Blog 4-Discussion

     I am currently in a kindergarten classroom. One of their favorite things to do is read stories. I would say that my mentor teacher reads 3-4 stories to them a day. She makes it a point to discuss the importance of each text so the kids can get something out of the book. However, since my kids are only 5 and 6 years old, they are not yet capable of having a discussion like the one Almasi talks about in her reading. The "discussions" we have in my classroom are more recitation style. However, the teacher does not ask questions about specific items in the book. She asks general, thoughtful questions that the kids may benefit from such as "how would it make you feel if that happened to you?" and "what are some things we could do as students do help others?" 
     At such a young age, the kids have a hard time staying on track. They like to spout out random facts about themselves and their day, mid-conversation. Therefore, this method of building off each others' ideas and keeping the discussion going without much teacher input is very far-fetched. I think that in order for an Almasi type discussion to be attempted, the teacher would have to assign roles. It might work if 4 or 5 students came up with questions about the book that the rest of the class had to answer aloud. This might foster some kind of discussion that may keep the kid focused on the topic at hand. My students are very thoughtful and smart so I think it would be easy for them to come up with questions or topic ideas to talk about. The part that would be hard for them is talking about one thing for a long time. Also, staying on topic and not interrupting one another might be hard. The teacher would definitely have to have a large role in the discussion. 
     I do have faith in my students. I know that with practice and explanation they would be able to have a class discussion but this would take time and practice for them as they are still new to the "school" environment.

Discussion in my classroom-Blog #4

Within my classroom I mainly see text talk. My MT is working most on improving comprehension in her students but she asks very similar questions that do not necessarily cause the students to think deeply about the text. Her questions are very basic to the plot structure of the text. According to Almasi, this reminds me of the more traditional type of discussion characterized by teacher talk and literal questions instead of critical thinking and thought. Something I also have noticed is lacking in my classroom is connecting the text to my students lives. Usually my MT begins reading. This makes the text less meaningful to the students, and you can tell that it is not as meaningful when you read what students write about the books. What I see is more of a recitation instead of a discussion. In order for discussion to occur, students need to know that they have valuable comments to put into the conversation. In order to scaffold accountable talk, mt MT needs to have a goal in mind for where the discussion needs to end. She then needs to link the students comments together and guide students towards their goal with the questions she asks. Most of all, students need to lead the conversation. The teacher mainly needs to act as a guide. This way students are held accountable to maintaining the discussion and contributing to it. Every student should contribute to the discussion. I think it would be easy for my students to contribute to the discussion, but might be difficult for them to stay on topic since they are so young. This is where the teacher can contribute to the discussion by keeping the students on task.

Blog 4: Student Discussion

Based on what I have learned from class and the readings, there are many successful ways to get students thinking critically and to foster positive discussion.  It is important to have discussions in the classroom with an emphasis on student thoughts and input.  In my placement, the teacher does not allow students to discuss, rather she informs them as to what they should be doing.  By that, I mean that the teacher merely has students answer her questions and if there is anything said in addition to that, she informs them that talking is for lunchtime and recess only.  In order for response-centered talk to take place, the teacher needs to allow the students a voice and to gently guide them through the process of discussion so that they remain on task.  There are a few students that would need extra guidance because they are typically distracted and can get side-tracked.  For a successful discussion to take place, accountable talk needs to occur.  Accountable talk includes:  student participation, teacher linking student comments, students linking each others' comments and building from them, teacher clarification and guidance, student provision of knowledge, and the appropriate wait time (Power Point Week Four).  Active discussion should involve all members of the classroom and should encourage active engagement in learning and critical thinking.

Blog 3: Student Diversity

In order to effectively teach and reach the students in the classroom, it is important to get to know and understand them at a deeper level.  To learn about the diversity of students in the classroom from multiple perspectives, I would initiate many beginning of the year activities that extended throughout the year, or could be drawn upon as the year progresses.  One idea that comes to mind is having the students create their own "story".  The students would each be able to make a collage of what defines them and who they are using words, pictures, and whatever other resources they can think of to create a visual representation.  Each student would present their work, it would be displayed in the classroom throughout the year, and students would be encouraged to add to their work as they learn important things about themselves or have any major changes in their lives.  It would be a creative way to get to know the students and see how well they express themselves through art.  This type of project would also stimulate discussion among students as they compare life experiences and mutual interests.  This type of discussion would stimulate the type of student interaction that Almasi defines as "a forum for collaboratively constructing meaning and for sharing responses" (A New View of Discussion, 1996).

blog 3

It is important to get to know your students for many reasons.  We talk a lot about educating in a way that is culturally relevant.  Choosing literature, facilitating discussions, assessments; all of the activities of your classroom need to take into account what is culturally relevant for your students in order to educate effectively.   When classroom activities are culturally relevant, students are more likely to connect the new information to their prior experiences and therefore commit the information to memory more easily, (add citation).   Furthermore, students will be more motivated to participate in classroom activities if they find it relevant to their daily lives, (add citation). 

 During class discussion with Faith last week, a lot of interesting ways to get to know your students came up.  Faith mentioned the option of finding out what your students sort of activities are involved in outside of school and trying to attend some of these events, (soccer games, dance recitals, etc).  Another idea is to go to the cafeteria and eat lunch with a group of your students every day.  This activity sounds like a great idea because it is a relaxing time where students will hopefully become more comfortable opening up.  Certainly, being very open to communication with parents provides an extremely important perspective of your students’ diversity as well.  I also like the idea of assigning some sort of autobiography based activity at the beginning of the year to see what sort of things your students express. 

In the next few weeks at my placement, I plan to use the students’ “read to self time” as a method of getting to know them.  I will visit as many students as I can during each allotted time.  I will ask them to read me their favorite book.  Learning why that book is their favorite can be a very telling thing by itself.  This one-on-one time is a great opportunity to just ask questions.  Asking questions is such an easy way to find out more about your students.    

Blog 3: Diversity

    As a teacher, I think the most important thing you can do before the year gets under way is to get to know your students. We have talked so much this year about the tremendous influence that knowing your students has on your ability to effectively teach. Getting to know your students on a personal basis not only allows your students to feel more comfortable and have more trust in you, but it also allows you to cater your teaching in order to best help the student succeed. Being understanding of what your students have going on in their lives can help everyone involved. The article I read for last week talked about a teacher who stayed involved in the community. Camping trips with students, classroom phone trees for emergencies 24/7, and going to sporting events are all ways that these teachers got to know their students on multiple levels. Although this involved working outside of school hours, the teacher had a better idea of who their students were and where they come from. 
    Within the next few weeks I will take the time, whether it be during recess or centers, to ask each student a couple of questions. I want to ask them who their family is made up of, what they are scared of, what their favorite memory is, and ask them to tell me one thing they think is unique about them. If possible, I will answer these same questions about me. By doing this, I hope to make the kids more comfortable with me as well as to gain some insight into their lives. I will be able to learn about these children on various levels and get an idea of what inspires them or what they fear. Also, getting a further look into their family life might help me to see why certain students act or behave the way they do. We have a lot of emotional students in our classroom and my CT attributes that to troubled home lives. I am excited to get to know my students on a more personal level.

Learning About Diversity-Blog 3

I think when we talk about diversity, it is important to understand that it is not strictly in ethnicity. Students can be diverse in the types of families they have, the way they learn, and language. I definitely think it is important to learn about my students, more specifically where they come from. I liked how we had to write a poem in class that described who we are. I think that this is a great activity that can allow you to understand your student more. I also think that another way we can learn about the diversity of our students is to have a student introduce themselves to the class simply by stating their name and having them tell us one fact about themselves. We also have talked in other classes about getting to know our students during lunch. Each week a small group of different students can have lunch with the teacher where they can talk about anything, not just school related topics. I think this is another great way to know my students outside of class. I also can attend sporting events that my students participate in. The ways are endless as to how we can get to know the diversity in our classrooms from different perspectives. Knowing your students on this level will help develop your relationship with your students and will also give you clues as to how to instruct students and how you can include their diversities when teaching.
Within the next weeks in my field placements, I plan on getting to know my students in my placement for who they are as learners. I have a fair idea about some of them, but some students I do not get to talk to often or work with on a regular basis. I also want to get to know my students on a more personal level. I will ask them about their families. I also hope to find some things in common with my students to show that even though I am a teacher and come from a different background, we have things in common and what effects their lives also effects mine. This would be a beginning to the understanding about how everything effects everyone else as we read in the Ladson-Billings article from last week.