Classroom Technology

• How many computers are in the classroom?
• 6
• Do they have internet access?
• Yes, the school also have wireless internet available. 
• Can you access Google tools?
• Yes
• Do you have access to a laptop cart? Can they get on the internet?
• Yes & Yes...I used her laptop cart in my previous clinical. 
• Is there a computer lab? Do the computers have internet access? Can you access Google tools? How do you reserve it?
• Yes, Yes, & Yes
• How many of your students have computers with internet access at home? (Answers based out of 49 students)
• 48 students have access to a computer at home
• 47 students have access to the internet at home
• 15 students own their own computer/laptop
• 34 students use a family computer/laptop
• 25 students have cell phones with internet access
• Are there locations in the community where students can access the computers and the internet?
• Yes

Double Entry Journal #10

Why is kid watching a critical practice for teacher use?

• By kid watching, teachers can learn more about the personality and interest of their students. With knowing what our students like/dislike, we can gear our lessons toward their interest. The personality of kids is important as well, and by observing them in various situation, we can learn about how they portray themselves as a person in and out of the classroom.

How is kid watching informed by cultural difference theory?

• The cultural difference theory is about teachers and students focusing on cultural "blind spots." By kid watching, teachers are able to get rid of these "blind spots" and get to know their students. Through kid watching, teachers gain knowledge of the students background, interests, previous knowledge, personality, and their interest. Most children won't even know that their teachers are "kid watching" them, so they will act the way their going to act.  

Double Entry Journal #9

• By having students code switch during literacy events, they are more likely to remember more of what they have learned. Instead of being so focused on making sure they're using the correct terminology and words, the students can focus more on the concept, as well as, make connections between their primary language and English. It also takes the stress of learning the new language and new materials off of the students, when actually, they are learning the material as well as English.
• I would definitely say this applies to students with an Appalachian dialect. Students with an Appalachian dialect usually drop the "g" off "ing" words, or even have different words entirely for a meaning. Over time, this can be corrected, but if students are taking notes and learning new material other than English, I think they should be free to write in whatever dialect/language they choose. 
• The difference between a student centered perspective and teacher centered perspective is just that; one focuses mainly on the students, and the other one has more to do with the teacher. In the student centered perspective, the students guide the reading and their interpretations of it, where as in the teacher centered perspective, the teacher guides the reading by asking them questions based on her interpretation of the reading.

Resource:
I actually googled Appalachian Literature in the classroom and this came up from Fairmont State's Folklife Center. Click here to access the information.
It is a list of books and stories that relate to the Appalachian culture. When teaching in West Virginia I think it is really important to incorporate these types of books about our area. Students take a lot out of information they're given when it relates to so close to home.

Double Entry Journal #8

Question Responses:

• As in the story about Bianca, some students don't take pride in their culture. It's possible that they had a bad experience, or were told that America was so much better than where they came from, that they just completely let go of their culture. If someone doesn't embrace the language they've previously spoken, they're not going to want to help others by using that language. Farther on into the reading, they talk about students who speak the same language, but are from different areas. Spanish is spoken in multiple countries, and just like English, there are multiple dialects for the language. And lastly, it is never a good thing to single students out based upon race, gender, class, etc. 
• A virtual backpack is what a student brings with them on the inside. The items may include parts of their heritage, skills acquired from home/social situations, and the items that make them unique. The funds of knowledge is all about the social situations and outside skills that students bring into the classroom, and that is exactly what the virtual backpack contains. 

Resource:
I found an entire website that has games, worksheets, lesson plans, crafts, etc. that are all ways of teaching English as a second language to children. Click here to view the website for strategies for teaching English as as second language.

Digital Story Reflection (Rough Draft)

Click here to view my reflection as a google doc.

Where I'm From Digital Story (Final)

My video is also uploaded to youtube. You can click here to view my video on youtube. 

Double Entry Journal #6

Throughout the past three years at Fairmont State, I haven't had the chance to experience many culturally responsive activities. The one that stands out most to me is the one we just completed in this class; the digital story. I loved making my video and loved watching everyone else's. It's really nice to get a look at other people's backgrounds that way.
Aside from culturally responsive activities, when I was at WVU, my freshman year, I had many professors that weren't originally from the U.S. At times, this was a huge disadvantage because some were hard to understand, but at the same time, we talked a lot about their culture, as well as some of our own. WVU definitely had way more culture diversity than I've experienced here at Fairmont State.
Reference:
Gay, G. (2002, April). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching.Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106-116. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/eis/Gay.pdf
University, B. (2006). Principles for culturally responsive teaching. Retrieved from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/tdl/tl-strategies/crt-principles.shtml
Resource:
I found this article about preparing for culturally responsive teaching. As all of us in this class are going to be teachers, I found it interesting.
Click here to view the article. 

Double Entry Journal #5

3 Things I Learned:
1. "The teaching of excellence in writing means adding language to what already exists, not subtracting.  The goal is to make more relationships available, not fewer."

2. "Writing instruction must accommodate the explosion in technology from the world around us."

3. "Early teaching in composition should also attend to helping children get used to producing language orally, through telling stories, explaining how things work, predicting what will happen, and guessing about why things and people are the way they are."

2 Things I Found Interesting:

1. "Writers start in different places.  It makes a difference what kind of language a writer spoke while growing up, and what kinds of language they are being asked to take on later in their experience."

2. "Many teachers and students do not, however, have adequate access to computing, recording, and video equipment to take advantage of the most up-to-date technologies."

1 Question I Have:

Since I'm going into math, I know writing should be incorporated into all subject areas. However, math is hard to incorporate writing into; especially writing that has a lot of the student's personality and thought put into it. Therefore, what are some ways to incorporate writing into mathematics?

Reference: 

NCTE, (2004, November). Ncte beliefs about the teaching of writing. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/writingbeliefs

Resource:

I found this article about 30 ideas for teaching writing. I just thought it gave future and current teachers some different ideas. Click here to view the article. 

Where I'm From Digital Story

Double Entry Journal #4

Quote: 
"An important aspect of the teachers' participation in the household research became the more sophisticated understanding they developed about the children and their experiences. There is much teachers do not know about their students or families that could be immediately helpful in the classroom..."
Reaction:
Stereotypes and biases are everywhere in our society. As teachers, we're going to have our own biases and also see them in our fellow teachers, as well as our students. I'm the type of person that feels everyone deserves a chance regardless of where they come from. I've known people brought up in wonderful homes that are lazy, or what teacher's consider the bad students, and I've also seen people who have been through struggle after struggle, and I would've never guessed it until they told me. Everyone comes from a different family and has a different background. Most people love to talk about where they come from. Having a good personal relationship with people is number one in my opinion. Any time I feel someone wants to get to know me and actually cares enough to listen to me, it makes me feel so good. As teachers, that's how we need to make our students feel. Connecting on a personal level is key to success in my eyes.
Reference:
Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992, Spring). Fund of knowledge for teaching: using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into Practice, 31(2), Retrieved from https://online.fairmontstate.edu/webct/urw/lc15057011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct
Resource:
I found this article that talks about getting to know your students on a personal level. It really goes along with what I was saying in my reaction to the quote.
Click Here to view the article, "Getting to know your students."

Where I'm From

I'm from Beckley, West Virginia and where my heart will always be.