Blog 4..i think?

Chapter One:

en·sured / en·sur·ing : to make sure, certain, or safe

            The very first word you see in the chapter is ‘Ensure.’  When I read that I just kind of sat there and pondered what all ensuring something means and what all I ensure on a day to day basis.  It is nerve-racking to think that in a few short months I will ensure the most import thing I have to ensure in my life; students.

            So, the chapter obviously talks about ensuring student in their reading, writing, and thinking abilities.  It listed many things in the chapter, that I can confidently say, I already knew. It listed many comprehension strategies like think-pair-share, learning stations, and jigsaw that I feel between Boyce and Hanna I could recite in my sleep. But what really caught my eye was the ‘Common Text Style” sections.  I think it is SO important that students learn this before they get in the fourth grade and they are reading their first text book and they cant understand it because they think it is going to be mapped out like a fiction book.  Each subject has its own “style” of text that I think, as a teacher, we need to teach the students. Students need to be able to be diverse when it comes to text especially in school and I just don’t think it is being looked at enough. We need to teach students how to read for information.

Chapter Eight:

Now that I think about it… I was taught one way, and one way only, how to write:

Brainstorm

Draft

Review/Revise

Rewrite

Publish

How niave of me to go 22 years thinking that was the only way to write.  I was CLEARLY learning to write and out of all the years it took to instill that in my brain—it would probably kill my teachers to know that right now, at this very moment, im just writing. I didn’t brainstorm I write this down… I’m just writing.

I mainly want to talk about the section in the chapter that was called “Writing to Learn in Science.”  I am observing a 6^th grade science class at Petal and I was curious to see what the book said about writing in science and what my teacher does with writing in science.  The books talks about “Entry Slips.”  I think that is a great way to incorporate writing.  My teacher does a question of the day.  However, I like the Entry Slips because the questions are more of using prior knowledge and require more indepth thinking rather than a questions where you get a one word answer. They can also turn them in with their own questions! The only thing that scares me with this- kids are lazy. I mean, we are Americans…How can I get them engaged/interested/wanting to know more/actually do it RIGHT?! ( I personally think it starts at a young age… and by the time they get to me it is an uphill battle)

My favorite line in the whole chapter is in the conclusion where it says, “ Writing to learn has an audience of one- the writer.” #perfect

Student Think Center:

I think my whole blog could be about the student think center.  What an amazing place we have at USM.  We have a place that genuinely in concerned with OUR education and OUR way of learning.   If EVERY school had a space/people like that to really break down the way a child thinks at a young age and do what they could to aid them in that way- there is no reason for that child not to succeed. I want to know where they got the circle table with the paper on top.  That was right up my alley because I doodle more than I take notes. However, that is one way I actually take notes (especially with powerpoint/presentations).  I usually draw what I hear or doodle a specific word.  For example, I think I wrote ‘Net Gen’ three times on that one piece of paper. Now, I could tell you all about how we are the Network Generation and how technology is basically taking over and starting so young by the time we teach our kindergarteners will be able to outsmart us. 

Blog 3

Content Area Literacy for Elementary Grades:

The 3 reason why content literacy instruction are crucial where all things I agreed with but never really thought about.  I do agree that expository text is very motivational for children.  That is how I was when I was in elementary school.  I like reading about things that already happened and having other outlets to find out more things about that topic. The third point that make is that expository text helps build comprehension and understanding.  The author stated, “This critical form of prior knowledge about a content area enhances vocabulary, understanding as well as comprehension.”  As students engage their prior knowledge that allows them to grasp what they are reading. What I hate is that Standardized test and the performance of those tests is what it had to take for a change to take place in elementary schools because you know what… I HATE standardized test and to give them the credit for “heighten interest in students' ability to informational texts.” Arr. However, I don’t hate that technology increased it. I like technology. J The only question I have is why in the world is expository text not introduced until the 4^th grade.  I understand that students first have to learn to read, but why not teach them to read with an expository text every once in a while so when that students gets to upper elementary reading out of a text book and comprehending what they are reading isn’t that much of a chore.

Design Thinking Process:

“This is an approach positing that small changes in the right places can have big impacts on outcome”

I think DTP is a great tool to use in a classroom.  To me, it is a way not only to get your students to collaborate together but also be creative and let them say what they are thinking.  It is a good way to get the class familiar with each other and show each other that everyone has their own opinion and ways of doing things but by working together the class can achieve the outcome they want. When is it appropriate to start introducing this to students?

Biopoem:

I had never heard of this before! But I loved it!! I personally love biographies.  I love to hear about other peoples lives and know about that person. This was something that can be used during any subject area and is fun.  Writing so DESPERETLY needs to be more fun for students. I can guarantee you, I will be using biopoems.