CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students in LearningObjective:
To maintain a solid routine with my students and use instructional strategies that promote peer to peer speaking and collaboration. This will help my students be organized and knowledgeable about the class content.
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My first day of teaching here at Grove was also Thao and Diep’s first day in an U.S. classroom. I remember their faces, they were terrified, and they didn’t know anyone and couldn’t communicate with me. They came from Vietnam and did not speak English, which is why they were in my ELD Basics class. They became friends due to their circumstances being similar. Fast-forward to today and they are now in the highest level of ELD and about to graduate. They over achieved and excelled because they put in all their effort. I shed a tear reading their first essay in my class because they are writing above a proficient level, when two years ago they barely knew how to put a sentence together. It is my pleasure to be their teacher. They have taught and reminded me why I teach. At the beginning of this inquiry, I don’t think I ever imagined the joy it would bring. I am so impressed with my student's success and although I do give myself credit, the students are amazing. This is my second year teaching ELD C and because of this inquiry I was truly able to see what they are capable of. Last year I did no push myself to try everything with them because of their English knowledge. I thought it would be very difficult for the students to come out of their comfort zone and voice their opinions or that it would take too much time to break it down for them. The students were able to go above and beyond my expectations with this inquiry. I will be honest and say that the level of my teaching practice before this inquiry was average, but after I completed it I truly believe I have mastered it. The students taught me instead, I have learned many things from them, but the most important one is that there is always room for growth.
The goal was to engage and support all students in learning. During the inquiry students participated in Coffee House, Literature Circles, Speeches and Socratic Seminar. All activities used a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies for all learning types. Students blossomed as the collection/unit progressed. During the Coffee House I noticed that not all students were actively engaged and there was also some confusion about the directions I had given. After speaking with my SSP I decided that when I administer another Coffee House activity it would be best to give clear direction, model, and have a pre-work assignment. The lesson went well overall students participated, used academic language and were able to review “The Tale-tell Heart.” For the Literary Circles activity I had the help of my SSP. Students were able to move around in the classroom and become experts on their assigned literary device. Again the students became more confident speaking out in class and using academic language. These last two activities prepared the students for what was to come, which was the Speeches. They had to write out an argumentative speech on “The Tale-tell Heart,” and whether or not it is an appropriate to read in school. Students did amazing and the videos are there as proof. I was stunned at their ability to work to hard and deliver this speech to class using academic language and actually making an argument. The cherry on top was definitely the summative to Collection 3/ Socratic Seminar. The seminar went really well, students were amazing I had never seen a seminar so perfect. All students were prepared, constantly participating, and engaged. Throughout all the lessons students became better learners, speakers, and writers. I can honestly say that the students act like they are in a regular English class and maybe even better. They are eager to learn and apply all that they learn in their academics. As English learners they are not shy to voice their opinions and speak up. I have seen great improvements and I know by the end of the year they will be ready for regular English. As a professional educator I plan on continuing to implement all activities that will help all my students become better learners. I plan on being fearless and trying new things even if I believe things are too challenging, because there is no such thing. There is always a way to break things down and teaching, even if it takes a little longer. All students have diverse learning needs and if I apply different strategies I can make learning easier for them. This focus group has taught me how amazing they can be if only given the tools. There is always room for improvement and I know I will still learn as time progresses in my career. My plan is to apply different strategies to see what works with my students. I will continue to work on this CSTP in my next inquiry, but this time by making it stronger and adding the technology portion of it. |