Ashley Prindle

November 30th, 2015

Professor McIlwain
History and Issues in American Education

Field Experience: Mentor Question and Answer

1) Why do you use a speaker-system in the classroom?

Just last year all of the classrooms at Windham Middle School were outfitted with
a speaker system that allows the teacher to project their voices while teaching. This not
only allows students who dont have hearing impairments to understand the teacher
clearly, but also is a way to allow those students who have hearing issues that do not wear
a hearing aid to hear. The teacher simple clips a microphone that hangs off of a lanyard
that can be placed around their neck and their voice is projected through the classroom
speaker. Mr. Shirley explained that the addition of the speaker system has helped
tremendously and he feels that students are more engaged in classroom conversations
because they can clearly follow and listen the instructor.

2) Do you ever give students the opportunity to earn extra credit on assignments or
projects?

Yes, extra credit can be earned and all students have the opportunity to earn extra
credit. One of the ways that students can receive extra credit is by signing and returning
the Unit-syllabus the next day. This is an easy way to earn some extra points and helps
students to learn responsibility and rewarding them on their promptness to return their
Unit-syllabus. Furthermore, sometimes students may earn extra credit by correctly
answering and submitting Chapter Review activities before a test, which can then be used
as a study guide for tests. Mr. Shirley emphasized that he only uses extra credit as a way
to encourage students to take advantage of something that will help them later on as well
as to teach them a skill or to take personal responsibility.

3) How much time you spend on whole-class instruction compared to group or individual
work

It is all about having the students interact with one another as well as allowing
time for students to work independently. I really do not want students sitting and listening
to me lecture over and over or for a long period of time. Instead, I prefer students to work
with other students for seventy-five percent of the time and only spend twenty-five
percent of the time lecturing. Additionally, students do get in the routine of only having
me lecture in the front of the class at the beginning of a lesson and then having them
explore the new chapters material together with other students.
4) What classroom procedures or expectations help to keep students focused and on
track?

I believe that students are able to complete their work and stay on track because
of the fact that they are able to collaborate with other students, being allowed ample
opportunities to get work done in school as well as having a syllabus that tells students
when assignment due. By having a detailed syllabus student are able to know when
upcoming assignments are due which gives them the opportunity to allot the appropriate
amount of time to complete their assignments. I try to set them up for success and to have
tools and systems in place that keep students on track.

5) What is your re-take police or the schools re-take policy?

The school does not operate under the same re-take policy, but the 6th grade Social
Studies team does. There is a procedure that all students must follow in order to be able
to redo an assignment. First, retakes are only allowed on summative assessments or
activities. This means that if a student gets a poor grade on a homework worksheet that is
the grade that they are going to get because this is only a formative assessment seeing
what the student knows or does not know. After students have had their parents sign the
form, students need to fill out a form where the student responds to questions and reflect
on how they did? Did they study? Why did they choose the answers that they did? Then
students need to complete a remediation activity sheet, in preparation for the retake. Once
students take the retake exam, which consists of different material from the original
exam, but the same format, students can score up to an eighty-percent. The higher score
of the two tests is always the score that is recorded. We always express to students that
being able to retake a test takes a lot of work and that they are expected to make sure that
they complete all of the necessary steps to be able to complete or do a retake. Finally,
students only have a week from the day the test or assignment is handed back to complete
the re take and turn in all the other required materials.

6) What are some ways you assist those students who do not do well on a quiz or test to
make sure that they are on track for a test?

As an educator I have always made sure to express to all my students that I am

available to discuss how they are doing, ways to improve, and what I can do to help them.
I want my students to know that I am there for them and to feel comfortable to approach
me at any time. One of the ways that I assist students who are either falling behind or not
making high marks and struggling is to meet with them and work with students before
school, during study periods, during lunch, and after school if necessary. I usually always
start by talking to the student about how they are studying, what they are studying, and
what they use to study. Ive found that many students simply arent putting in the
necessary effort to succeed or arent using the appropriate resources to set them up to
succeed on a test.
7) Do you give students recommendations on how they can or should organize their
Social Studies work and assignments?

I always tell my students to use their agendas and that they can use the syllabus to
map out their entire quarter if they really wanted to. The only tool that students use is
their agenda. I do not require students to keep a folder and number or label all of their
work. It truly is their responsibility to keep track of all their papers and to know where to
locate them so they can successfully study for a test or quiz. As you probably heard me
say each class I tell students to, plan their work and work their plan. Agendas allows
students to do this and I always allow students time to write their homework in their
agendas as well as make sure to highlight upcoming assignments and due to dates to
make sure they have made note of.

8) What are some ways that you make accommodations for students on assignments?

There are many ways that I make accommodations for students who need extra
help for a variety of reasons. Some of the accommodations that I make include giving
students more time on assignments, as well as photocopying some sections of reading or
an article and then have a student simply highlight the answers to the questions.
Sometimes for students with greater dishabilles, I simply ask them to find images or
perhaps pictures to answer the question instead of words. Finally, I have had some
students use Dragon Speak on their iPad to assist them if they cannot write or perhaps are
in a arm cast.

9) Why do you allow students to review for tests or quizzes before administering it?

This is something that is new for me and I have found it to be very beneficial for
students. It helps to get students into the proper mindset for class. It also helps them to
understand how important their own work is and how it can be used to help them prepare
for quizzes and tests. Also, I give many quizzes on Mondays, so students spend time with
their family over the weekend and as eleven or twelve year olds, family time is important.
For those who had family events or something, which may have prevented them spending
time getting ready for their formative quiz. Thus, allowing students time to transition into
a test or quiz is important. It sets the tone for what is to come and brings students
attention back to the content.

10) Do you use rubrics or guidelines to establish expectations?

Yes, the use of rubrics or guidelines is an important way to model what I expect
and as a way to help students complete the task successfully. However, not all of the
assignments or activities have a rubric or guidelines. When I do include a rubric to an
assignment it is usually very basic, constitutes of a scale of 4,3,2,1 and N/A. Under each
of the numbers I will give a brief description of what it takes to achieve each score.
Finally, I always make sure to go over the rubric with the students and encourage them to
use the rubric as their guide and honestly ask themselves if they have included the
necessary parts and check off what they have completed or included.
11) What do you find to be the most challenging part of teaching Social Studies in
particular?

Since geography, culture, and current events are ever changing, I want to be able
to implement any teachable moment at any time that may occur in my life, or more
importantly in the lives of my students, and I have to make this a goal without retribution
for not following the curriculum or standards. I think that this is the hardest part of my
job by far. Some of my colleagues might say that they struggle with the content because it
is so exact and specific, so becoming well versed in many different aspects such as
geography, historical events, and keeping up on current events is challenging.

12) How do you teach for success?

Everyone regardless of age and likes values structure, routine, and discipline. By
providing the same type of assignments each unit but using different content, students are
able to know the expectations for any given assignment. Also by knowing that a
particular activity is due on a certain day of the week all year long, this establishes a
routine, which also creates trust among my students with me. I try to provide tools for my
students to use on their assignments, for their homework, for preparation on tests and
quizzes, and I continuously ask students to remind me of their use as part of our routine,
where they are located and how these tools can help them experience success. This of
course helps them to plan their work and work their plan. Many students (and adults)
have difficulty getting started and/or organized. This is especially true for students who
have difficulty with executive functioning skills. I preach growth, not all As. I preach
effort, not just what comes easy. I encourage risk, something, which may at first be
uncomfortable, yet it will pay off in the long run. Success is my students coming back to
me one, two, three, ten, twenty, and even thirty years later and asking, Do you still study
a certain culture or I remember when we did that activity or they tell me that they use
some skill that I incorporated into their learning. I believe that all of these things
combined help me to be able to teach for success and allow all of my students to excel in
my classroom.