Week of Dec. 6-10, 2010

A friendly reminder about setting up your appointment with me on Monday so we can discuss your progress in this class. At that time, bring your field experience log and the form signed from somebody at Simle. We will discuss your research paper and register you for spring classes.

See you Monday!

Week of Nov. 29 - Dec. 3, 2010 - Assignments

A few things:

In class today, we're going to visit about your final research paper. I have drafts but sent an email, asking if you have a more recent version before I start working on it, and only heard back from one of you. I didn't want to start proofing the draft I have of yours if there is a more current version out there. If there isn't, and the one I have is your latest version, I just needed to know. We will talk about this in class today.

We're also going to re-visit the role of the paraprofessional. It is important that you are aware of the facets of this invaluable partnership since you will be responsible for supervising paras in the future.

And, finally, we'll touch bases about the Simle Middle School practicum. I've decided to excuse you 6 hours for "no school days". This would be for the instructional conference, parent/teacher conferences and then, of course, the Thanksgiving holiday. I don't want you going too much further into December so we'll take a look at your hours.

Journal Blog of Week Nov. 29 - Dec. 3

Post your observations here for your practicum for this last week of November - first week of December. No later than the end of today, I will have an exact accounting of the number of hours you've completed at Simle Middle School so far. Remember that if you don't blog here and let me know, I won't have record of them. So, if there is a discrepancy in the number of hours I have recorded for you and what you think you have, it most likely is because I'm using the blog posts and presuming you have 3 hours for each post.

Regardless, you'll have the log signed by the Simle people who will verify them so we're good!

Journal Blog for Week Nov. 15-19, 2010

Post your reflections here, in this blog, of your experiences in your practicum site this third week of November. By posting to this blog, I will have evidence that you were there and I can grade you for the week. Also, remember to have your cooperating teacher, or the tutor in charge, sign your timesheet that was in the handbook I gave you. This is required as documentation of hours completed.

Journal Blog for Week Nov. 8-12, 2010

Post your reflections here, in this blog, of your experiences in your practicum site this second week of November. By posting to this blog, I will have evidence that you were there and I can grade you for the week.
I'm aware that those of you scheduled for Thursday and Friday will not be able to do your hours this week. You will be required to go one extra week at the end.

Also, remember to have your cooperating teacher, or the tutor in charge, sign your timesheet that was in the handbook I gave you. This is required as documentation of hours completed.

Week of Nov. 8-12, 2010

Today in class we're going to do three things:

• I want to take a look at your rough drafts for your research paper. Remember - it can be "rough". That is part of the writing process. You start getting thoughts down on paper and then revise and edit as the next step, after you have your thoughts down.
• Update on practicum: Schedule for the rest of the semester.
• We're going to watch a 38 minute video, "Bullied". Prior to and following the video, we'll do a few exercises for some background info on the prevalence of bullying, particularly in middle and high school.

A good resource website is http://www.safeyouth.gov/. We'll take a look at it, in class, but keep this one for future reference.

Journal Blog of Week Nov. 1 - Nov. 5

Post your reflections here, in this blog, of your experiences in your practicum site this first week of November. By posting to this blog, I will have evidence that you were there and I can grade you for the week.

Also, remember to have your cooperating teacher, or the tutor in charge, sign your timesheet that was in the handbook I gave you. This is required as documentation of hours completed.

Class Cancelled on Monday, Nov. 1

Good morning, ladies -

Class on Monday, Nov. 1, is cancelled. I am going to Fort Yates for Margaret Teachout's funeral. Margaret is President Gipp's mother but she was also my mother-in-law's first cousin. So, yes, that means my husband and President Gipp are second cousins! :)

The bad news is that there is a funeral, although she was 91 years old and had a rich, full life. The good news is that you will have an additional week to work on your research paper draft!

Any questions, just let me know.

Journal Blog for Week Oct. 25-29

Post your reflections here, in this blog, of your experiences in your practicum site. By posting to this blog, I will have evidence that you were there and I can grade you for the week.

Also, remember to have your cooperating teacher, or the tutor in charge, sign your timesheet that was in the handbook I gave you. This is required as documentation of hours completed.

Week of Oct. 25 - 29, 2010

In class today we're going to talk about suicide and adolescents. Your assignment for the week is to complete your 3-hour field experience (practicum) and to blog your reflections from your field experience.

Remember - your rough draft for your research paper is due next Monday, Nov. 1. A rough draft is the complete paper - it will need to be edited - but it will have all of the components. Print it out and bring it to class with you on Monday.

Chapter 3 Blog

Your response will have to parts:

1. What does the author say about how kids want to "fit in" with their peers, that "being different hurts"? Have you seen examples of this at Simle? If so, tell us about it. If not, think back to your own adolescent years and provide an example. Don't forget to include what the author says about this in your response.
2. What does the author say about treating all students with the "same respect"? Relate this to an observation at Simle or from your own personal experience.

Practicum and/or Instructional Conference Blog

If you are participating in your practicum this week (Oct. 18-22), post your journal entry here of what you did this week at Simle. If you are NOT attending your practicum but attending the Instructional Conference instead, post what sessions you attended in this same area. Either way, I would like a post from each one of you (just one) telling me about either your practicum or the conference.

Assignments for the Week - Oct. 18-21

In class today, we're going to talk about drug abuse among adolescences and some of the things to be aware of as you work with children this age.

Your research paper outline is due today. I want to take a look at it to see how you are progressing.

Your assignments for the week are as follows:

• Read Chapter 3 in the Fires in the Middle School Bathroom book. Post to the blog question before Wednesday, Oct. 20, at noon.
• Your 3-hour field experience this week can be completed at the Instructional Conference being held in town. We will visit about this in class.
• Next week, in class on Monday, we will visit about the sessions you attended.
• Your rough draft for your research paper is due November 1.

Any questions, please let me know!

Journal Blog for Week Oct. 11-15

Instead of writing in a journal about your field experiences observations and experiences, you will be required to post your reflections here, in this blog. By posting to this blog, I will have evidence that you were there and I can grade you for the week.

Also, remember to have your cooperating teacher, or the tutor in charge, sign your timesheet that was in the handbook I gave you. This is required as documentation of hours completed.

Week of Oct. 11-Oct. 15, 2010 - Assignments

• Your assignment for today, in class, is to bring your 4 professional journal articles that you're going to use for your research paper.
• Your assignment for next week Monday, Oct. 18th, is to bring your completed research paper outline to class. I will provide you a sample.
• By this Friday, October 15th, you must have completed at a minimum of two 3-hour placements for a total of 6 hours.
• Be sure to blog your reflections from your field experience this week no later than Friday, Oct. 15th. I would like to suggest you go back into the blog and read the postings from your peers. They're really good reading! 

This week is mid-term so your grades will be recorded in the Registrar's Office at Sinte Gleska at the end of this week.

Journal Blog of Weekly Field Experience

Instead of writing in a journal about your field experiences observations and experiences, you will be required to post your reflections here, in this blog. For this week, ending Friday, Oct. 8, tell us about your first week at Simle Middle School. Remember, you are to complete a 3-hour placement this week. In 100 words, or so, tell us what you experienced. By posting to this blog, I will have evidence that you were there and I can grade you for the week.

Also, remember to have your cooperating teacher, or the tutor in charge, sign your timesheet that was in the handbook I gave you. This is required as documentation of hours completed.

Week of October 4 - 8 Assignments

As you know, class was canceled this morning but I assured you I would have the information you need for the week on this blog. So, here it is:

• Your assignment for today, in class, was to bring your 4 professional journal articles that you're going to use for your research paper. I changed the due date for this to next Monday, Oct. 11th. Bring them to class with you at that time.
• By October 1, you were supposed to have contacted Mr. Riehl at Simle Middle School regarding your placement. Let me know if this was done. I know Kara did because I was copied in on the emails. You will receive a grade for this so forward the email to me, if you have it. If you don't, let me know and I will contact either Mr. Riehl or Ms. Hetledvet to verify that it's done.
• By this Friday, October 8th, you must have completed at a minimum your first 3-hour placement. You'll notice you are graded on completing this each and every week from here on out. Remember that even though I've only assigned 3 points to this assignment, per week, it is based on a percentage. This means it doesn't matter if I assign 3 or 300 points. If you do not complete it, it has the same bearing on your grade - regardless of points.

If you have any questions, please let me know immediately. Next week is mid-term so your grades will be recorded in the Registrar's Office at Sinte Gleska at that time.

Week of Sept. 27 - Oct. 1, 2010 - Assignments

Today in class we are going to go through the Field Experience Handbook and discuss the expecations for completing your 30 hour practicum for this class.

We will also talk about your research paper - the page format, number of pages expected, number of references, etc.. As you know, you are to have a topic selected by today.

Assignments for the week:

• Your assignment for this week is to contact Mr. Riehl at Simle Middle School and schedule a time to meet with him. You must meet with him no later than this Friday, Oct. 1.
• I'm expecting you to begin your 3-hour sessions no later than next week. You have 30 hours to complete - 10 3-hour sessions - so in order to stay on track, you must begin now. Ideally, you would start this week.
• For class on next week Monday, October 4th, your assignment is to bring your four professional articles to class - the four you are going to use for your research paper.

Chapter 2 Blog

Chapter 2 in your text is entitled, "A Teacher on Our Side". The chapter includes a number of anecdotal comments from students on their perceptions of their teachers. Pay particular attention to these as you may think you "know" children this age but hear it in their own words.

After reading the chapter, select five of the quotes from the students to respond to here. Tell us what page the quote is on and the student's name. Then, describe why that quote impacted you or what about it caused you to think about; what was your perspective of what the student had to say?

Week of Sept. 20-24, 2010 - Assignments

In class today, we're going to talk about the Middle School Concept. What is it and what makes it different from the self-contained classrooms you observed in at TJES or the departmentalized structure you will observe at Cathedral Junior High School.

I've been in contact with Mr. Riehl at Simle Middle School. We will take a look at your schedules today to find time slots that you have open so I can get back to him regarding your availability.

Your assignments for the week are as follows:

• Read Chapter 2 in your book, "Fires in the Middle School Bathroom". I will post a blog platform for you to post your reflections for the material in Chapter 2. Your post is due this Wednesday at 10:30 AM.
• By next week Monday, Sept. 27th, you will have selected your topic for your research paper. We will discuss it in class today and toss around some ideas.

Reminder to Blog About Your Field Experience!

I know some of you have done your field experience hours. Don't forget to post to the blogs below, telling us about your two experiences!

Second Field Experience Observation due Monday, Sept. 20th

The purpose of this blog posting is for you to post your second field experience observation. Remember, you must complete the observation and post to this blog before Monday, Sept. 20th.

Post your dicussion about your second field experience observation here. Be sure to identify if this post is for the observation in 5-6 grade or 7-8 grade. If your first observation was in 5-6 grade, this one has to be in 7-8 grade OR vice versa.

First Field Experience Observation due Monday, Sept. 20th

The purpose of this blog posting is for you to post your first field experience observation. Remember, you must complete the observation and post to this blog before Monday, Sept. 20th.

Post your dicussion about your first field experience observation here. Be sure to identify if this post is for the observation in 5-6 grade or 7-8 grade.

Chapter 1 Blog

I really enjoyed reading your first blog post this week! As I read through each one of them, it made me think that I've known young people like those you are portraying. Another interesting thing is that even though we are a wide range of ages, young teenagers were doing the same thing when I was that age as those you described. People's behavior doesn't really change that much over time; just the environment does.....

Now, remember to do a second post and respond to one of your peers before next week Wednesday.

Nice going, ladies!

Assignment Due Wednesday, Sept 1, & Wednesday, Sept. 8

Your assignment for tomorrow (Wed., Sept. 1) is to reply once to my post. By next week Wednesday, you need to reply to one of your peers. Fairly painless for the Labor Day weekend!

Chapter 1 is entitled "Everything Is Off Balance" and gives you a snapshot into the lives of the adolescent child. As you read the chapter, reflect on how you will interact with students who are experiencing the things described in this chapter. Many high school graduates have remarked on how they connected with a teacher in school, often at the middle school level, who had a big impact on their education and life in general. Be one of these teachers - no matter the age of the child/student.

After you read the chapter, in your blog post here, pretend you are a 13 year old student. Give yourself a name. Tell us about your struggles, fears, anxieties, etc. using the information in the book. Be sure to address the following:

• Who are my friends?
• What are these feelings that are happening in my body?
• What do others think about me?
• What group do I belong to?
• How will I fit in?
• Who will teach me, and how?

Be creative!

Scheduled Observations at TJES

After you've scheduled your observations at TJES here on campus, post the time and date you're going to complete the observations. Make sure you include both of them - the time and date for the 5-6 grade observation and the time and date for the 7-8 grade observation.

No need to comment to a peer. This is for my information only. Thanks!

August 30, 2010 - Monday

We're going to begin class by talking about the blog postings and see how that worked. We'll also briefly talk about the reading assignment in the book.

As per the course calendar, we are going to begin talking about the research paper in class Monday, August 30. I have a PowerPoint presentation we're going to go through that I will give you copies of - you'll need the information on it. I also want you to bring your syllabus to class with you. Your syllabus has the steps to writing a paper and the rubric used to assess the paper so make sure you have this information with you.

I'll also be providing you with a sample research paper written in APA Style (6th Ed.) to use as a resource as you develop your own paper.

Assignment for Wednesday, Sept. 1st: We do NOT meet face-to-face for class but I want you to:

• Read Chapter 1 in your book AND post a blog entry no later than 10:30 AM on Wednesday (what would be our regular class time). I will post a question and you respond to mine and one of your peers. I'm adding this assignment this week because I want you to start reading the book BEFORE you start your field experiences.

Assignment for our next face-to-face class period on Monday, Sept. 20th:

• Have your two 3-hour observations completed at TJES - total of 6 hours.
• Blog about your two observations. I will post a comment on the blog for this course and then you can respond with your information.

August 25, 2010 - Wednesday

Today we're going to meet for a few minutes to review the book, make sure you can post to this blog, and project the field experience placements.

Your assignment that is due Monday, August 30, is to read the introduction in the book - pages 1-11. Then, read through the exercise on pages 12-13 in the book. Your blog post that is due will be this exercise. Respond to the questions there in your blog post. Remember, you are to post this information AND respond to one of your peers.

Respond to the exercise - post your first blog discussion - no later than the end of the day on Thursday. Then, your reply to one of your peers is due no later than class time on Monday - 10:30 AM. As you know, spacing out the deadlines like this makes for a much richer discussion experience!

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

August 24, 2010 - Tuesday

Your books for this class came in today. You can stop by my office and pick up your copy. It looks like it is just exactly what I was looking for to guide our discussion!

August 23, 2010 - Monday

Today is our first day of class! We are going to be using this blog to journal your reflections of the observations and experiences you have while in the schools you will be visiting. I will also be posting questions for you to respond to based on the readings from our text.

After this week, I will have my question/comment posted by Monday AM. You are to respond to my question/comment by the end of the day on Wednesday. You are also required to comment on one of your peer's postings by the end of the day on Sunday.

I will enter your email address into this blog so you will get an email notifying you when I post.

Any questions at all, please let me know. This is going to be a fun class! The down-side is that it's a Sinte Gleska course so this is the last time it will be taught. This class is not a requirement for ND licensure.......

Let's begin!