One specific time that I was in my ZPD was in my 9th grade English class. When I entered high school, I had very little writing experience. I had never written a formal paper, let alone constructed a thesis. Fortunately, my 9th grade English teacher recognized that each student was coming in with different levels of experience and skill. We spent the entire first week outlining what was expected in every paper. I was taught what a thesis is, and what components were crucial in creating a good argument. I was taught how to pull evidence from texts and properly cite your sources. I was taught how to structure each of your body paragraphs, and how to connect them to the introduction and conclusion. But most of all, I was taught how to engage as a reader. We spent every class discussing our thoughts and perspectives on the reading, which brought attention to how each of us individually contributed to the class. Every student noticed something different than the last, based on their individual values and experiences. I came into high school eagerly wanting to engage with content and express my ideas, but I did not have the tools to do so. This teacher helped encourage my growth in the ZPD, forming the critical analysis and writing skills I was unable to develop by myself.

One example of scaffolding I observed this week was during Mr. Wiebe’s introduction of the postlab assignment. The students were to take their data from the lab the day before and analyze the results. It would have been easy enough for the teacher to simply tell them to graph the data and expect them to know how to do it. If he had done that, some students probably would have been able to figure it out themselves. However, there would also be students who were unclear of the expectations, especially if they didn’t have a strong understanding of math and data. Fortunately, Mr. Wiebe did break down how he wanted the students to plot the data, step by step. He drew out two axes on the board. Then, he looked at the data that was collected and explained why the axes were labeled the way they were. Next, he took a few points from sample data and plotted them on the board, forming two separate curves (freezing point and boiling point). He showed a rough estimate of what the curves should look like and how to determine the freezing point and boiling point from the graph. This step-by-step scaffolding made the process of plotting lab data much clearer than it would have been otherwise. As I was walking around to answer questions, there was very little confusion and it seemed like most students were having very little difficulty completing the task.

Currently, I have not spent much time working directly with students so I am not sure exactly how I, as an MKO, might affect student learning. In the future, hopefully I will be able to work with them rather than simply observe. As a biology major, I know that chemistry can be a rather boring subject, but it is crucial to so many aspects of science. I would like to use my experiences and my love for biology to illustrate that chemistry can be much broader and more interesting when used in different contexts. For example, one of my favorite hobbies is baking, which includes a lot of chemistry knowledge (whether bakers realize it or not). I think I could potentially help bring chemistry to their personal interests in a way that makes them realize how versatile it is. Oftentimes, chemistry teachers get caught up in the classroom chemistry that they forget all of the other contexts it could be used for. I hope to help students realize that, although chemistry may not be the most exciting subject, it is important to learn and can be helpful in a variety of different fields. Attached below is a “Map of Chemistry” I found that illustrates all of the ways chemistry can be used. The chemistry teacher I am observing often does not cover the breadth of how chemistry can be applied; I want to help students realize how their lives and their personal interests fit into chemistry concepts.

While observing this class, I have been shocked at how individual the assignments are. There are very few partner and small group interactions. Oftentimes, students will sit at their desks for the whole hour without interacting with anyone else. The teacher lectures, then gives them tasks to complete individually- such as a practice exam, prelab, or worksheet. I do notice some students working together, whispering in an attempt to avoid the teacher’s notice. These students turn to each other, not to talk and get off track, but to help each other complete the tasks. This reminded me of Vygotsky and his theory of MKOs. Mr. Wiebe and I are not the only MKOs in the classroom. These students can be MKOs to each other, working together and learning from each other. Despite the teacher expecting them to do the work on their own, their instinct is to help each other. I wonder how different the classroom dynamic might be if these student interactions were encouraged. I think it might be very beneficial for students to learn from each other, as peers can be very powerful MKOs.

Keeping in mind that students tend to naturally help each other, I have been trying to balance being helpful and being overbearing. When students were filling out their lab journals this week, I walked around the room to answer any questions that popped up. I personally hate when teachers hover over you when you work and I observed the same uneasiness in my students. I found that as I circled around asking if there were any questions, students kept their heads down in their notebooks with no indication they wanted any help. Then, as I left, a few students started to collaborate with each other. They whispered questions to each other, showing their lab journals and pointing at their graphs. As I gave them time to discuss amongst themselves, I saw that they quickly resolved any questions they had. This moment made me rethink my role in the classroom. I want to be helpful and answer questions, but it seemed that the students were more comfortable getting help from each other. I don’t want to feel like I have to patrol over the students and hover around, waiting to help. I think sometimes it’s best for students to work through it together, as long as the content is within their reach. I don’t want to be completely uninvolved, but it’s important to recognize that stepping back to provide a collaborative learning environment can be more beneficial than hovering over students to make sure their work is correct.