Sunday, April 29, 2012

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?


Sunday, April 22, 2012

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.  

Saturday, April 14, 2012

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

Friday, April 6, 2012

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.