10.31.16

Happy Halloween!


I don't know if you have received calls from the North Carolina Association of Educators asking you to join in their live election debates/discussions or if you've received countless emails from them suggesting who we vote for, but I definitely have.  I have received several phone calls and emails and as much as they annoy me and drive me up a wall, the NEA and NCAE have a point.  As teachers we must become educated voters.

Keep Reading because I am not here to tell you who to vote for.  I'm not even mentioning candidate names!

As teacher leaders, it is necessary for us to be informed voters as we head to the polls early or next Tuesday.  When researching candidates, check out their stances on "the issues" (as most candidate websites call them).  While you will want to check out their stances on all issues, as an educator, take time to read through what each candidate says about education.

Make sure that your candidate choice aligns with what you believe the future of education should look like.  Remember that as educators it is our job to lead the teaching profession and to advocate for schools and students (NCTCS 1c and 1d).  In order to do this, we have to choose candidates that are going to support us as teachers and help us advocate.  A candidate who does not mention or view education as an "issue" is not someone who views our future profession as important.  We want representatives who realize our job is important and want to advocate for us so we can advocate for our schools and students.

So as you head to the polls or reflect on those you've already voted for, remember being an educated "educator" voter is key.

Choose a Leader that supports your endeavor to be a Teacher Leader!

** Told ya I wouldn't tell you who to vote for (:

10.26.16

As I have been planning LE 6, over the past two weeks, I have learned a lot more about my school and what it means to be a teacher leader.  Planning a parent night is not an easy task.  First choosing which subject to focus on was a mountain to climb.  Then deciding how to present information to parents.  Then deciding how to get parents involved and what is important for parents to know, especially when it came to math.  Each of these were little challenges that I had to overcome.

Though this was a challenging leaning experience, I feel confident that as a teacher, I can now sit down, look at data, and make instructional decisions in order to plan a parent night that benefits my students and their parents (NCTCS 1a).  

I found an article about planning a math family night.  The article stressed the importance of deciding on two or three main goals of the night and tackling them rather than trying to handle more than you can in the short period of time given for a parent night.  The article also suggested posting these goals during the planning process so you don't lose sight of the goals.  The author of the article suggested that while the night should be fun and interesting, to keep in mind that it is also short and brief.  Remembering that the night is brief is key in making sure that the night is informational as well as fun and engaging.  

Tomorrow I present my Action Plan to one of the Assistant Principals of my school.  I am excited to get his input and ideas.  I am also excited to demonstrate my teacher leader qualities.  I hope we will be able to host our 4th grade math parent night next semester.  I will definitely use these article tips in working with admin and teachers as we move forward with the planning process.

http://cmc-math.org/family/PDF%20Documents/HostaFamilyMathNightPart3.pdf

http://cmc-math.org/family/PDF%20Documents/HostaFamilyMathNightPart1.pdf

10.19.16

Where do you stand on the classic homework debate?

The Homework and Practice module we watched on Teachscape last week made me take a minute and reflect on my thoughts, future practices, and my CE's practices when it comes to homework (NCTCS 5a).  

I have always seen the importance of homework.  Sure, I may not have wanted to do my homework sometimes but my parents always explained that homework was a way to practice what I was learning at school.  However, not all students and teachers see homework this way.  

There will always be a debate over homework and as teachers we will, more often than not, end up in the middle of this debate because we are the givers of homework.

The Homework and Practice Teachscape module states, "assigning students homework and having them practice skills provides them with opportunities to deepen their understanding of and proficiency with content and skills."  The module also shares a list of "Teaching Tips" when assigning and planning for homework.  

Teaching Tips

Dean et al. (2011, p. 115) developed the following six specific teaching tips for assigning homework and providing practice in the classroom:   

1. Always ask, "What learning will result from this homework assignment?" The goal of your instruction should be to design homework that results in meaningful learning.
2. Assign homework to help students deepen their understanding of content, practice skills in order to become faster or more proficient, or learn new content on a surface level.
3. Check that students are able to perform required skills and tasks independently before asking them to complete homework assignments.
4. Consider parents and guardians to be your allies when it comes to homework. Understand their constraints, and, when home circumstances present challenges, consider alternative approaches to support students as they complete homework assignments (e.g., before- or after-school programs, additional parent outreach).
5. When planning a unit, think carefully about how you will space practice sessions. Practice sessions need to be close together when students first learn a skill or process but more spread out later in the learning process to ensure students learn the skill to the proficient level.
6. Ask students to record practice sessions outside of class, particularly for music or performing arts classes. Teachers can provide feedback to students or ask students to provide their own feedback on these sessions.

Most studies share the standard time students should spend on homework is no more than 10 minutes times their grade level per night.  For instance a fourth grader should spend no more than 40 minutes on homework each night.  

If asked about homework before being in the classroom this semester, I would definitely agree that 40 minutes of homework each night, Monday-Thursday, makes sense.  However, after being in my Clinical Placement and doing a little research, I think that time is not the biggest factor in homework. Instead, quality of homework assigned should be our focus.

My CE asks that students read and fill out an interactive reading log each week.  The students are also given a math sheet on Monday and are asked to turn it in on Thursday.  The math sheet only has 10 to 12 problems to be completed.  At first I thought, "That's all?" but when my CE explained the reasoning and I have spent more and more time in the classroom, this policy makes sense and works best for the students (NCTCS 1d).  

Like I said, I thought this was way too little at first, so I asked, "Why?" and I listened to the response. My CE explained that the 4th grade team tries to pack as much instruction as possible in the school day.  She said that the goal is to give students instruction, time to practice, and time to ask questions so that they feel confident with the material and do not have to spend countless hours doing homework at home.  The 4th grade team sat down and evaluated the homework they had assigned in years past and realized the majority of it was busy work and not well planned practice.  The team then asked themselves what they could do to cut out busy work, cut down on the frustration of not understanding a task and parents not being able to help, and assign meaningful practice for homework.  The teachers decided that reading each night is important and created a reading log that allows students to read what they'd like and apply skills learned in class, such as main idea, summary, and supporting details, to what they have read.  They also decided that math skills must be reinforced outside of the school day and choose to assign 10 to 12 problems that require students to practice math skills learned in class.  There are 3-4 problems that align with each lesson and the idea is that students complete a few problems each night.  

This made sense when I sat down and listened to what my CE shared.  Often students are involved in community sports and have practices or games on school nights, not to mention after school care, parents who work late, they've also got to squeeze dinner in there somewhere, take a bath and get ready for bed.  Students have a lot going on in those after school hours.  While it is important for them to get extra educational practice outside of the normal school day, it is necessary to remember that at the elementary, middle, and early high school levels a lot of student "free time" revolves around parent schedules and extra curricular activities.  We should take this into consideration when assigning homework and other "at-home" assignments.

While grades are important, colleges look for well-rounded students who are involved in other activities besides school.  I believe that a little meaningful practice is necessary for homework, but I also believe we have to give students time to develop skills outside of school that contribute to making them a well-rounded individual.  

I found an article posted by TIME Magazine states that research suggests homework is not really beneficial until 4th or 5th grade, but that starting homework at an early age "is thought to improve study habits, attitudes toward school, self-discipline, inquisitiveness and independent problem solving skills."  

So now the real question is...What do you think???

Before you answer, do your own research, reflect on your future practice ideas, and your CE's practices, and consider this quote...

“A good way to think about homework is the way you think about medications or dietary supplements, if you take too little, they’ll have no effect. If you take too much, they can kill you. If you take the right amount, you’ll get better.”

- Harris Cooper, Duke University Psychology Professor

http://time.com/4466390/homework-debate-research/

  

10.12.16

The flooding in Eastern NC is weighing on my heart and mind as some of the main counties affected and impacted by the aftermath flooding of Hurricane Matthew are within minutes of my hometown.  I grew up in Scotland County.  My home is 40 miles from Cumberland County, 25 miles from UNC Pembroke in Robeson County and 40 miles from Lumberton (where a good deal of the flooding is occurring).  It breaks my heart knowing the devastation that friends I have in those areas and those community members are facing.

My first thought has been what can I do to help?  Robeson County is one of the poorer communities within our state and Lumberton was named one of the poorest towns in the U.S. in 2013.

How can a town with that stigma recover from something like this?  I keep being reminded by a quote from a man in a local paper at home about the importance of donating and helping those in need right now.  He said, "It could have been us."  It very well could have been Scotland County and that is a scary thought for me.

To connect this all to teaching...
- How do schools handle situations like this?
- How do you make up for the instruction missed?
- How do you meet the needs of students who are affected by a natural disaster?

• Robeson, Hoke, Moore, and Cumberland counties have not been to school since Thursday last week.  Scotland county schools were closed Monday and Tuesday and operated on a two hour delay Wednesday.
• Many schools are being used as shelters. 
• Many homes are still without power.
• Many communities are being told not to drink the water because of contamination.

I found an article posted by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).  The article shared different types of natural disaster that students may encounter.  It also stated reactions of children at different ages.  Preschoolers may cope with the event or react by thumb sucking, bed wetting, slinging to parents, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, fear of the dark, regression of behavior, and withdrawal from friends or routine.  Elementary aged children's behaviors may be marked by irritability, aggressiveness, clinginess, nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from activities and friends.  Adolescents may present eating and sleeping disturbances, agitation, increase in conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration. 

These little people are going to be in our classrooms.  Not only have they gone through a natural disaster, but you have as well.  How are you going to come into the classroom and teach with the possibility of these behaviors presenting themselves?

The NASP suggests remaining calm and reassuring to your students as well as giving students the opportunity to share about disaster related events.  The students need a place to voice their concerns and fear.  They may feel that the classroom is a safe place to do so.  Some students may choose not to voice these concerns because they may think that it will add to their parents stress.  Acknowledge children's fear and let them know that their feelings are normal after this type of event. 

As a school, it is necessary to identify high-risk students who may need counseling in order to better cope with their feelings and behavior after the event.  Schools should also "determine the status of every child in the school, particularly those who have not returned after the disaster incident. Develop an outreach strategy for children who are displaced and living in shelters or temporary housing."  The article also shared that schools should  "help connect families to community resources, and maintain current contacts with disaster-related support services. Provide information to parents about available physical and behavioral healthcare services" and "anticipate the need for increased before- and after-school child care."

As future teachers, unsure of where we may teach one day, it is important for us to consider how we may handle a natural disaster within our school community.  When returning to school, though instruction is important and you may be behind, remember that you are dealing with real people.  These little people will have been through a lot and will need time to verbalize the events that have occurred.  It is necessary that you remember that emotion can play a huge role when learning and that students who are emotionally hurting may not learn best or may act out as ways of coping with what they have experienced (NCTCS 4a).  This will impact the way you teach and the instruction that you deliver upon returning to school.  It is also important that you have set up a safe classroom that students feel comfortable in returning to and sharing their concerns and fears regarding the disaster (NCTCS 1a).  It is also important to remember that your classroom environment should be positive and nurturing.  While you have a lot going on and may have experienced the same things as your students remember that in the classroom they need you to be the nurturing, loving, adult and not the upset and worried adult that you may feel like in the moment (NCTCS 2a). 

I hope none of you ever face a natural disaster, but if you ever do, I hope that this information helps you.

NASP Article

10.3.16

What's your take on grades?

I've done a lot of looking at grades while in my placement.  My CE has me grade papers on Monday  mornings while the students are working on morning work and then record them in the grade book.  I spend a lot of time in the classroom throughout the school week and I have seen students demonstrate the skills that they are tested on.  Sometimes when I am grading I don't think that the grade a student receives accurately matches the understanding that they demonstrate during the week on practice problems.  This led me to do a little research on other ways to grade student work.  

The first thought that came to my mind was performance based assessment.  We learned about this last semester in Social Studies Methods.  I think that this form of assessment gives a better picture to teachers of what their students understand and can do rather than if they can pick the right answer out of a group of answers.

I then did a google search to see what else I could find.
Apparently everyone has ideas about the grading system and scale.
There are two main "sides" of the debate.
Traditional vs. Standards Based

What is traditional grading?
Traditional grading is the type of grading that we are accustomed to.  With traditional grading, students are given a numerical percent which translates into a letter grade A, B, C, or D.

This type of grading scale is what we are used to, but is it effective?
Does this type of grading scale show us what students know?
Does this type of work show students what they really know and what areas they need improvement?

What is standards-based grading?
Standards-based grading uses objectives and measures if a student has met those objectives yet.  A student is graded with Advanced, Proficient, Partially Proficient, etc.  This type of grading allows students to see that there are specific areas of content that they have not mastered yet, while there are some areas that they have mastered.

This type of scale is unfamiliar, but is it a good idea?
Could this type of grading scale work in the classroom?
How would you determine at which level of mastery a student is classified?
Could this type of scale be translated into a letter grade if those are required?



What do I think?
I liked the idea of the standards-based grading where grades are based off of demonstration of proficiency rather than a numerical value.  I found a youtube video that describes Standards-Based Grading (SBG) as allowing teachers and students to "focus more on skills rather than [numerical] points."  I like the idea that students work towards being successful in a particular content area or skill rather than working toward getting a 100 on a test.  However,  I think that the traditional way can be beneficial as well.  I found an article about two high schools in Kentucky that are switching to a new grading system that I think blends these two ideas together.  

The goal of the new grading scale is to ditch the traditional grading system in favor of a system that provides more fair and meaningful grades.  At these schools students will not be allowed to raise their grades by completing extra credit or getting a participation grade.  Teachers will not be allowed to take away points for late work or to give zeroes for cheating.  According to the school's principal, "Learning takes time" and teachers need to teach their students this concept.  The principal also stresses that students should be graded based on their "individual achievement."  Switching from a "GPA based system to an emphasis on knowledge acquisition is monumental."

While there are some things that I like about the ideas from the Kentucky schools, there are some points that I disagree with.  Students are allowed to retake tests that they fail in order to replace their low grade.  They are only allowed to retake the test when they have completed homework assignments and shown that they have practiced the material and are ready for a second try.  I do not believe that this is fair to the students who studied and got a high score the first go round.  I like that the students get another chance to prove themselves but I do not think that the original grade should be wiped away.  I think that this could promote a lack of motivation and effort because students would know that they get a second shot.  I also think that there has to be some penalty for late work.  Again it goes back to the fairness side of the situation.  It is not fair to the student who turns their work in on time if another student's work is late.  It also does not prepare students for the real world.  In the real world, if a boss asks for something on Monday at 9 and you bring it to them on Tuesday there would be negative repercussions.  The same has to be true in the classroom.



The truth is there is no answer to the grade delima, at least not right now.  However, sharing our ideas and thoughts in a professional manner and working in our schools to find a grading system that works best for out students helps us lead the profession (NCTCS 1d).  Trying different grading practices within our own classroom in order to benefit our students and school as a whole show that we are advocates for out students (NCTCS 1e) and taking the time to reflect on how we grade and what we could change in order to help our students be the most successful (NCTCS 5) definitely show teacher leader skills.

So...What do you think???

I have included links to the articles I used and the youtube video that I found in case you want to read more about SBG.  I hope this made you think and question why we grade the way we grade and how you want to grade your students work one day.

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/oct08/vol66/num02/Seven_Reasons_for_Standards-Based_Grading.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7m4762pjH8

https://www.ocps.net/lc/southwest/mso/parents/Documents/The%20Case%20Against%20Grades.pdf

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article103712872.html