Reflections Continued...

Chapter 10: Structuring and Planning Content-Language Integrated Lessons. 

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After looking at the PowerPoint, it goes around the basic idea of lesson planning and how to go about them. It talked about how we as teachers should make our students the center of attention. We need to meet their needs in order for them to feel comfortable and understood. 

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The PowerPoint also talks about a lesson format is a three-part structure; into (beginning), through (during), and beyond (after). It is said that all three parts must be completed in order for the learning process to be effective. 

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Another important part of lesson planning is the outcome and or performance indicators. Performance indicators show how the students are obtaining the information in the classroom. This could be through a number of ways, such as wordsplash, K-W-L chart, etc. This gives the students an opportunity to work with the criteria in a multitude of ways. 

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Overall, lesson plans allow for teachers to have a set plan of what they're going to teach and when they are. They also give students an understanding as well. Outside of lesson planning, it is important for teachers to realize their role is to support their students; therefore, we can alter our planning to their needs and wants. 

Chapter 8: Will I Ever Be Enough?

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Just by looking at the title, I knew that this chapter would have an impact on the reader and the author. Questioning identity is always something to address, that way other people can see they're not alone.

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This chapter discussed how Raymond went through so much and questioned his own appearance, African American. He questioned why he wasn't light skin like his brother, and why their race was treated differently than others. Wanted to know why "he wasn't enough".

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While he is trying to find his identity, he comes across the fact that he has many identities based on the post-racial society. Speaking of a post-racial society, they discuss in this chapter our former President Donald Trump, and how he "shattered the hallucination of post-racialism". 

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He is finally able to come to a conclusion on who he is and whom he wants to be despite all that history has come to be. 

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Lesson L: Chapter 12 

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Chapter 12 discusses how to create content-based thematic units. Thematic instruction gives the idea of an engaging curriculum. Giving a theme to your lessons allows your students to have an idea of what they are going to learn.

 

It is important as teachers to make their content clear and for it to have a purpose and relevance. This allows students to see what they are learning to allow them to engage and understand their material. 

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The connections students make with their curriculum helps them make the connection to their brain faster. Learning strategies also help students because they can develop a way for the information to stay with them, rather than going out the other ear. 

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In my classroom, I want to plan my thematic lessons around my students. This way they would have an understanding of what they are learning. Giving multiple learning opportunities will expand the student's ability to connect to the curriculum. 

Chapter 5: Mis Roots

 

When we were assigned our chapters, I originally have chapters 4&5, but was assigned to discuss 5. When talking to my classmates I was able to get a better understanding of the chapter. 

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After reading chapter 5 I felt a strong emotional connection to Paloma. Her poem signified how she felt towards her own culture and ethnicity. 

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She mentions specifics, such as she doesn't come from "taco bell" or "guac". That her heritage is more a Mexican label. She discusses how her family works for what have and for what they provided themselves and others. They are willing to do the work, rather than get the typical stereotype. 

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Chapter 5 discusses how typical stereotypes can upset a person, family, country, etc. It is important to remember that not everyone comes from a stereotype. 

Chapter 10: Being Ambiguously Brown In Africa

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As I was reading this chapter I noticed that a person's appearance is judged on a daily basis. Lynnette identified as an African American woman; however, her father was African American, and her mother was White. She was identified as multiple races by the outside world. 

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Throughout her story, she told us that she had the opportunity to go to three different places, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya. Within each place, she was judged by his appearance, accent, and gender. In South Africa, she was looked down upon by the women for not having an accent and her appearance triggered the people of their past pain. In Egypt, she was seen as one of them, even though she was not Egyptian. The people of Kenya said that she was white, they called her a mzungu [White person]. 

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With all of the knowledge she gained throughout her trips she wrote a book. This book was used to inform people on how one appearance can be used against them. No matter how you identify, someone can see you differently. 

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Important to note that what a person identifies as we respect and follow their terms. 

Lesson K: Chapter 11 

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Chapter 11 discussed how teachers use assessments in order to test their students knowledge. In the text, they go over how there are three types of assessments, standardized testing, classroom-based assessment, and program evaluation. Each type of assessment allows for the teacher to assess a different kind of understanding. 

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Each assessment allows us to evaluate not only what we are teaching, but what the students are learning. 

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For me personally, I have never liked assessments and or tests, but I understand the reasoning behind them. I feel as though assessments can cause unnecessary stress and sometimes confusion. Assessments allow the students to test their own knowledge, yet they can sometimes tear them down as well. 

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In my classroom, I want to have minimum assessments because I feel as though various causes stress. As a teacher I don't want to place pressure on my students, I would rather them have an understanding and review, rather than confusion and panic.