Hi Everyone!
Very nice to meet you yesterday and I feel we have a strong class. This week we are just getting used to the blog, so try to post an introduction and we'll see how it goes. Open a Microsoft Word document on your computer and label your comments by date. Then copy and paste into the blog. To post on today's prompt, just click on the "comments" link below. You should be able to see a box and you can post into that. Remember to hit "post comment" and then you will see your text added to the others.
For homework this week, please read Chapters 1 & 2 from our textbook and familiarize yourself with the course syllabus. See you next week!
Janaya wrote:
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Janaya Minkus and this is my first blog ever. I sent Sue an email saying I could not figure this out, but what do you know I did! I am very interested in taking this course as I believe reading is the cornerstone of learning. As adults and children reading surrounds us, be it entertainment or intellectual.
I was asked to participate in a study where you count everything you read from morning until night. I think I used my ability to read over 80 times in one day, imagine if you could not read? Anyways this blog has gone on long enough, I look forward to the journey of this course.
Hello! My name is Heidi Kubin and I am FINALLY finishing up this PDP experience. It has been a challenging but amazing journey and I am excited to be wrapping things up with interesting and useful classes. Although being a student seems to have been all encompassing these last few years, there are many other parts of my life. I live in Squamish with my husband and almost 10 year old twin daughters. I love being outside and finding all sorts of new adventures. I love people and my friendships and relationships bring me tons of joy. I also love good food as well as a good shopping trip once in awhile. I am interested in this class partly because I am looking for more understandings and strategies as a teacher, but also because I really love to read. Looking forward to getting to know you all and learning together…
ReplyDeleteMay 5, 2009 – After Class #1
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! My name is Kelly and this is my last semester of PDP! I am really looking forward to this class because even with my practicum behind me, I still find the whole area of how to teach someone how to read to be somewhat of a mystery. There have been many times during my practica when I wished I knew more about teaching reading, especially while working with children who had somehow fallen behind their classmates. The gap between these kids and their classmates just gets bigger as they continue on with their studies, so I want to know how I can better teach them so that they can succeed later in life. As for other details, I am an elementary teacher with the hopes of teaching grades 4/5/6 later on, although I just signed on with the Abbotsford School District saying that I would TOC in both elementary and high school! It will be an experience, that’s for sure! I look forward to working with you all!
Leah wrote:
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Leah Pells. I have wanted to be a teacher for most of my life and I am finally getting around to that goal. I have a beautiful son, Luke. It was my desire to stay at home with him until he was in grade 1, which he is now, so here I am! I did my 405 practicum in a grade 3 class, which I loved. I have also had some great experiences in the middle school grades, and at this point will be happy to teach anywhere from K-12. I feel there are great things about each age or grade. I love to read myself and enjoy reading with my son. I will enjoy to providing opportunities for my students to develop a real love for reading as well. Reading gives a person such freedom, without it our world just would not make sense. I am sorry I went on so long here, wow for a first time blogger I really had a lot to say. Cheers, Leah
Hi everyone, my name is Jacqueline and I'm in my final semester of PDP. I had many wonderful experiences this past year teaching secondary English, however, like Kelly mentioned, I too wish that I knew more about teaching reading. I love to read myself, and I wish to instill that love in all of my students in the future. I look forward to learning from my peers in the class. Cheerio! - Jacqueline
ReplyDeleteHi new classmates. My name is Tan and I too am very excited about this class! I am looking forward to gaining information that will immediately enhance my teaching skill set. My practica were in grade 6/7 and I enjoyed them immensely. I have 2 school age children who keep us busy with karate, lacrosse, baseball and homework. I also have an active toddler at home who tries to keep up with her big brothers, but her soccer ball, and lacrosse stick are pink (she insists). I wish you all a great semester and look forward to sharing together and learning from each other.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first blog too! I am currently completing my last semester of the Professional Development Program. My practicum was great, and stared off with travelling to Trinidad and Tobago, where I taught a Standard 4 class (grade 5) as part of the International Teaching Education Module. I spent three months in Trinidad, where I completed my short practicum. I finished my long practicum at a school in Pitt Meadows, and found this to be the most challenging semester of my academic experience. Although there were challenges, I had a great experience and enjoyed teaching my grade 5/6 split class.
ReplyDeleteI am taking this course to provide me with the background knowledge and ability to teach reading. I’m looking forward to working with all of you.
Hi Everyone
ReplyDeleteMy name is Sharon and I just completed my first term as a PTEM student. I have been working as a Music Therapist for about 20 years in the Delta School District and in private practice. I love my work! However, I have had about enough of being self employed (invoicing, driving to a few schools everyday, chasing people for my pay) so I decided to make a career change. Hopefully I will be able to combine my love of music and working with children into a rewarding teaching career. I was in a grade 4 class for my first practicum, and I am looking forward to learning some more strategies for the teaching, discovery and exploration of reading. See you Monday!
May 5, 2009
ReplyDeleteI have surrounded myself with children in many ways for almost 3 decades, with the most important aspect being a parent. Over 20 years ago I earned a BSW from Laurentian University in Ontario. I worked for only a year in child protection and found I was not cut for such an emotionally heart wrenching job. When I became a parent I chose to work from home as a specialized foster parent, and then operated a licensed daycare and finally moved into teaching children’s program at community centers. This all culminated to this point of the IFTEM/AFTEM PDP at SFU. When not pursuing academic goals I love to sew, garden, paint and draw, canoe, kayak (actually anything that involves nature and the water!) and I can cook dinners for over a hundred people. I have a wonderful husband, a son (20) and two daughters (almost 18 and 11) and a small Shih Tzu. I look forward to including any of these into my future classroom.
I want to honour the young women in class who openly shared that she did not have all the answers. Kudos to you for your vulnerability! On page 7 of the article “In Pursuit of an Illusion: The Flawed Search for a Perfect Method” Duffy and Hoffman outline that, one, teachers are a work in process; two, teacher’s “must develop an inner strength...a willingness to take risks...and a propensity for seeking new solutions to the dilemma-ridden task of serving kids of varying backgrounds and abilities.” There were more aspects listed but it seems to me that you are well on your way to developing your inner strength and risk taking, for we are a work in progress!! Thanks for sharing your heart!
Hi everyone, my name is Lejla and this is the last part of my practicum. I did my 401/402 in a grade 1 classroom and I really enjoyed it. I also volunteered mostly in K-3 classes and I thought that primary was what I wanted to do. However, for my 405 I was placed in a grade 4 class and I was very worried but I had an amazing experience. I loved the grade because I quickly realized that the students still needed my help a lot, but they were also able to do a lot on their own. I was able to do a lot of activites with them that I couldn't have done with the grade ones. Overall, I had a fantastic time. I am taking this course so that I can learn about different strategies to teach reading to students. Looking forward to a great semester:)
ReplyDeleteMay 5, 2009
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Mable. I just finished my extended practicum at Chaffey Burke with a grade 1/2 class. I had the opportunity to learn how to teach Guided Reading. I taught Guided Reading 3 times a week with two different reading levels. Different teaching methods were used to teach students how to decode, make meaning, make connections and ask question of the text. I also introduced Reading Power by Adrienne Gear, to my class. The students enjoyed learning all 5 components and were enthusiastic in writing their own reflective journal. I look forward working with everyone in this class to learn additional resources and knowledge about reading and writing.
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Darcy Grant, I am a graduate of SFU and SFU's PDP program. I have been teaching secondary in North Vancouver for the past two years and have enjoyed myself since the very start. I am trying to complete thirty extra credits during evenings every other semester and am very close to finishing. I have had a class with Sue before amd am looking forward to many of the ideas that will be shared during class. I have many blogs on the go, I have a different blog for each one of my classes. However, I have not learned how to change my profile name. So, I apologize that it says Mr. Grant. See you Monday!
Hi everyone. My name is Crystal. Other than my recent 401/2 and 405 experiences up on campus I have done my entire degree through distance education at SFU and Athabasca University so that I could stay at home with my three young children until they were all in school for full days. That being said, being up on campus for classes is a new experience for me… but I am excited to try it and get to know all of you better. Like many of you this is my first blogging experience and I find the process a little daunting but will do my best not to press any wrong buttons! Congratulations on making it this far everyone and I look forward to working with you this semester.
ReplyDeleteCrystal
# 1 – Ashok’s Introduction
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Ashok (The SexyPunjabi-Canadian student whose fav pic was the air hostess lol)
Cool Short version:
I am single looking for the perfect wife to match my perefection(lol). I love women. I love bollywood and Shahrukh Khan. And I love sports and women :)
Boring Long version:
I am constantly seeking to improve my self. I am open to criticism and enjoy challenges. I am 26 years old and have obtained a Bachelor of Kinesiology Degree with an extended minor in history. I chose Kinesiology because I love sports and excelled as an athlete. Also, I would like to coach and teach because these are my passions. I like History because I believe a lot of history has not yet been discovered. Currently, I am I am a fan of actors such as Amitabh Bachan and Shahrukh Khan because through their movies we see a lot of how our culture in India is advancing and still holding on to its traditional roots. Basically, God, Family, my Punjabi culture, coaching, and Teaching are what motivate me to improve as a human being. My parents are from India and my brother and I were born in Canada. I love and respect my family more than words can describe. Being Indo-Canadian has given me the unique privilege of being brought up in an atmosphere of both eastern and western values. I want to make my family and Canada proud by being an outstanding teacher anywhere in the world. I believe education and teaching are essential in building a better world. I want to create a positive and safe environment where all kids can excel. I have enjoyed working with children of many different backgrounds and ages. I myself growing up have attended many Sikh Temples, Hindu Mandhirs, Muslim Mosques and Christian Churches that have allowed me to broaden my understanding of God, respect for all life, and self-less service. I will dedicate my time and hard work in becoming the best teacher that I can possibly become.
God Bless and Inshallah this will be a very good semester :)
p.s. I am enjoying reading all of your comments so far… Thank you for sharing all!!
Ashok K.
Hello everyone!
ReplyDeleteSorry to be behind in posting...I left class Monday night and traveled to Nanaimo with my 12 year old daughter (my oldest, Michaela. My youngest is Danica, 10) who is a singer/musician in a traveling band called "Kindness Rocks" - remember them when we are all teachers as they tour all over BC schools to promote kindness to self, others, and our planet - try googling Kindness Rocks or on YouTube:)
I am in my final semester of PDP, having had an unbelievable past nine months. As an English Major, I am so proud to have two avid readers in my daughters. I look forward to spending Summer Mondays reading with you all!
Jennifer
Hi, my name is Lisa Merz. I have recently finished my long term practicum in Burnaby in a Grade 2/3 class at Cascade Heights Elementary School. It was such an amazing journey where I learned how to be flexible and adaptable. I had done most of my volunteering in a Grade 1/2 class in Surrey and was thinking originally of working with this age group or in Kindergarten. However, in my long practicum, I found that Grade 2/3 was the perfect age group for me. The students that I taught still needed guidance but took more risks in reading and writing. They were a dynamic group that I learned so much from!
ReplyDeleteI decided to take this class after my practicum sponsor teacher highly recommended it. I am still finding my way in the primary classroom after having switched from teaching English 11 and 12 to Grade 1-3. It is such a different process which requires a lot more modeling, thinking out loud, and building fundamentals. I have started learning about testing reading levels and am excited to learn more. I truly believe that a teacher must be thoughtfully eclectic because they must seek out suitable strategies, adapt each strategy to the individual student, and adapt it to suit their teaching style. I know that this class will provide a multitude of strategies not only to teach reading, but also to make it fun.
See you Monday!
Hi my name is Tessa and I just finished my long practicum in North Vancouver in a Grade 2 classroom. I am very passionate about working with primary students. The primary years are especially important for the development of reading skills and the enjoyment of reading. Through this course I want to broaden my understanding and my skills for teaching children to read.
ReplyDeleteI have my Bachelor of Arts majoring in Developmental Psychology and am currently working on getting my Learning Disabilities minor for my Bachelor of Education. I am very interested in the way students learn and what I can do to aide and facilitate their learning process.
I look forward to working with all of you!
Hello everyone, my name is Brandt and I have just finished my 405 practicum in Maple Ridge in a grade 5 classroom. This is my first blog ever and I am still a little confused on exactly how this all works (I know it will become more fluid though). I am looking forward to this semester as we will learn an amazing amount of strategies to bring to our future classrooms. More strategies the better! I am Looking forward to getting to know all of you. See you on Monday.
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Deepa and I, like many of you, am also in my last semester of PDP! My long practicum was at an elementary school in Port Moody in a grade 2 classroom which I absolutely loved! I majored in History and minored in Learning Disabilities for my Bachelor’s and now I’m working on a Curriculum Development minor during 404. I’m really excited about this class because reading is fundamental to learning and I’m interested in learning about the different ways that reading can be taught and learned. I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you!
ReplyDeleteHi guys!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Lynea. I recently finished my degree at SFU in psychology and I am in my second semester of PDP. My short practicum was in a grade 3 classroom over on Bowen Island. I had a great time over there and was lucky enough to experience a rural setting in an urban district. I really enjoy reading with the children and I believe, as Janaya pointed out, reading is the cornerstone to learning and it impacts so many other aspects of the child’s school experience. I am taking this class because I really want to build my teaching toolkit. I look forward to exploring reading and spending the semester with you.
Hi everyone! My name is Tracy and this is the final stretch of PDP for me as well. The practicum was such a fun experience, it is a little hard being back in the classroom. My long practicum was in a gr. 4/5 split and I have definitely fell in love with this grade level. I have always enjoyed working with children and cannot wait until I have my own classroom one day.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to learning how to teach children to read, as I encountered many students where reading was not their strengths or they just simply were not interested. The struggling readers I have encountered are my motivation for this course.
Hi everyone! My name is Ashlea and like many of you, this is my final semester of PDP. I spent my long practicum in a grade 4 class in Port Moody and while I originally thought that I would prefer to teach at the primary level- this age group was wonderful! This term I have returned to SFU to work towards getting my BEd with a L.D. minor. As already mentioned by many of you, being "a student" again, opposed to the teacher, definately felt a little strange this week but I am really looking forward to this course. I have an enormous love for books and reading, and am extremely interested in learning about the best ways to motivate and support all readers-especially those who struggle.
ReplyDeleteHi, everyone! My name is Julia Yoon and I have just finished my long practicum in Surrey. I taught a Grade 1 classroom at Berkshire Park Elementary during my long practicum. It was such an amazing experience to learn how to become a better teacher each day. I am very interested in learning how to design and teach reading lessons for young children. I am looking forward to a great semester with all of you!
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! My name is Reema and I am also in my last semester of PDP. I am currently completing my BEd. with a minor in learning disabilities. I completed my practicum in a grade 2 classroom and absolutely loved it. I was fortunate to have a class with very strong readers although I did find that although some students could read very well, they did not understand the content of what they were reading. I'm looking forward to learning strategies to help readers like this and to getting to know all of you throughout the semester!
ReplyDeleteHello everyone! My name is Krista Lewis. I am in my last semester of PDP (yay!)I completed my long practicum at Vancouver Technical Secondary. I taught grade 8, 9 and 10 Summit social studies, which is a mini-school within Van Tech that caters to advanced science and math students. I also taught grade 9 and 10 historical studies (social studies with a fancy name) which is also a mini-school that caters to students who excel in reading and writing skills. In addition to these courses I taught a regular grade 10 social studies class. I had a great practicum experience, Van Tech is an amazing school with equally wonderful students. Needless to say nobody lit anything on fire in my class (which happened during my short practicum!).
ReplyDeleteDevon wrote:
ReplyDeleteHi everyone
My name is Devon and I'm in my last semester of PDP. I have been in the awesome Playworks module and had a great time with them and in both of my practicums. I did my short practicum in a grade 1/2 class and my long in a grade 4/5. I loved both but intermediate is definitely for me! I have a Bachelor's degree in English and while I read in a lot of different genres, children's lit is a favourite of mine. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone better and working together this summer.
Hi everyone! My name is Kerri. I just finished my 401/2 semester. I am part of the LifeWork module which has a focus on social justice and social responsibility. My practicum was in a Grade 3 classroom in Port Coquitlam. I loved the class and they taught me so much about being a part of a community. It was heartbreaking for me when I found out that there were two students in my class who were classified as non-readers. To watch them progress in the short time that I was there was amazing. When the one student read the word ‘spooky’ to me I nearly cried with joy for him. It made me realize that teaching is the truly the right career path for me.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone! Am I the last one?!!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Mikki. I graduated from the University of Western Ontario what seems like EONS ago with a BA in Psychology, I just completed my PBD in Education (done mostly part time and distance while living up in Whistler), and now doing my B.Ed with a minor in Learning Disablities. As much as it seems like it, i am *NOT* a professional student. I swear.
I have only lived in Vancouver for a year and a half... still getting used to it and finding my way around. I just finished my 401/2 practicum in an inner city grade 6/7 classroom in Vancouver and LOVED it. I learned SO MUCH in such a short time... It was such a great experience.. BUT as I have heard from all of you "post-405 veterans" I am in for a shock of a lifetime in September, so I am bracing myself intensely for the long practicum.
Thanks for the warning.
I am happy to be here, and agree with so many people in that reading is a cornerstone skill- everything hinges on not only being able to sound out letters and read words, but it is imperative that a student learn to comprehend what they have read, or motivation is lost. This transfers into every subject.
In this class, I am hoping to get some ideas to instill excitement for reading into my students, as well as some lesson ideas and practical strategies that I can use come September for 405 and beyond.
:) Mikki
Scott wrote:
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone,
My name is Scott and I am in between my 402 & 401 semesters of the PTEM module. I work as a support staff at Van Tech (I agree it's a great school), helping students with learning disabilities in mainstream and adaptive classes. My short practicum is a world away in a 6/7 class at Hillcrest Middle School in Coquitlam. I'm working towards becoming a secondary social studies teacher (BSc Geography from UVic), but would really like to end up working in special education somewhere.
I have 2 daughters (1 & 3 years old), so right now most of my non-textbook reading involves Dora or Care Bears. I have learned a little Spanish from Dora, as has my oldest who tends to replace many Spanish words for English ("Daddy, I want the amarillo one")
Reading the first chapters of the text has me excited for what lies ahead in this course. It should be a good summer!
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Deanna and I just finished my 401-402 practicum in a Grade 2/3 classroom. I am really interested to learn ways to teach literacy in the classroom which is one of the reasons I am taking the Designs for Learning: Reading course. I am looking foward to a fun semester and in learning new ideas that I can take to the classroom in my 405 practicum!