How to become a successful teacher

One can choose a job or a career. Now what's the difference between the two? A job is something you do to obtain money to pay every daily need; a career is a passion that is being done not for money, but for the love of the profession. There are two types of teachers, the ones who view teaching as a job and the ones who view teaching as a career; and those who are "workers, have no future." Successful teachers know that "what counts is not the number of hours you put in but how much you put into those hours." In the same way, successful teachers spend every single day trying to impact the life of their students.
Great teachers are professionals and professionals "are the happiest, make the most money, get the most respect, and are the most successful." Now a professional teacher knows how to work in a complex environment by always being "on an endless journey of looking for new and better ideas, new information, and improved skills to succeed with students." The one who chooses to become a teacher, chooses to never stop learning!
http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/what-makes-a-great-teacher/
http://www.couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/good-teaching/
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar93/vol50/num06/Why-Teachers-Must-Become-Change-Agents.aspx

Cooperative Learning

In chapter 24 Mr. Wong talks about cooperative learning which refers "to a set of instructional techniques whereby students work in small, mixed-ability learning groups." All classrooms should incorporate cooperative learning to the daily routines. For example, cooperative learning in a classroom can be seen when an experiment is being done in a science classroom. When working in a group it is very important that everyone is assigned a job so that they all receive the information being covered in the activity. Not only should each person complete their own jobs, but they should understand what the others are doing in order to prove comprehension and the effectiveness of cooperative learning.
Now in my classroom, cooperative learning will definitely be present because of the dual language program I will follow. With teaching a bilingual class it is a key factor to emphasize TWO languages and activities with TWO partners or more. I want to be the teacher that "prepares students for the world." In group work "students learn to care about and become committed to others' success as well as their own." Being committed to others will not only be seen in school, it will also be done in jobs, organizations, and relationships. I will teach my students to support one another and the importance behind having a great support group. More knowledge will be created with the shared ideas from every smart and different mind. Like Mr. Wong suggested, call those around you with the same interest your "support buddies." I will the teacher of the support class!
https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/developing-assignments/group-work/group-work-classroom-types-small-groups

https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/benefits.html
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/structured-groups

What does a test really do?

Test have changed the meaning of education. In chapter chapter 23 Mr. Wong states something that all effective teachers will agree with, "test are given to find out if the students have accomplished the objectives of the assignment." With that being said it is important to remind teachers that test are not made "to remind students whether they are smart, average, or dumb"; test are created to help the teacher understand where the student stands and what must be done so that the child is where he needs to be academically wise. A test should help the teacher "remediate and correct for student mastery" and "students should be graded on a percentage system where they are to only compete against themselves" and strive to be better than they were yesterday! An effective teacher writes a test  when writing objectives because every test question comes from one objective. Now not every student will master every topic covered and that is definitely okay! As teachers, we know that every child is different and every child has a different learning style, but that doesn't mean we are not going to take action and offer corrective help to students. A way to help a student master a certain objective, after failing a test, is to take a different approach. A different approach meaning a different explanation or the addition of objects that fit the students learning style. Teachers " you are teaching for accomplishment, and you want everyone to succeed", use test as tools not as enemies.

http://www.tc.columbia.edu/academic/tesol/WJFiles/pdf/Perrone_Forum.pdf
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/testing/
http://www.teachhub.com/top-12-ways-rev-classroom-review-strategies

The Role of a Teacher is Not to Cover, but to UNCOVER! Chapter 21 & 22

In chapter 21-22 Mr. Wong covers topics that all fall under the main idea of being an effective teacher. "There is no right way[to be a teacher]", states Mr. Wong, but there are "fundamentals and understandings" that teachers must know. Just as much as teachers work hard, students must correspond in the same way. Now in the United States students seem to perform poorly when it comes to academics. " Fewer than one in five students think it is important to get good grades", performance in school is not being set as a priority for students in America. All reasons for low performance sum up to equal: lack of interest in education.

There exist two types of teachers, one who ask themselves, "What am I going to cover tomorrow?" and the other who ask themselves, "What do I want my students to learn?" One focuses on themselves and the other one focuses on the students, which will probably be the question that will lead to outstanding student performance. Ineffective teachers give broad assignments compared to effective teachers who give detailed instructions to their assignments and establish what should be learned at the end of the lesson. A textbook has two purposes, one being the use of it as a resource to finding additional information and the other being the replacement of the teacher. For example, a teacher may hand out a packet for the whole week that is based off of the book, the students are expected to complete it by Friday and be prepared to quiz over it; the students have had to rely on the textbook to learn something, rather than learn with the teachers explanation of the topic being covered by the lesson plan. Most lesson plans have objectives, an objective benefits both the teacher and the students. The teacher is able to plan ahead and establish what is to be done by the students. The student benefits from an objective by having a sentence as a reference to guide their learning through the lesson. An objective must begin with a verb to state that an action will be taken in order to accomplish the assignment.

Effective teachers set their students on a path to where they master each topic taught; mastery is when a student can "break down, reorganize, and evaluate what is known and understood." There is many ways to check for mastery in students, one being test. A test is designed to evaluate what the student obtained from the lesson and define what was taught effectively and what wasn't. Many test are taken throughout a school year, which also combine with worksheets and projects to result in a grade for every individual student. Grades are very important to those students who work hard and are responsible. Grades serve as a motivation for those students who strive for even a better grade, therefore resulting in more interest in lessons as well as more completion of assignments. The higher the grades, the brighter the future! " The world rewards people who are successful."

As for my pre-k class a good objective would be: "Give an example of a word made up of two syllables." The mastery of this lesson can be tested with a question like the following, "What two syllables is the word 'Papi' made up of?" Now testing in my classroom will not be my main priority, they are important, but they do not determine the intelligence of a student. Especially at such an early age like pre-k students, their learning has to do more with their fine and gross motor skills. I personally do not like standardized testing, the reason being that students all have different learning styles and standardized testing do not take that into account. Curriculums have to be modified in order to cover all topics presented in those test. If it was in my hands I would definitely eliminate standardized testing or at least change the way they apply to every need of a student.
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar99/vol56/num06/Why-Standardized-Tests-Don't-Measure-Educational-Quality.aspx
https://learnandteachstatistics.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/objectives/

What constitutes an effective discipline plan?

When thinking about a well managed classroom, I imagine rules, whether they be verbal or written, and also a well thought out discipline plan. Now a well discipline plan consist of positive and negative consequences. A teacher must establish the set of consequences for his/her students as soon as they enter the room on the first day of school. There should be at least a minimum of three rules in every classroom. Rules allow students to know exactly how they are expected to behave. At all times the students should be held to meet high expectations, if that becomes a problem, negative consequences follow negative behaviors. Even though students should feel love towards learning and attending school, consequences must be taught; consequences come up in any action taken whether it be in school or in ones personal life, as teachers we must prepare students for life! Both consequences and rules apply to all grade levels, in different matters, but they are a must!

If I Were In Charge of The World

If I were in charge of the world
I'd cancel the planting of onions,
and also the production of ketchup.

If I were in charge of the world
There'd be flying pink turtles,
brighter stars, and longer summers.

If I were in charge of the world
We wouldn't have poverty.
We wouldn't have discrimination.
We wouldn't have curfews.
Or "wash the dishes"
We wouldn't even have dishes.

If I were in charge of the world
Broccoli would not exist
All scary movies would be banned
And a person who sometimes feels scared,
and sometimes doesn't brush her hair,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.

Consequences

  Discipline is definitely one of the most important factors in having a successful year. After reading Wongs' suggestion over giving students choices on their own behavior in the classroom; I begin to disagree a little with what he attempts to propose. Allowing students to manage their own behavior might benefit some students, but not all, and education is for all students not just for a portion of the class. When speaking about young children, choice is not an option; most educators say that the early academic years are the most important and indeed they are, therefore discipline must be enforced so those students can grow up and develop their academic discipline. As for older students, choices can be allowed once in a while, but consequences must be established between the teacher and the student. Consequences, as Wong states, are the "results of a person's chosen action", meaning that a consequence does not always have a negative outcome. The result of a consequence depends on the action being done, students can prevent negative consequences by acting with discipline at all time, which may be as simple as being respectful.
 Mr. Wong argues that "the number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines". I personally believe the number one problem is the lack of both together. Discipline is enforced through effective classroom management, which is having procedures and routines. Any classroom will not function correctly without a well enforced routine. Students can not perform at their highest level if their teacher is not performing at his/hers highest level.  Both discipline and effective routines are what make a teacher a great educator!

Picture Book Month

It's November! And we know to celebrate print picture books. Dianne de Las Casas, along with other great authors, brought to attention the importance that picture books play in education. After reading the Picture Book Month Teacher's Guide I do not only understand the importance of picture books, but I also plan to keep picture books alive in my classroom. Picture books can be integrated to the curriculum of any school, there are books that fit into any subject and any grade level. All teachers have it clear that children do NOT learn the same way, so trying new things is always a MUST in a teachers agenda. Picture books allow learning to be a little more fun and also change the everyday teaching to "the test". Especially with younger children, picture books serve as an awesome tool for teachers when having to teach life issues, such as lying or feeling fear. Sometimes these topics are not easy to teach, with the help of picture books, students can relate to the character and therefore decide to talk to the teacher about their problems or probably find a solution like the one the character might of found. For example, in the book Theo's Mood, Theo is confused on how he feels after his baby sister was born, a conflict very common in young children, he comes to the conclusion that he feels all kinds of emotions! For the class, students can color code certain emotions and possibly relate he feeling to another thing, such as coloring the angry face red to symbolize fire. Picture books should never lose meaning in education, they should gain importance.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1X0nD2djsnhcWVqanE2ejkyRXc/edit
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1X0nD2djsnhb2pSUDJwUk9wY3c/edit

                              

Discipline and Classroom management

After reading some of the units in Harry Wong's book: How To Be An Effective Teacher The First Days of School, I will be soon introduced to discipline and management in a classroom. But before I read this unit, I have my own thoughts over the topic. Classroom management and discipline should be present at all time in a classroom. When I think of classroom management I visualize a setting where a teacher has already established rules and students continue to obey them all throughout the school year. For a classroom to be effectively classified as managed, the students must meet the teachers standards even when the teacher is not present, that is to say that students can behave well when a substitute is in charge. As for discipline, it should be established beginning on the first day of school. Discipline should be nothing more than words, no corporal punishment; students are just children that want to learn and have fun at the same time. Discipline should be seen in a classroom as respect towards the teachers and the rest of the students. In the past teachers have approached discipline very harshly. When I was in Elementary the first "warning" was already a phone call to our parents. Now I see that teachers are becoming more lenient, it takes up to three warnings for teachers to call a parent regarding their child's behavior in class. Being too lenient does not seem to work, I definitely understand we are dealing with young children sometimes, but not being consistent with discipline will harm the control over the class. As a future educator I will make sure to establish both management and discipline in my class to ensure effectiveness in my teaching. I do not plan to scare my students with discipline I only want my class to flow smoothly and my teaching to be effective. 

http://englishbookgeorgia.com/blogebg/classroom-management-2/

The Importance of Welcoming a Student

Confusion is a feeling that should never be present in a classroom. It is very important to welcome students the first day of school in order to "reduce their anxiety level". The first day of school is full of chaos, everywhere, students don't know where to go and "find the fact of searching for the correct classroom frightening". Many times the students are new to a school and don't even know who to ask,  compared to returning students who might be familiar with the school staff. Welcoming students also builds a trust between the teacher and the student. The students acknowledge that the teacher is the guide that will always lead them through the right path. Likewise "what you do on the first day may determine how much respect and success you will have for the rest of the school year." In my own classroom I would definitely want to establish trust between my students and me by welcoming them and making sure they are in the correct classroom. It would definitely allow me to get to my students in an easier and faster way. As an effective teacher, I would also post my expectations for the entire school year and have an assignment ready so all my students can see how important their success is to me and how we will reach it together. I will make sure my students are comfortable and successful at the same time by setting my expectations as soon as they walk through the door.

A Teacher's Reputation

All students talk about their teachers and how they're either so nice or so mean. A teacher creates his/hers reputation with their attitude and the way they chose to manage their classroom. Just last year I was talking to a classmate and she was telling me about an English teacher who was so strict and even scary! I didn't even bother asking her who she was, I thought to myself, "if that was the teacher I was going to have someone would of told me about her already" , so I didn't even say a word I just felt bad for the students who were going to have her as a teacher. The next day I find myself a little curious of who that teacher might be so I go up to my classmate and I ask her what that teacher's name was and she told me the name I did not expect to hear. It was MY teachers name! I was no longer calm, no longer looking forward to going into her class. Her reputation now scared me, I felt intimidated by a person I didn't even know yet. Sometimes what people say about you, defines who you are, in the eyes of those who don't know you well enough. A teacher is sealed with a reputation and whatever the reputation might be, either good or bad, students and parents view that teacher by what others have said. As a teacher I believe the way to protect my reputation would be to act the same every year and treat all my students equally.

The most important factor in student learning: Classroom Management

After reading Unit C of the book How to be an effective teacher the first days of school by Harry K Wong he established that "the most important factor of governing student learning is Classroom Management." Classroom Management is the fundamental factor in a classroom, without proper classroom management the students will have no discipline and no self-control. In order to maintain an effective classroom management it "must begin on the first day of school." Students have to know that their teacher is a reliable person that can control any situation that may appear whether it concerns her lessons or a personal problem between students. When the teacher has an effective classroom management the entire school year will consist of a "productive working environment".

5 resourceful teaching blogs

1. http://theteacherbrain.blogspot.com
This blog belongs to a current pre-k teacher and in her blog she shares creative and fun activities she completes with her class. I chose to follow this blog because I enjoy how this teacher writes straight from her thoughts which allows the readers to connect exactly with what she is saying, most likely because the readers are teachers as well that have similar thoughts.
2.http://traditionslaughterandhappilyeverafter.blogspot.com
Mrs. Moore's blog consist of a lot of activities she has her students perform that are both effective and very fun! I chose to follow Mrs. Moore's blog because she shares both pictures and worksheets that I can get ideas from.
3.http://www.deannajump.com/2015/10/making-read-alouds-come-to-life-creepy.html
This blog shows Mrs. Jumps daily routine through pictures and along with her description of everything that goes on during the activities. I really liked that Mrs. Jump included her student's work; I can truly see the result of her lessons.
4.http://rowdyinfirstgrade.blogspot.com
This first grade teacher includes some classroom management techniques along with some fun ideas and suggestions. Something that I noticed is that she included a technique my previous mentor teacher used to gain her student's attention and that I also used multiple times. I was surprised that other teachers find it very helpful as well no matter the grade level.
5.http://firstgradecrittercafe.blogspot.com
This blog shares great ideas for learning sight words and other important concepts. I really enjoyed observing the neatness and organization in this teacher's classroom, something that is fundamental in every learning environment.

Field Site Experience

Working with my pre-k classroom these past two weeks has been amazing! I can't lie, I still don't know all their names but they all sure do know mine. My mentor teacher also plays a big part in why I enjoy going to sites everyday I can; she is an absolutely great teacher. She is a teacher that truly values the age group she teaches and understands they're still children that want to play, but can absolutely be taught effectively at the same time. I clearly remember my first day of sites, when they showed me what they do after they eat breakfast, they dance! Most of the students speak Spanish as their first language as well as I do and the music that they dance to is regional Spanish music, much of which I also dance too. Last year I had a student who would ask about me and it looks like this year I have one too, my teacher told me it seems like I have a little admirer. 

My students are constantly reminded that they are champions and so they behave like such. Unfortunately due to time I'm only able to actually work with them for about 15 minutes. During that time I take out different pairs of students out to the hallway and practice sounds with them. I have been able to observe the students that have mastered their sounds and the ones that have not. I am also able to see which students really know what sound goes with what letter compared to others which just repeat the sounds as they hear them, something that I will work on with certain students. Overall I love my pre-k champions!

Top Ten Things I Wish I had known as a First Year Future Educator

1.) How to find the perfect grade to work with

Trying to be a future educator while being in high school is pretty tough, especially when trying to figure out what age group you want to teach. Personally I don't have a lot of experience with young children because I don't have little ones around me everyday, but I figured "why not try kindergarten, I do like playing with little kids. One thing I surely didn't take in consideration was the difference between playing with the kids and actually having to teach them something and have them focus for a long period of time. Probably my biggest challenge throughout the year, knowing a fun way to keep my kindergarten students focused through a lesson.

2.) Contribute to the classroom as much as possible

The only way to learn something is by actually doing it. Teaching works the same way, if us teachers do not try to teach new stuff then we will never know if it actually is effective or not. Not contributing to the class can cause you to miss out on a lot of great things that the students are able to do and think about.

3.) Set the thought that you're also another teacher

Some of your students will know that you are not entirely a teacher but a student yourself; most of them,if not all, should see you as an another teacher. I felt like the fact that my students knew I was a high school student gave them the idea that I wasn't going to be as strict as their teacher, so sometimes they tried to find a way to take advantage of that. Children are brilliant!

4.) Ask multiple teachers for advice

Don't feel limited to only be able to rely on your assigned mentor teacher. The more opinions you get, the better. Not every teacher has the same teaching method, even if teaching the same subject.

5.) Control emotions in front of students

Young children tend to ask many questions and sometimes they can be questions you don't want to answer. Also stress can affect you and you're students and can result in a horrible day where absolutely nothing will get done.

6.) Children are living recording machines

Everything said by the teacher will be repeated, be careful!

7.) How to reach out to all types of learning styles

Every child learns in different ways and at different pace. Part of being a great teacher is being able to incorporate all the learning styles into the same lesson in order to help every student master the topics being discussed. A good way to achieve this is by creating multiple activities for the same lesson and therefore reaching out to the need of every student.

8.) State requirements for every grade

It is crazy to see the list of test kindergarten students have to take in order to advance into the next level. I was amazed to witness the process in which my mentor teacher prepared her students for a test it was almost as if I was seeing my high school teachers teach me.

9.) Have good communicating skills 

Besides having to communicate with the children through lesson plans, a teacher also has to know how to correctly communicate with colleagues and all the school staff. The way one communicates can be the determinant of the outcome to a situation.

10.) Teaching is not as easy as it seems 

Before I experienced it myself, it had never gone through my mind how challenging it is to be a teacher. Most of the time it is not because of the students, it is mainly because all the regulations the state requires the teachers to follow. Teachers are not given the opportunity to actually teach their class as they desire. But one thing I do know, being able to make an impact on a child's life is all that counts!

http://www.loveteachblog.com/2013/05/the-top-ten-things-i-wish-id-known-as.html

21st Century Teachers

Becoming a "21st Century Teacher" definitely includes being updated in the technology world,without a doubt. The use of technology also allows people to become educators through online colleges; the use of technology has impacted education in every aspect. Children of different age groups own an electronic device that they carry around to almost every place, including their schools.  But for teachers the big question is "How can we incorporate technology into our lesson plans and into our classrooms?". For young, modern teachers it is very easy, but for older, traditional teachers it's quite challenging. In the article "15 characteristics of a 21st Century Teacher" it is written that technology is a way for teachers to have effective communication with some of their students but does not include all students, and the goal of a teacher is to reach to all of her/his students. In order to make this happen teachers need to put a hold on technology and try to identify the different learning styles that are present in their classrooms. 

I believe the use of technology is being implemented into education way too fast, some students are not ready to step out of their comfort zone and change the way they learn. For some students technology is the path they prefer to go through when learning, but their is still some students that rather have books to learn from. Every student matters!

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/15-characteristics-21st-century-teacher

http://kidsforkidsacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/photo-3.jpg 

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/effective-technology-teaching-child/

Do teachers make a difference?

"Why do you want to be a teacher?",this is the question I am asked every time I speak about my future. They all say "Teachers do not get paid enough, it's not worth it", but what do they know of the satisfaction a teacher feels when changing a student's life. Teaching is not about how much you get paid with money it's about how much you get paid with successful children. Teachers make students look at stars and reach every single one that they desire no matter how high it might be. Teachers make children believe in themselves and never doubt of their capabilities. I want to be one of the many teachers that inspired someone to love what they do and do it the best they can. I want to become the hero that all children look up, I want to make a difference. And I believe teachers are the ones who make the world!

https://youtu.be/h5yg0u1MkDI

Here's where I find the treasure in teaching.

The treasure that I find in teaching is the capability I have to make an impact in a child's life. Everyday is a new opportunity for a child to learn something new and express their personalities through their work. I love to know that my students will learn from my teaching and carry the enthusiasm they will develop all through their lives and achieve any goal they set. I want my students to not only remember me as their teacher but also as their hero; the hero who destroyed obstacles in order to make them thrive.


www.educatorsrising.org

2015-2016 TAFE Competition

This year for the TAFE competition my group and I will be completing a chapter scrapbook. My group is constructed by Ana, Jacky, and me, who are all completing our second year of Education & Training. In order to be successful we will need to gather all the information and pictures of events in which our chapter participated this past year. We will then begin to organize and design our scrapbook to reflect our chapter's creativity and how much we enjoy being a part of the TAFE organization. Our ultimate goal is to transmit the passion we work with when it comes to local events and appreciating our hard-working educators. To complete our scrapbook we will probably take all the available time to make it the best!

Find your Marigold: The One Essential Rule for New Teachers

The article "Find your Marigold: The One Essential Rule For New Teachers" creates a simile between effective teachers and a marigold and also an ineffective teachers and a walnut tree. Personally I really enjoyed the comparison and believe it is a great way to advice new teachers and welcome them to the life that teachers encounter. Schools are slowly being turned into the ground where walnut trees grow. Dedication and passion is what can outgrow all the walnut trees and destroy them. Marigolds and walnut trees will not only be found in the education system, but also in any profession. Anyone can relate to the article. The message from this article will benefit me as I go on to college and begin my career.

Welcome to my blog!

Join me this year as I take a new adventure and begin my second year in Education & Training. On my blog I will be posting my opinion on certain topics or articles that relate to education. This year I will be working with a Pre-K bilingual class, previously I assisted a Kindergarten teacher and had an amazing year! I hope to learn new ways in order to become an effective teacher and invite you to suggest any ideas that may contribute to the topic being discussed.