My Digital Story - A Life In Liner Notes

Literacy Journal - Week 9

Blog Prompt:
What are the key points you want to keep in mind as you assess students? Why?

I like the points that Elbow makes in his article, "Ranking, Evaluating and Liking," particularly as it applies to assessing students' writing skills. I think it is easier to make a case for de-emphasizing ranking and grading for the more "subjective" subjects, such as Language Arts and Social Studies, since I think it is harder to "evalutate" or "like" an incorrect math exam or science report.

I was also glad to see that Elbow doesn't rely solely on evaluation, since, as he correctly implies, there comes a point in a school term or year where there are certain expectations related to grammar, vocabulary and spelling that cannot override an otherwise valid piece of writing. The notion of "evaluation free" zones struck me as highly original and inspiring. One of the frustrations I have had as a teacher intern in my main placement is where I see very original writing skills on display, only to be undermined by poor spelling and grammar, and have always wished that there was a better way to delineate between style and substance, so to speak. (I have also definitely seen the reverse, where a student turns in a good, solid piece of writing that is unforgivably dull or uninspiring).

I really liked some of Elbow's suggestions, such as a ten minute nonstop freewrite or the single unevaluated assignment, which has the benefit of instilling a certain degree of freedom and unrestrained creativity, as long as it is tempered with some solid structure and the notion that good writing is not only about good ideas and creativity, but also in effectively conveying and communicating that writing to an audience. I think it is possible to go overboard on the other side of the equation and give TOO much credit and credibility to creativity if the piece doesn't hold together structurally or fails to connect with the reader.

As a teacher, I would like to follow Elbow's model, perhaps even giving separate "evaluations" or "likability" scores for a student's substance and style, which could provide a good guidepost to let a student know how to make the overall piece stronger and "better," subjective as that may sound. The important thing is to build on a student's strengths to bolster his or her weaknesses, and this is especially true in writing, although it doesn't do much to solve the problem of the student who is extremely weak and deficient in both structure and style.

Literacy Journal - Week 10

Blog Prompt: Select a quote from Au that resonates with your experience. Why is that quote meaningful to you?


I had a particular interest and connection to Au's article, "An Expanded Definition of Literacy," mainly because of my educational background. I received an M.A. in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University in 1977, and at the time, the raging debate in literary criticism was between the deconstructivists (led by Jacques Derrida) and social relativists.

Boiled down to its essentials, deconstructivism is a philosophical movement and theory of literary criticism that questions traditional assumptions about certainty, identity, and truth; it asserts that words can only refer to other words and attempts to demonstrate how statements about any text subvert their own meanings. The whole movement always bothered me on a fundamental level, since it seemed to imply that a book (or film) was a self-contained entity, and basically existed in a social vacuum, which strikes me as a lot of high-falutin' hooey.

This is why I was gratified to read Au's article, particularly in the assertion that "meaning does not reside in the text, but in the interraction among the reader, the text, and the social context....Viewing reading and writing as constructive, creative processes takes us away from a mechanistic, skill-by-ski approach to literary instruction."

It seems to me that for both reading and wrting, constructing meaning is an essential part of literacy. By deconstructing a text, you deprive the text of meaning and ultimately dismiss the value of anything it touches. Perhaps on a college level, reading French new wave novelists like Robbe-Grillet or Duras, deconstruction can be helpful in unmasking certain contradictions present in a text, but when talking about teaching literacy to school children, the influences of background knowledge and the social context that children bring to a text are both fundamental and often profound, as evidenced by the anecdote Au relates with regard to the different perceptions by readers of letters relating to wedding ceremonies in India and America.

While deconstructionists would be horrified at the idea that a student's social and personal environment could bring anything meaningful to the words contained within a particular text (even the author's own intentions and background become immaterial to deconstructionists), Au is exactly right when she writes, "when someone reads or writes, those acts of literacy are taking place in some social context."

Literacy Journal - Week 8

We will be focusing on writing during the next class. How does one (or more)of the readings for this class relate to your placement experience? Have you experienced 6 Traits or writing conferences as a student or as a teacher? As usual, you may also choose your own topic related to the readings.

In both my main placement (5th/6th grade Quest class in elementary school) and in my dyad (8th/9th grade language arts class in junior high school) there is a great emphasis on writing, so I have found both the readings AND the assignments in my Literacy class to be both relevant and enlightening. Although I have already confessed to a preference to teach higher grades, I still find that much of the work relating to writing and literacy in the earlier grades is very helpful in understanding and teaching good writing proficiency in my placements.

I have not personally experienced either whole-class shares or conferences with students related to their writing, I have been able to have some really great first-hand observational experiences in seeing how many students, particularly in Junior High School, are still struggling with some of the most basic concepts and strategies associated with good, clear writing. For example, in my dyad, students have to complete several essays throughout the school year, in nine different formats. The most basic essay form is "Form 1," and they grow increasingly complex and challenging as students complete each numbered form. Although there is an element of competitiveness involved (nobody wants to still be on Form 2 after three months), the teachers truly are more concerned that they master and perfect each form before moving on. The essay forms each differ in format, such as "Persuasive with Text," "Compare and Contrast," "Problem/Solution," etc., but each level also requires students to know how to make outlines, take notes, and do the necessary prep work for writing a good essay.

It is also a bit disheartening to see the number of students who are still struggling with these forms, particularly in light of the fact that many of them will be starting high school next year. But it was also refreshing to see the 6-trait model for assessing and teaching writing, because, whether or not they are specifically aware of the "Six Traits," my dyad teachers emphasize all of these characteristics, such as ideas, organization and voice, in their writing classrooms. They have also supplemented this with very detailed blueprints and examples of how to write each of the particular nine essays, with very helpful hints to improve and enhance their individual writing styles (e.g., in a persuasive essay, open with an attention grabber rather than pose a question). Of course, as will inevitably happen in five classes of 60 students each, you will get a lot of repetitive essays, but those students who get into it really take ownership of their work. That said, there are quite a number of students who are bored out of their skulls and never seem to move beyond forms 2 or 3.

One writing class that I found more inspiring and innovative was being taught to an 8th grade honors class in Language Arts, whose students had advanced past the basic mechanics of writing, and were more eager to personalize in order to be creative. In this class, the teacher handed out what she called "Smiley-Face Tricks," which consisted of eight things that a writer can do to really place a more individualized stamp on their writings. These included such things as: giving a series of examples in order to create a poetic rhythm or to support a point; making non-literal comparisons; repeat specific words or phrases to make a point; and using humor.

I also very much liked what Lamott said about carrying around index cards and jotting down ideas. All too often I notice that a student gets up to make a point and has completely forgotten what he or she intended to say, and you wonder how much of this could be avoided if we began encouraging students, at a young age, to get into the habit of jotting down thoughts and ideas (I know this is something that would have benefited me enormously, both in writing and in speaking).

Not coincidentally, I have also found the writing classes in my dyad to be extremely helpful in constructing my own literacy vignettes. One of the things that some teachers seem to lament is that for all that they are required or expected to teach about writing, they very rarely get to practice what they preach, so being asked to write so many different kinds of assignments this quarter (book reviews, annotations, lesson plans, reflective essays, vignettes) is a perfect marriage of theory and application.

Literacy Journal - Week 7

Share a quote from Lamott (include page number) and your response.

For the most part I enjoyed Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, although I found the most interesting and quotable passages to be from the book's opening pages, particularly in her rather lengthy Introduction. I felt that her more generalized and "non-technical" comments regarding writing to be far more enlightening and meaningful, at least for me. (Without trying to be arrogant or a know-it-all, I think it is more difficult to teach students or write a book on "how" to write, as opposed to the more intriguing "why" we should write).

Perhaps that is why I responded strongly to the more autobiographical aspects of the book, because it's there that I think Lamott really articulates the virtues of a "writer's" life, or at the very least, a writer's sensibility. For example, when she writes that "there was a struggle going on inside me to find some sort of creative or spiritual or aesthetic way of seeing the world and organizing it in my head," (pg. xx) this beautifully conveys an almost universal struggle that all of us can relate to, no matter what level of literacy we may have obtained.

A few pages later, she writes "That thing you had to force yourself to do - the actual art of writing - turns out to be the best part. It's like discovering that while you thought you needed the tea ceremony for the caffeine, what you really needed was the tea ceremony. The act of writing turns out to be its own reward." (pg. xxvi) The higher truth that I think Lamott has stumbled upon is in discovering the power and strength of writing - the self-discovery, the need to dig deeper into one's self, and the drive for reflectiveness - these are all things that speak less to the quality of one's writing (which of course will vary wildly as between individuals) and more to the liberating and healing power of the writing itself.

This notion is reaffirmed on page 19 when she writes, "Writing can be a pretty desperate endeavor, because it is about some of our deepest needs: our need to be visible, to be heard, our need to make sense of our lives, to wake up and grow and belong." These are probably the strongest and most poignant words I have ever read about the creative process, and it can apply in equal force to all art, not just writing. More so than her "words of advice" to burgeoning writers, or her admittedly helpful hints about how to construct a story, or write dialogue, the true majesty of Lamott's book can be found in this one sentence, because it speaks to those most basic of human emotions and needs: to be seen, to be heard, to grow, to belong.

Literacy Journal - Week 5

Writing Essentials Chapter 5: What is shared writing, how is it used, and for what purposes? How does shared writing fit into the optimal learning model? Deconstruct one of Routman's shared writing lesson examples (starting pp. 99 or 105). What does she do that makes it "shared" writing? What is the potential impact on students? How does this lesson compare to writing instruction in your field experiences or past schooling?

I was quite intrigued by this idea of "shared writing" set forth in Chapter 5 of Routman. Put succinctly, it is a collaborative teaching process whereby the teacher and children write a text together. The teacher acts primarily as the scribe, with the children writing the parts that they know while the teacher fills in the unknown. Usually the teacher uses chart paper or a white board, markers, and post-it tape. As I understand it, the purpose of Shared Writing is to demonstrate exactly HOW writing works by showing children that their ideas can be captured (on a board or paper) and how they can then participate in the "writing" process. It also provides opportunities for children to develop concepts about print (directional movement, return sweep, one to one matching, etc.), and to get to know what it feels to create something out of words. It assists students in learning how to communicate for different purposes through writing, develop an understanding that letters make words and words make sentences,
develop an understanding of use of punctuation, as well as get them in the habit of reviewing for clarity and comprehension.

According to Routman, Shared Writing fits into the optimal learning model by having the teacher hold the pen and guiding the actual writing while also acting as an expert for the student learners. Eventually, this will lead students to gain the skills and confidence to write on their own, with guidance.

One example of Shared Writing provided by Routman is the creation of a fictional story, in which every child needs to participate in generating story ideas, learning the specific aspects of a fiction story, including dialogue, and emphasizing the importance of review and revision. While there are different strategic approaches to Shared Writing, Routman seems to favor doing it over the course of a few (three) days, but the procedure should generally follow a logical course of story conferencing between teacher and student, having students vote on the best ideas, and brainstorming those ideas. In order to seize the kids' attention, it is probably best to give a title to the story (for grounding purposes) and to activate their imaginations and creativity. Routman remain cognizant of the importance of not losing the children's attention, so moving quickly and efficiently becomes most important. For dialogue, having the kids call out what they would say in a given situation, and adding appropriate punctuation keeps them actively engaged and participating in the process. But it seems that part of the strategy is not to do TOO much in one day or session, in order to circumvent boredom or chaos, as well as leaving them something to look forward to the next time. Also, by breaking up the sessions, it allows for a new and fresh look at the story each time the process begins anew, allowing for reflection, rereading and revision. While the teacher is obviously guiding the process, making sure it doesn't derail or get too unwieldy, the trick is to do it seamlessly, and always allow the children to believe that they are the ones doing the writing, and that the teacher is only acting as a scribe. In reality, the teacher is facilitator, editor and guiding hand, as well as making sure that the story is coherent and "readable." It would be important to make sure that the contributions come from as many different students as possible, to avoid being seen as the work of a few, which may mean actually rejecting some superior suggestions from some students in order to have the writing process be more inclusive and the story more representative of the class as a whole. I can only assume that the impact on the students is phenomenal (especially if the teacher walks the extra mile and has the story printed and photocopied, giving each student his or her own copy, perhaps with all of the names attached as author). The combination of pride of creation, seeing one's name as a contributing author and seeing a finished product that can be kept and shown off, must surely be one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment a young student could feel.

To the best of my recollection, I have never actually encountered Shared Writing, either as a student or in the field (probably the closest I ever came to the notion was when I did Mad-Libs as a child, where you take a preprinted story with key words left out, and you have to supply the appropriate grammatical word (e.g., noun, adjective, verb, etc.), although it is hardly the same, since you would supply the words without knowing what the story was until after the insertions were made, usually to great comic effect and high hilarity (well, at least to a 10-year old). I think it is a fabulous idea, especially in kindergarten and 1st grade, although I could see using it in even higher grades if there are struggling writers.

Literacy Journal - Week 4

Writing Essentials Chapter 3: Routman asks us to examine our lives as writers so that we can more authentically and effectively teach writing. She poses four questions on page 41 for us to explore. Consider these questions and write a response about your writing process and yourself as a writer.

I thought this was an extremely important and incisive chapter, because it really gets to the heart of the matter, i.e., how can we, as educators, attempt to teach students how to write, if we either cannot write ourselves or are unwilling to undergo the same discipline and skills that we expect from our kids. Even more important than the basic components of good writing (e.g., spelling, grammar, etc.), teachers need to know how to express themselves clearly, concisely, and most of all, thoughtfully, whether we are teaching kids how to write fiction, essays, poetry or journals. Unfortunately, far too many teachers have little or no background in writing. Even as a lawyer, required at times to write lengthy legal memorandums or even an occasional scholarly article or contribution to a journal, I sometimes have lost the reflectiveness and yes, sense of wonder, that we look for in students' writings.

That is why I think it is so crucial that we, as prospective teachers, do exactly what Routman suggests, and examine our "life as a writer," especially those of us who have not had such a life up to now. The four questions set forth on page 41 provide the perfect opportunity for us to practice what we hope to teach. For many of us, we can use these questions in our numerous assignments in our UW Bothell Education courses, but some of those papers tend to be overly scholarly and/or academic. Rather, I think that in our blogs, our book reviews, and even in our lesson and unit plans, we need to find answers to Routman's four questions and to write with the same purposefulness and energy that we are going to be asking of our students.

Again, speaking personally, my whole decision to return to school and earn a teacher's certification, turning my back, so to speak, on a 25-year career as an attorney, has rejuvenated my whole approach to writing and has started my creative juices flowing once again (as a precocious 14-year old I once wrote a very pretentious but personally satisfying one-act play about a misunderstood junior high school boy, complete with pregnant pauses and Pinteresque silences). I hadn't written a poem since my college days, some 35 years ago, until I had to complete one for Jane's introductory seminar last spring, and I had forgotten how much pleasure one can get from the simple act of expressing yourself with words. And I had always resisted the urge to blog, believing it to be the ultimate ego trip and the height of self-indulgence (well, part of me still believes in that). But a blog is also the perfect vehicle to capture our thoughts and reflect on the process of turning mere mortals into educators, as well as to hone and refine our writing skills. It helps keep us focused, organized and creative, but the greatest gift is in allowing ourselves to think back on our own education, to utilize the tools that we were given as children and adolescents in learning how to express ourselves and our ideas.

I know some in our cohort have expressed frustration and mystification as to why we have had to do certain assignments in these past three quarters, especially those that require us to dig deeper, examine our own lives and values, to consider things from the point of view of others, and to get in the daily habit of expressing ourselves in a meaningful and reflective way (and yes, I was one such doubter). Well, I am no longer a doubter. I am on the road to become a writer....once again. Look out Pinter!

Pee Wee Teaches Us Manners

Besides being a huge Pee Wee Herman fan, I love this clip because of its use of an actual film that used to be shown in elementary schools across the country, in a rather ham-fisted attempt to teach children good manners. Of course, in my class, and probably countless others, we all wanted to be Mr. Bungle!

Literacy Journal - Week 3

Please post a response to this week's readings. Fox Chapter 3:Based on your experience and your reading of this chapter, do you think "invented spelling" (in which children spell words the way they sound) helps or hinders young readers?What cues do you see your kindergarten buddy using based on his/her writing samples? What other experiences do you have of children using early word identification strategies?

After reading this chapter, and based on my own experiences, I have very mixed feelings about the concept of invented spelling. Obviously, learning how to spell is one of the earliest and most important developments in the literacy of a child. However, for me, the importance of learning how to spell correctly was drilled into me in elementary school. This is why the whole idea of invented spelling seems somewhat odd to me, although I understand that its purpose is to encourage children to write anyway they want, and that the very act of writing becomes more important than correct spelling. Again, the way I was taught, we used workbooks, teacher-generated word lists, and good old-fashioned spelling tests and quizzes.

I know that proponents of invented spelling believe that children should take responsibility for their own spelling, and that the seven best practices listed on pages 79 thru 81 is designed to emphasize becoming good readers with a rich vocabulary, and that by following these steps, students will become better independent spellers (as opposed to teachers administering weekly spelling quizzes and circling in red their misspellings), but part of me remains unconvinced. I suppose the theory is that children will outgrow invented spellings as they read, explore words, etc. But this approach has also been attacked by many educators, who feel that it simply “allows teachers to mask failure to teach spelling effectively” (Dr. Patrick Groff). He also asserts that there is much scientific evidence to show that children learn to spell correctly faster if they are taught in a direct, methodical way, and that there is a direct correlation between children's ability to spell correctly and the quality of their writing. That was, at least, my experience in elementary school.

My other issue with invented spelling has more to do with things that I have observed in my placements, which have been in 5th/6th grades, and 8th/9th grades. In particular, last week, I observed close to 300 students in various stages of writing essays. The students were nearly evenly divided between those that wanted to type their essays on computers, and those that wanted to write them out long-hand. What struck me was the high number of misspellings that were occurring on the computer essays, that is, at least, until they were ready to print and let the computer do an automatic spell-check. Of course, this has always been one of the main issues with students using computers at increasingly younger ages: it makes them into thoughtless and often lazy writers (and by extension, readers). And as I witnessed first-hand, a spell-check only goes so far, because if a student uses their instead of there, it is not detected as a misspelling. Even worse is when the student is presented with multiple options for his or her misspelling. One student (an eighth grader I believe) raised his hand and asked for my help, because he was trying to type the word “coincidence,” but had spelled it so completely wrong (something like “cawinsedens”) that the spell check program couldn’t even offer any suggestions. I also noticed that students who had problems spelling usually had similar weaknesses with grammar, sentence structure and coherency in their writing. Of course there were exceptions, and some of the students had multiple misspellings because they were typing quickly (although the knowledge that the computer would spell-check didn’t hurt either).

One theory I have read proposes that perhaps invented spelling has usefulness, but only through kindergarten, and that starting in first grade, it will have outlived its usefulness. Of course one can argue that with the proliferation of computers, perhaps spelling doesn’t even really matter that much anymore. According to the Internet, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and John Lennon were all poor spellers, but I’m not sure that is a good or correct lesson to convey. Yes, you can be a good, highly creative writer, without being a particularly good speller. But I think part of comprehensive literacy is the ability to spell correctly and proofread your own work. Speaking only from my own experience, I think that the ability to spell correctly only strengthened my ability to read and write cogently.

On the other hand, one thing that the book and Chapter 3 emphasizes is that no two children learn in exactly the same way, and that a teacher must be flexible and adaptive to each student’s individual needs. So while it is possible that certain students in second, third, maybe even fourth grade could still benefit from “inventive” spelling, it would be equally important that it not be used on many students past kindergarten, having hopefully outgrown its effectiveness or usefulness.

Racist Literature - Who Decides?

Literacy Journal Response, Week 2

I read with great interest the article by the Council on Interracial Books for Children, and realized how "gray" and morally ambiguous this whole topic can be.

While I think we can all agree on the types of books that have either outlived their usefulness (e.g., Little Black Sambo) or perhaps were never really that good to begin with (Dick and Jane readers), I think the issue becomes much more muddled when we are dealing with truly important and thoughtful literary works (and no, Gone With The Wind is not a great or even good book).

I think the article gives some good guidelines in to how to recognize and/or evaluate potentially racist characteristics, such as looking for stereotypes, weighing relationships between people, watching for loaded words, etc., it seems to me that the danger is in either oversimplifying the process or in taking the process itself too literally. Consider the example of HUCKLEBERRY FINN, not only one of my favorite novels, but arguably the best American novel of the 19th century (with the possible exception of MOBY DICK, which has its own unique racial problems). The book has been the subject of raging debates for many years, and has been alternately described as virulently racist and presciently anti-racist. Of course, much of this comes down to a question of semantics, namely, how do you define racist? It would be easy to conclude that Twain's work is racist based on the guidelines presented in the Council's article, but how accurate and/or useful is that?

Even a more thoughtful and progressive definition of racism (a view, presented by a dominant group that other groups are in some way inferior) could lead one to label HUCKLEBERRY FINN as racist. But what these definitions and guidelines completely omit and/or ignore are the novel's nuance, subtlety, satire, tone and motivation. If one were to use only such superficial data as characterizations, dialect, language (even though the book is being told from the point of view of a rather ignorant and at times racist adolescent), one would completely miss the much larger social and literary contexts of the book.

So how do we resolve these apparent contradictions? Well, as with all problematic things in life, it has to be carefully taught. Having said that, I am not sure I quite know how to do that at this point in my teaching career. I probably wouldn't teach it below fifth grade, and would have few qualms teaching it in high school, but what to do with those problematic grades of 6 through 9. I think it would be both disastrous and wrong-headed to exclude a book like this from the curriculum, but I am still trying to figure out ways I would teach this novel in middle school.

Friday Reflections Part Five

1. Describe one thing that you learned: I thought it most interesting and found it most useful to hear the different discussions regarding classroom interventions. What is nice about a class like this is getting the chance to hear 30 different experiences or techniques in dealing with everyday classroom decorum, so even though some of the ideas or techniques are not necessarily things that I would incorporate in my classroom, it is still useful to compare and contrast, whether it is how materials are distributed to calling for quiet, as well as finding out how successful some of these strategies are.

2. What questions do you have and/or what do you still want to know? I guess if I was left with any one question based on today's discuss it is what exactly do you do when you have exhausted all of the options in dealing with classroom disruptions. What is the protocol in taking it to the next level. I know this will differ greatly depending on the circumstances, but I am sure there are classroom environments in which nothing seems to work, and am curious as to whether that is symptomatic of a deeper-rooted problem within the class, or is it a reflection on a teacher's inability to maintain control.

3. What are you anxious about regarding student teaching/teaching? Following through on Question #2 above, I guess it would be the anxiety I might feel if I am failing to establish or maintain classroom decorum, especially when the class is turned over to me. I know that the master teacher will still be around and is my fallback, but I'm not sure I want to have to rely on him to "save" me. I think part of the anxiety is in not knowing how far I can push them (or me) in order to firmly establish my control of the classroom. Oh well, I guess we will find this all out in the coming months.

4. What are you excited about regarding student teaching/teaching? I am excited at the prospect of putting all of the things I have learned, along with those things I am still learning, combined with things that I think I instinctively or intuitively know, into practice, with no safety net to catch me if I fall.

Fourth Week of School - Thursday, Sept. 24th, 2009

As usual, lots of running around on Thursday. Took some of the kids to computer lab, then took all of them to the library, then recess, then it was on to music. So once again, no real teaching or learning until 11:30AM, when we had math for an hour. I know that Mr. M is grateful for the time block, in order to catch up on some paperwork and administrative stuff, but I know he is frustrated at the amount of time that is lost.

Still, the day was not without its rewards. Each day I have more and more kids come up to me, either asking me a question, showing me their work, or asking for help (of course it doesn't help that today officially was my last day in the class until we return in January, although I am planning on coming back periodically over the next two months, mainly on Fridays when we have off).

I have even gotten to the point where I feel somewhat comfortable speaking to a student if he or she is not paying attention, or is talking, or is being disruptive. I think one of the main problems a student teacher may face is in being TOO tentative, and not being assertive enough, even early on, and Mr. M has no problem with me asserting some authority, at this stage (he says it can only help when I return in January). But overall, I really like this group of kids. I can see where it may be easy to find some "favorites," but I also understand how important it is for a teacher to try and resist that impulse, because it really doesn't do anyone any favors. But having said that, I think that if you see a child who is struggling and is obviously crying out for some sort of help, you do sometimes have to walk an extra mile (or meter) for them, especially if it is just shyness or awkwardness at work. If poor work continues, even after attention has been paid, then there may be more serious academic issues at play, but I am finding, especially with some of the fifth graders, that they feel somewhat lost and adrift, and are looking for some reassurance and confidence building. That I can do.

Fourth Week of School - Wednesday, Sept. 23rd, 2009

I took a short break from 5th/6th grade duty to visit a kindergarten class, where I got to read one of my all-time favorite children's books to the class.

This is a book that my mother used to read to me when I was four or five, but she was also a kindergarten teacher who used to read this book to her classes as well, so there seemed to be the requisite amount of karmic energy in the air.

One of the reasons I wanted to do this was to make sure that I was not getting "spoiled" or isolated by my initial student teaching experience, namely working with high-achieving fifth and sixth graders. I wanted to make sure that I could derive pleasure as well as communicate effectively with a much younger class of students, and also that I was adaptable and flexible enough, as a prospective teacher, to be able to switch grades effortlessly. I thought it went reasonably well, and both the master teacher and one of my fellow student teachers thought I did an excellent job reading the story, relating it to myself, as well as getting them to participate as I read. Although I am fairly sure that I do not want to teach kindergarten or 1st grade, at the end of the day, teaching is teaching, and wherever the winds may blow us, we should be prepared not only for the challenges but to know that we can "teach" whatever, whenever and wherever students may need us the most.

Fourth Week of School - Tuesday, September 22, 2009

We had an interesting literature activity today, and apparently it was one that Mr. M thought up rather spontaneously (he does that a lot, which I like). He found an article on a really cool website (www.izzit.org) which has a "current events" section. There you can find daily stories of newsworthy interest. He chose one having to do with baby seals, and how residents on a Hawaiian island have been treating the seals as humans, often with harmful effects. Following the article, there are a series of activities/questions for the students to answer. He had the whole class read the article, and then broke them into five groups to tackle the activities/questions, such as vocabulary, reading comprehension, but most interestingly (to me anyway) are the group discussion activities, which requires the kids to go beyond the text, and to formulate solutions or speculations based on the reading. Each group presented their response to one of these types of questions, and I was really impressed with the imaginativeness and creativity that went into their responses. Even though it was an activity outside of assigned texts or readings, it reminded me how flexible and adaptable a teacher has to be, and not relying on cookie-cutter methodology or techniques in order to teach something worthwhile.

Fourth Week of School - Monday, September 21, 2009

Today was one of the first days that I really had no energy or excitement about coming to school. Possibly because it was Monday, but also because there has been more time spent in the past few days over behavior issues and classroom management, as opposed to actual teaching and learning. My master teacher felt it too, and said that there will definitely be days like that and to get used to it. He also said that Mondays can be particularly challenging, because the kids are so wound up from having two days off (he said just wait until they come back from winter and spring breaks). Anyway, it just seemed like a fair amount of the day was just going routine matters, going over protocol, etc. I was able to supervise the class in computer lab while Mr. M attended to other matters, but I am anxious to do another mini-lesson.

Mr. M also said that in a way its a shame that the first month of student teaching occurs in September, since he said it usually takes three to four weeks before the kids settle down, and that the MOST rigourous teaching and learning occurs in October and November. On the plus side, he said that February through April are also peak learning times, so hopefully, when I take over the class full-time, they will be in full learning mode.

Friday Reflections - Part Four

1. Describe one thing that you learned: As each table was going through its case history, I was struck with the recurring theme regarding the assumptions and biases that we all bring to the classroom. Why I think of myself as a fairly tolerand and open-minded person (although I do have a predisposition against right-wing evangelicals, and am not expecting to encounter too many of those in a sixth-grade class), I realized that I also have certain biases that I bring to the classroom. For instance, I have always assumed that a very messy, disorganized piece of writing, with bad handwriting, was also evidence of a thoughtless or careless mind, but there is one student in our class that has the most atrocious handwriting, yet he constructs very articulate, grammatically correct work. There are also students who make very neat and creative presentations, but are often sorely lacking in any substantive content. I wonder how many teachers automatically award higher grades to neatly typed or written papers, without spending the extra time to read if there is any merit to the content.

2. What questions do you have and/or what do you still want to know: One situation that presented itself this week brought this question to mind: what do you do when a parent wishes to volunteer his or her time and energy to assisting in the classroom or on a project, but where they may have ulterior motives (i.e., actually want to be in a situation where they can assist their own child). If what they are offering is of value to the rest of the class, does outweigh any considerations a teacher may have with regard to any conflict-of-interest issues. I wonder whether the parent would be as eager to volunteer the same services to a classroom where their child was not a student.

3. What are you anxious about regarding student teaching/ teaching? As I finish the third week of student teaching, and am doing some actual interraction with students, I am wondering how I handle an increasingly obvious difference in teaching styles. In particular, where the master teacher is a bit parsimonious in giving out praise, whereas I may be a bit more prone to giving enouragement and support, I am concerned of creating a conflict within the classroom. I certainly don't want to create a good cop/bad cop situation, and I don't want to underminde the master teacher's central authority, but I also don't necessarily want to emulate his style. I am wondering (and hoping) that there is room for both of our approaches.

4. What are you excited about regarding student teaching/ teaching? Having gotten a small taste of actual teaching this week, I am truly excited about returning to my school in January, and of course actually taking over the class for six weeks. I am feeling increasingly comfortable with the kids, and I think I have developed a presence and personality in the past three weeks, to the point where many of the kids feel comfortable coming to me with questions or help.

Third Week of School - Thursday, Sept. 17th 2009

Another Thursday, which means another two-hour block of time where little or no classroom work gets done (at least by me), what with back-to-back-to-back-to-back periods of art, library, recess and music, although it was fun to observe them in art class creating pastels. The school does not officially have an art teacher or program, but one of the student's mother is a local artist, and she volunteers to come in two or three times a month to teach art to different classes (making sure that her son's class, which is the one I am assigned to, is included in the mix). It is actually a very generous donation of her time and talents, although she does tend to be a bit over-protective of her son, and she actually suggested to Mr. M that her son lead a classroom art activity, which I found a bit presumptuous (as did Mr. M, but who is caught on the horns of a dilemna since he does not want to risk offending her). I'm not quite sure why the kids need a library session once a week (I would think by the time you are in the fifth and sixth grade you pretty much know what you are doing in the library) but I guess it's still a form of learning.

The afternoon was devoted to literature and writing (my two favorite subjects as a teacher, if we are allowed to have favorites) and I also got a chance to grade some more papers. This paper was a really innovative idea. The kids had to write a "behavior" contract, which would list a "crime" committed by a student, the people he hurt, the punishment, and the reasons for the punishment. Most kids did find with the content, but they were also being graded on presentation, and some of them really were quite creative. One kid did his on a brown paper bag, but he did something to it to make it look like parchment paper, so the contract appeared to resemble an ancient document. Other kids used inventive fonts to create the look and feel of a legal document. There was also a lot of creativity when it came to the so-called crimes, as wel as some of the punishments. (Actually, if truth be told, some of their work reminded me of similar things I attempted as a sixth-grader).

Three Things I (Think I) Know About My Students Without Looking At Them

During the past three weeks, just from reading homework and other writing assignments, I find that you can tell a lot about students from their written work. This may be especially true in the higher (5th-6th grade) grades in elementary school, but certainly by this point, there are reasonable expectations of penmanship, neatness, organizational skills, in addition to spelling, grammar and punctuation. Not surprisingly, students whose handwriting could only be called (charitably) atrocious, tend to be rather messy and disorganized at their desks and, by extension, in their social skills (this is not ALWAYS the case, but more often than not). However, it is not necessarily a reflection of their intelligence (in fact, when they type or use the computer for assignments, some of them show marked improvement). But on the basis of the first few assignments, the sloppier the writing is (in both style and content) the more issues the child has.

Similarly, without looking at the individual students, much can be discerned from the way they speak. Confident kids speak loudly, clearly, usually concisely, and some of them can really blow me away with how articulate they can be. While these kids are usually the brightest in the class, not surprisingly they are also the most boisterous and ones that have to be disciplined most frequently for talking while others are trying to speak (including teachers) and sometimes even being disrespectful or overly sarcastic. On the other hand, while quiet students may sometimes be considered a blessing, it can also be an indication of social skills that need to be improved, and this is often reflected in the work and study habits as well. The ideal student is one who knows when to be quiet (e.g., when others are speaking) at the appropriate times, but demonstrates good verbal skills when presenting to the rest of the class. Thankfully we have quite a few in this category.

The third way I learn a lot about students is as a group, without looking at or focusing on any individual students. How they act and interract as a social unit tells me a lot about how well they are adapting to their classroom environment, their teachers, and most importantly, to teach other, as a cohesive social unit. In the same way that each student has their own unique individualized personality, I find that classrooms also have a collective personality. This can be gauged in a variety of ways: volume of noise (or lack thereof); laughter; neatness or sloppiness of desks and floor areas; etc. But also sometimes its just an intuitive vibe that a classroom gives off. Not sure I can describe it much beyond that, but you know when you are in a vibrant, learning classroom environment, even when the kids aren't in there.

Third Week of School - Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Interesting day at school today. Around 12:15pm, the principal got on the loudspeaker system and announced that the school was going into "lockdown." Since our class is located in a portable building, away from the main building, we were a bit removed from the action, although we secured all the doors and windows quickly. It was hard to tell whether this was a test or not, but the kids had a bunch of questions related to the lockdown, so Mr. M decided to turn it into a "teachable" moment (although we did not find out the specific details until later - apparently an armed robbery at a neaby bank). Some of the kids were obviously anxious about the lockdown, and the teacher did a good job allaying fears while at the same time emphasizing the importance of following procedures and protocol. However, something interesting happened when one of our students started knocking on the door a couple of minutes after the lockdown started, and said that a teacher told him to return to his room (even though it meant going outside to get back to the portable). Mr. M wasn't angry (since the student was only following a teacher's instructions) but he said that in certain instances (like this one) ignore the teacher's directions when they are so obviously wrong, and that he should have just gone to the nearest classroom. So in one fell swoop, Mr. M taught both the importance of proper procedure while at the same time demonstrating the fallability of adults and teachers.

Also, as a postscript to yesterday's posting, with reference to Mr. M's admonition to the sixth graders to be more restrained and respectful, I noted how quietly the kids filed in this morning, and how quickly they took their seats and took out their books (well, most of them anyway).

Third Week of School - Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Today I graded some reading comprehension papers from the students, and I asked Mr. M if it would be OK if I returned the papers to them. This gave me the opportunity to make some general comments about the papers, some of the issues that I thought they were struggling with (e.g., capitalization, punctuation) but more importantly to convey to them that I was not just another adult presence in the room, but that I would be teaching AND assessing them. On Monday, I'm not sure all of the kids actually believed that I was something more than a substitute teacher, so this really drove the point home.

Also, I find that reading assignments is another really way of getting to know the students, from their handwriting, neatness, spelling, but most importantly how they express themselves. It adds dimensions to their classroom personalities.

Unfortunately, Mr. M had to address the sixth-graders and tell them that their behavior the past few days left a lot to be desired. He spoke to them honestly about his disappointment and frustrations, but he also spoke to them (for the most part) as "adults," but tempered with the knowledge that they are 10 and 11 years old. He told them that he expected them to act as role models for the fifth graders in the class. Later he explained to me that he felt there was too much casualness and disrespect in the classroom and he wanted to nip the problem in the bud. I thought he handled the situation really well, but it was still a somewhat uncomfortable moment, and I could only wonder how I would handle that situation, although Mr. M gave me great insight into how I might.

Third Week of School - Monday, Sept. 14th, 2009

Today I had my first "real" teaching experience with my class, well, at least part of the class. For our literature section, Mr. M divided the class by grades, with him taking the 5th and giving me the 6th, to lead a group discussion on the book we are all reading. It was exciting, exasperating, frustrating, but most of all....FUN. There was no question that the kids were "testing" me, seeing how far they could push me, but not necessarily in an antagonistic way (well, maybe for a couple of them). I started out by telling them that as a "student teacher" I was going to be assessed largely on how successfully I am able to teach a class, and said that to a large extent, MY success was directly dependent on THEIR success, to which one boy piped up, "Then you are guaranteed success." I also surprised myself that I remembered as many names that I did (although I still have a few to go, especially the quiet ones who never speak up and distinguish themselves). Some of the kids were being a bit too boisterous, seeing how far they could push the envelope, although a handful were very encouraging and supportive, and trying to quiet the others down. At one point I DID remind them that I was going to be their teacher for several weeks in the Spring (to which one student said "No Way," and to which I replied, "WAY") and that a large part of their final grades for the year would be earned during that period, and that seemed to sober them up. I definitely need to learn and observe more regarding classroom management techniques, although yesterday was more like being a substitute teacher.

But overall, I was very invigorated by this first hands on experience, which I felt was a good sign. Although there has been some frustration on my part with some of the bureaucracy and paperwork and procedurals that are part of being a teacher, if you don't have an affinity or feel for the actual "teaching" part, there is little point in continuing down that road. Yesterday I began to really taste and feel that excitement and energy that should come from teaching, and I was quite encouraged by that fact.

Friday Reflections - Part Three

1. Describe one thing that you learned: While I am sure it was not the main intention to teach us any substantive math today, I DID learn an easy and more efficient way of finding the lowest common denomiator in fractions today, using the "factor tree." This is a concept I never encountered in elementary school (some 40 years ago), and while I know and perform the LCD operation, I honesty can't explain how I do it (mostly in my head). More specifically, it continues to be fascinating and instructive to me to hear the experiences of my fellow student teachers, and I was particularly taken by Kirsten's story about the "voluntarily mute" student she has in her first grade class, and the accomodations that were made in assessing that student's reading skills (accomodations that I thought were both misplaced and inappropriate, in my opinion).

2. What questions do you have and/or what do you still want to know: The issue of the selectively mute child raised a number of questions in my mind, most specifically, how far do we as teachers go to accomodate actions or behaviors that are not necessarily disabilities. If a child is capable of speaking out loud, and "chooses" not to in classroom, why should a teacher apply a different standard or rubric for that one child to accomodate his or her "choice." And does it even end up being a fair assessment?

3. What are you anxious about regarding student teaching/ teaching? Because so much of the school day is spent on what I can only describe as "miscellaneous" matters (e.g., arrivals, dismissals, transitions from lunch and recess, etc.) or "down time" (i.e., self-study or self-directed learning), I am a bit concerned and confused abou how much actual "teaching" I am doing. Some day it seems I am more of a facilitator or supervisor, than an actual teacher.

4. What are you excited about regarding student teaching/ teaching? I am still excited at the notion of teaching and reaching a student, with a concept or an idea that they have never considered or been exposed to, and to having open and free-wheeling discussions about such topics. I thought what my master teacher did in Tuesday's class with regard to President Obama's speech was inspirational (listening to the speech, asking students questions about the speech, interpreting meanings, and discussing) and reminded me again of the reasons why I started down this road in the first place.

Second Week of School - Thursday, Sept. 10th, 2009

Thursdays are rather strange at my school, at least in terms of a teaching schedule. The kids arrive at 9am, and after they settle in, they are off to computer lab from 9:30am to 10:05am. Then it is off to library until 10:40am, then they have recess, and after recess they are off to music. They are not back in the classrom until 11:30am, where they have math for approximately one hour (more like 50 minutes). Then its lunchtime untl 1:30 (but more like 1:40). The rest of the afternoon is split between social studies and language arts, although sometimes there is 20 minutes of recess in the afternoon. So out of an entire six-and-one-half hours of school, there MAY be about two and one-half hours of actual instruction/learning. It's not to minimize computer time, library time or music, but it also severely limits my time and ability to observe things from a student teacher perspective.

I also notice that even during classroom "learning"time, much of what occurs is self-directed learning (i.e., working in groups on projects, reading, writing) without actual "teaching." Again, I understand this from a procedure perspective, and also the fact that they are advanced 5th and 6th graders, but I would be less than honest if I didn't admit to growing a bit impatient and antsy.

Still, there were rewarding moments. The students needed to find five vocabulary words from their assigned book, and they needed to provide definitions, synonyms and antonyms. Because there were so many questions related to this activity (particularly with the ins and outs of correct thesaurus usage), some of the kids came to me with their questions, most of which I could answer. But try finding an antonym for the word "deposition." Good luck.

2nd Week of School - Wed., Sept. 9th, 2009

I observed a fun and interesting social studies activity today. Our first social studies unit is about American Indians, so the class has been divided into six "tribes," each a real Native American tribe. The first thing each tribe had to do was "settle" an area of the classroom (no more than 144 sq. feet) and they would be able to use whatever materials or resources they found in their space. Mr. M gave them a lot of instructions and rules regarding the area they occupied (e.g., no electricity, no pillaging through other student's personal belongings, etc.) and then let them loose for about 30 minutes. Predictably, the noise level increased dramatically, but it was really fun and instructive to watch how the kids made decisions, and some of the assumptions they made about what they would be able to do with their space. Of course one group claimed the area where I was staked out, and even went so far to declare that since I was in the area, I was now their "slave" and had to do whatever they told me. I quickly informed them that there was going to be a slave rebellion, and that they didn't want me as their enemy (good-natured humor that they all understood). I also went around the room to observe and listen in on some of the other conversations amongst the various groups. I thought it was a really cool educational activity as well as helping to hone social skills.

Today we also had our first "serious" discipline incident, with one of our students getting into a conflict with another sixth grader from a different class. It was really good experience for me to see how this things arise and (hopefully) get resolved, from multiple perspectives: the teachers (both my master teacher and the teacher from the other child's class), the parents (e-mails and phone calls) and the child himself, as well as being a good reason to keep an extra eye on the boy and how he relates to others. Right now it looks like the situation may have been diffused, but it bears monitoring.

2nd Week of School - Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009

Things got off to an interesting start today with our class tuning in to watch President Obama's address to schoolchildren. Unbelievably, the teacher had to e-mail all of the parents to ensure that they had no objection to their children being exposed to a speech that encouraged them to work hard, stay in school, and dare to succeed. Thankfully, no parent objected to their child being "indocrinated." As it turns out, it was a highly teachable moment, with Mr. M instructing the students beforehand to write down key words that they heard during the speech, and he also led a lively discussion after the speech, asking the kids what they thought about it, and talking to them honestly and giving them some sobering facts and figures about dropout rates and the importance of working hard. Real controversial stuff!

The rest of the day was the usual mix of math, social studies, reading and writing. I graded the student's first literature writing assignment, which gave me good insight into their writing abilities as well as glimpses into their personalities. Not surprisingly, some of the more vocally articulate students also displayed dexterity and imaginative vocabulary in their writing skills.

All in all, a very good day.

Third Day of School - Thursday, September 3, 2009

Lots of action and activitity today. Mr. M handed out the books for the class' first literature assignment, and I was able to gain a lot more understanding of his classroom management style and philosophy. He started the unit by writing a Japanese proverb on the whiteboard: "Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight Times." He then asked all of the student to turn to their neighbor and discuss what they thought the proverb meant. After about five minutes he started calling on people, but not to ask them what he or she thought the proverb meant, but what their neighbor had told them it meant. This took most of the kids (certainly the first one he called on) by surprise, as they were not expecting to have to recount another person's opinion, only their own. It was a great lesson in: 1) going against expectations; 2) teaching children the importance of following instructions; and 3) most importantly, learning how to listen to what other people are saying. I was most impressed.

The other noteworthy thing that happened was that the students were given a math placement exam, to see if any of them should be enrolled in pre-algebra courses, prior to junior high school. The questions were fairly rigorous (there were two or three that I would have been unable to do!); after they were finished taking the test, I volunteered to grade them (much to Mr. M's joy), and while grading the first one, I compared the student's answer to that on the master answer sheet, and realized that the answer sheet couldn't possibly be correct (after quick calculation in my own mind). I brought this to the teacher's attention, who was very surprised, but confirmed my assessment after pulling out a calculator. It just gave me a nice feeling to realize that mistakes can occur throughout the educational system, and I was able to correct one, on whatever small level. I felt I had really earned my (non-existent) paycheck that day.

But I am sure there will be days when I fall down, several times. As long as I keep getting up one more time than I fall down, things will be fine.

Friday Reflections Part Two

1. Describe one thing that you learned: Probably the most important thing I learned today, while listening to the many different anecdotes and experiences of my classmates' first week of student teaching was how no two experiences were alike, that so much depended on the school, the grade level, the master teacher, etc., and that there is never going to be any definitive or authoratative "student teaching" experience. It was also useful to hear about anxieties, fears, insecurities and the like, since we all have these emotions. But it also seemed, by the end of the class, that there was a greater sense that it was OK for us to fall on our face, not only that it is expected, but that it is a necessary part of the process.

2. What questions do you have and/or what do you still want to know: I am still trying to figure out how a teacher balances the needs of individual students (particularly ones that are struggling) with the needs of the entire class (most of whom presumably are keeping pace with the lessons) and at what point does a teacher need to consider and favor the majority of the students.

3. What are you anxious about regarding student teaching/ teaching? I am still anxious, even more so, after the first week of classes, of knowing and remembering all of the names. Out of 28 students, I feel like I have six or seven committed to memory, and some of my classmates already know their entire roster of students. I feel it is very important, both as a sign of respect and acknowledgement, for a teacher to know all of his students' names as quickly as possible, so this is what I am signing up for in the coming week.

4. What are you excited about regarding student teaching/ teaching? I am really looking forward to our first class-wide book discussion (I am reading the same novel as the rest of the class) and gauging not only how proficient the kids are at reading, but also in terms of critical thinking and analysis of a literary text, since literature is one of my true passions in life (I have an M.A. in English & Comparative Literature, in addition to my law degree). I am also already anticipating some of the projects and activities that I will be creating when I start taking over the class.

Teacher Interview

Mr. M is a fifth/sixth grade teacher in the Quest program in an elementary school in the Lake Washington School District. Because his students are intellectually gifted, they are required to sign a “Student Contract,” which sets forth much of Mr. M’s classroom philosophy. The contract essentially recognizes students’ needs as well as expectations for those students. While most of these expectations are academic and scholastic in nature, it also requires that students contribute regularly to classroom discussions in a thoughtful and positive manner, to work independently and collaboratively, and to display appropriate behavior, as well as to practice ethical modes of conduct.
However, in addition to these rather generalized and generic principles, Mr. M also puts his own spin and personalization on his specific classroom management. Being extremely blunt and straightforward, Mr. M dismisses notions of achieving equity and “fairness” in the classroom, calling such ideals “baloney.” He feels that such attempts at classroom democracy fails to take all of the many facets and attributes of individual students into account, and that no two students are alike, so it makes little sense to try and foster an atmosphere of equality in a environment where not all students are “created equally.” Accordingly, he has relatively few classroom rules or behavior models, having little use for them. As long as learning is not being disrupted, he is fine with whatever a student does or doesn’t do. He says he doesn’t care if they do the work, since their academic success is entirely within their control and domain. He quite obviously believes in empowering the child, and believes that kids have to learn how to fall down, sometimes even to fail. He also conveys this message quite adamantly to parents, urging them to allow their child to take the consequences and fix their own mistakes and errors. He believes that it is not the job of teachers or parents to “rescue” children, and not to do their work for them. In Mr. M’s view, elementary school is meant to prepare a student for junior high school and beyond, believing that in the lower grades, content fades away, but developing good work habits and study skills are all-important. If students learn how to work hard, to develop skills of critical thinking and self-directed learning, then success and good grades will inevitably follow. He believes that the brightest children (as represented in Quest classes) often do not associate hard work with success, and that elementary schools often give bright children the wrong message that being bright means work should not be difficult. He encourages his students to challenge him/herself to do their best work on every assignment, but that it is best left in their own hands to determine their academic fate. This is not to imply that Mr. M deems himself superfluous to the educational process. Rather, he sees himself as a facilitator, to focus on authentic and rigorous academics, but also to develop strong task commitment and encourage creativity. He gives them all the necessary guidance and tools to achieve success, but it is up to the student whether or not he or she achieves such success.

Similarly, Mr. M’s classroom arrangement reflects his philosophical approach to classroom management. Basically, the room is divided amongst five tables (see photos), with four tables seating six students, and a fifth table seating four students. Because Mr. M’s class is a fifth/sixth grade hybrid, he makes sure that each table contains a roughly equal ratio of fifth and sixth graders. There are nine girls out of a class of 28, so he places either one or two females at each table. Finally, he tries to pair up different types of personalities, often seating a shy, introverted student next to or across from a more socially outgoing, boisterous personality. Additionally, the table closest to his desk contains the students that he feels are the most “disorganized,” in terms of their work habits (although there is no correlation between being disorganized and intelligence), just so that he can keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t go too far afield in their work habits. However, it is also important to note that Mr. M is constantly moving his students, depending on the subject matter or if they are in a particular learning group (he divides his class into completely different groups for social studies units, literature circles, science projects, etc.), believing it is important that they experience as much diversity and change with regard to working within a group (this is also a good introduction to the displacement that many of them will likely experience when they start junior high school). Mr. M is not shy about placing students who may not like each other or who have clashing personalities in the same group, as a way of forcing them to learn how to handle difficult, sometimes unpleasant encounters. Consistent with the rest of his classroom management style, he believes it is incumbent upon the students themselves to work out any differences they may have with other kids, reminding them that their success or failure as a unit depends on them working together as a team.

Finally, with regard to Mr. M’s tips for a successful first day of school, his greatest advice is to lower the anxiety level as much as possible on the first day, and to make the students feel relaxed and comfortable. For Mr. M, putting the kids at ease involves a large degree of humor and sarcasm, much of it self-deprecating in nature. He likes to use evocative illustrations and hypotheticals to make his points, particularly when he is laying out classroom management and behavior expectations, always making the students feel that while they are “in charge” of their own conduct, that there are always consequences for the decisions they make, for better or for worse. He likes to portray himself as something of an “outsider,” as somebody who doesn’t necessarily always play by the rules, who may disagree with a textbook or another teacher’s approach. From the first day until the end of the term, he stresses the three traits that he expects of himself and his students: Powerful, Professional and Personal. In fact, the first day he had each child make an artistic representation of one letter making up those three words, and then hangs the results on the walls of the classroom, combining creativity and art with his own classroom philosophy. It is a reminder that work and ideas that initiate the school year shall follow them and hopefully inspire them for the next nine months.

Second Day of School - Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009

More bookkeeping matters, and a school-wide assembly, introducing the entire staff of the school (but in a very nice gesture, the principal included all of the student teachers).

But also some actual schoolwork, including introductory overviews to the social studies curriculum, the "book circle" assignments, and some math work as well.

My first actual "supervisory" experience occurred this morning, when the bell rang for beginning of classes, and Mr. M was off on an errand, so I was actually the one greeting the kids as they filed in (about a third of them offered up a mumbled "hello"), but a few of them remembered my name, and even asked me some questions (which of course I couldn't answer).

I am trying to learn as many names as possible, but as members of my cohort can attest to, I am not the greatest when it comes to remembering names (it took me about three months to learn all of THEIR names). Not to mention that we have a lot of Asian and Middle Eastern kids with names that are often difficult to pronounce, let alone remember. But I am trying each day to learn a few more names, and will periodically go around the room and mentally try to associate a name with a face. I know this is important, especially when I take over the class next Spring.

Other than that, it was a good second day, and while I know I have a lot to learn, both in practice and in theory, I must say that I do feel rather comfortable inside the classroom.

More tomorrow.

First Day Of School - Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009

So it finally arrived.

As should be expected, the first day of school is usually filled with bureaucratic items (paperwork to be filled out by kids and their parents), going over classroom behaviors and codes of conduct, etc. However, today was also a very useful, even essential day, for a student teacher to observe and learn, since much of the tone and tenor of the coming school year is set during these first few days, even before any actual “learning” commences. It is also a good time to observe how a teacher maintains control in the classroom, because many kids can be a bit rambunctious and unruly on the first day of school, so it is useful to see how a teacher deals with disruption.

There were only a couple of relatively minor incidents in my classroom, but it is important to deal with disruption quickly and efficiently, and to set expectations for the coming year. It was also important to observe the teacher’s “personality” and the dominant facets of his approach to teaching, which in my teacher (hereinafter Mr. M) is a big reliance on humor and gentle sarcasm (the students in our class are very bright and can handle it). He is not afraid to make fun of kids if they ask obvious or repetitive questions, again, in a gentle but teasing manner, since he obviously has high expectations for them. Humor also seems to work in bringing out the kids’ personalities, particularly ones who are a bit on the shy side. The key is to temper the humor with care and compassion, and not to become overly reliant on it as a tool, but it seems most useful when really trying to emphasize an important piece of information.

For example, the “theme” attributes for our class’ coming school year are “Professional, Powerful, Personal.” The teacher asked the class to give examples of each, while explaining why each trait is important in forming a student’s personality and classroom demeanor. But he combined the students’ examples with some of his (mostly humorous) own, and this approach seemed to solidify these concepts in the students’ minds. When discussing "personal," he emphasized how he expected all essays, even if they are about the same event or subject, to be different and reflect the student's individuality and personality. His illustration, about picking one's nose and flinging boogers at somebody, was the high (or low) point of hilarity, but it seemed to get the message across effectively.

All in all, a very good first day.

Friday Reflections Part One

1. Describe one thing that you learned: Well, if nothing else, I learned how to Blog. I have always resisted setting up a blog, both for privacy reasons, and also because too many people blog without having anything important or substantive to say, including me. But I also have learned that many teachers and education professionals blog, and they can be of great value, especially to a student teacher. So I approach blogging with a cynical yet open mind, if that is not too much of a paradox.

2. What questions do you have and/or what do you still want to know: Probably most important to me is learning and knowing good classroom management techniques. Hopefully I will be finding out a lot more about that in the next few weeks, but I am also concerned that I am only being exposed to one classroom management approach, and I really want to hear from my classmates as to how their master teachers manage their classrooms.


3. What are you anxious about regarding student teaching/ teaching? I am fairly confident in my academic and scholastic abilities, particularly with regard to social studies and language arts. I have always been adept at math, although a bit unsure about teaching it. My greatest anxiety has to do with science, because I never really excelled at it while I was in school. I understand some basic concepts of science, and I have a great intellectual appreciation for science (particularly in a society that seems to be increasingly hostile to scientific principles), but I feel somewhat inadequate in trying to teach it to a class of fifth and sixth graders. We shall see how that goes (my master teacher told me that he would gladly give up a portion of his paycheck if he didn't have to teach science).

4. What are you excited about regarding student teaching/ teaching? The idea that I will, in no small way, play a part in shaping young minds, both in terms of substance AND style, is very exciting but daunting. I realize that it is an enormous responsibility, and that parents, children and even society at large are looking to me to discharge my responsibilities in a professional and exemplary manner, but I also know that I have my own style, personality, and yes, values, that I feel are important and appropriate to communicate to students. I certainly don't believe in indocrination, but I also don't believe in being shy or neutral in what is important to me as an individual and a member of society. I am excited at the prospect of preparing young minds to be most receptive to all of the world's possibilities.

Things I Learned

What I learned about Robin today: 1) That she came to Washington State at the same age that I did 13 years ago (i.e., 43), and with a similar intention (i.e., to reinvent oneself). Unfortunately, it took me a bit longer to do the actual reinventing, since my first 12 years out here reflected a lot of the same issues and baggage that I had when I relocated from New York. However, in the past year, since signing up and getting accepted to the Teacher Certification program, the actual reinvention processs is well underway.

What I want Robin to know about me is that I am passionate and compassionate about what I do and what I believe in. I have a wicked sense of humor, was probably considered a "class clown" in elementary and junior high schools, and much of that humor and clowning has undoubtedly carried over to the present day (as some of my cohort members will attest to). An interesting challenge for me will be to keep my own humor and need to be funny in check, especially when dealing with a class of fifth and sixth graders, some of whom will no doubt be competing with me to be smart alecks. It will be a fine line to walk to encourage my students to be open and funny without losing control of the class, and without letting them outperform me (!).

Introduction

This is going to be a blog about my experiences as a student teacher. I will be surprised if this is of any interest except for those who know of its existence, and even they will have to drink lots of coffee to keep themselves awake while reading this.