Captain's Log 1 (Weekly Reflections from in the Classroom)

Captain's Log 1:

To be honest, in my middle school class it is a norm for me to be surprised when students finish short, relatively easy assignments before the class period is up. I find myself giving away answers, yet my students still ask, “Wait, what? So what is the answer?” Last Friday, one of my students gave me a wonderful surprised when he asked if he could use an outside source in a mini-paragraph essay response. He held up a Lewis and Clark book that he had checked out from the library and told me he had already read the material and had picked out a section he wanted to quote in his essay response. I was so excited, I could barely contain it. Finally, I had met a student who was excited about learning!

            During my first day in the classroom I quickly identified a few key issues that affect student learning: classroom management in terms of overall organization as well as student behavior. Further, I cite poverty and low parent expectations as factors for student effort. As I get to know my first and second period students in terms of their personal lives, I begin to understand their motivations behind their actions more and more. For example, one outspoken, disruptive individual lives in a family in which their parents are quite a bit older than what is average, as well as her siblings are all grown up. Therefore, the student speaks out in class, seeking attention that is not given at home. For another student, a death in the family/family emergencies causes the student to be pulled out of class for weeks at a time resulting in the suffering of that student academically. I am trying to think of ideas that help students who are constantly absent from the classroom, whether that be physically or attention-specific, to be caught up regardless of how much they’ve missed. I am looking for strategies that will help students stay on track despite situations that may arise. So far I've found that graphic organizers with notes that are used over several weeks, as well as providing days in which students can catch up are important to ensuring all students remain caught up and at the same point in the unit.

Over the past week I've come to this pint where the more I learn about my students and their home lives, the more I fret when I’m away from them.  I’m having trouble separating myself from my life at the middle school and my life outside of it. I worry so much about how they are doing, and who is bullying them. I want so badly for them to succeed and to be happy that it has a tendency to cross my mind outside of the classroom. So as of last Friday, I’m actively attempting to block out any thoughts about the middle school on a personal level. I’ll address academic issues, but I've made it a goal for myself to only think, discuss or worry about the students’ lives when I’m in the middle school. This is my attempt to retain sanity.

Overall, since last Wednesday I've had a pretty good week. I loved the sub that came in, but I did understand my students’ distraught reactions as I witnessed the difference between the teacher talking to me and the teaching talking to the students. I've started to actively pay attention to the difference in how I act towards my coordinating teacher and my students.

This is Captain Danielle Raschko, signing off. 

Classroom Management Response

Frontloading Classroom Management written by science teachers Keith Roscoe and Kim Orr called defines frontloading as the uniting of several classroom management elements including the “organization of the physical environment, positive relationships, behavior expectations, classroom procedures, effective instruction and intervention.” Although Roscoe and Orr are addressing important elements of a science classroom, these elements are important to remember and consider in any subject-based classroom. Physical environment, for example, is essential to consider when arranging class desks. For example, English teachers must think of what arrangements allow for students to easily transition from individual work to group work as well as whole class discussion. Roscoe and Orr reiterate the importance of paying attention and practicing classroom management such as classroom procedures and behavioral expectations early in the school year. If procedures and expectations are established and practiced, the class runs smoothly- students know what they are expected to do and the proper way to conduct themselves.

            Roscoe and Orr provide a run-through of first-day procedures for teachers including the lesson’s introduction which involves the use of a “hook”- or something that sparks the student’s interest. A “hook” is a wonderful idea because it answers the question, “Why is this important?” for students. Further, teachers should make sure to discuss year objectives, assessment strategies, classroom rules, procedures and expectations. Following, Roscoe and Orr suggests icebreaker activities, referring to them as “relationship-building activities” that help “build trust”. Activities such as asking students to introduce themselves or playing games like bingo, helps build community amongst peers and with the teacher. Activities also help students to get an understanding of the classroom environment for the year as well as how their instructor acts. Of the first-day errors, avoiding relationship-building activities is accounted for a failure in overall management, especially when trying to build a healthy environment and friendly relationships.

            Most useful to new teachers, Roscoe and Orr offer personal suggestions including organization, advanced preparation of the inclusion of frontloading classroom management as vital to first day success. Both authors cite the attention paid to these three aforementioned details had a “ripple effect” for the rest of the school year. In my own experience of student observation I too would agree that these three elements are crucial. In my own case, my coordinating teacher is new to the school for and is working to establish his classroom as his first year there; however, he has ran into several issues which can be traced back to the lack of time to have advanced preparation. His own hiring was last minute and prevented him from  having the normal allotted time to prepare his classroom to the caliber in which his previous teaching experiences had been at.

Roscoe, Keith, and Kim Orr. "Frontloading Classroom Management." Science Teacher. 77.5

(2010): 43-48. Print.

Frontloading Classroom Management by Keith Roscoe and Kim Orr

Context for Learning Assignment

Danielle Raschko

Dr. Agriss

EDUC 341

10 April 2013

Context for Learning Assignment

School Description:

Urban, Title1 Middle School

Special Features:

·        AVID: A tutoring program whose instructional tools are being implemented in

classrooms outside of the program.

·        Home Base: Students spend one designated class period every Thursday with the same

teacher for two years, building a relationship, establishing goals, preparing for high school and college readiness. This class is also used to

School Requirements that affect instruction:

·        MSP: Measure of Student Progress, a standardized test.

In a discussion with my coordinating teacher, the standardized test known as the Measure of Student Progress significantly affects how teachers instruct their classrooms, because the focus of instruction shifts to the area of content that scores the lowest on the MSP. Teachers in the school must then adjust their lessons to address these areas of content; for example, the social studies classroom shifts from discussion and videos to reading materials in order to compensate for a lacking English performance.

·        Standards-Based Grading: A shift from traditional point-based system to a grading

system of a 1-4 range. Ideally more accurate and consistent grading across the

nation that matches standards.

Classroom Description:

      The classroom I am observing is a seventh-grade social studies classroom that runs on semester system. Each class runs 56 minutes on Monday, Tuesday Wednesday and 51 minutes on Thursday and Friday. The class curriculum is covering Pacific Northwest history and is using a textbook called Washington in the Pacific Northwest by Michael K. Green, Laurie Winn Carlson, and Susan Allen Meyers. Within the week two days are spent reading material from the textbook, but the majority of instruction is organized by the instructor who uses graphic organizers to engage students in reviewing the material read. The instructor also utilizes short films and presentations as another way to engage various learning styles.

      There are two main forms of technology within the classroom including the use of the projector for video and presentations. The second form is the document camera which is used to show entry tasks, how to complete graphic organizers- it acts as an alternative to the white board.

Classroom Dynamic (1^st Period):

      I chose first period because it is the class I see most consistently throughout the week. The class consists of eight females and five males, thirteen in all- the population is half the size of the rest of the classes throughout the day. Many students struggle to keep up in class, but there are no identified or established IEPs or 504 plans present at this time. 68% of students receive free-lunch and 14% receive reduced lunch prices.