RITELL 2013 Conference Reflection

Upon signing up to attend the Fall 2013 RITELL (Rhode Island Teachers of English Language Learners) conference, I was unsure of what to expect. I have always considered teaching English as a content for students at the secondary level, but I have never truly considered how I would cater to English language learners (ELL). This year’s RITELL conference focused on many different aspects of educating ELL students, but mostly focused on the SIOP model. The SIOP model (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) is a framework for organizing instruction and is concerned with preparing students for college and the real world. This model consists of eight main components that when implemented correctly, will lead students to academic success. As RITELL’s keynote speaker Dr. Deborah Short informed the audience, the SIOP model is not something that should be implemented strictly for ELL students, but rather something that all students can benefit from.

Although Dr. Short’s speech was interesting, it was not until the breakout session that I found myself truly understanding how the model works. During the breakout session Dr. Short went more into detail about ways to implement the SIOP model, and cater to the needs of ELL students. I found many of the lesson techniques both interesting and useful, and felt excited about applying them into my future lesson plans. One strategy that I can see myself using involved word gradients. A word gradient shows students how to use better words. For example, rather than use the word mad, students can choose from angry, irate, or furious. The words are written on paint sample cards; as the words become more advanced, the color darkens. I liked this technique because not only will it help ELL students improve writing skills, but it will also target the needs of diverse learners in the sense that it offers a visual understanding to students.

Another activity that I found very interesting was the use of sentence strips. For this activity, students physically organize themselves based on fragments of sentences that they have selected. The idea is that students will order themselves based on the correct structure of the sentence. Once again, this meets the needs of not only ELL students, but offers something for a variety of ELA students in the sense that it is an engaging activity that involves kinesthetic that are sure to get students up and moving. This takes learning to a deeper level of engagement and understanding.

I have attended conferences such as Promising Practices in the past, but I am especially grateful that I chose to attend this year’s RITELL conference. Through participating in the conference, I have come to the understanding that integrating ELL students into traditional classrooms should not pose as a burden to the educator. Lesson planning should be engaging for all students, and if implemented correctly, the SIOP method will help to create a learning environment that is both engaging and challenging for all students, and help to eliminate the stigma that is associated with being an ELL student. I enjoyed the conference so much that I decided to join as an official member!

Observation 3: Classroom Management

NOTE: The following is a retrospective look at a shadow-study completed at a local inner-city high school. The name of the high school, as well as the involved educators, has been changed to protect their anonymity.

After observing an ELA classroom at a local high school, I feel that I have greater insight into the world of classroom management. No longer does classroom management simply require a teacher to send unruly students to the principal’s office, nor does it entail endless amounts of detention. Classroom management in today’s society requires insightful reflection regarding student behaviors and sometimes the implementation of many different plans before getting it right. Most importantly, effective classroom management requires patience, and lots of it. For some educators, classroom management comes easy, and for others it takes a great deal of effort. For Ms. Smith of Smokey Hill High School, it appears that classroom management comes easy to the confident teacher; however, confidence doesn’t always lead to effectiveness.

            Ms. Smith’s third period class is an AP English class. Just a few weeks ago they were reading “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison. Today, students are participating in a Socratic seminar that requires full participation from every student. Before the class even gets started each student heads to what appears to be an assigned seat. It is evident that several students are absent today, but Ms. Smith asks the students where Vanessa is. It is clear that Ms. Smith knows which students are in the building today, and she does not take attendance. Students inform Ms. Smith that Vanessa is wrapping holiday gifts for her project in the classroom next door. Clearly agitated, Ms. Smith requests that one of the students bring Vanessa back to the classroom since she had missed the previous class. When the student returns without Vanessa, Ms. Smith exits the classroom without warning and returns several minutes later with Vanessa in tow; Vanessa does not look happy. While Ms. Smith was absent from the room, the class talked loudly and joked with each other.

 As soon as Vanessa takes her seat, Ms. Smith tells students to move their desks into a circle. Setting up the classroom in such a way helps to ensure student participation because all students are positioned facing their peers. Not all students must take part in discussion though. There are about four students that sit outside of the circle, and they only observe discussion. The students that are participating in discussion are reflecting on an article that was to be read for homework. Although the students appear to manage themselves well while Ms. Smith observes, it seems as though the same three students are doing most of the speaking. There are several long awkward pauses, yet Ms. Smith does not interject. This is her way of managing student interactions; by not participating in discussion, she is requiring students to do the work themselves. In this sense Ms. Smith is utilizing classroom management effectively.

            Following the discussion, Ms. Smith asks students to evaluate how they felt they did with the discussion. Students were very honest in their reflections, admitting that many of them did not complete the reading homework. Ms. Smith sternly addresses this issue by warning students that if they don’t want to be in her class they can leave next semester and go to another class taught by another teacher. Ms. Smith makes it clear that if students aren’t serious about being in her AP English class, they can leave. The mood of the room changes, and students clearly feel uncomfortable; admittedly, I too feel uneasy. Although Ms. Smith may have addressed the issue of not completing homework, I’m not sure that this is necessarily effective classroom management. Her stern words may have addressed the lack of homework completion, but not once did she ask students if they had any difficulty with the reading. It seems as though Ms. Smith doesn’t think to ask if students needed additional help clarifying the article on the basis that they are an advanced class. Due to this, I believe that Ms. Smith may have created an uncomfortable environment that does not welcome questions; thus creating additional difficulty for the next Socratic seminar if students continue to not complete the homework.

            In my opinion, a more effective method of managing the issue would have been to first ask students if they had any difficulty with the reading. This would have given students an opportunity to ask questions and provide the teacher with a formative assessment. It seems as though Ms. Smith’s goal for classroom management is to ensure that students respect her and behave during the class period. If this is her objective, then her method of classroom management is working. However, if her goal is to create an environment that is beneficial to a student’s academic growth, I’m not sure that her method is entirely effective. As students leave the room, it is clear that they are no longer the enthusiastic learners that entered. They head to their next class feeling defeated.

            As I walk through the hallway on my way out of the building, students yell to one another, and profanity bounces from several student’s mouths. Although there are many adult hallway monitors, not one corrects student misbehavior. There are several monitors shouting to get to class, which seems to only add to the chaos that is taking place in the hallways. Being that this is my second visit to the school, it seems that as soon the bell rings it is a free for all and students are let loose to scramble through the crowd to their next class; there is no particular order or management to the way things are done between classes.

            I reach the parking lot feeling drained from the entire experience. It did not feel as though student management was effective. Rather, it seemed as though the staff at Smokey Hill High School simply wanted to get students through the day to the sound of the last bell. 

Observation 4

1.) Objective: Students will work in groups of four to identify similes and metaphors in pop culture songs that will be provided to each group.

2.) Bloom's Taxonomy:  This objective meets the analysis level of Bloom’s Taxonomy because students break down pop culture music to identify similes and metaphors. Throughout discussion, students are also connecting the metaphors to real experiences that may have occurred in their own lives.

3.) Quiz: (See Below)

NAME___________________________                                  DATE____________________________

SIMILES & METAPHORS QUIZ #1

PART 1 (each worth 1 point): Circle the best option.  

1.) SIMILE:

a.  A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared

b. One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol

c. The repetition of the same sounds in a text

d. A figure of speech that uses exaggeration for emphasis or effect

2.) METAPHOR:

a. A figure of speech that uses exaggeration for emphasis or effect

b. The repetition of the same sounds in a text

c. One thing conceived as representing another; symbol

d. A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared

3.) The lettuce was as crisp as an early fall morning.

a. Simile

b. Metaphor

4.) The sisters are like two peas in a pod.

a. Simile

b. Metaphor

PART 2 (each worth 3 points): Create 1 metaphor and 1 simile of your own based on the image provided.

  

Metaphor:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Simile:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS!

+2

                                                                                                                 

In the song below, circle the similes and underline the metaphors.

 “Wrecking Ball”

By: Miley Cyrus

I came in like a wrecking ball    (Simile)

I never hit so hard in love (Metaphor)

All I wanted was to break your walls (Metaphor)

All you ever did was wreck me (Metaphor)

(Each correct answer is worth 1/2 a point with a possible total bonus score of 2)