Creating High Performance Learning Environments

Roller Coaster Physics

In the video on The Teaching Channel about Roller Coaster physics, I was extremely impressed with the level of expectation the teacher held for her students. Not only did she hold high expectations, but the students seemed to truly rise to the occasion and meet her expectations. Students had a rigorous task at hand. They were given different assignments each day, but all assignments revolved around creating a roller coaster using physics, mathematics, and computer skills and knowledge. Students were expected to collaborate with one another, apply knowledge and challenge each other, and meet the expectations their teacher held. The teacher expected each student to have a job in their group, and to perform their job effectively to ensure the group would succeed. Also, the teacher provided guidelines and deadlines, so students knew exactly what was expected. Overall, I found the project to be academically rigorous, and I believe the students did their very best and performed at the level the teacher expected.

Behavior expectations in the STEM class were also very high. Students had a great deal of independence, and had to learn to work together as a team to succeed. The classroom was run in a very non-traditional way. At no point was the teacher lecturing and telling students what to do. Instead, the students were running the class. The behavior expectations were that students would actually act more like adults at a engineering job. They were expected to perform well, and to collaborate. In this situation, it appeared that students met the behavior expectations that the teacher held. Her high expectations led students to rise up, become more independent learners, and take responsibility for their learning.

The norms and procedures set up in the classroom also contributed to the high level of student success. Though the teacher did not discuss norms explicitly, it is clear that classroom norms were established. As an onlooker, I saw that students were active learners. They believed in what they were doing and felt responsible for their actions in class. Also, I noticed that students had a great deal of respect for one another. The discussions happening between students were impressively mature, and it is clear that the teacher taught students how to communicate professionally, and that this was a norm in the class. Finally, I noticed that students were on task and well prepared at all times. There was never a question about what to do next. Students took initiative, sought out solutions, and worked hard to make their project as good as possible.

3rd Grade Chinese Math

This video didn't really provide the viewer with a good idea about what takes place in the classroom. From what I gathered by watching the video, the teacher is very traditional. She expects that students will pay close attention while she is talking and teaching. She also seems to expect that students will catch on quickly. The problem is, I did not observe any way in which she was truly checking for student understanding. She was only calling on a few students that were first to raise their hands. She did not seem to have high academic expectations for all students.

The behavior expectations in the Chinese math video were also vague. The teacher did not correct any behavior, and she quickly sped through the lesson without acknowledging students who appeared to be distracted. It seemed that several students in the back were not paying close attention, and there was nothing to hold them accountable. There was no reinforcement for students who were paying attention either. Though the student behavior was not bad, I didn't get a sense that the teacher held extremely high expectations for the students. other than that they would sit quietly and occasionally participate while she taught.

One norm I noticed in the video is that students would participate in whole group recitation. The teacher expected that students would go through answers all together, and I heard students chanting things together. Another norm I noticed was students did not talk to one another, and respected the teacher when she was speaking. Finally, I noticed that students raised their hands anytime they wanted to answer a question or speak. The class appeared to be under control and respectful of the teacher, but I am not confident that the learning environment was conducive for all students.

Whole Brain Teaching

It is is clear that the teacher in this video held high academic expectations. In the short two minute clip, I gathered that she not only expects students to listen and absorb information, but she expects students to turn right around and reteach what they have learned. She doesn't treat any students differently or ask for less or more from some students. In fact, she doesn't even call on students. Instead, she expects that all students will be focused and attentive, and then stay on task as they use the appropriate signals and language to learn about and teach their partner the material. I think that Whole Brain Teaching is an excellent strategy that truly does establish high academic expectations when used properly, like in this video.

Behavior expectations were extremely high as well. Students were expected to use the time the teacher gave them to maintain focus and get their work done. There was no side talking, and I believe that is because they knew what was expected of them. There was no question about it. Ninth grade can be a challenging time, but these students lived up to the high behavioral expectations that were set for them.

Norms in this classroom include, most notably, participation. Every single student was using Whole Brain Teaching strategies and there was no student who was defiant or not participating. Students appeared to have a great deal of respect for the teacher as well as their classmates. Students stayed on task, and it is clear that many classroom norms were established, and students held to these norms.

Analysis and Summary

Creating a positive learning environment with high academic and behavioral expectations is key to student success. There was much to reflect on and learn from each of the videos detailed above. As a teacher, I absolutely hope to set the type of rigorous and high expectations set forth by the STEM teacher in the first video. I was very impressed with her students and the quality of work and effort produced. This is a direct reflection of her teaching strategies. Laying out expectations and giving students an exciting yet challenging project is a great way to provide academic rigor while keeping the work fun. I love the project she did, and I hope I can implement similar projects in the future that will challenge my students. The second video really showed me that I do not want to be the type of teacher who just stands up and lectures. The students did not look like they were enjoying their time, and it was clear to me that the teacher only had high expectations for a few students. There was no way for all students to demonstrate their competency. Putting careful thought and preparation into lessons to ensure academic rigor and and student participation is crucial for learning. Finally, the video on whole brain teaching was extremely informative and led me to consider using that strategy in my classroom. I have used aspects of whole brain teaching before, but have not taken it so far as the teacher in the video. I loved how engaged her students were, and how they appeared to truly be learning and absorbing the content. As I begin my career as an elementary school teacher, I think that whole brain teaching would be an excellent strategy to use. It keeps students engaged, takes the classroom to a student focused classroom rather than a teacher focused classroom, and also allows the teacher to visually see the learning that is taking place.

Establishing a Positive Classroom Climate

There is so much more to teaching than simply explaining academic concepts. Learning cannot occur unless a classroom climate has been established that promotes inclusion, equality, fairness, and kindness. This can be a challenge because schools are full of diverse groups of students who often do not share the same cultural background as their teacher, or even as one another. As a teacher, it is crucial to consider and constantly work towards creating a warm, caring classroom environment that is safe for students of all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

As a Caucasian teacher, I am often faced with the challenge that I do not look like, or come from the same cultural background as the students I teach. Students in the schools in California come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, making this practice of creating a safe and welcoming classroom environment all the more important. As the teacher, and the only adult in the classroom, my job is to ensure that all of my students feel safe and free to be themselves in my classroom. I also must ensure that they do not feel they must become something different, or hide any part of themselves in fear of ridicule for being different. All students should feel welcome to be themselves and to share their cultural beliefs, traditions, and ways of living with the class. I never want a student to feel uncomfortable speaking up because they hold a different belief or afraid of being mocked for an opinion.

In order to create a positive classroom climate of caring and concern that enables me to build strong relationships with my students, I must thoughtfully and carefully create strategies and practices to use in my classroom. The following are strategies and ideas I have for creating the ideal classroom climate.

• Create class rules and norms as a group: During the first week of school, students should be given an opportunity to write down class rules and norms that they think are most important. This would then be followed up with a whole group discussion, where the norms are established. As the teacher, I would look over and consider all students ideas and input. Then I would facilitate a discussion with the entire class, where students could share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings as we create a set of class norms to "live by." 
• Setting up the classroom in a thoughtful manner: The way a classroom looks inside speaks volumes. I would set up my desks in a way that encourages collaboration, such as in pods or groups of 3-5 students. I also plan to keep up posters and quotes from a variety of important leaders and people in history from all different cultures. I think this is huge- having the words of someone like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the wall, and having a quote from Caesar Chavez alongside not only is inspirational, but reminds students that they are in an environment that is appreciative and respectful of all cultures, races, and ethnicity. These are just a few examples, but I would love to include many more words of wisdom from leaders from other races and cultural groups. 
• Create a system of values-based behavior management: Rather than simply have rules with consequences, I would like to create a behavior management system that students are personally invested in, and when something does happen, they have the opportunity to learn from their mistake. Students will help to create the class rules and norms, as discussed in the first bullet point. Rules and norms will be strictly enforced, but I will be mindful of the consequence and how it will impact the student. 
• Class discussions where students can share their feelings: I plan to have class discussions/meetings about once per week. In this meeting, students will be able to share something that has been bothering them, or write it down and share it with me if they do not wish to share out loud. I will also use this time to talk about different issues such as anti-bullying, tolerance, how to be an active listener, and even giving students a chance to talk about their own culture if they wish to share something with the class. I want this time to be a time where students know they can talk and be heard in a safe, respectful, open environment. I think that creating a specific time each week to do this will be a great way to continuously build on the type of classroom environment I would like to establish. 

Throughout the school year and as I develop as a teacher, I know I will be constantly reevaluating these ideas and making changes as I see fit. I plan to continually educate myself on the cultural backgrounds that my students come from so that I can better understand each one of them. It is very important to be aware and to be an advocate for each of my students. I believe all of these practices will contribute to creating a positive classroom climate. 

Mobile Learning

Key Question: Why should a teacher be prepared to allow or require students to use mobile devices to achieve learning objectives?

We live in a constantly changing, fast paced, technology driven world. As educators, it is key that we not only continue to educate our students about core curriculum, but teach them using relevant and useful technology. There are a vast amount of mobile resources available today. Most schools in the United States have at least some access to mobile devices, such as computers, iPads, or other tablets. There are now a vast number of applications created specifically for student and classroom use.

As a teacher, I have seen first hand the impact technology can have on a classroom. Technology and mobile devices give the teacher the ability to flip the classroom around and have students take charge of their learning. The teacher can then be more of a facilitator, as she walks around and observes, asks questions, and further engages students as they work on their mobile device. In addition, mobile devices provide a simple way to differentiate in the classroom. Each student is unique and has different needs, talents, and capabilities. Mobile devices make differentiation much simpler. Also, mobile devices are often times more stimulating than a simple class lecture. For example, if I am teaching my students how to divide numbers, a class lecture may be essential initially, but the mobile device will then push students to practice their new skills and move at their own pace. Instead of completing a worksheet, the student can feel as if they are playing a fun game while doing their classwork. This can be especially helpful for younger students who have a hard time focusing in the classroom for 6-7 hours per day. Finally, I believe teachers should absolutely use mobile devices in the classroom because it is important to teach students how to be good digital citizens. If students learn how to properly use a mobile device in school, understand how to politely communicate online, and learn what to watch out for on the Internet, they can be much better digital citizens as they grow up. Teachers have the opportunity, and responsibility, to teach their students how to be good digital citizens.

Guiding Principles for Mobile Learning

*Ensure all students have a working device that is free from harmful content.
*Teach students how to properly turn the device on and off, as well as how to handle the device carefully.
*Establish classroom procedures for use of all mobile devices. Students must know when they are allowed to use the device, how to handle it, which device to use, etc.
*Give careful instructions on how to use the mobile application. Students can learn as they go, but make sure that instructions are given because not all students will be comfortable learning on their own.
*Use technology/mobile devices on a daily basis if possible. The more practice the better.
*Teach students to be good digital citizens. Be sure to have rules and guidelines for Internet use and appropriate conversations so there is no confusion about what is expected.
*Be proactive as students use their mobile device. Walk around, observe what they are doing, and check for understanding regularly

Mobile Activities in the Classroom

Idea 1: Use the camera on a tablet to create a video for an English project. Students will write a poem, then record themselves reciting the poem using their tablet. The poem can then be shared with the whole class as a presentation via the recorded video.

Idea 2: Flip the classroom for a math lesson. Assign students to watch a particular Kahn Academy video at home. When students come to class, begin practice on the topic they were supposed to watch on their mobile device. Further, students could even use the tablet for practice on the math topic by taking a quiz on Quizlet, or a similar type of program.

Idea 3: Have students use an online tool to collaborate with a group for a social students project. For example, say groups are each assigned a certain country. The students in each group must research the culture, food, religion, geographic landmarks, etc. of that particular country. Students can create an online document with their group, and all post information to the document as they do their research.

Planning for English Langauage Learners in the Classroom

I will be teaching a language arts lesson in my 3th grade class on parts of speech. The lesson will focus on identifying whether words in a sentence are nouns, verbs, or adjectives. 

Maria: This student is at the early-production stage of language acquisition. She has learned some words in English, but she is very quiet in the classroom. She is always observant and a very good listener. She understands some of what is said, but struggles to respond. Most of Maria's speech is short and stunted, and she doesn't use proper grammar at this point. She recognizes some short words when reading, but can't read a full sentence. 

In order to modify this lesson for Maria, I will use visuals as I teach the lesson. During the whole group carpet time, I will have pictures to describe the words I am saying. For example, I will write the sentence, "John runs on the green grass." I will then slowly repeat the sentence, showing a picture of a boy and emphasizing that he is running as I say the words. Then I will point out the green grass that he is on. I will reference the color green on the color wheel. These visual clues will help Maria to understand the vocabulary. At this point in her language acquisition, I am more concerned about her developing vocabulary than I am about her understanding parts of speech, but I will still provide Maria with another resource to aid her. I will give her a worksheet that has the words: Verb, Noun, and Adjective at the top of three columns. Under each word there will be several visual examples, along with words. This will help Maria to see and understand what each part of speech means. 

Alex: He is in the speech emergent stage of language acquisition. Alex has been exposed to English for about 8 months now. He isn't afraid to speak in class, but his questions and answers are often difficult to understand. He does a very good job when participating in regular classroom lessons, such as calendar time in the morning. He knows how to say the days of the week, how to count to 50, and how to ask me many simple questions. He is making quick progress and everyday I see him acquiring a greater English vocabulary.

To help Alex understand the lesson, I will check in with him and provide him with the same worksheet that I provided Maria with. I will also pair him with an English-speaking buddy who can talk with him and help him to understand the difference between each part of speech.

Monica: She is in the intermediate fluency stage of language acquisition. Monica speaks fluently and converses easily with her peers. She understands academic language most of the time, but sometimes must ask clarifying questions to fully understand something. She is a good reader, and is almost on grade level in English. Monica writes well, and can express her feelings in her writing. She is continuing to work on expanding her vocabulary, and at times needs clarification for certain words or phrases. 

Monica won’t need much help with this assignment because of her intermediate fluency level. She has enough vocabulary knowledge to read the sentences and understand them. She may have some trouble classifying certain words, but no more than an English-speaking student would. I will check in with her during independent work to ensure she is on target.

Isaiah: Isaiah is at the pre-production stage of language acquisition. He has only been in my class for two weeks. He rarely speaks, and when he does he uses simple words like "yes," "no," and "please." Though Isaiah hardly talks, he is always listening. When asked a question in his Native language, Spanish, it is apparent that he is absorbing information and starting to have a basic level of comprehension. He likes to work with his buddy, Mary, who speaks English and Spanish.

Because Isaiah is so new to the English language, I will focus on teaching him the vocabulary in the sentences. Rather than having him work on parts of speech, I will provide flashcards with pictures and corresponding English words, so that Isaiah can build his vocabulary during this time. 

The Special Education Referral Process

All children are entitled to a quality education, regardless of special needs, learning differences, or disabilities. Special education gives children an opportunity to be successful in school in a personalized environment. In the United States, we have many laws and systems in place to ensure that students have access to the education that they deserve. 

The referral process for special education can seem tedious and drawn out, but each step is there to ensure that the child is having his or her needs met. The first step in the process is recognition. According to Mrs. F, a middle school general education teacher who I had the opportunity to interview, a teacher must look for discrepancies between the perceived ability of the student and their academic performance. A teacher must also look for signs such as inattentiveness, impulsiveness, hyper-focus, and difficulty understanding directions. These are first signs that a student may need to be evaluated for special education. The next step is pre-refferal. This is the point where educators begin to try different teaching strategies and ways to meet the student's needs before jumping to a conclusion that the child must need special services to be successful. The pre-referral process is a formal process that includes input from a team of school personnel. Many schools use a process called RTI, or response to intervention. RTI provides three levels of intervention. The first tier is general, whole group, high quality teaching. About 80% of students will respond and be successful in this environment. The 2nd tier of RTI provides group instruction, and about 15% of students will improve their performance at this level. Finally, the 3rd tier consists of intensive, individual interventions. A child is only moved to this tier when they have failed to be successful in tier one and two. If the RTI process is not successful at this point, the process continues onto a formal referral for special education services. I had a chance to interview a special education teacher who provided the following information on the referral process: 

"A referral happens when a student is extremely low in one or more academic or social areas. For a referral, there have to have been many interventions that have been tried (at risk, Tier 2 type interventions, extra help etc.) Parents can request an evaluation, but that does not immediately result in a special ed. referral. When all other typical interventions have been implemented and the student continues to have a lack of progress, a special education referral is recommended, usually by the students teacher or the parents."

Once the referral has taken place, the evaluation begins. The evaluation is multi-faceted, and includes evaluations from doctors, teachers, psychologists, parents, and other personnel who may have knowledge about the student's capabilities. Once the evaluation is through, the team must decide is the student is eligible for services. If the team decides the student is eligible, an IEP meeting will be held, and the student will begin to receive services in school. Each year, the IEP team must meet and look at the students progress. This meeting is key to making sure that the student is receiving all they need. 

Throughout my interviews with Mrs. M and Mrs. F, I gained the sense that our system works quite well in the United States, but there is more that can be done. In my previous reflection on personalized learning, I drew the conclusion that other countries, such as Finland, are doing a much better job meeting the needs of their students with special needs. Finland is extremely proactive, and from personal experience, I believed that our system in the US is quite the opposite. After conducting interviews, though, I have reconsidered my thoughts. Rather than generalizing and saying that the US needs to work to be more like Finland and personalize education for our students, I can say that I do believe the US has a good system in place. We have many laws that protect and guarantee a quality education for students with special needs. The question is, are we as educators being proactive to identify when a student has an individual or unique need? Are we following through? In many cases, the answer is yes. When I asked Mrs. M if she thought the system was working, her response was, "Yes I do! I think that making teachers do interventions before a student is referred allows for the student to be able to find success in the least restrictive environment for them. If those interventions don't work and a special education class is the best placement, we can then be more confident in that decision knowing we tried all other possible measures beforehand. Then from there we can make the appropriate goals and accommodations necessary for each individual.  It's not perfect, but I think it works. "

My conclusion is that if a school is being proactive and following the appropriate procedures, students can and will receive the services that they deserve. There is a good, solid system in place. It does have flaws, for example, there is an IEP Review meeting only once per year, but I think this should take place more often. I do also believe that we should continue to strive for more personalized learning. This can only benefit our students in the future.

I am including the full interviews here: 

Interview with Mrs. F: 7th Grade Science Teacher at Pacific Ridge School in California

-How do you identify a student for special education?  
As a teacher, my job is to bring to attention any behaviors that may be affecting a student’s ability to learn. My first action would be to communicate with parent to get feedback on the student’s history, their study habits at home and overall experience at school up to this point.  It is important to rule out any situations going on outside the classroom that may be having an effect on the student’s performance at school.  The next step would be to bring the student to the attention of the school counselor or special education director to have the student observed.  Often there is a Student Study Team in place to evaluate the student.  If a need is determined, then a formal special education evaluation would follow.

-What are the signs of a struggling student?

            I look for a discrepancy between the perceived ability of the student and their academic performance.  Some common behaviors might be inattentiveness, hyper-focus, impulsivity, difficulty understanding directions or staying on task, etc. The student may also lack confidence or try to distract from their deficiencies by being disruptive or defiant. 

-Are there alternate methods of instruction tried out before referring the student for special education? If yes, what are they?
Absolutely.  There are many accommodations that can be tried before a special ed referral.  They include changing the student’s seat, modifying assignments, offering opportunities for alternative assessments or offering small group instruction. 

Interview with Mrs. M: Special Education teacher at a public elementary school in Utah 

-How is a student identified for special education referral?
A referral happens when a student is extremely low in one or more academic or social areas. For a referral, there have to have been many interventions that have been tried (at risk, Tier 2 type interventions, extra help etc.) Parents can request an evaluation, but that does not immediately result in a special ed. referral. When all other typical interventions have been implemented and the student continues to have a lack of progress, a special education referral is recommended. Usually by the students teacher or the parents. 

-Who takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the referral?
Before and after the referral it should still be the child's teacher who is responsible. After the referral there are more team players (whoever is evaluating....SLP, OT, school psych) who will report results. The teacher should remain the student’s case manager. 

-What is the school administration's directive for special education?
For the administrative aspect, it should be inclusive. Special Education should be just one component of the spectrum of services the student receives at the school. The administrator’s job is to take care of the student as well as the needs of the teacher. They should be in charge of looking at the big picture and how these students needs will affect other students and teachers in the whole school setting. 

- What provisions are made for students identified for special education?
For students in special education, provisions are made depending on the individual. The team commits to implementing and carrying out everything on the IEP, (individuated education plan) but that would be different for every kiddo. Specialized instruction and time with typical peers would be included, as well as all related services such as motor services and speech. Each kid’s IEP will have accommodations and goals for each kid’s needs. 

-What is the level of parent involvement in referral process and special education?
Parents should be involved every step of the way. They should be informed and aware of the referral process, and once the results are reported they are a part of the IEP team. Parents should have just as much say in the goals and accommodations their child will be receiving. In order for any IEP or referral to be started, parent permission is needed. 

- As a special ed teacher, do you think that the system works? Are students actually receiving everything they need to be successful? 

            Yes I do! I think that making teachers do interventions before a student is referred allows for the student to be able to find success in the least restrictive environment for them. If those interventions don't work and a special Ed class is the best placement, we can then be more confident in that decision knowing we tried all other possible measures beforehand. Then from there we can make the appropriate goals and accommodations necessary for each individual.  It's not perfect, but I think it works.