Diversity is...

     "No two snowflakes are the same" this is equally equivalent to students and their learning. When asked in class today what is the first thing that comes to mind when you see the word "Diversity" not going to lie my first thought was "race" even though I know diversity is so much more than just that. Diversity is... race, gender, attitude, socioeconomic status, home support, physical/emotional, culture, religion, and the list goes on and on. Now knowing this information, think about how there are multiple methods of teaching styles and methods. As a teacher we have to be up to date on our students lives, students learning styles, how they differ from other students, and also aware of new teaching tools and research in order to best teach every child.
     There are so many types of students and learning styles/diversity in every single class. In fact I find it very daunting because it is our job as a teacher to get our content into their head and also have them want to learn. Students are all motivated by different things and interested things. How do we motivate every student? How do we reach every student? Is it possible to reach every student? I don't expect every student or parent to like me. I know it isn't possible for every parent to agree with my methods and as for students, they don't want to be told what to do or corrected and I am sure that for some reason I will rub a student the wrong way even though that is not my intent.
     In my observation hours that I have been putting is at an Elementary school, for a different class, it is easy to see diversity. These students all handle themselves differently and play differently and sometimes this causes issues with other students because some kids do not appreciate the way other students play and do not understand why they are acting in this way. Multiple occasions of tattle tailing take place and the teacher does a good job of correcting their behavior without insulting either student. Students also are on totally different athleticism levels and some can skip and some struggle to, but it doesn't matter because they are all having fun even when the teacher helps some students learn how to skip. The teacher uses different games that incorporate different styles of using the loco motor skills and the games don't always require a winner or a loser. This is a good idea because then students do not feel inferior  and thus will enjoy P.E. and continue to participate and to learn.

The Great Assessment Debate

     In my past experience of being assessed my teachers have mainly used the summative form of testing. Summative testing I just learned is the use of tests, finals, or EOGs. This is not the best approach because it is comparative to throwing a child into a pool without every swimming before but only watching someone else swim. So.. yes I am saying that teachers drown their students. I have been drowned multiple times and I am sure tons and tons of other students have been too. I am not a believer in the summative assessment use.
      Before taking this class I was unaware of the proactive form of assessment. Also known as the formative assessment. In Education 250 we do checkpoints, discussion, exit tickets, and blogs. When we use these formative assessments our teachers still figure out what we know and what we don't because it is extremely easy to let them know what we don't know in our personal blogs and in our informal class discussions. This method of assessment is a non stressful way for the students to let the teachers know what we know and have learned.
     When we assess students it should a teachers top priority to let their students know what they are doing well and what they can improve on. In class we qualified feedback as "does my feedback require my student to do something to continue/improve learning?" I think that feedback should be used all the time during regular class. Especially positive feedback, I think that encouraging students is such a great way to boost their leaning moral. When giving constructivism feedback it should be phrased in a way that student want to achieve it.
     In my future class I am going to give my students a flotation device until they are ready to swim without a life jacket.

Changing Our Minds

     This week I had the pleasure of being able to shadow a elementary P.E. teacher. I really enjoyed the experience and am even more excited to begin being more involved in schools and P.E. classes. The teacher did an excellent job at everything. He held the classes respect and their attention. Not only were the kids having fun but they were learning all of the things that are stated in the NC standards. The kids were learning loco motor skills and what they are called. The teacher incorporated games that made the kids identify the name of the action while being able to do it and even switch actions quickly. I was very impressed with the teacher and I now have an understanding of how to incorporate standards but also incorporate literacy. For example,the teacher was using the children's vocab in class and asking them what it meant and how it related to what they were doing.

More Observtions

     I really have appreciated the opportunity to go into different schools this semester. I would like to go into P.E. classes or health classes to see how my content area is taught and to see different forms of teaching. Even without going to my content area it is easy to see the teachers using the NCSTS in their classrooms with their students.
     Both of the classes in elementary and in middle school seemed to be respectful and well behaved. There was definitely a set standard already there and the students knew to not go over and any that did were quickly corrected and then they continued to obey the rules. This was impressive to me because class room management is extremely important for the safety of every one and the setting for learning.
      I do not really know how I would manage a class room but I am glad that I will have classes that prepare me for it. I feel that by the time that I am going to be student teaching Gardner-Webb will have adequately prepared me for it.