Bravely off to Sea

While many of my core values regarding the English Language Arts in the classroom remain much the same as they were when I began this course, my ideas about how to deliver this material, inspire my students and foster a love of ELA have evolved greatly.

First and foremost, I would like to create an inclusive environment for my students by giving them varied ways to present and express ideas and by teaching in as diverse a manner as possible to accommodate different learning styles and interests. I would like ELA to be as relevant as possible for all students and, so, would like to give them many opportunities to generate their own content and to let them tell me what they would like to write and talk about. This strategy has the advantage of keeping writing and representing relevant, and therefore interesting, to students but it also has the added advantage of reinforcing what I believe is the most fundamental aspect of ELA that I would want my students to understand: ELA is not just a subject which is taught in school, it is a skill set that will allow them to express themselves to the world. It is a tool that they can use to better understand themselves and the world around them and, as such, is invaluable.

I would like all of my students to feel comfortable sharing their ideas in the classroom with myself as well as with other students. I have always wanted this, but I had not understood the importance of modelling writing for your students to achieving this goal. I hope that by writing myself and sharing my writing with my students they will be able to understand that it is a worthwhile endeavour and will be more willing to share their thoughts and writing with me.

One thing that I have learned from this course is the importance of oracy. I think that talking is something that I have just taken for granted as a skill which is picked up naturally. I was shocked to read in Constructing Meaning that studies have shown that the language used by students in the classroom is less rich than the language that they were using at home. So, I would really like to encourage meaningful conversations in my classrooms. I loved the idea of a conferencing centre where students could discuss ideas with each other or with me.

I would also like to incorporate oracy and writing into as many of the other subject areas as I can. Particularly in the elementary years, the subjects are so interrelated and can be tied together so many ways. I really believe that weaving the different subject areas together presents so many opportunities to be creative and to keep students engaged and would really enhance the learning experience.

Finally, I have learned that assessment goes beyond the teacher simply assigning a mark. The concepts of assessment as learning and assessment for learning were completely new to me, but I can certainly see their value. I think that empowering students is one of the most important aspects of keeping them engaged and focused in the classroom. Giving students the opportunity for self-assessment gives them a sense of agency and also encourages reflection on their learning and the work that they produce. It serves to remind us that children are capable of taking on responsibility earlier than we often think.

With all of these things in mind, I would really like to foster a love of ELA and learning in general in my students. It is something that I consider to be of the utmost importance and I hope to be able to encourage some of that passion in others. I look forward to putting these ideas to practice and finding out what works for me in the classroom.

Wrangling Ideas in the Elementary Classroom

You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you.  And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke.  ~Arthur Plotnik

       Learning to write and represent is a critical aspect of the educational journey. If we think of our role as educators as one of helping our students to understand and interpret the world around them and function as part of society, then teaching expression through writing and representing is of fundamental importance. As the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading states in the ELA IRP: “Through writing children express themselves, clarify their thinking, communicate ideas, and integrate new information into their knowledge base” (IRP pg. 5) All of these things are fundamental not only to success in the school environment but also, I would argue, to leading a fulfilling existence.

        Writing is something which comes more naturally to some than others, which is why creating a supportive environment for such exercises is so important. Though some students may find it difficult, I would hope to help my students understand that the potential to write and represent is in all of us, it is just a matter of fostering those skills. If they are persistent, they can all produce valuable work. This is something that I think is captured so well in the book “Love That Dog”. The character in that book starts out believing that he can't write and questioning the value of writing poetry but, by the end of the book, he has produced something that he is proud of and that is meaningful to him.

       An important part of encouraging this attitude is helping students to understand that their ideas and experiences are valuable sources of inspiration. If they are able to generate content themselves, instead of writing and representing simply to fulfil their teacher's expectations, the process is bound to be more meaningful and fruitful for them. In Constructing Meaning and the article Structure and Freedom, there is an emphasis on the need to make writing and representing assignments relevant to the lives of the students. Allowing students to write about things that are important to them is fundamental to this. Churning out assignments based on the interests of others, or what a teacher might deem to be important takes so much of the meaning away from the exercise. If we are able to approach teaching writing with the attitude that children should learn to view writing as a tool for self-expression, then we must provide students with opportunities to show us what is meaningful and important to them.

       In addition to this, I would hope to help students understand that they are capable of negotiating the writing process through the gradual release of support referred to in Constructing Meaning. If students come to think of themselves as capable writers, then the role of the teacher shifts from one of directing to one of scaffolding the process. Allowing students to form small groups during writing conferences could help to develop a sense of independence from the teacher. Children working together in small groups can use each other as resources and help one another develop ideas. There are many advantages to this structure. As was mentioned in Structure and Freedom, students enjoy the smaller groups because their work is given more individual attention. It also encourages discussion, developing their oracy skills.

       Along with group work, I particularly love the idea introduced in Constructing Meaning of establishing a space within the classroom where students can conference with each other and their teacher during writing workshops. I think that this would really encourage students to talk about their work and feel that it is important. Along with the gradual release of support, we can further encourage a sense of agency over their work by implementing self-assessment. Children are aware when their work does not meet expectations, and when they could have done a better job. Making them responsible for some of the assessment of their work encourages taking ownership over the process.

       I would also like to have my students understand how important literature and writing are for interpreting and understanding the world around us, as well as the past, and for connecting with the ideas of others. I would like to introduce them to as many different forms of writing and representing as possible because throughout that spectrum there is bound to be a form that they connect with. I would also like to explore how writing can help us understand other cultures and places by reading works from other countries. In Structure and Freedom one of the major stumbling blocks in keeping students engaged in the writing process was the fact that school writing tends to narrow down throughout the years until it mainly focuses on the five part essay. Some student apathy could be avoided by making exercises as varied as possible and maintaining a focus on fiction, historical fiction, poetry, songwriting, as well as many other forms of writing throughout the school years. I would love to bring music into the process by printing lyrics to songs and discussing why the artists wrote those particular songs and why they might be meaningful to them.

       I also couldn't help thinking that reading essays to the class could be helpful in keeping that form of writing stimulating. It would be wonderful to lead class discussions about the motivation of the authors as so many of them are writing about something that they are passionate about, either to educate others or to explore a subject further. This might help students to view essay writing as something which can be exciting and stimulating and that isn't necessarily just about finishing another assignment. Helping students pick topics that they would like to know more about or which they are passionate about could help keep essay writing exciting and fun.

       I would like to encourage my students to be brave writers. As Raffaela Montemurro discusses in Constructing Meaning, great writing often requires taking risks. Writing something honest which reflects your inner self involves making yourself vulnerable to the judgement of others. It is also, however, how great works are created. I agree that modelling the writing process yourself could go a long way in encouraging students to take risks with their own writing. It demonstrates that you are not only willing to take the time to write and review something, but also that you are willing to open yourself up to the same scrutiny that they are.

       Along with the necessity of taking risks, I would like to foster an understanding that in order to create something valuable and meaningful, you must invest yourself in your work. This involves not only opening yourself up and taking risks, but also committing to a process of revision and editing. So many writers, at any age, hate editing but love the final product. Any university student knows that re-writing and editing can be a slog, but few of us would argue that it isn't beneficial. I would hope to help my students understand that if they can commit to the writing process and really make the effort, that they will be proud of their work and that I too will be proud of them.

       In Structure and Meaning Paige laments that in high school once she writes something and hands it in, she never has to think about it again and that somehow writing loses meaning because of this. In my first year of university I had a class on the arts of Southeast Asia. My professor had us write one paper for the class, but we had to re-write and hand it in three times over the course of the semester. I can't say that I remember much of the content of the course now, but I sure learned a lot about the value of revision, how to research and how to effectively support my argument. To this day, I am surprised that more teachers don't employ this method.

       Finally, I would like to instill my students with a sense that grammar and the structure of their writing are very important, even if learning these things can be a challenging and sometimes boring task. The goal of writing and representing is to be able to express yourself and this is something that is hugely compromised by poor structure and grammar. However, I would like to balance a focus on grammar with a focus on the ideas and content behind the piece of writing and the simple joy of self-expression.

       The most poignant and memorable thing I encountered in the readings on writing and representing was at the end of Structure and Freedom when the authors despair over the waste and loss of student motivation and enthusiasm for writing. I couldn't help but agree with them and hope that in my teaching practice, I will be able to keep some motivation and enthusiasm for writing alive in my students.

Getting My Feet Wet in the Digital Stream

      I have mixed feelings about the use of technology in the classroom. On the one hand, I can see the value of using technology to relate to modern students. I can also recognize that presenting information through a variety of different means can broaden the teaching practice and help address the difference in learning styles amongst students. However, I do have some concerns about incorporating technology into the classroom. The majority of students are already spending a ton of time “plugged in,” and I worry about the consequences that this may have in terms of attention span and the need for intense stimulation. I also have environmental concerns regarding technology and wonder about the long term health impacts of prolonged exposure to certain technologies. I know some of this may come off as paranoid, but I also feel that there are many ways that students could be better served by their teachers without focusing on bringing more technology into the classroom.

     While it is impossible to deny that the technological leaps and bounds of the last decade or so have increased our ability to connect and share on many levels, I also feel that much of the quality of information and communication has tended to degrade over time. When you look at the language used in many blogs, tweets and texts, it isn't hard to see why each generation seems to have a progressively tenuous grasp on the fundamentals of English language such as grammar and spelling. If these are the forums in which we are conducting most of our written communication, it seems that this decline will only increase.

     There is also the issue that studies have shown that many people learn better if they are writing with a pen and paper. This is particularly true of foreign language learning (article supporting this theory: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022066303011255 ,) but also applies to general language learning. This phenomenon was studied and explained by Dr. Virginia Berniger who wrote that

A keyboard doesn’t allow a child to have the same opportunity to engage the hand while forming letters—on a keyboard a letter is selected by pressing a key and is not formed [...] Brain imaging studies with adults have shown an advantage for forming letters over selecting or viewing letters. We need more research to figure out how forming letters by a pen and selecting them by pressing a key may engage our thinking brains differently. (http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/for-kids-pens-mightier-than-keyboard/#more-4909 )

Additionally, pen and paper writing reduces reliance on spell check and grammar check features and encourages children to apply the conventions of writing themselves. Beyond concerns about written language, there is also the issue of the quality of information accessed online, the vast majority of which does not benefit from peer-review or fact-checking. Even popular sources such as Wikipedia are simply not reliable.

     This being said, I do not feel that technology has no place in the classroom. There are many instances in which it could be useful. In particular, I think that some of the options for exploring oracy through technology are very interesting. Allowing kids to record themselves might help them to feel more at ease with using language than speaking up in class, and that is definitely an advantage. I love the idea of recording story ideas to use as a stepping stone in the writing process of very young children. There is so much creativity to be tapped there and being able to record some of those ideas before students are at the point of being able to write them down themselves seems like a wonderful thing.

     The options for podcasts are nearly endless, but I particularly like the idea of allowing kids to interview others. I think that this could be a excellent opportunity for children to connect with the larger community and that there is tons of potential for a project such as the one described in Constructing Meaning in which the students in rural Nova Scotia documented the history of their community in a project which extended across multiple school years, creating their own historical archive. I also think that it has potential for mentorship programs throughout schools. For example, older students in a school could create a recording for the Kindergarten kids entering school in which they address issues they struggled with in their early education, offer advice or talk about things that they have learned over the years.

     All in all, I do see potential for technology to aid learning in the classroom, but I cannot escape the nagging concerns that have regarding our societal reliance on technology. As much I personally love tapping into these resources, I cannot help but wonder at the fact that though we may have access to resources beyond the wildest dreams of people a few generations ago, we are increasingly losing our grasp on the fundamentals of language and critical thinking. My hope is that, as a teacher, I will be able to strike a balance between accepting the realities of modern communication while not allowing the more traditional aspects of language learning to fall by the wayside.

p.s.

My long-time favourite podcast:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives

Nautilus adrift in the sea of talk

     In studying to become a teacher, I have often found the thought of being in the classroom to be a bit overwhelming. The responsibility and complex web of theory surrounding the role of the teacher can be intimidating. With this in mind, it is possible to see the Integrated Resource Package (IRP) as being disheartening for new teachers. After all, it is theory-heavy and emphasizes the fundamental importance of ELA learning in the early years, and how difficult it can be for a student to recover from an early deficiency in this area. However, I see the IRP as providing more help to beginning teachers than hindrance. Despite everything we stand to learn in our time at UVic and in our practicums, as new teachers we will be starting our careers with so much to learn about being effective and inspiring in the classroom, and the IRP provides a clear and thorough foundation on which to build our teaching practice.

     I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading the IRP. I find it apt that it spirals around on itself, touching on the same points and coming back to the same learning outcomes, because this structure reflects the interdependence of the different aspects of ELA (speaking and listening, reading and viewing, and writing and representing). None of the six can stand alone and all must extend across the curriculum, coming together at points and then separating out again, gradually spiralling towards a holistic understanding and mastery of the language arts. This also reflects the nature of the lifelong learner, which I like to think of as being like a nautilus shell, which begins small and at a fixed point, but grows over time with each compartment a little bigger than the rest but always interconnected and circling back on itself.

     The IRP supports this vision by encouraging growth and gradual independence of students with the goal of the lifelong learner and provides a structure for both teaching and assessment which works toward this end. As it states: “Students who can monitor their learning, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and set goals for improvement become independent, lifelong learners.” (IRP pg.17) It also serves to remind us that this intention should not be reserved for our students alone, but that self-reflection and self-assessment, as well as a lifetime of learning, are qualities a good teacher should maintain throughout their career. In fact, one could easily substitute the 'teachers' for 'students' in that sentence, and arrive at a statement which is equally valid.

     With this in mind, I see the IRP as an important resource in the continued learning and development of a teacher. I don't harbour any illusions about how difficult the first few years of a teaching career will be, and I doubt that many, if any, students graduate from school feeling that they know everything that it takes to be an inspiring and successful teacher and are completely ready to get out into the classroom. While this is somewhat daunting, I am comforted by the fact that no one seems to expect teachers to spring fully formed from their respective academic institutions like Athena from Zeus' head. The concept of the teacher as learner, when coupled with the structure and guidance of the IRP, makes this transition seem less intimidating.

     Having a strong and stable foundation such as the IRP to draw upon allows for confidence in lesson planning and gives a teacher's personal strengths and creativity a framework to rest upon. In many ways, the IRP and the Prescribed Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are like a skeleton that teachers individually flesh-out and dress up with what they bring personally to their teaching practice. They may seem strict and confining, but in reality they allow for a great deal of flexibility and innovation in lesson planning. However, while they allow for individuality, they also help balance out any personal biases that we may bring into our practice by reminding us of the importance of all aspects of the language arts. Having PLOs which are clearly stated ensures that we are covering all our bases in the ELA curriculum.

     The flexibility and adaptability required of today's teachers speaks to the increasing diversity of the students themselves, which presents both challenges and opportunities for teachers. One such opportunity arises from cultural and social diversity of the modern classroom. A major focus of the language arts is to construct meaning in regards to the world in which we live, and increased exposure to diverse cultures can only aid in this goal. If, as the National Association for the Education of Young Learners proposes, children are “active learners, drawing on direct physical and social experiences as well as culturally transmitted knowledge to construct their own understandings of the world around them,” (IRP pg. 30) then the diversity of today's classrooms can only serve to broaden their horizons. Giving students a chance to share their personal culture and experiences with one another not only builds their communication and language skills, can also lead to a more balanced, enlightened and respectful populace.

     The additional heterogeneity of learning style and rate in the classroom necessitates a creative approach to lesson planning which accommodates all learners. Government policy is such that all PLOs and Suggested Achievement Indicators are designed to be within reach of all levels of learner and the IRP outlines the “voice and choice” (IRP pg. 26) approach to language learning whereby students are encouraged to be active participants in their education. By giving students agency in their learning and choices in learning material, we can strive to create an engaging and inclusive classroom which caters to the needs of all students.

     Indeed, the shift away from the teacher as the sole and irrefutable source of knowledge in education has allowed for the inclusion of the students themselves in the teaching process and views them as valuable resources. In our readings on oracy in Constructing Meaning, we learned that children “do not learn language in isolation” and that the “sounds, meanings, and grammatical principles they learn are embedded in the social-interactive framework of the child's world.” (CM pg. 41) By considering the role of the teacher more as developer than supervisor, teachers can structure opportunities for students to learn from each other and develop knowledge on their own. Also, by applying the principle of assessment as learning and including students in the assessment process we can give students agency in their own learning and prepare them to construct meaning independently. As the IRP maintains, “a literacy of thoughtfulness is primarily a process of making meaning (not just receiving it) and negotiating it with others (not just thinking alone). It is fundamentally constructive.” (IRP pg. 17)

    An approach to teaching which views children not as vessels to be filled, but rather as seeds to be fostered, is one of the most meaningful to me in becoming a teacher. I look forward to striving to cultivate the potential of my future students, and the personal growth which should follow naturally from this role.

First Impressions

Well, here we go! I have to say English Language Arts (ELA) is a subject which I anticipate will be one of the most enjoyable for me as a teacher. I have always loved reading (and, to a lesser extent, writing) and am looking forward to sharing that love with my students.

My thoughts on language arts in the classroom, as well as the rest of the elementary curriculum, are largely based in my own experiences as a child in school. Whether this will have much relevance in today's classroom remains to be seen, as I imagine a bit has changed in the classroom in the 15 or so years since I attended Elementary School!

Nevertheless, ever the idealist, I am reassured by my belief that many of the things that draw me to the language arts are enduring and timeless. Classics are classics for a reason and I truly believe that the aspects of reading and writing which resonated with me as a child will resonate with children today.

Something which I anticipate being a bit of a learning curve for me, and which we touched on briefly in class the other day, is the increasing introduction of digital media into the classroom. Even an unapologetic luddite such as myself cannot deny the importance of new technology in the classroom as a resource and a means of connecting with the generation of students coming up today. However, I do have particular concerns about incorporating technology into the ELA curriculum.

I feel that ELA presents an opportunity to develop children's imaginations, as well as to teach them the basics of reading, writing and oral communication. And, while I don't believe that technology necessarily hinders the development of imagination, I do believe that the experience of reading simple script on a page and translating that into whole worlds through the pure power of imagination is something which is of value and might suffer from the introduction of technology into the process.

Not to digress completely from the suggested topic of this entry, but I was listening to an episode of CBC Radio's “Ideas” the other day which explored to concept of genius and I found it fascinating that researchers believe that IQ is not the determining factor in most of the cases of what we perceive to be genius. They posited that IQ is only a factor to a certain point, after which imagination and motivation become the determining factors which propel people to remarkable achievement.

I could go on and on about this, as it is something that I find particularly interesting, but seeing as there are at least 3 people who are required to read this, I will spare you. For now...

Suffice to say, for now, I believe that my thoughts on what ELA will be like in the classroom are fairly traditional. However, I look forward to having those ideas challenged and expect them to evolve greatly over the course of the semester and the teaching practicums.