Blog 18: Third Answer

Content:

• "What is the most effective way a 3rd grade teacher can help a lower performing student score better on their districts test?"
• A 3rd grade teacher can help a lower performing student succeed is by using different methods of remembering so  that the information being taught in class can be recalled easier.

1. The Mozart effect which helps students by linking information being taught and music being played at the same time. For example playing music during a math lesson stimulates the brain so the information being presented is being used.
2. Use of mnemonic devices, making up a song or poem that is funny or clever so things are stay. For example when young kids learn directions North, East, South, West students are taught to remember Never Eat Soggy Watermelons.
3. Lastly the use of visual aids in the classroom, so when trying to remember  lesson students connect the visual to the lesson.  

• Evans, Thomas Leonard. "Does Systematic Exposure to Classical Music in a Learning Environment Improve Standardized Test Scores of Young Adolescents? an Empirical Test of the "Mozart Effect"." 1407177 Southern Connecticut State University, 2001. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
• These methods focus more on the retention of info which is a key part of taking tests.

Advisory Meeting #2

Content:

What i the most effective way a 3rd grade teacher can help lower performing students on their districts test?

A 3rd grade teacher can help a student succeed by making lesson that play to the students strength.

1. Teaching lessons with more visuals, For example a math lesson taught on an overhead so students see.
2. Taking a small pretest that asses the students strengths (intelligence) then presenting activities or project that would correspond with most common strength in the class.
3. Giving students options on how they want to do a project. For example the students could write an essay, do a PowerPoint presentation, record a video or create a visual art all about what ever they are learning.

Peters, Laura C. "Teachers Help Students Succeed by Using Multiple Intelligences Theory in the Classroom." Virginia Commonwealth University Training and Technical Assistance Center Newsletter.

Deangelis, Tori. "Helping At-risk Students Succeed." Http://www.apa.org. American Pyschological Assiciation

This will help students grasp material easier because it is learned in a way that mostly makes sense to the child.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

• For my next Independent Component I would like to stay with my mentor and continue to observe her and the class. I would also like to see how she teachers students with learning disabilities. I would also like to learn the signs when a student is doing poor in class because they are not understanding the material or if it is something more like Dyslexia or another disorder. 

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

• I plan to take as many pictures as possible. This is because I don't know how else to show proof of the 30 hours.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

• Up to this point I have only researched things that a common student would have trouble with. I would like to research now different learning disabilities that students might have and how to teach and help these students.

4.  Post a log on the right hand side of your blog near your other logs and call it the independent component 2 log.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

• LITERAL
  (a) Statement saying: “I, student name, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.” I only have 20 hours
  (b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component
• MY Mentor is Mrs. Smith at Cortez Elementary School
  (c) Provide a digital spreadsheet (aka log of the 30 hours).   Post it next to your mentorship log. 
• What I have completed is helping around the 
• INTERPRETIVE 
  Defend your work and explain how the significant parts of your component and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  
  
• When I worked with the kids I found that certain students had different ways of learning.  When I say worked with them, I mean when I would help them with their class work or homework. For example I would tutor this boy with his homework and any time their was a short story to read he would get distracted.So that was when my EQ changed from finding out  what would make a teacher a good teacher to my EQ now which is more about helping the students more than gauging a teachers greatness.
• APPLIED
  How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 
• It has helped me understand that teaching especially little kids isn't easy. Watching my mentor I now see how much patience is truly put into her job. When I researched I would find articles about concrete methods that would help students "learn" better but from Mrs. Smith I learned that because every kid is different those methods are not so concrete, and sometimes have to be tweaked to fit the class. 

Lesson 2 Reflection

Content:

1. Positive Statement
   I actually had a good time while I was presenting.
What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?
I'm most proud of my content. Only because I wasn't sure if my content was going to bore people, but after few people walked up and told me that I had done a good job.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?
                P  
       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.
I deserve a P because I met all the requirements, I made talking time and I had adequate Professionalism, Organization and Creativity, Justification of Answer, and Audience involvement.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
 What worked for me was just pacing myself with my content, not tying to blast through it but not going super slow either.


4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?
I would try and make my activity more fun or change my activity all together.


5. Finding Value
What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?  
Something along the lines of "Teaching students the right test taking strategies."  

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 hour check

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?
-Cortez Magnet School
2.   Who is your contact?
-Mrs. Smith
3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)? 
-10 hrs   
4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
-I did whatever tasks she needed. That was stapling packets printing/copying worksheets and homework, graded multiplication test and vocabulary quizzes.

Senior Project, The Holiday

1.What did you over the break with your senior project?

- Over break I couldn't go to mentorship because they were on break as well. So I couldn't really do much. 

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did and why?  What was the source of what you learned?
-I don't know what to put for this question since over break I really didn't do much. The only thing I did was I tutored my sister over the break so she could pass her reading test. Also, I tested her in multiplication because she has had trouble passing the 4's test. This is basically what I do at my mentorship anyways.

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers of your EQ, who would you talk to and why?

-I would talk to another teacher at the school, only because they have experience in what my senior project is about.