Final Reflections 8.03.08

Final thoughts and reflections...

Reflecting on the 6 courses I've taken thus far at Lesley, I would have to say that this Social Studies course has been the most beneficial for me. It has taught me great hands-0n, practical experience that I will take with me into the classroom.

I never had a clear understanding as to what subjects fell under the Social Studies heading until now. Social Studies encompasses so many subjects that it makes complete sense that a curriculum should be integrated to incorporate Social Studies as well as all the other elementary grade courses. I also see how incorporating various subjects under one main theme makes the learning much more interesting and exciting for students. 

I have learned a great deal regarding the Web from this course. I now understand what wikis, podcasts and blogs are all about. Often the Internet can seem overwhelming and the thought of integrating web activities and Internet use into our lesson plans can seem daunting. I have less web-fear at this point. There are so many interesting web sites available for me as a teacher to learn valuable ideas and lesson plan concepts. 

For students, there are a multitude of sites available for learning offered in unique, imaginative ways.  I wish I could have had the Internet at my fingertips when I was a student. (Typing on a typewriter was the only keyboard we had.)

 Tarry Lindquist's book will remain on my book shelf and will be my handbook as I enter the teaching profession. She is a phenomenal teacher and integrates her curriculum flawlessly. Page after page, I am excited learning about her lesson plans and ideas for making learning enjoyable and successful for her students. As Tarry says, "When it is integrative, meaningful, value-based, active and challenging, social studies teaching and learning is powerful" (page 4). I agree wholeheartedly.

After reading Chapter 8 on assessing student achievement, I particularly enjoyed Tarry's advice regarding three different types of assessment: the teacher's assessment, the student's own assessment and peer assessment. I have always viewed assessment as going in one direction, from the teacher to the student. These three different assessment strategies are superb and offer such different perspectives. Being assessed by a peer is so different than being assessed by one's teacher. And assessing oneself is imperative as well. This last form of assessment, causes the student to be self-reflective which is crucial in life. Students need to evaluate themselves and their personal goals, in the classroom and in life in general.

I am now armed with meaningful knowledge and feel well prepared to start my internship, with enthusiasm but also with ideas and lesson plan concepts to share.

   

 

Lindquist - Chapters 4&5

Sorry to be late posting this. I was in a bit of a time warp this weekend...

I am truly enjoying Tarry Linduist's book. It offers wonderful advice, examples and explanations as to how to teach specific Social Studies topics and teaching in general. I'm learning a great deal of useful, interesting lesson plan ideas and how to think as a teacher.

In Chapter Four, I agree wholeheartedly with the NCSS's belief that for meaningful social studies, "Classroom interaction focuses on sustained examination of a few important topics rather than superficial coverage of many." Only through an integrated curriculum is this possible and it's essential for creating an atmosphere of learning and continued interest for students.

I agree with Tarry's emphasis that we must teach children how to revise their written work. Often students, even graduate students, are reluctant to write. And once we do begin the process, most people don't appreciate the importance of revision. We are often content to just have written something in the first place. It takes continual practice revising written assignments before student's appreciate that frequently the revised piece is much better than the original. My undergraduate degree is in journalism and it took me quite some time to understand the importance of revising work.

Regarding fiction, thanks to Miss Muffett I will never forget the six elements of fiction. I love this teaching strategy!

I appreciate that Tarry tries to demystify testing for her students. She gives them a model for test preparation, test taking, and test evaluation. This creates a positive learning environment for them, not one of fear and anxiety when test time arrives.

In Chapter five, I adore Tarry's letter assignments teaching her students how to view multiple perspectives. It is wonderful to have them write three letters from three different perspectives like in the Harriet Tubman lesson: one letter writing about Harriet to a friend, the second letter writing as Harriet to some other character and the third letter writing to Harriet from today, as themselves. The sample letters are amazing. They are informative, creative and show clearly students' knowledge, sensitivity and appreciation of the subject matter. Letter writing is a superb writing format. I feel it is less daunting for a student to write a letter than to write in an essay format.

Learning to understand multiple perspectives is crucial in life. It teaches us to respect and to listen to one another and to understand that our way of thinking is not the only way. 

 

07.18.08

I enjoyed the article concerning differentiation of instruction. It is helpful for me to focus on the four separate elements involved with differentiating instruction: content, process, products, and learning environment. These four categories make me understand more clearly, as a teacher, what I will need to study and consider when responding to variances among learners in my classes. 

I agree completely that we need to give students options of how to express required learning. Some people excel at test taking, for example, while others perform better with oral presentations or artistic endeavors.

Being a teacher puts one in a role to teach and to learn as well, as stated in the article, "One of the great joys of teaching is recognizing that the teacher always has more to learn than the students and that learning is no less empowering for adults than for students." Our love of learning directly relates to our love of teaching. 

In Chapter 4, Fried offers solid advice on how to create meaningful units of instruction. It's essential for teachers to assist in motivating students to learn a new topic. Fried explains, "The key is to tell them why you are interested in the content as a learner. If you can't give them an inspiring and personal reason why this stuff is really worth learning, you've lost half the battle already." 

Fried discusses the importance of meaningful assessment and how it is an ongoing part of the learning process. He states that, "our assessment message to students should be: "What we care about is the quality of your engagement and of what you produce." I appreciate this idea that the assessments show our concern that our students are engaged and that what they produce reflect their engagement. 

I have witnessed the Game of School being played out. One example was in my tenth Grade Science class. We spent an entire semester doing comparisons and studying which paper towel was the strongest. The teacher and the students all were aware that this was truly a waste of too much time yet we played the game and remained silent. I am still haunted by this absurdity, but at least I did learn that Bounty was victorious. Too often teachers just get by, students just get by and nothing meaningful or magical transpires.  

I agree wholeheartedly with Fried when he states that "we do harm when we reduce these acts of intellect, creativity, and judgement to rote exercises, perfunctory deeds, or meaningless gestures." I also agree with him that, "there is nothing predestines or natural about the lack of intensity in most classrooms." It is up to the teachers, to us, to make student-centered learning take place in the classroom. To create curiosity and interest. To inspire and motivate students. To teach with passion, joy and excitement.

"Nothing great in the world has even been accomplished without passion."

-Hebbel

07.11.08

Robert L. Fried talks about the need for passionate teachers. I agree wholeheartedly. Schools need more colorful, passionate teachers. A teacher's enthusiasm is contagious. I appreciate his idea that teachers should "act as partners in learning, rather than as "experts in the field." Especially with a student-centered teaching approach, students' enthusiasm and interest blossoms if they feel they're collaborating with the teacher and not just being force-fed information.

Tarry Lindquist stresses the need for social studies teaching to be integrative. It's evident that social studies connects completely with other subjects and that this integration makes the learning experience more interesting and meaningful to students. 

I find her writing to be quite thought-provoking. She shows a clear connection between the need for an integrated social studies program and how it enables students to learn powerful concepts and understanding. Students learn to be good problem solvers and wise decision makers. They learn to ask genuine questions.  They develop social understanding. They learn to listen with a critical ear and value an informed approach. Learning is not merely knowledge to be memorized in the classroom but deeper understanding to be utilized throughout life. 

  

Michelle 

I adore quotes so I will share one of my favorites:

"It is the supreme art of the teacher 
to awaken joy in creative expression 
and knowledge" 
Albert Einstein