To Spank or Not to Spank

So I am watching Super Nanny rigfht not, and there is this mom of 3 who hits and spanks her kids so much, that they just laugh at her, or scream in her face. The dad goes to work, and then comes home and goes to the gym, and does basically whatever he wants to do, leaving the mom feeling helpless. As a mom, I can sympathesize.

Ok, so the nanny is now establishing "Kid's Rules"

1. Listen to your parents
2. Speak kindly to eachother
3. Please do as you are told
4. Be polite to eachother
5. Keep your own room clean

Intimidation and threats do not work. Positive reinforcement is rewarding and fin. The nanny set achievable goals in a specific amount of time. "You have 15 minutes to clean your room." Then they timed the room cleaning. After that, they were allowed to play outside. Boom! The room was clean in 15 minutes, and then the entire family went outside to play. What a great idea!! It is amazing to see what can be done when you speak respectfully to children and apply the concept of positive reinforcement.

Dr. Phil's 10/14/09 Show: Working Moms versus Stay At Home Moms

Have any of you just watched Dr. Phil's show today about Working Moms versus Stay at Home Moms? Wow! What was that crazy brunette talking about...All working moms are secretaries in pantyhose? Really lady? I am a full time working mom, and I am in school and I found that very insulting. I would love to stay home with my daughter, but I don't have the ability to. But I have 2 things to say to that lady: 1: I have NEVER worn pantyhose to work, and 2: I am not a secretary. I am actually an analyst for a large financial corporation, but I hate it. That's why I am in school right now to be a teacher, but let me tell you, it isn't the easy way out, like that lady was talking about.

Any responses? Have you guys seen this episode? Would you rather be a stay at home mom, or a working mom, and do you even have a choice?

Middle School Assignments: Hey Teaching Students

Hey teachers and teaching students! Are you looking for some great ideas for lesson plans or homework assignments? Check out some of my homework assignments that I posted throughout this blog.

Super Mom Goes to School

A supermom does everything: Breadwinner, Executive Chef, Housekeeper, and educator. I am doing all of these things, and have 3 dogs, a husband, a 1 year old, and 2 elderly grandparents to take care of. Oh, I am pursuing an advanced degree in education too! I am learning so much in my education program, that I thouht I would share some of the things that I have learned with you, so you can benefit from all of the educational resources, without the cost of school. I hope that you find an article that you like, and comment and share!Also, don't forget to check out my sponsors! They keep me going!

Chomsky's Language Acquisition Device

Language Learner ProjectI asked the following questions:1. Do you agree with Chomsky that all children are born with an innate Language Acquisition Device, and if so, do you think that this translates to all students with Exceptional Learning Needs, especially those who do not have English as their first language?2. For students with English as a second language who may be struggling in the classroom, what are some ways to assess whether a student's academic performance is affected by a learning disability or a language barrier? If it is determined that the ESL student has a learning disability, what would you do to ensure that they are receiving the services that are necessary for them to excel as much as possible?The responses I received to the first question were varied. One student stated that they agreed with Chomsky’s theory that all children were born with an innate LAD, and listed the areas in the brain that generate speech. (Wernicke and Broca Area). She also stated that ESL students needed to focus on their primary language, and utilize socialization, combined with Vygotsky’s theory of Language Acquisition Support System. Another student disagreed with Chomsky’s LAD as being the sole basis for language acquisition. She stated that it did not matter how a brain was pre-set to learn language, because exposure to a language early-on could allow the subject to learn the language similarly to if it were their native language. She pointed out that language acquisition was a very complex task, and cited Critical Age Hypothesis when discussing multiple language acquisition. She furthered her idea by expanding that ESL/ELN students should be able to learn English while learning other tasks in an ESL/ELN environment, if they are guided appropriately, and socialized properly. I believe that all children are born with an innate LAD, and that if a student were experiencing difficulty in school, an assessment in their native language would be important to ensure that the source of the difficulty is language related, in lieu of some other complication. The responses that I received for the second question were fairly similar to each other. One student postulated that there are various methods to assessing a struggling ESL student, which include: problem identification and the identification of the source of the problem, working with an ESL teacher, as well as the student’s family, developing a classroom plan of action, and consistently reassessing the progress of the student. She stated that if progress was not evident, then the student needed to have a Special Needs Assessment to make sure that the student received all of the necessary services. She also referenced the use of a translator to represent the student’s primary language while they were acquiring facets of another language. Lastly, she stressed the importance of the teacher/student relationship, and social networking as a support system for the student. The other comments agreed with the above, and added that one on one interaction would also be a helpful tool. She stated that teachers also had the ability to communicate nonverbally with their students, regardless of a language barrier, and that assistive technology, such as computer programs, would also be beneficial. I agreed with the above statements, and believe that utilizing all available resources is extremely important to ensure comprehension.

What is an Emergent Learner

An emergent learner is very young child who is experiencing the very first stage of early literacy. Upon researching the age range online, it is estimated that the emergent reader age can range from birth to about age 7. The emergent learner has already experienced oral interactions and the written print via interactions with books, or literature that may have been read to them. To assist with the development of their skills, it is important for them to hear the sounds that are used in everyday speaking and reading, and learn that printed words are associated with those sounds, and that they have meaning. It is important to teach the Concepts of Print, which include word sounds and meaning, tracking writing from left to right and top to bottom, spatial relationships between long and short words, punctuation, and upper and lower case letters.

Phonics Within Words Activity

Within-Word Stage ActivitiesDouble Consonants Activity:Double Consonant Bingo: Players pick double or single letter cards and try to create complete words on bingo cards. The teacher will create large bingo cards in order to fit the words on the board, and each word will have a beginning and ending. The student must complete the words on the board using the bingo cards. Spread the cards face down, so the players can put them back if they can’t use them. A dictionary will be handy to check spelling. The first student to get Bingo with their letter cards is the winner.R Controlled-Vowel Activity:Students are given 10 minutes to come up with as many words that they can in each of the following categories: ar, er, ir, ur, and or. They may work in pairs and use a dictionary. After they compile their list, they will read it aloud to the class. The students with the most (and correct) words in each category is the winner.Homophones Activity:Students are to define homophones, make a list of commonly used homophones, and use them in a complete sentence. Then, in pairs, they are to create picture cards using magazine cutouts, etc., with their homophones list, and correctly match the picture to the correct homophone. This can be done in pairs, or presented to the class as a group activity.