Field Experience

1. How many hours did you complete?  5 hours, 40 minutes.
2. In a short paragraph or bulleted list, how did you spend your time?

I spent my time during each of these observations observing a special educator teach a remedial reading program called System 44. For 4 days I tried to stay for the full 90 minute lesson where students start with a warm-up lesson followed by three stations.  One is a computer phonics program, one is a small group for guided reading and the last is an independent reading station.  I noticed the high level of encouragement and praise during the sessions.  I myself as a special education collaborative teacher feel that building the student’s confidence and motivation is half the battle when it comes to teaching struggling students to read.  After each lesson I would spend a few minutes asking general questions about how the program works, I had heard of System 44 but didn’t know anything about it. I could see students making progress in just the four days I observed.

3. How did the experience help you to strengthen at least one Kentucky Teacher Standard? (be sure to name the standard)

5.5 Communicates learning results to students and parents.

Since I teach kindergarten and first grade I have always struggled with communicating learning results to students.  It’s easy to communicate with the parents but I always felt that the students wouldn’t understand if I was trying to explain their results and how meaningful is it for me to give them some kind of grade.  I learned that this can be much simpler than I made it out to be.   Mrs. Vercheak used a bulletin board to show students’ progress, every time they completed a level on the computer program they wrote their name on a star and attached it to the bulletin board, I realized this is a way to communicate results in a meaningful way!

4. Talk a little about one thing you learned because of this field experience.

I learned the importance of management and organization when teaching with stations. I have also noticed that no matter what it is the student is doing, if it is on a computer it’s just more interesting to certain groups of students, this reading program taught basic phonics skills in a fairly basic way and the students couldn’t wait for their turns on the computer.

Reading Log

Reading Log for 30 books

Genre / Titles you read

             I.      Non-fiction/Informational (1 chapter book or photo essay book reflection required on blog)

1)      The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen

2)      Let me Play by Karen Blumenthal

          II.      Poetry (1 chapter or picture book reflection required on blog)

1)      Witness by Karen Hesse. (required for discussion)

2)      Casey at the Bat by Christopher Bing

3)      My America by Lee Bennett Hopkins

       III.      Modern Fantasy (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)          

1)      The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. (required for discussion)

2)      Pish Posh by Ellen Potter

       IV.      Historical Fiction (1 reflection required on blog –can be a picture book)     

1)      A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck. (required for discussion)

2)      Borrowed Children by George Ella Lyon

          V.      Multicultural/Traditional (2 reflections required on blog – one can be a picture book)         

1)      Monster by Walter Dean Meyers

2)      Coyote Places the Stars by Harriet Peck Taylor

3)      A Boy Named Beckoning by Gina Capaldi

4)      Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin, Jr and John Archambault

5)      If a Bus Could Talk by Faith Ringgold

6)      Latkes, Latkes, Good to Eat by Naomi Howland

       VI.      Realistic Fiction (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)

1)      The Last Safe Place on Earth by Richard Peck. (required for discussion)

2)      Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos

    VII.      Picture Books (5 reflections required on blog during the first two weeks of class. There should be a total here of at least six.)

1)      Flossie & the Fox by Patricia McKissack. (required for discussion)

2)      Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

3)      Owen by Kevin Henkes

4)      Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillon

5)      Julius, Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes

6)      Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes

7)      Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

8)      Hondo and Fabian by Peter McCarty

9)      Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni

10)  A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

11)  My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohman

12)  Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems

13)  Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Wiki Checklist

_2__ Social Studies  -  Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos, Borrowed Children by George Ella Lyon

__1__ Music -   Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillon

__1__ Reading/Language Arts - A Boy Named Beckoning by Gina Capaldi

__1__ Physical Education - Casey at the Bat by Christopher Bing

Let Me Play

Blumenthal, K. (2005). Let me play. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

This Non-Fiction chapter book is sure to be a hit with middle to high school girls, especially those who participate in clubs and sports.  I can’t say that the boys will want to read this one but it is very interesting to hear the real facts about Title IX.  As a 27 year old, who grew up playing sports, I can remember when I first heard of Title IX in high school, the biggest thing that was that Friday night basketball games could no longer just be for the boys, the girls and boy varsity teams now had to share the Friday night spotlight! I knew there had to be more to Title IX and that it had to do with equality between girls and boys but I for the most part felt that everything was now equal, but that wasn’t the case for my mom when she was in school in the late 60’s. 

Karen Blumenthal’s Let Me Play, The story of Title IX, gives accurate details of rights of women starting in the late 1800’s up until now! Most of the changes in women’s rights (in education and sports) have been made since the early 1970’s when Title IX was first introduced.  The book includes pictures of famous women who helped fight for the rights that females have today.  It would be easy in a book of this nature to include stereotypes, but I couldn’t find a single one! It’s just the real stories and facts!

The facts and stories are presented in chronological order.  There is a graphic element of some sort on almost every other page from highlighted real life stories, to real comic strips, to statistics presented in graphs and charts! The statistics I find most interesting come in the “Scorecard” tables that are included and updated by date throughout the book comparing the number of males and females participating in sports and higher education  from the 1970’s to the 90’s to now! Wow the numbers of females participating has sky-rocketed and today, women are just about even with men!  Other important elements of the book include the Title IX Timeline of the most important facts by date from 1848 to 2003, there is also a section of quotes that compare quotes in history to what people are saying now.

This could be used as an excellent resource while studying women's rights, or just a great motivating book for young girls to read! Young girls could make connections between their lives and how Title IX has possibly changed their outcomes from the way things could have been.

Borrowed Children

Lyon, G. (1999). Borrowed Children. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.

"What do you do after school?  Most of you go home, relax, perhaps play on the computer, your iPad, your iPod, iPhone, do some homework, and wait for mom or dad to fix dinner. Well in George Ella Lyon's Borrowed Children, Amanda Perritt, let's call her Mandy lives in a very different world, she does live in Kentucky but that may be one of the only similarities you will see when you compare her life to yours.  Mandy lives in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky in a time known as the Great Depression.  This was a time in 1929 through the 30's where people were poor due to the stock market crash.  By poor, I mean flat broke, people out of work, were losing their homes, were forced to go barefoot, and starving to death, literally. But for Mandy, her everyday life wasn't just about facing the fact that her family was poor, after her mother was stricken with illness, Mandy had to become a mother to her newborn brother, do the house chores, and prepare the food to put on the table.  She did this without electricity and running water, how is that possible!? This was her life, as a 12 year old, no mother to look after her, it was time to grow up quickly and take care of the family.  With her busy life as an adult, there was no time for education, she could no longer attend the school in which she loved.  With all the pressure, a person could go mad without a break so around the holidays she was allowed to take a trip to Memphis Tennessee to stay with her Grandmother and Aunt.  It wasn't the vacation she had in mind but she learned about life and family, and she came to appreciate her home. This coming of age historical fiction chapter book will surely have your heart wrenching for Mandy. 

Joey Pigza Loses Control

Gantos, J. (2000). Joey Pigza loses control. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

What a great story for just about ANYONE to enjoy! As I was looking in the YA fiction section of my school library looking for Gary Paulsen book I came across this one.  "Joey Pigza? I know I have heard of this somewhere but I don't think I read this one?"  Then I realized, "Oh yeah! I read, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key with a sixth grade resource class while I was doing a practicum 6 years ago!"  I only remember bits and pieces of that book but I do remember how meaningful it was to the children, I remember a boy who compared himself to Joey, I remember the awesome discussion that the students actually participated in.  Joey Pigza was someone those 6th graders could relate to.  Right then and there I stopped my search and checked out Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos. This book was published two years after the first Joey Pigza book. 

Joey Pigza, the main character tells the narrative story of his summer adventures.  Instead of staying home alone his mother agrees to let him and his Chihuahua Pablo spend the summer with his father and grandmother.  He doesn't live with his dad and their relationship seems a bit strained by his father's absence.  Joey's dad, Carter takes full advantage of the opportunity to spend some time getting to know his son.  Joey had previously been considered "wired" as he and his mother called it, he has a diagnosis of ADHD.  In the previous book he was fighting to gain control of his life and with the help of the right medication and some techniques he has picked up in his special education classes he is finally under control but that may not last throughout the summer.  Carter is just as "wired" as his son Joey, Joey's mom always said he was just like his father.  Joey's dad has a history of alcohol abuse and he hasn't gotten along with his grandmother in the past.  Joey realizes his dad who has the best of intentions has already lost control. Joey is forced to deal with his father's drinking, who then flushes Joey's medication because he wants Joey to be like everyone else.  Joey is fearful that he will lose control! His father tries to bond with him and show Joey what it is like to be a winner when he discovers that Joey has a natural ability to pitch baseball so Carter signs him up to play on his team.  Well Joey finally loses control, during a big game Joey starts to lose it on the mound, his dad loses it by yelling and screaming at him.  Joey lost it! He took of in a sprint, his dad's yelling and even calling him names didn't even stop him.  He ran until he go to the mall where he called his mother.  The act of him calling his mother is actually where he re-gains control, She comes to get him and they discuss how it was worth a shot to try and spend some time with his father but his father just can't handle it. Joey tells his mother that his father needs medication and his mother replies by telling him that his father is self-medicated, referring to his alcholism.  Joey goes back with his mother and knows that he needs to get back on his medication.  Gantos leaves the ending a little in the air but the reader has reason to believe that Joey will fix himself again.

The type of realistic fiction that this story falls into is the Mental, Physical and Behavioral Challenges: where Joey's special challenge is that he has ADHD but it is portrayed in a positive light, he is just like any kid, he struggles with a personal conflict where he loses control but in the end the resolution is that he eventually has the power to over come and re-gain control of his life.  This is a great example of a young adult novel to share in ANY classroom.  Children can learn characteristics of and how to understand peers who may have ADHD or even themselves.  In the resource room where I read the book with a small group of sixth graders, several of the children had ADHD or other disabilities. Joey is a hero and a character that students can look up to.

The type of realism that exists in this story is psychological novel, where the main character in the plot, Joey is faced with conflict after conflict.  Joey's realistic story can be used as a means to help others cope with their disabilities and teach others sensitivity towards students with disabilities.

The interest level is 5th-8th grades but really anyone can relate to the story, it may even be a great read for adults who have a child with a disability. It is obvious why this novel has won many awards including Newberry Honor and an ALA Notable Book of the Year. I suggest this for any middle school class!