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.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Empowerment
Personally, I think that "problem" students exist because teachers did not care enough to try to find out why these students behaved in "bad" ways. The stories in this last chapter showed how students can become empowered if one of his or her teachers had only showed an interest or care. I am married to one of the biggest trouble makers in Maine. My husband had many family issues which I will not describe for his own privacy, but had a teacher or anyone tried to find out why he behaved in the ways that he had, he may not have acted out in the ways that he had. He was told that he was the only student in Maine to have a high school give money to an alternative school to basically take him off their hands.
I need to always try to place myself in the position of the "troubled" or "problem" students in order to empower them. If I do not believe in them or support them, they will not do either of these things for themselves. The story about Leslie coming out by publishing a poem was powerful. Leslie knew that she was gay and was comfortable with this for herself, yet she could not take the next step by admitting this to her peers and essentially the school board. I thought it was a little strange that the teacher claimed to be confronting sexual politics herself, but I guess she was involved since she was pushing Leslie to publish her poem under her real name.
I understand that I am not always going to reach every student who needs it. But, if I at least try and put in the effort, then I have not completely lost. Even a little effort might make a student rethink their behaviors or life goals because someone is taking an interest and concern in their lives.
I now just realized that sometimes by trying to do what we think is right, we may be a little intrusive with students. When I was in middle school I did not eat lunch at school. Growing up in Pennsylvania, my family and I were accustomed to eating big breakfasts and big dinners. I did not get hungry at school, so I didn't eat. My Dad knew of this and didn't think it was a big deal. When I moved to Caribou, I was bothered on a daily basis about why I was not eating at school. I understand that they were worried about me (eating disorders are common in middle school girls), but I told them that I ate a big breakfast and did not like to eat at school. It made me feel ill. They harassed me to the point that I had to tell my Dad about it, and he wrote a letter to my principal about the matter. I was no longer bothered.
Remembering this makes me realize that although I might think a student has an issue or needs help, I might very well be jumping to conclusions. I need to listen to my students and trust his/her words until I see other signs of something wrong before reacting to a situation.
I need to always try to place myself in the position of the "troubled" or "problem" students in order to empower them. If I do not believe in them or support them, they will not do either of these things for themselves. The story about Leslie coming out by publishing a poem was powerful. Leslie knew that she was gay and was comfortable with this for herself, yet she could not take the next step by admitting this to her peers and essentially the school board. I thought it was a little strange that the teacher claimed to be confronting sexual politics herself, but I guess she was involved since she was pushing Leslie to publish her poem under her real name.
I understand that I am not always going to reach every student who needs it. But, if I at least try and put in the effort, then I have not completely lost. Even a little effort might make a student rethink their behaviors or life goals because someone is taking an interest and concern in their lives.
I now just realized that sometimes by trying to do what we think is right, we may be a little intrusive with students. When I was in middle school I did not eat lunch at school. Growing up in Pennsylvania, my family and I were accustomed to eating big breakfasts and big dinners. I did not get hungry at school, so I didn't eat. My Dad knew of this and didn't think it was a big deal. When I moved to Caribou, I was bothered on a daily basis about why I was not eating at school. I understand that they were worried about me (eating disorders are common in middle school girls), but I told them that I ate a big breakfast and did not like to eat at school. It made me feel ill. They harassed me to the point that I had to tell my Dad about it, and he wrote a letter to my principal about the matter. I was no longer bothered.
Remembering this makes me realize that although I might think a student has an issue or needs help, I might very well be jumping to conclusions. I need to listen to my students and trust his/her words until I see other signs of something wrong before reacting to a situation.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Multicultural Issues and Diversity
It would be ignorant for any person, especially an educator, to say that multicultural issues are not relevant or important in the classroom. Even in an area where there is little to no diversity, a teacher should create a multicultural classroom. I think that the group did a great job of expresses just how important this is. A teacher should get to know ALL of their students in order to be able to help them become successful learners, and by doing this a teacher will also learn about the culture of each of their students.
One statistic that I would like to find more information on it the statistic concerning the wage gap between men and women. Where did this statistic come from? How did they find this percentage? I feel that the reason for this gap MIGHT be that the jobs that are taken by more men than women might pay more. For example, there are not a lot of women who would want to work with septic tanks or plumbing. Dirty jobs generally pay fairly well (the garbage/waste business, in some areas, actually pays a LOT). So, maybe this statistic seems so incredible is for a reason like this.
The activity at the end of the presentation, I thought, was very successful. It shows how common ethnic slurs are, because we all knew most of the words and did not have an incredibly difficult time figuring out which card was on our head. I think a game like this might be okay in a high school setting with the right group of students, however I am not sure if I would use it with every group of students. Younger students might go home and tell their parents all of the nice ethnic slurs they learned at school and I would get a phone call (or ten).
I would have liked to see more examples of how to make a classroom a multicultural classroom, but I understand that the group only had so much time to present.
Good job, ladies! :) Thank you for sharing with us!
One statistic that I would like to find more information on it the statistic concerning the wage gap between men and women. Where did this statistic come from? How did they find this percentage? I feel that the reason for this gap MIGHT be that the jobs that are taken by more men than women might pay more. For example, there are not a lot of women who would want to work with septic tanks or plumbing. Dirty jobs generally pay fairly well (the garbage/waste business, in some areas, actually pays a LOT). So, maybe this statistic seems so incredible is for a reason like this.
The activity at the end of the presentation, I thought, was very successful. It shows how common ethnic slurs are, because we all knew most of the words and did not have an incredibly difficult time figuring out which card was on our head. I think a game like this might be okay in a high school setting with the right group of students, however I am not sure if I would use it with every group of students. Younger students might go home and tell their parents all of the nice ethnic slurs they learned at school and I would get a phone call (or ten).
I would have liked to see more examples of how to make a classroom a multicultural classroom, but I understand that the group only had so much time to present.
Good job, ladies! :) Thank you for sharing with us!
Monday, October 18, 2010
The 4 Philosophies
In idealism, ideas or concepts are the essence of all that is worth knowing. This philosophy stresses spirituality. The spiritual world is eternal and perfect. Our senses only pick up the imperfect representation of the spiritual world. The power of reasoning is stressed. What is strange to me is that this theory does not value the scientific method, which to me seems to be based on reasoning through observation. Lecture, discussion, and imitation are methods that idealism supports. Knowledge is not created, but it is discovered. Learning is best achieved through speaking/dialogue and a teacher should question a students beliefs.
Reality, knowledge, and value are independent of the mind in realism. Ideas are not the ultimate reality, which is what idealists believe. The realist thinks that the use of the scientific method and our sense are important. The goal of education is the advancement of problem solving or rationality. Experiment and observation are ways to gain knowledge. Realists think that tests of a student's knowledge are beneficial. THe realist also acknowledges that ideas can change.
Pragmatism is a philosophy in which there are no unchanging ideas (like idealism) or universal laws. Knowledge is something that is gained by a learner interacting with the environment in a way in which both are changed by the experience. There is no absolute truth. The realist also thinks that values do not work in all situations and supports the act of problem solving.
Existentialism is the thought that real reality is within each individual. So, reality is different for each person (I think this is what the book's definition was trying to say). Science is good, but it is also limited. Tests are seen as not important. There is a huge stress on individualism and the importance of each person creating their own self, reality, and values.
I feel like I could fit into most of these categories of thought at least a little bit. I am a very spiritual person, so I feel that I may very well be more of an idealist than a realist. I do not like using tests in a way to see of how much "knowledge" a student has. I much rather see this "knowledge" expressed somehow, whether it be through a discussion, an essay, or a visual project. I might be an existentialist, too, because I feel very strongly about person/creative freedom and expression. I am the person who is constantly saying, "I thought this was America," when I am told that I cannot say, write, or create something. Thought I am not a scientist, I do not dismiss science all together. However, I feel that science really is limited and that there is much more to life and reality than physical or sensual facts.
Reality, knowledge, and value are independent of the mind in realism. Ideas are not the ultimate reality, which is what idealists believe. The realist thinks that the use of the scientific method and our sense are important. The goal of education is the advancement of problem solving or rationality. Experiment and observation are ways to gain knowledge. Realists think that tests of a student's knowledge are beneficial. THe realist also acknowledges that ideas can change.
Pragmatism is a philosophy in which there are no unchanging ideas (like idealism) or universal laws. Knowledge is something that is gained by a learner interacting with the environment in a way in which both are changed by the experience. There is no absolute truth. The realist also thinks that values do not work in all situations and supports the act of problem solving.
Existentialism is the thought that real reality is within each individual. So, reality is different for each person (I think this is what the book's definition was trying to say). Science is good, but it is also limited. Tests are seen as not important. There is a huge stress on individualism and the importance of each person creating their own self, reality, and values.
I feel like I could fit into most of these categories of thought at least a little bit. I am a very spiritual person, so I feel that I may very well be more of an idealist than a realist. I do not like using tests in a way to see of how much "knowledge" a student has. I much rather see this "knowledge" expressed somehow, whether it be through a discussion, an essay, or a visual project. I might be an existentialist, too, because I feel very strongly about person/creative freedom and expression. I am the person who is constantly saying, "I thought this was America," when I am told that I cannot say, write, or create something. Thought I am not a scientist, I do not dismiss science all together. However, I feel that science really is limited and that there is much more to life and reality than physical or sensual facts.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Rejuvination
This chapter was a little lighter than the previous ones I have read in the book. There seemed to be a little "hope" in this chapter, which was a relief. The story about the teacher who was punched in the head stood out to me the most, I think. One of my fears as a teacher is (believe it or not) being physically assaulted. My husband and I would like to move out West, and I have no idea what the schools are like on that side of the country. Assault can occur anywhere, though. As a woman (who is not much taller than 5 feet, I might add), I might be seen as vulnerable by a person with negative intentions. Silly as it sounds, I do more upper body work when I go to the gym than anything else. I understand that I am fairly short and as a woman most men will be stronger than me. Because of this, I want to make sure that if a situation should ever occur involving physical violence, that I might be able to take care of myself.
Young people might be some of the angriest people there are, but who can blame them? High school and middle school can be terrible for some kids even without hormones and puberty being involved. Violence is always a possibility in a situation of anger and I hope to be able to both protect myself and stop a student from making a mistake in a moment of anger.
Young people might be some of the angriest people there are, but who can blame them? High school and middle school can be terrible for some kids even without hormones and puberty being involved. Violence is always a possibility in a situation of anger and I hope to be able to both protect myself and stop a student from making a mistake in a moment of anger.
Episode 4
I am not sure how I feel about charter schools. The impression that I got from the episode is that anyone could open a charter school and any one could work at one. To me, this is unacceptable. A school could be opened with the wrong intentions in mind (profit). I understand that there are benefits to having a charter school because the school could save more money and therefore have the money available to buy more resources and materials for the students, but again the people who are either running the school or are just working at it might have the wrong intentions.
School Choice, on the other hand, I feel is a great idea and I feel that it should be available everywhere. If there is school choice offered and students leave a school for another, the board of the school that is losing students knows that they need to make a change to their schools. A school with a poor program or teachers will more than likely loose students and this is a signal that the school board must start evaluating their resources, their staff, and their techniques.
School Choice, on the other hand, I feel is a great idea and I feel that it should be available everywhere. If there is school choice offered and students leave a school for another, the board of the school that is losing students knows that they need to make a change to their schools. A school with a poor program or teachers will more than likely loose students and this is a signal that the school board must start evaluating their resources, their staff, and their techniques.
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Nation at Risk
In 1983, The Nation at Risk was published/released. The Nation at Risk pointed out how poor the education system was in America at the time and it emphasized the importance of improving the education system in America. The article included a list of statistics related to the weakness of education in the United States. One of the more astonishing statistics that the article pointed out was that 23 million Americans were illiterate at the time. Other countries were beginning to catch up with the United States and in order for the United States to not fall behind (let alone remain “number one”) education needed to be taken more seriously and an educational reform was needed. Twenty-five years later a report was released showing that it is uncertain whether the education system has seen significant improvement since The Nation at Risk was published
I understand why there is some criticism that The Nation at Risk was too “harsh.” At the same time, the article seemed more like tough love to me. There were, and still are, problems with education in America and it should be taken seriously. Different methods should be experimented with. Teachers must be certain that they are sending their students positive messages about school. The teachers are not the only factor, however. Students might be losing their drive to succeed due to other reasons. Young Americans should be shown that education is important and why education is important to not only themselves but their families and communities.
I understand why there is some criticism that The Nation at Risk was too “harsh.” At the same time, the article seemed more like tough love to me. There were, and still are, problems with education in America and it should be taken seriously. Different methods should be experimented with. Teachers must be certain that they are sending their students positive messages about school. The teachers are not the only factor, however. Students might be losing their drive to succeed due to other reasons. Young Americans should be shown that education is important and why education is important to not only themselves but their families and communities.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Episode 1
It was very interesting to me to learn that some of the same issues that are around today have been popping up since public schools first began. The issue of "separation of church and state" was already a topic for debate. Prayer books were used in schools and the Bible was taught. There were plenty of people that thought this wasn't a good idea back then, but it was done any way. Some schools still insist on teaching creationism and some private schools still read from the Bible.
Although it did not surprise me, there was no education offered to slaves. At first, only 5% of blacks were literate, but this turned into 50% which really shocked me, but in a good way. It was nice to see that blacks were already fighting for equal educational oppertunities for their children. The city of Boston was sued because a little black girl was not allowed to go to school there. It's sad to that it took so long for the Civil Rights Movement and Act to happen since America is supposed to welcome everyone with open arms.
Women teachers were cheaper and this is why they were hired more frequently than men. I wonder if this is why there are more women teachers than men teachers today? Some of my best teachers were men, actually, and I have noticed more and more men within the teaching profession (especially high school). I would love to see an equal distribution of men and women teachers and I wonder what the statistics are like right now.
A quote I liked from this episode was, "School is the little world that preps kids for the larger world of life." I feel that this sentence is very true. I have always thought that teaching is one of the most important jobs there is because it is at the younger ages that people are most impressionable. I feel like a teacher can either make or break a student as a learner. It's intimidating going into the teaching profession, but I feel so strongly about it that I have to at least try. Even if I slip the first year and try some methods that prove unsuccessful, I hope that my students see how willing I am to help them. I have noticed from my Assistant Manager position that people will work harder for you if you show that you care about both the people and the work that is being done. I have a great crew because I am always willing to help each and every one of them and I have a strong work ethic. I think that students respect a teacher who works hard much more than a teacher who seems to be lazy and slack off.
Although it did not surprise me, there was no education offered to slaves. At first, only 5% of blacks were literate, but this turned into 50% which really shocked me, but in a good way. It was nice to see that blacks were already fighting for equal educational oppertunities for their children. The city of Boston was sued because a little black girl was not allowed to go to school there. It's sad to that it took so long for the Civil Rights Movement and Act to happen since America is supposed to welcome everyone with open arms.
Women teachers were cheaper and this is why they were hired more frequently than men. I wonder if this is why there are more women teachers than men teachers today? Some of my best teachers were men, actually, and I have noticed more and more men within the teaching profession (especially high school). I would love to see an equal distribution of men and women teachers and I wonder what the statistics are like right now.
A quote I liked from this episode was, "School is the little world that preps kids for the larger world of life." I feel that this sentence is very true. I have always thought that teaching is one of the most important jobs there is because it is at the younger ages that people are most impressionable. I feel like a teacher can either make or break a student as a learner. It's intimidating going into the teaching profession, but I feel so strongly about it that I have to at least try. Even if I slip the first year and try some methods that prove unsuccessful, I hope that my students see how willing I am to help them. I have noticed from my Assistant Manager position that people will work harder for you if you show that you care about both the people and the work that is being done. I have a great crew because I am always willing to help each and every one of them and I have a strong work ethic. I think that students respect a teacher who works hard much more than a teacher who seems to be lazy and slack off.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Disillusionment (WIP)
This chapter was a little depressing for me. I could relate to a lot of the frustration these teachers were feeling about their jobs, even though I am not yet a teacher. I face many of the same aggravations with my crew, customers, and bosses that the teachers face. There has been a time or two that I have locked myself in my office to either cool off or cry.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Episode 3
It's amazing to think about how the role of public schools has changed so much over the years (and how it has remained the same in some schools). I thought it was interesting that school was a place to keep children safe for the baby boomers. Health programs, which normally were not a part of curriculum, were not in place in some schools. Technology in a way was born during the baby boomer's time of enrollment in public education, so schools were beginning to prepare kids for a future of technology. I feel like schools are still doing this (we do are introduced to new technology all of the time in Dr. Grace's class, Dan Ryder uses technology in his teaching at Mt. Blue as well).
It was sad for me to see all of the segregation and unfairness that was going on in schools before, during, and even after the Civil Rights Act. Blacks didn't have a science lab, were not offered foreign language classes, and didn't even have a gym! This was shocking to me because of the, "separate, but equal" statement. This is separate but it is completely unequal. It broke my heart that 72% of disabled students were not even enrolled in public school. This made me want to cry because what is the definition of "disabled" in this statistic? A blind or deaf student is considered disabled; students with physical differences are considered disabled. Many of these students who were not enrolled in school might have had so much potential, yet they were not attending school. It chokes me up.
I liked that in the episode it said that school was the place to bring down segregation in America. I agree with this because what students are introduced to and learn at a young age is what sticks with them. This is why we see so much propaganda hidden in shows intended for young audiences. If students are encouraged to interact with people of different races, religions, nationalities, etc, then they will not only learn to "tolerate" the differences of their peers, but these differences will not be as apparent to children. A teacher told me an adorable story about how one of her students had said that a boy in the neighboring class (we'll call him Jim) was her cousin. The teacher met the girl's cousin and he was an African American boy. At the time there was not a lot of diversity in the area. This boy was not actually the girl's cousin; she had confused his name with another student. It was cute to here how the girl loved Jim and accepted him as family despite his skin color, though. She never doubted for a second whether he was really family.
It was sad for me to see all of the segregation and unfairness that was going on in schools before, during, and even after the Civil Rights Act. Blacks didn't have a science lab, were not offered foreign language classes, and didn't even have a gym! This was shocking to me because of the, "separate, but equal" statement. This is separate but it is completely unequal. It broke my heart that 72% of disabled students were not even enrolled in public school. This made me want to cry because what is the definition of "disabled" in this statistic? A blind or deaf student is considered disabled; students with physical differences are considered disabled. Many of these students who were not enrolled in school might have had so much potential, yet they were not attending school. It chokes me up.
I liked that in the episode it said that school was the place to bring down segregation in America. I agree with this because what students are introduced to and learn at a young age is what sticks with them. This is why we see so much propaganda hidden in shows intended for young audiences. If students are encouraged to interact with people of different races, religions, nationalities, etc, then they will not only learn to "tolerate" the differences of their peers, but these differences will not be as apparent to children. A teacher told me an adorable story about how one of her students had said that a boy in the neighboring class (we'll call him Jim) was her cousin. The teacher met the girl's cousin and he was an African American boy. At the time there was not a lot of diversity in the area. This boy was not actually the girl's cousin; she had confused his name with another student. It was cute to here how the girl loved Jim and accepted him as family despite his skin color, though. She never doubted for a second whether he was really family.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Engagement
I found that the title of this chapter was a little strange. I expected the stories in this chapter to all be about how teachers were able to get their students involved and interested in their academics. Some of the stories, however, had to do with discrimination and the hardships that students felt. The story about the girl who was not given the part in the play because of her color was very heartbreaking. I wonder if maybe the title has more to do with the teachers than the students. The teachers in this chapter all seem to become interested and a part of the students lives, at least the part of their lives that are troubled. The teacher might need to be as engaged in their students as they would like the students to be in their school work.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
PBS Episode 2
Having some knowledge of a second language has always been a proud accomplishment of mine. I thought it was incredibly sad that so many immigrants were both physically and verbally punished for speaking their native language rather than English when they first attended schools in America. One of the reasons I would like to move out West is so that I don't lose my second language and can strengthen my ability to read, write, speak, and understand the language. It's funny to me because there has been a lot of research that proves that students learn English more easily if there continue to use and learn about their own native language. If a student understands their own language more, then they are more likely to learn a new one. I wasn't surprised that the Germans were the people who tried to keep their language alive.
The SATs have always annoyed me. In the psyche course that all Secondary Ed. majors are required to take I learned that the SATs and early standardized tests are culturally and gender biased. The PBS movie made the same claim, so there must be strong evidence to support this. I think that it would be nearly impossible to create a standardized test that WAS NOT biased in one way or another. The knowledge that one gains varies depending on so many factors, such as what kind of family he/she is a part of, the type of school he/she attended, and even his/her interests. Test anxiety makes standardized tests a nightmare for poor test takers. My husband is a very poor test taker because he second, third, and fourth guesses himself. He had to take the written driver's permit test multiple times before passing. Strangely, the time that he passed was when he did not concentrate as hard on the test. He only had to take the driving test once, though. He knows all of the laws and details of driving, but when he takes a test even the language sometimes confuses and frustrates him.
I think that when I begin teaching that I will try to use both tests and varies projects to assess my students. Depending on the class, I might decide to give either more tests or more projects. Some students perform very well on tests and I would not want to give those students a disadvantage, either. I might even be able to give students a choice in how they are assessed. By this I mean let them decide to either complete a project or take a test to be graded on a unit.
The SATs have always annoyed me. In the psyche course that all Secondary Ed. majors are required to take I learned that the SATs and early standardized tests are culturally and gender biased. The PBS movie made the same claim, so there must be strong evidence to support this. I think that it would be nearly impossible to create a standardized test that WAS NOT biased in one way or another. The knowledge that one gains varies depending on so many factors, such as what kind of family he/she is a part of, the type of school he/she attended, and even his/her interests. Test anxiety makes standardized tests a nightmare for poor test takers. My husband is a very poor test taker because he second, third, and fourth guesses himself. He had to take the written driver's permit test multiple times before passing. Strangely, the time that he passed was when he did not concentrate as hard on the test. He only had to take the driving test once, though. He knows all of the laws and details of driving, but when he takes a test even the language sometimes confuses and frustrates him.
I think that when I begin teaching that I will try to use both tests and varies projects to assess my students. Depending on the class, I might decide to give either more tests or more projects. Some students perform very well on tests and I would not want to give those students a disadvantage, either. I might even be able to give students a choice in how they are assessed. By this I mean let them decide to either complete a project or take a test to be graded on a unit.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Generations
Four different generations are now working together and this is causing problems. The older generations are so accustomed to younger workers doing what the elder workers did, no questions asked. The general attitudes between generations are significantly different and this can cause tension and arguments. The article has a nice little chart that explains each of the generations. I found it interesting that for a veteran if someone says that something needs to be done, they interpret the sentence as a command while a person of the Generation X will only hear it as an observation.
I have seen sticky situations among the different generations first hand. At my job, I am the assistant manager. I am also one of the youngest workers. Often I can tell that the older crew members think that they know better than me and that they should be treated differently from the younger crew members. We base our scheduling on performance and overall attitudes, not on age, and in the past I've had the older crew members complain to me that the youngsters “do not need/deserve” the hours that they were getting. I hope that where ever I may end up getting a teaching position that I can find ways to compromise with the older generations when there is an argument or conflict of opinion. I think the generations can actually learn quite a bit from one another and they are all willing to at least get along and be respectable.
I have seen sticky situations among the different generations first hand. At my job, I am the assistant manager. I am also one of the youngest workers. Often I can tell that the older crew members think that they know better than me and that they should be treated differently from the younger crew members. We base our scheduling on performance and overall attitudes, not on age, and in the past I've had the older crew members complain to me that the youngsters “do not need/deserve” the hours that they were getting. I hope that where ever I may end up getting a teaching position that I can find ways to compromise with the older generations when there is an argument or conflict of opinion. I think the generations can actually learn quite a bit from one another and they are all willing to at least get along and be respectable.
Challenges
I found it difficult to read some of the sections of this chapter. Some of the stories were extremely heartbreaking and upsetting, but what is most upsetting is that the stories are based on truth. One problem I had when I read this chapter is that we were always told to not be friends with our students, but I noticed that a lot of the teachers were playing the friend role in some of the stories. So, is it okay to give a student a hug when they are having a rough time? With all of the crazy business of sexual harassment between students and teachers in the new I feel like even hugging a student is risky business. I do agree that sending a student to counseling or something can be offensive to a student and actually might either make their issue(s) worse or simply not help at all.
When I was in high school, a teacher (I never did find out who) "recommended" me for this club that met once a week in the guidance office to talk about their problems. The point of the group was to allow students to all talk about their problems and help one each other (with the supervision of a professional). I felt a little insulted that a teacher went over me and told some stranger that I seemed like a "troubled" teenager and could use some help. I didn't feel like I needed help and also though that maybe there were other students who either wanted the help or did really need it who were not "recommended." Honestly, I think that the only reason the teacher tried to get me involved with this group because of the way I dressed and the fact that I was new to the high school. There were plenty of students who dressed nicely and more like the norm who were horribly depressed and had a lot of personal issues. I, on the other hand, wasn't at risk. Financially my family and I had it a little rough for awhile, but I really didn't feel like talking to strangers about my problems. A teacher shouldn't make assumptions about a student based on their appearance.
When I was in high school, a teacher (I never did find out who) "recommended" me for this club that met once a week in the guidance office to talk about their problems. The point of the group was to allow students to all talk about their problems and help one each other (with the supervision of a professional). I felt a little insulted that a teacher went over me and told some stranger that I seemed like a "troubled" teenager and could use some help. I didn't feel like I needed help and also though that maybe there were other students who either wanted the help or did really need it who were not "recommended." Honestly, I think that the only reason the teacher tried to get me involved with this group because of the way I dressed and the fact that I was new to the high school. There were plenty of students who dressed nicely and more like the norm who were horribly depressed and had a lot of personal issues. I, on the other hand, wasn't at risk. Financially my family and I had it a little rough for awhile, but I really didn't feel like talking to strangers about my problems. A teacher shouldn't make assumptions about a student based on their appearance.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Anticipation
I feel much better about my concerns about teaching having begun Teaching Hope. It was a relief to read stories from a group of very different teachers with different situations. The story about the teacher who lost his father actually caused me to get a little emotional, especially when I reached the end when the teacher found a card on his desk from all of the students and staff. There are plenty of people who do are about teachers, but at the same time I understand that good people often times do not get a direct recognition for their hard work and dedication.
The first section of the book made me realize that I think that I would like to teach at a multicultural school. I feel that I could learn so much from students who are of a very different background than my own and I would like to try to help those students. The story about the boy from Brazil who taught his classmates to dance was incredible. I have taken a total of 6 years of Spanish and I am afraid that I will lose this language if I do not practice it. My husband and I have been talking about moving out to Colorado and I understand that 12% of the population speaks Spanish. At first I was a little nervous about trying to find a teaching job in Colorado because of the high percentage of Spanish speakers, but not it excites me.
I think I will always have some kind of anxiety/nervousness about teaching, even after years of experience. These stories remind me that I will make it through as long as I remember that the students will suffer if I do not try my best.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Diversity
Over the summer I have been internally debating whether or not to have the students in all of my classes fill out learning inventories. This seemed like a good way of getting to know the students a little more as well as what kind of learners are in each classroom. After reading this article I have decided that I will ask every student of mine to fill out one or more learning inventory. There might be a classroom with mostly students who would benefit the most from project based assessment while another class is primarily test takers. I would like to get to know all of my students in one way or another so that I can do my best to find out how I can help each individual reach their potential in the classroom. The only way to do this is by getting to know the students.
I understand that it is extremely important to use a variety of methods and approaches when teaching. In the article, Guild says that “using the best of a variety of approaches benefits many learners.” Some teaching methods are not going to work for certain groups, but they make work great for others. Until a teacher knows their students it will take much trial and error to decide which styles and methods to use for each group of students. The Thomas Armstrong quote that was used really pleased me because I have always personally thought that children (and adults) are being over prescribed. If a child is being hyper or disruptive, adults in this day tend to think that medication will solve the problem. Kids have energy and some of them need to use it.
I understand that it is extremely important to use a variety of methods and approaches when teaching. In the article, Guild says that “using the best of a variety of approaches benefits many learners.” Some teaching methods are not going to work for certain groups, but they make work great for others. Until a teacher knows their students it will take much trial and error to decide which styles and methods to use for each group of students. The Thomas Armstrong quote that was used really pleased me because I have always personally thought that children (and adults) are being over prescribed. If a child is being hyper or disruptive, adults in this day tend to think that medication will solve the problem. Kids have energy and some of them need to use it.
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