No Child Left Behind/ Charter Schools

I really enjoyed this presentation, I thought it was very informative and provided great insight to both of these topics. It was interesting to see this presentation and then I watched the movie Waiting for Superman, which talk a lot about charter schools and how the information you guys presented correlated to the information presented in the movie. I really enjoyed the activity at the end when we got to create our own charter school, it was fun and helpful. Great presentation!

Reflection on Philosophy of Education

There are obviously many topics surrounding teaching and how to go about teaching a few of which I have reflected on through this post:

Classroom Organization: Part of my philosophy of education is that the teacher models skills of which students are striving for. Here, classroom organization is a skill which I would like to model for my students. Having things set up in an organized manner will allow my students to not only work more efficiently but will also show them how being organized helps build more success. This begins with a syllabus, organized folders for each class, etc.

Motivation: Math is one of those topics that you either love or absolutely hate. And it all comes down to "how will I use this when I grow older." Motivation is one topic I feel very strongly about. It is absolutely essential for students to feel connected to each topic, real world application is the key. With real world application, students can directly connect to the math being taught which will then hopefully motivate them.

Discipline: After hearing the presentation on discipline, I began to understand the importance of the difference between discipline and punishment. Instead of going straight to punishment, it is important for students as well as everyone else, to learn from mistakes. Students are going to misbehave, I sure did, that is inevitable, how you handle that misbehavior as a teacher can make or break a student. Providing discipline can allow students to learn what they did wrong and the most important step about discipline is providing a plan developed by both the teacher and student, to improve on that misbehavior so it does not happen again in the future.

Assessment: Assessment is one of those key topics we all like to discuss and work on but it's one of the hardest things about teaching. I would like to provide assessment that my students can connect to, not assessment where they just go through the motions. If I can connect assessment and motivation together, hopefully that will build more success because students will be able to show their skills better.

Classroom Climate: I'm not really familiar with classroom climate, can we discuss this in more detail during class.

Learning Focus: Most teachers emphasize content as the primary learning focus. Although I do value content greatly in my class, I think the overall learning focus needs to be on those "teachable moments." What are students really going to get out of my class? They're not going to remember the quadratic formula besides a select few, they're going to learn how to work with a diverse group of people and how to effectively collaborate with those diverse people.

Technology Integration: As the 21st century continues to produce new computers, ipods, cell phones, etc. we as teachers need to adapt to this change. Integrating such technology can engage students to different topics. With that being said, I think it's important that we work towards implementing technology into our classroom but not using it as a crutch. We need to find a balance that works towards this integration, but not over using technology where that becomes the primary focus.

Teacher and Leadership Style: As mentioned previously, I believe teachers should provide a model for which students to follow. I think it's important for teachers to demonstrate life skills that students can learn from. One of the most important aspects of being a teacher is the idea that everyone is still a learner. If teachers can portray this concept then it will allow students to see their teacher on a more personable level instead of an authoritative figure.

Educational Research Reflection

Overall, I really enjoyed researching this topic, it's something that I need the most work on. This research topic really allowed me to delve into assessment and how to decipher what is good assessment and what is bad assessment. The class seemed to enjoy our presentation; they thought it was very useful and informative which is good to know. A few people said they felt unprepared for the Title IV assessment pieces, which I can understand; however obviously if we were really giving an assessment on a topic we wouldn't do it a month after presenting the information, so the students should be well prepared. It was just an example of two different assessment pieces and how one was more effective than the other. As a group, I think we could have worked better. Rachel F. did the standardized testing piece while Rachel L. and myself worked on the rest of the presentation. I feel as though we could have collaborated better to do an even present the information more effectively. We all contributed to the project, however it was sporadic and not well organized. I would say that would be the biggest lesson I learned from this project. A few questions stemming from this project are how do I do more engaging assessments for testing math skills without using tests. I want my students to feel more connected with the assessments and hopefully that will lead to more success.

Voices

After reading the "Voices" article of numerous educational philosophies of pioneers of education, there were only a few that I really connected with. Many of the philosophies had pieces which I adhered with and connected to, however Pestalozzi's philosophy and Herbart's Philosophy were the two I liked the most. Pestalozzi really emphasized motivation and interest of students. He believed learning was stimulated by what interested the student. This obviously makes sense, the student will connect with what interests them the most. With that being said, there are plenty of different interests that go around, so it's important to teach a variety of ways and materials to hit upon all interests.

According to Herbart's philosophy, the purpose of education was to develop a "moral insight" and to "strengthen character". I believe this is what we would call teaching teachable moments. I think that's important, sometimes it's necessary to drop the content and focus on what the student will benefit the most from. Fostering an environment which adheres to this philosophy will build a community of strong intellectual people.

There was a third educational philosophy which I connected with and that was Dewey's. I liked this one a lot because the idea of growth, or the reconstruction of experience was central to Dewey's philosophy. Reconstructing experiences can only be done by actually experiencing. To do so, Dewey believed hands-on activity was key. This is something I completely agree with; learning by doing is essential.

Technology in the Classroom

Wow, what a conference. Every table provided internet resources that I could incorporate into my math classroom. Math games, teacher aids, student aids, etc. This was so unbelievably useful; I did not realize how much stuff was actually out there. Students can really enjoy many of the sites found and listed. It was presented in an organized, professional manner that made the presentation that much better. I will certainly delve more into the websites listed and become more familiar with them. The game websites incorporated tons of different math topics, and they provided games that were fun and interesting. Students can directly relate to these games, they're modern. This was great. It was certainly eyeopening and when we first began the discussion I was under the impression I could use technology appropriately and I felt comfortable with it, there's a lot more out there that I had no idea about.

Eight Theories

Essentialism: Essentialism is a teacher-centered theory that stresses formal discipline and focuses on producing good citizens. This theory reminds me of traditional school where teaching methods include reading, lectures, memorization, repetition and examination. The role of the students is that of a learner and the teacher is the one person best suited to provide instruction. The development of basic skills are very important in an essentialist classroom. Essentialism is closely related to both Idealism and Realism.
Behaviorism: Behaviorism is also a teacher-center theory which encompasses behavior derived from the environment. According to B.F. Skinner, human behavior is directly correlated to external stimuli. The teacher's job is to provide an environment which fosters good behavior. They do this by using both positive and negative reinforces. "Learning begins when the approved behavior is observed and then positively reinforced." (pg. 111) This theory is directly linked to realism.
Positivism: Positivism is a learning theory that is based on knowledge that is observable and measurable. Intuition, mind, and spirit are rejected. This is obviously closely related to realism. Direct instruction is the method used in a positivist classroom. This requires teachers to clearly and precisely deliver expectations and instructions which is what they believe is the best way for a student to learn.
Progressivism: Progressivism is a student-centered learning theory where the classroom is more of a democracy than a dictatorship. Here the teacher and students work together to make decisions. The main idea of this theory is the idea of experimentation. Students learning through doing according to a progressivist teacher. The learner must practice, experiment and learn how to think rather than what to think. This theory stresses the process rather than the result of learning. Student involvement is key in a progresssive classroom, however the teachers role is to facilitate the student's learning with organized instruction and activities. This is very much so a pragmatist philosophy.
Humanism: Humanism is an educational philosophy which focuses on the individual. Group work and cooperative learning is rejected and the learning should focus on each individual. It's a learning process which should focus directly on the student's feelings. It is linked with the existentialism philosophy where the individual learner is the target. Students interests and beliefs are what dictate what is taught, read, and learned. This philosophy fosters an environment of caring according to humanists.
Constructivism: Constructivism is a learning philosophy closely related to existentialism. However, this learning philosophy focuses on student learning by hands-on activities. This allows students to develop their own frames of thought which allows them to individually learn their own ways. A diverse way of teaching methods is highly encouraged in a constructivist classroom.
Perennialism: Perennialism focuses on student learning based on the great ideas of Western Civilization. The focus of this philosophy is to teach everlasting ideas, ideas that are never changing. It is a principle-based teaching method which encompasses lecture and a controlled discussion.
Reconstructionism: This learning philosophy is centered around social questions. It focuses on bringing change to society and creating more of a Utopian society. A reconstructivist classroom involves both teacher and student involvement. It cultivates an atmosphere which focuses on culture and its primary purpose is to better society with equal student involvement through discussion.


After researching these eight theories on education I've come to the conclusion that the one that best fits me is Progressivism. I love the idea of learning through experimentation. Learning by doing is one of the best ways to adopt new ideas and knowledge. As a future math teacher, it is so vitally important that my students understand the process rather than the conclusion/result of problem-solving. This philosophy greatly focuses on the process. Students learn best by posing their own questions and then analyzing those questions they want answered. I also like the idea of Humanism, however I believe group work and cooperative learning are some of the best ways to learn. Not to mention working with a diverse group of people really allows you to develop skills which you will need as you grow older and continue to work alongside others. The idea of Humanism which I like is the idea of hands-on activity. Student involvement is very important and if we as teachers can incorporate this into our classrooms, students will learn much better. They will be able to relate to the process by experimenting through hands-on activity.

Discipline/Classroom Management

I really enjoyed this presentation particularly because they outlined the difference between punishment and discipline. Most teachers and parents resort to punishment, and at times it is needed, however the importance of discipline is much greater and if we as teachers can provide discipline instead of punishment then our students will be much better off. I also really liked the scenarios given, I thought they prompted great problems that all teachers are likely faced with. After discussing the scenarios, I understood the importance of finding out why a student misbehaves, skips class, etc. Why being the key component to every solution, and to also involve the students in solution is helpful and beneficial. Their presentation was filled with useful facts and information on material widely discussed across the educational system. I like how they provided three different styles of classroom management, obviously the middle being the best. All in all, great presentation with great information.

Empowerment

This last section called Empowerment wrapped up the book nicely. It provided stories which talked about the skills teachers gave students to be successful in life. Life lessons well beyond lessons from core curriculum. My favorite story was about Charlie. Charlie was this kid always making snide comments in class directed at other students or just in general. The teacher gave students the opportunity share out loud the journal entries they had written; a few decided to and during this time Charlie did not say a word. This was unusual because Charlie always had something to say. Instead, he approached the teacher asking for a journal himself in which he then read out loud. The other students had some sort of clarity and understanding of Charlie. They were able to connect with him differently than before. I liked this story because it sort of reminded me of the community that I want to build in my classroom. Not everyone is going to like everyone but it is important that they all feel comfortable.

Story of School Part IV

This section of the video talked about the time period from 1980-present. This section intrigued me the most because of the time frame, it took place during the period of when I went to school. The beginning of the 1980's schools became more noticeably in need of help. The article Nation at Risk portrayed facts that American schools were not performing and producing students with the skills and the ability to be successful. Schools around the world were doing much better and we were becoming a nation in need of help. The education system began taking action which they thought would hopefully lead to improving school systems. They allowed more choices for students. I grew up in a town that did not have a high school; we were given the choice of what high school we wanted to attend given the surrounding communities. This allowed my family and I to further analyze the secondary schools and make an appropriate decision that was best for my education. The most important thing I took from this video was that our country finally recognized the need for change in our schooling system. We have come a long way, however we still have a long way to go.

Philosophy: Reflections on the Essence of Education

There are four well-known philosophies used in Education the first being Idealism. Idealism is the philosophy based on the concept that ideas are considered all that is worth knowing. Idealists believe ideas are everlasting and perfect. "The educational philosophy of the idealist is idea centered rather than subject centered or child centered because the ideal, or the idea, is foundation of all things." (pg. 87) The second philosophy is called Realism, and this philosophy was formed from the thinking of Aristotle. This school of thought is based on reality and knowledge derived from scientific investigation. A realist teacher would deliver things in a straight forward, organized way that was backed by science. This is actually opposite of Idealism. Ideas are not reality according to Realism. The third philosophy is called Pragmatism. This philosophy is based on ever changing belief system. Pragmatists welcome change and encourage thought processes to evolve over time. They believe experience is extremely important, however unlike the Realist, Pragmatists believe changes occurs to both the knower and the world. Pragmatists like to use the ideas they've gathered as an instrument for problem solving. They believe doing is learning. It's certainly more learner centered. Lastly, the final philosophy is called Existentialism. This philosophy is about the individual. "Each individual is the creator of her or his essence; each individual is the creator of her or his meaning." (pg. 93)An Existentialist believes knowledge is based on the individual experience and personal choices made. Individuals must be autonomous in order to be an Existentialist.

After reading the four different philosophies I would categorize myself as a Pragmatist. I believe doing and experiencing is the best way to learn. Perhaps that's a major reason why I enjoy hands-on learning the best. I also relate to the idea that things are changing and developing over time, knowledge will also develop and change over time as well. Understanding the process for me is more important than the big picture. It seems like a cycled learning that is constantly evolving, which I like.

After taking the philosophy test and the class discussion about the four different philosophies my initial thought was correct. I am a Pragmatist without a doubt. The idea of well-roundness I believe is very important and that is exactly what the purpose of school for a pragmatist. I love the idea of cooperative learning, and hands-on activity. That is how I learn best, but I also believe that is a key component in learning. Experience by doing is a great way to learn.

Multicultural Issues

The issue discussed was solely about diversity in the classroom, however this issue is dynamic in itself. This presentation talked about three different kinds of diversity that are prevalent in every classroom: race and ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. They first discussed the difference between race and ethnicity which I think is very important. Across the United States, classrooms are becoming much more diverse in regards to race and ethnicity, and if we do not educate ourselves we will stay ignorant to the differences that can only enrich learning experiences. Gender being the next diversity issue talked about has been an issue since issues have been documented. Equality among males and females is heavily sought after yet there are still issues that arise in classrooms. Stereotypes play is a big role and as a female math teacher if I can help break down those stereotypes I can greatly enhance my classroom. Lastly, sexual orientation was discussed. This is becoming a heavy topic that many refuse to talk about. As mentioned previously, if we can educate ourselves on this issue than we can break down those barriers that are built with negative thoughts about sexual orientation. We live in a diverse world, which ultimately provides diverse classrooms. Let's embrace this diversity and enrich our education

Rejuvenation

This section brought some uplifting stories that gave me excitement and hope. Despite most of the previous sections being slightly depressing, I think they were important to read and learn about. But this was the section that provided that feeling of a job well done that all teachers hope for. After reading these stories of teachers providing that spark and inspiration for students it only got me more excited to start student teaching next semester. What we sometimes forget, or maybe choose to ignore, is that students spend more time in school than they do at home. Teachers have the power to be one of the most inspirational people in a child's life. I know it's not going to happen to every student, but if I can give that spark to as many as possible I will have fulfilled much of my duty.

After reading this section I couldn't help but connect it to a comment my soccer coach once said to our team earlier this year. In attempt to unite the team she said, "we all have stories, we all have backgrounds that make us who we are, we all come from different places, families, but we are now here together attempting to accomplish what some might say is impossible. If we cannot unite as a family, and community then we will not accomplish what we would like to accomplish." I directly connect this to my classroom. If I cannot unite my classroom as a family and community where students feel safe, and the labels are let go, then it will not be as successful as it can be. As a teacher, that is my job. I'm excited to get to it.

Nation At Risk

Our nation is at risk. This article was interesting to read because they depicted the overwhelming fact that America's education is descending. According to the article the overall performance or lack thereof, has allowed other countries to catch up to and even surpass us in what is thought to be one of the greatest educational systems. Students graduating from high school are not graduating with the skills necessary that prepare them for success. Test scores have lowered greatly and America is no longer considered to be the forefront in education. This is a problem, with the opportunities we have provided as a nation to have a successful education system, we are not meeting those standards. How can we improve?

I agree with the article, yet I also believe that with time we will start to see some positive changes. We have begun to recognize our poor performance and hopefully this will push the educational system to do a better job. Clearly what we've been doing lately has not been working. The traditional style is out the door, it can no longer be used as the fundamental teaching method. As a future teacher, it starts with me. I, as well as the rest of the future teachers, need to make a commitment to help make the change our nation needs. We are well-equipped to do so.

Story Of Schools Part I

This section of Story of Schools took place from the early 1800's through the early 1900's. When watching this episode one of the things I began to think about was an experience I had in middle school. My middle school class went on a field trip to one of the only one-room school houses left in Maine. We dressed the part of students during that time era, and brought pb & j and corn bread for lunch. We used outhouses for restrooms and feathers dipped in ink to write only in cursive with. Another idea about the past concept of school that I found very interesting was the idea that values were based strictly from religious influences and political influences. The use of technology and science were obviously not in effect, thus they were not used to determine different values. Horace Mann had a profound philosophy for education that helped education develop into what it's most effective ways.

Teaching Hope Part IV

This section in Teaching Hope was called Disillusionment and this section was about how teachers also go through rough patches just as students do. What we sometimes forget, well I know I did in high school, is that teachers are also human beings and that they too have outside lives that affect them. After reading this section, the only thing I could really think of was the teacher I had in middle school, she was also my soccer and basketball coach for many years; she was young, just out of college, and still immature in the sense of being professional. She would constantly tell me and other students her relationship problems. It's great to have a close connection with students and to be able to share certain things, but when is too much crossing the line? I'm hopeful I'll be able to find that balance between closeness and professionalism. But this was a good section because teachers shared their stories have how students have "saved" them. A reverse of roles.

Teaching Hope Part III

This was a great section to read after reading the terribly sad stories in the previous section. When reading this section I felt as though I had hope that I too could have the impact on my students that these teachers wrote about in these stories. The positive impact these teachers described was uncanny and something that no one else has any idea about except a teacher. That's a feeling I want. The story about the Indian Reservation talked to me the most. The teacher taught these students with fun and innovative lessons, however the students did not respect her or like the class because they had always been put down by other people, so how was this teacher any different they thought. Well, when this teacher then gave them readings about how groups discriminated against fought through and overcame this discrimination, the students changed their minds about this teacher. They gave her respect because of who she was not because she had great lessons. That is one thing I would really like to focus on: is earning my students respect.

Story of Schools Part III

This episode of Story of Schools took place from 1950 through 1980 in which many changes occurred during this short time period. During the fifties blacks, any other minorities and women were not given the right to participate in athletics. Minorities were also not allowed to take certain classes because there was an overlying thought that they were too dumb to do well in harder classes. In 1954 Brown vs. The Board of Education ruled that every student should be given the same/equal education. This meant segregation in schools was out the door. In 1972, Title IX passed and women were given the right to participate in school athletics. It took a long time for schools to actually desegregate. With the help of Lyndon Johnson, the government was able to give schools funding in order to complete this desegregation. He enforced the Civil Rights Act which was a huge component in the desegregation movement. Hopefully as time continues to pass, we will continue to stop discrimination against all different types of people.

Story of School Part II

Part II of the film Story of School was based from 1900 through 1950. Schools during the beginning of that time period were considered inhospitable by students because they were dangerous, dark and cold. Educators tried to respond to this thought of school by making it more student-centered. They did this by designing lavish buildings that served all students. They tried to provide rich school experiences that got all students involved in something that interested them. They also posed the idea of "work, study, play." Despite schools changing for the better, immigrated students were still hindered. They were not allowed to speak their native language in school. Essentially, immigrated students were Americanized and taught patriotism and American citizenship.
Towards the end of the period the IQ test was invented. This was developed to organize students in an attempt to unify students and acquire Utopia. They used this test to determine the quality of people. They also used this test to track students and spot future leaders. Although schools have changed drastically over the last sixty years, some of the same thoughts about how they should be run are still the same: tracking.

Teaching Hope Part 2

This was a really tough section to read of the book because it was filled with horrible stories that were really sad to read. All of these stories provided controversy that most teachers will be faced with one time or another. The story that effected me the most was the one about Kate. Kate was an over-achiever. Always turned assignments in that were brilliant according to her teacher. Although Kate was one of the most unbelievable students, she lacked social skills and was constantly the target of ridicule but many of her peers. At the end of Kate's senior year, she quietly hung herself. As I read this story silently, then out loud to my roommates the one thing we both agreed upon was that we both could think of people exactly like Kate that we went to high school with. Quiet, shy, great student, but with zero friends. It was hard to think of how those people we went to school with could have been another Kate.

Generation Article

Abstract:
This article was about how people from different generations are now being forced to work more and more together. They called it the “Power of Four” which is basically how this is the first time in American History where we have had four different generations working together. This raises issues because each generation comes from different lifestyles, communication, behaviors, etc. It is sometimes tough to collaborate with someone of a different generation because they have different views based on the generation they come from. We are constantly forced to accommodate for the different views sometimes producing issues in the workplace.

Reflection:
After reading this article I began to think of the workplace I will be in and the different people from different generations I will be working with. I've heard horror stories in the past of friends who have become teachers and how they have had difficult times working with old raggedy teachers who work with only traditional methods. I will obviously be faced with the same issues, and I am unsure of how I will react. If I can I think effectively communicate with these old generation teachers, then hopefully some of the problems will not be prevalent.

Teaching Hope Part 1

After reading the first section of Teaching Hope, I became really intrigued with the stories each teacher wrote about. Each teacher had a unique experience as to why they became a teacher. It really made me appreciate the occupation much more by just reading these stories. So far, my favorite story was of the teacher that was assaulted by one student and the teacher then recognized that the system actually failed the student and the student was the victim not the teacher. If all teachers thought that way then we would be able to recognize these failures and fix them before it gets to the point where a student feels violence is the only option. I really do look forward to continuing to read each story as the book continues.

Diversity Article

Abstract:
The article we read for assignment was called Diversity, Learning Style, and Culture and it was written by Pat Burke Guild. This article mainly talked about diversity in all aspects of students and learning in the classroom. Students are not only diverse racially, or economically, but also by different learning styles. We are all different by which we learn, think, behave, and conceptualize. In order to accommodate for these differences we must, as teachers, be willing to have diverse styles of teaching. Not every student is the same, thus teachers must not treat every student the same. This is the best way to maximize learning for every student.


Reflection:
After reading this article, I began to reflect on the multiple things my education professors have preached over the past three years about diversity. This article did a good job of summing up what they’ve been saying in each and every education class. We, as teachers, need to be able to reach all students, and we must be able to do that in different ways. This is so because there is so much diversity in every classroom as the article spoke upon, that for every student to reach their full potential teachers must be willing be diverse themselves. This was a great article to re-enforce the ideas my education professors have instilled the past three years.