Week 8

      This was my first week back since Spring Break. Even though this week was a week of catching up and getting back into the gear of teaching. This week was actually great. I got the chance to really dive into my inquiry and start testing out my thoughts. My teacher accepted my co-teaching partner and my input on the seating arrangements. We to her that Sammy needs to be put in a table where the students make her feel comfortable. She was going to place Sammy at a table where there was student who makes comments about Sammy. The comments are not meant to mean anything, he will just say things like, "Sammy won't speak to you" or "Did she just talk to you?" I can tell that these comments make Sammy feel uncomfortable. So she switched that student out of the group in hopes of making her table a comfortable environment.
      Also this week, we had the chance to switch up the reading groups. We decided to change Sammy into a reading group with two girls she seems to be the most comfortable with. This was a way for us to try and see how putting Sammy in a safe environment with the small groups will affect her choice to speak. During the group time we went over vocabulary and I was having the three girls go around and repeat the words with me. Sammy started repeating the words with the girls. This was great! However, when we went to talk about the story they had just read Sammy refused to answer.
      Most of my methods are going to be done through trial and error by recording my observations. I started keeping daily journals of anything that happens with Sammy that could help me out with my Inquiry. "In a journal, the writer can carry on a dialogue between and among various dimensions of experience" the Holly article stated. I believe through my journal I will be able to go back and find out what worked and what didn't. After this week, I am now wondering if a form of positive reinforcement will help Sammy start and continue verbal communication in her small group.