheet with Bush and Voigt family tree on front side. While Bush family is complete with names, dates, civic climate, and political affiliation, the Voigt family is missing many parts. Using a “home made” family tree, and an online database shown on the projector and listening to interviews of Jon Voigt and Angelina Jolie, the CT models how to complete the Civics Family Tree. (10 minutes)
D. Independent Practice/Through
CT assigns students to groups of 4 then explains that each group will be given a different famous family to investigate and create a Civics Family Tree for on the back of the worksheet. TC passes out resources (“home made” family tree and written interview), monitors progress, and allows each group 5 minutes at 1 of the 2 class computers. (25 minutes)
E. Closure
TC asks each group to present their findings to the class with one version of the Civics Family Tree shown on the overhead. CT initiates discussion about general trends. (15 minutes)
F. Beyond
TC explains that students will begin their own Civics Family Tree and reviews best practices for researching data and interviewing family members, and asks them to begin writing down what they know about their ancestral civic history. (7 minutes)
Lesson 2 (Friday)
10. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ----[class meets in computer lab]
A. Anticipatory Set/Into
TC collects Personal Civics Reflection final drafts, CT explains the power of social media as a tool to advocate beliefs.
B. Instruction/Through
TC explains that the “Take a Stance” Social Media Project involves taking one of the issues or stances that students outlined in their Personal Civics Reflection and advocating for it via social media.
C. Guided Practice/Through
CT uses overhead projector to model appropriate netiquette in posting or responding to civics related issues.
D. Independent Practice/Through
TC and CT monitor computer use as students independently work on the “Take a Stance” Social Media Project.
E. Closure
CT and TC field questions / starts a conversation about the “Take a Stance” Social Media Project.
F. Beyond
TC and CT preview next week’s unit on Interest Groups.
Reading Response #14
b. Major Teaching Strategies & Co-Teaching Approaches
Direct Instruction- “Into” phases of lessons will include short lectures on concepts while activity guidelines will be explained by instructors
Cooperative Learning- the majority of the “Through” phases of lessons will consist of group activities
Parallel Co-Teaching- most group activities will require the CT and TC to circulate the room guiding separate groups
Team Co-Teaching- planning, most instruction, and assessments will be completed by the CT and TC working together
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
530 Post 1
After watching Dr. White's video on "Residents and Visitors", I believe that while I am beginning to take up residence as a student and prospective teacher, I might remain a visitor in my "personal" life.
Although many technical aspects of computers and associated tools are difficult for me to navigate, I am very excited about what I have learned and created thus far. Every cool website mentioned on Twitter I bookmark onto my Diigo page, I have spent countless hours (well, maybe 10) designing Prezis, and I feel my Blogger page has helped me prepare to make a Class Page when I become a teacher.
531 Journal 3
As a child, one of the most glaring differences between “the adults” and “my people” was in the way we thought. I could tell we were different, playing with our toys grown-ups would say “Oh, how cute, don’t ever lose your imagination”, obviously these predictable giants had. As I got older, and slightly wiser to the ways of the world, I found myself in an overly hyped age bracket; the teen years were the focus of so many movies, songs, and primetime exposes that I could tell there was an odd fascination about it by the older and younger sets. Whatever it was about this age “they” sure didn’t get it.
Throughout my years as a student I thought a lot, often I thought a lot about thinking---“What is it about the way I (we) think right now, that teachers don’t seem to understand? How can I make absolute sure that I will remember what it is like to think and feel this way, so that I can understand what kids are going through when I get older?” However, as 17 turned into 18 turned into 25, and college papers mixed with bill statements, I wake up at 31 and wonder what it was like to think in my high school brain (and what happened to my pager).
As I move forward in becoming a high school teacher, I need to address the cognitive, affective and technological gap that exists between myself and my future students. Although I feel disconnected from the thoughts and feelings of the average high school student, I have spent these past non-teen years tutoring teens in math and science so I have maintained an academic connection to the thought processes of many high school students. Unfortunately, I have steered clear of dealing with the emotional needs of high school students, with the exception of brief encounters substitute teaching and watching “Glee”. As for technology, I have only recently taken up residency on the world wide web, immersing myself into the technologies and spaces kids today grew up with.
I see many gaps between myself and future students but I am not worried about closing them quickly. I enjoy viewing things from different perspectives and can’t wait to try understanding how high schoolers “see” different topics. While I do have a lot to learn about technology, CSUSM’s teaching program has taught me a great deal and I look forward to learning even newer technologies from (with) my students. Lastly, the gap between me and the emotional needs of my future students will be my greatest focus as a teacher because understanding people and how to help them better enjoy life has always been at the core of who I am; being open with the class as a whole, reaching out to parents, researching backgrounds and having meaningful exchanges (in person and on paper) with students individually, will hopefully strengthen my connections to all my future students.
Monday, February 20, 2012
541 Reading Response #12
- Through my analysis of "Homelessness ITU for Orange Glen High 2009" I was reminded of the key components to a Service Learning Project:
- Word document
- Word document
- One good idea that I took from "Border Policy ITU for Great Oak High 2009" was to separate the different types of demographic information:
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
531-Journal 2
Quote from the text/ video | What it means | Deeper thinking |
1. “Kids who haven’t responded to natural consequences don’t need more consequences.” | There are many students who need alternate behavior modifications. | There is a fundamental misunderstanding of concepts like nature vs. nurture and cause and effect. |
2. “If you’re not PREPARED to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.” | Creativity depends on a willingness to try things that might not work. | I agree that openness to mistakes breeds creativity but it not 100% necessary. Often times originality happens subconsciously. |
3. “And automation has begun to affect this generation’s white-collar workers in much the same way it did last generation’s blue-collar workers, requiring L-Directed professionals to develop aptitudes that computers can’t do better, faster, or cheaper.” | Just as machines replaced many labor-intensive workers in previous decades, computers are replacing “repetition” workers regardless of how smart they are. | It’s a bummer that politics are currently driving our country to try and get back our manufacturing jobs instead of renovating education and taking our place as a leader in innovation. |
4. “In general, the U.S. economy appears to be shifting towards jobs that require workers with greater analytical and interactive skills – skills that are typically acquired with some postsecondary education.” | The government projects many future jobs to rely on higher-order thinking that depends on productive post-secondary institutions. | While post-secondary education is key, we need to focus more on primary and secondary education to fill our universities and trade schools with students who’ve already been taught how to analyze and interact. |
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
EDSS 541- Reading Response #8
Since our ITU is about Origins, perhaps a good idea would be to raise money for people to get DNA Testing, access to online ancestry service, or reunite with family members.
Resources include https://www.familysearch.org/, www.ancestry.com/, and The Genographic Project.
Friday, February 3, 2012
EDSS 541- Reading Response #7
Service Learning is a way for students to learn about compassion and their community by involving themselves in it in a way that connects to what they’re studying in class. When done correctly, students learn by applying skills in real-world situations with real-world outcomes. Students also develop a better sense of themselves, their community, and positive values like leadership and service.
Service Learning can take 4 very different forms. Direct Service, where students interact face-to-face with those in need. Indirect Service, is when students help improve the community and/or environment but without those benefitting present. Advocacy involves students in promoting awareness in the community of important issues. Research is a way for students to improve analytical skills while finding information that could eventually lead to Advocacy.
The process of carrying out a Service Learning plan can take many forms but usually follows a general four step outline:
Preparation- figuring out what needs to be done and how to do it.
Action-carrying out the plan, regrouping when the plan falls apart and following through when the going gets tough.
Reflection-putting the experiences into larger and larger contexts.
Demonstration-a public showing what skills and values students have learned.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
531 Journal 1
Hello, my name is student A at school B in Mr. F’s US History class. This class is OK because my friends are in it and Mr. F doesn’t really make us do homework, unless we don’t finish it in class. I would say he’s cool but he doesn’t let us text, game, or mess around. We learn some crazy stuff about the presidents, world wars, and the economy. I hate the way he makes us sit in groups of 4 and we’re always doing stuff in groups. I used to hate the people in my group but now we’re cool, so I guess it’s cool. I can tell Mr. F likes to teach and he tries really hard to get us excited about stuff but he called me out for taking a 30 minute bathroom break, so…
My school is better than most because they let us wear what we want, we get to listen to our iPods in most classes, and we only have 4 classes a semester but it’s still school. I like that we can go off campus at lunch, we have lots of electives, and there’s no hardcore jocks. My school is pretty cool.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Reading Response #6
My PLN includes this blog http://0112358mrfsclass.blogspot.com/, a Twitter account @John0112358, an edmodo account Mr. John, a YouTube page John0112358, and I decided to use the gmail account provided to me by csusm fesse002@cougars.csusm.edu. Additionally I am using iGoogle, TweetDeck, and Diigo to streamline my PLN.
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