All in all, I really liked this reading because it gave various examples/worksheets on how to introduce new vocabulary to our students. My friend, who teaches ESL has been asking of ways to incorporate other school subjects into her curriculum, and the worksheet on page 51 would work great!!! In one class, not only can English be covered but also PE, Math, Science, etc. How exciting! Also the chart on page 49 is something I'd like to use in my class. It could help me and my students keep track of their progress. It can be used as a before and after...what a great confidence booster.
As far as using a dictionary is concerned, I for the most part didn't learn from them. This reading brought back memories to when I didn't know how to spell a word, and my teacher would tell me to look it up in the dictionary. It didn't make sense to me. How was I supposed to look up a word if I didn't know how to spell it???
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Older Readers, Vocabulary
I can't help but wonder how students make it to Jr. High without knowing how to read. I would say my reading basic reading skills were built from 1st grade to the third grade, and from there I was able to survive. Yes it was a little late than most people, but my elementary teachers made sure I had the basics down.
So my question is how can I help? Out of the nine instructional elements, I feel that I can easily implement #3 (if I had more guidance in how to approach it). I know there is more to it than just breaking students into groups. Does anyone have any suggestions?
So my question is how can I help? Out of the nine instructional elements, I feel that I can easily implement #3 (if I had more guidance in how to approach it). I know there is more to it than just breaking students into groups. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Strategies that Work/ Possible Unit Texts
Well...so much for highlighting! I had to go back and make side notes in order to make sure I understood everything! Lol... Seriously though, these chapters had A LOT of good information, and I'll probably have to read it again in order to soak it all in. The one topic I didn't quite understand was using anchors. How would I use this when teaching math?
Questions:
Q: What are the possible texts you will be using in your literacy unit?
A: The only text I can think of using is the Algebra 1 textbook. I'm also thinking of asking Javier for economic topics and seeing if I can create a lesson on translating economic issues into math equations.
Q: What challenges do you see these texts posing to your students in terms of comprehension?
A: The first thing that comes to my mind is students not understanding the meaning of the words they read. If I don't teach them such words as dividend, quotient, product, sum, etc..then we won't be able to move forward. Also, my Precalculus students of three years ago couldn't figure out how to draw or solve a given word problem because they didn't know what a buoy was.
Q: Looking at the lists of strategies that good readers use, which strategies do you think would prove most useful to your students in their comprehension of the text you give them?
A: Drawing pictures, making a list of what they do understand and what confuses them, pair share,...there's so many
Questions:
Q: What are the possible texts you will be using in your literacy unit?
A: The only text I can think of using is the Algebra 1 textbook. I'm also thinking of asking Javier for economic topics and seeing if I can create a lesson on translating economic issues into math equations.
Q: What challenges do you see these texts posing to your students in terms of comprehension?
A: The first thing that comes to my mind is students not understanding the meaning of the words they read. If I don't teach them such words as dividend, quotient, product, sum, etc..then we won't be able to move forward. Also, my Precalculus students of three years ago couldn't figure out how to draw or solve a given word problem because they didn't know what a buoy was.
Q: Looking at the lists of strategies that good readers use, which strategies do you think would prove most useful to your students in their comprehension of the text you give them?
A: Drawing pictures, making a list of what they do understand and what confuses them, pair share,...there's so many
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Literacy Pre-Assessment
Q: What was your own early experience as a reader? When did you learn to read? What do you remember about it?
A: When it was time for me to attend Kindergarten, I was still vacationing in Mexico, so when I entered school, I was far behind. I still remember my teacher asking me to find my name on one of the desks, and when I told her that I didn't know how to spell my name she was shocked.
It wasn't until the first grade that I remember learning how to read. Since I was an English Language Learner, my teacher used to teach me how to read words such as: because, together, and black.
Q: As you grew older, what was your experience with reading in school? What (if anything) did you like to read? Pay particular attention to your reading experience at the age of the students you teach now. What was reading like for you at that age?
A: During class, I loved being called on to read aloud. I had no fears of reading, but definitely loved being read to. My favorite books to read were the mystery books that gave you an opportunity to chose your own destiny/journey.
Q: Answer the same question with regards to writing.
A: In high school I didn't have a fear of writing and I think this is because my English teacher was not demanding at all. She gave us credit for effort and never made us write essays.
Q: Thinking about your own classroom right now, what role does literacy play in your class? What do you want to learn how to do better in your classroom to support your students in subject-specific literacy?
A: Though I'm teaching math, literacy plays a big role in my class. If my students don't know how to read, then they may not be able to understand the directions of the given problems. Also, many students fear word problems because they don't understand the directions. Thus I would like to learn how to teach my students how to break down sentences/ideas of sentences.
A: When it was time for me to attend Kindergarten, I was still vacationing in Mexico, so when I entered school, I was far behind. I still remember my teacher asking me to find my name on one of the desks, and when I told her that I didn't know how to spell my name she was shocked.
It wasn't until the first grade that I remember learning how to read. Since I was an English Language Learner, my teacher used to teach me how to read words such as: because, together, and black.
Q: As you grew older, what was your experience with reading in school? What (if anything) did you like to read? Pay particular attention to your reading experience at the age of the students you teach now. What was reading like for you at that age?
A: During class, I loved being called on to read aloud. I had no fears of reading, but definitely loved being read to. My favorite books to read were the mystery books that gave you an opportunity to chose your own destiny/journey.
Q: Answer the same question with regards to writing.
A: In high school I didn't have a fear of writing and I think this is because my English teacher was not demanding at all. She gave us credit for effort and never made us write essays.
Q: Thinking about your own classroom right now, what role does literacy play in your class? What do you want to learn how to do better in your classroom to support your students in subject-specific literacy?
A: Though I'm teaching math, literacy plays a big role in my class. If my students don't know how to read, then they may not be able to understand the directions of the given problems. Also, many students fear word problems because they don't understand the directions. Thus I would like to learn how to teach my students how to break down sentences/ideas of sentences.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Understanding Math
Q:How do you know students understand key points of your content?
A:Instead of only asking them skill based questions, I ask them to explain the meaning of what we are doing? Why do we do what we do? How were these rules invented?
Q: What skills/understandings do students need to know about learning your specific subject?
A: I want students to know that math didn't come out of thin air. It is a language that was created for explaining things that happen all around us. Therefore, if they can really learn the basics of this language then they can build off of that.
Q: How are you teaching this in your class right now?
A: Well I verbalize a lot of what I wrote, and when I teach new ideas/concepts I try to explain where it comes from (relating it to prior knowledge).
A:Instead of only asking them skill based questions, I ask them to explain the meaning of what we are doing? Why do we do what we do? How were these rules invented?
Q: What skills/understandings do students need to know about learning your specific subject?
A: I want students to know that math didn't come out of thin air. It is a language that was created for explaining things that happen all around us. Therefore, if they can really learn the basics of this language then they can build off of that.
Q: How are you teaching this in your class right now?
A: Well I verbalize a lot of what I wrote, and when I teach new ideas/concepts I try to explain where it comes from (relating it to prior knowledge).
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Content Standards for UbD unit
I'm going to focus on the standards that have to do with graphing linear equations. My initial thoughts were to drop this topic and first focus on solving linear equations with one variable. I thought, if my students can't solve linear equations with one variable, then how could they be taught to solve an equation with many variables (which is what is needed to graph linear equations).
So now I'm thinking of maybe combining the two if possible.
So now I'm thinking of maybe combining the two if possible.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Planning: The Real Story
Question: How are you really doing your planning right now?
Answer: Well thanks to the summer retreat, I had the main ideas of my first topic ready to go. As far as planning what I'm going to teach...hmm well...it's definitely on a day to day basis. As soon as I get home from work, I start planning for the next day. This usually takes me two to six hours. I don't know what I'm going to do now because it feels like I have no time to plan for future topics and I'm afraid that I'll go back to my old ways...
Question: How do you determine what to include in your lessons/unit plans?
Answer: I think about what is important to learn and what flows. I think about what my students already know (or should know) and how I can use their current knowledge to learn new material.
Question: How do you figure out how you're going to teach the lesson?
Answer: For the most part I teach the same (which may not be a good thing). On occasion I'll throw in some play-doh/hands-on activities. I do try to switch up the last minutes of class. After the lesson, I either have the students work on the white boards, work in their seats, work in groups, teach each other, etc...
Oh and sometimes we practice math skills in the park.
Answer: Well thanks to the summer retreat, I had the main ideas of my first topic ready to go. As far as planning what I'm going to teach...hmm well...it's definitely on a day to day basis. As soon as I get home from work, I start planning for the next day. This usually takes me two to six hours. I don't know what I'm going to do now because it feels like I have no time to plan for future topics and I'm afraid that I'll go back to my old ways...
Question: How do you determine what to include in your lessons/unit plans?
Answer: I think about what is important to learn and what flows. I think about what my students already know (or should know) and how I can use their current knowledge to learn new material.
Question: How do you figure out how you're going to teach the lesson?
Answer: For the most part I teach the same (which may not be a good thing). On occasion I'll throw in some play-doh/hands-on activities. I do try to switch up the last minutes of class. After the lesson, I either have the students work on the white boards, work in their seats, work in groups, teach each other, etc...
Oh and sometimes we practice math skills in the park.
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