Personal Learning Path - Keith (Fall 2023 Fordham University - CTGE-5227)

Although this work isn't exemplary, I wanted to showcase the work because it shows how the outside life of child affects school work. The child's mom has been hospitalized for a few months now, and the work that is being done isn't reflective of the child's potential. The child seems withdrawn from work and has been getting into trouble more often than usual due to his frustrations with mom in the hospital.  I think it is important to understand that some days, some kids won't be the best that they can be, and that is okay.   

  This week I was introduced to a new form of assessment. The teacher that I was working with utilizes glows and grows. I liked how the feedback that was given wasn't numerical; it was qualitative work. I think that when you approach student work through dialogue, it allows the student to understand what is working or not  with more intention on their improvement and not their grade. I would like to include more qualitative grading in my future lessons. 

 Hey everyone, I chose this to reflect on for my post this week because it shows how to make work relatable to my students. I had watched the teacher that I co-taught with on this day utilize the smartboard in a way I didn't know about. While she was annotating the prompt on the smartboard with the kids, she printed the annotated prompt out from the smartboard/computer and had students glue it to their notebook to use it as a resource. Not only was it cool to witness, I think that the resource straight from the smartboard is handy and practical to implement in the independent component of instruction. 

  Hello everyone,  On this week's readings, I really like the reading on the Three Meanings of Fractions from the  Calaveras Unified School District.  I think, in relation to my math goals for this semester, It shows how engagement looks in various ways. While some students may interpret fractions easier as a model, others may see it more clearly as a symbol. As a kid, I liked to see fractions as symbols because I didn't want to do the extra work or creating or drawing with more effort. However, I think that with that being said, a future student of mine may be into drawing a fraction as opposed to writing it out, and I think that needs to be considered to develop a more inclusive classroom.  Link to reading: https://calaveras.k12.ca.us/08%20Departments/Education/Math/Downloads/Fractions/Fractions%20and%20decimals/Three%20Meanings%20of%20Fractions.doc

  For this week, I wanted to focus back on students with special needs. This is more promising work from another student; the student wasn't really engaged in the work, but he was able to finish the work independently. He was able to replicate strategies given by the teacher and the workbook. I think this is an example of how students with different needs have different paces of learning and applying, and it is something that I worry about when I am developing lesson plans and supporting kids. I often think about how large the spectrum may be, and just how inclusive must my work be in order to be relatable and engaging to my class. 

 This week, I wanted to share some work that I helped a student with during afterschool. My primary job is a Program Director for a Community Based Organization at the school that I also substitute teach. During homework time at the program, I was helping the student with their homework and I felt proud because I was able to apply what I learned from the class and from speaking with the lead teacher. I used to tell kids the answers for their homework or just flip it back at them by saying things like " You learned this today in class, you don't need my help". However, I feel that I was able to guide the student with completing their homework. The student and I was able to apply the strategies that were taught in class together, and it showed me that the work that I didn't know what to do is changing for the better.