Entry 9: Due: October 27, 2010
Guiding Prompt: FREE POST! Use this week to post on any educational topic of your choice. Found an article? Love a blog or resource? Have an in-depth discussion with family/friends on education? Share your thoughts!
This semester I have been fulfilling a field experience for my Young Adult Literature (English 949) class at Hunter Elementary. This school is located on E. Davies street in downtown Raleigh. For my field experience, I am working with a sweet kindergartner who struggles with reading. In order to work with her speech, reading, and competency skills, I go read with her once a week. I read her books from the MeredithREADS (MotherREADS) selection and go prepared with different activities to further her understanding. In my EDU 255 class sophomore year (with Dr. Duncan), I also fulfilled this field experience at Powell Elementary. I have loved doing the MeredithREADS program; it has taught me so much. Not only does it require me to come prepared with a lesson, objective, and activities, it also gives me hands on experience with children who really seem to struggle. I am looking forward to taking the EDU literacy course in the spring; I believe I will be able to use these field experiences in order to better understand the material. In comparing these two different experiences with MeredithREADS, it is neat to see how differently children learn. The little boy I worked with at Powell last year was very hands on and struggled focusing throughout the story (when it was read), whereas the little girl I work with at Hunter is very attentive throughout the reading, however, struggles to sit still throughout the reflection and activity. Working with different children at different schools has showed me the importance of tailored learning; every child should be given the chance to learn in a way that best suits their learning styles and needs. I have also seen the importance of early reading in a child's life. Those who are read to at home and have the required resources tend to develop a better vocabulary and are better able to express their feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Knowing and remembering these things will help me become best educator I can be.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Week 8- October 20, 2010
Entry 8: Due: October 20, 2010
Guiding Prompt: Some people feel that social studies becomes watered down when it is incorporated into integrated teaching and learning. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I agree that social studies becomes watered down when it is incorporated into integrated teaching and learning. Because social studies is full of so much information and many details, it tends to be watered down to some extent in the first place. Thus, when social studies weaved into other subjects, topics, and curriculum's, I believe that the focus on it is lessened and ‘watered down.’ I feel as though this is the way it is with all subjects. Whenever things become integrated or incorporated into one, the focus on each topic/subject area is reduced by at least a small amount. However, I don’t believe this is always a bad thing; I think it is important to integrate teaching and learning from different subject areas. For example, I feel as though using math in a physical education course is very beneficial and useful. Students can calculate their heart rate, speed, body metabolic rate, and many others through different math equations. Although math is incorporated and used into the PE class, it is evident that the primary focus is not on it (thus it is watered down to some extent). This is the way it is with social studies as well. I believe it is important to get students engaged in social studies and give them a thirst for the information. Because social studies tends to be ‘boring’ to many students, it is that much more important to come up with interesting activities and presentations to capture and maintain their attention. In order to achieve this, I believe we cannot afford to lose any valuable information or time spent on social studies (it can’t be watered down). At the same time, I believe integration in a classroom is very important; students should work together and gain insight from each other. In chapter 10 of “Teaching and Learning Elementary Social Studies”, John Goodlad once wrote “students come to school to learn alone in groups” (254). This ironic quote is a good reminder of this (and the purpose/value of school). Dewey was a big advocate for the social aspect of school. A classroom should model a democracy: children should collaborate with one another in order to gain insight from different perspectives and viewpoints. While I believe integration is important in many aspects, I believe the watering-down of subjects such as social studies is a problem and should be fixed.
Guiding Prompt: Some people feel that social studies becomes watered down when it is incorporated into integrated teaching and learning. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I agree that social studies becomes watered down when it is incorporated into integrated teaching and learning. Because social studies is full of so much information and many details, it tends to be watered down to some extent in the first place. Thus, when social studies weaved into other subjects, topics, and curriculum's, I believe that the focus on it is lessened and ‘watered down.’ I feel as though this is the way it is with all subjects. Whenever things become integrated or incorporated into one, the focus on each topic/subject area is reduced by at least a small amount. However, I don’t believe this is always a bad thing; I think it is important to integrate teaching and learning from different subject areas. For example, I feel as though using math in a physical education course is very beneficial and useful. Students can calculate their heart rate, speed, body metabolic rate, and many others through different math equations. Although math is incorporated and used into the PE class, it is evident that the primary focus is not on it (thus it is watered down to some extent). This is the way it is with social studies as well. I believe it is important to get students engaged in social studies and give them a thirst for the information. Because social studies tends to be ‘boring’ to many students, it is that much more important to come up with interesting activities and presentations to capture and maintain their attention. In order to achieve this, I believe we cannot afford to lose any valuable information or time spent on social studies (it can’t be watered down). At the same time, I believe integration in a classroom is very important; students should work together and gain insight from each other. In chapter 10 of “Teaching and Learning Elementary Social Studies”, John Goodlad once wrote “students come to school to learn alone in groups” (254). This ironic quote is a good reminder of this (and the purpose/value of school). Dewey was a big advocate for the social aspect of school. A classroom should model a democracy: children should collaborate with one another in order to gain insight from different perspectives and viewpoints. While I believe integration is important in many aspects, I believe the watering-down of subjects such as social studies is a problem and should be fixed.
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