new thoughts

Hello! It is Saturday, October, 17, 2009. I woke up in the middle of the night and was thinking about this assignment. I was thinking about the group work that I have the students do in my room that follows the CREDE indicator 1 on joint activities. I made the comment earlier that I don't do a lot of individual projects and I needed to work on doing more of those. But, what I thought about in the middle of the night is that I like to start out doing the larger group projects, then work our way to pair projects, and then down to individual projects. I like to do this because I feel it builds confidence in those students who don't feel confident in completing projects and doing an oral presentation in front of the class. I like to have the students do an oral presentation as part of the project. So, after thinking about why I do what I do, maybe I am okay as far as Indicator 1 is concerned. If I need to do any work at all in that one. It would be to find smaller activities for the students to complete individually. I have plenty for them to do in their groups. I feel better about this analysis of my CREDE pedagogical standard 1.

I, also, thought about Indicator 2 for language. This one involves the language. Well, since I don't any ELL's in my class, I think of this one as using the vocabulary of my subject. I am always using the particular language of my 6th grade science class in front of my students. For example, we are studying the difference between the plant and animal cells. As we looked at the diagrams in the textbook, I had to tell the students that we don't call the nucleus and ribosomes, and etc. parts, but we call them organelles. The students would rather call them parts because it is easier, but that is not using the correct language. I tell them not to use the words 'stuff' and 'things', but to use the correct science vocabulary. It is very hard for them because they are not used to using this language. I feel like I am teaching a different language to students who have never heard it before. I can find out the language they do have while we have our class discussions. When we start a new topic, I always ask them what they can tell me about it. Most of the class time is spent listening to them. This brings in Indicators 3 and 5 both. These two indicators emphasize bringing in the students' lives and using dialogue instead of lecture. To be honest, I hate standing up there and doing all the talking. I would rather have them do it all and me just guide them. It is more fun that way. Yes, we do get off topic sometimess, but even then, we learn some pretty cool things! During the dialogue, I can model the the correct vocabulary in the hopes that they will use it, too.

There are times that I feel like I have to be an entertainer. I had a fellow teacher come out into the hall a few weeks ago and tell me that she felt like that if she did not constantly entertain them, then they would not do anything. Each group of students is different. This group we have this year is one of those that does need a little more entertaining. I have found that when I put on more of a 'performance', they respond and stay on task more. I don't mind, though. I will do what it takes to get them to complete the material needed to master the necessary benchmarks. Well, I think I am finished for right now. I just had these thoughts in my head and wanted to put them down here. I am sure I will think of something else, too. Until later...