Classroom Diversity - Assignment 6

In the classroom I have sat in on, I have noticed that the teacher's classroom is very structured and every class period follows the same basic outline - she has a lecture prepared with helpful slides to accompany them, along with the lecture, she has paper handouts with helpful ways of prompting the students to take notes while she talks. Then, after the lecture, she gives the students time to either work in groups to fill out the rest of the worksheet, or free time for doing and making up homework. 

I have observed that the majority of the students have responded quite well to the structure of this classroom. When they break up into smaller groups after the lecture, for the most part, they all seem to help each other in finishing up the work. I have also noticed that many students utilize their time well in finishing up the work or making up late homework assignments. 

I feel like the teacher has found a great way for her to teach efficiently while also using a variety of different teaching techniques that seem to reach almost all of the students. I am aware of at least a few students in her classroom who have special needs, and I observed them working very well within her classroom structure.

Historic Connection - Entry #5

In my service learning experience, there have been multiple students present in the classroom that have special needs. One of which has a special aide to help with sign language if the student doesn't hear correctly, and another teacher comes into the room to support multiple student at the same time. These are direct evidence of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in action. I am sure these students each have individual IEP's and have their progress monitored and supported - yet the fact that they were all in a general education classroom is proof that each of them has been placed in the "least restrictive environment" for their educational experience. Furthermore, no doubt the No Child Left Behind has had a hand in these students progress and support.

Historically, it is difficult to learn that many of these children might not have even been admitted into school before 1973, as there was no requirement to educate children with disabilities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was the decision that made it possible for all children with disabilities to be able to seek an education. Furthermore, many of the students in the classrooms I have visited have been of various ethnic background and there is no doubt that the court decision made with Brown vs the Board of Education has had a direct effect on each and every one of these students. 

It is so interesting to see how far the education system in the United States has come in the last 50-60 years. I am so glad to be able to personally see how inclusive classrooms have become, to the point where it isn't even noticed that some students need extra help. In my school days, this would not have been the case. And I am so glad that so much progress has taken place!

Engaged Learning - Assignment 4

The class that I have observed so far is a Special Ed class that serves as an extra support for the students English classes. As a result, the class structure is quite straight forward. The teacher is helping the students to understand concepts better while, at the same time, helping them to complete their homework.

Some ways the teacher tried to engage the students is by reading out loud to them as they follow along. She pauses as she reads in order to define difficult words or talk about a particular interaction in the book.

She is also excellent at helping them navigate the online aspect of their assignments, making suggestions and giving feedback as they progress.

For the most part, the students are well behaved, but I have noticed that when the teacher allows one or more of them to speak about something completely not related to the classroom, they all interact and then end up being better focused when they get back to the project at hand. As if providing a brief intermission helps them all find their focus again.

Choice - Assignment 3

I have not gotten in to my service learning classroom yet - my first visit is scheduled for September 28th. However, I have a different education class for Exceptional Students. So, I will use this classroom experiences in order to answer the questions for this weeks blog post.

In describing a time the teacher has offered choice to students, I would say that the teacher I have observed is very fluid in her classroom. Interruptions do not seem to phase her, and she has been able to make changes to the course of the day easily. Some of the class time is spent as homework support, and though they are supposed to be working together, she has allowed some students to change what it is they need to focus on more.

I feel like the students in the classroom feel very safe and loved. As I said, interruptions do not seem to bother the teacher and she is good at acknowledging off-track comments, and then redirecting the class back to the focus. She is also always prepared if a student needs things like a charger cord for their computers or a bottle of water. They all seem to be very comfortable in her classroom.

I feel that she tries to recognize all of the students skills as she will call on all of them intermittently throughout the class period by name, and if they don't know the answer, she is very good at helping them come up with the answer. She is also aware of their limitations and is always good at steering around those in order to help them accomplish the task at hand.

Service Learning - Timpview

    The school I am hoping to be able to do my Service Learning in is Timpview High School. It is located in the North Provo area. The surrounding houses are quite nice and clean, though the majority of them were built in the 1960's and 1970's. So it is definitely an older community. The school itself is currently being rebuilt, so there is a large portion of the grounds that is under construction. The existing building, apparently, has foundation issues and I have heard that many of the inside facilities (bathrooms, water fountains...) are worn out and in disrepair. 

    As for the students and academics, it is an interesting mix. The graduation rate (93%) is higher than the Utah average (87%), and its test scores are also higher than the Utah average. Yet, it's equity overview is well below the average (31% compared to 50%) as are its test scores for low income and underserved students (18% compared to 50%). Overall, it appears it does not serve it's poor and minority students very well.

    As far as service learning goes, I understand that I would be in the classroom in order to help the instructor meet common needs and goals, perhaps help with coursework material and assist in discipline-based knowledge skills, and any other needs that might arise and be helpful. I hope that I will be able to truly help both the instructor and the students!

Oscars Red Carpet 2019

While I thought the show was super boring without a host to add some pizzaz to the night, the fashions were anything but boring! Which is not always the case, so I was super excited! I loved the ruffle trend, even though it wasn't always used well. And who knew that capes would ever be a thing at the Oscars?! It was pretty amazing! I loved that there were many dresses that were extremely daring (not just a token Bjork and that was it). So, without further ado, I will start my list:

MY FAVORITE SAFE DRESSES

This was the perfect color and the perfect dress for Constance Wu! I loved the asymmetry of the flowing sleeve, and how it drooped elegantly over one shoulder! And that little bit of sparkle at the neckline gave it that little bit of sharpness to edge out such a soft and dreamy look. A+++

This is the perfect dress for a warrior queen! The gold evokes metal, strength and power and the black gives it a hard edge. And yet, this was definitely one of the most sophisticated and feminine dresses of the night! Danai Gurira chose exactly the right dress! For some reason for me it has subtle historic costume notes, and that might be why it's one of my favorites!

This dress on Marina de Tavira is all about the details! The pleating and detailed fabric arrangement on the bodice was breathtaking! And the subtle use of the ruffles, teamed with the perfect red, give it both a soft and hard edge. It's perfect!

I loved this dress soo much! That creamy, periwinkle looked so good on Charlise Theron, especially with the dark bob! The slightly raised shoulders and clean lines gave this dress an architectural feel. And that diamond snake necklace was sublime! I really didn't think the wide open back was necessary. It seems to me it would have been much more shocking if she had been fully covered, as it looks from the front. I also feel long sleeves are hard to pull off on the Red Carpet. and she did it effortlessly!

This dress was all about the fit! It fit Lady Gaga so perfectly that it almost looked like a second skin! And that simple, almost sporty bodice, teamed with that elegant, huge, Cinderella skirt was extraordinary! It was the perfect accompaniment to one of the best moments of the night.

MY FAVORITE CRAZY DRESSES

As soon as I saw this at the beginning of the Red Carpet, I said it was going to be hard to beat. And I'm 90% sure no one was quite able to beat Michelle Yeoh in this flawless gown! (Don't make me choose a #1 favorite! I can't.)  It really has everything! A perfect neckline, a dreamy, flowing skirt, and shining, twinkly, sparklyness! She really was a goddess!

Hannah Beachler is rocking these ruffles so hard! There is no way just anyone could pull this dress off, but she sure as heck did! Also, her awesome face jewelry was to die for. And also her hair! Yup, I loved it!

I loved Melissa McCarthy in this look!  She was impeccably styled, starting with her hair and going all the way down to the end of her cape. That's right. I said cape. I love the teaming of the trousers with the fitted cape! It is so sophisticated in it's simplicity. 

Kasey Musgraves must have a lot of guts. I was undecided on this dress for a long time, but then every time I caught a glimpse of her in the crowd, she took my breath away. She was an almost absurd, floating pink cloud, and I loved every bit of it! The giant sleeves, the tiered skirt, the wrist ruffles and even that waistline is hard to pull off! But she did it!

This was Lady Gaga's Red Carpet dress, and it was much more extreme and daring than the stage one. Those shapes at the hip made it look almost statuesque, and I love how the skirt cascades down after the smooth surface of her torso. I also adored the gloves and the necklace (which she wore with both dresses) was the best bling of the whole night! Apparently, this was a nod to Audrey Hepburn's iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's look. And that giant, yellow diamond is the same one Audrey wore as well! I love how classy Laday Gaga has become! She pulls it off while still maintaining her brilliant edge.

As I've said before, I don't think this dress photographs well. You really need to see Emma Stone moving around in it in order to appreciate it's unique beauty and shining sparkles. I love everything about it, from the dark, copper, metallic color, to the subtle wing sleeves. Plus it fit her perfectly in size and in style.

I thought that this dress was really daring, mostly because of the unusual length and horizontal lines. Not everyone could pull this off, but I think it looks perfect on Tessa Thompson.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

I liked this dress, but I didn't love it. What I did love was Amandla Stenberg's hair!  It was unbelievably beautiful and intricate without being overdone! She looked absolutely stunning!

I'm pretty sure Gemma Chan could wear a tablecloth and look amazing. Wait a minute, this dress does kind of look like a tablecloth! So, I'm not sure why I like it. I feel like I shouldn't, but it's such an interesting silhouette, the way it fits her nicely in the bodice and then flows out like a parachute behind her. It's just so daring and I will not apologize for liking it!

This was such a delightful marriage of the two big colors of the evening. I have no idea who Laura Marano is, but this was definitely one of my favorite dresses! The colors were absolutely perfect, and she was super gutsy with one of the biggest bows ever seen on the Red Carpet!

RED CARPET FAIL

I cannot believe that a dress that involved millions of golden beads could end up on my worst list! I desperately wanted to love it, but everything about it was awkward and wrong. The top of the neckline looked like it was pinned together as an afterthought. And the long sleeves combined with the long skirt, high neckline and long train was just too, too much! Glenn Close looked like she was drowning! Apparently it was a very heavy dress, and it sure looked like it. It really needed some editing and perhaps a little whimsy thrown in as well.

This was another dress I really wanted to like, but I felt like it was completely the wrong choice for Maya Rudolph. First of all, the Pepto pink was a big mistake! A soft yellow or blue of this would have been WAY better. But even then, despite its flowing fabric, it was just too heavy, there was too much of everything. Also, that waistline is a downright tragedy! And her severely slicked back bob with the super weird earrings didn't help either. 

I'm not sure I actually have to explain why this is on my worst list. I mean, Linda Cardellini still looks beautiful, if you try to look at just her face. But it really just looks like a dress I might have tried to make for my Barbie's when I was 10 years old. It was just too many risks thrown together in one hot mess. 

I am normally a sucker for one shoulder dresses, and also for ruffles. And Jennifer Hudson looked very beautiful, but the dress just looked like a two-dress collision to me. It was somehow disjointed and super distracting (not in a good way). 

Unlike Emma Stone's dress, I feel like the photo of Laura Dren's dress looks better than it did at the show. It definitely looked like a sad brown color (although here it looks more purple). And the weird draping that falls below the waistline felt very awkward and unfortunate. Such a missed opportunity! 

LETS NOT FORGET THE MEN

I loved that many men this year stepped outside the typical tux box. A few may have taken it a bit too far, but I still love that they're trying to be different. Women shouldn't be the only one's who get to have fun on the red carpet! I wasn't crazy about Chadwick Boseman's boots (far left), but the rest of his outfit was fantastic! I loved Stephan James' (center) red and white, although it did seem a half size too small. And, if you're going to go classic, I say give it 110% like Henry Golding (far right - who is also known as that guy from Crazy Rich Asians who is really, really, ridiculously good looking). He looked incredibly sharp!

So, when I first saw Billy Porter, he was wearing extremely wide legged pants with a sort of 40's feel. I'm assuming he arrived in the skirt and then changed to the trousers. Perhaps this incredibly wide skirt is a bit much, but you've got to give him points for doing it. I definitely liked the wide leg trousers better (which were still pretty extreme), but I kind of think he pulled them both off excellently!

I love, love, love this look on Nicholas Hoult! It's  immaculate and completely original without being ostentatious. I think this was my favorite of the men's looks which may be partially due to who is wearing it. 

OK. How cute are these two? First of all, Lisa Bonet looks stunning!  I loved the details on her dress and the beautiful, soft pink was such a lovely choice for the two of them! Jason Momoa even had a matching pink scrunchy around his wrist! Some might say that's too much matching, I say they took the prize for the cutest couple!

In closing, I would just like to thank the Academy for holding the best awards show of the season. And please, pretty please, make sure you have a host next year! 

Oscars Red Carpet 2016

2 of my favorites, 3 of my least favorites. The yellow dress was ok. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. But Alicia Vikander was so, so tan that it totally distracted me from anything she was wearing. Charlize Theron's deep V was way too low for me. I thought it made her proportions all wrong. And Rachel McAdams was a triple fail: I'm not crazy about that green, unnecessary long slit, and just look at that fabric! It was already wrinkled at the beginning of the night! *see below for commentary on the other two.

I realize I haven't done a post in over 4 months. But I could not let the Oscars come and go without having my say. Besides, the Oscars Red Carpet is practically the whole reason I began this blog in the first place!

And so, without further ado, I shall begin. I think I will start with the best and end with the worst. They are in no particular order (except for the first, which is my favorite).

Best of the Best

Olivia Wilde's stunning, pleated, white gown simply took my breath away. Normally, I am not a big fan of the plunging neckline, but the proportions really worked in this case. She took a risk in wearing the choker, but I think it really completed the look. And she actually did something to her hair!!! It seems like most just leave it in sexy waves these days. And, lets not forget the best part, the detail at the back! The way the fabric folded over her shoulders and trailed down the sides! Genius! Perhaps not my favorite Oscars dress of all time, but most definitely my favorite of 2016! AND, I just looked up the designer: Valentino!!! That explains it all. My favorite!







OK, so, I have no idea who Dorith Mous is. But this dress is so incredibly gorgeous that I had to include it. Not only does it fit her like a glove, but the silhouette somehow evokes Marie Antoinette for me (which is never a bad thing - unless you're talking about revolution). I could not figure out who the designer was, but I applaud them. I think it's so difficult to balance a classic look while trying to keep it looking modern. Amazing!





It took me a few minutes to decide whether or not I liked Cate Blanchett's dress. But for me, that's not a bad thing. Especially when I decide that I do, indeed, love the dress. Of course, not everyone could pull it off. But the mixture of quirkiness and elegance seems to suit Cate perfectly. And that color is so unexpected and beautiful. I'm so glad she took the risk!






I was surprised to find Julianne Moore on my best dressed list. She is usually WAY at the bottom. But this Chanel number is the perfect balance of chicness and elegance with a little hard edge thrown in. Plus, I didn't realize this at first, but it's lace!!! And we all know I can't get enough of that stuff!





So, it's possible that I only love this dress because of who is wearing it. But I think that is half the battle. You have to find the right dress for the right star. Although this one is a bit boring, Tina Fey looked so effortless and stunning that I actually gasped a little when I first saw her. It suited her (and fit her) perfectly. Plus, that amazing necklace was drool-worthy on it's own.





I thought this dress was so interesting and unusual, and it took Mindy Kahling to a much more elegant level than usual. The color combination was lovely, and I also loved her hair.






Honorable Mention

The truth is, I think this dress needed to be edited just a little bit. And if it were up to me, I would either remove the train, or the ruffles. But, even with them, she looked absolutely beautiful! And that belt really made the whole gown sing!





When I first saw this dress on Pryianka Chopra, I didn't like it. But on all of the close-ups, it was amazing!!! It is a bit busy, but all of that detail, in the end, is remarkable. Plus, she it so beautiful, she kind of forces you to love it in the end.






Worst!!!

Lets all have a moment of silence for finding Kate Winslet on the worst dressed list.  :(  Not only was this dress extremely unflattering, but it pretty much looked like it was made out of garbage bags. Hopefully she will be back on top again next year! (ps - I love Leo!)






Unlike Kate, it is no surprise to see Heidi Klum on this list. But I am always so baffled at her crazy, wacky and usually hideous choices! This has SO much going on, and none of it is good. Especially for the Oscars! It honestly looks like she let a 6 year old girl choose for her. I mean, I love purple, but not like this. I love one shoulder dresses, but this one is waaaaay too extreme with the puffy sleeve. I love nods to the 70's, but these are all of the crazy 70's ideas rolled into one hot mess of a dress. She really needs to call Tim Gunn before walking out like this!






There is really nothing I like about this look on Jennifer Lawrence. Starting with the bleached-blonde bob, then the weird bodice that looks like it might be see-through, ending in this weird goth-big bird skirt. It's a terrible combination that doesn't work at all!