Small Group Math Discussion

From this experience, I saw just how important it is to feel safe and welcomed with one another.  Our group completely forgot to make introductions, and I think it really threw our behaviors off.  For one, I did not feel comfortable probing the students further with their explanations because I did not feel a connection with them.  We hadn't put in the time to get to know each other, and we were kind of like strangers throughout the entire discussion.

One student did something very unusual.  When he gave us his thought process, as to how he counted the dots, he told us that he chose to group the chunks the way that he did (which was extremely random) because he knew no one else would count it out like he did.  I wondered why he would want to do that, be competitive like that?  I wondered what the class community was like in his classroom and if it was something that needed to be improved.  I know that our small group really needed to improve on community building.  I think it is really necessary to have a safe environment when we're talking about our ideas.  We need to know that our thoughts will not be rejected.

For ELL's

I was recently asked by my master teacher to administer a math test to some students who were either pulled out of class by specialists and couldn't finish, or absent the day the test was originally given.  I gave the test to two kids who were pulled out by specialists.  These kids speak Spanish at home, so these are ELL specialists that work with many of our students at least twice a day.

I know these kids need the extra help and work with specialists, but at the same time, I feel that they are missing so much that happens during class.  When it comes down to taking these tests, like the one I had to give to them, I don't see how they could realistically succeed because they missed so much time that was spent teaching the lesson because of getting pulled out of class.

In any case, I was instructed to read only the directions for each question.  As I read these questions, I was thinking in my head, "I'm not sure if they understand this in English?"  I wanted to either restate this question a different way so that the language may be more simplified or try to translate it in Spanish.  I don't know if I was wrong to do it, but I eventually said it in Spanish or restated the question with words that these ELL's might be more familiar with.  I just didn't think it was fair that they were being tested and asked to solve math questions when the make-up of the questions and words were too complicated to understand.  The one question that one of the students answered correctly happened when I was able to translate the question in Spanish.

I've always wanted to explore my options to get an ELL endorsement, and this experience has definitely urged me to go after that goal.  I wish I was much more proficient in Spanish, too.  I wish I could have given the entire test to these kids in Spanish.  I guess that's something I'll have to make as one of my goals:  relearn Spanish.

Super Second-grader!

My second grade buddy is an amazing reader!  He reads with so much emotion, it's like I'm watching him read for a play.  I even asked him if he thoughts of being an actor.

I decided to conduct a running record with him for our last meeting.  I chose "Hi! Flyguy" and he told me he's read the book series before.  Not surprising, he read through the book with no problems at all.  He understood the story because every once in a while he'd stop reading, look at me, and laugh out loud, or tell me, "that was a funny part!"

He read so fast, though, that his substituted a couple of prepositions that didn't change the meaning of the story, they were just lazy mistakes.  Maybe if this was a more serious test, he would have read more carefully.

He seems to understand most of what he reads, except really difficult and advanced words.  I think I might try an activity that I saw in Fox that uses the meaning of Greek roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

Lesson in Kindergarten Math

What a great lesson!  For my observed lesson, I combined a read-aloud with a math activity.  First, I read the book, Elmer, by David McKee.  It's a cute story about an elephant who looks very different from the rest of his herd.  Instead of regular elephant color (gray), he is patchwork colors.  Elmer does not like that he looks different, so he runs away.  When he comes across some gray-colored berries, he decides to cover its juices all over his body to make him look regular elephant color.  When he returns to the herd, the rest of the elephants didn't recognize Elmer.  When it rained, Elmer's identity was revealed, and the elephants were so happy to see him again and laughed because they all thought Elmer was playing the greatest joke of all time with them.  They decided to name that day the "Elmer's Day Parade" and celebrated by painted their bodies with beautiful patterns and designs.

For the math activity, I decided to review the concept of patterns.  The class had been introduced to patterns recently, so I knew they would be able to understand how to create a pattern.  We looked at the last page of the book and described all the patterns that they could see.  Then, on an elephant coloring page, the kids were instructed to create their own pattern, of their choice, using shapes and colors.  Together, we talked about AB patterns, ABB patterns, AABB, patterns, and so on.  It was pretty evident that they (or at least the majority) remembered how to make a pattern, so I handed out a blank elephant to each student and told them that we were going to have our own "Elmer's Day Parade," and they made such beautiful elephants!

 Of course, there were a few that did not show to me that they knew how to make a pattern.  With those kids, looking back on it now, it would have been a good idea to give them the option of working with blocks or some other types of manipulatives.  Perhaps they just did not care to color?  Perhaps the concept of patterns was not fully learned yet?  I am not sure, but I think it would have been worthwhile to give another option to those students.

Math Anxiety

For the first few sessions in our K-5 math class, I have been relatively comfortable.  I'm learning new ways of thinking, and actually realizing what exactly I'm doing when I do these unusual steps:  carry the one, borrow a ten.  It's been eye-opening.

Ever since last class, though, I have been extremely anxious.  We had middle school math, and though I've always been extremely comfortable with fractions, I did not enjoy what I was feeling at all in class that day.  We also had a new teacher who had a very different way of teaching than our elementary teacher.  I felt so nervous the way she'd randomly call on us to give her answers.  Though this is nothing new to me, I've seen this done in classrooms all the time, I felt nervous experiencing it for myself.  I kept thinking, "this isn't very ELL friendly."  As an adult, I actually felt like not coming to next session!  If I was in high school, I most likely would have skipped if I knew there wasn't a quiz or test planned.  I'd just study hard at home and avoid the uncomfortable spotlighting in class.

In a way, this was an eye opener, too.  For me, personally, learning these new ways of thinking requires me to think longer.  In this new class, I did not feel time was a necessity.  She spoke quickly, explained quickly, and went off on tangents quickly.  It was easy for me to drift off if I could not keep up with her.  That, also, made me nervous.  If I didn't listen to her, she would probably call on me (with my luck), and I wouldn't have an answer.  How unprepared and embarrassed would I feel?  Today's second session with her will be interesting.  I'm very anxious about it.  I hope I will keep up and think fast!

I love writing!

In class today, we finally started to discuss the Vignette assignment.  I say "finally" not because I was in anticipation of and excited about the assignment, but because I have been concerned about doing the assignment since Day 1 (the first day of class when the syllabus was handed out and assignments briefly introduced).  I've desperately been waiting for explanations, examples, a "step by step" instructional sheet to tell me what my professors are looking for, what components of the vignette I need to satisfy, a rubric.  Our cohort has so many assignments and projects to keep track of, and it is vital that I organize everything that I can possibly organize.

Then we began listening to example vignettes from past students.  What a picture they painted using only their words!  When we were asked to take a moment to brainstorm ideas, I was surprised at how fast my pen was moving!  I could see myself smiling inside my body.  I had forgotten how much I loved writing stories!  I used to write stories all the time throughout high school.  In my undergraduate studies, I majored in Comparative Literature, so I became comfortable with writing essays.  It's how we were assessed.  I suppose, along the way, the creative writer in me went away.  I honestly don't remember the last time, before college, I wrote an actual story for someone.  I've written in journals for myself every now and then, but since it's for me I don't use detail, specific descriptions, and imagery.  Other than myself, I never had a worthy audience member to write for.

Because I am adult and have experienced being a student in elementary school, I know that the act of writing is the actual reward.  Kids are so concerned with logistics and get stuck on grades, correct spelling, correct grammar, forcefully supplying details, and other "requirements."  In Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott says "it's like discovering that while you thought you needed the tea ceremony for the caffeine, what you really needed was the tea ceremony."  I haven't started writing my draft for the vignettes yet, but I am really looking forward to starting it later tonight.  All the worry about organizing my projects, thoughts, and time have seemed to take a back seat...for the time being (or at least until tomorrow morning!).  

When I become a teacher, I hope my students will come to know this rewarding feeling of being a writer.

Thoughts about ELP with Kinder Buddy

My kindergarten buddy is a wonderful reader.  He reads better than most of my 2nd and 3rd graders from my main placement.  Before administering the ELP, my partner told me to check off items on the record sheet because she was sure he would "pass" with flying colors.

Even though I agree he is an excellent reader, I've only worked with him once before for 30 minutes.  I wouldn't ever assume his skill level, or any other student's, based on once sit-down.  I found this to be a great learning moment for me.

It is so easy to make assumptions.

This child, a week before, proved to be an eager reader.  I presented a book that I wanted to read to him, and he immediately grabbed it from me and asked if he could read it to us instead.  Blown away by his suggestion, I said yes just as quickly as he had grabbed the book from my hands.  He read that book easily and effortlessly ("How Do Dinosaurs Go To School?" by Jane Yolen).  However, I could not be sure he understood everything he read.  Sometimes I would stop him in the story and ask about certain characters:  what they were feeling, what he thought about a character's role.  Sometimes he could answer me, but sometimes he would tell me something else that was completely unrelated to my question.

The last time we met with our buddy for the ELP, I did not want to flood my open mind with opinions, based on the one story he read to us previously.  I try really hard to keep unbiased.  It really has to be a conscious effort to be an unbiased educator.  My partner was administering the ELP, while I recorded and took notes.  When we came to the "sliding doors" part of the assessment, my buddy did not know where to locate a "group of words."  My partner had to define what a sentence was first before he could nod "yes" to her that he really did  know what a sentence was.

Though he is a skillful reader, I cannot assume that he knows what a sentence is.  He may know what consists of a sentence, and he may simply not know, concretely, the word "sentence."  Another possibility could be that the explanation of "group of words" was not worded correctly for his age level.  I feel it is important to be thinking about possible factors, as well as one-on-one conferences with him, to really get to know him as a reader.