Blog #10 What are you learning about your inquiry question?....

What are you learning about your inquiry question?

How is it shaping your understanding of public education?

My inquiry question states.........

As a future teacher what types of strategies can I implement to address students at various learning levels?

During my observations visits I have learned a lot about the students struggles and difficulties they may have in their core subjects. For example, some students may appear to be very good readers but, they have poor comprehension skills. Some students are English Second Language (ESL) students while other may have learning disabilities. Another observation that I have noticed is their writing skills go hand in hand with their poor comprehension skills. In order to read and understand what is read, a student may a difficulty writing their thoughts down on paper.

Some learning strategies for students with various learning levels are as follows:

∙ Visual – a learner who benefits from observing a teacher, video, chart, graphs, etc.
∙ Kinesthetic – a learner who likes to move around while learning, for my gym classes this applies. They usual like hands on activities. ∙ Auditory – are learners who use their sense of hearing to process information

A lot of these students have pull out programs to meet their educational needs. Some have in-class support while other attend smaller classes in the resource room. In-class support provides these students with extra help and modifications while being main streamed into a regular classroom setting. Resource room is is a smaller group were students learn at a slower pase.

The public education system protects and provides for every student. The No Child Left Behindd outlines all goals for teachers to meet and rights for students and parents. No child is neglected from receiving a good education.

Introduction and Annotated Bibliography

Introduction of Inquiry Project:
As a future teacher what types of strategies can I implement to address students at various learning levels?

As a future physical education and health teacher, I would like to reach all students at different learning levels within my classroom. During my literature review I have started to gather information from journals, websites, books, and classroom data. All of these sources will support my findings on the different types of strategies that can benefit all students who are at different learning levels. I will be putting more emphasis on the urban school communities, for we are focusing on these schools in our class. In particular, our class is visiting Arts High School located in Newark, New Jersey. I will be collecting and analyzing more data during my observations, community services, and field visits.

In my annotated bibliography I have gathered some resources which will help support my topic question and help me towards becoming a teacher. The article that I would like to stress upon is entitled, Creating Highly Qualified Teachers for Urban Schools, written by Susan Thompson. She mentions in her article that there are five categories that contribute towards highly qualified teachers: (1) experience, (2) preparation programs and degrees, (3) type of certification, (4) coursework taken in preparation for the profession, and (5) teachers’ own test scores. The demand of highly qualified teachers especially in urban communities is vital for there are many factors to consider. Many students come from diverse economically disadvantaged families, and about 90 percent or higher are African Americans. Teachers who are employed in these schools should be well prepared and educated by having hands on experience. This article stresses the importance of preparing teachers for urban classrooms. After reading the article, I do agree that interns who did their observation work at urban schools received working experience and a better understanding of the students cultures and learning skills.

As a future physical education teacher, while visiting Arts High School I will be gathering data and charting my findings for my topic inquiry question. I have interview questions that will be addressed and I am looking forward to working with these students during my community service visits. I will keep in mind the three basic learning styles which are visual, kinesthetic, and auditory during my observation.



Annotated Bibliography

Lavoie, Richard. (2007). The Motivation Breakthrough. Implementing the 6 P’s in

Classroom. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 251-255.

There are six effective teaching strategies which promote and maintain student motivation. (1) Teach enthusiastically, put energy into your teaching, it inspires students to learn. It also reflects the teacher’s self assurance and skill. (2) Focus on strengths. (3) Recognize, reinforce, and celebrate success, effort, and progress. (4) Encourage and promote creativity in the classroom. (5) Promote cooperation – not competition within your classroom. (6) Establish long term and short term goals; monitor and assess.


Moore, Kimberly B. (2002). Helping Teachers Build a Challenging but Achievable Curriculum,

Early Childhood Today, Retrieved March 2002, from MasterFILE Premier database

(6355789).

The strategy for creating a challenging but achievable curriculum depends on the teacher looking closely at their classroom and focusing on want is going on. Observe and watch how students participate in activities. Watch if they are involved and working together in a group. Continue to observe for appropriate and inappropriate use of materials. By creating topics of interest from books they read in class, this will promote creative learning. Promoting creative learning explores student’s minds.


Nguyen, Diep. (2008). From ELL to School Leader: A Tribute to My First American

Teachers. School Administrator, 65, 12-13. Retrieved November 2008, from

Professional Development Collection database (34939378).

This is a personal narrative story of the author’s experiences as an English language learner (ELL). Diep Nguyen emigrated from Vietnam during her senior year in high school. Through her struggles of transitioning her education to English she received help from her teachers through her ESL lessons. Much credit goes to her teacher, Miss Vehar. She designed an individual academic plan for her and coordinated this instruction for other teachers to follow. Further, she had a peer buddy to help her socially with her English.


O’Brien, Leigh M. (2003). Teacher Education for a Democratic Society. Childhood

Education, Retrieved 2003, from http://findarticles.com

In a democratic education system, we all have rights, freedoms, and responsibilities. Democratic citizens must be able to make informed decisions, analyze, and debate.
Teachers should try to know every student, by knowing their interests, strengths, and areas of weakness. All students should be able to construct their understanding of content work. Teachers need to give students the tools for success. Teachers must be willing to take a stand.


Thompson, Susan. (2005). Creating Highly Qualified Teachers for Urban Schools. San

Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 73-88.

Five categories that contribute to a highly qualified teacher: (1) experience, (2) preparation programs and degrees, (3) type of certification, (4) coursework taken in preparation for the profession, and (5) teachers’ own test scores. A contributing factor towards student achievement is the above five characteristics of effective teachers. As mentioned in the No Child Left Behind Act the demand of highly qualified teachers who can teach in urban schools intensifies the traditional structures and approaches to teacher preparation programs. Urban teachers educate students who have diverse needs, come from economically disadvantaged families, and about 93.6% are African Americans. The Integrative Studies Major Program is designed to prepare teachers primarily for urban classrooms. Teachers who have mastered this program are more knowledgeable and marketable for teaching positions in the urban community. The interns who did their observation and hands on experience in this study found working in the urban school district very helpful. As reported, the student teachers responded positive, for they felt they had a better understanding of student’s cultures in an urban school district.

Topic of Inquiry Question

Topic of Inquiry Project:

As a future teacher what types of strategies can I implement to address students at various learning levels?

As a future physical education and health teacher, I would like to reach all students at different learning levels within my classroom. I feel that with the increasing number of ESL, ELL, and special education students, many are now mainstreamed to regular classrooms like gym and health. Keeping this in mind, I would like to meet the needs of all students in the classroom. I feel that helping students become efficient learners will encourage them to reach their goals and feel good about themselves. As a physical education and health teacher I will explain the lesson to the class and then demonstrate the lesson. For example: Dribbling the ball down the court. I expect that some modifications will be made to the students who are physically challenged.

I will use the classroom data and internet sites to gather information on my topic. During my observation, field experience, and community service I will take notes and ask questions. I feel that The No Child Left Behind Act will aide towards helping me understanding the expectations of these students.

While planning my lesson plans I will refer to the Portrait of a Teacher as an additional resource for my project. Since students learn in different ways, I will incorporate in my inquiry project the three basic learning styles which are as follows:
∙ Visual – a learner who benefits from observing a teacher, video, chart, graphs, etc.
∙ Kinesthetic – a learner who likes to move around while learning, for my gym classes this

applies. They usual like hands on activities.
∙ Auditory – are learners who use their sense of hearing to process information.

Here are a few interview questions that I will gather from my field experience, which will help me answer my topic inquiry question. How many students are mainstreamed into your classroom? Do you feel that these students need extra attention? Does your lesson plan address their learning needs and individualized education program (IEP) if applicable? What kind of modifications do you bring to these students? Do you use a peer buddy system while working with students who are challenged? How does the class interact with these students?

Below is a draft of a data chart which, I plan on using during my field experience visits:

Inquiry Question:

As a future teacher what types of strategies can I implement to address students at various learning levels?

Question: Observation: Response:

Number of students in class?


As PE/H teacher how many classes to you have and at what grades levels?


Are there any physically challenges students? Special education, ESL, ELL, etc.


What kinds of modification due these students receive?


Do you feel that these students need extra attention?


Does your lesson plan address their learning needs? If so, what kinds of modification are implemented?


Do you use peer buddies to work with them?


How does the class interact with these students?


How do you foster acceptance and teamwork to your students?


Do you grade these students differently than your mainstreamed students?


Are you expectations different from other students?


Do these students have personal aides to help them during their transition?


What PE equipment do you feel is off limits to students who have deficient motor skills?

Citizenship and Public Education Recommendations

Citizenship and Public Education Recommendations

If I were an education policy wonk and asked about the connection between citizenship and public education I would recommend the following:Since public education is provided and is funded by the government, public schools are expected to deliver more, compared to private schools which are funded by parents.

Since we live in a democratic society public schools promote citizenship, values, and social skills. In addition, special attention is given towards human rights. As a tax paying citizen I expect the best in our schools.

As a "wonk" on public education I would put more emphasis on, The No Child Left Behind Act. The growth of public education has been advanced and it is for the common good of students to receive the free education. Furthermore, it ensures that all students be taught by highly qualified teachers and that students achieve their goals to their highest level. This guarantees equal rights to all students. Special education students should have all the resources available to them in schools. This includes students who have language barriers, fine motor skills, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and other impairments. I would ensure that all schools implement this policy.

I further would like to stress that students whose families come from low incomes receive the same education compared to students who come from middle class families. The education system is geared to prepared young adults to become productive citizens and obtain good jobs.

Technology is the growth to the future. All public schools should provide students with the highest level of computers and technical equipment. Teachers should be highly qualified in their field of study and should be compensated for their achievements. Government funded workshops are available to educators. These workshops educate teachers by keeping up modern technology. Public education promotes citizenship, values, and social skills. Our nation's economic growth depends on the future generation of our young children.