Literacy Lesson Plan EDRD 6530

Candidate Sarah Fox				Field Supervisor Karen Murphy
Date 4/20/16			Grade Transition Post-12	Mentor Teacher Megan Drobnicki-Girdhar
	Lesson	Activity description/Teacher does			Students do
	Baseline data collection for both Learning Targets (Sequence start)	Baseline data will be collected for students using a pre-assessment on reading of 50 functional “signs around me” words from flash cards. Data will be collected to show words that student read correctly and words that were missed.			Student will read “sign words” from flash cards.
	Lesson Title	What Signs are Around you?
	Standard	CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3.c Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4.c Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
	IEP Goal/Benchmark	When given 10 sight words related to signs around the community student will sight words improving functional reading skills from emerging skill to 8/10 as measured by staff/teacher observation and teacher evaluation.
	Central Focus (CF)	Students will identify words commonly found on community and safety signs
	Academic Language	Language function: Identify Language Demand: Demonstrate Vocabulary: Stop, Open, Police, Closed, Walk, Telephone
	Collect daily assessment data to monitor progress on both Lesson Objectives	Teacher collects data on words the student got correct and words that were missed out of 50 from the review of flash cards.			Student reads all know flash cards.
	Learning Targets (LT) may not be in the same curricular area	I will be able to read one new “sign word” and be able to identify where it can be found in the community.
	Instruction (e.g. inquiry, preview, review, etc.)	Teacher shows the “sign word” from the previous lesson on the overhead in its sign form. The word was “stop”. The teacher calls on each student and asks him or her to read the word. The teacher then asks the students where they see this sign and what it means. The teacher then introduces the word that they will be introduced to today, which is “open”. The teacher asks where they might see the word “open” and then provides students with the example of seeing the word “open” on a store sign.			Students read the word “stop” aloud. Students offer examples of where they would see the word “stop” Students offer examples of where they would see the word “open”
	Practice Activity or Support	Using Edmark Functional “sign words” book, “Signs around you”, teacher introduces a daily new word. Today’s word is “open”. When the word is first introduced it is alone. Teacher prompts student with, “point to open”. The word is then introduced with two already mastered words and teacher again prompts with “point to open”. This process is repeated three more times with a variety of already known words. The word open is then presented alone and teacher prompts with, “what word?” Previously mastered “sign words” are also tested during the lesson using the same prompts of “point to” when the word is with two additional words and “what word” when the word is alone. Teacher will use errorless learning and back track if student does not correctly respond to prompts. The teacher will state for the student, “this word is open”, and then ask “what word?”			Student will point to corresponding word stated by teacher, or state word pointed to by teacher. Student will point to corresponding word stated by teacher, or state word pointed to by teacher.
	Collect daily assessment data to monitor progress on both Lesson Objectives	Teacher collects data on words the student got correct and words that were missed from the practice activity.
	Practice Activity or Support	In a group of four students who have been selected because of similar reading levels, students will participate in a group game to demonstrate understanding of their functional “sign words”.   The teacher projects all fifty words onto the board. The words have been broken into three point categories. 1-point words, which they all have shown mastery of. 2-point words, which some of them have shown mastery of and some are still working on. And 3-point words that are still new to the majority of the group.   Students will take turns coming up and spinning a wheel to determine which point category of words they will select from. Piles of flash cards are ready for each number. The words are depicted in their “sign form”, while they are written in word form on the board.   Student will draw a card, from the corresponding point value, which they spun for.   Student will read the word, find its match on the board and cross it off and then write it on the board. If the student does not know the word they can ask their friends for help.   After the student has written the word on the board, each of their classmates also write the word on a personal white board for practice.			Students all sit in desks facing the white board.                       Student will draw a card, from the corresponding point value, which they spun for. Student will either read the   Student will read word, find its match on the board and write the word on board. Classmate will also write the word on their personal white board.
	Closure Assessment of Student Voice	Teacher will collect data on words correct and words missed during practice activity white board game.
	Final Assessment and Evidence of Student Voice	Teacher will hand out exit slip asking students how they feel they did at meeting the learning target. The exit slip will have three images of thumbs (up, sideways and down).   Student will also be presented with three of the “sign word” flash cards and be asked to correctly pick the word that they worked on that day and use the flash card as a model to write the “sign word” on the exit slip.   Teacher will collect exit slips.			Students will circle one thumb to show their teacher how well they met the learning target.   Student will identify the “sign word” that they worked on that day and write it on their exit slip.

 

4. Supporting Science Development through Language

a. Language function: What verb appears in your learning target that represents the language function?

Identify your verb, define verb, and break down this verb! The verb is identify. To identify means to recognize or establish as being a particular person or thing. Identifying also requires an association with the person or thing.

b. Language demand: What learning activities or products will student write, speak, or do to represent the language demand and an opportunity to practice the language function? During the first activity students will be introduced to a new word “telephone”. I structured the learning tasks so that the activities built upon themselves. The activities are sequenced so that the words are first introduced with little demand and increase to varying situations with increased demand and difficulty. I developed the planned supports to move my students towards their goals. I will first introduce the word “telephone” Using Edmark Functional “sign words” book, “Signs around you”. When the word is first introduced it is alone. I will prompt student with, “point to telephone”. After student successfully points to the word I will move the word viewer down. The word is then introduced with two already mastered words and I again prompt with “point to telephone”. This process is repeated three more times with a variety of already mastered words. The word “telephone” is then presented alone and I will prompt with, “what word?” If the student reads the word correctly I will continue on. If the word is not read correctly I will say “that word is telephone, what word?” and repeat the previous steps until it is read correctly. The word viewer is then moved down to continue. Previously mastered “sign words” are also tested during the lesson using the same prompts of “point to” when the word is with two additional words and “what word” when the word is alone. During the review, as a class we will discuss the importance of each word and how it can be identified in the community.

What strategies are you using from our textbooks? Students complete exit slip, which requires them to use a written language demand and recalling information to practice their vocabulary words.

c. Additional language demand: How will students practice content vocabulary words shown in the learning targets? 5-7 words that are critical to the lesson.   These words should be defined here. During the group activity “white board game” a group of four students will participate. The group of four students has been selected because of similar reading levels, students will participate in a group game to demonstrate understanding of their functional “sign words”. I will project all fifty words onto the board. The words have been broken into three point categories. 1-point words, which they all have shown mastery of. 2-point words, which some of them have shown mastery of and some are still working on. And 3-point words that are still new to the majority of the group. Students will take turns coming up and spinning a wheel to determine which point category of words they will select from. Piles of flash cards are ready for each number. The words are depicted in their sign form, while they are written in word form on the board. Students will draw a card, from the corresponding point value, which they spun for. The student will read the word, find its match on the board and cross it off and then write it on the board. If the student does not know the word they can ask their friends for help. After the student has written the word on the board, each of their classmates also write the word on a personal white board for practice. All 50 functional “sign words” are included in this game, but their vocabulary words are placed at the front of the pile so that they are practiced first. Those words are: Stop- to cease from, leave off, or discontinue Open- not closed or barred at the time, as a doorway by a door, a window by a sash, or a gateway by a gate Police- an organized civil force for maintaining order, preventing and detecting crime, and enforcing the laws Closed- having or forming a boundary or barrier Walk- to move about or travel on foot for exercise or pleasure Telephone- an apparatus, system, or process for transmission of sound or speech to a distant point, especially by an electric device

d. What learning activities enable students to practice using symbols or abstract representations of information (syntax), if these are part of the lesson? What are the organizing structures for this lesson? Students are asked to look at their vocabulary words in their sign or symbol form, thus having to identify and extract the meaning of the word. Students are then asked to read the word aloud to their classmates. Students then practice matching the symbol or sign for of the word to the word in its written form and lastly are asked to rewrite the word for practice.

e. How is discussion (discourse) structured in activities? How will discussion be structured for dialog discourse that goes beyond traditional I-R-E patterns? Discussion first starts as whole class, as students recall and identify previously learned words. Discussion then moves to 1:1 instruction from the teacher and lastly discussion returns to whole class discussion lead by the teacher.

f. What other writing or speaking activities enable students to practice vocabulary and the verb shown in the learning target? The lesson’s exit slip asks the students to identify one of their vocabulary words form the day from a selection of three words all in their sign form. The students must then write the word in its written form. This enables the student to practice reading, identifying and writing, while also asking them to differentiate between words learned today and previously learned words.

 

**Content Methods EDU 6136

Course Reflection

2.2 Engaging Students in Learning most activities and assignments are appropriate to students, and almost all students are cognitively engaged in exploring content.  2.2 is a daily goal for me while I am teaching. The hope being that every time my students come into the classroom they are engaged in a variety of activities that are created in a way that meets their varying needs. In EDU 6136 we learned about scaffolding our lessons, which I believe goes hand in hand with engaging student learning and is something that I have practiced during my internship. If our assignments do not meet our students needs, they will likely not be as engaged. In one of the readings from Content Methods regarding scaffolding it says that, “first, contingency, fading, and transfer of responsibility are discerned in this review as the three key characteristics of scaffolding. Second, an overview is presented of the numerous descriptive studies that provided narratives on the appearances of scaffolding and classifications of scaffolding strategies” (Beishuizen, Van de pol, Volman, 2010). In the Special Education vocational program where I currently work this is a common practice of fading support. The evidence that I have included is a discussion board entry from earlier this quarter where I spoke about how we fade support during my students vocational training, with the hopes of them gaining independence. This is one of the ways that I have been able to practice scaffolding learning for my students, because each student needs a different amount of support. This can range from 1:1 support, to picture schedules, etc.

Reference:

Van de Pol, J., Volman, M., & Neishuizen, J. (2010, April 29). Scaffolding in Teacher – Student Interaction: A Decade of Research.

 

Classroom Tips Content Methods EDU 6136

Application of Learning

Technology in the Classroom

Considerations for Teacher-in-Training

Benefits

Technology has become a wide spread tool in classrooms. Teachers are coming up with new and creative ways to incorporate technology to enhance student learning. Many students are able to access information in ways that they may not have been able to before the emergence of new software and programs designed to fit their learning needs. Teachers are able to customize learning to meet the needs of students who may require a wide range of adaptations. According to data that was commissioned by McGraw-Hill Education in regards to parents feelings on digital learning in the classroom, “91% of K-12 parents believe digital learning can enhance classroom-learning experiences and 80% of K-12 parents believe digital learning makes it easier for students to learn difficult concepts” (McGraw-Hill 2015). These findings are important to note, because parent support in the classroom is crucial for student success.

The use of technology can be very powerful for many students. Teachers have found way to incorporate technology, which many of their students already have, such as cellphones or tablets. “Teaching strategies that integrate students’ use of mobile devices should be commended. Those approaches reflect adaptation to an increasingly connected group of students, and appropriately responding to shifting cultural uses of technology” (Kuznekoff, Munz, Titsworth, 2015). Teachers are able to help students utilize their devices for educational purposes.

Much research has been done to show the effective use of technology when teaching subjects that have traditionally been the most challenging for students to understand. In a study that was done with three math teachers, who were all utilizing technology to adapt to their classrooms needs in understanding math course work, the findings showed a great deal of success. The journal stated that, “It was noticed that the teachers integrated technology to (a) help them describe the concepts to students; (b) motivate students to learn mathematics; (c) give students opportunities to experiment with mathematical concepts and skills; (d) assess, evaluate, and provide feedback to student’s work, and (e) help them communicate mathematical solutions” (Stoilescu, 2015). While all three of the teachers had different strategies for teaching, they were all able to incorporate technology into their classrooms successfully.

Areas of Concern

Incorporating technology into the classroom can be such a wonderful tool for students, but it can also come with many challenges. It is crucial that teachers educate their students on the importance of creating a positive digital footprint and also becoming a respectful consumer of technology. Teachers often struggle to keep students engaged because they are so connected to their devices and the outside world. Many teachers battle with whether or not to ban the use of technology in the classroom all together because it can be such a distraction. There is amble research to support the use of technology in the classroom, but according to three researchers on the topic they have, “observed rather consistent results showing that the use of technology for noncourse-related purposes has a negative effect on student learning. For instance, students report lower levels of attention and decreased perceived learning when they actively text in class” (Kuznekoff, Munz, Titsworth, 2015).

Student’s access to technology is also an important consideration. While some students may be fully connected, there are many other students who do not have technology readily available to them outside of the classroom. This can be a struggle when teachers incorporate the use of digital classrooms, or other assignments that require a student has access to digital devices. “Schools also find themselves in a difficult balancing act, considering the line between assigning projects and homework that require after-school Internet and tech access with the knowledge that students will likely run into technical glitches, some will master the technological skills needed for digital assignments faster than others, and other students will have limited access to good technological resources” (Davis, 2015). When choosing how to use technology in a classroom, it is important that the teacher takes a look at the demographic of their students and the potential challenges that this could create.

For those students who are fully connected to the Internet and social media, there is another set of concerns. Many students can’t yet grasp that the information and images they share on the Internet, have the potential to stay with them for a lifetime. Once someone shares something on the Internet, it turns into public property. Teachers need to ensure that their students have a solid understanding of the backlash that this can have. In the article Teaching Children About Digital Footprints, the author looked at how to educate students about creating a positive digital footprint. A teacher expressing her views on the topic wrote the article. Her feeling was that many teachers try to scare their students with all of horrors that can take place on the Internet. She instead found it useful to encourage her students to explore the ways that they can create a positive digital footprint. In the article it stated that, “I can see a day in the not too distant future … where your ‘digital footprint’ will carry far more weight than anything you might include in a resume or CV” (Morris, 2013). She wanted her students also to be aware that everything they put on the Internet should be carefully considered, because it could have lasting effects on their adult life.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of incorporating technology into the classroom, ranging from students ability to access information, student engagement and enhancing a lesson. On the flip side there are also a wide range of issues that technology can create in the classroom. Teachers may not realize that all of their students do not have sufficient access to technology at home when creating assignments that require digital tools. Secondly, students may use technology in ways that are inappropriate and could have long lasting affects on their lives. Lastly, technology is costly and may use up much of a schools budget, so it is important that teachers decide what is really necessary (Piehler, 2015). When used properly and with a great deal of care, technology can be a great tool in the classroom.

 

References:

Davis, M. R. (2015). Making the Best Use of Digital Devices at Home Is Tricky Balancing Act for Students and Schools. Education Week, 34(35), 24-25.

Kuznekoff, J. H., Munz, S., & Titsworth, S. (2015). Mobile Phones in the Classroom: Examining the Effects of Texting, Twitter, and Message Content on Student Learning. Communication Education, 64(3), 344-365.

Morris, K. (2013, February 22). Teaching Children About Digital Footprints.

PARENTS SUPPORT CUSTOMIZED DIGITAL LEARNING. (2015). Tech & Learning, 36(3), 14.

Piehler, C. c. (2015). How Technology Is Changing Every Educator’s Job. T H E Journal, 42(4), 4.

Stoilescu, D. (2015). A Critical Examination of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework: Secondary School Mathematics Teachers Integrating Technology. Journal Of Educational Computing Research, 52(4), 514-547.

**EDU 6134 Professional Issues and Abuse Reflection

8.0 Professional Practice – The teacher participates collaboratively in the educational community to improve instruction, advance the knowledge and practice of teaching as a profession, and ultimately impact student learning. To me, 8.0 involves teachers building a collaborative team within their school, while also becoming involved in a wider educational community. Teachers will be able to access new tools and information when they become members of professional organizations. One particular organization that I believe would be extremely useful for teachers in Special Education is the Council for Exceptional Children. Members receive access to training, recourses, and peer-to-peer support. The table below shows additional information on this professional organization and additional ones that would be useful for teachers.

Through the readings and course work during EDU6134 Professional Issues/Abuse, I have been able to develop my understanding of resources that are available to teachers, as well a wide range of professional issues that are crucial to be aware of. I am currently a part of a collaborative teaching team while completing my practicum. There are a total of five teachers that work side-by-side at The Voice Program. All teachers, Speech Language Pathologist and School Psychologist share one office. This works as wonderful way for teachers to work collaboratively throughout the day. All teachers also share files through Google Drive. The sharing of resources creates a sense of community in our program that I feel lucky to be a part of. The teachers I work with are able to share lesson plans, rubrics and data collection tools through Goggle Drive. Additionally, Wednesdays teachers participate in weekly collaborative times. During collaborative times, we work in unison to create new lessons, or develop previous ones. We are able to bounce ideas off one another and seek feedback. Teachers also participate in various forms of professional development outside the classroom and during Wednesday collaborative times are able to share new information with the group. I look forward to continuing to become a part of a larger educational community.

Individual Project EDTC 6431

Individual Project  EDTC 6431

Phase 1

Analyze Learners

My lesson will be presented to a group of 14 students at the transitional program where I work. The students that I work with are 18-21 year-old young adults with intellectual disabilities and other disabilities such as autism and health impairments. With our transitional program, we strive to facilitate independence as students transition from public school to the adult world. We are a community-based program with an intense focus on helping our young adults develop skills in self-determination, self-advocacy, independent living, and vocational activities, as well as social skills and the ability to participate in recreation and leisure activities. To encourage their involvement in leisure activities that are available to adults, our students choose among 8 different electives each quarter with topics ranging from technology to drama and choir. 60% of my students receive free or reduced lunches. We have a diverse population of students in regards to socio economic background, parental involvement, ethnicity, and ability levels. All of my students receive IEPS.

State Standards and Objectives

ISTE Standard 2: Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.B

Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

Learning Objective: Students in transitional program (Audience), will be able write original posts to share on a classroom website (Behavior), following guidelines for an outlined weekly topic (Degree), using Weebly (Condition).

Phase 2

Strategies

A classroom Weebly page has been set up and students have become familiar with how the classroom website works, how to share information and what the expectations for weekly posting at. The teacher has modeled how to post on the website and students have a basic understanding of how it will work, but know that their first few post will be a practice. Weebly was chosen because it will allow the students to interact with one another, by sharing what they have learned. Weebly is used throughout the high school, so students are familiar with using it in their past classes. By using Weebly students will be able to demonstrate their competency with ISTE Standard 2, “Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.” The students will be able to meet their learning objective by contributing with a weekly post on Weebly.

This week students have participated in their weekly cooking class, this week  they made pancakes. The teacher has asked all of the students to compose a post that will include what they cooked, a recipe, pictures of the finished meal and a short essay (half a page) on what they learned and what they struggled with. Each student has a computer to work on, to compose their post. The classroom also has three shared digital cameras from students to use for picture taking. The students all have a background in how to take pictures and how to upload them images onto the computer.

The process of creating a post to Weebly, will not only help build their skills using technology, but will also be a tool for reflection over assignments that they have completed, such as cooking. Having students take pictures, share recipes and reflect on what they learned and what was challenging will help to build these skills.

Utilize Technology, Media and Materials

Students will each have their own computer to work from in the computer lab. Students know how to sign into Weebly and access their classroom webpage to make posts. There are three shared digital cameras for students to use during cooking class to take pictures. Students are familiar with how to upload pictures off the camera, onto the computer. The teacher has modeled how to then add pictures onto their Weebly post.

After completing their cooking assignment, students will move directing into the computer lab to write their post. This will help because the information will still be fresh in their minds. By posting to Weebly they will be able to share with the teacher what they learned and also share what areas they struggled with. They will be able to use images to make the posts creative and fun. Another benefit of posting to a classroom Weebly is that they will be able to access recipes and information that they have posted from home.

Students will be able to participate in an authentic experience through the use of Weebly and blog posting. The teacher will check digital cameras to be sure that they are charged and ready for students to use during cooking class. The teacher will also check Weebly regularly to make sure that the classroom website is running properly and that there are not any glitches that need to be addressed. The teacher will also check Weebly daily to ensure that all content posted by students is appropriate and constructive. The teacher is also prepared with a backup worksheet for students to use as a draft of their blog post, on the off chance that the technology is not working on any given day.

Phase 3

Require Learner Participation

The students have taken pictures of the food they cooked during cooking class. They were able to successfully share the three digital cameras and take pictures throughout the process of cooking food. Once the students have gone to the computer lab they are each able to sit at their own computer and begin writing their blog entry. Students take turns writing a draft and uploading their images onto Weebly. Before their draft can be posted and shared the teacher goes around and reads what they have written. This is an opportunity for the the teacher to provide formative feedback and for students to make changes to their post. The students each have a rubric, which lists their learning objective, ISTE standard, Common Core State Standard. Teacher will provide written feedback for the student and each student will also write a short (1 sentence) reflection on what they would like to change about their post before it is shared. Students will then have time to continue making changes to their post.

Once students have shared their post on Weebly, they will be asked to comment on two of their peers posts, giving each other positive feedback. Teacher will grade students on a rubric scale of 1-4. The student will be graded on completion of post (½ page, included details of what they made, what they did well at and what they struggled with, as well as pictures from cooking class), spelling and grammar, meeting standards (ISTE, CCSS and learning objective) and providing feedback to peer.

		Feedback	Self-reflection
ISTE Standard 2	Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems
Common Core State Standard	Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
Learning Objective	Students in transitional program, will be able to write original posts to share on classroom website (Weebly), following the guidelines for an outlined weekly topic.

Phase 4

Evaluate and Revise

The students have now completed their first post on Weebly for my class. I have had time to reflect on what areas of the lesson were effective and which areas could use revision. The timing for the lesson went well. It helped students to work on their Weebly post right after they  finished with cooking class. Ideas were still fresh in the student’s minds and creating a Weebly post was a positive reflection process. Students all did really well with creating their post and then revising it after I provided them with feedback.

A challenge that arose was with there only being three cameras to share. This slowed down the process for students taking pictures during the cooking lesson and also uploading the images. In the future I would allow students to find appropriate pictures off the internet as an alternative. While having students take pictures of their cooking process is wonderful, we are limited in budget with only three cameras currently.

The students all met the ABCD objective successfully. While there were challenges with the shortage of cameras, the students were all able to complete their Weebly post successfully.  The objective was:

Students in transitional program (Audience), will be able to write original posts to share on classroom website (Behavior), following the guidelines for an outlined weekly topic (Degree), using Weebly (Condition).

Students were able to meet the Common Core State Standard and ISTE Standard 2:

Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

Students were able to provide each other with positive feedback, by commenting on their peers completed posts. Students will also have an opportunity to give the teacher feedback on how they feel they did with the lesson.

EDTC 6431 Standard 6 Reflection

ISTE Standard 6 focus question: How can students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations?

Question: How can teachers help students utilize technology?

The articles this week covered the concept of students being “digital natives”. While many students are being brought up in the digital age, there are still many students who may not have a solid understanding of technological concepts. Teachers must keep this in mind when creating lesson plans that incorporate technology. Students socio-economic standing must also be considered, because if students do not have computers at home they not be as familiar with these technologies. Teachers should consider pre-teaching the skills necessary, before the students begin using the technologies necessary.

The article I looked at this week suggests five ways teachers can use technology to help students. The article also addresses some of the common fears teacher have about the use of technology and how what the misconceptions are. The first suggestion the article makes is that schools must use technology to empower teachers. The article suggests that, “Teachers rightly reject education technologies that divert their attention from instruction. The best education technologies enable teachers to do more with fewer resources” (West, 2013). The second suggestion that is made in the article is, Teachers should treat the adoption of technology as part of lesson planning. This is important because it is directly addressing how the technology will be used and assed in the classroom. The article continues with three more suggestions which are, teachers should not fear open-source technologies, use online education portfolios to evaluate students, and teachers should embrace the Common Core State Standards.

Coogle.it

**General Inquiry, Teaching and Assessment Methods Course Reflection

Reflecting on what I have learned during General Inquiry, one of the key areas that stands out to me is the importance of setting instructional outcomes. Internship Performance Criteria 4.2 states that, “All the outcomes are clear, written in the form of student learning, and permit viable methods of assessment.” As an educator I hope to be able to present my students with meaningful information in a systematic way. I want my students to be able to understand what their learning objectives are and why they are important. I also hope to be able to provide fair and meaningful assessments, as evidence of what my students have learned and areas that need more work.

During model 1 we looked at general lesson planning and having high expectations for all students. The idea of setting high expectations is particularly meaningful to me, working in special education. So often it feels that teachers don’t set high expectations and goals for their students, when they feel that their student will not be able to achieve them. I appreciate the saying by Fitzhugh Dodson, “Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” As educators, we need to set goals for our students that are measureable, so that we are able to assess the growth that is taking place.

In the reading Principles of Instruction: Research-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know, The author Barak Roseshine covers many important concepts for teaching. One of the important items that I took away from this article, was the importance of introducing new information in small amounts. Roseshines states, “successful teachers presented only small amounts of new material at one time, and they taught in such a way that each point was mastered before the next point was introduced. They checked their students’ understanding on each point and retaught material when necessary” (Rosenshine, 2012). In Model three we looked assessment for planning. In the readings from How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice, I found the following passage to be very meaningful as I reflect on how I will set clear outcomes for my students.

(Donovan, 1999)

When I read this, it reminds me of the importance of trying to understand my students, where they come from and how they understand the world. I have to look past my preconceived notions about what I think they already understand. This is crucial when I am setting goals for my students, as well as assessing outcomes.

Resources:

Donovan, S. (1999). How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice.

Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of Instruction. Research-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know.

**Introduction to Teaching EDU 6918 Course Reflection

2.2 Engaging Students in Learning. To me, 2.2 is one of the most crucial aspects of teaching. If we as educators are not able to engage our students, it will be nearly impossible for them to learn, meet standards or enjoy the time spent in a given class. 2.2 looks at the importance of teacher planning and preparation for activities that will be engaging for their whole class. The program standard states that, “most activities and assignments are appropriate to students, and almost all students are cognitively engaged in exploring content.” Teachers will need to establish a learning target for their lesson plan, that all aligns with the Common Core State Standards. The teacher must then think about who their students are and how they enjoy learning, to come up with an effective and engaging way to teach the information.

(Young, 2013)

I have learned a lot during my time in Introduction to Teaching. Many of the concepts that were presented, were completely new to me. I reflected on how engaged I was this quarter, even with the workload that was being presented. All of the professors were able to present information in a way that was engaging and inspired inquiry. One of the articles that I enjoyed during Introduction to Teaching was, Overcoming the Crisis in Curriculum Theory: a Knowledge-Based Approach by, Michael Young. One of the statements made that I found thought provoking was, “it follows from this view that the question that teachers are faced with becomes limited to ‘is this curriculum meaningful to my students?’ rather than ‘what are the meanings that this curriculum gives my students access to?’ or ‘does this curriculum take my students beyond their experience and enable to envisage alternatives that have some basis in the real world” (Young, 2013). The way that teacher present knowledge and information, will greatly effect the way that students perceive the information and how they are able to apply it to their own lives. I hope to be able to become proficient at standard 2.2 over upcoming years working in education. I want to be able to provide my students with a rich and engaging education while they are in my classroom. I will increase my effectiveness through trying out many different teaching strategies, to see which is the most effective. I hope to also engage in a great deal of self-reflection throughout the process.

Recourse:

Young, M. (2013). Overcoming the crisis in curriculum theory: A knowledge-based approach (2nd ed., Vol. 45). Routlledge Taylor and Francis Group.

EDTC 6431 Standard 5 Reflection

ISTE 5 Focus: How can we help students understand safety, cultural, and privacy issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior?

Question: How can teachers educate their students about having a positive digital foot print?

Incorporating technology into the classroom can be such a wonderful tool for students, but it can also come with many challenges. It is crucial that teachers educate their students on the importance of creating a positive digital footprint. Many students can’t yet grasp that the information and images they share on the internet, have the potential to stay with them for a lifetime. Once someone shares something on the internet, it turns into public property. Teachers need to ensure that their students have a solid understanding of the backlash that this can have. While there are many scary things that can happen, the article that I looked at this week showed how one teacher was focusing on the positives of digital foots prints.

In the article Teaching Children About Digital Footprints, the author looked at how to educate students about creating a positive digital footprint. The article was written by a teacher expressing her views on the topic. Her feeling was that many teachers try and scare their students with all of horrors that can take place on the internet. She instead found it useful to encourage her students to explore the ways that they can create a positive digital footprint. In the article it stated that, ““I can see a day in the not too distant future … where your ‘digital footprint’ will carry far more weight than anything you might include in a resume or CV” (Morris, 2013). She wanted her students also to be aware that everything they put on the internet should be carefully considered, because it could have lasting effects on their adult life.

I was interested to see how teachers educate younger students about this topic. I found a video of a 5th grade teacher, teaching a lesson about the importance of being a digital citizen. https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-digital-citizenship, in this video the teacher asks his students to share what they think some possible ways are, that a person could be irresponsible on the internet. He also asks them how they think they can have a positive presence on the internet. It is so important that teachers start educating their students about this topic young, since technology is ever growing.

Coggle.it:

Resources:

Morris, K. (2013, February 22). Teaching Children About Digital Footprints. Retrieved August 9, 2015, from http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au/2013/02/22/teaching-childre-about-digital-footprints/

Super Digital Citizen. (n.d.). Retrieved August 9, 2015, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-digital-citizenship