Ashley Sack
TE 291A-Walcott
3-16-11
Document includes:
1.)Community Asset Map and Sources Utilized
2.)Student Interview Questions/ Full Transcript
3.)Teacher Interview Questions/ Full Transcript
4.)Synthesis Essay and References Page
Community Mapping Assignment of Willow Elementary School
“Our mission is to create an enriched, motivating, and learning climate conducive to acquiring the skills for lifelong learning. This includes preparing all students for the changing technology of our world as well as assisting them in becoming responsible, productive members of society”. This mission statement, partnered with an online resource which guides students (From Kindergarten to 5th grade) and parents to community success through parent involvement plans, procedure and expectation plans, newsletters, and activity advertisements, counteracts many of the negative stigmas society associatedwith the very realistic statistics about the surrounding community of Willow Elementary School.
As a part of Lansing Public Schools, Willow has received a 5/5 star rating from the general school community. According to standardized test scores, Willow deserves a rating of 5/10. In 2009, most third graders performed in the 65th percentile or higher in reading, writing, and mathematics with most third graders performing above 90% in reading and math on their MEAP tests. With an average of 18 full-time teachers, Willow averages about 15 students per teacher. This type of data is so crucial for future teachers to know and understand because they must cater to the needs of their students and communities, not just a general audience. Despite the stereotypes of an urban school system, attendance rates are at 94% compared to Michigan’s overall 95%! In addition, expenditures per pupil in this district average about $11,300 while the state average is only around $9,200. Thankfully, the highest portion of these expenditures goes toward instructional uses. These numbers were astonishing because one would think that this type of area would have less money going toward their students and more money toward school upkeep or other community necessities.
Similar to the surrounding community, the ethnic makeup of Willow is comprised of 56% Black, 26% White, 17% Hispanic, and 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native. Many of Willow’s teachers are Black, White, or Hispanic which seems to provide a comfortable and cohesive learning environment.Unfortunately, 234 of Willows 272 students (86%) are eligible for free or reduced lunches, a drastic increase from Michigan’s overall 42% count. With confirmation from several teachers, lack of household monies is a large issue in the surrounding community. Based on a family of four in the 2011 census, the poverty line sits at $22,350. With the median household income in the community at the time of the last survey being $34,833, the number of families living below the poverty line in Lansing is about 13.2 percent of the surrounding community population. Similarly, 83% of Willow’s surrounding population has a high school degree and 21.2% of the population has at least a bachelor’s degree or more. Unfortunately the higher poverty rates did not come as a surprise and neither did the low rates of higher education either. Unfortunately, these two numbers usually have some sort of correlation and are more prominent in an urban community because of other societal factors. With such a dense population in an urban community, numbers are bound to be more exaggerated.
Contrary to popular belief about urban environments and school systems, there are several opportunities for positive and productive interaction amongst students, parents, and teachers. Less than two miles away from Willow Elementary and its surrounding neighborhoods are two libraries (The Library of Michigan and The Downtown Lansing library). There are also several parks and recreations locations within the vicinity of the community. These include The East Lansing Hannah community and recreation center, the Lansing Fenner Nature Center, and The City of Lansing Parks and Recreation Center. In addition, several educational opportunities such as the Lansing Capitol building, the Lansing State Journal, and Cooley Temple Conference and Touring Center are located very closely to Willow as well. As a future educator, these resources were exciting to read about because so many ideas came to mind as how to broaden the horizons and learning environments of future students. In addition, the vast amounts of in-school and out-of-school resources and activities was surprising because many times, one believes these are not a possibility with all of the other stressors and factors of the urban environment. With Willow offering Boy Scouts, Girls on the Run,and Read to succeed clubs throughout the year, there are plenty of educational and recreational opportunities for the students as well as their parents.
Sources for Community Mapping Assignment Information
factfinder.census.gov/home/staff/main.html?_lang=en
8&cid=0,0,2239010418464088506&fb=1&hq=willow+elementary+school&hnear=Lansing,+MI&gl=us&daddr=1012+W+Willow+St,+Lansing,+MI+48915-2299&geocode=2526532453387277531,42.749171,-84.566220&ei=dkuATeHsD8iEtgfKyaTjCA&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=directions-to&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQngIwAA
Questions/ Transcript of Student Interview
1.)Do you like math? Yes.
2.)What is your favorite part about math? I like multiplication, adding, and subtracting.
3.)If you don’t understand math one day, and you are confused by the teacher, does that make you not like math anymore or do you just try harder? I just try harder and I will get the right answer after I try harder. It doesn’t make me not like math when I don’t understand because after I try a lot, I am sure I’ll understand it.
4.)How do you use math in your everyday life? By getting my spiral notebook and I always make sure I have a pencil in my fake purse (kid’s purse). I always practice math in the car when I am driving places with my parents and I get better at it. Sometimes I practice at my house and during recess in the classroom for fun if it is indoor recess. When I look at the clock or a number watch (digital watch), I use math too. Times (telling time) are harder for me but if it shows the number (digital clock) it is easier and I like to use those more.
5.)How do you use math at home? When I have to look at the clock or clean my room by a certain time my mom says, I use telling time. That is math.
6.)How do you describe the students in your class when it comes to math? Some of my friends struggle and some do really good. Sometimes there is a game we play on the computer and I’m first and (name) is usually second. On the computer, we do this math game and he’s in division and I’m on subtraction. It gets harder and harder and we learn math things that way. When we make it a game against each other, we like it. We keep moving up levels. My class is good at math mostly.
7.)How are your teacher’s math lessons? Are they clear or confusing? When people talk really loud, it is kind of confusing to learn. So when the teacher is there, people talk more when the teacher is not there, it makes it harder to do math when they do that. Mostly they are good lessons that I get (understand).
8.)How is the attention span of your class in math?Do most kids pay attention? Mostly everyone pays attention and is quiet.
9.)Do you pay attention during the lessons? Sometimes I listen to math and sometimes I don’t. Then I think about talking and look at other people and want to talk to them. This third grade (because I was held back), I try to pay attention and not talk because I think that is what I am supposed to do. Sometimes it works and sometimes I still want to talk.
10.)What do you do when the teacher gives you math homework? When I get math homework, I go home and do it right away. Sometimes I forget to turn it in but most times I always turn it in.
11.)What do you do when you don’t know an answer in math? When I don’t know a math answer, I don’t find it in the book; I wait for the teacher to explain it because I don’t know how to do it.
12.)Is it important to turn in your math homework and do it on time? Sometimes I turn things (math homework) in late because I think about it for a while, or then ask my mom to help me and it takes a while, then I get late with my math homework. But that is okay, because then I understand it when I take a test.
Questions/ Transcript of Teacher Interview
1.)How does an average math lesson run in your room?
I do not currently teach math, another teacher rotates classrooms for the third graders. But, in general when I did teach math, every lesson starts as a review. Then, we utilize a review box full of questions to pose to the students from the previous lesson. There is a lot of scaffolding in math. It is important that you ask: “What did we do yesterday?” It is also important that we do math problems together in a whole class and verbal setting.
2.)What kinds of activities do you do in order to teach your math lessons?
Third grade math is taught from a textbook. Second graders use workbooks and third graders use textbooks so that you need to copy their lessons onto individual papers. We do a lot of hands on and whole group lessons from the text books as well.
3.)How do you motivate students?
We give out treats for doing home work; homework goes home on Tuesday and comes back on Thursday. To get them to pay attention, we use a computer program. One program is called “Math Backs in a Flash” which is a five minute activity that starts out with simpler math and goes out to harder levels. Teachers distribute treats for every level the student accomplishes. We also talk about responsibility and the need to do homework in order to be successful.
4.)How do you relate their math lesson to the real world?
We relate math to the real world for our students especially in teaching telling time or counting money. They don’t want to get cheated at the grocery store when they are using their allowance money. We also teach that being on time and getting to places on time is important. Even if all they can do is tell time on a digital clock, it is important.
5.)How important is math in the whole span of the curriculum? Rate these subjects from least to most important (math, science, reading, social studies, writing).
I’d have to say that reading, writing, and math are all equal. Science and Social Studies are nice but the other subjects are the basic foundations of learning. Many of the kids are not interested in science subjects because these subjects are so varied and specific. I’d rather do cross curricular activities with math, science, and reading in order to teach the science through a math or reading lesson in order to keep it relevant to the general class.
6.)How do you correspond with the parents of your students about their math homework or homework in general?
We have a system at the beginning of the school year where we send a homework policy home. If they turn it in, it is graded and sent back home. If they don’t return it, it is written on a problem note. We make phone calls if those notes are not returned. The homework is a grade during marking periods.
7.)What advice do you give parents on how to help their kids with math?
Take it one step at a time. Feel free to ask us for help to help their kids. Many parents do this. It is ok to ask for help. We have parents that ask for outside resources. We give them the website to our textbook with hands on activities that go with our third grade level. We tell parents to talk to them (the student) and don’t do it for them. Homework goes home in two folders (math and reading). It goes home on Tuesday and comes back Thursday. The colors for each subject of homework are coordinated so teachers, parents, and students can all stay organized.
Synthesis of Student Study
As a future educator, the overwhelming reality that a colossal portion of a student’s educational and future success lies within the confines of a teacher’s abilities, strategies, and perspectives on classroom learning can at times be a source of fear or discouraging anxiety. One may wonder, why? The responsibilities that a teacher has to his/her students are ones that cannot be overlooked or underestimated. Although an individual may be full of passion, compassion, and a desire for his/her students to succeed, there is much more to achieving this goal than can be seen at first glance. To be a teacher means to constantly be learning, observing, exploring, and experimenting in an effort to create an environment conducive to successful learning for one’s own students. What then does it mean to learn? How does one create this so called “best possible learning environment” for students? Over the course of teacher education, one fact remains infallible: The most effective way to gain a greater understanding of the methods of teaching is to observe examples of teaching itself. Therefore, it is fitting as future educators, to study another teacher’s as well as a student’s thoughts and ideas on learning in order to come to more definitive conclusions on successful learning. In combination with course materials, a detailed analysis of Willow Elementary School and surrounding community, and a documented transcript of two particular conversations with a student and a teacher concerning mathematical learning and learning in general, several generalizations about learning are proven indubitable. Although there is no one proven formula of how to create a successful student, this study supports the ideas that the success of a student relies on a teachers’ efforts to highlight meaning and connect relevant curriculum to the students’ lives, the methods in which a teacher goes about presenting information and motivating students to learn during the education process, and strong parent-teacher correspondence and involvement.
Relevance of curriculum to a student is a key factor in not only engaging a student in a lesson but also in creating connections that a student will remember and understand. Connecting [learning] with student’s cultural and community histories is vital in motivating students because through this, they see how the learning applies to their own lives. It actually, in turn, gives them the power to alter and improve their surroundings (Gutstein and Peterson). Because a student is comprised of internal and external environmental factors, these aspects play a strong role in what is meaningful and necessary to their individual learning. “The starting point for many teachers is to build upon what students bring into the classroom and to connect curriculum to students’ lives” (Richardson). Therefore, relevance of information takes into account the students’ ethnicities, religions, family structures, living environments, socio-economic statuses in society, ages, goals, and levels of ability (Compton-Lilly). It cannot be said enough that in order for a student to see meaning behind a lesson, the teacher must be aware of what types of students he/she is teaching, where they come from, what they deal with on a daily basis, and how they see themselves in society.
A third grade student, having little to no knowledge of teaching pedagogy or methods, solidifies this idea when she says “I like math but sometimes I listen to math and sometimes I don’t… I try to pay attention and not talk because I think that is what I am supposed to do so I can know things to help me”(Interview). In this same classroom, the teacher states that “We relate math to the real world for our students especially in teaching them to tell time or count money. They do not want to get cheated at the grocery store when they are using their allowance money, so they see a need for learning this material. We also teach that being on time and getting to places on time is important” (Interview). In this account, the teacher realizes the importance of relating [math] learning to realistic situations in which her students will need to utilize and understand the math. She successfully caters to aspects of age, but unfortunately during the interview, there is no evidence of her attempts to connect math problems or lessons to the student’s racial, ethnic, or economic backgrounds. In this particular community, the ethnic makeup is comprised of 56% Black, 26% White, 17% Hispanic, and 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native. Many of the schools’ teachers are Black, White, or Hispanic which seems to provide a comfortable and cohesive learning environment (Community Map). In addition, the number of families living below the poverty line in this surrounding community is about 13.2 percent (Community Map). Therefore, the student’s statement causes one to wonder: During what types of lessons does she feel engaged? Is she less engaged at times because she feels as though the examples and problems do not apply to her? Is the teacher’s lack of cultural relevance playing a large role in the student’s engagement and ability to connect to the curriculum? According to Gutstein and Peterson, “teaching math in a way that helps students more clearly understand their lives in relation to their surroundings, deepens their understanding of materials” (Gutsetin and Peterson). Simple alterations such as creating story problems that relate to students’ lives, reading articles that highlight mathematical or economic issues in the surrounding community and government, and even creating games that mimic situations in the students’ daily lives would be extremely beneficial to the learning process. As a future educator, it is frustrating to see the lack of cultural relevance presented during classroom lessons because this can have such a great effect on student learning.