I am NOT a problem child!

OK so im not gonna lie. During class on Tuesday, I was pretty ticked off. Prof. Winters was right- it started right off the bat. When she said that we were wasting time, we all had the same thoughts =) Me and Adrienne initially tried to write it off as crabbiness. Well it progressed and we got madder and madder ha ha. (Now its funny, then- not so much). The worksheet didnt bother me too much. I figure we might use it as a base for class discussion, or she was just checking to see who did read. What started to get to me was when Prof. kept telling us to be quiet. I knew we werent being that noisey, at least no louder than the rest of the class. She must have told us to be quiet at least 3 times and moved us just as much. I was ready to go out into the hall! Adrienne was most vocal about her anger; the rest of us just kind of talked under our breath ha ha. We were all pretty upset about the entire thing, and they it hit us that Prof. was trying to prove a point. Im sure had we not come to that realization, things would have gotten heated.

Prof. decided to move on, leaving us behind. She had a few of the "smarter" students come over to help us as she moved on with the lesson. She was quick to point out that we needed help and that we werent ready to move on. As we were trying to catch up, we just kept falling more behind since the lesson was going on without us. Finally, Prof. broke character and told us what was going on.

This was an interesting experience for our little group because we had never been put into a situation like that before. We go to IWU. We are the best of the best! ha ha We are the ones usually helping others. We are the "smarter" students. We dont fall behind =) So it was interesting to have a different perspective. As mentioned earlier, we were all upset at the way we were bring treated. We united as a group, turned against the teacher, and rebeled against our fellow students. We felt isolated in our classroom. Brittany was trying to catch up no matter what; Adrienne was ready to rumble; and the rest of us just checked out. (PS i was eating because I was hungry! not because i didnt care ha ha) I can easily understand why students fall behind and end up hating school. How can one learn in a non-supportive environment? We received no positive encouragement; the Prof. never came over to check up on us. She just belittled us and made us feel inadequate.

This is a huge problem in schools. As teachers, we need to pay attention to all our students and make sure they are getting the support and education they deserve. I know it is impossible to monitor everything, so the best thing to do is to provide students with resources, and to make them feel comfortable in the classroom. By doing this, students will know that they have a supportive environment and a supportive teacher that they can turn to for extra help. We also have to work closely and cooperatively with families to provide the best education for students.

Culture presentations

Todays culture presentations were really interesting. I loved Jasons presentation (he is such a professor ha ha) because he seemed very confident and relaxed. He used a lot of examples in his power point to illustrate his ideas clearly. He said just what he needed to in 10 mins.

Nicole's presentation was also very well done. Of course I am somewhat particial because I can relate to everything she talked about! I thought she spoke nicely and presented accurate material and evidence. Her observations were also very clear.

I found Kristin's presentation very informative. She was so involved in the volleyball team and it shows. I loved the pictures she put on her power point, as well as the ven diagram. She had a very good perspective and explained her observations nicely.

Breana was very professional during her presentation. I also observe at KJHS in an 8th grade classroom, so it was interesting to compare and contrast her observations and experiences to my own. I found more things were similar, but things such as the fashion trends or some attitudes of students and teachers were different from my experiences. I wonder who she is working with; maybe we can swap! =)

Even though we had to keep our heads tilted the whole class period, the presentations were very well done and interesting.

Research Time!

Wednesdays observations were TONS more interactive. The students were working on end of the unit projects in the library.

They began the class same as every other day by doing their Daily Geography. I found it strange that when the students sat down, they were somewhat confused and asked if they should sit in their normal seats. I found out that even in the library, students have assigned seats. They seem to work dilengently, so Im not sure why they have assigned seats in the library.

Anyways, the projects they had to work on were about the Great Depression. They had to pick a project from 4 sections: visual, verbal, kinesthetic, and technological. One of the options that I found interesting was instead of making a power point, students could make a webpage. I forget how advanced these students are! Even with the power points, the students know how to do everything!

We walked around and asked the students which projects they choose, if they needed any help, how they were getting their information, etc. I asked several students how they liked doing these types of projects and they said it was better than normal projects. It was nice to see the students so interested. One thing I noticed were the ESL students. When the teacher was talking to them, she had to go into further detail about the projects. What I also noticed was how she changed while speaking to them. Her voice becomes a little higher, she talks slower and more distinctly. I understand that the students may have a hard time with English, and I just wonder if they feel like she is being somewhat condescending. I also noticed that one of the ESL girls was looking up a translation of the keyboard so that she could type. This had never crossed my mind before. I didnt see her print it out, but im sure it was helpful. I never really thought how hard it might be for the ESL students to work on an English keyboard.

The students were also learning how to cite their sources correctly. At KJHS, there is a lot of emphassis on High school preperation. The library provides worksheets on how to cite every type of source. The students utilize the resources around the library. The teacher walks around for awhile to make sure the students are on task and to see what projects they have chosen.
I noticed while walking around that a lot of students were working hard, while others were more concerned with the appearance of their power points or webpages than the information they needed to put on it. I would suggest that they get all the information onto the page then go back and add the effects. There were several students in second hour who seemed to have some difficulties setting up the webpage or powerpoint, but for the most part, all the students worked well. The projects are due Monday, so hopefully I will be able to see most of the students present.

Nieto 3

While reading through chapter three, one of the biggest issues that stuck out to me was imagining a school where 80 of every 100 students enrolled do not make it to high school graduation. It was also stated that Latino students drop out of school at a higher rate than any other ethnic group. This comes as a mild shock to me. Growing up, it was just assumed that I would go to high school and college. Once I started observing my mom in her classroom in the Pilsen area (mainly hispanic neighborhood in Chicago), I realized that not all students grow up with this goal in mind. At one school my mom taught at, it only went up to 6th grade, and still students couldnt even make it to that graduation. I remember my mom telling me that those who did celebrated their 6th grade graduation like it was 8th or even high school because that might be all they ever got. As young as I was, I remember feeling disheartened. I know what an excellent teacher my mom is, as well as those who taught around her, and yet despite these excellent teachers, these Latino students still werent going to graduate.

Nieto also talked about Black and Latino students being underrepresented in programs for gifted and talented. In CPS classrooms I have observed in, I have noticed those students that should be placed in gifted classrooms, yet are not necessarily challenged enough or separated from the other students. Now, I'm not saying that these gifted students must be separated from other students, but should definitely be challenged enough whlie in the classroom. If the school offers gifted programs, there is no reason why minority studetns shouldnt be in them. I thought it was shocking that a correlation was found between the number of White teachers in a school district and minority special education, while placement of White students in special education classes was not related to the race of the teachers.

Another interesting topic was sexism in schools. From personal experience, it does seem like girls are just expected to be quiet, good, and smart all the time. Nieto points out that "high- achieving female students tend to receive the least attention of all from their teachers." Why is this? I did not know that cirriculums usually follow the male developmental levels as opposed to females; i think there should be somewhat of a balance. Nieto makes a statement, however, that competition is not the best learning environment for females or "most students of color." I guess I was just wondering why competition is a bad thing for everyone but males? Why would this be divided by race and gender? I think it depends on the personality. Competition can also be internal or extenal. I think some sort of competition is necessary, at least with one's self. It is a motivational tool.

This chapter is also relatable to Kozol. It made me this of particularly the funding schools receive. You would think that the poorest schools would receive the most funding since they need it more, but its usually the exact opposite. It is very sad to think that schooling is not enough to change a person's economic situation. Isnt that what the American dream is all about? Having the opportunity to improve one's life? Kozol talks about the cycle in East Saint Louis: students do not receive an education, cant get good jobs, have families at an early age, and the whole process starts over, never improving. Since I will be working in a school of need, I realize how much teachers need to motivate their students. We have to stress that they can succeed regardless of their status because they can.

hmmm... i think my train of thought ends there...

O Mondays

Another day of observations and all I could think about was my focal student...that I dont have yet. The students Monday were reviewing for their chapter test on Tuesday. The teacher prepared a really fun game for them. The students responded well. They were split into two teams and determined the order in which the would go up to the board. I liked how independent and cooperative they were with each other. The review game had two poster boards with the answers on it. Each student went up the his/her respective boards and picked up a fly swatter. After the question was read, the students had to swat the answer. I thought it was very creative and have never seen the game played before. Apparently it is often used in foreign language classes. The students seemed to enjoy it as well. They were able to make notes of questions they didnt know so that they could study them later.

I thought back to my past history classes and the games we played in order to review. Learning in this classroom is very interactive. The students participate in history, like the stock market game. It definitely helps them remember the information better. The fun games are creative ways of studying and realizing what still needs to be studied. In my history classes, we play jeopordy review games and the like, but I know I found it helpful when I could actually put myself in a situation and/or relate to a topic. Students could also remember the information better on a test if they can think back to what they were doing during the game/activity/review and use that to help them remember the information. Plus, anything is better than just taking notes =P

Ill have to ask the students how the notes and review sessions helped them on the test.

Dull

There really isnt anything new to write about after observations. We havent done anything new. I try to pick a new perspective each day in order to discover something new, but its natural that I am used to the daily routine of things. Lately, I have been trying to focus on my cultural presentation. While thinking of a group to focus on, cheerleaders immediately came to mind. I feel that this would be expected though, and that many people have done it in the past. My next thought was the Poms team, especially since this schools squad went to nationals this past month. I really have no idea about Poms so I decided against that too. Its frustrating because I want to talk about something that I have previous knowledge of, but I also want to challenge myself and learn something new.

I also have to talk to my teacher about my focal student. I am not sure if she is aware that she should suggest a student or two. She is very unapproachable, so I may just have to email her. I want to use some of the worksheets from the handbook that we were given to learn about my focal student, but I dont want to make it awkward. These are 8th grade students; i think it would be easier if they were younger. Hopefully I'll be able to pass the worksheets out to a group of students to make them feel more comfortable. I feel like our teacher will not be very cooperative with this assignment. We will have to talk to her to allow some time to work with the students more. We were able to interact a bit with them during daily geography, but it wasnt much progress.

Lets see how next week goes....

Nieto 1 & 2

Nieto begins by "setting the Stage" for the rest of the book by discussing the importance of multicultural education. One of the first things I found interesting was the distinctions between equality and equity. Equal opportutnities for all students does not mean equal outcomes. As noted, equal opportunities would benefit many, but not all students. Nieto also notes that while diversity of students is on the rise, there seems to be a lack of diverse teachers. Race should not come into play, but culture definitely does. Diversity of teachers can greatly enhance a students' classroom experiences since they may feel like teachers can relate and understand them better. Regardless of a teachers's culture, he/she should be making a huge effort to get to know and understand his/her students. Teachers are also role models for students, so it may not be as encouraging for minority students to only be around white teachers. From my own experiences, I went to a high school full of diverse students and teachers. We also had an equal amount of women and men teachers. I think it sends a very positive message to students about learning and working with others.

Nieto also talks about terminology, and what people want to be called. I had never really thought this hard about the topic. I understand there are certain terms that are never to be used and those that are very PC, and I feel that I try to be as respectful as posible. Being Puerto Rican, I have encountered people who are clueless about what terms to use, so I can sympathize with people. For example, people from countries in Central and South America who would rather not be labeled "Hispanic" rather, they would like to be called by their country of origin; therefore, people from Cuba are Cuban, and people from Columbia are Columbian. Grouping everyone as Hispanic blurrs people's cultures and heritages.

In general, diversity should be accepted and celebrated in the classroom!!

Kozol Presentation

Im not gonna lie... I was nervous this morning before our presentation. I knew our group was prepared, and we had met several times outside of class. My biggest fear, honestly, was Dr. Winters ha ha I had no idea what surprises she might have for us, but I think we pulled it off.

I didnt think I was going to enjoy the book as much as I did, considering it wasnt my first choice. I am glad that I was assigned to it, and I think all teachers should read some of Kozol's works. I feel as if my eyes have been opened wider. I am not naive to the situations of schools in Illinois. I know the extent of injustices that students in public schools have to face because I have witnessed them first-hand. When Kozol was describing several CP schools, I could not help but think of the schools that my mom taught at. She mostly taught in the Pilsen area, where she grew up. She also went to grammar school in the area, so she is greatly aware of whats going on. When I used to go to school with her, I could see the lack of supplies in the classrooms. My mom would very often buy materials with her own money in order for her students to have extra materials. I was also thinking about a school, Whittier, that my mom taught at. The school had a lot of technologies, such as several computers in each classroom with internet, TV's with VCRs and DVD players, and a school-wide broadcasting system. Now just because the school was nicely equipped doesnt mean that the students received a better education. I would have to say that half the teachers at that school truly tried to teach the students how to utilize the techonolgies provided for them, while other teachers just taught what was needed for state tests. As we talked about in class, does throwing a bunch of money into a school mean that they students will have a better education? No, not at all. To begin correcting our schools, I firmly believe that changes have to start with the teachers. When taking classes, teachers need to be equipped with the necessary skills to encourage learning. If students like attending class and feel as if they can actually succeed, it will make a HUGE difference in their lives. It all ties in with tracking and the family support system. I think race plays a role, but as one student pointed out in Kozol, district lines are set. If families cant afford to live in a certain area, they must live somehwere less expensive. Mostly families of color do not have access to better schools simply because of the district they live in. There is, of course, exceptions, such as magnent schools. But this also poses problems. For example, there is a public school near my house that busses students from the city. I know most of the middle class families in the area do not send their children to this school because they are simply afraid to. Here, the school is trying to integrate students from the city without success. I am not 100% sure of the racial diversity in this school, but last time I checked, it was not attended by most white students in the area, which is unfortunate. Most of these white middle class students attended Catholic high schools in the suburbs.

My high school was very diverse. We seemed to have enough funds and technologies, and our teachers never left-- they retired. My high school had a negative image, however, because of its diversity. Many students from other districts thought it was "ghetto". I know I defnitely benefited from the diversity because it is more like the real world with real people. My point is that diversity is important, not only with students, but teachers as well. Students need positive role models, encouraging teachers, and a welcoming learning environment. Without proper funds, providing a classroom full of materials may be difficult, but it shouldnt stop a teacher from doing his/her job. Teachers should make the most with what they have, and possibly sacrifice or try to find ways to get materials needed. With positive teachers working with and encouraging students, they can feel like they can succeed and accomplish anything.

More Observing

On a normal Monday morning, there were a lot of students missing from 1st hour. It makes the classroom look so empty! First hour is never really awake. They get their work done with little enthusiasm. I think they are all still sleeping.

During daily geograhpy today, I noticed that we had a new student. He is Asian and doesnt seem to know much English. He was seated next to the two ESL girls at the side of the class. I found this somewhat, not strange, but possibly negative, that the teacher "groups" her ESL students together. I think it might make the students feel separated from their classmates. While they were working, she gave them some extra time and even worked with them. Her whole tone seems to change while working with these 3 students. She almost seems to develop an accent. She is probably trying to pronounce her words more clearly. She also uses a lot of hand motions. When reading the directions to them, she used her finger to point to the words. Im not saying that all this is a bad thing. I just think that although the ESL students might need more help and attention, they should still be integrated into the classroom. She should also try to avoid being condescending while talking to them.

Once again, it was hard to interact with the students because of the lesson. The teacher read aloud a couple of chapters to the students. I have to say, she is an excellent reader. She acts out all the voices and some of the actions. It keeps the students engaged since they do not have books. She also tries to relate events from the book to the students' lives. She asks whether or not they have experienced similar situations. It is nice to give them that connection.

After reading a few chapters, the students have about 10-20 mins to take notes out of the next section of their textbooks. There is nothing we can really do except walk around and watch them take notes. The students work independently for the most part. They know when their notes are due, so they work to get them done. Of course there are students that talk, but it doesnt seem to disturb others around them. Second hour is much more lively that first; they are also a little ahead of them as well. Because the 8th grade classes are right in a row, the teacher is able to work out the kinks from first hour in second hour, which causes the lessons to go more smoothly. She also may leave out a personal story here and there that relates to the lesson. Since second hour is more awake, they might also get their work done quicker.

Progress

So Wednesday I felt like I made some progress during observations. I made some goals for myself as well.

Goals for next week:
-Get a seating chart
-Learn Names
-Interact more

During first hour, I noticed a couple of things. One was that there were a few students missing. The other was how many more girls there are than boys. I actually noticed this in both classes, and it made me think of the Newsweek or Times article I read that stated boys in school are starting to fall behind girls. Since these students work in teams, I am not sure if they are on an "honors" track or not ( I should really find out). If they are, im sure that has an effect on the gender ratios of the class.

I feel like I dont know the 1st hour students very well yet, so next week I will try to walk around more and interact with them. Wednesday was more of an actual lesson. The students had to take notes on a certain section in their book. They had a choice of around 6 different ways- some which I had never heard of before. I walked around asking students which method they were using and why. It was nice to interact more with them. Most of what they are doing is in preperation for High School. The teacher wants to prepare them for different teaching styles, which I think is really nice =) Its a good advantage to have.

While sitting in class, I noticed how attentive the students were. They are very able to work independently, which i notice during daily geograhpy. They also seem unafraid to anser questions in class, which shows a comfortable atmosphere. As I was observing, a few questions came to mind. Since I will be working in a school of need, how can I make students interested in high school literature when some can barely read? How can I incorporate literature and make connections to their every day lives? I definetely noticed that Ritchason always makes a life connections to help students relate and remember material. They really respond to it. At first, I wasnt sure how I would like her classroom, but after being there for a couple of classes, I can say that I feel a bit more comfortable and cant wait to be more involved =)