A lot of teachers talk so much smack about No Child Left Behind and I liked that your group presented both sides because NCLB does actually have some positive points. I didn't realize that NCLB reinstated Title VII, which supports bilingual education. I myself am a huge supporter of bilingual education and I like that NCLB at least tried to support it, too.
Of course, the candy was a good demonstration move. Everyone will remember the candy!
The presentation on charter schools left me feeling a little torn. At first I think charter schools would be wonderful because the person(s) in charge could make their own decisions and perhaps give students and even better and more personal education. On the other hand, the charter school is a business. Having worked in retail, marketing, fast food, and all of those business (soul sucking) jobs, I understand how negative this can in fact be (which you did a good job of explaining/showing to us). I really liked that you showed us a video on a specific charter school, too. It was nice to see what a school like this would actually look like.
Great job!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
More Philosophy Questions...
Technology Integration: Technology integration is becoming a popular topic concerning education. Technology may prove to be useful for some of the lessons and activities that I would like to do with my student. I do not think that technology needs to be used constantly, but it is important to integrate it into the classroom. At the same time, I feel that it is important to have a “Back-up” in the event that the technology does not function correctly or if there are students who do not care for that particular type of technology.
Teacher and Leadership Style: I am a democratic leader who leans towards the authoritarian end of the leadership styles. It is important to believe in your students and take an interest in their lives, but I do not think that it is appropriate or beneficial for the teacher and student to be friends. I have had great relationships with my colleagues which were not friendships. We were able to have fun and interact in a friendly manner without crossing any lines. I feel that a teacher student relationship should be the same. The teacher is still, in a way, “the boss.”
Assessment: Being more of a progressive thinker, tests and quizzes, I feel, are poor ways of assessing students. I may give a low stakes quiz in the area of vocabulary, spelling, or grammar if I must, but I think that I may think of much better ways to assess my students. I am a huge fan of projects and portfolios.
Classroom Climate: The classroom should be a comfortable and safe place for students. I want my students to understand why there are rules in my classroom. I think I may allow the students to create their own rules and if I would like to add my own to the list, I will with an explanation. The teacher as well as the student should have a say in how the class is held, but the teacher should still have control and authority over the classroom.
Organization of classroom: Since I think that variety is important to a classroom, I feel that the organization of my classroom will not always be the same and will change frequently depending on the lesson or activity.
Teacher and Leadership Style: I am a democratic leader who leans towards the authoritarian end of the leadership styles. It is important to believe in your students and take an interest in their lives, but I do not think that it is appropriate or beneficial for the teacher and student to be friends. I have had great relationships with my colleagues which were not friendships. We were able to have fun and interact in a friendly manner without crossing any lines. I feel that a teacher student relationship should be the same. The teacher is still, in a way, “the boss.”
Assessment: Being more of a progressive thinker, tests and quizzes, I feel, are poor ways of assessing students. I may give a low stakes quiz in the area of vocabulary, spelling, or grammar if I must, but I think that I may think of much better ways to assess my students. I am a huge fan of projects and portfolios.
Classroom Climate: The classroom should be a comfortable and safe place for students. I want my students to understand why there are rules in my classroom. I think I may allow the students to create their own rules and if I would like to add my own to the list, I will with an explanation. The teacher as well as the student should have a say in how the class is held, but the teacher should still have control and authority over the classroom.
Organization of classroom: Since I think that variety is important to a classroom, I feel that the organization of my classroom will not always be the same and will change frequently depending on the lesson or activity.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Ms. G's Secret Sauce
So, I read through the packet titled "Ms. G's Secret Sauce." I liked that the diary entries were included in the article and that some were written by students as well as Erin Gruwell. I felt that all twelve of the ingredients are important to abide by when working within the educational system. Pretty much all of the components have been introduced to my by my educations courses here at UMF, so that is very reassuring! I still feel like there might be a small percentage of students who I will not be able to help or reach no matter what I try. Of course, it is my job to try my very best with each and every student.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Standardized Tests
I really thought that the Backstreet Boys song added much to the presentation...
Just kidding, but anyway-
Showing us the old SAT test was powerful because it made me realize just how subjective (stupid) the tests are even today. It's incredibly sad that the test has only had one major change since 1926 when it first came out. Videos are always nice for a presentation, so thanks for sharing a couple with us.
I'm a dork and love background information and history, so thanks for giving us some of that. You didn't go too in depth with the history, which I thought was good. Although I like learning about that sort of information, after awhile it can be mind numbing and I thought that the amount and way that you presented it was appropriated and successful.
Discussions are always fun. Writing both the pros and cons of SATs I thought was good because it helped me to think in both ways about the SATs. Some people really do believe that SATs are beneficial, so it's good to know what their arguments are (especially if we ever want to "take down" SATs).
Just kidding, but anyway-
Showing us the old SAT test was powerful because it made me realize just how subjective (stupid) the tests are even today. It's incredibly sad that the test has only had one major change since 1926 when it first came out. Videos are always nice for a presentation, so thanks for sharing a couple with us.
I'm a dork and love background information and history, so thanks for giving us some of that. You didn't go too in depth with the history, which I thought was good. Although I like learning about that sort of information, after awhile it can be mind numbing and I thought that the amount and way that you presented it was appropriated and successful.
Discussions are always fun. Writing both the pros and cons of SATs I thought was good because it helped me to think in both ways about the SATs. Some people really do believe that SATs are beneficial, so it's good to know what their arguments are (especially if we ever want to "take down" SATs).
Monday, November 1, 2010
Promising Future
The story at the beginning of the article made me think back to my own high school/middle school experience. I hated how short our lunch periods were in middle school. I didn't even bother eating lunch on most days because I did not have time to eat; I get sick if I eat too quickly and I did not feel incredibly hungry, anyway. By the time you have gotten your food it is time for next period. I hated my schedule in middle school and the classes themselves had nothing to do with my hatred. Forty-five minute classes are a joke. Sometimes it takes a teacher five or ten minutes to get the class started, so classes were more like thirty-five minutes long.
High school was much more productive. Hampden Academy had block scheduling, meaning only four longer classes a day rather than seven or eight short classes. Lunch period was a little longer, too, than my middle school lunch periods. Somehow the school found a way to trim our classes each a little bit in order to give us a longer lunch period, which I think the students all appreciated.
Having grown up in a different state, I had noticed that the Maine education system was a little behind my old school. I was happy to read in the article that Maine is number 15th in regards to education. Lecture based instruction is not a successful way to teach, at least if that it the only type of instruction that is used. The article points this out and also states that students must be challenged and engaged. I love that Maine educations are challenged to continue to increase the percentage of graduate student and that the numbers are rising.
High school was much more productive. Hampden Academy had block scheduling, meaning only four longer classes a day rather than seven or eight short classes. Lunch period was a little longer, too, than my middle school lunch periods. Somehow the school found a way to trim our classes each a little bit in order to give us a longer lunch period, which I think the students all appreciated.
Having grown up in a different state, I had noticed that the Maine education system was a little behind my old school. I was happy to read in the article that Maine is number 15th in regards to education. Lecture based instruction is not a successful way to teach, at least if that it the only type of instruction that is used. The article points this out and also states that students must be challenged and engaged. I love that Maine educations are challenged to continue to increase the percentage of graduate student and that the numbers are rising.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Technology Conference/Presentation!!
The wiki was incredibly helpful because I would like to use technology, but I can never remember what a site or program is called. The conference style was very cute and relevant. The videos were both a good opening and good closing, especially since videos are TECHNOLOGY! The video at the end pointed out how quickly technology both grows and changes.
I really liked how interactive/hands-on this "presentation" was. I am definitely keeping my certificate for either my portfolio (or my wall at home just so I can feel informed).
I really liked how interactive/hands-on this "presentation" was. I am definitely keeping my certificate for either my portfolio (or my wall at home just so I can feel informed).
Monday, October 25, 2010
The 8 Theories
Essentialism is a theory in which a person in any community/culture should have the same basic knowledge. However, this common information is subject to change. The instruction is teacher-based. Essentialism is more about gaining and developing basic skills to live productively in the world. So, learning what is "essential" to life (which differs from culture to culture). The student's role is the learner and the goal is to give the student the skills and knowledge to become a good citizen. There is not a lot of room for individualism in essentialist theory. The ideas of this theory mostly come from idealism and realism.
Behaviorism says that a person's behavior is directly related to the environment of the person and is not genetic. What this means is that a teacher can essentially control the behaviors of the students in the classroom. The teacher needs to make sure that the environment in which the students are expected to learn in will produce positive and desired behaviors from the students. Use of the scientific method is held high for a behaviorist. Organization is stressed. The teacher is expected to use both positive reinforces and negative reinforces to control the behavior of students. The cause of the problems of students is not a concern. Rather, the focus is on correcting the behavior NOW. This theory comes from realism.
Positivists only accept facts that can be observed and measured. All reality can be explained through science, basically. Ideas concerning the mind and/or spirit are rejected for this reason. Direct instruction is a teaching method that is used by a positivist. The teacher tells the students exactly what they should know and be able to do. Knowledge is the same for all of the students. Students should strengthen their skills concerning the scientific method. Testing is valued.
*Progressivism says that learning is based on questions and that ideas should be constantly tested through experimentation. Even though this theory favors the scientific method, it allows for the students to have their own individual beliefs. The stress is upon how to think rather than what to think. A curriculum that is flexible is important to a progressivist because the theory emphasizes the importance of questioning and testing ideas. A school should try to improve a society. Both the teacher and the student should be permitted the freedom to decide on how the class is conducted.
Humanism focuses on making students better people. It also says that students should not be treated as objects to be measured and that education should start with the individual. Students are encouraged to make their own choices. A humanist tries to not give their opinions to students so that the student is not persuaded one way or another and makes his/her own individual choices. The classroom should be a place where both the teacher and student share their ideas together. Since each student is unique, the education of each student should be unique in some way.
Constructivism emphasizes learning through hands-on activity. Lecturing is seen as ineffective because the students need to discover knowledge on their own. Instruction should be varied and should allow students to learn somewhat on their own (by that, I mean in their own individual ways).
Perennialists say that since facts can/are changing that these cannot be the most important things for students to learn. Reasoning and principals should be taught rather than facts (because "facts" can change). Education of any sort should start with the human (so, in science learn about humans before things like technology or machines). Ideas that have lasted over the centuries are valued. The teacher is meant to teach the student how to think and reason. The classical subjects should be taught and classical texts should be used.
Reconstructivism says that the world is constantly evolving and changing and that people must do this as well. The multiple intelligences theory came from reconstructivism (cool!). Both the teacher and the student should be part of the learning process.
It is so difficult to limit myself to two philosophies to relate to. I feel that I can relate to almost any of these philosophies in some way. I feel that I relate most to progressivism. A teacher needs to be incredibly flexible in order to help his/her students to learn. There will be times when an activity will fail horribly for one class even though the prior class loved it and benefited from it. Organization is a great skill to have, however, a teacher is almost like an improvisational actor. The teacher and the student should have a say in how the class is held, but the teacher should still have control and authority over the classroom. It is important to help students learn how to think, infer, and problem solve rather than give them information or facts that they need to memorize for a test.
Humanism is another theory that I feel I agree with. Students are individuals with individual minds and spirits; they are not a name on the attendance sheet or a C+ in the grade book. Because students are different, each will learn in different ways. Ideas should be shared in the classroom and everyone should be encouraged to speak or share in some way. Teachers should not give personal opinions on matters too quickly or bluntly because this very well might alter the way that a student is thinking and push them in one direction or another (in one way to please the teacher, or in another because they want to "rebel" against the teacher). I do think that there are certain skills or activities in the classroom that all of the students should participate in and that there is some benefit from having universality in the classroom, but there should be some kind of customization for each student.
Behaviorism says that a person's behavior is directly related to the environment of the person and is not genetic. What this means is that a teacher can essentially control the behaviors of the students in the classroom. The teacher needs to make sure that the environment in which the students are expected to learn in will produce positive and desired behaviors from the students. Use of the scientific method is held high for a behaviorist. Organization is stressed. The teacher is expected to use both positive reinforces and negative reinforces to control the behavior of students. The cause of the problems of students is not a concern. Rather, the focus is on correcting the behavior NOW. This theory comes from realism.
Positivists only accept facts that can be observed and measured. All reality can be explained through science, basically. Ideas concerning the mind and/or spirit are rejected for this reason. Direct instruction is a teaching method that is used by a positivist. The teacher tells the students exactly what they should know and be able to do. Knowledge is the same for all of the students. Students should strengthen their skills concerning the scientific method. Testing is valued.
*Progressivism says that learning is based on questions and that ideas should be constantly tested through experimentation. Even though this theory favors the scientific method, it allows for the students to have their own individual beliefs. The stress is upon how to think rather than what to think. A curriculum that is flexible is important to a progressivist because the theory emphasizes the importance of questioning and testing ideas. A school should try to improve a society. Both the teacher and the student should be permitted the freedom to decide on how the class is conducted.
Humanism focuses on making students better people. It also says that students should not be treated as objects to be measured and that education should start with the individual. Students are encouraged to make their own choices. A humanist tries to not give their opinions to students so that the student is not persuaded one way or another and makes his/her own individual choices. The classroom should be a place where both the teacher and student share their ideas together. Since each student is unique, the education of each student should be unique in some way.
Constructivism emphasizes learning through hands-on activity. Lecturing is seen as ineffective because the students need to discover knowledge on their own. Instruction should be varied and should allow students to learn somewhat on their own (by that, I mean in their own individual ways).
Perennialists say that since facts can/are changing that these cannot be the most important things for students to learn. Reasoning and principals should be taught rather than facts (because "facts" can change). Education of any sort should start with the human (so, in science learn about humans before things like technology or machines). Ideas that have lasted over the centuries are valued. The teacher is meant to teach the student how to think and reason. The classical subjects should be taught and classical texts should be used.
Reconstructivism says that the world is constantly evolving and changing and that people must do this as well. The multiple intelligences theory came from reconstructivism (cool!). Both the teacher and the student should be part of the learning process.
It is so difficult to limit myself to two philosophies to relate to. I feel that I can relate to almost any of these philosophies in some way. I feel that I relate most to progressivism. A teacher needs to be incredibly flexible in order to help his/her students to learn. There will be times when an activity will fail horribly for one class even though the prior class loved it and benefited from it. Organization is a great skill to have, however, a teacher is almost like an improvisational actor. The teacher and the student should have a say in how the class is held, but the teacher should still have control and authority over the classroom. It is important to help students learn how to think, infer, and problem solve rather than give them information or facts that they need to memorize for a test.
Humanism is another theory that I feel I agree with. Students are individuals with individual minds and spirits; they are not a name on the attendance sheet or a C+ in the grade book. Because students are different, each will learn in different ways. Ideas should be shared in the classroom and everyone should be encouraged to speak or share in some way. Teachers should not give personal opinions on matters too quickly or bluntly because this very well might alter the way that a student is thinking and push them in one direction or another (in one way to please the teacher, or in another because they want to "rebel" against the teacher). I do think that there are certain skills or activities in the classroom that all of the students should participate in and that there is some benefit from having universality in the classroom, but there should be some kind of customization for each student.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)