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.