Session+3

__**3.1 Monitoring Understanding**__ //How do I monitor student understanding in my classroom?// I suppose this depends on the day and what is going on in the classroom. I mean, a student can offer verbal understanding, written understanding, or accomplishing one of the goals set out. Understanding depends greatly on the student—what works for one student to show how she/he demonstrates understanding may not work for the next student.

//How might that practice change as I implement more technology?// I am assuming that monitoring student understanding would stay the same, relatively speaking. Are students on-task? Are they able to accomplish each task? Does the product achieve the objectives? Are they asking questions and working with peers along the way? These questions would remain the same. What I feel would change most is the monitoring of an actual product and how to do that effectively.

__**3.2 Strategy Overview**__ //Summary// The document introduces the before, during, and after reading strategies as a technique that fits most lesson plans and curriculum frameworks. The document then outlines specific instructional practices with corresponding student activities. This process is repeated for each segment—before, during, and after. The piece closes by considering purpose of each activity and how it fits into the larger scope of the lesson.

//Discussion// I seem to do several of the instructional practices, especially activating prior knowledge and setting the purpose (this is a biggie for me), setting goals, predict, and writing in notebook. All of the during practices are reinforced throughout the year (this is a huge focal point in the English department). Finally, for the after reading portion I attempt to cover all the teacher instructional practices, but often time the student activities may not be as developed as I would like.

__**3.3 Wordle as a Before Reading Strategy**__ //What does it seem that Wordle can do for the user?// My first response to this would be, creativity--a playful approach to language and words thus promoting familiarity. But then, I realized this requires the student to be able to not only grasp the major ideas of a text, but discern which key terms are most important and therefore emphasized.

//How useful does Wordle seem to be as a before reading strategy for students?// A great tool for prediction, but, again, I though of this as an after reading strategy that demonstrates the key point and terms within a text (ooops!).

//What type of learners would benefit from using a Wordle?// Obviously, visual learners! This may not go over well with students who are more linear. Initially, it could be a bit overwhelming for some student causing an, “Ahh…Too much is going on here” response before being able to decipher what is taking shape.

__**3.3 Wordle: Before Reading Activity**__ media type="custom" key="9876435" align="left" width="268" height="268" Observations: The word “homeless” clearly catches my eye first. Then, I tried to make associations with that word, noticing “suffering” and “breakdown” and “skid row.” I also observed that a couple random words were highlighted—such as “line” and “just.” I liked the black background because it made it appear it bit more…severe, if you will, which sets the tone for the text.

Connections to background knowledge: Well, my background knowledge that I have would first begin with Steve Lopez as a famous columnist for the LA. Times (largely due to Robert Downey Jr. playing his character). I then focus on what I know about music (not much except failed piano lesson when I was seven) and mental illness (the basic knowledge about depression/anxiety, etc) and then homelessness (quite a bit since I have volunteered at several homeless shelters).

__**3.4 Annotating with Crocodoc: During Reading Strategy**__

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__Comments__ Crocodoc vs. Wordle: My thoughts differed greatly from Wordle to Crocodoc. My thought process when using Wordle was more free association while my thoughts when annotating automatically when into author purpose and style mode. A word scrabble lends itself to more freedom in thought simply by the nature of its set-up. In contrast, a document, in its standard horizontal lines and 12-point font, triggers something in my brain to switch to “academic mode” and begin to analyze.

Meta-Cognitive reflection on Annotation: I can’t help but not annotate when I read. Even when I sit down to read a book just for fun, I usually have a pen in hand. Clearly, I value the process of annotation because I believe it provides our students a concrete framework in which to read. So many times, they have zero idea of what to look for so they just end up asking meaningless question about words of connecting to a random sentence. Reading with clear expectations of what to annotate narrows focus, especially for students who are resistant readers.

__**3.5 Top Five Vocabulary – After Reading Activity**__

1. Homeless: (n/adj) not having a regular place to live 2. Soloist: (n) a person who performs a solo 3. Columnist: (n) someone who writes regularly for a newspaper or magazine 4. Portrait: (n) a description of a person 5. Schizophrenic: (n) a person exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental disorder characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements)