Our reporting system grades all students in seven areas every 4 weeks. This system was developed by our technology coordinator and transitions counselor several years ago to meet our specific needs. Even though the Eby text says it is not recommended to include grades for subjective tasks such as effort, attitude and behavior, we are a correctional facility. Each student writes up a PDP, personal development plan, to move from our restrictive environment to one of lesser restrictions be it his/her home school, another public school if going to foster care or into the work force if graduating from our school. The student's attitude, effort, and behavior are very integral to how well he is able to perform in an educational or work setting. The seven areas covered in our grading scheme are:
Achievememt
Effort
Attitude
Amount of Production
Conduct
Relationship with teacher
Relationship with other students
Our rubrics range from 1 to 4 with 1 being the lowest score a student earns and 4 being the highest. An example of this rubric on Relationship with Students would be:
4 - Student respects others; treats fellow students in a manner in which one likes to be treated; refrains from disruptive behavior; models good behavior and gives good advice to other students
3 - Student is respectful of other students and is sometimes helpful; has occasional slip with comments toward others but self-corrects; is polite and courteous most of the time.
2 - Student addresses and interacts with peers in a neutral manner.
1 - Student makes rude comments; instigates disturbances; laughs at others; addresses peers with negative language or tone of voice; engages peers in inappropriate behaviors; talks during instructional time; socializes rather than focusing on assignments.
Achievement scores are based on percentiles where students earn grades on completed schoolwork. Classes like building trades, automotive technology and welding are set up for students to earn credits on completing certain modules and projects. Our percentile scores are:
100-94% - A
93-87% - B
86-80% - C
79-75% - D
Anything below 75% has to be redone and some classes required a minimum of 80%.
To make sure students don't misinterpret their progress reports, we have a treatment team made up of 2 teachers, the student's counselor and the student. We meet as a group and go over all the student's scores for the month. The students not only earn reports from school, they have a similar system of reports by building counselors, too. Students are encouraged to share their understanding of the scores they earned and to formulate a plan to continue to do well or to do better the next month. They might also earn the privilege of our 20/20 club which is an honor roll. Students have to be in school at least 20 days and earn scores of 20 or more on each school subject with no 1's on any report.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Grading Guidelines
Students who come to our school are often only with us a short period of time. The stays range from 3 weeks for assessment students to 2 years or longer for treatment students. They also come with varying degrees of education and background knowledge. Many have been out of school for extended periods of time and many have IEP's, Individualized Education Plans, written from their previous schools. Regardless of the prior reports and transcripts, we try to begin somewhat "fresh" with students. One reason is that they may be more apt to learn in our environment simply because we've eliminated many outside influences like illegal drugs or alcohol, bullying and intimidation by peers, staying out late at night and not having nutritous meals before coming to school.
Students complete a battery of intake tests which include the TABE, Tests of Adult Basic Education, GSRT, Gray Silent Reading Test, PPVT, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, GATES-MacGinitie Reading Comprehension, and LAS, Language Assessment Scale.
Based on these tests and classroom observation, students are assessed and instructed to the best of their ability. Some students without IEPs may need intervention so a committee called the SAT, Student Assistance Team meets to discuss ways students can be helped. It is similar to RTI, Response To Intervention, but it meets on both the student with IEPs and those without.
Our mission sums up what it is we do with all students, including those who are challenged.
"Our mission is to provide student-centered educational opportunities which challenge all students to reach their potential and become responsible citizens."
Students complete a battery of intake tests which include the TABE, Tests of Adult Basic Education, GSRT, Gray Silent Reading Test, PPVT, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, GATES-MacGinitie Reading Comprehension, and LAS, Language Assessment Scale.
Based on these tests and classroom observation, students are assessed and instructed to the best of their ability. Some students without IEPs may need intervention so a committee called the SAT, Student Assistance Team meets to discuss ways students can be helped. It is similar to RTI, Response To Intervention, but it meets on both the student with IEPs and those without.
Our mission sums up what it is we do with all students, including those who are challenged.
"Our mission is to provide student-centered educational opportunities which challenge all students to reach their potential and become responsible citizens."
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Using Assessment
Planning how to assess students begins with looking at the standards for the unit being taught. In the Library and Information Technology Standards, the grade levels and benchmarks determine what students should know when they finish a unit of study. The example for this unit is taken from the North Dakota standards:
8.1.1 Define a research problem or task
8.1.3 Access information using a variety of sources
8.5.1 Follow school guidelines for responsible use of technology and information resources
8.5.3 Demonstrate knowledge of intellectual property rights laws.
Once I have determined what I want the students to know, I can craft ways of assessment that show they do know how to apply the learned skills. One idea from the text I would like to use is the checklist form found on page 273, Figure 11.2. The student checklist, Figure 11.3 on the following page is another good idea as it gives more ownership of the learning to the student. I may try to use one or both of these the next time I present this unit.
Observation is a great assessment tool for this unit as it not only shows me that students are applying their skills, it also shows where they need additional instruction or practice. I also make it a priority to observe non-skill behaviors like attitude, effort and behavior of the students in the library. Students are aware of my expectations and generally adhere to them while in the library.
Another observation to make is how students search online and what inquiries they make while looking for information on their topic.
8.1.1 Define a research problem or task
8.1.3 Access information using a variety of sources
8.5.1 Follow school guidelines for responsible use of technology and information resources
8.5.3 Demonstrate knowledge of intellectual property rights laws.
Once I have determined what I want the students to know, I can craft ways of assessment that show they do know how to apply the learned skills. One idea from the text I would like to use is the checklist form found on page 273, Figure 11.2. The student checklist, Figure 11.3 on the following page is another good idea as it gives more ownership of the learning to the student. I may try to use one or both of these the next time I present this unit.
Observation is a great assessment tool for this unit as it not only shows me that students are applying their skills, it also shows where they need additional instruction or practice. I also make it a priority to observe non-skill behaviors like attitude, effort and behavior of the students in the library. Students are aware of my expectations and generally adhere to them while in the library.
Another observation to make is how students search online and what inquiries they make while looking for information on their topic.
Purple Fruit Pickers
While reading the story of the Purple Fruit Pickers, I thought of all the students who don’t learn the same way that most students learn and some who struggle to learn what we think they should to earn a diploma. Unfortunately, some students may not be the best test takers or the best artists or model builders or athletes. Our school systems are set up to compensate those students who do well on our assessments regardless of whether or not they learned anything of value. In addition to objectively score what students should know, we should be encouraging them to go beyond the textbooks, to think creatively and to find alternative ways of showing mastery. What works well for 80% of the students might not be an effective means of assessing the other 20%.
Our school is a no fail school. By that, I mean students aren’t allowed to take a failing grade, ever. If they don’t earn at least a minimum score of 80%, they are given the assignment back to correct and re-do. The same applies to tests. We also don’t worry about absences or truancy since that isn’t an option for our students. We have school year round even though our regular September to May schedule follows the public school calendars. Perhaps the failure is in the Carnegie unit of school time. If a school year is 180 days and students have to be in school, in their desk, at least 120 hours to earn a full credit in English, how can we teach for understanding? Are we simply grading them on being present and using the bell curve to pass most of our students and fail the bottom 2-4% because someone said some students will fail? My suggestion would be to adopt more non-traditional or “alternative” schools for the students who need them and encourage them to enroll before they start experiencing great amounts of failure. Until we realize that not everyone is cut from the same cloth or retains what they are taught in the same way, we will always have failure and dropouts in the public schools. My belief is that every student can learn, how much and how long it takes some of them should be negotiable.
Our school is a no fail school. By that, I mean students aren’t allowed to take a failing grade, ever. If they don’t earn at least a minimum score of 80%, they are given the assignment back to correct and re-do. The same applies to tests. We also don’t worry about absences or truancy since that isn’t an option for our students. We have school year round even though our regular September to May schedule follows the public school calendars. Perhaps the failure is in the Carnegie unit of school time. If a school year is 180 days and students have to be in school, in their desk, at least 120 hours to earn a full credit in English, how can we teach for understanding? Are we simply grading them on being present and using the bell curve to pass most of our students and fail the bottom 2-4% because someone said some students will fail? My suggestion would be to adopt more non-traditional or “alternative” schools for the students who need them and encourage them to enroll before they start experiencing great amounts of failure. Until we realize that not everyone is cut from the same cloth or retains what they are taught in the same way, we will always have failure and dropouts in the public schools. My belief is that every student can learn, how much and how long it takes some of them should be negotiable.
Types of Assessment
There will be several opportunities to assess the students’ knowledge of using the library to locate information based on what they already know and participation in the class. To begin the information literacy unit, students will take an online criterion-referenced test. This test has been developed at the Kent State University Libraries with funding through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the US Department of Education. It can be accessed online at http://www.trails-9.org/index.php?page=home . During the unit’s lessons, students will be observed and complete some performance based assessments such as a library scavenger hunt and writing up a bibliography. The final product will be a research paper that the students will share in their class or a written report that shows they were able to use the subscription databases and print references effectively. These written papers will be scored based on a rubric that the students will have knowledge of before they begin the unit.
Measuring Progress
Reading through the power point, Measuring Progress, and comparing the assessments to my unit, How Do We Locate Information, I noticed that there are several times when assessment can occur. The online TRAILS assessment is a diagnostic online assessment that will show what the students already know and what they need additional instruction on before moving to other tasks. Most of the time, the assessment is either informal or performance based. When students actively search for information in an online database, they are performing a task that will aid them in the overall outcome of their product, which will be a report or research paper. Either I or the classroom teacher will be observing their attempts and redirecting when necessary. The final product, a report written by the student, based on their ability to utilize both online and print research tools would be the culmination of this unit. As such, the classroom teacher would be assigning the student a grade based on her rubric.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Technology and the Learning Environment
It is difficult to separate authentic, active learning and technology in education. Since technology is a part of everyday life, it should also be present in our students’ learning experiences. We use Web 2.0 daily in our own lives and our students should be taught how to use these tools as well. I have and continue to use google docs, social tagging sites like Librarything and delicious, wikis, facebook, teachertube, online databases, library catalogues, online ordering, and many more. An article I read for another graduate class described what happens when students go to school. They are asked to “power down” when they enter the school door. In other words, turn off their cell phones, their ipods, their personal laptops and other interactive tools. So instead of learning how to use the technology appropriately, we are asking them to turn it all off because it's a distraction. I would suggest we need to be teaching appropriate uses of these tools. Students need to be taught that there are times and places for learning and working and other times and places for playing and socializing. It really comes down to a matter of ethical use of the technology that’s available. We shouldn't be assuming our students will know the acceptable way to use it. I am reminded of another comparison I heard a few years ago. Technology was compared to keeping guns in the house. If we don’t teach our children how to handle them properly, there could be serious consequences for misuse. Schools must mirror what is happening in the world outside the school door.
Discussions
When teaching research skills to a class, not only is repetition necessary, having students discuss what they know and understand is also very important. Even though some of the skills seem simple, like using an online database or an online dictionary, many of our students have either not had the opportunity or the motivation to use them.
When I teach GED classes, the workbooks have most questions catagorized by level. Most of the time, students are able to read and answer the questions at the knowlege and comprehension level easily. The application and analysis questions seem to pose a slight problem and students often falter with the synthesis and evaluation questions. When this occurs, I often spend time one-on-one discussing the questions they have trouble answering. These discussions often add more teachable moments as they might have a general misunderstanding or the discussion could lead to additional reading assignments for them to gain more understanding.
I like to believe that I encourage my student's curiosity by not blindly answering every question they ask me. For instance, if a student asks how to spell a word, I say "How do YOU think it's spelled?" If they say they have no idea, I continue the quesioning until they can figure out a way to get started learning how to spell it. I don't believe that students will have to know everything that comes their way, they will have to know how to find the information to learn about everything that they are asked to do. They won't have a teacher following them around giving them all the answers. As teachers, we need to encourage life-long learning and information retrieval so our students can be successful.
When I teach GED classes, the workbooks have most questions catagorized by level. Most of the time, students are able to read and answer the questions at the knowlege and comprehension level easily. The application and analysis questions seem to pose a slight problem and students often falter with the synthesis and evaluation questions. When this occurs, I often spend time one-on-one discussing the questions they have trouble answering. These discussions often add more teachable moments as they might have a general misunderstanding or the discussion could lead to additional reading assignments for them to gain more understanding.
I like to believe that I encourage my student's curiosity by not blindly answering every question they ask me. For instance, if a student asks how to spell a word, I say "How do YOU think it's spelled?" If they say they have no idea, I continue the quesioning until they can figure out a way to get started learning how to spell it. I don't believe that students will have to know everything that comes their way, they will have to know how to find the information to learn about everything that they are asked to do. They won't have a teacher following them around giving them all the answers. As teachers, we need to encourage life-long learning and information retrieval so our students can be successful.
Authentic Learning
In order for students to retain what they learn, they should be able to connect what they do in school with their world. Authentic learning is that connection. Unfortunately for some students, they can’t make the connection between some of the subjects they study and their everyday life. I am reminded about my own English classes in high school when we had to diagram sentences. I can almost see the classroom, the blackboard and the students going up to the board to show the others how it was done. I think I must have wondered at that time when was I ever going to use sentence diagramming after high school. Looking back now, I realize that doing those exercises has probably helped me become a better writer since it helped me understand syntax and word usage.
In addition to making the connection to the world outside the school walls, our students at the Youth Correctional Center deal with multiple personal difficulties that add to their learning challenges. While some have genuine criminal thinking errors, many also exhibit extreme mental disabilities such as ODD, oppositional defiant disorder, ADD, attention deficit disorder, drug and alcohol abuse, short and long term memory dysfunction, autistic tendencies and more. Since education has been shown to reduce recidivism in both juvenile and adult incarcerations, our students are required to attend some type of school while they are with us. We often have students older than 16 who have dropped out of the public schools including alternative schools. While at the Youth Correctional Center, they don’t have that option. We are a no fail school. As such, students are shown, often repetitively, that learning something on a daily basis is an authentic practice.
In addition to making the connection to the world outside the school walls, our students at the Youth Correctional Center deal with multiple personal difficulties that add to their learning challenges. While some have genuine criminal thinking errors, many also exhibit extreme mental disabilities such as ODD, oppositional defiant disorder, ADD, attention deficit disorder, drug and alcohol abuse, short and long term memory dysfunction, autistic tendencies and more. Since education has been shown to reduce recidivism in both juvenile and adult incarcerations, our students are required to attend some type of school while they are with us. We often have students older than 16 who have dropped out of the public schools including alternative schools. While at the Youth Correctional Center, they don’t have that option. We are a no fail school. As such, students are shown, often repetitively, that learning something on a daily basis is an authentic practice.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Checklist to address Formative Assessment
Some items I would have in a checklist for formative assessment are:
1 – Presentation of teacher. Is it understandable, is the volume good, is the language and speech clear?
2 – Use of advance organizers, something that allows the learners to become engaged with the lesson from the beginning.
3 – Wait for all students’ attention.
4 – Transition from one part of a lesson to another or from one subject to another.
5 – Modeling of the concepts by the instructor.
6 – Authentic learning, is there a “statement of purpose” ( Eby, p 177)
1 – Presentation of teacher. Is it understandable, is the volume good, is the language and speech clear?
2 – Use of advance organizers, something that allows the learners to become engaged with the lesson from the beginning.
3 – Wait for all students’ attention.
4 – Transition from one part of a lesson to another or from one subject to another.
5 – Modeling of the concepts by the instructor.
6 – Authentic learning, is there a “statement of purpose” ( Eby, p 177)
Formative Feedback
My videotaped lesson was on learning how to access and use online subscription databases through the library. My class consisted of students from the middle school classroom. They were given a research assignment and had to find some information without using google. I was very pleased that I was able to set up the video camera since I had not used that particular one before. Actually, I haven’t used a video camera much at all. When my own children were little, I had an 8mm movie camera. That pretty much dates me.
Our students can’t be photographed or videotaped if the video might be used outside our facility so when I set the camera up behind the students, I explained that I was taping my presentation and that they should not look back towards the camera during the lesson. They were very compliant and attentive throughout the class period.
A few of the points I noticed after watching the tape were:
1) I offered a short review at the beginning of the lesson from the day before.
2) I provided the students with handouts so they could use them later to navigate the sites.
3) I was able to demonstrate live on the Internet what I was going to ask them to do.
Some of the things I know to do now after watching this presentation are:
1) The lesson plan contained too much information for the age group
2) I need to allow the students more practice time regardless of their age
3) I don't usually stand in front of the class for long periods of time so it seemed a bit awkward. I would naturally go back and forth between the examples and helping students locate their own resources online.
Our students can’t be photographed or videotaped if the video might be used outside our facility so when I set the camera up behind the students, I explained that I was taping my presentation and that they should not look back towards the camera during the lesson. They were very compliant and attentive throughout the class period.
A few of the points I noticed after watching the tape were:
1) I offered a short review at the beginning of the lesson from the day before.
2) I provided the students with handouts so they could use them later to navigate the sites.
3) I was able to demonstrate live on the Internet what I was going to ask them to do.
Some of the things I know to do now after watching this presentation are:
1) The lesson plan contained too much information for the age group
2) I need to allow the students more practice time regardless of their age
3) I don't usually stand in front of the class for long periods of time so it seemed a bit awkward. I would naturally go back and forth between the examples and helping students locate their own resources online.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Grading Activity
The grading activity in the textbook reminded me of the essays I read as the second reader for our GED program at the Youth Correctional Center. The classroom teacher and the compostition teacher work with each student so he will be able to successfully complete the five equivalency exams of the GED, General Educational Development, including an essay for part of the writing test. After a student writes a sample for the pre-test, he is given assignments and classroom instruction according to his weakest areas. By the time he is ready to take the final exam, most of his writing is error free. The essays I've read and scored, always seem to come out lower than when the student actually takes the test. I liken that to a comparison of writers. What I read and score are all average to below average in ability. The national readers, I am assuming, must see writing samples that are much lower in presentation so our students will often rank higher. This isn't a true picture of what our students can actually do in writing, but when a reader is scoring several essays on the same topic, the best ones seem to set the standard for the rest. I do believe that when an essay test is rated holistically, the score will usually be higher than if it had been objectively scored according to number of grammatical errors, spelling errors, lack of punctuation and so forth.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Feedback
As I was going over some of my coursework for the Valley City program, I realized that I didn't have any copies of any instructor's feedback. I have all of my original work, but the feedback was mostly posted in the blackboard gradebook and once the class is over, we can't get back into that area. At any rate, the feedback, as I recall, has been outstanding since I'm still in the program and seem to be surviving. Each semester, as I've started a new class, I've had a sense of dread that I wouldn't be able to complete the required assignments. The instructors have bolstered my opinion by frequently supplying positive comments and their own personal models of problem solving and teaching style. I am reminded that I have been teaching for most of my life and have never stopped learning along the way. Just having someone acknowledge that what I do has meaning and is important is very gratifying. I try to pass that same type of feedback on to the students I come in contact with on a daily basis.
Bases for Grading
I use both forms of grading and feedback when guiding students to the final product. Whether it be finding books on a library shelf, writing a complete, well developed essay, recalling particular facts or putting together a portfolio, formative and summative assessments are both used. My belief is as a student is developing a skill or expertise, the formative assessment will help to guide him along by offering suggestions, corrections or additional instruction. When the student completes his task, summative assessment tells him how well he internalized the instruction or if he needs to review and reapply some skills for further understanding.
The most important feedback I can give a student is to be clear and concise so the student can understand what needs to be changed or what needs to be developed further.
At our school, we have developed and use a school-wide rubric for all reports. Unlike the book stated, we do "grade" students on attitude, effort and amount of production. They receive a conduct score on a daily basis and all the scores are combined for a total each month when we go over their progress reports with them. I think this is the ultimate feedback when teachers go over the students' progress reports with them and allow them to comment on the grades, too. As an interesting sidenote, when students read through their reports, they are shown that the teacher didn't "give" them a certain score, they (the student) earned it. This holds true for both the high rank and the lower scores. It allows the student to take ownership of her grades.
The most important feedback I can give a student is to be clear and concise so the student can understand what needs to be changed or what needs to be developed further.
At our school, we have developed and use a school-wide rubric for all reports. Unlike the book stated, we do "grade" students on attitude, effort and amount of production. They receive a conduct score on a daily basis and all the scores are combined for a total each month when we go over their progress reports with them. I think this is the ultimate feedback when teachers go over the students' progress reports with them and allow them to comment on the grades, too. As an interesting sidenote, when students read through their reports, they are shown that the teacher didn't "give" them a certain score, they (the student) earned it. This holds true for both the high rank and the lower scores. It allows the student to take ownership of her grades.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Learning Objectives
Learners will locate 5 items in the library
Many of our students come to school at the Correctional Center with gaps in their learning. These gaps may be caused by any number of issues. When I instruct students in library use, I try to make sure the students know what is expected and keep it very simple to start. Students very seldom begin and end a complete school year at our facility, so whenever I’m teaching library skills, I try to find out what the students already know and help them as much as possible on an individual basis.
In the past, I have used an online assessment program called TRAILS which stands for Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills. This online assessment tool originates from Kent State University and can be retrieved online at: http://www.trails-9.org/
After the students are shown the library layout and how to use the electronic catalogue to find books, they are either given a list of book titles to find, or they may search for book titles they are interested in finding. When they bring the books to the table and fill out a short information log on each book, we will discuss the activity. This discussion might include questions about where books are located, the dewey decimal system or other questions dealing with arrangement and books in the library.
Many of our students come to school at the Correctional Center with gaps in their learning. These gaps may be caused by any number of issues. When I instruct students in library use, I try to make sure the students know what is expected and keep it very simple to start. Students very seldom begin and end a complete school year at our facility, so whenever I’m teaching library skills, I try to find out what the students already know and help them as much as possible on an individual basis.
In the past, I have used an online assessment program called TRAILS which stands for Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills. This online assessment tool originates from Kent State University and can be retrieved online at: http://www.trails-9.org/
After the students are shown the library layout and how to use the electronic catalogue to find books, they are either given a list of book titles to find, or they may search for book titles they are interested in finding. When they bring the books to the table and fill out a short information log on each book, we will discuss the activity. This discussion might include questions about where books are located, the dewey decimal system or other questions dealing with arrangement and books in the library.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Module 2.2
What shall we teach?
Name: Judy Ringgenberg
Date: February 21, 2010
Unit Title: How Do We Locate Information?
New___ Revised_XX___
Content Areas: Information literacy and English/Language Arts
Grade Level 7/8
Unit Duration 2 weeks
Unit Description Students will begin by pre-testing online with a database called “TRAILS”
Students will receive instruction in locating library information using an electronic catalogue.
Students will receive instruction in using online databases for retrieving information.
Standards Source:
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action
North Dakota English Language Arts Content and Achievement Standards, April 2005
North Dakota Standards and Benchmarks Library/Technology Literacy, January 2003
Unit Standards:
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action
1.1.4 Find, evaluate and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
Consider and prioritize possible sources of information based on specific information needs and strengths of different information formats.
Use specialized reference materials to find specific and in-depth information.
Use both primary and secondary sources.
Evaluate sources based on criteria such as copyright date, authority of author or publisher, depth of coverage, and relevance to research questions.
English Language Arts Standards
8.1.1 Use questions to narrow research topic
8.1.2 Use a variety of primary and/or secondary sources to access information i.e., computer catalogs, magazines, newspapers, and primary sources
8.1.3 Evaluate sources that present different perspectives e.g., by identifying sources of bias and distinguishing between primary and secondary sources
8.1.4 Use information from multiple sources when presenting research findings to defined audiences
8.3.1 Compose informative writing, e.g., research, biographies, autobiographies, news articles, interviews.
8.3.4 Use free writing and journal writing to develop ideas for writing topics
8.3.6 Use prewriting product to create a first draft emphasizing details and referencing sources
8.3.12 Incorporate a variety of visual aids in publications
8.3.13 Use computer technology to present written work
8.5.2 Access media (e.g., television, film, music, electronic databases, videos, DVDs, comics, visual and performing arts, newspapers, and periodicals) for a variety of purposes
8.5.7 Define copyright
Library/Technology Literacy Standards
8.1.1 Define a research problem or task
8.1.3 Access information using a variety of sources
8.5.1 Follow school guidelines for responsible use of technology and information resources
8.5.3 Demonstrate knowledge of intellectual property rights laws.
Unit Objectives:
Learners will locate 5 items in the local library
Learners will identify the title page, verso page and copyright date on 5 books.
Students will find information on a topic of their choosing in an online subscription database.
Unit Resources:
TRAILS: Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills
Kent State University Libraries, 2010 Retrieved from http://www.trails-9.org/
Online Dakota Information Network. Retrieved from http://library.nd.gov/
Name: Judy Ringgenberg
Date: February 21, 2010
Unit Title: How Do We Locate Information?
New___ Revised_XX___
Content Areas: Information literacy and English/Language Arts
Grade Level 7/8
Unit Duration 2 weeks
Unit Description Students will begin by pre-testing online with a database called “TRAILS”
Students will receive instruction in locating library information using an electronic catalogue.
Students will receive instruction in using online databases for retrieving information.
Standards Source:
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action
North Dakota English Language Arts Content and Achievement Standards, April 2005
North Dakota Standards and Benchmarks Library/Technology Literacy, January 2003
Unit Standards:
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action
1.1.4 Find, evaluate and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
Consider and prioritize possible sources of information based on specific information needs and strengths of different information formats.
Use specialized reference materials to find specific and in-depth information.
Use both primary and secondary sources.
Evaluate sources based on criteria such as copyright date, authority of author or publisher, depth of coverage, and relevance to research questions.
English Language Arts Standards
8.1.1 Use questions to narrow research topic
8.1.2 Use a variety of primary and/or secondary sources to access information i.e., computer catalogs, magazines, newspapers, and primary sources
8.1.3 Evaluate sources that present different perspectives e.g., by identifying sources of bias and distinguishing between primary and secondary sources
8.1.4 Use information from multiple sources when presenting research findings to defined audiences
8.3.1 Compose informative writing, e.g., research, biographies, autobiographies, news articles, interviews.
8.3.4 Use free writing and journal writing to develop ideas for writing topics
8.3.6 Use prewriting product to create a first draft emphasizing details and referencing sources
8.3.12 Incorporate a variety of visual aids in publications
8.3.13 Use computer technology to present written work
8.5.2 Access media (e.g., television, film, music, electronic databases, videos, DVDs, comics, visual and performing arts, newspapers, and periodicals) for a variety of purposes
8.5.7 Define copyright
Library/Technology Literacy Standards
8.1.1 Define a research problem or task
8.1.3 Access information using a variety of sources
8.5.1 Follow school guidelines for responsible use of technology and information resources
8.5.3 Demonstrate knowledge of intellectual property rights laws.
Unit Objectives:
Learners will locate 5 items in the local library
Learners will identify the title page, verso page and copyright date on 5 books.
Students will find information on a topic of their choosing in an online subscription database.
Unit Resources:
TRAILS: Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills
Kent State University Libraries, 2010 Retrieved from http://www.trails-9.org/
Online Dakota Information Network. Retrieved from http://library.nd.gov/
Other Content Areas for Project #2.
Occasionally our teaching staff will embark on short thematic units related to events that we design and teach. Some examples would be Career Education Month, Multicultural Awareness Week, Veteran’s Day and the Olympics.
Since my main duties involve library use, I can usually offer students additional information or a place to come and explore whatever they are studying at the time.
For Project #2, I am considering a unit that would include both Information Literacy Skills and English/Language Arts.
Since my main duties involve library use, I can usually offer students additional information or a place to come and explore whatever they are studying at the time.
For Project #2, I am considering a unit that would include both Information Literacy Skills and English/Language Arts.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Power Point Reflection
Writing Instructional Objectives for Teaching and Assessment
As far as the curriculum planning described in our textbook, my opinion is that this model does not work in all schools. For instance, the school I teach at is not a regular, traditional school. We are an alternative school but I think even in some alternative schools the teachers have a little more control of the numbers of students; when students start their classes; and when they finish them than we do. In our school, we are 100% open entry/open exit. As such, we lose some students every week and gain new ones, every week. With this type of student dynamics, it is difficult to plan long, extended units of instruction. In other words, if I would be teaching English, I wouldn’t come in the first day of school and say to my students, “We are going to study American Literature for 9 weeks, then grammar for 6 weeks, followed by poetry and creative writing, and so forth.” When I did teach in a public school, I did organize my classes over a yearlong time period so I would have a “map” of what I thought was necessary for my students to learn. Anytime a subject is sequential, teachers should be aware of what is being taught before them as well as what will come after them. This doesn’t happen at the Youth Correctional Center. Many of our students have huge gaps of missed instruction due to dropping out, truancy, moving, or having learning difficulties. Our main goal for students who are with us for treatment is to help them get back on track, to help them“close” the learning gaps, and to instill in them a new appreciation for their own education. These “treatment students” may spend anywhere from 3 months to 3 years or more at the Center. And while we do have successful graduates, either through a traditional diploma or a GED, many of our students return to their previous communities or other schools to finish their education.
Looking at the power point, I do agree that we “have to know where we are going before we plan the trip.” So for the short, week to 2 week long units, it is a good idea to look at the school calendar for interruptions, check with other faculty to see if any other teachers want to participate, and to map out a plan of activities that students will be able to access, repeat, and apply to their learning. Looking at all the slides on methods of teaching, I believe I use a mixture of each and every one of them in my teaching. Since our class sizes are small, we do a lot of group work but it is usually with only 4 to 10 students. I like to do demonstrations and have students model the lesson followed by a question and answer period. I also like to incorporate peer responses to the students’ questions as that allows me to check if others are following along and understanding the concepts. We use inquiry lessons and often will employ learning centers and independent study in the assignments. I also think that students can be best assessed by producing a product. This might be a model, a picture, an essay, a paragraph or some other type of evaluation that shows student understanding.
As far as the curriculum planning described in our textbook, my opinion is that this model does not work in all schools. For instance, the school I teach at is not a regular, traditional school. We are an alternative school but I think even in some alternative schools the teachers have a little more control of the numbers of students; when students start their classes; and when they finish them than we do. In our school, we are 100% open entry/open exit. As such, we lose some students every week and gain new ones, every week. With this type of student dynamics, it is difficult to plan long, extended units of instruction. In other words, if I would be teaching English, I wouldn’t come in the first day of school and say to my students, “We are going to study American Literature for 9 weeks, then grammar for 6 weeks, followed by poetry and creative writing, and so forth.” When I did teach in a public school, I did organize my classes over a yearlong time period so I would have a “map” of what I thought was necessary for my students to learn. Anytime a subject is sequential, teachers should be aware of what is being taught before them as well as what will come after them. This doesn’t happen at the Youth Correctional Center. Many of our students have huge gaps of missed instruction due to dropping out, truancy, moving, or having learning difficulties. Our main goal for students who are with us for treatment is to help them get back on track, to help them“close” the learning gaps, and to instill in them a new appreciation for their own education. These “treatment students” may spend anywhere from 3 months to 3 years or more at the Center. And while we do have successful graduates, either through a traditional diploma or a GED, many of our students return to their previous communities or other schools to finish their education.
Looking at the power point, I do agree that we “have to know where we are going before we plan the trip.” So for the short, week to 2 week long units, it is a good idea to look at the school calendar for interruptions, check with other faculty to see if any other teachers want to participate, and to map out a plan of activities that students will be able to access, repeat, and apply to their learning. Looking at all the slides on methods of teaching, I believe I use a mixture of each and every one of them in my teaching. Since our class sizes are small, we do a lot of group work but it is usually with only 4 to 10 students. I like to do demonstrations and have students model the lesson followed by a question and answer period. I also like to incorporate peer responses to the students’ questions as that allows me to check if others are following along and understanding the concepts. We use inquiry lessons and often will employ learning centers and independent study in the assignments. I also think that students can be best assessed by producing a product. This might be a model, a picture, an essay, a paragraph or some other type of evaluation that shows student understanding.
Textbooks
I have taught many different classes and levels during my 30 years of teaching. Sometimes a textbook is useful and sometimes it isn’t. It really depends on the class. For instance, when teaching English to Students of Other Languages (ESOL), a work text was used to facilitate concrete illustrations, but not for students to read. When I taught middle school English in a public school, I used a textbook for some of the literature and grammar skills. Some of the concepts were also taught without a text as I used students’ own examples to make the learning real. I taught GED for a number of years and we used all sorts of items to facilitate a student’s understanding of each subject. Usually a workbook was used and sometimes outside reading assignments were required for them to increase their writing ability. My belief is that good readers can become good writers. Language follows a specific order; first you hear it, then you imitate it through speech, then you read and decode it and finally you are able to write down your own thoughts and ideas. I am more apt to follow a modeling form of teaching rather than a textbook. With today’s technology, I truly believe that textbooks will be eventually phased out in favor of continuous updates to what we know.
Professional Organizations
I visited the International Reading Association’s website at www.reading.org.
The site opened with some interesting articles that even non-members could access. I was drawn to an article about censorship concerning the book by Sonja Sones, “One of those Hideous Books where the Mother dies.” A mother of a middle school student in Fond du Lac, WI, had challenged this book based on some of the sexual passages and wanted the book removed from the middle school library. The librarian followed the procedure in place for challenged materials and the school board disallowed its removal. The reason this caught my attention is that this book is the first one we will be discussing in our Great Stories Book Club this year. I am always interested in stories of censorship especially if the author is allowed to respond. Ms. Sones did send the school board this message: “If Ms. Wentworth thinks the book is inappropriate for her own child, then by all means she should not allow her child to read it. But it would be unfair and inappropriate for her to try to force her own personal beliefs on every family with children attending Theisen Middle School, or any other school in the district."
Dues for the organization are $39 per year for a basic membership and then range from $69 up to $159 depending on how many journals a person would like to receive.
Their mission is “to promote reading by continuously advancing the quality of literacy instruction and research worldwide.”
They post lists of all the state organizations so I found the North Dakota site on the calendar of events. The local association will be holding their 2010 conference in Grand Forks this year on April 29-May 1. The website for more information about the conference is www.ndreadon.utma.com/intro.htm .
In addition to the conference information, there was more about the North Dakota Reading Council. The site stated it was founded in 1968.
The site opened with some interesting articles that even non-members could access. I was drawn to an article about censorship concerning the book by Sonja Sones, “One of those Hideous Books where the Mother dies.” A mother of a middle school student in Fond du Lac, WI, had challenged this book based on some of the sexual passages and wanted the book removed from the middle school library. The librarian followed the procedure in place for challenged materials and the school board disallowed its removal. The reason this caught my attention is that this book is the first one we will be discussing in our Great Stories Book Club this year. I am always interested in stories of censorship especially if the author is allowed to respond. Ms. Sones did send the school board this message: “If Ms. Wentworth thinks the book is inappropriate for her own child, then by all means she should not allow her child to read it. But it would be unfair and inappropriate for her to try to force her own personal beliefs on every family with children attending Theisen Middle School, or any other school in the district."
Dues for the organization are $39 per year for a basic membership and then range from $69 up to $159 depending on how many journals a person would like to receive.
Their mission is “to promote reading by continuously advancing the quality of literacy instruction and research worldwide.”
They post lists of all the state organizations so I found the North Dakota site on the calendar of events. The local association will be holding their 2010 conference in Grand Forks this year on April 29-May 1. The website for more information about the conference is www.ndreadon.utma.com/intro.htm .
In addition to the conference information, there was more about the North Dakota Reading Council. The site stated it was founded in 1968.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Self-Reflection Survey
While reading through the self-assessment survey, I thought a bit about when I taught in the public sector. There I was limited by minutes of the period, days in the week and weeks in the school year to get my subject matter into the minds of my students. There wasn't time to "think" about what the student might have meant or didn't mean. There was only time to put a critical eye on a student's work and mark it as best I could. Working in correctional education has eliminated some of the time constraints in that we don't have a "regular" school year like the public schools do, even though we follow a public school calendar. We are also open for 2 months in the summer. Our students don't get docked for excused or unexcused absences. If students are pulled from school due to behavior issues, the school comes to them in the form of SMP, Special Management Program. Education is seen as part of the student's treatment focus so leaving school out, isn't allowed. Even 18 year old graduate students take part in some type of education, be it vocational, lifeskills or other classes to help them improve in some way.
The last two pages of the survey caught my attention as that is much of our focus at the Youth Correctional Center; class participation, spelling/grammar, neatness, completing work on time, ability level, effort, improvement during a grading period or since one, inappropriate classroom behavior, paying attention, cooperation and attendance. Often, just trying to correct bad habits and low student skills is an objective we try to meet.
The last two pages of the survey caught my attention as that is much of our focus at the Youth Correctional Center; class participation, spelling/grammar, neatness, completing work on time, ability level, effort, improvement during a grading period or since one, inappropriate classroom behavior, paying attention, cooperation and attendance. Often, just trying to correct bad habits and low student skills is an objective we try to meet.
Grading Theory
Self-Worth Theory
While reading the text on Grading, I was drawn to the summary by Covington where he states that "students were not on equal footing with regard to ability; some students are more able than others." He then expounds on his theory of "motivational equity" where students are encouraged to "think more, and to dare more". They are to feel "caught up in the drama of problem solving, and of being poised to learn and ready to take the next step."(Brookhart, p.41). That is not only how I view myself as a learner, but I see this in the challenges and attitudes of my fellow teachers as we deal with students of wide ranging abilities. We must do this over short snippets of time or long periods since students are on an open entry/open exit continuum. They might be with us for 3 weeks or for 3 years. Correctional education also sees more students with learning difficulties and lower scholastic abilities as well. Our students need to know they can be successful even if it's limited.
A recent example of this theory is a student we've had for over a year. He is a 16 year old who spends much of his day in the resource room with our special needs teacher. While watching a news story on TV one day, he became engrossed in the events surrounding 9-11 and the World Trade Center. He took it upon himself, through a social studies assignment of current events, to locate additional information and from there he built a scale model of the Trade Center and wrote a detailed report about the building, the destruction and its future. It was interesting to see this young man become so excited when he would talk about his project (as he carried it around with him quite frequently).
Whenever we allow students to really learn what they view as important, the learning becomes a part of them. I feel the same way. If an assignment or exercise doesn't have some type of personal motivation, it is hard to embrace the knowledge.
Another example I can remember from quite a few years back was when everyone was just starting to learn how to use computer applications, like Excel. If you were given an exercise in a workbook to put together a table or chart, or had to use a function for something, you might have learned something. However, if you were allowed to bring in your class lists, address lists, inventory sheets or something that was personalized and could use after the class was over, that learning became relevant.
While reading the text on Grading, I was drawn to the summary by Covington where he states that "students were not on equal footing with regard to ability; some students are more able than others." He then expounds on his theory of "motivational equity" where students are encouraged to "think more, and to dare more". They are to feel "caught up in the drama of problem solving, and of being poised to learn and ready to take the next step."(Brookhart, p.41). That is not only how I view myself as a learner, but I see this in the challenges and attitudes of my fellow teachers as we deal with students of wide ranging abilities. We must do this over short snippets of time or long periods since students are on an open entry/open exit continuum. They might be with us for 3 weeks or for 3 years. Correctional education also sees more students with learning difficulties and lower scholastic abilities as well. Our students need to know they can be successful even if it's limited.
A recent example of this theory is a student we've had for over a year. He is a 16 year old who spends much of his day in the resource room with our special needs teacher. While watching a news story on TV one day, he became engrossed in the events surrounding 9-11 and the World Trade Center. He took it upon himself, through a social studies assignment of current events, to locate additional information and from there he built a scale model of the Trade Center and wrote a detailed report about the building, the destruction and its future. It was interesting to see this young man become so excited when he would talk about his project (as he carried it around with him quite frequently).
Whenever we allow students to really learn what they view as important, the learning becomes a part of them. I feel the same way. If an assignment or exercise doesn't have some type of personal motivation, it is hard to embrace the knowledge.
Another example I can remember from quite a few years back was when everyone was just starting to learn how to use computer applications, like Excel. If you were given an exercise in a workbook to put together a table or chart, or had to use a function for something, you might have learned something. However, if you were allowed to bring in your class lists, address lists, inventory sheets or something that was personalized and could use after the class was over, that learning became relevant.
Grading Intentions
I think students should always be aware that what they do in school is important. It might not always be for a "grade" but for the sheer interest in learning something new. I am the teacher they meet before they actually start school. I let them know that some of the things they will learn aren't necessarily "subject" matter things. They will learn that it is a good idea to be punctual, to show respect for others, to organize their time wisely, to communicate effectively and to learn how to get along with one another.
We are an alternative school and our schedule is very flexible. When students are scheduled into the library as a 2nd hour of a class, we call that doubling-up, I grade them on their attitude, effort, amount of production for that period, relationship with other students, relationship with the teacher, and their conduct. The teacher of record assigns the grade.
As the librarian, I don’t often have to give students grades, but I do provide verbal and written feedback when asked. For instance, if a student writes a GED essay, the instructor will have me as the second reader. If the student is present when I read, I talk to them and explain what they’ve done well and what can be improved. While grading student papers, my intention is to guide students to think about their schoolwork, to evaluate them on different levels, and to state the evaluation in understandable terms.
We are an alternative school and our schedule is very flexible. When students are scheduled into the library as a 2nd hour of a class, we call that doubling-up, I grade them on their attitude, effort, amount of production for that period, relationship with other students, relationship with the teacher, and their conduct. The teacher of record assigns the grade.
As the librarian, I don’t often have to give students grades, but I do provide verbal and written feedback when asked. For instance, if a student writes a GED essay, the instructor will have me as the second reader. If the student is present when I read, I talk to them and explain what they’ve done well and what can be improved. While grading student papers, my intention is to guide students to think about their schoolwork, to evaluate them on different levels, and to state the evaluation in understandable terms.
Monday, February 8, 2010
How do you assess?
Over the years I have taught different classes from GED classes to English and now, orientation. Our school uses percentile based grading with rubric evaluation. Students are given daily percentile grades and then scored overall on a rubric of 4-1 with 4 being the top and 1 indicating they need more work in that particular area. The seven areas that our students are graded on are Achievement, Effort, Attitude, Amount of Production, Conduct/Behavior, Relationship with Teacher and Relationship with Students. The Achievement grade is based on a percentile of scores during the grading period. Thus 93-100% is a 4, 87-93% is a 3, 80-86% is a 2 and 79% and lower is a 1. Our students are all aware of our grading procedures and policies. We conduct treatment teams on a monthly basis and go over every student’s progress report with them individually with their counselor. Teachers are encouraged to include a short narrative with their grades and most do. Because of the transience of our students, we have treatment teams once a month. This is where a team of two teachers meets with the student, his counselor and sometimes other staff to discuss the student’s progress. The student plays an active role in this meeting by reading the progress report to the group. Students also receive cottage reports from the resident staff in regards to things such as hygiene, cooperation, job duty performance, role modeling, confronting appropriately and other interactive social skills. When I started teaching in 1987 at the Youth Correctional Center, we used a different form of grading and all reports were written on quadruple forms by hand. Even then we used the non-achievement scores because we are a correctional facility. As such, behavior, attitude, student effort and motivation are all qualities we encourage students to improve upon.
Bibliotherapy
While researching the topic on bibliotherapy, I have had several moments of illumination and retrospect. The illumination comes when I put a face to a title of a book I might recommend; and in retrospect I think there were people in my life who did the same for me.
It was a struggle to put into words what I would like to accomplish at some point in my career. I would like to be able to open up a line of communication between myself and the doctors who treat our students so I might be of some assistance at the very least. I would like to order specific titles on their recommendations and then follow through with getting the right books to the right readers.
One time consuming task I noticed while putting this paper together is not being able to go through book lists and choose appropriate titles based on those recommendations. I know I will never be able to read every book I suggest, but I would like to be able to keep up with the new titles and whatever else the students like to read. The sheer volume of both old and new titles with all the different genres and utility are staggering. In one week I usually have at least 3-4 students come to me asking for a book they started reading at another placement, a second or third book in a popular series, or a book like another title they recently read.
It was a struggle to put into words what I would like to accomplish at some point in my career. I would like to be able to open up a line of communication between myself and the doctors who treat our students so I might be of some assistance at the very least. I would like to order specific titles on their recommendations and then follow through with getting the right books to the right readers.
One time consuming task I noticed while putting this paper together is not being able to go through book lists and choose appropriate titles based on those recommendations. I know I will never be able to read every book I suggest, but I would like to be able to keep up with the new titles and whatever else the students like to read. The sheer volume of both old and new titles with all the different genres and utility are staggering. In one week I usually have at least 3-4 students come to me asking for a book they started reading at another placement, a second or third book in a popular series, or a book like another title they recently read.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Grading Story
As I read the “grading story” on page 3 in the text, I was reminded of a similar situation that I was part of in my high school. I, too, was always a straight A student and didn’t have to work hard for good grades. I don’t think I ever really thought about my grades. There was a joke in our family that my older brother and sister always got “paid” for grades but when I came along, my parents decided they couldn’t afford to pay $1 per A, so quit offering that incentive. At any rate, there were 3 of us in my senior class that were ranked at the top. The two other students, both boys, were taking advanced classes in science and math while I took the general electives in order to enroll in a secretarial program after graduation. Back in “those days,” girls were encouraged to become nurses or secretaries. I finished high school as the top ranked student and gave the valedictorian address at graduation. The two boys that ranked 2nd and 3rd went on to colleges to become doctors or engineers I think. If it wouldn’t have been for the intervention of our high school guidance counselor, I probably would have attended the 9 month business school and ended up doing some type of secretarial work. As it turned out, Mr. Leidle, the guidance counselor, talked to my parents and convinced them that I should attend a four-year college. So the summer after graduation, I applied for college, received some scholarships, and was accepted at Northern State in Aberdeen. I am still somewhat curious as to what the outcome of my future would have been had I not gone to college. It was there that I met and married my husband, started a good job in advertising sales after graduation, and was promoted three times within 6months. I was told these promotions were because I had a college degree and the other salesmen who had been there longer, didn’t.
I imagine one could surmise that grades had an influence in my life, although at the time, I didn't realize it.
I imagine one could surmise that grades had an influence in my life, although at the time, I didn't realize it.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Who am I?
To begin with, I would say my teaching style is exploratory. I offer up information and topics of interest but I expect students to manage their learning. An example of this might be if a student asks me how to spell a word, I ask “How do you think it’s spelled?” They often wrinkle their noses and say “I don’t know.” So then I reply, “Well how do you think you could find out?” And so the questioning goes until they have found the correct spelling of the word. This sometimes takes place when they use a dictionary, by trial and error, or spell-check if they happen to be on the computer. I am a huge believer in allowing students to explore different ways of arriving at an answer and I encourage the use of reference materials whenever possible.
I am able to develop a rapport with new students by asking them to tell me about themselves. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and our students are no different. Although we stay off the negative discussion of why they are with us, they do like to talk about what school they last attended, what grade they were in and whether or not they liked school.
Students are really in a controlled environment at the Youth Correctional Center so when I explain the expectations to them, they are usually very compliant. Our students tell us that they would much rather be in school than sitting in the cottage during the day.
I make sure the students all know the reasons for our unique rules. For instance, we only allow one student to use the restroom at a time. Students must always ask permission to use the restroom and we have them set a small orange cone outside the door when they are using it. This particular rule is one way we keep the safety and security of each and every student protected. By only allowing one student at a time, we eliminate any bullying, intimidation or harassment to occur in the school. At first they think it’s silly, but once it’s explained, they appear to be in agreement.
All teachers welcome every student to their classrooms every period of the day. We greet them at the doorway and if there is no teacher in the classroom, the students are requested to stay in the hallway with other monitoring teachers until the missing one shows up. Sometimes teachers need to run a quick errand to get copy paper, move classroom materials, use the restroom or get water.
As the librarian, I show an interest in what students are learning by asking for reading material suggestions through a reading survey. Students are allowed to suggest book titles, magazines and newspapers they would like to have in the library.
I am always prepared for each week’s new students. One way I make sure I will know them is to make a chart of information that includes the student’s cottage assignment, his status, age, grade level and a photo. That way a student can’t tell me his name is “Fred” when I know for sure it’s “Bobby”.
I am able to develop a rapport with new students by asking them to tell me about themselves. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and our students are no different. Although we stay off the negative discussion of why they are with us, they do like to talk about what school they last attended, what grade they were in and whether or not they liked school.
Students are really in a controlled environment at the Youth Correctional Center so when I explain the expectations to them, they are usually very compliant. Our students tell us that they would much rather be in school than sitting in the cottage during the day.
I make sure the students all know the reasons for our unique rules. For instance, we only allow one student to use the restroom at a time. Students must always ask permission to use the restroom and we have them set a small orange cone outside the door when they are using it. This particular rule is one way we keep the safety and security of each and every student protected. By only allowing one student at a time, we eliminate any bullying, intimidation or harassment to occur in the school. At first they think it’s silly, but once it’s explained, they appear to be in agreement.
All teachers welcome every student to their classrooms every period of the day. We greet them at the doorway and if there is no teacher in the classroom, the students are requested to stay in the hallway with other monitoring teachers until the missing one shows up. Sometimes teachers need to run a quick errand to get copy paper, move classroom materials, use the restroom or get water.
As the librarian, I show an interest in what students are learning by asking for reading material suggestions through a reading survey. Students are allowed to suggest book titles, magazines and newspapers they would like to have in the library.
I am always prepared for each week’s new students. One way I make sure I will know them is to make a chart of information that includes the student’s cottage assignment, his status, age, grade level and a photo. That way a student can’t tell me his name is “Fred” when I know for sure it’s “Bobby”.
Student Expectations
Our students come from all over the state of North Dakota. All come because they have been adjudicated for some type of criminal behavior. Research has shown that education for both adult and juvenile offenders is the best way to reduce recidivism. When students enter the school, they are tested for performance and ability on the TABE, Tests of Adult Basic Education, and other tests. They are then scheduled to my classroom for orientation. We discuss the teachers’ expectations and the “rules” of the school. Our school has three rules: “Respect for Self”, “Respect for Others”, and “Respect for Property.” We also talk about EQUIP, which is the treatment modality used by the counselors and teachers. The EQUIP program is a three-part intervention method used for working with antisocial or behavior disordered adolescents. The approach includes training in moral judgment, anger management/correction of thinking errors, and pro-social skills.
There is definitely a “self-fulfilling prophecy” when working with all learners. If the expectations are high and the teacher is prepared, students will learn. Over the years I have noticed a difference in behaviors of some students in different classrooms. Even if students were behaving immaturely in some classrooms, whenever they spent time in the library, and usually with older students, the childish mannerisms disappeared.
There is definitely a “self-fulfilling prophecy” when working with all learners. If the expectations are high and the teacher is prepared, students will learn. Over the years I have noticed a difference in behaviors of some students in different classrooms. Even if students were behaving immaturely in some classrooms, whenever they spent time in the library, and usually with older students, the childish mannerisms disappeared.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Project #1 ideas
I have worked in education most of my adult life. From teaching non-English speaking students in the late 1970’s to revamping 2 libraries in a small school setting and now as a teacher/librarian at the state’s juvenile correctional facility,the North Dakota Youth Correctional Center,I have witnessed many changes in the field. One area that has always interested me is how do we know what the outcome of our labor is? How do we impact our students? What makes a good teacher or librarian a great one? I have narrowed it down to possibly two separate ideas.
One idea I have thought of for this project is to deliver a series of surveys and questionnaires to determine if what I am doing to enhance our students’ reading experiences is adequate, average or failing. That is to say am I promoting, advertising and purchasing reading materials at all levels so our students can earn success in the struggle to read and comprehend? I know that students read; I just don’t know how it all affects them. I have completed surveys with our students but we have a very transient population so this is something that needs to be done over and over to get a clear snapshot of each group.
Another idea I am interested in as far as developing leadership skills, is to research therapeutic reading topics and share my findings with our staff and visiting specialists. This area is somewhat sensitive in that what I consider to be a teachable moment with a book often becomes a target for material that is not appropriate for our residents. My understanding of the concept is to contact the students’ therapists and find out what types of difficulties our students deal with and then find books that would help the students talk more openly about these issues with their psychologists. My goal would be to make YCC a safe place where students can read about drug abuse and not be labeled as reading a drug book to get more information on how to do drugs. So before this type of therapy can become a reality, I would need to read the research of other juvenile facilities and draw from their experiences.
I welcome all comments about these ideas.
One idea I have thought of for this project is to deliver a series of surveys and questionnaires to determine if what I am doing to enhance our students’ reading experiences is adequate, average or failing. That is to say am I promoting, advertising and purchasing reading materials at all levels so our students can earn success in the struggle to read and comprehend? I know that students read; I just don’t know how it all affects them. I have completed surveys with our students but we have a very transient population so this is something that needs to be done over and over to get a clear snapshot of each group.
Another idea I am interested in as far as developing leadership skills, is to research therapeutic reading topics and share my findings with our staff and visiting specialists. This area is somewhat sensitive in that what I consider to be a teachable moment with a book often becomes a target for material that is not appropriate for our residents. My understanding of the concept is to contact the students’ therapists and find out what types of difficulties our students deal with and then find books that would help the students talk more openly about these issues with their psychologists. My goal would be to make YCC a safe place where students can read about drug abuse and not be labeled as reading a drug book to get more information on how to do drugs. So before this type of therapy can become a reality, I would need to read the research of other juvenile facilities and draw from their experiences.
I welcome all comments about these ideas.
Reflection of a Master Teacher
As I reflect on the various articles and chapters that I read for this first assignment, I am reminded that what we do as teachers has an effect on both our students and co-workers. In responding to the first question, “How will you supervise/lead/coach?” I would reply that my position as a teacher/librarian allows me to be a coach to everyone who comes to me with a question or request. Leaders are the ones that others seek out and ask for advice and resources. I try to provide both. Leaders also take the initiative and offer advice and assistance for the good of the order. In those cases, some might use the information while others choose not to. I have decided over the years that I am not going to agonize over those who don’t use my ideas and instead put my energies into following through with those who do want to use them.
As a Master teacher, one needs to lead by example. If I want my students and colleagues to be lifelong learners, I must be a lifelong learner, too. When I am looking for information, I choose to use reliable, authoritative databases and so I try to make the case for others to use them as well. It is sometimes a never ending job, but by making a continuous effort, some will be convinced that using dependable information is more productive in the long run. My philosophy is to model independent, lifelong learning habits using reliable information so others will ask for my opinions and guidance.
As a Master teacher, one needs to lead by example. If I want my students and colleagues to be lifelong learners, I must be a lifelong learner, too. When I am looking for information, I choose to use reliable, authoritative databases and so I try to make the case for others to use them as well. It is sometimes a never ending job, but by making a continuous effort, some will be convinced that using dependable information is more productive in the long run. My philosophy is to model independent, lifelong learning habits using reliable information so others will ask for my opinions and guidance.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Hi Judy
It's nice to see familiar names in this class. How exciting for you that this is your last semester; way to go! Karla
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
EDUC 640 blog
Hello everyone,
I am posting this blog as an introduction. I am in my last semester of the Master's program at VCSU. This is the first time I've created a blog. Am looking forward to meeting all of you online and reading your posts.
Judy
I am posting this blog as an introduction. I am in my last semester of the Master's program at VCSU. This is the first time I've created a blog. Am looking forward to meeting all of you online and reading your posts.
Judy
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