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.

Blog 2

Article:
I have never heard of the term "writing to learn" until i read this article.  In high school, it was shoved down your throat to learn to write because of the writing test you have to take in the tenth grade.  As long as i can remember throughout school i never felt like i was writing to learn...i was writing to pass. Students anxiety when writing is high enough, i think it is import to teach them to write but present it as an opportunity for a learning experience.  Make it relaxed. Don't make the student think that whatever they put down on paper is going to be graded or critiqued. The strategies the article talked about where strategies i know my teacher and professors have given to me as a student.  The one that is my personal favorite is the Quick Write.  That is when i felt i could say whatever i wanted to about a topic and not have to worry about it.  If i didn't get what it was saying i could say that or talk for days and days about the topic.  Once the students feel comfortable writing that will lead them into being comfortable in writing something that is getting revised and published.  The best part about a Quick Write- you can use it in ANY subject. From English to Math a Quick Write is beneficial to not only the teacher (so they can see where the students stand with a topic) but also for they student ( so they can self assess themselves and see what they need to work on or what they already know).
Reviewing and Summarizing is a hard idea for students to grasp at any age. The strategy that i thought would be very 'user friendly' for any age would be the formed paragraph. They help break down what is being looked at for the student to better understand and in return comprehend better.  This article was very beneficial to me not only as a future teacher but also a current student. The strategies and methods will definitely come in handy!

TED:
I was grateful enough to serve as a student leader this summer for the University as a member of Southern Style.  One of our main jobs as hostess of the University is to make sure the students are comfortable and are being helped if they need it.  Listening was a skill that was drilled into our heads.  You have to listen to not only the students, but the parents, the mumbling, to noise...everything. Because of that experience i would like to say that I actually do use more than just 25% of my listening ability. In a classroom, i would have to say one of the five strategies i would use would be silence.  He said just 3 minutes a day is basically like giving our ears a reboot for listening.  It is a strategy that not only will help the students get prepared to listen but also gives the teacher time to collect her thoughts before beginning any subject.

Classmates:
I really enjoyed reading Allison Coons blog.  she said that when she was little she would play school all the time.  She wants to teach math just like me also! Not only that, but the Elizabethtown project is what stood out to her on the syllabus-- I was basically reading her blog thinking i wrote it?  The other blog i read was Kadi Bishops.  Her love for the lord was something that i immediately grasp onto and it stuck with him.  After all, we are going to be teachers..we have to have the lord on our side to get through some of the hard days ;)

Questions:
1) I am still a little fuzz on what Listening Position is?
2) From the article, How can some of the strategies be incorporated with students with disabilities.

Hello All,
    My name is Whitney Sasser and I am twenty-two years old.  I am originally from Jackson, MS but currently live in Hattiesburg, MS while i attend the University of Southern Mississippi. I am a senior in the Elementary Education program. My family is very dear to me and probably the most important. My moms name is Tracie and my dads name is Ronnie.  Together they had me and my youngest sister Cassidy who is seventeen and a senior is High School. We have dog that is one of us, his name is Lucas.  He is a Maltipoo and the sweetest dog you will ever meet. It was a hard adjustment when I had to move away for the first time when I came to college.
    Dance is one of the reason i came to Southern Miss.  I love to dance and hope to one day own my own studio. Southern is the only school in MS that has a fine art program where i could get a minor in Dance. I was also on the dance team her at Southern Miss last year. Another thing i am also involved in here at Southern Miss is Kappa Delta Sorority, Southern Style, and Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Association.  I love music! any and every kind from christian music to country to oldies. I am 'that person' who read all the Twilights books and they are still one of my favorites. My favorite movie is Pretty Woman! However, i have a lot of other favorites such as Cruel Intentions, Friends with Benefits, etc.  My all time favorite tv is Smallville.  I am extremely sad that the show has come to an end because i have been watching it for ten years. That is just a little about me.
     I am very anxious to get this semester started because it is my last semester of actual classes.  I am very ready to get out into the school and get a feel for being a teacher. This semester we are going into an upper elementary school which is the grades i am more interested in teacher.  My ideal grade would be third grade.  I am also very excited we are working in a class where we are wanting to teach. I hope to teach math and also hope i can get into a math class this semester during observations. As i read the syllabus for CIR 411 trying to figure out what exactly this class is suppose to be about i decided that this course is obviously about literacy. I think that in this course we will explore different ways to use language and literacy in any classroom setting or subject. While reading this, I noticed it said we were going to be focusing a lot on adolescents. I am interested to see what all this adolescents has to offer since all we have been focused on right now is primary grades. One thing I am excited to learn about but at the same time a little nervous is the Elizabethtown Pennsylvania Project. I love the fact we are going to collaborate but then again i am nervous to see how different our schools are.
    Overall, i am very excited for this semester and can not wait to get started and more than that can not wait to finish. SMTTT!