Let's Get Gaming!

My new summer project is creating interactive and interesting lesson plans that can be incorporated into a classroom. The first series I will be working on is the value of video games, the psychological and social benefits, and how to incorporate video games into a curriculum while adhering and assessing to the national standards. Here is a video discussing the psychological effects of video games on the brain. Let's get gaming! Thank you Psychologydegree.net :)

Any feedback is much appreciated so feel free to leave comments below. 

Let's Get Gaming! Embracing the Gamer Within.

My new summer project is creating interactive and interesting lesson plans that can be incorporated into a classroom. The first series I will be working on is the value of video games, the psychological and social benefits, and how to incorporate video games into a curriculum while adhering and assessing to the national standards.

I would love some feedback so please feel free to leave your comments below.

I Would Give This Post a 4

I have learned the difficulties of grading. I have walked through the valley of empty red pens and tossed away staples that glitter like metallic teeth. I have surveyed the map of Rubric. I have reviewed and discussed with the scholars. I have read into the mind of another. I have learned and pondered. I have been buried under the dead trees. I have buckled with the camel and the straw. I have risen with my decisions defined. I have distributed my knowledge to others. I have created a better writer. I have created an individual who is proud of themselves. I have created something that was always there. I have found what needed to flourish.  

Teachers...

Though after completing my last semester of clinical practice, I have realized that the last picture should look very different. There may have been times where I struggled but there was never a time when I reflected on my own profession and expressed the defeat this individual feels. The picture depicts the teacher so defeated. I had never felt that way and always knew that I was on the right path. In times of uncertainty, I merely had to look at my own students and realize....

They stand up for me, so I stand for them.

Graphic Organizer about Graphic Organizers

Rants on a Rubric

Rubrics are a means of establishing clear expectations for your students. Rubrics force you to fit into a rigid grading bubble. Rubrics help maintain equitable grading practices. Rubrics limit a student's creative choice and unique written voice. Rubrics help identify the standards and skills needed to be displayed. Rubrics emphasize the value of certain skills and abilities while devaluing others. Rubrics help maintain a clear set of criteria that could be shared throughout a department or curriculum. Rubrics can be altered re-establishing expectations from teacher-to-teacher. Rubrics don't provide feedback. Rubrics do provide feedback. Rubrics, rubrics, rubrics, what to do with rubrics. Rigid rubrics really wreck rambling rookie writers.   

Keep Calm

Monitoring and adjusting. Monitoring and adjusting. That's what I tell myself repeatedly when I stand in front of my class realizing that the minutes are slowly ticking by and I have yet to cover all of the material I had planned for today. How am I going to cram all of this in? What if they don't know the material yet? What if we don't get through everything we need to get through? What do I do? I take a deep breath, smile, and crack a joke. We laugh together as my brilliant distraction bides me enough time to quickly think of a means to cover everything. Then it occurs to me. Of course! It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if the student didn't fill in the appropriate graphic organizer. It doesn't matter if the assessment I originally planned for today must be tweaked to fit the unanticipated adjustment. It is more important that my students understand and practice this new material and feel confident in their abilities to tackle these new concepts before bombarding them with more concepts. What matters the most is their abilities and their skills. It is more important to adjust the lesson and adapt it to the needs of my students. As a teacher, I need to be able to recognize when to slow down and allow students the time to practice and develop their new skills. Scaffolding they call it. What learning looks like, I call it.

Bookmarking Tool

Hello everybody,
So here is my online bookmark organizational tool. I liked Googlebookmarks because it allows me to sort my bookmarks into various folders for better organization while also being able to overlap bookmarks that may have similar concepts or themes. 

My Bookmarks

(If link doesn't work please follow web address below)
file:///Users/sadeg003/Downloads/GoogleBookmarks-2.html

Digital Presentation Video

Hello there. This is my three part digital presentation reflection for EDSS 530. The first part discusses the value of technology for a teacher, creating resources and maintaining communication with your students. The second part explains how a teacher can use technology to build up their PLN (Personal Learning Network). The final part is how a teacher could use technology for homework assignments in the classroom.

First Part
Using technology for teachers.

Second Part
Using technology to create a PLN (Personal Learning Network).

Part Three
Using technology as homework assignments.

Please leave comments. I would love the feedback and would love to know how you would use technology in the classroom.

NCTE Graphic Novels EdChat

I recently participated in an educational chat with NCTE (The National Council of Teachers of English). The chat focused on the value of graphic novels and whether or not more graphic novels should be incorporated into the curriculum. I myself am a largely visual person and feel that graphic representations of novels are a fantastic differentiating tool to assist with student reading comprehension. Through the chat, I was given a plethora of resources that I could use in my own classroom. Everything from Shakespeare to Poetry to Kafka. Many of the teachers also discussed how graphic representations can also assist in student understanding of grammar and other concepts. With this in mind, I decided to do my own graphic representation of a homonym that students continually misuse. After the introduction of this image to my students, I have yet to see the misuse of this word again. I am still compiling my own list of graphic novels that I would blend into my own curriculum and will continue participating in this edchat to attain more resources and suggestions.

Disrupting Class

Chapter 1: Why Schools Struggle to Teach Differently when each Student Learns Differently

1. Explain the difference between interdependence and modularity.  How is education currently organized?  

Interdependence is a system where one piece is reliant on the make up of all the other parts around it. In this system, one item cannot be exchanged without affecting and changing aspects of the system around it. Modularity is a system where piece are less reliant on the make up of all the other parts and allows for the flexibility of change within the system. One piece can be replaced to strengthen the system without having to rehash the whole system. The current education system is made up of a combination of the two. There is one umbrella that every aspect of the system must adhere to what are known as the Common Core Standards. However, within these standards teachers are given creative control as to how they meet the standards. Nonetheless, the current education system reflects a more interdependence system due to the rigidity of the Common Core Standards and No Child Left Behind which forces students to demonstrate their understanding of the material through standardized testing.

Chapter 2: Making the Shift:  Schools meet Society’s need

2. Explain the disruptive innovation theory.  What does this have to do with schools?

The disruptive innovation theory is an economic theory that attempts to explain the arrival of new competitiors to an already overflooded market. With the overall of a cheaper newcomer that produces similar goods at a fraction of the cost, the whole economin system is shaken now having to compete at a cheaper level otherwise this new cheaper product will begin to dominate the market. If a company is unable to compete, it is disbandoned and sinks. This relates to schools because with the influx of technology more and more schools are comepting for the newest and best forms of technology that would assist in elevating their students to a more technological driven educational and career market.

Chapter 3: Crammed Classroom Computers

3.  Why doesn’t cramming computers in schools work?  Explain this in terms of the lessons from Rachmaninoff (What does it mean to compete against nonconsumption?)

Cramming computers into schools does not work because computers are being used as a tool to suplement the teaching and learning that students have already been exposed to. Computers are not disrupting because they do not threaten the competetivenss of a human teacher. There ahve yet to be computer programs that can teach students in an identiacal matter to that of a human teacher. Teh Rachmaninoff incident explains how records were used to supplement the musical enjoyement of individuals who were unable to see a live show. It did not threaten the concert market but rather fueled record sales and created a larger music entertainment industry. The non-consumers refer to the individuals that have not been previously tapped into. It is almost like the creation of a new consumer market. Computers would have to appeal to a previously untapped market and must be adapted to meet the needs of those individuals. Right now, charter schools are attempting to supplement the needs of individuals and students who are not getting succeeding in the current traditional education system. Technology cannot compete with the value of a teacher but perhaps one day that will change.

Chapter 4: Disruptively Deploying Computers

4. Explain the pattern of disruption. 

First, a new technology is introduced to non-consumers which is quickly adopted and embraced by the non-consumer market. Then, as more and more non-consumers embrace the market and technology more competitors release similar innovations that are cheaper and faster than the first generation. Consumers become more akin to leaving behind the old innovation for the new and improved one. More consumers begin adopting this new medium there is a dramatic spike in the system as the market grows and eventually plateaus.

5. Explain the trap of monolithic instruction.  How does student-centric learning help this problem?

Monolithic instruction is a rigorous form of instruction that never seems to check for student understanding. Adhering to standards, lesson plans, and the overall pace of the curriculum are more important the checking for student understanding or comprehension of the material. It does not matter if students are able to keep up with the material all that matters is that the teacher powers through the material and hits all of the standards outlined in the curriculum. Student-centered learning helps the problem because it focuses on student understanding and adapts the lessons and curriculum to ensure that students understand the material before moving on. There is much more progress monitoring, feedback, and differentiated instruction.

Chapter 5: The System for Student-Centric Learning

6. Explain public education’s commercial system.  What does it mean to say it is a value-chain business?  How does this affect student-centric learning?

Public education's commercial system revolves mostly around the use of textbooks. Textbooks are created which are then adopted by the states and districts. The teacher adapts their teaching material to fit with textbook material. The students are assessed on how well they know the material in the textbook. The teacher uses the student's assessment of the material to inform their teaching. The district assesses all the students in the district and the material is sent back to textbook creators to adapt, alter, and create the next generation or addition of the textbook. This affects student-centered learning because it is no longer important what the students are taught only that it aligns with the material discussed and assessed according to the text book. 

Class Visitation Reflection

Whether or not many of my colleagues believe it, I am a huge math nut. I grew up in a household of Calculus teachers who loved math and would often crack some of the cheesiest math jokes laughing themselves onto the floor. I would often pick up The History of Pi or The Number Devil just because it interested me. I also really loved  Edwin A. Abbott's Flatland, an odd world of geometric shapes and mathematical formulas. It was with great excitement that I learned that at my current school site there was a teacher who had successfully incorporated math and technology into his curriculum and was incredibly successful in doing so. His student's grades had begun skyrocketing and, the most fascinating factor, his students had failed the course twice before finally being placed in his class. All of a sudden, these students who could not even begin to comprehend Algebra 2 were excelling in math and passing tests with flying colors. I had to see what he was doing. I walked into the classroom, took a seat at the back of the class, and observed quietly. After sitting in on a whole class period, I decided to reflect on what I had seen take place in his classroom. Technology was integrated into the curriculum very uniquely. He used technology mainly during his lectures to teach students new concepts. The teacher had created a Reader. A Reader is a bound notebook created, published, paid for, and distributed by the teacher. The Reader was full of the teacher's Powerpoints and copies of his lecture presentations. He left certain areas blank to act as a complementary graphic organizer to his lectures. Students could take notes, copy examples, and solve sample problems all within this reader. He also made sure to provide students with enough space to show all of their work. A habit that he reiterated during every class, "Always show your work." This use of technology definitely fueled student learning. The lecture evolved from a stagnant teacher centered information dump to a student driven, interactive lecture. The teacher would have students come up to the smart board and solve the math problem. The teacher would then upload the student work directly to the class website so students could see how their peers solved the problem. The most unique aspect of this classroom was the teacher's ability to use a combination of his own lectures which were then complemented by student work. Later, he would upload everything to the class website. He would also record the students explaining how they came to that specific answer and play it in tandem with the student physically solving the problem. I learned that technology can be used not only as a lecture tool but also as an additional resource for students providing them an online resource where they can go to learn or re-learn the material. After the class, I approached the teacher and asked him how much time he spends catching up absent students on the material. He smiled, "Never." His students hop online and figure it out themselves. He also has a discussion forum that allows students to interact and discuss the problems together. I was so grateful to be able to sit-in on a such a unique math class and I was so happy to see the successful integration of technology and mathematics in a way that made math accessible to all students.

Are Grades Necessary for Learning?

Are Grades Necessary for Learning? In a short answer, no. Grades are necessary for grading and assessments. Grades are used by teachers to assess a student's ability to adhere to the content standards that are being assessed and whether or not they have demonstrated their ability to meet those standards. Grades are also necessary for, funnily enough, grading. Before the days of the rubric, many professors and teachers graded items according to their own criteria. Perhaps you had a teacher that was a stickler for proper formatting? Whereas another professor could care less about formatting and cared more about your ability to answer the prompt? Or what about the professor that disagreed with everything you wrote and thus would drop your grade because of this disagreement? Grading itself has as many varieties and expectations as the number of teachers currently present in the entire education system. But are grades necessary for learning? No. I believe that if grades were completely removed from the equation it would alleviate stress for the students but would create more stress for the teacher. How would you keep track of 38+ students? If grades were removed another system would eventually take it's place. Perhaps students would do better in school. Or perhaps they would do worse because they no longer had to worry about the grade accountability. I am not sure. I do believe, however, that if grades were completely removed it wouldn't make a difference as to whether or not a student would learn more or less. A student's learning ability is largely due to personal drive, motivation and a good, solid teacher. The physical grade does not matter. The teacher matters. The learning experience matters. The student's drive matters. Grades do not accurately reflect everything that is present in a student's brilliant mind. I have always wondered, where is the grade for creativity? Where would big picture perspectives go under the homework column? How would bravery be categorized? There are so many valuable assets in this world and I do not feel grades accurately reflect the value of these assets nor do they account for them. If the grading system was completely removed, maybe we would embrace a one-on-one exit interview between the teacher and student, where the student had to present what they had learned in that semester and how it affected them as a human being. We are not educating kids. We are not educating students. We are educating human beings. Why not place more value on our own humanity?

Learning in New Media Environments Reflection

Learning in New Media Environments  by Dr. Michael Welsch

This video really resonated with me in a variety of ways. As a person, I really valued the sense of community that could be established within a classroom in the way that students are reprimanded. I liked that Dr. Welsch used the analogy: "When somebody does something wrong in the village they are not put on trial as an individual instead the relationship that they violated is put on trial and they try to heal that relationship in these open forums." This is invaluable. Too often, I hear teachers complain about a certain student's disruptive or inappropriate behavior and shrug it off as part of the student's personality. Perceived as an aspect of their character that can not be changed but rather deterred through continual detentions and suspensions. But by doing so, there is never an attempt to address the behavior and discuss the violation with the student. Too often students are reprimanded and they do not understand why.  We are educators. It is our job to address and explain the why. As an educator, I disagreed with one of the Doctor's comments specifically when he stated that "these walls don't matter." If the walls of a classroom truly did not matter then I would not be a teacher. Unless, he is arguing that the walls do not matter because what is learned in a classroom permeates every facet of a student's life. If this is what he is implying then I wholeheartedly agree. That is the beauty of a classroom especially one like English where the teacher has the ability to create connections for the students to take what they have learned in a classroom and apply it to a larger picture. That is the beauty of learning. It does not matter how many facts you memorize. What matters is if you can see the larger picture. How do all of these pieces fit together? And, most importantly, why do they fit together and how have they shaped our culture and world today?

Dead Poets Society Movie Review

Dead Poets Society

I always loved Dead Poets Society (D.P.S.) for tackling poetry and parental expectations, especially the scene where the young student commits suicide after performing his star role in Midsummer Night's Dream. For some reason, that scene always stuck in my mind because it was so sad that the family dismissed their son and the son felt that life was no longer worth living if he couldn't be himself. I decided to view D.P.S. because it deals with the Anglo-Saxon projection, masculinity and expected gender roles, and a higher socioeconomic status.

The first aspect that must be established are the characters. In D.P.S. John Keating, Neil Perry, and Todd Anderson are the main focus of the film but, the main protagonist of the film is Mr. Keating. Mr. Keating is a compassionate, understanding, and enthusiastic leader. The culture of D.P.S. is one of Anglo-Saxon traditionalism. Welton Academy is a preparatory school full of boys from the ages of 14-18 all from well off families. Promising the best education, Welton Academy practices a rigid curriculum full of canonized writers and materials. The primary conflict from the film actually arises from the teacher Mr. Keating. Mr. Keating, a fellow Welton alumni, arrives at the school and immediately attempts to instill passion and critical thinking. Instead of sticking to the stuffiness of lectures and rote memorization, Mr. Keating, by Welton standards, is unconventional.

Mr. Keating incorporates culturally relevant teaching by utilizing cultural competence. Because Mr. Keating attended Welton Academy, he is already familiar with the culture of the school and is able to incorporate a different lens in which to view poetry. As Nieto states, “effective schooling relies almost entirely on creative and passionate teachers” and Mr. Keating fits this description perfectly (82). One of my favorite scenes is when Mr. Keating is discussing with another teacher about helping their students develop as free thinkers. The other teacher retorts that it is dangerous for him to teach them to be artists while Mr. Keating replies, “not artists George, free thinkers.” I absolutely loved this response. I myself am an advocate “Many students are alienated, uninvolved, and discouraged by school...schools are not organized to encourage active student involvement ” and this scene best demonstrates the conflicting pedagogues of these two teacher (Nieto 141). Mr. Keating involves his students by nurturing their individual voices and perspectives. While the other teacher emphasizes rote learning and memorization. “Institutional discrimination generally refers to how people are excluded or deprived of rights or opportunities as a result of the normal operations of the institution” (Nieto 68). With the case of the D.P.S. boys, they are unable to develop critical thinking skills or their own voice because of the rigidity of Welton Academy's curriculum and teachers. Mr. Keating continually reiterates the importance of the individual by making them stand on his desk to get a different perspective of the world and when he says that “the longer you wait to find your voice the less your chance of finding it.” Even Todd Anderson's parents buy him yet another desk set unbeknownst that their son has no interest in it at all. This also ties into the most important topic we've discussed, know your students. Mr. Keating clearly knows Anderson's fear of speaking in front of his class but he embraces it and helps him get through it. Mr. Keating knows his student's fears and is able to incorporate his own unique teaching style to fuel his students to become strong critical thinkers. His effect on his students is best seen in the final scene when the boys stand up on their desks and address him as “O' Captain, My Captain.”

This film was truly inspiring. It was amazing to see a teacher that was able to work within the confines of rigidity to advocate critical thinking or, as Mr. Keating calls it, “free thinking.” Mr. Keating and I would get along very well. This film has impacted my own practice because I too advocate and instill the same values in my classroom as Mr. Keating. The message of the film provides hope for teachers that feel they are stuck in the rigidity of the curriculum and emphasizes the value of critical thinking and creativity. If you truly value your students opinions and their unique perspectives they will follow you anywhere. They will be inspired to learn from you. Teaching isn't about rote memorization. Teaching isn't about being the all knowing omnipresent being. It is about guiding a student down their path and learning along the way. In the credential program, they frequently discuss the value of collaborative teaching but I choose to utilize the value of collaborative learning. I may be an educator, but I am and always will be a learner.  

Embrace the Inner Gamer

I just participated in a NCTE education chat about video gaming and I must admit I am a little disappointed. Many of the teachers discussed how they incorporated the history of video gaming and the cultural influences of gaming on our current demographic. Though I do value these comparisons, I still felt that many of the teachers were hesitant to fully embrace gaming. If you don't know already, I am a huge advocate for video games. I must preface this by saying that I am also a huge advocate for responsible video game usage. I was very disappointed in the chat. I posed the question, "How many of you play video games? How many of you assign video games for homework?" The answer, none. There was one teacher who played video games on rare occasions but never assigned a video game as homework. This blew my mind. Why wouldn't you? My class and I have just begun reading 1984 and I have decided to incorporate the Ayn Rand inspired Bioshock game series because of the game's use of propaganda and the way that the story is told exclusively through a first person perspective. Similar to Winston in 1984, you never really know who is watching you or what hand you are playing in the larger governmental game. I am also an advocate for graphic novels and will be incorporating Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis and Alan Moore's V for Vendetta. I think it is vital to student learning to incorporate a multiplicity of genres, texts, and technologies. It fuels student learning and contextualizes information in a way that is sometimes unattainable. With this in mind, Josh Jones and I did a presentation on the value and benefits of gaming and how a teacher could tap into such an invaluable resource and use it in their own classroom. Here is the first half of the presentation on incorporating video games into a classroom. Eventually I will Jing-a-fy the presentation adding more examples and depth but for now please feel free to watch the presentation. Also, if you are wondering how you could incorporate a specific game into a lesson or assign a game as homework, ask me. I have a plethora of video game resources for you to tap into :).

http://prezi.com/-jmtvb2sgyth/video-games-embrace-the-gamer-within/?auth_key=afda27e25f56a9b613a8bd2a2f8b70776350bd4a

If you would like to see the second half of the presentation please click on the link below. You will then be transported to Mr. Josh Jones' blog.

http://englished4life.blogspot.com/

I also have a list of resources and educational games on my class website as well as a plethora of other resources for students and teachers. Please feel free to check it out.

https://sites.google.com/site/mssadeghipoursclass/useful-links

Visitation to Oceanside High School

I was very excited to visit a school that was using iPads in the classroom on a day-to-day basis. After visiting Oceanside High School, I witnessed technology integration with the iPad mainly through the form of assessment. Specifically, Bell Work and quizzes. The first class I observed used iPads as a Bell Work activity. Students were asked to complete multiple questions before being allowed to move on to their experiments. I really liked that the teacher was able to create a bank of questions so that every student may get a different question or the same question with different variables. I liked that this form of Bell Work allowed students to work collaboratively in solving the questions. It fueled group work, collaboration, and the ability to problem solve. However, I wanted to see more resources available on the iPad so that the student had a resource they could refer to prior to asking a peer for help. The students were not really held accountable for their critical thinking abilities because many of them would immediately ask a peer instead of looking at the question critically and dissecting it. I also saw a very unique problem emerge. Because students were able to take the assessments at home, there were quite a few students "killing time" until it was time to do the experiment. I liked that a student could complete or retake an assessment at home but I did not like that there were individuals that took advantage of this fantastic alternative and sat in their seats wasting class time, but I really liked that the assessment randomized the questions and was able to provide the teacher with instant feedback while fueling collaborative learning and problem solving. The second class I observed used the iPad as a form of assessment having students take their science test directly on the iPad. Again, the teacher created a bank of questions that were randomly distributed to each student. After observing both classes, I was able to speak to both teachers and they informed me that they have yet to fully outline all the benefits and resources the iPad has to offer and that this was just the beginning. With this in mind, I think these teachers are beginning to make progressive steps towards technology usage in the classroom. Nonetheless, I still wanted to see more use out of the iPad not just through assessments. For example, all the iPads had a periodic table app but upon opening the app all that was displayed was the periodic table of the elements. It looked identical to the one pinned on the wall. This made me think. The iPad is an interactive interface that teaches through interaction and games. Why can't I combine elements to see what happens? Why can't I watch a video where I witness how these two elements would or could be combined? Why can't I interact with the periodic table of elements? These were the questions that continued through my mind as the teachers spoke. Yet again, I realize that this is just the tip of technological iceberg but I am just too anxious to see what will come next and wanted to see more. I look forward to the future of technology integration in the classroom.

Videogames are the Future of Learning

Via: PsychologyDegree.net

EDSS 541 R.R. 19-21

Reading Response #19

There are many strategies a teacher can use to differentiate assessment. One strategy is using visual and auditory cues. Another strategy is grouping students heterogeneously. Teaching to a multiplicity of intelligences is also an invaluable differentiation strategy. Project based learning, rubrics, discussions, and presenting opportunities for students to think for themselves are all examples of strategies a teacher can utilize to differentiate assessment.

Reading Response #20

Two to three assessment strategies that I would use in my unit are grouping students into heterogeneous groups, discussions, and project based learning.

Reading Response #21

Using these assessment strategies in the TPA would be very valuable and would represent a more thoughtful teacher. I can use student grouping and discussion to assist with student comprehension of a text. I could use visual cues to assist the ESL students while using auditory cues to assist with my visually impaired students. I could use a rubric to ensure an equitable grading system while making my standards for the activity clear. All of these differentiation assessments also adhere to a multiplicity of intelligences as well. 

EDSS 531 Journal Entry #5

After looking back at the journey I have made through the credential program I have learned a lot about myself, the teacher I am and wish to be, and also my students. I discovered that my students have a variety of needs that they require of me as their teacher. They need their teacher to be fair and clear when it comes to directions and assignments. They need their teacher to have consistent habits such as always writing the homework on the board or being reminded at the beginning of the period. The need that surprised me the most which surfaced over time was the need for the students to feel a sense of school involvement and community. This need didn't become visible to me until the end of my first semester of student teaching. This was understandable because I was very cautious not to tell my students a lot about myself because I was more interested in their personalities and perspectives. For this reason, students were hesitant at first. As I became more comfortable with my class more of my personality began to show. This rapport strengthened the communication between my students and they were eventually able to expose their true need.

My students needed to feel like a part of a school community where their hard work and creativity was valued by their teachers and their peers. This was very surprising to me because I had the benefit of attending a high school that had a strong sense of community between all of the students and the teachers. This sense of camaraderie has sadly faded away from my old high school. But I look back and wonder, where did it go? And, how did it get there in the first place? It was the teachers. The teachers had implemented this sense of community and value in their students' hard work and creative expression. It took me awhile to fully understand this need my students required but after walking around campus during lunch time one afternoon, it became abundantly clear. Where were all the other teachers? They were sitting in their rooms, many alone with no students. While some classrooms were blasting with music and overflowing with students. And, I must, of course, compliment the teacher's whose rooms are filled at lunch with amazing influential clubs like the GSA, Interact Club, and Habitat for Humanity. Of course, there are many more. The classrooms I just described clearly made the students feel comfortable and confident. After witnessing the different dynamic between these types of classrooms, I realized that the gap between my students and I was only as wide as I made it.

Students are very responsive and want to create a sense of community. They want to feel appreciated. They want to feel safe and comfortable in the classroom and around campus. The only way to create this is to open myself up to my students. Teachers really can lead by example. If I create a safe, friendly, accepting environment in my classroom and make myself visible and available to students, it's almost like opening a floodgate. I can become an adviser of a club, offer homework help, participate in community events, help cast the spring musical, the options are vast and numerous. The gap is only as wide as I make it. After reading “One Teacher's Story,” there was one thing that really triggered a negative response in me which was the excuse for the history textbooks being watered down,“It is easier not to know.” I would also like to add a commonly heard phrase, “It's not my responsibility, someone else will do it.” I have heard this time and time again. Really? I thought school was where Ignorance and Misunderstanding were exposed for the perpetrators they really are? What happened? When did this become the mentality? Had it always been the mentality and I was just too naive to notice? No, that was my own biased ignorant opinion, because there were always those teachers that took those statements and snapped them in their hands, bursting like fountains of generosity, responsibility, and enthusiasm for their profession. A passion that the students could feel. It's an impossible intensity to miss. Like watching actors on a stage, an equilibrium sharing their energy with the audience and vice versa. Students don't feel connected to their teacher or their school, students don't share that dynamic energy. As educator Wendy Zagray Warren best said,“I learned a long time ago about the correlation between students' academic success and whether or not they were able to see themselves in schools.” A student can't see themselves in a place they can connect to and students connect best to other human beings. I hope I am able to create an environment in which students feel comfortable, confident to speak their mind, and comfortable making mistakes. I hope that I can be an amazing educator because I have had the privilege of working with so many brilliant educators in my lifetime. I hope I can make a difference and allow my own ignorant triggers to subside allowing me to become the educator I aspire to be. And for the teachers that are already on the front lines, fighting the hard fight, I look forward to joining your ranks soon.

Allia Who?

Allia Who?

Allia who laughs with satirists
and asks, "Why not?"
who is saffron and rosewater
who is curious and creative
whose imagination runs rampant
is singing and wailing in her car
who tells me, "This world is changing."
who tells me, "Pick up the pieces, make something new."

Whose imperfections scar her confidence
whose blind heart leads her brain
is fighting with her impatience
is pounding on the door
is learning to wait and waiting to learn
who wants the world to be a better place
is humbled by reality
Asking, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
               "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

EDSS 531 Journal #4

Journal #4

Covert racism is the worse. Like stated earlier, Neo Nazi's actions are easily identifiable. It's the tiny actions that perpetuate the ignorance and feelings of racism. If you saw a black man walking down the sidewalk would you cross the street? Would you clutch your purse a little tighter? If a car cuts you off do you dismiss the person's bad driving because they are of Asian descent? Think about it. Your true feelings are expressed in split second fleeting motions. If you heard someone talking Arabic or another Middle Eastern laniguage in the line at the grocery store, would you switch lanes? This, sadly, has happened to me before. I was standing in line with my father and he was speaking Farsi to me. Everyone in line grew uncomfortable and eventually switched lanes. The cashier grew silent, scanned our items through, and handed me the receipt, not my father who had paid. I looked the lady in the face and said, "Thank you for being so welcoming and friendly. I will not be returning to this establishment again." Living in Temecula was very difficult. Everyone thought I was Mexican and associated a variety of stereotypes with me. I have also been told that I do not have the credentials to talk about these types of topics because "You are just white." A college professor actually said that to me. Temecula, being a largely conservative community is covered is discriminatory signage, bumper stickers, and the like. There is a man that sits outside of the Temecula Post Office with a sign that depicts as picture of President Obama as Hitler. Everyone just drove by and an uncomfortable number of people honked in support. My boyfriend and I pulled over, got out of the car, and had a very very long dialogue with the man. I think the biggest bias I have is ignorance. It is difficult for me not to immediately jump on someone when they make ignorant or discriminatory comment. This is one of my biggest biases. I always think to myself, well, if I don't say something no one will. This is also a mentality I take into the classroom. I can't stand it when students used words like "fag" or "beaner." I immediately try to calm myself down, take a deep breath, and come at this ignorant comment from the perspective of an educator. If I don't tell you why it's wrong, it will just perpetuate. This is definitely a trigger of mine that I am very aware of and need to make sure that I always maintain a professional demeanor because most of the time, the students are repeating what they have heard in their own home.

I would love to know how you deal with these kinds of comments?

EDSS 531 Journal Entry #3

Journal Entry #3

I really enjoyed this question because it brings so many aspects to mind. When someone says, "I need you to do this," or, "You don't understand, I need this," what do they really mean? A need is a necessity that arises from a variety of circumstances. Or, a lack of something wanted. Or, an urgent want or desire. Even the definition of the word "need" has a variety of insinuations. When asked the question, "To what degree do you think you really understand the needs of your student and what they need for the 21st century?" I can only give one answer based on my own personal experience. Students in the 21st century need an amazing teacher. Being an amazing teacher takes far more effort and personal drive than I could have ever imagined. I can meet the needs of some students by using differentiation strategies and good creative lesson plans. A good comprehension of technology is also highly beneficial but not necessarily vital. However, the increased use of technology has definitely helped my students by providing additional support services and resources including making homework and handouts available online. I have done all of these things, but I don't feel that in the 21st century the gap between the needs of the teachers and their students is technology, or differentiation strategies, or an awesome lesson plan. What the students of the 21st century really need is someone to believe in them. They need hope. Hope for the future. Hope for their education. Hope that they will be able to succeed and aspire to their own goals. Many of my students felt inferior to some of their peers. Why? Because they didn't score the highest on the SAT's? Because they didn't win the CIF championships? Because they had never gotten an A on an English paper? I must make sure to clarify that not all students feel this way. There have been and always will be the individuals that will strive to reach their goals regardless of the support they have or lack. These individuals are what I call Supernovas. An explosion of energy that is unstoppable. But what about the majority? What about the kid that comes in every day and sits in the same old desk but never says one word? How many teachers acknowledge that student? I did. I made sure to. Especially because those shy, quite, socially awkward students, are some of my favorite people.

I think there is a division between the teacher and student because of our roles as educators in the classroom. Teachers are perceived as being the all knowing being that holds the student's precious grades in their clutches. There is a distance established between the teacher and the student. The best way to decrease the gap is to get to know your students. Getting to know your students solves so many gaps. If you show that you care and are invested in them because they are interesting people they will be more likely to complete assignments producing a higher quality of work and they will be more likely to seek out the teacher's assistance. In order to bridge the gap, I had one objective everyday: Teacher will be able to know and understand the needs of her students by engaging in discussions with individual students before and after class. If teacher is unable to speak with every student, teacher will create a scaffolding system within the classroom that establishes a supportive learning environment by creating a class website, making one-on-one conferences available, using Think-Pair-Share and reflective writing activities, and ensuring a low affective filter.

At first this gap between the students and I seemed huge. Initially, many of the students were hesitant to trust and respect me because I was a student teacher. I had not been with them during the beginning of the year and upon the announcement that I was a newbie teacher about to take full control, well, let's just say many student's faces turned deathly pale white. But, I had anticipated this reaction. I was confident in my abilities and knowledge of the subject matter but what I needed to learn was how to connect to the students. I didn't need them to like me, I needed them to respect me and trust that I had their best interest at heart every day, every time I stood up to give a lesson, and every time I crossed that threshold into the classroom. The only way to create this sense of trust was to establish an environment of consistency and assurance while not making it the “Miss Sadeghipour Show.” Thus, I made a promise to myself. Every day I would get to know one student. This was one goal that I set for myself. I had distributed questionnaires to each of the students to fill out and had read them so much that they now resembled crumbled pieces of cloth. I used my knowledge of their likes and dislikes to initiate conversations with many of the students. I had one student who had to come up with a team name and came up with the name "Mastodon." I had a huge grin on my face and asked him, "Do you mean the prehistoric beast or the band?"

He looked as if I had just spoken an alien language to him and eventually asked, "You know Mastodon?"

"March of the Fire Ants is one of my favorite songs." With that simple moment I had created a bond with that student. I had no idea. This student wore all black every day and usually looked down at his feet when he walked down the hall or spoke. But when he spoke to me, he looked me in the eyes. I even got some laughs out of him.

One day I had noticed him in the hall and he seemed really upset. I pulled him aside and he was hesitant to explain why he seemed upset. He then said, "I just don't get it. Why do so many people care about such mundane things? Why do people care about the Kardashians? Why do people care about the clothes they wear? Why do people care about such stupid things? I don't. Am I the weird one?" I couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Student X, I have to apologize. I'm really sorry, I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing because I can't believe you just said that. Do you have any idea how long it's been since someone has been so honest. Since someone has been so normal. It may not seem like it but you, the one with your eyes open, you are the normal one. You are the one that is supposed to be here. You are a puzzle piece that has the ability to look at the whole puzzle and realize where and how you fit. Who cares if everyone else thinks they need the newest pair of jeans or to be like the people on Jersey Shore. You are the brave one because you're willing to use your eyes. You are the normal one." Student X shrugged and merely responded with, "I guess."Perhaps my words had fallen on deaf ears. The semester carried on and the student made sure to say "Hello" to me every single day.

On my final day, I wrote them a speech. I presented my speech to both my classes. This is what it said:

I'm not very good with goodbyes. My original idea was to flash the peace sign and say, "Peace out foo's" as I walked out the door. But then I realized, oh yeah, I still have to give the final. So, I'm back to square one and I still don't know what to say. I guess I'll start with this.

The more I read your quick writes and overheard your discussions, the more I realized what fascinating, hilarious, intriguing adults you are. The amount of depth, perspective, and personal reflection each of you put into those really made me understand who each of you are. Each of you have helped solidify my chosen career path. Thank you. I don't think you will ever fully understand how excited I am that brilliant people like yourselves are going to be a part of society. Each in your own way.

Piece of advice? Don't let anyone cut your off, either in life or traffic. Always let someone you appreciate and care about know it over and over again. Don't be afraid to take smart chances. Most of the time, those once in a lifetime moments pass you by before you had the time to weigh the pro's and con's. As the brilliant Steve Jobs once said, "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." At the end of the day, the only person you have to live with for the rest of your life is yourself. Make yourself someone your proud of.

Final piece of advice, if you're planning on going to college, buy lots of Ramen noodles. College can be a starving experience. Thank you.

On the last day of school I was approached by Student X. "Miss Sadeghipour, thank you. I know I didn't ever say that but thank you. I didn't think I was going to make it through this year. But knowing that there are people like you out there, I know I can do it." I had no idea the suffering this student was going through and I definitely did not think that my words had that much of an impact. To this day I still see Student X volunteering at the adoption counter at Petsmart. He always grins and waves "Hello" asking me if I've listened to any metal recently.

EDSS 541 RR #13-14

Reading Response #13

After reading the co-teaching resources, I was exposed to a plethora of co-teaching methods and models. There are four specific co-teaching strategies: supportive co-teaching, parallel co-teaching, complementary co-teaching, and team teaching. Supportive co-teaching involves one teacher taking the lead role of teacher in the classroom while the other teacher MBWA and assists students. Parallel co-teaching involves both the teacher and and the support personnel to teach heterogeneous groups of students simultaneously. Complementary co-teaching a member of the teaching team supplements or complements the instruction of the other team member. Such as transcribing notes, adding additional comments or insights, or assessing students in the classroom. Lastly, team teaching involves both members of the team to teach along side one another and share the responsibilities of the teacher from lesson planning, to lectures, to grading.

Reading Response #14

The co-teaching practices that I will use in my group's ITU will most likely be team teaching. I have the benefit of working with the amazing Mallory Sorben, another brilliant English teacher. It would be very beneficial for us to use the team teaching method. By teaming up, we will have the ability to assess students more accurately while providing differing perspectives on a controversial topic. We will also be able to complement each others' lessons and commentaries. This is also very beneficial when dealing with large class sizes. My class sizes range from 38-41 students and hers mirror the same numbers. With that many students it is difficult to MBWA and still assist every student. For these reasons, I think team teaching will be the best approach in our ITU assignment.  

EDSS 546 R.R. #3

Reading Response #3

For this reading response I have created a Googledocs form that involves students using the templates in They Say, I Say to assert their opinion while still maintaining an appropriate academic tone. This activity serves as a bridge into a unit about character. 
Please click on the link below to participate in the activity. 


Um, wait, what did you just say? 

Tinker Thinker

Reading Response #2


I absolutely love making my students think and stretch their creative minds. Isn't that why we're here in the first place? To make them think? One of the units I created in my CP I was a unit around expectations and assumptions specifically in regards to adolescence and teenagers. I really wanted to create a unit that involved the students not only reflecting on their own misconceptions but the lens in which the rest of the world views them as well. The first part of the unit involved students having to think about their own assumptions or expectations. I separated the class into groups according to their interests and grade levels. Interest being a key factor. I noticed that even though the students may be at different levels, if they were all invested in the same things they have a higher likelihood of completing the task. There were a couple of exceptions of course that would enjoy veering their group into the opposite direction but I spread those students out accordingly. I began with a Gallerywalk activity where the students were each given a topic like "Technology," "Love," "Education," or "Family." I then had them draw two columns with the numbers 1-10 in each column. The first column was labeled "10 Things Everyone Should Know About _______" and the other "10 Things Everyone Should Learn About ________."  The students were then asked to work in their groups and come up with ten items for each column. They then had to participate in a gallery walk writing down the items they most agreed with and least agreed with. Afterwards, they had to do another reflection. Many students did not realize the assumptions that some of their peers had towards these topics. From there, I used their "Education" and "Family" poster to begin transitioning to student's expectations of themselves and their life goals versus that of their peers, parents, and the nation towards adolescence. My students really had to think about the limitations put on them by outside forces while reflecting on who they were as a person and what they wanted. It was a fantastic transition between the hopeless, "There is nothing I can do" to the, "I am who I am and no one will stand in my way." I had them think a lot about the assumptions and limitations they put on themselves and how these factors have changed their life path. I presented numerous articles that would argue that "Teenagers require guidance and need to be taken care of" versus "teenagers are doing just fine and the media is creating a false perception." I also used the late Steve Jobs as an example and pulled from his graduation speech at Harvard. The students really responded to this icon and his ability to follow his own dreams. The way I support my student's to think is through solid essential questions that open the class up for discussion. I also use a lot of self reflection to increase the affectivness of the assignment and to make them realize that they are part of this perpetuating system. I have to admit, I also really like using loaded statements to get a rise out of them. Oftentimes, the students will begin to think about the statement and start realizing the fallacies within it and they connect those fallacies to things that they have seen in their own lives. As Jim Burke states that students need to " 'embrace the contradictions' and the complexity we find everywhere in our world." From there they attempt to rationalize the opponent's argument in an attempt to find understanding in something they disagree with. The student's make the connections themselves. It's like a puzzle. I made the puzzle and broke it apart but they already know how to put it back together. 

A Learning Teacher

Reading Response #1 

After reading the article The Digital Learning Imperative: How Technology and Teaching Meet Today's Education Challenge and listening to the SWAMP speakers, there are many aspects that have expanded my understanding of the teaching profession. "More than 1 million children drop out of school every year" because the school system is unable to meet the demands of these students. This statistic blew my mind. The United States is losing a vast chunk of the student population due to the inability to adapt. I use this term broadly of course because within the umbrella of adaptability there are a plethora of varying factors, economics and funding being the largest ones. After reading the article and listening to our guest speakers, the idea that really resonated with me seems the most basic. To be the best teacher, I also have to be the best learner. I can never stop furthering and educating myself in my profession. Teachers are underqualified and after graduating their credential programs they have already fallen behind. The only way to keep up is to keep learning. I may be confident in my analytical abilities or my usage of English grammar but I don't know everything. Carrie Targhetta said that she uses a unit that incorporates more modern pieces that appeal to her students. She decided to use an excerpt from Gruen's novel Water for Elephants because all of her female students were reading it. She adapted the material to fit the student's interests and fuel their writing. Not only are her student's learning but so is she. It seems that the mentality of the teacher needs to change too. We are not the omnipresent all knowing being that a student must worship sitting wide eyed and silent while absorbing everything that comes out of my mouth like a sponge. What a silly concept? I learn something new every day, just like my students do. The only way to move forward is to learn and use the tools that are available. The biggest tool currently is technology. The internet has not only connected the entire world but it has opened a floodgate of information. But what good is this information if you don't know how to wade through it? As a teacher, I must use technology to close the gap between the needs of my students and the needs of the working world. I must also continually strive to improve and advance in my own profession. 

Native American Word Web

Reading Response 1-6

Reading Response #1

There are many research based instructional strategies that I could use in my own ITU. After reading the article Focus On: Asian Pacific Islanders, the success of being taught in a bilingual setting is made very clear. After the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) many students are being held at a high stakes standard and being expected to perform at the same level as their native English speaking peers. NCLB is leaving many API students in the dust do to it’s high stakes testing and it’s policy of “English Only” education. Academic Performance Index (API’s) are not included when many academic policies are passed. Parents, teachers, and students “need to be included on committees and advisory boards to help determine the policies, programs, and practices that are most likely to benefit their children.” The best instructional strategy is to provide the students and parents with the necessary information that would fill the gaps in their education and to provide the community with the knowledge of how to change or become an advocate for their children’s education. In the Focus On: Blacks,  Black students receive less help and are, sadly, oftentimes expected to perform at a lower level then their White peers. To combat this division, the article suggests creating a sense of community between teacher, parents, and students. A couple examples that I will use in my own classroom are strategies that support educational equity. I will, “maintain the same teaching standards and learning expectations for all students...establish peer and support networks, matching students with other students to learn cooperatively...hold ongoing teacher discussions on strategies to improve instruction, as well as share data on eliminating the gaps in achievement...[and]  develop outreach mechanisms to foster collaborations among parents and community members.” I will also use my position as a teacher to recognize and educate my students and their parents about the culture shock that results racial differences or class differences. In the article Focus On: Hispanics, the best instructional strategy involves holding these students to high standards and providign them with cooperative learning opportunities that provides the students to work with their peers instead of using drills and rote memorization. Using activities like Jigsawing, Think-Pair-Share, Three-Step Interview, and Round Robin Brainstorming have been proven to greatly increase ELL student’s comprehension and understanding of the material. In the article Focus On: Gay, Lesbians, Bisexual, and Transgendered Persons, the best instructional strategy is to educate. After reading the article, it seems that the biggest obstacle for LGBTQ students is ignorance and homophobia. The only way to combat those symptoms and eliminate them is to educate students on why these words and perspectives are wrong. It is wrong to treat someone differently or to bully someone due to their sexual orientation. In the article Focus On: American Indians and Alaskan Natives, the biggest creating opportunities for bicultural activities and developing and supporting language proficiency in both their native language and their target language. In the last article, Focus On: Women and Girls, there were many simple but effective techniques that a teacher could implement in their own classroom. Some of these simple techniques included: not using inclusive language, making a concise effort to call on all students equally, providing enough wait time for all students to process the information and have the opportunity to respond to the question, providing many cooperative/collaborative learning opportunities, displaying bias-free wall displays, and creating a seating chart that evenly spreads out all the students. After reading all the articles, there are many simple, easy, and highly effective instructional strategies and techniques that I will use in my own classroom.

Reading Response #2

Activity 7.1
1. After looking at the national standards, the local curriculum and community dynamic, student textbooks, literatures, resources, and student interests my ITU has decided that we would do a unit that would focus on Native Americans in Education with a culminating project that would involve students to go into their own community and interview a Pechanga Indian.
2.  
3. The process that really guided our discussion was the topic’s relevancy to our local high schools. The Temecula Valley Unified School District is bumped up against the Pechanga Indian Reservation. Many attendees at both Temecula Valley High School and Great Oak High School are of Pechanga Indian decent. To not use this valuable local history would just be educationally irresponsible.

Activity 7.2
1. What historical and legal influences have lead to the educational injustices that Native Americans face today? As a fellow American, why did the majority of Americans allow these injustices to occur? How would one fight against these injustices?
2. How are Native Americans portrayed in the media? How does their representation effect public perceptions of Native Americans? In what ways do these representations progress Native American values and ideals? In what ways do these representations further Native American stereotypes?

3. Native Americans believed in Animism but many were forced to adopt Christianity. What cultural beliefs were left behind and which were adopted? What events caused this transition?

4. Many Native Americans were forced to attend schools that removed them from their families for long periods of time often returning unable to communicate with their own families. How would language isolation effect the family unit? How would language isolation affect a person’s self esteem of perception of themselves? How does language isolation effect Native Americans today?

5. How has the casino business changed Native American values? In what ways has the casino business strengthened the Native American community?

Reading Response #3

Characteristics of an Effective Teacher. I decided to include this list because it provided an opportunity for self monitoring and assessing while highlighting effective practices and techniques that could included into the classroom. Here is the list as it appears in the text:

• “Characteristic 1. Recognizes classroom practices fostering self-esteem in students and validates their linguistic and cultural heritage.
• Characteristic 2. Recognizes that multicultural awareness enriches the lives of all students.
• Characteristic 3. Communicates clearly when giving directions and presenting new information.
• Characteristic 4. Demonstrates an ability to communicate rationales for instructional techniques and participates in professional development.
• Characteristic 5. Demonstrates specific instructional skills in organizing meaningful instruction and can incorporate hands-on and minds-on learning, plan ad hoc or mini-lessons around individual skill development, encourage collaborative and cooperative learning, and use a thematic curriculum in consultation with the students.
• Characteristic 6. Paces instruction appropriately, involves the students in the lessons, monitors the progress of each student and provides prompt feedback.
• Characteristic 7. Provides clarity in instruction for English language learners (ELL} students by alternately using the students' native language with the assistance of a classroom aide or parent volunteer, and then English for instruction.
• Characteristic 8. Seeks help from others and provides help when asked.
• Characteristic 9. Specifies expected outcomes to the students.
• Characteristic 10. Demonstrates high expectations, although not necessarily identical expectations, for all students.

Reading Response #4

After reading the ITU Overview Powerpoint there are many tasks that I think I would be able to contribute to to the ITU assignment.

• culturally relevant pedagogy
• integrated thematic unit
• democratic ideals
• content of the disciplines
• student generated essential questions
• place-based education
• social justice service and learning

Reading Response #5

Our school team has decided to focus on the theme of Native Americans in Education, specifically how Native Americans were treated and educated in the United States. We chose this topic because Temecula is home to the Pechanga Indians where there is a large casino and many schools receive donations from the casino. This would provide our students with a great opportunity to go out into their local community and learn more about not only Native Americans but their community as well. (Cover sheet below)

Reading Response #6

I have created a PLN (Personal Learning Network) with all of my credential peers. I have created a blog, class website, grouply, and twitter account. My class blog is http://qe-la.blogspot.com/. My class website is https://sites.google.com/site/mssadeghipoursclass/. My twitter account is @mssadeghipour. I have added my peers to my network and am currently awaiting their responses.

To the Students of the Future

Considering the class that I am currently taking I have decided to create this blog and keep it until the point in the near future when I begin teaching and attempting to incorporate aspects of technology into my classroom. The unfortunate thing that I tend to hear from a lot of teachers is that there is never enough time in the day for every student. So, what better way to reach out to students outside of the 7-3 time slot then by the amazing power of the internet! I am hoping that this will be a successful attempt. Well, let's get rollin'