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

541 Reading Response #13


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

530 Post 2


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.


          While I enjoy the tremendous power of these online tools, I’m not sure how well suited they or future tools may be to my personal needs (although there is some undeniable overlap my professional needs). When at home without academic/professional work to do, I see the virtual world as a great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. In order to connect or reconnect with my friends and family I prefer the intimacy of a phone, which is usually used solely to set up face-to-face meetings. As for entertainment I prefer the pre-programmed world of cable TV.




531 Journal 4






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
On "Olympic ITU for Mt Carmel High 2009" I was actually able to find valuable information on my school site:





  • 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:







541 Reading Response #10

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 # 9

          ^
          l
Prezi  l

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.