Blog #3

What will my part be in my groups presentation?
The part in which I will be taking within my groups presentation is to interview two of my teachers within my building, another teacher within our school district and a principle who has studied in China concerning education.  I have also listened to a couple of videos by Principal Kafele on how we as teachers need to "Close the Attitude Gap. What is the Attitude Gap? The relationship between teachers and students. One of the key elements is having a relationship between the student and the teacher. The teacher has to ask themselves, Do I Know My Student/Students?

• How do I learn as a student?
• How do they process information towards learning?
• Compassion- Do I care about them?
• Do I have a re-pore with my students?
• Do I know what their needs and aspirations are?
• What do I know about them?
• What keeps them motivated to excel?
• What keeps them inspired to want to learn?
• What do you know about their experiences and reality?
• What do you know about their goals and aspirations?
• What are his/her challenges and obstacles?
• Do I believe in my student/students?

There are more questions to be asked . But you are able to get the feel as to which direction we need to go as teachers.
The gap between the student who has the will to learn and the student who does not have the will, the drive to learn. Why is that and what can I (teacher) do to help that student to have that zeal?
I want to show this video as well as ask these questions to our students in our class. I want us to think about the question is education a race and ethnicity problem or is it a problem in which we have not connected to the students who have not a drive to learn?
As a teacher , we need to change our mind set on how do I get this kid to be hungry for success,desire for success and to want success.I NEED TO CONNECT WITH THAT STUDENT!!!!
I hoping to inform our class on ways in which we as educators can "Close the ATTITUDE Gap and the achievement gap will follow.

Blog #2 - Project Prosposal

Mary McLeod Bethune said "The whole world opened to me when I learned to read" This is a very powerful statement. I remember reading as a young person and imaging being in the story or taking part in the world of make believe.  I remember going on vacation every summer or just going to the museum and being able to connect to those things I read about. Some things I had not read about but was exposed to a world outside of my city.
      Having worked  in education for 15 years, you see a lot of students that do not have that same creative mind because of the lack of exposure  to the world itself and books other than what we supply them in school.
     One of the most challenging things I have seen the teachers come up against in the classroom and that is writing . Our students within the school I work at come from a very low economic family status. And so the teachers are finding it very difficult to get these students to write papers.  
     I was thinking of interviewing a panel of educators and maybe a panel of students about the "The Effects of Poverty in the Classroom." I want to get the educators view vs.the students view. Recording on video as each side gives their opinion of the struggles with teaching and the students learning.  I am thinking , this should only take about 20 minutes no more than 30 minutes.Here are some of the  questions I came up with:

1.What are some of the challenges with teaching writing in the classroom?(teacher)
2. Why do you feel your students are struggling with writing?
3.Do you feel students feel very disconnected to this so called real world, that they have not been exposed to?
4. Do you believe that gaining a students trust will help the student open up to you?
5.What are some of creative ideas you have been able to help in the classroom? Have they worked or  not worked?
6. Do you feel like you are in this world of writing alone?
7.Has writing become more challenging in the classroom?
8.As educators do you feel as though there is enough material to help you get over these hurdles
 in writing ?

Students
1. Do you like writing?  Why or why not?
2. Do you find writing a challenge? Why or why not?
3. What do can the teachers do to help with writing in the classroom?
4. Are you given enough tools in the classroom
5. Do you find writing a lot easier when you have a great connection with your teacher?
6. Do you feel the teachers understand your struggles with writing in the classroom?
7. Are you allowed to be very creative with your writing in the classroom?
8. Do you feel connected to this world in order to be creative with your writing?

Journey Project Ideas

What ideas do I have for a project in our writing race class. I have been pondering over this since I left our class on Tuesday. I believe I am going towards either a hypertext  or some sort of video. Something visual  and maybe a pamphlet to go with one of the links.I thought about interviewing educators. I think I will have a better handle on the type of project I would like to proceed with as the class moves further along with ideas.

Since I left our class last Tuesday, I have taken the liberty to address other educators with whom I work with concerning the role race plays in how we learn to write. Some of the responses were interesting;
 *However the question is how do we fix it?
* Can it be fixed ?
* What grade or age should this be done?
* Do our cultures influence communication and writing?
*Does our environment and what we are exposed to also influence communication and writing?

I am still at a stand still with what we can do as a collaborative project concerning our class. There are so many great ideas. As we engage more in class with discussions maybe the light bulb will become a little brighter.

This journey is exciting and I am ready for the ride!