Notes from A Journal Article on "Shared Authority"

Early on in the semester, I read a journal article for my multicultural/ diversity education class that presented information about the educational practices at several high SES school districts and several low SES school districts. The research was alarming. The author found that high SES children could very possibly be educated differently than low SES children and that these educational practices could in turn be perpetuating social class in this country.

The citation for this journal article is as follows:

Anyon, J. (1980). Social class and the hidden curriculum of work. Journal of Education, 162(1), 67-91.

It was determined in this article that low SES students were taught to primarily follow explicit instructions and that little value was given to their individual and unique input. This correlates with their suspected future careers as laborers and those that follow the lead and directions of others. High SES students, however, were taught with more emphasis on higher order thinking, and their opinions and experiences were more often integrated into the curriculum. This correlates with the belief that these students will become those professional individuals who oversee others and who make rules and instructions rather than work within their confines.

The journal article on shared authority:

Parsons, E. (2003). A teacher's use of the environment to facilitate the social development of children. Journal of Research on Childhood Education, 18 (1).

Notes on implementing the concept of shared authority in the classroom:

• The teacher created three areas: one that was all her own (her desk, files, technology, etc.), one that was shared (students' seats), and one that was the students' area (reading area/ quiet area/ a place for cooperative learning). She found that students respected her space as she did theirs and that students took great pride in their area (kept it cleaned and organized).
• At the beginning of the year, the teacher asked the students to discuss classroom rules. She made a list to display in the classroom. Students were allowed to amend the rules as the school year progressed. She found that students were very thoughtful in their creation of classroom rules.
• The teacher allowed students some decision making power (words on spelling lists; whether to complete one activity or another). She retained the ultimate veto power.
• Students were given roles and jobs to fill. She found that maturity played a part in such responsibilities. For example, the hall monitor position was often used as power over other students and certain students would give unwarranted penalties. The teacher rectified this by putting a second hall monitor in place. A student would only receive a penalty if she or he was cited by both hall monitors.
• The teacher and students would have frequent meetings for the class to discuss that which was and was not working in the classroom. Both the teacher and the students took responsibility for successes and failures and sought ways to continue to succeed or improve on that which was lacking. Students were able to amend rules at this time.

Field Experience-- Instructional Strategies

This post is for my own reference.

I am to complete 15 hours of field experience this semester for an instructional strategies class (and 15 hours more for two other classes). I am using this post to compile a list of things I've learned to make writing my end reflection easier.

• Tip/Math/Instructional Strategies: Ask Lowe's to cut dry erase boards (much less expensive); use dry erase boards for math lessons, students can work on problems as I present them on the overhead
• Language Arts (Main idea)/Lessons: Use palm as "main idea," use fingers as "supporting details;" supporting details wrap around main idea
• Language Arts/Instructional Strategies: Graphic organizers; have students work in small groups and use post it notes on construction paper to pick out details of story, take off notes, and exchange papers with other groups who put details back in order
• Tip: Video tape oneself to find where time is being lost and to improve
• Language Arts/Instructional Strategies/Diversity: Read story in group and have students make a place for themselves on large piece of paper; give some idea about things to look for in story (singular possessive nouns, action verbs, etc.) but allow students to compile information/ organize information as they would like to do so and also allow children a choice of story to promote a democratic working environment
• Tip: If one doesn't use worksheets, one does not form this bad habit
• Instructional Strategies: Assign small group members a job for the day: leader, reporter, recorder, collector (numbers on back of chairs, switch numbers each day)

Edit 1:

• Tip from my class/Instructional Strategies: Use folders for many purposes- have students write name on outside of folder and on tab, have students hang folder from desk to learn names, use folders to check for roll (folders not picked up= student absence), put missed assignments in folder
• Language Arts (Inference)/Lessons: Model inference by acting angry, sad, etc., ask students how teacher is feeling and then explain why they think this is so, introduce concept of inference, give picture representations of emotions, have students use inference to explain feelings pictures represent; have flowers or the like delivered to class with card, read card, discuss why card was given (what occasion, holiday for flowers and card), explain inference in writing; have students use inference in text
• Diversity: Group work at elementary level helps students understand diversity because students have different view points, need to learn to work cooperatively
• Observation: Teacher never says answer is "wrong;" asks students to agree or disagree by thumbs up or thumbs down; says "not right on target"
• Observation: Teacher had to make many decisions and work around distractions- school nurse conducting lice check, parent call, questions from vice principal and other teachers
• Observation: Teacher deals with possible ADHD student by allowing him to move and fidget to an extent as long as he is engaged in lesson; when movement from desk is extreme, student is asked to sit in isolation for approximately five minutes; teacher has students review in groups while briefly speaking to possible ADHD child and asks him to review what he has been working on with his mother ("keep control of body")
• Observation: Teacher is focused on incorporating higher order thinking skills whenever possible; introduces standardized test questions on Friday tests and briefly throughout lessons
• Observation: Teacher used repetition throughout lessons; used definition of inference twice by having class repeat her at intervals and then wrote definition on overhead at which time she used definition to review past lesson- parts of speech
• Observation: Teacher tied inference into parts of a friendly letter
• Language Arts (Parts of a friendly letter)/Lessons: Use Powerpoint (pictures) to show parts of friendly letter, use fellow teachers to model parts (heading- head, greeting- "commas" around mouth [to show that one follows greeting with a comma], body- body, closing- hands on knees [commas], signature- toes); use sticky notes on parts of body; have students get out of seat and chant "heading, greeting, body, closing, signature" while touching corresponding parts ***lesson incorporates five modalities: verbal, visual, interpersonal, kinesthetic, musical***

Edit 2:

• Language Arts (Prefix and Suffix)/Instructional Strategies/Lessons: Have students write on three cards- prefix, suffix, both- and display words, students hold up corresponding cards ***formative assessment***
• Observation: Teacher integrates previous lessons with current ones (inflections versus prefix and suffix)
• Instructional Strategies: Ask students to "prove" their answers in order to encourage higher order thinking, students must "prove it"
• Instructional Strategies: Allow students to "phone a friend" when they are stuck on a question after being called upon in class
• Classroom Management: Have students put work in progress in a "working on" folder
• Classroom Management: Compile work in a weekly folder for parents to sign off on as acknowledgement of student weekly progress
• Observation: Teacher uses administrative interruptions/ things out of her control as teachable moments when applicable (field trip paperwork was used to review sentence structure)
• Observation: Teacher prepares students for TCAP (standardize tests) throughout the year by saying such things as "you'll need to know this for TCAP" and "you won't have this model for TCAP"
• Observation: Teacher rewards opinions/thoughts in discussions that are off-topic but are still reiterations of previous lessons; teacher explores wrong answers instead of just proclaiming them "wrong"
• Language Arts: "Noun walk"
• Observation: Students enjoy working on the overhead and on computers and with technology in general
• Instructional Strategies: Make "cubes" with paper of current lesson information like a past, present, and future inflections cube, have students roll it like a game and have them complete assessments based on what they rolled
• Observation: Teacher encourages "self-talk" ("The subject is the 'who' or 'what' so you have to ask yourself, 'what is the who or what in this sentence?'")
• Observation: Importance of parent interaction with children- children are able to listen and hear what is right or wrong in a sentence (noun/verb agreement)
• Tip/Language Arts: Have students work with sentence strips (cut in half) and present their work on the overhead
• Tip: Create a sense of community discovery by using large pieces of paper to paste active learning activities to (like the sentence strips above), keep the paper displayed in class for a period of time, students can use this paper as a model in subsequent lessons
• Instructional Strategies: Tell students to fold paper "like a hotdog" or "like a hamburger," make a "T chart" (graphic organizers)
• Language Arts (Linking Verbs and Action Verbs)/Instructional Strategies/Lessons: Make a pitcher of lemonade and have students compile a T chart of linking and action verbs as they are happening
• Observation: Teacher integrates subjects as applicable (in lemonade activity, teacher asks "what form of mater is this?")
• Observation: Teacher uses worksheets only as morning work as students come into class, teacher gives students the choice of completing worksheets instead of activities when they are demonstating poor behavior; students overwhelmingly prefer activities over worksheets
• Observation: Students are asked to be "responsible citizens" by reusing paper, other
• Math (Charts and Graphs)/Instructional Strategies/Lessons: Ask students to write their birthday on post-it note and have students organize the class data on the front board by month (a bar graph is formed), allow students to bring their own post-it note to the front as opposed to "polling"
• Tip/Math: Use data sets that are relevant to the class like pizza toppings and birthdays
• Tip from my mentor teacher: Don't be afraid to change in the middle (when complications arise)! :)

Finally a "V"ictory

I have spent weeks with "V." At first, it was a difficult part of my day as I desperately wanted to bond with this child...wanted to prove something to myself. Perhaps it was naive of me, but my entire philosophy of teaching was fairly simple: I love kids, kids will know this, and kids will want to have a great relationship with me. In turn, they will want to please me and will eventually gain intrinsic rewards based on their academic achievement. This may hold true for a lot of children...but it didn't hold true at all for "V."

Toward the middle of my time with her (up until this point- my field experience hours are complete, but I am going to work more in this program because it's an invaluable learning opportunity, and I think I am actually of some use there which feels amazing), things became quite tense with "V." I have never known a child to react so negatively toward me. She would cry relentlessly and refuse to work (read aloud to me and work on writing assignments). She would fake illness and afterwards skip happily back to class as if nothing was wrong at all. She would be quite sharp and harsh with me. She would not walk beside me in the hallway. She did everything in her power to let me know that she just didn't like me, not even one little bit.

I tried constant praise. I tried hugs (she would not have it at all). I tried reasoning with her. I tried more praise. I tried talking to her, asking about her day. I tried compliments.

Nothing at all worked.

I went home those days feeling unbelievably defeated and sad. I choked back tears a number of times and knew I had better toughen up because for the first time I realized that, surely, "V" would not be the only child to behave this way in my future teaching career. This is just part of it. My eyes have been opened.

I was extremely proud of myself for maintaining my composure during this time. I have within me more patience than I knew...and it has made me think about my ability to mother my children. If I have so much patience for this little girl that is not my own (and had made no effort whatsoever to connect with me in any meaningful way), surely I can have more patience with my children who are the guiding force in my very existence. Yes, "V" has taught me a lot.

There was, however, a turning point a couple of weeks ago. I consciously decided to give in a little bit to the things that 'V" wanted to do. She wanted to work with letter tiles, and so we did this, and I found ways to integrate what she needed to do based on her assignments with what she wanted to do. And then I discovered that she likes a "high five!" We had a great day, and it just sorta happened out of thin air. The next day, I did not allow "V" to run things as much...but I did a little. We had another good day. We have had a number of good days now, and today, when she saw me, she walked quickly to me and gave me a hug...and later, she snuggled into me while we were working at a computer. It surprised me but gave me so much validation and joy.

I can't be sure what changed exactly, but I do know that I didn't give up...I do know that even when "V" pushed me away in the most harsh way, I did not stop trying; I did not stop caring. That in itself is a victory to me.

I LOVE Technology!

This is the kind of stuff I love...(not necessarily my voice!)

I was encouraged to post my podcast on the web by my instructional technology professor so here it is...my first webquest is also linked here.

International Recipe Challenge: Webquest

Ireland: Total Happiness

Ireland is no longer making me sad. No, quite the opposite, I am ECSTATIC by the thought of it.

Last week, one of my professors (the one I referenced in my previous post about Ireland), spent a few minutes in class talking about the Ireland trip. Of course, this was complete agony for me. It was a dream that was shut down for me before I ever had the chance to really stew in the possibility of it.

She passed around an interest sheet: if one was interested, she was encouraged to sign it. I nearly cried as it came to me. I asked, "what if we are REALLY interested, but there is no possible way we can go?" (It is a small class, perhaps more laid back than most.) She asked what was holding me back...and a light flicked on inside of me...NOTHING is impossible!

And then I started to make it a reality.

My husband is going to take off those two weeks from work. He has plenty of vacation time. My mom will step in and help as needed. I talked to financial aid, and best yet: my sister is going too!

In less than six months, I will be in Ireland!

I will be very sad to be away from my kids for two weeks, but I an excited to have this opportunity to LEARN with no other responsibilities (I can not explain in words how liberating it will be to just be me- for the most part-for two weeks. I mean no disrespect toward my beautiful, special children...but being a mom is exhausting, and I haven't been well-rested in about eight years.) The kids shed a couple of tears, but we talked about it...I'm sure it will be harder the closer we get to May. All in all my kids are very secure little people. They have had me every day of their lives. They know I love them more than anything else in this world. They are lucky to have a good dad (who will surely not care for the house and kids as I would have but will do a fantastic job nonetheless).

I am totally excited to have this amazing, amazing opportunity to look forward to.

My Mantra

My mentor teachers for my observations have been tremendously helpful to me, but they have frightened me a bit too. They are great teachers who spend a lot of time in and outside of school working on the curriculum and formulating activities to involve the students...to excite them, to encourage them, to TEACH them. They do not spend a lot of time on much else, and I sense that they feel discouraged and overwhelmed quite often. All too often, I have heard: it's nothing like you think it will be while you are in school. And: you don't have time to be an idealist.

It has taken me SO MUCH time to put together (my first) three day unit plan that I am REALLY proud of. How will I possibly have the time to do things I am really proud of for an entire school year?...and I am overachiever enough to not do any less.

I am passionate about "higher order" thinking and about diversity issues. I am passionate about creating my own activities and assessments and not pulling random stuff off the internet. I am passionate about being a reflective practitioner, to grow and change with my future students' needs. I am passionate about working with my colleagues and the community. I am passionate about making a real difference in children's lives and affecting the world in a positive way. I can not accept less. I can not be something else. Anything less will feel like failure.

I know that I am green and inexperienced and idealistic. I know it's not going to be the way I think it will be...but I know that I am going to be a great educator (in time) because I refuse to quit. I refuse to quit trying to be the educator I want to be.

My mantra: I will welcome the challenge.

Beautiful "B"

I spent an hour and a half in a child development center this morning, working on one of my field experiences. I was there for one little boy in particular, a two year old little boy: "B". He has Down's Syndrome. This field experience is part of the requirements for my introduction to special education class.

It was a great experience. This little boy melted my heart immediately. He has the biggest, most pure smile. He is very friendly and affectionate. He gets along well with the other children, and the other children seem to have no knowledge whatsoever of any "difference" in "B".

To say "B" is adorable is an understatement. He had no hesitation in coming to me and touching me and asking me to read to him. I don't have words enough to describe him. He was just simply- and not simply at all- beautiful. All I could think when I was with him is how I agonized over my babies' health while they were in my womb. I took those prenatal tests and prayed that nothing was "wrong" with them. I thought then that I would have given birth to my babies regardless of any physical "abnormalities" but the prayer was that there was no such "problems." And that's probably just human nature. But what I didn't know was how amazing a child like "B" is and how his parents must have so many blessings in their life when I had only an hour and half to spend with "B" and just wanted him to stay by my side the whole time, hoping some of his joy and spirit would be passed to me in some way.

I can't wait to go back.

Oh Ireland, why must you make me so sad?

Wah! I'm just going to be a big baby about this one.

Earlier this semester, the director of the School of Education at APSU spoke to my instructional strategies class about some requirements we need to fulfill this semester. At this time, she also talked about a trip and some classes being offered in Ireland this summer, one of which could replace a class I need to take. And my favorite professor is going, too! But class or no class, I have always wanted to travel. Always. I have a charm bracelet that my mom gave me for Christmas one year with the globe on it because anyone who knows me, knows I want to see this world. And besides a great many states I visited as a kid with my family, I haven't really been anywhere; and I haven't been out of this country. My mom has. My dad has. Even my little sister has. But not me. I especially want to visit Europe and always Ireland in particular.

The only possible downside to my becoming a teacher is...how am I possibly going to travel on that salary?

When the director was speaking about this trip, I could feel my heart skipping beats inside my chest. My mind was racing with the idea of it all. A trip! To Ireland! With some awesome professors!

And the director made it seem so do-able. Sure, it would be a lot of money, but there is financial aid for that.

Wow!

But then it hit me like a ton of bricks...I can not go to a foreign country. I have two young children. I am old and tied down.

Sometimes I feel like my past mistakes will always haunt me. If this were ten years ago and I was a serious college student (as I am now), I could take this trip and have an experience of a lifetime with other adults. Learning. Fun. Freedom. Travel. Oh, bliss. But alas, there is just no possible way I could make it work.

Believe me, I've tried to think of some way, any way, to go.

But it just won't work. I'd like to say that I am an awesome enough mother to not even consider leaving my seven year old and my five year old with my husband or my mom, but I'm not. I would play out that scenerio for all it's worth if they could do it. But they can't, and I can't go, and I hear classmates talking about this amazing opportunity all the time. And it makes me so sad. (I'd miss my kids before I got on the plane...just for the record. And then I'd cry a lot all through the trip.)

The truth of the matter is this, though: I probably wouldn't ever have become a "serious student" if it wasn't for Michaela and Scotty. I might not have ever gotten focused, and I probably would not have set out on a path to become a teacher. And I wouldn't trade them for all the countries in the world anyway.

As we say around here, "it is what it is."

It still kinda stinks.

Scarier than Halloween: Public Speaking

I have never been a terribly confident person and have therefore not been comfortable with public speaking. I get my moments when I feel very passionate about a subject, and the heat in my heart takes over my head, pushing the words right out of my mouth. I have found in the past that if I really try to be an eloquent speaker, though, all the sentences in my mind get tangled up around my tongue.

I have found in my classmates similar feelings about public speaking. It's a little odd that we all want to be teachers since teaching is a profession which requires one to talk.all.day. But it's different with kids. They are forgiving and not so judgemental and cute.

I feel very fortunate that I was required to take a public speaking course last semester. I thought it would be one of those courses that I was annoyed with...feeling like I am being babied by my university and feeling like I should get some sort of exemption because I am in my 30s for heaven's sake. But it was actually pretty great. I took the class with my sister which made it a bit easier, and I had a dynamic professor and lots of interesting classmates.

My first couple of speeches went ok, but they weren't fantastic. I was actually disappointed with my performances, and something quickly shifted in my head. There is something more powerful in me than my fear, my nervousness, my anxiety. There is a desire to communicate, and yes, to teach!

My first successful public speaking experience in my life was this one:


Uploaded on authorSTREAM by tiffanyallemand

I care about the subject tremendously and so, I really sought out to do well: to inspire someone, anyone. And I think I did.

I had an interview at my university last month (it is something that all education majors and minors must go through), and I will admit it: I was terrified. My classmates' fear was really affecting me, too (sure, I tell myself that I am a woman in my 30s with a lot of life experience, but when it comes right down to it, I think I might always be a little bit of that girl who STILL has nightmares about forgetting her locker combination and her schedule and heaven forbid have to stand up in front of a class of my peers!). The interview was really just about my thoughts on teaching and why I think I'll make a great teacher, a subject I am entirely comfortable with. BUT, we were told there would be a committee of people and a written portion of the interview- all very formal and serious and important, ESPECIALLY when teaching has become your goal, your dream, your future. So, yes, I panicked a bit. A lot.

The morning of the interview was hectic and rainy, and I misunderstood where I was supposed to go and was about two minutes late. And I felt sweaty and gross from running all over and stressing out about being late, and I felt unsure of myself and scared scared scared. But all of a sudden I was writing about education and talking from my heart about education.

"Reflect on your personal strengths that you will bring to the teaching profession," they said.

"I am organized. I am creative and resourceful. I am motivated and efficient. I have a drive in me that will not stop until I am the best educator I can possibly be. Most of all, I am an optimistic and happy person with a sunny disposition. [big smile] My motto is: 'wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.'"

It just so happened to be raining that morning. :)

And I survived the whole process. No, I excelled at it. One of my professors was on the panel in front of me (a professor I respect greatly but who intimidates me because she is a genius and who up until this point I had tried to impress all semester), and later in the day when I was attending her class, she called me out in front of everyone, saying that I had impressed them all and was eloquent.

And that I had brought the sunshine...

So, yes, something has shifted in me. I have since that interview given several other presentations. I know that there will always be a healthy amount of stress and nerves along with public speaking, but it's manageable. Perhaps it's even exciting. Teaching is making me a more confident person. When something is right in your life, it's right!