Blog #4

• Which specific teaching strategies are used by the teacher most effectively; i.e., they help students learn best?

The predominate teaching strategy Mrs. B uses in her classroom is a top down, teacher centered, strategy. Mrs. B is organized and her class is very structured. She often lectures first, and then she gives them a worksheet. She hardly uses PowerPoint for lectures, but she does frequently use overhead transparencies to give notes. She uses graphic organizers as well. The students usually work on assignments in class individually, and if they do not finish in class, it becomes homework. Sometimes they go to the computer lab to do different kinds of activities and projects but generally, the routine remains the same. The worksheets are not exactly challenging and mostly require the students to regurgitate the material. In addition, Mrs. B does not give out homework or assignments that challenge the students to go beyond the material and think outside the box. The assignments are just busy work in my opinion. They occasionally work in groups because she fears the interaction proves mainly a distraction. At the same time, they still talk while they work and sometimes the students have a hard time focusing on their work. To me, this may not seem like the best teaching strategy. Mrs. B does use projects where the students have some choices and can develop the topic in their own way. These projects allow her students to express their creative sides while reinforcing content. If Mrs. B would do this more often and change her teaching methods to a more student centered approach, then it would be much more effective. She is halfway there. Her honor students are doing very well in terms of grades. However, when I observe, I can see how quickly they get bored when doing worksheets and filling in maps. However, they are a little more excited when watching movies, but it all depends on the topic. Mrs. B just needs to release some control. She would be a much more effective teacher. She also needs to use technology in a more effective manner. She did a poster project. Posters are fun but with computers you can make much more engaging posters. There are free websites and tools on the Internet students can use. Technology does wonders in the classroom especially in a social studies classroom. It makes the content much more interesting and realistic when technology comes into play. Students can watch videos, listen to music, read biographies and autobiographies, take virtual tours, do WebQuests, the possibilities are endless. Mrs. B does some of this, but she could incorporate more technology in her classroom to meet the needs of all her students. Bray, Brown, and Green suggest, “Technology can be an empowering tool. For it to be empowering, however, teachers must be deliberate and thoughtful in how it is integrated and utilized in the classroom (Bray, Brown, Green 76).

• How do they demonstrate best practices as described by the authors of our course readings? 

Mrs. B partially represents the two standards we discussed so far– learner development and learner differences. Mrs. B does acknowledge learner differences and learner development in her classroom. The class I observe is an honor class, so cognitively and developmentally these students are where they should be. However, certain assignments Mrs. B has to modify because it may be out of their zone of proximal development. She often guides them and scaffolds when necessary. In addition, when she switches up her routine, she sometimes applies differentiated instruction. According to Carol Tomlinson, “Students who are the same age differ in their readiness to learn, their interests, their styles of learning, their experiences, and their life circumstances” (Tomlinson 1). Mrs. B does her best to acknowledge this. She is constantly making connections to real world examples, so the students can relate and connect with the content. She tries to incorporate their interests and learning styles within the particular activities and projects they do. She even has one student who has a 504 plan. She is constantly making accommodations and modifications for that student to best serve his needs. Overall, Mrs. B is a great teacher, she just needs to improve her instructional approach and incorporate more technology to become a much more effective teacher.

• Which specific teaching strategies will you use when you teach?  Why?

I am particularly fond of a student centered instructional strategy. In my educational experience, I had mostly top down, instructor centered learning. This was not necessarily a bad thing. In my educational framework courses in college, I realized there are so many more options to pursue in the classroom. The teacher just needs to be comfortable gradually releasing control back to the students. I think this can be very empowering for the students. It allows them to shape their own knowledge. They become much more mentally and emotionally vested in their education. So many students today, do not like school because of how rigid and structured some teachers are. I am totally for structure in the classroom, but structure can also relate to how the class is “structured”. In addition, growing up in the 21^st century allowed me to see the numerous benefits of incorporating technology in the classroom. It opens up so many learning opportunities not only for the students but for the teacher as well. Learning becomes much more engaging and interactive. The learning is not forced but natural. Using visual literacy in the classroom gives students the opportunity to develop skills that will not only benefit them in the classroom but also help them in the real world. Overall, when using a student centered instructional approach with technology, students are much more vested in their own education. This is one of the many teaching strategies I will pursue in the future. 

A 21st Century Classroom

Technology in Today’s Classrooms

“The motherboard and the memory chip will never replace the passion and inspiration of a real-life teacher” (Bill Goodwyn). The world of education is constantly going through changes. In today’s world, numerous schools across the nation are adapting to new and advance technology in order to keep up with the rest of society. An article from the Huffington Post reflects on the idea that technology will never be able to replace a great teacher. Goodwyn makes it clear: “teachers teach, technology does not teach.” In class, we have been discussing how technology when used properly enhances the classroom. I disagree with Goodwyn. My experiences with technology as a student and in my field placement I have witnessed the wonders technology has in the classroom. 

Recently, President Barack Obama along with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan mandated to replace traditional textbooks with digital, interactive textbooks within the next five years. Some schools and teachers are embracing this challenge; some teachers are hesitant to push forward with this drastic change because it completely challenges the way they operate in their classrooms. Teaching with traditional textbooks, writing on a chalkboard, or using an overhead projection is just what many teachers are familiar with and not necessarily a bad thing.

Goodwyn continues to argue technology damages a key foundation in education: the relationship between a teacher and a student. Realistically, technology improves the relationship between a student and an educator. Students growing up in the 21^st century naturally adapt to technology. Utilizing technology efficiently in the classroom is the key. Presenting lessons using a smart board is just more convenient than dragging out an overheard and maneuvering back and fourth to adjust it properly. Teachers can write out lessons, notes, tests and anything else of the nature by simply using a computer. Technology does not hinder education. It seeks to improve it by making tasks easier for the student and the teacher. Schools in Indianapolis, Florida, and North Carolina employed digital tools and witnessed an improvement in performance on exams. Students and teachers work together to facilitate these changes in the digital age, thus allowing the student-teacher relationship to grow.

            Overall, technology when used properly in the classroom can make learning more exciting. Staring at a blackboard and taking notes all day becomes mundane. Teachers could create a PowerPoint presentation for their lessons and use pictures and cartoons to keep their students actively learning. Educational videos, music, cartoons, and games are devices teachers could employ in their lesson. All it takes is a little bit of time to explore all the possibilities of the Internet. Teachers just need to set ground rules when their students are accessing the Internet.

As previously stated, “teachers teach, technology does not”. However, teachers are still teaching even when using technology. They are teaching to their maximum potential. Teachers are making the sacrifice by moving away from traditional methods of teaching by incorporating technology into their classrooms. Students are more likely to learn more and stay engaged when they are able to use the Internet. Using technology helps students prepare for the future because technology is everywhere we go. Another reasons to incorporate technology in the classroom is because children with disabilities can make use of assistive technology. Assistive technology allows those students to work at their own pace, communicate better, and just make their life easier in general. Do not disregard technology; embrace it!

Link to the article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-goodwyn/technology-in-the-classroom_b_1857369.html

Fieldwork Experience

I am currently doing field placement at the same high school I went to, Harry S Truman High School. I am working with two teachers who are both teaching 11^th grade American History. However, one class is an honors class and the other class is a co-teach class which not honors. Mrs. B teaches the honors class, and Mr. F teaches a co-teach class with another teacher. Technology is embedded in the daily routine.

1. Which specific product technologies are used in the classroom?

Textbooks are used just about everyday in the classroom and usually a worksheet accompanies it. All online reading or activities are done in class, so everyone has access to the Internet. If the classwork is not finished, students complete it for homework. They could also ask to go to the library to work on the assignment if a computer or Internet access is not available at home. Both classes usually go to the computer lab maybe 1-2x a month. Both teachers lecture however, the Mrs. B prefers using an overhead projector rather than the smart board. Mr. F creates PowerPoint presentations to give notes and lectures. In addition, he sometimes uses other teachers’ work (PowerPoint) published online to give notes. Both teachers show videos either using a VHS, DVD, or using YouTube from the Internet. Visuals such as physical maps on the walls or looking at maps on the Internet are frequently used. Students sometimes create their own political cartoons, and create their own visuals like maps. They even did a poster project for one of the units. The teacher often plays music from different time periods on the CD player.  There are multiple whiteboards around the room, one smart board and projector, and blackboards. Both teachers write their daily agenda on the whiteboards and blackboards around the room. Mrs. B also writes down important dates and events that are going on in school. She also displays student grades, so the students can monitor their progress and see if they are missing any assignments. Mr. F uses the blackboard as a checklist for the items they are supposed to have for their notebook check. When students return from an absence, they look at the blackboard to see what they missed. Basic items, like pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils, paper, chalk are available in the classroom.

2. How do they enhance learning for all students?

 The use of technology enhances learning for everyone because it accommodates different learning styles. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory is applicable here. Gardner suggests there are eight different intelligences so as the teacher one needs to understand that eight intelligences create eight different ways to teach. Therefore, there are eight different approaches to teaching content. By incorporating technology, the teacher is appealing to the different intelligences, some more than others are. The teacher is appealing to different learning styles. As a result, students learn and process information in different ways and they learn best when they can apply their best kind of intelligence to the task. Some students really enjoy using visuals to learn because they are visual learners. The students like both the overhead transparencies because they can go up to the overhead are write on them. The PowerPoint presentations are useful because it is organized and the teachers can include visuals and music to supplement the text and engage the learner.  In addition, technology is helpful because the students can create their own work and present it to the class. It is an alternative to telling the students to go buy materials to create a project where they can do the same thing using a computer and the Internet. In conclusion, technology enhances learning because it is geared to appeal to multiple intelligences, which leads to accommodating different learning styles. At the same time, technology is becoming much more accessible and easier to use, so students prefer using technology in their schoolwork. According to Bray, Brown and Green, “The integration of variety of technologies into the classroom can provide learners with unique opportunities to help meet their diverse needs” (Bray, Brown, Green 76).

3. Which specific product technologies do you plan to use when you teach?  Why?

 As a student, I use technology everyday. I cannot go a day without using my laptop or my smartphone. I remember in high school, I would always ask my teachers if I could type my assignments or create PowerPoint presentations. I hate writing and taking notes when I could easily do the same thing and faster on a computer. Since, I became so comfortable using technology in high school it carried over in college. In my classroom, I may not have access to sophisticated forms of technology. I may even have to use an overhead projector but nonetheless that is a form of technology. It would take less time then writing notes on a blackboard. That is not interactive and engaging. I like creating visuals on the computer so I would use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. These are usually available in most high schools. If a smart board were available, I would use that. In addition, if clickers were available I would use them when reviewing for a test. That way students become involved and competition increases motivation generally. Now that I am learning about creating Wikis, web quests, and blogs these are all forms of technology I would employ in the classroom. My goal is to keep my students engaged, motivated, and willing to try new things. There is nothing wrong with using a textbook and worksheets but eventually students get bored and true learning is sacrificed. Appealing to them with technology is great because these students are growing up in world that is dominated by technology. It helps them prepare for the future. I want my students to feel ready for life beyond high school and technology is a way to help prepare them.

Technology has to be meaningful and student centered in order to enhance learning. Bray, Brown and Green suggest using virtual expeditions. This is such a neat idea and it is very interactive. This gives students a chance to experience what it would be like living in different areas around the world, especially when some may never get the chance to travel there. According to Bray, Brown, and Green this is “for the benefit of both those students who are having difficulties with reading and those students who need to supplement the information available to them in the class text” (Bray, Brown, and Green 74). This authentic learning experience would fit in well in a social studies classroom. Another thing I would do is a pen pal system. Bray, Brown, and Green call it “key-pals”. In social studies, culture is a constant theme that comes up and it is important the students fully understand the importance of culture. It is true the more we know about something the less ignorant we are about the world around us. Learning about other cultures and about different kinds of people, help break down racial and ethnic barriers. Prejudices and stereotypes are eliminated. Bray, Brown, and Green say this idea is great for ELL students because they “benefit not only from exposure to their own native culture but also from exposure to other cultures” (Bray, Brown, and Green 74).

Conclusion

I would use technology in my classroom because it benefits all of the students not just those who are considered exceptional, diverse or gifted.

“Technology can be an empowering tool. For it to be empowering, however, teachers must be deliberate and thoughtful in how it is integrated and utilized in the classroom. This is not only true for students with a variety of impairments but is also true for ELL and gifted and talented students” (Bray, Brown, and Green 76).

Bill Goodwyn should revaluate his position on classroom technology. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives.

Accommodations for Diverse Learners

1.     Which specific learning accommodations does your cooperating teacher use to assist ELL or special ed students?

a.     I am in an 11th grade honors history class where only one student has a 504 plan due to his physical handicap. Cognitively he is fine, hence why he is in an honors class. She does not have any students who are ELL (English Language Learners) or Special Education students. For the student who has a physical handicap, he is allowed a few extra minutes to arrive to class and to leave the classroom at the end of the period. 

2.     What are a few rigorous, authentic learning experiences used by your teacher to engage diverse students in learning the content?

a.     Since, this is an honors class, cognitively her students are where they should be developmentally. In terms of diversity, the students are different in the ways they learn. Each student has a particular learning style. In order to keep her students engaged, she uses differentiated instruction. She sometimes lets the students work with each other. She uses music and visuals to supplement her lectures. In addition, she had the students create a propaganda poster when they were learning about World War II and the Cold War. This can be considered an authentic learning experience partly because the students had to imagine what the world was like at that time. They felt and had to demonstrate through the poster certain prejudices and stereotypes that existed back then. This is authentic because the content they were learning came to life, and it became real. Upon reflection, the students realized how detrimental and wrong propaganda could be.

3.     What is an authentic learning experience that you plan to use when you teach?

a.     For me, authentic learning experiences need to be hands on where the students are using their senses and cognitive skills to tackle a problem or task. It has to be meaningful and student centered. Bray, Brown and Green suggest using virtual expeditions. This is such a neat idea and it is very interactive. This gives students a chance to experience what it would be like living in different areas around the world, especially when some may never get the chance to travel there. According to Bray, Brown, and Green this is “for the benefit of both those students who are having difficulties with reading and those students who need to supplement the information available to them in the class text” (Bray, Brown, and Green 74). This is authentic learning experience that would fit in well in a social studies classroom. Another thing I would do is a pen pal system. Bray, Brown, and Green call it “key-pals”. In social studies, culture is a constant theme that comes up and it is important the students fully understand the importance of culture. It is true the more we know about something the less ignorant we are about the world around us. Learning about other cultures and about different kinds of people, help break down racial and ethnic barriers. Prejudices and stereotypes are eliminated. Bray, Brown, and Green say this idea is great for ELL students because they “benefit not only from exposure to their own native culture but also from exposure to other cultures” (Bray, Brown, and Green 74). I would use both of these ideas in my classroom because it benefits all of the students not just those who are considered exceptional or diverse.