October 17, 2013
Week Three
Tuesday
Looking at the classroom layout, I noticed that everything was accessible to the students with the exception of two cabinets, which I believe was Manny’s personal belongings and extra supplies. Other than that, everything was accessible to any of the children, and it was accessible for a reason. Like I said in one of my earlier posts, every child was expected to be independent. I also noticed that posters and charts hung up mid range on the walls, yet still visible to the students. However, the projects in the halls were at my eye level, so there was no way second and third graders would be able to clearly see some of those.
At one point, Manny stopped his class and told them that people sometimes would tell him, “Mr. Manny, third graders are too small to sit still and listen, and I tell them ‘no’. Third graders are not too small. Third graders are smart, they just need to concentrate”. I thought this was a great way to show the kids that he cares about them but also that he expects a lot out of them.
I did notice that during class, Manny was using phrases like “smarty pants” to certain children that were getting their work done. It would have been horrible, however when he said it, he then clarified that the smarty pants were focusing real hard to get that work done. The same thing happened when the math lesson started. One student was sent to the back table for some help, and when another student wanted to go to the back for some help as well, he said no and that the student was awesome. He immediately stated that both students were awesome, and that he could maybe go back a different day. The way he kept catching himself made me think of the Wurm reading. Wurm mentioned to always question your actions, and when yours actions do not match your values, evaluate the situation and correct your actions or change your values. Manny caught himself clearly going against his values, immediately assessed the situation, and corrected his actions. It says a lot about how he sticks to his values and how attentive he is to his actions.
At one point, Manny stopped his class and told them that people sometimes would tell him, “Mr. Manny, third graders are too small to sit still and listen, and I tell them ‘no’. Third graders are not too small. Third graders are smart, they just need to concentrate”. I thought this was a great way to show the kids that he cares about them but also that he expects a lot out of them.
I did notice that during class, Manny was using phrases like “smarty pants” to certain children that were getting their work done. It would have been horrible, however when he said it, he then clarified that the smarty pants were focusing real hard to get that work done. The same thing happened when the math lesson started. One student was sent to the back table for some help, and when another student wanted to go to the back for some help as well, he said no and that the student was awesome. He immediately stated that both students were awesome, and that he could maybe go back a different day. The way he kept catching himself made me think of the Wurm reading. Wurm mentioned to always question your actions, and when yours actions do not match your values, evaluate the situation and correct your actions or change your values. Manny caught himself clearly going against his values, immediately assessed the situation, and corrected his actions. It says a lot about how he sticks to his values and how attentive he is to his actions.
Thursday
A few more students were added to the class this week, so I have yet to master all of their names. Along with the students, a teacher aide joined the class. As the students were getting ready for the next lesson, Manny mentioned the aide’s idea that she shared with the class. She had told the students to “self-talk”, where the students were to talk to themselves in their head and not out loud, controlling their minds and keeping them on task.
During the math lesson, there were two examples where Manny used student examples to give the students different approaches to problem-solve. One of the students used lines to plan out her array, drawing lines for each row and intersecting lines for each column. For each intersection, the student placed a dot and was able to create an array using this method. Manny took her example and showed the class. Later on in the lesson, the students were working on division. While answering one of the problems Manny asked, one of the students mentioned “fact families”, a method they learned to use addition and subtraction. Manny said that it was a great connection, although she was putting in the wrong context. He then put it into context, explained how multiplication and division could be integrated into fact families, and moved on to his next point. Manny did mention to the students that although he is not a student anymore, that he still learns and that his students are his best teachers, and talked about the different methods and thought processes that he did not think of that the students did. I thought of the Wilson reading again. Manny’s curriculum allows his students to explore and be inventive in the ways they solve their problems. Many times he will teach one way, give the class an example, and have them solve the problem on their own. He goes around and helps individuals. After, they share their answers with the class, and sometimes they share with one person and then their tables, about six students, and then the whole class shares. This is a really effective way to get the students engaged and like Wilson says, it gets children to create their own curriculum, discuss, and interpret each others' methods. Manny has definitely found an effective way to create a curriculum that centers around the concept of Wilson’s third pedagogical site.
During the math lesson, there were two examples where Manny used student examples to give the students different approaches to problem-solve. One of the students used lines to plan out her array, drawing lines for each row and intersecting lines for each column. For each intersection, the student placed a dot and was able to create an array using this method. Manny took her example and showed the class. Later on in the lesson, the students were working on division. While answering one of the problems Manny asked, one of the students mentioned “fact families”, a method they learned to use addition and subtraction. Manny said that it was a great connection, although she was putting in the wrong context. He then put it into context, explained how multiplication and division could be integrated into fact families, and moved on to his next point. Manny did mention to the students that although he is not a student anymore, that he still learns and that his students are his best teachers, and talked about the different methods and thought processes that he did not think of that the students did. I thought of the Wilson reading again. Manny’s curriculum allows his students to explore and be inventive in the ways they solve their problems. Many times he will teach one way, give the class an example, and have them solve the problem on their own. He goes around and helps individuals. After, they share their answers with the class, and sometimes they share with one person and then their tables, about six students, and then the whole class shares. This is a really effective way to get the students engaged and like Wilson says, it gets children to create their own curriculum, discuss, and interpret each others' methods. Manny has definitely found an effective way to create a curriculum that centers around the concept of Wilson’s third pedagogical site.