kimphelanteach

[kimphelanteach]

EDUC 536: Final Word Reflection

I feel that I learned quite a bit about myself regarding my process of learning. I feel that I’ve learned that I appreciate and value feedback that will help me to grow and improve in my profession. I felt like some of the most significant learning I gained in this course was the specific feedback I received from my professor regarding alignment throughout my lessons, use of academic language, and general organization of lesson plans. Furthermore, when reflecting upon my learning process, I also really value the ability to discuss with and learn from my peers. I enjoyed the discussion prompts, responding with my own thoughts, reflections, and ideas, and being able to read the responses of my peers and learn from their different perspectives and original ideas. I also learned from reading the responses of my peers to my specific post; many times, their responses, solidified and/or confirmed my learning.

As for what was within my “known”, I feel that this class was designed for someone like me. I am an English teacher who has a constant thirst for reading, and I LOVE talking about and being able to teach using the novels and texts I’ve read, so being able to read so much and use what I was reading in my assignments was great. I was also pretty familiar with many of the terms and academic language used throughout the course. I teach theme to my students, I conduct close readings in my class, and I’m familiar with and teach about the many genres of texts, etc., so a lot of that came pretty naturally to me; I was able to understand, use, and implement the academic language fairly seamlessly because I’ve had prior knowledge of and experience with it.

A few things that I found challenging during this course was really ensuring alignment between standards, learning objectives/essential questions, and student learning activities. I also learned that sometimes, less is more; before this course, when I created lesson plans, I often had many learning objectives in one unit, but I’ve learned that it might be better for students to create more focused lessons with one of two topics/new learning strategies. That way, students are really getting the chance to learn, practice, and apply their learning. Additionally, I feel that I learned more about creating/asking effective text dependent questions; this is something that I do often and I believe I do well, but have gained more insight and can improve upon my text-dependent questions and expectations. Finally, I struggled with creating lessons specifically for edTPA, using edTPA language and the organization of lessons created for edTPA, although I think I’ve got the hang of it now! (I did not need to do edTPA during my undergrad to receive my degree and teaching certificate). Although I was not required to complete or upload anything on edTPA before becoming a certified teacher, I do believe I’ve become better at organizing my lessons and units and using academic language that is expected of me to be using in this profession.

Finally, I expect to be more effective next school year when it comes to implementation of text dependent questions. I’m extremely excited to give more opportunities for students to storyboard (using StoryboardThat); I think this will be a great way to teach the skill of plot, summarizing, main events, etc. I feel more confident incorporating graphic novels into my teacher; I feel that I have a better idea of how to really use them effectively in my classroom. I also really hope to be able to purchase some of the texts I’ve researched and included in my annotated bibliographies. I may also consider incorporating blogging into my classroom, sort of as a way for students to journal, reflect, share insights, post summaries of lessons, etc. Finally, I really like the concept of text structures and the importance of teaching text structure more directly with my students, especially during, say, an argumentative writing unit.

Thank you for a great experience in this course and enjoy the rest of your summer!

[kimphelanteach]

Week 6 StoryBoard: Of Mice and Men

[kimphelanteach]

Diversity/Identity & Social Issues Annotated Bibliography

Name: Kimberly Phelan                                          

Genre: Diversity/Identity &  Social Issues

 1. Title of Text: (cite APA)

Diversity/Identity:

Colbert, B. (2019). The Revolution of Birdie  Randolph. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

Short Summary of the text:

This coming-of-age novel is about a  16-year-old black teen named Birdie Randolph growing up in Chicago. She  struggles with doing what will make her happy versus pleasing her parents. At  the start of the novel, she does everything to please her parents: she quits  playing soccer and works really hard at her studies to ensure graduating in  the top of her class. However, the plan her parents laid out for her gets  derailed when Birdie falls in love with someone her parents won’t approve of.  This book celebrates culture and tackles racial challenges, but has a focus  on Birdie Randolph developing into the person she truly wants to become.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with:

Coming of age,  celebrating diversity, overcoming inner struggles with identity, the impact  of  (support of) family

Appropriate for Grade(s): 

Grades 9-11

 2. Title of Text: (cite APA)

Social Issues:

Meyers, W. D. (1999). Monster:  A Graphic Novel. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Short Summary of the text:

This novel is  set in Harlem and is about a black teenager named Steve on trial for a murder  and robbery, but whether or not he committed the crime is up for debate and  the central focus of the novel. Steve is linked to another man named James  who is also allegedly involved in this crime. However, the connection between  the two men is, again, up for debate. Steve, the teen on trial, adjusts to and  makes it through his new life in juvie, where he must stay while on trial, by  pretending his whole situation is a movie and narrates the novel as such. Throughout  the novel, we read about the different sides of the story and the different  ways in which the alleged crime is described as happening. The novel’s  organization is written as a movie script.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with:

Perception of guilt or innocence, peer  pressure, equality, racism, justice 

Appropriate  for Grade(s):

Grades 8-10

 3.  Title of  Text: (cite APA):

Social Issues:

Stone, N. (2017). Dear  Martin. New York, NY: Penguin Random House.

Short Summary of the text:

After being arrested and put in  handcuffs for a crime he did not commit, Justyce McAllister, an  African-American high school senior preparing for Ivy League college, now can’t  help but notice all of the racial inequality and injustice that exists in the  world. He turns to the teachings of MLK to guide him, and journals by writing  letters to Martin Luther King, Jr. As he questions MLK’s teachings, he  reflects upon his own life experiences and searches for answers to the  injustice he observes every day. Text organization set up as if a teen is  writing letters to Martin Luther King, Jr. 

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with:

Racism, abuse  of power, justice, equality, stereotypes, Civil Rights, need for change

Appropriate for Grade(s):

Grades 8-10

4. Title of Text: (cite APA)

Diversity/Identity:

Tamani, L. (2017). Calling  My Name. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books. 

Short Summary of the text: 

Written in  first person vignettes, Taja Brown is growing up, and navigating this time in  her life is proving to be difficult for her in all aspects: emotionally,  physically, socially, and religiously. She begins to challenge her religious  upbringing, she begins dating, she watches her friends developing (physically  and emotionally), and wishes the same for herself. Eventually, she meets  Andre, and faces a real inner struggle and feelings of guilt when her parents  present the young couple with purity rings.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with:

Growing up and maturing, coming-of-age, healthy  relationships, self-identity, young love, handling guilt

Appropriate for Grade(s): 

Grades 10-12 (more appropriate/relatable  for teen girls)

[kimphelanteach]

Annotated Bibliography: Fiction/Non-Fiction

Name:        Kimberly Phelan                                                         

Genre:       Fiction/  Nonfiction

1. Title of Text: (cite APA)

Dunbar, E.A., & Clever, K.V. (2019). Never  Caught, The Story of Ona Judge. New York, NY: Aladdin.

Short Summary of the text:

Nonfiction:

Ona Judge was born into slavery for George and Martha  Washington. And she became George’s and Martha’s favored slave. When Ona  learned she was going to be given to Martha’s granddaughter as a wedding  present, Ona decided she had had enough and made the courageous decision, at  the age of 22, to escape slavery, and thus began her journey to the north  where should become a fugitive slave. This book takes us through her  childhood and her experiences living with the Washingtons, to her ultimate  decision and eventual escape to New Hampshire.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with: 

Decision-making/making  tough decisions, freedom, courage, things aren’t always as they appear,  racism

Appropriate for Grade(s): 

5-8 (although it is a bit  of an “easy read’ for most 8th graders, there is significant  educational value and it can be used as a pre-reading for more  difficult/controversial/complex texts)

2. Title of Text: (cite APA)

Alifirenka, C., Ganda, M., & Welch, L. (2015). I  Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives. New York, NY:  Little, Brown Company.

Short Summary of the text:

Nonfiction:

This book is written from the perspective of two people,  Caitlin and Martin, both 12 years old. In class, Caitlin was tasked with an  assignment to pick a pen pal from another country, and Caitlin chose  Zimbabwe. Little did she know what a profound affect this decision would have  on her life. Martin is the lucky student from Zimbabwe who received Caitlin’s  first letter, and thus began their pen pal friendship, which extends over the  course of 6 years. Through their letters, Caitlin and Martin begin to learn a  lot about one another’s lives; they share their trials and tribulations,  cultures and lifestyles, and the highs and lows. Once Martin’s education is  in jeopardy, Caitlin steps in to help in a big way, which results in Caitlin  and Martin meeting face-to-face in the US. The story ends with Martin and  Caitlin both finding success in their lives.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with: 

Acts of  kindness, friendship, taking action

Appropriate  for Grade(s): 

7-8

3.  Title of  Text: (cite APA):

Thomas, A. (2017). The Hate U Give. New York,  NY: Harper Collins.

Short Summary of the text:

Fiction:

Starr Carter may come from a poor, urban, mainly black  neighborhood, but she attends a ritzy private school, where she is one of the  only black students in attendance. She struggles at time with her identity.  One night, she attends a part in her neighborhood with a childhood friend,  Khalil. Things take a turn at the party, and Starr and Khalil, along with  many others, flee the scene. On their drive home, Khalil is pulled over for a  broken taillight and steps out of the vehicle. As Khalil turns to ask Starr  if she’s OK, the officer opens fire, and Starr is left helpless to watch her  friend die. In the aftermath, Starr struggles with what to do: should she  remain anonymous as the only witness to the crime, or should she speak up on  behalf of her friend’s untimely death? Ultimately, Starr decides to speak up.  This novel takes us through Starr’s journey of speaking up and all the while,  allowing us into her personal life, her family life, her social life, and  much more.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with:

Overcoming  racial prejudice, abuse of power, stereotypes, family, loss,  identity/understanding identity, empathy

Appropriate for Grade(s): 

8-9

4. Title of Text: (cite APA)

 Stein, G. (2008). The Art of Racing in the Rain.  New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Short Summary of the text:

Fiction:

Enzo, a dog, is the narrator to this story. He  recognizes that he is different than most dogs; he feels more human and as if  he has a better understanding of humans compared to most dogs. This story  begins with the end: Enzo’s last day. It is a story of Enzo looking back on  his full and happy life, and of course, his humans’ lives, too. We meet  Denny, Enzo’s owner, and eventually Denny’s wife, Eve, and daughter. A  constant in the story is Denny’s and Enzo’s love of racing cars (Denny is a  racecar driver). Throughout the book, we experience the highs and lows to  Enzo’s life, and subsequently, his family’s. A great book to read when  looking at perspective and point of view.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with: 

Love, communication/the  struggle to communicate, loss of control, family

Appropriate for Grade(s): 

8

Sorry, I couldn’t choose, so I added one more!

 5.  Title of Text: (cite APA)

Lee, H. (1960). To Kill a Mockingbird. New York, NY: J.B Lippincott.

Short Summary of the text:

Contemporary/Classic Fiction:

This novel has two plots happening simultaneously. The first plot has to do with 3 children and their obsession with their neighbor who has not been seen in over 15 years. It is rumored that this neighbor is a monster, and as the novel progresses and the children mature, they see more and more the error in their initial understanding of their neighbor, Arthur “Boo” Radley. The second plot is about the children’s father, Atticus, defending an innocent black man in court during a time period and geographic location of widespread racism and white superiority. People in town do not support Atticus and his efforts to truly defend an African American man. Eventually, the two story lines become intertwined through character connections, experiences, and new understandings.

YA Universal Theme(s) text is aligned with:

New understandings, growing up/maturing, racism and prejudice, courage, perseverance, innocence, justice

Appropriate for Grade(s):

8-10

[kimphelanteach]

Module 1: Introduction and Literature Memories

Hi there!

My name is Kimberly and I am currently in my 5th year of teaching 8th grade English in Orange, CT. I went to Southern Connecticut State University and received my bachelors degree in secondary English education. I am currently enrolled in a masters program at UB (Professional Educator Development), and I'm almost done; just this class and one more next semester and I'll have completed my masters degree! I absolutely LOVE working with and teaching 8th graders and am in no rush to leave the classroom or move on from being a classroom teacher, but down the line, there is potential for me wanting to move up in the middle school/into high school levels. Eventually, I'd also LOVE to be an adjunct professor teaching an English elective course. I had quite a bit of experience working with higher education professionals and incoming college students during my undergrad, so I'd like to get back to that one day as I continue to teach.

My school is currently in the process of transitioning into a reader's workshop model, and we are starting our school visits, training, and some minor implementation next year, so this course couldn't come at a more opportune time for me. The other middle school English teachers and myself have been sharing ideas about building up our classroom libraries in order to be prepared for the reader's workshop model, so I'm looking forward to learning about a variety of young adult literature, different genres, and texts. I'm particularly interested in the dystopian assignments in this course because one of the units the 8th grade English teachers are interested in incorporating into our classrooms through reader's workshop is a dystopian unit. Also, I really love that genre of literature, so I think I'll enjoy that!

When I think back to my own experiences as a YA literacy learner, I actually hated for most of my middle and high school career (which is ironic because I’m now and English teacher). To be honest though, I don’t have many memories of reading in middle school. Truth be told, I don’t think there was a ton of reading assigned, and I don’t recall learning any reading strategies. I dreaded summer reading assignments and procrastinated as long as possible. I think that the summer I was required to read The Hatchet before entering 5th grade obliterated any ounce of interest in reading for me; I despised that book and still do to this day. There are 3 novels, however, that I do remember really enjoying in middle school, but mainly because these books were read to me (by the school librarian, Mrs. Conway), which I thoroughly enjoyed. I don’t recall any childhood memories of adults reading to me, so this was something I found myself really enjoying in middle school. Because of Winn Dixie and The Giver have had profound effects on me, and I distinctly remember really enjoying reading Matilda. Other than those novels, I have no memory of other books I may have read in middle school. 

I feel I was a bit jipped in high school, too. I went to a private school and took average “college preparatory” classes, and although I am extremely thankful for the educational opportunities my parents were able to provide me by sending me to private school, I do not think a private school education is quite as good as certain public schools. If I were enrolled in “honors” English courses in high school, I may feel differently, because in those courses, students were assigned to read “the classics”. I was not. I was thankful for it then, not so much now. I do remember enjoying reading Romeo and Juliet in high school because I had an awesome teacher. She included readers theater in her classroom, read with funny/engaging voices, and really made the play come to life. It was not until much later in my high school career and into college where my love of reading came about, specifically for young adult literature. I think I love teaching middle school so much because, in part, I feel like I’m getting a “redo” and I eat up the young adult literature books that I have available for my students. I have the privilege of teaching classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men and am also able to allow students a lot of choice in other reading units; we have a pretty expansive book room filled with contemporary novels and continue to expand it every year. 

I can’t wait to learn about more books that I can bring into my middle school classroom!