This is a unit that I am really looking forward to and hoping to grow from. It is perhaps where I feel most inadequate in my teaching. Without a solid knowledge base in my student's native language, I often feel like I lack in several of the 'best practices' categories and I really strive to become stronger in this regard
The categories that I think I am weakest in are using my assessments to inform instruction, specifically with my kids that are still learning basic English. I'd say that most of my in-class work is geared toward students at the CELDT level 3-4 [since this is where the bulk of my students are currently] and I have not yet totally adapted to meet the needs of my students at CELDT-2. I am only just know getting better at working on issues of sentence structure/word order with my lowest ELLs as well-- I had falsely assumed that it would just 'come' with more practice/English-only interaction. Parts of speech and word order are proving to be a major challenge.
I'm also really week in terms of respect for home language and cutlure. I am constantly praising them for being able to speak Spanish/ "talking up" being bilingual, but I really don't know enough about their culture. I constantly finding myself thinking that I need to read up on this, but have not have time yet. I want to understand their culture better, but with the language barrier... my conversations with their parents about this have not been as productive as I had hoped.
I am probably strongest in terms of using the GLAD strategies for UbD, and I'll even admit that I did not do the best job of this during past units. So far with geography I've used a KWL, T-Chart, Web, Input Chart, CCD, etc... and I have been really trying to focus on bringing more visuals in to my UBD as well as Blending, Read-Alouds, etc. I marked myself highest on Meaningful, Thematic instruction and Models/Visuals/Graphic Organizers. This seems to be an area where I am finally now getting confident about using these strategies, but I still look forward to more improvement as I learn more from this unit.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Kate, let me say that you do an amazing job considering your admission that you do not understand the culture very well. I am in awe with how much you have learned and processed already about the population of families that we serve. I think this is a process by which you need to give it more time, so you can really sink you teeth into what our families are all about and learn their culture and respect and value it as well. I have a double major in SPanish and Mexican American Studies, and when I moved out here to California and experienced the culture up close and personal it was very different in many ways to my home culture. Learning the language is a piece of learning about the cuture because so much of culture is tied to the language. I really admire your effort and how much you have embraced this culture, and I want you to know that as someone who has worked with these families for years, you are definately on the right side of things.
Post a Comment