Week Eight Reflections: Instructional Strategies - Inside Anna's Classroom

In retrospect, I wish I had had access to the video Inside Anna's Classroom at the beginning of  Heartlines. Unlike many of  my on-line classmates, I have never had the opportunity to meet Anna Baldwin. Thanks to technology, I have been given  the opportunity to meet Anna, hear her philosophy of education, and create a closer connection to Heartlines.

In the Introduction section of video, I experienced an "ah-ha" moment when Anna summarized the benefits of IEFA. She observes that by integrating Native culture and topics into our curriculum it will give students a view into their own culture. Thinking back on the reflections I have written, I too have taken a more thorough view of my own culture and how it has changed the Native cultures and has been changed by the Native cultures.

Anna's philosophy that on-site visits allow students to make a personal connection to their learning agrees with my own. I am one who never uses a trip as a "free day". My students always have a connection to something we have been doing in the classroom and will be doing after the field trip that is connected to their learning.

I believe Anna's classroom practices can be adapted for the kindergarten level. They may not be able to read as independently as older students but if read to orally they can indicate to me the importance of certain parts of a text. They can let me know what vocabulary they don't understand and I can teach them how to find their meanings. They are learning to associate and categorize. Even six  year olds love to discuss experiences and stories and argue for what they like the best. The observing part and giving feedback is hard for them since they are egocentric at that age but I can model for them the process. These are strategies I will attempt to build into my unit.

If you get the chance, take the time to view Inside Anna's Classroom. Anna Baldwin will inspire you to learn as you watch her inspiring her own students to learn!

Week Seven Reflections: 2.0 Learning in a 1.0 Classroom

Fisher ande Gonzalez  hit the nail on the head in their article, 2.o Learning In A 1.o Classroom.

If we as teachers are to prepare our students for their futures, we have have to shift our teaching paradigm from having students regurgitating facts to actually using the information they have synthesized. To do this, we must utilize the technology students will be using after leaving formal education. If done properly, our students will not only live productively but also become life-long learners. They will see how technology can foster new ideas and solutions and connect to others around the globe, making them citizens of the world. They will continue in expanding their knowledge beyond what was learned in the classroom because we have taught them how to navigate and critique the information highway.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine gaining information from a source other than hard covered books or interviews with people when I was in school. The first search engine for public use wasn't even available until I had been teaching for over 10 years. Now I don't know what I would do without all the technological advances that have been made. Yes, it is a steep learning curve for someone of my generation but it is worth the journey.

Week Seven Reflections: The Constructivist Framework of an Instructional Theory

Cambourne' article, Holistic, Integrated Approaches to Reading and Language Arts Instruction: The Constructivist Framework of an Instructional Theory, made me reflect on my past. Throughout my three decades of teaching, I have seen the pendulum go from direct reading instruction to whole language and back again.

My experience has led me to believe the best reading instruction is a mix of the two. I must teach my students the basics of how to read before they can truly read. I need to show them there is a purpose to learning the letter sounds and blends.  I need them to appreciate why we go through decoding words and repeated reading of  those words. I try to build engagement and make the lessons structured yet fun. As the building blocks of reading are being laid, I model for them the enjoyment of reading stories. We learn what makes up a story and  the students create their own through journaling, dictation, and drawings.  As their skill in decoding builds, they are able to read short stories.

If reading instruction is taught meaningfully, the students engage and develop a love of reading.They will beam in pride as they lay on the floor reading to each other or a family member.

If only I could bottle their enthusiasm for reading now and send it to their future 6th grade selves!!!

Week Seven Reflections: Classroom Assessment: Minute By Minute, Day By Day

Classroom Assessment: Minute By Minute, Day By Day (Leahy, Lyon, Thompson William)  is an excellent resource for every teacher. It  reminds one of the importance of assessing and the best methods of conducting it.

As a kindergarten teacher, I have been trained to use various assessments to gauge student learning and inform instruction. I use both formal and informal assessments. At times I feel I am assessing too much. But upon reflection, I came to the conclusion that my students are comfortable with my style of assessment if they think it is a fun activity to "play" school and "play" at assessing during their free center time.  I also looked back on the reasons I assessed and how I used the results. I found my observations made me a better teacher to the individual student as everyone was at or near achieving their learning goals while still enjoying the learning process since I was able to reach them through their own learning styles. I feel I am using assessments to improve student achievement, to adapt my instruction, and support learning. With years of experience I have been able to integrate assessing into my classroom instruction and conducting them has almost become second nature.

Week Seven Reflections: Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

Last night I was reading Prensky's article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants in bed. You say not a bad idea right? Well, I found myself falling asleep with all my papers from this week's coursework around me. You read right - papers around me. No, I wasn't reading his article on my laptop or IPad but on the copy I had printed out. Then tonight during Spanish class I whip out my IPad to take notes on. Yes, IPad not paper. Then near the end of class my purse vibrates. Everyone just ignores it. I panic thinking it is an important call I am missing and cannot concentrate the last five minutes of class. After I get home, I immediately turn on the Chiefs game to find a tied score!!! I had all intentions of doing coursework tonight and have my schedule lined out (on my IPad) to get as much work as I can done before I head to Florida. But here I am watching football and typing my reflections on this article
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I must say, Prensky made me feel much better about myself. I am not ADHD (as my husband says) but I like to multi-task and parallel process. I feel I learn better and have more fun doing it this way.  Now, in no way am I saying I am a digital native but  I can understand where some of my students are coming from. The brain must be relaxed but active to learn.  (F.Y.I. We are in over time!!!!) 

Maybe this wiring of my brain has allowed me to more easily accept the digital age of education. I only wish I had had all this technology available when I was in school or even beginning my teaching career 30+ years ago.  (Darn, we  lost the game.) I love the new avenues I now have to address students learning and knowledge base plus my own. I am trying to develop more ways every day to connect their learning through technology and keep it kid paced.

It is a new world out there from that in which I was educated but personally I feel it is a better world and embrace it.

Week Six Reflections: The Lower Flathead River Chapters 1 & 2

The Lower Flathead River - A Cultural, Historical, and Scientific Resource (Rockwell/Swaney) draws the reader in instantly. The primary sources, narratives, history, illustrations, and photos bring the Flathead River alive.

The opening series of photos showing the seasons of the river and the poems by Vic Charlo appropriately set the stage for reading this text in a context of respect for the river and the region. Beautiful!

Chapter 1 is rich in photos and illustrations students will enjoy viewing to enhance their learning of traditional Native hunting/gathering traditions and Coyote stories. The overall objective of this chapter is that if only the country could or would have adapted the tribal Forest Plan we may not be in the situation we find ourselves in today. Meaning, the environmental and nonrenewable resource problems we are facing may have been lessened. I did find it fascinating that tribal legends parallel geographical descriptions of the end of the last ice age and the Coyote stories are related to countless landmarks. I will research these legends and stories to find their connections. I would like to have my students see these connections.

Chapter 2 revisited much of the information we have already gone over either in readings or videos during the course of Heartlines. Reading the information again helps one to synthesise the information.This chapter ends with a sense of hope for the tribes in gaining control of the Kerr Dam in a few years and the prospect of  funds becoming available to buy back aboriginal lands. Thomas "Bearhead" Swaney's description of the river leaves you with a visual of the river being alive and having a heart and soul. His final words of caution shouldn't be taken lightly, "Once you destroy a river, that river is destroyed forever."  An obvious statement, but one that seems to be ignored in the pursuit of "progress".

Week Six Reflections: The Lower Flathead Chapters 3 & 4

Chapter 3 of The Lower Flathead River - A Cultural, Historical, and Scientific Resource (Rockwell/Swaney) brought back memories of my college geology class. I have always found that particular science very exciting. Maybe because it is very hands-on and you are outdoors! This chapter did a great job giving teachers ideas on how to incorporate the information and explain in kid terms the data presented. I could actually visualize being in the areas and participating in the geology field trips by the vivid descriptions given. I found myself trying to answer the questions they posed for the students. The descriptions of the vegetation and the uses the Natives had for many of them is something I will use with my kindergartners. They will be "grossed-out" by how a raptor finds his prey! I am also planning on making life size reproductions of the animal tracks to use as planting patterns when we study native grasses.

Chapter 4 is a good summary of the past, present and possible future of the Flathead River and its animal, vegetation and human inhabitants.

This text was a very worthwhile read. It presented a lot of information in a condensed but understandable form. The charts, graphs, photos, illustrations, narratives, and descriptions were very helpful in absorbing so much information.