What+We+Know+&+Need+to+Know

As part of your initial Dr. Y letter, you were to identify...

- some things you know about teaching English language arts

- some things you feel like you still need to know about teaching English language arts

- some things you feel like you know about technology, and

- some things you feel like you still need to know and learn about technology.

Below are our answers compiled!


 * == I. Some things we know about teaching middle grades or secondary English language arts == ||


 * Right now, all I know about teaching English language arts is what I have learned in the three courses I took this summer. I have some ideas about classroom techniques and assignments that could be useful for teaching. I have some familiarity with graphic novels and using them in the young adult literature classroom.


 * I am fairly familiar with the writing instruction that students in the age bracket are pursuing. Students have been introduced to the five paragraph format but typically have little experience and confidence with it. Having students understand the importance of supporting details and how to effectively use them in their own writing is a big challenge during these grades.


 * I know that students study both literature and writing as part of the middle school curriculum, although most of the students would add vocabulary and grammar because of the way it usually is taught separately in any given day. I love the books and short stories that the middle grades read. I usually find a new message or detail even after I have read a story countless times over the years.


 * I have learned that the most important part of teaching middle grades ELA is to start from "where the kids are".


 * I possess excitement and enthusiasm about my future teaching! The courses I took on teaching young adult literature and teaching composition gave me some idea on what would be expected in a middle school classroom, such as some young adult novels and types of writing assignments.


 * === II. Some things we still need to know about teaching middle grades or secondary English language arts === ||


 * I would like to know more about what novels and trade books students should be reading in a the ELA classroom.
 * I am unsure of how to pick literature and appropriate assignments for the different ages of middle school, though I know that this can often depend on the school, county, and state.
 * I want to better understand the transformation of a classroom into a learning community.
 * One thing that plagues me after taking three MAT courses is how I have thought about teaching a class and wanting to teach it like my college English courses. I have this picture of how a classroom lesson and discussion goes, and it’s far different from what is done in high school, so I need to learn how to do that.
 * I want to know more about practical applications of the material in the classroom and how to effectively implement what I learn into what I will do as a teacher.
 * In my field experience… I want to see how teachers progress through lessons (the timing, pace, and structure) and how they deal with questions, behavioral problems, and classroom procedures. I also want to know how much they stick to their lesson plans, how much freedom and/or creativity they have in deciding what to teach and how to teach it, and how they deal with parents.
 * I would like to deepen my understanding of behavior management strategies specifically designed for middle grades students.
 * I look forward to learning more about specific middle school issues and strategies in this class and others to come.
 * When it comes to teaching middle grades English my knowledge is limited. I have only taken a few education courses so far and do not have a great grasp on teaching theories or strategies.
 * I would like to have a clear grasp on how to adjust assignments for different grade levels (6th thru 12th if possible) and methods for choosing literature for a class. I would also like to refine my understanding of writing lesson plans and planning lessons for the entire year (or semester if block scheduling) and possess some instructional strategies and/or ideas.
 * I hope to learn and gain experience in classroom management and instructional strategies. I also look forward to better understanding grading methods and expectations in the middle school classroom. I hope to get a better impression of non-instructional duties expected of teachers in the school during my field experience as well.
 * Also, my expectations, as far as level of achievement expected of students, are quite undefined. I need more clarity with this.
 * With the adoption of the PLC and other policies that work to ensure that all children are being taught the same curriculum, as well as the increased use of Focus Lessons to ensure that students are on track to perform well on the end of grade tests, I have watched the language arts curriculum shrink. I have witnessed teachers turning away from true educational goals in order to comply with the current needs to follow protocol and meet the pacing guide outline. Consequently, students are reading significantly less literature. This disturbs me. I hope to learn how teachers are keeping their own identity and also keeping literature in the lesson plan.
 * I want to learn how to better serve this population through teaching methods, curriculum design, and content knowledge.
 * During the field experience, I hope to test my ability to teach, build my rapport skills, and learn from watching an experienced teacher.
 * I want to expand on the things I already learned in ECI 520, 521, and 541, and learn more about teaching English.
 * I hope to learn what is expected of a master ELA teacher.


 * === III. Some things we know about using technology—for personal use and for teaching and learning === ||


 * I have some limited experiences with web tools and new technologies, specifically VoiceThreads, Second Life, wikis, blogs, WebQuests, and a few others in which I dabbled during the summer MAT class work.


 * I am familiar with a lot of Web 2.0 tools such as VoiceThread and Ning.


 * I have not used a great deal of technology in my courses, but I am familiar with moodle, blackboard, email (seems almost silly to list), youtube, and photostory. I created a website on weebly and have some experience with Ning.com, Google documents, and SecondLife.


 * In the adolescent literature class that I completed in the spring, I learned to value technology. I learned a myriad of ways that technology can be used and incorporated into the curriculum. Although, I am not very tech-savvy myself, I now appreciate how crucial it is for students to use, practice, and incorporate technology into their learning.

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 * As for technology, I love computers and have made several types of web pages both for personal and professional use. I also use many other forms of online communication including social networking sites.


 * === IV. Some things we still need or want to know about using technology—for personal use and for teaching and learning === ||


 * I am always interested in new technologies so I tend to be excited to try out new ones even when briefly introduced to them. With my knowledge of Web 2.0 tools, comes my understanding that there are a lot more out there that I do not know. I would like to get better acquainted with more of these tools and understand how they may be used in an ELA classroom.


 * I would like to expand my knowledge of the technology tools I am already familiar with, and others that I am not familiar with, while also continuing to create new media (Animoto and PhotoStory, for example) and integrate these projects into my own studies and future teaching.


 * I would like to have some experience with blogs and wikis, as well as, the use of technology from the perspective of the teacher or creator, versus that of the student. I would also like some clarification on copyright usage, appropriate use of technology in a classroom, and how to keep personal sites from being searchable. Generally, I feel that I just need more experience and practice with various technologies.


 * I would like to learn to use Webquest, wikis, and other online resources that are popular with North Carolina teachers. It also wouldn't hurt to brush up on my HTML programming.


 * I am excited to be a new teacher, but also an older adult, an unlikely combination, who can help the rest of the school embrace the use of the internet and the web 2.0 tools available.