Check out my very first Newsletter!
https://blackboard.montclair.edu/courses/1/ECEL501_03FA08/db/_91334_1/embedded/newsletter.doc?bsession=1546580&bsession_str=session_id=1546580,user_id_pk1=33284,user_id_sos_id_pk2=1,one_time_token=
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Me...The Reader
I enjoy reading the Bible, international magazines, books about exotic countries, self-help articles, cook books, home decor books. I’m like a Martha Stewart type of person so I think that drives my thirst to indulge in titles like: National Geographic, Departures, Food and Wine, Country Kitchen, and Essence. I would say that I read when something catches my attention, but I'm not the book club type of reader. You know, the whole let's get together and bash men type of book club-goer. I do enjoy book clubs as a learning environment though. It's functional, it's fun and when it over, I've learned something. This happens when I attend weekly Bible study and staff development in school.
Early on I use to love reading books like Goosebumps, Kids Sports Illustrated and Highlights, with all the fun activities. My grammar school librarian was always pushing us to read books that looked different and would challenge us, not just books on our levels. I use to read the dictionary for fun...I know, I know, boring. But it helped me score 100s on spelling test. Every A on my report card meant $100 in the bank. Oh Yeah, those were the days.
The only negative experience I have about reading is when my parents would make me bring home text books to read even when I didn't have homework. My mom was the worst; she didn’t care if I cried, drew blood, or pulled out my hair. I had to read the next two chapters in my school books and then be tested on the information. “I was so glad she was not a teacher!” Her favorite subject for me was social studies and English. That drove me crazy, but I guess it paid off. I was an A/A+ student until college. Then my GPA went down to a B. The Irony: My favorite subjects are English and Grammar.
Early on I use to love reading books like Goosebumps, Kids Sports Illustrated and Highlights, with all the fun activities. My grammar school librarian was always pushing us to read books that looked different and would challenge us, not just books on our levels. I use to read the dictionary for fun...I know, I know, boring. But it helped me score 100s on spelling test. Every A on my report card meant $100 in the bank. Oh Yeah, those were the days.
The only negative experience I have about reading is when my parents would make me bring home text books to read even when I didn't have homework. My mom was the worst; she didn’t care if I cried, drew blood, or pulled out my hair. I had to read the next two chapters in my school books and then be tested on the information. “I was so glad she was not a teacher!” Her favorite subject for me was social studies and English. That drove me crazy, but I guess it paid off. I was an A/A+ student until college. Then my GPA went down to a B. The Irony: My favorite subjects are English and Grammar.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Classroom Community
We can create a community in our classrooms by first establishing respect for each other. From teacher to student and from student to teacher. This is done by setting clear rules for students to follow and holding yourself, as a teacher, accountable for the lives of each student.
Of course, we can spend time together outside the classroom on field trips, or seeing each other in the community, but I have created a sense of community with my class during lunch time. At lunch time, the rest of the teachers stand and walk around the lunch tables yelling at their students to keep quiet. I sit at the table and eat lunch with my kids. Our table is the quietest and well behaved. This is because I model how to eat properly and converse with them as if we're having Thanksgiving dinner. It puts me in a position to be asked questions:
Ms. Brown why do you use a fork and knife to cut your sandwich?
Ms. Brown, do you always have to use a napkin to wipe your face?
Can I use my fork when I eat too?
Does your mommy help you cook your food at home?
Do you have to eat salad all the time?
Maybe I go overboard, but I always take time answer their questions and allow them to share stories concerning food at home. This is due to my upbringing. Some of the best times in my life were spent at the dinner table and I incorporate a sense of family with each group of students I get. (The picture shows the family out to dinner at Olive Garden with my small twin relatives - Elizabeth, 8 months, was learning how to eat by herself...how FUN!!!)
Walking Trees confirms that I’m not the only teacher who sincerely has to rely on the total reciprocation of love in the classroom. When Ralph is separates from his wife, he is devastated and loses love at home. He finds love in the classroom through the writing of the students. He realizes that writing can go further than personal experiences and branches out to other forms of writing. The introduction of different types of poetry he reads from students is therapeutic for him and helps to bring him out of his temporary slump.
Of course, we can spend time together outside the classroom on field trips, or seeing each other in the community, but I have created a sense of community with my class during lunch time. At lunch time, the rest of the teachers stand and walk around the lunch tables yelling at their students to keep quiet. I sit at the table and eat lunch with my kids. Our table is the quietest and well behaved. This is because I model how to eat properly and converse with them as if we're having Thanksgiving dinner. It puts me in a position to be asked questions:
Ms. Brown why do you use a fork and knife to cut your sandwich?
Ms. Brown, do you always have to use a napkin to wipe your face?
Can I use my fork when I eat too?
Does your mommy help you cook your food at home?
Do you have to eat salad all the time?
Maybe I go overboard, but I always take time answer their questions and allow them to share stories concerning food at home. This is due to my upbringing. Some of the best times in my life were spent at the dinner table and I incorporate a sense of family with each group of students I get. (The picture shows the family out to dinner at Olive Garden with my small twin relatives - Elizabeth, 8 months, was learning how to eat by herself...how FUN!!!)
Walking Trees confirms that I’m not the only teacher who sincerely has to rely on the total reciprocation of love in the classroom. When Ralph is separates from his wife, he is devastated and loses love at home. He finds love in the classroom through the writing of the students. He realizes that writing can go further than personal experiences and branches out to other forms of writing. The introduction of different types of poetry he reads from students is therapeutic for him and helps to bring him out of his temporary slump.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Lessons I learn from Children
In "Walking Trees" Ralph mentions that he learns about the students' personal lives through his writing conferences. This helps him to build personal relationships with the students and gives meaning to his job. We, as teachers, can learn that children experience some of the same drama, hurt, pain, and disappointment that adults experience.
For the past two weeks, my quietest student has been frantically crying when she gets dropped off in the mornings and at random times during the day. Finally on Friday, the mother told me that the girl had not seen her father in two weeks. She does not eat at home or sleep. Unfortunately, mom and dad are no longer together, but this is just an example of how everyday marital issues can affect the children.
Children will love you without bias and they will follow you without reason. Keeping this in mind we, as teachers, can also learn how develop a genuine respect and interest for all people. Looking past their physical appearances, pet peeves, and so on. I am not saying that this is an easy skill, but any lesson learned is a lesson worth teaching.
For the past two weeks, my quietest student has been frantically crying when she gets dropped off in the mornings and at random times during the day. Finally on Friday, the mother told me that the girl had not seen her father in two weeks. She does not eat at home or sleep. Unfortunately, mom and dad are no longer together, but this is just an example of how everyday marital issues can affect the children.
Children will love you without bias and they will follow you without reason. Keeping this in mind we, as teachers, can also learn how develop a genuine respect and interest for all people. Looking past their physical appearances, pet peeves, and so on. I am not saying that this is an easy skill, but any lesson learned is a lesson worth teaching.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
How 2 expand my knowledge on racial/ethinc groups
There was always a mix of cultures in my public/private school upbringing. So from early on I was always in touch with other racial/ethnic groups. The teachers in grammar school and my peers since high school have had a different ethnicity from me. I am open to increasing my knowledge about different racial groups by making a commitment to watch different ethnic broadcasts and listen to radio stations dedicated to specific ethnic groups. (Although I may not understand the language).
My experience: During my undergrad years I would take the bus to Lakewood in the morning and see groups of men just standing around the Freehold bus station. Some were being picked up in trucks and others just waiting around (mostly) dressed in cowboy hats, cowboy shoes and smoking cigarettes. Bus opertors would often yell out the left side window to ask people to move out of the way. It made me feel uncomfortable because I had no clue as to why they were just standing around the station in the way of bus traffic so frequently. Bus operators often made comments about that section of Freehold. It was considered Little Mexico. I did not totally believe them, but seeing them everyday made it partially true. According to city-data.com http://www.city-data.com/city/Freehold-New-Jersey.html, the Hispanic population is the second largest population in Freehold, NJ. I have to admit for sometime after that, at least until I graduated in 2005, when I saw a short man wearing cowboy boots, smoking a cigar and standing around, I automatically thought he was from Little Mexico in Freehold.
My experience: During my undergrad years I would take the bus to Lakewood in the morning and see groups of men just standing around the Freehold bus station. Some were being picked up in trucks and others just waiting around (mostly) dressed in cowboy hats, cowboy shoes and smoking cigarettes. Bus opertors would often yell out the left side window to ask people to move out of the way. It made me feel uncomfortable because I had no clue as to why they were just standing around the station in the way of bus traffic so frequently. Bus operators often made comments about that section of Freehold. It was considered Little Mexico. I did not totally believe them, but seeing them everyday made it partially true. According to city-data.com http://www.city-data.com/city/Freehold-New-Jersey.html, the Hispanic population is the second largest population in Freehold, NJ. I have to admit for sometime after that, at least until I graduated in 2005, when I saw a short man wearing cowboy boots, smoking a cigar and standing around, I automatically thought he was from Little Mexico in Freehold.
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