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Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Class Activity Practicum Journal



Implementing Core Competencies
of the Urban Teaching Professional


URBAN LEARNER-TEACHING RESIDENCY
REFLECTIONS OVERVIEW

12-week Practicum
Monday 10/01/12 to Friday 12/21/12



Professional MISSION:

To obtain full competency in the core cultural, technological, instructional, professional, content knowledge (CTi-PCK) domains of the effective urban literacy educator -- for the purposes of improving the educational achievement of historically and currently underserved students, and advocating for equity and excellence in education for all urban learners. 

Project GOAL:

My goal is to examine and align theory with practice in urban teacher training for the purposes of furthering my own professional development and supporting and contributing to the scholarship of teaching. I seek to analyze and actively reflect on my urban residency practicum teaching experiences -- as they relate to the pedagogical theories and research offered in course study -- in order to identify key implications toward a practical Framework for Excellence in Urban Classroom Leadership.



Practicum Areas of Concentration
 Index

Triad I - Learners

Week 01. Learners and Learning
(Learning Environment)

Week 02. Instructional Practice
(Assessment)

Week 03. Professional Responsibility
(Collaboration, Ethics and Relationships)

Week 04. Content
(Subject Matter)


Triad II - Learning

Week 05. Instructional Practice
(Planning Instruction)

Week 06. Content
(Subject Matter)

Week 07. Learners and Learning
(Student Learning, Diverse Learners)

Week 08. Professional Responsibility
(Collaboration, Ethics and Relationships)


Triad III - Teaching

Week 09. Instructional Practice 
(Instructional Strategies)

Week 10. Instructional Practice
(Communication)

Week 11. Professional Responsibility
(Reflection and Development)

Week 12. Professional Responsibility
(Reflection and Development)



[ Read More ]
Friday, December 28, 2012

Connecting Reflection and Development

 
URBAN LEARNER-TEACHING RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS
Week 12 -- Triad Three

Monday 12/17/12 to Friday 12/21/12, 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Reflection and Development

Area of Concentration:
Connecting Reflection and Development


Summary Report -
Overall Practicum Reflection

I consider my urban teaching practicum experience to be a total and complete success! The multicultural classrooms of diverse urban learners combined with the steady and generous assistance from my host Cooperating Teacher made this the ideal capstone to my experience at Metropolitan State’s School of Urban Education.  One thing I did very well during this residency was connect to the learners, teachers and school community. Despite the rigorous schedule, I was able to find time to create and maintain positive relationships. My greatest struggle was with classroom and personal time management.

Overall, I found I was able to maintain the schedule and meet my goals as an urban student and an urban teacher. The choice to have a pre-focus for each practicum week was an extremely successful system. Written reflections are only useful if they lead to action. The action is only useful if it empowers more thinking – through websites, reports, graphs, slideshows, etc. By pre-planning and "preflecting" on specific urban teaching standards and practices, and associating them directly with the production of specific artifacts, I was able to actively reflect on both process and progress.



As it concerns teacher preparation training itself, 
this practicum has pointed to five items:
Being a successful urban learner-teacher requires a great deal of planning, structuring and organizing.

Being a successful urban learner-teacher requires balancing one’s own academic and professional concerns with concern for the learners.

Being a successful urban learner-teacher requires the ability to manipulate multiple educational perspectives.

Being a successful urban learner-teacher requires a tolerance for liminality -- that is to say, the ambiguous existence at the threshold between two, completely separate worlds.
Being a successful urban learner-teacher requires the academic skills for self-directed study and a ready capacity for active reflection.


This urban learner-teacher residency experience, overall, highlighted
Ten Critical Dispositions of the Effective Urban Teacher:

  • The urban teacher believes that all learners can achieve at high levels and persists in helping each learner reach his/her full potential.


  •  The urban teacher respects learners' differing strengths and needs and is committed to using this information to further each learner's development.


  • The urban teacher is committed to working with learners, colleagues, families, and communities to establish positive and supportive learning environments.


  • The urban teacher realizes that content knowledge is not a fixed body of facts but is complex, culturally situated, and ever evolving. S/he keeps abreast of new ideas and understandings in the field.


  • The urban teacher is committed to engaging learners actively in assessment processes and to developing each learner's capacity to review and communicate about their own progress and learning.


  • The urban teacher respects learners' diverse strengths and needs and is committed to using this information to plan effective instruction.


  • The urban teacher is committed to exploring how the use of new and emerging technologies can support and promote student learning.


  • The urban teacher is committed to deepening understanding of his/her own frames of reference (e.g., culture, gender, language, abilities, ways of knowing), the potential biases in these frames, and their impact on expectations for and relationships with learners and their families.


  • The urban teacher respects families' beliefs, norms, and expectations and seeks to work collaboratively with learners and families in setting and meeting challenging goals.


  • The urban teacher takes responsibility for contributing to and advancing the profession.


Culturally Responsive Framework

Ten markers related to Culturally Responsive Teaching have been underscored by this urban practicum experience:

  • A respect-filled learning environment where all teachers and subjects "reflect a multicultural perspective"


  • Set high standards


  • Expect excellence and reward it


  • Be explicit about behavior expectations and the home/ school conundrum


  • Actively show respect for urban learners and for their learning


  • Forge relationships with families


  • Develop attitude


  • Instructional planning that accounts for multiple literacies and supports linguistic diversity


  • Consistent incorporation of culturally relevant classroom materials


  • Learning strategies that activate and celebrate cultural knowledge


URBAN CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Urban teachers need to model behavior and attitude as well as academic excellence. The following was devised as an urban learner management memory aid:

U    Understand and address the underlying cause of classroom misbehavior. Determine the root issues and act in a systematic way to address them. Involve family members – parent/guardians – in overcoming obstacles to classroom success.

R    Remind learners of the rules and always demand maintenance of a safe and respectful environment. Set limits and make sure learners are aware of them.

B    Be explicit about high expectations and reward positive behavior. Give learners a reason to do their best.

A    Always be consistent -- with praise and discipline. Rewards should be the same for all learners. Whenever a student behavior problem arises, follow through with the appropriate consequences.
N    Never argue, fight or in any way engage in a power struggle with a student. In every situation, preserve the dignity of the learner.

Key implications toward a practical
Framework for Excellence in Urban Classroom Leadership:


  • Build relationships of respect.


  • Learning targets must align to a testable knowledge, skill, or reasoning ability.


  • Be flexible and understanding about the underlying cause of classroom misbehavior.


  • Enforce rules but make the punishment "fit the crime."


  • Create opportunities for diverse learners to form a positive and healthy social identity.


  • Construct an intentionally diverse, culturally inclusive environment where each family’s cultural community and social identity is considered.


  • Dialogic instruction allows learners to be actively involved and own their learning.


  • Urban teachers need to model resiliency and ". . . move from the knowledge of their own resilience to the practice of building resilience in the classroom" (Dill & Stafford-Johnson, 2004).


  • Conduct regular reviews of results (achievement data and student work) followed by targeted adjustments to curriculum and instruction.


  • Be a patient insister and a "warm demander."



[ Read More ]
Monday, December 17, 2012

New Teacher Resources

URBAN LEARNER-TEACHING RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS
Week 11 -- Triad Three

Monday 12/10/12 to Friday 12/14/12, 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Professional Responsibility


Area of Concentration:
Specific SEPT Element: Professional Development


Links to New Teacher Resources Online


New Teacher University
http://www.newteacheruniversity.com/resources/teacher-articles/

TeacherVision - New Teachers
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/new-teacher/teaching-methods/44377.html?detoured=1

New Middle School Teacher Resources
http://www.middleweb.com/1stDResources.html

Inspiring teachers
http://www.inspiringteachers.com/

Teachers Count
http://www.teacherscount.org/

Education World
http://www.educationworld.com/

Education Week - Teacher Blogs
http://www.edweek.org/tm/section/blogs/index.html

EduWonk Blog
http://www.eduwonk.com/

Kathy Schrock Blog
http://www.schrockguide.net/

Skill Builders
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help.htm

Lesson Plan Library
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/

Discovery - Education Network
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/

New Teacher Technology
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/survival/technology_in_your_classroom.cfm

PBS Teachers
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/

PBS Learning Media
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/?utm_source=modal_Fall2012&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=PBST2

Google Education
http://www.google.com/edu/teachers/#

Microsoft Education: Free Tools
http://www.microsoft.com/education/en-us/teachers/Pages/index.aspx

SmartBoard Exchange
http://exchange.smarttech.com



Critical Dispositions Matrix


This week’s experiences highlighted two critical dispositions related to Professional Responsibility:

  • Teacher appreciates multiple perspectives within the discipline and facilitates learners' critical analysis of these perspectives.


  • Teacher recognizes the potential of bias in his/her representation of the discipline and seeks to appropriately address problems of bias.


Culturally Responsive Framework

Three markers related to Culturally Responsive Teaching and Professional Responsibility have been underscored by this week’s experiences:

  • Provide instructional planning that accounts for multiple literacies and supports linguistic diversity.


  • Use self-assessment to engender student understanding of their attainment and on-going development toward competence.


  • Develop creative and effective ways to learn about student’s lives and interests.


Key implications toward a practical
Framework for Excellence in Urban Classroom Leadership:
  • Build relationships of respect.


  • Forge relationships with families.


  • Expect excellence and reward it.


[ Read More ]
Monday, December 10, 2012

Communicating Success

URBAN LEARNER-TEACHING RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS
Week 10 -- Triad Three

Monday 12/03/12 to Friday 12/07/12, 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Communication


Area of Concentration:
Specific SEPT Element: Communication
Communicating Success in Urban Schools

A teacher must demonstrate proficiency in all areas of communication -- including "interpersonal communications, linguistic theories, language development, presentation and discussion strategies and the role of language in learning." A teacher’s work must demonstrate "a cultivated awareness of the potential power of language in promoting self-expression, fostering identity development, and improving the academic achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse urban youth."

Of the communication proficiencies outlined in the MN state SEPT – this week has highlighted the following teacher requirements: know effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques; use effective communication strategies in conveying ideas and information and in asking questions; support and expand learner expression in speaking, writing, and other media; know how to ask questions and stimulate discussion in different ways for particular purposes; use a variety of media and educational technology to enrich learning opportunities; understand the power of language for fostering self-expression, identity development, and learning.


Critical Dispositions Matrix


This week’s experiences highlighted four critical dispositions related to Communication:

  • Teacher is committed to exploring how the use of new and emerging technologies can support and promote student learning.


  • Teacher appreciates how cultural differences can affect classroom communication.


  • Teacher values the variety of ways people communicate and encourages learners to develop and use multiple forms of communication.


  • Teacher values flexible learning environments that encourage learner exploration, discovery, and expression across content areas.


Culturally Responsive Framework

Four markers related to Culturally Responsive Teaching and Communication have been underscored by this week’s experiences:

  • Communicate Success


  • A respect-filled learning environment where all teachers and subjects "reflect a multicultural perspective"


  • Instructional planning that accounts for multiple literacies and supports linguistic diversity


  • Learning strategies that activate and celebrate cultural knowledge



Key implications toward a practical
Framework for Excellence in Urban Classroom Leadership:

  • Expect excellence and reward it.



  • Never engage in a power struggle with learners.



  • Always be consistent with praise and discipline – and follow through with the appropriate consequences.



  • Know how to ask questions and stimulate discussion in different ways for particular purposes.



  • Use a variety of media and educational technology to enrich learning opportunities.



[ Read More ]
Monday, December 3, 2012

Diverse Urban Learning Strategies

URBAN LEARNER-TEACHING RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS
Week 9 -- Triad Three

Monday 11/26/12 to Friday 11/30/12, 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Instructional Strategies

Area of Concentration:
Diverse Strategies for Reaching Diverse Urban Learners


"What children learn depends not only on what
they are taught but also how they are taught, their
development level, and their interests and experiences . . .
These beliefs require that much closer attention be paid
to the methods chosen for presenting material."

-- Understanding the Common Essential Learnings,
Saskatchewan Education



From the Saskatchewan Education’s online Instructional Handbook . . .

Instructional Skills

Instructional skills are the most specific category of teaching behaviors. They are necessary for procedural purposes and for structuring appropriate learning experiences for students. Among the variety of instructional skills and processes are the following six key skills: Explaining, Demonstrating, Questioning, Questioning Technique, Levels of Questions, Wait Time.

1. Explaining

The teacher spends much classroom time explaining or demonstrating something to the whole class, a small group, or an individual. Student resource materials typically do not provide extensive explanations of concepts, and students often need a demonstration in order to understand procedures.

2. Demonstrating

The teacher spends much classroom time explaining or demonstrating something to the whole class, a small group, or an individual. Student resource materials typically do not provide extensive explanations of concepts, and students often need a demonstration in order to understand procedures. Much student learning occurs through observing others. A demonstration provides the link between "knowing about" and "being able to do."

3. Questioning

Among the instructional skills, questioning holds a place of prominence in many classrooms. When questioning is used well: a high degree of student participation occurs as questions are widely distributed; an appropriate mix of low and high level cognitive questions is used; student understanding is increased; student thinking is stimulated, directed, and extended; feedback and appropriate reinforcement occur; students' critical thinking abilities are honed; and, student creativity is fostered.

4. Questioning Technique

The teacher should begin by obtaining the attention of the students before the question is asked. The question should be addressed to the entire class before a specific student is asked to respond. Calls for responses should be distributed among volunteers and non-volunteers, and the teacher should encourage students to speak to the whole class when responding. However, the teacher must be sensitive to each student's willingness to speak publicly and never put a student on the spot.

5. Levels of Questions

While the need for factual recall or comprehension must be recognized, teachers also need to challenge students with higher level questions requiring analysis, synthesis, or evaluation. The consideration of level is applicable at all grade levels and in all subject areas. All students need the opportunity to think about and respond to all levels of questions. Teacher probes or requests for clarification may be required to move students to higher levels of thinking and deeper levels of understanding.

6. Wait Time

Wait time is defined as the pause between asking the question and soliciting a response. Providing additional wait time after a student response also allows all students to reflect on the response prior to further discussion. Increased wait time results in longer student responses, more appropriate unsolicited responses, more student questions, and increased higher order responses. It should be noted that increased wait time is beneficial for students who speak English as a second language or English as a second dialect.



Critical Dispositions Matrix


This week’s experiences highlighted four critical dispositions related to Instructional Strategies:
  • Teacher is committed to deepening awareness and understanding the strengths and needs of diverse learners when planning and adjusting instruction.
  • Teacher values knowledge outside his/her own content area and how such knowledge enhances student learning.
  • Teacher values flexibility and reciprocity in the teaching process as necessary for adapting instruction to learner responses, ideas, and needs.
  • Teacher is constantly exploring how to use disciplinary knowledge as a lens to address local and global issues.


Culturally Responsive Framework

Five markers related to Culturally Responsive Teaching and Instructional Strategies have been underscored by this week’s experiences:


  • Model behavior
  • Instructional strategy planning that accounts for cultural and linguistic diversity
  • Activities that allow learners to connect course material to the "real world"
  • Learning strategies that activate and celebrate cultural knowledge
  • The culturally responsive teacher critically examines the examples used when illustrating key points to ensure they are meaningful and sensitive to learners.


Implications for Practice

My practicum week was very successful. Now that I am comfortable with the students and the daily routines, I feel more relaxed and focused as the classroom leader. This week I was able to assert discipline when necessary – and then move on. I was also able to successfully connect with several individual students.

The student-teaching practicum requires one to live in two worlds at the same time. The student-teacher has little to no control over the curriculum or instructional strategies -- yet must maximize learning in an effort to establish competence.

Key implications toward a practical
Framework for Excellence in Urban Classroom Leadership:
  • Expect excellence and reward it.

  • Monitor progress and plan interventions.

  • Teach learners how to ask questions.

  • Conduct activities in a safe, respectful atmosphere.





[ Read More ]
Monday, November 26, 2012

Caring, Collaborative Leadership

URBAN LEARNER-TEACHING RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS -  
Week 8 - Triad Two

Monday 11/19/12 to Friday 11/23/12, 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Leadership, Collaboration and Ethics


Area of Concentration:

Specific SEPT Element – Area of concentration: Leadership Collaboration, Ethics
Culturally Responsive, Collaborative Urban Classroom Leadership


"Schools must forge greater relationships with the wider 
community, parents and other schools. Too many schools 
are working in isolation. Schools need to share their power 
with students and the wider community."

-- Fullan and Hargreaves

 
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better, it's not."

-- Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

Leadership
(Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium)


Leadership, as defined by InTASC Standards refers to attributes of the teacher that include but are not limited to:

1) a view of the teacher’s role in education as multifaceted;

2) a keen sense of ethical responsibility to advance the profession while simultaneously advancing knowledge, skills, and opportunities for each learner;

3) a deep commitment to teaching
that includes a willingness to actively engage in professional development to expand knowledge about teaching and learning;

4) a willingness to take on the mantle of leadership in the classroom and among colleagues without a formal title;

5) a recognition of when to lead and when it is appropriate to allow others to lead;

6) knowledge of when and how to marshal a variety of stakeholders to work toward a common cause;

7) an ability to regularly garner resources, both human and other, for the betterment of the students and the school; and

8) the ability to make sound decisions based on the appropriate use and interpretation of quality data and evidence. Teacher leaders function well in professional communities, contribute to school improvement, and inspire their students and colleagues to excellence.


Critical Dispositions Matrix


This week’s experiences highlighted five critical dispositions related to Leadership, Collaboration and Ethics:

  • Teacher actively shares responsibility for shaping and supporting the mission of his/her school as one of advocacy for learners and accountability for their success.
  • Teacher respects families' beliefs, norms, and expectations and seeks to work collaboratively with learners and families in setting and meeting challenging goals.
  • Teacher takes initiative to grow and develop with colleagues through interactions that enhance practice and support student learning.
  • Teacher takes responsibility for contributing to and advancing the profession.
  • Teacher embraces the challenge of continuous improvement and change.

Culturally Responsive Framework

Four markers that align Culturally Responsive Teaching to Leadership, Collaboration and Ethics have been underscored by this week’s experiences:

  • Develop creative and effective ways to learn about student’s lives and interests.
  • Adopt a “cognitive coaching” stance to teaching; model and highlight -- in course readings and discussions -- the thinking, ways of making arguments, and use of academic rhetoric.
  • Use self-assessment to engender student understanding of their attainment and on-going development toward competence.
  • Monitor Progress and Plan Interventions

Implications for Practice

Week 8, the final week of this practicum’s second triad, was a good week for reflecting on the aspects of education leadership that take the teacher out of the classroom. I find great value in the opportunities to interact with people in after-school and community activities.  The teaching demands of the practicum do not leave much time for these sorts of things, so organization and pre-scheduling is critical.

The practicum would likely benefit from a permanent, four-day teaching schedule with one day set aside to pursue outside community involvement.


Key implications toward a practical
Framework for Excellence in Urban Classroom Leadership:
  • Build relationships of respect


  • Forge Relationships with families


  • Expect excellence and reward it


  • Support students in goal setting for projects
[ Read More ]
Monday, November 19, 2012

Learning Strength, Patience and Passion


URBAN LEARNER-TEACHING RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS
Week  7 - Triad Two

Monday 11/12/12 to Friday 11/16/12, 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Learners and Learning:
Student Learners

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
-- Harriet Tubman

Area of Concentration: Student Learning

Developing the adolescent urban learner’s strength, patience and passion -- in order to bridge the education and opportunity achievement gap

Specific SEPT Element – Provide learning opportunities that support a student's intellectual, social, and personal development.

Report on specific control students – SOUL Focus


Critical Dispositions Matrix


This week’s experiences highlighted four critical dispositions related to Student Learning:

  • Teacher respects learners' differing strengths and needs and is committed to using this information to further each learner's development.
  • Teacher is committed to using learners' strengths as a basis for growth, and their misconceptions as opportunities for learning.
  • Teacher takes responsibility for promoting learners' growth and development.
  • Teacher values the input and contributions of families, colleagues, and other professionals in understanding and supporting each learner's development.


Culturally Responsive Framework

Three markers related to Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Learning have been underscored by this week’s experiences:

  • A respect-filled learning environment where all teachers and subjects "reflect a multicultural perspective"
  • Instructional planning that accounts for multiple literacies and supports linguistic diversity
  • Learning strategies that activate and celebrate cultural knowledge


Implications for Practice

Week Seven of my practicum was one of my hardest and busiest weeks. I anticipated that, so I was very prepared. . . . Teaching all day is very emotionally exhausting. What I am learning is that progress is slow – so slow it’s hard to see at times. Here, patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s a tool. Patience must be wielded and artfully employed!

Student-teaching requires the academic skills for self-directed study and a ready capacity for active reflection. Preparation and practice of this specific skillset has never been addressed in the teacher prep program. Certainly, acquiring these personal learning skills is equal in importance to grasping education psychology concepts or theories of student learning.  Just as there are diverse learners, there are diverse learner-teachers. Very few students are naturally self-directed, active reflectors.  The practicum experience could be an overwhelming, or even threatening learning environment for some people.

Written reflections are only useful if they lead to action. The action is only useful if it empowers more thinking – through websites, reports, graphs, slideshows, etc. By pre-planning and “preflecting” on specific urban teaching standards and practices, and associating them directly with the production of specific artifacts, I find I am able to actively reflect on both process and progress.

I conclude that the student-teaching practicum greatly benefits from this pre-structuring. The TPA assignments should be incorporated – or better yet, abandoned altogether – so that the urban learner-teacher concentrates on the actualization or realization of reflected experiences and events. Each week’s preflection asks, “What can you learn about what you know?” in a particular domain of practice. The answer directs the production of an artifact.


Key implications toward a practical
Framework for Excellence in Urban Classroom Leadership:

  • Expect excellence and reward it.


  • Be a patient insister and a “warm demander.”


  • Recurrently make behavior expectations explicit and assess those established goals.


  • Activate metacognition, particularly through use of rubrics and reflection activities.


  • Motivate learners with activities that seem pertinent and goals that seem possible.


  • Provide goal-directed practice coupled with targeted feedback.


  • Provide Culturally Mediated Instruction.


  • Teach the “Hidden Rules” of School.


  • Have learners identify their prior knowledge and understandings of key concepts, issues, or content, and how those things are understood in their culture/community.


  • Reflection is action!



[ Read More ]
 
 

Practicum Experi

This site serves as summary notation of my student teaching practicum experience - and as a portfolio in evidence of having successfully met all requirements for the Metropolitan State University -

Documenta

Urban Teacher Program - Urban Secondary Education Graduate Certificate - and recommendation for MN State teaching licensure in Communication Arts and Literature (Grades 5-12)