Philosophy on Teaching
When it comes to teaching any subject, an educator has their work laid out for them. There are many struggles to overcome, and battles to be won, but the most important thing is to remember what your purpose is.
It is my job as an educator to provide students with the skills and information they need to progress further in their education. This being said, I wish to teach because it is a passion of mine, and I want to inspire students to take an interest in their education. I want to “inspire the uninspired.” My goal as a teacher is to inspire and instill confidence in my students’ abilities and help them reach their full potential.
Education is a necessity in this ever-changing and complex world, and with educators who are passionate about their subjects, hopefully, students will observe and follow that passion in their own education.
As William Arthur Ward put it, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." It is with this ability to inspire and passion for ones subject that we can foster a unique educational experience that introduces students to new and exciting educational practices.
Using "Liberal Arts" to Enhance Learning Experiences
One of the grade level content expectations for seventh grade is that students will “analyze the structure, elements, features, style, and purpose of informational genre including persuasive essay, research report, brochure, personal correspondence, autobiography and biography.”
To meet this standard I taught a lesson on writing a biography using superheroes as the theme. Using effective oral and written communication, I had to provide background instruction on what a biography was, as well as what the characteristics of a superhero were. With student help we created a list of famous superheroes many of which are from different parts of the world. While composing this list I had to take into consideration student opinions as well as their individual differences; this included some students who had little to no knowledge on the subject.
The superhero lesson I developed took the capabilities as well as diversity of my students into consideration. I supplemented their knowledge with my own and helped deliver a lesson that the seventh graders understood and in which they could participate. I provided both male and female body forms for students who weren’t confident in their drawing abilities as well as a blank form for students who wanted to attempt drawing on their own.
I spent a little time focusing the lesson and talking through it step by step with the whole class. This activity benefited some of my exceptional needs students without singling them out. I feel that focused instruction to the entire class benefits not only the exceptional needs student, but also the average students who may need some clarification.
All students seemed to enjoy this lesson, some even asking for an extra form so that they could create another character.
Using Literacy Stations
Using Literacy Stations to Effectively Manage Classrooms for Learning, Planning Instruction to Embrace Diversity, Assessing Students Throughout the Learning Process, Creating Inclusive Settings for Learning, and Incorporating Literacy to Promote Access to Knowledge.
There are many aspects of the English language that must be covered in the 7th grade. By utilizing Literacy Stations, the students are able to cover twice the material in half of the time.
Students are grouped together and work on one of four stations (Grammar, Vocabulary, Literature & Comprehension, and Journaling). A teacher is assigned to each of the stations, giving advice and help when needed. After twenty minutes, the students switch stations.
The purpose of literacy stations are to help students with their time management skills, as well as work on multiple aspects of the English language. Because of the length of time each stations takes, literacy stations stretch over two days.
Depending on the way the students act, these activities may be done as group work, or individually.
Lessons Using Critical Thinking and Higher-Order Thinking Skills
Lessons using critical thinking and higher-order thinking skills, and teaching materials that help students learn to use information to become independent learners.
Maintaining learning environments that promote critical and higher order thinking skills and allow for substantive conversation with the teacher and/or peers about subject matter is very important. I have participated in many lectures and discussions with my students that have promoted higher order thinking skills. I have also implemented literature strategies such as the use of THIEVES and KWL charts to help students access information and promote independent learning. These activities help to scaffold student learning and promote knowledge across subject areas.
Implementing the THIEVES strategy is important in promoting critical thinking and independent learning within a classroom. (You will find a worksheet attached to the left on THIEVES.) The Rosa Parks Autobiography lesson and the Rikki Tikki Pre-Reading lesson make use of the THIEVES strategy to highlight important information through pre-reading and applying it to a worksheet.
Question asking is another important part of critical thinking and independent learning. The How to Write a Conclusion lesson and the Peer Response to Student Writing lesson encourage students to ask questions. The How to Write a Conclusion lesson encourages students to ask questions about their own writing. It forces them to look at their work as a whole and to decided whether or not they have tied up all the loose ends of their writing. The Peer Response to Student Writing Lesson encourages students to question the writing of their peers and evaluate the writing based on their observations.
Monitor Student Learning Using Multiple Learning/Teaching Modalities
In a class of 30+ students it is sometimes difficult to monitor individual student progress. To check class progress as a whole, I employ a variety of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor strategies as well as teaching methodologies to maximize learning. I have successfully used lectures, large and small group discussions, electronic power point presentations, demonstrations, and cooperative learning stations.
To accommodate differences among students, including those students with exceptional needs and abilities, I monitor progress through weekly progress reports as well as one-on-one conferencing regarding missing assignments. Also, to make lectures more successful I make sure to write important lecture notes on the board as well as dictate them aloud. This benefits both my auditory and visual learners.
To accommodate students with exceptional needs the following modifications are always available:
· *They may type the assignment.
· *They may have instructions and worksheets read to them.
· *They may have extended time and/or modified grading rubrics.
· *They may sit near the front to read the board more easily.
· *They may tape record the lesson.
· *They may request a transcript of the lesson and directions.
· *They may go to the resource room (if available) for extra help.
Assessing Student Learning
Grading rubrics are a useful tool to assess student achievement. Having such varied student abilities within a single class, using a rubric is the simplest way to grade and assess student achievement. By presenting the rubric before the lesson, students are able to see what is expected of them, and what their final product should include.
Self-Assessment and Professional Development
Self-Assessment
To assess my teaching progress within my internship I had to complete both a Self-Reflective Midterm and Final Exam. These exams forced me to take a look at the activities and lessons I was presenting within my classroom and to evaluate their effectiveness based on the seven Entry-Level Standards for Michigan Teachers.
Professional Development
I was given the opportunity to attend the 6+1 Traits of Writing written by Ruth Culham and presented by Mike Freborg on November 4, 2008. As an English Language Arts educator this professional development seminar provided useful information that can be applied within my classroom.
To interact more frequently with my students and to get to know them better I took on many extra curricular activities such as starting a book club, morning cafeteria duty, after school bus duty, and chaperoning dances. For the months of October and November I accumulated a total of 36 hours of extra curricular activities.
Organization
I pride myself on my organization skills. Binders and sheet protectors are two of my favorite things. I collected all of the materials passed out to students during my four and a half month internship an compiled them into one complete Seventh Grade English Language Arts Resource Binder. The binder is divided up by week, and each week is separated into activities by day. Before each week is a copy of the Blackboard homework board print out, with directions for each day.
Activities to Enhance Student Learning
Davis Jr. High Bookaneers Book Club.
To promote the literacy and encourage student reading, Intern Teachers Mr. Gardella and Ms. Trembley started the Bookaneers Book Club. This club met on Mondays after school from 3pm until 4pm; snacks and drinks were provided. Students participated in both small and large group discussions on topics such as characterization, plot, theme, and setting.
Our first book was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. We chose the novel due to student interest, and the fact that it coincided with The American Library Association's Teen Read Week - "Books With Bite" October 12-18, 2008.
Twilight has 544 pages, but was a fast paced read! "Twilight is the story of Bella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington. It could have been the most boring move she ever made, but once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear." (http://www.amazon.com)
Twilight was ranked the number two book in the 2006 Annual Teens' Top Ten Books, sponsored by The Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association.
Students thoroughly enjoyed reading the novel and student participation was amazing!
Due to high student demand and the release of the Twilight film, we chose New Moon as our third book club book selection. Student membership has grown and it is great to see so many students enjoying a novel!
Using Instructional Technologies to Engage Students
While attending the MCTE Conference in Lansing Michigan on October 5, 2007, keynote speaker Kathleen Blake Yancey brought up the topic of literacy and literacy in the 21st century. Literacy in the 21st century includes internet, television, and radio. There are so many different aspects with technology that literacy has grown into a large interconnected web.
It is important to know how to combine various aspects of literacy in the 21st century, mainly using technology and the internet, with the more traditional aspects of literacy, reading, writing, and comprehension within the classroom.
As a teacher of literature and writing it is important to encourage students to explore the variety of ways literature presents itself. Literature is no longer limited to words written on a page, it can be a blog, wiki, moo, webquest, website, pamphlet, postcard, digital networking site, etc. This 21st century view on literacy opens up new doors to us as educators; we just have to be willing to walk through them.
Within my classroom I try to implement a variety of technology based lessons. Attached you will find a copy of a PowerPoint presentation on plot. I used this as a visual aid to enhance my lecture.
I have also attached a cross-curricular English and Health lesson I created using a mixture of reading, writing, art, and blogging. The Personal Interest PostSecret activity was a success among the 8th graders I taught it to. They enjoyed using art and technology to enhance their writing. The final 8th grade blog may be found here. (*Note, the materials found on the college secrets page may not be suitable for students in secondary schools.)
