Assignment Two: Identifying Similarities and Differences - Summer 2013

Assignment #2: Complete the 4 part assignment format as you read, reflect, and respond to Chapter 2 – Identifying Similarities and Differences.

Although your course packet asks you to post to blog for parts A, B, C, and D…we are asking that you only post part D to the blog. We are trying to make the blog more user-friendly and easier to read...Please remember to keep your responses brief so that all participants will read your thoughts! Thanks!

A. Guiding Questions for Self Assessment of Current Beliefs and Practices: This component asks you to reflect on how and why you currently use the instructional strategies of identifying similarities in your classroom. The intent of this is to activate your prior knowledge of your strategy use so that you can make comparisons as you read the chapter. Below are the questions to help you complete your self-assessment. (Complete – but do not post!)

• What is the purpose of asking students to compare?
• What kinds of activities do I use to help students compare?
• I can think of a time that I asked students to compare, and I was pleased with the results. Why did it go well?
• I can think of a time that I asked students to compare, and I was not pleased with the results. Why did it not go well?
• What questions do I have about using comparing in my classroom?

B. Read & Reflect “Research & Theory”: This portion of the assignment asks you to read chapter 2 and reflect briefly on your thinking after reading the “Research and Theory” section for identifying similarities and differences. (Complete – but do not post!)

C. Practice: Choose one of the specific “classroom practice” strategies or techniques shared in this chapter to teach to your students (If you are not currently teaching, you may share how you would use this strategy in your classroom).

D. Final Strategy Reflection: Use the following sequence of questions/prompts to reflect on what you’ve learned about both the strategies presented in the chapter and what you’ve learned about yourself as both a teacher and a learner. Please post your brief reflection to the posting labeled Week Two: Identifying Similarities and Difference by clicking on the “comment” link below.

How has the information you read in this chapter on comparing affected your thinking about teaching and learning? What have you learned about yourself as a teacher and learner?

Use the following questions to assist you in writing a brief strategy reflection:

• How has reading this information affirmed some of what you already knew about comparing?
• What is something you now understand better about comparing?
• How might you change how you use comparing in your classroom?

Assignment One: Introduction

Hi and welcome to our course! 

Please remember that one of the benefits of a blogging course is to have communication between participants. Remember to read and respond to other participants' comments each week. ***  Please keep your responses to the assignments brief so that everyone is willing to read and respond to each others' comments.  It is always a better learning environment when participants are more interactive!!! :)

Also, you may want to type your comments in a Word Document and either copy from Word and paste onto the blog or save it in a folder on your computer and then post it to the blog. I have written a couple of lengthy comments that I lost before I was able to post it to the blog. This extra step may save you some frustration later on this term.

Last of all, we will write our comments to your posts on the blog, so you will need to check back to the corresponding week for feedback (and to make additional comments if you wish.)

Let us know if you have any questions. You can email us, but please put the words "Question for Classroom Instruction" in the subject line so that we can respond in a timely fashion.


Assignment #1: Introductory paragraph. Please post your introduction to the course blog in the blog archive under the posting: Week One: Introduction.

 Please tell us a little about yourself. Where do you teach? What grade and how long have you been teaching? How many students are in your class and do you have instructional support? What does your current literacy program look like? (If you aren’t currently teaching let us know what your educational background and experiences are.) What is your knowledge/training in the area of literacy? Does your district provide literacy training? If so, what exactly have they offered? Also, let us know a little about you outside the classroom: Interests/Hobbies/Family Life.

Also please read: Classroom Instruction that Works - Chapter 1 – Applying the Research on Instruction: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Sign in to the blog (follow directions below)
o Click on the comment link below. If you do not have a Google account you will need to create a free one. Underneath the “leave your comment” box – click where it says “no Google account? Sign up here.” Then follow the direction to create an account.
o After you create your account you can just type in your user name and password from when you created the account and then click the button “publish your comment” and it will be posted. You should post Assignment # 1 explained below as your first comment.

(Please Note: In addition to posting your first assignment (Introduction) to the blog, please email it to us. This is to enable us to contact you individually should the need occur. Please also make sure that you label your assignment with your name when posting to the blog to ensure that you receive proper credit for your work.)

WELCOME NEW STUDENTS! Summer 2013

Hello and Welcome to our Course.

The official start to the term is June 24th. We will be updating the blog with this term's Posts on this date. You are free to work ahead on the assignments and save them on your computer.

WE WILL STILL BE USING THE FIRST EDITION OF THE TEXT THIS TERM. If you already have the second edition we will work with you to adjust the assignments if needed. Just let us know.

One of the benefits of the blog format for online courses is the discourse between students. We post only one or two assignments at a time in order to foster communication between the course participants. Please keep your responses to the one allotted blog post in order to make the blog easier to read and more likely that other students will read and respond to your comments.
 

If you do work ahead you will need to post your reflection on the blog when the corresponding assignment is posted.
 

If you have a question please email us and put "Question" or "REPLY NEEDED" in the subject line so we can get back to you in a timely fashion. We frequently scan our inbox for questions but wait to reply to assignments for when we have a good chunk of time. If there is no notation in the subject line of the email, we assume it is just an assignment.
 

You can expect us to reply to your reflection in about a week from when you submit it-- though at times it may be longer. Again, if you have any concerns or questions email us and note in the subject line that a reply is needed or that you need "Help."
 

A couple of notes:
 

We suggest you save your work in a word processing document before posting to the blog. There have been times where something happens and a post may disappear. (Having this saved, makes it easier to repost.)
 

Some students have experienced problems posting using Firefox. There are work-arounds, but the easiest is just to use a different browser.
 

Summer Term starts 6/24
 

All work due 8/20
 

Grades available online 9/5
 

We look forward to learning and working with you this term. :D

Mary and Jackie