- Computer programs aren't always what they are cracked up to be. If there's one thing about CCHS that really sticks out to me, it's that the E202 program is a student's biggest enemy in the classroom. I don't think that any student should have to learn from a boring online lecture, then be forced to take corresponding quizzes in order to pass a class or a grade- especially not at risk students. Tutoring at Classic City has made me rethink how much I will use technology in my classroom, because a lot of times I think it hinders students more than helps them. Computer activities will strictly be a supplement to my teaching (as long as the administration allows it).
- Teacher/student relationships are the core of the classroom. It was interesting to compare how the Language Arts teacher at the PLC and the Social Studies teacher were different in how they taught and connected with the students. I admired the way the Social Studies teacher treated the students in his class- as if they were his own peers, worthy of his respect and praise. Not to say that the Language Arts teacher didn't recognize the students' potential, but she had a different way of showing it. It just didn't seem to me that she was nearly as invested. The Social Studies teacher joked around with his students, recommended books for them to read, and always asked for their opinions on his lessons. His teaching style really inspired me- he placed a lot of responsibility on his students because he had high expectations for them. I hope to model these same principles in my own class one day.
- Every student needs to be pushed to reach their full potential- some have little motivation to go above and beyond. I saw this problem in both Michael and Karen- they were so used to doing the minimum amount of work to get by (and sometimes avoiding it all together), that they never seemed to realize how much they were capable of. When I tutored both students, I did my best to reinforce them when they did really well on a quiz or answered a question correctly. Although both of them had different levels of motivation for school work, I did not make it easy for them as a tutor. I sat back and helped and guided when necessary, but I never flat out gave them answers. This strategy was sometimes difficult for Michael because he got discouraged with his work so quickly, but I kept pushing him and pushing him. I did the same thing with Karen. If I could have been at the PLC longer and spent more time with both of them, I hope I would have strengthened my relationships with these students even more so they would feel like they could trust me and believe what I was telling them.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Conclusion
My time at Classic City High has come to an end, and I've learned a lot of invaluable lessons in my time spent tutoring there. I have come a long way from tutoring Michael to Karen, and I've made a quick list of things that I picked up on and will help influence the decisions I make when I have a classroom of my own one day. The list includes:
Day 14
I can't believe I am almost finished with the semester and have nearly completed all the hours I need tutoring at CCHS. I am coming in next Wednesday for two hours to finish up my time, and I was sad to tell Karen this today.The class was pretty much the same as it normally is, but today I was excited to find out that Karen is done with all of her E2020 lessons! She is so close to graduating, and I could not be more excited for her. The only thing she has left to complete are her Spanish lessons, which she takes on the popular program Rosetta Stone. She jokingly asked me if I knew any Spanish when I showed up to class (we've never worked on this particular subject together), and I told her that I would try my best. I took Spanish for three years in high school and wasn't terrible at it, but that was a few years ago, and I wasn't sure how much of it I would remember.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had more knowledge about Spanish than I gave myself credit for, and I was really able to help Karen out with her questions. She knew it pretty well too, (better than many of her other subjects), and that just reinforces my belief that almost every other program does a better job of teaching than the E2020 program. Karen listened to headphones throughout her quizzes, because an automated voice would read her the questions and the potential answer choices. I had a really good feeling about the work we did today, because it was one of the first times at CCHS that I felt really confident in the subject material, and felt like Karen was appreciative of all my extra help.
If Karen still isn't finished with all of her Spanish next Wednesday, I'm going to return to CCHS to help her finish it, or work with her on whatever she needs help with. I feel like I've grown really close to Karen, and I want to see her succeed and be proud of herself for completing everything and getting her diploma. I've reflected more on my time at Classic City High School in my last post.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had more knowledge about Spanish than I gave myself credit for, and I was really able to help Karen out with her questions. She knew it pretty well too, (better than many of her other subjects), and that just reinforces my belief that almost every other program does a better job of teaching than the E2020 program. Karen listened to headphones throughout her quizzes, because an automated voice would read her the questions and the potential answer choices. I had a really good feeling about the work we did today, because it was one of the first times at CCHS that I felt really confident in the subject material, and felt like Karen was appreciative of all my extra help.
If Karen still isn't finished with all of her Spanish next Wednesday, I'm going to return to CCHS to help her finish it, or work with her on whatever she needs help with. I feel like I've grown really close to Karen, and I want to see her succeed and be proud of herself for completing everything and getting her diploma. I've reflected more on my time at Classic City High School in my last post.
Day 13
Every Wednesday when I show up to CCHS, I always observe everything going on around the school. I usually show up when the students have a break between classes, and many of them linger outside the school, talking with their friends and smoking cigarettes. They don't even look my way as I walk past, surely because they are accustomed to students like me coming in to tutor nearly everyday. Some are quiet and walk the halls with their heads down, others are shouting at their friends, cursing loudly, and arguing with their teachers.
In the Social Studies classroom, there are only about six students besides Karen. Karen only goes to the classroom to work on her online homework because the Social Studies teacher lets her, and she has a good friend in that class. Karen is opinionated and outspoken, but never disrespectful to the teacher or any of the other students. When we work on lessons together, she is very focused on her work and wants to finish it as quickly as possible (she reminds me a lot of myself!).
But some of the other students in the class have a hard time focusing, despite the fact that the class is extremely small and they each get a lot of one-on-one attention from the teacher. In many ways, it reminds me of John Elder Robinson in the book I read at the beginning of this semester, Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's. Undiagnosed as having Asperger's syndrome until his early thirties, Robinson wonders what is wrong with him in school and when he's around other people. He admits to having limited social skills, almost zero empathy when talking to other people, and just being downright uncomfortable in many social situations. For example, Robinson points out that "As I got older, I found myself in trouble more and more for saying things that were true, but that people didn't want to hear. I did not understand tact" (p. 34). Now I don't necessarily think any one in Karen's class has Asperger's, but I would not be surprised if some of her fellow students have symptoms of ADHD. Whether they have been diagnosed or not, it makes me wonder about behavioral characteristics that my future students will have. I know that many of the students at Classic City have learning disabilities, and many take medicine or get special help from teachers so they can finish their work. Typically, this extra guidance and help can make a huge difference in the life of a student- if they are encouraged to believe that they are smart and they have potential, they will have a much better chance of believing that and worker harder in the classroom. From what I can see, Classic City High handles many of these problems very well.
In the Social Studies classroom, there are only about six students besides Karen. Karen only goes to the classroom to work on her online homework because the Social Studies teacher lets her, and she has a good friend in that class. Karen is opinionated and outspoken, but never disrespectful to the teacher or any of the other students. When we work on lessons together, she is very focused on her work and wants to finish it as quickly as possible (she reminds me a lot of myself!).
But some of the other students in the class have a hard time focusing, despite the fact that the class is extremely small and they each get a lot of one-on-one attention from the teacher. In many ways, it reminds me of John Elder Robinson in the book I read at the beginning of this semester, Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's. Undiagnosed as having Asperger's syndrome until his early thirties, Robinson wonders what is wrong with him in school and when he's around other people. He admits to having limited social skills, almost zero empathy when talking to other people, and just being downright uncomfortable in many social situations. For example, Robinson points out that "As I got older, I found myself in trouble more and more for saying things that were true, but that people didn't want to hear. I did not understand tact" (p. 34). Now I don't necessarily think any one in Karen's class has Asperger's, but I would not be surprised if some of her fellow students have symptoms of ADHD. Whether they have been diagnosed or not, it makes me wonder about behavioral characteristics that my future students will have. I know that many of the students at Classic City have learning disabilities, and many take medicine or get special help from teachers so they can finish their work. Typically, this extra guidance and help can make a huge difference in the life of a student- if they are encouraged to believe that they are smart and they have potential, they will have a much better chance of believing that and worker harder in the classroom. From what I can see, Classic City High handles many of these problems very well.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Day 11
Karen and I have settled into a routine by now in class. When I first get to Social Studies, we read a novel on our own for about fifteen minutes (her teacher started this tradition). Karen really loves to read- especially books with characters that she can relate to. I really like that her teacher lets Karen choose whatever novel she wants for silent reading, instead of assigning a specific text for the entire class. I would like to implement a silent reading period in class each day when I have a classroom of my own, whether I end up teaching Social Studies or Language Arts. I'll be sure to let students choose their book, so they are more likely to begin to actually enjoy reading.
After silent reading, we head to the computer to work on E2020. Karen isn't actually a part of this second period social studies class, but she comes there during that time to get a lot of her online work done. The teacher doesn't mind, and we don't let whatever the rest of the class is doing distract us. Today, we are working on government work. I have a lot of problems with the E2020 program. Although I voiced some of them in earlier blog posts, I just don't understand why an online homework program is beneficial for at risk high school students. Every student that I have worked with or talked to expressed the same disdain, and told me they would much rather be taught by an actual teacher than an online lecturer. The problem is that most students don't pay attention during the lecture part of the online program. They aren't required to take notes about the material, so by the time they begin answering questions, they haven't learned a thing. This is a struggle for me too, because sometimes I come into class and Karen has already watched the lecture she was supposed to watch. Then it is up to Karen and I to answer the questions, and she doesn't know the answers because she didn't pay attention during the lectures. We use Google to help us define some works or court cases if necessary, and I help her understand what the question is asking and if she can eliminate any choices. Overall, I'm not really sure how much knowledge she is really getting out of the E2020 program, and this is discouraging for me. Karen needs one-on-one attention and help (more than she gets from me one hour a week), but that is not how CCHS works.
After silent reading, we head to the computer to work on E2020. Karen isn't actually a part of this second period social studies class, but she comes there during that time to get a lot of her online work done. The teacher doesn't mind, and we don't let whatever the rest of the class is doing distract us. Today, we are working on government work. I have a lot of problems with the E2020 program. Although I voiced some of them in earlier blog posts, I just don't understand why an online homework program is beneficial for at risk high school students. Every student that I have worked with or talked to expressed the same disdain, and told me they would much rather be taught by an actual teacher than an online lecturer. The problem is that most students don't pay attention during the lecture part of the online program. They aren't required to take notes about the material, so by the time they begin answering questions, they haven't learned a thing. This is a struggle for me too, because sometimes I come into class and Karen has already watched the lecture she was supposed to watch. Then it is up to Karen and I to answer the questions, and she doesn't know the answers because she didn't pay attention during the lectures. We use Google to help us define some works or court cases if necessary, and I help her understand what the question is asking and if she can eliminate any choices. Overall, I'm not really sure how much knowledge she is really getting out of the E2020 program, and this is discouraging for me. Karen needs one-on-one attention and help (more than she gets from me one hour a week), but that is not how CCHS works.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Day 10
Today Karen and I worked on some economics on E2020. As we struggled through the equations, I realized that Karen didn't seem interested at all. Even though she's motivated to finish her work so she can graduate, it doesn't seem like she enjoys learning at all. But how could she? I really can't stand the E2020 program because of the lack of face to face interaction with a real teacher. I wish that all of the kids at Classic City had access to a tutor because it makes learning so much more personal. I noticed with Micheal that there were a lot of conventional mistakes he made when doing homework- he rarely read the questions and a lot of times he just guessed on the answers. But how do I encourage a student that isn't a natural learner how important learning actually is?
This reminded me of the third book I read for class, Why Don't Students Like School? Many students struggle in school because of the lack of enjoyment they get from learning and answering questions. According to Willingham, the author, the difficulty of a problem must be just right for students to actually enjoy solving it. If it is too easy, the lack of challenge bores them. If it is too hard, students will get frustrated and feel helpless. But there is a certain sense of satisfaction in finding the solution to a difficult problem- it gives students a feeling of hopefulness and accomplishment. Willingham says that we as humans are "... naturally curious, and we look for opportunities to engage in certain types of thought. But because thinking is so hard, the conditions have to be right for this curiosity to thrive, or we quit thinking rather readily" (Kindle loc. 253).
I want to strive to pique Karen's curiosity about economics to help her enjoy solving econ problems more. I am attempting the scaffolding technique- help her get to the answer and then slowly pulling back until she can solve it herself. So far it is working very well with econ, and Karen seems to be catching on. I'm interested to keep trying next week.
This reminded me of the third book I read for class, Why Don't Students Like School? Many students struggle in school because of the lack of enjoyment they get from learning and answering questions. According to Willingham, the author, the difficulty of a problem must be just right for students to actually enjoy solving it. If it is too easy, the lack of challenge bores them. If it is too hard, students will get frustrated and feel helpless. But there is a certain sense of satisfaction in finding the solution to a difficult problem- it gives students a feeling of hopefulness and accomplishment. Willingham says that we as humans are "... naturally curious, and we look for opportunities to engage in certain types of thought. But because thinking is so hard, the conditions have to be right for this curiosity to thrive, or we quit thinking rather readily" (Kindle loc. 253).
I want to strive to pique Karen's curiosity about economics to help her enjoy solving econ problems more. I am attempting the scaffolding technique- help her get to the answer and then slowly pulling back until she can solve it herself. So far it is working very well with econ, and Karen seems to be catching on. I'm interested to keep trying next week.
Day 8
Today was another successful day of tutoring! Karen and I worked on her government homework, and I was surprised by all of the terms and questions I didn't know the answer to (good thing it isn't my plan to be a government teacher!). She doesn't have that much more left in her E2020 program, and I'm excited that I should be there by the time she finished it at the end of the semester.
The big thing we talked about today was Karen's upcoming graduation test- she's taking it next week. Karen took the graduation test earlier in the semester and did not pass, so I know she is nervous about this one. If she doesn't pass it, she will have to stay at CCHS for summer school and keep trying to earn her diploma. I think the concept of a graduation test is a little ridiculous- some people just aren't naturally good test takers, and they can freeze up on the day of the exam. I don't want this one little test to determine the rest of Karen's life. I don't even remember taking one in high school- I don't think we had to.
I tried my best to encourage Karen and pump her up for the big exam. I told her to study hard and go slow, reading each question very carefully and then going back and checking her answers when she was finished. She took my advice to heart, but she honestly didn't seem too stressed about it. Karen is nearly always tired, probably because she spends a lot of her evenings up at night with her son. I really want to make a point to come to CCHS more often, so I can continue to help ease some of the stress off of Karen by explaining her homework to her, so she can get it done fast and focus on her graduation exam.
The big thing we talked about today was Karen's upcoming graduation test- she's taking it next week. Karen took the graduation test earlier in the semester and did not pass, so I know she is nervous about this one. If she doesn't pass it, she will have to stay at CCHS for summer school and keep trying to earn her diploma. I think the concept of a graduation test is a little ridiculous- some people just aren't naturally good test takers, and they can freeze up on the day of the exam. I don't want this one little test to determine the rest of Karen's life. I don't even remember taking one in high school- I don't think we had to.
I tried my best to encourage Karen and pump her up for the big exam. I told her to study hard and go slow, reading each question very carefully and then going back and checking her answers when she was finished. She took my advice to heart, but she honestly didn't seem too stressed about it. Karen is nearly always tired, probably because she spends a lot of her evenings up at night with her son. I really want to make a point to come to CCHS more often, so I can continue to help ease some of the stress off of Karen by explaining her homework to her, so she can get it done fast and focus on her graduation exam.
Day 6
Today at CCHS was a lot like last week. I returned to the social studies classroom and the teacher told me that Karen would be needing my help again this week. I was excited to talk to her again and hopefully bond more. She seemed excited to see me, which was a good sign.
I enjoy working with Karen so much more than Michael, probably because it is easier to talk to her and she accepts my help. The biggest difference that I've noticed in the two students are their levels of motivation. Michael didn't seem motivated all all- he didn't care about his grades, didn't see college in his future, and didn't want a tutor to help him in class. Karen, on the other hand, has a completely different story. She is a single mother trying to graduate by the end of this year, focused on her schoolwork and getting a job after graduation to support her own son.
This reminds me of the idea of cultural capital that Peter Sacks talked about in his book Tearing Down the Gates. There are certain privileges that I grew up with that I know both Karen and Michael didn't have. My parents read to me every night, for example. They also instilled in me a sense of motivation about school work and going to college after graduation. I assume that Micheal's parents never encouraged him about college, possibly because they didn't go. Karen is mostly motivated by her son, and I'm not sure that she would be so eager to graduate if there were no kids in the picture.
These are things I've been thinking about since I started tutoring at Classic City- and I still don't feel like I have any concrete answers. How can I, as a teacher, change a student's motivation in life and inspire them to dream bigger? How can I convince them that doing their work is worth it because education is important and can help them get a great job? I'll continue to think about these difficult questions as I spend more time with Karen at Classic City.
I enjoy working with Karen so much more than Michael, probably because it is easier to talk to her and she accepts my help. The biggest difference that I've noticed in the two students are their levels of motivation. Michael didn't seem motivated all all- he didn't care about his grades, didn't see college in his future, and didn't want a tutor to help him in class. Karen, on the other hand, has a completely different story. She is a single mother trying to graduate by the end of this year, focused on her schoolwork and getting a job after graduation to support her own son.
This reminds me of the idea of cultural capital that Peter Sacks talked about in his book Tearing Down the Gates. There are certain privileges that I grew up with that I know both Karen and Michael didn't have. My parents read to me every night, for example. They also instilled in me a sense of motivation about school work and going to college after graduation. I assume that Micheal's parents never encouraged him about college, possibly because they didn't go. Karen is mostly motivated by her son, and I'm not sure that she would be so eager to graduate if there were no kids in the picture.
These are things I've been thinking about since I started tutoring at Classic City- and I still don't feel like I have any concrete answers. How can I, as a teacher, change a student's motivation in life and inspire them to dream bigger? How can I convince them that doing their work is worth it because education is important and can help them get a great job? I'll continue to think about these difficult questions as I spend more time with Karen at Classic City.
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