According to the Common Core Standards for Language Arts for teachers, teachers should know a broad range of literacy techniques and strategies to develop their students reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Teachers must also model effective reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills during instruction. Along with teachers should give constructive feedback correctly both written and orally to their students.
As human beings we all have our own strengths and weaknesses that is part of God's talents that he gives each and every one of us. Although I consider myself to be decent at following proper English skills, I do have my own little quirks. Since I am student teaching in math, it has been brought to my attention on more than one occasion that I often say "timesing" instead of multiplying. It is one of my bad habits that I am trying very hard to break myself of, but for every one time I catch myself, I fear I may have already said multiple other times without even thinking about it. I also think I have strengths and weaknesses in my written English. I was taught in both high school and the beginnings of my college years to write in MLA style. I am so stuck in MLA style that I can't seem to break out of it no matter how hard I try. It's sort of like those who were taught to put a comma between all three items in a written list with an and (like myself) verses those who were taught to only use one comma. When we are taught something and use it for so long it is hard to break free from what we are comfortable with. When it comes to using my English skills orally with the students I am working with I tend to speak correctly, but sometimes have coming up with another way to rephrase it when put on the spot if someone does not understand. I think I speak clearly and, thanks to my family, loudly. I also don't think I use any big words or too complex sentences. I try to keep things short and concise. When I look at my listening skills that's where I find major issues. Although I try really hard to understand when students are trying to explain where they are having problems, I often need them to explain more than once before I finally realize what they are saying. I've had that difficulty all my life. For any of my teachers who've ever had me, they can vouch that I will be the student asking clarification questions after they explain something.
As a student teacher I try to use balance as way of reaching all my students, not everyone learns in the same way. This is why I find it so very important to make sure that students are being given work as practice and as being taught in all areas: discussion, lecture, activities, written work, and oral examples. When I think back to this week alone regarding these teaching strategies, I have used them all. On Friday we had a discussion as a class about problems they would most likely see on their upcoming ISAT testing. On Monday we had a lecture on how to solve for volume and surface area. On Thursday we had a review activity playing a Jeopardy game before a test the next day. On Thursday for homework in a few of my classes the students were given a math problem, which they had to solve and then write a written response. They had to restate the question, restate the information they were given, tell me the strategy they used to solve the problem, give step by step instructions what they did and why, and then finally state the answer to the question. On Tuesday I went over oral examples with a few classes to summarize what types of questions would be on their upcoming test. The students did assignments in both mathematical skills and writing skills. In a few of my classes the students used oral skills to come up to the class to explain their solution to a problem to the rest of the class. And the students solved ISAT prep questions that required them using their reading skills to figure out the mathematical problems through word problems. Giving students reading, writing, and speaking assignments are an important component that I try to set in my classroom. Listening skills are a must for a student and are used day in and day out.
I do not have any ELL (English Language Learner) students in my placement, but math is a language all its own. Students often have many difficulties in understanding mathematical language, which is a challenge all its own. Explaining things in multiple ways is a must. I try my hardest to say things over and over with simple adjustments that will hopefully grasp each student. For students who really struggle I am privileged enough to have para's in the room to help me. The school also offers programs they call MAGIC and SOAR for additional help explaining topics that the students are learning one-on-one. I also have had the opportunity a few times to work with students one-on-one to delve deeper into the mathematical topics we are learning by letting them come early to school during zero hour and get extra help through me personally.
Last week I set two goals for myself. One was to continue writing my lesson plans at least a week ahead of time. I have used that as my personal goal, so that I can stay on top of what I am going to be teaching. Along with that I have been creating a monthly schedule. This week I finished my March schedule, so I know where I am heading for the rest of the month. I also had written plans with what would be happening every day this week. I hope to continue this for the rest of my student teaching placement. My second goal was to start writing lesson plans for next week during the week. I never got to that. I was so busy grading tests for every class this week and doing ISAT Preparation problems that I never got to start writing the lesson plans. I have written several this weekend already for next week. I hope to finish the rest tomorrow.
I would like to set a couple goals for myself for this week and the upcoming weeks. My first goal is to practice modeling reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills to the students this week. I know this week is going to be rough for them. They have ISAT testing all week, which can be a stress causer and can sometimes lower their level of learning when they get into the classroom in the afternoon. I will need to be patient and offer them lots of opportunities to learn in different methods using their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. My second goal is to use my time wisely while the students are taking their ISAT's for two hours. Yes, I need to be in the room and watch them and hand out their necessary tools, but I need to find things to do with that time where I can be productive as well.
To my seminar instructor, I need to let you know that I try to incorporate writing skills into my teaching as much as possible. I am an English lover by nature, this allows me to really love giving assignments in my math class that make the students write. Whether they are writing their own word problem, giving explanations to their mathematical findings, or explaining what they know, want to know, or have learned. Laural Schmidt had a fantastic list of things to do to get students writing. I really loved the idea of letting students dump the paper, pencil, and computer. Giving them markers and sections of the newspaper to write all over and let them sprawl out and just let them go at writing and drawing ideas of what they want to write about. I also love the idea of encouraging students to write out of order. So often, I assign written responses, but the students get stuck on coming up with the first sentence of what they are doing. Let them work the math, then go back write out what they did step by step, then come back and fill in the rest. I also loved the colored words in circles. This is a fantastic idea for the many visual learners. I love it and can easily use something like this to see what they know before I start a new chapter!
I look forward to my upcoming week and look forward to hearing your responses to my thoughts on reading, writing, speaking, and listening within my student teaching classroom...
