JPowers+Portfolio



=Read 6800 Portfolio Fall 2011=

=__//**Read 6800 Presentation**//__= www.voicethread.com/share/2508374/

Inclusions:
 * Five Content Literacy Pieces
 * Classroom Techniques Survey
 * Types of Questions Survey
 * Writing Across the Curriculum Sruvey
 * Standards Information Discussion
 * Timesheet with Hours

= __//**Five Content Literacy Pieces**//__ =

=**-First Content Literacy Piece-**=

Fictional Character persuasive letters.

In Social Studies we created a timeline for some of the Constitutional Amendments. The students had to prepare 2 persuasive letters from and to a fictional character. One letter must defend and persuade the recipient to give support for the amendment as another letter is aimed at gaining opposition to the amendment.

=‍=

=-Second **Content Literacy Piece-**= Science "Know the definition for", "Heard of", and "Never heard of" Word Sort

This is a word sort that makes the students think about what they may already know. I use this to spark them to think and to help me plan. When students are highly knowledgable in an area such as photosynthesis and lower in an area such as symbiotic relationships, this information will help me decide about the time I might invest for myself and them upon that particular subject.



=-Third **Content Literacy Piece-**=
 * Creating Cause and Effect relationship sentences using Science and Social Studies terms**
 * To help the children understand cause and effect relationships, I tweeked another activity that we do occasionally. We created sentences using an opening (cause) pharse, a verb or verb phrase, and a closing (effect) word phrase. I allowed the last to be silly or senseless. They not only had to create the relationship, but some of them had to be Science or Social Studies facts.**

=**-Fourth Content Literacy Piece (Technology Based)-**= **NOTE: The 1 didn't get in the photo. Lincoln was actually the 16th president.**
 * "Abraham Lincoln" Wordle**
 * In this activity the students researched Abraham Lincoln in various ways. While researching they listed important facts, dates, events, and people in the life of Lincoln. After choosing their data, the students were to rate the importance of the data within Lincoln's life. Writing the Emancipation Proclomation was highly rated while the date he debated an opponent for the House of Representatives was less important. Having assigned the data a number from one to nine (Lincoln's name was reserved for ten times entered), we went to the computer lab where the students went to [|www.wordle.net] and created their own wordle. The "importance" number they assigned to each piece of data was the number of times they typed it into Wordle. They could then be expected to write a short paper about Lincoln using their Wordle as a guide.**

=**-Fifth Content Literacy Piece (Technology Based)-**=
 * Teacher created CD and online Reading of Content material**
 * This is an ongoing project for struggling readers that they might have Science and Social Studies texts available when they may have the opportunity to read. I must explain this in that SPED students and other struggling students' daily schedule take them to various places at various times. They often enter the classroom at times when they can't join in where we are for even our schedule doesn't have us doing the exact same thing at the exact same time each day. These "teacher created" CDs, CDs that go with a cntent text, and an online content text are all tools I use for these students to have less "downtime" and make sure they are doing something constructive at all times. I have created folders for these students to track what pages they have read.**
 * The photo is of the recording equipment I use.**

= **Classroom Techniques Survey** =

= __//**Types of Questions Survey**//__ = = = Reflect upon one of your lessons (or ask a colleague to assist you) and identify the types of questions asked during an instructional period. Identify the number of questions for each category and enter the total in the appropriate field.


 * ** Type of Questions ** || ** Number ** || ** Level of Question ** (Literal, Inferential, or Evaluative) ||
 * Assess knowledge || 6 || Literal ||
 * Check for understanding || 3 || Evaluative / Clarification ||
 * Help analyze problems || 3 || Reasoning (context info.) ||
 * Lead students to explore values || 1 || Evaluative ||
 * Promote creative thinking || 1 || To generate discussion / inferential ||
 * Help evaluate situations || 3 || Evaluative (How do we..?) ||
 * Show how to apply knowledge || 4 || We know…so then our answer will be (evaluative) ||

Consider whether you are selecting your questions to meet just one or two purposes. Do your questions relate to your instructional goals? Do your questions promote higher-level thinking or critical thinking skills for students? Are there types of questions you should increase or decrease? Write a summary or an analysis of your questioning technique and note any changes you might make.


 * I have considered the above questions and find that I ask more questions than I realized seeing that the evaluator said she did not catch them all. They are spread over a wide variety of purposes that give the students many different ways to look at the objective we are trying to accomplish. Of the 21 questions recorded they seem to fall properly into the categories. Assessing learning and checking for understanding should be a top priority question and thus shows in the survey. I can see the number of questions within the analytical, creative thinking, and evaluative types could and should be higher. The advice from the evaluator woud be for me to consciously add more questions to promote upper level higher order thinking skills. These would included more inferential, application, and evaluations questions with more opportunities for the students to reflect. ||


 * Note: I asked the person that did my state evaluation to identify questions for me. She stated that this is not absolutely all of the questions but since she was also evaluating the lesson for many criteria that this is all she caught. THis is the result. **

=//__ WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM SURVEY __//=


 * __ Part One __**

Place a checkmark before the writing activities that you have used or intend to use in your instruction. After you have tried the activity, place a (+) if it worked well or a (-) if it was not successful in meeting your instructional goals. **//Choose a minimum of 10 for implementation.//**

|| Ö
 * Curriculum survey || + or - ||
 * X || Summaries of class lectures || - ||
 * X || Summaries of textbook readings || - ||
 * X || Summaries of outside reading assignments || - ||
 * X || Explanation of new concepts || + ||
 * || Descriptions of processes being studied ||  ||
 * X || Reactions to material presented in the text or in class || + ||
 * X || Applications of ideas presented in class or in the text || + ||
 * || Newspaper accounts based on material read ||  ||
 * X || Character sketches of read or factional characters || ? ||
 * X || Diary entries that real or fictional characters might have written || + ||
 * || Results of experiments ||  ||
 * X || Explanation of impact on society of a scientific discover or political action || + ||
 * X || Account of the development of an area of technology over a period of time || + ||
 * X || Imaginary letters from one historical or fictional character to another || + ||
 * X || Written reactions to the actions of one historical or fictional character || + ||
 * X || Written explanations about the causes of historical events || + ||
 * X || Written directions for a game or other activity || + ||
 * X || Explanation of benefit of an exercise program or healthy diet || + ||
 * || Written description of an artistic technique ||  ||
 * X || Written reactions to works of art || + ||
 * || Case Studies ||  ||
 * X || Personal journals || + ||
 * || Other (please describe) ||  ||
 * || Other (please describe) ||  ||
 * || Other (please describe) ||  ||
 * || Other (please describe) ||  ||


 * WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM SURVEY **


 * __ Part Two __**

After completing the survey in Part One, choose three activities that worked well and three that did not. For each, describe why you think they were successful or unsuccessful.

Note: When I think of “worked well” I guess I overthink. Does the activity get them to do what I want which in many cases is just to think. If it is to accomplish a specific spi., then that is another matter. In most cases, the activity is to be a cog in the wheel of thought. One small step. I only found 3 that are usually ineffective for me, but they may be effective for other students according to age and maturity. Implementation can also be the problem that a tool is not effective. All the others are thinking activities and should produce a positive effect over time with good variation and distribution of if implemented properly by an effective instructor.


 * //__ DID NOT WORK __//**

1. Summaries of Class Lectures- I believe this is a failure (not because lecture in and of itself is not effective) because of the age group I teach. Ten and eleven year old students quit listening to lecture in a very short time. This is why it has failed for me in my opinion.

2. Summaries of textbook readings- Again, this is just not a very stimulating activity for the age group. Unless the material is about reproduction, this age will just skim and write anything to have it on paper. Now if this is done with a partner, the dynamics changes.

3. Summaries of outside reading assignments- If the student bothers to read the assignment, then the outcome is about like number 2. This can’t be done with a partner or group. This can be done effectively if instructor guided, but on its own it has a poor outcome.

NOTE: Any of the above activities can be effective according to the age group and material being studied or when directly guided by the instructor. None of them stand alone as “the answer” to literacy. The use of all in some form will give the overall effect desired. So I have only listed three that I feel affected students the most for me.


 * //__ DID WORK __//**

1. Applications of ideas presented in class or in the text- The use of “applications” in this description put this close to the front of the pack for me. Applying is a higher order thinking skill and when I can get a student to do that then I know they have the concept or skill in their proverbial pocket and they own that specific learning. It is also one of the most difficult on the list to accomplish. I have to work extra to get the students to realize this goal.

2. Imaginary letters from one historical or fictional character to another- I think this is a doubly effective tool since students have to consider two points of view when writing. They have to consider the thoughts, positions, and situation of both the sender and the recipient.

3. Explanation of impact on society of a scientific discover or political action- This as with the first two is a higher order skill and if this is the end result of instruction, then this would be considered an accomplishment. This has happened in my class but many of the other tools listed above may have been also used for the final product of the explanation. = = = = = __//**Standards Information Discussion**//__ = = = = =

= = Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes. || I support standards that make sense. I believe this one does. It is viable because we have the tools to implement it. It is valid because it is proven through research to improve the human condition. This standard is important and valid because it includes many forms of literacy. My only concern is that it often takes a back seat to being politically correct where rights, ethnicity, and culture of one to learn interfere with the rights of others. || Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. || This standard also gains my support in that it is a part necessary and valid to attain standard four. Written language is a viable part of education today in that we realize its importance and is integrated into most curriculums. As humans in a complicated world, we come in contact with many different people and need to communicate in many different ways. It is also on the decline (less emphasis on spelling and handwriting) since technology can create and check what we do. || Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts. || The latest data says that 60% of employers now in some way use writing in the hiring process. This is scary in the shadow of word processors and texting. Even word processors can’t make a sentence interesting (yet). Can you tell I fully support this standard and believe it to be valid for learners today? Conventions have given way to “creative spelling” and “holistic” scoring. Teaching this thoroughly is almost impossible with time restrictions and extensive curriculum we face as teachers. I fear teaching “don’t bully” and “respect your heritage” is too important. || Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. || The problem-solvers in the classroom will likely be the solvers in our future. I believe in this standard as a living viable part of education in that using gained information is just as important as gaining it or even more so. The validity and necessity is seen all around us. Government, industry, and communities need problem-solvers. With the ability to solve, our future leaders need to be able to communicate their plan for change in various media. My belief is that we solve the problems for students due to lack of time so they may be able to pass a test. || Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge. || Information doesn’t fall into ones lap. Learners must have the ability to get the data and information they need to synthesize, create, and communicate. My full support of this standard is based on the belief that if you have tools that you need to know where they are and how to use them. Evidence of validity and viability comes through the existence of gargantuan stockpiles of information available in the mentioned venues. The knowledge of what is available and the skill to use it is a skill taught by one and learned / used by another. Few people create information but everyone uses it. || = = = = Personal Thought About Standards: = = I chose realistic standards that create an average person that must be a productive member of society. These 12 are probably desirable in an academic that uses education to advance their career and financial goals. It is not necessary to understand many cultures, the human experience, and many textual features for the average Joe. Not all employers need employees involved in a variety of literacy communities. Every one doesn’t need to have an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles. We need adults that have a good work ethic, some personal pride, and honesty. Most only need to be literate, hardworking, and somewhat compassionate for others with family and God centrally located in their lives. The world will be a better place. = = = __//**Timesheet with Hours**//__ = = = == = = = __//The End//__ __//The End//__ __//The End//__ __//The End//__ __//The End//__ = = = = =
 * Five Standards ** **Five Responses**
 * NCTE/IRA National Standards - Standard 4
 * NCTE/IRA National Standards - Standard 5
 * <span style="color: #215868; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">NCTE/IRA National Standards - Standard 6
 * <span style="color: #215868; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">NCTE/IRA National Standards - Standard 7
 * <span style="color: #215868; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">NCTE/IRA National Standards - Standard 9