Alyssa Petrarca Fall 2016 Blog

Oaks "Tracking Why Students Need to Take Another Route"       Oaks discusses tracking and how students placed in higher ability classes will have a better chance of succeeding because of the enhanced materials they will have access too. Oaks says when placed in a higher ability class the teachers are usually the best of the best. Teachers will focus more on learning activities rather than worrying about disciplining students. Teachers will put more effort in and give students more homework to make sure they truly understand what is being taught.       This quote really stood out too me, "Students who need more time to learn appear to get less; those who have the most difficulty learning seem to have fewer of the best teachers." I believe this quote is true. Many students who struggle teachers do not have the patience to deal with them or help them. Which she points on when she says "students who have the most difficultly learning seem to hav...

From completing my service learning project this semester, I truly discovered that I want to be an elementary education school teacher.   This  experience  was something I was nervous for because  I never  been inside an  inner-city  school. I will never forget the first day I came home and told my mom I had to volunteer in a school in Providence. I was worried about the area around me, the people who lived around the school, and what the school would be like inside. I also  feared  what the students would think of me and if they would like me. That was until the first day, I walked in and was greeted with nothing but smiles and hugs. It changed me as a person and made me see a different side of life. Growing up I was  lucky  enough to always have a jacket on when it was cold, had a lunch my mom made me every morning, and always had a pair of socks on me feet to keep me warm. Going into this school and seeing many students on...

Kilewer    “Citizenship in School: Re-conceptualizing Down Syndrome"  This blog post is going to be based off of Rachel B. Reading the article and seeing how frustrated the young girl gets when she finds out she cannot take any of the classes she wants because she is special needs. By not allowing her into these classrooms its taking away at her learning experience and ability to learn. Reading Rachel's blog made me completely agree with her because I had a similar experience too her when I was in school. In elementary school special education students were put in normal classrooms but always had a student aid with then. Then when I got into middle school they were both in regular classes and in their own rooms.  In middle school we were put on teams and the teachers picked five students on each team to spend their advisory time in the gym hanging out with students that had special needs. Being able to have this experience working with them and seeing how hap...