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For my student teaching placement, I was located at Eaton Middle School in room 801 with Mrs. Kayla LaMontagne, for eighth grade language arts.

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- I am female
- I am 24 years old
- I am white
- I am from Eaton, OH and graduated in 2016
- I was raised by my grandparents due to losing both my parents at a young age

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My Positionality in Relation to my School Community:

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My Positionality in Relation to my School Community:

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I understand my positionality in relation to my school community in different aspects. When it comes to my position compared to other teachers in the 8th grade hallway at Eaton Middle School, I feel welcomed and appreciated. As an Eaton graduate, I feel welcomed back home. The education that seeps through the walls are the same walls I was confined into as well. The 8th grade teachers make me feel heard. Everyday at 2:15, the students are scrambling to get to their lockers so they can gather their belongings and head home. The teachers gather and monitor the students, we help those who look lost. After the students have left the halls, we as teachers discuss our day, along with discussion on if there are students who struggled that day. We come together and discuss how we can help that particular student(s) and how we can make a difference. My position in this 8th grade hallway is stable and utilized. Overall, my position in relation to my school community is vital, understood, and respected. The administration listens to my voice and understands that I want what is best for students.

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Gaining a Deeper & Nuanced Understanding of My Students

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Gaining a Deeper & Nuanced Understanding of My Students

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I participated in MTSS and PBIS meetings. During Eaton’s eighth grade Multi-Tiered Support System meetings, I learned more about the three tiers that are included in MTSS and the different support systems that are available to students. MTSS is extremely powerful for students that need different levels of support. For each grade level at Eaton Middle School, language arts teachers and math teachers gathered data from diagnostic testing (IXL/HMH Growth Measure) that shows where each student stands for that specific subject. Based on their score and decisions amongst the teachers, we pulled together a list of 10-15 names of students (for each grade level) that benefit from intervention. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports is another form of intervention that I have learned more about over the course of the semester. Throughout PBIS meetings, I learned that there are different interventions that students need based on their behavior. I learned that PBIS has three levels of support. Each level of support allows each student to learn as best as they can. Behavior plays an important role inside and outside of the classroom. Behavior and systems of support go hand in hand with a common topic in the world today: mental health. Throughout the course of the semester, I liked to make it a point to check in with my students and ask how they are doing, not just academically but mentally as well. After students got more comfortable with me, they would share things regarding their mental health. My host teacher and I would send the student(s) to the guidance office if that is something they needed. There is only so much teachers can do because they have a role as a teacher, not a licensed counselor/therapist. Sometimes the students would just need to vent and let things out, but other times their mental health would be in a bad state or concerning state. With this being said, Eaton Community Schools makes it a habit to brush mental health under the rug. I have learned that mental health is “not that big of a deal,” and students still need to be doing work. Education is important, but so is mental health. If a student is struggling with mental health, then they cannot perform well academically.

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My host teacher added my name and position to the wall outside of our classroom so I would feel more welcomed and know that the classroom is also mine.

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Eaton Community Schools received a new curriculum for language arts, which began this school year. In June of 2021, I attended the curriculum training with the other ELA teachers. The new curriculum, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), focuses on student self-actualized learning. In the first training session, I thought to myself, “What does any of this mean?” I was not familiar with the curriculum and neither were the others. Some of Eaton’s teachers have been a part of the Eaton community and school for several years, which means a lot of things haven’t changed in a while. For some, change can be scary or it can be exciting. It depends on the perspective. I see indifferences when it comes to curriculum, which can impact relationships with other teachers. My sensibilities have evolved about my school community; over time, I have learned that there is not a perfect school. There will always be flaws in the education system, maybe some holes that need to be filled, but if we work together as a community to provide a better education for today’s children, we can get better.

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Over the course of my student teaching experience, I have encountered manifestations of power and privilege within my classroom and school. The most common privileges I have encountered are gender privilege and socio-economic privilege. When I refer to gender privilege, I am referring to male privilege. Throughout this semester, I have witnessed men being centered to and catered to. The male teachers are treated with more respect and are actually heard when they express their own concerns/thoughts. When it comes to socio-economic privilege, it is a complex concept that may be different for everyone. Everyone within the Eaton community and schools have a different socio-economic status. There are several students whose families stand at a low socioeconomic status. One student in particular had no running water so they were offered resources from the school so their family could wash clothes and take care of their personal hygiene. Not every student has the same privilege as other students.

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My Positionality Interacting with the Privilege Inside & Outside the Classroom

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My Positionality Interacting with the Privilege Inside & Outside the Classroom

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As a student teacher, I have interacted with privilege inside and out of the classroom. Outside of the classroom, I have attended meetings/conferences with other teachers, parents, and administrators. Within these interactions I have seen male privilege shine pretty bright. I have seen where women’s voices aren’t heard, but the male voices are. Since I am a woman, this male privilege within the school interacts with me. As a student teacher, I still care about my students and want what is best for them. If not all voices are heard, then how do the students get the best education that they deserve?

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With gender privilege, it is the women who are oppressed while the men benefit. Men's voices are always heard. With socio-economic privilege, people of the lower class are oppressed, while the higher class benefit. When there is a low socio-economic status, there can be more consequences; poverty, low education achievements, and poor health are just some. The oppressed are always faced with the consequences, which is not just. There will always be the oppressors and the oppressed. It is up to us as educators to treat every student equally when they are in the confinements of our own classrooms.

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Inequities I Observed within the Classroom

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Inequities I Observed within the Classroom

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Within the classroom, I do not see inequities. In room 801, there is equity. My cooperating teacher does everything in her power to make sure every student has the resources and support they need to be successful. My cooperating teacher has taught me the importance of equity within the classroom. As a teacher, I want to see my students succeed. Each and every student I have encountered this semester is more than capable of doing some amazing things. Showing these students that we believe in them no matter their backgrounds has pushed them to do great things so far this year. As a student teacher, I am blessed to have had such an amazing cooperating teacher.

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How Eaton Community Schools Undermines Gender Privilege & Socio-Economic Privileges

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How Eaton Community Schools Undermines Gender Privilege & Socio-Economic Privileges

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The school’s culture undermines gender and socio-economic status privileges by simply “brushing it under the rug.” Whenever a problem arises within this school community, it is kept quiet and brushed under an imaginary rug.  By ignoring these privileges and the issues they cause, the imaginary rug gets bigger and bigger. There is only so much a rug can cover.

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How Gender Privilege & Socio-Economic Privilege Relate to Broader Social Norms

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How Gender Privilege & Socio-Economic Privilege Relate to Broader Social Norms

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When relating to broader social inequities, these privileges relate to power, prestige, gender, and class. In a small town, people tend to be known for their last name. If their parents/family is successful, then the child will be well respected. If the child comes from a family with a “bad last name”, then that child will not be as well respected. This social inequity occurs a lot in small towns such as Eaton. Social inequities aren’t uncommon. They can be seen almost everywhere. The difference we can make begins in our own classroom.

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How I Can Become Aware & Address Inequities

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How I Can Become Aware & Address Inequities

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To become more aware of inequalities related to privilege, I will read more. That may sound vague, but I become more aware of things by doing research and reading. I will read about different experiences people have had with privilege and how it has affected them. Literature provides so much information, which is one reason I am passionate about the subject. Words hold so much knowledge. I will also become more aware just by being a teacher. Teachers encounter so many different students and administrators. Teaching will always teach me something new.

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How I Can Utilize My Privilege to Combat Inequities

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How I Can Utilize My Privilege to Combat Inequities

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I can utilize my privilege to make a difference. Being privileged is an opportunity to speak up for those that can’t. I will use my voice to speak for those who can’t. To challenge such inequities, I can ask questions and add perspectives. When it comes to having privilege, it is important to utilize it in a positive way.

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Psychologist Barry Schwartz discusses how chance plays a big role in everyone’s life, connecting chance to inequality. He uses the example of college admissions to show that it isn't adequate and contributes to privilege.

“We wreck a generation with this type of competition.” -Barry Schwartz

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Chance plays a far bigger role in life than we’re willing to admit, says psychologist Barry Schwartz. Of course, working hard and following the rules can get you far -- but the rest could boil down to simple good fortune. Schwartz examines the overlooked link between luck, merit and success, offerin…

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How I Have Come to Know My Students & How I Have Them Come to Know Me

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How I Have Come to Know My Students & How I Have Them Come to Know Me

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Over the course of my student experience at Eaton Middle School, I have come to know all 72 of my students in different ways. The first day of school, I introduced myself as Miss Edwards, their student teacher from Miami University. On the first day, every student was shy. They talked quietly through mumbles and sighs. As the first couple weeks went by, my students began to come out of their shells more and more. As a student teacher, I wanted my students to be comfortable with me and know that I am a trustworthy adult that they can count on. Getting my students to trust me is important because how can they learn from someone they don’t trust? Everyday I make it a point to check in with my students by asking questions at the start of class, such as “how are you doing, mentally?” or “How are your other classes going?” Asking these questions allowed my students to see that I don’t just care about language arts and how they are doing in my class alone. I care about their other grades, but I also care about their well being. Showing my students that I genuinely care allowed them to be able to share their own feelings and experiences with me.

I also came to know my students through their writing. In the beginning of the semester, my cooperating teacher and I had the students practice writing a friendly letter. In the friendly letter they could write about any aspect of themselves. They could write about their summer, their expectations of this year, their pets, etc. It could be whatever they chose. After giving the students a few days to work on their letters, I sat down and read each and every friendly letter. I absorbed several details of their lives that they shared with me. One student shared in their friendly letter that their pet of over ten years passed away this summer. Another student shared that as soon as they graduate high school they are moving to Kentucky to be a diesel mechanic. Their friendly letters consisted of information about themselves that they insisted I know. One student shared with me that they live with their grandparents, while another shared about the loss of their nephew. Each student has their own story. I have used a multitude of ways to get to know them and their stories. Their stories will be etched into my mind forever. They are my first students. Teaching them and getting to know them has allowed me to grow as a person and as a teacher.

Everyday in class I allowed my students to come to know me as well. Some times, random questions will come up, such as "Ms. Edwards, do you like cats?" or "Do you think pineapple belongs on pizza?" These questions may not seem important or relate to language arts, but I still took time to answer them. My students want to know more about who is teaching them, just as I want to get know them as well.

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There is a specific group of students that had a large depth of my attention. In the middle of the semester I had a student that was diagnosed with cancer. Since their immune system is weak, they could not attend school in person. All of the students are concerned about this particular one, scared even. I had noticed that this cancer diagnosis was taking a toll on a specific group, so I asked if they were doing okay. This group of students told me that they wanted to do something for their friend, but they didn’t know what exactly to do. One student had stated, “Let’s make the family a lot of food!” Another student had said, “Let’s just let them know we are here for them.” For several days in a row, I heard several students discussing their plans with their peers, and what they wanted to do for their classmate and their family. I saw this group of students come together and decide they wanted to make a positive difference in their friend’s life during a difficult time. After we came back to school from Thanksgiving break, there was a large group of students that returned with their heads shaved. Each student expressed that they shaved their heads in honor of their classmate. After the student's first chemo treatment, they began to lose their hair. Seeing these young students partake in something together for one classmate is heartwarming. It allows me to see that they care about their peers and do not want their classmate/friend to feel alone. This experience with this group of students allowed me to see that I carry some of the same baggage they carry. Having a student diagnosed with cancer was a chilling moment for me. The student is so young and has so many things they have yet to encounter. This experience allowed me to see that it is okay for me to feel the same emotions my students feel. It is important for them to know that they are not alone.

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If This Were My Own First Year Classroom

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If This Were My Own First Year Classroom

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If this were my own full-year classroom, I would use different ways to come to know my students. Friendly letters are a great way to start to come to know your students. I would use other writing activities to come to know my students. Parent/guardian interactions are another good way to come to know your students as well. My favorite way to come to know students is through group activity. When the class is working on group activities, it gives me the opportunity to walk around the room and answer any questions, but also learn how the students work/communicate with others. This semester, I have learned that some students don’t work well with other students. Although they might not work well with one group, it doesn't mean there isn’t a group for them. Coming to know my students is an important part of teaching. I want my students to know my classroom is a safe space and if we don’t know each other, then how can they be comfortable?

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A friendly letter that a student wrote the first week of school.

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Once it got closer to Christmas, teachers began decorating their classroom doors. One class decided they wanted their social studies teacher to decorate her door in honor of their classmate that had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The purple ribbon at the top resembles the Hodgkin's Lymphoma Awareness Ribbon. The different banners say different things, with the last banner saying, "No Eagle Fights Alone."

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Every school district has their own mandates, whether it is a face mask mandate or a state standard mandate. Eaton’s newest mandate is the use of the new curriculum. As I have mentioned before, Eaton has a new curriculum, HMH. It became a mandate at the start of the 2021 Fall school year for all English Language Arts teachers to use the new curriculum within their classrooms. The literacy program provided by HMH for 8-12th grade is Into Literature. The Eaton Middle School ELA teachers are mandated to use this piece of the curriculum along with IXL Learning. With IXL, students begin by entering a testing diagnostic arena. In this arena, students are asked questions related to the subject (ie: math, language arts) and at the end, it determines what grade level they are at based on their skills. After the diagnostic, teachers can assign specific skills (state standards) that will help students build the knowledge and fill gaps in understanding. As part of the curriculum, IXL Learning is a mandate that Eaton schools have put in place.

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The curriculum mandate has limitations along with possibilities. The limitations of the mandated curriculum are fewer than the possibilities. Over the course of my student teaching experience, I started to notice that some teachers were finding some cons with IXL. The most talked about con is the idea of change. Most teachers have been a part of Eaton for several years and have taught the same material, the same way, for years. Now that there is a new curriculum put into place, some teachers do not want to have to change anything or take the time to learn something new. Learning anything new can be a challenge, but with patience and practice, a lot can be accomplished. With the mandate, there are a lot of possibilities. With IXL, when students answer questions correctly and achieve skills, they receive different rewards such as ribbons and they can use gamification tools. Using a reward system allows students to want to learn more by achieving the assigned skills. This mandate opens up a bigger possibility for students to want to learn and achieve goals. IXL also focuses on practice to master the skill. To practice each skill, students answer questions and each question they answer correctly, they earn points. To master the skill, students must practice repeatedly. Practice opens up possibilities for students to expand their knowledge and understanding.

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There are different ways that I could respond to the mandate. If it were my classroom, I could ignore the mandate and continue teaching students the way I always taught. If I ignored the curriculum mandate, I could take the risk of losing my position as a teacher. Another response to the mandate could be taking it all in and giving myself time to navigate through the new curriculum. I could also participate in the curriculum training so I could learn to my best ability. Partaking in the mandate not only helps my teaching position but also helps my students learn and grow. Some students have gaps in their knowledge and the curriculum mandate can help fill those gaps.

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Preview of the HMH curriculum.

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Literature has the transformative power to inspire learning.

As students dig into thought-provoking texts and analyze, discuss, and synthesize ideas with their peers, they're building a foundation of active learning.

HMH Into Literature™ was built to address the needs of today's teachers and equip students with the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills required for success in tomorrow's world.

Develop a culture of self-actualized learning and support every learner in building the foundation of engaged citizenship.

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HMH Into Literature | 6-12 English Language Arts Program | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Literature has the transformative power to inspire learning. As students dig into thought-provoking texts and analyze, discuss, and synthesize ideas with their peers, they're building a foundation of active learning. HMH Into Literature™ was built to address the needs of today's teachers and equip students with the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills required for success in tomorrow's world.

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A preview of the IXL Learning diagnostic.

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Administrators can create custom assessment windows to measure students' knowledge levels, better informing high-level decision-making. Plus, teachers can get reliable insights between those assessment windows in just 10 minutes a week.

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Administrators can create custom assessment windows to measure students' knowledge levels, better informing high-level decision-making. Plus, teachers can get reliable insights between those assessment windows in just 10 minutes a week.

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A brief breakdown of IXL support programs and how they work.

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Breakdown of Ohio Learning Standard W.8.5 & the Possibilities it Holds

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Breakdown of Ohio Learning Standard W.8.5 & the Possibilities it Holds

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One of the Ohio Learning Standards I am teaching in my classroom is W.8.5- With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well the purpose and audience have been addressed. In the context of my classroom, this standard means that students will be able to have guidance from adults and their classmates to help be a stronger writer. There have been several of my students who were strong writers from the beginning, but over the course of this semester they have gotten even better. This standard is important in my classroom because I want my students to be successful. Writing is something that they will always do, no matter what classes they take in high school or what they become when they grow up. Honing the students' writing skills is important because with writing there are so many opportunities. The curriculum taught in the classroom is more than just the standards. After teaching my students, I want them to take more away from my lessons than just test scores. In class, we have had deep conversations that pertain to the subject matter but also pertain to life itself. For example, a couple weeks ago we read the short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart'' by Edgar Allen Poe. This story brought up conversations about mental health. There were activities the class did that met Ohio Learning Standards, but there were meaningful conversations as well, letting me see that my students are learning more than just the standards. My goal as a teacher is to teach my students about language arts, but also teach them about themselves and the world around them.

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How I Have Become Informed of My Students' Prior Experiences with the W.8.5 Standard

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How I Have Become Informed of My Students' Prior Experiences with the W.8.5 Standard

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I am becoming informed of students’ prior experience with the W.8.5 standard by asking them about their language arts class last year. I have asked them questions such as, “Did you do peer reviews in language arts last year?” Or, “What were some writing activities you did?” The students’ responses allow me to see and understand what stuck with them from the year prior. Another way my host teacher and I have become informed of students’  prior experience and understanding of the W.8.5 standard is through collaborating with other teachers. We have discussions with one of the seventh grade language arts teachers. She gives us the rundown of what she is covering in her classes and what her students are/were struggling with. Collaborating with other teachers is important and allows me to have a better understanding of what my students may need more work on. If they struggled with writing concluding paragraphs in 7th grade, then I know that is something I need to really focus on this year for them.

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This information will guide my instruction based on the students’ needs. If students need a more clear instruction on summaries, then I will give more clear instructions. If students need a sample of a piece of writing, then that is what I will do. My instruction will be based on what my students need in order to learn to their best ability. Learning is a two way street; teachers must teach, while students do what they can to learn. All students learn differently and as a teacher I must be prepared to partake in differentiated instruction if needed. Overall, my instruction is influenced by students’ prior knowledge and how they can learn best.

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Evidence of students’ understanding would be increased writing skills over the course of the school year. I could compare their friendly letters from the beginning of the school year to a second piece of writing that they turn in at the end of the school year. Comparing two pieces of writing from the beginning to the end of the year allows me to see how their writing skills have grown or where they may need to improve. Evidence of intrigue would be the moments when students are involved in journal prompts that capture their attention and interests. For example, students had to answer the journal prompt, “If animals could talk, what animal would you talk to? What would you talk about?” Students showed interest in this journal prompt by sharing their responses. Journal prompts are also a good way to get to know the students as well.

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An example of a student's response to a journal prompt.

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Lesson Plan

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The standard, W.8.5- With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well the purpose and audience have been addressed, can be broken down in a different, easier way: With advice and help from classmates and adults, writing can be made stronger with drafts and a lot of practice over time. My students that would love this standard are my writing students. I have quite a few students that enjoy writing and do a lot of it in their free time. The students that would hate this standard are those that get easily frustrated with writing and making numerous drafts. I have noticed that my weaker writers tend to have a stronger disliking for writing. Technically, the point of this standard is to guide students in readiness for future years of education with writing. As a teacher, the point of this standard is to help students learn that writing is not going to be perfect, especially the first time around (ie: first draft). Writing takes a lot of practice and it is a skill that students will need in the future. I read this standard for possibilities of learning from mistakes. Revising and editing will allow students to see mistakes they make, but learn to accept that it is okay to make them. This standard opens up different possibilities for me as a teacher to teach this standard in different ways. I can use different writing assignments such as summaries, friendly letters, literary analysis, etc. that need revising and peer editing. This writing standard is also open to many possibilities for students’ learning. Not only can students learn from their writing mistakes, but they can also learn more about themselves. Students that thought they disliked writing, might end up having a love for writing. Writing is open to so many possibilities.

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As my students engage in critical consciousness, I hope they learn that it is okay to make mistakes as they learn more about what it takes to be critically conscious. I hope that in my class they are being intellectually challenged in some way. I can challenge them intellectually by having them set their own learning goals. I also want to promote autonomy by having them reflect on their own progress and I want them to be able to take responsibility for their own learning. An example of promoting autonomy in the classroom is giving the students a chance to show leadership and guidance. Doing this allows students to feel more confident and promotes autonomy in the classroom. I also want my students to be able to collaborate with others. Some students may not be comfortable with group/partner work, but it is something that we can ease them into. Towards the end of the semester, students will be working on a literary analysis. For this literary analysis, the students will work in groups of about 3-4 students. My host teacher and I will be choosing the groups, but ultimately the students will be showing us who they collaborate best with. Giving the students opportunities to collaborate is important because it can improve their productivity and they can learn from one another. While taking part in the work, students may feel stumped or worn out. Literary analysis can be hard, especially the first time doing it. My host teacher and I will be providing a lot of insight on the assignment so students feel comfortable and will succeed. There is nothing more important than setting students up for success.

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How Students Find Empowerment, Autonomy, & a Sense of Humanity

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How Students Find Empowerment, Autonomy, & a Sense of Humanity

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I understand that students’ needs are going to vary. With standard W.8.5, some students may need more support from the teacher. This could be one on one conferencing, more feedback, or just more guidance. Some students may not need much guidance at all. It depends on the student. Every student learns differently and needs different kinds of support. I understand that differentiated instruction is something that may be needed. When it comes to students' aspirations, I understand that they want to do well. In order to do well with this specific standard, students need to be able to understand what the standard means and how they can achieve it. Standards are like learning goals. To achieve a goal, you have to work at it. Students can’t achieve goals on their own. They need guidance, support, and instruction. Without these things, I know my students couldn’t succeed. Students can find empowerment through this standard by collaborating with their peers. Peer reviews and editing can allow them to feel empowered because they are being given the opportunity to give others feedback. By doing this, they are helping their peers succeed. Helping others is a great way to feel empowered. This standard also gives students the opportunity to practice and obtain autonomy. They can take responsibility for their own learning and do personal reflection on their writing.

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Experiences that Evolve Students' Understanding

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Experiences that Evolve Students' Understanding

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Collaboration experiences will contribute to students’ understanding, intrigue, and ability to apply knowledge related to standard W.8.5. Students will be working on a literary analysis. For this literary analysis, the students will work in groups of about 3-4 students. My host teacher and I will be choosing the groups, but ultimately the students will be showing us who they collaborate best with. For the literary analysis project, students will have the choice on which story they write their literary analysis about. Some of their options are “The Gift of the Magi”, “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”, and “The Monkey’s Paw”. My host teacher and I will be giving students a copy of the rubric so they know exactly what is expected of them. We will also be providing the students with a teacher model of a literary analysis project. The teacher model will allow students to see exactly what a literary analysis looks like. This project allows room for students to make writing mistakes, yet learn from them. There will be editing and revising, collaboration, and planning. Giving the students opportunities to collaborate is important because it can improve their productivity and they can learn from one another. This will also allow the students to have support from the adults in the classroom. There will be opportunities for one on one conferencing and asking questions. Having support and guidance with writing assignments affiliated with the W.8.5 learning standard will allow students to succeed.

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Making the Experience Accessible to Students

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Making the Experience Accessible to Students

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I would begin to make the experience accessible and beneficial to all students by using different forms of representation. For the short stories we read in class, students have different choices for reading: read independently, with a partner, together as a class, or an audio version. This allows students to choose how they want to read and what benefits them the most. Some may need to read aloud, while others may need to read quietly and independently. I will also strive to use multiple means of engagement. Students’ chromebooks are something they use almost daily, but there are other ways we can engage as a class. We can have class discussions, do more hands-on activities,  or do project-based activities. Having students choose which short story they want to create their literary analysis for is important because it allows them to have an opportunity for expression. To make the experience accessible for everyone, there will be accommodations made as necessary. For video/audio, there will always be closed captions provided, for example. For this experience, I also strive to always stay connected with my students. There will always be room for connection. Staying connected with my students is important because if I can’t connect with them through this assignment, or any other assignment, then the experience will not be as beneficial to them or myself as a teacher. Overall, I strive for my students to learn something new everyday. I want their literary analysis to teach them something new, but also peak their interest.

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Scholarly article on collaborative learning and how it is beneficial.

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Collaborative learning can occur peer-to-peer or in larger groups. Peer learning, or peer instruction, is a type of collaborative learning that involves students working in pairs or small groups to discuss concepts or find solutions to problems. Similar to the idea that two or three heads are better than one, educational researchers have found that through peer instruction, students teach each other by addressing misunderstandings and clarifying misconceptions.

Why use collaborative learning?

Research shows that educational experiences that are active, social, contextual, engaging, and student-owned lead to deeper learning. The benefits of collaborative learning include:

Development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills.

Promotion of student-faculty interaction.

Increase in student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility.

Exposure to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives.

Preparation for real life social and employment situations.

Considerations for using collaborative learning

Introduce group or peer work early in the semester to set clear student expectations.

Establish ground rules  for participation and contributions.

Plan for each stage of group work.

Carefully explain to your students how groups or peer discussion will operate and how students will be graded.

Help students develop the skills they need to succeed, such as using team-building exercises or introducing self-reflection techniques.

Consider using written contracts.

Incorporate  self -assessment and  peer  assessment for group members to evaluate their own and others' contributions.

Getting started with collaborative learning

Shorter in-class collaborative learning activities generally involve a three-step process. This process can be as short as five minutes, but can be longer, depending on the task at hand.

Introduce the task. This can be as simple as instructing students to turn to their neighbor to discuss or debate a topic.

Provide students with enough time to engage with the task. Walk around and address any questions as needed.

Debrief. Call on a few students to share a summary of their conclusions. Address any misconceptions or clarify any confusing points. Open the floor for questions.

For larger group work projects, here are some strategies to help ensure productive group dynamics:

Provide opportunities for students to develop rapport and group cohesion through  icebreakers, team-building, and reflection exercises.

Give students time to create a group work plan allowing them to plan for deadlines and divide up their responsibilities.

Have students  establish ground rules. Students can create a contract for each member to sign. This contract can include agreed-upon penalties for those who fail to fulfill obligations.

Assign roles to members of each group and change the roles periodically. For example, one student can be the coordinator, another the note-taker, another the summarizer, and another the planner of next steps.

Allow students to rate each other's quality and quantity of contributions. Use these evaluations when giving individual grades, but do not let it weigh heavily on a student's final grade. Communicate clearly how peer assessment will influence grades.

Check in with groups intermittently but encourage students to handle their own issues before coming to you for assistance.

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Collaborative learning can occur peer-to-peer or in larger groups. Peer learning, or peer instruction, is a type of collaborative learning that involves students working in pairs or small groups to discuss concepts or find solutions to problems. Similar to the idea that two or three heads are better than one, educational researchers have found that through peer instruction, students teach each other by addressing misunderstandings and clarifying misconceptions.

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How Students Deepened Their Content Knowledge

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How Students Deepened Their Content Knowledge

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Students deepened their content knowledge in relation to standard W.8.5. One of the biggest ways I saw this was through collaboration. Seeing students collaborate with their peers is heartwarming because at the beginning of the semester there were several students that wanted to stay inside their shell and not have to talk to anyone. At this point in the semester, students have come out of their shell and have experienced new friendships and knowledge. Collaboration is important with this standard because students can learn so much from one another. Seeing them collaborate and learn something new each day tied in with standard W.8.5 is a huge success. I was able to make several observations throughout the semester. I observed the days the students struggled with some things, and I observed while their light bulbs lit up above their heads. Watching students learn new content through collaboration and instruction is a remarkable experience.

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As stated previously, collaboration has played a big part in the classroom and how students learn from the standard but also with their peers. I observed that students learn so much from one another. Through group work, I observed that the students genuinely care about one another. With collaboration, students learned that not everyone has the same experiences. Their classmate that was diagnosed with cancer was not able to participate in class. There were students that wanted to still include this particular student via Zoom or Google Meet. Through collaboration, the students decided that it was best to give their classmate as much normalcy as possible. Over the course of the semester, the students have wondered and asked about their classmate and expressed concern on a daily basis. Through collaboration, the group of students that decided to shave their heads with their peer because they didn’t want their friend to feel alone. Collaboration is an important part of the greater good. With collaboration, students united. A writing standard developed into class unity.

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To be honest, if this were my own classroom, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. My host teacher has shown me the importance of developing relationships with students in order to connect with them. My host teacher is proof that education is more than just standards. As standards are important, so is critical consciousness and deeper conversations and understanding. Over the course of this semester I have seen the importance of guiding critical thinking and writing, while also teaching students that mistakes are okay. My host teacher is a solid example of having a rich interaction with the students and standard. All I can wish for my students is that they continue to learn, grow, and lift each other up.

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A particular topic of inquiry that I would address with my students would be the topic of mindfulness meets the classroom. Mindfulness teaches students to be aware of their surroundings, emotions, and how they impact others. Bringing mindfulness to the classroom can allow students to strengthen their social and emotional development. This topic of inquiry gives students the chance to engage in critical consciousness because mindfulness raises awareness of your own dilemmas and others, leading to consciousness. Mindfulness honors one another’s full humanity because when we aren’t being mindful, we are ignoring our own insight and knowledge of the world around us. Being mindful allows students to see and understand that others’ lives may be different from theirs. Having students participate in mindfulness shows their humanity. As stated previously, the group of students that shaved their heads so their classmate wouldn’t feel alone shows mindfulness and honors one another’s humanity.

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I would strive to make it accessible and beneficial to all students by using different forms of representation, multiple means of communication/engagement, and accommodations made as necessary. A great book that all age groups should read inside the classroom is “Through the Cracks” written by Carolyn Sollman. This story begs us to ensure that the future of society should meet the mental and emotional needs of young people in school, so they don’t fall through the cracks. This story is beneficial to students of all backgrounds and is something that I would include in my topic of inquiry.

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I engage with the inquiry content to work in solidarity within community contexts by relating to students and sharing the book, “Through the Cracks” with the class. Raquel Rios, author of “Looking Through the Cracks: Fighting Ignorance with Mindfulness & Critical Consciousness”, states, “Mindfulness is a constant unfolding that gives us a new sight, called insight. It moves from the inside out, unfolding outward like the petals of a lotus. It is a way to see out, from the inside cracks of ordinary life.” Mindfulness gives opportunities for reflection and response through class discussions, readings, and collaboration. Reflection can be done by looking back on past experiences inside the classroom and how the students’ mindfulness has changed. Students can look at where they feel they stand inside the classroom and within their culture or society. Mindfulness is important and is something that students will always find themselves participating in.

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Children's Story but Appropriate for All Ages

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Children's Story but Appropriate for All Ages

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Through the Cracks written by Carolyn Sullman

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Mindfulness is a constant unfolding that gives us new sight, called insight. It moves from the inside out, unfolding outward like the petals of a lotus. It is a way to see out, from the inside cracks of ordinary life.

Solomon, Emmonds and Paolini wrote a picture book called, Through the Cracks. It is about what is wrong with schools and society that makes kids get smaller and smaller until they slip through the cracks in the floor. This is a good metaphor for us to consider when thinking about the practice of mindfulness as a lever for advocacy; a pathway for us to lead the way for a holistic schooling model that is inclusive, creative and uplifting.

We need to see clearly what is happening to students in schools and society. If we examine from the outside and think we can understand what is happening, we are misguided. We have to train our mind and our eyes to see differently, to move from our inner world to the outer world, to look through the tiny cracks in ourselves, to understand how all human beings can feel isolated and afraid, unworthy and confused, a real lack of purpose in the world. We have to change our perspective in order to understand that an individual is not solely responsible but rather, there are conditions in the environment that make people shrink.

When we first go into teaching we are creative and giving. Some of us are in love with our subject matter a little more than working with children, but we are in love all the same, and that is what matters, that we teach from this starting point, creativity and love. 50% of the teachers drop out of the teaching profession within the first 5 years. Why is this happening? Because they fall out of love with teaching. All awareness of what is wrong with our schools and what is wrong in society starts with an understanding of the self. We have to identify the how, when and where we have been separated from our passion, from our heart. I fell through the cracks a long time ago when the practice of education began to feel oppressive and boring. It lost its creativity and giving nature. I was forced to conform to what others wanted me to be. When I felt unseen, and not worthy, I fell through the cracks.

Mindfulness is raising awareness of your inner world, your inner dilemmas. This is entry to consciousness. This is the inner most layer, the foundation. Then, as you move along in the practice, your awareness unfolds and you can move towards critical consciousness. Critical consciousness is going beyond and recognizing how social, political and cultural factors influence your sight and receptivity, your thoughts, your feelings of worthiness and social standing in the world. It is about realizing that your state of mind and well-being are directly related to the state of mind and well-being of everybody around you. This in interdependence, integrative consciousness and systems thinking.

Mindfulness and critical consciousness are a choice because as I stated earlier, they are born out of continuous action, the discipline of slowing things down so that you can browse inside your mind and familiarize yourself with existence; to pick up on the fine details, the elements that have come together to create your story and context. When we allow ourselves to move on and on without reflection, we are mindless actors performing. We are not seeing the features and contours of our behavior, the impact of the scenery on experience. In essence, we are in a state of ignorance. Ignorance means to ignore. When we are not mindful, we are ignoring insight and knowledge of the world and the people inside it. That is why awareness and critical consciousness is a daily choice and active discipline. It starts with the self, looking inward, and expands to the outer world. It is constantly changing and adapting the image of yourself and the world.

Many teachers, especially those who work in schools and societies that are not healthy, distressed or malfunctioning, walk around in ignorance, ignoring the truth of the situation. It is awareness and critical consciousness that allow us to see clearly the cracks in the floor where children sink, that which causes us tremendous pain and discomfort so we want to ignore it. When we open our eyes wide, we may say, I would never send my child to this school, this harsh institution where lunch is served at 9:30am, kids are silenced, classrooms are housed in trailers or there is no library or gymnasium. We begin to attribute the conditions of the place, the negativity and the disruptions to something outside ourselves, something far away and foreign. If we opened our eyes and our heart fully to the conditions of our work, the conditions of our students' lives, we may not want to stay and do the job at all. Who wants to live in such misery? We focus on pay at first, but money will never be enough in these situations.

So we suffer. We realize more and more that we can't separate ourselves from them, from it, from the place. When children lack joy and creativity, when they are fearful for their lives, when our students fall through the cracks, piece by piece, our own humanity dies. We feel like failures inside, because we are those children. We go home at night and wonder- why can't we do something differently to remedy the situation? The next day we try again. We are not trying to save the children, as some may say. We are trying to save our own sanity. Adults are falling through the cracks every day. Teachers especially. When thousands of teachers across the country are on the streets protesting, they are not blind walking. They are fighting for sanity. It is not just money they want, although this is important to our survival. They are fighting for the end of suffering. Money is the distraction. We know this because we love children for free.

Mindfulness that has led to critical consciousness is a lever for conscious action and justice in education. It is about asking the hard question, what do we do now? When we say, this is real, this is happening, even though it hurts, we keep our eyes open and we begin to dig deep into the cracks, exploring what part of our self is down there-we begin to gain more and more awareness of the context, the intersection of factors, the social, cultural, political matrix that has created the conditions for this situation, and our role in it. We begin to see the bird not separate from its nest, not separate from its mother, the flight, the food, the wind, the height of the tree. This is critical consciousness, and we are thinking, what to do with all this knowledge?

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Looking Through the Cracks: Fighting Ignorance with Mindfulness & Critical Consciousness

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Mindfulness is a constant unfolding that gives us new sight, called insight. It moves from the inside out, unfolding outward like the petals of a lotus. It is a way to see out, from the inside cracks of ordinary life. Solomon, Emmonds and Paolini wrote a picture book called, Through the Cracks.