Reading+Responses

=Online Reading I - Pedagogy=



Article: What's Not on the Test: How to Turn Assessment into Learning
//"Preparing for tests -- is a blind alley. It doesn't lead anywhere. It leads to forgetting."//

The above quote stood out for me in this article because it is rings true. Whenever I've tried to rush through lessons in preparation for standardized tests, student retention has been low. Whenever I've inundated students with project-based learning, their interest level skyrocketed and retention has been high. As the article states, the latter method of teaching and learning creates ownership and engagement for students.

This reading encourages opportunities to allow students to share and critique their learning through //projects and presentations of learning// (POLs). Students reflect on their work, assessing it for greatness and ways to improve the next time. The phenomenal part of this process is that other teachers attend and get ideas for implementation in their own classrooms! This way, both students //and// teachers are learning and improving from these POLS.

POLS appear to take more work than traditional rote and isolated skills-based learning, but there is more buy-in from students, and teachers are allowed to go deeper with content. Teachers new to the idea can start on a smaller scale, using strategies such as Think-Pair-Share. This helps students become familiar with sharing their learning with others before launching into a full-scale presentation. The increased level of student learning and engagement is certainly worth the time investment.

=Online Reading II - Engaging the Digital Learner=



===Articles: How to Keep Kids Engaged in Class | Ten Steps to Better Student Engagement===

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series of articles on student engagement. Many teachers struggle with keeping student interested in classwork that they may not see as important to their lives. One suggestion from the articles is to get student buy-in. Help students see how the information applies to their immediate environment and they are more likely to pay attention to what is being taught. Even better, have them actually apply the information through student-centered project-based learning. This fosters cooperative learning and independence.

I will definitely print out these articles and keep them near my daily lesson plans. There were even tips on keeping students engaged during routine classrooms tasks, i.e. passing out papers, checking homework, to avoid "dead time." I notice the rise in volume in my classroom during these times. Here is a synopsis of a few of the suggestions.


 * 1) Mind warm-ups
 * 2) Movement
 * 3) Quick-writes
 * 4) Journaling
 * 5) Fairness sticks
 * 6) Ask three before you ask me
 * 7) Vary teaching style
 * 8) Culture of explanation vs right answer
 * 9) Reflection of personal knowledge
 * 10) Think and answer questioning strategies

=Online Reading III - Science and Math=



Article: Latinas en Ciencia: Making Science and Technology Real for Girls
This article really sparked my interest because of a chat I recently read on Edweek.org with psychologists Stephen J. Ceci and Wendy M. Williams, authors of //The Mathematics of Sex//. They discussed the low number of women in higher-level math and science professions. Concerned about the under-representation of //Latina// women in those fields, youth education advocate, Raquel Aguillon, received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to start a program for Latina girls.

The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry used the funds to start Latinas in Ciencia, and outreach program for Hispanic girls. The girls attend workshops that increase their awareness and knowledge of math and science concepts and career options in those fields. Later, their parents were invited to a symposium hosted by the girls. The program was so successful, the museum holds a monthly event.

This type of outreach is crucial to getting girls interested in STEM careers. As a classroom teachers whose students are 99% Hispanic, I am compelled to think about the messages I am sending to the girls in my class. I feel that I do a good job of making sure my girls are equally involved in math and science activities. As a matter of fact, they ask more questions than the boys (my boys tend to figure things out quietly) and eagerly ask if we are doing science that day. While we do science everyday, "doing" science to them involves the experiments.

What I can do more of is to raise awareness about math and science careers for **all** of my students. The make-up of my class includes 1 Native American girl, 1 white girl, 1 girl of mixed heritage, 11 Mexican-American boys, and 12 Mexican-American girls. Being in a low-income area, my students don't venture far outside of their communities or have many opportunities to see professionals in math or science who look like them. To inform and inspire, I can do the following:


 * Invite students from a local high school to conduct experiments with my class (primarily Hispanic population)
 * Invite a minority/female STEM professional to speak to the class
 * Show videos that feature math and science professionals and careers
 * Show students articles that feature math and science professions

=Online Reading IV - Innovative Teaching Strategies=



Article: Students Thrive on Cooperation and Problem Solving
Today's classrooms must look different from classrooms of yesteryear because the needs of industry are changing. In order to ready students to compete in an increasingly global economy, it is essential that they are equipped with 21st century skills.

No longer guaranteed a job in the local manufacturing plant, students are having to compete with their peers in far off places such as India and China. Project- and problem-based learning, or PBL, helps prepare students for the challenge. PBL offers students the opportunity to delve into the intricacies of solving a real-world problem. Students work together in small groups to research, examine, evaluate, communicate, and present their findings with a wide-spread audience, all the while using technology to meet their learning goals.

While the traditional classroom setting teaches students a set of skills in isolation in a lecture-based environment, the PBL classroom encourages students to manipulate data, direct their own learning, and work in teams, much like they would experience in the workplace. It is critical to the growth of our country that we produce innovative and critical thinkers who are ready to collaborate and compete with citizens of the world.