​​Literacy Memoir by Emma Somrak https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir en-us 2021-09-09 16:44:02 UTC 2026-02-08 05:36:22 UTC hello@padlet.com ELA Middle School & High School Experiences somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1808315935 All of my middle and high school literacy experiences were based on test preparations. Most assignments, tasks, and assessments were based on the next formal assessment or state standardized test. Recently, in other classes, we have discussed whether or not you should disclose a lesson with "this will be on the test," because it changes the experience from learning to pure memorization for the test. I can't specifically remember any differentiation that was done in middle or high school, but in elementary school, I can remember there being a choice in assessment/ progress monitoring. When it came to studying vocabulary words we would have a choice in how we wanted to express them and work through the ideas. Some of the options were repetitive writing, a small skit, a story, a video, and a picture, just to name a few. As I grew older, I felt as if there were less creative options throughout my language arts classes and things became more rigid regarding rubrics, outlines, and required details. Furthermore, the only type of reading I can vividly remember was for the AR tests. Seventh grade through high school I remember my teachers mandating the AR reading tests. Students would cram for points and guess on the tests, instead of ever making a meaningful connection with the text.  ]]> 2021-10-11 17:16:20 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1808315935 Perspectives from field – Students. Teachers. somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1808350261 In my first school for this field experience, there were a lot  of diverse social perspectives present in my classes. From students of different languages, religions, socioeconomic status, sexualities, and abilities, every student was unique.

Student Persectives -
"Why am I learning this."
"How is this relevant to my daily life, I have to go home and work."
"I am so cold."
"I am so tired."
"I am so hungry."
"I don't understand what he is saying, these computer memorization games aren't helping."
"Why does my teacher never ask how I am going or talk with me about the lesson. Just because I do okay memorizing information for the tests doesn't mean I understand."
"I don't understand the jokes he makes."
"Why does my friend always get kicked out of the class, he isn't learning anything that way."
"I wish I could draw or type my notes, writing is so hard for me."
"I am so embarrassed to ask for a pencil and paper everyday."
"Other teachers give us reading guides, can't he give us something?"
I had many students tell me about their home situations and how they spend their time outside of school working. A lot of students also dealt with family issues at school, which made them nervous to act out and especially for dismissal. 

My classroom had a seventh grade science teacher. Multiple times he admitted to me that he gave up on his students with disabilities because he was stuck on the suggestions on the educational plans. He didn't know how to implement them because they were slightly basic, but also wasn't making an effort to reach out to families, intervention specialists, or even make connections with the student. Literacy and differentiation did not have a place in his classroom lessons. Every single student regardless of diverse needs, engaged in the same exact curriculum in the same exact way, with no relevant connection to their daily lives or needs. 
"Writing down definitions will help students have a copy of the notes."
"Doing this EdPuzzle is a change from me lecturing."
"Kicking him out of the classroom helps other students learn."]]> 2021-10-11 17:30:39 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1808350261 Emma Artifact (Spotify Playlist) somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1850105589 I chose to create a playlist with music as music is something so integral to my life. I have built a music taste based on experiences I have gone through and cultivated playlists to match specific feelings and moods. Therefore, I wanted to create a playlist that symbolized where I feel like I am at in life, right now. I am going to describe each song with a sentence that explains how it plays a role in who I am told.
  1. Breadwinner by Kacey Musgraves
    • Breadwinner is a song that I find empowering. She sings about finding personal success in your own work and livelihood. "He will never no what to do with a woman like you," reminding me of the values my mom instilled in me to never forget my own worth.
  2. Nothing from Nothing by Mac Miller
    • Mac Miller has been the most influential artist throughout my life for as long as I can remember. His music and the messages within have moved mountains for me. This track specifically, I find beautiful and resonate most with, "not trynna be your hero." Oftentimes friendships and relationships can strip you of everything you have, but you must continue to live your life for yourself. I have dealt with one-sided relationships and friendships for as long as I can remember, and I feel like this is something that continues to shape me into the person I am today.
  3. Window by Still Woozy
    • This song is incredibly upbeat and positive, and truly can change my entire mood around when I listen to it. It reminds me of the good things in the world and encourages me to destress and try to avoid the anxious thoughts in my head by thinking about the good decisions in my life that have gotten me to this point. 
  4. Heat Waves by Glass Animals
    • This is another song that helps cheer me up when I am dealing with personal struggles. Currently, when things get busy and hard, I struggle with finding the positive things in life. I focus more on the negatives and dig myself into a hole and it "feels like I can't fight it." Yet through music and reflecting on positive memories I am able to put myself out of the bad places.
  5. Good Days by SZA 
    • Another just good song that helps me think clearly. Personally, I noticed when I have songs that I truly fall in love with, it helps the negative thoughts disappear and causes me to relax. As mentioned,  I currently struggle with friendship and relationships, so the line, "feels like  I wasted the best of me on you" would describe a thought/ feeling that I consistently have.
  6. One Man Can Change The World
    • I first heard this song in high school and worked on learning to sign it in America Sign Language, with my lifelong mentor. Not only does this song provide me with the nostalgic belief my mentor has in me, but each lyric resonates and inspires strenght.
  7. 1 step forward, 3 steps back by Olivia Rodrigo
    • I wanted to include this song because it expresses how my anxiety consistently feels in my life. The story she describes resembles this game of back and forth I deal with I my head. Day to day interactions or thoughts in my head will often feel like  back tracking on progress.
  8. Hometown Glory by Adele
    • An old song, but one that still feels just as powerful every time I listen to it. Adele sings about her hometown and the various feelings she has around it, and what 'feels' like a hometown. When moving to college and living here, I wonder about my hometown and how it's where everything came from. Life felt simple and safe there, and well, college and living alone is just a lot. 
  9. no tears left to cry by Ariana Grande
    • While I am not typically an Ariana Grande fan, this song represents some growth that I feel like I have in my life. While at times I do cry and get upset, other times I am able to maturely move-on and just not let things bother me, a long-term goal I have for myself.
  10. Once a Day by Mac Miller
    • Of course, I had to include another Mac Miller long because a lot of his music is so influential to my life and meanings. These lyrics talk about more feelings about anxiety with, "what ifs." Anxiety is something I seriously struggle with so listening to music that shares this makes me feel more normal with my journey. 
]]> 2021-10-28 02:51:23 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1850105589 Learning Plan somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1850110183 6th Grade ELA Reading/ Writing Activity 

Standards
RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.6.2 Analyze informational text development.
  • Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details.
  • Provide an objective summary of the text that includes the central idea and relevant
    details.
RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

Why this Lesson?:
An concept that really inspired me from the film, “Making Writing Meaningful,” was getting students to understand the power of their voices. Students are capable of "pulling themselves into something to then think differently about the world." Futhermore,  inspiring kids to pair their imagination/ energy with a simulating idea, the possibilities are endless.

Lesson Specifics:
Specifically, my lesson would be similar to the one presented in the video, “Making Writing Meaningful,” where students used current events to stimulate reading and writing. The students will begin discussing current events as a class, looking at the different factors, modalities, and realities of current event reporting. The teacher should provide the students with different, yet specific current events. After students have began to actively engage, read, and ask questions about the readings, the teacher should inspire independent investigation of various online current event sources.  Furthermore, the teacher can even use sources like CNN Student News.

After the students feel confident in their researching current event abilities and are discussing different ideas, students will begin the project. (Previously in this class there should have been a lesson about identities, or cultures). Students should begin to look for current events related to their own identity or culture. Using the same research and questioning skills, students should begin to think critically about the news they find. They can talk with peers or their teacher about it (collaboration). They can journal (writer's notebook) about what the article is about and what it makes them think/ feel. They can also include anything else they know about the specific topic.

Finally, after all of this inquiry, students should write a letter to the editor, or a leader in the community about what they think. The students should keep in mind the perspective of the author, and incorporate their own perspectives and ideas.

More Reasoning Behind It:
This lesson begins to get students started I looking into current events and different things happening all around them. Students can also begin to feel connected to and stand up for their identity and culture. Here are some more connections to “Making Writing Meaningful,” that served as a basis for my lesson: 
  • Student centered classroom lesson. 
  • Student choice to motivate students. 
    • Student choice in current events that are relatable and relevant.
  • Incorporating the world around us.
  • Students can research deeper and more meaningful topics.
  • Students are able to channel their feelings and expression through writing.
  • Letter writing teaches students another way to feel heard!
  • Developing more meaningful writing as their are true connections to self. 
]]> 2021-10-28 02:53:14 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1850110183 Final Theme: Search for Identity & Self somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1911305610 From my  general knowledge and from what I have noticed from my field experiences, most middle schoolers are struggling to find out "who they are." A middle schoolers search for their identity can be difficult and confusing, therefore, as I develop my final project I have decided to base my theme around identity and self. It is stated here that, "the development of a confident and stable sense of self is one of the key tasks of being a teenager" (Watson, 2019). Middle schools are unfortunately filled with bullying and judgement, helping middle schoolers to find their identity and self will not only help them with combating this issue, but it will build up their confidence and self-esteem.

Implementing your students' interests and identity has been long integrated into teaching pedagogies and philosophies. Specifically, the text, Cultivating Genius (2020) by Gholdy Muhammad, really emphasizes and supports this main idea. As shared by Muhammad (2020), the most effective lessons and instructions come when there is authenticity of students' "histories, identities, and literacy and language practices" (49). Therefore, in order to have meaningful and successful lessons, teachers must guide and support students in the search for their identity.]]> 2021-11-24 20:49:05 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1911305610 Search for Identity & Self: Writer's-Reader's Notebook somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1911323409 As mentioned in Reif's text, Read, Write, Teach, writer's-reader's notebooks serve as an excellent tool for students. Writer's-reader's notebooks allow for creativity to explode in various formats. Writer's-reader's notebooks are accessible to diverse learners as there are so many different ways students can express themselves within them, writing, drawing, finding excerpts from newspapers, online quotes, and so much more. Student's can use their writer's-reader's notebooks as a personal diary, or as a more formal way to organize their thoughts for writing assignments. Writer's-reader's notebooks give students a personal way to explore through writing. Reif specifically states that a writer's-reader's notebooks "allow choice, time, and practice with no regard to writing and reading," (2014, 42). More importantly, in regards to self, writer's-reader's notebooks allow students to reflect on their growth and realize that their  "voices need to be heard. as they wonder, question, argue, reason, change their minds, or affirm their thinking" (Reif, 2014, 43).

This website expands more on the ideas for and benefits of writer's-reader's notebooks. ]]> 2021-11-24 21:08:25 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1911323409 Search for Identity & Self: Peer Teaching Activity somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1911337436 When students are good at something, like a hobby or sport, it is likely that they are good at it and even qualified to teach about it. In helping students find themselves, this is an activity that can be integrated into any content area of subjects. First beginning with two cards, students will answer the following  questions in regards to that subject's content area.

- For the first one, students will write something they would like to know how to do and still might be unsure about.
- On the second card, students will write something they are. really good at, even maybe an expert. 

This first part is valuable as students get to be self-reflective. More so, they have to think deeply in order to answer both questions.

After these cards are finished, the teacher can hang them on the wall and students have the opportunity to look at the other cards and start a conversation with other students. 

This is a valuable activity when supporting students' identity as they get to be the expert about something. Hopefully a classmate  will come up to them and they will get to share what they know. This activity can be done to review information, or even with outside of school interests and information.

This idea of students being experts goes beyond the classroom lessons and expands to so many aspects of daily life. Students are experts of what they experience. Making their perspectives and beliefs ever so valuable. Allowing and motivating students to become experts, they are becoming more involved and engaged in the classroom.

]]> 2021-11-24 21:24:36 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1911337436 Search for Identity & Self: Student Interest Inventory somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912876239 Student inventories have been widely discussed in many of my classes. They allow for teachers to get to know their students in a better, more meaningful way. Often times, these inventories are used in younger grades, such as elementary school, but I think they can be equally as valuable in middle and high school. Adapting your questions to be age specific can help with the effectiveness of these inventories. 

Being able to understand your middle school students' interests and personal inventory will help you tailor the curriculum to them personally. Students' identity and sense of self will be validated in any classroom where their interests, preference's, and more are being taken into account.]]> 2021-11-25 15:45:37 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912876239 Search for Identity & Self: Debriefing Questions somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912887764 Another method that can be easily incorporated into any content area or lesson that amplifies student voice is using debriefing questions. Debriefing questions should change to fit various activities, outcomes and goals, and participate' identities. These. questions can  be used with both standard lessons or critical, deeper thinking lessons. They allow students to reflect on the lesson that just happened. Students are given a voice and are able to critique and reflect upon. 

Debriefing questions help strengthen student identity as well as it allows them to reflect and think about how they individually worked through a lesson or idea. This is another activity that amplifies student voice and perspective, strengthening their sense of belonging in the classroom. ]]> 2021-11-25 15:53:06 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912887764 Search for Identity & Self: Introduction Activities somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912902797 Developing a strong and genuine community among your  classroom for your students is vital for their success.  There should be diligent efforts starting in the beginning of the year that encourage students to be open and share  about themselves.

The question I attached above provides a suitable example of how students can meaningfully introduce themselves to their peers. Of course, I think building a classroom community is a well-thought out process, but after surface level discussions, this example is a great option. It is integral that teachers properly support and empower their students so that they feel open and capable to share deeper things with their classmates and peers. 

Using meaningful questioning and prompts like this is beneficial for students to develop their identities and sense of self as they are asked to reflect on who they are and reflect on their sense of being within the classroom community. If this activity goes positively, it also will hopefully provide students with a positive community in their classroom.

After an activity like this, it would be to debrief the activity so that students are not left being raw and overwhelmed with emotions. A possible debrief question may be, "How can you find out meaningful information about your peers in the future? What is the value in that?"]]> 2021-11-25 16:03:05 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912902797 Search for Identity & Self: I Believe Activity somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912922680 "I believe" activities challenge students to share their beliefs on controversial topics, this activity helps students examine their unique perspectives and consider why their fellow participants may feel differently. 

This activity can obviously be adjusted depending on the grade level within middle school but should provide students to be open and reflective about their own and their peers ideas and opinions. Again, I think  this is an activity that can only be successful once a strong sense of classroom community and being is developed. 

Attached above I have found a lesson plan and activity that would work execute this idea through a more formal assessment. Before this more formal assignment, this lesson can be introduced with a classroom activity. Corners of the classroom can be labeled with “always true”, “sometimes true” and “rarely true” — with space for students to move near. The teacher or students will take turn readings statements surrounding a variety of inclusion topics or even more narrowed to fit specific classroom goals or topics. Students will move to different areas of the room to answer the question respective to what they believe. 
Potential questions may be: 
  • (Your school name) is welcoming to people of all racial backgrounds.
  • Most students in my classes are of the same race as me.
  • People are basically good.
  • A hardworking person can overcome their lack of privilege.

This activity gets students to be reflective on what they believe and why. Anytime students reflect on their beliefs and what they think, they are strengthening their identity.
]]> 2021-11-25 16:16:08 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912922680 Search for Identity & Self: 30-Day Challenge somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912936910 During many of these activities, there is a large component of self-reflection. Some students might be anxious when they begin to reflect on who they are. All of these activities can pose different challenges for students. 

30-day challenges in the classroom can helps students establish new habits and commit to a growth mindset.

The activity that I attached above might be beneficial for students who are struggling to find their identity and sense of self. This 30-day challenge works to help students commit to being nice and inclusive of their classmates. If students are struggling, this gives them something to think about that will be something simple they can complete each day that betters themselves and the entire classroom community.]]> 2021-11-25 16:25:41 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912936910 Search for Identity & Self: Super Self Cartoon somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912947734 This next activity that I found is another option that allows for individual expression. The Super Self Cartoon activity gets students to take a personality test. While personality tests are not the end all be all of students finding  themselves and their identity, it can help students to get started and potentially even compare. 

With the data from the personality test and what they already know about themselves, they will begin to answer questions found on this activity and set goals. After students begin to develop this initial part, they will get to be creative and start the art making activity. Students will take what they learned from the personality test and apply it to their cartoon. They will draw their “Super Self” or ideal person. Their super power will be what they are good at or what they aim to be. They will exaggerate one component of their features, show their power in the drawing, write out their power, and color the whole page with colored pencils.  

This entire activity is great as it has multimodal aspects and helps students build their sense of identity. Students can look at their peers and ask each other questions.]]> 2021-11-25 16:33:44 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912947734 Search for Identity & Self: Prompting for Core Competencies somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912956521 This attachment begins to look at core competencies for students. Each different document provides a separate prompt that students can incorporate within their writer's-reader's notebooks. 

These prompts help guide students with what they need to do and guide them to see if they have accomplished it.

This scaffolded support helps guide students who may be struggling to stay on task and incorporate aspects of self into their assignments. All of the major topics such as personal awareness and responsibility, and positive personal and cultural identity will help students continue to build their identity and sense of being. ]]> 2021-11-25 16:40:25 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912956521 Search for Identity & Self: Real-Life Connections somrakej https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912966234 This news article examines a school that set up its students in to the House, Senate, and committees. The  students discussed real life uses such as environmental hunting and technology in schools. Students were encouraged to be involved, especially when it pertained to their individual interests. 

This activity connected what the students were learning to real-life situations and scenarios. Students' used Model Legislation which just furthered the legitimacy of the activity. 

This real-life activity helped build students sense of identity. As mentioned, students were able to incorporate their individual interests in to the activity, and then learn and grow was a student body.]]> 2021-11-25 16:47:43 UTC https://padlet.com/somrakej/literacymemoir/wish/1912966234