VIVIAN PALEY

Hello! I am Vivian Paley. All you kindergarten teachers will be glad to meet me. I taught kindergarten for 37 years. I am also a child psychologist and an early education researcher. I am the only kindergarten teacher to ever win the Mac Arthur "genius" grant.

While teaching kindergarten, I started thinking about my children's learning. I came to the realization that there are too many boundaries on children's learning. I began to do some research on how play can be the most valuable tool for interaction and intellectual growth in kindergarten. All the play-based curriculum is now being replaced with sub-skills of reading and writing. My biggest legacy during my teaching career has been developing the story telling and fantasy play curriculum. I started really listening to my students' conversations as they were playing. What the children were saying during play time had very valuable lessons I could teach about morals and social life. One time I overheard a group of children saying they weren't going to let someone play. I turned it into a lesson on sharing and feelings. Later I wrote a book titled You Can't Say You Can't Play. My storytelling curriculum consists of dictation and dramatization. I help children tell their own stories of events that happen in their lives and I write down what they say. I then have the class act out their stories. This allows my students to develop a sense of importance and belonging. It helps them be more confident and it forms a community amongst my class. I found that storytelling has an impact on children's social, language, and narrative development.

I have written 10 books about life in the classroom. All of my books came from my experiences of what I heard children say during play or from their stories they told. A few of the books I have written are: You Can't Say You Can't Play, A Child's Work, Wally's Stories, and The Girl with the Brown Crayon, amongst several others. If you have not read any of my books, I would encourage you to do so.

Do you think there are currently too many boundaries/restrictions on students' learning within the school systems? Are you providing students enough social interaction, and if so, how are you using their interaction as a learning tool?

curriculum worker - Marie Clay - Reading Recovery

Hello!  My name is Marie Clay.  As  a reading educator I have alway been interested in how children learn, but particulary with children who have extreme difficulty learning to read and write.  My interest allowed me to gravitate toward researching teaching children with difficulties how to read, and to help teachers redesign their traditional delivery of reading instruction to benefit their struggling readers.  I present to you the research based intervention known as Reading Recovery.

 

    ** A Brief Overview **

 

    Reading Recovery is a highly effective short-term intervention of one-to-one tutoring for low-achieving first grade students.  I intend Reading Recovery to be effective by making it available to all students who need it and to work with classroom teachers for supplementation in the classroom.  The goal I intended for Reading Recovery is for dramatic reduction in the number of first grade students who have extreme difficulty learnig to read and write, which would then reduce costs of these learners to the educational systems.  The children who qualify for Reading Recovery are the lowest achieving first graders.  These students do not catch on to the concepts that help them to read and write.  The students who qualify for Reading Recovery benefit from a half-hour lesson every day school is in session for 12 to 20 weeks with a teacher who has had specialized training concerning Reading Recovery.  Once the students meet grade level expectations and demonstrate independence with classroom work they may discontinue Reading Recovery lessons and a new student may be enrolled.

 

   **Outcomes of Reading Recovery**

 

    Approximately 75% of the students who complete the 12 to 20 week intervention can meet grade level expectations concerning reading and writing.  Studies that have been completed on students completing Reading Recovery achieve competency on standardized tests and maintain their growth during their later elementary years.  I feel that this is such an accomplishment for these students.  They must work diligently to make strides where they have begun with a deficit.

 

    Any child that may still be having challenges concerning reading and writing after Reading Recovery has been used are recommended for further support within the school.  The child is not left at this point, but continuing support is constructed with reference to the information gathered during Reading Recovery.

 

   **The Infrastructure of Reading Recovery**

 

    The intervention I developed was one of great thought.  The professionals involved have a continuing support system and many resources for questions and/or problems that may arise.  The Reading Recovery teacher is trained for a time period of one year while remaining in the classroom to implement the intervention.  Part of the training allows for much observation through a one-way glass.  Teachers instruct lessons for others to watch as well as being able to watch lessons.  Discussion follows.  The year that follows the initial training provides ongoing professional development sessions which are referred to as continuing contact.  Teachers continue to teach for colleagues and construct discussion of interventions used.  I believe that this allows for many points of view to be presented and ideas to be built upon for further use with children.  The teachers have teacher leaders to rely on for support in all aspects of Reading Recovery.  These experts also conduct local training programs about the intervention and help to guide teachers to the best instruction for the extreme challenges these children face.  At the third level of the tier of support for Reading Recovery are the trainers themselves.  The trainers are most usually professors based at universities who prepare the teacher leaders, advise about new developments concerning the intervention, provide guidance concerning the issues of Reading Recovery.  As society changes I believe this tier to be important to making the adjustments necessary to guide Reading Recovery programs for the sole benefit of the child.

 

  **Reading Recovery lessons**

 

    I believe that the objective of every Reading Recovery lesson should be to promote accelerated learning so that students may catch up to their peers so that the gap that is hindering them may become null, and the students can once again benefit solely from the general classroom instruction without dependence on others.  Each Reading Recovery lesson is completely individualized, based upon what skills have been shown as needed by the student, as well as to capitalize on their strengths.  Many strategies are used within each lesson, but the teacher must make quick decisions within the lesson to best suit each particular child.  Each lesson includes taking a running record, working with letters and/or words, reading books familiar to the child and reviewing a book read previously, writing stories, reading new books, and assembling stories that have been rearranged.  The Reading Recovery teacher allows opportunities for problem solving with scaffolding taking place so that the correct amount of support is constructed for reading and writing.  Within the activities of each Reading Recovery lesson skills are embedded such as learning about letter/sound relationships (phonemic awareness), hearing and recording sounds in spelling patterns (phonics and spelling), and understanding the text so that the child is not simply reading the words (decoding), but using problem solving skills within the print (comprehension and fluency).

  

Time and time again I have seen success within the program of reading that I have had great influence.  Reading Recovery is utilized in many different countries with the same outcome again and again.  I take such pride in being such a small part of what each Reading Recovery teacher is able to accomplish with their students each year.  I feel no greater purpose for my research than to be able to help children on a daily basis.  I would ask you to consider the reading techniques and/or strategies you have utilized for decoding and fluency as well as for comprehension and meaning making for text.  Which techniques work? Which do not?  Why do you think the techniques work or do not work?  What influences your choices for using a strategy or technique for struggling readers?  I hope that I have given you an opportunity to evaluate your own practices and ponder or revisit the impact Reading Recovery has had on so many children.  Thank you for your interest in a dear topic for myself.

 

Marie Clay

     

 

     

Intro to Stephen Krashen

Hello, my name is Stephen Krashen. I was born in 1941 in the windy city of Chicago, Illinois. I am currently a professor at the University of Southern California in the School of Education. I have written numerous papers and books on second language acquisition People know me as an advocate for bilingual education. I have been caught sending over 1000 letters to editors of newspapers on behalf of bilingual education.

Introduction - Shihichi Suzuki

Good afternoon!  My name is Shinichi Suzuki and I was born in Nagoya, Japan in 1898. Although I worked in my father's violin factory as a child, I first heard the violin being played at age seventeen.  I love the instrument and began to teach myself to play. In doing so, I realized that people can learn to play music just as they learn to speak. I have begun to develop Talent Education for teaching children to play music. My philosophy is based on basic principles of language acquisition and emphasizes listening and repetition. I believe that the right environment, one with  deep love and sincere encouragement, children have limitless potential.  I also believe that hearing and playing music can help children become good people with beautiful, serene hearts. I encourage my students not to hurt other people and to be kind to everyone - friends, families, and teachers. I have spent many years teaching children to live through music.  Observers often ask if my students are musical geniuses, but they are normal children.  While many believe that talent is inborn, I believe anyone can learn and it is never to late to start.

Intro to Horace Mann

Hello everyone! My name is Horace Mann. I was born in Massachusetts on May 4, 1796 and served in both the House of Representatives (6 years) and Senate (7 years) over my lifetime.

I attended Brown University and graduated at the top of my class in 1819, continuing to become educated as a librarian and tutor of Latin and Greek, and studying law for just a short period of time. Though I did not initially intend to be so involved in reforming, a paid position in legislation allowed me to train teachers at conventions, found and edit The Common School Journal , and sent out annual reports about the progress in the schools. This journal and these reports are still regarded as "among the best expositions, if, indeed, they are not the very best ones, of the practical benefits of a common school education both to the individual and to the state" (Hinsdale).

In my journal, I wrote about controversial issues that were targeted at the schools and the problems within the schools. I was so convincing, that legislators often changed and adapted policies within the school based on my recommendations. This made me realize how much influence I could really have on the world. Though there were several people that did not agree with my ideas, I continued to alert the public about what I believed was the best education in America at the time.

After my time in legislation and reform, I was president at Antioch College, teaching several courses. My legacy lives on there, as well as several other colleges around the nation that have dedicated parts of campus in my name. I am well known in today's world as "the Father of American Education" based on my influential work. I died in 1859 at the age of 63.
A fun fact about me is that my brother in law is the great writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Something to think about…
Horace Mann brought up controversial issues such as separation of church and state and other public policy that were not well received by some. However, he was still very influential in changing the way the public school policy was implemented. Do you think his ideas would have been influential if he were a female?

William Ayers Introduction

My name is William Ayers and I was born on December 26, 1944. I was opposed to the US involvement in the Vietnam War and some people called me a radical. I was a part of one of the earliest Weatherman groups and even planted a bomb at a statue commemorating the Haymarket Riot. I also participated in bombings of the New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, the US Capitol Building in 1971, and the Pentagon in 1972. Today I am a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the College of Education. My research interests include teaching for social justice, urban educational reform, narrative and interpretive research, children in trouble with the law, and related issues.

Intro to Eleanor Duckworth

Good morning, afternoon and evening to all, my name is Eleanor Duckworth. I was born in 1935 in beautiful Montreal, Canada. My parents, Jack and Muriel, taught me well through their actions and lessons. Both my parents were Canadian peace workers and social community activists...how could I help but follow in their footsteps in attempts to better myself and those around me. I had the most wonderful opportunity of being a former student, colleague, leading translator and interpreter of Jean Piaget (you may have heard of him before). Since my time with him I have found pleasures in being an elementary school teacher, earning my Ph.D. at the Universite' de Genève in 1977, and being a Professor of Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. People consider me as a cognitive psychologist, educational theorist and constructivist educator. I am especially interested in the experiences of teachers AND learners of all ages, both in and out of school.

Peabody

Elizabeth Palmer Peabody 1804-1894

Good afternoon! Pleasant to meet you, I'm Mrs. Elizabeth Palmer Peabody. A few months ago my husband and I were both teaching in the boarding school I opened but seeing as I believe our family deserves to live the life of a higher class my husband, reluctantly, will seek out a career as a dentist so we may be able to achieve this status. Although he enjoyed his career as an educator I'm forcing him to quit and start dentistry school- I don't care if he doesn't like it. He shall do it for us and our five children. I LOVE telling my children of my life at their age on a regular basis; however, my husband often scoffs and leaves the room. About me- I became a teacher at the age of sixteen and have always enjoyed seeking more knowledge.

Over my lifetime and I struggled with keeping the many schools I opened open. Children could often times, not afford to enroll. Most schools were primarily for women and girl. Topics taught on while in sessions with women included discussions of history, mythology, literature, nature, and fine arts. In 1834 my dream of opening a school for boys became a reality. At this time I joined forces with Bronson Alcott and together we started Temple School. We based our principles off the fact that truth does not come from intellectual learning alone, but also from nurturing those nonrational, intuitive powers within. I expected the students to learn through self-directed inquiry and expressing their imagination on a regular basis. Alcott and I upheld strict discipline procedures, we expected silence and motionlessness. Many of our pupil's parent's began to dislike the nature of our school saying we didn't spend enough time in traditional book study. Meanwhile in my personal life I started to feud with Alcott. I caught his wife opening my mail and after much disagreement I resigned from Temple school and moved out of the Alcott home.

In 1860 I opened a kindergarten in Germany. I assisted this new practice in becoming well accepted. After all, children under six years old should have an education! We worked on hand-eye coordination, shapes, writing and more.

Throughout my life I was also interested in the antislavery movement and enjoyed researching in the area of spiritualism.

THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTION: Why do you think it is that Ms. Peabody seemed to flow from job to job and often times had a hard time receiving acceptance from peers- especially in the area of education?

Introduction- Friedrich Froebel

My name is Friedrich Frobel. I am a German eduationalist, best know as the originator of the "kindergarten system". I encouraged the creation of educational environments that involve practical work and the direct use of materials. I believe that play plays a very significate role in education. It is both a creative activity and through it children become aware of their place in the world. I estbalished this new type of early childhood school, a child's garden, or kindergarten. Using play, songs, stroies, and activities, the kindergarten was designed as an eductional environment in which childre, through their own self activity could develop in teh right direction. With this I mean that through child's development, they would follow the established laws of human growth through their own activity.

Maria Montessori

Hello. I am Maria Montessori. I was born on August 31, 1870 in Italy. I took an unconventional approach when receiving my own education. I was the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome La Sapienza Medical School, and was the first female doctor in Italy. In 1896, I served as the director of the Scuola Ortofrenica, which was an institution that cared for individuals with cognitive disabilities. After achieving acclaim for my work educating children with cognitive disabilities, I became interested in the potential of average children. In 1907, I started a school in a poor neighborhood in Rome, Italy called Casa dei Bambini. I believe that children should be allowed to work at their own pace, that children are capable of self-directed learning given the right environment, and that teachers should serve as observers and guides in the child's learning process, and I applied these beliefs at Casa dei Bambini. After Casa dei Bambini opened, others learned of my methods, and interest grew around the world. Though not always popular (I had some clashes with Mussolini!), I have influenced educational practices for over a century. Variations on my method of teaching are in practice today, all over the world.

Jean Jacques Rousseau (Sophie)

My name is Sophie.  I am character in the novel Emile, which was written by the famous 18th century philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau.  I am the wife to be of the main character, Emile.  According to Rousseau, I am the ideal woman.  My education is different than that of my future husband because men and women are different.  Not to mention, my education will help me assume my future role as a wife.

--
Amy Zimmerman, M.A.
Graduate Assistant
Department of Educational Psychology
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306

Jean Jacques Rousseau (Emile)

Hello. I am Jean-Jacques Rousseau. I was born in Geneva in 1712 and I am best known as a philosopher and a writer. My political philosophy influenced the French Revolution and continues to influence political and educational thought. My most important work was “Emile: or, On Education” and it describes how children should be educated so they can become virtuous citizens of the community. This work explores the nature of education as well as the nature of human beings. I used the character Emile and his tutor to show how an ideal male citizen should be educated. Children’s character and moral sense must be developed so they can practice self-mastery and remain honorable in society. Children must learn the difference between right and wrong by experiencing the consequences of their actions. Emile learns moral lessons about humility, chastity and honesty through manipulation of his environment.

Hilda Taba

Hi! My name is Hilda Taba. I was born in 1902 in Estonia. During my life I was an architect, a curriculum theorist and reformer, and an educator. I was a student of John Dewey and believed educational curriculum should focus on teaching students to think rather than simply to regurgitate facts. I wrote many books informing teachers how to teach effectively. I break it down into three levels of knowledge: facts, basic ideas and principles, and concepts. Since I died at a relatively young age in my 60's, my students carried on my research and created a strategy called the Taba Approach.

Vivian Paley

I am Vivan Paley. I was born Jan. 25, 1925 in Chicago. I am a retired kindergarten teacher. I am also a child psychologist, and early education researcher. I have written several books. While teaching, I thougth there were too many boundaries on children's learning. I began to look at how play can be the most valuable tool for interaction and intellectual growth in kindergarten. I began to reasearch the idea of "play" as learning. Most of my books focus on this aspect.