Learning Letter

I really enjoyed this class and I can honestly say that the culture of the classroom allowed me to make my first college friend. By discussing much of the content with my peers, I was able to make connections and relationships with people I normally wouldn’t have. I enjoyed the book talks, mini- lessons, and unit plans. I thought the book talks were incredible because it provided me with 20 different titles of books to explore and read. It also provided me insight into what different people like to read and inspired me to widen my interests. The mini-lessons in our book circles were also a great tool. I enjoyed seeing everyone’s different ideas on how to present different aspects of a book. There are so many lesson plan ideas I have now based on my experience with the mini-lessons. I also liked how we each read the books but we all presented in “groups” on specific books. That way, we were all benefiting from reading but not required to do a full report or project on each.

The unit plan was also a great experience. I was really stressed throughout it but I learned a lot about lesson planning and myself as a planner, student, and as a teacher. It scares me to think about how much time, effort, and thinking will go into creating my lessons for the first couple years of teaching. I am told it gets easier and easier but the lesson plan provided a great way to think about all aspects of a unit. I also liked the added information to the TPA lesson plan because it required me share my thinking and planning in more ways than one and helped me to become an expert in teaching persuasion.

I was extremely overwhelmed after our first reading. I was unsure I was fit to participate in the class. After we discussed the article, and I realized I was not the only one totally lost, I felt more comfortable. Through the discussion, I made connections with some really confusing parts of the article. I re-read the article after our discussion (it was still confusing) but I did understand more of it than the first time. I really enjoyed talking about oppressors and the oppressed and how it applies to teachers and students. That was a theory that rocked my entire view of teaching. I now see the theme of oppressors and oppressed in other literary works. Plus, teaching what I had been taught in class to my mom and dad was so fun! Many of the articles we read in class I discussed with my family and was inspired and amazed by the amount of information I remembered and how I was able to present it in a way other people understood.

This class inspired me to include more discussion in my classes as a teacher. I have never had friends in classes in school. When I missed a class because of an illness or stress, I would wing it because I had no one to call or contact. Often professors became friends and helped me through the process but there is something important about creating relationships with peers when it comes to learning. I also noticed that once I had established relationships in the class, I was more willing to participate and contribute to the conversation, even if I wasn’t 100% or sure of my ideas. I also liked all the different reflective activities we did. I have been practicing on being more reflective in my life and I am amazed by its power. I also enjoyed all of the constructive criticism and feedback we provided for each other in class. Therefore, all of knew the expectations but we all trusted each other and reinforced learning and ideas. I learned so much from this class and I was always excited to attend. Thank you for working so hard to make this a great quarter.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is the first graphic novel I've ever read! I enjoyed the experience, looking at the pictures and making inferences about the story's setting and mood almost made it like reading subtitles while watching a movie. The pictures are there, but in order to understand the entire story you must read the words. I love visualizing what the words are describing in my own imagination and the graphic novel kind of robs that imaginative side for me. With that being said, I am excited to extend my graphic reading experience by reading books like Maus.

I am excited for my observation time tomorrow because I recommended the book to one of the students in my 7th grade class on Wednesday. He said he liked comic books and that was it. Then I saw American Born Chinese on the shelf. At first he was convinced it was all Chinese and since he didn't understand Chinese he wasn't interested. We flipped through the book together and I showed him that the words were in English and then I told him I was going to read the same book over the weekend. By Friday, he was half way through the book and I still hadn't started it!

Now that I have read the book, I am interested in hearing what the kiddo has to say about it. There might have been some language and words that were a little above his reading level and I am interested in seeing if he looked them up, asked someone, or made inferences from the pictures. I think it will start a cool conversation and I might be able to find out a little more about him and where he's at as a student.

Night by Elie Wiesel

Reading Night by Elie Wiesel never ceases to amaze me. Each time I am captivated by the moments he described. This time, I thought about my grandma who just turned 98 years old. This could have been her and my papa's story. If things had been different, a different country, a different religion, a different Hitler, this could have been the story of my family. This perspective I took while reading the story made me much more sad while reading the book.

I find it interesting (for lack of a better word) that Night for  many people is the first "school assigned book" they read cover to cover. I know it was for me. There is a horror and sickening feeling that accompanies me as I discovered new things about the Holocaust. I remember being a student and wanting to read to the end - only because I knew it ended. The pain, fear, despair, hunger, and atrocities people endured throughout the time are unbelievable. For me that is why this book was so captivating.

This time through, I read Elie Wiesel's Nobel Peace Prize Award acceptance speech. He said, "give Isreal a chance to let hatred and danger be removed from their horizons, and there will be peace in and around the Holy Land." Reading this line impacted me on a deeper level, as did the book this time around. Thinking of Elie and his father as they could have been my GG and Papa filled me with more anger than I had felt reading the book before. In his acceptance speech, it is clear that Elie has  turned his hatred for good and has risen above his oppressors. He speaks out about atrocities in the world and reminds readers what some people are capable of doing and encourages them to speak out.

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

I totally felt like my 7th grade kids when I grumbled slightly as I pulled out Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I opened the book and instantly flipped to the last page. Not as many pages as I thought! There is something about reading Romeo and Juliet when it is NOT in some million paged anthology that makes it much more enjoyable.

 

The play is still not my favorite of Shakespeare's work. I love the comedies and find them more enjoyable to read. With that being said, there have been so many adaptations to Romeo and Juliet that I think it could be taught effectively. There are so many adaptations such as movies and modern versions that students may find it easier to connect with Romeo or Juliet than other of Shakespeare's characters. 

 

When reading the play with my students, I would assign different students to different characters as we read. We would discuss the play the entire time to make sure students were comprehending the story as well as understanding the language used. After, students would be assigned to groups and asked to re-create their own version of Romeo and Juliet and present it to the class in some creative format such as a skit, video, picture video, or audio recording.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part -Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I have heard numerous people talk about Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part -Time Indian but never took the initiative to read the book for myself. I am so glad I did! What a story of empowerment and life experience. I feel like students, teachers, and parents can all benefit  from reading this book.

I really enjoyed reading the book through the lenses of effort= success. In my education class 413 we have new n discussing how to teach students about effort and how to inspire students to put more effort into school work and daily ale an active role in their own learning. As a student myself, taking an active role in my learning is hard. It takes time, commitment and lots of late nights and support. Support from family, friends and teachers

This book shows me all the little things a teacher can do to inspire students. First, teachers have to believe in students and have expectations from them. Me. P saw something different in Junior. He saw a boy who hadn't fallen trap to the ways of the Natives and encouraged him to be better. Junior didn't believe he could accomplish anything or be anything more than the drink native like everyone else but with the encouragement or  ateacher and family support Junior was able to become a successful student and a successful basketball player.

I loved this book and I can see myself using  it in an 8th or 9th grade classroom. It models the idea that success depends on effort but it also reminds students that there is life besides school and sometimes life sucks. With poverty, death, and drunks Junior had to survive life and not give up hope. As a tracer I think it's important to foster a community where life can be lived and students can know that support from teachers and their peers will be alive in the classroom.

Differentiating Instruction

 "A Rational for Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom" by Paul S. George

“A rationale for Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom” is an article about by Paul S. George’s personal perspectives on teaching and the school experience. George claims, “Success for all students is more than a slogan or even a laudable goal; it may be a key to the survival of the American public school as society has come to know it” (186). George argues that differentiated instruction and heterogeneous classrooms must be the foundations for an effective classroom. He explains his theory by describing two possible “pathways” (186).

First, George believes that teachers need to “prize diversity” in their schools. He describes this kind of environment at being one that shows parents that their children are safe, making friends, receiving the support they need and so on. Secondly, George thinks that educators need to make more effort to include differentiated instruction, curriculum and basement that will support a wide range of students.

George continues to explain and support some key concepts of a heterogeneous classroom and its importance: racial integration, accurate placement, effect of effort, awareness of individual differences, equity, contact theory, and constructivist opportunities. He also shares the benefits in differentiating instruction in a heterogeneous classroom.

Overall, I enjoyed this article and what the author had to say. I liked that he started the article by stating that these are his personal beliefs from his own experiences. I thought it was interesting that he grabbed our attention by a call for change or a loss of public schools as we know it. I thought it was a valid point, especially with all of the charter and private schools emerging. Public school will be known as he left overs or the uncategorized if we cannot teach effectively to all types of learners. I thought it was interesting to note the importance of mixing differentiated instruction within a heterogeneous classroom to achieve higher levels of learning.

 

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3496997

Silent Reading Record

Read for 30 minutes and then stop and complete the following:

1. What did you read? (Include title and page numbers .)
--I read Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson from page 1 to page 57.

2. In four or more sentences summarize what you read.
--Frannie is a young 11-year-old girl living in the seventies. She reads Emily Dickenson's poem in school and starts to ponder the meaning of the "thing with feathers": hope. A new boy comes into her class and he is white but claims not to be. All of the kids call him Jesus-boy. When he makes eye contact with Frannie, he always seems to smile and she doesn't know why. Most of the other kids in class pick and taunt him, claiming he should be living on the other side of the highway with the other white folk.

Frannie's other brother, Sean, is deaf so he goes to a different school. Frannie admires her brother and wishes girls could see past his hearing problems. She thinks he would have lots of different girl friends if he could hear properly. Her mother has been sad before because of the loss of a daughter and another miscarriage. When Frannie returns home from school one day, her mother is in bed and Frannie is instantly worried. When her father gets home, he informs Sean and Frannie that their mother is pregnant again and that is why she is tired.

3. As you were reading, what were you thinking? Write at least four sentences. Did you make any connections? What were you wondering? What opinions do you have about what you read?
--When I started reading this book, I thought there would be more direct references to the Vietnam, War because of what the back of the book has said. Instead, (so far) it focuses more on the realities of segregation through the eyes of a young girl. I have enjoyed the "reverse racism" perspective the book provides. The "Jesus-Boy" is a white boy in an all black school and is harassed to go back to the other side of the highway. The bully, Trevor, is lighter black than the other kids with piercing blue eyes. Rumors say that his father is a white man but he is so mean to the other students no one will ask him or talk about it. The entire time, I was thinking of the movie Ruby. Ruby is a story about the first African-American girl to be bused to a white school through desegregation. The realities and the treatment of Ruby and "Jesus- boy" is extremely similar.

I am wondering if I need to investigate into the opposition around the Vietnam War in an effort to draw more connections to the text. I was also wondering if I needed to look into people with disabilities and how they were treated during the seventies.

So far I have truly enjoyed the book. I can relate to Frannie in a number of ways. At one point, Frannie says, "Some days, eleven felt like a whole long lifetime. All heavy like that" (19).

" I read it, but I don't get it" Chapters 1-5

I am so excited to read "I read it, but I don't get it" by Cris Tovani. I was hooked right when she admitted to being a "fake reader." I love to read but, I only love to read when I want to be reading. If I have an assigned reading or a book I have to read for a class, I despise it. I usually read the first few chapters, skim a few, read a few more, skim a few, and read the last. I don't want to be like that but between work, homework, life and classes I hardly have time. Especially because I am the kind of person who needs to reflect on what I have read. Usually I talk to my sister, my parents or my friend Ashley. By talking about my reading and reflecting on my reading I gain so much more. The problem with college is there isn't any time for reflecting. Therefore, it makes it harder for me to want to read.

I enjoyed the part about "important book and literary histories" and I hope to use it in my classroom. Tovani doesn't try to get the kids to love reading, she wants to get them to understand it, have a choice, and take personal responsibility of reading. I love that she talks about the books that she doesn't like and why she doesn't like them. In my reading class, we are reading a lot of children's books and I am reminded of the books my mom and dad read to me as a kid. I also remember my first favorite series, The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. I thought her reasoning for the book history was very powerful. She stated that since her students were going to be working with some text that would require them to share "pasts, passions, and concerns" and will force people to connect. If the students can grow together as a class, they can grow and encourage each other as readers as well.

"A Response-Based Approach to Reading Literature

Judith A. Langer in “A Response- Based Approach to Reading Literature” states that there are two types of reading, ‘horizon of possibilities” and “point of reference,” while each has a different approach and characteristics, they both are just alternate versions of “sense making.”

The “horizon of possibilities” is all about living though the experience and identifying with what it means to be human. This way of reading is very common in literary focused classes. These classes usually focus on point of view reading and writing. The students are encouraged to “explore the possibilities involved in the worlds they create.”

The exploration of horizons of possibilities lies at the heart of a literary experience. Here, use of the word "horizon" is critical, referring to the fact that horizons never lead to endings but continually advance; whenever a person (reader) takes a step towards the horizon (moving toward closure), the horizon itself shifts (and other possibilities are revealed for the reader to explore). Continually raising questions about the implications and undersides of what one understands (and using those musings to reconstrue where the piece might go) precludes closure and invites ambiguity.

Unlike the “horizon of possibilities”, the “point of reference” is all about questioning what is known. It is the “heart of discursive thinking” and encourages initial questions to lead to other questions. In history and science classes, many students feel they need to know all the information to understand the material. When literature is introduced into the classroom students use them to mine information instead of gain insight. One suggestion the article uses is to incorporate “horizon” questions into historical and classical texts.

I liked that the goal was to help encourage teachers to use thought-provoking literature in class where students are encouraged to find their own meanings and possible understandings from multiple perspectives. I think it is important to stress the student based approach and helping students take an active role in their own learning. Each student has a different life view of experiences to share when reading and writing.  If we can mix the horizon of possibilities with the point of reference, hopefully students will be able to come up with their personal thoughts on the text as well as details to validate their opinion.

http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/langer/langerresponsebased.pdf

Social Justice in the Classroom

“Social Justice in the Classroom: Understanding the Implications of Interlocking Oppressions”
 by Becky Ropers – Huilman

In the article, Huilman suggests that in promoting social justice, teaches need to overcome the effects that the oppressive systems can have on teaching and learning. Huilman looks into the cause and effects of oppression and ways to promote social justice and decrease the feelings of oppression. Huilman identifies with Marily Frye’s definition of oppressions as being “caught between or among forces and barriers which are so related to each other that jointly they retrain, restrict, or prevent the things motion or mobility.” By using the metaphor of a birdcage, Frye suggests that we all have disappointments and painful events that happen in our lives. These hurts ultimately impede d the attainment of our ambitions. Sometimes these hurts can be a trap that cannot be escaped from or broken into.  These forces can limit relationships between a student and teacher and a student and peers.

Huilman then went on to share two examples from her own teaching in college classes. She realized that promoting social justice is a very hard thing to do. In her first example, she introduced sexuality into the discussion. The responses from the students were very interesting. Some people called gays and bisexuals “less than animals” and others did not consider them to be human. Some students were in shock about what the other students said. In one student response Huilman shared, the student was amazed that the African American woman could say such terrible things about gays. The student wondered how the oppression the woman faced had affected her thinking. The student made connections that the statements about gays had been the same ones being made about blacks historically.

In the second example, one student was attacking another student demeanor. The student claimed that the other student “only cared for himself.” Huilman immediately suggested that the discussion attack ideas and not people and the student instantly got quiet. In reflection later, Huilman wondered if by asking the student not to attack the other student, she in turn, attacked the student. This idea of oppression and social justice is a difficult concept and an even harder concept to incorporate into classrooms.  One quote from the article I really enjoyed about teaching, “I believe that sexism and racism exist, and that we educators have a special responsibility to confront them by using the institutional power in our role to identify and counteract the effects of oppressive acts. “

Ropers-Huilman, Becky. “Social Justice in the Classroom: Understanding the Implications of Interlocking Oppressions.” College Teaching.47.3 (1999):91-95. Web. Oct. 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/27558949.pdf?acceptTC=true

After reading my peer’s blog posts about social justice, I realized I probably missed an enlightening discussion. L I did notice a few common themes among the articles. Most of the articles addressed the idea of creating a better learning environment in classrooms. Most people agreed that education shapes lives and it is our responsibility as teachers to provide equal opportunities, fairness, and quality education to all students.  While these concepts seem fundamental and expected, there are some flaws and difficulties.

For instance, there does not seem to be a universal definition for social justice or any rules to maintain social justice. If we focus on social justice in the classroom as providing each student with equal opportunities to learn and achieve we have a process and a common goal but hit some flaws. Each student is different and therefore has a different need than the next guy. The “equality” part is a little unrealistic because of the factors outside of the school, in the home situation, and in the student’s school life. I liked that one of my peers brought the movie Stand and Deliver into their blog. I feel like the movie is a great way of visualizing social justice and oppression and how a teacher can create an environment that supports and challenges each student no matter their IQ, race, gender, sexuality, family history or home life.

Critical Pedagogy and Popular Culture in an Urban Secondary English Classroom

I was re-inspired to teach after reading "Critical Pedagogy and Popular Culture in an Urban Secondary English Classroom" by Jeff Duncan - Andrade and Ernest Morrell. I have been struggling with my self confidence in creating lesson plans that will motive and encourage learning while empowering the student. The article gave insight and reasoning for incorporating videos, music and discussion into the classroom while "empowering individuals and collective as agents of social change."

One aspect of the article I found useful was the multiculturalism aspect. The teachers used texts like Beowulf, Othello, Macbeth and other and encouraged the students to look at the treatment of those who were considered to be "others." This was an insightful approach top the readings of classic literature and empowers readers to compare the old "others" to the "others" of our time. The most important quote of the article for me was "An oppressive rendering of a culturally divers text is still oppressive." This was powerful for me because of our past discussions on oppression and the realities of the word. Empowerment is an important element in the teaching of multiculturalism and can be achieved not by focusing on an author or character or color or race, but by encouraging students to look through a multicultural lens at all aspects of the world.

“Critical Pedagogy: A Look at the Major Concepts” by Peter McLaren

Peter McLaren’s “Critical Pedagogy: A Look at the Major Concepts” was a mountain of information for me. I especially enjoyed the small part about empowerment because one of my biggest goals as a teacher is to empower my students. According to McLaren, “empowerment means not only helping students to understand and engage the world around them, but also enabling them to exercise the kind of courage to change the social order when necessary” (74). McLaren argues that knowledge needs to reflect reality but also needs to reflect the daily struggle of people’s lives. Hopefully, the knowledge we are providing our students in class will extend far beyond the classroom and into the everyday lives and families of our students. “School knowledge should help create the conditions productive for student’s self-determination in the larger society.”

Personally, college has been an extreme struggle. Throughout my time at Eastern I have fought hard with depression as well as incredible family changes. Some days it was hard for me to get up, other days I would read and reread the material and not comprehend any of it. Most of the time I would show up to class panicked and then fake my way through the assignment or discussion. This last year I had Dr. Logan for my American Literature class. I was so excited for the class discussions, lectures and readings because I love American literature, but sadly my depression and personal life kept getting in the way. Instead of asking “why” or “how” or anything silly, Dr. Logan told me to get it together and get it in when I could (multiple times). This was my first experience being taught in college like I would like to teach in middle school.

Instead of claiming “late work” or “too bad” she encouraged me and talked me through it. She asked me what authors I enjoyed and encouraged me to dig deeper into their lives and relate it to my own. I was able to dive into Edgar Allan Poe’s work like I had never before. Through my experiences in her class I learned to keep on trying and not to give up. If something isn’t “clicking” move on and try something new. I also learned that feelings can be a great source of inspiration. Many of Emily Dickenson’s poems meant nothing to me until I read them in my deepest sad moments.  It is strange to see the images, words, and tone that come to light depending on the mood of the student reading the piece of literature. Also, I felt like I had someone rooting for me. I never understood the value of having a teacher root for a student.

At the end of the quarter, I was overly stressed, confused and ready to quit. In the chaos, I missed the final in Dr. Logan’s class and did not even realize it. When I checked my e-mail that afternoon (after realizing I missed the final) I saw an e-mail already from Dr. Logan. She asked me where I was and noted how hard I had worked that quarter at keeping up and expanding my own learning within my abilities. Not only did I feel like I let her down, I felt like a failure because she had given me so many chances to be great. Instead of saying “too bad” she allowed me to come in and take the final. For that final, I felt I needed ace it. I wanted to show her that through her compassion and caring about me as a person as well as a student, that I could do it. 

Long winded story, I know, but I felt like it was relevant do the empowerment McLaren is talking about. Not only was Dr. Logan and other teachers like Dr. Torgenson and Dr. McHenrey empowering their students as students, but they are also recognizing the student as a person.  Thankfully, many of the teachers at EWU have seen my struggles, helped me through them and encouraged and empowered me. With their help I have stayed at EWU, I have continued my studies and working towards my education degree and I have also started to cultivate the teacher I want to be.

Pedagogy of the Oppressed Chapter 1

Throughout chapter one, Freire focuses on the concept of humanization and dehumanization and the “oppressor” versus the “oppressed.” He claims those being oppressed are the only ones that can rise up and change their situation but in order for them to do so and remain humanized, they must rise above without oppressing their oppressors. I think.

Reflecting back to what I know, I see the Nazis and the Jewish people during the Holocaust creating the circle of oppression. The Jews during the Holocaust were oppressed because of their religion. The dehumanization of Nazis occurred because of their role as oppressors.  I would assume Freire would encourage the Jews to rise up against the Nazis, but do so in a non-oppressing way. The difficulties in Freire’s suggestion would be that all the Jews have ever known is oppression so how will they know how to rise about without oppressing their oppressors when that is all they have ever known? Wow, that got interesting.

What is also interesting, confusing, mindboggling to think about is what the oppressed think about. Do they know they can rise up? Do they know how to strive through their circumstances? Is there actually more out there or is this the best I’ve got? I think the only reason I challenge things is because I was brought up to challenge everything (almost to a fault). Anyways, this might have been to deep of a reading for me and Friday.

  

Common Core State Standards

 “A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.” –Mark Twain

I sat in and observed the first couple days at the same school I went to, Park Place Middle school. Many of the teachers I had then are still there now (and most of them look exactly the same!!).  I was lucky to observe Mr. Donohue's 7th grade language arts class and laughed at the same jokes he told me when I was in 7th grade. The main difference in Mr. Donohue's classroom that separated him from the rest was the posters that covered his walls. Instead of the usual reading, writing, and inspirational posters decorating the walls, he had written each Common Core State Standard and provided an example of each one that was applicable to his class.

At first I thought it was tacky. What an easy way to cover the walls with words. But now, as I continue to study the CCSS, I see his genius. By plastering the walls with the CCSS, Mr. Donohue was sharing his expectations for his class and allowing the students to take responsibility for their own learning. By sharing the CCSS with the entire class, the students become more familiar with the expectations, learning objectives and state standards that will follow them the rest of their time at school.

Personally, I am excited about the CCSS. I feel that if we, as educators, can come together with a common goal and common standards for our students that they can grow as students and as people in a constantly evolving world. I feel that improving our literacy standards across curriculum will greatly impact our students. Teaching students to read is not enough, we need to inspire students to want to read. The CCSS will be able to do that by holding the teachers more accountable for specific learning objectives.

http://www.corestandards.org/

Discussion as a Way of Teaching

Discussion as a Way of Teaching

                The first time I was exposed to discussion used as a method of teaching I was blown away. I was in my senior year of high school working with an intriguing woman named Kris Menon, trying to devise a week long program to unite our school. I began to notice our discussions consisted largely of Kris asking me questions; some were deep and meaningful, others were almost tedious in their simplicity. What I realized was the best learning experiences and self-discovery come from insightful and meaningful discussions. The discussions may not always end in the way we had hoped but they end where they are supposed to. Discussion as a method of teaching can be extremely beneficial to students and teachers alike.

                While reading “Discussion in a Democratic Society” from the book Discussion as a Way of Teaching I realized discussion as a method of teaching is a fairly new concept. Attaining good, thoughtful discussion needs some key components, such as “an atmosphere where people feel invited to participate.” Many students, including myself, are more scared of their peers’ responses over those of parents or teachers. If the classroom atmosphere emits acceptance, lack of judgment and a feeling of openness to any ideas, students will feel more inclined to participate and say what is on their mind. Overall, active participation can lead to a deeper understanding for all students involved.

                In my experience working with Kris and her organization called Ignite, I have seen the benefits of discussion for learning first hand. In our small groups of mentors ( upperclassmen who are being trained to facilitate discussions with mentees, underclassmen) I saw a boost of confidence, unexpected students step up into leadership roles, empathy arise through connections, and friendships created between enemies. Discussion allowed the mentors to charge of their own learning as well as encourage learning in their mentees.  Unfortunately, I have also witnessed the downfalls of discussion. If a mentor is unsure of the intended direction of the discussion or unaware of the students the discussion can be a waste of time for everyone involved. Asking the right questions, encouraging participation, modeling appropriate behavior,  allowing the discussion to run its course as well as reaffirming previous points and important positions all contribute to a quality discussion.

                The reason I decided to become a teacher was because Kris told me that I needed to obtain a college degree in “something” to continue to work with her and Ignite. I decided to go into teaching because I had hoped that I would learn different methods and ideas to inspire children to learn and grow. I had also hoped it would give me more credibility with the teachers and administrators I was working with. Instead, Ignite has inspired and influenced my teaching style and methods every quarter I take a new class. In Ignite, we encourage building a community that supports and challenges one another. Hopefully, throughout discussion I will be able to use Ignite tactics as well as what I have learned in the teaching program to cultivate students who appreciate one another, challenge the norms, have hope and inspires students to be “cocreators of knowledge.”

Introductory Letter

Hello! My name is Kailie. I am in my 4th year at Eastern Washington University. I am currently pursuing a degree in Secondary English Education as well as a reading and history minor. This summer was my first quarter off in two years! I was able to go home to Monroe and hang out with my family.  My wonderful parents, vibrant black lab, and beautiful, younger sisters were able to enjoy the cool country rivers, the salty breeze of the ocean and quality family time. As fall quarter approached and the days began to get shorter, I found myself thinking about the deep pink, brand new planner I was going to get from Staples. Then my mind wandered to the fresh, new, midnight black ballpoint pens that I needed to write in my brand new planner. After dreaming about school supplies I started to think about my official “first day outfit” and what to bring for a snack. In my excitement for classes to start again I realized a very important thing. If I can still get this excited for my first day of school at 24 years old, then I was made to be a teacher.

I am not in an observation class yet but I am ready to be! I had the opportunity to observe my favorite 6^th grade teacher, Mrs. Bruton, and my favorite 7^th grade teacher, Mr. Donohue, when I was home over the summer. It was the first time I had been in a classroom watching the teachers every move. I am so excited to be placed into a classroom and start watching and preparing for my own classroom with my own lessons and to create my own classroom climate.  

I love to read books. I love non-fiction, biography, science-fiction, fantasy, thriller and history. I love making connections from books to real life or re-reading books (like the Harry Potter series, every year) and discovering something new. This summer I caught myself “teaching” mini-lessons to my friends and family. I taught my dad about the differences between porpoises and dolphins on our trip to the San Juan Islands and then explained the notable Edgar Allan Poe characteristics found in the popular series The Following to my mom.  Unfortunately, sometimes it takes multiple readings and discussions for me to comprehend some pieces. I feel that sometimes this is a blessing in disguise because I have to use different techniques that are new, uncomfortable or unfamiliar in order to peel away the layers and focus on different aspects of literature.

Throughout this quarter I hope to gain insight on discussion techniques and classroom facilitation for reading activities. I hope to understand some of the issues with teaching reading and reading comprehension in adolescents. I hope that I can use this class to develop my relationships with my peers that will transfer into my future workings with colleagues and students.