Learning Differences 

        Reading the resources of this week I recalled real life situations in my classroom and how as teachers we are able to apply what we learn in the classroom.  Knowing about multiple intelligence and that every student has a different way of learning according to Garner, (pg. 123), I thought that I should find a different way for every student in order to make them understand concepts better.  I feel much better now that after I read the chapter is more clear to me that although multiple intelligence is a theory and some of it has a strong base, learning is hard to be achieved and is uncomfortable for the student because it has to be challenging.  I remember students who even I explained many times in many different ways, they had hard time to understand concepts but different way of learning was not the reason.  After some more effort I used to see the difference in learning.  As teachers then we have to encourage our students to take studying seriously.  School is fun but it is also school.  

      What really surprised me is that some students with difficulties just because they followed the objectives of an IEP or 504 plan learned more than other students who did not put any effort.  As a teacher I had worked with social workers about the progress of students with disabilities and the difference in learning for these students can be significant.  Students with ADHD (pg. 145), were very hard to deal with.  In one of my classes the symptoms of a student were so obvious that I could not go on with my teaching.  Drug use was necessary with the consent of the parent and the student adjusted fine in the classroom environment.  On the other hand, I totally agree with the readings of chapter 4 that drug use will bring negative side effects in the future.  As a teacher then I agree on ADHD medications but as a parent, although I do not have any kids, I do not know if I would like my child to be engaged in drug addiction.  It is a very hard decision and only research can show later the results. 

       I really enjoyed by reading the Immigrant Learning chapter this week because I can associate with it.  As an immigrant going to college with limited English knowledge I had as well all the symptoms of an ELL student.  Many times I did not want to participate in a discussion or I was afraid to ask questions because I did not know if my language was proper.  I want to use my own experience and help my students not to feel the same way.  Using the methods of teaching ELL students and emphasizing on student participation more that teacher's constant speaking (pg. 191), I want to make ELL students become useful members on the community they live, and language is an important skill to have.  

       ELL students are also considered bilingual students.  It is very sad as the book refers that many students after living many years in a country they loose their native language.  I think that after a point being bilingual requires an effort too. I currently teach afternoon school once a week to Greek American students but because learning a language is a preference they do not give the attention they give in the regular school.  Personally I have seen the benefits of bilingual because I can also speak German.  For me though it was not a preference but I had to learn it in school.  I think the way we approach language in general makes a difference.

Module 1 - Learning and Teaching

Many times in my teaching experience I wondered what is a good teaching?  Does a good teaching exist or is it all about methods that if we follow the lesson might be boring?  In chapter 1 of the Woolfolk textbook there are some pretty good answers towards this approach.  The debating terms of if a teacher is "a sage on the stage" or the "the guide by side" pg. 9 shows that teacher must be ready for all challenges and use successful strategies that will bring results into their classrooms.  Personally, in the classrooms I taught I was the guide by the side.  I do not recall my self sitting on my desk and teach from my chair.  On the contrary, I was always moving in the classroom, helping my students who needed attention and explain to students who were lost.  There are teachers though with a different style who do not have to move and be by the side of the students and they bring results.  My sister told me so many times about her Spanish teacher that taught her students so well and they all learned how to speak Spanish while she never moved from her desk.  Although it is hard for me to ponder upon her style, the teacher's strategies proved successful since her students learned.
 
The above debating teaching styles made me give a special attention to the role of Psychology in the classroom today.  Someone needs to examine very closely certain behaviors in the education process.  Many questions of the environment that engages teachers, students, parents, and the time and place used fro instruction are answered by research.  When we think that the answer is obvious, research might shows us differently.  According the Wollfolk textbook, someone might think that educational psychologists make research for something that is already known to us but this not the case. (pg. 15).  Like any other professionals, educational psychologists spend time to gather important information and to examine the results of their research that sometimes might take a lot of time. By using research we better understand learning.  A good example is the NCLB Act that is using tests to measure the progress of students.  If students in the schools did not progress according to the tests, a reevaluation would take place in order for students to learn.  In my personal experience when I taught Math at a Charter school in Florida, students were under a lot of stress and teachers imposed a lot of pressure to their students in order to succeed.  The results were astonishing but the cost was big too.

What I really liked by reading the chapter is the key factors that support learning.  About 150 studies have come down to student personal factors  and school and social-contextual factors.  The board on pg. 23 helped me clarify a lot of information that I had in my mind.  Most of these examples that are written on the board, I follow them.  What is the most important when reading this example is the positive qualities of these practices in order to bring results.  Personally what I struggle with is the Social- Familial Influences.  During my teaching experience I had parents who wanted to be involved but they had a misconception of how to be involved.  They were not really cooperative and that did not help the student.  I tried to be supportive in order for students to learn.  Sometimes I had good results but some other times not.  In any case we learn thorough our experience and we can combine theory and practice in order to get results.

“Context for Learning Description of School and Students”

Trinity Christian College Field Experience Form

Context for Learning

Description of School and Students

About the School Where You Are Observing or doing Field Experience

School Name and City: Tinley Park High school, Tinley Park IL

Type of School: High School

Setting: Urban, Suburban

Write your responses to the three questions below in paragraph form.

1.       List any special features of the school or classroom setting (e.g., themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, co-taught with a special education teacher, pull-out program).

Tinley Park High school is a public school and the classes I observe are of about 20 -25 students who are juniors and seniors.  In every different period there is only one teacher in the classroom and there are no aids or special education teachers in these classes.

2.       Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that affects the planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.

In the Business Professionals class students are involved in the program Business professionals of America that allows them to prepare, look and find a job while attending school. 

3.    For special education only: List any educators with specialized expertise in the school/district (e.g., specific disabilities, subject-specific pedagogy, English language development, speech therapists).

About the Students in this Class [Give a brief or one word response]

1.    Estimated percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch:

2.    Grade level(s):

3.    Number of

a.    students in the class: 20-25

b.    males:  15

females: 5-10

c.     English language learners: 3

d.    students identified as gifted and talented: 5

e.    students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans:  1

4.    Complete the chart below to summarize required accommodations or modifications for students receiving special education services and/or students who are gifted and talented as they will affect instruction. As needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the chart. The first row has been completed in italics as an example. Use as many rows as you need.

Special Education Category	Number of Students	Accommodations, Modifications, and/or Pertinent IEP Goals
Example: Learning Disability	Example: 4	Example: Close monitoring, follow up, and Resource Room

About the Class You Observed

1.    How much time is devoted each day to instruction in the classroom? Describe the class periods (if applicable)? Choose a content area of your specialty or major. How much time is devoted to teaching that subject?

The class periods are 55 minutes each and I observe a variety of Business subjects such as Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Technology in Business and Business Professionals.  In all the classes instruction should take the half of the time and the other half students work on an assignment related to the material taught.

3.       Is there any ability grouping or tracking? If so, please describe how it affects your class.

Students in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing class work in groups when they have to debate on an issue with the other group.  They have to prepare a certain number of questions and discuss the issues in their group.  Then they have to talk in order to present their opinion on an issue related to marketing.  The teacher is evaluating their arguments, the vocabulary they use and the written questions.

3.    Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for instruction. If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.

               

“Sports and Entertainment Marketing” by Ken Kaser and Dotty Boen Oelkers.  2008

4.    List other resources (e.g., SMARTBoard, manipulatives, online resources) used for instruction in this class.

       

The teacher uses a lot of videos that shows through the smart boards of real games or business episodes related to Marketing.

4.       What do you know about what your students know, what can they do, and what are they learning to do? What do you know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds and practices, and interests?

Students in the Business class come with the expectations to learn more about the economy and how it works but they soon find out that this is only a part of it since they get engaged with real life experience.  In the marketing class they become more aware of how the marketing policies work around sports and in The Business Professionals class  they learn how to go to an interview, how to write a good professional resume and in the technology class they work on on line projects.

  

5.       Describe one teaching event. What best practices in teaching were used?

The best teaching event I have observed is the SWOT analysis in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing class.  The teacher explained using the SMART Board what the SWOT stands for and she used McDonald’s for an example.  Students then had to find a similar company and create their own SWOT analysis.