My professional vision statement is to be part of a learning community that awakens the individual potential of all learners.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Power of Questions
After reading The Power of Questions I had these thoughts:
I think as teachers we do systematic research about our students and teaching.
Don't we often ask ourselves... Why is that students always by himself/herself on the playground?
Why does he/she have such trouble reading?
Why does he /she always arrive late to school?
The question list could go on and on.
Questions I have for myself:
How can I support learners in the classroom to support their world through a variety of lenses?
How can I make my literacy practices more effective?
Questions I have about education:
Why is there a need to go back to the "nuts & bolts" of teaching when research shows the potential for learning that an inquiry project presents?
MAPS & AIMS web... qualitative data ... will there be more??
I think as teachers we do systematic research about our students and teaching.
Don't we often ask ourselves... Why is that students always by himself/herself on the playground?
Why does he/she have such trouble reading?
Why does he /she always arrive late to school?
The question list could go on and on.
Questions I have for myself:
How can I support learners in the classroom to support their world through a variety of lenses?
How can I make my literacy practices more effective?
Questions I have about education:
Why is there a need to go back to the "nuts & bolts" of teaching when research shows the potential for learning that an inquiry project presents?
MAPS & AIMS web... qualitative data ... will there be more??
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Thinking... white hat...red hat...
As I read about the white hat I had many questions and many thoughts. When does it come up in the classroom? Are students and adults honest when they wear the white hat? Can you wear the red hat too much? Is it easy to wear the red hat for students?
I was thinking about a Monday when I collect my students read and logs from the previous week. I asked a student, " Where is your read & log?"
He said, " Oh, Mrs. Roberts, it is on my kitchen table (White hat you would think). I will bring it tomorrow. I promise!" I opened his folder, and there it was, not touched. Well he wanted to believe he was giving me the facts, but the facts were not true. My fact of the matter was I had the white hat on asking him a question but his computer was not giving accurate information.
The red hat is a different story: Sometimes I feel a person can wear the red hat too often without considering the white hat first. When there is an issue on the playground the red hat goes on quickly when maybe the white hat should be on first. When you are having a discussion about the Black Hawk War in class I really enjoy hearing students share when they are wearing their red hat. In my experience some students can have a difficult time wearing the red hat. They can be at school and you know they have a lot of emotion inside and if they were just able to put on that red hat they would feel so much better.
I understand wearing the red hat allows the thinker to say: "This is how I feel about the matter." As school situations occur, I really see how it would be so helpful to wear the white hat first. With adults and students alike, if we lay the facts out on the table maybe the red hat emotions would not get out of control.
I was thinking about a Monday when I collect my students read and logs from the previous week. I asked a student, " Where is your read & log?"
He said, " Oh, Mrs. Roberts, it is on my kitchen table (White hat you would think). I will bring it tomorrow. I promise!" I opened his folder, and there it was, not touched. Well he wanted to believe he was giving me the facts, but the facts were not true. My fact of the matter was I had the white hat on asking him a question but his computer was not giving accurate information.
The red hat is a different story: Sometimes I feel a person can wear the red hat too often without considering the white hat first. When there is an issue on the playground the red hat goes on quickly when maybe the white hat should be on first. When you are having a discussion about the Black Hawk War in class I really enjoy hearing students share when they are wearing their red hat. In my experience some students can have a difficult time wearing the red hat. They can be at school and you know they have a lot of emotion inside and if they were just able to put on that red hat they would feel so much better.
I understand wearing the red hat allows the thinker to say: "This is how I feel about the matter." As school situations occur, I really see how it would be so helpful to wear the white hat first. With adults and students alike, if we lay the facts out on the table maybe the red hat emotions would not get out of control.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A Quote Collection~
Every time I read a quote I like, I smile. In the reading of section 2 in The Case For Constructivist Classrooms the quote "Learning is a journey not a destination" is one of my favorites.
I also liked the quote Janet posted on D2L from their Special Ed. teacher.
"Mistakes are inevitable, processing them can yield profound learning". Ruth Sidney Charney
I also liked the quote Janet posted on D2L from their Special Ed. teacher.
"Mistakes are inevitable, processing them can yield profound learning". Ruth Sidney Charney
Please post and add to my quote collection throughout our journey to become Master Teachers!
Reflection Zone
Reflection Is at the Heart of Practice
If I stay focused in my reflecting it can help answer those many "How did it happen?" questions. Finding the meaning while reflecting is crucial since there is little time to sort through happenings within hectic school day.
In our district we need to reflect weekly in our lesson plans on the previous week. I have hesitated about reflecting because reflections have been intervened upon. Teachers have had to meet together because of frustrations mentioned in their reflections. Aren't we suppose to find the answers through our reflecting and not be called to the table for them?
To get around these barriers I need to feel safe with my reflecting. Within the community we are building together it is easy to reflect. I feel confident that through reflecting and responding to each other it will allow me to gain the insight to improve and become a master teacher.
If I stay focused in my reflecting it can help answer those many "How did it happen?" questions. Finding the meaning while reflecting is crucial since there is little time to sort through happenings within hectic school day.
In our district we need to reflect weekly in our lesson plans on the previous week. I have hesitated about reflecting because reflections have been intervened upon. Teachers have had to meet together because of frustrations mentioned in their reflections. Aren't we suppose to find the answers through our reflecting and not be called to the table for them?
To get around these barriers I need to feel safe with my reflecting. Within the community we are building together it is easy to reflect. I feel confident that through reflecting and responding to each other it will allow me to gain the insight to improve and become a master teacher.
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