February 14

Coteaching

In our first reading (Emdin Chapter 5) we learn about 3 different types of  co-teaching.  The first is two adult teachers working together to deliver content.  It is explained that the teachers work together to decide who will teach what according to their expertise.  Although collaboration is positive, the negative is that the focus can shift from their students to teachers learning how to work together in such close quarters during a 6.5 hour day.  Personally, I think having a co-teacher would be very productive.  In fact, a DREAM!  Many times the demands of student needs and curriculum on the shoulders of one teacher can be overwhelming.  We are in a world of IEPs, PLPs, MLP, and  RTI plans, which include both academic and social emotional interventions.  It is challenging to teach and supply the interventions needed on a daily basis to students with these plans alone.  Having a teammate would be ideal and efficient in my eyes!

The second form of co-teaching is a teaching-learning opportunity.  An experienced teacher and a student or novice teacher both lead a classroom with the veteran teacher modeling practices while slowly giving responsibilities to the other. I have never had a student teacher.  The thought of adding on another responsibility is stressful to me, but I know I would love to do it.  I also think it would help me grow more as an educator because I would be forced to reflect more intently on practices as well as learning outcomes and community of my class. I’m also a bit of a control freak, so having someone take over my classroom would force me to try new things and think or do things I might not try or have thought about.  I also think having a novice teacher who is eager to learn, could bring fresh ideas and creativity to the table.  

The last form of co-teaching discussed is the inclusion classroom featuring one general educator and the other a special educator.  It can be effective because the students are a mix of general educated students and children who have behavior problems and or learning disabilities. They are exposed to the grade level curriculum while having the support staff and resources they need to succeed.  I taught in an inclusion classroom for 3 years with a special educator and a teacher assistant.  It was one of the most challenging jobs I ever had.  General education students were mixed with students with special needs, primarily with learning disabilities.  The second year, administration decided to add behaviorally challenged students to the mix.  THIS WAS NOT EFFECTIVE!  Due to the challenges that were faced to maintaining a safe environment, the students did not always have good models to reflect upon and instead of things getting easier, everything was extremely hard.  Emdin expressed in the chapter that “Students are well aware which teacher occupies which role and because of hierarchies that privilege the content expert over the other teacher, inherit a respect for one teacher and a disrespect for the other.”  I found this NOT to be true in the 3 years I did this.  My team teacher and I always worked together in a way that I believe was a true team.  On the other hand, I did see this perception from my students with my teacher assistant.  No matter what, I always told my colleagues we were a team.  If one of us made a decision for the class, we had to support it.  It was like parenting...once you said “no,” you expect your significant other  to back you up and say “no” too.

Gallagher Chapter 5

My favorite take away from this reading is on page 93. “We tell students that writing is worthwhile. They tell us they don’t like to write.  We scoff at that, telling them that the big game is coming (the state-mandated writing exam).  We insert them into pressure writing situations (their efforts will be scrutinized and graded).  When they finish the “game” they are grateful that it is over and hope not to write again any time soon.

This really hit home for me.  I fear that the same may be perceived by my own students. Even though I always think I am giving them great feedback and telling them how impressed I am with their writing, I now know, it is not enough.  “Tests come and go, but attitudes about writing can be lifelong. (Page 93) Already I am thinking about ways I could possibly change their outlook on writing by taking a break from “standardized” writing and finding something of more interests to them.  I totally agree with the notion of “taking a step back before we can move forward.”  Looking through the ten ideas to get students to write was refreshing to me.  I’m going to give a few a try.  If I am asked by administration what my students are writing about, my reply will be, “I am taking a step back so that my students can move forward.”

Christensen Chapter 2

All I can say is “Wow!”  This chapter was loaded with so much enriching and powerful information to teach Narrative writing.  I especially like the technique she uses called blocking.  One of the things I say in writing is, “show don’t tell.”  Blocking is a strategy I can use to help the students visualize the scene.  I agree with why teaching narrative writing matters.  Sharing and discussing students’ lives brings us to the reality of the “whole child.” Integrating stories and read alouds, making sure you have a variety of cultural and ethnical authors, helps students to identify with themselves.  If a classroom is created with a welcoming community, students are more apt to feel comfortable enough to share and take risks.

I was also reinforced with the fact that not all of what my kids write, needs to be published.  Whoosh writing pieces or quick writes can be drafts with maybe the student only picking one to publish.  I find it is important to write, a lot, every day.  I like how she recommends color coding to help with their revisions.  I use this technique for persuasive writing, but now I know how I can use it for narratives! I also want to try the Read-Around Procedure. (So exciting!)