Test Data

1. My PDS school is Monongah Elementary School. In Reading, 26.66% are achieving Mastery, 15.83% are Above Mastery, and 5% are Distinguished.

2. Only 47.49% of the students are proficient, 29.16% are novice, and only 5% are at the distinguished level. This school obviously needs an intervention for reading comprehension.

3. In order to address this learning need, I would use the Think Aloud Reading Strategy. In this strategy, students are actively engaged in constructing meaning from texts. Students learn how skilled readers think while reading. This way, they learn strategies on how to solve comphrension problems.

4. There is research on this strategy, that proves it will work. Reading comprehension increases when students learn how to incorporate "summary" frames as a tool for summarazing (Meyer and Freedle, 1984). Teacher prepared notes show students what is important and how ideas relate, and offer a model for how students should take notes themselves (Marzano et el, 2001). Students have to analyze information at a deep level in order to decide what information to delete, what to substitute, and what to keep when they are asked to give a summary (Hidi and Anderson, 1987).

5. How can using the Think Aloud Strategy increase student comprehension in reading?

6. In order to collect data, I would first give my students a pre-test. The pre-test would consist of various comphrension questions, so I would know what types of questions the students are struggling with the most. Then, I would implement the strategy into my lessons, so students would be given the chance to learn how good readers think while reading. I would have them practice summaring skills, where they would learn what types of information to look for, and what type of information can be deleted. They would learn how to decode words they are unfamiliar with. I would implement many graphic organizers into my lessons as well, so students would have a better understanding of the different parts of a story. Then, after implementing this strategy, I would give my students a post-test, which would be very similar to the pre-test. I would compare the test results, to see if this strategy is working. I would confirm the strategy worked, if test scores increased.

Action Research

1. Title: Parents and an After School Web-Enhanced Program
2. Problem: Many of the fifth grade, low achieving math students are only engaged in learning mathematical skills and strategies while using computer based tutorial programs with limited adult guidance.
3. In order to get students engaged in mathematical skills and strategies, technology needs to be integrated into the classroom. The students will be guided in the classroom and at home, by the teacher and parents to a mathematical challenge segment in a program on the computer, complete the segment, and then utilizew the mathematical tutorial where they practice special skills and strategies.
4. The strategy for this instructional intervention would be homework and practice. Students are given time in the classroom and have assignments at home to work on additional practice of mathematical skills. These students are gaining extra practice in mathematics, by participating in the mathematical tutorials and then practicing the special skills and strategies.
5. Evidence: According to Bempechat(2004), homework assignments provide the time and experience students need to develop study habits that support learning. They experience results of their efforts as well as the ability to cope with mistakes and difficulty. According to Healy (1990), teachers in the United States tend to compress many skills into practice sessions and instructional units. Students learn more when allowed to practice fewer skills or concepts, but at a deeper level. According to Marxano, Pickering, and Pollock (2001), complex processes should be broken down into smaller bits, or skills, which should be taught with time alloted for student practice and adaptation.
6. Data will be collected based on the students scores achieved on their quarterly math grades. This quarterly test is given at the beginning of each nine weeks, which determines students improvement in math skills and use of math strategies.
7. The data was collected, and then shown in a chart. The data concluded that the web-based tutorials provided the tools that were needed to help the students acheive academically. All students involved, showed great interest in learning and practicing new math skills.
8. The results showed that there was an average gain of about 9.2% on the quarterly math tests.

Product

Here is the link to the product my students will have to make. They will have to use the five-step writing process in order to create a brochure to sell their product.

Anchor Video

Here is my new anchor video

Lesson Plans

Here is my lesson plan for Day 1

Here is my lesson plan for Day 2

Here is my lesson plan for Day 3

These are my lesson plans that I will be teaching in my clinical. They are not part of my WebQuest because my teachers teaches straight from the teachers manual, and that is the only way she does it. My lessons require a worksheet, that she is giving me off of the manual, so they are not included in the lesson. Please let me know if I need to make lesson plans for the WebQuest, I was confused on which lessons you wanted.

New Rubric

Here is the link to my new rubric.

New Formmative Assessment

New Driving Question

Here is my new driving question: What is the most effective way to get a consumer to buy your product?
WV CSO: RLA.O.6.2.2 use the five-step writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) to generate topics, plan approaches and develop descriptive and narrative writing tasks:
•compositions
•personal narratives
•brochures
•speeches
•poetry

Rubric

Here is the link to my rubric.

Rubric

Here is my rubric for my summative assessment.

Struggling Student

I gave my struggling student this learning styles survey. I had him do it on the computer, and I read him the words and explained them in my own words. I found out that he is a kinesthetic learner and an auditory learner. I already had a feeling he was a kinesthetic learner, because he does better when he is given manipulatives and he is constantly asking for them.

Formative Assessment

Here is what I am using for my formative assessment.

Anchor Video

Here is my anchor video on the smartest breed of dog.

Driving Question

My driving question is:

Which dog breed is the smartest?

It goes with the WV CSO: SC.O.5.1.12 use inferential reasoning to make logical conclusions from collected data.

Lesson

Here is the lesson I would like to teach. It goes with the Power Standard: Students will comprehend appropriate level literacy and informational text. I feel like this activity would fit my struggling students learning interests because he really enjoys Reading and Language Arts. It is the only subject that he really succeeds in, and he seems to be very interested in different stories. He also always likes to tell me things he thinks is going to happen, and predicting is what this lesson is about. I feel like he would enjoy the lesson, and would be actively involved. I know that he truly wants to do well, I just sometimes think that he is not interested in the lessons that are being taught. A lot of the reasons why I feel like he is not interested, is because he is not able to get out of his seat and move around the classroom. This lesson would allow the students to get up, explore, and move around the classroom.

Howard Gardner

Howard Gardner came up with the Multiple Intelligences Theory. He believes that all children learn differently, and that you should not teach every lesson only using one intelligence. This doesn't mean that you should teach using all intelligences, but you should use several different ones in your lessons, pertaining to how your students learn. You can find this out by having your students complete a learning styles survey, to decide how your students learn. It could be spatial, kinesthetic, linguistic, and so on. This is very important to know, so that you are reaching all of your students needs. From taking the survey, I found out that my top three intelligences are: body movement (kinesthetic), musical, and self (intrapersonal). I agree with all of these, I feel like these are the ways I learn best. Here is a link to my results.

Struggling Student

There is a struggling student in my first grade classroom. He is repeating first grade this year, and he is constantly acting out. He doesn't listen to any directions or her lessons, and when it is time for him to do his work, he has no clue. He becomes very frustrated when he gets questions wrong and has to redo them. I tried to work with him, but he won't pay attention to anything. My teacher has just had enough. She used to let him make up the work that he got wrong, but now she is just counting things wrong. She said she is tired of spoon feeding him everything. When playing games, if he gets out, he calls himself a "loser" and says that he fails in everything he does. I just really wonder what goes on at home, and think it is a very sad situation. I know he wants to do well and please others, but he just can't seem to focus and stop himself from acting out.

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

Clinical

I will be attending my clinical on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30-2:30

Digital Story

Here is my fixed digital story. I still can't get it to upload onto blogger.

Digital Story

Here is the link for my digital story.

Here

Student Interest Inventory

Here is a student interest inventory that I really liked and would use in my classroom. I would use the inventory for students in K-6. However, I wouldn't use this survey if I were teaching kindergarten, because I feel like it would be hard for some children to complete.

Where I'm From...

I am from the warmth from the fireplace on a brisk winter evening, from buckweat cake and blackberry cobbler. I am from the house on the corner, a backyard bbq, and a big firework display on the fourth of July. I am from the weeping willow tree, roses, and my grandma's garden, the apple trees, rhododendrons, and the smell of fresh cut grass on a hot summer day. I am from singing Christmas carols and empathetic souls, from Grandma and Grandpa Hicks and Grandma and Grandpa Williams, and my wonderful parents. I am from the shoulder to cry on and a good story told. From a passion for dogs and a warm and caring heart. I am from the holy water of the Baptist, washed in the blood of Jesus in the small church with big windows. I am from the WVU Mountaineers, the good old Irish, the smell of grandma's spaghetti boiling on the stove and the sweat forming on your neck from the spicy chili on football Sundays. From the uncle who lost his thumb while working on the railroads, the grandfather who served in the United States Air Force, and the great aunt who always had a piece of candy in her purse. I am from camp fires at night, swimming all day at the lake, WVU football games, skiing on the mountains, and the beautiful hills of West Virginia.

"As Soon as She Opened Her Mouth"

This reading was very disturbing to me, because I have never really looked at literacy in that point of view. However, after reading this, I totally agree with all of the statements, and feel like this is very true. Teacher's usually have stereotypes of children that come from lower-class families. They usually assume that their parent's are not educated, and are basically ignorant. They usually assume that these parent's do not care about their child's education, and are not able to help them to achieve. So what do the teachers do in return, they usually ignore these student's and do not try to help them succeed. In all honestly, I think these are the student's that teachers should pay close attention to, and to do everything in their power to make sure they understand. If a student succeeds in school and likes school, then they are more likely to not drop out and to further their education. Teachers should want whats best for these students, and should encourage them to better their lives. I think it is awful that the teachers and principle kept ignoring Donny's mom, because they knew she didn't have a lot of money and wasn't very educated. They just assumed she didn't care what happened to her son. People need to quit having this stereotype on others, and maybe our world would be a better place. I also found it to be very true where they were talking about how children pick up literacy, at a very young age. Children recognize that when you write, you are making words, and when you read, you are opening your mouth. I think it is very important for adults to be a role model for children, and encourage them to read and write.

Mountaineer

Do you think West Virginia has been able to hang onto our traditions and way of life to a greater degree than other states? If so, why?

I do think that West Virginia has been able to hang onto traditions and way of life more than other states, because a lot of people that are from West Virginia, typically do not leave the state. Although there is not a lot of opportunities in West Virginia, many people feel safe and do not want to leave the mountains. We still have a lot of the old jobs, such as coal mining, which keeps a lot of people in the area. The woman in the video said she feels safe in West Virginia, because the mountains are like a blanket. They protect us from tornadoes, and are like a shield. She said that she doesn't like it when people can see what she is doing a mile away. I agree with this, although I like to get away from West Virginia sometimes, its always nice to get back home.

Have you experienced prejudice or negative stereotyping because you are a West Virginian? Have you experienced positive reactions?

Yes I have experienced plenty of negative stereotyping since I live in West Virginia. I've been asked if I date my brother, because people think there is a lot of "incest" in our state. I've been asked if I live in Western Virginia, because they didn't know there was a state West Virginia. I don't really understand how people get through school thinking there are only 49 states. I've also been asked if I live on a farm with dirt floors and chickens running all around the house. It really bothers me that people think this low of West Virginia. As for positive reactions, some people have told me they love West Virginia, and think it is a beautiful state. A lot of people recognize West Virginia from the WVU Mountaineers, and that is the only thing they know about it. Some people have also told me they like to come to our state because they love to come to our ski resorts.

Education 3351

Here is the course website.

Here is the link to blackboard.

Education 3351

A link to the course website is:

https://sites.google.com/site/fsueduc3352/home

A link to blackboard is:

https://online.fairmontstate.edu/webct/entryPageIns.dowebct