Join a Mailring at the
Teacher Mailring Center
http://www.teachers.net/mailrings/
David of Alamance - Okay - then I guess we'll begin. I'll introduce myself. My name is David Chin and I'm an elementary teacher with 16 years of classroom experience. I have an M.Ed in curriculum and instruction and for the last 8 years I've taught in American schools in the Middle East. I am now living in North Carolina.
Amy - Yah...how often do you plan on having these session? Also, what is the general purpose, if i may ask?
David of Alamance - We will meet once a month and the purpose of this chat session is to give you the opportunity to ask for advice and/or to network with other student teachers.
David of Alamance - Amy - Is teaching going to be a second career for you?
Amy - Well, after college I worked in publishing for a few years. So, yes.....I got experience in corporate America, and realized it wasn't particularly stimulating enough for me. I also happen to really like kids.
Amy - There are people of all ages in my graduate classes at Bank Street. Actually, my boyfriend's mother, who is 52, is applying to bank street to work on an MA and have a second career as a teacher. I feel pretty young, actually...
David of Alamance - So what can we do for you this evening? You have two experienced teachers at your disposal. Please ask us questions.
Amy - Hmmmmmmmm. Well, I have to right a paper for my Child Development class about 9-10 year olds and where they are at developmentally. Bill, you've worked with 4th and 5th grades. Can you shed any light on where 9-10 year olds are at developmentally and what curriculum is appropriate for them, what they can handle, etc.?
David of Alamance - Bill - she threw a toughie at you. I would think that she should read about Piaget.
Amy - Haha yes the Piaget Handbook for teachers and parents I need to pick that up
David of Alamance - I can answer your question Amy, but not using terms from educational psychology.
Amy - You don't have to speak in terms of the "concrete operational stage"---in layman's terms...where are they at?
Amy - I would prefer layman's terms actually
David of Alamance - Amy - first off, girls at this age are more mature than boys.
Bill T NC - Hmmmm. I will try Amy. 4th and 5th graders are a curious lot. They are developmentally all over the spectrum, in terms of physical and emotional development.
Amy - I'm sorry if I threw a tough one at you...really just one sentence will do
Amy - Yes, girls are often more mature.
David of Alamance - Amy - the girls are more mature and they're better organized.
Bill T NC - David is definetly right there.
David of Alamance - Amy - both groups are going through a transition that began in 3rd grade and by the time they reach 4th and 5th grades, they should be well on their way towards becoming independent learners.
Amy - And they can handle spatial concepts, etc.?
Bill T NC - Girls seem more interested in learning at this age, too although that is not always the case
Amy - My cooperating teacher is doing geometry with them, and they are studying physical concepts in science, so I guess so
David of Alamance - Amy - spatial concepts? Certainly - learning longitude and latitude in social studies is generally a 5th grade objective. Learning how to read a grid map can be taught as early as 3rd grade.
Amy - I plan on working with little ones, like kindergarten or first grade, but not sure yet. Maybe Third.
Amy - But right now I'm student teaching 9-10's hence the paper...
Bill T NC - That, too will vary. Some are just transitioning through the "change" in development. I found that you still need to do a lot of concrete and visual things with them
jennyt - hello all im here asking if anyone know of a website where i could find bullentin board ideas
Amy - Do you teach in public or private schools?
Bill T NC - Public here
David of Alamance - Amy - Bill is correct - because students do not progress at the same rate and because the kids have different learning styles, using a variety of instructional methodologies is always a good idea.
Amy - Does anyone have a good short story lesson plan for 9 year olds...or could recommend a short story that has a highly developed main character?
David of Alamance - Jenny - off hand I can't help you. You may want to post your question on one of the chat boards.
Bill T NC - Middle schoolers tend to like a lot of hands on project type things, if you know what I mean, nathan
Amy - I'm formulating ideas for my first lesson in this placement.
David of Alamance - Amy - use the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary. They're perfectly geared towards that age level.
Bill T NC - How abot charlotte;s web???
David of Alamance - Bill - Charlotte's Web tends to be more for 4th graders.
Amy - Well.....I'm thinking....really short story...just a few pages...that's a great story,t hough
Amy - Yes, I'm with Fourth graders now
Bill T NC - 9 year olds...right? That is grade 4
Amy - Yup...some of them are 10....but mostly 9's
David of Alamance - Amy - well I would still recommend the Ramona books because the Ramona character is highly developed.
Amy - Hmmmmm.....but as far as a REALLY SHORT story......a few pages long
David of Alamance - Amy - 4th grade reading level - oh I've got it . . . the Boxcar children series!
Amy - Boxcar children? NEver heard of it.....
David of Alamance - Amy - oh a SHORT story . . . I'll have to think about this. I tend to use chapter books.
Bill T NC - Not heard of that, David. Is that contemporary?
Amy - Gotcha
Amy - I used to love the Beverly Cleary books and E.B. White when I was little
David of Alamance - Amy - The boxcar children series is a collection of books written about orphaned children who didn't have a home. When the authorities discovered them, they were living in an abandoned railroad boxcar. 4th graders tend to love this book.
Amy - That sounds like a great series...
David of Alamance - Bill - I'm not sure when they were written, but when I taught 4th grade, we used these books all the time.
Amy - The 4th Graders I'm student teaching with just started Queenie Peavy. Do you know that book?
Bill T NC - Sounds interesting...
Amy - The cooperating teacher is really great.
David of Alamance - Amy - if worse comes to worse, talk to the librarian at your school.
David of Alamance - Quennie Peavy - no - I'm not familar with it.
Amy - Yes....I was just thinking, if you had something on the tip of your tongue
David of Alamance - What was the purpose of your lesson again?
Bill T NC - You're fortunate to have that situation, Amy. Take advantage of it. You will learn bunches
Amy - Well....I was thinking of reading a short story to them, having them each have a copy to take home and reread...and to have a discussion about how an author describes a character. Then, on a separate day, I would have them write their own stories...
Amy - The lesson would be on character development, and later they could create their own characters
Amy - I need a short story with a really fleshy character
David of Alamance - Amy - does your class have basil readers or a class set of paperbacks? If so, you could use a chapter from a paperback or a story from the basil otherwise you're going to have to run off a lot of paper.
Amy - No, they use literature. No basals
darthy/RR/AL - basal readers, we cook with basil!!! LOLOL
Amy - a rosemary, parsley reader
David of Alamance - Amy - okay - what about taking a story from the book, Sideway Stories from Wayside School? Are you familar with this book?
Amy - No, I'm not. Author?
Amy - I could look it up in the library tomorrow
David of Alamance - Amy - author - sorry, offhand I can't tell you - but it's a popular book with somewhat silly stories about a rather strange school.
darthy/RR/AL - Sorry Amy, but do you need a flashy character or a really fleshy character??????
Amy - Okay--I can check it out from just the title. Thanks for the suggestion!
David of Alamance - Mrs. Gorf - or is it Gorp? is a horrible mean teacher.
Bill T NC - Just an idea, but have you looked at anything written by Shel Silverstein???
Amy - YEs , the character should be really MEATY
Amy - Shel Silverstein is great. But I thought he was more poetry. Oh yeah...THE Giving Tree...Hmmmmmm
Amy - ing by Roald Dahl?
Amy - The character doesn't have to be fat, no, just a clearly developed character
Amy - That sounds like a fun book
J - Pardon the interruption, but the author of Wayside School is Louis Sachar. Just thought you'd like to know that. Good night.
Bill T NC - Silverstein does a lot in poetry form, true, but some of his stuff does take on a story form too and they are rather brief.
Amy - Thank you, J
Helper - Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0380731487/teachersnet/
Amy - Bill, what made you decide to move to elementary?
Bill T NC - Needed a break fgrom the hormones, Amy...but I am going ack next year
Amy - Oh, you are. So you miss them?
Amy - What do you like about older kids?
David of Alamance - Amy - I like the intermediate grades. I've taught 4th grade and 5th but I really like 3rd.
Amy - Why 3rd?
Bill T NC - that might sound nuts to some, but I can handle the things that 6th grders to better than I can 8 year olds
Amy - NO, that makes perfect sense. Some people are great with middle schoolers. I think I'd be better with littler ones.
David of Alamance - Third graders are going through a transition. I will admit, at the beginning of the year they drive me nuts because they act like emotionally clingy little 2nd graders - but as the year progresses and they start to become independent learners, they change.
Bill T NC - I can go more into depth on things. Older ones can be more of a challenge (mouthy, etc) but they are capable of doing a lot of in depth, abstract kinds of work
Amy - Yes, it really is a time of transition. Leaving the babyness behind...
Amy - Yes, that's exactly what I'll be writing my paper about
Bill T NC - I guess the babyness is what gets to me most
David of Alamance - 3rd graders are still young and innocent enough to want the teacher's approval and affection. The older kids are too preoccupied with being "cool" or whatever it is they call it these days.
Amy - Do you find you can do a lot of interesting stuff with third graders?
Amy - I'm going on a class trip with the third graders from my first teaching placement tomorrow. They're visiting the Met.
Bill T NC - Not as much as I can with 6th. But then, I have only done third grade for four months
Amy - The museum, not the opera. It should be fun.
David of Alamance - Amy - if the kids are on or near grade level - yes. One of the neatest things I've done with my third graders has been to have a cooking activity learning center where different cooperative groups get to bake. The cooking reinforces measurement skills learned in math. It also reinforces the importance of reading and following sequential instructions.
Amy - My other class is visiting Ellis Island soon as a class trip.
Amy - They're pretty savvy kids.
David of Alamance - Amy - I hope they have some interactive exhibits. The kids would love that.
Amy - The Third Graders were definitely much younger and less advanced. It was also an inner city public school and these new kids are at a private school.
Amy - That's great...cooking
Amy - My favorite part of the cooking process is the eating....hahaha
David of Alamance - Hmmm . . . yes, the private schools tend to be much better than the public schools since the public schools are obligated to teach EVERYONE regardless of whether or not they want to be taught. (sigh)
Bill T NC - My challenge is that so many of mine are below grade level. It really limits what I can do
David of Alamance - Amy - of course with a cooking unit, the neat thing is that if you don't use APPROPRIATE MEASUREMENT, the cooking doesn't turn out quite right. (GRIN)
Amy - Hmmm.....when I cook for myself, I never use measurements....approximate everything...and it turns out delish. But with a class, they'd use measurements....
Amy - I never thought about how mathematical cooking can be.
Amy - My dad is very methodical...he measures everything. That was his specialty ... mixing and measuring,,, as a former chemistry prof.
David of Alamance - Amy - Cooking can be a wonderful way to reinforce reading and math skills. When it's used as an independent learning center, it also promotes responsibility.
Bill T NC - With me, cooking if cataclysmic. I am the world's most dangerous cook. I burn water.
David of Alamance - Well - even though we didn't have much of a student teacher turn out, I think this was a good session.
Bill T NC - I would agree
David of Alamance - It's 10 PM central. I'm logging off. Thanks for helping out Bill.
Bill T NC - No problem. See ya
Bill T NC - Good night all.
Chatboards Lesson Plans K12 Projects Teacher Blogs Mailrings Classified Ads Teacher Jobs Live Chat Live Meetings Articles Harry Wong Printables
Other Chatboards in this Category...
