Pat's Feedback on My Review

Your article review was an energetic read with thoughts that have been well gleaned from those who have had "experience." Your comments into this aspect were clear, providing us with a positive student-teacher relationships approach. I liked the flow of your comments and the addition at the end: "Other Questions to Consider." Since there are always more than one issue in classroom management, it gives the reader something to think about as alternative possibilities.

Your source was recent with supporting sources acknowledged. Your introduction-body-conclusion format was effective. The statistic of a "21st century Education student," having a 'myriad' of ideas to glean from, was a good introduction. The body contained adequate information, using adequate quotations and examples. Your commentary was contained within the review of the article and added to the flow of ideas.

The review was submitted on the due date, with few spelling and APA errors. Only a few suggestions: * In the section on "The Importance of Personal Relationships" the word "once" in quotes should be "one."
* According to APA the year of publication should be placed in "()'s" after the author's name. In just a few instances this was omitted.
* There should be commas placed after introductory words, such as "maybe" and sometimes."

Education 4850 Article Review "The Power of Personal Relationships"

Review of "The Power of Personal Relationships"

            The twenty-first century Education student is very fortunate to have a myriad of readily accessible research and written material available to them, from which they can draw important and useful information on a variety of Education related topics.  Much of this material is published in the form of articles, which for the most part are clear and concise, compacting a wealth of experience and knowledge into an easy to read and understand format.  These articles are an invaluable resource to those of us who hope to gain the skills necessary to enter the teaching profession.  In reviewing several such articles related to the topic of classroom management, "The Power of Personal Relationships" by Thomas S. Mawhinney and Laura L. Sagan (2007) rates among the very best because of its simplicity and practicality.  We all know that establishing positive personal relationships is important in everything we do, however, these authors apply the theory of relationship building in the classroom by explaining its value, debunking traditional views of the teacher-student relationship and offering a means for improving these relationships.  Upon closer examination of this article, we will find that personal relationship building is crucial to nearly every aspect of classroom management.  The success of both teachers and students hinges upon the early establishment and ongoing maintenance of strong, positive personal relationships.    

The Importance of Personal Relationships

            The theme of "The Power of Personal Relationships" is no more complicated than its title suggests.  Mawhinney and Sagan maintain that building quality relationships between students and teachers provides a strong foundation for all other aspects of classroom management.  If a teacher is able to master and model good relationship building skills, they will be able to educate more effectively and their students will reap the benefit of a positive, constructive and inclusive learning environment.  This is particularly important and valuable advice for the Education student, because as the authors point out: "...A beginning teacher gets only once chance to make a first impression."(p. 461) 

Making the Right First Impression

            We Education students and novice teachers as well are happy to receive advice from seasoned teachers who have a wealth of experiences to draw from.  Mawhinney and Sagan state that there is one common piece of advice that many teachers have received as they enter a classroom for the first day of school.  This relates to establishing ourselves as an authority figure and that sometimes it is best to be a little tougher at the beginning, as we can always lighten up later.(p. 461)  This seems to make sense, as this practice should clearly delineate to the students that even though we are not their regular teacher, we are there to teach them and we expect to receive the same respect and attention that their regular teacher does.  Once we have established our position, then we can always lighten up according to the situation.  It is much harder to start off too casually and then try to garner respect later.  The whole idea seems sound in principle, however, Mawhinney and Sagan strongly suggest that we rethink this approach. 

            Mawhinney and Sagan urge teachers to consider the teacher-student relationship from the point of view of the student.  They note that consciously or unconsciously, many students make up their mind on the first day of school whether they will succeed or fail.(p. 460)  Therefore, it is important to think about our first impressions as perceived by our students.  The authors believe that "...the initial student/teacher encounter often determines how well or poorly a child will perform throughout the school year."(p. 461)  As we consider this theory from our perspective as student teachers, we can see that perhaps the advice of starting tough and relaxing later might cause damage to potential teacher-student relationships that cannot easily be repaired.  After all, we adults already hold a position of power within the adult-child relationships by virtue of our age and size.  Maybe by compounding this natural advantage with an initial attitude of toughness, we are creating a situation that is not conducive to good relationship building.

Disciplinary Alternatives

            The authors express the concern that coercive classrooms do not foster effective learning and furthermore, an environment of dominance or perceived dominance does not necessarily ensure compliance, but will often cause students to withdraw from engagement in an effort to avoid uncomfortable and unpleasant situations, experiences or relationships.  In their article titled "The Key to Classroom Management," Robert J. Marzano and Jana S. Marzano (2003) address the subject of discipline by noting that teachers who maintained high quality relationships with their students had 31 percent fewer discipline problems.(p. 6)  For the student teacher, the unintended consequences of their bid to establish themselves as an authority figure may lead to the creation of an atmosphere of intimidation and prevent the building of positive relationships with their students.  The idea of loosening up later will likely not surmount the difficulties that follow or undo the initial damage.

Building and Fostering Relationships

            While the Mawhinney and Sagan article cautions us in terms of what not to do, it also provides alternative methods by which we can effectively build and foster positive teacher-student relationships as well.  Perhaps the most useful advice from the authors in this regard is that teachers should not over-think things.  The best way to create a good relationship is to know your students and let them know you.(p. 461)  Author Steven Wolk (2003) also writes in support of this idea in his article, "Hearts and Minds".  Wolk maintains that one cannot underestimate the importance of making a social and emotional connection with their students.  The successful teacher must let each and every student know that they care. (p. 14)  There is no one size fits all approach to this.  It depends on the personality of the teacher and that of their students and there is a lot of flexibility in what ideas one might be comfortable in adopting according to ones personality, pedagogy and comfort zone.    

            One of the best things about the Mawhinney and Sagan article is that it lays out specific ideas and encourages us to think about ways we can affect our classroom relationships.  These include topics such as: re-establishing contact and high expectations, active and empathetic listening, involvement, respect, courtesy, fairness, caring, understanding, humour and love of children.(p. 461-464)  If it all seems a bit overwhelming and impossible to implement, the authors suggest that one must slow down and pick one or two things that seem particularly meaningful and doable and work on implementing those.  They point out that "Adding one or two to one's repertoire each year will put the self-renewing teacher on a path to canonization."(p. 461)   If we were to doubt that the approach suggested by Mawhinney and Sagan is worth the time and effort, we must think about the potential benefits.  Marzano and Marzano speak to the importance of such relationship building efforts, stating that: "Research has shown us that teachers' actions in their classrooms have twice the impact as do school policies regarding curriculum, assessment, staff collegiality and community involvement." (p. 6) 

Other Questions to Consider

            Although the Mawhinney and Sagan article gives us some excellent ideas to think about in terms of relationship building, it also poses some difficult questions.  We all know that it is important to make an excellent first impression, however, organization and preparation can only take us so far.  Sometimes we are faced with the unexpected and our carefully planned first impression may not work as well as we had hoped.  It would be nice to have a backup strategy in terms of how to resuscitate a less than stellar first impression.  Part of understanding each other and developing good relationships is knowing that first impressions are not always accurate, so if we happen to run into difficulties, there is still the opportunity to teach our students that everyone deserves a second chance and that sometimes the best relationships are worth a little time and effort.  The second question that arises regarding positive relationship building relates to the near impossible task of establishing personal relationships with each and every student in a large classroom.  If there is a weakness in the Mawhinney and Sagan article, perhaps it is the fact that it does not address the difficulties in establishing such relationships with twenty, thirty or even more students, while maintaining a balance of fairness and perceived fairness.  Marzano and Marzano do acknowledge this problem and they suggest that although busy teachers, especially at the secondary level do not have time for extensive interaction with every student,  "...some teacher action can communicate personal interest and concern without taking up much time." (p. 11) 

            The Mawhinney and Sagan article brings to our attention the importance of establishing positive teacher-student relationships and how the relationships we establish will have a domino effect on all other aspects of classroom management.  It further provides us with ideas on how we can think about these relationships and improve our personal skills in this regard.    There is no one size fits all approach for every teacher.  We must all find a way to establish authentic relationships with our students based upon our own personalities, pedagogy and comfort zone.  We are very fortunate to have wonderful resources such as "The Power of Personal Relationships."  It is through such articles that we can draw upon the knowledge and experiences of others in an effort to improve our own personal relationship building and classroom management skills.  

References

Marzano, J.S. & Marzano, R.J. (2003). The Key to Classroom Management. Educational

     Leadership, 61, 6-13.

Mawhinney, T.S., & Sagan, L.L. (2007). The Power of Personal Relationships. Phi Delta

     Kappan, 88, 460-464.

Wolk, S. (2003). Hearts and Minds. Educational Leadership, 61, 14-18.

Lesson Plan 2

LESSON PLAN

Name: Brett Clifton

Course/Unit: Grade 1

Topic: Self-Identity Issues - The Me, Myself and I Pie

Date: October 19, 2010

Class Length: 60 minutes

English Language Arts General Learning Outcome:

1. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.

English Language Arts Specific Learning Outcomes:

1.1.1. Express ideas and develop understanding

1.1.2. Experiment with language and forms

1.1.3. Express preferences

1.1.4. Set goals

1.2.2. Combine ideas

1.2.3. Extend understanding

Health and Life Skills General Learning Outcome:

Students will use resources effectively to manage and explore life roles and career opportunities and challenges.

Health and Life Skills Specific Learning Outcome:

L-1.5 Students will recognize interests, strengths and skills of self

Social Studies General Learning Outcome:

1.1. Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how identity and self-esteem are enhanced by their sense of belonging in their world and how active members in a community contribute to the well-being, growth and vitality of their groups and communities.

Social Studies Specific Learning Outcome:

1.1.1. Value self and others as unique individuals in relation to their world.

Learning Objectives:

1. Students will summarise the main elements of the story A Bad Case of Stripes.

2. Students will recognise the life lesson from the story A Bad Case of Stripes.

3. Students will question what makes an individual unique and students will compare their own uniqueness to their classmates.

4. Students will devise a recipe/ingredients for the Me, Myself and I Pie.

5. Students will produce a visual representation of the Me, Myself and I Pie. 

Resources Consulted:

1. Alberta K-12 Social Studies Program of Studies

2. Alberta K-12 English Language Arts Program of Studies

3. Alberta K-12 Health and Life Skills Program of Studies

Materials:

·         A Bad Case of Stripes

·         Plates of lima bean snacks

·         30 circular cut pieces of white paper

·         30 paper plates

·         30 circular cut pieces of light brown paper (simulated pie crust)

Procedure:

            Introduction (6 minutes)

·         Introduction to topic – Exploring Self-Identity

·         Leave a lima bean snack on each student’s desk prior to beginning of class.  As class begins, have students look at their snack to guess what it is and ask them their ideas on how to describe it (smell, taste, touch etc.)  Ask students to guess why they have a lima bean snack on their desk.  Have students leave snacks on desks and move to reading area.

·         Reading of the book A Bad Case of Stripes (Auditory, Visual, Linguistic) then send students back to their desks.

Body (48 minutes)

-          Offer students a lima bean snack, which directly relates to book and serves as an introduction for the idea of things I like, don’t like and things I have never tried.

-          Following the reading of the book, teacher will lead class discussion regarding the topic of self-identity and awareness. (Auditory, Linguistic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal) 

-          Topics considered will be discovering who you are, how friends and family influence you, how influences can be good and bad, how to resist bad influences etc. (Auditory, Linguistic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal)

o   Potential questions for students may include:

·         What are some ways that we are all the same?

·         What are some ways that we can be different?

·         Is it good to be different?

·         How are we like our other family members?  Do we look alike?  Do we like the same foods?

·         Are all of our friends the same or are they all different?

-          Teacher will introduce the project and materials for the day and explain what is required from each student

-          Students will return to their desks and once they have all materials they will begin by cutting their circular piece of white paper into six pie shaped pieces.  The size of each piece will be determined by the student.

-          Teacher will provide the theme (ingredient) for each pie piece which will include:

1. Student’s name and drawing of self

2. Visual and written representation of a food the student has tried and likes

3. Visual and written representation of a food the student has tried and does not like

4. Visual and written representation of a food the student has never had but would like to try.  Note: Teacher will provide pictures and possibly samples of some unusual foods for the children to consider.  Examples might include sardines, Lychee nuts, sushi, breadfruit, hummus etc. This will aid them in discovering a food they have never had but would like to try. 

5. Visual and written representation of an activity that the student feels they are good at

6. Visual and written representation of an activity that the student would like to improve at (Visual, Linguistic, Intrapersonal)

-     Students will decorate their light brown paper pie covering as they wish and it will be attached to one side of the pie plate so that it can be lifted to reveal the ingredients.

                       

Closure/Sponge Activities (6 minutes)

-          Gauge the progress made on the Me, Myself and I Pie.  If some students have finished quickly, they can clean up their area and then help other students.  As students finish, the teacher will help them find a space in the classroom to display their pie.

Modifications/Differentiation

-          For students who may struggle with brainstorming ideas, they may choose to work in partners or tables and get ideas from their peers.

-          While both a visual and written representation is encouraged, this is flexible and can be adapted to accommodate the skill level of each student.

Assessment Methods

1. Observe students as they brainstorm ideas and work on their pies, speaking to each student individually during the process. Teacher will make notes on these discussions with students which will be used for assessment purposes.   

2. Orally question students about the book and topic. 

3. Observe students as they concoct the recipes for their pies.

4. Go through pies after class to gauge progress, awareness and understanding.

DIY Self-Assessment

I feel that my assessments are will provide a valuable gauge of student understanding of the concepts being taught.  I have allowed for a great deal of observation/anecdotal note taking to aid me in the assessment process and I have also implemented a summative assessment (pies) to analyze student awareness and understanding.  I believe that this lesson's assessment component in strong and worth keeping in the lesson. 

Holiday Bells Lesson 4

LESSON PLAN

Name: Brett Clifton

Course/Unit: Art 5

Topic: Holiday Bells

Date: December 2, 2010

Class Length: 60 minutes

General Learning Outcome:

A Creative Experience

Specific Learning Outcomes:

Students will employ surface qualities for specific effects.

Students will decorate items personally created.

Learning Objectives:

1. Students will list characteristics of a holiday bell.

2. Students will recognize the significance of the bell to the holiday season. 

3. Students will create their own holiday bell to use as an ornament

Resources Consulted:

1. Alberta K-12 Fine Arts Program of Studies

2. http://www.learnalberta.ca

3. Christmas craft resources online

Materials:

·         Terracotta pots

·         Beads

·         Twine

·         Snow paint

·         Brushes/Sticks

·         SmartBoard

·         Markers

Procedure:

            Introduction (6-10 minutes)

·         Teacher will explain to the class that today we are making a holiday bell in art.

·         Teacher will have a student turn on the projector and while it is loading, teacher will read a short blurb on the history of bells in the holiday season.

·         After reading this, teacher will play a video of “Carol of the Bells” for the students to hear how the bells are utilized in the song.

·         After this video is complete, teacher will have students make their way to the art room.

·         Before leaving, teacher will go over the expectations of the students for behaviour in the hallway and in the art room. 

Body (40-50 minutes)

·         Upon arrival in the art room, teacher will ask students to be seated.

·         When students are seated, teacher will explain to them that we are making a holiday bell and at this time, teacher will model a completed bell for the students to see what is expected of them.

·         Teacher will show and explain the supplies the students will be using to make the bells.

·         Teacher will hand out the preliminary supplies of twine and beads and will model for the students what they are to do.  Students are to write their name on the inside of their pot with a marker provided. 

·         Teacher may ask such questions as “Who can tell me what we are doing now?” or “What step are we on” to gauge for student understanding of the assigned task.

·         Teacher will make his way around the class to help any students out who are not getting what he is asking them to do.

·         Upon completion of all steps, students are to use the snow paint to brush up the edge of their bell. 

·         When this is completed, students will place their bells in a safe spot to dry.

·         Students will then clean up as required and return to the classroom. 

·         Students will get their bells back on the next day (if they are dry). 

Closure/Sponge Activities (5-10 minutes)

·         Upon completion of the painting of the bells by all students, teacher will take students back to the class.

·         While students are waiting, they will be provided with something to work on, most likely a puzzle of some sort. 

·         Students will be responsible for clean up.

Modifications/Differentiation

·         This activity is designed to be completed by students of a variety of learning levels, however, if a student is struggling with the assignment, they are permitted to get help from a fellow student or from the teacher as time permits.

Assessment Methods

1. Observe students as they participate in the lesson and its activities.

2. Oral questioning of the students in the lesson.

3. Completion of the holiday bell ornament in a timely manner. 

DIY Self-Assessment
I feel that in this lesson my assessments will be successful.  I am observing their active participation in the lesson and questioning them for their understanding.  I am also implementing a summative assessment (their bells), which will be taken in for an art grade.  I feel that this lesson is well-rounded and achievable by students of any learning level.

Lesson Plan 3

LESSON PLAN

Name: Brett Clifton

Course/Unit: French 4

Topic: Knowing Your Numbers en français

Date: TBD

Class Length: 45 minutes

General Learning Outcome:

Language: Students will use, with accuracy, knowledge of linguistic elements of the French language to fulfill their communicative intents.

Specific Learning Outcomes:

Knowledge of Vocabulary

Learning Objectives:

1. Students will name the French numbers from un (1) to douze (12).

2. Students will compare the names, spellings and pronunciations of the French numbers to their English counterparts.

3. Students will attribute a number (in French) to a group of things or objects being pictorially represented.

Resources Consulted:

1. Alberta K-12 French as a Second Language Program of Studies

2. http://www.learnalberta.ca

3. Mr. David Nussbaumer’s collection of F.S.L. resources

Materials:

·         SmartBoard

·         SmartBoard Lesson

·         French Numbers List

·         French Numbers Word Search

·         Exit slip

Procedure:

            Introduction (5 minutes)

·         Introduction to the lesson on the numbers un (1) through douze (12) in F.S.L. class

·         Hand out double sided list/word search sheet to all students

·         Teacher will read the list of numbers aloud and begin asking students about what they notice about the numbers listed on the sheet

o   “Are any of the numbers in French said the same as how we say them in English?”

o   “Are any of the numbers in French spelt the same as how we spell them in English?”

Body (25 minutes)

·         Begin the SmartBoard lesson with the number list on the second slide.  Teacher will again read the numbers aloud and students will repeat after each number.

·         Students will then participate in the French Number Relay.  Beginning on one side of the classroom (teacher’s right), students will go down and up the rows reciting the French numbers un through douze.  If a mistake is made, the relay will have to start again at the person who last said “un”.  Once the students have made it from one side of the room to the other and back again, the relay is over.

·         Teacher will demonstrate the next activity for the students, which is the Magic Crystal Ball.  An image or images will be displayed on the SmartBoard and the participant(s) will count in their head and chose the French number that corresponds to the image(s).

·         Teacher will generate pairs and students will get in their pairs.  As each group number is called up, they will count together silently and choose their answer.  They will drag their answer into the crystal ball and if it stays then they are correct.  If it disappears, they will have to try again. 

·         After all pairs have had a turn, students will return to their original seats. 

Closure/Sponge Activities (15 minutes)

·         Students will be passed out an exit slip, which teacher will have them complete.

·         If students finish quickly, they have a word search which they can work on while they wait for the next lesson/activity.

Modifications/Differentiation

·         For students who may struggle with identifying and verbalizing the numbers in French, they will be allowed to ‘ask the audience’ for help.

·         If there is a technological problem, lesson can be altered to just the visual and verbal representations without the magical ball. 

Assessment Methods

1. Observe students as they participate in the lesson and its activities.

2. Oral questioning of the students in the lesson.

3. Teacher will make anecdotal notes relating to how the students are pronouncing and recognizing numbers in French.

4. Exit slips at the end of the lesson. 

DIY Self-Assessmenet
I feel that my lesson is very strong in terms of assessments.  I am observing and making notes on student engagement, understanding and participation, which will be beneficial to any formative assessments I make in French.  Also, by implementing the use of an exit slip, I am getting student opinion on the lesson and learning which students get it and which students might need extra help or a better way of explaining the concepts.