Kyra Cummings

Are you making connections between course topics and Service Learning?  YES Have you been able to articulate your own learning and understanding?   I think I have. I don't feel as though i'm falling behind.  Is the process of blogging helping you to think and notice things in your Service Learning?  I actually  do like the blogging. This has been the part that has kept me to find a connection with the service learning. When a blog question is presented, and I have to connect it to service learning, I see the connection. But when I'm  in the school, I don't realize that its going to come up. Like with the Brown vs the state. I never thought about my teacher being fair to all the different "genes" of kids. It didn't even cross my mind that it was a law and was fought for. I just thought, oh this is what life is. Of course she's fair! In what areas do you see growth or learning from the first blog post to the last?  yes, totally! I di...

I feel as though I lucked out with my Service Learning Teacher. Her oldest is Autistic. She she is quick to be fair to all learners, no matter their race, gender, background, or learning style. She has a couple kids of different races in her class and the students talk and treat each other as though they're all the same.  There are times when you get to ask a spotlighted  student 10 questions. And some questions that are asked are innocent to 1st graders, but can be rude to an understanding adult or older student. So my teacher will redirect and say, "how about we rephrase your question? That can be taken mean." The students have always replied  back with a new quick question. I think redirection at an early age works.  I can see that racism isn't talked about. But it is first grade. I know it's brought up later in schooling. For now, bullying and teasing are spoken about. Which is a great start to the young minds.  My teachers hold her kids to a high stand...

My service learning teacher is actually great at differentiating instruction for the diverse learners in her classroom.With my position at my elementary school, I actually get to know the confidential "disabilities" of the students. I usually am the aide that will sit and work extra time with them according to their IEPs. There are times when an a student is having a hard time transitioning to the next activity or subject, and they need more time, or help to transition. My teacher is great at keeping the other students distracted by a clean up process or by starting the next activity while she goes to talk to whatever student is having  a hard time. My little guy is in her class, he is autistic. So I know he has a hard time transitioning. Especially if its from an art project. He loves art so much. So she'll usually let him have an extra couple minutes. Or if she thinks ahead, she'll whisper to him and tell him that he only has another couple minutes. This helps the...