Friday, August 13, 2010
Floods
The first great flood that washed the Earth involved Noah and the Ark.Recently we have seen on the local and international arena that floods are causing destruction. Families are being uprooted, animals, villages lost under mudslides are some of the effects of such floods. How do you think children your age feel about these dreadful disasters. How can you help? Y
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Vowels- Long and Short sounds
A E I O U
We are very little creatures,
All of different voices and features:
One of us in glass is set,
One of us you’ll find in jet.
T’other you may see in tin,
And the fourth a box within.
If the fifth you should pursue,
It can never fly from you.
Jonathan Swift
This lyrical poem describes quite simplistically the vowels in English grammar. This poem seems to have been written for oral delivery to aid children in the memorization of these vowels. An important element is the end rhymes that add to the singsong quality of the poem. From a linguistic point of view, to phonetically learn the vowels one must be aware of their long and short vowel sounds. Stressing on initial vowel sounds is a useful strategy for beginning readers.
This poem caters to a more mature student maybe around 8 / 9 years of age, who in appreciating the direct images of the poem may also come to appreciate the underlying lesson being highlighted.
We are very little creatures,
All of different voices and features:
One of us in glass is set,
One of us you’ll find in jet.
T’other you may see in tin,
And the fourth a box within.
If the fifth you should pursue,
It can never fly from you.
Jonathan Swift
This lyrical poem describes quite simplistically the vowels in English grammar. This poem seems to have been written for oral delivery to aid children in the memorization of these vowels. An important element is the end rhymes that add to the singsong quality of the poem. From a linguistic point of view, to phonetically learn the vowels one must be aware of their long and short vowel sounds. Stressing on initial vowel sounds is a useful strategy for beginning readers.
This poem caters to a more mature student maybe around 8 / 9 years of age, who in appreciating the direct images of the poem may also come to appreciate the underlying lesson being highlighted.
Let's take another look at dictionaries
Roe, Smith and Burns (2005) identify dictionaries as valuable tools that help in completing many kinds of reading tasks. They can help students determine pronunciation, meaning, derivations and parts of speech for words they encounter in reading activities.
They can also help with word spellings if children have some idea of how the words are spelled and need only to confirm the order of letters within the words.
Picture dictionaries are used primarily for sight word recognition and
spelling assistance. Children can be introduced to picture dictionaries as early as the first standard. They can learn how dictionaries are put together and how they function by making their own picture dictionaries.
As a study method technique children need to learn three important skills: alphabetic order, using guide words and locating variants and derivatives.
They can also help with word spellings if children have some idea of how the words are spelled and need only to confirm the order of letters within the words.
Picture dictionaries are used primarily for sight word recognition and
spelling assistance. Children can be introduced to picture dictionaries as early as the first standard. They can learn how dictionaries are put together and how they function by making their own picture dictionaries.
As a study method technique children need to learn three important skills: alphabetic order, using guide words and locating variants and derivatives.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Culture
Considerable interest in today’s society is placed upon differences in cultural identities. Socially their manifestation in our society seems inclusive. Divali, Eid-ul-fitr and Emancipation are all public holidays in our country. As one line of the National Anthem of Trinidad and Tobago declares, ‘Here every creed and race finds an equal place.’ Despite these aims the citizenry of our nation still operate in socially stratified circles that promote oppressive concepts of different ethnic groups within the society. These factors affect the ability of pupils to meaningfully participate in national issues.
The fact that different cultural perspectives offer its own unique problem places the school in an even more difficult situation. . The relationship between education, religious beliefs and practices can profoundly shape cognitive and affective aspects of individual behaviour of present and future generations of ‘ Trinbigonians’. Provided that an environment can be created where all students and staff feel equally valued. The issue here is how can teachers influence relationships between multicultural communities, the school and the wider society.
Happy Emancipation!
The fact that different cultural perspectives offer its own unique problem places the school in an even more difficult situation. . The relationship between education, religious beliefs and practices can profoundly shape cognitive and affective aspects of individual behaviour of present and future generations of ‘ Trinbigonians’. Provided that an environment can be created where all students and staff feel equally valued. The issue here is how can teachers influence relationships between multicultural communities, the school and the wider society.
Happy Emancipation!
Excellent Reading Teachers
International Reading Association.(Jan, 2000)., A position statement of the international reading association., USA.
Excellent reading teachers affect children's reading achievement and their motivation to read. They are knowledgeable about the sequence of children's reading development. They assess student's progress using a variety of assessment tools e.g samples of student's writing, reading, inventories, anecdotal records, observation checklists etc. They also use this knowledge to plan instruction in response to children's needs.
Excellent reading teachers are familiar with children's literature and a variety of genres. They have supplement material and rich classroom libraries. They read to their students and provide time in class for children to read independently. Classroom schedules are predictable and children know what is required of them through the day.
Excellent reading teachers affect children's reading achievement and their motivation to read. They are knowledgeable about the sequence of children's reading development. They assess student's progress using a variety of assessment tools e.g samples of student's writing, reading, inventories, anecdotal records, observation checklists etc. They also use this knowledge to plan instruction in response to children's needs.
Excellent reading teachers are familiar with children's literature and a variety of genres. They have supplement material and rich classroom libraries. They read to their students and provide time in class for children to read independently. Classroom schedules are predictable and children know what is required of them through the day.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Classroom Management
"More than half the classroom management problems that occur in the educational system are teacher made" Do you agree or disagree?
Student behaviour does not occur in isolation from the ecosystem and conditions in your classroom. You can encourage or discourage misbehaviour from your students. Students as well as teachers live within several ecosystems including homes, classrooms, schools and communities. These systems influence life in your classroom.
Harry Wong (1998) suggests that classroom organization and management includes all the things that a teacher must do towards two ends.
1. To foster student involvement and cooperation in all classroom activities.
2. To establish a productive working environment.
Wong also believes that a well managed classroom is task oriented and predictable.
This takes us to a pertinent question. Should there be rules in the classroom? I say an affirmative YES.
Children develop a basic set of rules that they and the teacher can work within. Additional rules, guidelines or practices can be added or removed. All participants in the classroom must be aware that rules are to be followed. A behavioural contract can be done for a class, group or one student. These contracts aim at managing specific undesirable behaviour.
We all at times need to examine our approaches that we use in the classroom to create democracy . Did you look in the mirror today? What did you really see?
Student behaviour does not occur in isolation from the ecosystem and conditions in your classroom. You can encourage or discourage misbehaviour from your students. Students as well as teachers live within several ecosystems including homes, classrooms, schools and communities. These systems influence life in your classroom.
Harry Wong (1998) suggests that classroom organization and management includes all the things that a teacher must do towards two ends.
1. To foster student involvement and cooperation in all classroom activities.
2. To establish a productive working environment.
Wong also believes that a well managed classroom is task oriented and predictable.
This takes us to a pertinent question. Should there be rules in the classroom? I say an affirmative YES.
Children develop a basic set of rules that they and the teacher can work within. Additional rules, guidelines or practices can be added or removed. All participants in the classroom must be aware that rules are to be followed. A behavioural contract can be done for a class, group or one student. These contracts aim at managing specific undesirable behaviour.
We all at times need to examine our approaches that we use in the classroom to create democracy . Did you look in the mirror today? What did you really see?
Word Processors
Polin(1990) in her article Word Processing:Untapped Adventure sees the word processor as an instructional tool that people appreciate only on a superficial level. She further states that meaningful instruction can be created from a word processor.
In the Writing process, the stage of prewriting for novice writers, word processing software have automatic outline features that helps writers define audience, content or message.
During editing and revising, student revision in terms of modifications are encouraged to large pieces of texts, where sentences can be deleted,tone altered or style of writing completely changed.
Finding an audience also effects the choice of writing, as such good writers make decisions on organization and style of their writing.
The author notes that far too often students only display academic skill, knowledge or mechanics in the writing process. Teachers are often the audience and they already know the right answers. Motivation is often lacking on the students part. However, desktop publishing software(DPT) as an outcome product can be used to produce books, newspapers, brochures and pamphlets. DPT software also allows for "importing" text files created in the word processor.
As an instructional tool the capabilities of a word processor extends beyond its basic use as a typewriter.
In the Writing process, the stage of prewriting for novice writers, word processing software have automatic outline features that helps writers define audience, content or message.
During editing and revising, student revision in terms of modifications are encouraged to large pieces of texts, where sentences can be deleted,tone altered or style of writing completely changed.
Finding an audience also effects the choice of writing, as such good writers make decisions on organization and style of their writing.
The author notes that far too often students only display academic skill, knowledge or mechanics in the writing process. Teachers are often the audience and they already know the right answers. Motivation is often lacking on the students part. However, desktop publishing software(DPT) as an outcome product can be used to produce books, newspapers, brochures and pamphlets. DPT software also allows for "importing" text files created in the word processor.
As an instructional tool the capabilities of a word processor extends beyond its basic use as a typewriter.
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