Summary of Field Advisory, September 2008
STEP=UP student Nicolle examines the artifacts
that CPS partner Mary brought, as Aidan listens
to Mary's explanation
We held the first field advisory meeting for the academic year
2008-2009 on Sept 30, 2008. CPS partners held UIC students' interests
and attention by engaging them in collaborative discussions around the
literacy artifacts that they brought from their classrooms.
Dave Rench, from Agassiz Elementary, discussed teaching about the
election that is coming up in November. He asked his UIC partners to
brainstorm how they would do it, and what activities would they do to
prepare for a lesson to teach students with autism with a range of
cognitive abilities. UIC students gave several suggestions such as go
over the vocabulary, tie it to the current events, think about what
background knowledge is required, give a mock ballot, vote on some
common themes, characterize candidates, describe them, and make
judgements about characterizations. Dave shared that most suggested
ideas were
actually what the students in his class did. They did a tally, had a
choice between two things, thought about the order in which different
activities related to the election need to be done. Dave brought
campaign posters, a book, and several artifacts from this project to
share and show his UIC partners.
Mary Stalzer talked about a social studies project in which students
made outline maps of the world and then a information web to go along
with the world map. She showed two different formats. The first one
was a circular cut out on green paper with the map of the world on one
side and the information web on the other. The second one was a
regular sheet with the map with the information web on the other side.
While there was more space to make it look less cluttered with this
format the students would not be able to make a mobile of early
cultures at the end of the unit. Her students were currently working
on early American culture and they were going to create these maps for
a few other early civilizations. The maps would be made into a
mobile. UIC students asked several questions and appreciated the
creativity of this way of organizing the information instead of simply
receiving a blank piece of paper and directing students to fill it.
Carlitta Tucker talked about the grocery list that she makes every
week for her students to practice finding prices from the newspaper
and adding them up. She makes a list of about 20 items and her
students share a newspaper . They need to give her the final price of
buying the 20 items using the prices listed in the newspaper. She
shared several modifications that she makes when she gives out the
list. Some of her students who are non-readers have pictures instead
of words, or pictures to accompany the words. Students who are
non-writers have the option to copy off the board the words. UIC
students looked at the work of students who had a range of abilities,
and they discussed connections with how Carlitta's modifications
allowed students to make sense out of this whole activity. She also
stressed the importance of speaking skills in this process, and how
she encourages her students to communicate to her verbally through
words and not simply sounds to enhance that aspect of literacy and
social development.
CPS partner Dave Rench shows his artifact as Kevin,
Shemen and Sarah listen and jot down notes.
STEP=UP student Lois asks a question about the artifact
CPS Partners and UIC students engaged in conversations
around literacy artifacts
