Content Standards for UbD Unit

I definitely want to emphasize literacy in my next unit.  There are so many standards to pick from, I get lost trying to figure out what's most important because they all seem important.  However, for now, I've decided to select:

Apply knowledge of word relationship, such as roots and affixes, to derive meaning from literature and texts in content areas.

Read aloud with appropriate pacing, intonation and expression increasingly complex narrative and expository texts.

Use expanded vocabulary and some descriptive words in oral responses to familiar literature.

I begin with these standards because I want my students to become great readers.  I realize that anyone can read words, but not everyone understands or breaks down what they are reading.  I want my students to be able to independently think for themselves and be able to try and understand what they are reading by guessing the meaning of words based on the context in which it's used, what is sounds like or what it looks like to them.  Some students have turned in work using words that they copied and not really knowing what they mean.  I also have some students who I want to build confidence in their reading skills.  Some are shy or are still learning English, so they still have a lot of difficulty in reading.  I also want students to be able to summarize what we read in class.  I want my students to know that their voice and opinion matters and that they can bring text alive, so it is important for my students to be able to articulate themselves using with an expanded vocabulary.

I'm not sure if these are the best standards to choose for what I want to teach, but these are my initial thoughts.  I know I have to decide what it is I want to accomplish with my students by the end of the trimester and stick to it.  I'm having a hard time grasping that I can't teach my students "everything" in 12 weeks and I just have to choose a few things.

Planning: The Real Story

Right now, I am not doing well in my planning.  I have gone from planning for the week to planning for the next couple of days and now, planning for the next day.  I struggle everyday with content and wonder if my lessons are rigorous enough.  I constantly look for ideas on curriculum and try to figure out how to differentiate my teaching.  I'm not sure if what I'm covering is the "right" thing or "right" amount or "right" area.  I mainly wonder if my students are being challenged.  I know that I feel this way because I haven't spent the amount of time I'd like to on planning my lessons and because I don't feel like I have any guidance in teaching ELD.  For example, I was given a Side by Side book to use as a possible curriculum.  After finally deciding to use it, I realized part way into it that it was Book 2 of 2.  I realized that may have been why it was a little confusing for me.  I'm not sure since I don't have Book 1.

When I am planning my lessons, I determine what to include based on where I've assessed my students.  I have students who range from 1s and 2s to 3s and 4s in the English Language Learner level.  I try to stick to a routine everyday that consists of some writing, grammar and a larger project.  I've also mixed in there some reading, vocabulary and short stories.  Right now, there isn't too much of differentiation for each part so I know the grammar I teach in class is basic and may be just right for my low level English speakers while the larger unit project may be very difficult for them to write a 1-3 page essay.  I also look at my objective and outcomes that I want.

I figure out how I'm going to teach my students based on how the day went before.  I also realized that I teach based on the conveniences available to me.  For example, I know I should have more graphic organizers and visual aides, but haven't used them because I haven't set it up or learned how to incorporate it into my teaching, so I lecture a lot.  I have tons of ideas on what I want to use, but haven't carried them out.  I also try to teach based on what may build more classroom community.  I know I've tried group students to work together based on skill level, seating chart based on who talks the most and least, and also because students are ansy.  I noticed the boys like the more active assignments (i.e. go to the board).  I also try and go over how I'm going to teach a lesson my head and sometimes that doesn't play out quite like I imagined.  Mostly, everything is based on my creativity, confidence and prayers.  I pray that I will make it through another day.

If Only They'd do Their Work

Why don't students do their work?  Many people are quick to jump to the conclusion that it's because they don't know how or they're lazy.  But sometimes, students just don't have the time, space or motivation to do it.  I work with students who work at night or have care taking responsibilities for either a baby or another adult.  So, sometimes, they just don't have time.

However, this doesn't mean it's excusable, but it helps when trying to create a successful plan for students.

The Power of Our Words

Use language to open opportunities, empower and engage.  I was always told that words are very powerful, so if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.  And because someone's words can can leave an imprint in someone's heart, always let someone know how you feel.  However, the power of our words can be positive or negative, meaningful or detrimental.  It can help or hurt, so be mindful of what you say.

Being a teacher requires so many different qualities.  Not only do you have to be a good planner, be able to present in front of a large group of people (in my case, hormonal high school students), but you have to know how to talk, when to talk, what to say and how long you have to say it.  Many people forget that there is a huge responsibility in working with youth how how important your role is in someone's life.  The five guiding principles in this article are very helpful in establishing clear roles and expectations.  I believe that if these are practiced in every relationship, they would be much more healthy.  Everyone should read this article and practice these principles for positive language.

The Teacher as Warm Demander

I believe it is important to be authoritative and not an authoritarian.  I enjoyed this article because I find myself practicing and believing in dealing with students in ways presented in this reading.  I know that the first battle with teaching students in high-poverty schools is consistency.  So it will take at least 1 week for a student to believe that you will be there in the morning, that you will smile when you see them, that you will be a consistent part of their life.  Then, the next step is to trust that you care.  Trust that you care about their well being, their success; trust that you will listen to them and trust that you believe in them.  This is where a teacher who practices patience, tolerance, understanding, communication will build trust with their students so that they trust that the relationship you have with them is to help them be better.  This is when a positive and healthy teaching and learning relationship begins.

A question I have is where to draw the line between being the teacher as warm demander versus being a passive teacher?  How do you come across demanding and warm, and not as "nice one minute" and "mean the next"?

Shouting Won't Grow Dendrites

My plan for meeting the needs of the four types of misbehavior in my classroom:

1.  ATTENTION--Encourage positive behavior through rewarding the good behaving students with my time or "commendable behavior" reports (certificate like acknowledgements implemented through the school).  Talk to students who constantly act out negatively for my attention to ask them why they are acting they way they are and how to create a more positive relationship.  Explain to them what negative contributions versus positive contributions look like and how they affect me, other students and themselves.  Emphasize and give compliments for positive behavior.

2.  CONTROL--Seek out and assign responsibilities to students where they can demonstrate leadership skills.  If you are in a conflict of control, never engage and alway diffuse.  I usually ask if the student is finished (yelling, venting) or gently let them know that I want to talk to them but only when they are calm, then give them options to cool down.  Explain to the student that my goal is to help them be successful in the classroom so any expectation I have of them is because I know they are capable of doing it, not because I want to tell them what to do.

3.  BOREDOM--Differentiate learning with a variety of activities.  Ask students what they would want to do in the classroom to make it "fun."  Find opportunities to connect the classroom to the community (i.e. museum, library, park).

4.  INADEQUACY--Continue to assess student's progress.  Differentiate learning and create assignments based on student's needs.  Assess and commend students on an individual level and point out progress of each student from where they each started, not at where they all have to be.

REACH 106--Assignment #1

1.  How have your first couple of weeks of teaching been going?

My first couple of weeks have had its fair shares of feeling extremely hopeful to "I quit."  I know, I know...so I'm a little dramatic.  : )  The first few days of school, went OK but there were some memorable moments.  One I wished I capitalized on as a teachable moment and another that makes me laugh.  On the first day of school, I went over school core values and classroom expectations.  I did this activity and had students go around to each core value and write what they thought it meant.  Under "dress and speak professionally," one student wrote, "acting white."  The students were shy and although I thought that was an opportunity to bring about a good conversation, I didn't really know how.  I thought about it over the next couple of days but have yet to bring it up again.  As the first day seemed to be filled with teachable moments, I thought class was over at 10:15 so I started rushing through my final activity.  Thinking, "Whew...1 day down," and saying goodbye to my students, the other English teacher who I share my room with said to me, "Umm...class ends at 10:20."  I tell my students, "Whoops!  Just kidding" as I try to get them back in class.  Then I was called out at the staff meeting for being the teacher who let their students out a bit too early on the first day of school.  Way to start strong.  : )  Another low I'm having is really a problem I think most teachers wished they had.  I'm having a really hard time getting my students to talk.  I was going over topic sentences in class and I can't remember the question I asked, but I remember staring at the wall for 10 minutes in silence as all my students stared at me.  No one had anything to say, no one had any comments or anything to respond to.  I could ask them a simple question like introduce yourself and tell us your name and they would just sit there and stare.  My most memorable moment had to be during the first week when I took my students out to the park to do the human knot activity.  As I explaining to them the game and said that they needed to put one hand in towards the center of the circle and grab another person's hand across the way, they all looked at me in shock as if to say, "What!  I have to hold someone else's hand."  When it was their turn, they put their hands in and just stared at each other again.  I literally had to grab their hands and force them into other people's hands.  The guys especially felt very uncomfortable in this activity.  At the end of it, though, they were laughing and I really enjoyed watching some of them open up.  Even if it was a short activity, I felt it was very meaningful, especially because none of them had ever done it before.  I still remember the smile and sense of accomplishment everyone had on their face at the end of it.  This felt great because when we first started, they all looked at me like I was crazy for getting them in a jumbled mess that they didn't quite understand to begin with.

2.  What are two things you feel you are doing well up to now as far as managing your classroom goes?

I have been coming to school at least an hour early every day to prepare.  Getting up early is a HUGE challenge for me, but I think my nerves have not settled yet, so I've been getting up extremely early to prepare for the day.  It helps me get focused and ready to greet the students in the morning.  I've made it a point to greet everyone as they come in, even pausing during class to acknowledge the students who come in late.  I also make it a point to stand by the door at the end of class and say bye to each of them as they leave.  Another thing I have pushed myself to do is differentiate learning with my students.  I really have students on both ends of the learning curve and I have tried small groups based on skill level, pair and shares and personal one on ones.  I have made time during class to walk around and talk with each student on their work and needs.

3.  What is your main area for growth in classroom management?  What questions do you have about this area?

I need to integrate routines into my schedule.  I know consistency is important in teaching and I feel like I am struggling with setting up a routine.  I feel I have so much more to learn both in content and structure.  I'm still hung up with the minutes and time and not genuinely feeling like I'm capturing the learning moments.  I'm also struggling with giving clear directions and instructions.