Unlearning the Myths

Rethinking cartoons and fairy tales?  What an intriguing notion.  Before I rush to criticize the cartoons that children watch I must remember that many of these cartoons and fairy tales were written decades ago.  Were they written with certain characters portrayed in a certain light on purpose or were they written simply for entertainment?  I would like to believe that they were made for entertainment and that we are simply reading too much into them.  Unfortunately I believe that the cartoons displayed an era of time.  Why are shows like Leave it to Beaver no longer being shown?  Because they represent a time long passed.  So why are we still showing cartoons and movies from that same era?  Why are new cartoons and movies sending the same messages?  The article referenced a newer version of Cinderella titled "Cindy Ellie, A Modern Fairy Tale."  Though a black girl rather than a white girl portrayed Cinderella, the messages were the same:  dress up pretty and the prince will love you, all stepmothers are bad, and siblings are competition.  Even though cartoons are sometimes modernized, they are sill sending the same message that getting something material, rather it is a new dress or a husband, is the way to make you happy or to be successful.  What the cartoons and movies need to be teaching is that inspiration, not material items, is the keys to happiness and success.

What I especially liked about this article was not so much the analyzing of the cartoons themselves but they way the teacher provided her students an opportunity to make a difference.  She exemplified teaching principals by looking for ways to help students act on their knowledge.  The main point of the article, stated on page 41, was that the teacher wanted her students to learn two things from this lesson:  “First, I want students to critique portrayals of hierarchy and inequality in children’s movies and cartoons.  Then I want to enlist them to imagine a better world, characterized by relationships of respect and equality.”  Based on the examples of her students’ articles, I would say that his lesson about unlearning the myths was a great success. Not only did they imagine a better world but also they acted on their knowledge by writing articles that have been published nationally.

I do not remember watching the princess fairy tales when I grew up; however, I probably read the books.  So, I cannot say how they influenced me personally.  As a teacher, I will be more aware of the influence that cartoons and movies can have on students.  I do believe that for some students having a dream for a better life is very important.  However, we need to teach them that the way for a better life is not through material items or by having a husband or wife, but that success comes from within ourselves.  

Evans, Igoa, and Hill

I found the Inner World of the Immigrant Child by Igoa the most interesting article for this weeks readings. Last summer I had the chance to work with some immigrant students during a summer camp.  What was amazing is that some of these children were in the United States without their parents - they were being sponsered by a local church and staying with people from the church.  These children were really taken out of their comfort zone.  Not only were they trying to learn a new language but also a completely new culture.  Perhaps I releated to them from my business background.  I would often have to travel to foreign countries and stay for a month at a time.  What I realized this summer is that we have as much to learn from them as they do from us.  It is so important for teachers to try to understand the world as the immigrant students see it and to create a learning environment that they are also comfortable in. I am anxious to read the rest of this book.

The readings from Evans "Literacy Moves On" was so exciting for me to read as my MGRP was about incorporating multimodality into the classroom.  The introduction made a statement regarding a study about what children do in their out of school time that only one child out of 90 chose to read a book and no one chose writing or drawing.  I've learned about the importance of offering new ways to approach reading and writing to students but this study really made it hit home.  I understand that some teachers may be more comfortable with letting their students read a graphic novel such as Diary of a Whimpy than other teachers but the statistics are out there:  we must adapt our way of teaching and reaching out to students.  Students are exposed to technology at such an early age that they almost expect to see it being used in the classroom.  I believe that using modern technology in the classroom to engage students could avoid some of the behavior issues that we are seeing in classrooms.  Interactive websites can keep students engaged and learning far longer than simply listening to a teacher lecture.  In addition, students are more likely to remember what they have learned if they are actively engaged. 

The article from Hill really made me stop and think about how some of the teachers who have been teaching for a long time may be intimidated by all of the new technology.  While students are being raised with new technologies many of these concepts are new to teachers.  It is our responsibility to learn new technologies so that we can meet the literacy needs of our students and improve their literacy skills.  By incorporating out of school interests with the requirements of the state standards we can begin to bridge the gap between student and school.  When teachers can bring a personalized meaning into a lesson then students will be more interested in learning and will remember the lesson longer than the assessment.

MGRP Refelction

I came across this cartoon as I was doing the research for our MGRP and it really inspired me to search further for the questions that I had about multimodality.  Today, everywhere in the world people are asking how educational systems can be transformed into ones truly appropriate for our time. How can people of all ages learn how to learn? How can they develop skills to deal with complexity and challenges that have never before existed? How can schools that were created for another time meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population of students?

In our research we found that multimodality promotes the development of a broad range of learners, such as visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic.  Mulitmodality gives students opportunities to choose many of their own activities as well as having an enjoyable atmosphere that promotes exploration and the fun of learning.  Above all, multimodality allows students to be active participants rather than a passive observers. 

This is just a brief reflection.  We will share the rest of our research and findings with you during class tomorrow.

Show, Not Tell

     The theme of Chapter 5 in Allen’s book was teaching students how to show, not tell, about characters as they write.  I liked the “Creat-A-Character” exercise that the author did with her students.  This helped the students become the experts of their topic and gave examples of how to add detail.  Many times we tell our students to “add detail” but providing examples of what we mean by adding detail is a great learning experience.  The author went on to further help her students learn how to make powerful verbs rather than the weak everyday verbs we tend to use in our writing.  I had the chance this week in our field experience to help a student add detail and strong verbs to a story he was writing.  The student became really involved with his story after I explained how to use detail to show, not tell about, his character, Jack O’Lantern, who lived on Spooky Street. 

     Chapter 7 of Allen’s book helped me understand how I can help students incorporate art into their writing to express themselves better.  I liked the way the author showed examples of previous student’s work so that the class could see the endless possibilities that they could create. Gone are the days of the boring research papers that students presented by simply reading them aloud.  We need to teach students how to write and present their findings in ways that will help prepare them for the demands that they will face in the workplace.

     Seedfolks is a great example of showing, not telling, about the charcters of a story.  I read Seedfolks with the perspective of Sam, the older Jewish man.  The author showed us what a caring personality he had. The author gave us examples of how Sam was a peacemaker and looked for the good in everyone, no matter their ethnicity.  He would strike up conversations in grocery stores among people trying to get them to put their diversity’s aside, even if for a moment.  Since he was 78, he knew that he was too old to plant in the community garden so he hired a Puerto Rican teenager to help him. Fleischman’s method of showing, not telling, about the characters in the story brings a true to life feeling for the story.

You're Invited

We have all heard of Writer’s Workshop in classrooms, but what is a literacy invitation?   Before reading VanSluy’s article I could not have answered that question.  I now understand the importance of planning, preparation, and shared vision.  Invitaions allow students to raise and pursue questions that are important to them.  We, as teachers, need to provide a supportive learning environment that enable students to ask and respond to those questions that are important to them.  Invitations allow students to understand that we value their perspectives and not just a right answer.

Come with Me

            Come with me

            To the quiet minute between two noisy minutes

            It’s always waiting ready to welcome us

            Tucked under the wing of the day

            I’ll be there

            Where will you be?

                                    —Naomi Shihab Nye

This poem, which is refrenced in Van Sluy’s book “What, If, and Why”, is about taking a moment from the everyday hustle and bustle of our lives.  I found this poem inspirational as we are all so busy with our classes and lives.  Before this class I probably would have read the poem and thought, oh that’s a nice poem, but after reading Van Sluy’s article and Chapter 4 in Allen’s book, I now realize how much a poem can teach us.   I can also appreciate what a poem is.  Before our readings for this week, I thought that a poem had to rhyme.  I had always steered away from poems as a way of expressive writing because I thought that every other line had to rhyme. I really liked how the book suggested that teachers can approach students who are reluctant to learning poetry can be connected by looking at the lyrics to their favorite songs.  When students can relate what they are learning to their everyday lives then it will be something that they will be interested in learning and they will even be more inticed to remember what they have learned. Poetry is not a genre that I remember learning much about in school.  Now, I can’t wait to share poetry with my future students!

MGRP Inspiration

Reading Ch.1-3 &Ch/ 6 of The MGRP really helped me understand the purpose for doing a Multigenre Research Paper. I never knew what the term MGRP meant before this class and it’s very exciting to actually be working on a such a paper.  I liked how the author focused on how the entire paper's topic and genres were up to the writer. This was interesting to me because I am use to being assigned a topic and researching information that I am not interested in. The skills and confidence that the writer gains through writing a MGRP are incredible. “If students choose topics they like, it will make the multigenre project good.  If students choose topics about which they are passionate, it will make the project great.” (p. 27).  This is great for me to think about because students can create their own boundaries while writing.  I really liked the example that the book showed about the student who wrote about the famous gorilla researcher.  She chose so many different types of genres to show her point of view, such as the 20/20 interview, diary entry, poems, and even a news article about the researcher’s death.  How intriguing for such a young student to display so much passion in her work.

   

The journal article by Powell and Davidson was inspiring to me because the teacher did not give up on her students.  She showed us how we can create a community in our own classrooms.  I liked how The Donut House project helped students understand that they could be part of something. Students were able to use verbal or written language while interacting with their classmates and community members. At the end of the project, the students felt a sense of accomplishment. Powell and Davidson stated that “tapping into students’ ‘funds of knowledge’ is inherently motivating, and hence children are more engaged in learning when they perceive an authentic purpose for their efforts” (254).

Not Your Average English Lesson

Stacey and I are researching multimodal resources for teaching reading and writing.  I am finding this research very interesting.  One area that we researching is how to encourage the various types of multimodal practices in the classroom.  The rest we will share in our presentation!

Crafting Writers, Ch. 10-12, and Wohlwend Dilemmas & Discourses

The first paragraph in Chapter 10 pretty much sums up a typical day of subbing! 

I found it a relief for that first year teacher that the principal first talked about her strengths and then moved on to what she needed to work on rather than dwell on her weaknesses.  The teacher stated that she is still working for this principal today because she appreciates how much she believed in her teaching potential from day one.  What a great comparison as to how we should treat our students - with respect for what they are doing well with and for encouraging them to rise to their potential.  Page 161 of Hale’s book states that, “the emotional aspect of teaching can either impede learning or cause it to flourish.”  Page 161-162 goes on further to state that, “if you are too busy noticing the gap between what students are doing and where they are ‘suppose’ to be, it will be harder to see strengths.”  These statements are very powerful and as a future educator I hope to always remember them and use them everyday with my instruction. 

            There are so many effective instruction techniques offered in Hale’s book.  But one that I particularly hope to use in my writing conferences is from figure 10.1.  This figure shows us how to record the teaching of a conference.  Listing the Working On, Strengths, Next Step, and Try-It next time at the back of the writing journals are great ways to reflect on each student’s progress.  As I read the last few chapters in Hale’s book I find myself very anxious to participate in my first conference. 

            The last chapter regarding Assessment really ties into the e-reserve article, Dilemmas & Discourses, that we read for this week.  We see how the importance of using grading rubrics relates to multi-level assessments.  As the article states, some assessments of scribbling circles on a folded paper could be considered “immature prewriting” or “off-task” behavior; whereas, other assessments could say that the scribbling is a very valued piece of literature called “approximated writing.”  Teachers are often caught up in this dilemma of conflicting assessment – while they are concerned about meeting the student’s developmental needs, they are also responsible to the school’s expectations and state standards.  We have learned in class to look for what the student is doing well and not to focus on mistakes.  I liked the example in the article about the student writing “Happy Birthday” as “APEBDD AH.”  Before this class I would have stated that this student had a long ways to go, but now I can look at the letters and the sounds that they make as potential for sounding out words.

Crafting Writers, Ch. 7-9 & App. F

Hale points put so many good references for our teaching the craft of writing I'm not sure where to begin.  I was most inspired with Chapter 8's lesson about researching strengths in a conference.  Hale mentions Stephen Peter's book, "Do You Know Enough About Me to Teach Me?" as a reference for ways to capture and inspire students.  Many times a student just needs a teacher to care enough about them and their work to make a positive difference with their internal motivation.  We saw this with one of our field experience teachers, you could tell that she was encouraging and supporting her students.  With this support system in place, her students will be writing to their potential.  An important next step that Hale mentioned was to also teach the next step. This reminds me of the Zone of Proximal Development that we learned in our Child Development class - it is the gap between what a student has already learned and what he or she can actually achieve.  Knowing when a student is ready to be taught the next step is a very important part of their learning success.
When I was looking at the 3rd grade standards that were passed out in class last week, I noticed that Hale had addressed a specific standard - 3.5.4 - Use varied word choices to make writing interesting.  The standards give an example of using varied words instead of the word said.  Hale also mentions this as a craft lesson on pages 206-207 and gives some variations of common words, especially for said.
I found Appendix F very good for giving me practice looking for strengths and possible next steps that the student is ready for rather than looking at everything that was "wrong" with the writing.  It is so important that we look for the good rather than the negative in students' writing and encourage them that they can be wonderful writers.

Crafting Writers, Ch. 1-6

The general focus of the first six chapters of this book was to teach us as future educators to begin looking at the art of writing itself.  We cannot teach writing to our students the way we were taught in school.  We need to teach the writing process, not just writing rules and mechanics. This book took us through the process of noticing a student’s craft, and then how to assist with word choice and sentence variety.

            I liked how the author started the book by comparing writing to cooking – both are an art and science where you use basic rules but there is also room for a lot of individual choices.  Explaining this to first graders may be complicated; however, if you use the author’s example of chocolate cake tasting the same everywhere you went then they may be able to relate to that their own experiences.  The author teaches us that writing craft is the more artistic side of this art and science.

            “Adding more detail” may describe what we want the student to do but it is not a next step.  We should teach our students to use details as they write and not adding them after the fact.  Asking questions for the students to answer for a specific topic may help for the moment, but we need to teach them skills that they can use everyday for adding detail.

            As I look at the student’s handwriting sample from last week’s class, I notice that the student’s writing is exhibiting extremely detailed images in only a few words.  He/she is also including adjectives such as “the most” and “so fast” in the writing.  I liked how the student drew a picture of the cheetah’s claw to help with the detail of the writing.

            Last week our class had the opportunity of visiting Mrs. Seabrook’s 3^rd grade class in Indianapolis.  One of the things that I enjoyed most was how she showed her personal journals to her class so that they could see that writing is something that they can do own their own and not just in school. 

            Now that I am familiar with what a writing craft is, I am anxious to complete the rest of this book so that I can learn how to teach craft lessons.

Week 3 - Sound Systems and Cusumano

I have to admit that I could have been that concerned parent in Cusumano's article that thought her son needed a CAT scan.  I first approached "creative spelling" like a child doing math and adding 1 + 1 and getting 3 and someday hopefully they would figure out that it equals 2.  I have to look at this topic with an open mind from two perspective's, one as a parent and one as a future educator.  As a parent I have to admit that I met with my child's Second grade teacher because I was concerned about her spelling - or lack there of.  She explained the creativeness that she was trying to instill in the students.  I took her word that she knew what she was doing and stopped correcting my child's spelling errors.  I have always encouraged my child to write, especially in a journal format when we go on vacation.  I have attached an entry that she wrote at the beginning of Second grade and then I had her write the same entry last night as I was curious just how much she was progressing through the stages of writing.  You can see that some of her spelling has improved.

Cried is now cryed instead of crid - and she knows when to use "when" versus "win."  The stage her teacher is working with her now is spacing between the words - she came home with a "space man" clothes pin this week to help in that area.  By keeping an open mind and trusting that the teacher knew what was best I have come to understand that that children do not start out with Algebra - they learn the process step by step - just as spelling is a step in the process of writing.

English can be a confusing language to learn as there are many different pronunciations for letters - such as long sounds versus short sounds.  Letter and sound relationships are a crucial part of knowing how to read.  Phonics versus whole word recognition can help in this matter and help to develop young readers who are not afraid of trying something new.  I agree with Lyon and Moore, page 95, when they stated that "the purpose of phonics is to help children as they read and write."  Furthermore, on page 118 they also mention that phonics is not a one-size-fits all program.  Assessment records can keep track of a child's progress so that the teacher can decide what strengths and strategies to build on for each student.  As a teacher's aid I found it important to pay attention to when the assessments were taken, 3:00 on a Friday afternoon is not a good time for an assessment.

Having had both personal and classroom experience, I feel like I will be able to put future parents' mind as ease as they notice the same misspellings that I noticed in my child.  I hope that by encouraging students to be creative with their writing that they will be more enthusiastic about reading and writing in all of their subjects.

Grocery Store Literacy Dig

My team went to a local grocery store to observe literacy in action.  My part of the activity was to observe and record the physical environment, draw a map - which you will see in class why I did not attend art school - describe the surroundings, and bring back artifacts.

Our first observation of the grocery store was that their entrance and exit doors were backwards from most stores.  Most stores have their "IN" door on the right and the "OUT" door on the left - as some of soon discovered, this store's entrance and exit doors were on the opposite sides.   So, even though the doors were labeled "IN" and "OUT", we still followed our instincts rather than notice the literacy signs in front of us.   The rest of the store seemed to be organized and made sense why items were placed where they were.  The signs labeled for the isles were accurate.  I liked some of the signs that stated "Need It" or "Don't Forget" throughout the isles.  There you could fine items such as can poppers and jar openers by the cans and jars of food - a very good marketing technique.

Since this was a small and local grocery store the physical environment was small.  Another observation was that the environment was very welcoming to a college town as there were sports logos and decorations throughout the store.  There were several signs that displayed "Homegrown Means Value" and emphasis was placed on their products being purchased in the U.S.A.  Another observation made was that the only sign in a language other than English was a sign that stated that customers were on surveillance camera in the beer and wine section of the store.  This sent our group a signal that if you were a consumer & this was the only sign in your language that it would be offensive.

Something that I noticed that I probably would not have unless I was observing literacy was a little game being played between two preschoolers in a cart.  One would say "tomato" and the other would say "tamato"; then, when they reached the vegetable isle they stared saying "potato" and "patato."

The artifact search was fun, I had never realized how much information that grocery stores have available for consumers.  My favorite artifacts were, of course, the recipes.  They also had helpful nutritional information in handout format as well.  One thing that I did take notice of was the all of information was only available in English.  This would be very frustrating if English was not your main language.  Some of the artifacts that I collected are shown below.

Overall this was a very interesting literacy dig.  It was intreging going to a normal everyday place such as a grocery store with an emphasis on observing literacy.  There are things that we take for granted everyday, such as sign postings and handouts, that we do not even recongize how much we depend on literacy in our everyday lives. 

That's on-line writing

I have never participated in a blog before today's class.  Perhaps it was the fear of the unknown or the fear of just trying something new.  Nevertheless, I believe that it will be a learning experience.
The article, "That's on-line writing" provides a great example for teachers to follow.  Not only did the preservice teachers learn from their experiences but also the students, parents, and school administrators learned from the experience as well.  When I was in school there was no such thing as the Internet, it is amazing to see how far technology has grown in the classroom since my last academic experiences.  I am looking forward to learning how I will be able to integrate the latest and greatest technology into my classroom someday in order to have a classroom of students enthusiastic to learn.