Nowadays technology is imapcting everything we do especially in the classroom. Incorporating technology into our daily instruction touches upon a different approach to taeching than what we were used to as we were growing up. Children and even adults can become more interested in reading more on the computer, which can in turn allow us to become more fluent readers. With the positive always comes the negative. Technology allows us to express ourselves both in writing, and though podcasts. Although this is great some use technology and take advanmtage of the system.
Being able to access millions of websites can encourage us to think more about what we see, but it can also encourage us not to think. There are many websites found on the internet that have already done the work that we are being asked to do or ask our students to do. There are many times that students just copy what they see and see this as an easy way out. However, if used appropriately it can allow us to research and find out answers to questions we might have.
Infusing technology in our instruction can be beneficial to some students that leran through that modality. We need to encourage them to use technology appropriately and monitor what they do on the computers. Technology is changing everyday and as teachers we need to investigate and learn what is out there so we can provide our students with the most current information and monitor them at the same time.
This is a difficult topic to debate because it does have its advantages and disadvantages. Most importantly we need to educate ourselves and our children to use technology in a way that can help us learn more and not use it as an easy way out.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Thoughts on NCLB
After reading the two articles on No Child Left Behind, I affirmed my belief of how great this law looks on paper, but how unrealistic it is to actually do what it says. The purpose of this law is to make sure all students are proficient in reading, writing and math by the third grade and in most districts, if they are not then they are retained. Are we not leaving them behind when we retain them? Most importantly we are passing along students that might not be ready for the challenges of a specific grade level, but because of social promotion we cannot retain them. It is sad to see how some students are passed along in hopes of them to catch up the following year and when they are not able to produce grade level work in third grade they are punished for it.
In order to assess how the students are doing, there are required high stakes assessments that occur each year from third to eighth grade and then again in high school in order to graduate. These assessments are used not only to see where the child is, but how the entire school, district and state is doing as a whole. When students do not perform at the expected level or meet the required standards, the schools are punished by removal of funding from the state. After two continuous years of this happening, the school will be referred to as a CAPA school, meaning that they have not made benchmark.
Although there are standards that students must fulfill, we should not wait until it is too late. Intervention should begin early on when students enter school. Having an early intervention might make the difference between a student fully understanding what they have learned and just being passed along.
Although the purpose of this legislation is to ensure that all students are successful, a lot of educational aspects are being neglected. This law was signed when our country was going through a major crisis and was not implemented as it should have been. We need to focus on what is best for our students instead of what will sell more or sound better. Sometimes people who write these laws and put these laws into effect have no background on how children learn and best practices. Instead of putting what sounds best on paper, we need to do what is best for our students, which is make sure there are enough early interventions to assist these students as best as we can.
In order to assess how the students are doing, there are required high stakes assessments that occur each year from third to eighth grade and then again in high school in order to graduate. These assessments are used not only to see where the child is, but how the entire school, district and state is doing as a whole. When students do not perform at the expected level or meet the required standards, the schools are punished by removal of funding from the state. After two continuous years of this happening, the school will be referred to as a CAPA school, meaning that they have not made benchmark.
Although there are standards that students must fulfill, we should not wait until it is too late. Intervention should begin early on when students enter school. Having an early intervention might make the difference between a student fully understanding what they have learned and just being passed along.
Although the purpose of this legislation is to ensure that all students are successful, a lot of educational aspects are being neglected. This law was signed when our country was going through a major crisis and was not implemented as it should have been. We need to focus on what is best for our students instead of what will sell more or sound better. Sometimes people who write these laws and put these laws into effect have no background on how children learn and best practices. Instead of putting what sounds best on paper, we need to do what is best for our students, which is make sure there are enough early interventions to assist these students as best as we can.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Thoughts on Assessments
Understanding that there are two main types of assessments: formal and informal, I understand that there are different variations and degrees to which these can be considered. When thinking of informal assessments the first thing that comes to my mind is a portfolio type of assessment. When thinking of formal testing, I make correlations to state assessments, but these are not the only forms there are. A formal assessment can be from a spelling test all the way to a high stakes test assessment.
As an educator, I constantly find myself assessing student learning, both formally and informally. I do this mostly to see who has mastered the taught skill and what we need to work on next. Assessments can be a waste of time if nothing is done with the results. For example, if I give a test, grade and just write the grade down in my book, that assessment was worthless. There was not any feedback given to the student and the students does not even know what skills/objectives were mastered and which ones they need to work on. What I usually do after giving a test is an item analysis. This is when I list every question and list the students that had it correct or incorrect. With this information I am able to see where we are as a class and if there are specific skills that the students had difficulty with or easily mastered. I then use this to drive my instruction in whatever area I am focused on.
When reading the Routman text I agreed with there not being any single test to measure what a child knows. Just as children learn through different modalities, they also express their knowledge and comprehension through different ways. Allowing students to evaluate themselves and each other is a great tool. Often times students are harder and more obvious with the specifics they are looking at. Allowing them to evaluate themselves gives them the opportunity to know what they need to focus on and what they clearly understand.
We have to continuously assess our students through different modalities in order to drive our instruction. This will give us the opportunity to assess the child as a whole rather than use one assessment to judge the child. The hardest part of assessment is using the information from the assessment to drive the instruction. Although this is the most difficult part, it is the most beneficial. If we know exactly where a child is when we assess them, we can use that information to help them move to where they need to be. Assessments should be done on a daily basis, both formally and informally. This is because students move at different rates and we need to be aware of all the changes so we can better assist them.
Understanding that there are two main types of assessments: formal and informal, I understand that there are different variations and degrees to which these can be considered. When thinking of informal assessments the first thing that comes to my mind is a portfolio type of assessment. When thinking of formal testing, I make correlations to state assessments, but these are not the only forms there are. A formal assessment can be from a spelling test all the way to a high stakes test assessment.
As an educator, I constantly find myself assessing student learning, both formally and informally. I do this mostly to see who has mastered the taught skill and what we need to work on next. Assessments can be a waste of time if nothing is done with the results. For example, if I give a test, grade and just write the grade down in my book, that assessment was worthless. There was not any feedback given to the student and the students does not even know what skills/objectives were mastered and which ones they need to work on. What I usually do after giving a test is an item analysis. This is when I list every question and list the students that had it correct or incorrect. With this information I am able to see where we are as a class and if there are specific skills that the students had difficulty with or easily mastered. I then use this to drive my instruction in whatever area I am focused on.
When reading the Routman text I agreed with there not being any single test to measure what a child knows. Just as children learn through different modalities, they also express their knowledge and comprehension through different ways. Allowing students to evaluate themselves and each other is a great tool. Often times students are harder and more obvious with the specifics they are looking at. Allowing them to evaluate themselves gives them the opportunity to know what they need to focus on and what they clearly understand.
We have to continuously assess our students through different modalities in order to drive our instruction. This will give us the opportunity to assess the child as a whole rather than use one assessment to judge the child. The hardest part of assessment is using the information from the assessment to drive the instruction. Although this is the most difficult part, it is the most beneficial. If we know exactly where a child is when we assess them, we can use that information to help them move to where they need to be. Assessments should be done on a daily basis, both formally and informally. This is because students move at different rates and we need to be aware of all the changes so we can better assist them.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Thoughts on Reading Theories
In Chapter 5 Theories of Literacy Development I found it very interesting how the theories were broken down by specific ways of reading development. Each theory had its own set of characteristics that fit uniquely into each theory. Although I don’t agree with only having one theory or way of literacy development I find myself taking things from each theory in order to fully understand the development of reading. I know that just as each child learns differently, we can use the different theories or parts of theories to explain their behaviors. I found the maturity theory interesting because it was said that the age children begin to really develop reading is around the age of 6.5. As a teacher having taught both first and second grades, I can see this to be true in most cases. However I also come across students that are not ready to read until the ages of 7 and 8. When reading about Holdaway’s theory that it begins much earlier from what is seen at home, I also agree with that. There are things that we can do both as parents and educators to expose our children to literature from when they are young which can help them be better prepared to become emergent readers.
When I began to read about the social perspective of reading, it made more sense that the theories of reading should somehow be more interrelated. There are things that society can do to help or hinder a child’s learning, but we must keep in mind that children develop at different rates. We can do the same exact things for two different children and not necessarily have the same outcome.
The processing theories were a bit more confusing. This is an area that I would like to learn more about. Learning more about this area can actually help me in teaching strategies that will go from short-term memory to long-term memory. If there was a way to teach children skills that they can always refer to, it would be easier to understand what we can do to help them process and comprehend information in literacy.
These readings are interesting and are allowing me to see different perspectives of the same topic and idea. So far, I am questioning what I thought I knew with things that I am reading about. There is just so much to learn and try to understand, but it must be done because what works for one person might not necessarily work for another. Reading these different theories help me understand and try to come up with more strategies in helping struggling readers.
When I began to read about the social perspective of reading, it made more sense that the theories of reading should somehow be more interrelated. There are things that society can do to help or hinder a child’s learning, but we must keep in mind that children develop at different rates. We can do the same exact things for two different children and not necessarily have the same outcome.
The processing theories were a bit more confusing. This is an area that I would like to learn more about. Learning more about this area can actually help me in teaching strategies that will go from short-term memory to long-term memory. If there was a way to teach children skills that they can always refer to, it would be easier to understand what we can do to help them process and comprehend information in literacy.
These readings are interesting and are allowing me to see different perspectives of the same topic and idea. So far, I am questioning what I thought I knew with things that I am reading about. There is just so much to learn and try to understand, but it must be done because what works for one person might not necessarily work for another. Reading these different theories help me understand and try to come up with more strategies in helping struggling readers.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Language Acquisition
Children begin to acquire language from the moment they are born. They can begin to associate noises through different movements that are made. Although they might not be able to understand what is going on, they begin to develop their own form of communication. Since they cannot speak, they usually cry or make gestures to show when they are hungry, in pain or even happy. While the child is just an infant, parents and other close members can talk to them so they can get used to hearing different tones and voices. As they begin to grow, they begin to associate these tones with emotions. For example, if someone is yelling, it is understood that they might be upset.
When children begin to verbally communicate, it is important for adults around them to use proper terms and names for things so the children can begin to associate them. I often compare young children to sponges because they can intake whatever you give them. They are very open to learning new things and repeating them. They might not know the meaning of something, but they can begin to associate how the word is used from when they hear it. By doing this children will begin to mimic the behaviors of adults around them.
I think it is easier for a child to learn multiple languages when they are young, then to learn one when they are young and then try to learn another language as an adult. For example, my first language was Spanish, but as soon as I began school I was introduced to the English language and was able to pick it up quickly. Also, my nephew who is four years old can understand both Spanish and English. At first I thought he would be confused, but after having a conversation with my mother in which I asked her something in English and my nephew turned around and repeated what I said in Spanish, I was amazed. At that moment I understood that he was able to distinguish between the two languages and speak both languages when appropriate.
Children often speak the way they are spoken to. It is very hard to think of someone sitting down to teach a child a language because children pick things up during all moments of the day and when we least expect it.
Language acquisition has a lot to do with the development of reading. When they are learning to speak as a form of communication, this is a perfect time to use great vocabulary words. Children will become familiar with those words and how they are used and therefore will be able to recognize and associate the words to written text. If a child is spoken to and constantly being introduced to various vocabulary words and types of questioning, I feel the child will be a stronger reader. This is because they will be able to have their knowledge activated and be able to comprehend what is being told to them or read. It is important to teach children to restate and use details when answering questions because it will help them in the long run with their reading.
When children begin to verbally communicate, it is important for adults around them to use proper terms and names for things so the children can begin to associate them. I often compare young children to sponges because they can intake whatever you give them. They are very open to learning new things and repeating them. They might not know the meaning of something, but they can begin to associate how the word is used from when they hear it. By doing this children will begin to mimic the behaviors of adults around them.
I think it is easier for a child to learn multiple languages when they are young, then to learn one when they are young and then try to learn another language as an adult. For example, my first language was Spanish, but as soon as I began school I was introduced to the English language and was able to pick it up quickly. Also, my nephew who is four years old can understand both Spanish and English. At first I thought he would be confused, but after having a conversation with my mother in which I asked her something in English and my nephew turned around and repeated what I said in Spanish, I was amazed. At that moment I understood that he was able to distinguish between the two languages and speak both languages when appropriate.
Children often speak the way they are spoken to. It is very hard to think of someone sitting down to teach a child a language because children pick things up during all moments of the day and when we least expect it.
Language acquisition has a lot to do with the development of reading. When they are learning to speak as a form of communication, this is a perfect time to use great vocabulary words. Children will become familiar with those words and how they are used and therefore will be able to recognize and associate the words to written text. If a child is spoken to and constantly being introduced to various vocabulary words and types of questioning, I feel the child will be a stronger reader. This is because they will be able to have their knowledge activated and be able to comprehend what is being told to them or read. It is important to teach children to restate and use details when answering questions because it will help them in the long run with their reading.
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