Reflective Journal Project 2 Entry: Continuous Progress Monitoring and Data Analysis Helping Struggling Readers

Author: Yusun Y. Beck

Written For:
Old Dominion University
Language Acquisition and Diverse Learning Needs (TLED 568)

There are multiple ways that continuous progress monitoring and data analysis can be used to help struggling readers.  Proper assessment allows for an accurate evaluation of the students’ current abilities and their needs.  Having good skills in data analysis allows for the student performance to be accurately portrayed.  Continuous progress monitoring is very important and must go on because each day is a day to help the struggling student to learn and grow to become better readers.

In order to remedy a problem, we must know that one exists.   Data that is not gathered can not be analyzed as well.  Therefore, Evaluation is a very important part of progress monitoring and helping struggling readers.  Reading is very complicated and there could be decoding issues, missed cues, disabilities, or even nervousness.  This is just to name a few of the many problems that could exist.  Assessments are meant to be the beginning of evaluation.  Assessments should be both reliable (consistent) and valid (related to the materials taught).  Measuring progress accurately requires goals and standards for evaluation.  In perfect practice, good evaluation should determine if there is a legitimate problem for the student, gather good accurate data for analyzing, and keep the teacher and student on track in a specific direction.

Evaluation is good for getting raw data, but all collected data must be analyzed or the teacher could hone in on the wrong area.  Therefore, proper interpretation of the results from constant evaluation must be accomplished.  Teachers must understand Informal Reading Inventories (IRI), Running Record Calculations, and Cueing Systems.  Good data analysis simply finds where the confusion is.  For example, teachers must know the difference between visual, structure, and meaning cues to name a few.  These items aid in continuous progress monitoring.

Continuous progress monitoring includes detecting the problem (evaluation) and interpreting data collected through the evaluation process (data analysis).  However, it also includes action.  The teacher’s job is to identify, understand, and attempt to fix the problem.  Progress monitoring helps struggling readers because it allows for constant improvement which is continuously observed.   If there is a road bump that arises then it is handled immediately.

It is never good to wait to solve a problem.  Continuous progress monitoring involves evaluation, data analysis, and teacher student observation with problem solving skills.  It allows for constant and immediate detection and action.  Collected data from the evaluation can be interpreted properly.  Finally, a teacher can begin to work with the student to implement appropriate goals and standards.  The continuous progress monitoring also allows for flexibility to shift a focus on trouble areas and help the student improve faster in an ideal situation. 

Reflective Journal Project 1 Entry: Impact of No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Author: Yusun Y. Beck

Written for:
Old Dominion University
Language Acquisition and Diverse Learning Needs (TLED 568)

There are both positive and negative effects of NCLB.  The greatest point of NCLB is that it requires accountability at all levels.  It will decrease the availability of teachers while retaining the capable and inclined for the most part.   Students are prepared for high stakes testing, but critical thinking skills may not always be taught.  Accountability is the best of these three impacts…

                Many people argue about NCLB, but few can argue about the fact that it increases accountability.  Every person is held accountable from the Department of Education down to the student.  It accomplishes this by litigation covering thorough consequences that are supported and reinforced.  Accountability will make the available teachers improve; however, not all people respond positively to accountability.

                Some teachers may not want the extra headache of all of the extra paperwork.  In fact, there are some schools that start off tough because of poverty and other issues.  NCLB offers some incentives, but it is never enough.  Some schools may even shut down because of the lack of monetary resources and investment.  Wasn’t there a school that fired all of their teachers?  On a positive note, good and bad teachers may leave, but at least the inclined teachers that are capable of maintaining standards will still be around.  Schools don’t need every teacher to be great though because there needs to be average teachers as well; however, a poor teacher anywhere is just like a bad employee, for it is unacceptable.

                Unfortunately, poor teachers are very probable in this situation.  Every system produces people that learn to manipulate it and meet standards because human error always exists.  NCLB uses high stakes testing as a standard.  Testing is not a good measure of a student’s capability.  Some people simply can’t test.  Some teachers may forgo critical thinking skills and opt to go to the NCLB standards listing and just teach to the test.  It gets results, but do you want a student that knows the answer to a test or one that can apply the answer.  In the military, coworkers that tested poorly did the job well and taught well because they understood it.  Those that tested well did not always understand the overall concept, but they made grade so they knew the answers.

                It is hard to say the absolute impact of NCLB.  NCLB will continue to increase accountability though.  For the most part, it will increase teachers that are both capable and inclined to teach.  Sadly though, it will produce teachers that are more focused on meeting the standards of testing than actually allowing students to learn and enhance their critical thinking skills.  NCLB, like any other program, depends on how it is received, interpreted, and applied.  It is only a beginning though because increased accountability is great with the problems that have been happening.  There still needs to be a greater focus on critical thinking and not just reactionary skills, decoding ability, and comprehension.  A computer can do all of these things, but only a man can critically think.  I personally know this from my experiences with fighting computers in strategy games and always winning no matter the difficulty.  It is my ability to critically think that gives me victory in these games.  It is this ability that separates man from other creatures as well.  Every man wants to know the answer to why, and each person wants to know how to apply what is learned.  No one just wants the answer, yet everyone wants to pass the test that is required.  What is the priority and where is the balance?

Teacher Qualities

Author: Yusun Y. Beck

Activity

Create a list of 5-7 qualities that are most important you that a highly effective

teacher must possess and explain why using your opinion and personal

experiences.

There are several qualities that are most important for a highly effective teacher to possess.  These qualities are basic core values, wisdom, leadership ability, communication skills, balance, persistence, and resourcefulness.  These values should be ingrained in the very fibers of a high quality teacher.  However, they can be gained; of course, it must all start through building and maintaining a system of values.

Basic core values are morals and standards gained and developed which decipher right from wrong.  The most universal system that a lot of people (those who want to generally live right) strive to have involves integrity, service before self, and excellence in all that is done.   Sadly, a person’s system of values must be used to create inner change because not everyone agrees, yet many can respect an honest hard working quality person.  This is where wisdom comes in.

Wisdom is where a person must learn to accept what is done, and that individual attempts to make changes where it is needed.  One person can’t fix everything.  Fortunately, one person can always make a difference somewhere and wisdom guides the teacher to understand what must be done while pointing out where that difference can be made which brings us to leadership ability.

What person can teach without leadership ability?  Believe it or not, teaching is a form of leadership.  For example, police are considered a “city’s finest” because they set an example and teach others through example and proper guidance about the law while enforcing a standard.  Leadership is basically guidance.  Simply put, leadership is about gauging inclination and capability.  A person cannot teach any student without this ability.  Communication is needed to make proper breakthroughs and assessments in this area.

Communication is a key element!  It is a fundamental unit of education.  There are many different ways to communicate, and a teacher must be at least 90% effective in this realm, or fail to really reach the student being taught.  Without too much explanation, communication has three categories verbal, nonverbal, and no communication.  No communication is a bad area.  Some people become married and stop communicating both verbally and nonverbally.  I should know this from experience because I have seen it tear apart many relationships.  A teacher has a professional obligation to each student to maintain the lines of communication through verbal and nonverbal means which brings me to balance.

Balance is needed for every teacher to enrich their classroom.  Teachers are supposed to learn advanced thoughts and relay them to those who do not understand.  If someone thinks that learning basic English in preschool Language Arts is not advanced, then try to learn another language that is completely foreign to you.  Teachers must balance the lessons by trying different scientifically proven methods and taking a middle road of all of the theories without the minutia.  If the balanced approach is not considered, then consider this thought, “Not everyone learns the same, and benevolence is giving to each person what is needed by each person to learn.  This is a form of being fair, honest, and respectful.”  Meet the student where that student is and be persistent.

There is no real explanation needed for persistence.  It is simply being determined to meet a goal with relentless pursuit.  A teacher should never give up on a student.  Walking away is one thing, but a teacher should have the attitude that he/she is the only chance for a positive example to be set.  Teaching is a thankless job and it could take years for a student to finally grasp some major concepts.  Never give up, and keep striving for victory in each student’s life.  This requires resourcefulness.

Resourcefulness allows for a teacher to be persistent without harassing the student or demeaning any person.  It requires tact and etiquette.  Teachers must think outside the box.  If kids love video games, try to incorporate it.  Students like it when teachers try very hard and will sometimes give cues about what they like and don’t like.

Listening is very important for effective teaching.  The life blood of teaching can be said to revolve around various qualities which are basic core values, wisdom, leadership ability, communication, balance, persistence, and resourcefulness.  These values should be well engraved on the heart of all teachers.

Inclusion

Author:  Yusun Y. Beck

Written for:

ESSE 517 Group Activity 1, Fall 2010

Old Dominion University

Overview

Inclusion is a very controversial subject.  However, we should all value children equally; unfortunately, it doesn’t happen in reality.  Each person is valuable, but fair is each person receiving respect and a free from bias education.  Even though, disability may get in the way, educators must give to meet the learning needs of all students.  Teaching is meeting the needs of students to instruct them properly.  Inclusion is the practice in which students with special educational needs spend most or all of their time with non-disabled...  It is highly argued.  Some want everyone to be involved, but others argue that it is not a good thing to do.  What is my philosophy of inclusion?  What role does collaboration play in the education of students with disabilities?  How far must schools go to meet the needs of students with disabilities?  How important is potential academic achievement/social growth in making placement decisions?  What are the rights of the other children?

What is my philosophy of inclusion?

I believe that we must try to reach all children.  Every person has some type of weakness.  A good teacher will try their best to meet the needs of the students, but legally, students are presumed to be in General Education anyway.  Teachers must be sensitive to all of their students while following all individual education plans, guidance, rules, regulations and so on.  Inclusion is needed for all that do not need over excessive aide, and disabled students must be in the least restrictive environment that is possible…  Humility dictates that there be specialist, and we give the specialist some cases that may be impossible for the average teacher, person, adult, or parent to handle.  This humility and honesty is needed for the difficult situations, in the best interests of the student, which leads us to collaborative resources.

What role does collaboration play in the education of students with disabilities?

Simply put, collaboration is needed to meet federal and state standards for teaching students with disabilities in accordance with the Individuals with Disability Education Act 2004, and maybe preparing them for the high stakes testing or No Child Left Behind Act requirements.  Without aid from special education services, students, parents, various agencies, and teachers, little if any positive effect can be gained in the education of these exceptional students.  Our instructor mentioned about giving a 20 year old a high school diploma.  How could this man receive a high school education without the help of many outside agencies?  There are specialists that are able to aid teachers, and teachers should seek help when it is recognized that they are unable to fix a specific problem that a specialist could provide aide in.

How far must schools go to meet the needs of students with disabilities?

Schools should find a way to meet any need.  However, this does not mean that students should not be able to move to a better location or facility that is more geared to help them.  There are special places for extensive aide.  Schools should attempt to use those resources no matter the cost.  It is less expensive to provide a free and appropriate public education to a student by sending them to a centralized school than it is to maintain extensive programs in different schools.  Various school districts should work together at funding centralized locations with highly qualified teachers and staff.  However, there is always a question in mind as to whether the education would be fair in a centralized area, so schools must give each individual at least a quarter of the education or as much as possible in General Education.

 How important is potential academic achievement/social growth in making placement decisions?

All people are equal; of course, separate but equal has proven to not work so well.  Potential academic performance can separate students along with social growth because advance students need to be able to receive a chance to excel too.  Sadly, a lot of people do not have similar abilities.  There is potential in every student to grow pass their present state, but not every student is advanced academically or socially.  Potential academic achievement/social growth is very important in advanced placement in school.  The reality of the situation is that all students must be placed where they will best excel.  There may be social stigmas, but it is up to the educators and leaders in Academia to provide each student a chance to grow to meet their potential.  Any person can be made to grow if their placement is with a well qualified and inspirational person.  This brings us to the rights of the other children.

What are the rights of the other children?

Every child basically has the right to a free appropriate public education among other rights.  People should not be subjected to more than reasonable interruption in the classroom environment.  Each child also has the right to be educated to meet their potential.  Education is a fundamental property right which entails learning the tasks that are needed to maintain a proper living, understanding one’s life/purpose, and achieving growth towards a higher mobility than the present one.

Conclusion

Each child must receive the basic education that is due to them.  Children that were made have a purpose and each one of them is equal.  It is the responsibility of all adults, especially leaders, teachers, and counselors, to provide an appropriate education in and out of school.  Collaboration is essential, for adults that do not have the skills to accomplish a task properly are responsible for either learning the right way or seeking out the help of those that can help or bring light to the current struggle or problem.  Schools should and must find a way to meet a need if at all possible to help students with disabilities.  Potential academic achievement/social growth in making placement decisions is very important, but finding an answer at creating equal education may mean highly qualified teachers and extensive collaborative resources at many different locations.  Educators and others would have to meet the needs of the gifted as well as other exceptional children on the spectrum.  Yes, potential is important and it should help guide the decisions of placement, but how can it be implemented unless each and every educator is highly qualified in all of the placements where a student may be placed.  Each child deserves an education that will prepare them for the future.  If we do not accomplish this task, as adults responsible for child rearing, then we are simply destroying our own future.