Blog # 5

Hey, friends. Another blog coming your way about the great world of education is here! This week was eventful, to say the least. I learned a lot both in and out of class, and it has ALL made me a better educator and person. 

• Reflection:
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• This week I learned about how to teach word problems in MAED 330. I had to get up in front of my peers and teach a word problem. To some, this may not seem like a big deal, but to me it is! I have never been a big fan of math, so to conquer a fear of teaching others math was a good feeling. I was proud of that. My presentation wasn't perfect, but it was definitely a start. I encountered struggle this week when I realized that I had stretched myself just a little too thin. Between projects, tests, quizzes, homework, classes, family, friends, eating, sleeping etc. I felt as if I was SO overwhelmed. My professors really helped me through that this week. I was honest with them about my overwhelming week; they provided encouragement and perspective. In order to get through this, I reexamined my schedule, study habits, and time management. I was focusing too much on every detail of every assignment, therefore, it was hard for me to check many things off my to-do list. My collaboration with my group members this week in social studies brought me great satisfaction this week. I feel as if we worked hard to accomplish our first trial of our experiment and we did a great job of being timely and efficient. My action steps that I want to complete next week are finishing my blog within an hour time frame, go visit my new school(hopefully😀), and spend meaningful time with a friend at dinner. I want to do all these things in order to spend time wisely and grow and nurture relationships. Overall in class this week, I contributed to my peers by thinking deeply about topics that we discussed and asking questions to benefit the group. Next week, I aim to have a more positive mindset. 

Outside Learning/ Research:

This week in my research I found a book relating to immigration and the difference that I child could make. After reading about multiculturalism in EDUC 350, I felt it was important to dive into the real-life situations that my students could be facing.  

"After Saya's mother is sent to an immigration detention center, Saya finds comfort in listening to her mother's warm greeting on their answering machine. To ease the distance between them while she’s in jail, Mama begins sending Saya bedtime stories inspired by Haitian folklore on cassette tape. Moved by her mother's tales and her father's attempts to reunite their family, Saya writes a story of her own—one that just might bring her mother home for good.

With stirring illustrations, this tender tale shows the human side of immigration and imprisonment—and shows how every child has the power to make a difference."

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mamas-nightingale-edwidge-danticat/1121100395

TTOTW:

I could imagine as a classroom teacher that it gets pretty frustrating to hear, I don't know, over and over again. This teacher proposed three things to say instead of I don't know! This is a great strategy to get the students to push past the wall they cant seem to break through. 

This tweet showed a great graphic about what skills are important for students to have that are not academic. I do believe that academics are important, more than important, foundational to the rest of their lives. However, being smart does not make you a good person. The world has to deal with the children that come out of my classroom, so I want to make sure they are growing personally, too. 

This tweet was really relevant to science methods because it talked about a virtual lab in classes using STEM standards. I realized this week that so much science could be taught through worksheets, quizzes, and tests, but if it is more hands-on, students are more likely to make deeper connections.

Scientific Thinking: 

This week, a current event that I learned about was the earth quake that hit Mexico. "A magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocked central Mexico on Tuesday, killing 225 people." This was devastating news especially after all of the hurricanes that have come through this area of late. This could directly apply to my future classroom if my students have family in Mexico or are from there. 

(Newsela). https://newsela.com/read/mexico-city-7-earthquake/id/35417/ 

The hyperdoc chapter #3 was done by my group this week. From this, I learned the difference between knowing and understanding and how to a child, that makes all the difference in the world. I also learned a good bit about creating a hyperdoc using the 5E model. I am still a little unsure about the 5E model in a real classroom setting, but I look forward to exploring it more. 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pVnkt1hh9mksnulcS3ijFLjOeVD6EvsOKntj0e-L0kw/edit?usp=sharing

This week in SCED 330, we learned about the Cl-Ev-R model. It stands for Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning. Dr. Parker brought up a great point about the way teachers are usually great at teaching claim and evidence, but we are not so great at encouraging students to explain their reasoning. This is crucial because it gives students a whole new level of knowledge and connections. This relates to  NCPTS Standard 4: Teachers Facilitate Learning for Their Students: Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This relates to my future science instruction because I want to help my students not only know why something happens but how it happens, too. If students can go through the Cl-Ev-R model, they will be better able to reason and think abstractly. 

EDUC 350: 

This week in EDUC 350 was wonderful! We participated in a game called C'est la Vi, (Spelling?). It was extremely eye-opening to talk about the way you started out in life, often in situations beyond your control, could decide your future. For my future classroom, I want to be able to identify generational poverty, understand it, and assist where I can. We also talked about multicultural education this week. One big connection that I made this week about multicultural education was that the way we look at students who are learning English as a second language. If we look down on them and think about having to teach them English as being a problem, it disadvantages the child. If we look at it as an opportunity for them to become bilingual and have so many opportunities in their future, it benefits them greatly and makes the relationship better. This relates to NCPTS: Standard 2C: Teachers treat students as individuals. If we see their language as a positive addition to them as individuals instead of a negative addition, that could open up a new world for relationships and a more positive and embracing classroom environment. Overall this week, I have learned that no matter what culture/background/ethnicity a child is, that makes them who they are. They bring something unique, special, and wonderful to my classroom. I cannot wait to love on my kids!! :) 

• To sign off, I will leave you with a video and the words, "Every child needs a champion." -Rita Pierson 

Have a great weekend, y'all.