Portfolio Project

You can find Amanda Denkenberger and my project at our blogspot.
This semester has been a trying one, but in the end we made it!

Emma Golmam once said, “No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness, and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.”

Learn & Serve 9

Today was very simple. We started off in the Computer Lab, and I worked with the same student from last class, making sure she got ten correct answers in a row. Then, I stayed later in the lab while a couple of students were still finishing the program and the other students had gone back to the classroom with Mrs. Capatosto. When we got back to the classroom, everyone was sitting on the Reading Rug listening to Mrs. Capatosto tell how they were on the purple level on the Great Reader’s Steps. The book being read was still “Ox-Cart Man” from last class. While still on the Reading Rug, the students were put into groups of three to four, and were given a vocabulary word from the book, which we discussed about last class. Using their background knowledge, the groups had to write everything they knew about the word on a sheet of paper. A few minutes later, each group was called to share their papers. I really liked how Mrs. Capatosto set up groups when talking about vocabulary. It makes it fun for the students and grabs a hold of their attention. When everyone was done, the students were allowed to have their snack while reading independently. However, a student asked if they could read their books to me, and I agreed. A little while later, I left the classroom and signed out at the front office.

Learn & Serve 8

Today in the Computer Lab, the students were again working on Fast ForWord. This program has gotten very tedious and somewhat boring. I sat with a student during this time to make sure she got ten answers correct in a row. When we got back to the classroom, I noticed how the main word wall is across the classroom on the wall. I’m not sure if this was a good idea, considering how high up it was placed. My opinion is to have the word wall at eye level. The students sat on the Reading Rug, and Mrs. Capatosto went over the “Great Reader’s Steps.” The steps were all written in different colors to represent each level.
Activate Background Knowledge (Green)
Identify why background knowledge is helpful (Red)
Using what you know throughout the story (Purple)
Using clues to build knowledge (Black)
Asking questions to build your background knowledge (Blue)

Then, Mrs. Capatosto read, “Ox-Cart Man” while discussing the vocabulary words in the book. The students were asked to find similarities or connections from the cover, title, and background knowledge. First, Mrs. Capatosto shared her background knowledge, and then other students were called on to share their own background knowledge. Next, Mrs. Capatosto walked to the other side of the room to change the centers on her chart; the students instantly starting talking. To my surprise and amazement, a couple of students did the (clap, clap, raise hand) action to be quiet. I was very impressed by this; that the students took on the teacher role, and realized that they needed to be quiet. We started the centers either the computer, listening or guided reading station. As the students were working in their centers, I walked around the room noticing all the different vocabulary for each subject. For math, some of the vocabulary words were geometry, vertex, vertices, edge, cone, cylinder, cube, solid figure, flat surface, pyramid, sphere, and rectangular prism. About ten to fifteen minutes before I left, a student read their book to me. I love when the students ask if they can read to me because I get to see the excitement in their eyes as they proudly show off their reading skills. After this, I left the classroom and signed out at the front office.

Blog Nov. 5th

Today in class, Prof. McLaughlin introduced a name game to the class, to which we played in the lobby at the Academic Complex. In the middle of the game, some of the OU students joined in on the game. Then, we moved to DePaul, where we all put our bags, and met up with the rest of the OU students. In my group were Brittni and Sarah, and our OU student was Amanda. We took Amanda to the Castellani Art Museum, and this was where we took our photographs of portraying habits of personable and rude. This was a fun activity because it got us out of our comfort zone, and increased the chance to talk with one another. Next, we took a walk over to Gally where we took 2 videos portraying rudeness. After we were done, we walked back to DePaul and played three of the four stations(Story, Play-Doh, Fort, Intellegences). This experience was good for me because it helped me get to know someone who had a disability. I noticed that she tended to be a bit quiet until we started asking her questions and really involving her in our activity.
This activity would have been great for a student who is deaf, because they still would have been able to input their creativity into the group. In order to participate in each of the stations, one does not need to speak vocally in order to voice their opinion. For example, with the Play-Doh or Fort station, students worked together to build a fort or students worked individually to make something which described them.

Week 9 (10/29/09)

Today I was absent from class, but will comeplete the following question.
Have you ever spent time with an adult with a cognitive or developmental disability? If yes, describe and explain.
I have spent time with adults who are deaf, and have a mental disability that makes them act and think like teenagers. It's very different, considering they are much older than me, and continue to think the way someone my age would. At sometimes it may seem uncomfortable, but that is only because I'm not used to adults who act that way. Becoming a special education teacher is going to push and challenge me to become a better teacher, and to become more comfortable around every student.

Learn & Serve 7

Like usual, I started off by signing into the office and heading to the Computer Lab to sit with a student during the Fast ForWord program. When the students completed the program, I walked around the room to check their scores, but remained behind with three students who still needed to finish, and the rest of the class went back with Mrs. Capatosto to the classroom. There were two emails in the Computer Lab that were situated on a bulletin board which was supposed to correspond with Fast ForWord.
Scientific Learning and Brain Connection.

Back in the classroom, Mrs. Capatosto was reading, “In November” by Cynthia Rylant, and during this time the students were to make connections in the book. After reading, the class was instructed to each read a book and make two connections on post-it notes; Mrs. Capatosto gave them the post-it notes. When each student was finished with their reading and two connections, the class began their centers. There was listening to a book being read to them, at the computers in the back of the room, or the listening station which was another place to listen to a book being read, but this used a tape player. The last center was guided reading with Mrs. Capatosto. As the class was finishing with centers, I left the room to sign out at the front office.

Learn & Serve 6

Today after signing in to the office, I walked upstairs to the Computer Lab to find the students and Mrs. Capatosto using the program Fast ForWord. This time, Mrs. Capatosto asked me to sit with a student to make sure she completes ten correct answers in a row, and that she pays attention. Meanwhile, Mrs. Capatosto was listening to another student’s computer as they played the program. I noticed that the teachers here are more casual in their attire. For example, today Mrs. Capatosto wore jeans with the G.J. Mann School sweatshirt. I’m not used to seeing teachers dress this casual, because when I was in elementary school my teachers always dressed up, except on Fridays. It was a half day for the students today, and four students were absent; whether it was because they were sick or because it was a half day, I’m not sure. When most of the students were done with the program, Mrs. Capatosto asked me to stay in the Computer Lab with four students while they played the demo of the program on Fast ForWord to which they had the most difficulty with. When the four students finished, we walked back to the classroom and everyone was enjoying their snack time. Also, some students were counting their October tickets. The goal is to earn the most tickets in order to win recess in the gymnasium for only their classroom. This gives the students responsibility and to be accountable to one another in their behaviors. When snack was done, the students began reading silently by themselves or with a partner. One of the students read a book about puppies to me. About ten to fifteen minutes later, a couple of students shared their reading worksheet which told about which book they had chosen to read from a different day. I’m guessing it was a homework assignment for the 25 Books Club. Before I left, the students were given lunches in paper bags, which were distributed by aides of the school. Whenever there is a half day, the school must give each student a lunch before dismissal. As the students were accepting their lunches, I left the classroom to sign out in the office.