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In class last week, I shared a story from my field experience, which I’d like to spend more time examining. I work with second graders. During guided reading, the teacher worked with a small group of students, while the others read a short book and answered comprehension questions, working quietly and independently. One student—I’ll call him Mike—asked me for help. I proposed that we read the story together. Mike agreed and began reading aloud, but he had a lot of trouble with one word—a name, “Marjory.” I didn’t want to give him the answer, so I tried to help him figure out the word. In fact, most of the students had struggled with the same word. Maybe I should have told Mike that the other students also struggled to read “Marjory,” but I didn’t. Mike got frustrated and put his head on his desk. For a while, he wouldn’t answer me, and he eventually communicated that he didn’t want to read anymore.

As I looked around this classroom, I began to become aware of how intentional classroom decoration can be. One thing that popped out to me in particular was a list of classroom rules. One bullet point stated something like, “Keep comments relevant (germane) to class discussion.” I was really struck by this careful insertion of a new vocabulary word into the classroom environment... This reminded me of Rose's discussions in Lives on the Boundary of how certain people in his life helped his learning process by giving him reference points, like Dr. Carothers, who “drew... a giant conceptual blueprint onto which we could place other courses, other books,” (52). Moments like this in Rose's book really struck me; I had never before thought about how important it is to come into an educational setting with a “blueprint” or sorts for understanding how to place and order other information...There is something more satisfying, engaging, and permanent about learning when you know where and how to place new information. The use of those vocabulary words side by side on the list of classroom rules helps to map new words onto knowledge already acquired. So, my experience in the classroom this week has led me to realize what an important tool the physical classroom environment can be for, even subconsciously, creating awareness of certain concepts or bodies of work that may help students later on to open up more easily to new information. 

Praxis visit, day 2, 2.12.13; only my second day of observation at the school. A Tuesday morning, at 8 AM. On a normal day, they do a combination of math and reading packets and Ms. Morrow works with students individually when they most need it, some students need more one on one help than others. This day, they had to prepare for their special education standardized tests.

I'm still thinking about the Ted talk we saw in class. The ideas of pit crew and diagnosis really resonated with me. There are so many applications! I think what stood out was the diagnosis bit where the same way doctors try to see if their patients had anything they knew how to treat, is kind of what teachers try to do by labeling. Sometimes these labels help them identify problems like “slow math learner” but other times these labels are used to blame a child’s ability on a medical condition like ADD. I guess if they can pinpoint that a condition is the cause of the failure then the teacher is no longer responsible. Or perhaps it just helps them target the difference and change it until its normal. This is also a way to get more resources to the student. I cannot remember the reading but in my Critical Issues class we read that diagnosing a student with a condition or disability or other learning problem is the best chance the student has to getting resources and aid allocated to them, otherwise there is not much that can be done. This is tragically sad, and a good place for a pit crew. With a pit crew, more resources can go to the student in need, and every student. Perhaps instead of trying to “diagnose” our students we should embrace their differences. Sure, sometimes their differences might make life more difficult for the teacher, but I’ve found that the best rewards are often a result of engaging with difference. We shouldn’t try to assimilate differences and absorb them; we should embrace them and learn.

12:40-1:25 Fifth Grade

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Ms. Presley warns me before that this particular fifth grade class can be challenging. Like with all of her classes, she likes doing lots of quick 5-7 minute activities each class; it keeps students attentive and allows her to cover lots of ground.

There are about 15 students; about an equal number male-appearing and female-appearing. Two appear to be Black; the rest appear to be white but a couple others could be people of color. One girl, who is black, looks high-school aged. I will refer to her here as Sydney. Ms. Presley introduces me as Mr. Safran and asks if anyone wants to tell me anything about themselves or Shipley. “It's a school,” says one person. No one else adds any detail.

02/15/13

Field Post #6

Notes for Feb. Friday 15th, 2013:

Today the students and the teachers where recovering from the previous testing. They ended up working on a worksheet for fun and then went on to watch a movie that had to do with the stories they had just read for Black history month…

02/21/13

Field Post #7

Notes for Feb. Thursday 21th, 2013:

Today was more of a relaxed day. They played a fact or opinion game with the smart board. They did reading with their teacher on their text books. They did a worksheet that went with their textbook. They then worked on another worksheet that they have to complete at home that is due tomorrow(Friday). From my previous experience I ended up asking the teacher about if she allowed her students to speak Spanish or English only. She responded that for those who didn’t know an English they can speak Spanish but for those who know some English they can only speak English.

02/22/13

Field Post #8

Notes for Feb. Friday 22nd, 2013:

I just realized I forgot to post my Journal 5 entry... Sorry!  But it's all for the best because something more compelling happened in class today which I'd rather get everyone's opinions on/explore in more detail.

The sixth graders were almost all wearing orange ribbons in their hair today in honor of a boy at a nearby middle school who's recently been diagnosed with leukemia.  

Natalie and Allison were talking and being very silly and playful and Natalie was jokingly forcing her ribbon on Allison who was jokingly refusing it.  ”No!  Really!  Take it!  It’s yours,” Natalie said and threw it at Allison.  It landed on the floor where I was standing (right next to them.)  I picked it up (Natalie, to Allison:  ”SEE?? Now you made Miss Emma pick it up!!!!”) and in the span of a split second felt torn about how to react.  

In my mind (and heart?) this is what I wanted to say:  "Girls, if we’re wearing these ribbons to support a boy who’s feeling very sick, is this really the way we should be treating these ribbons?"  But I didn’t say that.  Instead I smiled and placed the ribbon on the table and started a new conversation.

            Today I have decided to focus on behavior within my praxis.  There are a few students that I have mentioned in my past notes that I would like to focus on today.