Jimmy Juliano
EPSY 490 - Replies to Fellow Students
1. James,
I enjoyed listening to your introduction - it is too bad that our triad
didn't work out completely, but, I'm glad I got the chance to listen to
your introduction. I think you and I are very similar when it comes to
classroom management styles. I, too, feel that Rules and Consequences
is my overlying procedure of choice and it it going very well (I have
not had a chair thrown at me either).
Seeking out colleagues is important too. I don't think I will ever get
to old to ask someone else's opinion - it is just my nature. Do you see
yourself always being this kind of educator?
Smiling helps too - the kids see this, recognize it, and respect it. A
teacher that is firm and fair, but at the same time is a genuinely nice
professional that enjoys his/her job, will have tremendous positive
impacts upon students.
Regards,
Jimmy
2. Anne,
Excellent introduction - a few points definitely stood out from your introduction:
1) I appreciate how you deal with individual student concerns away from
the other students. I know it is terribly tempting sometimes to "call
out" a student, per say, in front of the other learners. I always make
sure to resist this temptation, as this is not only hazardous to the
student's mental make-up but will likely have a negative adverse affect
on the student's learning. I commend you for being patient and dealing
with each problem individually, away from others.
2) I know how you feel about other faculty member sometimes, as well. I
have to bite my tongue as well, but have become better at it. I really
don't have any confidants at school, either, as I prefer to "lead by
example" and hate how people talk behind each other's backs. If I feel
my strategies are effective and working, then other educators will
hopefully take notice.
3) Your classroom management approach sounds like it is flexible based
on the situation - I totally agree. I also come down extremely hard on
plagiarism too, that is one area that is not really gray for me.
(Although my seventh graders don't truly understand what plagiarism is
- they are working on it, though!)
Jimmy
3. Robert,
I hope all is well - and it was very interesting to listen to your
introduction. First off, I did not know that it was your initial
inkling to teach kindergarten but wound up at the middle school. First
off, what was your student teaching experience? Did you student teach
at the kindergarten level? I ask, because I'm wondering what you feel
the differences are between classroom management at the kindergarten
level and that at the middle school level. Do you find many
similarities? Did certain techniques you use transfer over well, or,
did it turn out to be very different?
Also, what were your expectations as a teacher at a "low-income"
school? You mentioned that "discipline issues are more common and more
severe". Did you find yourself expecting one thing and then
encountering another? I know that having certain expectations about
some things is not always the best way to go about a situation.
Regards,
Jimmy
4. Michelle,
I enjoyed reading your wonderments. Two of them in particular caught by eye, as this is something I contemplated as well.
You wrote,
"[#12] I wonder how one would actually differentiate a reward system in
the classroom. Consider a classroom where half the students enjoy
reading and the other half do not. [#13] I wonder how a teacher would
provide rewards for half the class and not the other?
Differentiation is something I struggle to achieve every day in my
classroom. My district is pushing differentiation full-throttle in the
reading classroom by offering students many different choices in
reading, guided-reading groups, independent novels, and alternative
assessments based on reading level. I do my best when it comes to
these, but the "reward system" may prove to be a bit more challenging.
I agree, how, as an educator, can we reward only some students for
behaviors and not others? From the outside looking in, I can see how
this might look like playing favorites and that some students could
become slightly miffed at this style of system.
Nevertheless, I am all about honest in the classroom, and I truly feel
that if the teacher was up-front with students about how the system
worked, students would be okay with it. If the reward system were fair,
and every student was rewarded for something (which can be discussed
with each student individually), then I would predict the whole class
would be content with this system of rewards, provided that individual
student challenges and goals were met.
Regards,
Jimmy
4. Michelle,
Thanks for the feedback. I use "time-outs" fairly similarly, in that
when a student is disruptive I simply move him or her to a small table
I have in the classroom. Then, I will discuss the issue with him/her
privately once I have an opportunity.
You are right - certain students just need the break! A student I had
last year was a huge problem in numerous classes. All of his teachers
would complain about how he was never on task, got nothing done, and
disrupted the other students on a daily basis. However, on the first
day in my class, he requested if he could sit in a desk that was
adjacent to mine (my desk that was reserved for the "time-out"
situations). I agreed, and he was a saint the entire semester! It was
unbelievable.
Different students call for different modifications, although two tactics that I employ usually ring true:
1) The moving of students - it "embarrasses" students in a way that is
not meant to. If the class is consistently on task and behaves well,
and a student steps outside of the "norm" - he/she doesn't like this
and typically wants to fall back in line with everyone else
(acceptance, if you will).
2) The phone-call home - always a winner, although, its affect will
usually wear off after a short period of time. But as far as short-term
solutions go, this tactic has proven helpful for me.
Regards,
Jimmy Juliano
5. Susan,
You have very keen insights on many issues - I was particularly interested in this wonderment:
4. I wonder if anyone else ever reads these things and questions
whether the researchers/developers have ever actually taught in a
classroom?
I couldn't help but wonder this exact same thought when I was reading
the chapter and SKEP. Many of these researcher's theories sound
extremely plausible, but then again, what first-hand experience do
these researchers have? I wonder if their experimental methods would
have changed had they taught in classrooms for a period of time - or,
maybe they did teach in classrooms?
I suppose for the theories to hold ultimate credence, then the
researchers should adapt their suggestions into classrooms (provided
they have one). Many educators would attest, that ideas are one thing,
but actually being in a classroom on a day-to-day basis is something
completely different.
Conversely, maybe a third-person perspective would be ultimately beneficial, as opposed to a teacher conducting the research?
Regards,
Jimmy
6. Michael,
I really can't help but respond to this wonderment:
7. I wonder who pays for the “tokens” of the token economy?
If the school will not cover such materials, does that mean the teacher
literally has to “buy” their classes’ cooperation?
(p. 268)
My fiancee (a teacher) and I have discussed this many times, and we
come to the same conclusion: We both feel that rewards and tokens are
necessary, however, we refuse to add up our "bills" because we would
become slightly disheartened.
She and I both use tokens in the classroom that can be redeemed for
various prizes (usually candy). Yet, these expenses come out of our own
pockets. We are constantly restocking our rewards, but never hesitate
to do so because of their importance in our classrooms. How nice would
it be if school's implemented more rewards systems in the classroom,
providing teacher's with the proper positive reinforcements? Would more
teachers utilize it? Have any schools tried this? I really don't see it
as buying a classroom, because it is a reinforcement of positive
behavior, and not bribery of some kind. Perhaps I'm biased because it
has worked well in my room.
Regards,
Jimmy
7. Rachel,
I couldn't help but nearly nod in agreement as I read many of your
wonderments. I particularly liked your comment about using "bonus
bucks" for the first time this school year. I, too, am using
classroom rewards as well for the first time and wonder the same thing
as you:
Are the students becoming intrinsically motivated?
I'd like to think they are, but it takes time. I reward things
like working well in groups, working quietly, homework completion,
picking up trash, helping other students, volunteering, and tidying up
the bookshelves. Would participation in these activities be as
high without the rewards? It is hard to say. Are they
participating because they think they are the right things to do?
Also hard to say - obviously, but I know which students would do these
things anyway and which need that extra push. I'd like to think
intrinsic motivation is forthcoming, and that is just takes quite some
time to get to that point. And if not, maybe they will look back
when they are out of my classroom and think exactly "why" I would
reward such behavior.
Regards,
Jimmy
8. Matthew,
Being a lifelong Bulls fan I appreciated reading your analogy and was
generally in agreement with your assessment of Michael Jordan's career.
I especially liked your Low Comprehension-Low Metacomprehension
metaphor. I think you nailed it right on the head - MJ was extremely
stubborn in thinking he knew how to run a basketball team, while making
terrible draft picks and trading away talent and later sticking by his
decisions (although he did trade Juwan Howard's bloated contract when
people said it couldn't be done). Nevertheless, it is a great example
of someone who thought he knew what he was doing and was actually doing
a terrible job (and got fired for it).
Still, I would disagree with your High Comprehension-Low
Metacomprehension analogy slightly. Jordan was not cut from basketball
completely as a sophomore, he simply didn't make varsity and instead
played for the JV squad. I think he was entirely aware of his ability
to perform well, he simply lacked the size to be an effective player at
the time. I'm sure his confidence was always there, because not making
varsity made him work even harder, such as putting in more time by
practicing before school. He wouldn't do this if he had low confidence
- he probably would have given up. It just took a little while for his
body to catch up with his confidence and comprehension of the game.
Regards,
Jimmy
9. Robert,
First off - great essay! I particularly enjoyed your attention grabber and "picture perfect" ending - nice touch!
Your metaphor worked really well, and I think that weaknesses in your
metaphor were well thought out and detailed. This line in particular
caught my attention:
"One of the biggest ones that I am experiencing with my analogy is that
when the camera takes a bad picture, we can just delete it and retake
or move on to the next. When a student comprehends something and it is
not what was intended, it can be really difficult for the teacher to
correct the situation. Some situations might even call for the need of
teaching to unlearn information that was previously misinterpreted."
How true this is - as a teacher, we have to backtrack and find the
exact point we lost the individual student. Was it one step in the
process that in turn affected every step of comprehension after that?
Or, was it the entire process all together? Actually, this can be kind
of similar to the camera. If a poor picture is taken, was it simply one
tiny aspect of the camera that is failing (such as the flash), which
will in turn affect everything else? Or, is it simply a poor
functioning camera all-together, in which case, you will have your work
cut out for you getting it fixed. With students, you need to figure out
if it is one-step or a total reworking of the concept. You are right,
though, with kids we cannot just delete and start over!
Regards,
Jimmy
10. Brett,
Excellent metaphor - I think I related to it so well because you
compared education to something extremely important: the job of ATCs. I
guess I don't often think about them too often and really take into
consideration the incredible burden these men and women have on them
every single moment, the fact that thousands of lives hang partially on
their decisions, education in math and physics, as well as short-term
and long-term memory.
This particular portion of your essay got me thinking about my own students:
"The ATC sees the planes on their screen or in the sky or on the ground
of the airport. They see this with their eyes just like a student would
see information on a book or board and this is transferred into sensory
memory. Like the students, the ATC quickly forgets this information
once more information is processed due to time decay."
I teach 7th grade reading, writing, and social studies, and my students
consistently struggle with identifying the most important concepts and
"skimming over" the least important concepts. This happens in all of my
subjects, but in reading in particular, when they are asked to
summarize books/stories, oftentimes the students' explanations are
littered with unimportant details that really bear little importance to
the plot as a whole. You are exactly right that ATCs will see something
and quickly "forget it'' in a way if it is not of the utmost
importance. Like students, though, when this information arises it is
important until is effectively analyzed and scrutinized for its overall
significance in the transpiring events. ATCs do this much quicker than
many students, and it is a skill I am constantly working with my
students on.
Awesome analogy!
Jimmy
11. Trish,
I am always a sucker for sports analogies, as I feel sports can be used
as a metaphor for just about anything in life. Still, after seeing so
many, I feel yours really resonated with me and works great for the
topic of metacomprehension.
Your "breakdown" of the 3 phases of metacomprehension and applying them
to a quarterback worked perfectly. The QB calling an audible works so
well for step two, because although something looked great when it is
drawn up, certain factors can arise that call for a change in formation
and the entire play itself. You write:
"A teacher’s ultimate goal is not necessarily teaching students a
new skill such as how to graph a linear equation, but to help students
become independent thinkers who are able to learn without their
intervention."
I totally agree with this - that we are more teaching students how to
think and not what to think. When a QB approaches the line, he makes a
judgment call based on his experience and independence. When a student
is accomplishing a task, it is our goal for the students to possess the
skill to backtrack what think about how they got to this point, and
then make a decision based on the information presented to them. I was
actually doing metacognition with my 7th grade reading students on
Friday, having them track their thinking to make predictions for
stories. Like a QB, they assess their thinking and make new predictions
based on what is currently happening in the story/what has already
occurred.
Thanks for the analogy - I think I am going to share this with my students on Monday smile
Regards,
Jimmy
12. Rachel,
I think I take my cell phone for granted - I guess I never appreciate
all the stuff it does for me and the "thinking" that takes place when
completing different functions.
I wonder, though, if it would be possible for a cell phone to really
identify the problem with it and explain why it wasn't working? I
supposes a manual or a trained technician could do these things, but if
a machine itself can explain its metacognition thinking process it
would be a tremendous advance in technology. Some Windows help features
address this by asking the user a series of questions and have you
follow a step-by-step process to identify a problem; however, these
steps are predetermined and the programs aren't really "learning" per
say. Is it possible for machines to possess metacognition? Are we close?
Also, my old Motorola Razr would kind of let me know about damage. I
had two Razrs break (terrible phone, don't ask), and each time the help
technician's final question was to ask what color this little dot was
behind plate on the back of the phone. They didn't tell me why they
were asking me this question, but I assumed that if there was water
damage (user error) then the dot would change color. Granted, this
isn't the same as the phone self-identifying situations, but it is
close smile
Nice job,
Jimmy
13. Robert,
I also think about note-taking quite a bit, and wonder "where
note-taking would fall into the process of writing." It is a vital part
of the writing process, depending on how the students use it. For
example, if notes are just for memorization of material and application
into classroom assignments, it is not really a huge part of the
"writing process", although using graphic organizers to take notes
certainly would be similar to the planning process of writing.
My class recently finished research projects, and the notes were a huge
part of the writing process. The students researched and outlined the
most important information into graphic organizers, and then had to
answer the following questions:
1) How would you summarize you topic in 6-8 sentences?
2) What is the historical relevance of your topic?
3) Why does your topic matter today?
The note-taking process of this allowed the students to better address
these questions, and we spent a great deal of time on this process, and
much less time on the "composing" aspect. Planning, preparation, and
organizing take up the majority of my students' writing time.
Regards,
Jimmy
14. Luke,
First off - I like your reference to Michael Chabon in your post title.
Have you read "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay"? One of my
favorites smile
Regarding your wonderments, this caught my eye:
"I wonder how much a person can write before needing to stop and
review, or pause to choose just the right word, phrase, punctuation,
etc. (123)?"
Perhaps the greatest struggles of my students involve self-editing and
reflecting. It is like pulling teeth sometimes to get them to change,
edit, enhance anything they have written. I can't really blame them,
however, as I was much the same as a middle-school student and am still
often afflicted with similar symptoms. Still, how do we teach students
these skills, and how much should they stop so not to disturb the
natural writing process?
With reading and writing, I attempt to model the stop/pause/reflect
skills and have the students perform them as well. The problem lies in
myself making them stop and do it, for if someone made me stop and
perform these tasks it may seem forced and I won't get a lot out of it.
I really think that students simply need to see modeling and then
practice it themselves, while keeping a journal/log of their thinking
(or sticky-notes in reading). Then, I can evaluate their thinking and
perhaps guide them in the right direction.
Regards,
Jimmy
15. Ming,
A few thoughts on a few of your wonderments:
#11. Pg 130- I wonder what planning would like for younger students.
Maybe draw three pictures of the beginning, middle, and end of their
story?
I think this is a great idea for younger students, as well as middle
school students (which I teach). We utilize visualizing all the time as
one of our key reading strategies, and to be honest, I haven't thought
about using it for the writing process. Having the students draw
detailed pictures in the planning process may enhance specifics in a
piece, as well as assist them in narrative structure.
#15. Pg 145 I wonder what are the most common errors that occur in grades 5-7. Is it more mechanical or meaningful errors?
I teach seventh grade, and I think it is more common to have mechanical
errors, to be honest. Many of my writers have tremendous ideas and
perform adequately well with the writing traits, yet still suffer
mechanically. In my district, there has been a push away from teaching
mechanics, and the students abilities have been compromised. I try to
hit both as much as I can.
Regards,
Jimmy
16. Marsha,
I'm with you - I think the students become more comfortable with their
writing through daily prompts. I try to be creative and give them
options, and in turn, they love the creative outlet. Sometimes I allow
students to share (and reward them with class bucks), and throughout
the year I have noticed my more tentative writers become more open with
sharing, which is wonderful smile Furthermore, the students have used
these prompts as ideas for their own writing pieces; it is almost like
the planning process in a way.
Regards,
Jimmy
17. Pam,
That is awesome about your daughter, and after reading your child's
story her improvement makes perfect sense. Great writing can boil down
to three things:
1) Repetition
2) Variety
3) Structured Editing
The best (and obviously common) advice I ever got as a writer is to
"write what I know." An author, Mary Ann Rodman, came to my school and
told our students the same thing. The more students write, the better
they get. Furthermore, if they write about what they enjoy and receive
positive feedback, the potential for improvement and creativity
accelerate exponentially.
Regards,
Jimmy
18. Hi Julie,
I enjoyed reading your wonderments - my thoughts on a few of them:
2) I wonder how Hayes and Nash would explain a great paper written by a
student who did not write an outline or planned their paper? (pg 128)
I bet they would say, as good as these papers, with proper
outline/planning it could be that much better smile I was never much of
a planner as a student, most likely out of laziness, but whenever I
would plan I would notice improvements in my writing.
15) I wonder if there will ever be a day when students can type a paper for a standardized test instead of writing it?
I think this will be probable one day - as our society progresses and
the tools we utilize progress, different educational assessments will
be offered to students. Heck, my fiance's district uses a program
called "My Access" that assesses student's writing via artificial
intelligence. So, we are getting closer...
Regards,
Jimmy
19. Brett,
The connections are something that are pushed heavily in our district,
from elementary through middle school. In 6th grade, students are
required to make 10 connections a week with their free-read books using
a journal. In 7th grade, we take that one step further with
reading journals, in which students must construct responses to texts
using examples from the book, as well as inserting their
connections. These journals are based on prompts, such as "How
does the setting affect the characters?", and, "Write about an
interesting or important character". Connections are very
important, although some students do struggle with making deeper
connections as opposed to more surface ones (I have a sister, and so
does the main character). Students improve on this by monitoring
their thinking and practicing with their journals every week.
Regards,
Jimmy
20. Rachel,
Is it funny you mentioned grading, because one of my high school
teachers said, "I teach for free, but the school pays me for
grading". I see where he is coming from - grading is usually not
that fun, although it is extremely satisfying to see progress with the
students. It is nice to know all of your hard work is paying off
smile
Sometimes, I think writing is not that much different than math.
Granted, in writing there is much more creative freedom and leeway;
however, both utilize formulas in the process that assist students
greatly in achieving the final solution. The final product is
assessed somewhat differently, of course, but to improve in both areas
misconceptions in the process need to be addressed.
Regards,
Jimmy
21. Susan,
Very interesting reply - our district has the two classes separated
into "reading" and "writing" - with the students receiving separate
grades for each (when I was in school there was one grade).
However, we may be shifting to one "literacy grade" because we do tie
the two together so much. Oddly enough, although they are
separate right now, we are still supposed to blend them together as
much as possible. Does that make sense? (I also teach
social studies, and we are supposed to blend that as well).
I think I would like a literacy grade, although there are pros and
cons. Reading and writing simply go together so tightly, and our
reading assignments typically involve some form of written
communication. Often, I will grade students on the written
format, and, how well the reading strategies were incorporated.
Combining the two makes sense, as well as then detailing on the report
card which areas the students need practice in to succeed.
Regards,
Jimmy
22. Ron,
Reading your post made me realize how much I miss science class - I
forgot how enlightening it was to learn about different species and
environments!
I think your lesson is all-encompassing, and I particularly enjoy the
student discovery, creation, and collaboration the project
presents. You talk about misconceptions, and how this unit looks
to "dispel misconceptions". Furthermore, you write:
"Highlighting how our actions effect other species and how the loss of
other species can affect humans. What role the individual can play."
I was curious - what misconceptions do the students have about these
environments? What do they usually share with the class about how
we actually affect these species in distant places? Where dc
their misconceptions commonly lay? This type of topic
particularly fascinates me...
Regards,
Jimmy
23. Lorikay,
The re-teaching and "spiraling" aspect of the math curriculum does
sound somewhat daunting, and it got me thinking about reteaching in my
own curriculum. Every student should have some base to start from
(ideally), but the difficult thing is that no one starts from the same
base. Obviously, some move faster than others, and it is a
struggle for other students to keep up. I do what you do every
day - work individually with struggling learners so as to clear as many
misconceptions from the beginning.
You detailed your curriculum very well, and, my reading/writing
curriculum is admittedly more open-ended. I don't believe my
curriculum is as "spiraling" as the yours, however, students to need to
hopefully master certain concepts/strategies before moving on to
others. Do you ever keep students after school for tutoring, or,
keep them in at lunch? I find myself doing this often, and the
results are typically quite positive smile
Regards,
Jimmy
24. Nic,
I love the misconceptions of American History - you mention right off
the bat that students come into the history classroom with numerous
misconceptions, and this is true of people, places, and events. I
loved your outline of Columbus, as he is probably the most blatant
example of misrepresentation in a "famous figure" in schools. (I,
in turn, call Columbus Day by the more appropriate name of "Native
American Remembrance Day). Just looking at my textbook right now,
it does mention that Columbus sought riches and to spread Christianity,
but the topic of connecting him with genocide and enslavement are
largely avoided. These topics are in the book, but the authors
choose not to tie it to Columbus. I suppose that is up to the
educator.
What is unique about historical misconceptions is that they can be tied
very closely to the educator - what should educators be teaching
children at a young age? If this is where these misconceptions
start, couldn't we teach the "historical truth" at a young age?
Do children have the capacity for this information? Granted,
students bring their own unique experiences into the classroom, but
many of these misconceptions can be cleared up with a more "honest"
explanation. But, would this be helpful to the kids at a tender
age?
Noted historian and Socialist Howard Zinn, whose book, A People's
History of the United States, is a must read, said that his book of
"truths" that are typically left out of textbooks should be used as a
supplemental text to the standard material. Perhaps we can teach
students both?
Regards,
Jimmy
25. Susan,
That was a fun read - I think you have a great plan in place for
teachers to learn technology in a quasi-loose, yet engaging
environment. I ultimately admire your approach of "let's take a
look at what you know, what you want to know, and how can I help you" -
works for kids and adults smile
This particular part I am a huge fan of:
"I'm not there to teach, nor are they expected to learn, every aspect
of the application. Rather, I want them to get enough exposure to
be comfortable continuing to explore it on their own."
How true is this? You mention you are self-taught (as am I) - and
I think I have understood things a little better that way through my
own self-exploration based upon my immediate needs. Technology
needs to be catered to each user - instructing teachers on everything
wouldn't be that beneficial. Instead, it should be immediate
concerns and improving on them. Plus, once the skills are down,
they can be applied to other programs and software (even Macs!)
Regards,
Jimmy
26. Nic,
I often wonder about the comparisons between Chinese schools and
American schools, and why American students are behind. You
wonder if teachers in China are simply "better" at teaching math than
American teachers, and I wonder if there is simply more to it than
this. Is is the strategies used, and not simply the
teacher? Do the students have a greater work ethic and are
drilled more in practice and reflection? I'm sure that China has
its share of students that don't work particularly hard, either, and it
is an assumption on my part to think all Chinese students outwork
American students. Perhaps the Chinese school day is longer and
have higher expectations - is school more a lifestyle for
students? Can someone answer these questions, now I am really
curious...
Regards,
Jimmy
27. Hi Ann,
The story problems really got me thinking - as a student, I really
enjoyed a good story problem. I was extremely engaged and would
hard on them to find the right answer, however, that was just me.
I think I benefited a great deal, but that may have been a personal
motivation thing to jump that hurdle, I suppose. I don't teach
math, but perhaps they could be used as weekly/bi-weekly extra credit
offerings to challenge students? That way, the struggling
students can continue to work on sharpening their ongoing skills in the
spiraling curriculum, and the students that need extra challenging can
enhance their understanding by taking on the story problems.
Regards,
Jimmy
28. Ron,
Your wonderments got me thinking, and I shared some with you, especially this one:
"What makes an Effective Problem-Solving Program- I wonder how many
children are intellectually ready to learn when entering kindergarten."
I agree - what difference does head start make? As it was
conceived, it seemed an ultra-ambitious work to start all students in
K-12 schooling at similar starting points. With that being said,
it is working, and do they all start with somewhat similar levels
preparation? Being a government program, does the government set
certain benchmarks in the program and have specific curriculum in mind
to teach the students? Mayer seemed to think the program needs
further research and analysis, despite the fact that program has been
around for 40 years. A quick read on Wikipedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Start#Effectiveness) cited research
studies that claim mixed results, stating that Head Start has no
lasting effect on test scores in early schooling and increases
behavioral problems and self-control problems (this kind of threw me
for a loop). However, it does increase reading and mathematical
skills. Still, parenting, income, and environment all need to be
taken into account as well - I'd have to do a lot more reading on the
topic to gain a fuller understanding.
Regards,
Jimmy
29. Hi Jennifer,
A few things:
I don’t think school grades reflect intellectual ability. A
student can be very intelligent but choose to not apply him/herself and
therefore have a poor grade in school.
I wholeheartedly agree with this and continuously adapt and reflect on
this thought. Often, it seems students are not assessed on
mastery of a concept (aren't these what grades are?) but instead on
homework completion/effort. I know some some school are moving
away from this, for example, my fiancee's school doesn't grade homework
anymore (unless the skills has been gone over in class multiple times -
grading "practice" isn't a valid assessment). The district is
leaning towards grading on mastery, instead, but still showcase an
"effort" grade on the report card as well (that doesn't count towards
GPA). I agree with this, and I think my school is moving slowly
but surely towards these principles as well.
5. p. 403- I wonder if that Game Boy game that is marketed to
adults is based on Binet’s tests. I think it’s called
“Brain Age”, and it’s supposed to provide mental
exercise.
I have this game - basically, it is a set of drills and exercises to
keep your brain sharp on a daily basis. It is supported by
Professor Ryuta Kawashima, although Nintendo doesn't dive too much into
the actual benefits to one's intellect (according to Wikipedia).
The Binet comparison is valid, and I wonder, what he would think of the
game?
Jimmy
30. Rachel,
I enjoyed the math myths as well, and you bring up the myth that men
are better at math than women, and you wonder if there are more men in
mathematics because they are wired to like mathematics more. Or maybe
because historically men have studied math more than women the myth
still continues today.
I think historically, men were deemed smarter than women for the sole
reason of women not getting equal education as men (or, any education
at all for that matter at times). You bring up a great point,
that perhaps men are simply wired to like it more. I suppose this
could be true, or perhaps there are more noted mathematician males than
females. What is funny to me about this myth, is that throughout
my own schooling, I always thought it was the other way around - go
figure. It was the females in my classes as a student that seemed
to dominate the math horizon.
Jimmy
31. Luke,
Many interesting wonderments - #5 and #7 caught my eye, specifically.
#5 - I, too, often wonder about real world examples and how teachers
utilize them in their classrooms. With math, especially,
mastering the basic skills and framework, as well as becoming
proficient in problem-solving are extremely important.
Nevertheless, it must be hard to communicate these, as math (to me)
seems like a subject that students doubt themselves in a great
deal. I like your example of giving students options to solve a
problem - that makes a great deal of sense. I've always
considered about having a real world tie-in every day in class, an area
on the bulletin board/white board to communicate the overriding
connection of the way (the students could fill this out every
day). Not sure why I haven't done this yet, I really should.
#7 - I totally agree - I cannot remember one single skill I ever
learned in reading as a student. Not one. I do, though,
remember being an avid learner and reading on my own constantly.
I also always did the reading assignments for social studies and
science, as well - I didn't just skim for answers. I needed to
know it all. Personal motivation and love of learning is
extremely difficult to teach, and that really is a self-discovery thing
(with guidance along the way). Still, the skills I teach my
students (inference, visualizing, determining importance, etc)
hopefully make my students better readers. Will they be able to
recall these skills in 10 years? Or, will they mean nothing if
they never develop that passion for reading?
Regards,
Jimmy Juliano
32. Jillian,
I wondered a few of the exact same things that you did - for example, you wrote:
"I wonder what percentage of college students are able to communicate
mathematically. (In “Teaching and Learning Math”)"
Mayer has brought up college students on more than one occasion being
samples in a study (that usually has surprising results). To me,
math is one of those subjects that students can't wait to get out of (I
enjoyed math until my senior year of high school but then got sick of
it - I took one class in college as a requirement for my education
major). I also wonder about the adeptness of college students
with basic math skills, and the percentages that can complete
mathematical tasks. Still, is the purpose of math to be able to
do certain story problems and whatnot? I was always under the
impression that math helps build basic life skills and teaches a way of
thinking that is applicable to the real world. If later on in
life certain story problems can't be solved, does that deem a student
less adequate in their math skills?
Regards,
Jimmy
33. Brett,
I can kind of agree about the babying thing - I still think I really
cover myself as much as I can right now, and don't like forcing
volunteers too much (I know, what is the worst that can happen? I just
hate to embarrass kids). In language arts, I never make kids read their
own writing, because a lot of it can be very personal. In social
studies, though, I never hesitate just to call on someone if I think
he/she isn't really completely with us.
Like you, I really enjoyed going up to the board in math - I had a nice
competitive streak going, and I was never embarrassed. I can see how
kids would be, though, I don't know - maybe I over think things
sometimes.
Jimmy
34. Nic,
I was particularly interested in your wonderment #3. You wrote:
How can you lower someone’s grade if members of the group do not understand the material but the original person does?
I am looking to incorporate more group grading/cooperative grading
activities into my classroom and I liked the idea that Mayer brought
up. The averages seemed like a really cool idea, because it allows the
lower students to participate as much as the higher students. This
assessment puts a lot of onus on the students to teach each other and
themselves, and transfers responsibility solely to the students. In
that regard, I think students will take it very seriously, and the
activity will possibly promote a higher level of engagement with the
material.
Nevertheless, I can definitely see some of my students griping about
it. Perhaps these can be done but won't be worth that many points? I
would love to do it, but would need more information on it to justify
these practices to students and parents. Any ideas out there?
Jimmy
35. Hi Ann,
I wrap myself around this same wonderment often:
I wonder why students often fail to transfer what they learned outside school to solving problems in the real world.
This can be vice-versa too, such as the situation you noted where the
child was a whiz in the store but couldn't do similar task in the
classroom. It is baffling, and some days I think, "Are the students
even seeing the real world connections at all?" I really should make
more of an effort with every lesson to more accurately explain real
world connections, or have students find real world connections, or
simply base the curriculum on the real world.
I teach reading, writing, and social studies right now, and I try to
hit real world/student life connections as much as I can. It is
difficult sometimes - if the connections were more obvious, I think
student engagement and achievement would be higher (I am teaching
technology next year and I think the connections are so much more
prevalent - I am excited!). To attempt to answer your wonderment,
though, I think students would be more successful at transfers if
teachers made more of an effort to showcase the connections and
incorporate real world applicable activities into the curriculum.
Jimmy
36. Marsha,
Regarding your wonderment #2 (whiteboards) - I think they are an
amazing thing! I try to use them at least once a week in my classroom,
and I utilize the same methods as you do. The kids go crazy with them -
it is amazing how much they love them. I, too, love them, due to 100%
engagement. Whiteboards are beautiful things!
#13 - The desire thing is tricky, and I try many different levels of
"encouragement": grades, calls home, verbal encouragement from myself,
or even hoping they will do things to please me (which is sometimes the
case). From my own K-12 experience and even in college, I was strongly
self-motivated but also never wanted to let my instructors down either
(or my parents, for that matter). It must have been my upbringing, and
I am convinced that students that come from a caring home with involved
parents, some desire all always be there. Unfortunately, that is not
always the case, so I keep trying as many different ways I can think of
to encourage a student.
Regards,
Jimmy
37. Marcy,
I have some thoughts on one of your wonderments:
I wonder if low achieving kids may be left behind in cooperative
learning groups if high-achievers “take over”. Even if
roles are assigned, others may want to do it for the low-achievers to
hurry the task along.(447)
I agree, this is always a possible problem. With that being said, I
always assign my cooperative learning groups for larger assignments,
and make sure I have no "high" kids withe the lower ability learners.
My groups would be high/medium, or medium/low to ensure that people are
not dominating and students are not left behind. Also, on my peer
evaluation grading sheet, students can assess based on if they think
someone was "over-involved." Students get worried about this, and a few
of the more pushy students will then complain to me that they can't
give a full effort for fear of being "docked". Well, the grade is more
of a scare tactic, and it does make students relinquish some control,
but assume enough control that the final product doesn't suffer, if
that makes sense. Furthermore, I always discuss grades with the group
if I ever see any grade that is the least bit fishy.
Regards,
Jimmy
38. Ron,
I go back and forth on the classroom discussion thing. I remember being
a student and the teacher keeping track of volunteering and having that
be a part of your grade. Granted, this was Spanish class, and with the
curriculum being largely verbal related this does make sense. My fiance
also teaches Spanish and does something similar.
I would like to give a grade for participation, but in
reading/writing/social studies sometimes it doesn't seem fair. I do,
however, encourage participation by giving out class money (greenbacks)
that can be redeemed for candy and different types of prizes. Still, I
would like to try what you do to encourage participation more, perhaps
I will implement it the last few weeks of school.
Regards,
Jimmy
39. Robert,
A few of your wonderments make perfect sense to me, for example, numbers 8 and 9, where you write:
7. I wonder if there would be any humiliation in Ms.
Competition’s class if she started the year off explaining to her
kids that mistakes are welcome and it is a wonderful thing when we can
learn from our mistakes. (Mayer, p. 444)
8. I wonder if there would be any humiliation in Ms.
Competition’s class if the students were allowed to stay up there
and receive feedback from the class in order to find and correct their
mistake. (Mayer, p. 444)
These are great thoughts, and I think you are leaning towards the
opinion that in the right classroom these "competition" type activities
would be perfectly acceptable. If from the beginning, the teacher
creates an environment where students are not afraid to give their
opinions and learn from each other, what may seem like competition may
actually be very healthy. I am all for a little healthy competition in
the classroom, and if this what what gets the positive classroom vibes
going, and students seek to learn from each other and assist one
another, then "competition" can be an engaging exercise.
Regards,
Jimmy
40. Jillian,
Number 8 is a great wonderment:
8. Research shows which type of group learning is most effective (group
study with group reward for individual learning), but I wonder what the
majority of students prefer. (p. 470)
Interesting thoughts - most of students clamor over group work,
although I have a coupler of students that like to work alone. I'd have
to say the most popular choice of the students is partner/groups of
three in which the students choose their partners. They sometimes don't
seem to enjoy when I place them in groups of my choosing, but I think
this gets the most out of them. I think the key is diversity in
classroom activities - my students get bored quickly by doing the same
types of activities, and I like to switch it up on them as often as I
can. Students can be creatures of habit, but giving them a variety of
activities makes just about everything seem preferential to them (if
that makes sense).
Regards,
Jimmy
41. Michael,
I enjoyed your parallels between your improv class and teaching in the
classroom, especially how many of the students from your improv class
are at various skill levels, or, think they are more adept than they
actually are. This is undoubtedly the case in classrooms, as kids can
get fairly arrogant and self righteous (although when adults in a class
do this it is much more irritating).
It sounds as if your instructors have a solid grip on the class, as you
said, by establish[ing] relationships, as Canter suggests, by praising
other work they have done, and by asking for their input and feedback
on their current and previous work." Have you ever looked at their
teaching methods before and thought about applying it your classroom,
or, did you just more actively analyze it due to this assignment?
Also, just out of curiosity, how did you get involved with improv, and what type of level would you put yourself at?
Regards,
Jimmy
42. Brian,
Cool activity group to learn about - I'd always heard about Highlife
but had no idea how it was run - really interesting. Anyway, the
portion of your essay that really got me thinking was this part:
"As a social organization, positive recognition occurs automatically
when an individual acts according to the social norm in accordance to
the environment for that specific activity. The more closely one
follows the expected behavior the more likely they will gain the
respect of their peers and engage in conversation. Therefore, the act
of making friends is the positive recognition one receives for
following the rules."
I couldn't help but compare this to my classroom. Granted, schools are
not social clubs - but in the eyes of the students, they kind of are.
Furthermore, while we are attempting to produce well rounded, scholarly
students, as teachers we are also producing people with positive
interpersonal skills that can effectively communicate in a society. By
modeling appropriate behavior in the classroom and giving students
opportunities to work with their classmates, we are, in a way,
providing positive reinforcement as students better communicate and
coexist with their peers. I often overlook this aspect of teaching, but
the social aspect of the classroom is extremely important.
Regards,
Jimmy
43. Michael,
Sounds awesome - it seems like your "eroding skills" after time off is
not dissimilar to students over summer vacation, spring break, or
sometimes even weekends (I can't believe some of the things my kids
forget from Friday to Monday).
Does your school pay for them? That is really cool - I have always
wanted to test my skills in the improv department. I think I'm pretty
funny (I don't have an ego, I swear), but I'm sure that if I ever
stepped into an improv class I would freeze up and be the ultimate
choke-job. Still, I imagine improv improves thinking on your feet and
communications skills, and perhaps it would be something my school
would pop for. I will definitely look into the Second City workshops -
what a different and unique opportunity - thanks for the heads up!
Jimmy
44. Jillian,
Thanks for the reply! While writing the essay, I realized I had never
really analyzed the role of an umpire/referee in sports before. Their
roles are strikingly to that of a teacher - maintaining order,
administering discipline, and fostering appropriate community skills.
After many years of watching professional sports on television, I can
say I've seen referees and umpires fraternize with athletes, and my
immediate reaction is, "That weasel athlete - trying to butter up the
official so he is the beneficiary of an ideal call later in the game."
I'm sure sometimes this is true, but perhaps there is a positive
relationship being forged between authority and participant.
Your example in your softball league is awesome, and it seems you
appreciated and are encouraged by his behavior (and, it is funny he is
a former teacher). From what you noticed, do you think this had an
effect on your team?
Regards,
Jimmy
45. Marcy,
Thanks for the kind words - it is interesting how you say a referee
needs to remain neutral, and perhaps that is why they do not openly
praise teams. I would completely agree with this perception, and I feel
foolish for not making this connection in my original essay.
Still, a perception is only a perception - is not a teacher supposed to
remain neutral at all times, as well? An instructor that plays
favorites is not doing his/her job appropriately, as is the case with
sports referees. Nevertheless, positive reinforcement is not playing
favorites at all, although this may be the perception of an outsider.
As long as a teacher or referee is consistent with positive
reinforcement, then no favorites are being played, and the authority
figure is enhancing his/her job and the behavior of the
students/players.
I suppose this is a case of an outsider having the wrong perspective,
and this is probably why referees remain neutral - not all sports fans
are educators and know the benefits of positive reinforcement!
Regards,
Jimmy
46. Pam,
Thanks for the reply - the job interview unit was developed for my
speech communications class last year, but I managed to utilize this
year into my language arts curriculum. The resumes and cover letters
tied in nicely, and the kids really get a kick out of it. I don't think
the importance of learning how to prepare and interview for a job can
be overstated, even at such a young age. I don't remember ever learning
these tools, whether it be middle school, high school, or college. I
tell my students if they remember one thing about this class when they
get older, please let it be this.
The "wait time" is something they are uncomfortable with - whether it
is them practicing in an interview, or, when I utilize it in class.
They can't handle the silence, although I think they are improving.
Regards,
Jimmy
47. Brett,
Eye contact is something I try to focus on every single day. I have
never been much of an eye contact person, especially in my social
relationships. It is hard to explain, but while formulating thoughts
and speaking, my eyes are fluttering about and don't really focus on
the other too much. Teaching has given me ample opportunities to
practice this more, especially when administering punishment (or just
talking one on one) I totally agree that kids look at the floor the
entire time, and I need to remind them to look directly at me. It
really helps establish repoire and create connections with students,
and lets them know you are truly involved with the conversation and
listening to what they have to say.
Regards,
Jimmy
48. Ron,
Excellent read - you broke down active listening very well, and
something I failed to mention in my own essay but was pinpointed very
well by you was this:
"When using active listening you focus on what the speaker is saying rather than the response to the speaker."
I overlooked stating it this way, but you are right on. There are few
things more frustrating than people that you know are not listening to
you and are instead just formulating their response. A librarian in my
school is the perfect example of this. She is super-nice, and has good
intentions, however I walk away from every conversation with her
feeling super-frustrated. Halfway through anything I say to her I know
she isn't listening and is prepping her response - no matter what I am
saying she will still reply the same way. Again, I don't think it is
purposeful, and it makes me wonder, do I ever act like this? I hope
not, and try to consciously practice active listening so not frustrate
other people.
You mention using this tactic with parents - great idea! Parents
sometimes think their concerns are not being met, and rephrasing their
words to show that you understand them can create more positive
communication and relationships.
Regards,
Jimmy
49. Marcy,
You detail some wonderful strategies that I really need to employ more
in my classroom. I particularly enjoyed reading this particular passage:
When moving to a new subject, I might ask students to close their eyes
and think about whatever we are studying. This can help the student to
relax and focus his/her mind. I sometimes ask students to repeat what I
have said or to repeat the steps I have given for a project. This holds
the student accountable for listening. A popular request in my room is
to “turn your brain on.” It is silly, but in its own way,
the request asks students to listen carefully and focus.
In my rush to get as much done as possible in the limited time I have
with the students each day, I often miss out on great moments like
these in the classrooms. I absolutely love having the kids close their
eyes and thinking about what they are studying. That is a simple,
effective a way to reflect and focus on the previous lesson - I think I
will try this tomorrow smile I, too, also really like having students
repeat directions. I take a long time on directions to make sure
students are understanding them, and having kids summarize/repeat
directions back to the class is a solid classroom strategy.
Regards,
Jimmy
50. Pam,
You outlined the social aspects of active listening very well, whether
it be with people we come across with on a daily basis, or, loved ones
within our own family. Like you stated, it "improves relationships and
demonstrates respect." I particularly was interested when you wrote:
Finally, I even use active listening with “strangers”.
Whether asking directions, looking for information, purchasing an item
or at a public meeting, I find many benefits from communicating
thoughts and needs clearly through active listening. I notice when
other use active listening and truly appreciate its use.
I do very much the same thing in public places, especially when I am
shopping. I hate to generalize, but I would guess that most people
don't take the time to use active listening in such places as Jewel,
for example. I really believe check-out clerks recognize and appreciate
polite customers that utilize active listening, and they appreciate and
return the same respect.
The respect issue is hugely important, and every day in my classroom I
attempt to give students as much respect as I can, in hopes that this
respect is returned. Active listening can definitely help foster these
mutual feelings of respect, and my utilizing eye contact,
rephrasing/summarizing, and using "pleases" and "thank yous"
consistently I feel I am modeling being an effective citizen.
I'm glad that active listening has improved relations with your husband
- I have no idea what to say here, being that I can never imagine being
in a similar situation as your husband. Simply, I am glad he is home
safe, and please thank him for serving our country.
Regards,
Jimmy
51. Pam,
You're welcome - I really can't say enough about our armed forces. My
buddy was in Iraq for 8 months a few years ago, and thankfully made it
home safely. From these experiences, as well as being a bit of a
history geek, I really try to hammer home appreciation of our military
in my classroom. I try to model being open-minded and objective, and
teaching my students to develop informed opinions about past and
current conflicts - while maintaining admiration and respect for our
nation's veterans and current soldiers at all times.
Regards,
Jimmy
52. Jennifer,
I figured I was not alone smile I totally agree, and swear that I am on
the verge of some nervous breakdown. Between school, family, feeling
the need to check my email every 20 minutes, random tasks at home, etc
- I can barely focus on one thing at a time that I am doing. I can
hardly even find solace in watching the Cubs anymore - my mind is
constantly racing on what else to do during the game!
I am trying to get better, and actively listen when I am on the phone
and not have one eye on something else. My fiancee called me a few
minutes ago, and I made sure to shut my laptop screen and turn off the
TV to really focus on what she was saying - mission accomplished, I
think.
Regards,
Jimmy
53. Scott,
Thanks for the kind words - I, too, follow the same method as you and
practice quality cell-phone etiquette. What really irks me (and
confuses me) are Bluetooths - I have responded to someone that wasn't
talking to me in the past on more than one occasion, when that person
was instead on a Bluetooth. Every time I am in a cab the same thing
happens - I think the cabbie is talking to me, when instead he just
started up a Bluetooth conversation.
After reflecting on it for a while, and what you said about iPods and
whatnot, I have decided that I really need to focus on human contact a
bit more. It is so easy to be distracted, and because I recognize how
rude it is when someone is not actively listening to me, I should
always be a model of how to listen and respond!
Regards,
Jimmy
54. Ron,
Ha! I am with you - I sometimes am not the best listener in the later innings of a Cubs game, and I do feel bad about that smile
As far as parent communication goes, since reading up on active
listening, writing an essay, exploring other students essays and
formulating responses, I think I have become more consciously aware of
the positives of the method. I try my very best to get my point in, but
not so much that it seems like this is my only agenda. The more
receptive I am to what parents have to say, the more receptive they are
to me in turn. I think parents sometimes parents feel their voices,
ideas, and opinions are far overshadowed by that of the teacher, and
some active listening will not only assist in the empowerment of the
parent, but will also assist in the parent being more open to your
thoughts as well.
Along the lines of parent communication, here is what I attempt to
employ every time I talk to a parent, and I'm sure you probably have
heard of it: the constructive criticism sandwich. My buddy from the
business world taught this to me - you start out with saying something
nice and positive about the student, then the more negative point you
need to make (if there is one), and then finished up by a more positive
point. This tactic works extremely well, and the parent does not feel
like his or her child is being attacked - it works wonders!
Regards,
Jimmy
55. Trish,
Excellent read, and I identified with many of your points. This one really stood out to me:
Have you ever had two students raise their hands? You call on one who
asks a questions which you answer. The other student’s hand is
still raised, so you call on him only to have him ask exactly the same
question?
This happens at least a few times per week in my class, and it is a
problem by students struggle with quite frequently. Sometimes the exact
same answer is given, nearly verbatim, while other times it will be in
essence the same answer, just worded a little differently. When those
kids raise their hands, it is almost as if they shut down and are
silently focusing on what they are going to say, tuning out the rest of
the class.
When this happens, I usually will say something like, "That is the
answer Alex just gave - would you care to expand on that?" Now the
student really has nothing to say, in which case I try to model some
quality active listening. I will showcase some serious wait-time,
followed by rewording the original answer, and asking follow-up
questions to suddenly silent student. This usually works, and besides
modeling good active listening skills on my part, it also (hopefully)
forces the students to pay more attention to their peers so they don't
get put in an uncomfortable spot.
Regards,
Jimmy
56. Rachel,
Thanks for the reply - you bring up a great point about competition,
and the gladiators in the Roman Coliseum is a prime example. Granted,
our competitions are not as severe as that, but it goes to show in 2000
years the "spirit" of sports has not changed at all.
I think eliminating competition from the classroom is next to
impossible. Every where we look there is a competition going on (some
more subtler than others)- sports, reality TV shows, getting ahead at
work, putting up Christmas lights, sibling rivalry - the list goes on.
We are a competitive society, and competition drives many to do their
best. Heck, even a job interview is a competition - you are competing
with the other applicants. It is an avoidable thing in our society, and
while we should not necessarily promote this in the classroom, it does
drive students to succeed. A think a healthy balance should be
maintained - for Alfie Kohn to deny a management style because it is
competitive seems slightly ridiculous to me, because we will never get
rid of this competition, anyway.
Regards,
Jimmy
57. Scott,
You thought out and elaborated on my point a lot better than I did
smile Great point about video-editing, working on websites - I totally
agree that after teaching social studies all day, sometimes the last
thing I want to do is go home and watch the History Channel.
Also, I'm sure people in analytical positions can't really turn in off
like we can at with our jobs while at home. I'd like to think that
marriage counselors practice what they preach, and are probably more
"equipped" to handle marriage problems. Still, that doesn't necessarily
mean they will be in "better" marriages. It is a challenging thought,
and I guess I think about when I have kids - will my years of teaching
students allow me to be a better parent, due to my experience in
fostering intelligence, managing discipline, et cetera? I'd like to
think so, but you never know.
Regards,
Jimmy
58. Julie,
Excellent point about grades as motivators. I must say my original
point may have been one of haste, for, as you said, some students may
only be motivated to get that D. I implied that getting the best grade
possible was a natural motivator, at least for me - it was that A.
Obviously, some students are motivated to get a B, while others simply
desire only to pass.
It is difficult to wrap my head around - if we wish to create a
classroom of students that are truly "self-motivated" and "empowered" -
shouldn't all grades be eliminated? This won't happen, and the trick is
to still give students assessment grades, but at the same time foster
the individuals in the area of self-motivation. It is a difficult
trick, indeed, but a worthwhile effort, no doubt.
Regards,
Jimmy
59. Rachel,
Nice job smile I also think a lot about your #8, and wonder how well I am doing:
I wonder what Rogers would say is the ideal class size. I have seen the
affects of building relationships with students, however with 28
students in a class, and 5 classes a day, it’s hard to build
relationships with all of them.
This year, I only have 2 classes of 28 students - I totally lucked out.
I have each block for 2 hours. Last year, I was in your situation, and
had 6 classes of 30 students apiece. Next year it will be like that
again, for me, and I will each set of students only 12 weeks - not a
lot of time to form a personal relationship.
To try to "answer" your wonderment, I'd like to say the ideal class
size (somewhat realistic) would be about 18. As far as relationships
go, it is extremely difficult to build relationships with every
student, and when I look back upon my day I often feel bad about a
student I seemingly "ignored". To counter this, I strive every day to
make solid eye contact with every individual during class, and during
cooperative work check-in on every group/pair. Always calling the
students by name helps as well. I think little things like that make a
difference, and even something as small as eye contact can go a long
way.
Regards,
Jimmy
60. Carole,
I am in complete agreement about your wonderment #5:
Summerhill is first and foremost a place where children can discover
who they are and where their interests lie in the safety of a
self-governing, democratic community. This community is seen as unusual
in two important ways. First, lessons are optional. Teachers and
classes are available at timetabled times, but children decide whether
or not to attend.” I’d love to be a fly on the wall and see
how this type of setup works for a school. ( Case studies and success
stories involving globalization aspects with this approach)
I have only really seen representations of these types of schools in
television shows and movies, and never the real "classrooms" in action.
The way these websites describe them, it almost sounds like college -
but with less rules. I, too, would love to observe for a day and see
how the students act, behave, and respond.
I can picture a few of my current students being very successful in
this type of environment. They seem entirely self-motivated (although,
I'm sure a lot of this motivation comes from home). Then, there are
other students of mine that I struggle to see staying motivated in a
room without rules. I think I understand the goals of these schools: to
create more curious, self-motivated, lifelong learners. One part of me
says that students need more structure, but there is another part that
says putting a student in that environment for an extended amount of
time must result in him or her becoming more self-motivated. There has
got to be only so much iPod listening and goofing around one can do
before they simply want to "learn". Perhaps the "slackers" I have right
now do so mainly because it is sort of a rebellion against the rules of
the school and classroom. Would they possibly succeed in one of these
alternative schools like Summerhill? I would love to know.
Regards,
Jimmy
61. Trish -
Great point - I was thinking about this today, actually. It is so easy
to look at someone else's relationship and pinpoint what is wrong with
it, and decide that a couple is totally wrong for each other.
Nevertheless, the couple in question wouldn't feel that way at all -
and it is all due to objectivity of being the 3rd party.
Solid analysis, Trish - the personal connections really skew objectivity in marriage and child-raising situations.
Regards,
Jimmy
62. Rachel,
I am looking forward to the curriculum but am dreading the lack of
connections with students. I have a hard enough times with names as it
is, as last year it took me about 2-3 months to become fluent and
remembering all 180 names I had to learn. Now, I see some of those
students in the hallway, and I feel like a terrible person because a
few names escape me.
I like your strategy of saying names as they enter the room every day -
any more tips to remember names in a revolving-door classroom?
Thanks,
Jimmy