Speaker Reflections

Fall 2015
Mary Kathryn Gates
1. Dr. Newton: Great Teachers

Dr. Jodi Newton presented her qualitative research on great teachers on

Tuesday. Great teachers were determined by a growth model that Dr. Newton
and a partner created in order to select those that would participate. The
purpose of this research is to see the results after close observation of
teachers in the classroom environment, to then see what it is that each
teacher does differently that sets them apart from others. First and foremost,
as Dr. Newton emphasized throughout her presentation, teachers make the
difference for student learning. Her research proves that there is power in a
teacher which has great impact on student growth. This growth in student
learning and development is rooted in what is done extraordinary in the
classroom. As an aspiring educator, I appreciate the depth that Dr. Newton
went to gather information that truly points to great teachers. The collected
data that was presented is based on commonalities of these great teachers.
Some highlights of teacher qualities that I enjoyed learning more about are
ensuring that everyone understands, there is redemption for mistakes,
consistent and daily planning, purposeful questioning, and strong
relationships. The research revealed a balance among the teachers; there
was no specific style or approach that each teacher had, therefore each had
unique autonomy that created different learning environments. This part of
the presentation and data is what stuck out to me the most, because I find it
encouraging that these teachers were effective and considered to be great in
such different ways. Among all of the classrooms observed, Dr. Newton
mentioned that all of them are student-centered. I admire that these
teachers embrace their responsibility as an educator and go beyond the
expectations for themselves and even more for their students in order to
provide the ultimate experience for students to learn and grow over a school
year and beyond. Dr. Newtons presentation inspired me, especially at the
beginning of this semester when things are becoming more real. I got a lot
out of this seminar in which I know that I will use in the next two years as
well as a model for my future.
2. Classroom Management: The Art and Science of Teaching

On Thursday, the block was introduced to a video series called The Art
and Science of Teaching. This specific one was about Classroom
Management, the importance of the practice accompanied with the
strategies that real teachers use in their classrooms. Although this video
series is a little outdated, the content of what embodies good classroom
management is still relevant today. The video presented five main areas and

ideas of what creates a manageable classroom environment, all of which

expressed a great amount of information and strategies to try. A main idea
was Engaging students in learning, and I was most interested in the
emphasis on transitions and routines. The importance of having a flow from
the start to end of the day is something that I learned during my Jan-Term
clinical experience. Also said in the video, I learned that classroom rules,
procedures, and routine should be established at the beginning of the school
year. One of my priorities as an educator will be to be intentional and
develop relationships with my students. I believe that relationships between
the student and the teacher create an effective level of trust and
understanding that expands into the classroom. The video showed a teacher
that stood at the door in the mornings to greet every single student that
walked through. I love this because I think it gives the teacher an opportunity
to not only let the students know that he/she cares about them, but also to
observe student disposition and get an idea of their attitudes as well as the
reasoning behind them. The teachers in the video also emphasized that high
expectations should be set for each and every student. I will identify my
expectations with students early on and make sure that they are all aware of
them. The expectations will be different for each student but my energy will
go toward the goal of growth and learning to be reached and even exceeded
by the end of the school year. I really liked the teacher in the video that stuck
with a student who originally got an answer wrong. The teacher saw the
student as one with potential and so she treated her as one and verbally
walked her through her answer to then become right. I really got a lot from
this video, especially since classroom management is such an important
aspect of education for both the teacher and the student.
3. Dr. Rogers: Dispositions

Childrens Literature on Tuesday was very fun and encouraging for me.
I enjoyed talking about books and I got excited thinking about the Alabama
Reading Association Conference. This was a great preset for our speaker
seminar that Dr. Rogers led, as I felt that my attitude as an aspiring teacher
was further lifted. Dr. Rogers presented an introduction on teacher
dispositions and began by saying that teaching is much more than just
knowing content, but about the attitude that embodies teaching and
students. She went on by categorizing three points that make teachers
effective. As Dr. Rogers continued, she related these three points directly to
the Samford Education Program which personalized and brought a deeper
meaning to the presentation: knowledge base (PRAXIS), significant skills
(clinicals), and dispositions (attitude). The focus was turned to dispositions;
attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs that form the basis of behavior. Dr. Rogers
made a very good point when she described that dispositions can not be
taught. Behavior can be altered and is developed over time, and I assess
myself right now as one with a positive and charged disposition toward
teaching and learning. I really liked that Dr. Rogers emphasized positivity and
encouraging students. I believe that it is in the teachers attitude, that is

expressed through words, where students believe, reach, and exceed their
full potential because their teacher believe in them. I look forward to
enhancing my attitude as I continue to learn so much more, especially that I
recognize that I truly am motivated daily in different aspects of the
embodiment of a teacher.
4. Dr. Hannah: Assessment Matters

Dr. Julie Hannah came to Samford to speak to us on Thursday. I quickly

realized what a privilege this speaker seminar was when Dr. Hoaglund
introduced her. Dr. Hannah immediately expressed her passion for education
as she described teaching as a ministry with the need for teachers in low
performing schools. Her enthusiasm brought a fresh sense of motivation in
me. I could not help but be reminded of the movie Freedom Writers as I
thought about a teacher who truly takes teaching above and beyond and out
of the classroom. Dr. Hannah transitioned to the topic of assessment in a way
that I would have never thought of. She referred to a drivers test as a form
of assessment outside of school, and that one would not take their drivers
test without learning how to drive before. Likewise, students should not be
assessed without practicing the material first. This goes hand in hand with
what we learned the day before in our Planning Effective Instruction classplan with the assessment in mind. Assessing students is only useful when
learning has been personalized. This means that knowing my students
deeper than surface level will benefit them greatly in and out of the
classroom. Dr. Hannah told a story about a young boy named Luke who came
into school knowing approximately 20 words at the age of 6. This was
heartbreaking to hear that this child was so far below the first grade level
because it reflected his life as a whole. Dr. Hannah spoke with such passion
about this little boy that my eyes were watering. She went on to say that the
day she met Luke was about 6 months into his first school year in a
kindergarten classroom, and that day she watched him sing The Star
Spangled Banner. My eyes were more than watering at this point! This was
such a touching story of the power that a teacher holds to change a childs
life, and I believe that is why Dr. Hannah shared it with us. She tied this story
to the importance of assessments by saying that little Luke would probably
have been placed in a special needs classroom later on because of the
assumption of a disability rather than just lack of exposure. Dr. Hannah
reiterated what we learned in PEI on Wednesday by explaining the different
types of assessment and when it is best to use them. Summative and
formative assessments were given a new meaning to me now that I truly see
the value in assessing students.
5. Dr. Wood: Gifted Education

It was such a privilege to have Dr. Wood speak to our block about gifted
education. Gifted education is not a common instruction for students in
university education programs, but it is a foundational piece that Samford
students are fortunate enough to receive. Dr. Wood had many sheets of

paper separated by piles on a table for us to pick up as we entered the

classroom. I was immediately impressed by the preparation and thought that
Dr. Wood put into our seminar and I knew that I was about to further build
my schema regarding specific education strategies and applications. A
common theme of learner differentiation flowed among all of the sheets of
paper. It is a lot more difficult than I thought for gifted learners to be included
and acknowledged. I learned that teachers actually tend to give the least
attention to those who excel since they believe the focus should be on those
who are struggling. Although I also learned that this not entirely accurate
since gifted students struggle by having needs for higher levels of learning
and those needs getting accommodated. This by all means does not mean
that gifted students should be given more classwork quantity over more
difficult classwork level, that does not allow the students to grow from
challenges. Differentiation means to meet the needs of all learners, including
the students who are on higher levels than their classmates. Dr. Wood
provided is with very much information as well as references and resources.
She even gave an example of one of the assessments she gives to 2nd Grade
students during the process of determining giftedness. She gave us a few
minutes to let our creative sides run wild on a piece of paper that had 9
empty circles on it. I found this exercise very interesting and Dr. Wood used it
to give us a better definition of what a gifted learner is. I learned that a gifted
learner and a high achiever are not the same and that the two profiles are
often misinterpreted by the teacher. This seminar was extremely helpful and
it is clear to me when, where, and how I will apply this in my future. I look
forward to hearing from Dr. Wood in the future.
6. Dr. Bluiett: Reading Assessments

I learned so much more about reading assessments on Thursday when Dr.

Bluiett talked to the block. The topic of assessments has been very
prominent over the last few weeks and this speaker seminar helped answer a
lot of my questions. It was very easy to follow Dr. Bluietts presentation
because she categorized it by overview, types, and instruction. I particularly
liked the instruction section of the power point since it made me think how I
would personally apply what Ive learned to my classroom. As I have learned
that planning must come with the assessment in mind as the goal, I
recognize the value in the 6 principles of reading assessment to implement
into instruction. The need of knowing each one of my students is a
reoccurring theme, and as I think about unique and personal assessments I
recognize the importance of this in order to benefit my students. I have
always had a negative perspective toward assessments and tests until this
semester in the education program. I love that it is stressed to us that
nothing needs to be a surprise when it comes to assessing students.
Assessments are meant to see what the students know and what they need
deeper instruction on, not to catch them on something they were never
taught. The word assessment has become much more friendly and

valuable. Especially in regards to reading, assessing a student is crucial to

guide the student in the right direction to excel in reading. I am really looking
forward to trying out different types of reading assessment for students at
Trace Crossings Elementary School. I will have to plan appropriate
assessments for the students I come in contact with, and I learned that there
are different assessments that are appropriate for each Response to
Intervention level. This will be used as a resource for me as I plan to create
meaningful and purposeful assessments for the students in order to see what
my students need so that they can reach success.
7. Dr. Underbakke: Chapter Books
It was a privilege to hear Dr. Underbakke speak in class. As a book lover, I
enjoyed the enthusiasm that he willingly shared with us during his seminar. I
felt like Dr. Underbakke was just sharing the true joy he receives when
reading good literature, rather than him just speaking to us about a
particular topic. It was very evident that Dr. Underbakke looked at this
seminar as I get to, not I have to. Dr. Underbakke started talking about his
day up to the point that he walked in our classroom. He emphasized how he
always gets to school early because he never, ever stays late or takes
anything home. He followed this peculiar statement by saying he gives his
total best during the school day. I thought this reflected his passion for his
career very clearly; it was only in the first few minutes that I could tell that
he is an awesome teacher and that his students must love him. The focus of
Dr. Underbakkes discussion with us was the importance of reading books
aloud to students. Chapter books are a great way to introduce something
that students will not find on their own, such as higher level reading or topics
that might not initially interest them. I gained a new perspective on chapter
books as they are great across every grade level. Dr. Underbakke used a
higher level text (a book I read in middle school, Hatchet) in read aloud time
to his 2nd grade class in the previous years. I learned that chapter books
should be incorporated to the daily routine because of the incredible
community that is built among students who connect with each other
through shared reading. He brought some of his favorite chapter books and I
was excited to write the titles down for future reference. I thought it was
interesting that Dr. Underbakke did not like the book Wonder so much that
he did not finish it, but yet all 4th grade classes at Trace Crossings are reading
it during their whole group read aloud time. The students in the 4th grade
class that I am currently in look forward to this time because they enjoy the
book so much! I liked that Dr. Underbakke mentioned a book that he did not
care for because it truly comes down to personal preference. This should be
true in the classroom and students should be allowed to have individual
reading time with books on topics that they enjoy. This helps to instill a love
for reading in students which is so important for student success. I really
enjoyed Dr. Underbakkes seminar; I feel like I could listen to him talk all day
about books and then immediately go read all the ones he spoke about (and

meet Ashley Bryan) just because he radiated a positive outlook on readingsomething I hope to bring to my students every day in my future classroom!
8. Dr. Cheshire: Assessment for Learning
Dr. Chesire drove all the way to Trace Crossings Elementary School to
speak to our block. Her seminar was a great reminder of the importance of
assessments in the classroom. We have been submerged in the topic of
assessments this semester, though I feel that I can still learn so much more
in order to master the concept. Dr. Chesire began by listing three purposes
for assessments: for learning, as learning, and of learning. These purposes
are also known as formative and summative assessments, two terms that I
have become familiar with over the course of this semester. Dr. Chesire
made a good point when she said that assessment is the process, not the
end. I thought this was interesting, because for an individual who has not
been exposed to the topic of assessments and the depth that it holds in
education, one would think that the assessment is the end of a lesson. Even
as an education student, I remember begin with the end in mind every
time I think about lessons or assessments. I have learned, and today
validated, that is a loose statement. Assessments are processes, cycles, and
continuous; as well as a closure to a lesson to ensure that the objective set
before the lesson has been reached. Dr. Chesire implemented an activity
among our section in which we discussed in small groups the why, how,
what, and when questions that pertain to assessing students. As aspiring
educators, we were eager to share what we already knew about
assessments. Even so, I learned more in the time that the groups shared to
the whole class. I have always viewed assessments as a magnifying class to
view both the student and the teacher. Dr. Chesire enhanced my thoughts on
this as she gave more concrete information to be able to quickly refer to,
such as setting objectives (in order to determine the appropriate
assessment) with audience, behavior, condition, and degree all in mind. She
presented a list of assessment tools, emphasizing that assessments do not
just look like a pen and a piece of paper given to a student to answer
questions about a lesson. Dr. Chesire concluded her seminar by allowing us
to break into small groups again and analyze student math problems on
grades 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. I enjoyed this exercise, as it really made things real
when thinking about assessing students, this particular example of what the
teachers who administered the problems probably did. This activity allowed
us as pre-service teachers to get a glimpse of assessing both the student as
well as the teacher. Some problems were not clear and so we concluded to
throw the problem out. It was really informational to be hands-on in the
process of looking at student work with errors and having the opportunity to
analyze it. She briefly spoke about the learning versus grades debate,
something in which I am very interested in. I personally have always
wondered about grades and when the best times are to assign grades to
student work; given that students all come from different backgrounds and
go home to different homes. I wonder about the weight that both learning

and grades hold, and if there could be a proper but effective balance
between the two. Dr. Chesire allowed us to test the waters in this debate
through discussion. I thought to myself how I would handle the scenarios that
were presented in the discussion, and if my actions would be the most
effective and beneficial to my students. This debate left me really thinking
about the extreme importance of learning as well as the need for grades to
reflect student data. I definitely want to research more about what the best
practices are in handling situations such as grading math homework or
projects in light of recognizing the complications that come with it.
9. Trace Crossings Elementary School
It was a privilege to hear from Trace Crossings very own as they took
time out of their busy schedules to come speak to us. I thought the speakerseminar on Wednesday was extremely informative and just simply
inspirational for pre-service teachers. Every single person proclaimed that
they had the best job in the school. I loved every bit of passion and
enthusiasm for students that was genuinely expressed to us about finances
all the way to special needs.
Ms. Drake: Bookkeeper
Prior to hearing from Ms. Drake, I did not know very much about the job of
a school bookkeeper. I vaguely remembered something about financial
responsibility, though I did not realize how important the position is to the
function of a school as a whole. Ms. Drake was prepared to show us all that a
bookkeeper deals with, and we got to view the Alabama Education Code of
Ethics projected on the whiteboard. She explained that there is a form for
everything, which can be lengthy and redundant but absolutely necessary.
Ms. Drake also displayed the handbook that she gives to all of the TCES
teachers that provides information on everything they need to know about
their financial responsibilities and processes. I thought this was really
intriguing, that the bookkeeper cares so much to make the load on teachers
lighter. She even provides a step-by-step guide to writing Purchase Orders.
Ms. Drake has a major responsibility in handling money, something that she
takes very seriously. Since she looks at her job differently, in a way that is
significant, she impacts each individual at Trace Crossings. Ms. Drake is a
mentor to teachers and is very knowledgeable of every aspect of her job as
bookkeeper, therefore making an indirect but great impact on student
achievement.
-Alabama Education Code of Ethics (Section 6: Finances)
-District and State funding
Ms. Robuck and Ms. Northcutt: Specials
On behalf of the four Specials Teachers, Ms. Robuck (Music) and Ms.
Northcutt (Art) took time to speak to us about Specials rotations. Specials is
comprised of Music, Art, Library, and P.E. Students receive 30 minutes a day
for each Special, accompanied by 30 minutes of P.E. so they have time for
physical activity daily. Ms. Robuck and Ms. Northcutt explained how they and
the other two teachers begin their time with students at full speed until they

have to leave because they are only given a small time to impact the
children. I thought that was a great piece of information to share, it really
showed their enthusiasm in what they do every day. Students love Specials;
they love to take a break from their classrooms and be a little more creative
in different environments, characteristics that the Specials Teachers thrive off
of. Both Ms. Robuck and Ms. Northcutt expressed their willingness to help
classroom teachers and give them a little break, though they really
emphasized the fact that they are all certified in what they do too. I was
amazed to hear that the Specials Teachers take their jobs very seriously and
strive to grow students as much as classroom teachers do. The two of them
explained their desire, as well as speaking for P.E. and Library, to be
resources to everyone at Trace Crossings
Ms. Ida Collins: Cafeteria Manager
I have a new respect and admiration for the cafeteria staff at Trace
Crossings. Ms. Collins is one of the most inspirational people I have had the
opportunity to hear speak, and the best part about it is that she was just
sharing her heart. Ms. Collins embraces her job as Cafeteria Manager and
takes the position above and beyond what most people would do. She knows
every detail about the laws and mandates by the government, respects
them, and enjoys every minute of every day. Ms. Collins is intentional with
every student that walks into the cafeteria and wants to make sure that
every mouth is fed. She pays attention to the little indicators of students
behaviors and ensures that every individual leaves the lunchroom with a full
belly. Ms. Collins described the background behind the way TCES does
breakfast and why they take the time every morning to prepare boxes of
food and milks for students. This makes it possible that every student gets
something to eat in the morning and even a snack for later. Ms. Collins has
tremendous respect for those around her including classroom teachers. She
wants to help students be their best selves so that they are ready to learn in
the classroom. She emphasized that, no matter what, if a student is hungry it
will not matter what the math lesson is on that day all the student will be
thinking about is their rumbling stomach. Ms. Collins is extremely selfless
and does everything she possibly can to make the lives of students better
and touch their hearts with hers. Ms. Collins also leaves no child behind,
even in the lunchroom. She mentioned that shed shake her purse to get a
few cents out to help a child and walk around during lunch to see what
students like and dislike. I am still in awe at her deep passion and generous
heart. I admire Ms. Collins for her love and passion for little people whom she
calls her babies. I could have heard her talk all day about how she gives
something to students that no one can take away.
Mr. Pitts: ELL
ELL is another one that I did not know much about until I heard from Mr.
Pitts. Mr. Pitts was very informational and truly did interest me in his
profession working with students who are learning English. He mentioned
that the government requires to have at least one ELL Teacher at each
school, though Mr. Pitts does not at all treat his job like he has to be there.

As an ELL Teacher, Mr. Pitts gets opportunities other teachers do not receive.
He gets to work with students individually and watch them make leaps and
bounds in progress. Mr. Pitts directly impacts student achievement in ways
that can only be done in the time he has with them. Mr. Pitts is also an
advocate for all of the ELL students at TCES and so he plays a big role in the
overall classroom as he helps teachers communicate with families and
provides extensive information on each individual student and their progress.
He also is a major asset to IEP meetings and implementation, the PST
process (Tier 1, 2, 3), registration, administrative and instructional data, and
new students. Mr. Pitts provides tremendous help to classroom teachers and
instruction as he focuses on each individual student and their academic
ability so that they can be more active in the classroom learning process.
WEDA Standards
IELP (language accommodation plan)
Mrs. Barber: Principal
I was not expecting Mrs. Barber to be one of the speakers on Wednesday.
She is always so busy as principal of Trace Crossings, we usually see her in
passing or a quick greeting. I admired that Mrs. Barber could have talked for
hours, her seminar truly showed her love for education. It is evident that Mrs.
Barber impacts students and teachers daily with her wisdom and experience
paired with her passion for her profession. She mentioned that she strives
every day to change students perspective of the principal, that usually is
connected with a visit to the principals office. Mrs. Barber is much more than
a disciplinarian, she visits classrooms just to see the beautiful work done by
teachers and students. She is a great help to teachers and their classroom
instruction as she serves as a resource. Mrs. Barber spoke mostly about
interviews and what she looks for in first-year teachers which was incredibly
useful information. Though I have heard many of the elements of an
interview that Mrs. Barber touched on, there was something impactful
coming from someone who is in their 49th year of education.
Ms. Houston, Ms. Norris, Ms. Pfeiffer: Title I
New to this year, Trace Crossings Elementary School has a team of
teachers who are highly qualified to work with Title I students. Ms. Houston,
Ms. Norris, and Ms. Pfeiffer work with students in a federally funded program
that is based on the poverty level in the school. I found it interesting that
the students that the three teachers work with are not all in Title I, that this
program is open to all students. Ms. Houston, Ms. Norris, and Ms. Pfeiffer
work with the students who are often overlooked, so the students who are
not above or below grade-level. Hearing from this team meant a little more
to me as I pictured the 3 students I work with every Thursday in Morning
Intervention. I know that this team has direct impact on each student and
collect data in order to better cater to the needs of these specific students,
and I find it really exciting that we get to be an active part in the process.
The teachers mentioned that their jobs are challenging but very joyful, as
they help students unveil their academic achievement which in turn helps
the teachers and their classroom instruction. Title I team serves students and

teachers the entire day in back-to-back small group meetings, actively

working with students to increase their progress to then report the data to
their classroom teachers as well as administration.
Global Scholar Assessment (scantron)
Hoover: Targeted Assistance Model
Ms. Paige: Special Education
I was excited to hear from Ms. Paige since I see her in the 4th grade class I
am in. I have wondered this semester about the roles of each individual who
comes into the classroom and sits down with students while they are still
actively working in class. Ms. Paige has always displayed a calm and
collected persona and I wanted to know more about her profession. Ms. Paige
was glad to share with us what her typical day at school looked like. She has
a time-framed schedule that has her and her aides all over the elementary
school working with different students. Ms. Paige is the Special Education
teacher that works with students individually, sometimes right in the middle
of a lesson to retain authenticity. She works with Mr. Pitts and ELL students
as well as the counselor to ensure that she is able to impact all of her
students. Ms. Paige showed us just a glimpse of the amount of paperwork
that she does on a daily basis. She acknowledged the lengths and
redundancy, though she emphasized her love for her job. This was inspiring
to see a teacher who willingly endures loads of paperwork so that her
students can be accounted for and monitored. Ms. Paige works closely with
classroom teachers as well, providing suggested differentiation strategies for
particular students in their classrooms and the data revealing progress of the
students.
IEP
Checklist and Rating Scale
Alabama Department of Education: Special Education: Forms and
Services
10.
Mrs. Valtierra: ELL Seminar
As students and pre-service teachers, it was an incredible experience to
have the opportunity to have a workshop geared toward teaching English
Language Learners. I have never before had any understanding or
knowledge of the methods and strategies to teach ELL students, and for this
workshop I am grateful. I know that this was a unique opportunity and is
definitely a part of the many things that set Samford students apart from
other students in the education major. Lara Valtierra is very passionate about
what she does. From the beginning to the end of each session, Mrs. Valtierra
gave us 110% of her effort to make a great impression to engage us in
learning about teaching students who I know myself to be very unfamiliar
with. I have always had a tug toward English Language Learners, for a piece
of my heart is in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico with children in an orphanage whom I
visit often. I love the Spanish language and so I was fully engaged during the
two days of the ELL workshop putting it all into a personal perspective and
actually taking all of the information in so that I can reach those students in
my future classes. Right off the bat, I found it very interesting that Mrs.

Valtierra took the 4 Domains of Language that I have become familiar with
this semester and placed them under the light of acquiring language in
accordance to learning a language as well. We receive language by hearing it
and reading it, and produce language by speaking it and writing it. I learned
that language acquisition is a much more in-depth process than I originally
thought of it to be. Mrs. Valtierra walked us through the different time frames
in which students are in different stages of language acquisition. She
emphasized that all children learn differently and at different rates;
something that definitely has been emphasized in my learning journey thus
far. We all were given a very significant book that we got to keep called
Help! My Student Doesnt Speak English!, a title in which really began to
sink in as we began the workshop when I thought about the reality of the
quote. This book contains the WIDA Standards that are an invaluable
resource to teachers who have English Learners in their classrooms. I learned
about the proficiency levels according to WIDA from preproduction all the
way to level 6 proficiency considered to be advanced fluency. Mrs. Valtierra
talked a lot about scaffolding, another term that we use every day when
thinking about our students, and she related the process of scaffolding to an
actual construction scaffolding to build a building. I really enjoyed the first
day of the workshop, I walked away having added so much more to the file
folder in my head labeled ELL. The second day began just as the first did, full
speed ahead. I was excited to learn about the students and their experiences
in learning a new language. The second day was full of understanding
language as an iceberg. We explored common language that students pick
up from their peers on the playground, and also looked at more complex
language that is learned with limited interaction. Mrs. Valtierra was
consistently accepting of all of our questions and answers, molding what we
say into an instructional purpose to build on to. I used to think of my
classroom with many students with so much potential. Until this impactful
workshop, I really think that I thought of my classroom without ELL studentsthat teaching English Learners was not in my hands. Though it is not that I do
not want to, I just had never really thought of my classroom to have that
dynamic in it. Now I feel prepared in a sense that I know that I will have
students who will be working so hard to learn the English language and it is
my responsibility to keep pushing them on their journey. I have been
equipped with numerous resources regarding English Language Learners,
and I am excited, now that these doors have been opened, to make a
difference in the lives of all of my students no matter the challenge.
11.
Ms. Joyner: Maker Movement
Today, Ms. Joyner took time out of her busy schedule to lead a mini
workshop for the Samford students. She had a Google Doc set up and ready
for us providing a vast amount of technology resources. I have really enjoyed
getting to know Ms. Joyner this semester. She has helped me personally with
lessons as well as the students that are in my class at Trace Crossings. I
thought it was a very great thing that Ms. Joyner went out of her way to

ensure that we received resources to enhance our lessons and time with the
students in our classes. She walked us through a list of links, apps, and
whiteboard uses that contained various activities as well as instructional and
practice pieces. Due to time, Ms. Joyner quickly picked out some of her
favorite links and applications that are great to use in the classroom. Her
main focus was on math, a subject that can be very feared and disliked by
many. She mentioned that technology enhances math if it is used for
instructional purposes, and I completely agree. I have found in my 4th grade
classroom that students are the most engaged with technology, and those
who struggle the most in math seem to get it a little more when using their
Chromebooks. My favorite link that Ms. Joyner showed us today was
educreations.com. This website is full of opportunities to engage students
and allow hands-on interaction. Ms. Joyner gave an example of a use with
this site in which students treat their iPads like mini whiteboards and then
screenshot their work. This is genius! The example on the website is of a
map and a student is annotating it. I think that is incredible, too. Our second
session with Ms. Joyner was a hands-on activity. We were split in groups and
had to work together with zip ties and bamboo sticks to connect all the
groups together. Ms. Joyners purpose for this was to show the type of
directions she gave us, the level of specificity determined how we created. I
consider this to be technology as well, for we worked with different elements
to produce something unexpected. We were makers and students would
have been just as engaged as all of us were. The best advice that Ms. Joyner
gave today was to be sure that we are using technology to enhance learning
rather than force all of the instruction on technology. This really put things
into perspective and summed it all up. I will definitely be using the resources
that Ms. Joyner collected for us, I am grateful that she will be sending out the
entire document to us.