Learning Letter

Second time is a charm, right? Well, thank goodness it didn't come to a third time. I feel like I got more out of this class the second time around than the first. I don't know why...this quarter is much more stressful, but maybe because I knew what to prepare for, it seemed "easier."

I felt that this class taught me a lot about being prepared. And how to think of every aspect of teaching - from the prep work (learning 'how to's', class discussions, readings, etc) to practice (mini lesson and book talk) to the big cannoli (unit plan). Before anyone cal plan a lesson, there is so much that goes into the background of it, the time it takes to build a decent lesson, and then the actual practice of it. All these things are so crucial to the world of teaching, and I think I understood better this time. I took more time and put forth more effort, simply because I knew I had to. What I had last time wasn't sufficient enough, and I didn't know until it was too late.

I think one of my favorite things within this class is the book talk. I love learning about new books, and I get excited to talk about a book with people. I am not surrounded by many who read for fun, so when I am, it is exciting to bounce ideas back and forth, and get to know different types of literature the I may be interested in.

I think this class will help me be a better teacher because I learned a lot of techniques and theories to help me not only understand teaching, but how to relate it to my students. So many times teachers teach AT students, and not FOR them. I want students to know that I actually care about their education and their future, and want to help them get there.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

I was nervous about reading this book, and the length it was. Though it had bigger text, I was like, "I don't have time to read this!!!" Well, little did I know, it was such a great read the it took me maybe two days. I was surprised at how well he wrote, and the little stories and anecdotes within the book. I found myself relating in ways I didn't think was relatable, and really enjoyed this book.

When I was little, my brother and I were basically the only Jewish kids in the Spokane Valley (at least, that we ever encountered). Like Alexie, we felt like we didn't belong in this school that celebrated Christmas, and didn't recognize OUR traditions. I know what it's like to be an outcast, or feel like one, anyway. And his humor basically made his writing (and maybe his life even) more bearable. I love the part where he wants to smell and kiss the book. I have had moments like that when I have loved the smell of an old book. Though his was for a different reason that ended up with a different outcome, I laughed at this part and TOTALLY relate to it.

I feel like no matter what a child's situation is, they can take some of this book and apply or relate to it somehow. This book will for sure be one I have in my shelf in the classroom. I can see teaching themes of friendship, pursuing your dreams, racism, and so much more. This should be a standard in schools, and after reading a few colleagues' posts, I came to learn that it is banned! I would be willing to fight administration for a book like this. It is done tastefully, with humor, and real experience. It is an important read.

Poe Blog post

I have always been a fan of Poe. From early high school to now, there is always something I learn from his poems or stories. What is nice about al of Poe's work, is that there almost seems to be different difficulty levels within all of his works. As a 9th grader, learning Tell Tale Heart wasn't that hard to understand, and had the creepy factor that really gives the true essence of "Poe." That's when I first because very interested in Poe.

I think Poe would be very relevant to teach in the classroom. With SO MANY themes, metaphors, similes, and so on, it is a literary treasure chest!! You basically have your pick as to what you want to the students to discover, or interpret. One thing about Poe is that is can and tends to be overdone, so I think by picking maybe some of his lesser taught work, or even maybe looked a the more popular ones from a different angle will keep the students (and you as the teacher) more interested. 

With Poe being so popular, there have been a lot of remakes of the stories, plays written about him/his works, and so much more. It would be entertaining to show students some of these clips or videos. For instance, The Simpsons re-did the Tell Tale Heart, and it is pretty funny and entertaining. It mixes Poe's text with "Simpson's" text, and I think that will read well for young students.

Overall, I think teaching Poe is important. There is no one in the literary world that comes even remotely close to his writings/themes/thinking. There is something so dark and mysterious about Poe as the person, which comes across in his work. I love The Fall of the House of Usher because there is much left to the imagination, and much speculation as to the characters. But mostly I love the description of the house and area. It sets the tone like crazy, and I am immediately brought into this world.

Graphic Cannon

While looking through the Graphic Cannon, I was pretty excited to see many different works of authors in there, like Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, which you don't think of being in a graphic novel formation.

I felt that many of these stories were easier to read in this format, than the tradition novel form. For instance, Moby Dick can be a tough read, but in a graphic novel version, the pictures definitely help move the story along. It would be much easier for non-readers to follow along with and wouldn't be as intimidating to read from, because of the limited text.

Within a class, it would be fun to study a few the classic texts, and then maybe read parts of a novel or prologue and have the students make that into a graphic novel. Drawings wouldn't have to be perfect, but a detailed account of the story they are trying to tell would be interesting to see the different takes on the story. I also like the idea of maybe looking at the graphic slides and maybe picking one or two that are imperative to the story (climax or theme), and explain why that is so monumental. What about that picture could be different, or what is not needed?

I am glad that I purchased the whole set, because I can see myself trying to incorporate something like this in a future classroom. I know for myself, I need to get more comfortable with graphic novels, because this was something I was not exposed to in high school, but I can see the importance and validity to this type of novel.

Night Lesson Plan

1. Teacher Candidate: Leah Dach
2. Subject: English
3. Lesson Title/ Central Focus: Themes of Night
4. Grade Level(s): 10th grade
5. Length of Lesson: 50 minutes
6. Academic and Content Standards (Common Core/National):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1 

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Learning  Objective(s): 

• Students will be able to identify different themes throughout the book. They will be able to give textual examples to support their theme ideas.
• These align with the standards by having students determine the central idea and analyze it. They will also have to cite the textual evidence that proves their reasoning behind their theme ideas.

8. Academic Language:

• theme
• evidence
• faith
• Holocaust
• survival instinct
• suffering
• identity 
• These are terms that the students will have prior knowledge on during their pre-read lesson.

9. Assessment:

• Teacher will walk around and make sure students are filling out their worksheet. The teacher will collect the worksheets at the end of the class period.
• This lesson is a formative.
• Worksheet is attached.
• This assessment will measure the student’s understanding and comprehension of theme, and what the major themes are within this book.

10. Lesson Connections:

• This lesson is connected by the importance of identifying themes. According to Techniques for Identifying a Theme (Ryan and Bernard), they give examples and such on how to find the theme, and what to do with it once you have found it. Also, Teaching Night (Anderson) gave really good ideas on a formula for figuring out how to teach theme, and some good examples. These resources were good because it breaks this down for a teacher, and lays it out in a very easy way to teach.
• Students will have read the entire book, and will have already gone through a pre-read to identify the academic language and terms. 
• Students are building on their prior knowledge by examining the book further to identify the theme. Since they will have read the whole book, they will know what certain words and phrases mean within the book, and the specific context in which it is made.

11. Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks to Support Student Learning:

Introduction

• Students will be asked to state what they think theme is, and how you find it within a text. Teacher will write on the board these ideas and thoughts.
• Teacher will then talk about theme, and the different ways to identify it. Teacher will give example of the formula on the board, and students will write it on their worksheet.

Student Voice 

• Students will fill out worksheet and discuss with others in their class what they think some of the themes are and why. They will work together on this, and can use their books as a reference.

• By referencing their book and discussing with their group, the students will be able to bounce ideas off each other and answer the questions with as much textual evidence as they can.

Learning Tasks

• Students will get into small groups and discuss the questions on the worksheet. They will be able to look through their book for text evidence to write down different themes and why they are relevant to this story.
• Students will listen to a short lecture from the teacher about theme, and what it is. They will do an example with the teacher to get an idea for what they expectations are from them.
• Students will have a worksheet that they work on. They will also work in small groups and have discussions about theme. The students will then come together as a class and discuss their ideas. They will fill in their ideas of theme and what themes are throughout the book. 
• The teacher will explain the importance of recognizing theme, and how to do it accurately. There will be a small lecture and example before students will be given their worksheets and split off into small groups. Teacher will walk around and will be available for questions that may come up. Teacher will call class back to order and everyone will participate in a whole class discussion of their findings.
• How will you incorporate guided practice?
• 10 minutes - opening and light lecture about theme. Teacher will write on white board and go over an example. Teacher will hand out worksheet. 10 minutes - Students will get into small groups and work on worksheet and discuss. 10 minutes - Students will come back to a whole class and discuss their findings and thoughts.
• One question to get them thinking about faith will be “Elie Wiesel’s Night shows faith by…”
• Students will be grouped in a ten minute section. 

Closure

• Students will be able to identify different themes throughout the book. They will be able to give textual examples to support their theme ideas.
• These align with the standards by having students determine the central idea and analyze it. They will also have to cite the textual evidence that proves their reasoning behind their theme ideas. Preview connection to future learning/lessons.
• Teacher will know if these objectives have been met by collecting the worksheets at the end of the class. 

12. Differentiated Instruction:

• Students who work better independently will have option to do so. 
• Those with any IEP’s or 504’s will have individual attention as far as reading the prompt and explaining more in detail what is expected of them. 
• Teacher will be available throughout the lesson to answer and questions.

13. Resources and Materials:

• Anderson, Susan. "Teaching Night by Elie Wiesel." Teaching Night by Elie Wiesel Teaching Theme with Night Comments. N.p., 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
• Ryan, Gery W., and H. Russell Bernard. "Techniques for Identifying a Theme." N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
• Teacher will need a white, board, the book, notes, white board marker, handouts, and doc cam.
• Students will need their book, and something to write with.

14. Management and Safety Issues:

• Students will not be new to light lectures, followed by a hands on activity. They will be expected to participate in class discussion. 
• Teacher will write a daily “look” into what to expect for the day on the white board. Students will come in and immediately look to the board to see what they need for the day (what materials are needed, what they need to get out, etc).

15. Parent and Community Connections:

• Students will be asked to go home and ask their parents or any other family members what they know about the Holocaust. This is a good time to discuss what the students have learned from this book, versus what their family members learned. 
• The teacher will also look to see if there are any community members or access to different materials in the area to come and ask question, or a field trip of some sort to anything relating to the Holocaust. 

My Brother Sam Is Dead (book talk)

This book is basically about human nature, and what happens when you come to a fork in the road. Which way do you go? Do you follow your older brother, who you idolize and love, but who also loves the newly established colonies in America, or do you follow your father, who is greatly opposed to the war and sides with England? This book follows Tim, who is the youngest in the Meeker family. His brother Sam wants to join the Continental Army to fight against England for American Freedom. Mr. Meeker and Tim get in a fight over this, and Sam runs away to join the Army. 

Time goes by, with no word about Sam. With Sam gone, Tim spends a lot of time wondering if Sam did the right thing by fighting against England for American Freedom, or if it’s a good idea to stay under the ruling of England. 

One day, Mr. Meeker and Tim are on the road to get supplies for winter, when they are ambushed by  cowboys. They actually take Mr. Meeker, and Tim gets away with the supplies. 

With Mr. Meeker gone, Tim has to grow up fast and help his mother. One day, he sees British Soldiers in his town, and realizes the war has come to his town. Tim realizes that maybe he is in fact a “Tory," (someone who sides with the British), until he sees some pretty gruesome violence that involves his neighbor (who, by the way, was a real person in 1777). That’s the moment Tim realizes he doesn't belong on ANY side.

Soon there's word that Sam may be in town with the Captain he’ traveling with. Tim goes out to find him, and when he does, it is a sweet reunion for the two of them. Tim goes to get his mom and the three of them have a nice moment together. Sam then leaves so he doesn’t get into trouble. 

Time goes on, and Tim learns of his dad’s fate: he has died on a prison ship. He is obviously sad about it, but tries to stay strong for his mother.

The next time we see Sam is a year and a half later, when he comes back to the town, Redding. Sam is staying near by, so Tim and his mother gets to see him pretty often. One night thieves come and try to steal their cows. Tim and Sam run out there to scare away the thieves, but when Sam comes back from chasing them, he’s all bloody and accompanied by two soldiers who are accusing him of being the one to steal the cows! 

Long story short, Sam is falsely accused, has an unfair trial, and is set to be executed. Tim tries to save him, but gets shot at. The story ends with Sam’s horrible death.

The epilogue gives us a glimpse into Tim’s life once he’s an old man. He is married, has children, grandchildren, and is proud to be an American. He and his mother never got over Sam’s death, and he wanted to share his story to celebrate his brother’s service to this country.

My Brother Sam is Dead is a book I read when I was in 9th grade. I have kept this book all these years because I think that it is a great historical read, that is also intriguing enough to keep a young reader’s attention. This book is appropriate for ages 12-14 (lexile level 770), though I could even see it being taught at the sophomore level because of it’s historical references. 

There are so many teaching ideas with this book. The possibilities are endless! Because it takes place between 1776-1778 during the Revolutionary War, it would be fun to link up with the history department and do duel lessons. A few things I thought of was maybe having students write an alternate ending. If Tim had been able to save Sam from the stockade, would the war have ended in the same way? Or would Tim have viewed the war differently if Sam was still alive? Another idea with the text is maybe splitting up the class into two different sides: Pro America and Pro England. They can have debates, or discussions about why one side it better, and they have to do research on the differences of the two sides to make their case. You could also do a mock trial of Sam’s. It could be set up where they do the mock trial as the book has it, and then maybe re-do it to make it more fair, or how it should have gone.

Some obstacles are that the text is pretty gruesome. Most of the violence is pretty timely and historically accurate, so it isn't for the shock value. There is also some language, and talk of alcohol consumption. It is more praised for its historical accurateness, as well as its portrayal of some non-fictional characters and locations.

This is a fantastic young adult historical fiction novel that mentions real life event, people, and location, all while telling the wonderful tale of love, truth, family, and loyalty.

Readacide

 (re-post...edited)

As a person who loves to read, this book was kind of upsetting in that we aren't encouraging students to read and actually enjoy it. We are killing their interest, and now, for most students, reading is complete torture, even though it is essential to our everyday lives.

While I was reading, I found the section of "the flow" to be very true for me. There are several books that I've read where I was reading for so long, I lost all track of time, didn't eat, didn't look up for anything, until the book was finished. I love getting so engrossed in a book to where I am transported to that wold and forget about mine. I like the example of asking students how involved they get in a movie and forget the world around them, and then compare it to a time they read a book and had the same thing happen. I like the idea of not disrupting the flow of reading, because we would stop every 5 minutes in a class to discuss themes, foreshadowing, etc, like the author points out. There has to be a way to get kids engaged in a book to where they WANT to read, and they understand the very words they are reading. I wonder if some of this has to do with the content of the book. Of course, the more interesting a book is, the more kids will likely be interested, but a teacher has to find a way to engage students in all books, whether by making it relevant to them or relatable. This is one goal I have for my future classroom.

I liked reading about the "sweet spot." This was eye opening in the statistics given. I did not realize that "students stand only a 1/14 chance of having a rich elementary experience." This number seems so low to me. I think about my daughter's 3rd grade classroom and to think that only 2 out of the whole 25 kids will have an actual enriching experience is crazy to me. It makes sense when they point out that teachers are spending more time on drill and kill activities, instead of actually teaching and doing a quality job. This is something that I know will take me a while as I get the rhythm and flow of teaching, but it is my main goal - to keep kids engaged and give them a quality education.

I Read It, But I Don't Get It

(re-post)

I actually thought this book had really good information. As an avid reader, who has ALWAYS read a lot for fun, I sometimes forget that there are some people who either don't like to read for whatever reason, or like to read, but are a little behind in reading and have to go very slow. My daughter is a constant reminder that kids learn to read differently, and there are many different tactics to take with kiddos to help them along.

I thought the section on word callers and resistive readers was good. I think that a lot of ids (and adults too) rely as a resistive reader. They are relying on others to either give them the answer, or will just hang back until they pick up on the information needed. And the word callers just aren't retaining anything they read. I'm not sure which is a more difficult kiddo to teach - one that can read but doesn't retain, and one that doesn't read, but picks up on lectures and class discussions. I feel that maybe the elementary level teachers should have picked up on these types of learning behaviors and the kiddos should have had extra assistance with this. Either way, the students aren't getting enough out of class time and the materials by not being able to fully do the work.

While reading the Inference page, I kind of laughed because I totally did this in school. Not for a lack of reading/understanding, but simply because I was distracted with talking and didn't hear the question clearly or was so put on the spot that I totally spaced the answer. I think this is a coping mechanism where kids think everything that a teacher teachers is word for word out of the book. I thin that sometimes, some students can't really do abstract thinking. Sometimes it doesn't have a lot to do with lack of reading efforts, but are very "by the book" and don't really think outside the box. Hopefully most teachers understand this about certain students and know when to call on them and when not.

Overall, I liked this book. It had lots of good tips and a good way of explaining situations and kind of how to work around it, or how to explain it better. This is one that I will probably keep for my future classroom as a reference.

Critical Pedagogy in an Urban High School

(re-post)

As a total nerd when it comes to books, I love the idea of introducing new aged books and mixing them in with the classics. My absolute favorite book growing up was To Kill A Mockingbird, and it is still my number one book choice. However, I really enjoy all the new pop culture books, such as The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and Maze Runner. I think it is important to acknowledge these books because they are what the kids are reading. It is completely relatable to them, which peaks their interested fast/easier.

Like the article said, I believe that the classics are important because a lot of them teach more than just pop culture, but goes back to history and social justice (like what we are talking about in class). I think these topics are important to never forget, and good to introduce to our students.

However, on the other side of my teaching spectrum is Theatre, and in that cause I don't enjoy the new stories, and primarily focus on the older shows (42nd Street, anything Shakespeare, Hello Dolly, etc). I think the newer stories all have a weird agenda behind them, and try to push or force their new age issues on the theater world. I enjoy the classics that are more wholesome and fun for all.

Paulo Friere's Pedagogy of the Oppressed

(blog re-post)

I haven't read many education books aside from this class, but I think this chapter was eye opening. The thought of "banking" is one I never bothered to break down or even take notice, but now that it has been pointed out to me, I am in awe that this is the relationship some teachers take with their students. I know when I was in high school, I had many teachers that just taught facts and we were expected to regurgitate it when needed (test). But I never really retained much information, nor did I really care as to what I as learning. I wasn't invested as a student, and after reading this chapter, the analogy of the teacher making "deposits" and students "accepting" it all comes together.

I don't believe this is a way that I'll teach. I want to be more invested in my students' opinions, and open discussions to get this across. In the area of literature, sometimes there isn't a clear cut right or wrong answer. The idea of teachers talking and students listening doesn't mean there is quality teaching/learning happening. I hope to bridge the gap more of fully knowing what my students are retaining by doing different typed of assessments that show their knowledge in the are, and not their skill for memorizing.

I'm happy to see that others are realizing that some teaching ways need to change, the same way our students are changing. There are so many more distractions no a days for students (even from when I was a high schooler in the late 90s), and we need to figure out ways to keep them interested and involved. "Banking" doesn't work (at least not so much in my area of English and Theatre), but it might still be slightly relevant in areas such as science and history. But it would be up to those teachers to really keep the students engaged and maybe have different ways of assessing other than recalling facts and memorizing.

Assessing and Evaluating Student's Learning

(re-blog)

While reading the assessing student's learning, I found myself agreeing with a lot of the different ways that assessments words with literature. These are the systems that I know I enjoy best as a students, and will hopefully be able to administer to my students.

I whole heartedly agree with the statement that what it means to learn literature sometimes can't be assessed based on yes or no question, or as the essay calls it, "correct answer" quizzes and tests. So much of literature is based on how it made you feel, how you connected with the passage/story/poem, and how it may relate to your life. Those feelings can't be summed up in a yes or no...it has to be summed up by an essay or summary from the readers point of view. Everyone will have different connections to different types of literature, and all their answers may be correct AND different. It doesn't necessarily means one is more right than the other - just different.

I also liked the thought of portfolio work. I know as a student, I prefer to write everything down on a physical piece of paper (the old school in me, I guess), but  enjoy it because it is easy to go back and review what I've leaned throughout the class. I know when I took Children's Lit from Valeo, she ad us write down any take away thoughts or feelings after every class, so that we could go back and reflect on that day. I think this is important because it sort of documents your learning. Something you may not have known at the beginning of class might make more sense by the end. I think portfolio work (whether formal or informal) is a great idea, and definitely something that I will try to use in my classroom.

California State Universities Expository Reading and Writing Course Assignment Template

I found this article pretty interesting. There were many aspects of this that I have already thought of for my unit plan, and some that I maybe haven't thought of.

One thing that I think is very important when directing a book is the whole pre-read, and post read. For my specific book, it is important to know the back story of the time period/era, and without the knowledge of a pre-read, it wouldn't make a lot of sense. There are some things that students need to know a very basic idea of for some books, and it sets the tone for the rest of the book/class if there is a pre-read. I also think a post read is a great idea because it has students look at maybe some other examples of this kind of a book, or different views and ideas on the theme.

I also think that students making predictions for the book makes them think outside the box about the story. It broadens their thinking about the story, and trying to think ahead. One thing I hadn't thought of was annotating as they go along. Instead, I was going to have them write their own journal entries with predictions, but as the article says, if they annotate in the margins, then it is easier to draw up specific parts/page numbers/ in a discussion.

One last thing I took from this article was the whole part about reading to writing. The students in my 3 week unit plan will have to write several pages of an alternative ending to the book, and they will have to use textual evidence to have it make sense and flow. I appreciate the part about having to brainstorm and outline before that happens, and having them do several drafts. I didn't think about checking the student's work as they write, but I think it is important to check and give feedback when they are working on a final project, so I will probably tweak my original thinking.

Overall, I this article was very informative and had me thinking of all these great ideas and re-think what my plan was, to ensure the student's have every opportunity to succeed.

The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Instruction in Grades 6-12

I think in any case you are teaching English, it should always be the goal of the teacher to keep things interesting, fun, and informative. If a teacher can relate an assignment, or discussion to things the students may be familiar with (what's going on in the world, their personal lives, on tv, etc), then they will probably grasp the material even better.

What I liked about this article was just that. It talked a lot of different literacy approaches to try in the classroom. For instance, in the case of the high school teacher, Kyle Krol, he talks about teaching diversity and how it is something that he is passionate about, and has a lot of knowledge about, but according to the state standards, it is hard to find where that would fit. I think that teachers need some liberties in what and how they teach, especially when there is a topic that maybe isn't widely acknowledged by the state.

With that, he was trying to maybe connect or relate to the students. Sometimes those standards don't always meet the needs to of the students. As a future teacher, I know I will have students who don't fit the perfect student mold, and will have to think outside the box in how to get their standards met. I think being familiar with the standards, and maybe approaching them in a very generic setting may be the best thing.

Discussions as a Way of Teaching

I think this article is important because it talks about the rules needed to have a hearty, and effective discussion.

All too often, I have been involved in a discussion where everyone is just shouting whatever they want, and everyone is talking over each other. There are no good ideas or thoughts being shared and talked about - instead, it is a free-for-all on who can talk the loudest. 

While reading over some of the rules in the article, it actually reminded me of a kindgergarden classroom - the golden rule and such. Speak the way you would want someone to speak to you, basically being respectful. Sitting in a circle to control the conversations, and writing them down on an index card are more examples they give on how to have a good discussion. I especially like the idea of "newsprint dialogues" because it creates small group work for the students to bounce ideas and thoughts off each other. It makes it easier for those who are a bit more shy to be able to speak up in a smaller group.

I feel that this should be common sense, but some people don't have any. I think this article has good information, and being in a classroom setting, it might be beneficial to try out a few of these different techniques and see which one might work from class to class.