Service Learning Project: Reflection #3

On my final visit to the YWCA I brought with me a copy of Jane Yolen and Mark Teague's book How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?. I chose this book primarily because the language was aimed at primarily at preschool aged children and matched the language of the books I had seen Ms. Nancy read to the children earlier. What captured my attention about Yolen and Teague's book, however, was the lesson in good manners it taught the children. I had looked through many books geared toward a preschool audience before finding this one and was unable to find a book with any sort of theme beyond basic identification. The setup of this book also lent itself well to reenactment, a teaching tactic I had seen Ms. Nancy use upon several occasions in the classroom before. So, as I read the story aloud to the children I had them stand up and act out both the good and bad actions of the dinosaurs. The children really seemed to enjoy the book and the silly actions they had to do to mirror those of the dinosaurs. After I finished the story the children returned to their seats and I thanked them for their participation. 

In retrospect, I wish I would have interacted with the children more as I read them this story, making sure they really got the concept behind the actions of the dinosaurs. I could have achieved this objective by reading through the story by itself once through, then asking the children to identify the good and bad actions of the dinosaurs before they go to bed. After this, I should have read he book a second time during which the children acted out the actions of the dinosaurs, afterwards reiterating the differences in the behavior of the good dinosaurs and the bad ones. 

Service Learning Project: Reflection #2

As I mentioned before, I was amazed, upon my first visit to the YWCA, at how open and accepting the children were to interacting with new people. This was particularly true of the little girl I worked with on a fairly regular basis on my visits to the daycare center. The first time I met this child was when I first walked through the doors of the YWCA, as soon as it became clear that I was going to stay, she invited me to come play with her and her friends. A natural leader, she guided her peers and myself through a multitude of activities centered around dressing up and make-believe. Her vivid imagination and enthusiasm carried over to the classroom where I had the opportunity to lead her in several learning activities. Through these activities this child illustrated her ability to quickly learn new concepts and ideas, easily mastering the activities I presented her with. As my time with her progressed I also noted her eagerness to participate in classroom activities, she was often the first to volunteer her services to any project with indescribable enthusiasm and joy. While her enthusiasm sometimes caused some interference with classroom order, she overall behaved in a manner that suited the classroom environment.
From an education stand point, it was wonderful to be able to see how one specific child related with her peers and adults both inside and outside the classroom as this is something educators don't normally get to witness. From my personal interactions with this child in both settings, I was able to observe certain personality characteristics (leadership, enthusiasm, imagination, etc.) that lent themselves well to the classroom environment at the YWCA and several that did not (speaking out of turn, over activity, etc.). In observing her behavior in these two different settings I was able to gain insight into her character and how my future students might act outside the classroom as well.

Service Learning Project: Reflection #1

Upon first entering the YWCA, I was immediately swept into the play of the children. No sooner had I set my coat down then they asked me to join in their games. After a brief round of introductions we were all soon caring for children donning dresses and heading to a birthday party. The openness of the children to new comers at the YWCA was remarkable and really speaks to the staff's ability to create an environment in which the children feel safe and comfortable enough to talk to someone they hardly know without a trace of shyness. So, while I was unable to observe the children during this portion of the day, I was able to study the children as the participated in Preschool classroom.
As I observed in the classroom I noticed how structured and regulated the daily schedule for the children was. Each student was given a job rotation for that day from snack-helper to line-leader. This in particular gave each student a sense of individual purpose within the classroom. After the jobs were announced for the day, each student was counted by a peer and a letter in the alphabet was discussed. This task was followed by a short story, some exercise, free-time, snack, an enactment of a story chosen by one of the children and music before heading out to lunch. These events occurred in a fairly sequential order everyday, giving the children a sense of normalcy as they knew what to expect at any given moment. I must admit that I personally was surprised at how closely this regimen was adhered to, as I always imagined preschools to be more unregulated; however, upon observing the children at the YWCA I realized how important this sense of rhythmic normalcy is, as it enables them to focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about what was going to happen next. 
Overall, my first trip to the YWCA captured my interest as a future teacher as I was able to observe a point in development that all my students will have to go through. By observing them at this stage, I will be able to better understand the factors that influence my future student's behavior and interest in a given subject.

Response to Service Learning Project

Upon visiting the YWCA of Kankakee, I was immediately impressed with their mission of empowering women through the provision of subsidized childcare services. By providing this service, women have a safe place to leave their children while they attend school or work; because of this the value of the daycare facility to these families cannot be underestimated. I am very excited to begin working in this facility as it provides me with an opportunity to interact with children from lower income families, this will help me to understand some of the situations my future students might be coming from. I also hope to learn from this project methods and ways in which I can include service learning in my own classroom someday to help students better connect with certain topics and issues in the literature they read.

Response to Chapter Five: Tom Sawyer Teaching Talking

Robert E. Probst's chapter of Adolescent Literacy: Turning Practice into Promise outlines the value of teaching students value of teaching students how to talk, focusing particularly on ways for teachers to aid in their student's growth in this area. As a future teacher, I plan on having my classroom revolve around class discussion, however I found Probst's chapter on this subject interesting. In the chapter, Probst refers to talking as a "natural skill that can be improved with attention and effort and... can be elevated with... training" (2007). This passage challenged my preconceptions of discussion, as I have always believed that the ability to speak well in public is a natural born gift, I often forget that the voice, like any muscle can be trained. As a future teacher, hoping to use discussion in her classroom, this passage proved to be very valuable, as it  reminded me of the importance of teaching discussion not just as vehicle for teaching literature but also as a skill to be honed.
There were several tools Probst included in the chapter to ensure this happens, my favorite of which being  his icebreaker activity entitled "Find the Poem" in which students have to piece together various poems from the lines they are given on an individual basis. I though this would be a wonderful activity for English teachers to do on the first day of school, as it gets the students accustomed to getting up out of their seat and moving around the classroom to discuss a literary work with their peers in a nonthreatening way. At the end of the chapter Probst also included a dialogue booklet as a subtle way of outlining for students ways in which to discuss a particular work without dictating to them exactly what must be said. As a student myself, I have received a handout very similar to this and found it to be a useful tool in discussing a work of literature. Overall, Probst's chapter outlined some good activities to teach students how lead discussions on their own while illustrating the importance off talking as a skill.

Response to Delpit Chapters

The two selected chapters from Delpit focused on the lower expectations placed on students of lower social-economic standing.
The first chapter illustrated, through the stories of Shannon and Carter ways in which students are "permitted to fail" and methods teachers can employ to ensure that this does not happen. After telling the story of Shannon, an African american girl allowed to not participate in classroom activities that would facilitate her ability to learn, the chapter outlined several goals teachers must have to ensure successful learning. These goals focused on creating an environment of: academic achievement, cultural competence, and socio-economic consciousness which can be applied by teachers in school systems across the United States. As a future teacher I had heard all these aspects of basic teacher expectations in different places but this was the first time I had seen them all united in one place. The effect this had on me was significant as it allowed me to start to really think as these goals as absolute classroom necessities rather than something I would implement "if I had time." The chapter then continues to give an example of these goals in the classroom of a young teacher, Carter, and his efforts help his students learn to enjoy writing. What really struck me about this scenario was when the author talked about Carter's demeanor towards the students writing, "Carter does not talk about 'loving' his students. Rather focuses on 'caring' about and for them" (Delpit 2007). This passage really made me reconsider my attitude towards my future students as I have often thought the two to be synonymous with one another. However, upon reading this I realized that this distinction enables the teacher to constructively teach their students even if it might make either party uncomfortable.
While the first chapter focused on ways to raise literacy expectations in the classroom, the second chapter addressed the preconceptions of society towards those from lower socio-economic classes with limited exposure to literacy and the effects this has on their schooling process. The chapter's discussion of literacy followed the story of an "poor urban Appalachian" boy, Donny, and his illiterate mother and the problems they faced in trying to acquire literacy due to prejudices in the school system. The author's research illuminated data that indicated that students, such as Danny, receive a lower exposure to literacy than that of their more financially secure peers. As a result, when placed in school systems these students have no point of reference to base their learning on and do not understand that "written language communicates." Therefore, teachers need to recognize that these students do not necessarily need to be placed in  remedial classes, but rather need to be provided with a context in which to put reading and writing. By setting aside a couple minutes before reading and writing assignments, teachers can provide a context in which to put their lesson and make it pertinent to their students so they better understand how the purpose of the activity outside of school.  The final section of the second chapter discussed how there is "always this generalized belief that they [students from lower income families] cannot learn as well as those in power"(Delpit 2007). This quotation really spoke to me as I have often made assumptions about lower income students based on their home life, making excuses for their behavior and believing that they were unable to learn as well due to all the distractions in their life. I realized that this belief though it springs from compassion and a desire to sooth, does not help students. This passage made me realize that in order to truly help students I need to set standards for them to achieve and believe that despite all that is going on in their personal lives they can achieve them.

Response to Chapter 14: "Unleashing Potential with Emerging Technologies

Sara B. Kajder's chapter in Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice entitled "Unleashing Potential with Emerging Technologies"begins with a short anecdote on how one particular student used technology outside of school to express himself in writing. The chapter then goes on to outline several different technologies available for teachers to use in their classrooms to get students to engage with the content being taught in class. These technologies ranged from classroom blogs, similar to this one,  to podcasts and book trailers.
As I was reading the chapter, one of Kajder's initial comments on the use of technology in the classroom resonated with me a professed technology moron. Kajder writes of teachers that "It's as if our instincts lead us to take what we've done in the past and reproduce the process using different tools to create the same product"  (2007). It is so easy for teachers to fall into the habit of the familiar, and the security of knowing the outcomes of a given assignment. As a result, they forget to explore options for instruction that are pertinent and relevant for the students they are teaching. From personal reflection, this is largely due to a feeling of incompetency. If I do not understand how to use this new resource how can I expect my students to do the same? This largely comes down to an issue of trust. It is important to remember students' ability to learn, adapt and teach even we as educators cannot do so.  I mean this in no way to demean the position of teachers, by stating that students can learn on their own, teachers should let not to let personal fears or insecurities about technology hinder their use of it.
Of all the technologies Kajder outlined in the chapter the concept of podcasting really intrigued me; not only as a method of better monitoring group discussions but as a way of exploring a different method of communication outside of writing for those students who might be more verbally inclined. This process also enables students to think at higher levels as they have to "evaluate what to say, consider options, and make choices" (2007). Because their "Learning rests on risks" as their work is being published online for others to hear, students are more motivated to participate in well organized and thoughtful discussions, making podcasting a useful tool for cognitive and motivational purposes (2007).

Response to Chapter Eight: " English Language Learners in the Classroom"

Chapter Eight of Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice is written in a question and answer format with experts Cindy Mata Aguilar, Danling Fu, Carlo Jago providing information on how to best teach English Language Learners (ELL) in the classroom. The editors begin the chapter by asking about the similarities and differences in teaching native English speakers and ELLs.Dangling replies that ELLs "often need more specific instruction in language skills and more systematic help in developing their English proficiency...which should be separate from concept or content learning" (2007). While I had understood the need for these students to receive separate more specialized instruction, I had always thought it would be most beneficial for their instruction to be woven in with the material. While this is true in many cases, there are times in which additional separate instruction needs to be included so students can fully comprehend and use English effectively. On the same topic Aguilar states the first step to holding ELLs to the same standards is to first assess their reading and writing ability in their native language, as the more literate they are in their native language, the better equipped they are to learn English. Danling concludes this initial discussion stating that teachers need to "respect them [ELLs] as intelligent individuals [and] allow the, to bring their home language into their classroom learning until they can use English for learning and communication" (2007). This section  provided the reader with a basic outline of ELLs needs and how to best meet them in the classroom. As the chapter continued Aguilar, Danling, and Jao expounded on these general principles illustrating ways for teachers to instruct ELL students.
Perhaps one of the most meaningful things in the chapter for me was Danling's comment that the "primary language acts as a scaffold to the second language. Removing the primary language means removing the scaffold" (2007). This passage really spoke to me as my personal teaching philosophy relies heavily on this method of learning. However, growing up I was indoctrinated with the idea that accommodating ELLs was as "Our ancestors had to teach themselves how to speak English. So why should we accommodate those too lazy learn now?" I have often times had a hard time reconciling this idea with my philosophy of education, as I believe everybody deserves a chance to learn and often times this requires a little extra teacher attention. By linking this issue to my belief in scaffolding Danling really reinforced the idea of ELL instruction for me on a personal level.
On the broader scale, numerous methods of instruction were outlined in the chapter focused on how to best include ELLs in the classroom. The two methods I found to be most easily applicable were the issuing of a language survey at the beginning of class to see where the student is  linguistically, as well as, offering extra time for ELLs to collect their thoughts. The latter can be achieved by having all students respond to discussion question in writing, then share their answers with the  class. This enables the ELL to practice what they are going to say in front of the class and will help boost confidence when interacting with the entire class. These two methods are easily applicable in any classroom and enable ELLs to feel more at ease in the their classroom environment, enabling them to learn at a quicker rate.
Chapter eight provided great detailed insight into the world of ELL through the questioning of several experts in the field. This enabled the reader to fully grasp and comprehend some basic strategies in teaching and interacting with ELLs.

Response to Chapter Seven "Mastering the Art of Effective Vocabulary Instruction"

In chapter seven of Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice Janet Allen discusses what it means to know a word and how students learn words before outlining ways in which to teach vocabulary. In her explanation of word knowledge Allen four levels of vocabulary comprehension: never exposed to word, hearing the word without understanding meaning, having general knowledge of word but can only use it in one context, and knowing the word and being able to use it in many different ways (2007). When teachers understand these four levels and apply it to their students they can adjust their teaching strategies to the best method of instruction. Students learn vocabulary in many different ways, but one of the best ways that was outlined in the chapter, was a "Word of the Day" activity in which the students use a chart to break down a word so they might understand it better (2007). I found this method of vocabulary instruction very intriguing as it was something short and simple students could do as they settle down at the beginning of class. Allen then went on to suggest the audio aided reading of "rich" texts as well as the inclusion of a well organized word wall in the classroom. I found both of these suggestions to be highly applicable to the classroom as they would take little work to integrate yet help the students immensely.
The chapter then moved on to discuss strategies to help students learn vocabulary on their own, discussing the Mathew's Effect. The discussion of this problem where students with higher vocabulary rapidly advance through tougher material learning more that enables them to progress to even harder material while those who have less extensive vocabularies lag behind really inspired me as a future teacher to make sure I include vocabulary instruction, in my daily teaching techniques as it can have a profound impact on how much the students learn.
The final portion of the chapter focused on making sure students understood the concepts behind the vocabulary they were learning through the use of concept circles. These circles each have four words in them and the student has to discuss how these words relate to one another. I thought this would be an excellent alternative to a traditional multiple choice vocabulary test as it would force the students not only to recognize the words definition but to also put the word in context, ensuring that they are able to use the word effectively.
Overall this chapter provided great insight into different vocabulary instructional methods, that would be easy to apply to any classroom setting.

Response to Chapter Four: "The Essence of Understanding"

Ellin Oliver Keene's chapter in Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice starts by providing a story in which the author led a class discussion of Toni Morrison's photo-essay Remember: The Journey to School Integration in way which promoted the students to connect to the major concepts of the work by learning how to read closely and by participating in meaningful class discussion. The chapter then goes on to define understanding and how it is achieved before outlining ways in which to promote understanding in the classroom. As I was reading I focused primarily on the story at the beginning of Keene's chapter. I found the story very inspiring as it illustrated the very discussions I wish to have in my own classroom one day. By having the students sit on the floor, Keene alerted the students that something different was going on and focusing their attention on her. This also allowed the students to take on a more relaxed posture, enabling them to feel more comfortable and willing to share. I was intrigued by the idea of using this as a possible hook for a lesson in the classroom as it seemed to really quiet and focus the students in the story. By reading and thinking through the essay aloud Keene was able to illustrate to the students how to approach the text, this gave the students a framework to follow when reading enabling them to participate in the group discussion with increased confidence. By following this framework, I as a teacher, can instruct my students not only in how to read critically but how to participate in a group discussion. Through the process of gradually phasing myself out, I can teach the students how to lead their own discussions enabling them to learn to think critically on their own. My primary goal as a future English teacher, is to provide the means for students to learn to connect to literature in a meaningful and pertinent way, hearing this story enabled me to envision how I might achieve this one day.

Response to Chapter Six "Of Times, Teens and Books"

Chapter six of Adolescent Literacy: turning Promise into Practice, "Of Times, Teens and Books," by Teri S. Lesesne outlined the ways in which Yong adult fiction is changing to match societal changes. Lesesne began the chapter by explaining how books once marketed to an older audience are now being read by younger children  as a result of their changing "resources, abilities and interests" (2007, p. 62). In response to these changes in their audience, publishers have begun to publish an increasing amount of books in different genres addressing many different issues relevant to teens today. As I read I was amazed at all the different literature available to students and teachers today. Lesesne filled the chapter with references to different works of fiction providing a brief plot summary of each, the inclusion of these titles and their explanation alerted me to the variety of issues teens face today and how they can be discussed through reading. As a future teacher, I found this to be very empowering as I will be able to find literature for all my students to connect to that will help them  enjoy reading more. I was particularly intrigued by the idea of using a graphic novel to reach students struggling with reading, this would be a wonderful thing to start a class with in order to increase student involvement and confidence in the course.

WORK CITED

Beers, K., Probst, R., Rief, L. (2007). Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice. Heinemann, (Ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Anchor. 

Response to Chapters 3 and 16

Chapter three of Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice written by Donna E. Alverman addresses the paradox between the multiple literacies of today's youth and the methods by which they are taught to read in school. Alverman (2006)  introduces this topic stating,

Congruent with [the] move toward the digital... is another movement, largely driven by policy makers at the state and national levels. Here, the agenda is to make high-stakes testing the impetus driving our students to be better prepared, ready to take their place in an increasingly competitive global workforce. (p. 21)

This section really challenged me as a future teacher to think of ways in which to bridge this large gap in how students communicate outside of school and how to better prepare them for the standardized tests that are becoming increasingly prevalent. I believe that teachers can use technology in an engaging manner to help students connect to the material needed to take these tests. As somebody who is often intimidated by new technology this is something I will have to consciously work on incorporating it in my future classroom. From the connections adolescents make with the digital a new form of literacy is developed pertaining to the understanding of the symbols used in the electronic systems. Alverman (2006) concluded the chapter by discussing how these systems result in the multimodal learning practiced by most young adults in the form of digital interactions. While this is largely ignored by traditional teaching methods the chapter concludes with the recommendation of using different sign systems as a way of helping low achieving and unmotivated students "redefine their literate competence"  (Alverman, 2006, p. 26). I greatly appreciated this comment at the end as it emphasized that the use of sign systems is not to replace traditional reading instruction methods completely but is to be used rather as a way to peak interest in reading and to supplement lessons.


Chapter sixteen of  Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice then went on to illustrate different ways in which teachers can reach underachieving students preparing them for academic success. In this chapter, authors Yvette Jackson and Eric J. Cooper discussed methods in which to promote success within students unused to experiencing it. I found this chapter incredibly useful as outlined the steps that needed to be completed for students to feel safe and competent in the classroom while being challenged. The most interesting section to me was that on listening to students.
This section of the chapter emphasized the importance of a teaching strategy centered around forming relationships as a method of encouraging classroom involvement. While I have always viewed this as a simple fact, the authors outlined methods that encouraged students to form a relationship not only with their teacher, but with their education as well. Jackson and Cooper (2006) state "the most critical question-- What's needed for you to learn? -- is seldom asked of  the students" by asking this question of students it encourages them to analyze the "very thing we judge them on-- their learning" (p. 246). I found it incredible how asking a question as simple as this is almost never asked of students. This really challenged my perceptions of how to best teach and encourage student analysis and made me realize the importance of each student being asked to evaluate their learning.

Response to Ch. 10 " Teaching English Language Arts in a 'Flat' World" 

Jim Burke's chapter on teaching how to teach literacy skills to students in the twenty-first century focused on eight different workplace roles set forth by Tom Friedman. These different roles include: colaborators and orecestrators, sythesizers, explainers, leveragers, adapters, green people. personalizers, and localizers. In the chapter,  Burke took each of these different societal roles explained them and their importance in a couple brief paragraphs then listed several ideas for how to best nurture the growth of the role in the classroom. I particularly enjoyed these suggestions, as they were practical methods of teaching certain skills sets that could be easily implemented in the classroom. What really amazed me was how these simple changes in teaching methods could dramatically increase student's literacy in a flat world. 

Burke ended the chapter by illustrating the implications of these practices in the classroom through his own personal experiences as a teacher. By creating a group online discussion board for his class, Burke found that participation in his class soared while students learned valuable communication skills.  Upon reading this section of the chapter, I was a little skeptical about the effectiveness of this strategy for teaching high school students, thinking many would simply use the in class computer time to mess around. I was surprised to find that many students really connected with this method of group discussion. 

Overall, this chapter challenged me to consider implementing the different instructional method mentioned to better prepare adolescents for the new workforce.  

Response to "The Measure of Our Success"

            Upon reading Kylene Beers’ chapter entitled “The Measure of Success” I was challenged to reconsider the educational system and how it works or does not work for students; as well as the definition of modern day literacy. The author’s inclusion of real stories at the beginning of each topic to illustrate her point really influenced my reading of the text; as I often tend to view education in an old fashioned traditionalist sense. These little anecdotes at the beginning of each section compelled me to remember that the main goal of teaching is not simply to convey information, but to help students grow into successful individuals.

            The author’s first story told of a boy named Derek placed in a remedial reading class out of a need to further improve his standardized test score. This story showed how, it is very easy for educators to get caught up in academic easements that we forget about all the outside factors that contribute to performance in school. Upon reading this I was charged to view student scores and attitudes with increased compassion and respect as the prescribed school system often hinders students of low socio-economic status’ ability to succeed.

            As the chapter continued, Beers introduced the topic of underground literacy, once again illustrating that there is often more behind a student’s achievement than what is on a graded page. After telling the story of Collin, an avid environmental blogger, who was receiving low grades in English, the author went on to discuss what literacy in twenty-first century looks like. I found this section of the chapter the most interesting and challenging as it outlined what and how schools should be teaching while illustrating how they are presently falling short. As a future teacher I found this broad picture inspiring if not a little overwhelming. How am I as one teacher supposed to make an impact on this broad system of thought and teach my students what they need to know to be successful while nurturing them as individuals?