Talk is a Valuable Instructional Tool

I thought that the magic talk activity was a great way to allow student participation. Students who do not have the confidence to speak up in class can use this activity to say what they want. Of course, magic talk does require students to read what others wrote so that they can respond back. This can help them practice both reading and writing skills. Although speaking can be seen as an important skill for students to develop, other forms of communication should also be encouraged. Writing, reading, sign language, and plays are great ways for students to express their ideas as compared to talking.
I agree that speaking in public is a skill students need to develop, but making them do oral reports is far more stressful than helpful. In this case, students could use props to help them tell their stories such as puppets. To give opportunities for students to speak up in a safe environment can encourage talking. Teachers need to accept the attempts students make to express themselves, no matter what from it takes.

The Importance of Listening

I think that the biggest mistake a teacher can make is to assume that students know how to listen. This is taken for granted and we get mad at students who don't listen. When any little thing can take away a child's attention, how can a teacher just expect that a child is listening? Attention skills are still developing in the elementary school years and in order for a child to listen, they need to pay attention. Listening and hearing are different things in that you may hear something but not be listening. To listen involves engagement of the child. In a world where everyone can choose to either hear or listen, to assume that listening is a skill that does not need to be taught is the worst mistake a teacher can make. Without listening, students will not understand the material because they are not processing the information.
As for propaganda and persuasion, it is very scary to think what it can make people believe. The commercials we viewed in class selling products and services prove how our society has used this tool for company and individual success. It is important for students to recognize this so they are not fooled into buying or doing anything inappropraite. This type of activity will help students realize that not everything can be true. It is important to research topics to get the facts and to hear both sides of the story before believing and/or supporting one side.

Field Experiences

For my field experiences, i was assigned a first grade class at Wildwood Forest Elementary. I mostly went during their Reader's Workshop, but did see their Writer's Workshop one Friday afternoon, which they were learning about editing. This was interesting since i was in the group that did their mini lesson on editing. I enjoyed this lesson the best because i saw the students using one step of the writing process to the best of their ability, helping their partners out. Since this was a free write, i saw many topics in the student's stories and also saw an interest from the children in what they were doing. My least favorite lesson was one in which the teacher focused on asking questions before, during, and after reading. This lesson was interesting at first as a whole group, but when the students were asked to read independently, many did not use the strategy, they just read. I had many students want to read to me that did not use the strategy even after i suggested that they might want to so they could better understand the book. Through these experiences, i learned that teaching reading and writing is a process students need to master one step at a time. I learned from my teacher that you will have students who do not like to read or write and will give you the bare minimum in an assignment. Teaching them to love reading and writing may not be accomplished in the one year you have them as a student. By giving them multiple chances to may help teachers, but the most important thing is that they have the skills necessary for reading and writing before they move on.