Teaching in the 21st Century

Reading through the links attached to Learning in the 21st Century: Taking it Mobile! communicates the potential of student’s using personal mobile devices within the classroom. If students already have the device, why not use it for all it’s worth? If students were enabled to use their own mobile devices there would need to be a set of restrictions to keep them focused and on task. Students would also need to be willing to share their mobile devices with their peers who do not have such devices. Teachers would need to evaluate student’s interactions with one another to determine if the potential benefits outweigh the possible challenges.  

“Speak Up in Learning to Change, Changing to Learn” proposed many perspectives on the need to integrate technology into the classroom. The video proposed the reality that students continuously access technology outside of the classroom. Technology enables students to research, collaborate and therefore learn more efficiently. This evolution of technology has impacted the job industry and will continue to impact the job industry. Students must be guided and developed toward becoming technologically proficient. Students need to know how to use technology to market themselves. The information within this video reminds me of the importance of being open to the use of technology to market myself as an asset to my profession. I need to continue to be open to using technology as a mean to communicate with modern day students.

After reading through YouthTeach2Learn, I can see the benefits in empowering students to become teachers. When students are developing their educational perspective with an end goal in sight, they are able to become invested in their educational outcome. Education is important and students do not always understand the value of education. The responsibilities within teaching accelerate the process to develop perspective on the importance of education. Therefore, students should be given the opportunity participate in teacher training, research the value of education, and help others see the importance of education. 

Common Core

Creativity occurs throughout the lesson and into student’s independent work. As I conduct lessons in my class, I model creativity. Each example I use employs a different perspective. I model this way of thinking to build students up in their development. Creativity becomes apparent in Mathematics through the application of problem solving skills. Problem solving skills are necessary to come to any kind of a logical conclusion. Students attempt to facilitate these skills on their own through independent practice. As a teacher, it is important to foster this kind of developmental thinking through guiding questions and prompting discussions. The goal of creativity and problem solving skills is for students to think critically. Students need to prioritize the information they were given and apply the appropriate information to derive a logical conclusion.

To support and teach information literacy, I make students aware of the resources available to them for academic development. I inform my students on how to utilize their text book for support. I discuss the importance of reading the examples and working them out simultaneously. Students also need to be informed that the textbook aligns with online videos with actual demonstrations of each type of sample problem. Through informing students of this information they are given insight into the process of accessing resources outside of the classroom.

Media literacy is important for students to understand. I believe students specifically need to understand the importance of media delievery. When consumers are distracted by the format, they are can become coursed into beliefs that are not their own. For example, students need to be aware of the Golden Rectangle. The Golden Rectangle has been proven to entice the mind. This rectangle has been used in arts and propaganda to lure the onlooker. For this reason, I inform my students of this reality in hopes to foster their analytical development in regards to media.

 Technology becomes the most prevalent in my classroom when keeping students and families up to date on what is going on in the classroom. Through an online grading system, students and their families can stay reflect on their academic performances. Students evaluate their academic development and are therefore informed about their potential in the class. I find an online grading system is a great way to communicate organized student results.

Students are encouraged toward independence in my class as they are encouraged to set academic goals at the beginning of the semester. Students are then held accountable to make progress toward these goals. Weekly, they must reflect on their development. I then give them feedback about what they have done well and the areas I can see need redirection. This allows students to reflect on the academic experiences and become responsible for the end result.

In my class, students are encourages to come after school and tutor students below their grade level in a lower level of Mathematics. This allows students to see the value in getting help and helping others. When students participate in this activity, they are required to develop an accountability routine with the student they are assisting. They are required to set a standard of achievement they plan to meet by working together. The student receiving the assistance is also required to find another peer to mentor toward academic development. These relationships foster opportunity to work effectively with a diverse group of people.

G.I.S.T. TPE 4 Teaching Candidates address standards to provide comprehensive curriculum through relative materials, at the students' current level of achievement and needs. 

“Put me in Coach”

This last week, I had a new English Language Learner enter into my classroom. He is a new student recently from Guadalajara. When I began to introduce myself, his peers interrupted me to inform me how he does not know English. One of his closest peers was a female Early Advanced English Language Learner. I was shocked she would interrupt my introduction and excuse my introduction because of his lack of English. She was at one time where he was. TPE 15 states how it is important to implement or initiate student awareness. To do so, I would inform students on the immigration process. I would pair ELL students in my classroom with their peers at a level above them(i+1). English Language Learners need peers who are willing to coach them through the process of acquiring English Speaking Skills. I plan to implement my Social Justice Plan in my classroom to positively influence all students on campus. This is a practical plan of implementation. I foresee some students might struggle with sympathizing for others, but I plan to coach them through the process. I will model building relationships with students from all backgrounds.

Lesson Planning

When students are not spending time trying to determine the right perspective, they are wasting energy. As a teacher, I want students to direct their energy into learning material. Adolescences use a different approach, they see life from their perspective and are not always able to understand others perceptions. This is the the effects of decreased activity in the medial pre-frontal cortex during adolescence. When I design my lesson plans, I consider students' limited perspectives. I attempt to access their perspectives in hopes to keep them actively engaged.

SDAIE Assessment

Entry level: Student will be assessed on their understandings of points, lines and plans as they are verbally asked to confirm definitions through objects in the room. This will assess Intermediate English Language Learners Listening & Speaking (i+1) at the Early Advanced level as this will encourage students to respond to messages by asking questions, challenging statements, and offering examples that affirm the message.

SDAIE Strategy

A SDAIE strategy I have incorporated into my
classroom this week is working in homogeneous groups. Homogeneous grouping is the grouping of students that are alike. As I worked with my ELLs I placed learners together. The learners I places together are all at different levels. Some of my ELLs were at level 2 and others at level 4. Together they were able to collaborate. Working together eliminated the resistance I have seen to work in groups in the past. My ELLs were able to complete the task in a timely manner. Other groups of students were also places in homogeneous groups. As long as students were not distracted by their friends, they were able to accomplish a fair amount. The groups completed the assignment at varying times. I was able to give the early groups an assignment to keep them mentally occupied. Over all applying the SDAIE strategy, Group Work, was a successful integration into classroom progress as a whole.

I visited a High School in North County San Diego

I visited a high school in North County San Diego. The school I visited had whiteboard walls. The classroom was designed for Mathematics. A wall of whiteboards is just what a Math teacher needs. The picture above is a representation of the limited whiteboard space that most math teachers are battling with. Small boards, like the one shown above, serve as an injustice to students. Students are forced to keep up with the teacher's pace, because as soon as the teacher explains the provided material, the material must erased and new material will replace the old. Math teachers need adequate space to present their material.