Week Three

This week we worked with concepts of schema, scaffolding and choosing literature. We traveled to the library and identified books that we may want to use in a project which identifies 5 literary sources.

Analysis: Schema is the previous knowledge a student has. By activating schema at the beginning of an activity one can begin to scaffold to higher learning. Basically scaffolding is building and supporting the student's knowledge framework so that they can attain higher goals. One way to scaffold is to choose diverse literature resources for students to choose from. Children's books and picture books are both good ways to lower affective filters and encourage literacy.

Reflection: I am a huge proponent of multiple sources. Media, graphics, comics, print media, primary sources, and legal documents can all add new insight into a person, concept or event. There is knowledge to be found in every artifact of human existence. I think I will do my literature project on George Boole. As the founder of Boolean Algebra he drastically changed the world from a philosophical perspective which led to massive innovations in the reals of philosophy, technology and science. The concept of dualism is a theme that could be used to explore all of history and work as a jumping off point for understanding every aspect of the socio-economic changes that have taken place over the many thousands of years of human existence.

Week Two

This week was our first week with our cooperating teachers. I was placed in Mrs. Estrada's Pre AP Algebra class.

Analysis: The class was working on a word problem that involved multiple problem solving skills. Mr. Shields and I helped answer questions and guide the students towards solutins to the various levels of the problem.

Reflection: My initial approach to answering the student's questions was a direct approach. However, as the period progressed I felt it wouod have been more suitable for me to use a more socratic approach. For instance, one student asked how to draw a graph utilizing the data that he'd collected. I gave him a direct answer, showing examples and using guidig questions. Anoth approach would have been to use questions like: What do you know about drawing graphs? Can you draw a graph independently of this data?

I feel like I could have guided the students to use more high level, analytic skills to solve their problems rather than just giving them the straight forward approach. In the future I will use this appproach.

First Week

A good portion of the lesson was used in establishing what Schema is ans how it is used in the classroom and specifically, how it influences one's literaru experience.

Analysis: This was an extremely useful lesson in that it showed culture, history, and exposure as an all-encompassing concept that moves and shapes our every action and reaction. It also pushed us to look deeper into our own motivations as well as that of our students in order to be the best teachers we can.

Reflection: I came to realize over the last few days how intensely schema affects our perceptions and what a delicate matter communocation truly is. I am faced with a monumental task of presemting history to individuals who each have their own unique schema amd to do so about people and places that have completely different schemas. The complexity of the matter is rather intimidating, but exhilirating nonetheless. ait is through schema that the dichotomy of community and individual is played out in technicolor detail. If handled properly, that is to say, with all due respect, schema is a valuable tool for helping each student, and myself achieve our personal bests.

The Reading Process

There are multiple approaches and levelsof effectiveness to the reading process. Teh style that is mmost useful depends on the style of the text as well as the preferences and aptitudeo f the individual learner.