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Semester Recap

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This semester we were introduced to some meaningful videos and readings that help with the understanding of effective teaching methods inside the classroom. We have learned what it looks, sounds and feels like and also discussed the importance of inclusivity no matter the background. One of the most meaningful activities we did in class was the Card Game. The game was set up for each group to have their own standard rules and understanding of the game. Once a winner was declared in each group, they moved clockwise to the next and took their understanding of the game to another group who had a completely different set of rules. The point of the game was to give a clear understanding of what it is like for a student to go into a different setting that is unlike their own and learn the norms that are created. Frustration grew as one of the restrictions of the game was we could not talk to one another so communicating our confusion wasn't allowed. When asked how we felt about the game,...
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He, She, They

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 One notion that is more prominent today than it was before is identity. Who we are, who we claim to be and who we want to be. For this weeks video, Ms. Akeia reads a children's alphabet story that corresponds with the letters. This is a fun way to get young children to understand their identity and also the identity of others around them. It highlights the idea of being who you are and not who society believes you to be. As an individual who wants to further her experience in early childhood education, It is crucial for me to become aware of the changes society displays. When I was a child, the pronouns were he and she, genders were boy and girl and that was decided at birth. There wasn't too much thought on making bathroom signs and addressing students by what they wanted to be. If teachers wanted to grab your attention, they would either do it by name, nickname (depending on the relationship), or Ms./Mr. (insert last name here). As we do our research and deep dives into gend...
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Hehir Post

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 For this weeks reading, one key point that I took from it was to include disability as part of the schools diversity efforts. As young children, there is so much that we don't understand even though we believe we have it all figured out. Case in point, growing up, I would sit in the classroom and solely observe this one classmate of mine who at the time I deemed socially awkward. He would do things such as play with his hands while he made space noises, eat raw macaroni, make the most awkward topics the topic of his conversation and attempt to feel up on some of the other students. Students would laugh, talk about him and even form their own opinions based on the behaviors they noticed. The whispers only got worse when they had seen that during tests and quizzes, he always had a support with him that would take him out of the class to complete these assignments. To us, it was unfair. We were twelve year old students who were challenged in the same way he was, yet he was getting th...
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Rodriguez Reflection

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 Rodriguez's text discusses his conformity to the English language in both his school life and his home life. Due to his lack of English, Rodriguez would often be called out by the nuns and expected to answer questions in English which is considered the native language. When he couldn't do this 'successfully,' the nuns decided to make a house call and encourage the parents to have all the children practice their English more. While this was a method that helped the children become successful in speaking English, it turned them away from their cultural native language and forced them to adopt English as their primary language and Spanish as secondary.  As someone who works with children from different walks of life, I found the reading to be disheartening. In my field of work, we are expected to communicate in English and also encouraged to interact with children in their home language as well. This helps ensure that we are respecting the children's culture and also ...
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Finn Reflection

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 Knowledge is defined as facts, information and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. In Finn's text, the idea of knowledge is presented as a definition that has different meanings depending on economic status. Many people know and believe that those in richer neighborhoods have the best education and those in middle and lower class do not. However, the idea that education and knowledge comes from a textbook and primary sources is challenged as it is believed that knowledge is best acquired when individuals are allowed to dive into their creativity and spontaneity.  For this reading, I connected it to the Ted Talk in which Joe Rohl discusses how he decided to change his ninth grade Biology classroom from a teacher led classroom to a student led one. In his reflection, he highlights the idea that in giving his students choices  it not only allowed for their creativity to flow through but for th...
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Kohn Reflection

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   Kohn's assessment of what a good classroom environment looks, sounds and feels like mimics the beliefs of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory which states that students learn best through social interactions or a more knowledgeable other.    Starting out, Kohn believes that a good classroom environment is set up for students to interact with one another, areas are comfortable and has some open space for gatherings. The space is inclusive enough for both students and teachers to have discussions and ask questions that keeps the learning going. Lastly, children's work should always be displayed for student encouragement and to highlight the work that gets done in the space.  Working in a daycare setting, these are the same guidelines we follow for young children as well. We create a space that encourages social interactions, open space for learning and exploration and display the children's work and pictures to showcase what they are working on but also the fr...
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Troublemakers Post

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I wanted to start this blog with my video first. After reading the preface, I had to reshape my thinking on children's behaviors. See, I work with toddler aged children so I already have an understanding of temperaments, behaviors and how to manage them. When observing a toddlers challenging behavior, the one thing an educator is always thinking is 'What's triggering this?' It's interesting to hear and read the differing perspectives on behavior and redirecting depending on the age and the child. This Ted Talk featuring Rosemarie Allen, highlights the notion that certain consequences are adult consequences and why do we hold children to those standards and not ourselves. She talks about the way children react when they become upset and compares it to adults and realizes that the behaviors mirror one another. When a child becomes upset they may cry, scream, cuss and fight. What do adults do? In coming to this realization, the term 'adultism' comes to mind. Th...
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