Week 3

1. Questions from Reflective Teaching

Sorry, I know I've answered too many questions, but I was very interested in these chapters and this is helping me reflect. Feel free to only read a couple. :)

When you think about a classroom problem, do you try to see it from different "angles"? (pg 4)

I picked this question, because it is something I was contemplating just this last weekend. Last week, I was sick and has a sinus infection that had migrated to my eye. The doctor put me on a Z pack and for some reason it made me become incredibly exhausted. I was very irritable and my Kindergarten and 1st grade students seemed to be behaving the worst they ever have! I made Kindergarten re-practice all the classroom procedures, but nothing seemed to change. 1st grade is working on these huge murals for their zoo. It is very new and exciting for them. They were not listening well and were just silly. I told them that if they didn't shape up we would simply not finish the murals. Then, I told a teacher that I was only going to allow the ones behaving well to work on the murals and the rest would do something else. She seemed to understand. Then it was Saturday, I slept in, had me time and began to evaluate my week. I was disappointed in myself. I had only been thinking about the use of consequences to alter behavior. I needed to look at different angles. Ok, the kids are making it impossible to teach. Why are they acting this way? What can I do differently? How can I help them settle down? During my internal conversation, something hit me. They've been stuck inside for weeks, because of the weather. They don't get to run during indoor recess. They are stir crazy! I need to have them move the minute they come to my classroom. I am now using brain breaks and it seems to be helping. I need to remember that it is important to contemplate ALL of the factors, even when I'm cranky and fed up.

Do you think that teachers should play leadership roles in curriculum development, program development, and school reform or just stick to their work in the classroom? (pg 4)

Of course teachers should play a role. After all, it will be their job to implement these aspects in the classrooms. Also, they are more capable of determining what can realistically be taught to students in a certain time frame. I know many teachers at my school are frustrated with common core, because they are expected to teach their students content that they are not ready for, because they have not mastered the previous material. I feel, it is better to have a complete understanding of the material. This will help them actually retain what they have learned, not learn it long enough to pass a test. As for art curriculum, I believe that the teachers should play a role and they should take the students' wants into account. What do the kids want to learn? How can we encourage them to enjoy and advocate for art? By allowing them to assist in decisions for their own learning. It would contribute to learning in countless areas, not just art creation.

Some argue that teaching is too demanding and complex to expect teachers to be very reflective about their work? What do you think? (pg 13)

I can empathize with this thinking, but I would have to ask them how they expect to improve? If a teacher does not reflect, they are only making their job more difficult! They will continue to have the same issues and it would make them more irritable and less enthusiastic about their career. For fellows, I am required to complete action research this year. We are supposed to write in response journals daily. At the beginning of the year, I was very bad about this. I made excuses about not having enough time, because I had so many other issues, like classroom management, to deal with first. Once I finally did start writing often, I noticed that my reflections helped me to be more successful and  problem solve in the areas I was stressing about. In some ways, reflection gave me more time.

If a student comes to you angry with another student or crying and upset, what is your first reaction? What other reactions might you have? Do you ever react differently to students (or their parents) depending upon their gender, race, or social class background? (pg 16)

- For me, it does not depend on gender, race, or social class; it depends on the student's history. Do they often have issues with other students? How often does this student get emotional? How do they typically treat their classmates? How responsible and honest are they? Do I know of any current external factors in their lives?

- I have to admit, I get very irritated when students constantly tattle on others. I usually ask them, "Have you talked to that person about it?" or "Who should you worry about?" Sometimes, I will give a consequence to the accuser and accused by making them both work alone in different areas of the room. I now realize, my questions here can relate to the prior question, on page 16, about automatic reactions without  contemplation. I had not thought about my reactions to this issue before.

In your own experience as a teacher, how important has the group context been in helping you to clarify and develop your beliefs? (pg 20)

- I find insight and advice from others to be incredibly helpful; especially with individual student issues, because they see those students all of the time. At my school, there is another MU fellow. We spend a lot of time together, because of our classes and we're the only ones at our school who aren't married or have kids. She talks about her students often and it has really helped me get to know them better and know how to teach them. They are my easiest class to teach, because I know more about them and how their regular classroom is. I wish I had the time to sit down with every teacher and discuss the components of their class! I would be such a better teacher if I had a better understanding of every student and classroom.

- Although I genuinely want group context, I feel that many of my peer teachers do not want to give me the time. I understand that they have a lot going on this year with common core and the new demands of our school. I feel guilty asking for their time. Also, I wish there was another art teacher at our school I could talk to. Yes, the other special teachers' opinions are helpful, but they still teach a very different content than I do. I find it beneficial to talk to art teachers from other schools, but they do not know my school or children. Perhaps I should start recording myself more and evaluating myself as objectively as I can using Phi Delta.

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2. Dewey's 3 Attitudes for Reflective Action

· Open-mindedness

In order to discuss my ideas of open-mindedness, I would like to begin by referring back to the last question I answered about group context. I cherish the moments I get to hear insights from other teachers; but since that is not always possible, I need to train myself better to consider all sides, possibilities, and beliefs. I try to be open-minded, but there's always room for improvement! Here is a list of questions I am going to start asking myself more often:

- Why am I doing what I am doing?

- What else could I try?

- What would insert name here say or do?

- What isn't working? What are all the possible factors?

- It is working, but could it be better? How?

- Does it make sense to my students or just me?

- What is another point of view I could contemplate?

· Responsibility

On page 12, our textbook states, "This attitude of responsibility has to involve reflection about the unexpected outcomes of teaching because teaching, even under the best of conditions, always involves unintended as well as intended outcomes." This is so true! I often think, whoa where did that come from or oops I didn't think that one through enough. I like that I get to teach each lesson three times. By the third lesson, I've worked out all the kinks, but it makes me worry that the first group I have isn't always getting the best I have. I will often, revisit something I missed the first time or ask the students questions to ensure understanding, but sometimes the damage is already done. I have found it to be beneficial to attempt to make myself think like my students would, but wouldn't it be nice if we could make ourselves think the way our students do?! Ok, back to responsibility. I like to ask my students for feedback through: surveys, reflections, interviews, and more. These really help me evaluate their understanding and perceptions. It gives me a good picture on what I need to improve upon. I have recently decided to start using exit slips/response cards. This will give me more insight to student understanding at the beginning of a unit instead of the end. Why didn't I think of that before?

· Wholeheartedness

"When they make mistakes they are not overly harsh towards themselves" (pg 13). Can I plead the fifth?? I'm someone that strives for perfection... But when I think about jobs I've had in the past, I disliked them because I eventually got bored. That's the great thing about teaching, I will never have all the answers. There is always something that I can change or improve. "The day you think you know it all, is the day it is time to retire."-I can't remember where I heard that quote, but it's really stuck with me. So, I'm going to start forgiving myself more; because if I didn't think I was making any mistakes, I wouldn't be doing it right.

Despite being too hard on myself, I do think I typically have a wholehearted attitude. I definitely learn at least one new thing every day. I often alter my approaches, strategies, and overall expectations. Sometimes I think too highly of my students' abilities. After I observe and analyze the actual outcomes, I realize I need to simplify. I'm so grateful that most of my students are very forgiving and have as much esteem for me as I do for them. I think part of that is, due to the fact, that I am honest with them. They know I make mistakes and that I am learning just like they are.

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3. Curriculum

I don't know if I should consider myself lucky or the reverse, but I have not been given a curriculum to follow. There are about 8 things on each grade card, but I am not even required to complete all of them. I have all the GLEs printed and I check them when I feel they have been adequately fulfilled, but that is for my own benefit. Sometimes I think it would be easier to plan if I had a curriculum to start from, but I also like that I get to make the decisions without restrictions. I like being able to decide based off of: what I notice the students need to work on, what they tell me they would like to learn, what artist I can use that will encourage them to believe in themselves and make them think (ex. Chuck Close, Dale Chihuly, Frida Kahlo). I could be wrong, but I doubt curriculum is often designed by artist. I like being able to use my own judgments and creativity.

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4. Previous findings

I don't think I wrote about these in my blog, but I made 3 post-it notes of the following strategies, from the Marzano self-rating checklist: celebrate success (188), group work (195), pause video at key points (199), take action to re-engage (209), response cards (211), physical movement (212). I placed one post-it on my desk at home, one in my planner, and one on my response notebook.

Here's the 3 I'll focus on first.

· I will assess overall understanding by asking students to take notes, summarize information learned, and identify critical information through the use of exit slips/response cards. Also, I'm going to practice using response chaining.

· I will engage the students in processing new information by establishing routines and incorporating more cooperative learning/group discussion.

· I will take action to engage students by utilizing more physical movement for all grades. (ex. brain breaks, random class stretch, vote with your feet, act out/model, give on-get one)