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ARA Conference
Statement: I, Annie Walker, attended the ARA Conference on Thursday
November 12th 2015 and Friday November 13th 2015 until lunch.
The ARA Conference was truly one of the best experiences I have
had this semester. I learned so much from this conference, and I had a
blast at the same time! It was such a neat experience, and I am very
grateful that we got to be a part of it. I was glad that we got to help
them stuff and distribute bags the first morning. I was also very excited
about getting the bag, and the different readers theaters and other
fun goodies. One of my favorite speakers from the whole conference
was Mr. Jeff Anderson. He was absolutely hilarious, yet everything he
said was so impactful and interesting. I have not spent much time
thinking about writing, but now I do! The different exercises that we did
with the writing tips he was telling us about were so cool! I love when
speakers involve the audience, and he did this with the activities and
his humor. The writing tips I learned from this session were also
extremely valuable. I loved how he did not put parameters on the
childrens writing, but let them express themselves and say what they
wanted to say. Writing is important because it opens the pathway to
reading. Therefore, students should be writing every day. However, we
do not want to put a bad taste in their mouth about writing, so we
need to make it fun and expressive. Next, I heard the author of
Woodlawn speak, and he is incredible! He spoke about love, and how
when it stems from the Lord, then we change lives. He used this to
encourage us as teachers. He talked about how God takes the ordinary
and can turn it into the extraordinary. We might see ourselves as
ordinary teachers, but God can use us for the extraordinary if we let
Him. We have such a platform to love the students, and we never know
how this love will affect them. I bought his book, and have already
started to read it. I was a little star struck! Then, the next day, I met
Ms. Anne Marie Corgill, and she is a hoot! She was so nice to all of us,
but she also said some really neat things about education and, of
course, certifications. After speaking to her, we listened to Dr. Bice, and
I think he is the perfect man for his job. He has innovative and creative
ideas, and it is clear that his first priority is the students and seeing
them succeed. He had some radical ideas that I loved, like not
confining school to the morning hours, and having little breaks
throughout the year, instead of summer. He does his job so well, and
the statistics prove this. Finally, the last two sessions I went to were
both about childrens books, and I have some great suggestions for my
future library. Dr. Underbaake gave us some great suggestions about
childrens books, like The Day the Crayons Came Home and The OK
book. The next speaker also talked about different books, and I have a
long list of books to buy now. I loved this conference so much, and I
want to go back again sometime!
ELL Reflection
The ELL workshop was extremely interesting. After hearing Mr.
Pitts and then Mrs. Valtierra speak, I have been thinking more and
more about working with ELL students. I really enjoyed everything that
Mrs. Valtierra did, and I loved how it was interactive yet extremely
informative. I learned so much more because she involved us and
made it interesting, which is also a good model for how we as teachers
should run our classroom.
One of the biggest points that Ms. Valtierra stressed with us is
the way that language is acquired. There are four ways: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. I had heard of these ways before, but I
learned that speaking and writing are ways that you produce language,
and that is harder for ELL students to do, so that comes later in the
process of learning. On the other hand, reading and listening are ways
that you receive language, so the ELL students start with these steps.
It is very important to understand this, along with the different stages
they progress through, so that you can most effectively teach your
students. The stages were also very interesting to me. I had never
heard of these stages before, but they are so very important for the
success of your students. I think the most important one to understand
and to know is the first stage, silent period. In this stage, the students
are taking it all in. They are receiving the language, but they are not
reproducing it. They listen and they imitate the other students, but
they cannot follow directions or write anything. This is key to
understand for teachers because they cannot get discouraged when
their students do not talk or participate. They are learning, just in their
own way. It is important not to discourage them or criticize them, and
that goes for every stage, as well. It is also important to remember that
students cannot skip stages. They must go through every single stage.
The activity that Mrs. Valtierra did with us to show us how much
English each stage processes was great! It really helped me to
understand, and to see it from the students perspective. I felt really
bad for the poor students who do not understand even half of what the
teachers said. It helped me to understand how to better teach the
students. This is why it is very important to model and demonstrate
your instructions for your students, because they do not understand
your words. It would also be a good idea to have a peer partner, so
that the ELL student can easily imitate and model what the class is
doing. What we learned in this section was extremely useful for future
classrooms, whether we are teaching ELL students or regular students!
There were several key points that Mrs. Valtierra made that made
a big impact on me, and will affect the way I teach in the future. First,
the way that she taught us was a wonderful model of how to run a
classroom. She assigned roles, which minimized the time it took to do
things. She modeled her activities and made them interactive, which is
exactly how I wanted to run my classroom. She gave rewards for right
answers, but did not criticize for wrong answers. She made the
learning environment a safe environment, and I felt like I could ask
questions and not be made fun of or criticized. This was very valuable
for the learning experience. She also gave us valuable advice, useful
resources, and helpful tips for ELL students. The piece of advice that I
found most powerful was that as a teacher, our job is to push the
students to the next level. As long as the students show progress, we
have done our job. The amount of time it takes a student is irrelevant,
as long as they show progress. This goes for all students, not just ELL
ones. It also important to remember that teaching the ELL students is a
process, not an event. Next, the resources she gave us were
invaluable. The HELP! Booklet with all the rubrics, the can-do lists, and
the expectation list are such a good resource for us for the future. The
WIDA website is also an excellent resource to know about and to use,
because it has all the standards on it. Finally, the different games and
activities that Mrs. Valtierra showed us were good ideas, and I will
implement them in my classroom. I loved the Hot Onion game. That is
a great way to close a lesson, and it is active and allows different
students to participate. I wish we would play those games in our
classrooms! The gallery walk was also a great idea, but I wish we had
more time to talk about it. I would let the different groups present
them to the class, and then put them in the gallery so that students
could walk through and solidify their knowledge. Overall, this was such
a useful seminar and I am very glad that Mrs. Valtierra came and spoke
to us.
Dr. Newton
Dr. Newtons presentation today was inspiring, and it made me
excited for the future. I have a passion and a desire to be the best
teacher I can be and to impact so many students lives through my
teaching. Therefore, I found it very interesting to hear Dr. Newtons
findings on what makes great teachers so great. I found the five points
extremely helpful, especially for first year teachers, because we now
have five guidelines to help us achieve the greatness we are aspiring
for. While I believe that all five of the points were important, there were
two that clearly stood out to me. First, I believe that a culture of
redemption is extremely beneficial and necessary in a classroom. My
favorite teacher use to tell our class all the time that it is not about the
grade we make, but about what we learned in the process. The focus in
a classroom should never be on whether students are achieving
perfection, but instead that they are learning the material, no matter
how long that takes. I liked when Dr. Newton mentioned the loose,
tight principle, and that teachers should be loose on students learning
on the teachers time frame, but tight on the fact that the learning
does occur. I also believe that there should always be a chance for
fixing mistakes and re-doing failures. No one is perfect, and we are all
going to fail. Therefore, we all deserve second chances and the
opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Often times, the greatest
moments of learning come from making mistakes. The second most
powerful point to me was about teaching being a journey that the
students and teacher are on together. That point is moving because I
think that so many teachers see their job as simply pounding
knowledge into the minds of younger generations and hoping they
learn something. It is so much more than that. It is a journey, and
teachers serve as a guide for the students, to help them and
encourage them. The teachers and students should work as a team to
accomplish their learning goals. The environment of a classroom
should be open and friendly, where the students feel like the teacher is
a part of the team, willing and ready to help them work towards their
goal, at anytime. This being said, I also had a certain personality in
mind for this great teacher label. However, I learned today that great
teachers come in all shapes and sizes. They have different techniques
and different teaching styles. They run the classroom differently, and
they have unique approaches when it comes to relationships with the
students. However, they all have one thing in common: their focus is
centered on the students in the classroom, who they care about and
want to see succeed. That is what makes the difference between a
mediocre teacher and a great one. With all these points in mind, I feel
excited to begin my journey as a teacher, but also very anxious
because I have such a strong desire to be this great teacher but I know
it will take time and experience.
should all be treated in the same manner, and held to the same
standard. This would be the biggest challenge in a classroom, but it
could also be the biggest blessing when the child finally breaks through
that barrier. However, when you feel like a child is struggling, do not
just let them slide by. Keep pursuing them, keep asking them
questions, and keep working with them. Do not ever give up on a
student, and always see the best in all of your students.
Dr. Rogers
We can teach you to teach, but we cannot change your
dispositions to teach. I thought that was a very powerful way for Dr.
Rogers to open her presentation today. This is a very true statement.
Teachers should have a certain quality and attitude about them that
others do not have, and that no one can teach you, because they have
a very special job. This being said, not everyone can, or should, be a
teacher. Unfortunately, in todays society, I think just about anyone is
allowed to teach, whether they have that certain disposition or not.
This issue is part of the problem with our school systems.
It takes a very special person to be a teacher, a person with a
heart and a passion for it. Otherwise, there is just a person standing at
the front of the classroom hoping that the students learn something,
but not really caring about the student. However, an effective teacher
teaches knowledge and skills, as well as cares for the students. I found
Dr. Rogers list of essential ingredients for being an effective teacher
very interesting. The most important one to me, although all three are
essential, was disposition. As evidenced by the activity we did in class,
the attitude and actions of a teacher make the difference between a
good teacher and an impactful teacher. Anyone can master a skill and
anyone can obtain knowledge on a certain subject matter. But not
everyone has the gift, attitude, and aptitude to teach. Therefore, your
behavior is an integral part of the teaching experience. I also believe
that some of these dispositions are innate. The desire to nurture and
care for young children, to build relationships with them out of love and
selflessness, is a gift from God that not everyone has. This gift is so
unique, and we should not take it for granted. I thought it was helpful
to know that we will learn these various dispositions from watching
other teachers, from our Samford classes and teachers, and also from
each other. From these different categories, we will learn both what to
do and what not to do. I hope to be an example of what to do, but I
also know that these girls around me will serve as excellent examples
and role models for the next coming years.
While reading the criteria of the dispositions data sheet that Dr.
Rogers distributed, one stood out to me: the teacher demonstrates
both high expectations of students and the belief that all students can
learn at their potential I believe that all students have the potential
to succeed, but the teacher must put in the effort, as in the case of
Marva Collins, who truly cared about a group of students that everyone
else overlooked. The students from a rough part of Chicago had been
told their whole lives that they were not good enough and that they
could not succeed. However, Marva spoke to them so positively, that
they began to believe in themselves, and they began to excel in the
classroom. Each day, she lifted them up with her words, but she also
had high expectations for them. The students went on to obtain a
higher education, and they all had successful careers. She made such
an impact on those students, simply through her positive teaching
influence. That is my goal in teaching, to take a group of students that
no one believes in and tell them that they are worth it and that I
believe in them. I want to pour time, energy, and love into students
who have never experienced the feeling of love or success before. I
truly believe that then they will succeed in whatever they do. Just as
Marva Collins dispositions were key in motivating the students and
allowing them to believe in themselves when no one else did, so are
our dispositions important while we are teaching.
Dr. Rogers ended with this powerful quote from Oswald
Chambers: Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ
persistently manifested. Ultimately, our dispositions should be Christlike and reflect the love of Jesus Christ. We should strive to emulate the
fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control, every day of our lives. If we
do this, we can only imagine the impact we will have on the lives of the
students that we are influencing day after day.
Dr. Hannah
Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything
that can be counted counts. This quote by Albert Einstein summarizes
my feelings from Dr. Hannahs talk today. Not everything that counts
can be measured on paper. In fact, often times the most impactful and
meaningful moments cannot be found on paper. Stemming from this
idea, Dr. Hannah said today that the best form of assessment is truly
and deeply knowing your students, and I adore that idea. While
educational assessments are necessary, knowing your student is the
best assessment.
I did find her points on educational assessment extremely useful
and helpful. I loved the idea that assessment should be about what
teachers intend for the students to learn. They should measure how
well the student has mastered a certain topic, and not just test random
topics. I can relate to this idea, because I have had plentiful experience
with tests that just test random knowledge and teachers who simply
enjoy giving a test. This does not help the student learn, and it also
does not show the student that you truly care about them and how
they are doing intellectually. I also think it is very important to fully
prepare your students for tests. This means having both knowledge
and skills. If you have knowledge, that is just the first part. The second
part of fully understanding a topic is applying that knowledge to a
certain skill set. In order for students to be successful, teachers must
teach knowledge and skills. This also plays into teaching students
critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills. One thing that Dr.
Hannah mentioned was the idea of productive struggle. That is a
hard concept for me, because I love to help people and my natural
instinct is to jump in and give them the answer. However, I need to
learn that often times the struggle of finding an answer teaches a child
to learn the concept. As a teacher, I can give them guidance but I
should not rescue them. I also find the difference between formative
and summative assessment intriguing and I love talking about it. I had
never heard of the two different types before, but now I thoroughly
enjoy learning about both. I like how formative assessments are only
meant for learning, and they aid both the teacher and the students.
Assessment for learning is a gift we give our students. It is a mirror to
show them how far they have come... I thought that was a powerful
quote that Dr. Hannah used, and that it was very true about formative
assessment. I want to remember all the different techniques for
formative assessment, because I just find it so intriguing. However, I
should not forget the importance of summative assessment, either.
These kinds of assessments are helpful and necessary, but the key is
knowing your students.
One thing that will never change in assessment is that the best kind
is honestly getting to know your students. Children and students tell us
everything. In order to fully understand our students and where they
are coming from, we must first develop a relationship with them. It is
proven that once a relationship has been formed, learning takes place
so much more easily. Imagine the difference a teacher who cares about
the student and who cares about their grades can make. I would love
to teach in an underprivileged area, where I could provide this
relationship to students who have never had it before. Then, I could
provide them opportunities that they cannot make for themselves.
Being a teacher who cares keeps the students in school and keeps
them motivated. It places a desire in the students to want to learn for
the rest of their lives, which is my goal in education. I want students to
love learning, and to look forward to that. The first step towards my
gaol is the best form of assessment: getting to know each individual
student.
Dr. Wood
them as a burden, so they get extra work. They get punished for
finishing early and being bright, which brings us to the third point.
Students who receive extra problems or an additional worksheet are
more likely to become less motivated because they make the
connection that finishing early means more work. They realize that if
they work slowly, or get more problems wrong then they will not have
to complete the additional work. This does not encourage good habits
or the desired work ethic in students. However, the strategies that Dr.
Wood presented are exciting, engaging ways for students to receive
the enrichment and special attention that they need.
I loved this seminar today. It was extremely informative, but also
interesting and fun. It is so important for teachers to know how to
handle all the students in the class, and to be prepared for those
situations that will arise. I slowly am starting to feel more and more
prepared for my future classroom.
Dr. Bluiett
I think that people view assessment as a negative aspect of
teaching. Every time the word test is mentioned, it always
accompanied by a groan or by a sympathetic comment. However, tests
and assessments are not negative things. They are powerful tools that
both the students and teachers need in order to have a successful
classroom. Assessments can be administered in many different ways
and using many different styles. The styles we talked about today in
class pertained mainly to reading, and I found them very interesting.
However, I felt a little overwhelmed at the end of class, as well as
being a little confused about assessment.
First, I thought it was interesting what Dr. Bluiett had to say
about assessment preceding instruction. That thought confused me. I
had always thought that instruction was to be given first, and then you
test or assess your students to discover how effective the instruction
was. However, today Dr. Bluiett said that assessment always comes
before instruction. I do not understand that. I understand how pre-tests
are given sometimes, but I do not think that assessment should ever
precede instruction. Maybe I misunderstood her point, but I disagree
with that point.
I did however love her points about the different types of tests. I
think that the most important types of tests are the ones that go in
depth and the ones you administer day-to-day. The in-depth tests are
important because they tell you why the student is struggling with that
certain topic. This is important to know in order to better help the
student conquer the reading issue. The second type of test, the day-today progress assessment, is the most essential test though. This test is
used throughout the year to measure the students progress and how
much they have learned. These are the most important assessments
because they are given on a daily or weekly basis, so they are
consistent. They also determine the students progress, so you can
track how the student is doing, as well determine if the instruction is
working or not. If these assessments are not working, then the teacher
can re-evaluate the situation and invent new techniques to help the
students. Re-evaluation is key for every teacher and every assessment.
Assessments are not only for the students, therefore the teachers need
to carefully consider the data each assessment tells them, and proceed
from there. Maybe that is what Dr. Blueitt was saying when she said
that instruction follows assessment.
Lastly, my favorite part of the seminar was discussing the
different reading assessments that can be used. The most interesting
subject to me was learning how to teach children about book
orientation. The phonemic awareness and fluency tests will also be
very useful for my future classroom. I am excited to put these tests to
use, and see them in action. I think that will help me to understand the
whole concept better. Dr. Bluiett gave us some very good reading
techniques and I appreciate those techniques, even though I was
slightly overwhelmed at the end of the day.
Underbakke Reflection
Mr. Underbakke was an excellent speaker, and his presentation has
been my favorite so far. He is engaging and funny, but what he had to
say was helpful as well. Even from his first word of advice (panic is
never good) that had nothing to do with what he was actually talking
about, I learned something. However, I gleaned valuable information
from his discussion on books to read in the classroom.
First, I did not know that people understand more difficult text
when it is read aloud to them. This is why reading aloud to students is
so important, as is choosing the book you read to them. Reading a
chapter book out loud to children introduces them to a text that they
would not be able to comprehend on their own at that time. Mr.
Underbakke gave two very important guidelines for choosing these
books, one of which I had never thought of before. First, he said to
always make sure you read the book all the way through before you
read it to your students. This is very important, because you would not
want to read something inappropriate to your students, or something
that could potentially scar or scare them. Second, he said to choose
read aloud books that students would never choose to read on their
own or would never find to read on their own. I had never thought of
that, but I see why that would be important and useful. It exposes
children to literature that they would not usually read, but it also does
not eliminate any books that they might want to read independently.
that struggle with learning excel in either music or art. They can
express themselves better in these areas, and therefore they shine in
these classes. It can also be therapeutic for some students, if they
have behavior issues. At the same time, gifted students who need
extra activities or assignments can utilize what the Specials teachers
have to offer. Both the Art and Music teacher mentioned how they try
to do collaborative projects with the teachers so that what the students
are learning in class is supported by what they do in Art and Music.
Because the students only get 30 minutes of each a week, the
teachers are responsible for providing 30 more minutes of Art and
Music, so it is important for the classroom teachers and Specials
teachers to communicate. Ms. Northcutt mentioned the website
DickBlick and Deep Space Sparkle for resources for art projects.
These websites provide valuable tips for Art teachers. Deep Space
Sparkle includes Art management tips, art lessons by grade, art videos,
more art resources, and even art literature. It is an amazing website!
The Librarian is another Specials teacher that is there to assist
teachers. She is a good resource for finding appropriate books, as well
as for finding books that children will love. The PE teacher is the final
Specials teacher, and it is a law that students must have 30 minutes of
exercise a day. This is good for students because they get out their
energy and can run and play for a little while, which wakes up the brain
and prepares them for learning. One of my favorite things that these
teachers said was about how Special teachers are really good
resources to ask about student behavior. These teachers notice things
because they see the children in different environments. It is important
to use these teachers as resources and for advice. I enjoyed listening
to these teachers because I love Specials, and so do the students.
Lunch Team
Ms. Ida Collins is the head of the lunch staff at Trace Crossings, and she
is a saint. Her role is important because if the students are not fed
properly, then, no matter what the teachers do, the students will not
learn. Students must have their basic needs met before they can focus
on anything else, and so Ms. Ida makes sure that those needs are met!
By doing this, she is supporting what the teachers teach in the
classroom, because she is making sure the students are equipped to
learn. Each morning, she provides breakfast for the students, complete
with one entre, one fruit, and a milk. The teachers must place the
breakfast on every childs desk to ensure that the child was given
breakfast. I found it interesting how she said that she advices the
teachers to keep the leftover food in the classroom, so the students
can take it home at the end of the day or eat it as a snack. Otherwise,
she has to throw the food away. For lunch, the children are required to
have vegetables, fruit, and milk. They try to make the meals more like
what the students would get at home. I also loved how Ms. Ida said
that loves to get to know the students, and to pay attention to them
because she never wants a child to be hungry, and she will never say
no to them about getting more food. She cares about the children. She
will give them the extra that they need, because she does not know
what the situation is, but she cares. She was such a blessing to listen
to, and she made me want to eat in the cafeteria every single day just
so I could talk to her.
ELL Teacher
Mr. Pitts is the ELL teacher and I enjoyed listening to what he had to
say, because I am interested in working with students who speak a
different language, preferably Spanish. He is a key contributor to
students success in the classroom because he helps them reach a
level where they can comprehend what is happening in the classroom.
He said at one point that he is an advocate for the students. I think
that is so true, but I also think that all teachers need to have that
mindset. He is not only helping the students, but also the faculty. He
can communicate to the teachers how the children learn and where
they are in their progress, so that the teachers can adjust assignments
and know where the student is and what they need more help with. He
has a very important role. I found it interesting that he tests each
student before they come into Trace, so he gets to know each one on a
personal level. Then, he takes the test scores and decides whether
they should be in ELL classes or not. Once that decision is made, he
starts working with the students weekly. Even after they have been
dismissed from the program, he monitors them for two years. I also
found it interesting how he is not only used to communicate to the
students, but he is needed to help the parents too. That makes perfect
sense, but I had never thought of that before. He serves as a translator
in many situations, as well as helping the parents do things that they
do not understand regarding school. He also mentioned how frustrated
he gets with the ACT INSPIRE that the ELL students have to take
because they are not capable of doing it, yet they are required to it.
Mrs. Barber called it education malpractice and I could not agree
more. Mr. Pitts also talked about the website WIDA, and this is just a
long list of standards for students who are developing the English
Language. I can see how that would be very helpful. I thoroughly
enjoyed Mr. Pitts, and this session made me consider working with
students who do not speak English.
Principle
Carol Barber is the principle at Trace Crossings. She has had many
years of experience in administration, both as a principle and in school
level where they can succeed, and it is these students who need the
most help. It was also interesting to me that they said that they work
with students who are not Title One as well. I think that is an excellent
idea. These teachers help students who are behind to reach the level
where they should be. Without their help, the students would be
struggling with no chance of survival in the education system. They are
there to support the classroom teachers. They said that they do not
want to both the teachers, but instead work with them and support the
students in the classroom. Teachers should work closely with the Title
One teachers because you learn valuable information about your
students from them. I loved how their goal was to not keep the
students for the whole year. They want to see progress and they want
to dismiss the student, although they keep monitoring them, so that
they can have room for more students who need help. The passion that
these three ladies exude is obvious. They have to be extremely
talented and driven, because they work with all different grade levels
on all different content areas, all in one day. They are constantly
changing children and changing subjects, yet it is so obvious that they
love the students and that they love their job. I was grateful for this
session and learned a lot.
Instructional support
Ms. Paige teaches instructional support, otherwise known as working
with the special needs children. She was very thorough in her
description of her job, and I appreciated that. I also thought it was very
helpful of her to print out a handout for us, to have for future
reference. Ms. Paige works with the children with IEPs, and supports
them outside of the classroom. Although they learn in the classroom,
she pulls them out and works with them throughout the day. She also
mentioned how it was important for her to collaborate with the
teachers, so she knows what they are doing in class and can teach the
students what they need based on that. However, she said that her
schedule is 70% teaching, and 30% paperwork. Working with
disabilities requires a large amount of paperwork. That is because each
IEP student requires paperwork (it is a legal document), and there is
always more paperwork to be done. She works with around 20 different
students that qualify for different learning abilities, such as Down
Syndrome, autism, etc. One idea that she does that I love is the idea of
the Lunch Bunch, where autistic children can come and learn
emotional, social, and communication skills. While their learning might
be fine, they struggle in a different area. She also uses instructional
support aids in the classroom. These aids will work alongside the
student in the classroom, so that they do not miss any important
instruction. They are also there to support the teacher in a time of
need, and show them the best way to relate to the student. Finally, I
liked how she mentioned that the only thing constant in her teaching
world is change. This highlights the need for teachers to be flexible and
to expect problems. Those are okay, but you have to be willing to
change and prepared to change. I learned a lot from Ms. Paige!