Teacher for Learning-Another Misconception (Opportunity) is Culture

Another misunderstood concept that impacts students' Prior Knowledge (PK) and is directly related to education is culture. Culture is often boiled down to static features; such as, holidays, foods, religions, the arts including languages. However, culture is actually intricate and dynamic. (Nieto, 2008) For example, a teacher that is a 50+ caucasian and from a traditional middle-class to upper-middle class family will have different cultural and subculture norms, values, and symbols than a 16+ Dine' student from a non-traditional middle to upper-middle class family when engaging PK and connecting it to new information. As a result PK may remain inconveniently inaccessible by students because it goes against cultural and subcultural norms.

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Curation for Learning: Find Your Fit Extend Activity

Starting in the Fall of 2021 I will be instructing 10th Grade English focusing on Informational Writing Skills for the first semester. The class composition will be predominantly Navajo. These students have been identified as having a variety of academic, social and emotional needs. The first week has been scheduled for assessing prior knowledge, getting to know one another and laying a foundation for our classroom community with a focus on assessing academic writing skills. Academic writing, specifically informational writing, is typically a challenge for the students. There are three main issues: A lack of or weak understanding of MLA format guidelines; Application of active reading and note-taking skills; and Slightly below or poor grammar skills. My goals are three fold; make the class and course materials personal, positive and profound. I would like to successful shape the semesters to be project-based with a student portfolio submission at the end of each semester. I ...

Teacher for Learning-The Importance & Impact of PK on Learning

The misconception is on the focus of Prior Knowledge as an event rather than a process. Educators like myself often focus on the what a student should already know and how to present the new information. And PK activities are used as straight pathway between the two endpoints; often an after thought. But by shifting our understanding that PK may not have a starting point on the pathway due to trauma gaps or cultural miscommunications we can avoid negatively effect students' acquiring new information. If PK is seen as an 'either/or' situation, both teacher(s) and student(s) may intentionally or unintentionally assume that the student lacks an ability, or skill-set for a particular subject area. When the educator actual missed an opportunity to present questions that not only triggering students' PK, but spark the students on a personal level. The result can be that students do not immediately recognize how that new information can be applied to: the present task and fa...

Curation for Learning-Holy CRAAP!! Extend Activity

To view my Padlet comments scroll to the far right. Thank you and enjoy!

Extending My Professional Development

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