Teaching Resources and Helpful Websites

Here is a list and review of helpful teaching resources compiled from the web.

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/

This website contains lesson plans, templates, teacher tools, discussion forums, e-books, and more. It is a website that was created to provide teachers with free resources to make lessons fun and exciting. It has different lesson themes from pre-K to 12, and is very insightful and all-inclusive. Some of the tips include how to deal with ADHD students, and there are even pages that you can print off and use in the classroom. If you can’t find what you are looking for amongst all of the free resources, there is also a store where you can purchase items for teaching. This is a very resourceful website!

http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/

This website is a free website that is for the busy k-6 teacher. There are blogs, free pintables, and many more tips, as well as an online store where you can purchase more great items for teaching. There is classroom management advice, as well as monthly resource pages, links for more great websites, and literature activities. There is also a new teacher’s resource page, as well as a resource for creating mini-offices. The website also includes links and instructions on how to create your very own website. This is another great site for teachers!

http://www.theteacherscorner.net/

This website contains daily bulletin boards, pen pals, teacher’s forums, lesson plans, and printable worksheets, all free. What makes this website different from the other websites is that it contains an online teacher’s lounge, with message boards and available teaching jobs. The resources on this site are geared toward the teacher as much as they are geared toward the students. The free lesson plans are also great, and they range from kindergarten to grade 12.

http://teachers.net/

This is a great k-12 teaching resource that contains chat boards, where you can chat with teachers all over the world. It also has over 4,000 free lesson plans, and many free k-12 projects that can be downloaded and printed. There are teacher blogs, a list of teacher jobs, and articles about teaching. Some of the projects include arts and crafts, field trip ideas, fundraising, ecology, and more. All of the projects looked fun and exciting.

http://www.abcteach.com/

This is another great online teacher resource for education. It contains over 35,000 pages of worksheets, projects, and activities if you sign up to become a member. The first 3 months is $9.95, or, 1 year for $40.00. There are even group memberships or gift memberships available. You can search for your project or lesson plan by subject, and there are many downloads that can be printed and used within the classroom. There are also resources for ESL students, as well as “Green” Eco-friendly teaching plans, and projects for home-schooling as well. This website is easy to navigate, and broken down into several different parts. Overall, I would rank this website very highly.

Civil War Concept Map Activity (Middle School)

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE: The Civil War


PRE-ACTIVITY
Description:

·The students will read the chapters in their social studies books about the civil war and find at least one other resource pertaining to the civil war.


Resource Used (If Applicable):

·Textbook
·Other resource (book, internet, etc)



INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE
Description:

·The students will research at least 3 major events pertaining to the civil war, and at least 3 specific details per each major event. One of the details must include what, in the opinion of the students, may have led up to that event.



Student Outcomes:

·The students will be able to identify at least 3 major events that took place during the civil war.
·The students will be able to identify at least 3 specific details about each civil war event.
·The students will think critically about details that may have led up to each civil war event and think critically about cause and effect.


Student Directions:

1.The students are to have read the assigned chapters in their social studies book about the civil war, and come to class prepared with at least one other resource.

2.The students will form small groups of 3-4 students, and, under the direction of the teacher, will begin identifying 3 major civil war events. They will also be asked to identify at least 3 details about the event, one of which must include something, in their opinion, that may have led up to that event.

3.The students will work in the computer lab utilizing inspiration software to create a concept map, under the direction of the teacher, that includes all of the events and specific details that they discussed as a group.



POST-ACTIVITY

Description:

·The students will present their concept map to the class and answer any additional questions the teacher, and class may have pertaining to their concept map and presentation.



Resource Used (If applicable): Inspiration Software, Overhead Projector

Middle School Family and Community Involvement

Goal 1: Facilitate Community Involvement:
Community will be involved in the interests of the school in a variety of ways. Because the library has its own external entrance to the school, and the school library entrance is locked after hours, the library is open after hours to the local community. This provides the community with a vested interest in the school, which may also assist with helping the local community to vote for important levies that are beneficial to the school. Increased community revenue to the school will facilitate more learning programs and opportunities for the middle school students. Also, there is a 50 hour community service requirement that must be completed by the end of eighth grade by all students. This requirement is to be signed and verified by the community service delegation of the student’s choice, and must be approved by the guidance counselor beforehand. An eighth grade paper is required by all students, to summarize their experience and community involvement. Also, school sports are open to the local community, as well as school performances and local events that will be hosted at the school. There will also be yearly community advisory sessions, where administrators and staff open the cafeteria and auditorium up to the local community to field questions, and discuss effective community involvement strategies to enhance both the community and middle school student’s overall experience.

Goal 2: Facilitate Parent Involvement:
Statistics indicate that parental involvement enhances student learning. Parents will become involved in their student’s middle school education via parent-teacher conferences, parent’s day, parent assessments, and signed reports. Parent-teacher conferences will be held monthly, and are designed to provide open lines of communication between parents and teachers concerning student performance. Parent’s day will be held once a school year, and is designed for students to bring their parents to school for the day to participate in activities such as art exhibits, plays, physical activities (parent/student sports teams), contests and lectures. Half of the day, the parents will have the opportunity to view active teacher teaching and lessons, and the other half of the day is dedicated to the activities listed above. Quarterly grade reports are required to be signed by the parent of every student, and each grade report will include a one paragraph, all encompassing summary of the student, written by the student’s homeroom teacher (which must also be signed). The parents will also have the opportunity to assess the teacher’s performance, as a survey will be included with the signed, returned report card. This will help to facilitate parent/teacher communication to effectively improve the instruction and holistic educational experience of the students.

Goal 3: Facilitate Family Involvement:
Family involvement is also important to enhance the support structure of the student. Because middle students undergo extreme transitions during adolescence, a strong support system is imperative. By combining a strong family support system with a strong school support system, the student will have a greater chance of success. The middle school implements Family Service Centers, which work in concordance with guidance counselors and school psychologists to assist in family interventions and cohesiveness. Teachers also provide home learning tasks, in which the entire family can participate in relationship building, reflective experiences that the student can share while in class. Such tasks may include genealogy projects, family trips, or family questionnaires, which can open up lines of communication. The school also participates in Family Diversity Day, where each family is invited to share their culture with the rest of the middle school community. Family Diversity Day will include food, festivities, plays, games, cultural lectures, and information sessions concerning the diverse backgrounds of our students. It encourages family and community involvement within the school, and helps with the enculturation of our students.

Middle School Teacher Interview Questions

Interview questions:
Describe your educational background, licensure, and certification.
Why do you want to teach middle school?
Why are you interested in teaching this particular subject?
Are you able to work with minimal supervision?
How do you feel about constructive teaching?
How do you motivate your students?
How do you approach student conflict?
What would you do if you had a conflict with another teacher?
How do you facilitate effective classroom management?
What are your thoughts concerning team teaching?
Name your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Why do you want to work for this school district?
How do you make learning fun?
Describe a lesson in which you used differentiated instruction.
How do you prepare your students for standardized testing?
What are the characteristics of an effective principal?
What is your educational philosophy?
How would you handle a difficult parent?
Are you able to multitask?
How do you establish authority?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Do you have any questions for us?

Middle School Important Teacher Characteristics

Middle School Teacher Characteristics

Must have knowledge of:
Theories, methodology, techniques, principles and strategies pertaining to the teaching of middle school adolescents. This is important, because empirical research will assist in the facilitation of appropriate and effective educational instruction.

Social, behavioral, and academic characteristics of middle school adolescents. This is important because middle school students undergo extreme physical, mental, and emotional transitions, and the teacher must be prepared to deal with such transitions.


Middle school educational curriculum, current educational trends and research. This is important because middle school is a transition from elementary school to high school, and current curriculum, trends, and research help to assist with that transition effectively.

Behavior management, strategies, conflict resolution, and techniques. This is important because of the transition that middle school students undergo. There may be more conflicts in the middle school level because of these transitions, and it is important that the teacher knows how to deal with these conflicts effectively.


Socio-economic and cultural differences amongst the middle school population. It is important to have a knowledge of diversity, and to respect each student’s cultural background so that teaching can be effective and meaningful to every student.

Must be able to:
Create appropriate learning experiences for a diverse student population to facilitate knowledge.

Develop and execute comprehensive teaching for middle school students to provide a holistic educational experience.

Facilitate effective assessment to determine what works and what does not.

Motivate and stimulate the student’s effectively in an educational setting to maintain their attention span.

Perform research based developmental activities in accordance with middle school curriculum to enhance education.


Work effectively with faculty as a member of a team to achieve the common goal of student excellence.

Work independently and autonomously to allow principals and administrators to focus on important ways to enhance student learning experiences.

Illustrate proper judgment when faced with a variety of situations in a transitive middle school environment.

Multitask, meet and exceed deadlines, to maximize time management.

Must possess:
A baccalaureate or advanced degree pertaining to the intended subject matter being taught to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act.

Middle School Student Assessments

1. Assessment is the systematic gathering of information pertaining to student knowledge. It includes the knowledge of what students know, are able to do, and what they may be able to do in the future. It typically refers to the traditional form of written assessment, although it can sometimes encompass other forms.

2. An alternative assessment is a form of assessment that deviates from the traditional written assessment. It may not be criterion based, and may include open ended questions, problem solving, skill demonstration, portfolios, or other forms of illustrating student knowledge, other than a written standardized test.

3. Authentic assessment is the process of judging student knowledge based on several different sources. It may encompass portfolios, observations, and alternative assessments in conjunction with traditional assessment measures, such as standard written tests and assignments. Authentic assessment allows students to be evaluated using life skills and real-world tasks, to gain a complete picture of student knowledge.

4. Performance assessment is a form of assessment that requires students to illustrate complex and significant tasks, utilizing prior knowledge and relevant skills to resolve authentic, real life problems. It focuses on observable results, as implemented via standards, criterion, and rubrics.

5. A rubric is a scoring tool for assessment. It allows for standardized evaluation in accordance with specific criteria, and provides the student with clear, concrete guidelines from which they will be assessed.

6. A portfolio assessment of a portfolio, which is a representative collection of student work that is meant to illustrate student knowledge, achievements, progress, and efforts over a period of time. It may be scored individually, as a whole (scored for having all of the required documents), or holistically (assessment based on the general impression of the student’s collection of work). A portfolio assessment often utilizes pre-established criterion to ensure the achievement of the portfolio objective, and focuses on student growth over a period of time.

7. The above are all important factors in middle school education to insure that the students are progressing satisfactorily. Traditional, standardized testing and assessment is important to evaluate progress of a cohort of students. Because students are diverse culturally, mentally, emotionally, and educationally, alternative assessments are important, because examine student progress in ways that may not be assessable traditionally. Authentic assessments are important because they determine student progress from a variety of different sources, which can help to gain a complete picture of the students’ learning overall. Performance assessments allow the student to show that they are capable of relevant, real world life skills and problems, which combine their education in school with practical real world application. Rubrics are extremely important, because they provide the students with grading expectations, and allow them to be assessed in a standardized manner, so they know what to expect concerning the outcome of their assignments. Overall, various assessments are important in middle school to determine the appropriate course of action for teachers, parents, and administrators. Assessment is crucial because it determines whether or not something is working, and provides the assessor with a tool to help determine what works and what does not. All students are expected to create end of grade portfolios of their best work for every class, which will be assessed as part of their final grades. Yearly, teachers will evaluate their teaching strategies on the basis of the above assessment types, to determine whether changes need to be made to their instructional strategies.

Key Middle School Instruction Components

Brain-based Learning
Brain-based learning relates to the learning needs of young adolescents by providing empirical research and physiological evidence that relates to the education of middle school students. It assists teachers with the utilization of a variety of strategies to engage various aspects of the students’ brains. Brain-based learning engages the complete physiology of the brain, addressing the fact that learning can be either facilitated or inhibited by factors such as nourishment, neuron synthesis and growth, and external factors such as stress, challenges, excitement, etc. Brain-based learning hypothesizes that neuron synthesis can be affected by school experiences, and events. It has several implications for educators. For example, educators can teach students about proper nutrition, stress management, and exercise. Also, a stable and familiar learning environment is conducive to healthy brain activity and learning. Overall, brain-based learning equates a healthy brain with lifelong learning experiences, which can be fostered through a holistic curriculum within the school system. Once per week, the homeroom teacher will incorporate “healthy brain” mini lessons as an instructional strategy to promote brain-based learning.

Constructivism
Constructivism postulates that knowledge, meaning, and learning is generated through active experience. When one reflects upon their experiences, they “construct” their own understanding of the world around them. This is based upon the premise that humans create their own mental models which help to facilitate understanding, thus causing humans to adjust their mental models to accommodate new experiences. Constructivism is extremely useful in the adolescent classroom. When middle school students actively participate in their learning experiences, they gain a greater sense of knowledge and responsibility of the material that is being learned. It helps students to think critically, and take responsibility for their education. Also, it helps with their social maturation, as constructivism, as opposed to direct instruction, actively involves the student with the class as a whole. Constructivism will be utilized as an instructional strategy within the school by teacher promotion of group based learning and constructive peer feedback. Constructivism begets active problem-solving skills, which facilitate knowledge in middle school students and young adolescents. The knowledge gained from constructive instruction will follow the students throughout their life endeavors.

Socialization
Socialization is an important process in young adolescents, because it facilitates positive and beneficial inter-peer relationships, which carry forward throughout life. It is crucial to develop adequate socialization skills as a young adolescent, and to learn the skills, values, thought processes, and behavioral patterns within our culture. This insures positive behavioral interactions among human beings. Socialization is essential for the development of a cohort of middle school students, and for the development of a society as a whole. It insures that the collective culture of society will be followed through by future generations. School is among the top key factors in facilitating socialization, and it is essential to nourish good social skills, especially when young adolescents are undergoing so many physical, mental, and emotional changes. Socialization benefits the learning needs of young adolescents because it can effectuate learning if the student is socialized properly, as opposed to being disturbed by social distractions.

Essential Outcomes
Essential outcomes are extremely important in meeting the needs of young adolescents because they create a standard to uphold, that will provide equal education opportunity to all students. By having essential outcomes in place, students know what to expect, and teachers have a guideline to follow to assist them with their delivery of knowledge. Essential outcomes provide a universal standard for all students, and a framework to guide student learning cumulatively throughout their studies.

Diversity
Diversity is an important aspect of adolescent learning. It is crucial to understand one’s background to maximize that particular individual’s learning experiences, and to assist with their growth as a student and individual. In today’s society, schools are observing an increase in the diverse backgrounds of their students. It is important to understand where these students are coming from in order to know how to help them to further their education. Learning is not as important in some cultures as in others, and gender roles and enculturation factor in to the prioritization of learning across each culture spectrum. Diversity can also enrich the learning experiences of students outside of each individual culture, and can assist with cultural sensitization and empathy toward people with different backgrounds, which are important skills for adolescents to learn as they journey throughout life.

Key Curriculum Components

Interdisciplinary Training
Interdisciplinary training will be incorporated into the middle school by providing developmentally appropriate themes that span the curriculum. Such themes will include multiculturalism, environmentalism, diversity, and current events. Each department will be expected to incorporate the highlighted theme into their curriculum, and the 8th period (extracurricular period) will also highlight the specific themes. All themes will contain developmentally appropriate, cooperative learning experiences, and teachers will be expected to discuss their curriculum plans and student progress in monthly staff meetings. Family Diversity Day, which occurs once per school year, will be a recurring theme in the school’s interdisciplinary training. Each class will produce a class project reflecting diversity awareness, which will be highlighted during Family Diversity Day.

Advisory Programs
It is important to address the varying needs of the students, especially those that span beyond academics. The advisory period for students will occur during homeroom time, Period 1. This period will be utilized to examine current events and life issues concerning the students, as well as issues relating to their school performance, and upcoming life events. During advisory period, students will create, monitor, and assess weekly achievement goals under the monitoring of the homeroom advisor. The advisory period will allow students to hear school-wide and community messages. The advisory period is important because it provides each student with at least one teacher/role model to speak with concerning their life outside academics. It is also a key component in the role of communication between school and home, and is developmentally appropriate, because middle school students often experience many physical, mental, emotional, and academic transitions that can be addressed throughout the advisory period.

Varied Instruction
Varied instruction will be incorporated into the curriculum by providing response based teaching, under the presumption that not all learners are alike. Special Education programs and resources are readily available, complete with the appropriate assistive technology, as well as gifted programs and resources for the gifted students. ESL teachers are available as well. Tutors are available to assist students who may need further instruction. Instruction will also be varied to incorporate the variety of developmentally appropriate learning styles, including, kinesthetic, verbal, visual, and auditory. To ensure that the school is doing everything that it can to vary its learning styles, technology is incorporated into every classroom, including assistive devices for students with disabilities and special needs. Student feedback and assessment will be reviewed to ensure that instruction is varied.

Exploratory Programs
Exploratory programs are added to the curriculum, and highlighted during the last period of the day, every Friday. The exploratory programs meet the unique needs of middle school adolescents, and will be considered integrated learning experiences that incorporate skills that are taught in the core courses, with real-life skills. This will foster peer/peer and student/teacher relationships in a controlled setting, and provide time for the students to participate in an activity of their choice, as directed by faculty. Such developmentally appropriate activities may include yearbook committee, school newspaper, athletics, school magazine, music appreciation, etc.

Transition Programs
The Middle School transition program is designed to turn risk into opportunities for growth, and address the needs of young, adolescent middle school students. The programs will be designed to meet the needs of students by addressing key issues and themes throughout adolescence such as self esteem, social skills, high school readiness, and more. Health classes will address many of the questions that adolescents face concerning the changes that their bodies are undergoing, as well as self-esteem issues and body concerns. Daily morning advisory periods address school, life, and community concerns, as well as providing an adult mentor for the students to look up to, to answer questions about life to come after middle school. Exploratory programs prepare the students to make choices toward their interests, as well as enhance social skills. School clubs also provide the students with resources to expand themselves beyond academics, and incorporate skills that will be needed in high school and beyond.

Ideal Middle School Building Structure

Building Structure
The middle school can comfortably accommodate 800 students, with an area of 130,000 square feet, and is located on 20 acres of publicly funded land that was specifically set aside for the suburban school setting. The physical layout of the school is a pod structure that is separated by grades 6,7, and 8, to assist with a developmentally appropriate transition from elementary school to high school. Each pod cluster shares a science room, resource room, and computer lab, with 2 sets of boys and girls restrooms per pod. Room numbers are sequential, and directional signs and color coded lockers by grade line the hallways for each pod for easy navigation.

Upon initial entrance to the school, one will find the main office, complete with space for copiers, printers, and supplies and restrooms, as well as the nurse’s office and guidance counselor’s office. There is a single, large main teacher’s lounge and meeting hall near the main entrance, complete with a private restroom, however each pod also has a small break room and private restroom for teachers as well. The cafeteria (complete with stage area for performances), kitchen, music room, separate boys and girls locker rooms, and 2 gymnasiums lie within the center of the building.

The library is attached to the outside of the building near the main entrance, and has 2 entrances, one going outside and one attached to the building. (The entrance from the library to the school is locked after school hours). Outside of the building is a large football field with bleachers, complete with a track. There is also a practice field, as well as a baseball stadium with bleachers, and practice field, and 3 tennis courts. Parking is located in the front of the building, and near the track and field area. The main entrance is unlocked, however entrance through any other door other than the main entrance is by proximity card.

Upcoming Early Childhood Trends

Three of the changes occurring in early childhood education that influence the practice of early childhood professionals in the coming years are:

1. A push toward early literacy: Educational professionals are focusing on early literacy in early education programs, to promote lifelong literacy.
2. The utilization of technology: Technology incorporation is being utilized in the classroom as a means to educate children, using as many resources as possible.
3. The increase of standardized testing: Standardized tests and Value Added assessments are influencing the practice of early childhood professionals, by providing a measurement for assessment, which assists the professionals with the material that they teach, and how that material is presented.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Self-Actualization: To realize one’s full potential.
-Relates to child development because children who reach their potential are able to expand their knowledge and become great thinkers.
Esteem Needs: A feeling of importance and belonging. (self esteem)
-This stage allows children to be fulfilled and have a positive outlook on their life.
Social Needs: Social interaction with others; giving and receiving love and friendship.
-social interaction and groups help children feel comfortable in their surroundings, which can facilitate learning.
Safety Needs: A sense of security and being safe from harm.
-It is more beneficial to learn in a safe environment, so children can focus on educational material instead of focusing on safety concerns.
Physiological Needs: Needs required to sustain life. (Food, shelter, etc.)
-Children need to have their basic physiological needs met before they are able to learn material in an educational setting.

Phonics Definitions

Letter isolation: Isolating particular letters in an attempt to understand their phonetics. Letter identity: The identification if the characteristics of a particular letter.Letter blending: Combining letters that are in the same word to create phoenetical sound. Letter segmenting: Combining letters together that create a sound. Letter deletion: Taking away letters in a word that do not make up a sound.Letter addition: Adding letters to create a sound.Letter substitution: Filling in sounds with letters to create a sound.

What is Value Added Assessment

Status reporting: Status reporting is a summary of a situation for a stated period of time. In Ohio schools, it pertains to student progress for a specific academic period.

Adequate Yearly Progress: A measurement defined by the no child left behind act, that allows the US department of Education to determine academic progress with performance measurements based on standardized testing. In Ohio schools, this means that students will be held accountable for material learned by standardized testing.

Value Added Progress: Diagnostic reporting that uses existing standardized test data to produce progress reports, that assesses student growth and progress over time. In Ohio schools, this is important because it can determine whether or not academic progress is being made across the general curriculum.

Progress versus Achievement: Progress is how much growth/gain is achieved over time, whereas achievement is measured by a student’s performance at a single point in time, and how well the student performs against a standard. In Ohio school, a teacher’s performance is based upon a student’s achievement (# of students who pass the state test).

B.F. Skinner Praxis Brief

Major Ideas

· Skinner was the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard (1958-1974)

· It is said that he was one of the most influential psychologists of our time, publishing 21 books and over 180 articles.

· Created the Operant Conditioning Chamber: (AKA Skinner Box) This is an apparatus that is utilized in a laboratory setting to experiment on behavior analysis. It focused on operant conditioning and classical conditioning.

o Operant conditioning: Using consequence to modify voluntary behavior. It “operates” on the environment and is sustained by consequence.”

o Classical Conditioning: (AKA Pavlovian Conditioning) Based on associative learning. In classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus is presented along with a stimulus that has significance, eventually causing a response to the neutral stimulus. Example: Pavlov’s utilization of a metronome to cause salivation in dogs. The metronome was the neutral stimulus that was utilized before feeding the dogs, and eventually became a cause for salivation for the dogs.

· The Skinner Box: A sound and light proof enclosure that detects behavioral responses. In Skinner’s experiments, he often used rodents to push levers to produce reinforcers such as food.


(See Skinner box illustration below)



Theoretical Perspectives:

· Skinner focused on positive reinforcement, which is the encouragement of a specific behavior that results in the repetition of that behavior.

· Skinner created “Radical Behaviorism,” which was a philosophy that includes all aspects of reinforcement, including hidden aspects like emotions, perceptions, and thoughts. Radical behaviorism includes the environment as a function of behavior.

· B.F. Skinner’s research helped with the investigation of several different aspects of human psychology.

o Skinner boxes, or, operant conditioning chambers, are often used today in the research of behavioral pharmacology.

o Practical application has been extended to behavioral economics, which is an aspect of financial analysts that applies empirical research to human behavior in the world. Slot machines are an example of how behavioral economics affect society.

Phases/Steps:

· Skinner’s research expanded from classical conditioning, to operant conditioning, to radical behaviorism. He created several inventions to test his research and include varying aspects of behavioral psychology that has practical applications in the world today.

· B. F. Skinner was the inventor of cumulative reorder, which was a measuring tool for the rate of response in accordance with a reinforcement schedule.

· He also invented the air crib, which was a climate controlled box, similar to a crib, that was designed to soothe a baby and reinforce positive behavior. While this was one of his more controversial inventions, there was some success noted in his experiment.


Classroom Applications:

· Skinner stated that, “Teachers must learn how to teach…they need only to be taught more effective ways of teaching.”

o This quotation was a reflection of his idea that positive reinforcement is one of the most effective teaching resources. He believed that positive reinforcement was a better alternative than punishment in education, as he believed that the only thing a student would learn from punishment was how to not be punished.

· Skinner stated that there are five main obstacles to the student learning experience:

1. Students fear that they may fail at a task.
2. Tasks are not broken down into enough simple steps.
3. Teachers do not often provide enough direction.
4. The directions that are provided are not always clear and concise.
5. There is a lack of positive reinforcement.

· Skinner believed that skills that are age appropriate can be taught to students utilizing five main aspects to correct the problems listed above:

1. Provide the student with immediate feedback about their work.
2. Break-down the tasks at hand so they are smaller and simpler.
3. Reiterate the directions to the student over and over to clarify.
4. Organize tasks in a hierarchy, ranging from simpler tasks to more complex tasks.
5. Provide lots of immediate, positive reinforcement.

By utilizing some of the above ideas, it is possible to gain knowledge from B.F. Skinner’s work, taking it from the research laboratory to the everyday classroom. Like the “Skinner Box,” students of all ages who receive immediate positive reinforcement will continue to perform the task that provides them with such reinforcement.

This is especially important in an educational setting, because often, there is a lack of motivation in students, if their positive behavior is not reinforced as much as it should be.



Resources

Special Connection, (2009). Positive Reinforcement. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from htt
p://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat= behavio
r&section=main&subsection=classroom/positive

Wikipedia, (2009). B.F. Skinner. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/B.F._Skinner#Theory

Curriculum Development: Curriculum Brief

Armstrong, T. (1994). Multiple Intelligences: Seven Ways to Approach
Curriculum. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from http://www.thomasarmstrong.co
m/articles/7_ways.htm

Lake, K. (2009). Integrated Curriculum. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from
http://www.nwrel.org/archive/sirs/8/c016.html


Ø Social studies (SS) demands an interdisciplinary teaching approach relative to other subjects because:

o SS needs to prepare knowledgeable, clear thinking citizens;

o Inquiry into real world citizenship matters is naturally holistic and should not be restricted by rules or boundaries;

o Good citizens synthesize knowledge from a multitude of sources and consciously connect this knowledge to their individual values and mores.


Ø There are two prevalent, existing pedagogies for teaching SS: 1) a discipline approach that focuses on knowledge gained; and 2) a reflective approach focusing on thoughtful thinking and social criticism.


Ø These existing approaches are inadequate. A discipline approach does not allow for the constructive and creative synthesis of knowledge needed for “quality decision-making and social participation.” The reflective approach is limited by the subject matter selected and often does not challenge the students to think about existing social issues, but rather focuses only on the “thinking” process.


Ø A new, more radical issues-centered approach to teaching SS is being championed by some academics and teachers as the solution to achieving the three goals highlighted in the first bullet.

Prevalence Across the Country and in Ohio

Ø Nationally, there is a trend toward dividing SS into component parts and teaching each discipline independently. For example, geography taught separately from history.


Ø The concept of an issues-centered approach is not new, but it has been watered down by a focus on reflective thinking.


Ø Locally, Ohio’s focus on standardized testing indicates a resistance to a interdisciplinary, issues-centered teaching style because it is antithetical to the knowledge gain (discipline-approach) that prepares students for the State exams. This same reasoning would apply on the National level.

Best Method to Address the Future of the SS Curriculum

Ø An issues-centered approach relies on reflective, open-ended questions that are drawn from current social issues or cultural obstacles. Students are required to examine social practices using the ideals of democracy, as well as clarify and test alternatives to determine the preferable method or system.

Special Needs Classroom: Field Experience

Special Needs Classroom: High School Experience (Names changed)

8:25am: I was not able to observe Tim’s class today, so I was able to go to Mrs. Campbell’s classroom instead. Erin is a health and physical education teacher, so I found it very interesting to see how she works with students with special needs in an interactive environment. Her first class was health, and it was in a classroom setting. The topic that she was teaching was sexual education, and she had guest speakers in the classroom that day. In her health education classroom, she had 3 students who were diagnosed with learning disorders, and one with ADHD. Throughout the class, the students were extremely excited about the topic of sexual education, but Erin had strategized before the class in preparation for her student’s reactions, and had the classroom re-arranged in semi-circular shape, so that all of the students had an up-close view of the speaker and her demonstrations, and felt like an integral part of the classroom. There weren’t any aides in this particular classroom, although all of the students had IEP’s. When one of the students became overly excited and spoke out of turn, Erin was very patient, and reminded him of the importance of the topic, and why it was not a joke. Her strategy, to convey the importance of the topic to the students, seemed like a very integral aspect to their learning. In order for the students to remain on task, they needed constant reminders and guidance, and overall, her classroom management skills provided for a successful learning experience for the students with learning disabilities, and the students within the regular classroom.

After class, Erin also showed me some of her modified tests that she uses for some of her students who are on IEP’s, and are in need of modified testing. These tests included information pertinent to the lesson, while not providing too much confusing information for the student. One of the tests, for example, only had two choices, (a or b), in lieu of the regular classroom test (a, b, c, d). She also stated that she provides advanced notification to the sides about an upcoming test, and often provides the test to them in advance as well as study guides. She told me that she learned that it was important to not let these students fall behind, and that working with the aides was very important.

9:25am: It was time for Erin to teach physical education, so we headed over to the gym to prepare for her lesson, which was badmitton. While I am not studying to become a physical education teacher, I learned a great deal about human behavior and students with special needs from her classroom. I observed several classes throughout the day, and learned many things from Erin, by observing her. The most important thing that I picked up on was classroom management and preparation. I learned that Erin is a very organized educator, and that her preparation was the reason that many of the incidents that could have caused a distraction to the learning process were averted. For the class today, Erin was continuing a badmitton tournament, in which the students participated in a round robin game.

During this particular morning class, a boy named John (not the same as listed before) came to gym class and was not dressed to participate. John had been diagnosed with ADHD, and, although he was not lacking academically, he had behavioral and organizational problems. Erin explained to me that John was on a MFE, which she described as a precursor to the IEP. She asked John where his clothes for gym were and he replied that he did not know, and she reminded him that she would have to deduct points off his grade for the day because he was not dressed. This was important to John, because he was on a rewards system, where he was allowed to participate in other activities (as opposed to study hall) if his grades were good. Throughout the day, I noticed that this was a common theme at this particular school. The students were allowed to skip study hall and participate in an activity that they liked, as a teacher’s helper, if their grades were good. I found this system to be very effective, as I witnessed several students throughout the day either asking about their grades, or coming to Erin and asking to be a helper.

There was also another student named Anthony who had been diagnosed with ADHD. Every class, Anthony refused to change his clothes for gym. Unlike John, he was forgetful. Anthony did not like to change his clothes around the other boys in the locker room, and instead made it a point to always wear his everyday clothing. Erin informed me that she had previously spoken with some of the male faculty to see if arrangements could be made to make Anthony more comfortable, (provide him with a private place to change, etc.), but Anthony refused every time. She said that the result was that he always wore whatever he wanted, and had points taken off. At this point in time, she stated that parental intervention had not helped, and that she was actively thinking about something that would be rewarding enough to help Anthony want to dress for gym.

Erin pointed out that there were a couple of other students who were on IEP’s in the classroom for various learning disorders, but the class had no major incidents. It seems as if the physical activity helped the students to focus on the task as hand and provide them with a positive environment, while releasing some of the stress from sitting still in a classroom all day. I believe that a regular classroom may be able to implement some of these strategies by allowing the students with a few minutes each class to talk and stretch, before diving into the lesson, so that the student’s minds are relaxed and ready to process information.

10:25am: Erin’s second gym class for the day. Her lesson plan was to continue the badmitton tournament, and again, she had a few students who were on IEP’s in her class. I had never previously realized the prevalence of learning disorders and ADHD in the classroom, and looking back to my school years, I realize that diagnosis has come a long way. When I was growing up, a lot of these students would have been labeled as “problem students” and written off, and today, parents, teachers, and faculty actively work with the students to resolve some of their behavioral and mental disabilities, which help the students to remain focused. During this class, there was a student named Ryan who was a helper in the classroom. Ryan was on an IEP for learning disabilities, and Erin’s gym class was one of his rewards. Every week, for a couple of times a week, he participated in the gym activities and helped her with the set-up and clean-up of the activities. She explained to me that after speaking with some of Ryan’s other teachers, she had learned that he was able to focus better after physical activity. Ryan was very kind and helpful, and worked well with Erin and the other students.

There was also a student named Taveon, who was always late for class and never turned in any of his work. Taveon was assigned a caseworker, who was in constant contact with the teachers about Taveon’s progress. Erin stated that he did not have an IEP yet, and that the caseworker had been assigned to assist with behavioral intervention and planning the best course of action. Throughout the class, Taveon was distracted, and often attempted to get my attention by his over-exaggerated behavior. Erin explained that at this point in time, it was important to ignore his actions. She stated that drawing attention to Taveon, even if it were to correct his behavior, only caused further behavioral outbursts.

11:25am: The next class came in, and Erin pointed out a student named Glenn, who had a chest malformation. As a result, he had a limited range of motion, and could not participate in badmitton for the day. Instead of excluding him, Erin had him assist with scorekeeping and refereeing the games, so that he was still an active participant in the classroom. She informed me that he had been given special provisions and extra time when dressing for gym, and that she always had him actively participating in some sort of activity when his range of motion would not allow him to participate in the regular activity. As a result, Glenn has a sense of empowerment, because he was in charge of scorekeeping and refereeing, and the other students were extremely kind to him, and did not make fun of him because of his disability. In this classroom, there was also a small girl named Gerle, who was noticeably shorter than the other students. Gerle was diagnosed with a learning disorder, and had some problems with socialization. She and her family had immigrated from Africa, so there were cultural barriers as well. Gerle was allowed to wear her traditional African attire, but had to wear shorts under her skirt while in gym class. This demonstrated cultural sensitivity, while meeting the needs of the classroom. Erin explained to me that Gerle often needed extra attention, not because she caused a distraction, but because she often did not understand what to do. At the beginning of class, Erin asked the students to gather in groups of four for a warm up exercise, and all of the other students had gathered, while Gerle stood alone in the middle of the gym. Erin walked over to her and placed her in a group of classmates, who readily accepted her. She explained to me that, in her experience, the regular classroom students were often very accepting of the students with special needs, and were empathetic to their disabilities. Gerle learned by actively participating in the activities with her peers, and from observing the activities of those around her. Erin told me that her progress since the beginning of the semester has been exponential.

12:25am: This was the last badmitton class of the day, and again, the competition continued. John, the same student from Tim’s class the day before, had an aide with him, and came dressed for class, as well as a student names Ryan. While John had been diagnosed with autism, Ryan had a physical disability that was pending diagnosis. He was affected with a physical disability similar to parkinson’s disease, where he often shook, and his fine motor skills were lacking. As a result, he was not able to write or utilize fine motor skills, and was given assistive technology in the classroom to help him type and take tests. For the physical education class, he was able to participate in badmitton, as it required gross motor skill usage in lieu of fine motor skills. John participated as well, along with the help of his aide, and he was quite good at badmitton. Upon observation, one would not have noticed that he had a disability, based on his physical abilities. Erin explained to me that it had taken time for the aide to explain the rules at the beginning of the week’s lesson, but that after the initial explanation, only small adjustments needed to be made throughout the lesson.

Overall, I learned a lot from Mrs. Campbell’s classroom. She stressed the importance of classroom management and pre-set protocol establishment. She explained to me that all of her students knew what to expect each day, and that they had the same routine at the beginning of class. She also utilized music as a classroom management tool (for example, when the music stopped, the students were to stop what they were doing and listen), and a whistle as an attention grabber. In her health education classroom, when she stood at the front of the class and raised her hand the students knew that they were to stop what they were doing and listen to her. These strategies worked for the regular classroom students as well as the students with disabilities.

Book Summary: The Skin I'm In

The Skin I’m In

The Skin I’m In, by Sharon Flake, tells a tale of a young, seventh grade girl with very black skin. The girl, Maleeka, is often taunted by her fellow students for her awkwardness, poorly handcrafted clothing, and dark skin. Maleeka has become friends with Charlese (Char), one of the most popular girls in school, because she does her homework in return for Char sticking up for her. On a positive note, Char lends Maleeka clothing, but often treats her very poorly, and gets her in trouble. Maleeka’s grades also begin to slip, the more she hangs out with Char.
A new teacher, Ms. Saunders, arrives to teach English in the school. Immediately, Maleeka was afraid to be close with the teacher because she has a large, white patch on her face, which Maleeka felt would bring negative attention to her. Maleeka feels that if she befriends the teacher, she too will be made fun of, and she is already made fun of heavily for her black skin, although she sees Ms. Saunders as someone who is worse off than herself. Ms. Saunders is proud of her skin, despite the taunts from the other students, much to Maleeka’s surprise. She talked about how she used to be insecure, but learned to love herself. Ms. Saunders encouraged Maleeka to write a journal/diary, and eventually, she wins a writing contest.
One day, as a result of Maleeka’s growing independence, Ms. Saunders upset Char, so Char takes Maleeka to Ms. Saunder’s classroom, and sets the room on fire, leaving Maleeka there to take the blame for the act. Because Maleeka is insecure, she originally takes the blame for the arson; however, once she learns to accept herself gradually, she turns Char in. She learns from Ms. Saunders to stand up for herself and be secure about herself and her life (and the skin she’s in), which leads to her eventually standing up for herself about the arson.
This book was very inspiring, because it shows that when you decide that you want to excel in life and appreciate yourself for who you are, nothing and no one can stop you. Often times, school aged kids are harassed by other kids for being different, and many of these students have relationships like Char and Maleeka’s. Sometimes, it takes someone who is viewed as worse off, to display self-esteem and confidence about themselves, for you to see that you can choose to overcome any insecurity.
After reading the book, I was interested in the background and inspiration for the subject matter. I researched the author, Sharon Flake, and learned that she was inspired to write this book because she has a “beautiful dark-skinned daughter.” She began to tell her daughter about stories of heroic, incredible dark skinned women who performed amazing tasks, to build her self-esteem from early childhood. Sharon Flake acknowledged that, even within the African-American community, one can be picked apart for being dark skinned, and she wanted to deal with the issue of racism, even within her own community. The book was written to help people to learn to appreciate themselves, despite what other people say. Overall, I feel that her goal was accomplished. The Skin I’m In was a well written, effective teaching tool for self respect and appreciation.

Child Learning During Piaget's Preoperational Stage

How can early childhood professionals promote children's learning during the preoperational stage of intellectual development?

The preoperational stage of development ocurrs between the ages of 2 and 6. During this stage, Piaget deduced that children are able to utilize symbols via play and pretend. The development of language is also very important during this stage. Early childhood professionals can promote children’s learning during the preoperational stage via playing “pretend,” and promoting learning. Children can pretend to play the role of “mommy, daddy, or teacher,” to assist with the development of the ability to represent something else. Creativity can be fostered with art, storytelling, and pretend. If one were to take the holistic approach, physical movement to songs, and dancing also are great ways to promote learning and intellectual development. Sorting is also a great way to assist with development, and will assist with categorizing objects and pictures. Hands on activities that include language and symbolism are all wonderful ways to promote leaning for children in the preoperational stage. You can you-tube preoperational stage, and find lots of resources for children in this age. How can early childhood professionals promote children's learning during the preoperational stage of intellectual development?

Promote Language Development in Schools

To help promote a children’s language development, it is important to talk to the child as much as possible, and make sure that you pronounce and enunciate your words correctly. It is important to talk to the child using correct language (no baby talk), and make conversation engaging. It is also important to listen to the child as well, so they can understand the importance of conversation, and know that it is about speaking and listening.
To promote literacy development, it is important to begin reading at a very early age, and make reading fun and engaging. It is important to help the child to understand that words consist of individual letters and have meaning. Even if a young shild is just looking at the pictures, it reinforces the concept of books and reading, which will eventually turn into literacy development.
Talking to elementary teachers, I have often heard that it is possible to be able to tell the children who were read to and spoken to correctly, versus the children whose parents expected the school to take over that responsibility. To promote early language and literacy, the parents must engage the children often and early, and make it a rewarding, fun experience for the child as much as possible. Positive reinforcement is a major factor in the success of any important skill.

Multi-culturalism in Schools

I think that it is important to respect another culture’s way of life, and that multiculturalism can be extremely beneficial to the school system. That being said, in the United States, our way of life should be respected as well, and the students should have to adapt to the American school system. If the situation were reversed, a school outside of this country would not bend over backwards to change their education core to accommodate a student from the United States. Because we live in the United States, it would be a dis-service to the students, because school is supposed to prepare them for the world after school. It is important to respect other cultures and do what is reasonable to accommodate them, but English should be spoken in the classroom. Unlike a disability, coming to a school in the United States is a choice, and translators and extra learning items should by the responsibility of the families, not the school system. If an individual teacher chooses to go above any beyond to provide learning resources that is great, but accommodating people who made the choice to come to a school in the United States should not be mandated. Some schools may choose to provide these services because if they do not, their overall grade report and rankings decrease dramatically, as these students may not be able to pass standardized grade tests.

There are several different types of learning diversities: Learning differences, Economic status, Language diversity, Gender diversity, and Ethnic diversity.

-Learning differences: There are a wide range of students in a school who have a wide range of learning capacities. Learning differences can range from a student who is exceptionally gifted to a student who is severely disabled, and it is important that the school system is capable of supporting this wide range.
-Economic status: There is also a wide range of students with varying economic status, ranging from the poor to the rich. In some schools, children may predominately take the bus, while in others, students drive their Range Rovers. (I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a car parked in a student parking lot that is one of my dream cars-the student said she would probably end up wrecking it). If a student is tired, hungry, or ill as a result of not having enough money, this can affect their learning.
-Language diversity: Today, many students come from different parts of the world and speak a variety of different languages. ESL is increasing rapidly in the classroom.
-Gender diversity: There are learning differences between males and females, and learning styles may vary amongst the 2 genders.
-Ethnic diversity: This pertains to the varying diversity from different cultures. This can affect learning in schools because different ethnicities have different ways of living, and what is culturally acceptable in one ethnic group may not be culturally acceptable in another.

Piaget and Curriculum Alignment

Curriculum alignment is when the curriculum is based on improving the student’s standardized testing scores, to improve those scores. By teaching the material that will appear on the standardized test, students are able to score higher.

Piaget viewed children as active learners in their environment, and attributed cognitive development to play. He believed that when children experience the outside world, their level of intelligence increases. Play also develops peer and other social relationships, as the children interact with the world around them. Piaget also had different cognitive stages as children progressed throughout their childhood.

Sensorimotor- Children use senses to obtain their knowledge of the world around them. (age 0-2)
Preoperational- Symbolic thinking (age 2-7)
Concrete Operations- Children can take multiple viewpoints (7-12)
Formal Operations-

Parten delineated six different stages concerning the play of children.

Unoccupied play- Child sits or stands.
Solitary play- Child plays alone
Onlooker play-Child observes peer play
Parallel play-Child plays alone but mimicks play of children around them
Associative play- Child interacts with other children but not active cooperative play
Cooperative play- Child actively plays together

Phonics: Within-Words Activities

Within-Word Stage Activities



Double Consonants Activity:
Double Consonant Bingo: Players pick double or single letter cards and try to create complete words on bingo cards. The teacher will create large bingo cards in order to fit the words on the board, and each word will have a beginning and ending. The student must complete the words on the board using the bingo cards. Spread the cards face down, so the players can put them back if they can’t use them. A dictionary will be handy to check spelling. The first student to get Bingo with their letter cards is the winner.

R Controlled-Vowel Activity:
Students are given 10 minutes to come up with as many words that they can in each of the following categories: ar, er, ir, ur, and or. They may work in pairs and use a dictionary. After they compile their list, they will read it aloud to the class. The students with the most (and correct) words in each category is the winner.

Homophones Activity:
Students are to define homophones, make a list of commonly used homophones, and use them in a complete sentence. Then, in pairs, they are to create picture cards using magazine cutouts, etc., with their homophones list, and correctly match the picture to the correct homophone. This can be done in pairs, or presented to the class as a group activity.

What is an Emergent Learner

An emergent learner is very young child who is experiencing the very first stage of early literacy. Upon researching the age range online, it is estimated that the emergent reader age can range from birth to about age 7. The emergent learner has already experienced oral interactions and the written print via interactions with books, or literature that may have been read to them. To assist with the development of their skills, it is important for them to hear the sounds that are used in everyday speaking and reading, and learn that printed words are associated with those sounds, and that they have meaning. It is important to teach the Concepts of Print, which include word sounds and meaning, tracking writing from left to right and top to bottom, spatial relationships between long and short words, punctuation, and upper and lower case letters.

Chomsky's Language Acquisition Device

Language Learner Project


I asked the following questions:
1. Do you agree with Chomsky that all children are born with an innate Language Acquisition Device, and if so, do you think that this translates to all students with Exceptional Learning Needs, especially those who do not have English as their first language?
2. For students with English as a second language who may be struggling in the classroom, what are some ways to assess whether a student's academic performance is affected by a learning disability or a language barrier? If it is determined that the ESL student has a learning disability, what would you do to ensure that they are receiving the services that are necessary for them to excel as much as possible?
The responses I received to the first question were varied. One student stated that they agreed with Chomsky’s theory that all children were born with an innate LAD, and listed the areas in the brain that generate speech. (Wernicke and Broca Area). She also stated that ESL students needed to focus on their primary language, and utilize socialization, combined with Vygotsky’s theory of Language Acquisition Support System.
Another student disagreed with Chomsky’s LAD as being the sole basis for language acquisition. She stated that it did not matter how a brain was pre-set to learn language, because exposure to a language early-on could allow the subject to learn the language similarly to if it were their native language. She pointed out that language acquisition was a very complex task, and cited Critical Age Hypothesis when discussing multiple language acquisition. She furthered her idea by expanding that ESL/ELN students should be able to learn English while learning other tasks in an ESL/ELN environment, if they are guided appropriately, and socialized properly. I believe that all children are born with an innate LAD, and that if a student were experiencing difficulty in school, an assessment in their native language would be important to ensure that the source of the difficulty is language related, in lieu of some other complication.
The responses that I received for the second question were fairly similar to each other. One student postulated that there are various methods to assessing a struggling ESL student, which include: problem identification and the identification of the source of the problem, working with an ESL teacher, as well as the student’s family, developing a classroom plan of action, and consistently reassessing the progress of the student. She stated that if progress was not evident, then the student needed to have a Special Needs Assessment to make sure that the student received all of the necessary services. She also referenced the use of a translator to represent the student’s primary language while they were acquiring facets of another language. Lastly, she stressed the importance of the teacher/student relationship, and social networking as a support system for the student.
The other comments agreed with the above, and added that one on one interaction would also be a helpful tool. She stated that teachers also had the ability to communicate nonverbally with their students, regardless of a language barrier, and that assistive technology, such as computer programs, would also be beneficial. I agreed with the above statements, and believe that utilizing all available resources is extremely important to ensure comprehension.

Super Mom Goes to School

A supermom does everything: Breadwinner, Executive Chef, Housekeeper, and educator. I am doing all of these things, and have 3 dogs, a husband, a 1 year old, and 2 elderly grandparents to take care of. Oh, I am pursuing an advanced degree in education too! I am learning so much in my education program, that I thouht I would share some of the things that I have learned with you, so you can benefit from all of the educational resources, without the cost of school. I hope that you find an article that you like, and comment and share!

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