Chapter 9- Effective Assessment Practices for Reading and Writing

Quotes:

• "There is a relationship between teaching and learning that is not always casual; children learn much that they were not taught."(pg. 261)

I find that this quote touches on the importance of student experience. Life is made up of a variety of experiences that are accompanied by growth and knowledge. Creating opportunities for learning through experiences can allow students to really feel ownership of their knowledge. Learning through discovery is far more exciting than sitting behind a desk being lectured by a teacher. I'm not bashing direct instruction because it does play an important role in teaching I'm only encouraging giving students opportunity to discover knowledge rather than being spoon fed information to regurgitate for exams.

• "According to Paris and Hoffman (2004), there is not one best assessment or even assessment type. Teachers should draw up multiple measures to make informed decisions about the students in their classrooms and the direction of their reading and writing curriculum."(pg.264)

A very important point is made in this statement. According to Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, we all have different intelligences. Some intelligences are stronger than others. Therefore, we should learn what kind of learners we have in our classrooms so that we use the proper tools to create the most beneficial instruction and form of assessment.

Questions:

• It is mentioned that the NCLB legislation mandated the administration of annual reading and math state assessment to hold students and teachers accountable for hitting the required standard benchmarks. In the beginning of implementation where teacher aware of what these exams were going to look like? Were they given time to review the exams before giving it to their students?
• I find portfolios to be an effective way of keeping a clear picture of students work and learning process. Why can't we use portfolios to determine whether or not our students met all their benchmarks rather than having them take standardized exams at the end of the year? Students are held accountable for so much material, including material that hasn't been reviewed since the previous grade. What kinds of other alternatives assessments can we use to replace the end of the year standardized tests?

Issue:

On page 261 the following is stated: There is a perception that because students are tested under similar conditions the tests are unbiased and that all children have equal opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge. I happen to disagree with this statement. While most students might be able to be very successful there is still a population that find standardized tests very difficult. The only way these standardized exams are equal in opportunity is in the way the exam is Proctored. I find the most of the standardized exams are dated and biased. The United states is a very diverse country, culturally and economically. It does seem rather difficult to create an exam that is unbiased for the United states. How can we address this? There are many assessment in use out there for example the Woodcock Johnson that contains questions that are dated. How can we expect to get an accurate measure of a student when the assessment tools are inadequate. I feel that creating an unbiased exams can be tricky but is possible. The sample selections used to create these exams should be more Representative of our nation dives re make up.

Chapter 8 Q.Q.I.

Quotes:

• "What is necessary in creating a productive and effective literacy curriculum is to consider that students need to be engaged in curriculum that is meaningful in their lives." (pg. 218)

This quote expresses an important over going theme in this book. Its constant presence is very reinforcing. The effectiveness of this is demonstrated in the opening vignette. Ms. Bell is able to engage her students in more active writing by allowing them to write about one of their favorite subjects.

• " In the early 1990's, researchers with a skills orientation noted that fluency was an important skill and that in order to determine fluent readers, timed reading tests were administered. Students who read fast on these test were touted as better readers than those who read more slowly or those who struggled to complete the test in the allotted time." (pg.227)

Fluency is an important skill to have. From what I have observed in classrooms, some students seem to think that fluency is strictly speed of reading. I've walked around a 5th grade classroom and I've heard students quickly reading through passages using limited to no expression. It sounds like words are pouring out of their mouths without any meaning. I think students should be reminded to focus more on being able to recognize words, reading clearly, naturally pace themselves and they should be allowing themselves to capture the meaning of what is being read.

Questions:

• On page 232, It is discussed how written expression deals with a lot of creativity with words to compensate for the use of gestures and tones used in verbal expression to convey an idea. ELL student's might find difficulty in reading when encountering interesting vocabulary that is being used to describe something. An ELL can easily be labeled as having a reading disability if this isn't looked at beyond the surface. I wonder how carefully are these diagnoses being monitored in the classroom? How often are these student's being assessed? Are student's being encouraged enough to have confidence in admitting that their not familiar with a word?
• On page 231, it is discussed how turning to easier books can raise confidence and performance in readers who are struggling with their fluency. How often should a teacher monitor a students progress? Should a teacher present the student with a variety of books that are gradually reaching their grade level?

Issue:

In pg. 242, Critical practices are discussed. It shares an example of students doing individual research on the president of the U.S. They are instructed to jot down questions and comments about the material. I felt that this isn't enough. It is great to have individual opinions and being able to write them down, but I also think that it is important to teach our students to engage in expressing their ideas. Students should be taught and encouraged to conduct discussions with their classmates. They can continue to use their journals as guides of issues that students would like to further discuss and learn more about with their classmates This will not only allow students to become more critically aware of the text but it will also give the text more meaning. Students should learn to challenge ideas at a young age. In my education, I don't recall being encouraged to challenge ideas until I started high school and college. Students should start thinking outside the box sooner than never.

Chapter 7- Begining Readers and Writers

I wonder...

• The teacher demonstrated to her students that literacy is a socially constructed event by exposing her students to real life examples of some of the details in the story. Walking her students to the grassy hill where the horses roam allowed at least one of her emerging students not only to make a connection but to actually express himself to his teacher. By allowing her students to read along with her has also allowed the students to socially connect to the story and the rhymes of the book.
• Ms. Simon promotes rhyming and repetitive patterns in the "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly story." She also has her students identify rhyming words by listening carefully and clapping when they hear a rhyme. Ms. Simon writes out the rhyme words that her students identify and hangs them in her hanging word chart. Posting these words allow students to have visual knowledge of what the word looks like. The students are also asked to go around the classroom to find more words that also rhyme with their list of rhyme son the word hanging chart. Allowing students to go out in their environment to look for more rhymes, adds more meaning to the task. Students are also encouraged to make up their own nonsense words that also follow the rhyme being focused on. Ms. Simon uses a variety of methods to help her students find meaning in her instruction. Students practiced their writing in their writing journals. They expressed themselves by drawing pictures and writing short phrases. Some used words from the word wall and drew pictures to support their text.
• When students explore a book that allows them to interact, the students automatically make a connection with it. Students help this book come to life when they help their teacher read it. The old lady who swallowed a fly story offers an ongoing pattern, some repetitive lines, and rhymes. Students are able to pick up on these things. Ms. Simon leads her students to truly explore this book. She teaches them an array of ways to seek meaning from the story. Allowing her students to identify the rhymes and seek out more rhymes around their classroom allows students to make more connections, work together with other students, and to review and create new meaning to words that they're surrounded with. Writing and sharing about the story will help develop their ability to write and draw and this will also demonstrate how words and illustrations can support one another.
• Books with predictable patterns support beginning readers by allowing them to predict what is coming and it allows them to interact/read along the with the teacher. Their being able to help their teacher read the book promotes the joy of reading. It is an encouraging way for students to become familiar with the reading process. These patterns and rhymes can also help readers figure out the context of the story. This can also help students figure out the meanings of words.
• When I was in the second grade, I remember reading a book named, Stone Soup. We read it in our reading group with our teacher. I recall reading through it and stopping at the word, chuckle. I wasn't familiar with that word. The teacher asked me if I know the word in a really silly way, I chuckled nervously and she told me, there! you just did it. You just chuckled. A couple of days later after exploring the book in detail we made our very own stone soup. We cooked it as a group and we all added stones in it and then we ate it. It's amazing how by incorporating a fun cooking activity and my teachers humorous way of asking me if I knew what the word chuckled meant lead to my vivid memory of an even that happened twenty years ago.

Further Reflection

• Code breaking strategies have dominated reading instruction because it teaches the very basic foundation blocks in reading. Making emerging readers become very comfortable and knowledgeable of the alphabetic letters along with the sounds that they produce is an excellent tool that students can use during instruction or even on their own exploring. Students also become aware of the different sound relationships between different letters.
• Ms. Simon used Language play and rhymes when she read, There was an old lady who swallowed a fly, I don't know why she swallowed the fly. Perhaps, she'll die." Students were able to pick up the pattern and rhymes and joined her in telling the story. Students were also allowed to make up words that rhymed with /Fly/ and /Die/. Ms. Simon also used the word family method. She wrote out and hanged, the rhyming words from the story and hanged them in her hanging word chart.
• It is important to have a variety of reading text materials in the classroom to provide a diverse and multi level library for your classroom. Every classroom is made up of students with different interests and from different cultural backgrounds. It is important that you provide your students with a colorful array of literature that allows them to connect with previous knowledge and new literature to make new connections with. Such an environment can promote and encourage our students to become great readers.
• In my observations I've noticed a lot of code breaking. Students review their entire alphabet and they also go through all their phonemic sounds. There is also a lot of language play and rhymes. Students are really good at picking out rhymes in stories. When students are introduced to new words it is done so by phonemic blending. They also practice phonemic segmentation when they are trying to write out a word. I've also observed word families written out with the help of students phonemic segmentation.

Chapter 6- Entering into the Literacy Landscape:Emergent Readers and Writers

I wonder...

• Kadin's enriched exposure to many different reading experiences has lead him to gain literature awareness. Kadin knows how to handle a book. He is able to pick a book up and he knows how to open and properly hold a book.He knows to turn to the first page, ready left to right, and he also is aware of the relationship between the illustrations and the text. He uses the illustrations to help him bring meaning to the text . Kadin has picked up on the verbal patterns that go on in a story, like rhyming. He displays this while he's reading Hop on Pop. He also displays knowledge of voice inflection.When reading a book, he tracks the words with his fingers displaying that he is examining every word that he's coming across. His knowledge allows him to be comfortable in approaching a book. He knows how to open a book and thoroughly examine it and to say "The End" and close his book once he concludes the story. Kadin is a very bright boy who is showing great interest in reading. Being given opportunities such as attending story time at the library, being read to by his mother, helping his father read recipes, and watching his siblings do their homework and text their friends has shown Kadin the relevance and pleasure in reading.
• The textual features that help Kadin's reading process include: Repetition- in Bubble gum Bubble gum there is a repeatable refrain, :chewy-gooey icky-sticky mess," this also offers a rhythmic quality. This book goes through a series of animals that are illustrated allowing Kadin to identify the word that represents the animal. Illustrations in these stories also contribute to Kadin's understanding of the text. When Kadin saw a new animal in the bubble gum mess he knew to read the ."Chewy-gooey icky-sticky mess, " line. Rhythmic rhyming patterns also contribute to Kadins reading process. He demonstrates this while reading Hop on Pop. He reads the book in rhythm and makes sure the text he is reading corresponds to the text. The repetitiveness, rhythms, rhymes, and illustrations are all factors that draw Kadins attention and interest in books.
• Kadin is aware of the rhythmic relationship to the text along with the relationship with rhymes. He displays this when he read Hop on Pop by talking in rhythm when he is reading and also by repeating a common phrase that is presented in a story when an event keeps re-occurring, (animals falling in the bubblegum mess.) Kadin is aware of the relationship between the illustrations and the text. He displays this examining the illustrations to predict and understand what is happening in the text. He knows that when he comes to the last page of the book it is "The End," of the story.

Further Reflections...

• A preschool environment needs to be very visual for our early literate learners. I would Cover many of the walls with colorful pictures of letters and corresponding pictures that begin with that letter sound. It would also be nice to dedicate a space to an array of big colorful books for students to explore on their free time or during a book exploration designated time. I would make sure to bring in big books with inviting texts that include rhymes and rhythms. I would invite my students to interact with me while I'm reading a story with to them, once they become more familiar to the text. Having familiars rhymes on display in the classroom and referring to them and reading them out loud can also help our students literacy development. I would make sure to learn about my students culture and background so I can tie in some of their culture into the books and writing activities that I present to them. I find the language experience approach to be very benefiting to our students. This introduces them to a new medium of expression. It also allows them to create connections between their experiences, texts, cultures, and their illustrations. I would also like to set-up listening centers where students can follow along to a recording that reads a book to them.
• Principle #5 Literacy practices invite readers and writers to use their background knowledge and cultural understanding to make sense of text is aligned with theories of underlying emergent literacy. The theories discussed in chapter 6 included the importance of being aware of a students initial literacy experiences at home. Students may experience literacy by having their parent read to them or simply by attending a weekly service at a local church. They are constantly making connections to literacy and its function in the world. Being aware of a students background and culture can help one determine what kind of relevant materials one should bring. this can allow our students to have a more meaningful exposure and connection to the materials that are being presented. Principle #6 Literacy practices expand to include everyday texts and multi-modal texts. Our students are immersed to thousands of ads and prints at home and especially when out in the community. Children learn to make connections to some words and symbols that are so iconic in our society, Like The yellow arches from McDonald's and etc. The beginning of literacy and language development is through images and sounds. Students learn to operate and bring meaning to these symbols, graphics, and sounds as they become more aware of literacy.

Chapter 5- Literacy Programs and Approaches

I wonder...

• Ms. Binns discover how much more engaged her students are in reading when they are presented with an array of reading materials that cater to her students interests and knowledge. She accepts this approach to reading when she begins to observe her students reading, sharing, and analyzing of information excitedly form the books and magazines in the library. She saw the students creating their own purpose for reading, finding meaning form pictures and texts, and they demonstrated comprehension by sharing the information they had just read with their peers. This was a big change from the silent reading that went on, where the classroom was quiet and the students simply shuffled uninterestedly through books not really gaining any information from the book.
• Ms. Binns includes Teaching Reading guiding principle #1: Literacy practices are socially and culturally constructed. She does this by allowing her students to choose relative reading material that really interest and engages them. A diversity of material is presented that students respond and create valuable meaning with it. Ms. Binns is allowing her readers to create social connections and networks with the information and their classmates through their reading.
• Ms. Binns begins allowing her students interests to cross over into her curriculum. She is gaining more and more knowledge of her students interests and is using this information to create and implement more meaningful and diverse mediums of text. Her new approach is allowing her students to share and work together. This kind of environment has made her students more engaged in reading and learning. Literacy is becoming more and more meaningful to her students. This vignette is a wonderful portray of the importance of engaging students through their individual interests.

Further Readings...

• I've recently been exposed to LAUSD's Open Court Literacy Program. I had mostly heard mixed reviews about it in my classes here at CSUN. The questions I would address to a district level curriculum specialist would include: Do you think the topics of the reading material is relative to our diverse student population? Are there alternative approaches to presenting materials for students who are struggling in grasping the concepts? Are there any bilingual alternatives or options for our ELL students? Are currently developing literature that brings more social and cultural awareness to our students?

In my observation I've noticed that not all students are learning at the same rate. Some of the students can go up to the teachers book and identify and read out loud vocabulary words they're familiar with while others can only identify a period. What happens to the kids that are falling behind?

• The reader/writer workshop model sounds like an exciting way to approach reading and writing. I like how there is designated time for many activities involved with the story the students are reading and/or writing. I find that this approach might be exceptinal for some students but I worry about the number of students with learning dissability. I worry that they might become a bit overwhelmed with the process. More consistant guidance is recquired of some of our students. How would one accomodate the process for those students? Perhaps designing an individual schedule with that student can help the individuals mange their time and assignments. I like that every student has a designated conference time with a the teacher. This allows a teacher to evaluate how each individual student is performing. I've actually seen and example of this model in a video in one of my previous classes. It worked very well in that classroom. But, not every classroom is going to be a replica of another. Every classroom calls for unique methods that better serve their students.

Chapter 4- Theories of Literacy Development

I wonder...

• Ms. Yang Herr feels the need to have theories present in her practice to help her envision a classroom where her students fully value their experiences and are able to powerfully connect them to new concepts in the most meaningful and benefiting possible way. Ms. Yang Herr also takes some of these theories and facilitates them and uses them in a way that is more effective for her and her students. It is important to analyze and explore the different theories of what good teaching is and to take what we find most benefiting and apply to our classrooms.
• I've encountered some theory in my Teaching education. I think it is very important to explore the many different findings theorist have made in education. I think it is very beneficial to be aware of the base of the many teaching methods we see today. Studies on education are still being developed. We do it ourselves in our own classrooms. Exposing ourselves to these theories is a form of collaboration. One can read through many findings and pick and choose what theories best work for you and your students. When I would find out a new interest of a student I would usually make of note of it and try to incorporate it the skill matter being presented. For example, I had a student that was pretty verbal but didn't care much to use her verbal language to communicate. She would instead whine or cry. This student was also pretty obsessed with food. During lunch I would work on communication skills with her. I would have her request for each item of her lunch before she could eat it. I then began a communication circle where all students would sit at their desks and practice asking for whatever food snack was being passed out. The students that weren't verbal used PEC's and/or sign language. This helped my student begin being more expressive when in came to her wants.
• I'm familiar with Jean Piaget's very interesting theory of the many stages of development a child goes through. This illustrated a child's genetic epistemology. I'm also familiar with Vygotsky's theories behind the impact of cultural and social factors has a developing children. One of my favorite theorist is Howard Gardner and his theory about multiple intelligences. Gardner argues that all children learn in different ways. He has presented seven different categories that include: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Music, Kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, linguistic, and visual and spacial. It is important to keep all these things in mind when coming up with a lesson plan. All of our students learn differently. It is an easy thing to forget. It is important to let our students be aware of this fact and allow them to discover what kind of learners they are.

Further Thoughts:

• Before reading this chapter I thought teaching reading was only limited to teaching students' letters, phonics, spelling, word building, sentence structure and comprehension through writ ting samples, basal worksheets, district selected books and other mandated supplies. There are way many more factors one has to take into consideration just in a building a unit to teach these things.
• I learned the importance in introducing material to our students that actually interest them. We want to introduce them to a new world of reading and not introduce them to other task that is expected of them in order to pass the standardized tests. Reading is the key to knowledge. When I was in elementary school I was occasionally given a choice of what book I wanted to read. I always and still to this day continue to love visiting the library. I've learned that it takes a lot in preparation in trying to tie in children's subjects of interest into the subject matter. I think all the effort one makes in creating their students driven program is very well worth it.
• All theories I've read about in this chapter are great. In an ideal world I think the use of all of them would be most beneficial to our students. I would probably begin the school year using the bottom-up theory and skills approach. I would do it this way to get a clear picture of where my students skills were at. It would be a form of assessment. Once I gathered that information I would move on to the Top-Down theory and whole language model. This would allow me to meet with students individually needs and their interests. It would also allow them to be a little more creative in their expression. Later on I would introduce the Transactional theory and reader response. Once students have built their repertoire of books they can begin comparing and analyzing books. They can also begin exploring different interpretations of the book. I would lastly but not least introduce the critical theory and four resource models. I would begin having my students relating their readings to outside the school, out in our society. This will allow our students to build more connections with their readings. They will now be able to apply them to their everyday lives.

Chapter 3- Getting to Know Students:Developing Culturally Relevant Practices for Reading and Writing

I wonder...

• Ms. Garrity demonstrates the value and importance of different languages in many different ways. In her classroom, she makes sure to acknowledge foreign languages. By reading "Gathering the Sun", she introduces English and Spanish words to her students, which are mostly English Speaking. Creating a bilingual environment in a classroom can be very beneficial for both students who know the language and also students who don't know the language. Non-English speakers become more comfortable in their classroom and begin picking up meanings of words. The rest of the students are exposed to a new world that can also help facilitate their interaction with their English learning peers. I think Miss Garrity did an excellent job bringing in books of Mexican culture to the classroom. This allowed Angie to feel more comfortable and accepting of her cultural background.


• Miss Garrity's experience's illustrate the positive impact multi-cultural literature can have on students. Angie was resistant in acknowledging her culture due to her uniqueness in the classroom. She was just trying hard to blend in with the rest of the students. It wasn't until Ms. Garrity began introducing Mexican culture to the entire class, simply by incorporating Mexican themes in story telling and writing, that Angie began to open up and share some of her personal representations of her culture. It just shows how important it is to encourage our students to be proud and aware of their culture by offering themes that are representative and relative to our students and their lives.


• Ms. Garrity decision in meeting with Angie's mom was very beneficial in helping Angie's acceptance of her culture. After talking to the mother, Miss Garrity became more aware of what Angie's home life and culture was like. She used the information she learned from Angie's mother and applied it in the classroom. Ms. Garrity shared her pictures and stories of her visits to Mexico with Bianca. This gesture created a personal connection between the teacher and the student.

Further Reflection...

• Culturally relevant pedagogy is making literary instruction more meaningful to students. Multi-cultural literature is being introduced to children allowing them to open their mind to new cultures and their own cultures. This also allows teachers to research and discover more about who their students are. Gathering this information can help teachers develop curriculum that is more relevant and applicable to their students. This can make instruction more impacting to their students.
• One can better get to know their students through observation. Observing your students while they're working alone or in group, or when they're playing outside. Taking a closer look at their working and social habits. Distributing surveys to the students and/or the parents can help one cultures and traditions or students can be asked to interview a parent or grandparent to learn more about their own culture. When I was in the 3rd grade we had an assignment where we were paired up with a partner and we interviewed each other and then created a book about our partner that included all the new information that we learned about them. I found that to be a fun informative activity that I would probably apply to my own classroom. I also recall doing Family tree projects. In my fourth grade class we each had to create an all about me board that we presented in front of our class.

Chapter 2 Oral language Learning in and out of the Classroom

I Wonder...

The students in our classrooms are all diverse individuals. They all bring different enrichment to the classroom. This was illustrated for us in the opening vignette. Angie enriched her classroom with her culture through her language and music. I really respected the way the teacher in this vignette decided to deal with Angie. Angie was simply bringing a little bit of home with her to school. She's only in kindergarten and is only beginning to explore and learn language. She is also being exposed to many different peoples and languages. I agree that one should correct a student like Angie once or twice and then allow them to decide for themselves what standard English is to them and whether or not they will par take in it.
Ms. Adams accepts Angie's Vernacular English because she is using it while acquiring new knowledge. Her language is helping her find meaning in the material that are being presented to her. She is displaying a special gift that she has that allows her to express and retain new knowledge.
Teachers can learn more about their students literacy practices by handing out surveys on what kinds of subjects their students like to read among other interests. I would even suggest having students bringing a favorite book or picture to share in the classroom. Observing students during their recess time might be helpful. Finding out what kind of games they are playing and what kind of play songs they're singing can also be helpful. Being knowledgeable of such things can help one build lessons that are more appealing and relating to the students. Making students more engaged in learning.
Further Reflection
I want to have a classroom that is welcoming to all students. I will welcome linguistic variation into the classroom and have every students share it with one another. This will allow students to become more culturally aware and also culturally accepting. I feel very grateful for having the opportunity of going to a school in a very diverse setting. My friends are a diverse bunch and we have always shared some of culture with one another.
Cambourne's conditions present the idea that learning how to read and write is very similar to the way that we learn to speak orally. Oral language, reading, and writing is all connected. Students learn to orally express themselves and later make connections to literature when they begin being exposed to it. This becomes more prevalent when they enter a classroom. They see writing, Reading, and speaking modeled all day by their teachers and peers.
The teacher in the beginning vignette became aware of the importance of allowing students to express themselves. Self expression helps define our individuality. It is very important to promote and encourage self expression through different mediums. We read about Angie's gift of self expression through music. She demonstrated that she understood the the material she was working on and she also represented the information she had just learned in a unique way.
Posted by Nercy

I'm trying to find out who this blog belongs to? :)

Examining Literacy in the 21st Century

Chapter 1

I wonder...

I once observed a classroom where a teacher was conducting a reading group. She first had her students go through the vocabulary words form the book. Then the teacher read the book to her group of students. Then the students took turns reading a page form the book. Then finally the teacher picked a student to sit at the teachers chair and had them read the story to the rest of their classmates. Many of the students were engaged throughout this whole process. I did notice one of the students having a hard time reading when it was his turn to read aloud. He also seemed extremely nervous when the teacher was deciding on who to pick to group and read the entire book to their classmates. I was reminded of this students when I read about Robert.

Being asked to read aloud can be pretty stressful for students. I recall how nerve wrecking it was for me when I was in grade school. If we were taking turns reading pages while sitting in a circle I would figure out what page I would be ask to read and go directly to that page and mentally skim through it to make sure I would be able to read all the words on that page. This can be distracting. I've been in classrooms where teachers have a can with a Popsicle sticks for every student. They use these sticks to call on students to read or respond to a question. Students were very attentive. If a student didn't know the answer to a question they were allowed to consult with whoever they were sitting next to.



Both classrooms displyed a "one size fits all model." It seemed that their methods of reading instruction was pretty standardized and in some cases lacked differetnt mediums for expressive opportunities for students. Studnets need to be given a diverse variety of literaturenot only in subjectsand themes but also in different mediums.



I understand that there are models, scripts and materials that have beeen enforced to be put in use when teaching reading but we should try to stretch it out a bit more. This can be done by bringing outside materials such as magazines, newspaper articles, exploring the internet, exploring song lyrics, poems, short stories, and etc. These different mediums can bring further understanding of introduced concepts.

Further Reflection

I'm beginning to see a little more cultural diverse themed literature in classrooms. This is a big step from when I was in school. I've been in classrooms where computers are used by students to complete assignments. We are slowly starting to welcome new technology in to our classrooms. Classrooms and Educators are lacking the proper tools to fully incorporate guiding principles due to constant budget cuts. I think the effort is definitely being made out there by teachers but they are often not fully supported. I hope this changes soon.

Incorporating the guiding principles into industrial modeled classrooms may be a bit challenging due to its focus on standardization. To me, it sometimes seems that this kind of model is not allowing students to really grasp the meaning of the subject and connect to it but rather only learning how to come up with an answer and immediately bubble it in their answer sheets. We need to guide are students in becoming free thinkers, in being expressive in many different ways through: music, art, literature, drama, and etc and not only how to take exams.

-Nercy A.