Saturday, September 22, 2012

SDAIE Strategy

The verbal scaffolding techniques listed under SIOP feature 14 can be adapted for any course topic. For the assignment this week I have adapted the verbal scaffold technique of  "think-alouds" to preview a section of the Government textbook which I will assign the students to read and take notes for homework. The following will be my brief lecture:
"Everyone open your books and turn to page 84. What is the title of this section? So what will this chapter be about? Before you read anything it is important to get an idea of what you will be reading about. What is the first heading? Notice how the main heading has a different color than the subheading. This is your clue that the paragraph below will specifically about the First Amendment. This is the book organizing the big ideas for you. Now skim the rest of the section and make note of the blue and red headings. Make note of how long the section is. Will this be a lot of note taking for you? Finally, think about what you already know about the Amendments. Making a connection between what you are about to read and what you already know helps your brain hold on to the information you read."

Friday, September 21, 2012

Name Story

I did not realize that my name was Shilo until I watched my father register me for Kindergarten and I heard the lady behind the desk read the name off my paperwork. Everyone I knew called me Sheila. The story my parents tell me about why I have two names is that before I was born my father tracked down a Sikh Master who was visiting town, he informed the Master that he was having a girl and sought advice on a name. The Sikh master replied "name her Sheila but spell it Shilo because that is the proper translation from Sanskrit". I think it is closer to reality that my father liked the name Shilo and my mother preferred the name Sheila and both parents won in a way.
From about middle school to high school I went through life being referred to as two names. My family and old friends called me Sheila but in school I was referred to as both. When I introduced myself I gave people the option of the two names.
I moved to California to live with my Aunt my senior year of high school. My first day in her house she gave me the best advice I have yet received, "choose a name". I chose Shilo for the sake of simplicity. I found it tiresome to explain to people that my name is spelled Shilo but pronounced Sheila.
As a result I have a dual identity. When I go home to Hawaii everyone refers to me as Sheila and I introduce myself as Sheila to new people. I have found this dual identity to be symbolic. Sheila is my childhood self, defined by my parents' culture and the small town I grew up in.
Shilo, on the other hand, is an educated mother and wife living in Southern California and striving for the American dream.

Literacy Survey

In order to learn more about you and the way you learn best, please answer the following questions completely:


      1.     List your favorite artists/bands, t.v. shows, and movies.


      2.       What are your favorite activities to do when you get home from school?


      3.       What type of texts (newspaper, magazine, books, comics, electronic, letters from family/friends, etc.) do you have at home?


      4.      What, if any, type of text do you read on your own?


      5.       What are your favorite and least favorite types of text to read?


       6.       How well do you understand your textbooks? Which subjects do you find most difficult to read?
 

        7.       How do you learn best ( e.g. listening to the teacher talk, taking notes, group activities, hands on activities, videos, or reading)?


         8.       What is one thing you wish teachers would do more often?

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Social Injustice



The picture above is of Psychology textbook. The social injustice my students face is that there are not enough textbooks fore every student.