Multicultural Course

One if the most memorable college courses I ever took was on teaching in a Multicultural classroom. The class covered sensitive topics of race and culture. It also covered ways to assist any E.S.L. students.

For that class I attended several cultural events. I was able to visit a Hindu temple. (I was bitten by a parrot and attacked by a llama while at the Hindu temple.) I visited a Mexican family in their home and interviewed them through a translator. 

The final included a written test and a book report with an oral presentation. I read a book written by a black woman who hated all white people and eventually became an English teacher.

Rather than read my book report to the class; I decided that I wanted the class to experience the book.

This is approximately how the presentation went, and FYI, names have been changed:

"You have to promise me that you won't be offended by anything I do. First, is there anyone in our class today who is attending college but not paying for school personally? You're being supported either by parents or a spouse, but you personally are not working at all."

I guy named Eric raised his hand.

"Tell us your story Eric."

Eric: "I am attending school but not working. My wife financially supports me entirely. She pays all the bills too and she just delivered a baby that she takes to work with her."

"Oh, that's nice. FOOL!!! What are you doing??! Your wife works her tail off and you just sit here doing nothing! Baby has to go to work with her?? You can't even handle bringing your own kid! What are you doing!? What are you DOING!?"

Eric, a bit shell-shocked: "Uh, I don't know."

"Imagine waking up every morning to this. Fool. What are you doing? This is what happened to my protagonist everyday. She was told that going to school, finishing homework was worthless. She was a fool for not going straight to a job.

 Turn to the person next to you, and real quick, find out which of you is the oldest."

*class chatting*

"You that are the oldest. What if I told you that you are now in charge of financially supporting the younger person. You're in charge of paying for their schooling, clothing, housing, food, everything. Can anyone here pay for it without a problem?"

(Luckily I had an older woman in my class.) Darla raises her hand.

"Oh! You can pay for it. No problem?"

Darla: "Yes, I can pay for it."

"What if I told you that the only job you're qualified for is to collect cans? 25 cents each on a good day, usually you only get 10 cents. Can you do it now? Or how about this, (I emptied a bag of mixed sand/popcorn kernels on the ground) we'll let you be a sweeper, you can sweep the dirt, maybe make a little more. If you're hungry you can pick out the popcorn kernels. Can you afford to pay for the other person now?"

"These were the options provided for my protagonist. She could collect cans for a living, or sweep. And she was in charge of providing and caring for a younger sibling. Yet everyday instead of going to work to provide that meal, those few bits of popcorn kernels, she went to school. She was called FOOL! and she went to school. She had to beg for food. But she still went to school."

"You as a teacher will have this child in your classroom. Tell me, can you afford a single day that it not planned out? You only get one chance daily. If you fail that child isn't going to come back to school. That child is going to go to work instead. Can you afford to be unprepared? Can you afford to stand in front of a class and read a book report? (Everyone when presenting in my class up to this point had just read their book report.) Is that teaching?"

"Everyday you have to be prepared, because otherwise you're going to lose someone."

After a few questions my presentation ended.  

Good luck to you teachers.  I hope I can help you be prepared.

The Introvert Teacher

 Wouldn't it make more sense that all teachers were extroverts?

 I mean, teachers spend their entire day fueled by the energy supplied by students---lots of students. They get into a students brain by asking questions continually. They exhume excitement for their subject matter, or should. Teachers participate in discussions with other teachers, share lesson plans, present in front of large groups. Overall, a teacher's job would be impossible if--like a normal introvert--they had an audience of one.

Believe it or not introverts can be teachers too!

Hello everyone, my name's Amy. I am an introvert and I am a teacher.

You can see the support group already.

Introverts can become extroverts when they have a cause to support.

Allow me to take you back, I was in High School presenting in my Mythology Class (yes, mythology is amazing). I'd prepared an awesome presentation on Pan Flutes. (Go ahead and laugh, I can take it.)

My presentation started, I was explaining the history of the pan flute. Keep in mind, I'm an introvert. Quiet in class, unless called on. A good student who doesn't stand out. I have a soft voice and wear glasses. Braces and fuzzy hair...feel my pain yet?

Suddenly a very extroverts student blurts out, "SPEAK UP! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

I was instantly crushed. I'd worked so hard on my presentation, but my voice couldn't make it past my lips into the ears of fellow students. I was humiliated by my own inability. All my insecurities rushed front and center; my hair was fuzzy, voice too soft, 4 eyes. Phrases from other teachers continually requesting that I "speak up", "louder Amy!", "I can't hear you.." resonated in my mind.

My teacher eyes filled with vibrance, I thought I knew what was coming- another lecture on how my voice was too soft.

"Some people are born with soft voices," my teacher spoke, "Amy doesn't need a louder voice." she turned to the student who had yelled at me, "You need better ears!"

I had never had my soft spoken manner defended in my life, ever!

Think about it. In your life how many times do you ask someone to "speak up!" instead of telling everyone else to listen?

I knew I wanted to become a Science Teacher when I was 15. I told a junior high teacher once and was told, "You can't do that, your voice is too soft." For years when I shared this precious dream of mine it was cut short by well-meaning teachers, and school counselors.

The statement, "You need better ears!" helped me find my teachers voice better than anything else.

How does being an introvert work as a teacher?

Introverts work best when its for a cause. The cause in this case being the education of others. Because of the belief in the cause, introverts do well stepping into the role of Teacher.

Introverts can entertain a class, keep student interest high, and ask questions continually. Introverts can step out of their comfort zone and be fueled (instead of drained) being around so many students and fellow teachers.

In front of a class, introverts can be loud. An introvert can project their voice with or without a microphone to assist if they want to teach that way. They can also rock a classroom with a soft voice.

In the moments of frustration, when a student doesn't understand, a soft voice of encouragement can do wonders.

Parents usually will respond to a soften voice better when they are frustrated too.

You may not win every battle, you may not handle every incident, homework argument, or teacher presentation perfectly.

But never let anyone tell you that your voice is too soft.

For the Love of Learning

There are multiple learning models available for teachers. Today I share my two favorites. I personally used these learning methods in my classroom. 

First: 

When I view this particular learning pyramid, I notice instantly the bottom layer. 90% of what a student says and does is retained in memory. As a teacher, this makes me want to instantly assign presentations for every teaching unit. Technically, according to this model, if I have my students present only, they should pass all final exams with a minimum score of 90%! Awesome! But, do our students actually retain 90% of learning when they create a presentation? If you've taught for longer than a year you should know that isn't true. 

However, as a public school teacher who taught multiple class periods of the same topic, I could've taught that last class period in my sleep. Okay, not really, but after presenting a topic several times in a row, you tend to master it in your brain. On occasion I felt bad for that first period of the day, they were my first daily experience of teaching, my students on whom I was experimenting new lesson plans. Whereas, the last class period of the day, I had ironed out any wrinkles, patched any holes and overall presented a better lesson.   

There are other ways that is same pyramid is presented. 

Notice two things, "Doing a Dramatic Presentation" and "After 2 weeks we tend to remember". Hmm... interesting. Dramatic presentation doesn't necessarily mean that we are looking at a powerpoint/keynote or Prezi. It means that we are dynamically engaging our students in the presentation, this could be through asking higher order questions, having students teach, experimenting with real life applications (i.e. doing something a real scientist/historian/mathematican would do.). In reality, each of the steps of the cone/pyramid of learning are important and you can dramatically engage students in a reading activity, hearing lesson, seeing exercise, etc.  

Also, think of the timeline required, 2 weeks to master 90% of the subject: 2 weeks, or 14 days, appoximately 3 weeks in a standard k-12, M-F, non-year round school is the minimum time needed for each unit or subunit according to the Cone of Learning by Edgar Dale.

Second:  

  

The inquiry method learning model. This model makes all steps equally important. Learning is a cycle in which one relection leads into a new wonder. The cycle builds on itself; student learning should lead into the next area of understanding.  But sometimes as teachers figuring out the bridge between one subject to the next is difficult.

Which learning models are your favorite?


Dale, E. (2014) Cone of Learning: http://acrlog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/learningpyramid5.jpg

Dale, E. (1969) Audio Visual Methods in Teaching 3rd Ed. http://wiki.monroe.edu/images/7/7b/MediaConeLearning.png

Embi, M. (2016) Inquiry Learning Cycle Image: https://www.tes.com/lessons/Ur6rBJ5tyb5dcg/technology-enhanced-deep-learning

Of Dreams & Futures

Teachers come across a variety of students. Confident A+ workers, apathetic F, average C. Today's discussion will be on a unique student who most of you don't like. 

I'm referring to the student who chats all throughout class. Off topic conversation is continual. Other students are disturbed by their unleashed enthusiasm. You set them up with a peer to keep them on task after 1 day the peer asked to be moved. They aren't necessarily rude but they are continually on your radar as a student that you almost need to send to the office.

During reading they tap their pencil. In frustration you move their seat, first up front, then when you can't stand them any longer you move them as far away from you as possible. They don't necessarily have an IEP or any specific learning disability.

But they do have a passion.  An obsession.  Whatever it is, they eat, breathe and live for it. 

Parent/Student/Teacher conferences go like this:

Teacher: "Your child won't stop talking about (insert passion here). That's why he's failing my class." 

Student: "I know right? haha!" 

For many a frustrated teacher or parent these students are deemed impossible. We allow them to fail because we don't understand how to teach them. Do we really want an entire class of perfect students who do their work and leave no lastly consequences on our psyche? Maybe. 

However, these students were my favorite. 

You're joking right? 

Nope. 

No seriously, you're joking? 

Nope. 

I recall a certain Parent/Student/Teacher conferences going like this:

Teacher: "I really like (student name) in my class." 

Student: "Yeah!" 

Parent: "How much did he pay you to say that?" 

Teacher: "No really. I wish more students were like him." 

Parent: "Seriously. He paid you to say that." 

Teacher: "Look, (student) already knows what he wants out of life. That can be extremely intimidating to everyone around him. Teachers are frustrated because he has learned what he wants to be at a very young age, younger than many of the teachers figured out. His peers are frustrated because it doesn't fit the normal mold expected for a student." 

They are dreamers. 

Passionate about football, reading, drawing, paint ball, hair styling, vacuums.

Teacher management courses teach you how to get students back on topic. I was left with this glowing impression from my college courses that every student wants to be off topic.  Books and papers about 'Keeping student discussion on track' are discussed in classrooms and between teachers constantly.

Admit it. Getting a teacher off track is hilarious. I did it when I was younger. (I also rolled small fuzzy grey balls across classroom floors to get substitutes to scream about mice...but that topic is for another day.)

But one of the most profound learning experiences I ever had was in 8th grade. 

My world history teacher, a thin lady with grey hair and a wide smile assigned us a country report. With a group of 4-5 students we were required to put together a presentation on a country of our choice with the intentions that our presentation would be made into a website and launched online. She promised that we would be working with our friends on this particular report.

I was ecstatic! This was a huge treat! My best friends were in that class. A good group of other girls, each of us with high ambitions for receiving good grades. We were the ideal students, the ones who always paid attention, and always turned in assignments on time.

I happily turned in my paper listing my friends as the ones with whom I wanted to work with on this assignment. This paper also included those whom I didn't want to work.

The following day we received our group assignments. I pleasantly read down the list as all my friends were listed together in the same group, ALL, except me. Shocked I thought that a mistake had been made. I had been assigned as group leader over the losers, the students I had listed as "I will never work with them." If they were consistent with anything it was their propensity of having straight F's.

Since I was an obedient student I sat with the losers in my 'group'. As their disgruntled leader I asked them what country they wanted. The answer was quick, "Columbia! The drug capital of the world."

"Great." I thought. "F students on drugs."

We gathered together books on Columbia. I was determined to tell my teacher after class that I refused to work with this group. As the students left I lingered. I approached my teacher but she spoke first.

"Amy, thank you so much for your willingness to take over that group. It's a difficult task, but I know you can do it."

I left the classroom and prayed.

I knew that there was no possible way that they would work unless they picked their own research topics. "Alright." my brain recanted, "I'll work with them."

Day two in class I asked them what they wanted to research. We needed at least 5 different topics such as: location of country, climate, special holidays, etc.

Each student in my group picked topics. Columbia: marijuana import/export, gorilla warfare, marijuana arrests, how to grow marijuana, and day of the dead. (Guess which one was mine.)

I told them to research and bring back 5-7 interesting facts that we could type into our web page.

Then, while researching Eric* (the guy in my group), started talking about basketball. He loved basketball. He wore a jersey and basketball shorts daily, even on snowy days. Sentences ended with him shouting "He shoots, he scores!" Or "Nothing but net."

I went home and researched basketball.

The next day while working we had a discussion about basketball. Eric told us, "When I grow up I'm going to have a son. And he'll be dressed in a tiny jersey and tiny basketball shorts, oh and those Nike shoes. Man, its gonna be awesome."

My response: "What if you have a daughter instead?"

Leaning over his desk he looked at me with absolute sincerity and said, "Then she's gonna have the most adorable darn pink jersey in the whole world."

I laughed.

"What? You don't believe me?" Eric scowled.

"Nope." I replied, "Live your dream. I want to see that pink jersey."

After that whenever someone in the group finished a research sentence we shouted, "score!"

That night I got sick. I stayed home from school for 2 days. I worried about that project. Still convinced that they wouldn't do much.

I was wrong.

When I got back to class my group presented me with finished research. Since I was faster at typing, I pulled out a laptop and typed up what they wrote as they looked up pictures for the website.

When our project was complete we took a break. Eric spoke about basketball. The girl next to me was into hair styling. I told them I planned to attend University, they laughed at first, until Eric said, "Hey, it's her dream. Don't dis."

The next day in class we were the only group finished. After our presentation my teacher handed me a paper 'Grade the students in your group.' I was pleased to put down a solid A for everyone.

"Amy are you serious?" she asked me later.

"You honestly think that I wanted to learn about drugs?" I responded, "Yes, I'm serious about the A's."

The next day I asked Eric. "Hey Eric, you don't do any work in any class. I know you fail everything. Why, of all the reports or homework, did you choose to work on this project?"

With the same sincerity as he told me about the pink basketball jersey Eric leaned over and said, "Because we knew that you would work your tail off for us. So, we decided to work our tail off for you too."

Do you work your tail off for your students? I'm not talking about the endless nights of grading, lesson planning, the way your feet burn when you've been standing for 10 hours straight, or how much your throat hurts because you needed to project your voice.

Do you know who in your class wants their future daughter to wear a pink jersey? Do you laugh or encourage when you hear that the only thing they want for Christmas is a brand new Kirby vacuum?

These students are my favorite. They have a passion which they know they want to pursue. Discouraging them by laughing or making them feel undervalued will only make them work against you. If you want them on your side, you need to learn the art of off topic. A quick shout of "score!" instead of the bland "good work everybody."

In order to teach these students you must tap in to their passion. This does not mean that you lead an entire class discussion on football(unless you are a football coach), it means that you show an interest, you don't laugh or tease a students for their quirks. When you care about their unique interest, you'll find them caring for your subject. Just make sure, teacher, that your passion is the subject you teach.




 

Welcome

Welcome to the Science Classroom!

I love teaching. Seeing the spark of understanding in a student thrills me. I'm very excited to share my Science Labs/Activities with you and to provide you extra support in your classroom.

Whether you are a Public, Charter, Private or Home School Science Teacher I hope that you will be able to find intriguing lesson plans to use wherever you teach.

This website is made with help from teachers and professions in the community. If you have an excellent lesson plan or web link that you would like to share I invite you to contact me. 

Science is constantly changing as new things are discovered.  Lesson plans are continually updated to reflect current educational and scientific models. If you find a misconception or have a question about any of the content, again contact me.

Who is Mrs. Rosenvall?

Hi, my name is Amy Rosenvall.

I am a certified level 2 licensed teacher with highly qualified endorsements in Science.

I graduated in 2008 from Brigham Young University with a bachelors in Earth and Space Science Secondary Education. In 2015, I completed a Master's degree in Biological Studies from Western Governors University. 

I worked in Junior High/Middle School settings in Nebo and Jordan School Districts (Utah). I taught 8th grade Integrated and 9th grade Earth Systems. I am currently a volunteer coach for Science Olympiad. I have coached Science Olympiad for six years both B, Junior High, and C, High School, teams. Prior to teaching in Junior High, I was the TA for college course, Invertebrate Paleontology in charge of teaching the weekly lab. I also completed websites for various professors and wrote lesson plans for implementation of AAAS, National, and State Science Core objective in schools.

I helped implement an intervention RTI model for my school (nick-named ZAP: Zero's Aren't Permitted). Which helps motivate students to improve classroom, test, and participation scores overall. 

I am currently a stay at home mom to my five children. In my spare time I enjoy Science Mentoring, Reading, writing, swing-dancing, piano, Iaido (Japanese Martial Art with swords), bike riding, painting, and gardening.

Philosophy of Education

Why do we allow students to pass a class with only half of the knowledge they need?

Everyone can learn but not everyone learns the same way.  Teachers in the classroom will attempt to provide multiple pathways to learning which can be time consuming. Despite all of the efforts from teachers, parents, peers, students will still struggle with learning. Our most favorite educational theorists provide insight into helping students learn-Bruner, Piaget, Freud, Dewey, Erikson, Maslow to name a few. Models of intervention have been set into place for struggling groups with increasing rigor provided the higher up the ladder a students learning is placed.

Though each of these models/theories can help and have been proven effective there is still a common thread--a subject of areas in which students have decreased understanding. A subject with which they struggle or excel.  Amusingly shown in the picture below:

Each one of the above animal has the ability to 'climb' the tree. Though each will need to approach it in their own way. The monkey for example should be able to readily climb the tree. The elephant may need to knock it over first. Even the fish can climb that tree as shown by this video of a New Zealand banded Kokopu. Climbing Fish Teachers have talents. Some are great speakers and can entertain an entire class with their direct instruction. Others need to rely on projects to enhance student learning. Regardless, as a teacher I believe that teachers should enhance their talents to teach in the classroom as well as try to develop new talents since every student learns differently. Khan Academy is an online website provided to increase student learning. (I have great respect for many forms of learning and mentioning one should not be taken as me promoting any over another.) If you research into Khan Academy you will find a study completed which shows student learning. Students were selected to participate in a class. The class has students from all different educational backgrounds. Exceptional students were placed in the same class as students will severe learning struggles. Over the course of 1 year the students completed learning online. At the end of each unit a test was administered. Students who passed the test were allowed to continue to the next unit. Students who did not pass were required to relearn the information  and retest. By the end of the year an interesting development was shown. Every student regardless of where they started struggled with something!  The struggle started early for some, later in the year for others. But every student would become stuck on some subject for approximately 1 to 2 weeks until they were able to show advancement. Interestingly enough you may think that students will continue to struggle. However, the study showed that after the initial stall in advancement students super excelled in the following subject. By the end of the year all students completed the course having advanced and passed every area. Think about your education? There must be one subject with which you have struggled. It could have been your letters in Kindergarten or that advanced astrophysics course in college. For myself it was Math. In 4th grade I remember fractions completed eluded me until my mother taught me how to cook with measuring cups. In college I failed every single math course I took, the first time around. It did not matter if I went to study hall, hired a personal tutor, talked with the professor one on one, redid homework and retook tests. I failed Math and I was trying my best to understand. I quickly learned that it took me one week longer than everyone else to understand a subject. I received my F, a grade representing that I had only gained half of the knowledge needed to pass a class. In one case I received a D- which in school terms is passing! Great! Good job! You only know 60% of the required but that's good enough-not good enough for me. One week after the test and I understood everything with higher precision. I retook my Math courses and with each Math class the second time around I received the highest grade possible. Imagine that you go to a brain surgeon. Do you honestly believe that brain surgeon performed his first surgery with 100% precision? This is your brain were are talking about! Do you want someone to say, "Oh, I've read about it, so I know what I'm doing." or "I watched a video once, it's been awhile but we'll be okay." I completed a worksheet on that yesterday." Hopefully that brain surgeon's study included worksheets, videos, projects, diagrams, expert knowledge, practice, etc. Until a brain surgeon can perform his surgery (with a cadaver) with expert precision multiple times under supervision of skilled and expert surgeons he/she is not allowed to touch your brain. Why do we allow students to pass a class with only half of the knowledge they need? References: " Climbing fish - YouTube ." (2012) YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. URL: . "How standardized testing works.." (2012) I waste so much time. URL: . "Khan Academy." Khan Academy. (2012) URL: . "Outline of Educational Learning Theories and Theorists." (2012) Teacher's Garden. .