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Educ 6960 Final Project Plan Play
Educ 6960 Final Project Plan Play
________________
Contact:
Judy Bao-An Ngo
1 LMU Drive, Suite 1340
Los Angeles, CA 90045
jngoplacer16@gmail.com
EDUC 6960 | Prof. Knotts
Final Project
Characters:
1 Teacher/Host 20 Middle School Students
Educational Philosophers/Psychologists:
Jean Piaget
Lev Vygotsky
Benjamin Bloom
Phillip Yenawine
Abigail Housen
Set Design:
Classroom library Two white boards Wall of windows 24 desks
Teacher’s desk 6-door rotating closet Prayer Corner
Library Book Shelves
Teachers’
Computer Desks
Desk
White board with Smart Board
Storage Shelves
Space-time White board
continuum
Prayer
Closet with Rotating Doors & Bulletin Boards corner
Note on Set Design: Main stage is set on a rotating platform. The four walls should be able to
slide on and off of the stage in order to transition between scenes effectively. Depending on the
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orientation of the classroom for the scene, the fourth wall will be removed in order to engage and
make the experience accessible to the audience.
Costumes:
Students are expected to be in full uniform and well-groomed each day.
Dennis Uniform Companies
Classroom scenes: Uniform sweaters or sweatshirts Playground scenes: Uniform jackets
Boys: Navy or White Polos; White Oxford shirts; Khaki shorts or pants
Girls: Navy or White Polos; White Oxford shirts; Khaki skirts, shorts, or pants; Plaid skirts
Lighting:
Indoor, warm tones of natural sunlight streaming through the windows with additional florescent
ceiling lights.
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SCENE ONE
JEAN PIAGET
LEV VYGOTSKY
Mid 1920s. Scaffolding. Zone of Proximal Development. Mind in Society. “A child's greatest
achievements are possible in play, achievements that tomorrow will become her basic level of
real action and morality…In the course of development, children change by virtue of the
experiences that they previously had, as well as the meaning those experiences have had for
them…Writing should be meaningful for children, that an intrinsic need should be aroused in
them, and that writing should be incorporated into a task that is necessary and relevant for life.”
BENJAMIN BLOOM
them one at a time…The most important is the feedback-corrective process…When [it] is used
well, we begin to understand the enormous learning potential of all our students. They have the
prerequisites for each new learning task, they begin to use learning time more effectively, and
the amount of time required to learn each new step becomes more similar for more students.”
PHILLIP YENAWINE
1997. Thoughts on Visual Literacy. “…the ability to find meaning in imagery. It involves a set of
skills ranging from simple identification (naming what one sees) to complex interpretation on
contextual, metaphoric and philosophical levels. Many aspects of cognition are called upon, such
as personal association, questioning, speculating, analyzing, fact-finding, and categorizing.
Objective understanding is the premise of much of this literacy, but subjective and affective
aspects of knowing are equally important.”
(He exits SL as ABIGAIL HOUSEN enters
SL and crosses while speaking.)
ABIGAIL HOUSEN
Mid 1970’s. Theory of Aesthetic Development. Visual Thinking Strategies. VTS. “We have
come to believe that discussions of art may be one of the most fertile grounds for teaching
critical thinking skills precisely because there is no one right answer…By posing
developmentally appropriate questions, by asking viewers to look again in a new and relevant
way, we are insuring that the learner generates his own learning...by using the framework
provided by the teacher to actively construct something new, something different, something that
becomes his own—namely a new way to puzzle over the meaning of a work of art.”
NARRATOR
(In calm, mechanical voiceover.)
This is a play about an English teacher. A plan on how to teach Language Arts. A play on
words.
(The tableau suddenly breaks as the teacher
turns and interrogates the voiceover.)
TEACHER
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Hold on! Why would a play on words begin with sounds? Well, I guess, because English and the
Language Arts are about much more than words—
NARRATOR
(Voiceover attempts to explain calmly.)
It is about writing and reading; about critical thinking and communicating. This is a play about a
plan to open doors to new worlds through imagination, creativity, literature, and language.
SCENE TWO
TEACHER
Hello and welcome to Immaculate Heart of Mary School located in the heart of Hollywood!
Before stepping into my classroom, let us first explore the expectations of the larger school
community.
Here at IHM, we have high hopes for the students and we expect them to learn and become
Children of Faith and Morality, of Citizenship and Community. Our students graduate as
Critical Thinkers who practice Good Communication, and are Life-Long Learners cherishing the
multitudinous opportunities for education. Taken straight from the Schoolwide Learning
Expectations, these values are perfectly in line with my own teaching philosophy. It was only by
Divine Providence that I was lead to this special community.
SCENE THREE
TEACHER
From that point of realization on, I soon became aware of how capable I actually was to teach
middle school English. After all, I also had the Liberal Studies major backing me and it was not
long before I realized, my philosophy of education that catered toward young children, applied
directly to the older students as well. It is all based on four main goals that integrate education,
creativity, and the arts.
First, building a safe space and an open environment in the classroom for the students to have
exploratory learning experiences and maintain their inherent curiosity.
Second, providing an interactive, engaging classroom with activity based lessons integrating the
visual and performing arts into the everyday classroom.
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Third, maintaining an openness /(Good morning, Arthur!) and willingness to learn from /(Good
morning, Julia) and empathize with student experiences /(Good morning, Kyla) in order to build
trust /(Good morning, Sebastian!) and healthy student, teacher, parent relationships.
Fourth, fostering creativity and lifelong learning to students in order to guide and equip them
with proper tools for a life of success and happiness.
(To STUDENTS.)
Good morning class! Please open your iPads and for the next 7 minutes, quickly research and
find something new about the topic of happiness. Write down a sentence or two on your findings
and be ready to share at the end of the 7 minutes.
(To audience.)
Using daily routines as these, along with POSITIVE discipline, direct instruction, modeling, low
profile intervention, and nonverbal cuing, my classroom will be a living example of achieving
the four goals of my educational philosophy.
SCENE FOUR
Far, far away in a classroom at the heart of Hollywood is a place you can only imagine. It
contains the secrets of new undiscovered worlds and P.O.R.T.A.L.S. to access them. Will you be
the one to step into these portals and explore the infinite worlds? Do you have what it takes to
unlock these doors?
Preparation is key.
Openness of mind and heart.
Respect yourself & others.
Think critically.
Appreciate & be grateful.
Listen actively. Always.
Smile and have fun!
(Lights rise on the teacher as she sternly
paces back and forth in a test to prepare her
STUDENTS for the journey. STUDENTS
are seated and slightly bewildered but
intrigued.)
TEACHER
Students, are you ready for the task? Raise one hand if you dare to be prepared! Preparation is
key!
Now open your hands to the side if you promise to be open to whatever lies in the great beyond.
You will need an openness of body, mind, and heart.
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Please stand if you deserve respect and swear it to those around you. You must Respect yourself
and others.
(STUDENTS all stand together looking
around the room to make sure they are not
the only ones.)
Place your hands on your head if you vow to Think critically to carry out the mission.
In unity with one another, please form a circle, hands still joined together as we Listen actively.
Always.
Finally, as you have all proved your readiness to join the ranks, look around the room at your
fellow class and Smile. You will all be traveling together on this year-long journey so remember
to have fun.
Congratulations. You are all now equipped with the proper tools to transport through the
PORTALS.
What is the rationale for this theme? Why even have a theme for the classroom? First, to
establish a necessary and often neglected continuity throughout the year. Second, to see the
bigger picture, the larger world, the infinite space around us. Third this outer worldly concept
ties together the relevance of the individual in the larger world, personal identity, and being a
part of a larger community. Fourth, the idea of portals, being a door, a mode, a space to move
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through, to transition, to change, to go from one place to a whole other dimension, is an all-
encompassing topic that is extremely relatable to the physical and emotional development of
junior high students. Finally, the enjoyment, excitement, and imagination of literature and
reading gets lost when applied to the school context in ELA. Approaching literature and
language with the mindfulness of limitless potential, allows for more exploration, interest, and
possibilities.
SCENE FIVE
TEACHER
In order for this mission to be fully successful, I need you all to demonstrate the routines and
procedures of our classroom. Don’t forget, the rest of you will also be announcing the number
and procedure so…Numbers 1 through 7 are you ready to begin?
OR
In order for us all to keep it Simple, Specific, Straightforward, and Safe, we must all go over the
routines and procedures of our classroom! Yay! Now remember, each of you will be speaking
aloud the procedure and its name so pay close attention! Are all the assigned number from 1
through 7 ready to begin? Excellent!
Number 1, please!
STUDENT
Number One: Restroom Policy. Raise your hand with a sign language R, wait for teacher
approval, grab the restroom pass, and bring it back when you’re done.
TEACHER
Excellent! Number Two, please.
STUDENT
Number Two! Pair & Share. Partner up and chat for 4 minutes, unless otherwise specified by the
teacher.
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STUDENT
Number Three: Homework Policy. Due always into the bin/folder near the wall upon entry into
class. If you do not have it, take a pink homework sheet, fill it out, and turn the pink sheet into
the bin. Students will always have something to turn in when the homework is due.
STUDENT
Number Four? Questions? Questions are the first step to gaining answers. Raise your hand, ask
for the class! Remember, stupid questions are non-existent. Think first, raise your hand, and ask
the intelligent question on the tip of your tongue!
STUDENT
Number Five. Responding. Even if you are unsure how to phrase the question, raise your hand
and think out loud as you work out the answer or question. If it is off-track, Ms. will guide you
back!
STUDENT
Number Six! Warming up/Kick-off! There’s stretching, journaling…The LA stretch, behind your
chair stretches…
STUDENT
Number Seven. Classwork/Catching Up! If students are behind schedule, need a breather, or are
working independently, please proceed to the “space-time-continuum!” Weehoo!
TEACHER
Thank you so very much my dear students for presenting all of those procedures with such great
enthusiasm and specificity! I know you will all apply these procedures throughout the whole
year! What a wonderful class!
SCENE SIX
TEACHER/HOST
Thank you, thank you to all you brave souls! Now, before we start, heeerrrreeee is our topic for
the night! Drumroll please! A description of techniques for responding to students!!!
If you saw a student exhibiting excellent behavior what would you say?
“Thank you [insert student name] for following the instructions given.”
Teachers recommend pointing out a specific student and commending them for their exemplary
behavior which will then encourage other students to follow suit. After all, just as Alfie Kohn
says, “The only way to help students become ethical people…is to help them figure out—for
themselves and with each other—how one ought to act.” (Quoted by Savage from Kohn 1996 in
Classroom Management: Perspectives on the Social Curriculum)
How would you respond to a question from a student when you do not know the answer?
Very interesting! Thank you for your response. Teacher survey says,
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“That is an excellent question. Let me make note of it and do some research in order to provide
you with an accurate and thoughtful answer.”
“It would also be awesome to see what you can find and we can compare our information when
we come back tomorrow.”
Next question, say you encounter an overly verbose student. What could you say to keep their
comments concise?
OH! Looks like you are not meant for teaching, buddy! Let’s see what the teacher survey has to
say.
“Could you tell me in one sentence/5 words/10 syllables what you mean by that?”
Thank you very much, Teacher! Now onto the next question. How would you handle a rude or
disrespectful student?
I appreciate your candor. Let’s turn to the teacher survey for some advice.
“That was a very unnecessary and/or hurtful and/or inappropriate thing to say. I expect a much
more appropriate and respectful response from you from now on.”
Now here’s a curveball question! What would you say to a student who makes a surprising or
unexpected comment or question?
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I see you’re at a loss for words. Let’s ask the teacher survey what they have to say.
“Thank you for your question/response. Please give me 20 seconds to reflect on what you just
said.”
You see, there is always a reasonable and fair answer! Let’s jump into the deeper thinking
questions! Say you just finished a lesson in ancient history. How would you get your students to
connect to the material?
Alright, thank you sir/ma’am. That’s not quite the answer we were looking for so let’s turn to the
teacher survey.
“How does this relate to or connect with what we are currently studying?” or “Does this
incident/story/event remind you of something that is currently happening in our world today?”
Sounds just right to me! Now let’s continue with this idea and say the student was answering in
the right direction but not quite there. Kinda like our last audience member. What then would
you say to guide them closer the answer?
“I like where your ideas are headed. Could you tell me more about that specific aspect?”
THANK YOU, Teacher! Now this may be again, something straight for the survey, but we’re
gonna let you give it a shot! So there’s a method of response known as Visual Thinking
Strategies and these are all focused on asking open ended questions. Say you provide your
students with an image, perhaps the front cover of a book before beginning the reading. What
type of open ended questions would you then ask the students?
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“What did you see/hear/touch/smell/taste?” “How would you describe it?” What made you
describe it in the way that you did?” “What words come up when you see/hear/watch this?”
Awesome! Fun facts, although VTS is used mainly for images, the same types of open-ended
questions can be applied to the visual images in the literature read throughout the year, as well as
for any of the videos, and other informational media sources used in the classroom. The three
main questions of
- What’s going on in this picture?
- What do you see that makes you say that?
- What more can we find?
guide students to take a closer look at the material they observe, articulate their observations,
support their statements with evidence, listen to the perspectives of others, and discuss the
possibilities of multiple interpretations. All of these skills are necessary for critical thinking and
communication which not only tie into the SLE’s of Immaculate Heart of Mary School, but also
tackles at least five, if not more, Common Core Standards in Reading, as well as, Speaking and
Listening.
And last but not least, we have our last audience member. At the end of the day, you want to
close out the lesson with a brief recap of the learning throughout the day. How would you end
the day with a summative recap?
That’s one way to do it! Thank you for all of your answers tonight audience members, give them
all a round of applause! Let’s hear the teacher recommendation before we close up.
Students stand in a circle for a Bonita Circle exercise. “Use 5 syllables or less to describe one
thing you learned and will remember from today” paired with a full body gesture. Each person
does so and every time the whole class repeats what the one person said and did.”
What a great idea! Include the movement, language, and assessment! Well, that’s all we have for
tonight. We hope you enjoy the rest of your evening and tune in next time for our topic centered
on…BACTERIA! You’ll be dying to know the responses for this one so don’t forget. Thank
you and good night, America!
SCENE SEVEN
TEACHER
This other method of teaching is known as “flip teaching” which is an effective way to allow
students adequate time on their classwork and homework as appropriate and coming into class,
instead to do what would be traditionally viewed as homework, in class. As an interactive school
focused on implementing technology as a useful resource, flip teaching will greatly assist in the
Blended Learning pedagogy. It looks like up to this point, you are now fully informed on the
tools and resources necessary for specific, straightforward, safe, and systematic classroom
management. Thank you very much for your visit to IHM. Please join us in the lobby outside
for real examples of student work, a lesson plan, a rubric, a syllabus, and an example of parent-
teacher communication. We hope you enjoyed the show!
SCENE ONE
TEACHER
So here, we have a general 1000 point scale with which to grade homework. I chose 1000 points
because it is an easy conversion thing to 100% and would be easier to understand both for me
and the students.
Vocabulary tests and quizzes are a must, however many classwork activities will be used to learn
the vocab words. We will be reading a minimum of 3 books for each class, in addition to the 3
individually chosen books.
Reading will be part of homework, while discussions for the reading contribute to the classwork
and participation points. This will hold students accountable because if the reading is not done,
students will be unable to contribute. In which case, the student or students may go to the “space
time continuum” and catch up to a certain point to join the class once again and attempt to
participate. Occasional comprehension checks will also be administered and included in the
test/quizzes category in the grading system.
Homework will include routine journaling along with various worksheets, depending on the
vocabulary and grammatical competence of the students. Throughout the year, the literature we
read will include various projects and papers, with at last 2 per unit of which will go towards the
final portfolio. In class conversation and discussion circles based on the literature will include
aspects of analysis and developing questions accompanied by designing activities to foster
creativity.
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Participation points include the think-pair-share sessions, group work, and a willingness to share
in the activities during school. General writing consists of both formal writing as well as brief
shorter moments of bell-work writing, and also creative writing. Any type of research will be
considered on each assignment basis whether it will be homework or classwork. Grammar will
be incorporated as a daily practice, correcting sentences and similar activities during bell work.
These will hold the least weight in terms of written testing because the true test of grammar is in
the paper and essay writing.
Let’s go over our formations one more time. We’ve got formative assessments: making sure
everyone is good to go with what they know. Then there’s progress-monitoring assessment: Is
everyone on track? Bring it back, eyes on me! (Team responds) Back on track, in 1-2-3! Great.
Then, we have summative assessments: Make sure everyone is in place for the goal, and then
score to reach the end of the unit! (Reading/Language Arts Framework, Sacramento, 1999
handout)
Ready team? Remember, our goal is for 100% but we can’t get there unless you give it 110%!
GO EAGLES!
Ngo 22
SCENE TWO
October 3, 2016
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Flores,
As this academic year moves towards more focused and demanding material, I am compelled to
share with you the successes and potential future challenges of Arthur’s progress thus far. In the
past few months observing Arthur’s work ethic and interactions with his fellow classmates, I can
clearly see the leadership qualities he embodies. I have noticed that he is always willing to
extend a helping hand, whether it is to other students or to me with help around the classroom. I
have shared with him my commendations of his leadership traits and I will do my best to foster
his learning and growth as a leader in the class and the wider school community.
Because of his ability to reach out to many students, Arthur at times gets distracted when he
finds himself constantly wanting to interact with others. He has some difficulty carefully
fulfilling his responsibilities during independent work blocks in class. Although I vary the
instruction throughout the class period, Arthur much prefers focusing on the paired and group
work but he also has a tendency to neglect the worksheets and individual writings exercises until
just before they need to be turned in. Several times this has resulted in having him work
independently in the “continuum” and having to catch him up on the current lesson being taught.
Thus far, Arthur has been able to finish and turn in all of his work, but I am noticing a potential
habit forming that may pose a challenge for reaching higher expectations in the future. It will be
beneficial for Arthur to continue developing his independent work skills which we will practice
during class, but can also be practiced at home. One way to encourage Arthur’s independent
study habits is to set aside a specific block of time for homework, consistently on a daily basis,
and setting a time frame within which he will need to finish. Keeping a log of the times he
works and reads may also be a helpful visual tool to see the progress he is making.
Thank you very much for all of your support for Arthur’s education at IHM. If you have any
further questions or concerns, or would like a template for implementing a daily log, should you
choose to do so, please do not hesitate to contact me at jngo@ihmla.org.
Ms. Ngo
Junior High English/Language Arts Teacher
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TEACHER
That seems like a sound letter to me. Let me review it one more time to be sure I covered all my
bases.
Introduce the reason for the letter? Check!
Begin with positive feedback and commendable traits? Check!
Discuss potential challenges of the student in a constructive manner? Check!
Provide specific examples of student work or actions during the school day? Check!
Make note of what specific skill can be improved both at school and at home? Check!
Offer options to help guide student learning at home? Check!
Clearly make yourself available to answer any questions or concerns? Check!
Signed and Dated? Check!
Perfect! And just in time for Progress Reports with enough time to reintroduce the new teacher,
help students readjust harmful habits, improve grades before report cards, and maintain open
communication from the start!
SCENE THREE
TEACHER
Since you have been sitting here for such a long time and so patiently, it is time to call it a day.
Students, that’s right, all of you sitting out there in the audience chairs, what did you learn today?
Oh! No need to answer! It is clear by your attention, all your hard work, and contributions that
you have learned plenty! I hope you all can take what you have learned and will apply to your
daily life in any way, shape, or form. Thank you so much for joining me today on this journey!
After all, I am about to enter a new portal myself. May you too find the keys to unlock the
world’s portals, just as you have done for me. Have a wonderful evening and safe travels!
http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_197911_brandt2.pdf
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/
https://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/philo.html
Housen, Abigail. Eye of the Beholder: Research, Theory, and Practice. 2001. Visual
Understanding in Education. Brooklyn, New York. (Downloads)
http://www.vtshome.org/research
Levin & Nolan Handout