Room Creativity

1)  I plan on putting different types of posters on the walls, such as encouragement posters and/or posters demonstrating subtraction/addition.  I am going to try to borrow a few from my service learning and create some of my own.  Also, I will make some space at one the far corners of the classroom to make it like the "reading corner" and have children's books laid in that area.  The tables will be set up in groups and will have pencil boxes containing materials on each table. I will either have name tags on each desk already made or have them make it, if there is time. 

2)  The class will take up the role of first grade teachers and come up with a lesson plan that includes activities/assignments and that uses Differentiating Instruction as the teaching method for the lesson assigned.  They will all work in groups and present their lesson plan to the class once everyone is finished.  A visual should be included in their presentation, it can be a representation (such as in big font 1 +2= 3) of what's being taught or an illustration of their idea.

Answer 2

EQ:

What is the best teaching method to increase the academic gain of at- risk students in first grade?

Answer 2:

Small Group Instruction is the best way to increase the academic gain of at- risk students in first grade, when the groups are made up of mixed abilities.

*By mixed abilities, students who are above average, average, and/or below average in reading or on whatever is being taught.

Evidence:

• "These small groups consisted of mixed abilities in reading with one strong student, two or three average readers, and one struggling reader. This reading instruction experience utilized the four block approach and resulted in 57 percent of the first and second graders reading on or above grade level with 43 percent reading at primer or pre-primer level. There were no nonreaders at the end of the year and the children reading on or above grade level were higher than previous years." -  Vicki Lynn Eastman
• In my service learning, I sometimes am put with the struggling students of the class so I can work with them on their math or reading (usually math).  What I do with them is considered Small Group Instruction.  However, the group I work with is usually made up of the same struggling students, which means they are most likely not improving in the subject area.  Although, engaging them with materials such as flashcards and games really helps them comprehend the material.  However, I noticed when there was at least two students who were at least proficient in the content being taught, the other students engaged more and worked at a quicker pace. 
• In my third interview, Ms. Underwood (a kindergarten teacher who also taught first grade) explained that Small Group Instruction helps in targeting the student's needs and allows the teacher to apply certain techniques that can specifically help those few students with their difficulties, thus enabling them to advance to the next step.

Sources: 

• Eastman, Vicki Lynn. "Small Group Instruction: Reading Instruction Utilizing Learning Style Preferences and the Reading Achievement of First Grade Students." ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, (2010): .
• Service Learning/Independent Comp. 1 with Ms.  Horwitz (first grade), Mrs.  Naccara (first grade), and Ms.  Underwood (kindergarten)
• Underwood, Sherry.  Personal Interview interview.  17, Jan. 2012.

The Product

My product is "became a better first grade tutor/helper", and probably not just first grade, but also for kindergarten.  When I mean better, I mean that I have more knowledge on a first grader's behavior and how to react to their behavior.  For example, if I'm helpig a student with their sight words is discouraged because they cannot read the word, then I must encourage the student to sound out the word and not seem judgemental (Making the Grade, 2003) .  I learned this through my research, but also learned different techniques used to help students understand the concept(s) being taught (such as addition).  Thus, through my experience working with first grade students and observing the teachers, I've learned techniques they use with their students.  Everything I've learned and experienced can be applied to my tutoring with the kids.  For example, Mrs.  Naccara uses a certain technique to help her students with adding numbers that have a two digit sum.  If the problem is 9 + 9, then the students say "I have nine on my head (they put nine fingers on their head) and nine on my fingers (they put nine fingers down, lay them on the desk)."  Then, they start counting the fingers on their head, 1,2,3... and so on.  Then the students continue counting as they move down to their nine fingers on the desk,10, 11, 12... until they get to 18.  My experience working with the first grade students through my service learning (and even with kindergarten students for my independent component) and my research have lead me to this answer.

Evidence:



This is a time where I helped a group of first grade students (in this picture I'm helping one student) with their math in Mrs.  Naccara's class (service learning).