Group Differences Forum

I really enjoyed the Group Differences Forum. I felt like it shed new light on the topics and liked how the topics were controversial ones in today's society. I valued everyone's opinion and liked how our classroom environment was safe enough for everyone to express their opinions. At times, I felt like some people were judging what I was saying (I know I talked to you about one issue after class one day)..but other than that I feel like everyone's opinions were respected.

I feel like these forums would be difficult for my grade level (1st grade is what I'm placed at for next year) and don't think this age group could participate in a mature discussion. I do think 3rd grade and up could incorpare this method into class--obviously with topics that are not as intense. Maybe if the class is focusing on different cultures, you could have questions about respecting other cultures and how you could help others feel welcome. Students need to be able to see other view points and respect them, and based on my knowledge of psychology, younger students are incapable of this.

Something that bothered with the forums is that I felt that there was a  view on our own race as negative and I'm not sure why. I feel like some people think white people are just conceited and like to step on people of other races and I wish people didn't feel like that. I liked how one person mentioned that other backgrounds are racial towards white people as well, and it's not just white people that are racist. I don't know--I just felt like there was this vibe that our race is horrible and needs fixing (just my viewpoint.)

I liked all of the topics because they are popular topics today and need to be addressed, especially before we, as teachers, enter the education system. We need to be aware of the viewpoints of others on these topics and need to respect that everyone has different viewpoints. Every topic was presented very well by everyone, and I think everybody did a great job!

Barb Rentenbach and Autism Video Response

These videos have completely changed my views of people with autism. I never realized how intelligent people with autism can be—the things Larry, Tracy, and the others were thinking and typing at the 2008 conference were amazing and I don’t think I could come up with sentences as beautiful or inspiring or ever be that funny! It amazes me that without FC, people with autism would not be able to communicate their thoughts. I can’t imagine thinking of ideas and not being able to express them. Larry said that he would have never been able to live the life he wanted to had it not been for FC, and it makes me grateful we have technology that can foster his dream.

It was also inspiring to see that some of the people at the conference were in school. This is very motivating to me as a future teacher. I know that if/when I have students in my classroom with autism that they are capable of attaining the knowledge and doing the work, I just need to figure out the best ways for the student(s) to show it. Just because they cannot express themselves and communicate in the same manner as others does not mean that nothing is going on in their minds.

I had the same reaction to the video on Barb Rentenbach. She says that she is labeled as a poor thinker, but that she actually has many thoughts, and this is evident in her book, I Might Be You. Some of the excerpts really stood out to me, such as: “My world, my change, the world continues to orbit the sun”—she is talking about objects and how she began holding a water bottle instead of a box of screws or tools (one or the other) but this line is so powerful and I feel like the greatest writers and poets of the world couldn’t come up with such a beautiful line.

Barn Rentenbach seems to have figured out the basics of life, which is: “peaceful, human companionship is priceless.” She says if we were to go on a walk with her, that we should clear our minds of the business world and just be. 

She also talks about students, and this was very educational for me. She says not to shelter students from the anxiety of learning—don’t be overprotective. Students with autism are capable of doing the work in the classroom, and just because they find something challenging doesn’t mean they can’t do it. If our goal as a teacher is to challenge our students, shouldn’t autistic students be challenged as well? Why would be shelter them and not make them try? Barb Rentenbach says to have them do the same work as the other students. I must keep this in mind in my classroom. It is so easy to assume that if a student has a disability that they cannot perform well in the classroom. However, those days are over. These students can perform well—it is up to me as a teacher to differentiate my instruction and materials to fit their needs so they can improve and master material.

One last quote that stood out me…

Labels don’t matter, the source is the source is the source…

(I am SO bummed I was working the Friday night she came to UT and that I have another class after Ed Psych so I cannot see her.)

PLE #10

I'll be interning in a 1st grade classroom next year, so for this post I'll focus on Grade level K-2. There are many ways I can incorporate some of the strategies suggested in the book to help with my student's language development.

Books are one of the main ways to help students acquire correct vocabulary. Allowing enough time during the day to read storybooks will interest my students and they won't even realize they are building their vocabulary as we read. Reading together both as a class and individually is important as well.

If a student uses a word incorrectly, I can give feedback that shows the student how to use the word the right way and help him think of another word that might work better for the sentence.

I can help my students become better listeners by explaining to them that just sitting quietly on the rug doesn't mean they are actually listening. If they are sitting quietly but thinking about what they are going to do that afternoon, they aren't listening. During instruction or book reading, I can stop and ask questions throughout to make sure my students are listening. Or say something like, "Now let's see who can listen well and can figure out why the character in the story does this..." This will help them focus.

I'm in a 1st grade classroom right now, and every morning the students can share a story. They must raise their hand and be called on, stand up and face the class and tell the story, and everyone else must be quiet and listen. This teaches students how to take turns.

I also thought this blog was a great way to read about a teacher's experiences teaching ELL. I'm doing the ESL endorsement so I enjoy checking up on this blog every now and then to familiarize myself with how to help students acquire the language skills of another language.