This was a very interesting and informative piece on what happened in Newark city schools between the announcement of Mark Zuckerberg's $100 million donation and 2015, which marked the end of the five-year proposed turnaround. The link is to my book blog where I posted on it this morning.
It's time for you to turn in your paper, isn't it? I have a few helpful hints below to help you maximize your time and your grade.
A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine. If you wait until the last minute to ask questions or otherwise contact me for help, I may not be available. Plan, plan, plan.
Always double space and use Times New Roman, 12 point font. This is not new. You know this.
CITE CITE CITE CITE CITE. When in doubt, cite. If you present any ideas in your paper without citing them, you are presenting them as your own and that is plagiarism. You may be putting a citation in after every single sentence in your literature review. That is ok, and that is a good thing.
Beware of overusing quotes! As a general rule, the number of quotes in any paper should be no more than one quote per page, and even that is pushing it. If you have too many quotes, then you aren't writing the paper -- other people are. Please see the video from the Colbert Report below. Don't be Melania!
APA Style is non-negotiable. I have provided you with a handy sheet
detailing how to write a paper. For reflection papers, no cover sheet is
needed. However, a reference page is always required.
Google Scholar will provide you with proper APA citation for your
reference page, and you should always cite others' work after the
sentence that holds it. For example, Professor Lorenzetti wrote in a
previous blog post that she loves cheese puffs (Lorenzetti, 2016). In
the event you quote someone, you also must put the page number. For example, in her published manifesto, Professor Lorenzetti expressed, "Cats are the best pets ever" (Lorenzetti, 2016, p. 6).
Google Scholar is your friend. Use it. Live it. Love it.
Don't assume that I am a mind reader. Everything in your paper should be explicitly laid out -- do not assume that everything is known or a given. Be clear, and always connect your observations to the theory when writing reflection papers.
Spell check! Read for run-on sentences! Check for grammar!
If your paper is due electronically, do not wait until 11:59 PM for a 12 AM deadline. If the server holds your paper up, it's still late.
Today we are examining learning styles and
intelligence -- what are these things, do they exist, how do they show
up, and what do we do with them in the classroom? Today's questions will
have two strands -- one on learning styles, the other on intelligence.
We will briefly review IDEA in class next week.
As a
reminder, you must thoroughly and thoughtfully respond to the discussion
questions, and you must reply to one peer. Instead of two peers, I
would like for you to converse with the person you are replying to. Just
a simple statement that you agree is not sufficient; this must be a
thought out and in-depth response.
Your response is due Thursday at 7:55 PM.
1a. Pashler et al.
detail the research on learning styles and whether or not they are
something that should be used as widely as they are. Using what we have
discussed previously in class about cognitive development and thinking,
why do you think these learning styles are so popular? Have you seen
this popularity in your own school or life, and how does it relate back
to why you think these are popular?
1b. How can you as an
educator reconcile the popularity of “learning style” programs with the
lack of evidence to support their use in the classroom.
2a.
Gardner provides an overview of intelligence testing then introduces
his theory of multiple intelligences. Discuss at least two ways to
measure intelligence as cited by Gardner. and explore why you agree or
disagree that this is a "good" way of measuring intelligence.
2b.
Describe the most intelligent person you know. Just their attributes,
the ones that make him or her "intelligent." (Try to avoid using
identifying characteristics -- e.g., my friend Genie who has blond hair
and is often eating lunch on campus at 1pm.) How do you know this person
is intelligent? What do you value in intelligence.
Welcome to your first online class. After you have watched the PBS Frontline episode, please respond thoughtfully and thoroughly to the prompt questions below. In addition, you must fully reply to at least two peers. This must be completed before 7:55 PM Thursday, which is the completion of our class that day.
Remember, I'm not looking for pat answers -- I've been doing this a
long time and can't abide something like, "This information is important
because it helps me understand my students." Yes, I know it does. Dig
deep, reflect, and make connections to your own experience. This is how you are receiving participation credit for today's class!
As a reminder, this is a public blog, so just be aware before posting identifying details in your discussion that this blog is open to both past and future students.
Thank you for a lovely first day of class -- I look forward to seeing you all Tuesday!
1. Discuss what new information you have learned about how the adolescent brain operates. How does it differ from a younger brain, and how does it differ from an older brain? What are some examples the video gave, and what are some examples you have seen in your own life and work that illustrate this? You may discuss your own experience with adolescents (your own or others, students or not).
2. Discuss the importance of sleep. What does the video present, and why is this important? What are some real world examples you have seen that illustrate what the video discusses?
3. What new information did you learn about how adolescents process information like facial expressions and emotions? What surprised you, or what is something new you learned?
4. How does this one-hour episode help you better understand how adolescents think and feel? How can you use this information in your current or future classroom? What is an event in your past working (or living!) with adolescents that you realize now, if you could go back, you might understand better after having this information?
This weekend you have read Hair et al., Noguera, and Steele. These are three different articles that all touch on the same topic of race and class. How do we, though, fit these articles into our understanding of how to work with your students?
As per usual, before 7 PM tomorrow (Monday, June 26) please respond to the following questions, and respond to at least one classmate's post. I am looking for thorough, thoughtful answers in order for you to receive credit for being "present" during this online class.
1. Taking the thrust of all three arguments (you may want to give an overview as to what they are), ultimately what is your argument about how race and class affect the students in your classroom? Remember, I'm not looking for specific names of students, but I am looking for an in-depth connection between the articles' arguments and your own teaching experience this past school year. Reflect on your own practice in a real, retrospective fashion.
2. Regarding Steele's stereotype threat, is this something you now suspect you have seen? Specifically working with ELL's, what are ways that educators, be it you or others, seek to reinforce certain stereotypes that may lead your students' academic achievement to suffer?
3. Based on your work this year, would this information have helped you better understand your students? If so, in what way, and if not, please explain. Knowing what you know now, how can this information help you work with your students, or possibly even better understand them regardless of what their background is, moving forward into your second year of teaching?
4. Finally, watch this speech by Lisa Delpit. Many of you were interested in culturally relevant teaching, and she's a rock star. Her work is very much worth exploring. After watching the video (it's about 20 minutes), how is she not just reinforcing what we are talking about, but also giving us active ways to apply this work to the classroom? How do you see yourself fitting in to her discussion of reaching students in the classroom?
Another week, another topic...
This week we are exploring cultural learning -- it's a broad topic title. Bronfenbrenner discusses his Bioecological model (sometimes called the "Ecological model," if you set out to do any additional searching) and Ladson-Billings is the matriarch of Culturally Responsive Teaching (not to be confused with Culturally Relevant Teaching -- bonus points if you know the difference!).
As with last week, you are responsible for posting your response to the following questions by 7 PM Monday, June 20. In addition, you must comment on at least one peer's post by that time as well.
1. Beyond the surface level argument of, "culture," what do these two articles have in common that they were selected to pair up with each other under this wide umbrella of the topic? What do each of these articles have to say about how we understand and teach students? I am looking for thoughtful, specific connections between the two articles.
2. Now think about your own teaching this year. How do these two articles inform either a specific event you had this year, or to your practice as a whole? (You may also reflect on both.) Remember -- no names or identifying details; pseudonyms are fine.
3. Reflect on how, moving forward, these articles might inform your approach to your students in the upcoming school year and beyond.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
--Do NOT forget to get started on fulfilling your one hour of research. If you don't complete this, I will be forced to assign you an "incomplete" for the course.
--If you would like to run your final paper idea by me, please do so by this upcoming Friday. I'm happy to help you flesh out ideas.
--Just as you know what your students are doing in the classroom, I am well aware when you spend the entire class time (or even a small portion of it) doing other things such as lesson plans, emails, etc. As I said on the first day, I will not be calling you out on it as you are adults and can make your own decisions, but it will affect (and has already, for some of you, affected) your participation grade. You can't participate in class if your computer screen or grading is occupying your time.
This week in our online class we are looking at language development, and you have specifically read Kuhl's and Tomasello's articles. Respond below to all questions in an in-depth, thoughtful post. There is no minimum, but you must respond and reflect in full and it must reflect that you have read the article.
In addition, you will be expected to come back to the blog and respond to someone else's reflection. You may agree or disagree, but you must be respectful.
First, what is the connection YOU have made between the two articles? How do you see the articles complementing each other, and how can you fit them together to better understand language development? Did this connection surprise you?
Next, what is Tomasello arguing about the role of culture and social interaction in language development? Remember, I'm looking for specific references and a thoughtful response.
Finally, what was the most interesting piece of new information you gleaned from these readings? Something you didn't know before and either surprised you or interested you.
See you all Wednesday!
Hello everyone -- welcome to class! Thank you for your flexibility this week as I return from vacation.
Your "reflection" this week (yes, worth points) is to introduce yourself. Write as much or as little as you would like me and your other classmates to know. Some things I would like to know specifically are:
1. Your name. (Just first is fine -- this blog is public.)
2. Whether or not you are currently teaching. If you are, what subject and grade.
3. Why you want to be a teacher.
4. At least one fun fact about yourself.
5. Anything else you would like to tell us!
A little bit about me:
I am Professor Lorenzetti, and I am currently teaching graduates and undergraduates at some of the CUNY schools here in New York City. I have held various teaching positions in the past decade and a half, primarily in arts education. I am working on my pilot project for my dissertation, and this is my favorite class to teach. I have an amazing one-eyed cat named Henry, and I am a voracious reader in my spare time. I am looking forward to meeting you all!
Below, please post your response to the assigned Cassidy article on Attachment Theory. I am looking for clear evidence that you have read the article and that you have formed a well-thought-out argument. You may also pose questions and find connections in your own life and work to the theory. I expect that your reflection will be a minimum of two paragraphs.
In addition, you will be expected to come back and reply to at least one reflection in a thoughtful, clear manner.
You may also find this video interesting; it's an example of the strange situation experiment discussed in the article.
