https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7 Fairfield University - EDUC 6999 - Summer 2022 en-us 2022-06-13 03:58:06 UTC 2025-05-11 12:05:51 UTC hello@padlet.com howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219043949 2022-06-13 04:03:15 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219043949 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219044834 2022-06-13 04:04:33 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219044834 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219045631 2022-06-13 04:05:51 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219045631 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219048687 It is my firm belief that schools should act as sites for student learning but that it should not be limited to the confines of a classroom. I am committed to furthering the idea that schools should act as a stepping stone toward the independent learning journeys of students as they continue their lives as lifelong learners. Schools should be sites where students can take in and process information as they gain knowledge of the world around them, but schools also must be sites in which students learn crucial skills needed to fully experience the world around them after their formal educational years.

Schools can prepare students with these skills within the classroom, but they can also implement an experiential learning model to maximize student learning; this can look like simulations, role playing activities, mock trials or debates, and more (Zhou and Brown, 2015, p.53-54). Student learning should be at the forefront of schools so that students are well-equipped to succeed later in life.]]> 2022-06-13 04:10:33 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219048687 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219050045 Some features of my teaching practice include making a positive contribution to the lives of students. This could be done in many ways, but as a social studies teacher, I can do this by teaching them about the world, its people, and its cultures. While learning about these subjects, students will be given the opportunity for multiple means of engagement so that they can best derive a deeper understanding from learning activities.

My teaching practice emphasizes cooperation and collaboration, whether this be in the form of group work or class discussions. I want students to communicate with each other about their thoughts and ideas as they relate to the learning material. This lends to the essential features of my learning community, which I will carefully curate.

My learning community will aim to make all students feel heard and appreciated in the classroom. When students feel safe and comfortable enough to share their ideas in class, not only will they receive helpful insight on their ideas that they can then use to further develop their thoughts, but they will offer a unique perspective on a subject that their peers can consider in their thought process.

This will help to create a learning environment where students can learn from each other– not only from their teacher. Peer modeling, as described, can promote the sentiment of self-ownership over one’s education, which then causes students to be more engaged in their learning. This can be supported by Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development, but specifically by the stage of industry versus inferiority which occurs between the ages of 5 and 12 years (Zhou and Brown, 2015, p. 72). Through this, students will become active participants in their learning community and will later be able to use those experiences to become active participants in their communities and in society at large.

A good teaching practice is a reflective teaching practice in which the teacher will consistently reflect on prior teaching experiences in order to inform future decisions; what has proven to be beneficial may be maintained until it proves otherwise, and what has not been beneficial for students should be adjusted so that it better serves the learning community.

]]> 2022-06-13 04:12:41 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219050045 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219050997 In a learning environment such as the one I have described, it is important that equity, diversity and inclusion goals are exceeded. For students to feel safe and comfortable enough to share their ideas with the class, students must feel included in the learning community and must know that they and their ideas have value.

It is my responsibility to ensure that all students are receiving an equitable education. Diversity in ability, culture, race, language, socioeconomic status, and academic performance will be acknowledged and embraced in the classroom through featuring differences like these in the learning materials and activities. No student should feel like they have an unwanted spotlight on them, so they will not be required to share personal details at any point, but students will be encouraged to share about their lived experiences with myself and others when they find a connection to it in a lesson.

That being said, lessons will be reflective of the learning community that engages with them, so students will be able to relate to the subject matter that they are learning about in some way. This will help students feel included in the learning activities and materials because they will be able to see some part of themselves in the stories that they read about, listen to, or view. Diversity will not be ignored in the name of creating equity. Rather, it will be integrated into student learning opportunities by discussing differences between students and people all over the world prior to highlighting and discussing the key similarities that are shared between students and groups.

Materials will be meticulously selected to meet the specific learning needs of students so that each student has the opportunity to engage in the subject matter at whatever level that is most appropriate for them in order to make their learning process most effective. Inclusion is vital for collaboration to occur in the learning community, so I, as a teacher, will strive toward making all students feel as though they play an important role in the classroom and will not allow any students to feel like they are isolated or alone in their school environment.

All students will be respected as human beings and as valued members of the classroom community under these goals of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

]]> 2022-06-13 04:14:05 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219050997 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219053218 Over the last few years, I feel that I have learned a significant amount about what it means to maintain equity in the classroom and in society. All of the courses that I have taken as a graduate student at Fairfield University have taught me that, in order to have equity, there needs to be access. Students must have access to the same resources as their peers and these resources should have variety in reading levels, topics, perspectives, and audiences.

There are many educational philosophies and theories that I have come across (many of which were learned in Philosophical Foundations of Education, Teaching and Learning within Multicultural Contexts of Education, and Educational Psychology), and there are benefits and shortcomings that go along with all of them depending on the students in which they are used to support. This has caused me to arrive at the conclusion that students are getting a disservice if they are only receiving an education that follows a limited collection of theories, models, and philosophies. In order for students to become well-rounded individuals, they need to receive a well-rounded education that is guided by, and not strictly adhered to, an eclectic approach to education. What is received well by one student may do the opposite for another student, and this will change with each group of students that I will come across over the course of my teaching career.

This is something I was confronted with during my student teaching experience, as I was placed in a highly diverse middle school setting in Stratford, CT. About 1/3 of the students that I worked with throughout my student teaching received special education services, so it was crucial that I used differentiated instruction to benefit those students. What I found, though, was that all students benefited from this type of approach to instruction-- this solidified the idea that all students need to be at the focus of their education and will not receive the education that they deserve if they are served with an education featuring a one-size-fits-all mentality. This may mean breaking away from the structure of a "traditional" instructional model toward a more innovative and eclectic educational philosophy.

Students should be met where they are and will be guided further along their educational journeys through my instruction; they will not be expected to compete with students of the past or even with their peers. Students will only be “competing with” who they were yesterday. 

While I have learned not to “reinvent the wheel,” in my instruction, in consideration of all that I have learned and experienced, I believe that the “wheel” must be adaptable so that it can best serve the specific needs of the students that I currently teach and collaborate with, not just the students that I have worked with in the past.

]]> 2022-06-13 04:17:23 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219053218 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219054070 2022-06-13 04:18:37 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219054070 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219055365 2022-06-13 04:20:17 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219055365 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219056575 2022-06-13 04:22:02 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219056575 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219058598 We live in a modern technological world. Students engage with technology every day, and learning content material through this technology can help students to receive information better and can help students with specific learning needs and accessibility needs. Today’s students have strong relationships with technology– why not embrace it?

]]> 2022-06-13 04:24:30 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219058598 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219061049 Give students choices for how they’d like to best engage in learning activities and allow for multiple means of expression! Not only will this help students in their human development, as seen in Erikson's stage of industry versus inferiority, but it will also help engage them to form more powerful understandings of the information and material shared in the classroom.]]> 2022-06-13 04:27:52 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219061049 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219075535 Students can have a difficult time sitting still and staying focused for an entire class period. This is true for students from all backgrounds and ability levels. Student learning will improve from using motor skills in the classroom. This may be seen through something smaller like using a finger to follow along with the class while reading, or it can be seen through reviewing terms by passing a ball around the room. It may also be seen by having students visit different stations in the classroom that are dedicated to a certain topic that relates to the overall lesson being featured during that class period. This will allow students who have hyperactivity to have built-in movement breaks in the day and it will also allow all students to engage in the lesson in a less-traditional but highly interactive manner. ]]> 2022-06-13 04:45:22 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219075535 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219083555 Integrating out-of-date technology into classroom learning would defeat the purpose of producing well-informed and technologically literate lifelong learners. Attending professional development workshops and playing an active role in my professional learning network will help to keep me informed about the most effective classroom technology that is being used for and by students each day.]]> 2022-06-13 04:54:57 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219083555 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219108728 Students will want to feel freedom in all areas of their lives, especially in grades 7-12. Too many options can be overwhelming, but too few options can feel restrictive. Allow students the option to choose what type of activity they will participate in to learn the lesson’s material. Give options that are more visual on some days of the week, like Edpuzzles, videos, or political cartoons, and give options that are more traditionally academic on other days. This might include activities with an emphasis on reading or writing.

All students should participate in all types of activities to help them develop the skills needed for each, but if a student learns more effectively and efficiently in one way than another, that student must be given plenty of opportunities to learn in the way that is best suited to their learning needs. In this theme, students will be given opportunities to express their learning in a variety of ways that may include creating art, podcasts, videos, essays, or other forms of expression for assessment.

]]> 2022-06-13 05:24:24 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219108728 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219128858 Some students process information differently than others, and that is totally okay! Whether it be due to restlessness, hyperactivity, or sheer preference, some people process information best through bodily/kinesthetic movement (Zhou and Brown, 2015, p. 81). Give students the best chance they can have to access information in an interactive or hands-on way. Create moments during class or during a lesson that allow for movement in some way. This can be done in a variety of ways as mentioned under Goal #3, but that list is not exhaustive. Younger grades specifically might benefit from movement breaks using GoNoodle as a way to reset and refocus.  

]]> 2022-06-13 05:47:15 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219128858 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219133203 2022-06-13 05:52:23 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219133203 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219138213 It is always important to be a reflective educator and consider the ways in which you can better your classroom. Let's explore a few questions that might help inform research that will help in achieving the mentioned professional goals.]]> 2022-06-13 05:57:12 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219138213 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219140232 2022-06-13 05:59:40 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219140232 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219146210 2022-06-13 06:06:00 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219146210 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219150390 2022-06-13 06:10:18 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219150390 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219154961 2022-06-13 06:15:14 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219154961 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219157132 2022-06-13 06:17:30 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219157132 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219157959 2022-06-13 06:18:23 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219157959 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219158242 2022-06-13 06:18:43 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219158242 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219158702 2022-06-13 06:19:15 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219158702 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219159087 2022-06-13 06:19:41 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219159087 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219159825 2022-06-13 06:20:21 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219159825 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219163398 2022-06-13 06:24:22 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219163398 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219166400 Throughout my graduate studies at Fairfield University, I have learned that I, as a teacher, am determined to create the ideal learning environment for all students. This would mean making sure that all students feel important and valued as learners and as people. All students should feel heard. All students should have access. This is the minimum needed to cultivate equity in the classroom. 

I have learned that it is my responsibility as a teacher to foster both academic growth and to inspire personal growth for my students, and this means maintaining a learning community that is formed on the basis of respect. Respect for others is crucial, but respect for oneself is most important. Students need this first in order to receive and process any lesson in the way that they deserve to. As a teacher, it is my goal to make students feel like they have an important role to play in the classroom and in the community. Due to this, I have learned that I value skill-building as a piece of my instruction. If I prepare students well, it means that I am equipping them with the necessary tools and skills needed for any path that they may take as adults and lifelong learners. 

Most importantly, I have learned that, as a teacher, I value the overall wellbeing of students, and while some may say that academics must take precedence over a child's wellbeing, I believe that there should not have to be a choice of one over the other. As a teacher, it is my job to create a balance between the two while also helping students harness their natural curiosity of the world so that they feel empowered throughout their lives to continue learning.]]> 2022-06-13 06:27:24 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219166400 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219167423 As a learner, I have come to the conclusion that I have an insatiable hunger for growth. My goal for my students to become lifelong learners is one that I model in my own life. I am proud of how far I have come so far in my formal education, and as I have studied and implemented countless theories and strategies for education and learning, I have discovered that I have been well-prepared to continue learning outside of formal academia. Although the idea of expanding my formal educational years sounds appealing to an extent, I have learned that, as a learner, I do well when I have time for independent study. Learning within a classroom has its clear advantages, such as providing an organized forum for discourse related to a subject.

Throughout my time as a graduate student at Fairfield University, though, I learned that you can find community wherever you are. Where there is community, there is learning. It is natural for communities to share ideas and skills amongst its members. As a learner, I have found that I can cultivate my own learning community in which I can continue to develop in my education.

Personal learning communities can be formed through the connections I have made as a student, or I can simply become more active in those that I had entered while taking my Educational Technology class. I can participate in a professional learning community as well, in which I will attend workshops and create professional development opportunities. My life as a learner is far from over, even though my time in this program is.]]> 2022-06-13 06:28:25 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219167423 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219168925 As a teacher researcher, I have learned that it is a good thing to always want to improve a situation. Even if there is not a clear issue presented in my classroom, I should still exercise a teacher-researcher mindset so that I can better serve the students I am teaching. I have learned that I strive to find balance between ideas, theories, and strategies, and that is where my teacher research questions tend to develop from.

I dislike the idea that there is only a single solution to a problem or challenge. When working and collaborating with so many individuals on a daily basis, one solution simply will not be the best solution for all. The best solutions, I have found, are those that are adaptable and that can be molded to fit in any learning environment so that the specific learning needs of students are met and exceeded. As a teacher researcher, I have learned that multiple sources and theories should be considered when determining the best strategies to use for a  classroom so that learning is holistic and just as diverse, if not more diverse, than the people involved. With this mindset, I will be able to achieve the overall goal of any teacher research that I engage in, which is to create and maintain equity in schools.

I have learned that, to conduct effective teacher research, I must be reflective on my practices and must "be awake" to my classroom and the students in it.

]]> 2022-06-13 06:29:50 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219168925 howarda50 https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219233049 2022-06-13 07:36:13 UTC https://padlet.com/howarda50/40xlaohe5kx8lye7/wish/2219233049