Fall 2015 Speaker Reflections

Classroom Management Speaker Reflection

Today we watched a video about The Art and Science of Teaching and were
informed of different classroom management techniques. While I had heard of
several of the techniques that were described, there were also several ideas I had
never considered. One of my favorite suggestions was the idea of letting students
help establish the procedures for my classroom. I had always assumed that I would
simply decide how I wanted things to go and basically make the students submit to
my instructions. I had never considered letting my students have a say in some of the
procedures. Having the students choose what to do would allow them to feel like they
were a part of the class. This may result in the students being more attentive and
respectful, because they would know they had a part in what was occurring in the
classroom. It was shown that establishing classroom rules and procedures is very
important in every classroom. These rules do not need to be explained the first day
and never revisited. It is important to go back over these rules periodically
throughout the year to make sure students are on track. At this moment, I prefer to
teach older students, and I believe allowing the students to have a say in this
establishment would be very important. These students would have been through
several years of schooling and should have a good concept of what a classroom
should look like. They would be able to know how they like things to be done, and
they would be more likely to accept what is happening each day if they know they
had a say in what was going on.
One of the main reasons I want to be a teacher is to make an impact on my
students lives. In order for students to be more engaged, the teacher must give each
of them personal attention. People love to feel cared for and know they are
individuals. It is very important for a teacher to make sure students know that we as
teachers believe in them. I loved how the teacher said he made sure to greet each
student individually when they walked into his classroom. Some teachers address
their class as a whole, but that makes the teacher seem very impersonal. Because I
have seen the effects of having a teacher fully engaged in who you are and how you
are succeeding, I plan to greet my students and pay close attention to the things
they love. Being able to relate students back to the activities or lessons being taught
will allow student engagement to be higher and interest to be greater. This video
gave very practical advice and ideas on how to better manage my classroom, and I
hope to be able to apply many of them to my own class one day.

Dr. WoodWho Are Gifted and High-Ability Learners?

Dr. Wood informed our class today about what it means to be a gifted student
and how a teacher can identify that information. Not only did I learn ways a gifted
student is noticed, but I also learned how to incorporate adjustments to my lesson for
each of those students. I did not know anything about gifted students before today.
The school I attended my entire life did not have a gifted program. Even though I was
not aware of everything my teachers did during the day, I cannot recall my teachers
making adjustments for any students that need to be challenged further. Not
challenging gifted students presents a large problem for each of them individually. If
they are not being challenged, they may become more unmotivated and not care as
much about the work they are doing. An uninformed teacher on the matter of gifted
students may see these children as problems, when that is not the case at all. There
is a difference between gifted students and high achievers. High achievers are
students who are very motivated, organized, and strives to make all As. When I
begin to evaluate myself, I think of myself as being a high achieving student. I never
would have thought about the difference between these two types of students.
Naturally, I would have classified gifted students as ones who are ready to learn and
benefit the classroom as a whole.
Going over different techniques that are important for teachers to adopt into
their classroom was very beneficial. All students are going to learn differently from
one another; therefore, it is very important to incorporate many techniques for each
student to benefit from. One of the techniques I thought was very useful was the
choice board. This board gives students many different options of assignments they
can choose from. Allowing them to have a choice leaves room for them to choose
what they are most interested in and what technique they will benefit the most from.
This board will allow there to be higher order thinking and application of the
knowledge that was previously learned. After today, I now see an even greater
importance to Blooms Taxonomy words and how they are incorporated in everything
we do as teachers. Using these methods allows students to not just see problems to
answer, but it gives them the opportunity to think deeper and more critically than
usually allowed in an everyday classroom. I hope to continue learning more about
incorporating opportunities into my classroom for gifted students and giving them the
chances to learn the most possible.
Dr. Rogers Speaker Reflection
Today on September 1, 2015, Dr. Rogers talked to us about being an effective
teacher. We did not only discuss how to be effective, but how our disposition greatly

influences our classroom. The past few days I have been second-guessing about
being an elementary education major. After listening to Dr. Rogers talk about Marva
Collins and the impact she made on childrens lives, I was inspired once again to
pursue my degree in education. The reason I want to be a teacher is to have the
opportunity to impact students lives in ways they are not experiencing outside of
their classroom. One of the most effective methods to impacting their lives is through
my disposition. The way I treat my students and invest in their lives is what is going
to make a difference. How am I going to be intentional, and how am I going to
challenge my students?
There are three essential ingredients for being an effective teacher. These
three things are having a significant knowledge base, using strong teaching skills,
and having a good disposition. As a teacher, these three qualities mold and shape the
teacher that is going to impact her students the most. I naturally think about a
teachers disposition greatly influencing her classroom, but count short the impact of
teaching skills and knowledge base. The knowledge base and teaching skills are key
components to pay attention to, and I desire to improve in all three of these areas
over the next year.
Dr. Rogers talked about Marva Collins and the influence she has made on so
many people throughout her lifetime. The way she build her students confidence and
gave them hope for their lives is something I do not want to forget. I think it can be
very easy to get consumed with making sure students make the right grades and
forget to lift them up. I want to instill a positive attitude in myself in everything I do in
order to pour that positivity on my students in the future. As a Christian, I need to
make sure that I do not get caught up in the mundane of life, but I need to constantly
pursue others in the way Christ asks of me. I have to remind myself, though, that
there will be days I make mistakes and fall short. Instead of getting down about it all,
I need to lift my head up and get back on the right track. As Oswald Chambers says,
Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.
Dr. Hannah Speaker Reflection:
Assessment Matters: Keeping Assessment in Perspective
Dr. Julie Hannah came to inform our class about assessment in Alabama on
September 3, 2015. While her speech was very informative, it was also inspiring and
encouraging to hear some of the things she said. Assessment is the basis of the
things we do as teachers. How are we going to assess our students based off of the
standards we are trying to meet? Teachers battle with deciphering between
summative and formative assessment. I have a hard time knowing what the

difference fully looks like in a classroom, because I feel like I was taught with a lot of
summative assessment. Hearing Dr. Hannah explain these things a little more was
encouraging to hear, because it gave me more understanding on this topic.
I have recently been under the impression that Alabama is teaching students
solely to make sure they are prepared for the standardized tests they are to take. If
this were the case, students would not be fully learning; rather, teachers would be
loading information into the students minds without making sure they understood
what everything meant. Dr. Hannah spoke of the importance that lies within
formative assessment. This type of assessment looks for areas that need continual
improvement and checks for understanding through the learning process. A quote
that goes along with this says, Imagine a culture where the teacher and his or her
colleagues create, assess and produce thinkers and creators without fear of one
assessment score being the measure of that success? If all teachers cared more
about their students becoming the best they can be instead of focusing on how good
the teacher can look, our education system would be in a completely different place. I
wanted to become a teacher so I could make an impact on my students lives. With
this vision in mind, I hope that I do not get caught up in the world of making sure I hit
everything on the checklist and forget about my students. I want to be able to know
my students abilities and push them in the areas they should go. Making sure my
students are learning all of the standards and requirements is highly important, and I
hope to achieve these goals in a personal and effective way. No matter what age I
teach, I need to help prepare my students for the path they are on towards
graduation. I need to expose my students to the process of applying knowledge,
collaborating with those around them, and thinking critically. I desire to teach my
students life skills that will prepare them for all walks of life they are to face. Knowing
how prepared my students are is the purpose of assessment; therefore, assessment
is a highly valuable aspect of teaching.
Dr. Bluiett Speaker Reflection on Assessment
On September 10, 2015, Dr. Bluiett talked to our class about assessment and
the types we can use on our students. There are different steps, or levels, to
assessment that help the process be fully effective. The first step is the outcome
assessment. This assessment gives the data for each child that has been found for
the area needed. Whenever I need to do my assessments on students this semester,
I will be able to receive the outcome assessment data from the teachers or specialty
coaches that I am working alongside. The next step is the screening assessment. This
step is the first true look at the students through observing. When I sit down with the

students I am assigned with, I will be able to screen them and see what their data
fully looks like in action. After the screening process, I will begin the diagnostic
assessment. This assessment allows me to look further into my observation and see
the strengths and needs of the student. Finally, the main part of the assessing is
called the progress-monitoring assessment. This assessment is ongoing and allows
the teacher or observer to receive continual feedback on how the student is
progressing or staying stagnant. This process allows constant reevaluating. Every
time the situation is evaluated, adjustments must be made for there to be more
progress. If the method being used is not making a difference, then another method
needs to be tested. If improvements are being seen, then that student should
continue the method in order for more growth to take place. Dr. Bluiett gave us
different examples of assessments that are used quite often in the classroom.
Examples of these include the Concepts About Print (CAP) test, metalinguistic
interview, and the Fountas and Pintell guide for assessments. One of the CAP
assessments includes having a child demonstrate the functions of a book. Can this
student show where the front of the book is? Can he or she turn the pages correctly? I
never fully thought about the fact that young students do not know the orientation of
a book. This is something that is very important to learn at the beginning, because a
lot of knowledge will come from that foundation. While many examples were given
and advice told, I am still not completely confident in administering assessment to
the students I am given to work with. Wondering how I will know what assessment
should be used and if the students are ready to move past a certain level are
questions that fill my mind, and I would like to have resolved. A piece of me feels like
I will understand these things more once I have a hands on experience during our
clinicals.
Dr. Underbakke Speaker Reflection
On October 6, Dr. Underbakke came and shared his favorite chapter books to
our class. To say that he has a love for literature would be an understatement.
Anyone can tell by listening to him and watching his expressions just how much he
loves good literature. All of his favorite books are high on his list for different reasons,
not simply because it may be a certain genre. Dr. Underbakke looks for good writing
with inspiring lines in the content. He is very passionate about a story when it has a
great lead character that teaches moral lessons to the reader simply through his or
her actions. Two of his favorite books are Bridge to Terebithia and Wringer. Leslie and
Dorothy are the two lead characters in these books, and Dr. Underbakke became
extremely excited when he had the epiphany to compare these two girls to each

other. Both of them are inspirational characters that are selfless in their friendships.
They could create a great project for students to explore. Another book that Dr.
Underbakke loves is Tuck Everlasting. This is a book that he suggests reading to fifth
graders. While students at the end of third grade would be capable to follow along
with this book, he said that fifth grade is perfect. He not only suggested books to
read to our class, but he also mentioned books that he highly encourages us Samford
students to read on our own. One of these books was The Invention of Hugot Cabret. I
have never actually heard of this book before, but it sounds like a very interesting
one. The pictures that are seen in the book would grab my attention and make the
story more easily come to life in my imagination. I believe that one key point Dr.
Underbakke made was to always read to your students. It does not matter if you
think there is time available in the management of the day or not, reading chapter
books aloud to the class is a necessity. I think this is one way that students will fall in
love with reading. On top of this point, it is important to remember that everyone is
drawn to different types of literature. While some people loved the book Wonder, Dr.
Underbakke was not a huge advocate. Everybody can make connections with
different characters, settings, or themes in different ways than the person beside
them; therefore, a teacher should not give up on reading to students if they did not
find one book interesting. Literature is key to students falling in love with reading and
must be demonstrated by the teacher.
Dr. NewtonWhat Great Teachers Do Differently
Wanting to be an impactful teacher is something that weighs on my mind any
time I think about what I am currently working towards. I want to be able to lead my
students in such a way that they grow in their knowledge by the end of my time with
them. What are the best techniques to go about this teaching, though? Dr. Newton
gave an inspiring talk today about what she has observed from teachers in the past.
She has found five common principles with every outstanding teacher that she
observed. One of these principles is to ensure that every single student understands
the process and the reason they are doing the work that is assigned. If a student
does not understand what is being taught or worked on, the outstanding teacher is
not going to leave that student behind. This concept is one that I want to adopt in my
own teaching. My one concern I have with this is the process in which I am to go
about it. I am excited to learn how to incorporate every students ability and where
he or she is in the learning process. Dr. Newton also discussed the importance of
flexibility in a teachers life. All of the outstanding teachers she observed planned
constantly and tweaked their plans as they went. They adjust their lessons and

activities according to their students needs. If certain areas are lacking, the teachers
would change activities or lessons. This is something I hope to be able to embody in
my classroom in the future. I can be a very organized person who likes to make plans,
but I can also be flexible when needed. I hope I will be able to be flexible and pay
attention to each of my students needs. Dr. Newton also brought our attention to the
fact that a teacher should not instruct the students to do an assignment to please
their expectations, but the teacher should work together with the student to meet
the desired objectives. This is something I cannot completely picture in my mind and
see unfolding; therefore, I hope to learn more and see this in action. Overall, I hope
when I start teaching that I do not get caught up in the logistics of teaching; rather, I
want to solely focus on my students and their needs. I hope to be a selfless teacher
that does whatever it takes to set my students up for success. I want to treat my
students like they are my own and see them benefit tremendously over the course of
their learning.
Dr. Cheshire ReflectionAssessment for Learning
On October 28, 2015, Dr. Cheshire talked to our class about assessing
students. We discussed the different types of assessments, while also looking at real
students work and evaluating how we would grade them. Aside from assessment,
one thing I took away from the beginning of her talk was her love for teaching middle
school. I have been contemplating if that is something I should do, and seeing her
love for what she did with a large part of her life gave me hope for the future. Not
only did I think about what age I want to teach, but I also learned about meeting with
parents. Parents can be difficult to work with sometimes; therefore, it is important to
make them feel valuable as well. Dr. Cheshire told us a story about a parent who did
not take interest in his sons work. When the teacher tried to call and get permission
to work with the student outside of class, she had to compliment the father about
how much he cared about his son in order to receive the permission. This story
proved to me the importance of communication with the parents. This
communication should not solely be about the negative grades; instead, it should
show the concern but also the care for the student.
When we looked at the students work examples, my eyes were opened to
how challenging it can be to place grades on a childs paper. Differentiating if a
student understands the concept, followed the directions, and answered correctly
and completely can be a challenge. Some students understand the concept, while
others get the right answers but may not show correct work. Making these decisions
is something I am interested to see how it plays out in the future. Summative

assessments are easy for a teacher to administer, but can produce challenges in
having fair results. Summative assessments are not the only type of assessments
that should be given though. Assessments should be done throughout the entire
process. A teacher should assess the students on their prior knowledge before the
lesson is taught. While the lesson is taking place, formative assessments should be
on going to evaluate the students learning. Once the lesson is over, summative
assessments can be given to see what the students were able to learn and how well
the teacher taught it. Overall, assessments are a big deal throughout the process of
educating students, and feedback is key to evaluating the assessments.
Speaker ReflectionsTrace Crossings Employees
The BookkeeperMs. Drake
Ms. Drake gave us a presentation on all of the technical things that teachers
have to take care of in their every day job. From payroll to taking students on field
trips, there is all kinds of paper work and procedures that have to be followed.
Teachers are given a small budget they can use on classroom materials and items
that would benefit their teaching and students learning. There are strict guidelines
on how this money must be used and handled, which is one thing the bookkeeper is
there to assist with. This money is there to improve student achievement and make
things in the classroom go smoother. This money could be used on materials
students could use or even on iPad covers. These materials benefit the learning in a
classroom, and the bookkeeper plays a large part in this achievement. Without her
assistance in making sure the money is properly received from the State, teachers
may not have the opportunity to purchase these extra items needed. Not only does
this impact student achievement, but it also heavily supports classroom instruction.
Teachers are not always able to fully teach a lesson to students without supplemental
materials, models, or other assisting factors. The bookkeeper plays a role in providing
these materials. A students learning experience is also heavily influenced by real life
experiences. By having the ability to go on field trips, students are able to have a
hands on experience they will likely remember. The bookkeeper makes sure field trips
are planned properly and taken care of. Teachers have to fill out forms through her
office in order to take students on such experiences. Overall, the bookkeeper does a
lot of administrative work that is crucial to the running of the school. Without her
efforts, things in the school would not run smoothly and would not be able to of
assistance to a teachers instruction and a students learning.
The Specials TeachersMs. Northcutt and Ms. Robuck

The music and art teachers gave their presentation together, providing some
collaborative information. The art, music, and library teacher get to see each class for
30 minutes one day a week. Each of these three classes is paired with the P.E.
teacher, giving the teachers a one-hour break for planning. Each of the special arts
teachers play a vital role in student achievement. Not all children express themselves
in the same way, and there are many different outlets in which students can do this.
Some students may be very successful in the classroom, while others may struggle a
little more. Those that struggle may be able to better express him or her self in
another area of learning or expression. By having art and music classes, students are
able to explore more ways of learning. Giving students the opportunity to go to the
library allows them to step away from the classroom and seek out what they enjoy.
They are able to listen to readings and share their thoughts and interests, which is
something they may not fully be able to do in the regular classroom. The art teacher
mentioned that she is a great resource to teachers for noticing behavior out of the
ordinary with students. A student may have a hard time properly holding a pencil or
executing fine motor skills, which is something that needs to be observed. A
classroom teacher may not be able to recognize this as easily as the art teacher,
because the classroom teacher is focused on many different things at the same time.
All of the specials teachers have the opportunity to assist the teacher in this way.
They are also able to integrate the content the classroom teacher is teaching. By
integrating that content, students are able to have an extra amount of time learning
that information, reinforce what has been taught, and apply this learning in ways that
may help the information click in their brain.
The Cafeteria Worker
Ms. Collins was a very inspiring presentation to listen to. She loves her job
with all of her heart and wants to find a way to love on the students through
everything she does. She has her certain responsibilities that must be accomplished
each day, and each of these responsibilities helps make the classroom teachers job a
little easier and smoother. The cafeteria workers prepare the boxes for breakfast and
have them delivered to each teachers room in the morning before the students
arrive. Having this breakfast delivered to the teachers classrooms makes the arrival
of the students go that much more smoothly. By allowing students to have food to
begin their day, students are able to not be hungry and have the energy they need to
focus. This hunger satisfaction enhances student achievement provides the body with
needed nutrition. The cafeteria workers are able to support classroom instruction by
giving the students the energy they need to focus throughout the day. Not only do

they provide students with proper nutrition, but they are also there to love on the
students in ways the teacher may not be able to. This could improve classroom
behavior or attitude tendencies. By having a well-oiled machine, these cafeteria
workers make the classroom teachers life a little less stressful. The teachers can rely
on these workers to make sure every child is taken care of and will be fed. They are
also able to notice and observe attitudes of children and motor tendencies they may
have. These workers have a vital role in the school in ways that are not always
thought about.
The ELL Coach
Mr. Pitts is also known as the ELL Coach who has an important job of assisting
the students who are behind because of their lack of knowledge in the English
language. Mr. Pitts has to manage a lot of data that is very important to these
students success. If a student were to move to a different school, the new instructors
would have to go through an entirely new process of collecting data that Mr. Pitts
may have already taken. Because Mr. Pitts records data, he is able to send this data
to whatever teachers and instructors need it. This recording of data is vital to student
achievement, because it shows where the student began and what he or she has
accomplished. This data exposes the techniques are needed to be put in place and
what techniques were not successful. His position as the ELL teacher makes the
classroom teachers job a little less stressful. Because he is there to work with these
specific students, the classroom teacher does have to focus as much on their learning
of the English language as heavily as they would if Mr. Pitts was not there to assist.
He is able to provide one-on-one or small group teaching, which can be very effective
in a childs learning. All of these things lead way to impacting student achievement.
Not only does it impact student achievement, but it also supports instruction in the
classroom. Sometimes he sits in the class with students and guides or observes their
learning. Other times, he pulls them from the classroom. By having this extra hand to
instruct these students, the rest of the class does not have to stay behind with this
one student. They are able to continue moving forward, and the ELL student is able
to receive the attention that is needed in this situation. Mr. Pitts has a very important
job of working with students to make sure they do not fall behind and reach high
levels of success.
The Principal
Ms. Barber informs us of the many things she looks for in her teachers. She
does not always hire teachers because they meet this perfect model that she has set

in her mind. She examines how each grade level team works together and observes
what is needed to make the team better. Sometimes they need a teacher that will fit
right into the mold, while other times they may need someone who will shake things
up a little bit. Ms. Barber hires these teachers to ensure that the school is going to
continue growing and improving in ways that are necessary for student achievement.
She makes sure her teachers are there to care for the students learning and personal
lives. She looks for teachers who have courage and confidence they can make a
difference wherever they are placed. Ms. Barber plays a crucial role in the running of
the school and making sure student success can be achieved. By hiring teachers that
are needed for the position, students will be able to learn with greater success. Ms.
Barber loves to walk into classrooms and see what and how students are learning.
She makes sure teachers are teaching to their fullest potential and instructing their
classroom in the best way possible. All of this supports the instruction in the
classroom. Ms. Barber plays a large role in the students success, because she cares
greatly for them individually. She does not want her office to be associated with bad
things; rather, she wants to be an open door for students and known for loving these
individuals.
The Title I Teachers
There are three Title I teachers who work together in assisting students that
need a little bit of extra help. There are workers who are there to work with students
who are in the red zone, and there are workers who are available to continue the
green zone students learning. The students who are in the yellow zone easily could
be neglected, and the Title I teachers are there to assist these students learning.
This position is not guaranteed every year, because it is federally funded. This
funding makes these teachers work hard this year to make sure they are making as
large of an impact as possible. They work with students who are just below grade
level and make sure they are not being left behind. Their role largely impacts student
achievement, because they are directly impacting individual students. The job
provides extra attention and teaching for students who need that extra help. They
are there to push students further than they can be pushed in regular classroom. The
Title I teachers relieve some pressure off of the classroom teachers by assisting them
in their teaching. They are able to take lessons further or implement what was
already taught. Not only do they impact student achievement, but they also support
instruction in the classroom. These teachers will sometimes sit in on a class with
these students and assist them right there in the classroom. This provides extra
hands for the classroom teacher and allows instruction to reach out to more students.

The Title I teachers are also a resource that can be used to help classroom teachers
know what to teach and how to go about that instruction.
The Instructional Support Teacher
Ms. Paige is a teacher who works with students in a special way. She
collaborates with teachers in making sure these Tier I special needs students are
receiving the support and instruction they need. Classroom teachers cannot always
incorporate these students smoothly into their lessons or plans, and Ms. Paige and
her staff are there to help. They sometimes cluster group students together to further
instruction. They also like to find ways to involve students who do not have special
needs with the ones that do. One way they do this is by having Lunch Munch where
students get to hang out with special needs students. Ms. Paige and her staff impact
student achievement because they are able to work with students one-on-one or in
small groups to further those students learning. They are able to get on a different
level than the classroom teacher may be able to reach. This extra attention allows
the students to meet the goals that have been set for them. IEPs are written to
ensure that these students are improving in areas not all students have difficulties
with. My making sure these students reach their goals, they are becoming better
students and learning extra life lessons that are highly needed. These goals not only
impact student achievement, but they also support classroom instruction. They are
an extra hand for some behavioral issues, and they help the classroom teacher make
sure the rest of the students are able to fully learn and work together.
ELL Training Speaker Reflection
On the days of November 10 and November 11, 2015, Lari Valtierra presented
all kinds of information regarding ELL students. Knowing how to teach these students
can be a challenge for teachers who are not informed with understanding of what
these students are experiencing and how to move them past the level they are
currently at. After listening to these two sessions of information pertaining to ELL
students, I now feel so much more informed of everything this area of teaching
consists of and what methods should be used to educate students to further levels.
Knowing that ELL students grow in their language acquisition is a process is a key
component to remember. Students are not going to immediately learn the second
language. Just like it took me a long time to understand my French class in high
school, it is going to take these non-English speaking students an extended amount
of time to be proficient English speakers, readers, writers, and listeners. Because this
language learning is a process, there are several different levels or learning that each

learner must go through. The first level is the silent period. I think this is a period I
took for granted and wanted students to move through quickly, but a quick process
may not always being the case. On average, an ELL is going to spend around three to
six months in this phase. I think that I could get frustrated when working with
students during this phase, but frustration does not need to be the response I have.
Instead, I need to have patience with these students and assist them in every way
that I can. I need to use a lot of facial and hand gestures that accompany the words I
am saying, I need to keep them involved in the learning process with the class and
not seclude them to work on simply assignments on their own. They are going to
learn the most by listening and observing, not by being asked to match or color
pictures. Each phase of this process goes a little deeper each time in the speaking of
the English language. They will begin saying one-word phrases, and then they will
begin clustering those words together in the next phase. As a teacher, I need to know
what phase my students are currently in so that I can know what I need to do to
assist but also push them appropriately. WIDA has created different rubrics and
descriptors of where these students typically are performing during each phase.
These rubrics and descriptors help me as a teacher to know what is appropriate
content and assignments for them to do. If they seem to be doing very well in
everything I give them, then I need to step up to the next level of descriptors and
challenge the students. If I begin to challenge them and they start to struggle and
not be able to accomplish any of the tasks successfully, I will know to step back a
level and assist them a little further. I as a teacher have realized that I do not need to
worry about teaching my students everyday words. The students will acquire these
words by listening to their peers. Because they will learn these words from their
peers, I need to focus on academic words.
After listening to this speaker over this two-day training session, I continue to
have an interest in teaching ELL students. I never thought I would want to be
someone that is responsible for teaching students how to communicate through the
English language, but this has been a desire that continues to grow and not leave
me. Over the past years in the United States, educators have left behind these
students to struggle. This is something that is not fair to these students and no
longer needs to be overlooked. These students are a part of the United States, and
they matter. They do not need to be overlooked; rather, they need to be invested in
and encouraged to continue to challenge themselves in their learning. They can
acquire just as much knowledge as a native speaking student; they simply need a
little more assistance to reach that goal. I hope that through whatever type of

teacher I am, I can make a difference in these students lives who are coming from so
many different parts of the world.
Ms. Joyner Speaker Reflection
One day during our time at Trace Crossings Elementary School, Ms. Joyner
came and talked to our class about technology that can be used in math. She
introduced her time with us by showing us a video of a math teacher in California. Mr.
Mac is a teacher who does whatever he can to make his classroom fun while also
educational. At one point during the year, he has his students work in groups to
create their own math song and record it. While some teachers may look at this
method of teaching and think it is totally ineffective, he and his students see the
difference it is making on their learning. He not only has his students integrate and
put into effect the content they are learning, but he also enables them to learn how
to communicate with one another. Allowing students to use technology in their
lessons gives the students another opportunity to make the new knowledge concrete
in their mind. While it is sometimes hard for me to know how to integrate technology
properly into my lessons, I recognize that is has a huge effect on students in the
classroom. Because this generation is exposed to so much technology that is
constantly changing, their minds are adapted to learn through technological
methods. I know that I need to make every effort to familiarize myself with up and
coming technology that I can implement into my own classroom. Ms. Joyner
suggested several different websites and tools that are beneficial to a math teachers
classroom. One of these websites was aplusclick.com. This website has lots of
questions that students of all ages can use. It has all of the different areas of math
along with each grade. Ms. Joyner suggested using this as an exit slip or a morning
warm up. It would allow students to work at their own pace while reviewing concepts
they have been learning. I am thankful for the notes Ms. Joyner gave us as a class,
because they are good sites that she trusts and knows can be beneficial. I plan to
integrate these into my classroom and allow my students to utilize in their learning.