Fundamentals+of+Teaching+Spring

4/22 Class Notes
Wrap-ups: Connects to lesson: Student participation Opportunity for students to think critically
 * Rubric for a wrap-up**
 * Review or summarize
 * Emphasizes purpose of lesson; may review or summarize
 * Analysis of ideas; connection to big ideas
 * Teacher talks
 * Some students participate
 * Most or all students participate either verbally or nonverbally
 * Asks students to articulate knowledge
 * Asks students to articulate understanding; transfer knowledge; identify big ideas
 * Opportunities for students to make connections; apply knowledge to new situations; pose questions

My Unit performance assessment: the goal is to connect to the big ideas, and allow students to articulate their understanding of the text by applying their understanding to a new situation.
 * Connection to past or future lessons
 * Extending learning beyond class period
 * Student participation
 * Allows students to articulate knowledge, understanding, synthesis or analysis
 * Connects to the lesson: review or summarize
 * Emphasizes purpose of lesson; connects to big ideas
 * Provide students with feedback of learning

4/15 Class Notes
Standards for class work: Spelling homework. Students are expected to abide by the rules of grammar, structure, spelling, meaning, and any other language skills needed to complete the assignment. This assignment was to write an unforgettable letter to me, their teacher (connected to an assignment given to the characters in a guided reading book we are doing this year). I also allowed for the students to email me their spelling homework. For a hand-written letter: Date in upper, right-hand corner. Skip a space, Dear So-and-so, skip a space, paragraphs, capitalization,

3/25 Class Notes
Parent involvement: Renee joins our class today to talk about parent involvement

3/11 Class Notes
[|Reading on Rubrics] : Interesting article, good insights about how to create an effective and purposeful rubric. Rubric for a handshake: Strength Firmness Hand shape Hand position Hand movement Length of shake Eye contact Equal force Facial expression

Strategies to build effective relationships with parents: Newsletter each month Visiting students' homes Open house day where students with parents can get a sneak peek of the classroom Ask parents for help/volunteering Friday Letter -- students write home to their parents every Friday, which gets read and signed.

2/25 Class Notes
Accountable talk: Talk moves: You need to have:
 * to the learning community
 * to knowledge
 * to rigorous reasoning--allow for challenging
 * say more about that
 * do you agree/disagree
 * who can repeat what John just said
 * why do you think that?
 * what's your evidence
 * so, are you saying... ?
 * something good to talk about, challenging tasks or texts
 * moves should be used skillfully

2/11 Class Notes
Lea's lesson: Persuasive letter writing
 * Questions: can they write about wanting a dog? Do they have to choose something different? Suggestion: students will have to pick another topic because they might copy your sample letter
 * 10 minutes for brainstorming? I think it's too much. I think they should write down three ideas of what they want to ask their parents for. Then, they should choose the one they want the most, or the one they are most likely to get. And then they brainstorm by writing down 3 reasons why they should get it.
 * How persuasive is your reason? Might be reworded: Do you think your parents will want to give you _ __if you say that getting it will__ ___ ? Ex. I want the new Xbox game because it looks like it will be fun. A persuasive reason is one that your parents will agree with, or they will understand how getting this thing will be a good thing, not just for you but for everyone.

1/28 Class Notes
Laliv's lesson plan: Guided reading lesson. Teaching to one student because his reading level is well above the others.

1/7 Class Notes
Revisitng the norms for this class:
 * Discussion norms:
 * be open to different opinions
 * inquire
 * ask questions when you don't understand
 * peers and teachers hear and respect each other's ideas
 * eye contact
 * respond to ideas: support, challenge, question, make connections
 * make time for everyone to hear and have a voice
 * everyone should have opportunities to articulate and listen
 * be aware of your own air time (should you speak up, or should you hold back?)
 * free-flowing (like milk and honey) discussions (no need to raise hands)
 * Humor
 * Confidentiality
 * Timeliness
 * Communicate clear expectations
 * Use computers appropriately

Course preview:
 * Planning and teaching the unit
 * Teacher research
 * Class structure: bring in a plan, and class discusses how to improve upon it.

Lesson plans: questions
 * Will lessons be stronger with a big idea, connected to the rest of the curriculum?
 * What makes a good big idea?
 * How big should it be?

Integration: Different levels of curricular integration? Integration of Jewish and general studies: A [|Wikipedia entry] about "interdisciplinary teaching" which is another label for curricular integration within the larger education community. Information about integration between general studies and Jewish studies. "Why Integrate?" and "[|What is Integration?] "
 * single disciplines
 * several disciplines
 * within and across learners
 * can lead to competition of Jewish and secular worlds
 * cross-curricular knowledge, importance of balancing specific content knowledge, and knowledge of other content areas

1/14 Class Notes
What did we notice about elements of recitation and discussion in our class talk? I-R-E
 * Initiation: asking a question
 * Response: students responds
 * Evaluation: Teacher acknowledges or evaluates the response
 * can stop a conversation dead in its tracks

1/19 Class Notes
Teacher research
 * can be on a spectrum: formal to informal
 * teacher research falls somewhere in between