Reading Reflections 541




Reading Reflection #21
For the TPA I believe that I am going to use progress monitoring, and in the end have a formal essay that is guided with a rubric.  I will upload the rubric and the essays students have previously written as examples.  

                                                                                    

Reading Reflection #20
In my unit I plan to informally assess students while they participate in their group work activities.
I also plan to have a formal, journal, whereby students record their thoughts and findings through the pen pal activities.
I may have a summative test in the end of the unit, but this is still unconfirmed.

                                                                                    

Reading Reflection #19
In regards to differentiation I think that it is one of the most important aspects to a functional classroom.  For EL students in this unity it is important first that they understand the language  that we are using.  Also, placing students in groups with stronger readers and students that understand the concepts can help the other students with the task.  WIth SPED students, the same differentiation strategies will work.  Placing them in specific groups to aid their learning.  Also, giving them confusing concepts ahead of time to prepare themselves for a particular lesson.  FInally, allow students extra time to complete tasks.

                                                                                    
Reading Reflection # 18
Please see ITU webpage for lesson plans.
http://welcometowiaasha.weebly.com




                                                                                    



Reading Reflection # 17
1.  Positive Interdependence:  For this portion my students will be required to write letters to a pen-pal in student at the Pechanga Reservation.  They will have a different theme each week for their letter but may ask any questions they choose.  I.e. 1 theme week will be plants and medicine, students may ask their pen pal how they use plants, what plans they have on the reservation etc.
2.  Individual & Group Accountability:  Each student will be required to share our in their groups what their pen-pal has taught them regarding their questions from their letters.
3.  Group Processing:  Students, along with learning from the tribe itself through pen-pal writing, will also have numerous in class projects including deciphering a forgotten language, and reading traditional oral stories to one another.  They will be asked to reflect each week about what they have learned in their journals.
4.  Social Skills:  The students will have to decide as a group how they are going to share out their letters and how to facilitate the conversations that follow.  Each student will hopefully have something different to share with their groups because they will have asked different questions, or their pen-pals may have given an alternative response.
Face-to-Face Interaction:  Each student will have to talk to one another about what they have learned through their letters.  Additionally, at the end of the semester, the students will be able to meet their pen-pals at a pot-luck lunch and facilitate conversation as they choose.

                                                                                    


Reading Reflection # 16
1. Positive Interdependence
2. Individual & Group Accountability
3. Group Processing
4. Social Skills
5. Face-to-Face Interactions

                                                                                    

Reading Reflection # 15
Please see ITU for Lesson Plan and for my integration of co-teaching.





                                                                                    



Reading Reflection # 14
In our ITU we are using supportive co-teaching, as well as complementary co-teacher.  Our plan is to have 1 teacher from a different subject area, i.e. Kevin, teach our history lesson to the English and Biology classes.  Allia, Tracy, and myself will assist Kevin where he requires it and add to his lesson if need be,
                                                                                    



Reading Reflection # 13
During the week I believe that ALL co-teaching models were presented.  The 2 co-teaching models that were used most were complementary co-teaching, where-by 1 of our instructors would discuss something, and another instructor would dovetail, or bring up a different discussion.  We also saw a lot of team co-teaching, where all of our instructors are contributing equally to our learning.


                                                                                    



Reading Reflection # 12
The Great Oak model was great for us to not only see how they organized all of their data but also where they found information for the school.  Looking at other ITU models helped us as a group to decide what we could do differently to make our ITU stand out.  We were also able to see a variety of ways to organize our ITU project and what extent of information we needed to include.

Please check out our ITU site linked below, and leave a comment or some kudos!

                                                                                    


Reading Reflection # 11
Delayed, per instructors orders

                                                                                    

Reading Reflection # 10

                                                                                    

Reading Reflection # 9
Please see our ITU
http://welcometowiaasha.weebly.com


                                                                                    

Reading Reflection # 8
A lot of the resources our group will use for the service learning project will be through Google.com searches. 
Particular websites we will use include:
http://www.pechanga-nsn.gov/page?pageId=6
http://www.city-data.com/school/great-oak-high-school-ca.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temecula,_California


Also, the Pechanga Casino and Reservation are a great resource for us to use for our ITU project.
We also plan on using weebly.com to host our ITU.
                                                                                    
Reading Reflection # 7

After reading I learned that there are 6 key components to service learning.  They are:
1. Integrated Learning
2. Having Genuine Needs
3. Youth Voice and Youth Choice
4. Collaborative Effort
5. Reciprocity
6. Civic Responsibility


The first step in the service learning process is to figure out how to introduce the project itself.
Secondly, you need to map out a plan for your service learning project.
Third, you need to confirm and clarify your partnerships.
Fourth, as a group, you need to review your plans for the project and begin collecting the resources you will need.
Fifth, You begin!
Finally, you reflect on the service learning and your experiences.

                                                                                    


Reading Reflection # 6
Including this blog, please see the PLN tab to access links to the PLN I have created.

                                                                                    
Reading Reflection # 5

                                                                                    


Reading Reflection # 4

The tasks that I would be well skilled at in regards to our ITU would be:

1.  The Unit Calendar and Lessons
2.  Social Justice and Equality
3.  Final Posters Presentations
4.  Student Descriptions
5.  Unit Overview of Activities
6.  The Art Component

                                                                                    


Reading Reflection # 2

Activity 7.1:
  • As a team we used various methods of research for our ITU including:  Google, various internet sources, PLN's, textbooks, public library, classmates, state standards, and local curriculum guides.
  • American Indian/Native American Theme:  English; tradition, verbal language, mythology, story telling, family, culture, writing, chants, lyrics, poetry.  Biology;  Ancestry, medicinal plants, genetics, diseases, Great Oak, reservation ecology.  History; political organization, tribes, land, Manifest Destiny, missions, geographic location, sovereign nation, removal, religion, conflict.  Over-all; animals, equality, reservations, natural, heritage, tradition, religion, proud.
  • Our method to complete this activity was to get together at Temecula Public Library and discuss as a team our ideas.  We brainstormed our theme and wrote our ideas on a whiteboard and worked together to categorize our ideas and to add to our lists.

Activity 7.2
Theme: American Indians/Native Americans
English:
  • How did the Native Americans contribute to the history of literature and writing in America?
  • What is the importance of resurrecting “dead” American Indian languages for historical or linguistic purposes?
  • Many Native Americans were forced to attend schools that removed them from their families for long periods of time often returning unable to communicate with their own families. How would language isolation affect the family unit? How would language isolation affect a person’s self esteem of perception of themselves? How does language isolation affect Native Americans today?
  • How are Native Americans portrayed in the media? How does their representation effect public perceptions of Native Americans? In what ways do these representations progress Native American values and ideals? In what ways do these representations further Native American stereotypes?

History:
  • What impacts have Native Americans made on American culture?
  • Based on the injustices endured by the Native Americans what, if any, reparations should the government provide the Native Americans with? Why?
  • Why is it important that we as a country value minority cultures

Biology:
  • Should Native Americans use DNA research to prove tribal ancestry?
  • In what ways do Native American cultural beliefs about their environment relate to current day environmentalist issues?

Over-arching:
  • What insight can we gain from Native American culture in our push for a greener Earth?
  • What are the impacts, either positive or negative,  of tribal casinos on the surrounding communities?
  • What defines a Native American?

                                                                                    


Reading Reflection # 1
As a future educator, it is important for me to have a basic understanding of the various cultures of the students I will be teaching.  It is important to be aware, be appreciative, and be accepting of the numerous facets different cultures posses.  I hope that through research and asking the right questions, I will have a better understanding of how to differentiate, include, and represent all different cultures in the units I create for my students.



1.  American Indian and Alaskan Native:

  • Developing Yup’ik language proficiency for cultural, family and academic purposes;
  • • Developing English language proficiency for social and academic purposes;
  • Developing literacy proficiency (K-12);
  • Restoring the heritage language of Yup’ik of LKSD’s students; and Creating opportunities for bicultural activities where Yup’ik culture is celebrated with non-Native cultural traditions.
  •  
2.  Asian and Pacific Islander
  • "All too often, students of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) heritage
    get lost in discussions of educational inequity."
  • Inclusive curriculum
  • Teach students to examine the gaps in whatever they are learning.
  •  
    3.  Blacks
    • Maintain the same teaching standards and learning expectations for all students.
    •  Reduce class size and maximize the time spent on learning to give Black students more attention.
    • Establish peer and support networks, matching students with other students to learn cooperatively.
    • Use the strengths of the Black community, such as churches, recreational facilities, and social organizations to promote a greater concern for learning.
    • Hold ongoing teacher discussions on strategies to improve instruction, as well as share data on eliminating the gaps in achievement.
    •  Encourage administrators to give teachers the instructional training and resources that they perceive they need to increase achievement levels.
    • 7. Recognize that culture shock, as a result of racial differences or class differences, may be a barrier with which both teachers and students are grappling; seek further professional development, such as “cultural competency,” to better relate to Black students and their culture.
    •  Develop outreach mechanisms to foster collaborations among parents and community members.
    • Address the gaps in achievement in the school improvement plan.
    • Provide Black students with challenging and meaningful instructional tasks that develop their problem-solving skills.
    4.  Hispanics

    • Assists students to accomplish more complex understanding by relating to their real-life experience;
    •  Assures that students, for each instructional topic, see the whole picture as the basis for understanding the parts;
    • Presents challenging standards for student performance;
    •  Gives clear, direct feedback about how student performance compares with the challenging standards;
    • Showcases schoolwork, displaying it to students’ parents and families and community; and
    • • Engages students in focused and cohesive oral and written explanations of their work.
    5.Woman, girls, females.
    • Use inclusive language. “You guys” may be a popular way of addressing a group, but it’s an example of gender bias.
    • Make a conscious effort to call on all students equally.
    • Instead of focusing on the first raised hand, wait for the third, fifth, or tenth hand. Make an effort to focus on silent students who demand very little attention.
    • Wait Time 1 and 2. Wait time 1 gives a student ample time to respond to your question. Wait time 2 gives the educator time to react to the student’s answer. At least four seconds is acceptable for each wait time.
    • Cooperative/Collaborative Learning. Collaboration is a social norm for many groups including African Americans, Native Americans, and females. When cooperation is less valued, inequities may emerge, especially when students choose their own partners.
    •  Seating patterns. Avoid gender-segregated seating patterns when grouping students into cooperative or collaborative learning groups. Try changing seat assignments as often as possible to give students new learning opportunities.
    •  Bias-free wall displays. Check your displays often to make sure that the achievements of women and other underrepresented groups are acknowledged.
    • Involve all students. Let them know that you are working to include all students in class discussions
     LGBTQ:
    •  Books and articles on the experiences of GLBT youth and anti-GLBT bias in schools;3
    • Strategies developed in collaboration with colleagues; and
    • Training offered by local organizations, your school district or your union.
    "There is always more to learn, but we do not need an enormous amount of training before we can start to make a difference"