Middle School Science teacher teaches students how to read

News flash: middle school and high school teachers all become certified reading specialists. Apparently, it is in fact true, according to Cris Tovani. I have found myself having difficulty this quarter maintaining motivation for all these classes that I see as irrelevant to my chosen career path: middle school science teacher. Every day I spend with my fourth grade class, I am more and more certain that all I want to teach is middle schoolers, and all I want to teach is science.

I chose to pursue a K-8 certificate with Middle Level Endorsements so that if I could not find a job in middle school, I would be able to work in an elementary school. I don't particularly want to teach high school, primarily because science in high school is very discipline-structured. You either teach biology, chemistry, or physics--not any ecology, geology, soil science, or other earth science which is where my passion is. Anyways, as someone being certified to teach K-8, I have to be able to teach all the subjects, so I am taking lots of classes that are not science classes. With my growing certainty that all I want to teach is middle school science comes a disengagement from math and, sorry, literacy.

I must be honest: I did not complete all my readings for literacy this past week. I carpool with two cohort-mates, one of whom is utterly fascinated by language and literacy, and I was discussing my disengagement from school with her. She told me that if I read any of the literacy readings this week, I should read Tovani, because Tovani talks about how all teachers, even middle school science teachers, are reading teachers. So, I took her for her word and read Tovani today.

I must be honest, her book is really relevant to me. I had more of a purpose for reading Tovani (as Tovani herself says, if a student does not see the purpose of the reading, than they won't act as a good reader and find all the meaning). I was surprised by her information, but at the same time, reflecting back on my dyad experience in the junior high school, I can visualize many fake readers and I also remember hearing teachers complain about how the material is too hard for the students and they have to tell them the nuggets, because kids can't get those on their own.

Well, looks like I'll be a reading teacher after all. I will need to show students how to make sense of the nonfiction content science text. I will also need to seek out engaging science writing. I have one dilemma with this--how do I know that something that I enjoy reading about a topic is not too hard for my students to read? Most of the science text I find interesting is targeted at adults--National Geographic articles, PCC monthly newsletter, nonfiction books about science, environmental articles at sightline.org, journal articles from researchers, case briefs from appeals and Supreme court cases, etc. How can I know if it's too hard for my students? I heard multiple times from teachers of science who have been teaching middle school science for 10-20 years that regular National Geographic and other science magazines are written at an inaccessible level for students. Are they really, truly, inaccessible, or are they just inaccessible because students do not know how to read for meaning? Do I really need to pay for kid versions of articles?

Another thing I found very interesting in Tovani's book was the bit about resistant readers: readers who know how to read for meaning but choose not to because they know that teachers will tell them the stuff they need to know anyway. I myself was a resistant reader at various times in my life. In college, I never read the assigned text before biochemistry class, I waited for the professor to tell me what I needed to know and took good notes during lecture. I only consulted the text when I was studying and reviewing for a test and I had not taken good enough notes to feel like I understood a specific part. Often, the science text in college, if I read it before class, it just confused me and made lecture really confusing. It was stressful, not helpful. For my law classes, on the other hand, I read the cases before class, almost always. Why did I choose to do this? I have no idea. It is kind of strange to read a text for a class in school and recognize yourself in the text.

The middle school experience

Well, my middle school dyad experience is almost over, and I have mixed feelings about leaving. On one hand, I spent more time grading than interacting with students, which I think is less helpful to my personal growth. I am glad I am moving on to a different MT whom I see more eye-to-eye with. On the other hand, I wish I could spend more time in a middle school science classroom of a different teacher at the school, since MS science is my planned destination.

Next year, when I look at my 6th, 7th, or 8th graders and try to figure out what the heck to do about their behavior, I will be practicing trial by fire. Maybe I'll get really lucky and whatever district I am working for will have lots of extra helpful middle school behavior management. I plan to have engaging lessons so as to avoid behavior problems, but between now and next September, I need to figure out how to act tough and confident, cause if you show adolescents any fear or nervousness, they will milk that and make your life miserable. Not all of them, but a high enough percentage of them to make your days extremely difficult.

I know I want to teach MS science, the content, and I am OK to deal with the negative aspects of adolescents in order to get the positive interactions as well.

Middle School Read-Aloud

Well, today I taught my first whole-group lesson in middle school, and I did a read-aloud for it as part of my literacy class in my cert. program. The content topic was a science one, understanding what a system is and identifying systems described in the book. I also included some literacy instruction as part of it, focusing on imagery and especially the use of personification in poetry. The book was Sierra, by Diane Siebert. Sierra is a lyrical rhyming poem about the natural history of the Sierra Nevada mountains and ecosystems of the mountain.

My goals for the lesson were to explore a different way of writing about science (poetry) and for the students to identify systems described or mentioned in the book. I think I accomplished these goals pretty well, really.

The students were kind of disoriented when they walked into the class and 1/3 of the desks were arranged in a big circle with stools in the circle as well. I heard a lot of "What is this?" and "This is weird" and "What is going on with this?". However, being 8th graders, they seemed to handle it fine once they read the directions on the document camera (If your desk is in a weird place, please leave it there and sit at lab station 6, 7 or 8).

Each period was different. First period was asleep still and there was low participation in the discussion surrounding the book and questions I asked at certain stopping points in the book. Second period went pretty well. It's a smaller class (first and fifth are the largest) and it seemed like there was maybe 65 or 70% class participation in discussion. There were only 2 or 3 kids that never had anything to say.

Both first and second went faster than the rest of the periods; we got through the book and all the questions faster, and I am not exactly sure why or how that happened. I know that in third, fourth, and fifth I had to do more behavior correction than in first and second period. That is probably where the time went, but it is something to ponder.

Third period, it seemed like there was high engagement and understanding, but at the same time, in that particular class period, there are 5 or 6 boys that really dominate conversation and really set a tone for the rest of the class. These 5 boys are all high-energy, really bright, and class clowns. So, though they have a lot to say that is valuable, they wind each other up and get off-task being goofy or funny really quick and fast. However, they seem to also quickly get back on task once I call them on it or let them move or something. And they do get other kids thinking by being so outgoing and open to sharing their thoughts. It seemed like there was always more that people wanted to say than we had time for during third period, which I think is mostly good. I used more pair-share in 3rd period so students would all get a chance to talk, mostly to get the question answered and the topic covered faster. The thing about those 5 or 6 boys is they are really likable--it is hard to really get irritated by them, at least it was for me today. I did not let them get away with things, mind you, at least I don't think so, but it is tempting to just give them the rein they are seeking. I thought I handled them pretty well, and so did my MT.

Fourth period had a very interesting dynamic. Probably 96% of the kids in there are really bright, but they are also all high-energy and they get off on tangents easily. The students in fourth period seem really comfortable in their own skin and with each other--I think maybe they have honors English, social studies, and math classes all together and so they know each other better. When people know each other better, they talk to each other a lot more, tease each other more, mostly in good nature, not in trying to be mean. I would say there was maybe 98% participation in discussion in that class. They all seemed very engaged. However, the discussion at times got out-of-hand with multiple people talking at the same time and just too much, you know? It was intense, though fun for me. My MT thinks they were testing me, pushing the boundaries, and I don't feel that way as strongly as he does. I think they are all just busybodies and kids that need to move. Plus, the period is right after lunch, and that does not help their concentration so much.

Fifth period was the most frustrating for me. There were more attempts at gaining power, pushing my buttons--really seeming like they were trying to irritate me or get me riled. I did a good job of staying calm and keeping most of my emotion out of my voice, but I am sure the students sensed some irritation from me sometimes. How do you keep yourself from showing that? It is hard for me. Not frustration, just irritation. Some kids just bother you, so how do you avoid letting them know that? The discussion in that class was very, very slow. Not just because of behavior problems, but because there are a fair number of struggling learners in that class, though my two easiest to handle classes (first and second) have an aide and my hardest one doesn't, so I wonder what the 5th-period students' statuses are--IEPs, 504s, or just kids who have never tested into anything. My MT says there are a lot of struggling learners in that class, and I have seen the evidence of that myself, I didn't just accept what he had to say, but I wish I knew why the students struggled. I don't know the why, maybe I will by the end of this internship.

What went well in the lesson:

• Students seemed to enjoy the story
• Students were able to identify most of the systems mentioned/described in the book
• I gave them clear things to look for in the story and I also told them what I wanted them to be able to do
• For the most part, I would say students were pretty engaged

What did not go well:

• The flow was great in some periods, off in others. I am interested in how students felt about the flow, though not sure how I'll find that out
• Many students struggled with identifying phrases or words that embodied personification. They could identify them if I read personification phrases to them, but most could not recall the words and phrases without prodding
• My MT observed that I was not consistent enough with my discipline/management of students; he thinks the lesson was solid, which he agrees is the first step towards managing behavior, having a well-planned and engaging lesson, but I did not have consequences for behavior, I kinda just kept reminding students to behave (mostly in 4th and 5th period), and that does not work with all students. Some need consequences to correct themselves.
• I ran out of time to complete the whole lesson-I did not have time in all the periods for them to complete a quick-write, so I had them finish it for HW, and that does not give you the same feedback as a quick-write does.

That's all I have for now. I get to go read the quick-writes that were completed today now. That will be interesting. And Friday, I'll go pick up the descriptions of systems in their personal life, outside of school in expository, narration (story), or poetry form. They each were assigned this: Provide and describe an example of a system in your life, outside of school, using either expository writing, narration, or poetry. I even made a rubric! I'm so proud of myself.

We shall see what those things tell us about what they understand.

7th grade math

Good self management and classroom management strategy:
She always uses a timer that beeps loudly, timing herself and her students, so she makes sure to get through her entire lesson, because in her first year of teaching, the bell would ring and she would only be halfway through her lesson.

Cool assessment idea:
At the beginning of the year, as is common, she does a diagnostic math assessment to see where students are at, and in her room she has a whole wall dedicated to math concepts that kids should know.

These math concept chart thingies are grouped into 5 categories:
Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Math Operations/Integers. These 5 categories are further broken down into specific math concepts. For example, under algebra, one of the concepts is recognizing and reiterating number patterns.

Under each concept, there are a ton of sticky notes with students' names on them. If the student got the question that had to do with that math concept right on the diagnostic math assessment, they get to put their sticky note up on the wall under that concept, and then she can see what a lot of kids understand and what few kids know based on what they got right on the diagnostic test. Throughout the year, as she teaches and assesses these math concepts (and perhaps they change later in the year, I don't know), when students show that they understand those concepts by getting test questions or other assessments right, they get to put their name on a sticky note up on the wall. The sticky notes are color-coded by class period (green notes for one, pink for another, etc) so she can easily see what she will have to spend more or less time on during each period. Pretty handy, I thought, for both assessment and student pride in their work.

The Elementary-Secondary Math Disconnect

I observed in two middle school math classes, grade 7, today. Something that I found very interesting is that the focus of the lesson was on remembering/reciting math facts quickly in order to be able to use them to solve arithmetic problems, and it was part of the curriculum, not an add-on.

From my observations in elementary school and from talking to elementary teachers, many curricula used in the elementary grades are based on problem solving and getting excited and engaged about math; sort of like they are trying to convince the students that math really is important, practical, and really fun. Math facts are not part of the curriculum, and in some schools, drill and skill is discouraged.

A professor earlier in the program bluntly told us that most math curricula adopted by school districts for the elementary level do not sufficiently prepare students for middle and high school math or practical life math. He said though there is value in those curricula, it is a teacher's responsibility to make sure students are getting their math facts down as well, because they need to know them. He said there is a place for drill and skill and memorizing multiplication tables and other basic arithmetic, and that teachers are obligated to add that into their math lessons even if they are not part of the district curriculum.

I asked one of the teachers I observed today, "Do most of these kids come into middle school not knowing how to do basic arithmetic?" She said yes, few know their math facts by heart and thus when they arrive at middle school and are supposed to be able to retrieve them fast in order to take the tests, they are shocked and you have to teach the math facts and basic principles of adding/subtracting/multiplying/dividing integers for a few weeks at the beginning.

So, for a few weeks every year at the beginning of the year in 7th grade math, even the challenge (Honors) classes, teachers do integer review. And though I did not observe a 6th grade math class, I am guessing they dedicate an awful lot of time to core arithmetic and math facts, because if they don't, the new middle schoolers can't handle the middle/high school curricula.

There is a place for both problem-solving and arithmetic in math, I think, just like most debates in education. There is a place for both phonics and whole language reading. There is a place for lecture as well as hands-on and cooperative group learning. There is a place for both drill and skill and cool exciting projects. There is a place for both mainstreaming of special ed students and seclusion of special ed students.