For my Community Inquiry Project, I want to examine NCLB and its impact (positive and/or negative) on English Language Learners (ELL’s) in Newark and Carteret, NJ. The focus of my project will be ESL programs, limitations that language creates for teachers and students, the possible limitations of ESL programs, and how it relates to NCLB, AYP goals and test scores, and possible restrictions and effects on schools and students. To answer this question, I will need to research ESL programs in the state as well as ESL programs in Newark and/or Carteret. First, my research will take me into the neighborhood surrounding East Side High School in Newark and then into the school itself. I have mapped out this neighborhood and I have included 10 sites. I did so to get a feel of the culture there and the appearance of the neighborhood itself. I chose this school specifically because it serves a sizeable population of Hispanic students. Carteret High School is another school that also serves Hispanic students. I feel that both schools will provide me the opportunity to speak to ESL teachers about issues facing ELL’s in New Jersey.
I would then want to look at the effect of NCLB restrictions on ESL/ELL students and see what could be changed as well what has already been put into place to help these students. For example, are resources available to these students? Do they have access to extra help after school or during school? Are there any special programs in existence to help ELL’s? How often do teachers engage with parents? Furthermore, what programs are put in place to help teachers to better serve this population of students?
Part of this project will like involve research into programs that make the transition from Spanish to English smoother for ELL’s in Newark and Carteret. I plan to research state and government websites (and others from my Annotated Bibliography) that provide me with information about the school itself and its status in the state. With regard to the issues facing English Language Learners and students with limited language capability, I would also like to determine:
• What policies are being put into place?
• Is there any information available on how programs are helping ELL’s?
• What works and what doesn’t as far as both lessening the burden for teachers with only an operational knowledge of Spanish who are teaching ELL’s and helping ELL’s to learn English?
To tie in the element of urban education, I plan to research how some issues associated with urban education that we have discussed in class (ie. parental involvement, ancillary issues in the home, primary language spoken in the home, and/or poor reading skills, reading at grade level, and NCLB restrictions that affect English capability and thus, test scores) impact learning and English language acquisition. My questions will be geared towards establishing whether any of these issues impact the education of English Language Learners (ELL’s) in the state (namely at East Side High/Carteret) and how much they come into play, if at all.
I have contacted Ms. Bis, an ESL teacher, and Ms. Borja, head of ESL at East Side High, regarding my project. I am also in the process of contacting an ESL teacher at Carteret High and establishing contacts in other departments that will suit my project. A few questions I will ask are:
• What challenges do you face within the ESL program? What challenges do you face while teaching ELL’s? What challenges do you face in the hopes of integrating English Language Learners into a classroom where English is the primary language?
• Do you feel as though the ESL program has an adequate teacher to student ratio? Do you find that you are able to reach every student?
• Do you feel that the ESL program at East Side High is preparing students for success both in school and out of school?
• Do you feel parental involvement and/or primary language in the home affects progress in the classroom and progress in the ESL program?
• Do your students read above or at their grade level?
• Do your students have difficulty reading? Do they meet difficulty in their Language Arts classrooms? How do you approach this/areas of difficulty in your classroom?
• What are they doing in their classroom to engage these students who are facing difficulties with English? What are they doing to help them learn English faster/better? What types of issues ARE the students facing? What do they think would help fix the situation if they feel it does need to be fixed? Do they feel NCLB restrictions impact their success?
• Do the limited language capabilities of English Language Learners impact AYP numbers/goals?
• Do you feel as though these state tests disadvantage these learners?
• Is there any way for you to better prepare ELL’s for state tests?
As a possible aside for the project, I would like to examine ways that schools involve ELL’s in their education. This could include forays into curriculum and teaching methods that include a multicultural perspective. I could ask the following questions of teachers and administrators:
• What part, if any, of the curriculum is devoted to teaching subjects in a multicultural way that engages students whose first language isn’t English?
• What about literature that incorporates the culture of students in urban areas?
• Does this personalize education?
• Are there other schools incorporating a diversified curriculum that includes Latin and African American literature?
• What changes are being put into place-curriculum wise- to involve and inspire children that are being educated in urban areas?
I would also want to contact Language Arts teachers (my area of certification/MAT) and ask them if and how the English/Literature curriculum at these schools aims to serve the population of Hispanic students that they are teaching. I would ask Language Arts teachers the following questions:
• Why did you choose to teach English at East Side High School?
• Do you possess an ESL certificate or training that enables you to better serve English Language Learners?
• What are you doing in your classroom to engage these students who are facing difficulties with English?
• Are you meeting any difficulties when teaching students whose first language may not be English?
• What are they doing to help them learn English faster/better and how do you go about doing this?
• What types of issues ARE these students facing in the classroom?
• How much time, if any, do you devote towards students who many need after school / extra help?
• What do you think would help fix the issues ELL’s face? Do you feel as though there are some things that need to be fixed?
• Do they feel that NCLB restrictions impact your success as teachers?
• Do you feel as though NCLB restricts ELL’s?
• Do you feel as though these students possess skills needed for state tests? Why or why not?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Annotated Bibliography-
Annotated Bibliography
Short, D, Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the Work: Challenges and Solutions to Acquiring Language and Academic Report to Carnegie Corporation for New York. A publication of Alliance for Excellence Education. Retrieved March 13, 2009 from www.all4ed.org/files/DoubleWork.pdf
(300 words)
http://www.all4ed.org/files/DoubleWork.pdf
(You can view the "article" here, I cannot copy and paste it- it's far too large)
This is a large article written for the Carnegie Corporation for New York which pledges time and money to help members of the New York City community. The Carnegie Corporation Advancing Literacy program dedicates itself to adolescent literacy and the issues associated with it as well as putting into place research, policy, and an extra focus on reading and writing skills of high school students, usually in urban environments based in New York City. The article explains the issues that non-English speaking children are confronted within the realm of education. Despite a “growing awareness” of the issues affecting these children, many of them continue to struggle with literacy, reading, and writing in a new language.
The article explains issues affecting adolescent ELL’s, or English Language Learners. The article identifies six criterion that impacts ELL’s, but also explains that socioeconomic status, cultural differences, and native language present certain barriers. Policy and challenges to policymakers is also a growing concern and the article suggests things that can be done as well as the stalemate that occurs regarding NCLB restrictions and other restrictions. For example, a key issue regarding students with limited language capability is the fact that these students are not tracked once they leave language programs designed to help them integrate into English speaking classrooms, so there’s little way to track their progress and how it relates to aspects of their education that NCLB aims to assess.
Additionally, this article includes key facts that explain how dire the situation is for ELL’s and Hispanic students being educated in urban areas. For example, eighty-nine percent of Hispanic students read below grade level. While this is alarming, it is a much more difficult situation for ELL’s as only 4% of ELL’s in the eighth grade scored as having an adequate level of reading proficiency. The findings also support other findings in drop out rate. It also explains that there is an definite connection between language and school performance and surmises that if these students do not speak English at home, then are disadvantaged in their school environment.
Haskins, R., Greenberg, M. & Fremstad, S. (2004). Federal Policy for Immigrant Children: Room for Common Ground? The Future of Children. 14 (2) A publication of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and The Brookings Institution. Retrieved March, 20 2009, from http://www.brookings.edu/articles/2004/summer_demographics_haskins.as px
Haskings and Fremstad’s research examines the issues that are disadvantaging immigrant children. It proves that there are secondary issues besides education and the struggle of educating children in an environment where English is not their primary language. This article will serve as a good factual basis for explaining the lifestyle of immigrant children and the issues they face. Haskings and Fremstad also examine policies that address educational deficits, including NCLB. The article suggests how to fix some of these issues, like use of funding money, examining early childhood education, and creating sub-sets for tests like race, primary language, and ethnicity. Creating this would lead to more accurate test scores for children who do not fall into the one criteria. All in all, if issues that immigrant children and immigrant families face were corrected, it appears like educational issues may follow suit and changes can be suggested and put into place.
Assessment Accommodations for English Language Learners: Implications for Policy Based Empirical Research. Jamal Abedi, Carolyn Huie Hofstetter and Carol Lord Review of Educational Research, Vol. 74, No. 1 (Spring, 2004), pp. 1-28 Published by: American Educational Research Association Retrieved March 20, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/3516059.pdf
This article examines which language accommodations work, which one should be used, for students with limited English proficiency and which populations of students these accommodations are designed to benefit. The article also examines the empirical research being done on how to best benefit these students. It also explains which children have access to these accommodations as well as including facts that describe why this criteria may be considered problematic like the use of standardized tests for children who do not have an adequate command of English. Therefore, this could produce low test scores and these low test scores are used to predict their achievement according to NCLB restrictions, thereby disadvantaging these children, the teachers, and the schools they come from by henceforth labeling them as “failing.” The authors also include a list of recommendations that would create change for these students.
McGuinn, P. J. , 2007-08-30 "Equity Meets Accountability: The Implementation of No Child Left Behind in New Jersey" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Hyatt Regency Chicago and the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago, IL Online March 21, 2009 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p210849_index.html
Equity Meets Accountability: The Implementation of NCLB in New Jersey is an article that is a reputable source because it’s filled with factual information that will give a basis to the our argument on ESL programs, their success, and whether or not the issues associated with urban education applies to limited language proficient children and whether or not NCLB restrictions impact their education. This article include a factual base to it and includes information about how money was relegated to districts in New Jersey, the gaps in test scores, how money was spent or relegated in districts of high need in poor areas of the state. The article and its information can be applied to Newark and West New York and compared to statisitics in other areas of the state. It’s important to include this as a basis of the comparison and proving if, how, or why NCLB restrictions affect immigrant children in Essex County more or less than elsewhere in New Jersey.
Scott J Cech. (2009, January). Weigh Proficiency, Assess Content :Students who are still working to master the English language are being held to the same reading and math proficiency targets as native English-speakers.. Education Week, 28(17), 35, 36. Retrieved March 21, 2009, from ProQuest Education Journals database.
I am interested in looking at reading skills and how ELL’s acquire these skills in classrooms that cannot properly facilitate their learning and literacy because of the ever-present language barrier. This article surmises that ELL’s cannot be lumped into the same category as students whose first language is English and expected to achieve the same scores under the current NCLB system. It suggests that NCLB will not work for every child, a point I want to compare to West New York, Carteret, or Newark schools that serve Hispanic children and Hispanic immigrant children.
Short, D, Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the Work: Challenges and Solutions to Acquiring Language and Academic Report to Carnegie Corporation for New York. A publication of Alliance for Excellence Education. Retrieved March 13, 2009 from www.all4ed.org/files/DoubleWork.pdf
(300 words)
http://www.all4ed.org/files/DoubleWork.pdf
(You can view the "article" here, I cannot copy and paste it- it's far too large)
This is a large article written for the Carnegie Corporation for New York which pledges time and money to help members of the New York City community. The Carnegie Corporation Advancing Literacy program dedicates itself to adolescent literacy and the issues associated with it as well as putting into place research, policy, and an extra focus on reading and writing skills of high school students, usually in urban environments based in New York City. The article explains the issues that non-English speaking children are confronted within the realm of education. Despite a “growing awareness” of the issues affecting these children, many of them continue to struggle with literacy, reading, and writing in a new language.
The article explains issues affecting adolescent ELL’s, or English Language Learners. The article identifies six criterion that impacts ELL’s, but also explains that socioeconomic status, cultural differences, and native language present certain barriers. Policy and challenges to policymakers is also a growing concern and the article suggests things that can be done as well as the stalemate that occurs regarding NCLB restrictions and other restrictions. For example, a key issue regarding students with limited language capability is the fact that these students are not tracked once they leave language programs designed to help them integrate into English speaking classrooms, so there’s little way to track their progress and how it relates to aspects of their education that NCLB aims to assess.
Additionally, this article includes key facts that explain how dire the situation is for ELL’s and Hispanic students being educated in urban areas. For example, eighty-nine percent of Hispanic students read below grade level. While this is alarming, it is a much more difficult situation for ELL’s as only 4% of ELL’s in the eighth grade scored as having an adequate level of reading proficiency. The findings also support other findings in drop out rate. It also explains that there is an definite connection between language and school performance and surmises that if these students do not speak English at home, then are disadvantaged in their school environment.
Haskins, R., Greenberg, M. & Fremstad, S. (2004). Federal Policy for Immigrant Children: Room for Common Ground? The Future of Children. 14 (2) A publication of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and The Brookings Institution. Retrieved March, 20 2009, from http://www.brookings.edu/articles/2004/summer_demographics_haskins.as px
Haskings and Fremstad’s research examines the issues that are disadvantaging immigrant children. It proves that there are secondary issues besides education and the struggle of educating children in an environment where English is not their primary language. This article will serve as a good factual basis for explaining the lifestyle of immigrant children and the issues they face. Haskings and Fremstad also examine policies that address educational deficits, including NCLB. The article suggests how to fix some of these issues, like use of funding money, examining early childhood education, and creating sub-sets for tests like race, primary language, and ethnicity. Creating this would lead to more accurate test scores for children who do not fall into the one criteria. All in all, if issues that immigrant children and immigrant families face were corrected, it appears like educational issues may follow suit and changes can be suggested and put into place.
Assessment Accommodations for English Language Learners: Implications for Policy Based Empirical Research. Jamal Abedi, Carolyn Huie Hofstetter and Carol Lord Review of Educational Research, Vol. 74, No. 1 (Spring, 2004), pp. 1-28 Published by: American Educational Research Association Retrieved March 20, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/3516059.pdf
This article examines which language accommodations work, which one should be used, for students with limited English proficiency and which populations of students these accommodations are designed to benefit. The article also examines the empirical research being done on how to best benefit these students. It also explains which children have access to these accommodations as well as including facts that describe why this criteria may be considered problematic like the use of standardized tests for children who do not have an adequate command of English. Therefore, this could produce low test scores and these low test scores are used to predict their achievement according to NCLB restrictions, thereby disadvantaging these children, the teachers, and the schools they come from by henceforth labeling them as “failing.” The authors also include a list of recommendations that would create change for these students.
McGuinn, P. J. , 2007-08-30 "Equity Meets Accountability: The Implementation of No Child Left Behind in New Jersey" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Hyatt Regency Chicago and the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago, IL Online March 21, 2009 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p210849_index.html
Equity Meets Accountability: The Implementation of NCLB in New Jersey is an article that is a reputable source because it’s filled with factual information that will give a basis to the our argument on ESL programs, their success, and whether or not the issues associated with urban education applies to limited language proficient children and whether or not NCLB restrictions impact their education. This article include a factual base to it and includes information about how money was relegated to districts in New Jersey, the gaps in test scores, how money was spent or relegated in districts of high need in poor areas of the state. The article and its information can be applied to Newark and West New York and compared to statisitics in other areas of the state. It’s important to include this as a basis of the comparison and proving if, how, or why NCLB restrictions affect immigrant children in Essex County more or less than elsewhere in New Jersey.
Scott J Cech. (2009, January). Weigh Proficiency, Assess Content :Students who are still working to master the English language are being held to the same reading and math proficiency targets as native English-speakers.. Education Week, 28(17), 35, 36. Retrieved March 21, 2009, from ProQuest Education Journals database.
I am interested in looking at reading skills and how ELL’s acquire these skills in classrooms that cannot properly facilitate their learning and literacy because of the ever-present language barrier. This article surmises that ELL’s cannot be lumped into the same category as students whose first language is English and expected to achieve the same scores under the current NCLB system. It suggests that NCLB will not work for every child, a point I want to compare to West New York, Carteret, or Newark schools that serve Hispanic children and Hispanic immigrant children.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Rewards for Students Under a Microscope - What Motivates Students?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/health/03rewa.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=rewards%20for%20students%20under%20the%20microscope&st=cse
A very interesting article on administering rewards for good grades or high scores on A.P tests in high need schools.
"In cash programs being studied, economist compare the academic performance of groups of students who are paid and students who are not. Results from the first year in the A.P program in New York showed that test scores remain flat but more students are taking the tests, said Edward Rodriguez, the program's executive director."
How much money are we pledging? Because, it appears to me, that students are not taking A.P tests on their own accord, but rather because there is a cash incentive involved. The tests scores aren't going up, but there's a draw. I guess it's a way of at least motivating students to look beyond their basic abilities and the fact that they have to go to school at least 7 hours a day for 7 days a week and push themselves to achieve more. However, in Dallas, students who are rewarded score higher on the SAT and enroll in college at a higher rate. So, perhaps, motivating students to see beyond normal CP classes may also motivate students who perhaps hadn't considered college to go sit for the SAT and start applying. I can't find any fault there, but I still ask myself, "How much are you paying them?"
The article also described that these rewards create once incentives were stopped, students showed less interest in their work and therefore, in their education. We're looking at education the whole child and giving them knowledge, not just getting them to complete their assignments on time. (Though that can sometimes be an issue- but do we fix it with incentives?) I'm a firm believer that effort beyond what's expected should be commended and that there's no problem with administering a few homework passes - but I would much rather see a student get into what he or she is reading on their own than just do it for the sake of a homework pass.
The tutoring center I work in does something similar to the program described at Kaplan in the form of a summer reading program. The students get a sticker- put on a chart- for every book they read. They set goals at the beginning of the summer of how many books they think they can read and there is a list provided of suggested reading. Most include classics that not all students read. However, some of these classics may also be a part of summer reading requirements at their high schools or middle schools- so it's sort of free pass. At the end of the summer, those who participated are rewarded with a special after center hours activity. This summer it was a martial arts instructor. However, the prize wasn't adapted for the older students, so I saw a lax attitude about engaging in the program from students ages 12-17. I feel that it's a good thing to provide these kids with incentive to read, especially since some of them don't engage as readily in learning at school and have learning disabilities, but how much reading are they then doing ON THEIR OWN? It hasn't been proven to foster a love of reading in the students at the center. Though, on the flip side of that, I have been able to foster a love of reading simply by making book recommendations to my high school students of books that aren't titles like Wuthering Heights. (Not that there's anything wrong with Wuthering Heights, a lot of my girls loved it) When I suggest a "cool" book, I am always met with a response after the child finishes it of, "What else you got?" So, the question becomes, does furthering a passion in our students work or does providing an incentive work? The result has to be worth the means.
As Dr. Marinak says in the article, confirming my fears, "A number of kids who received tokens didn't even return to reading at all." Again, we have to aim to foster a desire to learn and a desire to read as a means of gaining new knowledge, not as a gimmick to get candy or jump ropes. It appears that administrators and supporters of these projects are most worried about the dwindling of student motivation. For younger students, the motivation behind the incentives on the part of the teachers seems to go over their heads, but not for older students. Older students sense they are being "bribed" and, as psychology suggests, if the true reward of the system isn't clear or abruptly ends, so will the behavior put into place to get the perceived reward.
A quick aside to this that is an interesting point on motivation-
This acts as a sort of experiment on motivation, but started as a way for me to engage with my students as a classroom aide/paraprofessional. I couldn't actually teach them through actual classroom instruction, but I wanted to reward them for their efforts. I bought Post-it notes in the shape of stars. When I felt that a student went beyond his normal expectations or employed extra thought or extra critical thinking skills, I administered 'the star.' I wrote a quick note telling the student what they did that was exceptional and a message of "Good Job!" This could be anything from "I really liked the point you made about the characters when we were reading The Other Side today" to "You were a really good friend to when you helped her find her homework." to "Thanks for being the first person to quiet down when I asked and for asking others to do the same. You're a good classroom helper."
By the first administered post-it, I was asked by my students, "What do I get if I get a star?" My response would be, "You just get the star" or, put simply, you just get the FEELING of knowing you did something well, that you did something beyond the usual expectations, or you really used your brain. The response would almost always be a shrug of the shoulders, followed by "Oh." or "Thanks." However, eventually, as more stars were passed out and more kids were recognized, it became a competition. Students seemed more encouraged to say things that we "out of the box," discuss things more, listen better, and help others. At first, this was met with questions like, "Does that mean I could get a star?" or "Ms. Kunkel, did you hear what I said? Does that maybe mean I'll get a star?" I would sort of reply with maybe and depending on what occurred, I would reward 'the star' later. Eventually, most of the students did these desired actions or engaged more on their own-. But, most of the time, the students didn't see it coming, but felt rewarded when and excited when finally it was there turn and I stuck a 'star' in the corner of their desk. The 'star' never interfered with class time as I quietly gave out stars on their desks- usually while at lunch or at specials. The student didn't ever parade around with the star- it was more like a letter that Mom leaves in their lunchbox- something for them to read, smile at, and tuck away in their desk.
However, I have to say, I feel like most seasoned teachers would either see this as a) unfair- because the class didn't get it as a whole and I was essentially rewarding one exceptional student- (However, over the course of a few months, each child was eventually given their moment in the sun, but they had to "work" for it) and b)distracting and taking away from lessons- because I would occasionally have to quiet students down if I was too obvious about my method of administering the post-it. But, I really did see that the stars were encouraging my students to go the extra mile- and- they weren't competing for candy or toys or homework passes to lighten their work load, but a small, colored piece of paper. It was more the words and the encouragement that mattered- not the physical reward.
Could a reward system work? It appears like it remains to be seen. It also appears like if it doesn't encourage a student to want to take an active role in their education, then it's just a waste of money and resources. The scores have to show that it works before more schools will employ it. The article seems to communicate that it works in some ways but not in others. I can say from experience that giving encouragement disguised as a reward has a very interesting effect on student motivation and participation.
A very interesting article on administering rewards for good grades or high scores on A.P tests in high need schools.
"In cash programs being studied, economist compare the academic performance of groups of students who are paid and students who are not. Results from the first year in the A.P program in New York showed that test scores remain flat but more students are taking the tests, said Edward Rodriguez, the program's executive director."
How much money are we pledging? Because, it appears to me, that students are not taking A.P tests on their own accord, but rather because there is a cash incentive involved. The tests scores aren't going up, but there's a draw. I guess it's a way of at least motivating students to look beyond their basic abilities and the fact that they have to go to school at least 7 hours a day for 7 days a week and push themselves to achieve more. However, in Dallas, students who are rewarded score higher on the SAT and enroll in college at a higher rate. So, perhaps, motivating students to see beyond normal CP classes may also motivate students who perhaps hadn't considered college to go sit for the SAT and start applying. I can't find any fault there, but I still ask myself, "How much are you paying them?"
The article also described that these rewards create once incentives were stopped, students showed less interest in their work and therefore, in their education. We're looking at education the whole child and giving them knowledge, not just getting them to complete their assignments on time. (Though that can sometimes be an issue- but do we fix it with incentives?) I'm a firm believer that effort beyond what's expected should be commended and that there's no problem with administering a few homework passes - but I would much rather see a student get into what he or she is reading on their own than just do it for the sake of a homework pass.
The tutoring center I work in does something similar to the program described at Kaplan in the form of a summer reading program. The students get a sticker- put on a chart- for every book they read. They set goals at the beginning of the summer of how many books they think they can read and there is a list provided of suggested reading. Most include classics that not all students read. However, some of these classics may also be a part of summer reading requirements at their high schools or middle schools- so it's sort of free pass. At the end of the summer, those who participated are rewarded with a special after center hours activity. This summer it was a martial arts instructor. However, the prize wasn't adapted for the older students, so I saw a lax attitude about engaging in the program from students ages 12-17. I feel that it's a good thing to provide these kids with incentive to read, especially since some of them don't engage as readily in learning at school and have learning disabilities, but how much reading are they then doing ON THEIR OWN? It hasn't been proven to foster a love of reading in the students at the center. Though, on the flip side of that, I have been able to foster a love of reading simply by making book recommendations to my high school students of books that aren't titles like Wuthering Heights. (Not that there's anything wrong with Wuthering Heights, a lot of my girls loved it) When I suggest a "cool" book, I am always met with a response after the child finishes it of, "What else you got?" So, the question becomes, does furthering a passion in our students work or does providing an incentive work? The result has to be worth the means.
As Dr. Marinak says in the article, confirming my fears, "A number of kids who received tokens didn't even return to reading at all." Again, we have to aim to foster a desire to learn and a desire to read as a means of gaining new knowledge, not as a gimmick to get candy or jump ropes. It appears that administrators and supporters of these projects are most worried about the dwindling of student motivation. For younger students, the motivation behind the incentives on the part of the teachers seems to go over their heads, but not for older students. Older students sense they are being "bribed" and, as psychology suggests, if the true reward of the system isn't clear or abruptly ends, so will the behavior put into place to get the perceived reward.
A quick aside to this that is an interesting point on motivation-
This acts as a sort of experiment on motivation, but started as a way for me to engage with my students as a classroom aide/paraprofessional. I couldn't actually teach them through actual classroom instruction, but I wanted to reward them for their efforts. I bought Post-it notes in the shape of stars. When I felt that a student went beyond his normal expectations or employed extra thought or extra critical thinking skills, I administered 'the star.' I wrote a quick note telling the student what they did that was exceptional and a message of "Good Job!" This could be anything from "I really liked the point you made about the characters when we were reading The Other Side today" to "You were a really good friend to
By the first administered post-it, I was asked by my students, "What do I get if I get a star?" My response would be, "You just get the star" or, put simply, you just get the FEELING of knowing you did something well, that you did something beyond the usual expectations, or you really used your brain. The response would almost always be a shrug of the shoulders, followed by "Oh." or "Thanks." However, eventually, as more stars were passed out and more kids were recognized, it became a competition. Students seemed more encouraged to say things that we "out of the box," discuss things more, listen better, and help others. At first, this was met with questions like, "Does that mean I could get a star?" or "Ms. Kunkel, did you hear what I said? Does that maybe mean I'll get a star?" I would sort of reply with maybe and depending on what occurred, I would reward 'the star' later. Eventually, most of the students did these desired actions or engaged more on their own-. But, most of the time, the students didn't see it coming, but felt rewarded when and excited when finally it was there turn and I stuck a 'star' in the corner of their desk. The 'star' never interfered with class time as I quietly gave out stars on their desks- usually while at lunch or at specials. The student didn't ever parade around with the star- it was more like a letter that Mom leaves in their lunchbox- something for them to read, smile at, and tuck away in their desk.
However, I have to say, I feel like most seasoned teachers would either see this as a) unfair- because the class didn't get it as a whole and I was essentially rewarding one exceptional student- (However, over the course of a few months, each child was eventually given their moment in the sun, but they had to "work" for it) and b)distracting and taking away from lessons- because I would occasionally have to quiet students down if I was too obvious about my method of administering the post-it. But, I really did see that the stars were encouraging my students to go the extra mile- and- they weren't competing for candy or toys or homework passes to lighten their work load, but a small, colored piece of paper. It was more the words and the encouragement that mattered- not the physical reward.
Could a reward system work? It appears like it remains to be seen. It also appears like if it doesn't encourage a student to want to take an active role in their education, then it's just a waste of money and resources. The scores have to show that it works before more schools will employ it. The article seems to communicate that it works in some ways but not in others. I can say from experience that giving encouragement disguised as a reward has a very interesting effect on student motivation and participation.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Culture of Self-
I believe that my culture did not start out with precedents like race, religion, or class that shape it. Rather, my culture seems to have been shaped by the impact of the roles that these precedents played in my life. My culture is shaped more by the effect that it has had on me and how I view the above aspects. To me, culture is, put simply, an explanation of who you are and why you are who you are. Family influences, the complexity of some of my life experiences, and my ethnicity impact my personal definition of culture the most.
My ethnicity is Irish, German, Swedish, and Norwegian. Culturally, like some notions about Irish people, I like to talk, I’m a natural storyteller, and I really couldn’t be paler. Everyone on my dad’s side is a redhead. My father thinks sunburn is a tan. I can’t tell one family member something without the entire family knowing it in a span of a day or two, but we uphold the concepts of the Claddagh, or family, love, and loyalty, by being a strong family unit. I’ve noticed some Norwegian characteristics in that I’m very headstrong, and I like to do things myself and I like to do them my way. It’s not stubbornness, it’s just “I can do this” attitude that, culturally, needs to have come from somewhere. I am constantly compared to my great grandfather- who was 100% Norwegian. I believe my ethnicities are a definite aspect of my culture had a large effect on me.
Growing up, I was surrounded by capable, outspoken, gutsy, headstrong Norwegian women. Their advice has been the largest influence on me culturally. They have left a tough legacy for me to follow and walking in their footsteps has been a journey. I believe that these women made me who I am. They reinforced an interesting set of values shaped by their own lives. Each of them definitely dealt with a great deal of adversity.
My great-grandmother left home at eighteen to escape her alcoholic father. My grandmother died in her 40’s from cancer. I have been told that I’m a carbon-copy of her. She was a nurturing woman who was filled with conviction, strength, and compassion. My mother, as a result of her mother’s sickness, became a mother to her brothers and had the added responsibility to run a household and take care of her mother and, essentially, keep her alive. She left home at seventeen after her mother’s death and managed to make it on her own. My aunt got pregnant early and raised two children on her own. My mother and my aunt are key inspirations to me and shaped my culture by showing me how to overcome adversity and use it to build inner strength. I think that these women and their stories have shaped me in incredible ways.
Furthermore, with family attitudes stemming from cultural attitudes established in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and the Kingsbridge area of the Bronx, as well as a viewpoint shaped as a result of being raised by first generation immigrants in a post-industrial world, a large part of my individual culture stems from the fact that my family believes that the only way you get something is through struggle and facing adversity. The other side of my family stressed the importance of public service. My great grandfather, grandfather, and my aunt were all teachers. Additionally, my grandfather was also a lobbyist and a politician, who believed that there is no greater reward than public service. This idea impacted me culturally, obviously, because that idea led me to considering a career in education. I believe in choosing an altruistic path in life after seeing the rewards it offered these family members. My grandfather definitely perpetuated the idea that I could be whatever I wished, but, true to my culture, I chose a similar path. Teaching is simply in my blood.
Furthermore, I am a child of extremely liberal parents who are in no way “normal” or “cookie cutter.” They shaped my culture because of all the experiences they had that became lessons that were passed on to me. I was not raised religiously. As a result of not being pigeonholed into just accepting the religion of my parents, I branched out and was able to look at situations objectively and question things. This is an aspect of my culture that I hope to bring to the classroom- question everything. However, I like that I wasn’t raised religiously. I am capable of making judgments based on independent thought and introspection.
I grew up in a very open household where any topic was on the table. But, it was definitely a divided house as my parents divorced when I was five. My mother raised us on her own until she remarried (and eventually divorced). My father and I struggled to have a relationship because of the nature of his job. My father was in the Navy when I was born, but, even after switching jobs, still spent a lot of time overseas working as a marine engineer. Because of this distance and the divorce, I grew up communicating with my father through letters, postcards, and five minute phone calls from across the world. I am also very much a “divorce” kid- I can pack in fifteen minutes, I pick my battles, I am used to missing the people I love most, and I have two of everything, especially toothbrushes.
A large part of my culture and my sense of responsibility came with the birth of my siblings, but especially my half-sister. My siblings know me the best and they’re the most important people to me. My sister is 9 years younger than me. I have to thank her for cultivating a natural mothering instinct that has helped me to be a better teacher and eventually, a better mother. I am able to internalize the emotions of others. My parents reinforced that it’s my job to pledge my guidance to my siblings. This became evident to me when my brother came out in 2004. I was the first person in the family that he felt comfortable enough with to come out to. While it didn’t change my view on sexuality, it opened it up and allowed me to challenge my viewpoints and the viewpoints of others. My brother is active in causes relating to gay rights and I’m immensely proud of him. As a teacher, I want my “questioning” students to know that they have a safe space in my classroom
Because I came from a more Irish working class, blue-collar background on my mom’s side, I took school and education very seriously. My grandfather wasn’t permitted to attend school after fourth grade because his family could no longer afford shoes. Additionally, I was a latch key kid, so I didn’t have anyone home telling me to do my homework. Laziness just didn’t cut it in my house. I think I was able to realize that my relatives really weren’t afforded the same opportunities that I was. Because I was the first person in my family to graduate from college, I see the opportunities afforded to me to continue my education as extremely important and vital. This impacts me as a learner because I approached schoolwork and assignments with a level of seriousness and dedication.
Culture will shape what I bring to the classroom. Because I come from a long line of teachers, I sort of have a job to do and a need to prove myself. I consider education important. My grandfather did not attend school after fourth grade because his family could no longer afford to buy him shoes. I will pass on to my students the fact that education is important and that you can make something if yourself even if your opportunities in life are less than those of others. These are cultural ideas, beliefs, and attitudes that I will bring to the classroom, and, I expect mine to differ from those of others. Our culture defines us, but there are many different definitions. I think these add to the classroom experience and what can happen there and, therefore, shouldn’t detract from it.
I think that culture plays a huge role in the classroom. I think this because aspects of our culture are also aspects of us. We can’t change our culture or how we view situations and form opinions based on it. I think culture also affects how students and teacher view each other because we all have different values and work styles. I can’t hold it against a student if they do things better last minute. However, I’m very hardworking and determined, and I guess I would naturally expect my students to take their education as seriously as I did and do. I believe that this attitude stems from my father’s system of high expectations. Though he sometimes made it difficult for me to rise to occasion and make him proud, it kept me soaring towards my true potential.
I’ve learned through this project that my hard work and determination comes from a legacy of family members who did well despite adversity as a means towards establishing personal growth and inner strength. My family also taught me that there are several types of intelligence and success. The openness of my family and myself, my experience as a role model for my younger siblings, and my experiences, some more difficult than others, will help me to be a better teacher in that I can understand the struggle and the cultural implications of others. The culture that I bring to the classroom will help me to engage students, help them to embrace what makes them unique and teach them what’s important by using the aspects of my own life that I find personally important. This project offered me the opportunity to look at myself with a critical eye in terms of determining what cultural aspects had the largest impact. I looked at all the events that created my strong sense of self and, thus, created the burgeoning teacher inside of me.
My ethnicity is Irish, German, Swedish, and Norwegian. Culturally, like some notions about Irish people, I like to talk, I’m a natural storyteller, and I really couldn’t be paler. Everyone on my dad’s side is a redhead. My father thinks sunburn is a tan. I can’t tell one family member something without the entire family knowing it in a span of a day or two, but we uphold the concepts of the Claddagh, or family, love, and loyalty, by being a strong family unit. I’ve noticed some Norwegian characteristics in that I’m very headstrong, and I like to do things myself and I like to do them my way. It’s not stubbornness, it’s just “I can do this” attitude that, culturally, needs to have come from somewhere. I am constantly compared to my great grandfather- who was 100% Norwegian. I believe my ethnicities are a definite aspect of my culture had a large effect on me.
Growing up, I was surrounded by capable, outspoken, gutsy, headstrong Norwegian women. Their advice has been the largest influence on me culturally. They have left a tough legacy for me to follow and walking in their footsteps has been a journey. I believe that these women made me who I am. They reinforced an interesting set of values shaped by their own lives. Each of them definitely dealt with a great deal of adversity.
My great-grandmother left home at eighteen to escape her alcoholic father. My grandmother died in her 40’s from cancer. I have been told that I’m a carbon-copy of her. She was a nurturing woman who was filled with conviction, strength, and compassion. My mother, as a result of her mother’s sickness, became a mother to her brothers and had the added responsibility to run a household and take care of her mother and, essentially, keep her alive. She left home at seventeen after her mother’s death and managed to make it on her own. My aunt got pregnant early and raised two children on her own. My mother and my aunt are key inspirations to me and shaped my culture by showing me how to overcome adversity and use it to build inner strength. I think that these women and their stories have shaped me in incredible ways.
Furthermore, with family attitudes stemming from cultural attitudes established in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and the Kingsbridge area of the Bronx, as well as a viewpoint shaped as a result of being raised by first generation immigrants in a post-industrial world, a large part of my individual culture stems from the fact that my family believes that the only way you get something is through struggle and facing adversity. The other side of my family stressed the importance of public service. My great grandfather, grandfather, and my aunt were all teachers. Additionally, my grandfather was also a lobbyist and a politician, who believed that there is no greater reward than public service. This idea impacted me culturally, obviously, because that idea led me to considering a career in education. I believe in choosing an altruistic path in life after seeing the rewards it offered these family members. My grandfather definitely perpetuated the idea that I could be whatever I wished, but, true to my culture, I chose a similar path. Teaching is simply in my blood.
Furthermore, I am a child of extremely liberal parents who are in no way “normal” or “cookie cutter.” They shaped my culture because of all the experiences they had that became lessons that were passed on to me. I was not raised religiously. As a result of not being pigeonholed into just accepting the religion of my parents, I branched out and was able to look at situations objectively and question things. This is an aspect of my culture that I hope to bring to the classroom- question everything. However, I like that I wasn’t raised religiously. I am capable of making judgments based on independent thought and introspection.
I grew up in a very open household where any topic was on the table. But, it was definitely a divided house as my parents divorced when I was five. My mother raised us on her own until she remarried (and eventually divorced). My father and I struggled to have a relationship because of the nature of his job. My father was in the Navy when I was born, but, even after switching jobs, still spent a lot of time overseas working as a marine engineer. Because of this distance and the divorce, I grew up communicating with my father through letters, postcards, and five minute phone calls from across the world. I am also very much a “divorce” kid- I can pack in fifteen minutes, I pick my battles, I am used to missing the people I love most, and I have two of everything, especially toothbrushes.
A large part of my culture and my sense of responsibility came with the birth of my siblings, but especially my half-sister. My siblings know me the best and they’re the most important people to me. My sister is 9 years younger than me. I have to thank her for cultivating a natural mothering instinct that has helped me to be a better teacher and eventually, a better mother. I am able to internalize the emotions of others. My parents reinforced that it’s my job to pledge my guidance to my siblings. This became evident to me when my brother came out in 2004. I was the first person in the family that he felt comfortable enough with to come out to. While it didn’t change my view on sexuality, it opened it up and allowed me to challenge my viewpoints and the viewpoints of others. My brother is active in causes relating to gay rights and I’m immensely proud of him. As a teacher, I want my “questioning” students to know that they have a safe space in my classroom
Because I came from a more Irish working class, blue-collar background on my mom’s side, I took school and education very seriously. My grandfather wasn’t permitted to attend school after fourth grade because his family could no longer afford shoes. Additionally, I was a latch key kid, so I didn’t have anyone home telling me to do my homework. Laziness just didn’t cut it in my house. I think I was able to realize that my relatives really weren’t afforded the same opportunities that I was. Because I was the first person in my family to graduate from college, I see the opportunities afforded to me to continue my education as extremely important and vital. This impacts me as a learner because I approached schoolwork and assignments with a level of seriousness and dedication.
Culture will shape what I bring to the classroom. Because I come from a long line of teachers, I sort of have a job to do and a need to prove myself. I consider education important. My grandfather did not attend school after fourth grade because his family could no longer afford to buy him shoes. I will pass on to my students the fact that education is important and that you can make something if yourself even if your opportunities in life are less than those of others. These are cultural ideas, beliefs, and attitudes that I will bring to the classroom, and, I expect mine to differ from those of others. Our culture defines us, but there are many different definitions. I think these add to the classroom experience and what can happen there and, therefore, shouldn’t detract from it.
I think that culture plays a huge role in the classroom. I think this because aspects of our culture are also aspects of us. We can’t change our culture or how we view situations and form opinions based on it. I think culture also affects how students and teacher view each other because we all have different values and work styles. I can’t hold it against a student if they do things better last minute. However, I’m very hardworking and determined, and I guess I would naturally expect my students to take their education as seriously as I did and do. I believe that this attitude stems from my father’s system of high expectations. Though he sometimes made it difficult for me to rise to occasion and make him proud, it kept me soaring towards my true potential.
I’ve learned through this project that my hard work and determination comes from a legacy of family members who did well despite adversity as a means towards establishing personal growth and inner strength. My family also taught me that there are several types of intelligence and success. The openness of my family and myself, my experience as a role model for my younger siblings, and my experiences, some more difficult than others, will help me to be a better teacher in that I can understand the struggle and the cultural implications of others. The culture that I bring to the classroom will help me to engage students, help them to embrace what makes them unique and teach them what’s important by using the aspects of my own life that I find personally important. This project offered me the opportunity to look at myself with a critical eye in terms of determining what cultural aspects had the largest impact. I looked at all the events that created my strong sense of self and, thus, created the burgeoning teacher inside of me.
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