The Scoop on: Finding Forrester

This past week my class watched the film, Finding Forrester.  This movie from 2000, tells the story of a young black male, Jamal, played by Rob Brown, and his relationship with a presently withdrawn Pulitzer-Prize winning author William Forrester, played by Sean Connery.  The strange and unlikely relationship between this 16 year-old student and famous author begins when Forrester discovers Jamal has secretly sneaked into his Bronx apartment as a joke with the neighborhood kids.  Jamal, a talented athlete and student, leaves his backpack full of writings behind in the apartment by mistake.  The two meet when Jamal is in need of getting his belongings back and a relationship forms between the two.  Jamal and Forrester are an unlikely pair based on age, race, and socioeconomic status.  However, Forrester soon becomes Jamal's biggest fan and mentor as he is recruited to one of New York's most prestigious private schools after his academic giftedness is discovered through national testing at his high school.  Jamal, on the other hand, becomes Forrester's motivation and inspiration in leaving his private, secluded life to which he created after experiencing loss and also criticism from the public.  Both characters are writers but in different stages of life. While Forrester encourages Jamal to write, Jamal encourages Forrester to trust and "let go".

Throughout the story, we see many examples of challenges in society relating to race, socioeconomic standing, and giftedness.  Jamal, not only an excellent student, is also a talented basketball player.  With many attributes in his life in his favor, he had many other things going against him as he fought to be accepted.  Here are a few examples of the struggles the character Jamal faced:

• Talented basketball player vs. He did not want to be stereo-typed for being black and good at basketball.
• High achieving student vs. He struggled to fit in with the other athletes who were in less challenging classes.
• Was recruited an accepted to prestigious school vs. was reminded of "where he comes from"/neighborhood in the Bronx while there.
• Was a talented writer vs. was accused of plagiarism I.e. his talent and integrity were questioned.
• Befriended a white girl (Claire) vs. skepticism about inter-racial relationship, especially with a faculty member's daughter.
• Jamal experienced a teacher wanting to help vs. a teacher wanting to hinder.

In taking this movie and relating it back to my classroom, it made me think of those students who struggle with trying to fit in, lay low, and be under the radar.  For some kids who are far above their classmates, it may be easier to take this route, so they do not have to experience the awkwardness of giftedness.  This awkwardness could lead to advanced classes away from friends, a change in comfort zone, and new opportunities that are scary to some students.  What we can do for our students is to pay attention and connect with our students so we can see their talents, skills, and giftedness in areas at school.  Some may be obvious, but some talents may be hidden by acting out, laziness/boredom, etc.  In this film, Jamal's teacher was invested in the success of her student that she immediately made contact with the parent and her principal about Jamal.  He went on to experience an educational environment that challenged his true capabilities, and he attended classes that pushed him further than he would have on his own.

I think the best thing we can do as educators is to be fully present in our classrooms to understand and connect with our students.  In inspiring them to be the best that they can be both academically and as people in society, we should reward and nurture their giftedness with positive reinforcement, avoiding assigning tasks as busy work.  By channeling what areas they both excel and lack in, we can boost skills that need boosting, while challenging them in other areas.  We can avoid situations where we have boredom with our gifted students, by actively seeking out resources, tools, and activities so that our high-achieving students do not get overlooked, or worst case, feel punished by their giftedness. 

How do you avoid boredom with your gifted students?  I'd love to know how you avoid boredom and positively keep gifted students engaged.

Reference:

[Finding Forrester image]. Retrieved April 10, 2014 from: http://www.daleelak.tv/uploads/photos/14/Finding_Forrester1.jpg

The Scoop on: Girl Rising

"250 million adolescent girls live in poverty.  They are the most powerful force for change on the planet" Girl Effect 2014.

Here in the Unites States, we do not value education as the true privilege that it is to much of the developing world.  Although the girls in our classrooms do not face hardships in their communities and lives such as punishment for education or exclusion from obtaining an education, education-no matter where it is being offered-has an immense impact on poverty.  Success in school leads to a lower drop-out rate, delayed pregnancies and marriage, and better opportunities for employment i.e. income and advancement in our society.  In my classroom for example, every student comes from a two-parent household where both parents work.  Education is valued and expected in my school community.  Child-bearing did not begin for the families at my school until after college, thus by the time students are in first grade, parents are past the age of thirty.  The expectations for girls in my classroom are high.  Their families expect them to be both academically successfully as well as successful in the arts and in sports, creating well-rounded personalities. These ideals are very different to the lives of a handful of young girls around the world whom my graduate class was introduced to through the film Girl Rising.  Recognizing these values in my school community helps me to see that communities like  mine would truly be ideal places to spread awareness of campaigns such as Girl Rising and organizations like it. 

Recently, my Diversity in Education class viewed the film, Girl Rising on our school campus.  This film focused on the quest for an education for girls around the world.  Through storytelling, the audience meets young girls in their homes, neighborhoods, and cities to learn the true struggles they face in their cultures and the obstacles that keep them from attending school.  Two-thirds of the world's uneducated children are girls, and two-thirds of the world's illiterate adults are women (Educating Girls Matters 2014).  The Girl Rising campaign focuses on the simple fact that educating girls around the world can break the cycles of poverty.  As the audience meets these young girls in various countries, they are prompted to help support this campaign as millions of girls face barriers to education that boys do not. 

But how in 2014 are adolescent girls still missing out on basic educational opportunities?  Why do girls, specifically, need our time, energy, and money? The Girl Effect organization answers these questions in three solid points: Girls are agents of change, people assume girls are being reached, and the cost of girls is high.  By delaying child marriage and teen pregnancy, issues such HIV and AIDS are avoided.  In addition, programs out there currently focus on children aged 0-5 years old or focus on women, missing this crucial age range in a girl's life.  Lastly, the numbers do not lie.  Check out these facts from the Girl Effect's website: "In India, adolescent pregnancy results in nearly $10billion in lost potential income. In Uganda, 85 per cent of girls leave school early, resulting in $10billion in lost potential earnings. By delaying child marriage and early birth for one million girls, Bangladesh could potentially add $69billion to the national income over these girls' lifetimes (2014)".

There are even more reasons to invest in girls educations world-wide.  According to Educating Girls Matters, educating girls has astounding impacts on developing stable economies around the world:

 

• Reduction of child and maternal mortality
• Improvement of child nutrition and health
• Lower birth rates
• Enhancement of women's domestic role and their political participation
• Improvement of the economic productivity and growth

Although Girl Rising has become the most recognizable campaign project thanks to their partnership with college campuses, businesses, and community outreaches, other organizations are fighting for the same rights for girls in developing countries.  UNICEF, Educating Girls Matters, the Girl Effect, and TARA all work towards changing the world through educating its girls through: spreading awareness, providing scholarships, providing camps, sponsoring children, and collecting donations. The video below from the TARA project is a great example of how little [financially] it takes to provide an education to a girl an how large an impact it creates-not just on the child and local community, but on the global economy.

 

Currently, the Girl Rising campaign has received more than $2.1 million in donations.  By partnering with educators and campuses around the Unites States, the awareness of the affect of poverty has on a girl's education is rising through their efforts.  I invite you to view their Blog to learn more about success stories happening now around the world as they post on the Girl Rising Blog. Every child has a right to attend school and the right to an education, and these stories are just as inspiring as the film itself!

 

 

 

References:

[Child image]. Retrieved March 23, 2014 from: http://www.techsangam.com/wp33/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/rte_girl_pic_facenfacts_com.jpeg

Educating Girls Matters. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.educatinggirlsmatters.org/

Girl Effect. (2014).  Retrieved from: www.girleffect.org

Ten Times Ten LLC and Vulcan Productions, Inc. (2014). Girl Rising. Retrieved from: http://girlrising.com/about-us/

[The Power of One Video]. Retrieved March 23, 2014 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddb9W43_07Q

 

The Scoop On: Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind

Engaging students with poverty in mind is an overwhelming task. Poverty is not only a financial struggle but also includes other attributes-both mentally and emotionally-that are sometimes overlooked by outsiders. Nutrition, stress, and cognitive capacity all affect a student's performance. As educators, it is our goal to ensure we can assess the needs of our students and provide the support they need to become successful people in our society.

One of the greatest things we can do as educators is to relate to our students. If we do not know where they come from, what their home lives are like, or what they encounter on a daily basis, it is difficult to hone in on what they need most.  Eric Jensen states in his book Teaching with Poverty in Mind, "The goal is to manage students' emotional states to make them better receptive to learning as much of the time as possible"(p. 140).   Here are some ways we can show our investment in our students and engage them: 

• Take time at the beginning of the school year to review students' files 


• Add strategies to your lessons and manage student progress each week


• Appreciate and acknowledge every response from students. This small habit will boost confidence in your students and encourage more participation. 


• Despite the assumption that students of poverty have parents that are not involved, continue to reach out to parents. This assumption is not always accurate, and you might be surprised at the response. 


• Call home for both good and bad reports. 


• Be positive and excited when you see them...despite how the day before ended! 


• Be passionate about what you are teaching to gain student by-in.

Once you have established an environment in your classroom that shows concern, empathy, and investment for your students, it will be easier for you to gain their buy-in. Establishing incentives that are fun is one of my favorite things to do! Reward your students for good behavior, asking good questions, and helping fellow students. Rewarding students for these three things prevents teachers from only rewarding the students who consistently get test questions correct or who are quiet in class. Being fair and consistent are two important attributes to an incentive program to keep in mind. By knowing your students' interests, you are also better able to target engaging activities that they will enjoy-a true reward in itself. This will show your students you respect them and their interests and will help them respect you in return.  

In a perfect classroom, a teacher is able to spend time with each student one-on-one or within small groups to more fully understand what core skills are mastered and missing. However, often times this is not possible. The best a teacher can do to still gain this understanding of his/her students is to be fully present with her students.  By being a stable and positive relationship in their lives, students will gain more from us than just the grade-level curriculum.  In addition to the points listed above, here is what I am doing in my classroom to keep my students engaged in learning:

• I eliminate the "lull"!  One thing I have noticed is that if I offer a second of dead time in my classroom, it quickly turns into more time away from my lesson as I try to get everyone back on task.  To avoid this "lull", I keep things moving.  My students quickly pick up on my class' routine, and we get a lot accomplished.  


• I vary my activities!  Every class is a mix of different types of learners, so I create my lesson plans with that fact in mind.  I ensure I target all learning styles in my teaching.  From getting the students out of their seats, to having them add clapping/stopping to their reading, to reading independently, to working in pairs, I want my students to experience learning in different ways.


• I give opportunities to answer!  Sometimes the answer to something is black and white. When it is not, I like to ask my students questions that can have multiple answers, so I have a greater opportunity of hearing from more students. 


• I ensure no one is overlooked!  Every morning when my students come in to my classroom, I check their folders. They bring them to me, and this is our time to check for parents notes, homework is complete, and most importantly, to check in and say 'Good Morning" before the day begins.  I could easily collect all folders, check them, and pass them back out, but I enjoy the time with my students this way.

Nicholas Provenzano's article for Edutopia entitled "Good Time: 4 Ways to Reawaken Student Engagement" is also a great resource for ways to engage your students of all backgrounds.  There he gives four main points to keep present in your daily lessons with the most important being to Have Fun! 

I would love to hear what you do in your classrooms to engage learners of all styles and background.  Not all students come to school ready to learn, so how do you change this when they arrive?

Reference:

Jensen E. (2009). Teaching With Poverty in Mind. ASCD: Alexandria, VA.

Prvenzano, N. (2013 December 13) Good Time: 4 Ways to Reaawaken Student Engagement. Edutopia. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/good-time-reawaken-student-engagement-nicholas-provenzano

[Student photo] Retrieved February 17, 2014 from: http://www.laprogressive.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/07/urban-school-children.gif

The Scoop on: Poverty and Catholic Education

The Catholic education students at my school receive includes tuition costs that equates to much more than a monthly car payment per child for our families. Although Catholic education is on the lower-end of tuition costs among private and other faith-based schools, for many parents, it is a burden.  Adding to this cost is the expense of specific, mandatory uniforms-both dress and casual, and physical education uniforms.  The list of additional expenses goes on and includes frequent bake sales, book sales, field trips, and activity fees in which to participate.  However, outside of all of this, is the research-based success reports of graduating students both academically and socially, making it worth the cost.  The choice to send their children to a Catholic school is a sacrifice parents make in order to provide their children with a rigorous and spiritual education.

So what does a private school education have to do with poverty?  The opportunities for a better education for students of all income levels (now with federal aid available), allow for even more families to take advantage of a private school education.  The Catholic school education model includes characteristics of: rigorous academic courses, strict discipline, high teacher expectations, a safe and orderly environment, closely monitored attendance, close parent-teacher-student relationships, and a faith-based community of learners.  These characteristics affect student performance on many levels, primarily the overall school environment.  The two sources below show how Catholic education meet and or/support the needs of its students in the fight against the affects poverty has within the classroom.

According to Eric Jensen's Teaching with Poverty in Mind, students have three strong "relational forces that drive school behavior" (p20). These forces include: 1.  Reliable relationships (need for reliable and safe mentors) 2. Peer Socialization (sense of belonging) and 3. Quest for Importance (feel special). Catholic education aims to educate the "whole" child where the child's needs are met in all areas, specifically the three forces mentioned by Jensen that affect behavior.  By meeting these needs and addressing these behavioral drives, students have opportunities to learn necessary societal behaviors that they might not learn at home.  Consistency and stability are strong aspects of a Catholic education which can support children affected by various stress factors at home. 

The document, "The Catholic School Advantage", states that the academic advantage of Catholic schools is greatest for disadvantaged and minority students.  It has also been found that Black and Hispanic students in Catholic schools had greater achievement gains than comparable minority students in public schools and that socioeconomic status had a smaller effect on minority students (Hallinan & Kubitschek).  With the strides of equality (uniforms) and the focus of service, humility, and acceptance of others, it makes sense that children of minority groups are more fully supported in academic achievement because of the strong discipline and parent-teacher-student relationships than in traditional public schools.

Although we do not see poverty in Catholic Education in the traditional sense, we can witness the positive affects a Catholic education can have on children of lower incomes or in minority groups.   This education levels the playing field for all families and students, and incorporates a solid faith community in addition to strong academics. 

The strategies our Catholic schools are implementing serve children from many perspectives in addition to poverty in regards to income levels.  Other ways we can continue to combat the affects of poverty would be to include the following in Catholic education models:

• Implement a breakfast meal program
• Provide more scholarship opportunities
• Hire more teaching assistants to support growing class sizes
• Increase resources for learning disabled students
• Provide more support for ESOL students
• Provide free before and after school care
• More frequent uniform donation drives

Although Catholic schools are limited in resources public schools have, establishing a controlled school environment has shown positive affects in student growth and performance.  I invite you to check out the video below about Catholic Schools 2014!

References:

Hallinan, M. & Kubitschek, W., The Catholic Advantage. (2013). School Sector, School Poverty, and the Catholic School Advantage.  Retrieved February 3, 2014, from:  http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ914866.pdf

Jensen, J. (2009)  Teaching with Poverty in Mind.  Alexandria: ASCD.

[Student Photo] Retrieved February 3, 2014, from: http://www.worcesterdiocese.org/Portals/2/NewSkin/Catholic_Education_PageImage.jpg

[Video] Retrieved February 3, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTNdFtfJkKE&feature=youtu.be

 

The Scoop on: Using Twitter in your Classroom

I'll be honest-I was never a fan of using Twitter. I thought it was just another form of seeing what everyone was eating for dinner and what they were doing this very moment...wasn't Facebook enough for news like that?  After using it in my graduate technology class, however, I have a new appreciation of this form of social media. As I fumbled in navigating and "following" people (both ones I know and celebrities), businesses, fellow teachers, and educational companies, I began to brainstorm on how to push this even further as my own world of Education was quickly broadening from this tool.   In really digging in to how to use this tool for the classroom, I was amazed at the list of possibilities I had created after spending a few weeks awkwardly using my own Twitter account.  For older students, linking what they are learning in class with a social media forum they're already using on a daily basis is a great way to tap into their world.  Twitter is a great platform for educating and connecting with your students and exposing them to the world around them.  Here are my ideas for using Twitter in the classroom in areas of Communication & Classwork, Exploration, and Inspiration. 

Communication & Classwork

• Bulletin Board-Post breaking news and updates about your class.
• Reminders-Post homework and attendance reminders.
• Follow-up-Students can keep up with what they have missed.
• Parental Involvement-Parents can also "Follow" your class, so they are aware of important reminders and classwork.
• Bonus Points- Create opportunities for extra credit.  Tweet simple assignments or information and offer bonus points for those who have stayed "in the know" via Twitter.

Exploration

• Tweet articles pertaining to the lesson you are teaching.  Students can expand what they're learning in class with current articles, videos, and websites about the subject at hand.
• Students can Tweet and reply to what they're reading and learning in class.
• Encourage students to follow professionals in industries they're interested in...who do they admire, what companies do they like, what motivates them?
• Students can collaborate with other students in the class by using hash tags and re-tweets for what they're studying.

Inspiration

• Post inspirational quotes for your students.
• Use Twitter during field trips to track where your students are and what they're learning.

If you're wondering if Twitter will help boost student buy-in in your classroom, take a peek at the video below where high school students participated in a study on measuring student engagement using Twitter.  By hearing from students who use Twitter in their classrooms in this video, you can see how Twitter allows you to aid your new students in new ways.  

I would love to know what ways you use Twitter in your classrooms!  How do you motivate your students to participate in this area of your classroom experience?

References:

[Twitter photo]. Retrieved November 22, 2013, from: http://www.alavena.cl/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/twitter7.jpg

[Twitter video]. Retrieved November 24, 2013, from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOY2x81_bg#t=320

The Scoop on: Storia

I mentioned in my last post how I have fallen in love with the Scholastic for Teachers website!  While surfing their site this month, I learned about a new e-reading application to use in the classroom called, "Storia".  This program was created by Scholastic with a goal to help students become star readers!  It can be used with PCs, iPads, and Android devices.  Before I begin to tell you some of the specific features Storia has to offer, I would like to share with you this video about Storia in the Classroom:

Did that spark your interest?  What I like about Storia is that it can be used in so many different ways with or without teacher input.  It can easily become part of your regular reading instruction and is geared for readers in grades K-8th.  This app can be used in your classroom for: whole-class reading, partner-reading, small groups, and for independent reading (Zimmerman and Tomasello, 2013).

Your students have many opportunities to explore and practice reading with Storia.  Independently, their reading experience can become a very personal one, as they can go at their own pace with stories of their choosing.  There are also enough "shelves" in the Storia program, so each child can have their own bookshelf that holds the stories their have completed.  With so many e-books available, creating your classroom's own library would be easy to do!

Built into most e-books for Storia are enrichment activities that allow students to gain further understanding of the story and extra practice in sequencing, decoding, and answering general questions.  Teachers can use the Notes section for writing prompts and short questions that will help build comprehension skills.  Also included in Storia's e-books are Reading Inventories to help teachers measure comprehension.  Of course, improvement of reading fluency in your classroom can also be measured through sharing exercises where students work with peers in genuine conversations about what they're reading. 

My school does not have tablets for our students.  However, I am excited to use this application with my computer and my projector.  Using my screen,  I can project the stories for the entire class to see. I can utilize this program for whole-class reading to build fluency and then go forward with the enrichment activities included in each e-story.  Another good thing to remember about Storia, is that students can use it at home, too!  This is especially useful for English Language Learners and reluctant readers.  Students that fall into these categories can use the "Read to Me" function of Storia.

If you use this reading app in your classroom, I would love to hear how it is going!  If you're wanting to get started with Storia, click here to register for an account.

References: 

[Storia Logo]. Retrieved October 22, 2013, from: www.scholastic.com/storia

[Storia in the Classroom Video]. Retrieved October 22, 2013, from: http://teacher.scholastic.com/ereading-resources/video-how-to/

Zimmerman, A. & Tomasello, D., Scholastic Teachers. (2013, October). What is Storia?. Retrieved October 22, from: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/introduction-using-storia-classroom

The Scoop on: Resources for New Teachers

If you are new to Education like me, you may be overwhelmed with all the information available to you on the internet.  Whether you have recently finished your own education centered around Teaching, or if you are making a career change (hello!), you may find yourself with the lingering question of "where does a new educator start once I get the job?"

I have gathered 4 of my favorite online tools that have helped me become confident and ready for my students in the classroom. Each resource has proved to hit on an attribute most needed in helping the school year not only run smoothly, but also help it to run along side the curriculum in preparing my students for the future.

1. Setting up your Room:

When you are ready to set up your classroom for the first time, you are probably boiling over with ideas!  Your goal should be to meet the needs of the teacher and meet the developmental needs of your students in your set-up (Smith 2013).  This is extremely important if your are teaching primary grades where children need to be able to move around the room throughout the day.  Making "areas" in your classroom will help students know the flow of your day and week and understand where to go for specific things: communication, schedule/calendar, homework, reading time, birthdays, math corner, etc.  Invest in storage containers that allow you to organize each month's activities, lesson plans, and materials for easy reference.  3 Teacher Chicks is a great blog to learn how to layout your classroom in creative and efficient ways.

2. Connect with other Teachers:

One of my most favorite places to go to for inspiration has been Scholastic for Teachers.  You can view blogs of teachers around the country for their perspective on what works and is not working in their classrooms.  In my school, we have only one of each grade.  Connecting with other First Grade teachers through their blogs has helped me gauge my own efforts in reaching my students, and help me problem solve situations I am experiencing. You can choose to "follow" specific teachers' blogs here or explore them all. I like to read what teachers are doing in their classrooms that are one grade higher and lower than my own for perspective on where my students should be.

3. Enhance the Curriculum:

Even if you are brand new to Teaching, you have heard the controversy to Common Core.  At the end of the day, it is up to you to ensure your students not only are ready for their EOGs, but are also more knowledgeable about a subject...and perhaps, enlightened?  The Common Core Conversation is a resource for teachers that is full of ways to build upon what you're already doing in the classroom.  By simply selecting your grade and subject, you have access to a large amount of information to reach your students in new ways.

4. Make It Yours:

You have set up your classroom, connected with other teachers, and elevated your curriculum. Now it is time to add the YOU to your classroom.  Pinterest is a place to visit when you are ready to add in that extra level of specialness to your classroom.Here, you can find ways of making your classroom speak and become the environment you truly envision for your students. On Pinterest, you can search for any topic (bulletin boards, classroom management ideas, lesson plan ideas, rewards, etc) and "pin" them to inspiration boards you create. You can save your idea boards and "follow" other teachers who are also registered. This is a great tool for connecting with other teachers,and getting inspired through images. It is a great way to organize your ideas in one place.

I would love to hear what resources have worked for you! What advice would you give brand new teachers?

References:
[Classroom photo]. Retrieved September 20, 2013, from: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/2013/08/setting-my-classroom-0

Hoffmann, Amy, 3 Teacher Chicks. (2013, July 21). Classroom Setup Ideas. Retrieved September 22, 2013 from: http://3teacherchicks.blogspot.com/p/bloggerteacher-resources.html

[Pinterest logo]. Retrieved September 20, 2013 from: http://3teacherchicks.blogspot.com

Smith, Brian, Institution, Scholastic Teachers. (2013, August). Setting Up Your Classroom. Retrieved September 20, 2013, from: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/2013/08/setting-my-classroom-0