Why Should We Study History?

William Shakespeare said- "There is history in all men's lives." I believe this assertion hits the importance of studying history at the most basic level. What has happened in the past is what has shaped our present and what will shape our future. No person is immune to the events and conquests of the past- although they may have already come and gone, the lasting effects of each historical event live on in our day to day lives. Everyone, regardless of age, gender, nationality, political or religious affiliation, is affected by history- we build off it, grow from it, and (if we're being smart) learn from it. Knowing where we've come from is instrumental for knowing where we're going.

Our students have the right to know what shaped our world today, and as educators it is our job to facilitate that learning. The study of history is so much more than just a time line of events. It delves into how society became the way it is- the development of cultures and the differences and similarities among the world's many diverse people, the advancement of many global systems (such as political, monetary, technological, and physical things such as transportation), and the constant change that is going on around us every day. One of the most intriguing things about the study of history and social studies is the role each of us play in it. It's so empowering to know that WE are part of the events that will shape tomorrow! The students sitting in today's elementary school classrooms are tomorrow's Nobel Prize winners, diplomats, and first female presidents. We owe it to them to provide the best social studies education we possibly can.

Lintner Quote

Lintner expressed that "A fundamental objective of social studies instruction is to link students’ lives and experiences to the lives and experiences of others." I definitely agree with this point of view. It is so important to help open students' eyes and minds to the diversity around us. Always focusing on our own limited experiences can lead to narrow mindedness. It's crucial to keep in mind that we represent a very limited perspective of a very large and diverse world! Children are very impressionable and I think often times they pick up the prejudices of their parents and peers. Sadly this can lead to stereotypical and egocentric ideas. As an educator, it will be my job to help open minds and let students "explore" the wonderful and diverse world around us. Of course that doesn't mean I can fly my students over to Beijing or Madrid whenever I want to show them a different culture or point of view (although with the continually dropping temperatures around here, Madrid is sounding pretty nice right about now...).
Social studies by nature is a global topic. Sometimes it can be hard for students to comprehend or appreciate something that they have never experienced though. That is why tools such as photographs, videos, and speakers can have such a great impact in linking diverse topics with student's own lives. Giving them a visual or a concrete example of a more abstract topic can help make it more relatable for students. We are also lucky that we live in such an advanced technological age that has made the world more connected than ever before. We can definitely use this to our advantage when helping students relate global issues to their own lives.

Search for Meaning

It is important for students of all ages to search for meaning in what they are learning. Searching for meaning helps make learning relatable and real for students- they are able to make connections and draw conclusions about what they are learning about and other areas of their life and learning.
I realized this week that in my entire college career I have only observed ONE social studies lesson being taught. Through all of my field experiences I have observed and worked with a range of students in both age and ability level. I have met old teachers, young teachers, traditional teachers, progressive teachers... but it feels as though the bulk of my experience has been centered around math and literacy instruction. Immediately I began to jump to conclusions. Am I completely unprepared?! If I was presented with the task of teaching a social studies mini-lesson tomorrow would I crash and burn?!
As this realization sank in I began to panic a little bit. That is until I stopped to think about it a little more rationally. I did a quick mental run-through of my learning experiences both in and out of the field experience classroom. It didn't take long before I noticed that although I might not have as much experience observing social studies as I have with other subjects I do have the knowledge and strategies to help me create meaningful social studies lessons. I think that is one of the most meaningful things I have taken away from our class so far. I have not only been learning ways to teach social studies material but also how to integrate my knowledge of other subject matter into my social studies lessons (and vice versa).
Although I do plan to try and incorporate some more social studies based observation experiences into my coming trips to the elementary school, I feel confident that our class has already helped prepare me with a wide range of ideas and strategies. I'm sure next semester during my student teaching I will be given plenty of opportunities to apply them! :)

Free Post!

Although having the freedom to write about anything sounds liberating enough, as an individual who is actually quite content with a little structure a free post can pose quite a challenge. It took me a while to decide what to write about but once I settled on a topic it turned out to be the most obvious topic of all. I recently filled out my Application for Diploma and we register for spring classes soon. As much as I hate to admit it, fall semester of my senior year is winding down, and that means student teaching and graduation are right around the corner! Although it feels like a chapter of my life is sadly drawing to a close, I am also so excited to take all of the wonderful knowledge I've learned while at Meredith and move forward into the official role of educator.

When I reflect back on why I chose teaching it's hard for me to pinpoint the exact origin of my desire to teach. It's almost as though the idea had always been there at the back of my mind.. in fact, I've hardly ever considered doing anything else (okay, I'll admit there was a brief "dolphin trainer" stage...). Since starting my teaching education I've not had any regrets about my decision. That being said, I'm not going to pretend it's been rainbows and butterflies the whole time. Because honestly- this stuff is hard! Not just the long hours and heavy workload but also the inherent desire to be your absolute best for these students. I think one of the most striking attributes about teachers is their unwavering belief in their students and their desire to offer every student the best learning experience humanly (no, superhumanly) possible. I know I've barely begun but I've already noticed time and time again that so much of the pressure and stress that teachers are under is self-induced simply as a byproduct of wanting to offer these students a truly wonderful education. The more classrooms I spend time in and the more teachers I observe and work with, the more I realize what big shoes we pre-service girls have to fill! This semester I'm observing and teaching mini-lessons in the first grade classroom that I will be student teaching in in the spring. My cooperating teacher is awesome and the students continue to amaze me with their intelligence, humor, and over-all precocious natures! The mix of emotions I feel when I leave the classroom is always a blend of excitement, awe, and just plain being overwhelmed! But it's in a good way, and I'm trying my best to be a sponge and to just absorb every ounce of experience and advice I can.

This past weekend I had an experience that just further cemented my assertion that there simply is no other profession for me besides teaching. One of our dear family friends stopped by the house with a surprise for me. She is a retired teacher who taught more or less every facet of elementary education during her 30+ years of teaching. When I opened the door to let her inside she presented me with a large cardboard box. From the outside it didn't look like much and there were no clues to give away its contents. Mrs. Cathy just nodded to me as I tentatively started to peel open the flaps of the box- and let out a large laugh as I squealed at what was inside. I was beaming as I sifted through the books, manipulatives, posters, lesson ideas, craft items, flash cards, and other gently loved items inside the box. Mrs. Cathy explained that she was sorting out her attic and needed to find new owners for things- and would I offer this box a loving home? I quickly assured her that it would be near impossible for anyone to pry the box out of my hands at that point! "It's just like CHRISTMAS!" I exclaimed, so completely excited about the tools now in my possession. "To you and me it is," Mrs. Cathy mused, "and that's what makes teachers a breed of their own."

Technology in the Classroom..?

Well I think it's safe to say my initial reaction to this blog's topic was YIKES. Who is this professor and where has she been for the last 10 or so years?! Technology is such an instrumental- and positive part of today's society!
Laptops, the internet, and the global connectivity resulting from them are some of the most valuable resources for learning at our disposal. I also believe that depriving students from a helpful tool to “force” them to interact is both silly and counterproductive. Laptops can be beneficial for typing notes, looking up information to support discussion, and sharing information.
Many times in my classes professors will ask us to look up an article, video clip, et cetera, and post it on Blackboard so that the whole class has access to everyone’s selection. It’s a quick and easy way to share information and instantly compile a wide selection of resources.
I also have a feeling that technology-deprived classrooms revolve around a professor standing at the front of the class and lecturing for an hour while students furiously hand write notes (if my personal experience is anything to go by, these notes are often so rushed, choppy, and written in shorthand that I am unable to decipher them later on… let alone share them with a classmate!). Maybe that’s a slightly biased point of view considering I’m a big fan of electronic notes (and how easy they are to bullet, number, and organize of course!), but I’m pretty sure the majority of college students would concur that electronic notes are the best thing since sliced bread.
Maybe this professor (and her supporters) are just jealous because they didn’t have such an awesome tool at their disposal when they were in college… but I think it's time they let it go and embraced all the good things technology has to offer in the classroom! :)

The Social Sciences

The social science disciplines are anthropology, economics, geography, history, sociology, and political science. Each of these disciplines has a unique and important role in a solid social studies curriculum.

Anthropology- whenever I think of Anthropology I automatically think of the word "people" (okay, not entirely true... I actually think of the shop Anthropologie... they have the most adorable and eclectic clothes!). Where was I..? Oh yes, people. Anthropology is generally categorized as the study of culture or the scientific study of human beings. Anthropologists incorporate elements of behavior, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, and other social sciences into their investigation of people and cultures. In a nutshell, anthropology looks at all the diverse characteristics of a culture and how they interrelate to make that culture unique. As a person who has always been an avid traveler (I hate to stay in one place for too long!) I have always been fascinated by different people and cultures.

Economics- no one can deny (especially in today's environment) that economics are at the central hub of daily life. Of course the first term that springs to mind is "money"! But economics is more than just monetary distribution, it's also all about the production and consumption of all goods and services. Instruction in this area can span from teaching responsible money management to the idea of supply and demand and the role and necessity of taxes. I was never that enthusiastic about this particular strain of social studies because to me economics=numbers, and that meant math. It's a generalization that largely ignores many of the other areas of economics, but I can't seem to stop my mind from jumping straight from "economics" to "math". Yes, math is important. Yes, math is everywhere. I understood that (and still do) and always put forth my best effort when it came to our tricky number friends. But I just never have enjoyed math. So any extra math time is just plain too much.

Geography- geography is more of what I quintessentially consider "social studies." Every social studies class I've ever had has had some form of map on the wall. Geography goes further than simply describing location, however. It encompasses all of the concepts of space- including all human activity (past and present), the implications of the culture of a place, and the relationships among them, on top of the traditional concepts of landforms, capitals, and longitude and latitude. Geography and anthropology seem to go hand-in-hand, because the physical make-up of a place can have so much impact on the culture of the people living there, and vice-versa. Knowledge of geography also helps students feel a sense of global connectivity. When my parents told us we were moving from England to the United States, the first thing they did was grab a globe and show us where North Carolina was located on it. There was something reassuring about seeing my current home and my future home pinpointed on that little tabletop globe. After all, it didn't really look that far away at all! (Though now that I think about it, what looked like a 30 or 40 minute swim to my nine year old brain was a little closer to 3,000 miles of choppy Atlantic waters...)

History- this is probably the first thing people think of when they consider "social studies." It's the cornerstone of where we've been, and where we're going. History considers all areas of life. When I think of history I think of time lines, ancient documents, and cheesy video reenactments. No one event is isolated, and a knowledge of the past is essential to an understanding of both the present and the future.

Sociology- this is another one of the more elusive terms that I don't always think of right away when considering social studies. Our text describes sociology as "the study of groups and the subsequent norms of behavior that human beings exhibit as a result of their group memberships." Because it looks at both behaviors and people, I guess it's kind of a hybrid between anthropology and psychology. Sociology looks at the behaviors and structures of groups, and how they change and adapt. It also considers social norms and roles, such as gender roles, age relationships, and occupations. One problem I have with this particular area is I have a tendency to lump it under the anthropology umbrella (which I guess I just did, oops!).

Political Science- political science involves the study of human behavior as it relates to political systems, governments, laws, and international relations. Of course the key word that jumps out to me is politics (I mean, it's in the name!). It is easy to incorporate this strand into classroom learning by making it relatable to students. Mock presidential debates and elections are a great way for students to explore the election process. However it's also important that students gain a good understanding of the processes behind our political system and government. I think one of my weaknesses in this area is simply a lack of understanding in the structure of our government. Obviously it's something I need to work on!

I believe I was lucky to have a pretty well-rounded education that covered all areas of social sciences. They weren't necessarily laid out and labeled for me, but thinking back to some of the activities we did I can see how anthropology or economics, etc., were incorporated. It's important to note that all of these areas work together and influence each other, so a solid social studies curriculum should definitely have all six!

Thoughts on Diversity...

The activity in last week's class was definitely a challenge for me. By nature I'm not very confrontational or assertive, so the idea of shouting out controversial ideas makes me squirm in my seat! When the activity was first introduced my initial thoughts were, "there is NO way I'm stepping on toes and nonchalantly offering up some stereotypical ideas! After all, these are the thoughts I keep shoved down in the back of mind. They're wrong, why would I want them written on the board for all to see?!" However, that unsettled feeling slowly started to dissipate as my fellow classmates began to shout out their own "not-so-PC" ideas... some of which mirrored my own thoughts that I was working so hard on repressing. Although I began to feel more comfortable confronting these ideas as they flew out of people's mouths and onto the board, I will admit I didn't reach the point where I felt I could add my own opinion to the mix. However, as uncomfortable as the activity made me feel, it also opened my eyes to the fact that, as teachers, we are going to be dealing with our own prejudices and the prejudices of others all the time.
As an educator I will have the responsibility of helping every student learn, regardless of whatever prejudices I may have. Unfortunately everyone picks up biases here and there, and as much as I would like to say I'm are free from them, the truth of the matter is I'm not. It's important to recognize that fact so I can move forward in a more accepting and understanding way. Every student has the right to learn. I don't care if they're rich, poor, boy, girl, what color their skin is, who their parents are, if they're visiting from the moon... every child has the right to learn.
And of course that's in my power to control... how I treat my students rests fully on my shoulders. But how my students treat each other is another matter. I want my classroom to be a warm and accepting place. Students should feel comfortable to express ideas and opinions, and not feel like they have to follow the group or be a certain way. It's the different ideas, strengths, and weaknesses of everyone that makes the strongest learning environment. I hope to facilitate this acceptance in my students by being a good role model and creating learning experiences that honor differing ideas. I like to think of a classroom as a quilt- with every student being a different, but no less beautiful, piece.

The Media

Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing depends largely on personal interpretation, but it's impossible to deny that we live in an age that is centered around the media. It is at the hub of almost all daily life. Students use internet-based news sources in the classroom to get up-to-date news from around the world. Flipping on the local news for five minutes while I brush my teeth in the morning can bring me up to speed on all the major goings-on without me having to break my routine to thumb through a newspaper or other print source. The nature of today's media is all about convenience and speed. With the advent of "smart phones" and iPads no matter where you are or what you're doing, you can know exactly what is going on half-way around the globe in the matter of a few clicks.
For the most part I would have to argue that this a great tool that we as learners and educators are blessed with. Students are now more globally connected than ever before. In third grade my class received pen pals from other countries. My pal was a girl from Australia. I LOVED writing her letters and receiving them in return. However by the time I had written, edited, labeled, and sent her letter it would be at least a week before she received it. Now repeat that whole process on her side and the task became quite a lengthy one! There was much more waiting around for letters than actual communication happening. In today's world I could connect to the same girl in Australia much quicker through email-based communication. Even more unconventionally, I could interact with her in a matter of seconds using a tool such as Skype. I could type instant written messages to her, talk to her via a voice chat, or even video chat with her if she had a built in camera! I use this technology to talk to my family in England.
Today's media also increases students' accessibility to current events. I don't know many second graders who are voluntarily reading the newspaper over their Cheerios in the morning, but almost all of them know how to complete a Google search. Through supervised internet access students can discover what is going on in any part of the world instantaneously.
Of course, as with most things there is a positive and a negative outlook to this particular topic. The media is by no means without its drawbacks and concerns. It brings to our doorsteps the poor decisions of the likes of Paris Hilton, the pressures to behave and look a particular way, and the prejudices and biases of largely unchecked sources. Children today are exposed to all kinds of negativity through the media, including criticism of people's actions, appearances, and opinions. When not correctly monitored and discussed, these influences can have a large negative impact on anyone's perceptions, let alone on an adolescent's.
A wise man once said "with great power comes great responsibility." (Yes, I did just quote Spiderman!) I could go post a gossip-laden Tweet right now that would instantly be accessible all over the world. While the media has its place in both daily life and in the classroom, it should be monitored. Checking sources and reliability are a must!!

How do Children Learn?

One of the biggest challenges (and blessings!) of teaching is that I will encounter so many unique and wonderful learners. Every year will present me with new students, new interests, new problems, and new successes. As exciting as this aspect of teaching is, it is also one of the biggest challenges I will face as a teacher. I have come to realize that the way children learn is as diverse and different as the students themselves! Different learning styles, backgrounds, past experiences, likes/dislikes, etc... all play a role in a how a student learns. My role as the teacher is to facilitate learning and development for ALL students. To say this is a daunting task is definitely an understatement! While it's an overwhelming task to think about, there are some ways to try and reach each student.
Incorporating a variety of lessons and planning a mixture of traditional lessons, hands-on learning, and experimental opportunities will give students a chance to find his or her learning niche. Activities that get students up and out of their seats give the students who have a hard time sitting still for more than a few minutes a chance to get up and MOVE! This could be something as simple as moving around the classroom in center activities, or something larger such as trips to the library or media center (when appropriate) or exploring around the school. This second idea of exploration is an important aspect to remember when considering how children learn. It's not enough for a teacher to simply stand at the front of the class and try to pour information into the students' brains (where's the fun in that?!). Students must be given opportunities to build their own understandings. Maybe this means leaving questions open ended or giving activities some wiggle room as far as interpretation goes. It also means letting students make and work through mistakes before rushing to their aid. Collaboration also has it's place in the classroom. Sure, not every activity should require a group effort, but letting students bounce ideas off one another gives them an opportunity to explain and reason. Sharing ideas offers a chance for the children to communicate their thought processes and offer new solution strategies to one another. Sometimes fellow classmates as just as helpful a resource as the teacher is- while I am NOT suggesting depending on stronger students to help struggling students catch up, allowing those students who have a good grasp on the material to reason and explain to a student who might be having more difficulty understanding can be beneficial for both students. That being said, I still think good old fashioned independent work is also important. Some students do not work well in a group, so varying activities between group and independent practice or giving students the option to work alone are also important to consider.
While providing all of these different styles and opportunities for learning are great resources, it is also important to remember the impact that motivation and interest can have on students. Getting to know the students and what their interests are is an important aspect of helping them learn. What might have been a wildly popular and successful activity one year might end up flopping the next because the group of minds working on it are completely different! For example, structuring a past learning activity around 2008's presidential election (such as a mock election between Bush and Obama) would have been relevant to those students. However holding a mock class election between Bush and Obama today would be less relative because students already know the outcome and would probably result in a lack of motivation towards the activity. That being said, there are ways to tweak activities to adjust them to current events or current students' interests.
My own disposition as the teacher will be important to consider. It is more likely that students will be open-minded towards activities and excited to learn if I'm excited to teach it. Learning should be interesting and engaging for students. I want learning in my classroom to be an adventure with every day problems becoming mysteries to solve or truths to uncover. I want to try my best to keep the B-word (...bored.) out of my classroom! :)

Social Studies and the Literacy Connection

Often times it's easy for learning to get separated into content categories. I've always been the type of student who liked to keep each subject isolated- both in my binders (yes, I was the kid with binders for every subject, color-coordinated folders, and dividers dividing my dividers...) and in my mind. Heaven forbid my MATH notes should be nestled within the same binder (let alone the same section!) as my SCIENCE notes!! However since taking many Education classes as Meredith I have learned an important lesson that will be instrumental in my being a good educator- subjects overlap. In fact, some of the best science lessons include math skills and concepts! Once my mind was completely blown opened to the idea that all subjects are (and should be!) interconnected, I was able to see great learning opportunities arising. Chapter 13 of our text really spoke to that. Although I'll admit I felt a little of my past anxiety when I saw the words "social studies", "literacy", and "connection" all in the same title, I quickly pushed them aside and dug into the great insight the text had to offer. At the risk of sounding like a complete dork, I really like this text book! The way Ellis writes is both personable and intelligent and I found myself feeling like I had just had a conversation with the author rather than simply reading a chapter of a text book.

Anyway, I was able to see some great connections between social studies and literacy. After all, literacy truly is at the hub of all learning. The subject of social studies offers many great opportunities for students to incorporate literacy skills to enhance learning. Not only are they important for reading and interpreting text, literacy skills can add to the students' learning experiences through written and discussion activities. Students can journal, write responses, or create their own historical "diaries." Social Studies is also a great way to work on public speaking skills (come to think of it, I DO have a vague memory of standing in front of the entire 4th grade dressed as Harriet Tubman and reading "my memoir"... I guess the subjects of my past have been more interconnected than I thought!). These will be important strategies to incorporate in my future lessons.

Aside from simply aiding in learning, literacy skills are important for us as citizens of a democracy. The students who are currently sitting in elementary classrooms are tomorrow's future voters, politicians, and leaders. It is our job as teachers to make sure those students are receiving the best education we can offer them.

Edu 358- Social Studies Blog!

I feel as though I should be blogging about the six language arts or literature circles! But no, this blog got a recent face lift and will now be tracking my adventure through social studies! Initially I was a little overwhelmed with the way the course will be set up. I like the idea of having 50 points to play with but it also made me nervous because that's a large chunk of my grade that I'm responsible for! The more I read over my options and considered what I'd like to do the more excited I became. I like that every student's experience will be a little different and more tailored to individual strengths and interests. This is an important idea to take into my own classroom one day. Sure, giving 1st or 2nd graders too many options can sometimes lead to chaos, letting students have a guiding role in their learning can often increase engagement and enjoyment in learning.
My goals as a learner over the semester are simply to gain more knowledge about social studies and exciting ways to translate that knowledge to my future students. It feels like it's been a while since I've had a quintessential "social studies" class, and the material is so vast and wide-spread. I'm excited to widen my understanding of the subject! As always, there's a lot of material to cover, but I'm confident we're going to have another great semester. :)

Reflection on the class...

I can't believe that we are at the final class! At the beginning of the semester it seemed like we had so much material to go over and I had no idea how we were going to get it all done! I have learned so much and I've really enjoyed taking the class. Before the course I had kind of assumed language arts was all about reading and writing... I quickly realized that that was NOT the case! There are so many other facets that go into teaching and learning Language Arts. I know I raved (a lot!) in my last blog about how much I enjoyed my observation component of the class, but I really did love getting to know my Ms. Bradley and her students. It was also so beneficial to get a first hand look at the concepts we discussed in class.
Two things I definitely want to take into my future classroom are the writers workshop model and literature circles. From what we learned in class and from what I observed in my placement class I have seen how well these two practices can work. Students seem to love the self-directed learning that comes with literature circles. I also especially like the idea that students can move more at their own pace in writers workshop. Additionally, both of these models are flexible and can be adjusted to better fit the classroom's need.
It's kind of bittersweet that the course is over, but I'm proud of what we've covered this semester. It's really added to my excitement of what's to come in the future! :)

End of the semester?!

I cannot believe we're almost at the end! It literally makes my head hurt to think that exams are right around the corner and I'm on the fast track to starting my senior year. As scary as that is it's also SO exciting! I'm one step closer to standing in front of my very own classroom of students. My observations for this class have been some of the best I've ever had through my education classes at Meredith. Ms. Bradley (a 2nd grade teacher at NRE) was so helpful and was clearly adored by her students. She always made time in her (hectic!) schedule to answer my (endless!) questions and make sure I was getting what I needed. I know they say that everything becomes easier with experience but Ms. Bradley is still so young and yet seemed to have everything together. She was definitely a great role model and I am very appreciative of the time I spent in her classroom.

It was almost scary how well my observations correlated with what we were discussing in class. We would talk about literature circles and then the next week I would be watching as a group of eager 2nd graders navigated the ins-and-outs of lit circles! Or the week we watched the video on writer's workshop... that very week I observed an hour of text-book writer's workshop in the classroom, and the success it can facilitate. I learned a lot of great information from the textbook (how to implement reading workshop, the ups and downs of the writing process, and "what the heck is a word wall?!" to name a few...) but to be honest it's no where near the same to read about something as it is to see it in action! It was so beneficial to observe a real classroom and real students tackling the different techniques I was learning about. Not to put too romantic a point on it but I think I won the observation jackpot.

Additionally, I have decided I love literature circles and writer's workshop. These tools can be so beneficial in the classroom and, when used correctly, they keep students engaged. They also allow for students to move at their own paces and promote success for each student as an individual learner. Seeing such a diverse range of students and abilities in one class just solidified for me the need to tailor learning so that each student is getting the most he or she possibly can from the experience. I know that not every day is going to be sunshine and rainbows but I'm ready for this challenge because I've seen what kind of successes can come from it. Our students deserve good teachers. And I just want to be a good teacher. :)

Peer Conferencing...

Meeting with peers to edit our narratives last week reminded me a lot of grade school- in my language arts classes we did a lot of peer reviewing and revising. I always enjoyed the experience- I was one of those book worm-y kids who liked going to school and actually relished the idea of writing something. Ask me about math and my eyes would glaze over in seconds, but when it came to anything language arts related I could talk your ear off! The problem was that not everyone was quite as enthusiastic about writing and revising as I was- this lead to getting the usual "good job" or "I like this" comments on my paper instead of anything especially helpful. I liked the way the step-by-step worksheet guided our revision in class last Wednesday. It gave specific areas for the reviser to focus on and helped the author see exactly where improvements could be made. I don't remember using any type of format like this in grade school, but I definitely think it could have made revision days more fruitful for both reviser and author! Being able to receive (and give) good, constructive criticism is crucial in becoming a better writer, and I think it's important that we equip students with the skills to do so. Like many things, if no one teaches a student how to read carefully and critically we can't expect for them to know how. It's also important that the process be fun and engaging for students so that revising and editing doesn't become boring or something that students dread doing. I enjoy conferencing after revising a paper so that author and reviser can get on the same page (no pun intended!). I would have liked to have had a a little more time in class to speak with my editor and reviser to hear exactly what their comments and suggestions were. In a K-5 class students love having their ideas heard and listened to, and allowing students to have one-on-one or group conferences with one another after physically editing or revising the paper will give them a sense of ownership and authority in the whole process.

Literature Circles...

As an avid reader myself I have become very interested in the idea of literature circles and how I can use them in my future classroom. Although I don’t remember participating in literature circles in exactly the same way they are today, I do remember loving it when we were grouped into “reading groups.” These groups were more hybrids between literature circles and readers workshops. Particularly in third grade I remember being divided into groups of about 4 or 5 students who were on the same reading level. Within our groups we would have jobs similar to those assigned in literature circles, however we were more likely to complete the different tasks as a group instead of individually. One of my favorite experiences was the class-wide assignment of reading Tuck Everlasting. We had read-alouds, group readings, group and class-wide discussions, and at the end we decided to put on a class production of the story. We were able to create all the costumes, props, scripts, and other accessories that went along with the play, and our parents came to watch the production. We even handed out tickets and served popcorn at the event! It was a really fun way to get more connected with the story and is an experience that still makes me smile when I think about it. Granted our third grade acting skills were short of Oscar-worthy, but our parents seemed to love the effort! This is one area where I feel like literature circles can sometimes fall short- I liked the culminating activity upon finishing the novel.

In Edu 255 last semester we took part in class literature circles in the traditional sense, with each student completing a different job each meeting. I definitely enjoyed the lit circle experience, and participating in one myself gave me great insight into how they can be applied. The class I am observing in (Ms. Bradley’s 2nd grade class at NRE) has just introduced literature circles and it’s been a great experience to see how they progress from the beginning. Ms. Bradley was initially a little concerned that that the students wouldn’t take so well to the whole “you’re on your own!” concept, but they seem to have flourished in their discussions, even without constant teacher intervention. Of course, occasionally a little drop-in is required on Ms. Bradley’s part just to remind the students to stick to the topic, but with a group of excitable 2nd graders this isn’t really surprising. What was especially reassuring though was the great amount of energy and positive discussion going on within the groups. Not to belittle their abilities, but I’ve been so surprised by some of the in-depth discussion I’ve heard going on within the groups! I hope my own students will make me as proud some day!

Assessment...

The way students are assessed in the classroom is definitely changing. For the majority of my classes growing up competency was measured based on a score you made on a test or the letter grade you were awarded for a book report. My recent experience in the classroom as an observer versus a student has indicated that educators are shifting away from test scores toward more hands-on and interactive ways of measuring a student's proficiency with a subject. I can still remember the sinking feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach when vocabulary lists were handed out at the beginning of the week. I knew that come Friday I needed to have the spellings memorized and be ready to spit the words back out on a test. The problem with that kind of learning is that I was simply memorizing the spellings and storing them in my short term memory. Regurgitating them on Friday's test did little to cement my understanding of the word or it's spelling in the long run. I need to do something with them. Use them in a story, find them in literature, illustrate them on note cards... anything that would help connect the words to their meanings and spellings in the long run. I think that is the nature of good assessment. We need to allow students to manipulate the material and create their own understanding of it. I've noticed that many students enjoy hands-on tasks with learning... I mean who really wants to sit in a chair for 45 minutes being lectured to so they can spit the information back verbatim on a test? No thank you. Given the chance I'm sure many more students would pick teaching a mini lesson, discussing material in small groups, or presenting a project to the class.
That being said it is important for teachers to stay up-to-date on the progress of each student, and make sure everyone is following the material. Day to day assessments such as having students write in daily logs, meeting in small groups with the teacher, or debriefing in a larger class setting can help open the floor for further questions. Another way to assess as a lesson progresses is by giving each student a whiteboard that he or she answers questions on. The class can all hold up their answers and a quick scan of the boards lets a teacher know who's got it and who might need a little more help.
Of course all of this sounds like a very "perfect world" scenario.. I understand the continued need for boring old tests every now and then. I just think as a future educator I should also try to use a little creativity in my forms of assessment to keep things interesting and keep students engaged. After all, isn't the Holy Grail of teaching making learning fun?!

A book for my future classroom...

The novel that I would like to include in my future classroom is actually a series of novels. Growing up I loved the American Girl novel series (which was somewhat ironic considering I'm not an American girl!) and the dolls that accompanied them. The books are directed at roughly an 8-13 age range and incorporate both historical and personal issues into the plots. The series is broken down by character with each of the girls having around eight different stories chronically their various adventures. Each girl represents a different time period (For example, Felicity is a girl growing up during the Revolutionary War and facing issues regarding liberty and revolution, Addie is an African American girl in the late 1800s standing strong against slavery and race injustice, and Molly is a quick-witted girl growing up during WWII and dealing with a father who is away at war). To put it simply, the books make learning history fun and relatable! Because the stories are told from the point of view of the main character they are more relatable to children in that age range. They also highlight the important historical events and details of the time period without getting too gritty or incorporating too much technical lingo.
I believe these books would be an asset to the classroom because they are educational as well as an enjoyable read. Each one has a lot of suspense and action delivered in a historically accurate context. Students learn about historical events while seeing the issues through the lens of a fellow adolescent. Illustrations accompanying the text also help create visuals for the students. I loved reading about all the adventures of each of the American Girls and I still remember historical facts that I learned from them!
These novels are a great way to incorporate social studies into language arts and provide an excellent opportunity to blend the two subject areas. Students could write their own adventures from one of the characters, or compare and contrast some of the time periods described in the novels. In addition, students could identify challenges faced by whichever character they were reading about, and relate those challenges to ones faced by youth in America today.
I will definitely have a wide selection of the American Girl books available on my classroom bookshelf!


American Girl website

What makes writing worth reading?

Okay, I'll admit I'm guilty of being one of those "judge a book by its cover" types of people. When I'm at the library and looking for something to read I am waaay more inclined to pick up a book with an interesting cover or with some kind of witty title than the boring novel with the old-fashioned typeface and no cover art, which doesn't look like it's been opened since roughly the time that dinosaurs became extinct. But that one swift action- choosing the glitzy read over a dull looking book- is what we're warned against time and time again. The merit of a piece of writing has nothing to do with it's outward appearance- the "well-dressed" novel might turn out to be so predictable I could cry while the musty-looking story could be a first edition of a beloved classic. What makes writing worth reading is the true literary quality of the piece. A well written book is well structured, flowing and thoughtful; it takes the reader on a journey into the mind of the author. "Good" writing can be descriptive, persuasive. It serves as a transporter into other worlds, other times, and other possibilities. That being said the question also has a highly subjective side to it. What I personally might consider to be the best book ever written might be worth more to one of my friends as a coaster for a coffee table than any form of entertainment or enjoyment. Different people have different tastes in all forms of literature, whether it be a soft spot for romantic comedies, fantasies, or murder mysteries. One person may enjoy the morbid poetry of Poe while another prefers the non-traditional approach taken by E.E. Cummings. At the risk of sounding overly vague and broad writing worth reading is writing that attracts the reader as an individual. It plays to that person's own tastes and preferences. That's one of the main reasons literature is enjoyed by so many different people- it in itself is so diverse and limitless.

"Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones... "

"...but words can never hurt me." It's a popular saying that I heard over and over growing up. Whenever I would come home from school feeling down about a classmate's hurtful remark or when I'd hear one of my siblings lamenting about an insult he or she had received from a "friend" that day, my mom would always be quick to remind us that words were harmless. We were taught to "be the bigger person" and just ignore the snarky comments of our peers. However it was never that easy... and it still isn't that easy! I still get my feelings hurt from time to time when I overhear someone making fun of my outfit or criticizing the actions of one of my friends. The truth is that words can hurt. Sometimes a cutting remark can hurt even worse than a physical attack. This is especially true if the remark is coming from a friend or other trusted source. Oftentimes we don't think before we speak and our comments can have devastating effects. It's easy to take a person's words to heart, whether or not they are truthful or simply said in the heated moment of an argument or disagreement. I think part of the reason stems from the inherent human desire to be accepted by one's peers. No one wants to be the target of someone's barbed comments in the same way that no one wants to be isolated from the group. This is especially important to consider as a future teacher. I'm sure I will see many cases of children being verbally bullied or ostracized by their peers. It is important to bring children's attentions to the potentially harmful effects of their words and comments, and to offer support for those who get their feelings hurt.

How did I learn language?

That's a good question. I honestly had no idea how I learned language, so I called my mom to garner her two cents on the issue. As I had more or less expected, she credited the phonics approach for my excellent (...or at the very least satisfactory!) grasp of the English language. I guess that explains why I had very little knowledge of the whole language system before we discussed it in class on Wednesday. I've also always urged kids to "sound it out" when they hit a particularly tricky word. It's always worked for me, and what I use to this day if I happen to stumble across a word I'm not familiar with.

As a teacher I will most likely favor the phonetical approach in my teaching style simply because that was the way I was taught. However in a class of students from many different backgrounds and experiences it is important to consider alternative ways of teaching. If learners in my class would benefit more from a whole language approach I will definitely give it a shot in order to help them reach their full academic potential. I'm consistently told that teaching is a profession in which every year (and even every day!) presents constant change. In order to keep up with new and different students and situations, I will have to allow myself and my teaching strategies to remain flexible and open to anything!

The Six Language Arts

I think the biggest thing that surprised me about the six language arts was that there are six of them!! When I think about language arts my brain immediately jumps to the obvious: reading and writing. However now that I've learned more about the subject it make sense that listening and talking be included in there, too. These forms of verbal communication are pivotal parts of language. The last two arts, viewing and visually representing are a little less traditional, but still important parts of learning and appreciating language. Who knew that billboards and the commercials we see on TV are all part of language arts?! You really do learn something new every day.

Now I know that many "traditionalists" would insist that incorporating viewing and visually representing into the language arts is simply giving in to the digital influences of today's society, but I think it's important to understand that as time goes by and technologies and ideas grow and change many facets of daily life are going to grow and change also. Fighting against these digital advancements isn't going to stop them. Embracing them and finding a positive side will lead to a much more productive outcome. Instead of despairing over a recent movie adaptation that slaughtered a great literary classic, why not introduce students to both and let them compare and contrast the two? Movies and other digital aids can actually enrich and enhance an individual's appreciation of a text.

That being said, I've always been a big reader. While we were growing up my mom always use to read to my brother, sister, and me, and a love of books and reading is something that has stuck with me throughout the years. As a child I was always way more interested in picking up a book than sitting down in front of the TV! Throughout my elementary and middle school years I was a self-professed bookworm and read any opportunity I got. These days I don't seem to have the luxury of endless amounts of reading time, but I make time in my schedule whenever I can to pick up a book. I've always loved getting lost in the world that the novel creates and getting to know the characters a little deeper with every turn of the page. Even as times and technology changes around me, I think I'll still enjoy picking up a good book and "escaping."

With that in mind, I'm going to put off some homework just a bit longer and spend a little time with a slightly neglected novel! :)

What Do I think of Blogs?

I've always wanted to have a blog. I love journals and creative writing. Blogging is a fun and interesting way to incorporate modern technology into creative writing. It's also a great way to vent and get thoughts out! I'm excited to begin blogging...