Being Evaluated by my Supervisor

On the first day I was evaluated by my supervisor I have to admit that i was extremely nervous but I knew that it had to be done. Not only was I being evaluated by my supervisor but there was also my cooperating teacher along with a resource teacher in the classroom. In total there were three other adults besides me in the classroom when I was giving my lesson. At the beginning of the lesson I was very nervous but as I kept going I began to loosen up and everything began to flow naturally. I felt very confident of the material I was showing and the students were engaged in the lesson. I think that my experience as a substitute teacher helped me tremendously because I was comfortable talking to the class and I felt very confident. I noticed the students realized that being in front of a class was nothing new to me therefore they gave me their full attention. I think that every education major should have some time of substituting experience because it helps develop the sense of security in front of a class. At the end of my lesson my supervisor took me outside the classroom and told me that I seemed very confident talking to the students and the students also felt comfortable having me teach the class. My first observation went great and I was able to learn more about teaching a class in general.

Stages of an English Language Learner (youtube Video)

I never realize that English Language learners went through stages of language development, but after watching the video it was evident to me that children progress in their language skills within a long period of time. In the school I work as a substitute one of the students is a seven grade boy that just came from Haiti. Last year was his first year of school in the United States and he knew no English at all. Every time I had this class I noticed that he did not talk for anything and now I realize that he was going through the initial stage of speech. This year I had his class again and I was very surprised when he approached me and asked me very clearly if he can go to the bathroom. I did not show him that it was a big deal that he spoke English but now I realize he was going through the stage where they tend to say small words to communicate. The first person who I thought of after watching this video was this Haitian student because it was a perfect example of the development he is going through in order to become an English speaker. I know that in another year this student will be able to speak more openly and his academic skills will begin to show progress.

Beware of the White man

After reading the article I was amazed at the way the author was so emphasized on describing the white man as the one who is at fault for all the social problems our world faces. I did not like the way Michael Moore portrayed the White man because it seemed to me as if he was generalizing on all white people which in my perspective is wrong. I do agree with him when he mentions that there is still a race problem in out society but I think that white people in general should not be portrayed as the ones at fault for the racism taking place in our country and the world. I know that Michael Moore can be very judgemental when it comes to topics like these but I think he takes it to an extreme when he generalizes. I personally think that people should not be judge for their skin color or any physical characteristic but unfortunately it still happens today in our society and we as future teachers should begin teaching our children to not judge a person for their skin color. I believe that children are molded into whatever they are taught and if we teach them good values then the product of that education will be positive. I do agree with the author when he mentions that we as a society have a responsibility to correct an immoral act that still surrounds us. We as teachers can make an enormous contribution to our society by teaching good morals to our children.

Gathering Backgroung information

I think that it is very important for the teacher to gather as much background information as possible for the purpose of helping an ELL child to learn. Teachers already have a challenge by having a non-English speaking student in his or her class and he or she should try to gather as much information about the child in order for learning to take place. In think that one of the ways teachers can gather background information is by speaking to the parents or guardians of the child. If there is a language barrier between the parents and the teacher then find an interpreter or find out if the school can provide a translator. The teacher can also speak to the guidance counselor if there is one or can speak to the secretary who enrolled the child. I f the teacher happens to speak the same language the child speaks then try to ask the student basic information about his or her education. In my particular case when I arrived to this country most of my classmates spoke my language which was Spanish. My teacher and I used them as our interpreters in order for us to understand each other and I found this method very effective. In general I think that gathering background information on a ELL child is fundamental in order to form an effective learning environment.

Ax or Ask

After watching the video on this subject I was very impressed with the approach this teacher took because in all of my years going to school I had never heard of a teacher giving a lesson on how to speak correctly. Children learn how to speak from an early age but if they learn the incorrect way to speak then that will be the way they will begin writing. I think that children use the English language as a primary source in order for them to begin writing and if children are not taught the proper way to speak then they will begin writing incorrectly. In my experience as a substitute teacher I have read many passages and stories that children have written and most of the times that I have read these stories they have been written the way the students speak. It is true that on many occasions teachers do not take the time to teach children the proper way of speaking but if one teacher does not take the initiative then nobody will. I think that children should even be corrected by their parents at home because parents are the first teachers that they will have. In conclusion, I think that if we as future teachers take the time to correct our children on the way they speak then we will see significant results on writing and speaking skills.

Feeling our words from the Daily OM

I totally agree with this article because I do believe that words are important transmitters of feelings that can be used in positive or negative ways. We as future teachers should take this subject into account because children are careful listeners and if we don not measure what we say it can bring consequences. We as teachers should be ready to teach ELL students and one of the main factors for this is to know how to speak to ELL students. I as a ELL students myself had to find ways to understand my teachers because there were times when I did not understand what they were saying. I took into account other features like voice tone, facial expressions, etc. I think that ELL students have it twice as hard as regular speaking students because they not only have to deal with adapting to this new life but the language is also a main problem for them. Sometimes I think that people tend to speak fast because they just want to get the message across as fast as they can and I noticed myself doing this when I was in my early years of college. As time passed I realize that speaking slowly and clearly made it very easy for my listeners to understand me and also made my point clear and precise. In general, teachers should pay close attention to the way they speak because it will affect tremendously in a child's academic performance.

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