Skepticism - anyone can do it

"Skepticism is easy--anyone can do it. It is the faithful life that requires moral strength, dedication, and courage. Those who hold fast to faith are far more impressive than those who give in to doubt when mysterious questions or concerns arise.

But it should not surprise us that faith is not valued by society. The world has a long history of rejecting that which it does not understand. And it has particular trouble understanding things it cannot see. But just because we cannot see something with our physical eyes does not mean it doesn’t exist."

-Dieter F Utchdorf
"Be Not Afraid, Only Believe"
Oct. 2015

Diversity in Today’s Schools

In the classroom I am placed there are students that are English Language Learners that may struggle with learning the language. How do the teachers of Timpanogos Elementary Handle these students in being able to understand English and the content that is being taught? Easy! Timpanogos Elementary is one of many schools in the area that have a dual immersion program. Dual immersion is where the students are learning Spanish and English at the same time. This helps those Spanish students catch up as the English students develop a second language. Well how do they go about that? The classes are formed to the best of their ability to creating a half Spanish speakers and half English speakers.  Well how do the teachers go about this? Some classrooms have teachers that are fluent in both languages while other classrooms have two teachers where they are only allowed to speak in the language that they were hired for. So a Spanish teacher may know English, but they can only talk with that teacher in Spanish. I like this school and how it helps most of those students that struggle and turn it into a strength for all those that are trying to learn a second language. It seems to me that it is a good decision that levels the educational playing field between all the students. 

Lesson 5: History of American Education

Some of the historical landmarks I am seeing in the classroom that I volunteer in are the following:

Section 504. I see that there is a student that has difficulty in being able to form thoughts and place in on paper in a written format. Most people can pick up a pencil and write on whatever topic on the drop of a dime. This student struggles so the teacher allows this student when writing papers to draw out what story they want them to write about and put their thought process into creating a fictional story. This helps the student get their brain moving and the pictures are used as a key to help them in the creation of their story when they actually type it up.

American Disabilities Act. The school that I volunteer at is a triple story building and there are many steps to get up to all the floors. Those students that have wheelchairs there are elevators and doors that provide access for those that need such accommodations.

Individuals Disabilities Act. I am not an expert on all the laws that go into helping students that are at a disadvantage compared to their peers, but I feel like this law is the most helpful for those that struggle in their learning. This allows the teacher to build IEPs to the students own personal situation and be able to accommodate and structure lessons toward that student. I have seen this the strongest in the class that I observe in. I saw some students in the resource room that were first graders that were learning letters as if they had never seen the letters before when I know that students should be introduced to those letters in kindergarten but with this law teachers can help students get caught up that may be behind others.

Schools have progressed so far from what they were a hundred years ago, Brown vs Board of Education was a landmark that includes all races in the process of learning an education and that all are entitled to it and I believe this can even extend to those students that may be disabled. Even schools are helping those of different cultures that may be at a disadvantage due to language barriers be able to overcome their differences so that they can learn the topics taught in school. The school that I observe is a duel language enrollment which students learn English and Spanish and this is good for those students that have no idea about english and helps those born here to learn a second language. I think this is good to help students not feel ostracized for their language differences and puts all students on the same level as each other. 

Engaging Learners in Today’s Classrooms

I was able to see the use of technology. Students would trace their name over and over to get into the rhythm and precision they would need to make a legible name that they would need to use in their futures. Sometimes the students would get bored over the repeated and dull tasks so the teacher would then place the students on iPads and there was a game/app that students would practice tracing letters and words to help them in their writing abilities.

Another use of engaged learning was another activity with the use of names. Instead of tracing the letters in the name the teacher had them afterwards as a reward dump dozens of tiles with letters on them and the students would search through the mess and find the letters in their names. This would help them become familiar with what letters are in their name and what letters they need to anticipate in the creation of it.

The last activity I found interesting was one where the teacher was trying to get this special needs student to write a short story. The student was very intimidated and could not formulate their story like most people normally do on paper with pencil. So the teacher gave the student paper and pencil and they would draw out a story similar to a comic book or picture book and then use that as an outline in the creation of their short story.

One activity that I found was engaged in learning, but I didn't think it engaged the learning part, just the engaged part. The teacher every week would try to teach the students new letters of the alphabet, They would play this game with the students where they would scatter the letter they were focusing on with other cards that had symbols such as % $ & # signs and students would need to hop of the letters that they were mastering. So the first week they needed to hop on the letter M across the carpet. Then the next week the teacher could have them hop on both or one letter being M and P this week. I feel like the activity did not stretch the learning and that it was just a game that required remembering patterns as the students would jump to different letters and miss every now and then. Plus I thought it was not good to have other symbols when they should be using all letters to develop the ability to differentiate between letters.

Should we still have older leaders in the church?

"Some people have suggested younger, more vigorous leaders are needed in the church to address effectively the serious challenges of our modern world. But the Lord does not use contemporary philosophies and practices of leadership to accomplish his purposes. We can expect the president and other senior leaders of the church will be older and spiritually seasoned men. The Lord’s revealed pattern of governance by councils in his church provides for and attenuates the impact of human frailties.

These ordinary men have undergone a most extraordinary developmental process that has sharpened their vision, informed their insight, engendered love for people from all nations and circumstances, and affirmed the reality of the restoration (of the Gospel),” Bednar went on to say. “I have witnessed repeatedly my brethren striving diligently to fulfill and magnify their responsibilities while struggling with serious physical problems. These men are not spared from affliction. They are blessed and strengthened to press forward valiantly while suffering in and with affliction.”

-David A Bednard
Oct 3, 2015

Creating Productive Learning Environments

Describe a time your cooperative teacher has offered choice to students.
 In the classroom that I observe there is a boy that is different and has a problem where he likes to talk and talk and talk. This student not only likes to talk, but when the teacher says something like about plot and character in a story this student will go on about a toy he has at home, so totally unrelated topics. The teacher I observe has come to use the following method to help this student. The teacher gave this student a container of coins, those coins each allow the student to say a comment when they wish to. So when the student wishes to say something to the teacher and it may be unrelated to the topic or if he is interrupting her while doing something she will ask the student, "So and so, is this worth a token?" then the student will think about it and most of the time they think no it's not, but then other times they use it for things they find important or what they really wanna talk about.

What has your cooperative teacher done to make students feel loved and safe?
There has been cases of bullying going on in the classroom. I have not seen anything nor is anything I've heard been on the level of what harsh and cruelty we see from bullying in the news, but the teacher has in the middle of lesson plans several times and changed the topic to anti-bullying to help students learn to respect one another. The teacher has used lists of positive words and the students would say sentences towards one another using those words. The teacher has used object lessons to show the impact of teasing each other. The teacher has tried to change the perspective of students so that they understand what they are doing is wrong. When the teacher does this side lessons it does help, but these students are 3rd graders and it doesn't seem to stick and they need to be reminded constantly.

How does your cooperative teacher recognize students’ skills?
 The teacher that I am volunteering with shows her love for the students in her class through praising the students on their good work, obedience, and good attitudes. I think she does this for two reasons. 1, to re-enforce the behavior that the student is doing so that they know this is what is expected and that they should continue to do in their studies in the classroom. 2nd I think that the teacher does this so that other students can see that the teacher is approving the action from the student and that other students should try to mimic that behavior in their own routines in the classroom.

How People Learn

Which learning theory does the teacher in your service-learning placement seem to use the most? Provide examples from your observations to support your claim. Also, how does your teacher address the developmental level(s) and the individual learning preferences of her/his students?

Right now I am in a Special Ed classroom trying to do my service hours for my exceptional students class. I love my class that I volunteer with and have very little difficulties with the service assignment. The teacher I am job shadowing uses Behaviorism to re-enforce desire to learn as well as behave properly.  The method the teacher uses in this can be from as small as "Billy (named changed), you need to finish reading your book otherwise you can't go out to recess" to as much as a chart that the students receive stamps for that give them free time when they reach a certain amount.

The teacher I am job shadowing also helps the students by playing to their strengths in their learning preferences. There is a student I am working with closely that is very visual in his learning style.  We are trying to help this student be able to write short stories.  The student has trouble coming up with stories on their own so the teacher allows this student to draw out their own story then take that drawn out story and type it up on the computer.  The student still has difficulty spelling, but they are seeing that they can write and this individual is seeing that they have many ideas that they can put down on paper that they thought they didn't have once before.