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Technology in education has made a crucial impact on students worldwide. My data collection plan consisted of using classroom observations, surveys, informal interviews, personal journal reflections, lesson plans, and assignments to help me think further about my research question: How can technology impact the development of a student’s voice and identity? The main objective of my classroom observations will be to gather information on how students are using technology to promote their personal freedom of expression as well as how they learn online versus in a classroom.

Another way I collected data was through a survey that asked students how they felt with online versus in person learning/education. Students can relate to their online ways of learning during Covid-19. I can ask students, What were the positives of online learning? What negatives did you experience with online learning? Did you feel you received a better education online versus in a classroom? How did online learning impact you personally and academically? How did online learning impact you emotionally? Do you feel you are ‘behind’ in education as a result of online learning? and Do you prefer online or in person learning? All of these questions will ask students to write their answers and explain why. I can pull out key patterns and take note of similar ideas. All of these responses will either positively or negatively impact student identity.

Furthermore, I collected data while students worked online and in the classroom. For example, if I gave students an assignment on Google Classroom to complete, I walked around the room and assessed who was staying on task and redirected others who were “surfing” the web to stay on task. I took notes of the students and considered who they were as learners, if they had accommodations, if students “surfed” the internet versus completing the task at hand, etc. Another way I assessed students for a written writing assignment was to check and see who used phones and why for any assignment.

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Between the data and research I collected, it is evident that there are several advantages and disadvantages to using technology in the classroom in order to establish student voice and identity.

Although technology is “convenient” and beneficial for students since it can be a “quicker” way to write ideas and education can be accessed anywhere on various platforms (such as Google Classroom), technology does not replace learning, education, and establishing authentic student voice and identity. As a result, technology can be harmful within education due to AI, students negatively promoting their voices on social media or using the internet to “surf” versus “search.” Students may also be distracted using technological platforms and not fully pay attention to the assignment at hand or not listen to instruction.

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1. Students have lost touch with their writing roots, and it is an underdeveloped skill for their age and grade levels.

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1. Students have lost touch with their writing roots, and it is an underdeveloped skill for their age and grade levels.

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In all four classes, I provided a handwritten in-class essay to freshmen and juniors to complete as one of their graded assignments. Specifically, juniors were asked to write an essay answering the following question for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey: “Why do you think Ken Kesey chose to write a book without heroes? How does the fact that no one is a hero affect the ways the themes and motifs have been developing throughout the book?” The requirement for this assignment was for students to develop a thesis statement to answer the question using evidence from the text (references). This essay was completed during one class period. The page requirement for this essay was one page (front and back) minimum. (Not to mention, when I did an in-class essay with this teacher for this book the minimum requirement was 4 pages double sided). Students were not happy with the page requirement. As a result, student penmanship was unreadable, students did not know how to write and organize their thoughts on paper, did not fully address the prompt questions, or they discussed how there were heroes within the text instead. In a way, students subconsciously altered the assignment. These essays were significantly lower than previous graded assessments. In addition, freshmen completed an in-class handwritten essay (one class period) for Fahrenheit 451. Students answered the question, “How is the Phoenix used as a symbol within the book? Your thesis statement must identify a theme from the book.” Students wrote a micro essay including evidence from the text and commentary (similar to Cuckoo’s Nest). Overall, students have lost their writing skills or did not have enough practice to know how to physically write. I feel during the pandemic it was common for teachers to say, “It is online” or “just answer the assignment on Google Classroom.” Students have even asked me, “Why do we have to hand write this assignment. This is a lot. We can just type it and submit it.” I respond, “Yes, but because of AI and I need to know what you know and not what a robot knows.” Yes, I understand writing essays online is much easier and more convenient in a number of ways for students, but it is just as important to continue to practice writing—which also ties into my teaching philosophy. Writing is also unique and helps promote a student’s identity since no two handwritings are the same. If a student feels their penmanship is not “good,” this is all the more reason to continue to practice and use fine motor skills. Writing should not be a lost “art” within the classroom.

However, when juniors are asked to complete a quote analysis online based on the previous night’s reading, AI may be used at times, but students do very well on these assignments and receive the full number of points. For freshmen, I have given small assignments online to submit as “checks.” Students portray what they know online versus discussion in the classroom, which can be frustrating at times. Student voices tend to come out more within forms of technology than on paper. In a way, it is a win/lose situation or a lose/lose situation when it comes to voice and technology. There is no in-between.

Furthermore, all classes do very well at expressing their thoughts and ideas whether it is in the start of commentary on paper or when students decide to participate in class. Juniors are very good at stating their thoughts, opinions, and ideas in a respectful way amongst their peers in whole group discussion. Freshmen on the other hand are afraid to speak and gain this skill. I noticed the struggle within all classes (regardless of if an assignment is completed online versus hard copies) is that student voice is still lacking for educational purposes (but they will tell you what happened at a party a few nights before). Students are selective with when they use their voices and how they establish identity (except for the Coming-of-Age short story unit I taught with freshmen. This was outstanding). It comes down to student comfort and willingness to explore these two concepts.

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2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the new “student voice” and “identity.”

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2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the new “student voice” and “identity.”

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At this point in time, AI has been a growing problem within the high school—especially for English classes. However, while listening to and speaking with other departments, students are also using AI on Social Studies and Science essay questions—pretty much anything that requires a form of writing. Overall, it is a major concern for all teachers within the school and it has been addressed at various department and board meetings. As a result, the high school developed a zero- tolerance policy for plagiarism, cheating, and now AI use on any assignment. The first time a student is caught using AI, it is a warning. The second time is a referral with the student’s house principal, a phone call home, and a further consequence. After these two offenses, it is suspension for academic dishonesty, which goes against the policy agreement all students signed at the beginning of the school year.

AI bots are different from traditional plagiarism because the software works around plagiarism by making it non-detectable. The robot rewrites the material in a way that it is not flagged. At a first glance, I can determine and pull-out sentences of online forms of student work that are classified as “AI” since it is not the same writing due to students’ academic abilities. Many students use AI for essays, quote analyses, or any other form of writing that requires critical thinking skills. However, students will argue and challenge the idea of not using AI. For example, I spoke with one student for using AI and talked to them in the hallway (this student is a good student and has never had an issue before, which is why I was surprised). Since this was the first offense, I asked this student to simply rewrite the questions that were flagged without penalty and showed them what was flagged within their work. I even picked up on the fact these sentences did not sound like this particular student. The student eventually confessed to using other websites, but not AI specifically. Regardless, the student still used outside sources—which was not acceptable or part of this assignment. When receiving the new submission, the student put a disclaimer at the top stating, “I did not use ai for these quote analysis or any before Redoing them to my teachers request is not admitting that I have all thoughts are mine.” I could not believe what I read with this submission. Even though we had a conversation about this, and the student admitted to using other sources, they still rejected the notion.

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Gerben, C. (2018). Factoring in Student Technology Use in Literacy Education: A Review of The Class: Living and Learning in the Digital Age. Journal of Adolescent &amp; Adult Literacy, 5, 593–595. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.725.

Hicks, Troy (2018). The Next Decade of Digital Writing. Leading the Call. The National Council of Teachers of English, 9-14.

Loh, C. E., & Sun, B. (2018). “I’d Still Prefer to Read the Hard Copy”: Adolescents’ Print and DigitalReading Habits. Journal of Adolescent &amp; Adult Literacy, 6, 663–672. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.904.

Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter. (2023). Future of Life Institute.

Ravid, R., & Efron, S. (2020). An Action Research in Education:

A Practical Guide (second). The Guilford Press.
Rowsell, J. (2020). “How Emotional Do I Make It?”: Making a Stance in Multimodal Compositions. Journal of Adolescent &amp; Adult Literacy, 6, 627–637. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.1034.

Turner, K, H., (2020). Digital Literacy (Still) Can’t Wait: Renewing and Reframing the

Conversation. English Journal, 86-93.

Turner, K. H., Hicks, T., & Zucker, L. (2019). Connected Reading: A Framework for Understanding How Adolescents Encounter, Evaluate, and Engage With Texts in the Digital Age. Reading Research Quarterly, 2, 291–309. https://doi.or/10.1002/rrq.271.

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3. Students tend to do better with online typed assignments versus handwritten hard copies.

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3. Students tend to do better with online typed assignments versus handwritten hard copies.

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While student teaching, I received an email from a junior. The email stated, “I am not sure how much you can change the curriculum...I believe that it would be a lot easier, instead of typing essays and having quotes to support them, our assignment can have about at least 5 important bullet points about your questions and quotes to either support our whole bullet point summary or have one quote for a few, like 3 bullet points. I believe that will help not only with the workload but also stress. When a student is told to write a 250-word essay, that can be very daunting to some and I think as long as you have strong points and some type of evidence, in this case, quotes, then it will make it a lot less stressful and easier for the students to complete the assignment. I know nowadays, kids like to read with audio books, and some do not. I like that you allow us to interact in the classroom by letting us popcorn or read a certain amount of paragraphs...” I found this email extremely interesting because this student was doing very well in the class and these assignments were not an issue previously. However, I appreciated the fact the student used their voice to email me with any concerns. This student was also very vocal in class and used their voice on a regular basis within discussions. This was also one student who did well on online assignments and tried their best on handwritten assignments. As a result, grades were consistent.

In addition, when it came to online assignment submissions, students were aware of the expectations and students normally received a 15/15 on them. On handwritten assignments, it is different. Students were more stressed using a pen and paper to complete an assignment. Overall, I felt as if students second guessed themselves and got nervous—hence the grades. With online, they can start the assignment and come back to it without the pressures of sitting in class to write it at their desks. When it comes to the handwritten copies, it is almost as if students “forget” everything they have learned and have been practicing the entire school year. Then there is me who prefers to handwrite things down in a journal or agenda pad to keep track and to stay organized.

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4. As part of my own teaching philosophy, all students are capable of learning regardless of their backgrounds, race, ethnic backgrounds, etc. and the words “I can’t do it” will not exist in my classroom.

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4. As part of my own teaching philosophy, all students are capable of learning regardless of their backgrounds, race, ethnic backgrounds, etc. and the words “I can’t do it” will not exist in my classroom.

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For example, there are times when a student was not engaged in class or is “bored” because of how many times the student read the texts and completed similar assignments with other teachers. Last week, I gave students an assignment where they had the choice to select what they wanted to complete for a grade. The most popular choice was creating a summer or wedding playlist for Romeo and Juliet. With this task, students had to incorporate evidence from the text and explain why this song connected to these specific characters and the play. Students also included the song and song lyrics to tie it to the text. This helps students establish critical thinking skills, promote freedom of expression based on their interests in music, and make text-to-world connections based on concepts within the play. During this assignment, student A stated, “Miss M. this assignment is hard. I can’t do it.” I responded, “Yes, you can.” Then we talked throughs an example together one-on-one based on the song a student was thinking about using for their playlist. This is when I said, “See. You can do it. I will always believe in you. I believe you can do this assignment.” The student looked at me wide eyed and said, “No one has ever said that to me before.” Not only did this phrase hit me in the heart, but this little push in motivation and positive reinforcement made all of the difference for this student. Was I truly the only one who has said this to this student? Shortly after, the student completed the assignment and ended up receiving full credit for this assignment. Although students in these classes come from different backgrounds and races, with modifications and differentiated instruction, I truly believe the words “I can’t do it” will not exist.

Using all of the skills I learned in my courses was crucial during this moment. I felt prepared to handle this situation and prevent a future one. Since I established rapport, know student interests, and accommodate to specific learning needs, there should not be a reason as to why a child should not feel capable of completing tasks and being successful inside and outside of the classroom. The phrase, “I can’t do it” will not become the new student voice and identity.

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For the purpose of this action research plan, data was collected over the course of 12 weeks. Throughout this journey, I incorporated research strategies from Action Research in Education: A Practical Guide by Ruth Ravid and Sara Efron (2020). Specifically, the difference between quantitative versus qualitative research, how to organize data, and which methods will be most effective in order to collect data. According to Ravid and Efron, they discuss data reflection: “Reflecting and reporting on the full cycle of inquiry, from shaping a research question to reaching the study’s conclusions, has several benefits. First, the very act of writing the report allows you to stand back and think holistically about what you have seen, heard, experienced, and learned from the process” (Ravid and Efron, 2020, p. 225). After collecting data, I used the holistic approach in order to reflect on my student teaching and long-term substitute positions in order to determine technology’s impact on student voice and identity.

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According to the Connecticut State Department of Education website, at the current institution where I teach, ___High School is a public high school where 50.7% of students are female and 49.3% are male students. In addition, 70.8% of students are White, 13.2% are Hispanic, 8.4% are Asian, 5.6% are Black or African American, and 1.7% are two or more races. Furthermore, 1.1% are English Learners, 18.2% are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and 10.7% are students with disabilities (CT.gov). The classes are categorized by College Prep (CP) (for some departments, but not English), Advanced College Prep (ACP), Honors, and Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Each class consists of heterogeneous classes where English as Second Language (ESL) and Special Education (SE) paraprofessionals are utilized within regular instruction.

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CP classes are meant for students who need more supports within the subject area

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Advanced College Preparation (ACP) Classes

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Advanced College Preparation (ACP) Classes

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ACP is the most common among students. These classes are considered "average."

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Honors classes are more advanced than ACP.

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Since I completed my internship at the same high school as my student teaching position, I developed an understanding of class dynamics through field work observations during the previous semester through Fairfield University. I used previous observation notes and student work to add additional observations when completing my student teaching position. I observed the same four classes from my field work experiences for my student teaching in order to offer an additional understanding of how technology in education impacts different age groups of students, which touched upon voice and identity. Furthermore, I observed actions within my own classroom while teaching and long-term substitute positions.

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AP classes are meant for students who are above the honors level and can complete this course for college credit. AP classes typically have qualifying exams through College Board based on concepts learned throughout the year.

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Now that we are teaching generations that are technologically savvy and advanced, phones and other forms of technology have become a major issue in the classroom (at least with the classes I am teaching) as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Part of my own teaching philosophy requires students to handwrite since I feel this skill was slightly lost due to Covid-19. During Covid, everything was online, and students were submitting work electronically. Although technology can be extremely beneficial, it can also be harmful. I am selective with my assignments and which ones are completed online versus handwritten.

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According to the survey I sent out at the start of my student teaching, I asked the question: How do you feel about technology in education? Would you rather use laptops to complete classwork/homework assignments or handwritten? Mixed? Explain. Out of 25 responses for the junior classes, 16 students preferred technology in education and 9 had mixed feelings about technology in their education. However, for the freshmen classes, out of 10 responses, 2 students preferred handwritten assignments, 5 students preferred technology within their education, and 3 students had mixed feelings about technology in their education.

The junior classes like technology in education because it makes their work “easier” and faster.” For example, student “A” answered, “I would rather use laptops to complete classwork/assignments because it’s faster and easier in my opinion.” Student “B” stated, “Tech based learning is the best for me because its easier for me to type things.” Student “C” stated, “Laptops because it allows me to get my work done faster then writing by hand.” Student “D” stated, “I like it. I think it makes the writing process quicker and it is easier to get the point across.” However, then I have student responses like student “E” that state, “I like using technology, typing notes or an essay, makes my handwriting a lot more legible. Also, laptops can be really useful as if there is something I don’t understand. I don’t want to ask the teacher I can just look it up and find the answer. Finally, there are a lot of writing tools like spellcheck that I can make Friday easier. I would rather use laptops instead of handwritten.” Student “F” stated, “Play technology in education. It makes it easier for us students and teachers as well to find information quickly and accurately with little to no problems. I personally would use both online and handwritten classwork/assignments because though and some classes have a technology opening available to you to be very beneficial, when completing a writing, reading, or research assignment, we’re trying to solve problems involving math, I find it easier to write it out by hand, and having to work completed all on one sheet of paper rather than typing in the address online, but having to do the work on paper.” Finally, student “G” stated, “I feel that technology and education can be both are positive and negative thing. Positive, because you can really have a good impact on student’s ability to learn new things and can teach people every side of every argument. Technology can also be a faster and more convenient way to get worked on. On the other hand, technology can be negative because it can negatively influence peoples is perceptions on different things, for example, putting out false information, or damaging or threatening information to the Internet. Personally, I would rather do handwritten work because I don’t have a laptop at the moment. But, in general, I like completing classwork through laptops and handwritten work.” Some of these responses describe how technology can be “for the win,” but potentially for the wrong reasons of a faster and quicker form of education.

For the freshmen classes, student “H” preferred handwritten assignments and stated, “I personally work better on handwritten assignments. I feel I retain information better with handwritten assignments. However, I do enjoy some of the classwork being online.” Student “I” stated, “Mixed because I’m good at using websites online but I learned from paper and lessons.” Student “J” stated, “like using technology, but prefer writing and hands-on stuff because it’s easier to remember.” Clearly, there is a difference with technology in education based on the age groups of students.

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When I collected data, I included a survey for students. I told students it is important to complete the questions honestly and without repercussions to gain accurate data. This survey included open-ended questions as well as multiple choice questions regarding personal experience with technology in one’s education and how it impacts them. I asked questions such as: Do you feel you learn best online or in a classroom? Do you receive better grades online or completing assignments in class? and How do you feel your overall performance is while working online versus in a classroom? When answering these questions, I will ask students their name, age, gender, ethnic background and compare their answers to how they perform inside and outside of the classroom. I will also use this information to compare freshmen responses to junior responses due to the difference in ages. Overall, the age groups are important.

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Growing up, technology did not play a huge role within my education throughout my elementary school days (2005-2010). I remember technology being used for the “Type to Learn” and “Fast Forward,” programs, which are educational platforms to teach students how to type, grammar, and phonological awareness. Both of these platforms built the foundation of student voice and identity. When entering high school, technology was rarely introduced—except for typing essays and finding research to incorporate into papers. I also remember some assignments using technology, but it was strictly used for creating videos and presentations. All of our school work was completed on hard copies.

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Part of my research included conducting informal conversations with students. While listening to students and while they participated in discussions, I engaged students in various conversations about technology, student voice, and identity. As a result, I took notes on student responses.

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Specifically, I came up with a list of situations including technology and education that occur online and in the real world, which can impact students. By asking students directly or in informal ways, I interpreted the connection between students and their development and/or stance regarding technology. For example, I asked students how likely they were to act upon the scenario that contributes to student voice. One scenario could state, while scrolling on social media, you noticed someone being cyber bullied within the comment section. How likely are you to address bullying (by commenting, reporting the post, etc.?) or you are walking in the hallway and see someone pushed into a locker. How likely are you to confront the bully and receive help? These questions determined if students feel comfortable taking a stance in real-life or online. After reading a few questions, I determined when and where students feel comfortable taking a stance and voicing their opinions—which contributes to identity. For purposes of this study, I kept a field journal of my teaching to include specific lesson plans where I asked students to share with me their use of social media. Within class activities, perhaps even homework, I asked students questions about their technology use and afterwards we had a discussion of what they had to say.

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As society and education are beginning to change, technology is beginning to play a crucial role in student academics and development. With a secondary English class, students can freely express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas in order to connect in-class concepts to their personal lives. Students also have the ability to incorporate technology within their educational settings. With many new resources available for students and how classes can be modified to online, I set out to discover ways educators incorporate more technology within everyday schooling. For purposes of this review, I wish to highlight paradoxes, the importance of making a stance, and ways to adapt technology into the classrooms.

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While thinking of the technology within education, there are positives and negatives. Yes, technology can keep students organized and give them access to class resources and materials inside and outside of the classroom, but I feel the cons outweigh the pros. While long-term subbing an English class, I always saw students playing on their phones and avoiding schoolwork. In this case, technology was a distraction instead of positively contributing to student voice and identity. I am also subbing more advanced English classes for freshmen and seniors. Today, lesson plans consist of the teacher instructing the substitute teachers to tell students all assignments and classwork is posted on Google Classroom, which includes students’ online work that they do not necessarily complete during the designated class period. To an extent, posting assignments online is beneficial, but students procrastinate and complete their assignments at a later date instead of during class time. In this case, is technology really beneficial for students? Do these groups need more hands-on activities (hard copy assignments)?

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For example, I gave students an in-class essay last week for Romeo and Juliet. Although this was a handwritten essay during one class period, while reading over their essays, I knew they used a form of technology on their graphic organizers the night before because in class I have never discussed the term “unrequited love.” Yet, this was a focus in a lot of their papers. While trying to eliminate technology, there is still somehow, some way it is still used even on handwritten assignments. I feel students have become technology dependent (establishing voice and identity or other purposes). I also developed the phrase, “This is not authentic child” knowing when AI was used on assignments. Technology should be used to enhance student learning and not replace what they should be doing in the classroom to gain skills.

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It is my intent to keep a notebook to collect my thoughts while student teaching. I journaled moments that helped me think about my research question further. These writings will be for reflective purposes and to actively connect my data to my research question. In this notebook, I kept track of student responsiveness to technology and note any changes I see within students (behavior, motivation, engagement, etc).

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When I gave students the survey to complete, I asked the question: Where do you feel most comfortable using your voice? Why? Based on student responses, juniors stated they felt using their voice at: “Home because I am surrounded by the people I am the closest to and mean the most to me.” Another student stated, “Home because no one judges.” Another student responded, “I feel most comfortable using my voice when I’m talking about something important to me.” Another student responded, “Never.” However, one student stated, “In classrooms with friends because I feel like I can be honest about anything.” Overall, juniors felt comfortable using their voices when they felt “safe” such as a home location or with friends/groups of individuals they know. For freshmen, one student responded with, “Yes, because I feel it is important to get my opinion across.” Another student responded, “With my friends and with people I’m close with.” Another student, “On the softball field talking to my teammates because they are like my family.” Another student, “At home, because there is no pressure to say the right thing or not.” Based on these responses, freshmen and juniors have the same experiences with voice and use them in similar situations, which is selective.

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When creating my lesson plans, it is important to have some lessons revolve around technology and others on physical writing and other activities in order to see the difference in how students interact with various lessons.

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When providing assignments to students, I included a variety of ways students chose to complete an assignment—online, physical representations, presentations, etc. It will be interesting to see what students choose and why. This is crucial data for my research since it expresses student voice and identity. In addition, I will provide some assignments with technology and other without technology. I will compare the student performance and ask how they felt about each assignment to gather data.

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While subbing, students sit there while the instructions, “All class assignments are posted on Google Classroom” is written on the board from the teacher. I find it fascinating how freshmen and juniors are not able to write, and their penmanship is very challenging to read. When I was at this school junior year, I remember if a teacher was out, there were hard copy assignments.

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During senior year (2017), is when the shift with technology and education began. During this time, [my high school first one of the first high schools] to introduce the “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) policy to integrate technology into education and could not use my phone due to “no service,” help from teachers and tutors, and finding groups of friends with the same values as me. With this new policy, there were strict rules and students were limited with what one could assess on school WiFi. By then, I was already graduating and did not have the experience with technology in education. However, during my senior year, I had somewhat of a handle on my voice and identity (academically and personally). At the college levels is when I truly began using technology to learn.

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While I was completing student teaching, I had two groups of eleventh grade students for Advanced College Preparation (ACP) English. Both classes taught me different aspects and skills about myself I need to succeed as a future educator. Since the classes were extreme opposites (of course) I learned how to engage these different groups and strategies on how to motivate students to learn. The key to success can be a simple conversation.

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In addition, when writing essays in class, they were handwritten, one class period, and the requirement for an “A” paper was two pages front and back for full credit. Now, the requirement is one page (front and back) since I was told this is challenging for most students. Students are farther behind in education. I am truly shocked and amazed at the same time. This made me think, shouldn’t we (schools) push students past their limits in order to get comfortable with the uncomfortable? Higher forms of education become more challenging, not easier. Writing more in one class period could be a potential goal to prepare students for college.

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The Importance of Establishing Student Rapport.

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The Importance of Establishing Student Rapport.

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By communicating with students, it helped me establish rapport and I got to know students on a personal and academic level. This was a standard procedure at the start of every class period. As a teacher, I also needed these moments from teaching a full schedule. Sometimes, you just need to stop, take a breath, and collect to move forward. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I learned how to engage different groups of students and incorporate various strategies in order to motivate students to learn. The key to success can be a simple conversation.

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At the start of each class, I would ask students, “How are things?” This opened the class to discuss any topic that came to mind or how they felt the second to last period of the school day. I learned sometimes students just need to talk, and not necessarily about English-related content, to focus.

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During college when Covid-19 happened, it changed how I was as a learner, and I preferred to be online. As a result, I felt many other students had similar experiences, but with this method and form of learning, students lost access to all resources within schools if needed.

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Specifically, while teaching The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, students were not fond of this text. Students felt this book was “boring” and they did not like the fact it was an older text. There were specific moments students preferred over others, sparking an interest to engage with the text. Knowing students’ thoughts and opinions regarding the text, during whole group instruction, I incorporated their “language” within the discussion to engage them with the text in a new way. For example, I asked, “What are your thoughts about Tom? What is he doing right now that contributes to his negative character actions?” One student raised their hand and stated, “Tom is being sketchy right now.” This student was not wrong. Instead, I worked off of this idea to build on in class concepts to connect to themes within the text. I said, “Good! Based on Tom’s actions, what makes him appear ‘sketchy?” This is when the student answered and stated he is framing Gatsby for Myrtle’s death even though the reader knows it was Daisy who was driving the car. This student used their own “language” to establish this connection within the text. Sometimes, students need the text broken down for them in a way that is familiar to participate in discussions. I learned using student “language” can be beneficial when discussing and referencing texts.

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Furthermore, based on the relationships and rapport I established, students share personal aspects of their lives with me— personally or academically. For example, while long-term subbing a new group of students, a freshmen presented me with a card thanking me for being the “best English teacher they ever had.” Inside of the card came with an apple pin. Since that day, I placed the pin on my school lanyard and wear it every day. This student recognized I wear this pin daily. I told this student of course I wear it every day! As a response, this student said, “Miss M. This makes me feel appreciated and like I have worth.” I told this student you ALWAYS have worth. The student almost cried. This student thanked me for giving her a chance since she believes other teachers do not and feel she is considered a “hard time.” I never viewed this student in this way, nor would I. If it were not for this relationship on a personal level, I never would have known the student felt this way. This student always tries and does whatever they can to succeed. These relationships must exist.

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Throughout the school, students (of all ages) come to school wearing pajamas, have headphones in their ears constantly, or play on their phones while walking in the hallways (transitioning to classes or not). It appears the school is not as “strict” with the dress code than previous years. Sometimes, I cannot believe how some students come dressed to school. This is definitely not what high school was like when I was here. This also made me wonder if students have become too “comfortable” with education in the sense they do not view it as “education” anymore or if Covid really did a number on how students are putting in the effort to learn.

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There is already one student I will always remember. This was one of those moments where I truly felt like an educator, and I succeeded. When I first began student teaching, I was informed by my mentor this one student did not submit any assignments all semester. This student was typically quiet in class and did not engage in class discussions or participate with group work activities. My mentor tried every possible way to get this student to submit their assignments, but the student just chose not to do it. Come to think of it, it is interesting that this student willingly chose to sit in the front of the room. However, one day, while leading a class discussion for The Great Gatsby and asking questions, this same student raised their hand. I called on that student and they said the most insightful comment that promoted more class discussion. This one-time event led to two times they participated and then another—even for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I was in absolute amazement. Finally, it happened. This student submitted their first take home writing assignment ever—an assignment I assigned. Even though this student did not click the “submit” button on Google Classroom, this was one time I did not care if it was marked as “turned in.” To me, it was “turned in.” I graded what was there. Not only did I not penalize this assignment, but I used positive reinforcement in the private comment I left for that student. I acknowledged the time and effort that was put into that response. This was most definitely a rewarding moment. Not only did this student receive an 18/20 on the assignment, but they were using in-class concepts from the previous discussions we were having before they began to raise their hand. This student also incorporated personal commentary. I remember contacting my mentor stating, “Guess what...___submitted an assignment.” The response was, “NO WAY...You got through to them.” That one phrase, “I got through to them” was what struck me. I (a student teacher) already impacted one child in a positive way. It made me teary eyed knowing their grade will now change to a passing grade for the quarter because of this one assignment. I always knew this one student was capable of more than what they lead themselves to believe. I constantly find myself telling students, “I believe in you.” However, I had students tell me, “No one has ever said that to me before...” this one phrase changes their whole attitude and mindset when it comes to learning and students recognize they can do it. This connects to my teaching philosophy—the phrase “I can’t do it” will not exist in my classroom.

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n addition, these past months have taught me not everything is going to go according to plan. When I first began student teaching, I thought every lesson must be structured and follow the university lesson plan template. As a result, every class was similar and to a point, it felt boring. I learned not every class will follow the template to a “T.” Yes, I will have guided practice and independent practice, but it will not happen in the way the template says it will happen (in order). I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried new strategies—it made all the difference. Recognizing these small changes (along with natural timing modifications and modifications in general) can be crucial for student development and understanding of the objectives within the lesson. In the future, I will continue to use new strategies and always try new, fun ways of learning to promote student engagement in class.

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Since I am now long-term subbing (for the second time) I noticed huge growth within myself as an educator. I cannot believe how far I have come within these six months. Specifically, the first time I long-term subbed (before student teaching) the lesson plans were in place, and I was inexperienced. This time around (post student teaching), I was confident in creating my own lesson plans and I have my own “classroom.” I planned everything out until the last day of school! Student teaching fully prepared me for this position. I am using what I was taught and what I have learned from my mentors, supervisor, other teachers, and professors and putting it into action. Although it is a “trial and error” process, I am establishing how I will structure my future classroom and what works for students and student responsiveness. For example, I am teaching Romeo and Juliet. Instead of students reading different parts of the play out loud, one student asked, “Miss M. can we act out the play?” Of course, I did not plan on doing this in class, but I said, “You know what. Absolutely—but there will be some rules.” This is when I addressed appropriateness and how hands will not be on other students, but this small change engaged the class with the reading and understanding of the scene. I have never heard more laughter (in a good way) with Shakespeare. One of the biggest lessons I learned is that students are not the only ones who are learning, teachers are learning, too. We sometimes even grow and develop with students.

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The Interreference of Artificial Intelligence.

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The Interreference of Artificial Intelligence.

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The article, “Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter” (2023), the writer discusses AI technology. Specifically, “AI systems with human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity, as shown by extensive research and acknowledged by top AI labs...AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at general tasks, and we must ask ourselves: Should we let machines flood out information channels with propaganda and untruth?...Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable...we call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4” (Future of Life institute, 2023, 1). This article discusses how AI is becoming more advanced than ever. While incorporating AI in schools, students use this platform as a way to “easily” complete their writing assignments, but not all of the information is correct, and it can be challenging for teachers to detect on software platforms available with suspicion of AI. This article brings to light how the labs creating AI software should put it on pause until individuals [educators] can establish a plan and put it in place to catch and prevent AI usage. As a result, AI should not be accessible at the moment—especially for students. While student teaching I gathered data on student voice, establishing identity, and how technology plays a role. In a nutshell, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming the new student voice which is preventing authentic student identity. What fascinates me is during my first week of student teaching (not knowing the students and their work habits) I was already able to determine who was using AI within their papers. I double checked with my mentor and was given the “yes, this is definitely AI.” I learned Chat GPT are some students best friend when it comes to English and now with the advancement in technology (AI in general). Now, there is Conch AI, which is a step further than regular AI, but it is still not “traceable.” I never thought as a future

English teacher would I have to use software to watch student’s keyboard strokes for an assignment to see if they copied and pasted from elsewhere. This was not the same when I was in school. It is at a point now where our district purchased the Chat GPT extension on Turnitin.com since it has been a growing issue within the school in all subject areas that include forms of writing. Based on this experience, part of me wonders: is this due to Covid-19 or do students just not want to write anymore? If so, why?

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While teaching juniors and preparing them for their college essays and teaching freshmen a “Coming of Age” short story unit, I included my own personal narrative that I wrote for Composing Processes about the “Little Girl in the Frame.” I tied this narrative into one of the college essay prompt questions to show students the connections and how to write a college essay. All sections loved this story and it helped promote their writing. Students recognized teachers also had and continue to experience “Coming of Age” situations—like students. This promotes relevancy, relatability, and most importantly—empathy for students. This lesson helped students understand connections and relate to their own lives, which prompted a narrative about them. This is when all of their student voices and identities came out within their writing. I also learned more about each student based on the topic they wrote about and how it impacted who they are today (growth and development).

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With the freshmen, I had one ACP student who wanted to be in honors but is not yet ready based on a previous discussion with the teacher. Eventually, this is the goal. This student needs one more year of ACP English to excel at the honors level. In fact, the teacher warned me about this since this they tend to rush through work to “get it done.” Typically, this student says, “I do not want to do this,” or “This is dumb,” after I provide an assignment/activity. As a result, this student rushed (since rushing means it is correct) and would not work on anything for the rest of class or the allotted time. This is when the phone came out. This student not only did this with regular class assignments, but i-Ready as well.

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While juniors were working on their college essays, I had a student tell me, “I do not like to write, and I work the best under pressure. I would rather just submit this assignment the night before it is due and not get the credit on the rough draft.” Did I hear this correctly? As a result, the student refused to submit a rough draft of their college essay and would rather take the 0. No matter what I said, this student was resistant. I told them it was silly to lose 10 points for not submitting a rough draft. However, it did not matter. Furthermore, with these groups of AP. Lang., I noticed they do not like feedback on their writing. I have been meeting students individually to discuss their college essays and they are appreciative of the feedback when they meet with me, but then they talk negatively about it with their friends in small groups when they go back to their seats and think I cannot hear or see them. In this case, student voice and identity are almost used in a negative way. There is a clear difference within the class dynamics, but all of them are great students. It is more of the motivation to work or the drive to get them there to be successful.

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In addition, the school’s core values and beliefs state, “The___High School community engages in an environment conducive to learning which believes that all students will read and write effectively, therefore communicating in an articulate and coherent manner. All students will participate in activities that present problem- solving through critical thinking. Students will use technology as a tool applying it to decision making. We believe that by fostering self-confidence, self-directed and student-centered activities, we will promote independent thinkers and learners. We believe ethical conduct to be paramount in sustaining the welcoming school climate that we presently enjoy.” With all students’ backgrounds, this unit provides students with opportunities to explore multiple perspectives and develop critical understandings to promote equity and justice in a diverse society.

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When collecting data, I focused on two freshmen and two junior classes. English 9 ACP and English 11 American Perspectives (ACP) are required to cover classic texts (well-known texts within society) within the curriculum. Not all classes may teach the same books or may select fewer texts as a focus.

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I noticed freshmen love to doodle on their assignments for submission and sometimes do not even write anything at all...Doodling has become part of student voice and identity.

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As an educator, I determined if there are students who feel apprehensive about voicing their thoughts and opinions in the classroom. I helped students build confidence finding their voices in order to establish identity. I used positive reinforcement and encouraged those who do not normally participate to participate. I also analyzed if students are using technology during class time to express their voice and identities or for frivolous use, which can potentially undermine voice and identity and cause a negative impact.

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In the article, “Factoring in Student Technology Use in Literacy Education: A Review of The Class: Living and Learning in the Digital Age” (2018) Chris Gerben discusses the complications and ambiguity with technology in education. He describes how technology is part of identity construction in the 21st century, and the ways identities and digital literacy shape adolescence. Identities are fluid. Specifically, Gerber (2018) states,

In instances like these, where identities are not just clashing but contradicting, too, educators can peek behind students’ lives to see technology use not only as paradoxes but also as literacy-rich activities under no clear purview: Students often seek out these online spaces specifically because they are free from perceived authority, and their teachers are either legally or ethically barred from interacting with them online.  (Gerber, 2018 p. 594)

Identities can be a struggle for adolescents. It is important for educators to use relatable content in order for students to see the relevance within their daily lives to establish identity. Online spaces can be classified as a “safe space” for students to explore identities since they may not physically see someone on the other side of the screen and interact differently on various platforms. As a result, authority figures are not necessarily checking student content—meaning students are not graded on what they post or comment on social media for personal use. This may also promote a student’s freedom of expression through technology.

In addition, in “The Next Decade of Digital Writing” (2018), Troy Hicks discusses adaptations that can be made to technology in education. Specifically, he states, “We need to provide intellectual and emotional space for students to explore new ideas, gather their own evidence, and present academic arguments through media other than just the printed word…” (Hicks, 2018., p. 11). I agree that students need an intellectual and emotional space to explore new ideas, but it does not necessarily have to be through technology. For example, in a course at Fairfield University on teaching writing, we discussed writer’s notebooks and how these are “safe spaces” for students to portray ideas while knowing an educator or adult may not look within these spaces. Technology can be a “safe space” too, but student ideas are out there for others to see—which can create an “unsafe” environment if they aren’t aware of audiences where they post. Writer’s notebooks could be an extremely beneficial way to have students physically write what they are feeling versus an online platform.

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In the article, “‘How Emotional Do I Make It?’: Making a Stance in Multimodal Compositions” (2020), Jennifer Roswell focuses on stance. Specifically, Roswell (2020) describes stance as, the claims that we make and the stories that we tell... Stances can be received and revealed through senses, materials, and designs that people produce. Stance can be manifested in a photo as much as in a written reflection. Stance is intimately bound up with the ways that individuals take notice of things that matter to them. (Roswell, 2020. p. 628) As an educator, I believe stance is a firm belief in something and the promotion of ideas to educate others. These can come from experiences, stories etc. Roswell brings to light that stances can arise anytime, anywhere. It can be within literature, writing, through freedom of expression etc. There is not a “proper” way to promote a stance.

When adolescents take a stance, they are building a foundation of who they are or what they believe. These aspects are important factors that contribute to identity and establishing voice. As an educator, it is important to help encourage students to take a stance. Stances often connect to establishing identity and finding one’s place in the world. In order to collect data on stance, I can ask students where and when they would take a stance.

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If educators incorporate technology into education, it is important to see how students interact with technology (searching, surfing, and stumbling) when it comes to online learning. In the article, “Connected Reading: A Framework for Understanding How Adolescents Encounter, Evaluate, and Engage With Texts in the Digital Age” (2019), Kristen Hawley Turner et al.  discuss the importance of texts and how it contributes to a student’s online learning and development. Specifically, Turner et al. (2019) state, “The overlap among searching, surfing, and stumbling leads to questions about intentionality and how a reader moves between practices, yet the data clearly showed that there was some sort of active engagement—the readers themselves were agents—through these practices” (Turner, 2019. p. 300). It is interesting how there is a difference between searching, surfing, and stumbling. When I think of “searching,” I think looking for resources that are beneficial in that given situation. With “surfing,” I feel this is more towards just browsing the web with no intentions and it is for shopping and entertainment. With “stumbling,” I think of coming across information at an unexpected time, but this information can be beneficial and useful for a given topic or idea.

Similarly, in “Digital Literacy (Still) Can’t Wait: Renewing and Reframing the Conversation” (2022) Kristen Hawley Turner and Troy Hicks describe how technology can be beneficial for students. For example, they write “Teachers used a variety of tools during the pandemic: Google Classroom, Zoom, Padlet, Edpuzzle, Gimkit, Nearpod—the list is long. Often, however, the use of tools was in service of content delivery” (Turner and Hicks, 2022. p. 88). In today’s society, many more platforms of educational technology have been developed. Now that students and teachers have experience with online platforms, it is familiarized and integrated more into a classroom setting. The importance of this article is that technology can be beneficial within education—but only to a certain extent. Students can receive an education online, but they lack the true essence of being in a classroom with potential limited resources (white boards, hands on activities, or utilizing the classroom in general). Although a student is able to communicate with their educator online, it is challenging to receive that true and effective sit-down one-on-one assistance versus looking at a camera and talking to a teacher. Zoom, Google Meet, and WebEx etc. can only do so much for a child’s education. There is more to a student learning and development with some lecturing and instruction versus all online. It is one concept to utilize these resources as resources, but it is another to replace teaching with these platforms. As a result, students are lost and confused.

Furthermore, in the article, “‘I’d Still Prefer to Read the Hard Copy’: Adolescents’ Print and Digital Reading Habits” (2018) Chin Ee Loh and Baoqi Sun, describe how educators should incorporate technology within education when necessary. They state, “Understanding when, for whom, and how reading is done is crucial for developing complex understandings of how different technologies are used differently for different purposes” (Loh, 2018., p. 664). I agree with this statement. There are specific times and places to incorporate technology within the classroom, but it does not have to be for all assignments. In today’s society, I feel this concept is lost and technology is used as a replacement versus enhancing student learning.