Summer Plans

This summer I am again teaching an enrichment program at Illinois Central College like I did last year. I am looking forward to continuing teaching throughout the summer.  I also plan on continuing to write my thesis and catching up on some reading that I was not able to get to during the school year.  The enrichment classes I teach are Strategy Survival, CSI: Dallas (in which we study the Kennedy assassination) and Great Debates.  This year I am planning on making some adjustments to my debate class.  Last year we carried out research and had five relatively formal debates about topics students voted on over the two week period.  This year, I am going to plan various types of debates that will seek to increase student engagement.  Debates are wonderfully productive because they can help students develop research skills, critical thinking skills as they analyze arguments, and also speaking and listening skills.  I plan debates within my own social studies classroom quite often.

It is important to remember when planning and moderating a debate is that all students need to be involved.  This can be quite tricky because during a well managed debate only one persons should be speaking at a time and half of an entire class of students would make a rather large debate team.  One technique I use to increase participation is to have students researching various debate questions related to the topic we are studying.  When a team is acting as the audience for a debate they have not researched they are asked to develop and ask questions of the debaters.  Additionally, I am very specific about the roles each person plays on the debate teams themselves.  There is always a lead speaker who presents the initial argument, a person responsible for the rebuttals, a lead researcher for the argument, and a counter argument specialist.  The job of the counter argument specialist is to predict potential point the other side will raise and think about counterarguments to make when and if these arguments arise.  At some point I encourage students to take on each of these roles throughout the school year.

I also help students develop debate skills by planning informal debate activities.  One activity that allows students to practice their public speaking skills is the one-minute monologue.  Students come to the front of the room and improvise a one minute speech about an assigned topic.  While students are speaking this allows we to monitor and remind students in the audience about listening expectations during debates.  Next, line debates include all students and allow students to argue multiple perspectives with a variety of partners.  Students line up in two lines facing each other.  One line is assigned the affirmative and one side the negative.  I usually allow one minute back and forth for four minutes.  Since arguments were assigned, at the conclusion of this activity we then vote on our perspectives on the topic.  It is important to remind students when they complete this activity that they need to use a normal speaking voice as many people will be talking in the classroom at once and others need to be able to hear.  Also, since as a teacher I am often not able to monitor each debate that his happening simultaneously, I remind students to be supportive of one another and that proper debate etiquette demands respect for ones opponent.

To get students moving and motivated I often use four corner debates as well, which require students to move around the room depending on their perspective.  Not only does this force students to all get involved, it also allows students to get a feel for how popular various perspectives are.   Finally balloon debates, which are set up somewhat like a fishbowl, allow students to argue for multiple perspectives.  For instance, my students sometimes complete balloon debates about the most important news story they learned about at the end of the week.  Each student with a different perspective argues their point.  The audience then votes to decide which is the least important and that person is "parachutes out of the balloon" and joins the audience.   The debate then continues until there are only two people left in the balloon and the results are decided.  Since this activity has the potential to get rather competitive, again it is important to explain to students they must be respectful.  Rounds of applause are appropriate for people exiting the balloon and sometimes I remind sensitive students that they should not take it personally if their topic is voted out because it is not personal.  Assigning students to topics or asking students to argue against their own perspective on occasion can reduce this concern.

Overall debates are fun and effective ways to learn a great deal of content.  They promote active learning and there are many versatile ways to manage them within the classroom.  I am definitely looking forward to taking my classes this summer and implementing these debate ideas into my Great Debates enrichment class.

Teaching Reading

         Good social studies teachers have a responsibility to require students to read and help them develop their reading skills.  Such skills are particularly important in the study of history, because when history is taught as the process it is, it requires students to read and interpret historical sources to reach their own conclusions and syntheses. 

         Many teachers, in all subject areas, face the challenge of teaching students who may not be reading at grade level.  This however is not an excuse to attempt to teach students without requiring them to read.  When students are not reading at grade level, teachers must simply differentiate reading assignments so students are challenged appropriately and also learn content knowledge.

         When I first began my training as a teacher, I must admit that I did not recognize how complex the reading process is.  Being an avid reader since I was quite young, I took the process for granted.  Not only must students rely on stored information and experience to interpret what they are reading, they must also read strategically and fluently to be able to comprehend what they are reading.  Recently I was re-reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, and I found that reading the unfamiliar dialect used in the novel gave me some idea of how difficult it is for struggling readers to not only read, but also understand the meaning of what they are reading.  Some of the dialect I read aloud to better understand it.  Know what strategy to use to understand what I was reading made me realize the importance of teaching these strategies to students.  

         Teachers must also provide students with motivation or a purpose for reading.  Reading is an active experience, which is what makes it so fulfilling.  One can learn a lot from passively watching an educational video, but reading leads a sense of accomplishment because it requires complex thought processes.  Most importantly, reading is an essential life skill that students will undoubtedly use for the rest of their lives.  It is important for teachers to show students their own commitment to finding more effective and efficient reading strategies themselves. 

         So teaching reading is important.  The question is, what is the best way to teach reading skills?  I believe the techniques that have the most potential for success are those that help students understand what they are reading and make connections to content based on their own knowledge.  Students will become more involved in reading when they can relate it to their everyday life or form their own opinions about it.  I often have students connect course content to newspaper articles.  I believe it is important to have students read newspapers, because they are an example of reading material that many people voluntarily read everyday.  I believe this sets a good example to students who are unmotivated readers and only read what they are required to.

         Activating background knowledge is also a fundamental way to get students interested in reading.  Asking open-ended questions that relate to a reading helps get students focused on why they are reading.  Having a reason for reading elevates students' confidence when faced with a difficult text.  Even if they are unsure whether they will understand what they read, they at least know what they are looking for.  

         Here are some reading strategies I have used within my own classroom:

• Vocabulary Concept cards - these include the vocabulary work, definition, characteristics/features of the concept, and example from the text, and an original sentence.
• Photographed vocabulary - this requires students to illustrate or sometime act out vocabulary terms.
• Previewing words in context - as a class we discuss difficult words prior to reading.  I often use think-aloud strategies or ask students to explain how they used the context to determine the meaning.
• Anticipation guides - Prior to reading, students respond whether they agree or disagree with statements and conclusions from the text.  During the reading, students underline sections of text relating to these statements.  After the reading, student use text references to support their earlier opinion, or justify why they changed their mind.
• Flow charts - Outline causation explained within a reading.
• KWL Charts - Know/Want to Know/Learned
• Previewing - Students look at the layout of the text, how it is structured, its features, and determine the best strategies to locate answers to various questions.
• Inquiry reading - Reading to answer a question
• Say something - Students read with the knowledge they will be expected to say something about what they read.  They can summarize a section of the reading, talk about the main argument, supporting points, or even ask a question concerning the text.
• Two-column notes - One side of notes has headings/Other column has main ideas
• Group Summarizing - Students are asked to summarize a text and then meet with a partner to revise their summary collaboratively.  I often pair students across ability levels during this exercise so that more skilled readers can help those who have more difficulty recognizing main ideas in a reading.
• SOAP - Students identify the speaker, occasion, audience, and purpose of a text.  This is a good activity for primary source documents.

Integrating Technology in the Classroom

            I believe being comfortable integrating technology within the classroom and keeping up to date with technological developments is essential in education.  Using technology in the classroom can first of all encourage student engagement.  When designing a lesson on the importance of leadership during World War II, I planned a project where students designed mock Facebook pages for various political leaders.  The lesson was successful because of the incorporation of technology.  It is also important in understand technology because it significantly influences the lives of students.  Being familiar with the technologies students use can help educators relate to students more easily. 

            Technology also offers a wide variety of tools to carry out teaching responsibilities more efficiently.  Maintaining a class website is an efficient way of reminding students about assignments and providing information to students who have missed class.  Electronic grade books are also invaluable for tracking student progress and recording student information.  Technology also makes facilitates communication for educators.  Email is an incredibly convenient way to communicate with colleagues, parents, and students.   Most importantly understanding technology and being able to show students how to use technology is essential because students will need to master technology-related skills themselves to be successful in a wide variety of careers. 

            The technology-related skills I have mastered include the use of MS Office applications.  I have experience designing and maintaining a classroom Blackboard site.  I am also familiar with the electronic grade book – Teacher Access Center.  I have worked with a Smartboard, and continue to learn about Smartboard applications as a member of the Smartboard Revolution website.  I have found with the use of responders, Smartboards offer great opportunities for efficient electronic assessment of students.  I am also familiar with assistive technology software such as Kurzweil.  I also look forward to continue learning about new technologies as they develop.   

Motivating Students

            I have found many effective ways to motivate students toward high academic achievement.  I believe the most successful lessons first of all ensure that all students get involved with the activity.  Planning reinforcement activities is also essential.  Planning a variety of open-ended activities is also important because it allows students with different skills to demonstrate their abilities.  I also motivate students by making the learning process fun.  In my classes students often plan and present skits, write and perform poetry or raps, play educational games, debate and discuss dilemmas, and often have the opportunity to collaborate with one another.   I also familiarize myself with television programs and music students are interested in so I can use the structure of some of these programs or song lyrics to create a class activity that more readily engages my students. 

If I see that a student is struggling, I also am sure to discreetly convey my concern to the student and offer to meet with them to provide extra instruction.  I have found that conveying my sincere interest in the progress of unmotivated students has helped them understand the importance of applying themselves in my class.  A final method I use to motivate students is incorporating technology into my lessons as much as possible.  I have found that students are much more interested in writing an essay or researching a topic if they are able to use the computer to do so.  I have also designed assignments that require the use of technology.  For example, I planned a lesson on the importance of World War II leaders where students had to create mock Facebook pages for these leaders.  Allowing students to use technology were familiar with was successful in motivating them to do their best.  Almost all of my students went above and beyond the requirements for the assignment because they were interested in technology and also because the assignment was open-ended.  Students had the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and demonstrate their high academic achievement.

Outstanding Teachers

There are many skills and attributes necessary to be an outstanding teacher.   Above all, I believe to be an outstanding teacher, I must have high expectations of my students and also demonstrate that I genuinely care and respect my students.  Attempting to understand the needs of students is also essential because it allows a teacher to plan and deliver lessons that are appropriate for students’ skill levels.   An exceptional teacher also consistently assesses their students’ progress and changes instruction methods based on the assessment data they collect.      

The best teachers are also interested in collaborating with others to better meet their students’ needs.  In addition to an ability to gauge student needs, an outstanding teacher must also be committed to designing creative and engaging lessons, which provide active learning opportunities to students.   Finally, I believe an outstanding teacher must be committed to professional development to continue learning how to become an even better teacher.  Above all, I believe an outstanding teacher's primary goal should be to encourage students to become lifelong learners themselves.

Differentiated Instruction

During my student teaching experience, I co-taught four classes of world history where approximately one-third of students had special needs.  I collaborated frequently with my co-teacher to develop appropriate accommodations for the students with special needs and also communicated with students’ case managers about their progress.  One example of a lesson I planned that differentiated instruction required students to take on different roles within the group.  The lesson focused on the French Revolution, and required students to work collaboratively in groups that represented different social classes involved in the French Revolution. 

The groups’ roles included a leader who was responsible for creating a constitution summarizing the demands of the group’s social class.  One group member was responsible for researching and preparing a debate presentation.  Another role was the reporter, who was responsible for developing questions to ask students during the debate.  One student had the role of graphic designer and had to produce a visual supporting the group’s assigned debate position.  The final role was the music producer who had to choose and explain about a song that summarized or represented the woes and demands of the group’s social class.  Groups were assigned across ability levels so each group included students whose ability level was appropriate for each of the group roles.  No matter what the students’ role was for the project, each student met the objective of explaining the interests and perspective of social classes during the French Revolution.  Students completed peer evaluations throughout the project to help me identify struggling or uncooperative students.  This enabled me to offered these students additional support and encouragement. 

Thoughts on Teaching "Worldmindedness"

Social Studies and the World: Teaching Global Perspectives. Merry M. Merryfield and Angene Wilson. Washington D.C.: National Council for the Social Studies, 2005.

               In their book, Social Studies and the World, Merry M. Merryfield and Angene Wilson offer a strong rationale and a variety of objectives for teaching global perspectives in world history.  Their rationale is multi-faceted and is largely predicated on the importance of understanding an increasingly integrated and connected world in the 21^st Century.  Global education is multi-disciplinary and focuses on the past, present and future.  According to authors, the aims of a global education is to prepare students to participate in human affairs, both local and global.  To do this, teachers should seek to teach students to appreciate the similarities and difference of both diverse cultures and perspectives, understand world systems, examine global issues and actors worldwide, and also examine international power structures.  Teaching world history also prepares student to participate in cross-cultural interactions and aims to reduce prejudice.  Like all social studies education, the study of world history should incorporate changing technology in to the classroom and give opportunities to students to develop their research and thinking skills.  The most significant objective for teaching global education is creating cross-cultural awareness and respect for multiple perspectives.  I believe that these objectives are unique to teaching globally.  

                While the authors' rationales supporting global education seem logical and positively aimed at encouraging student to contribute to the world in a positive way, teaching global perspectives has also been criticized.  While Merryfield and Wilson identify and counter many criticisms of global education, it is important to be aware that some topics are controversial and local community issues should be considered when choosing course topics.  One response to the criticism of global education that I disagree with is the concession that because global education focuses less on Western civilization and places the U.S. within world history, it “de-exceptionalizies American history” (21).  In many ways global education can help student appreciate the U.S. to a greater extent as students come to understand the value of living in country that offers many educational opportunities, political stability, and security.

                Merryfield and Wilson frequently use the term “world-mindedness" to describe their overall teaching philosophy.  They recommend that student should develop an awareness and ability to participate in cross-cultural interactions.  It seems the skill set that accompanies worldmindedness, according to Merryfield and Wilson, can only be learned through engaging in cross-cultural interactions.  Having spent two years abroad, the teaching philosophy really speaks to me.  I believe it is essential when teaching global education to seize opportunities to gain exposure to different cultures, even within the United States.  These experiences are invaluable in teaching how diverse cultures affect people actions, and international relations.  Exposure to another culture fosters an appreciation and eventually an ability to approach situations from various cultural perspectives. 

               I feel that the only negative aspect of the teaching philosophy of worldmindedness is that it is exclusive in requiring teachers have had cross-cultural experiences and can apply what they have learned from these experiences in the classroom.  While I believe the meaningful experiences with other cultures certain help teaching of global education, I don't think they are absolutely essential.  I often discuss my own experiences living in Thailand and Brazil when I am teaching.  I know drawing on these experiences helps me be a more effective teacher, but I do not think these experiences should necessarily be a requirement for social studies teachers.  Teachers who are interested and open to cross-cultural experience can certainly teach effectively as well and also work towards gaining cross-cultural experiences for themselves and their students when they design their curriculum.   

Overall Merryfield and Wilson's book has made me conclude that world history is best taught from a thematic approach.  This allows student to understand the importance of historical events and developments over time and relate what they have learned to the present.  Possible units of study for a world history class would include the study of economic systems, political power and institutions, technology, the environment, and cultural units on social organization and religion.   In each of these categories it is essential for students to understand how systems changed and global connections were made throughout history.

                I believe teaching social studies should focus on many levels of student identity and teaching from a global perspective allows for this.  Students develop as individuals, community members, American citizens and most importantly citizens of the world.  The activities Merryfield and Wilson describe to help students identify how their own perspectives and experiences shape their worldview would be quite helpful but could also incorporate reflection on how American culture and institutions shape an individual’s worldview.  I understand one goal of global education is to appreciate how culture influences individuals, however sometimes it easier to identify cultural influences when considering a larger group.

Getting to Know Students

            In order to help my students be most successful, I believe it is important to learn as much as you can about them and get to know each student as an individual.  Taking an interest in students not only helps in planning appropriate lessons, but it is also essential in developing positive relationships with students.  I believe students are more likely to succeed if teachers take an interest in their lives and students feel their teachers care about them and their academic progress.  One way I get to know students at the beginning of a school year or semester is by having them complete student questionnaires.  One example of a questionnaire I have used is posted under the Course Materials tab above.  I also make every effort to learn every student’s name as quickly as possible.  I have found these efforts have really helped my classes start out on the right note.   

            It is also important to understand student ability levels so I can plan lessons that are appropriately challenging for my students.  It is also important to get to know students’ interests and ambitions so one can design lessons that engage students and relevant to them.  Finally, I believe it is important to learn about students’ cultural backgrounds because this influences their background knowledge and perspectives on content mater.  It is important to encourage students to discuss their unique experiences and points of view so all students learn to appreciate the value of diversity. 

What to Teach

                Deciding what to teach as a social studies teacher can be overwhelming.  With the abundance of content knowledge, particularly in history, increasing each year, social studies teacher have to face the reality that it is impossible to teach everything they feel is important.  So how do we make the difficult decision of what to teach and for how long?  I approach this daunting task by first looking over the curriculum objectives and state standards for the school I am teaching at.  I then note, what absolutely has to be taught.  I then look at my planning calendar and list out my lesson objectives for each day.  Most of my lessons have approximately three objectives.  The most important objectives for a unit I usually introduce first, so I can reinforce these objectives throughout the unit. 

                I also always keep in mind the skills I will be focusing on developing for each unit.  In all of the units I teach I focus on writing, reading, critical thinking and discussion skills.  In some lessons I put a stronger emphasis on developing technological literacy, research, and cooperative learning skills.  All teachers have to recognize that in addition to teaching content you must help students develop the fundamental skills they will need throughout the rest of their lives. 

                After I decide what skills we are going to focus on developing in my unit lessons I then focus on developing essential questions and themes for the unit.  What are the big ideas I want my students to learn?  Based on the answer to this question I am then able to look over the content for the unit and decide what content best relates to my big ideas and what content is less important.  I rank my unit objectives in order of importance then and when I am developing my assessments, I make sure they also reflect this. 

                It is very difficult to decide what content you simply do not have time to teach.  I do believe however it is more important for students to study some topics in depth than study as much as possible in a superficial way.  When teaching history it is important to introduce students to detailed analysis and evaluation because over-simplification of history tends to obscure its truth.  I have found students become more motivated when they have the opportunity to realize that people, much like them, experienced and played a role in the course of past events.  This helps make history more relevant and interesting.

                What to teach is not a simple question.  I am often torn about not discussing a particular perspective or the experiences of a particular group, but as a social studies teacher I know we cannot teach everything.  Just as English teachers must choose what literature to have students read, history teachers must decided what content is most important.  I believe that teaching from a variety of approaches and perspectives allows students to appreciate the complexity of history and prepares them to independently be able to learn about what may not have been covered in as much detail in class.  Are there basic facts and ideas all social studies teachers should cover?  Absolutely.  The challenge is determining what is most important to teach, when we are passionate about what we teach and it is all important and interesting to us.

Issues in Education

I believe one of the most important issues facing educators today is the achievement gap and the challenge of meeting the needs of struggling students, especially when resources are limited.  Time and economic limitations force educators to make difficult choices about the best way to educate classes of students with wide varieties of ability levels.  I believe the best way to face this challenge is to differentiate instruction and allow opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning in different ways.  Educators must seek out professional development opportunities as well to better understand the needs of struggling students.  I believe the future implementation of RTI will assist teachers in identify individual students’ needs and in differentiating instruction based on these needs.  

Another issue I believe educators are faced with today and will continue to be faced with in the future is the challenge of familiarizing themselves with new instructional technologies as they develop.  Teachers must adapt their teaching styles and be willing to use these technologies within the classroom to better engage a student population that is increasingly technologically savvy.

Assessment

Assessment is important because it guides instructional decision-making.  Assessment allows an instructor to determine whether students have met a given learning target.  Assessment should take place during every lesson, so plans and instruction can be adjusted based on assessment outcomes.  

I always informally assess students throughout every lesson I teach.  Informal assessments, such as simple questions to check and re-check understanding are useful during instruction.  Formal assessments inform both teachers and students of their level of student achievement.   When I create formal assessments, such as tests and quizzes, I create a table of specifications to guide me in aligning my objectives and assessment items.   I then use the results to plan for instruction that will better meet my students’ needs.

Teaching - Native Americans

The following is the lesson I teach to introduce students to the study of Native Americans:

Instruct students on text-marking.
Journal reading: "Native Americans Have Right to Protest Mascots," - Dr. Jessica Johnson
Discuss journal responses.

Summer

It's summer!  You would think this would be a relief and I'd be able to relax but I've actually been quite busy!  I am spending my time reviewing last year's lesson plans and vocabulary lists, turning my PowerPoint notes into more engaging Prezi presentations, and volunteering as well. 

Having the summers off so I can volunteer my time for a good cause is yet another reason I find teaching so appealing.  Don't get me wrong, I also plan to have some fun, relax, and get rejuvenated for the next school year this summer, but I am also looking forward to giving back.  I will be volunteering with Chicago HOPES, a non-profit organization that offers tutoring and a summer enrichment program for homeless K-8 students in Chicago. 

I have never worked with homeless students before and I am certain that volunteering with provide me with valuable insights about the struggles and challenges this at-risk group faces inside and outside of the classroom.

Bias during Discussions and Questioning

                I am currently reading Still Failing at Fairness: How Gender Bias Cheats Girls and Boys in School and What We Can Do About It, by David Sadker and Karen Zittleman.  While people often focus on the gender achievement gap in math and science, I think this book is an essential read for all teachers.  I think it is important to recognize our own potential for bias as educators.  Bias is somewhat of a sensitive subject because all dedicated educators strive to be equitable and treat students fairly regardless of their appearance, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or economic status.  Treating students fairly is particularly important because teacher expectations have a dramatic impact on student performance.  

                While the book’s focus is on gender bias, its suggestions can also be applied to other biases.  I believe that the first step to trying to overcome our subconscious biases is to acknowledge the fact that each of us is biased in some way.  This is difficult to admit, but once you try to recognize your own bias you can try to correct it.  I found Harvard’s Project Implicit very useful in helping to identify areas of slight bias.  I was relieved to find out that according to the tests I have no automatic preference for people based upon race, age, or ability and disability.  The test did reveal that I have a slight tendency to associate males with science and females with liberal arts.  While I can explain this bias by my being female and having a predilection for the liberal arts, I must also take it into consideration in my teaching and be careful to have high expectations for both my male and female social studies students.  The results of the Project Implicit tests were very interesting and have helped me devise ways to not allow my subconscious bias impact my ability to treat my students fairly and maintain high expectations for each of them.

                I believe teachers are most likely to reveal their biases during class discussions and questioning.  To solve this problem and make questioning and discussions seem more random, I make a note card for each student.  I shuffle the deck and draw student’s names randomly.  Once a student has answered I keep their name in the deck so students don’t think they are done participating.  I keep a class roster handy as well during discussion and I begin to strategically select students to participate once I have noted everybody has participated at some point.  I then continue check students’ understanding and present more challenging questions to students based on their previous responses.  I also make notes about student participation on their note cards if they make a particularly insightful comment or seem as if they need addition help with a concept.  I have found that using discussion cards helps me get in the habit of randomly selecting students.  Students also stay focused on the discussion because they know they are expected to participate and may be called on at any time.  

                When leading discussions and questioning students, I am also sure to allow every student ample time to formulate an answer.  Because I question students randomly I recognize students will need some time to organize their thoughts.  I always give students time to say something.  If a student says they don’t know or aren’t sure I tell them they can use a life line and call on one of their peers but I will come back to them for the next question.  I use this method of questioning because I want to convey to my students that I believe each of them is able to answer my questions.  I also want to encourage students to participate, and realize they can learn from each other. 

Lesson Plan Components

I believe there are four essential parts to any successful lesson plan: the set induction or hook, objectives, procedure, and plan for assessment.  It is also useful to include a list of the materials needed for the lesson, but this can be included within the lesson procedure.  The set induction or hook of a lesson is important because it not only activates students’ background knowledge but it also grabs students’ attention and get them engaged in the lesson from the very beginning.  

 Next, all my lesson plans include objectives, which clearly describe what students should be able to do following the lesson.  I always review each lesson's objectives with my students at the beginning of a lesson so they understand the purpose and importance of the lesson.  I have found this also helps them monitor their own learning throughout the lesson.  

The third important component of all my lessons plans is the procedure.  In my plans, my procedure describes precisely how students will meet the lesson objectives.  Within the procedure, I include how much time I expect class activities to take, I note potential discussion questions, and also questions I will ask to informally assess students during instruction.   

Finally, the last component I believe all lesson plans should include is the plan for assessment.  This allows one to measure the success of the lesson and also determine what content may need to be reinforced in future lessons.  My lesson assessments are usually uncomplicated.  I simply ask students to show they have met the lesson's objectives.  I find exit slips are a very efficient and effective way to have students demonstrate what they have learned from the lesson.  After instruction, it is also important to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson and make appropriate changes to improve the lesson in the future. 

Accommodations

                During my experience co-teaching I found a variety of ways to accommodate student’s diverse learning needs.  I used graphic organizers often to assist students in organizing concepts and ideas.  In one case for instance, I developed a graphic organizer on which the class mapped out the different European alliances that had formed prior to the outbreak of World War I.  I found this organizer quite successfully conveyed the complexities of the alliance system to students. 

                I made another accommodation for my students while co-teaching that I have found useful for all students and freshmen in particular.  I have found that many freshmen have little experience taking notes.  To assist them in differentiating between important main ideas and details I started underlining the most pertinent information on my PowerPoint slides.  I encouraged students to focus on taking notes on what was underlined.  After my students were used to this, I began introducing notes without underlining and asking students to volunteer what they believed the main ideas were.  This got students to think about historical significance and in some cases even sparked constructive debate over what is important to know about history and what is extraneous. 

                For the most part, I would rather teach students to develop their reasoning skills and master concepts rather than have them be able to recite specific dates in history.  On assessments I may ask students to put events in chronological order, but I would never ask a student to remember that the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary was signed on September 3, 1783.  I don’t teach my students to simply memorize, dates, figures, and events in history.  I prefer to focus on the development of higher-order skills, by having them evaluate causes and effects, compare, contrast, and reflect on the significance of historical events. 

                But I digress; back to accommodations.  Clearly, I offer accommodations to students based upon their IEPs, however I am also careful about how I do this.  I had some students who needed notes printed off for them.  I made sure to provide these notes to students by putting them in a folder for the students to take themselves rather than passing them out to the students directs.  I felt this appropriate for two reasons.  First, I was sure not to single out the students and cause them embarrassment in front of others, and second, this practice made the students responsible for taking it upon themselves to go and get the notes they needed. 

               

                While it is clearly essential to offer students all of the accommodations specified within their IEPs, I also think that teaching students to be responsible for asking for their accommodations is appropriate in some cases.  For instance, when a student should be offered additional time to complete assignments, I ask students to consult with me to discuss extensions.  This helps me make sure no students are getting too far behind on assignments and allows me to offer extra assistance outside of class on assignments they may be struggling with.

Classroom Discipline

                The first step to maintaining classroom discipline is to prevent discipline issues from arising in the first place.   I believe the best way to do this is with an engaging lesson plan.  When a lesson is engaging, students are more likely to stay on task and will have less cause to misbehave.  I usually plan my lessons in segments of 15-20 minutes so that students move from one activity to another within one class period.  I find this tactic helps reinforce learning objectives and allows me to teach to multiple learning styles. 

                I am also sure to make my expectations clear from the very beginning of the school year.  I admit this has been a challenge for me however.  Some say there are teachers that try not to smile before Thanksgiving in order to maintain discipline.  I can’t imagine teaching one day without smiling.  I care about my students and, and I must admit I often have a soft-spot for some of the less well-behaved students.  I have to remind myself at the beginning of the school year that I can’t let discipline issues slide or students will begin taking advantage of my amiability. 

                Another way I minimize discipline issues is by trying to be as consistent and fair as possible.  I don’t want my students to start thinking that I play favorites.  This will only lead to resentment that may cause discipline issues.  I must admit however that being fair and being consistent are not always synonymous.  I always try to be flexible and understanding.  If a student takes on the responsibility of meeting with me before or after class, I may be willing to make exceptions.  I will not do so during class time however because I do not wish to alienate other students. 

                Every teacher will inevitably have to discipline students at some point.  Much of being a skilled teacher is being able to improvise and handle unexpected occurrences.  Usually, I am able to prevent serious discipline issue from arising by using humor and resolving minor discipline issues in a non-confrontational way.  Circulating around the room also helps maintain discipline.  After giving students warnings, if inappropriate behavior continues I will conference with them one-on-one in the hall way.  I believe this helps them realize I will not simply ignore their behavior but also saves them from the embarrassment of being disciplined in front of their peers. 

                 I am careful not to put myself in the position of entering a power struggle with a student.  I make it very clear that I am willing to involve the administration in the event of extreme disciplinary issues.  I have involved the administration in one case of discipline when I unfortunately had a student come to class intoxicated.  I spoke to the student individually and told them that I had called an escort to bring them to the dean of discipline.  This case taught me that I must prepare myself for unexpected discipline issues.  I now also often consider how I would handle hypothetical inappropriate behavior in the future.

Classroom Wikis

I have found creating classroom wiki pages a great way to challenge exceptional students and a great study tool for struggling students at the same time.  WikiSpaces offers a free upgrade for public school teachers, so you can create wiki pages that are secure.  You can easily create users and monitor what students post quite easily.

I have used wikis with both high school and middle school students and they both get very excited about being on the internet.  Before I have students post on class wikis, I make sure we discuss both online etiquette and plagiarism.  To first show students how to add to the wiki, I use a fill in the black template so I can model information that is important to add on the site.  As we continue to use the wiki throughout the year, I have found students develop the skill of knowing what is the essential information from our lesson each day.

Wikis are a great way to provide students who are absent access to class notes as well.  While they do take some energy to originally set up, once students are instructed about how to add to the wiki, they basically allow students to do all the work!

I also encourage students to respond to, or at least review, the discussion boards available on my class wiki.  When we don't have time to answer each question students have asked me in class, I post them for students to answer on the discussion board.  This practice has often led to some healthy competition between students in my honors class.  Many want to be the first to answer the questions themselves.  I believe students build a sense of self-confidence from contributing to classroom wikis.  I would strongly encourage other teachers to set up wikis themselves.

Here is an example of a brief discussion my students had using our class wiki:

Lesson Planning - Where I Start

            In order to begin planning lessons for a class, I first need to know what the objectives for the lesson are so I can reflect on what instructional method is most appropriate.  I also need to know how much I know about the content I will be teaching.  I generally review scholarly articles, book reviews and/or notes I have taken related to the topic I will be teaching.  I am always sure to research additional information about the content I teach that will be of particular interest to students.  If I have a class in which many students play sports for instance, I may research additional historical information related both sports and the lesson topic in order to spark student interest.           Secondly, I need to know student ability levels and how familiar students already are with the subject matter.  I find that when teaching social studies, it is easy to assume students have some knowledge of the subject matter from their earlier studies, but it is always best to verify this.  I often use brainstorming activities to informally assess students’ prior knowledge.  I also believe administering pre-tests early in the year is an effective way to determine student skill levels and foundational content knowledge. 

            Next, when I plan a lesson, I need to know what resources I can use to teach the lesson and assess student progress throughout the lesson and after instruction.  I need to determine the amount of class time I can devote to teaching the lesson and assessing student learning.  Once I know the resources I can use for the lesson then I reflect on the appropriate method for teaching the lesson and also develop an assessment plan.  I often seek the advice of veteran teachers or look for examples on the internet of creative and innovative ideas for teaching the lesson content.  I then adapt these ideas to fit the needs of my students and my own teaching style. 

            When lesson planning, I also need knowledge of current events, issues, and media that students are familiar with.  I can then try to make connections between lesson content and contemporary topics.  For example, I try to think about ways I can relate a popular song to a topic my class will be studying, in an effort to make lessons more relevant to my students.  Lastly, I am also sure to review the Individual Education Plans of students with special needs so I can plan on offering the appropriate accommodations for these students during the lesson.

Why Teach Social Studies?

I became a teacher before I even knew I wanted to pursue a career in education.  When I studied abroad in Thailand I taught English as a second language to both primary and secondary students.  The experience inspired me to go into teaching.  The most important reason I wanted to become a teacher is actually quite simple.  I enjoyed working with students and I look forward to developing positive relationships with my students throughout my career.  It is incredibly fulfilling to see a student understand something new and master new skills.   

I decided to become a social studies educator because I believe it is of the utmost importance to encourage students to become socially conscious, informed, and engaged citizens of the world.  I have also come to realize, through my experiences traveling abroad and teaching, how very important it is to teach about tolerance and the value of diversity.   

 My final reason for becoming a teacher is that I want to contribute to the success of future generations.  I believe teachers can make a difference in the world by encouraging their students to contribute to their communities and become lifelong learners themselves.