Week 8: Field Experience Reflection

1. I completed a total of 10 field experience hours.

2. I spent my time during my field experience interviewing my school's librarian, implementing a lesson while being observed by a colleague, and observing a veteran 8th grade reading/literature teacher.

3. I truly value my field experience because it is a time when I can reflect as an educator.  The field experience allows me to "...reflect on and evaluate teaching and learning," as stated in Standard 7 of the Kentucky Teacher Standards.  I am given the opportunity to work with my colleagues to evaluate my performance so that I can give my students the best of what I have to offer them.

4. Perhaps the most important thing I learned from my field experience is the importance of self-evaluation.  Without the act of reflection, I cannot learn from my mistakes or missteps in the classroom.  As I tell my students often, it is okay to make mistakes but it is not okay to repeat them.  I learn from the mistakes I make and that it what I learned most from my time observing, implementing, and interviewing educators.

Week 8: Reading Log

             I.      Non-fiction/Informational (1 chapter book or photo essay book reflection required on blog)

1)      I Pledge Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance by Bill Martin, Jr., and Michael Sampson

2)      Nebulae: The Birth & Death of Stars by Necia H. Apfel

 

          II.      Poetry (1 chapter or picture book reflection required on blog)

1)      In Flanders Fields by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

2)      Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

3)      Witness by K. Hesse

 

       III.      Modern Fantasy (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)          

1)      Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix

2)      Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary

3)      The Tale of Desperoux by Kate DiCamillo

4)      Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (I’m ashamed to say I had never read it!)

5)      Pancakes for Supper by Anne Isaacs

       IV.      Historical Fiction (1 reflection required on blog –can be a picture book)     

1)      Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

2)      Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry! by Mildred D. Taylor

3)      They Called Her Molly Pitcher by Anne Rockwell

4)      The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry

5)      A. Lincoln and Me by Louise Borden

          V.      Traditional (1 reflection required on blog – one can be a picture book)        

1)      Jack Tales (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley

3)      Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China

4)      Beowulf: A Hero’s Tale Retold by James Rumford

5)      Hansel and Gretel by Grimm, Jakob, and Wilhelm Grimm

       VI.      Realistic Fiction (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)

1)      The Absolutely Tree Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2)      Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech

3)      Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

4)      The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson

5)      The Misfits by James Howe

6)      Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

7)      Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

8)      Luna by Julie Anne Peters

    VII.      Picture Books (2 reflections required on blog during the first two weeks of class. There should be a total here of at least six.)

1)      Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Twenty Heartbeats by Dennis Haseley

3)      Henry the Dog with No Tail by Kate Feiffer

4)      Life with Mammoth by Ian Fraser

5)      Seven Brave Women by Betsy Hearne

6)      The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Week 8: Nebulae

Apfel, N. H. (1988). Nebulae: The birth and death of stars.  New York: Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard Books.

If ever I had any questions regarding stars or star formation, they were answered in Nebulae.  In addition to the magnificent pictures in this book, the introduction caught my attention immediately:  "What do a bridal veil, a horse's head, and North America have in common?  Each is the shape of a nebula--a huge cloud of particles far out in space."  In this book, Necia Apfel, an astronomer, discusses everything from stars, telescopes, satellites, to some of the most famous constellations known.  While science and space is not my niche, I enjoyed this book; it is very informative and is extremely appropriate for young adult readers, particularly those who are not science-oriented.

Nebulae is most certainly a physical science text because it deals strictly with nonliving materials such as the stars and atmosphere.  Students and adults alike could easily learn and gather facts about stars and constellations from reading this text.  Nebulae is also a wonderful example of a photo essay.  There are large pictures of specific stars and constellations while the text (to the right or left side of the page) is balanced with the image.  The photographs are extremely informative while the text is equally informative. 

Big questions to ask students after reading Nebulae: The Birth and Death of Stars: How are stars form?  What constellations are you familiar with?  What are stars made of?  How are stars seen from Earth?  What stages do stars go through?

Week 7: Fever 1793

Anderson, L. H. (2000).  Fever 1793.  New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0WPVVxz0loM

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your town was the prime spot for a fever to sprout and spread like wildfire?  What would happen if your loved ones disappeared amidst one of the worst epidemics and you didn’t know if they are dead or alive? 

Laurie Halse Anderson’s Fever 1793 is the story of Mattie Cook and her family as they try to fight to stay alive during Philadelphia’s worst fever outbreak.  Mattie’s family owns a coffee shop and they have intentions of turning it around to become the most famous business in Philadelphia.  Mattie and her grandfather do their best to keep things neat and tidy at the shop but Mattie’s mother’s sudden bout with the fever soon forces them to flee Philadelphia. 

Will the coffee shop ever pick up?  Will Mattie even make it back to the city?  Will she even see her mother or grandfather again?  Does Mattie come down with the fever herself?  The answers lie within the pages of Anderson’s Fever 1793.

   

Week 6: Bridge to Terabithia Book Talk

Patterson, K. (1977).  Bridge to Terabithia.  New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0EIvFYbmClB

What happens when your hard-earned title as “the fastest kid in fifth grade” is taken by a girl – and not just any girl – the new girl?  Does this moment change your life forever?

Jesse Aarons Jr., a runner and artist, is not your typical fifth grade student.  He is angry, depressed, and sometimes even fearful.  He hates all but one of his sisters.  He hates his home life.  Jesse hates his school and has no friends but that changes when he meets Leslie Burke, his new neighbor.  Initially, Jesse hates Leslie because she stole all that he has – his title as the fastest runner –but once he gets to know her in music class, the two become inseparable. 

Katherine Patterson tells the emotional story of Jesse and Leslie, two fifth grade best friends who share a developing excitement for life and each other.  Jesse and Leslie create their own world, Terabithia, where they escape when their realities become too much to handle.  The two of them are the only ones who have ever crossed the creek into Terabithia.

What will happen to Jesse and Leslie as their worlds come together?  What will happen when Jesse leaves Terabithia but Leslie stays?  Read Patterson’s 1978 Newberry Medal winner, Bridge to Terabithia, to learn what this secret kingdom has to offer.

 

Week 5: SLMS Interview

          In my school district, we do not have what I consider to be a “true” librarian----certainly at no fault of their own.  Due to budget cuts and lack of staff, the librarian at my school (and other schools within the district) has to not only run the library but also teach five out of seven classes each day.  It is unfortunate for my school’s librarian, Mr. Akers, because I know keeping the library is what his ultimate job is.  It is also unfortunate for me as a teacher because it is difficult to get resources when he is teaching; it is most unfortunate for my students because they cannot utilize the library in a manner that is most effective for their learning.  It is a frustrating situation to say the least.

With all being said, however, I was happy to learn about the ideal role of the librarian.  Although in my district we have a disadvantage when it comes to our library and immediate availability of its media, I do know there are schools in our country who have less than what I have in my district so I am thankful that we do have what we have.  Here is some of the information that I acquired about my library and librarian:

1. How can the library help me be a better teacher? As an English teacher, the most obvious thing my librarian told me is that I have (almost) unlimited resources inside my building: novels, magazines, computers, videos, etc.  As an English teacher, I am required to teach my students how to locate information and the library is the perfect place to begin.  There are dozens of encyclopedias, atlases, source books, medical books, and almanacs that can be utilized to teach research and how to find credible sources.

2. How can the librarian help me teach?  The librarian at my school considers himself to be an assistant to our school, students, and teachers.  His job is to provide each of those with as much help in any way he possibly can.  If our school needs a space to host an event or meeting, Mr. Akers gets the library prepared.  If our students need to spend three days researching for a class, Mr. Akers gets materials ready.  If teachers need specialty material for a particular unit, Mr. Akers will help find that material.  As a teacher, I can rely on Mr. Akers to point me in the direction of particular areas of interest for my students.

3. What resources can I use in my units?  As I said earlier, in my library at school we have an abundance of resources.  It is easy for me, as an English teacher, to incorporate the resources in my library into my lessons: magazines, novels, encyclopedias, videos, source books, etc.---all lend themselves to English.  It is a blessing to have all resources, for a research essay let’s say, right in one area. 

4. What policies and procedures are set for the library?  Is there a manual?  There is not a manual for the library at my school.  Students are to follow the same rules in the library that they follow in their classrooms: be ready, be responsible, and be respectful.  Specifically, students are not allowed to eat or drink unless given permission.  Mr. Akers is a very easy going guy; he doesn’t mind a loud library as long as loud means learning and engaged. 

5. What happens if a parent challenges a book?  Is there a form? Is there a policy to follow?  Although most parents seem to be surprisingly supportive of the books that are offered in the library, there those rare occasions when a parent seems especially upset about a particular text.  I learned that in our library if a parent challenges a book, the first question that they’re asked is something to the effect of: May I ask what movies do you allow your child to view?  Parents quickly realize that there is little difference between the two medias in the sense of the content being questionable or inappropriate.  There are no forms to fill out but if a problem persists, it can be addressed at a Site-Based Decision Making Council. 

Week 5: Swimming Upstream

George, K. O. (2002).  Swimming upstream: Middle school poems.  New York: Clarion Books.

Quite frankly, I never liked poetry at all; I hated reading it and I especially hated writing it.  Even as a student who excelled in English and literature classes, I completely despised poetry.  When I made it to college I realized that, because of my Language Arts emphasis in Education, I would have to take a poetry class or two.  Nothing could have bummed me more.  However, I left two poetry classes truly appreciating it as an art and as text---now I can’t get enough poetry!  As a teacher now, I try to find creative ways of incorporating poetry into my lessons without my students really knowing what I’m doing (many of them were like me and dislike poetry).  When I found Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems by Kristine O’Connell George, I was so ecstatic.  The middle schooler in me and middle school teacher I am could not wait to finish the anthology as it has so many true, real life experiences of what my students go through each day in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. 

Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems is a collection of fairly short poems all written for the middle school student.  The topics include being late for class, lockers, friends, gossip, and even waking up.  Each poem has been written in a way that connects with the middle schooler.  Although the book takes place from a seventh grade perspective, it works well for any student who attends middle school.  George’s book is considered to be a specialized poetry book because all the poems are written by her, all are focused on middle school issues, and naturally, are for the said age group.  The meaning of Swimming Upstream is fairly obvious (the life of a middle school student), although each individual poem has its own meaning. 

Big questions to ask students after reading Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems: How do you relate to the book or specific poem?  Can you identify with any situation in the book?  Have ever experienced a situation mentioned in the book?  How does your typical day compare to the day described in the book?

To incorporate Kristine O’Connell George’s Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems is so easy, especially as an English teacher in the middle school setting.  What I would like to do (other than reading these poems or using them as examples of ones students can write) is to have students compare and contrast their daily routine with that of the book’s overall daily routine.  Specific instances in the day are mentioned such as walking to class, waking up for school, getting a locker, etc., and I would have students fill in the day chronologically as in the anthology and then compare it to their day.  This assignment is a great way to begin the school year and it gives student a way to make a real-life connection.   

Week 4: Chicken Little

Emberley, R. (2009).  Chicken Little.  New York: Roaring Book Press.

The summer between my junior and senior year of high school, Chicken Little was out in theatres.  My four-year-old cousin Kathryn came to spend the week with me as her mother was at a conference in Dallas, Texas.  Kathryn had mentioned wanting to see Chicken Little and so one day during that week we took her.  I sat right beside her and was amazed by how entranced she was at being in a movie theatre.  I had never been to a movie with a toddler and to watch her giggle and laugh at all the silly things in the movie made my heart so happy!  When I saw this story on the reading list for traditional literature, I knew immediately I wanted to read it.

Rebecca Emberley’s Chicken Little is the story of a chicken, named Chicken Little, who becomes quite certain that “the sky is falling” due to an acorn falling on top of his head.  He runs to escape what is sure to be the falling sky and happens upon his other bird friends.  Chicken Little, Turkey Lurkey, Loosey Goosey and others all experience the same event (“The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!”).  Upon their escape, Chicken Little and company come across Foxy Loxy, who seems to be particularly interested in helping them find a safe place.  Will Chicken Little take Foxy Loxy’s advice?  Will the birds and fox perish from the falling sky?

As a piece of traditional literature, Chicken Little is considered to be a fable.  In a fable, the story incorporates very simple characters that are usually animals where a lesson is taught or a universal truth is revealed.  A fable can be one of those “…and the moral of the story is…”  One feature of Chicken Little being of traditional literature is the action throughout the story.  As a reader turns each page, a new comrade of Chicken Little has been added to his group as he tries to outrun the falling sky.  The action in traditional literature is typically very concentrated and fast-paced. 

After reading Rebecca Emberley’s Chicken Little, two activities came to mind.  One would be to teach elementary students the features of fables.  Teachers could use Chicken Little, in addition to a variety of other fables, to teach the elements of fables such as plot, action, characters, etc.  The illustrations are very bold and the story would lend well to a read aloud.  The other activity would be geared toward middle school students.  Teachers could read the fable and then watch the movie.  After having completed both, students could learn how to compare and contrast a book and movie or perhaps be taught how to write a movie review. 

Big questions to ask students after reading Chicken Little: Why does Chicken Little believe that “the sky is falling?”  What actions make him believe this?  What are the similarities between Chicken Little and his friends?  What do you believe Foxy Loxy’s intention was when he first saw Chicken Little and his friends?  What is the moral of the story?

Week 3: Ralph S. Mouse

Cleary, B. (1982).  Ralph S. Mouse.  New York: William Morrow and Company.

I distinctly remember being in fifth grade, and hanging on the edge of my seat listening to my teacher read Beverly Cleary’s The Mouse and the Motorcycle.  I simply could not wait until the next chapter.  Unfortunately, Ralph S. Mouse did not have the same effect on me.  It was a cute story but I was bored from chapter one until the end at chapter nine.

Ralph, the mouse, lives in a hotel called the Mountain View Inn where he enjoys riding his motorcycle.  Ralph has several relatives who have moved in to Mountain View Inn because of the cold weather.  This is bad news because these relatives are becoming a problem for Ralph’s human-friend, Matt, who works at the Inn.  Because he doesn’t want Matt to get in trouble, Ralph decides to leave.  Ralph meets another human, Ryan, who takes him to his school.  This is where Ralph elects to stay.  What happens to Ralph when Ryan takes the suggestion of his teacher to make Ralph his science project?  What will happen to Ralph and his beloved motorcycle?

The nature of the conflict of Ralph S. Mouse comes in different varieties.  While Ralph does struggle with others, mainly his relatives who have moved into the Inn, he also struggles with the society of Ryan’s classmates; thus creating multiple conflicts for Ralph.  He experiences both person-against-person and person-against-society in the story. 

Beverly Cleary’s Ralph S. Mouse would be a very appropriate book to discuss story elements with students.  Both the readability and content are elementary and so any teacher could pick up this book to educate students on elements of fiction such as plot, characters, setting, theme, and style. 

Big questions to ask students after reading Ralph S. Mouse: Why is it important to Ralph that Matt not get in trouble at the Mountain View Inn?  Why did Ryan take the suggestion of his teacher to keep Ralph to show to his school?

Week 2: Twenty Heartbeats

Haseley, D. (2008).  Twenty heartbeats.  New York: Roaring Brook Press.

What would happen if an image you have held inside your head for so long was to become a reality?

One very rich man has always pictured hanging a painting of his most beloved horse on a wall inside his home.  This rich man finds Homan, a well-known artist of horses, and asks him to paint an image of the horse.  Nearly ten years pass before the rich man hears from Homan and he has yet to even see what Homan has painted.  The rich man is stunned when he visits Homan to retrieve his painting. 

Author Dennis Haseley writes the fantastic tale of the rich man and his painting.  With Caldecott Metalist and two-time Caldecott Honor Book illustrator Ed Young painting each page of the story, it is easy to become intranced with the story of the rich man, his painting, and Homan.  Read Twenty Heartbeats to discover the image of the rich man’s most beloved horse. 

http://vocaroo.com/i/s021e2sFz1O0

Week 2: Henry the Dog with No Tail

Feiffer, K. (2007).  Henry the dog with no tail.  New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 

I am definitely an animal-lover and I am certainly, positively a sucker for dogs.  When I saw Henry the Dog with No Tail at my local library, I grabbed it and immediately began reading it.  Although the illustrations are wonderful and the story does have moral, the content is a bit too cheesy for my taste and it is a story I probably would not pick up again.

Henry is an Australian shepherd and like many of this breed – and just as the title suggests – Henry was not born with a tail.  His many dog friends all have tails of different colors, shapes, and sizes.  Grady, Pip, and Larry all have great tails that serve a particular purpose, yet Henry is left feeling sad due to his lack of appendage.  In search for a tail, Henry finds a tailor and a wagon maker, and even goes to Battery Park in New York City.  With advice and suggestions from his friends, Henry is able to find just what he has been looking for…but is it really what he wants after all? 

Illustrator Jules Feiffer does a magnificent job of depicting Henry the Australian shepherd and his story.   The color of the story is a mix of cools and intense colors, all of which complement the text on the individual pages in the book.  Feiffer uses charcoal pencil to establish the line of an illustration and fills in with watercolor. 

Henry the Dog with No Tail would be a good example to use within the literature setting to teach students how to write stories that end with morals.  Henry learns a life lesson on the last page of the book.  Students could follow the series of events that leads Henry to discover this life lesson and model their own story after Feiffer’s.  I believe it would be difficult to use the content of the story for a lesson.

Big questions to ask students after reading this story: Why was it important for Henry to have a tail?  If you were Henry, would have wanted a tail?  Do you think Henry was happier at the beginning of the story or at the end of the story?