Value of Diverse Field Placements for Literacy Instruction:

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Value of Diverse Field Placements for Literacy
Instruction

• Partnership between the Housing Authority of
  Bowling Green and Western Kentucky University

http//edtech.wku.edu/ppetty/ira06justthink.ppt
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Just Think! Grant Partnership Opportunities

• Senator Mitch McConnell Just Think!
• focus on Higher Education
• benefits to WKU students involved in field
  experiences and service learning with culturally
  diverse populations
• 8 ethnic groups represented at the HABG
• 1.5 12 months
• development of nationally significant programs
• designed to improve the quality of education,
  assist students in
• meeting State content standards, and to
  contribute to the
• achievement of elementary and secondary students

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MAY
Continued hiring of staff Follow up training
Dr. Beckers initial training Kandy Smiths
training CPR and first aid training
Defensive Driving training Purchase
equipment/materials Begin summer program
Science Institute begins
Technical training Instrument Loan Program
Fall soccer sign ups
Begin Fall After School Program Establish
Instrument Loan Program Implement Kaleidoscope
Dr. Beckers refresher training Software
training
Science planning/recruitment Integration of WKU
classes as begins Begin pre-testing reading and
math Software training Book clubs begin
2005
Science pre-testing Self Esteem Training
College Prep-ACT prep College Prep-Fafsa/entrance
forms seminar
Basketball sign ups for 06 season College
Prep-ACT prep
Spring soccer sign ups Integration of WKU spring
classes beginsBook clubs begin Pre-Testing
College Prep- ACT prep
Self Esteem Training
2006
College Prep- ACT prep
Post-Testing
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Fall 2005

• Reading Methods Courses Middle/Secondary
• Elementary
• Block 1 Collaboration Project
• Exceptional Education (3 courses total)
• Adult Education

Reflections
Connections
Total number of WKU students
93 Number of contact hours
1,180(August December 2005)
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Spring 2006

• Reading Methods Courses
• Book club and trip to the Underground Railroad
  Museum in Cincinnati
• Exceptional Education 4 professors
• Includes parenting component
• Library Media 1 professor
• Categorizing and cataloging of new learning
  libraries

• Adult Education 1 professor
• Connection with Reach Higher Program
  http//www.pampetty.com/habgwku.htm

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Research Objectives

• This study measures the effectiveness of
  field-based reading methods courses in a K-12
  after-school learning program at five housing
  authority centers. The field placements provide
  experiences in teaching reading and writing with
  populations of students that represent many
  different ethic groups, as many as 22 different
  languages, and a 98 diversity and at-risk rate.
  Additionally, this study attempts to measure
  college students growth and proficiency in
  teaching reading and writing with considerations
  for diverse learners.

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Data Collection

• Graphic Overview of
• Data Collection for Just Think! Grant
• http//www.pampetty.com/justthinkresearchflowchart
  .htm

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Your Topic Goes Here

• Your subtopics go here

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WKU Field Placement Data

• Survey information from Site Supervisors/Tutors
  at Housing Authority
• Survey information from WKU students who
  performed course work and service learning at the
  Housing Authoritys Learning Centers (After
  School Program/Summer Program)
• Pre-Post data from children participating in
  After School and Summer Programs
• Compass Learning Odyssey
• Word Recognition
• Comprehension
• Survey information from WKU faculty in
  partnership with the Housing Authority

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In-Progress Data Collection

• Site Supervisor and Tutor Surveys
• WKU faculty surveys
• Post-testing of children in After School program

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Spring 2006 Surveyhttp//www.pampetty.com/HApos
tspring2006.htm

• 1.  Positive aspects of field work/service
  learning you did at the Housing Authority.  (you
  can list these 1, 2, 3 or in a paragraph)
• 2.  AAHA moment What did you learn through your
  experience at the Housing Authority's Learning
  Centers that you didnt know before?
• 3.  How did your experience at the HA change your
  views of or the way you teach and interact with
  diverse populations of students?
• 4.  What suggestions do you have for how to make
  this field/experience/service learning a better
  experience for 420 students?
• 5.  How would you rate the education value of
  this experience in terms of making you a better
  reading teacher and citizen?

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WKU Service Learning at Housing Authority of
Bowling Green - After School Program
1299 contact hours
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Positive aspects of field work/service learning
you did at the Housing Authority. 
field prep
diversity
personal
atmosphere
Tutors/SS
class size
community involvement
flex hours
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AAHA moment What did you learn through your
experience at the Learning Centers that you
didnt know before?
diversity
want to learn
patience
personal
talented bright
social problems
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How did your experience change your views of or
the way you teach and interact with diverse
populations of students?
appreciation
diverse bg
social issues
patience
kids/kids
fear
opportunity gap
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What suggestions do you have for how to make this
a better experience for WKU students?
more structured
not busy
HA Staff
field students
communication
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How would you rate the education value of this
experience in terms of making you a better
reading teacher and citizen?
valuable
teacher
7-10
citizen
negative
prefer ps
4-6
1-3
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In their own Words

• On my first day going to the learning center I
  was nervous about being around these children I
  was afraid they would not accept me and not
  understand what I was doing there. But after my
  first day I looked forward to going back and
  interacting with this group of students, who were
  no different than any other children. I was able
  to appreciate our differences and see just how
  similar we all are. These children are my
  favorites.

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In their own Words
Teaching at the Learning Centers, I learned so
many things that I didnt expect. When I
arrived on day one at the complex I walkedin and
found that I was in an atmosphere that I didnt
expect. For the first time in my life I was
placed in a situation where I was the minority.
At the beginning I felt so uncomfortable, but as
I was there longer and interacted with the
children more I realized that pretty soon color
faded away and at the end of the day they were
just kids and I was just like any other teacher
they hadever had. I have learned from this
experience not to go into any classroom
with pre-conceived notions children are just
that children.
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Contact

• Dr. Pamela Petty
• Just Think! Principal Investigator Special
  Instructional Programs
• Western Kentucky University
• Bowling Green, KY 42101
• 270-745-2922
• pamela.petty_at_wku.edu
• http//www.pampetty.com

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