Research is an important element in learning and teaching. Content research as well as student research is important.  Research is evident thorugh our learning of sign language and information pertaining to the special needs of our hard of hearing and deaf students. 

Technology is a key resource in our lives and education these days especially in learning.  Evidence of technology in learning is visible everyday as we use our websites to communicate with our classmates and instructor.  We learn about and from one another through our websites and work to build a community in our classroom.   

Collaboration is always a good to have, whether it be student to student or teacher to student collaboration.  Collaboration will be evident in our Apache students and our Oral family history story project.  We will learn from our students and they learn from us. 

 

Confidence and independence are visible in and out of the classroom for me.  Confidence is something I am constantly working on and striving to improve everyday.  I do have a difficult time sometimes expressing my point of view out loud in discussions.  Students need to be confident and independent in thier learning.

My understanding and knowledge content of this course has been greatly expanded.  I have learned that every person and student comes from different places and backgrounds and we need to be understanding of this.  Nurturing diverse learners requires much understanding, research, and patience. 

Strategies for learning that I can use include knowing your students strenghts and learning styles and meeting thier needs accordingly.  One skill I have learned is learning basic sign language that I may communicate to a small extent with a hard of hearing or deaf student. 

I have had some prior experience with working and going to school with peers who have been English language learners.  I would often see the teacher struggling to get these students to understand.  My emerging experience relates to my prior experiences and learning.  Much understanding is based on prior experience. 

Reflecting for me is writing and is an excellent way to analyze and critique learning in myself and my students.  I've learned that a brief reflection after being with students can provide much insight and ideas to improve or change for the next time in my students or my learning.  Reflections may also bring about awareness in situational circumstances in the classroom or in my own learning.  In this class I have been able to explore and reflect on cultural and linguistically divere issues. 

 

 

My evaluation on myself in terms of a grade would be a low A or a high B.  I do have room for improvement in my knowledge of content, confidence and analyzing my reflections. 

For my further development during this course and this semester I hope that I am able to understand and help my culturally and liguistically diverse students feel comfortable in the classroom and thier learning.  I hope to learn more strategies and skills in teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. 

I don't have any suggestions for class activities or suggestions to better support our learning at this moment.  If I think of any along the way I will definitely let you know.