Discipline
The last presentation grabbed my attention right away and made me want to listen to what was being said. I found the material interesting in many ways and I also wrote down a few notes that I will use later on in my teaching.
I found myself asking questions as I watched the presentation a second time. What types of discipline works best for what age groups? Does it even make a difference? When using extrinsic rewards to help students follow rules, when should they be phased out to help the student move toward intrinsic motivation? I recognized right away when they mentioned that discipline and motivation go hand in hand. It makes perfect sense to use them together in a classroom.
The one thing that I did not know and that blows my mind is that corporal punishment is still legal in schools in just under half of the states. We are constantly trying to keep students from bullying each other, engaging in physical altercations on school grounds and generally treating each other with respect. And we don’t bother to eliminate a little law that says it is o.k. for the teachers to do to the students the very things we tell them not to do to each other. Freaky!
I feel like I will be using many different types of discipline in my classroom. The choice theory based on needs reflects nicely some of the beliefs of the special education system. Assertive discipline may be necessary for a few of my students that have already seen it all and do not respond well to anything else. Discipline with Dignity is great as the students feel a sense of control over their actions and the outcome of those actions that they may not have previously experienced. It can help to build a trust between a student and a teacher. Conflict resolution or peer mediation, I do not see me being able t use this type in my classroom, however it may be a good technique to use school wide.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Secret Sauce
Ms. G’s Secret Sauce.
I enjoyed reading the excerpts from the Freedom Writers Diary as well as looking at the way they tied in with the ingredients listed in the jar. I think it would be interesting to compare both of these to UMF’s teaching standards. Some of the ingredients on the list closely correlate to the 10 standards, I find this highly intriguing. The one that I wanted to read was #1 Believe in your students. My reasons…
I am going to be teaching at the middle school level and teaching special education. In some cases I will have gifted students that will want to go beyond the “Maine Standards realm” and they will need a strong supporter that will not try and hold them back or tell them that they have already done enough. I will need to believe in that student to be able to challenge them accordingly. In other cases I will have students that have given up on themselves and know that most of the other teachers have given up on them as well. For these students I will not only believe in them but encourage them to believe in themselves. This will be a challenge; however I feel that I am up for it as I believe that everyone has a natural ability that no one else has, and by finding and building on this I can build confidence in my students. Being confident in you is the first step in believing in yourself.
We can all encourage our students to do what we ask but showing them that they already know something and encouraging them to want to know more is very powerful.
I enjoyed reading the excerpts from the Freedom Writers Diary as well as looking at the way they tied in with the ingredients listed in the jar. I think it would be interesting to compare both of these to UMF’s teaching standards. Some of the ingredients on the list closely correlate to the 10 standards, I find this highly intriguing. The one that I wanted to read was #1 Believe in your students. My reasons…
I am going to be teaching at the middle school level and teaching special education. In some cases I will have gifted students that will want to go beyond the “Maine Standards realm” and they will need a strong supporter that will not try and hold them back or tell them that they have already done enough. I will need to believe in that student to be able to challenge them accordingly. In other cases I will have students that have given up on themselves and know that most of the other teachers have given up on them as well. For these students I will not only believe in them but encourage them to believe in themselves. This will be a challenge; however I feel that I am up for it as I believe that everyone has a natural ability that no one else has, and by finding and building on this I can build confidence in my students. Being confident in you is the first step in believing in yourself.
We can all encourage our students to do what we ask but showing them that they already know something and encouraging them to want to know more is very powerful.
Educational Issue
NCLB
My verdict is still out on this topic. The concept is ideal; however there seems to be several problems with the implementation of the ideal. It seems to me that in not leaving a child behind we have left whole schools behind instead.
The one thing that was not brought up in class was the “bar” or level that the Maine school districts have to meet. I have heard that it was set unrealistically high and that it has affected funding as schools often fail to meet it. I have also heard that Maine is behind when compared to other schools across the nation, is this because the other schools did not set their expectations as high or is it because we have truly dropped the ball? I hope we go into some of this more in depth in class.
The presentation was really good. I especially liked the activity we did on the board with the before and after knowledge. I feel however; that no matter how much we know about the subject our experiences that we have had with NCLB or will have with NCLB are going to greatly affect our opinions.
There were some good points brought up in class later on that had to do with accountability; the teachers seem to be held accountable for the performance of the schools instead of the community. By giving the teachers added paperwork and responsibility we have taken away their ability to be effective in the classroom. Any qualified psychologist will tell you not to take the job home with you as it will affect your home life (as we saw in Teach with Your Heart) so why do we constantly believe that it is the TEACHERS responsibility to teach everything from manners to knowledge as well as be accountable to the state for the performance of our schools? Obviously we will be taking work home with us or we will be setting up a cot in the gym.
I guess my conclusion is the more I know the more I don’t know.
My verdict is still out on this topic. The concept is ideal; however there seems to be several problems with the implementation of the ideal. It seems to me that in not leaving a child behind we have left whole schools behind instead.
The one thing that was not brought up in class was the “bar” or level that the Maine school districts have to meet. I have heard that it was set unrealistically high and that it has affected funding as schools often fail to meet it. I have also heard that Maine is behind when compared to other schools across the nation, is this because the other schools did not set their expectations as high or is it because we have truly dropped the ball? I hope we go into some of this more in depth in class.
The presentation was really good. I especially liked the activity we did on the board with the before and after knowledge. I feel however; that no matter how much we know about the subject our experiences that we have had with NCLB or will have with NCLB are going to greatly affect our opinions.
There were some good points brought up in class later on that had to do with accountability; the teachers seem to be held accountable for the performance of the schools instead of the community. By giving the teachers added paperwork and responsibility we have taken away their ability to be effective in the classroom. Any qualified psychologist will tell you not to take the job home with you as it will affect your home life (as we saw in Teach with Your Heart) so why do we constantly believe that it is the TEACHERS responsibility to teach everything from manners to knowledge as well as be accountable to the state for the performance of our schools? Obviously we will be taking work home with us or we will be setting up a cot in the gym.
I guess my conclusion is the more I know the more I don’t know.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Philosophy
Educational Theories
I leaned toward the Constructivism philosophy in that the students would be active learners who would construct their own frame of thought. Being a special education major my classes have often focused on how the brain works and the fact that not every student thinks the same way. This makes the constructivist philosophy more relevant for me than some of the others.
When my first group looked at Humanism, it was stated that the aspect of rejecting a group was not readily agreed with. I however was able to share some thoughts on that with a classmate and I felt that the word was not meant to mean small intimate groups of learners or even classrooms but to mean a large generic way of educating a larger population. Taken this way the humanism philosophy would be my close second as it focuses on the individual as special education does.
Every one of us has many facets to our personality, and when asked certain questions and given a multiple choice of answers to chose from we determine what educational theory best suits us. Or do we? I think that a lot more goes into our thought processes each time we answer a question. We may have different answers at different times of the day, our answers could very depending on our mood or even on what kind of day we are having.
Getting to know who we are as people is an ever developing and changing process. That being said…
I fell into the student centered theories. I do believe that I am more “student centered” than “teacher centered” as I feel that as a teacher and as an adult one should be able to handle themselves and their classroom without thinking about it. It should be one of those things that comes naturally, keeping a safe and effective, nurturing environment is a given in my mind. The student is the biggest variable in the equation. My career focuses more on the variable than on the whole equation, therefore my outcome was somewhat expected. Was my outcome determined by my education background or by my personal choices? I would like to think that my personal choices determined my educational path so that they both had an effect on the questions that I answered and the overall outcome.
In class we also discussed that it is necessary to shift from the student centered philosophies to the teacher centered when safety becomes an issue. I can see this happening frequently in the Gen. Ed. Classroom with a multiple of students and personalities in one room. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have two different teaching styles in one room. Co-teaching with a special educator and a General Education teacher would be the ideal for me and my personal philosophy and teaching style.
I leaned toward the Constructivism philosophy in that the students would be active learners who would construct their own frame of thought. Being a special education major my classes have often focused on how the brain works and the fact that not every student thinks the same way. This makes the constructivist philosophy more relevant for me than some of the others.
When my first group looked at Humanism, it was stated that the aspect of rejecting a group was not readily agreed with. I however was able to share some thoughts on that with a classmate and I felt that the word was not meant to mean small intimate groups of learners or even classrooms but to mean a large generic way of educating a larger population. Taken this way the humanism philosophy would be my close second as it focuses on the individual as special education does.
Every one of us has many facets to our personality, and when asked certain questions and given a multiple choice of answers to chose from we determine what educational theory best suits us. Or do we? I think that a lot more goes into our thought processes each time we answer a question. We may have different answers at different times of the day, our answers could very depending on our mood or even on what kind of day we are having.
Getting to know who we are as people is an ever developing and changing process. That being said…
I fell into the student centered theories. I do believe that I am more “student centered” than “teacher centered” as I feel that as a teacher and as an adult one should be able to handle themselves and their classroom without thinking about it. It should be one of those things that comes naturally, keeping a safe and effective, nurturing environment is a given in my mind. The student is the biggest variable in the equation. My career focuses more on the variable than on the whole equation, therefore my outcome was somewhat expected. Was my outcome determined by my education background or by my personal choices? I would like to think that my personal choices determined my educational path so that they both had an effect on the questions that I answered and the overall outcome.
In class we also discussed that it is necessary to shift from the student centered philosophies to the teacher centered when safety becomes an issue. I can see this happening frequently in the Gen. Ed. Classroom with a multiple of students and personalities in one room. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have two different teaching styles in one room. Co-teaching with a special educator and a General Education teacher would be the ideal for me and my personal philosophy and teaching style.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
philosophy
Philosophers
I relate strongly to Dewy as a philosopher. I love the idea of learning by doing. I believe that getting in there and actually trying or doing something helps a student to remember it better. I also would like to create a learning environment in which my students can have a meaningful relationship with learning. This goes back to helping students make a personal connection to the curriculum they are studying. I would also like to be involved in teaching my students life skills that they can use as adults in society.
There were other philosophers that I identified with but mostly pieces of their philosophies and not their entire beliefs. Booker T. Washington thought the goal of education would lead to economic self-reliance. I feel that by being self-reliant a person feels better about themselves and their society. Mann believed that teachers need to be competent and taught how to teach. I feel strongly that a teacher can teach any subject as long as they are a good teacher and use their resources to find the knowledge and facts that they need to pass on to their students. These are just two of the examples of the pieces that I identified with.
I relate strongly to Dewy as a philosopher. I love the idea of learning by doing. I believe that getting in there and actually trying or doing something helps a student to remember it better. I also would like to create a learning environment in which my students can have a meaningful relationship with learning. This goes back to helping students make a personal connection to the curriculum they are studying. I would also like to be involved in teaching my students life skills that they can use as adults in society.
There were other philosophers that I identified with but mostly pieces of their philosophies and not their entire beliefs. Booker T. Washington thought the goal of education would lead to economic self-reliance. I feel that by being self-reliant a person feels better about themselves and their society. Mann believed that teachers need to be competent and taught how to teach. I feel strongly that a teacher can teach any subject as long as they are a good teacher and use their resources to find the knowledge and facts that they need to pass on to their students. These are just two of the examples of the pieces that I identified with.
Philosophy
Philosophy
We took a test in class to determine our philosophy style; I found out that I am a pragmatist. I do agree with most of the concepts of pragmatism such as truth is determined by function or consequences. I have very strong beliefs that education should be student centered. The curriculum should be engaging and involved. Students should also be able to relate to their curriculum on a personal level. I also fell that there should be a connection between the subjects or classes that the students attend so that they have a better understanding of how the subject matter relates to the world as a whole.
The teacher’s role for a pragmatist relates closely to what is expected of a teacher in my profession. I will be modeling different types of thought processes for my students to help them grasp overall concepts and encourage them to question their previous assumptions and knowledge. Often times in Special education it is a matter of directing the thought process in a different direction, one that the student can better understand and relate to as an individual.
As a teacher I want to bring back the why for my students. When a child is young and having new experiences every day and learning from them they are asking “Why?” They often do this as a constant repetition, which as adults and teachers we lose patience with. By bringing the why back I hope to encourage my students to want to explore and grater vast reams of knowledge to answer the why for them as an individual.
My second philosophy style was existentialism. I believe that the reason I related to this style is because an existentialist feels that every student is an individual that is capable of authentic and reasonable choices. By helping my students make the better choices and showing them that they can achieve their goals academically, I feel that they will succeed in life as well. I also identify with the more personal teacher-student relationship. I will have a better chance to get to know my individual students and interact with them as people. This will allow me to direct them toward the connection they need to make with their education as a life long learner.
We took a test in class to determine our philosophy style; I found out that I am a pragmatist. I do agree with most of the concepts of pragmatism such as truth is determined by function or consequences. I have very strong beliefs that education should be student centered. The curriculum should be engaging and involved. Students should also be able to relate to their curriculum on a personal level. I also fell that there should be a connection between the subjects or classes that the students attend so that they have a better understanding of how the subject matter relates to the world as a whole.
The teacher’s role for a pragmatist relates closely to what is expected of a teacher in my profession. I will be modeling different types of thought processes for my students to help them grasp overall concepts and encourage them to question their previous assumptions and knowledge. Often times in Special education it is a matter of directing the thought process in a different direction, one that the student can better understand and relate to as an individual.
As a teacher I want to bring back the why for my students. When a child is young and having new experiences every day and learning from them they are asking “Why?” They often do this as a constant repetition, which as adults and teachers we lose patience with. By bringing the why back I hope to encourage my students to want to explore and grater vast reams of knowledge to answer the why for them as an individual.
My second philosophy style was existentialism. I believe that the reason I related to this style is because an existentialist feels that every student is an individual that is capable of authentic and reasonable choices. By helping my students make the better choices and showing them that they can achieve their goals academically, I feel that they will succeed in life as well. I also identify with the more personal teacher-student relationship. I will have a better chance to get to know my individual students and interact with them as people. This will allow me to direct them toward the connection they need to make with their education as a life long learner.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Experiential Education
Experiential Education
I liked the presentation and though that Megan and Michael did a great job considering that they had technological glitches. The activity was interesting in that no one took offence to the suggestions that were made to their individual “lesson plans”. I liked that they described involving students in education as rational logical thought. By incorporating the student’s experiences in the educational process the students are able to relate the material to their own lives and are more apt to take ownership of their education.
I noticed that some of the comments made to the “lessons” provided ways to bring in other aspects of education, such as adding a history element to a science lesson or adding a music element to a writing lesson. Students can benefit from these ideas as they will be able to make connections to other classes as well as connections to their own experiences if for example they have no connection to science the history aspect can give them the connection they need.
They mentioned people such as Kant, Erickson and Dewy which I am familiar with. I have actually done some classes on experiential learning and often bring that aspect of my own experiences into the learning process. I relate the BLOGs to the ELC (experiential learning cycles) as we get information, and experience it as well as reflect in the process and what we have learned from the experience.
They mentioned two references that I will investigate further on my own, One being a book by KOLB and the other being FOXFIRE. I am going to take advantages of the links provided on the wiki also.
I have to say that the presentation was informative was well done. They not only told us what experiential learning was they let us experience it first hand. Great job.
I liked the presentation and though that Megan and Michael did a great job considering that they had technological glitches. The activity was interesting in that no one took offence to the suggestions that were made to their individual “lesson plans”. I liked that they described involving students in education as rational logical thought. By incorporating the student’s experiences in the educational process the students are able to relate the material to their own lives and are more apt to take ownership of their education.
I noticed that some of the comments made to the “lessons” provided ways to bring in other aspects of education, such as adding a history element to a science lesson or adding a music element to a writing lesson. Students can benefit from these ideas as they will be able to make connections to other classes as well as connections to their own experiences if for example they have no connection to science the history aspect can give them the connection they need.
They mentioned people such as Kant, Erickson and Dewy which I am familiar with. I have actually done some classes on experiential learning and often bring that aspect of my own experiences into the learning process. I relate the BLOGs to the ELC (experiential learning cycles) as we get information, and experience it as well as reflect in the process and what we have learned from the experience.
They mentioned two references that I will investigate further on my own, One being a book by KOLB and the other being FOXFIRE. I am going to take advantages of the links provided on the wiki also.
I have to say that the presentation was informative was well done. They not only told us what experiential learning was they let us experience it first hand. Great job.
Motivation
Motivation
I really enjoyed the presentation by Sean and Tyler. The quiz on what type of teacher you are was fun and informative.
They mentioned differentiated learning in the presentation also which I was very interested in. Some of the key aspects like keeping students curious, designing lessons around students interests I felt crossed with integrated curriculum to some extent. I also related it to the types of things that Erin did in Teach With Your Heart. They also mentioned that multiple intelligence tests can give the teacher a better understanding of the students and what types of teaching would best benefit them.
I especially liked the Low Slow Soft description that they gave. It is a wonderful classroom management technique. It is also a great way to gain students respect as they will notice that you are not dictating, or “yelling at them” all the time and they will in turn incorporate the same type of voice for their responses. It makes a great classroom atmosphere.
I had a few questions; one was how, when having several different types of students in the classroom, would you motivate the entire class? Would you be able to motivate them all at once? Second for those students with special needs that have difficulty making decisions and choices how would you give choices that always benefited the education process? Would you be able to give them the same choices as other students, and would they take ownership of those choices and become intrinsically motivated?
I really enjoyed the presentation by Sean and Tyler. The quiz on what type of teacher you are was fun and informative.
They mentioned differentiated learning in the presentation also which I was very interested in. Some of the key aspects like keeping students curious, designing lessons around students interests I felt crossed with integrated curriculum to some extent. I also related it to the types of things that Erin did in Teach With Your Heart. They also mentioned that multiple intelligence tests can give the teacher a better understanding of the students and what types of teaching would best benefit them.
I especially liked the Low Slow Soft description that they gave. It is a wonderful classroom management technique. It is also a great way to gain students respect as they will notice that you are not dictating, or “yelling at them” all the time and they will in turn incorporate the same type of voice for their responses. It makes a great classroom atmosphere.
I had a few questions; one was how, when having several different types of students in the classroom, would you motivate the entire class? Would you be able to motivate them all at once? Second for those students with special needs that have difficulty making decisions and choices how would you give choices that always benefited the education process? Would you be able to give them the same choices as other students, and would they take ownership of those choices and become intrinsically motivated?
Teach With Yur Heart
Teach With Your heart
We have completed the book and discussed it in class. I however do not feel that the story is complete. As we had discussed the last time in class some of us want to know what is happening to the students and to Erin today.
Erin is away at a speaking engagement when she gets the news that her dad has passed away. It took this major event for her to realize how much she had missed or given up for her teaching and for her students. I often wondered throughout the book if she was using her students to replace the solidarity she felt at home. Perhaps the connection she made with her student was made so powerful and was accomplished as easily as it was, as she herself felt as if she did not belong anywhere. She received no support from her colleagues or her husband and at first even her dad cautioned her.
Her dad became a great strength for Erin to rely on that she did not think would ever not be there. She continued to drive herself and did not deal with many personal issues at all. It was mentioned in class that there needs to be balance between ones personal life and their professional life. Some students identified with Erin as they see themselves not as a workaholic but as someone who works to cope with other stresses in their lives. I personally think that it easier to achieve balance in a relationship/job aspect after one or the other has mature. I do not think that having a new career and a new marriage or relationship blend well together. If having a career is important to you there is a chance that you will neglect the relationship and grow apart instead of together. If having a good relationship is important that your career may be neglected and not progress as you had envisioned. Erin gave up a lot in her life however she may have found the stability in her career so that now she can give a little more attention to the personal aspects of her life.
I found it interesting that in class we were judging Erin and her life as well as her book and the part of the importance of the book was that we should not judge people as it shows prejudices. Over all I liked the book, it was not however something that I would seek out to read. Due to my concentration (Special Education) I have read more books about abuse and cultural differences that actual diversity in the classroom. I will definitely take different aspects of this book and put them to use in my career.
We have completed the book and discussed it in class. I however do not feel that the story is complete. As we had discussed the last time in class some of us want to know what is happening to the students and to Erin today.
Erin is away at a speaking engagement when she gets the news that her dad has passed away. It took this major event for her to realize how much she had missed or given up for her teaching and for her students. I often wondered throughout the book if she was using her students to replace the solidarity she felt at home. Perhaps the connection she made with her student was made so powerful and was accomplished as easily as it was, as she herself felt as if she did not belong anywhere. She received no support from her colleagues or her husband and at first even her dad cautioned her.
Her dad became a great strength for Erin to rely on that she did not think would ever not be there. She continued to drive herself and did not deal with many personal issues at all. It was mentioned in class that there needs to be balance between ones personal life and their professional life. Some students identified with Erin as they see themselves not as a workaholic but as someone who works to cope with other stresses in their lives. I personally think that it easier to achieve balance in a relationship/job aspect after one or the other has mature. I do not think that having a new career and a new marriage or relationship blend well together. If having a career is important to you there is a chance that you will neglect the relationship and grow apart instead of together. If having a good relationship is important that your career may be neglected and not progress as you had envisioned. Erin gave up a lot in her life however she may have found the stability in her career so that now she can give a little more attention to the personal aspects of her life.
I found it interesting that in class we were judging Erin and her life as well as her book and the part of the importance of the book was that we should not judge people as it shows prejudices. Over all I liked the book, it was not however something that I would seek out to read. Due to my concentration (Special Education) I have read more books about abuse and cultural differences that actual diversity in the classroom. I will definitely take different aspects of this book and put them to use in my career.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Article Nation At Risk
What is happening today?
NATION AT RISK
This article addressed issues in education. It sated that there needed to be changes if we were to compete with other countries in world markets. Some of the key phrases were “Commit to life long learning” “improve the preparation for teachers” and”make education competitive”. Because of this new stand in education (20 years ago) standards were introduced. It has taken the nation’s education system the 20 years to catch up with some of the suggestions in the article and we still have not accomplished all that we should have. In order to retain the power and influence the United States holds we need to improve our educational system. As the article pointed out education should take priority with national defense and social security.
Some comments made about the article suggested that it was more of a political statement or a way of pointing blame away from the current administration. It was also stated the article seeks to equate educational reform with American Superiority. The youth of today has improved from those of the past. It seems that no one is reporting the good or the accomplishments made in the field of education.
Grades were mentioned also, there is always a need to measure the accomplishments of a student, a school, or a system; however grades should not reflect the entire aspect of education, achievement or ability. If we have to be competitive with or better than other countries perhaps we should adopt their standards, just a thought.
Life long learning is a statement that we all seemed to agree with, we discussed ways that that might be accomplished. Treating each experience a as chance to learn, show students that learning does not have to be regulated to a classroom, getting parents involved in motivating students, and encouraging students to always keep their minds open.
NATION AT RISK
This article addressed issues in education. It sated that there needed to be changes if we were to compete with other countries in world markets. Some of the key phrases were “Commit to life long learning” “improve the preparation for teachers” and”make education competitive”. Because of this new stand in education (20 years ago) standards were introduced. It has taken the nation’s education system the 20 years to catch up with some of the suggestions in the article and we still have not accomplished all that we should have. In order to retain the power and influence the United States holds we need to improve our educational system. As the article pointed out education should take priority with national defense and social security.
Some comments made about the article suggested that it was more of a political statement or a way of pointing blame away from the current administration. It was also stated the article seeks to equate educational reform with American Superiority. The youth of today has improved from those of the past. It seems that no one is reporting the good or the accomplishments made in the field of education.
Grades were mentioned also, there is always a need to measure the accomplishments of a student, a school, or a system; however grades should not reflect the entire aspect of education, achievement or ability. If we have to be competitive with or better than other countries perhaps we should adopt their standards, just a thought.
Life long learning is a statement that we all seemed to agree with, we discussed ways that that might be accomplished. Treating each experience a as chance to learn, show students that learning does not have to be regulated to a classroom, getting parents involved in motivating students, and encouraging students to always keep their minds open.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Promising Futures
Promising Futures
I liked the book, it was an easy read and even easier to agree with. I thought the snapshots were fluff and not something we will see every day in our teaching. Promising Futures is laid out by fifteen steps and I was wondering if every school that becomes or is a promising future school adheres to those steps, or do they get to adjust if necessary? The Maine Learning Results and the Maine standards for curriculum can be rolled into these steps quite easily; I am assuming that they were intending it to be that way. It only makes sense to do it that way because of NCLB and schools being held to meeting the standards. Implementing a step plan that is easy to follow and is almost ideal in how a school can achieve its goals would make it much easier.
I am not sure how I feel about “study hall or not” some students do actually benefit from it. There are those students that are mature enough to know how to use time wisely. I was not one of those students however I did use my study hall to socialize some which was and is an important aspect of education. We seem to forget that some people need others to relate to and a free period during the school day may be the only place some students get to do that. Taking that away from some students may cause more behavioral and academic problems for them. I would like to see the teachers become more involved with the students in developing what would work best for each school. It may be that some students have a game or social period and others have a work or tutor period.
I feel that there are going to be more promising future schools in the near future (funny). I feel that they are necessary and fit in well with the current trends of collaboration and curriculum integration. I am going to refer back to this book often in my teaching career. It has good information and good ideas that I can use, and it gives a quicker understanding of the principles set by the Maine Education Commission.
I liked the book, it was an easy read and even easier to agree with. I thought the snapshots were fluff and not something we will see every day in our teaching. Promising Futures is laid out by fifteen steps and I was wondering if every school that becomes or is a promising future school adheres to those steps, or do they get to adjust if necessary? The Maine Learning Results and the Maine standards for curriculum can be rolled into these steps quite easily; I am assuming that they were intending it to be that way. It only makes sense to do it that way because of NCLB and schools being held to meeting the standards. Implementing a step plan that is easy to follow and is almost ideal in how a school can achieve its goals would make it much easier.
I am not sure how I feel about “study hall or not” some students do actually benefit from it. There are those students that are mature enough to know how to use time wisely. I was not one of those students however I did use my study hall to socialize some which was and is an important aspect of education. We seem to forget that some people need others to relate to and a free period during the school day may be the only place some students get to do that. Taking that away from some students may cause more behavioral and academic problems for them. I would like to see the teachers become more involved with the students in developing what would work best for each school. It may be that some students have a game or social period and others have a work or tutor period.
I feel that there are going to be more promising future schools in the near future (funny). I feel that they are necessary and fit in well with the current trends of collaboration and curriculum integration. I am going to refer back to this book often in my teaching career. It has good information and good ideas that I can use, and it gives a quicker understanding of the principles set by the Maine Education Commission.
TWYH
TYWH
So Erin has finally gotten a divorce. As we all saw her husband never really understood her dedication to her students and did not give her he support the she deserved. I can relate to that on some level; I am POSITIVE WITHOUT A DOUBT that everyone can learn they just have to be taught in a way that they can understand and relate to. My husband does not agree he feels that “those kids” shouldn’t be in the classroom with the other students. We have agreed to disagree; I have won him over quite a bit in the last four years. I’m not giving up hope.
The trip to Washington, was a slap in the face to Erin’s students they were disillusioned once again by prejudice. They had become such a tight group that they were able to overcome their disappointment and make a positive impact on their surroundings. They posted flyers over the swastikas and held a vigil. The whole trip was an emotional rollercoaster, including the arrival at home.
I personally felt like there was a setback, everything that this small group had accomplished and overcome and all the public is interested in is the current violent crime. Some people say we are becoming desensitized toward violence as we see so much of it in the world through the media. I want to know why we don’t celebrate the good with a new festival when it happens, as we never see it should be the biggest news story. Right?
The support the Erin gets from John Tu is amazing. I think what he gets from helping her class is more rewarding to him that they realize. I feel like he is warming his own heart by giving so much of it to those who would otherwise never know compassion and hope. Erin teaches with her heart and John Tu gives with his. I
I have recommended this book to several people including my book club. They all love it, and can’t wait to finish it.
So Erin has finally gotten a divorce. As we all saw her husband never really understood her dedication to her students and did not give her he support the she deserved. I can relate to that on some level; I am POSITIVE WITHOUT A DOUBT that everyone can learn they just have to be taught in a way that they can understand and relate to. My husband does not agree he feels that “those kids” shouldn’t be in the classroom with the other students. We have agreed to disagree; I have won him over quite a bit in the last four years. I’m not giving up hope.
The trip to Washington, was a slap in the face to Erin’s students they were disillusioned once again by prejudice. They had become such a tight group that they were able to overcome their disappointment and make a positive impact on their surroundings. They posted flyers over the swastikas and held a vigil. The whole trip was an emotional rollercoaster, including the arrival at home.
I personally felt like there was a setback, everything that this small group had accomplished and overcome and all the public is interested in is the current violent crime. Some people say we are becoming desensitized toward violence as we see so much of it in the world through the media. I want to know why we don’t celebrate the good with a new festival when it happens, as we never see it should be the biggest news story. Right?
The support the Erin gets from John Tu is amazing. I think what he gets from helping her class is more rewarding to him that they realize. I feel like he is warming his own heart by giving so much of it to those who would otherwise never know compassion and hope. Erin teaches with her heart and John Tu gives with his. I
I have recommended this book to several people including my book club. They all love it, and can’t wait to finish it.
Multicultural Education
Multicultural Education
What is culture? That question is often answered by referring to someone’s ethnic background; I liked the fact the Stacy and Chelsea included, race, age, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and religion. It always seems to me that there is too much focus on one aspect of multicultural education and little is said about others. I often get tired of teachers and adults in the community; like those in the video we watched, telling our students that they need to be tolerant of others and accept them for who they are but when something makes them uncomfortable they simply try to eradicate from their schools. It would be nice if they remembered that the schools are for the students and they are the ones that need to be comfortable.
I noticed that Stacy and Chelsea pointed out that visual judgment should be kept out of teaching. I thought that was a powerful statement. It has been around for a long time and said many ways, such as you can’t judge a book by its cover. I feel that in schools today there is more pressure from the adults to put on a book cover so that the students all fit into a mold of the teachers choosing. In my teaching I will encounter students who have broken the mold so to speak and I am looking forward to seeing just what is written on the inside pages of each of their individual books.
I wish there was more information on assessment, testing, and evaluating a student’s performance appropriately and doing these while being culturally sensitive to all the cultures. I feel like there will always be something left unchecked or misunderstood by some one no matter how hard we try. Going into Special Education I will be noting AYP for all my students so this could directly affect my profession. I will keep a close watch on the changes when they come.
The presentation was engaging, informative, interesting and enlightening. Chelsea and Stacy did a great job and worked well as a team. I learned several things that I will bring into my teaching. The most important one is the “no visual judgment”.
What is culture? That question is often answered by referring to someone’s ethnic background; I liked the fact the Stacy and Chelsea included, race, age, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and religion. It always seems to me that there is too much focus on one aspect of multicultural education and little is said about others. I often get tired of teachers and adults in the community; like those in the video we watched, telling our students that they need to be tolerant of others and accept them for who they are but when something makes them uncomfortable they simply try to eradicate from their schools. It would be nice if they remembered that the schools are for the students and they are the ones that need to be comfortable.
I noticed that Stacy and Chelsea pointed out that visual judgment should be kept out of teaching. I thought that was a powerful statement. It has been around for a long time and said many ways, such as you can’t judge a book by its cover. I feel that in schools today there is more pressure from the adults to put on a book cover so that the students all fit into a mold of the teachers choosing. In my teaching I will encounter students who have broken the mold so to speak and I am looking forward to seeing just what is written on the inside pages of each of their individual books.
I wish there was more information on assessment, testing, and evaluating a student’s performance appropriately and doing these while being culturally sensitive to all the cultures. I feel like there will always be something left unchecked or misunderstood by some one no matter how hard we try. Going into Special Education I will be noting AYP for all my students so this could directly affect my profession. I will keep a close watch on the changes when they come.
The presentation was engaging, informative, interesting and enlightening. Chelsea and Stacy did a great job and worked well as a team. I learned several things that I will bring into my teaching. The most important one is the “no visual judgment”.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
TWYH
TYWH
“STUFF” happened in the life of Tommy that made me think of two incidents at the local school where my children graduated. First I got a phone call asking “Why isn’t Brad in School? Is he afraid to come to school and has he mentioned any thing to you about an altercation?” I was clueless…. It would seem that my son stepped in to defend someone and the other person took great offense and threatened him with a gun. My son never mentioned it. He was on a snowmobile trip with his dad when I got the call; he didn’t mention it because he did not take the kid seriously. That was just 7 years ago.
It opened my eyes real fast, it seemed like every year it got worse and I just wanted my kids to graduate. I think that is how Mrs. G felt; she wanted them to excel but also to have a way out and an end to their own personal war. By showing them that they were as smart and as valuable as everyone else she gave them the desire to push through the hardships.
Her new connection to the parents of her students was amazing. I feel like the parents felt like someone finally cared about their children as much as they did and it gave them a new purpose and a renewed hope for the future. The pride that the parents have in their children only reinforces what Mrs. G. is trying to accomplish in her teaching.
I am a little jealous of Mrs. G.’s students with all the famous people that they get to meet, and field trips they have as well as all the celebrating. I am looking forward to re-reading the next section.
“STUFF” happened in the life of Tommy that made me think of two incidents at the local school where my children graduated. First I got a phone call asking “Why isn’t Brad in School? Is he afraid to come to school and has he mentioned any thing to you about an altercation?” I was clueless…. It would seem that my son stepped in to defend someone and the other person took great offense and threatened him with a gun. My son never mentioned it. He was on a snowmobile trip with his dad when I got the call; he didn’t mention it because he did not take the kid seriously. That was just 7 years ago.
It opened my eyes real fast, it seemed like every year it got worse and I just wanted my kids to graduate. I think that is how Mrs. G felt; she wanted them to excel but also to have a way out and an end to their own personal war. By showing them that they were as smart and as valuable as everyone else she gave them the desire to push through the hardships.
Her new connection to the parents of her students was amazing. I feel like the parents felt like someone finally cared about their children as much as they did and it gave them a new purpose and a renewed hope for the future. The pride that the parents have in their children only reinforces what Mrs. G. is trying to accomplish in her teaching.
I am a little jealous of Mrs. G.’s students with all the famous people that they get to meet, and field trips they have as well as all the celebrating. I am looking forward to re-reading the next section.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Entry #2
TYWH
“Mrs. G” helped her students even after they left her class. The dedication and caring she showed toward her students is rare today. She took them to meet people and visit places that they could not have imagined with another teacher. Her connections and her exposure through the media benefited her students both financially and psychologically. They received a sense of pride and belonging in the bigger picture. Before the only connection they had was with the violent world they braved each day.
The new students that come into “Mrs. G’s” room seat themselves in a “mirror image” of her previous class, by segregating themselves into groups. Initially she has trouble connecting with this group of students. There are several reasons that could be attributed to this. The fact that she is being more careful regarding her peers, she could be being more careful of the connection she is willing to make so she will not be hurt when they have to move on. I have to wonder if the reason was that she was treating them as she had her previous class. It took her a while to settle in and realize that they were not just like her previous students. Everything had turned out great with her other students, so I felt that she went forward without first making a connection. Once the connection was established she helped her students triumph over adversity and prejudice.
I’m still nervous about my interview.
“Mrs. G” helped her students even after they left her class. The dedication and caring she showed toward her students is rare today. She took them to meet people and visit places that they could not have imagined with another teacher. Her connections and her exposure through the media benefited her students both financially and psychologically. They received a sense of pride and belonging in the bigger picture. Before the only connection they had was with the violent world they braved each day.
The new students that come into “Mrs. G’s” room seat themselves in a “mirror image” of her previous class, by segregating themselves into groups. Initially she has trouble connecting with this group of students. There are several reasons that could be attributed to this. The fact that she is being more careful regarding her peers, she could be being more careful of the connection she is willing to make so she will not be hurt when they have to move on. I have to wonder if the reason was that she was treating them as she had her previous class. It took her a while to settle in and realize that they were not just like her previous students. Everything had turned out great with her other students, so I felt that she went forward without first making a connection. Once the connection was established she helped her students triumph over adversity and prejudice.
I’m still nervous about my interview.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Eileen Teaching With Your Heart
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Eileen Teaching with Your Heart
In the first few pages we are introduced to several important characters in the book. There are situations that "Mrs. G" calls teachable moments in which she gets to know more about her students as well as link the class material to actual life experiences that her students had. When reading these passages I felt like I was there. It reminded me of the times I spent in the resource room at my local school as a volunteer. There were moments when I would experience a flash of understanding between myself and the student I was working with. During these moments I would turn the material into terms that they would be able to relate to. The best feeling in the world comes when you see their face when the get what you are trying to teach them. When the “light bulb" goes off in there head you can actual see their face glow. Reading this book thus far has reinforced the reason that I wanted to work with special needs children. Being able to help children relate to education and actually see a value in it gives you a tremendous feeling. I see what "Mrs. G" sees in her students and I want very much for them to succeed and show everyone that they are worth the effort and time.
Posted by EILEEN at 5:31 PM 0 comments
Eileen Teaching with Your Heart
In the first few pages we are introduced to several important characters in the book. There are situations that "Mrs. G" calls teachable moments in which she gets to know more about her students as well as link the class material to actual life experiences that her students had. When reading these passages I felt like I was there. It reminded me of the times I spent in the resource room at my local school as a volunteer. There were moments when I would experience a flash of understanding between myself and the student I was working with. During these moments I would turn the material into terms that they would be able to relate to. The best feeling in the world comes when you see their face when the get what you are trying to teach them. When the “light bulb" goes off in there head you can actual see their face glow. Reading this book thus far has reinforced the reason that I wanted to work with special needs children. Being able to help children relate to education and actually see a value in it gives you a tremendous feeling. I see what "Mrs. G" sees in her students and I want very much for them to succeed and show everyone that they are worth the effort and time.
Posted by EILEEN at 5:31 PM 0 comments
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