Can you believe we are already at the middle of the semester. Next Monday October 12th is Fall Break which officially means you have made it 1/2 way through the semester.
This week Read Chapter 5 and view The History of Education video clip that can be found on the blog.
Select an article to read from the book Charting a Professional Course Issues and Controversies in Education that is of interest to you. The only stipulation is that it must be an article connected to the Chapter 5 reading. You can locate this information inside the front and back cover of Charting a Professional Course under the column Introduction to Teaching (chapters). In your post identify the article that you read by Title and then select at least 2 of the questions at the beginning of the article to respond to.
Continue to work on the www.myteachingphilosophy.com learning module and bring the completed assignment to class on Monday, October 19th. We will meet from 1:00-3:35 in Tech 214.
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I chose the article Schools Shouldn’t be a Jungle. It is about a school that was small and then was consolidated. It talks about the differences in small verse large. I’m from a very small school so this article really hit home for me and I could understand what the author was talking about.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the biggest thing that exists in small schools that doesn’t exist in larger schools is a sense of family. In a smaller school everyone knows your business and your life story but that isn’t always a bad thing. They also can tell when you’re having a bad day or when you’re having problems at home, and there is always someone to help you get through anything in life. School is a tough and mean place and it can really help children deal with it if they have a strong support system. I grew up in a small school “where everybody knew my name” and I’ve always thought I’d want to teach at a larger school. I feel there are a lot of troubled children in larger school that need a friend, teacher, and role model. I think that this article was a little bias and made large school out to be a terrible place. I’m sure there are a lot of great advantages to larger schools. Yet this article does make smaller schools look appealing. With a sense of family and being close with all of your students, and knowing everyone’s name in the first week. I like that in a small school you also know the child’s brothers or sister which you may never learn in a large school. I feel there are advantages and disadvantages to both size schools and I’m not sure which one I’d pick, probably whichever one will hire me!
I chose to read teaching for wisdom in our schools.
ReplyDeleteThe four fallacies that exist are egocentrism, omniscience, omnipotence, and invulnerability. I believe that there are more fallacies than that of which that are mentioned.
Wisdom is difined by the author as the application of intelligence and experience toward the attainment of common good. This good be rephrased as the way that one acts and treats others in certain situations.
Teaching for Wisdom in our Schools pg 300
ReplyDelete3.Wisdom is a better vehicle to the attainment of satisfaction, happiness and the behavior that looks beyond self-interest. Wisdom provides a way to enter considered and deliberative values into important judgments. Wisdom also represents an avenue to creating a better, more harmonious world. Finally, wisdom will allow people to judge rightly, soundly, and justly on the behalf of their community not just themselves. I believe that wisdom makes us more well rounded, and thinking beyond self-interests can make the world a happier place. Learning to think through many angles will allow us to make better decissions.
4. I will always discuss both sides of every situation. As mentioned in the book, one might view a "settler" an "invader". They are both right depending on what side of the country they are on. The goal is not to take a side but to understand both. Life is better viewed when on an continuum. If people agree to disagree, and just try to understand and accept, there would be a happy medium.
I read "Where the Heart Is" on pg. 44
ReplyDelete2. Homeless children's particular needs usually include counseling for anger management, help getting caught up in school since most are behind due to missing a lot of school, gaining trust in people and learning how to socialize. Teachers should first focus on gaining the trust of their student and helping them learn to socialize. The homeless students are not going to feel comfortable or secure until they learn that the teachers are going to be patient, caring, and supportive of them. These students are lacking a secure enviornment and need to feel safe and that they belong in their classrooms before they can start beginning working on skills they have missed out on and are behind in.
3. The major players within the school community that can most help the homeless are the principals and the school staff. They are the ones who will encounter the students and will need to recognize a student who is having difficulties that might be due to homelessness. Many students are ashamed to say their families need help and it is up to the teachers and staff to recognize their student's are struggling and in need of help. The most assistance will then come from the principals and teachers to find ways and governmental help to help their families. The schools will need to find programs to help the families and ask for the support of other governmental and school board groups to help their families to the fullest.
The article in which I chose to read was "It's All About Size." The article explains why there is a need to have smaller schools and why larger schools aren't working as well.
ReplyDelete1. Basically, the article defined that smaller schools have a much higher college attendee rate as compared to larger schools. Smaller schools also have a larger amount of community involvement and has fewer discipline and safety issues. I believe this is because in a small school you know everybody and everybody knows you. Climate is much better as well. If you look at a large high school, you see that it is a mixed group of individuals. With a large number, the student's aren't receiving all of the help that they can get in an education. Within a small school, it is a lot easier for a student to get help from a teacher and achieve the ultimate goal of going to college.
2. The two prongs that Vander Ark explains is to create new schools and redesign large schools. Well creating new smaller schools seems that it would be a much easier process than redesigning a larger one. You can just put a new smaller school near a larger school so that the larger school loses students to go to the smaller one. The smaller schools are showing overall better grades, attendance, and discipline. To change the larger schools would be an extremely tedious task, but in the end would make a difference to the students of that school. You can change the way that kids attend the school and allow them to leave the school for more vocational courses.
The article I chose was "Where the Heart Is." A unique educational need of homeless children is that many of them have a hard time trusting other people and that they are going to most likely be behind in school if they haven't actively attended. I think teachers need to make sure that the student feels safe and comfortable in the classroom or they will never start trusting them.
ReplyDeleteI think that the major players within the school communities are the teachers, principals, and staff. I think the person that will give the most assistance will be the teacher because they will learn about each individual student personally and will figure out what that individual needs.
The article I chose to read was "Schools Shouldn't be a Jungle." Big schools lack a sense of belonging and comfort. In small schools, almost everybody knows each other. Teachers know each child in the school by name, and even about their background. These children get a lot of attention from their teachers and feel comfortable talking to them. In big schools, the teachers have a hard enough time learning the children in their large classrooms, let alone in the entire school. Children see other children around school that they may have never seen in their lives. Children may be scared in big schools because it is not as comforting.
ReplyDeleteThis article makes me think about when I get my first teaching job. One thing I will want to consider is the size of the school. If the school is too large, I will feel like I will not be able to help the children as much because I won't get to know them as well. I would rather work in a small school where I know all the children and can help them each in their own ways. Another factor I would consider is the other teacher's attitudes toward the children. I would want to work in a school where the teachers and students have good relationships with each other. There are a lot of important things to consider when looking for a teaching job.
I read “It’s All About Size” on Page 74
ReplyDelete1. Small and large schools are vastly different when it comes to graduation, attendance and the like. Small schools have a much higher graduation rate and more students go on to college. In addition, the attendance is much higher and there fewer disciplinary issues. Large schools are the complete opposite when it comes to disciplinary issues as it is much higher. I think it is because in a smaller school the student to teacher ratio is lower allowing the teacher to get to know their students on a more personal level. Students see that their teachers care about their education and makes them want to achieve a much higher standard.
2. Vander Ark offers a two prong theory about developing learning environments. One prong is creating new small schools and the other is redesign large schools. Current learning environments can incorporate his ideas. Like in Porter County, school corporations joined forces and created a vocational program which allows students to pursue an education in a focus area like computers or automotive during their junior and senior years. Not every student learns through a traditional method.
I read "Teach For Wisdom in Our Schools.
ReplyDelete2. The author defines wisdom as the application of intelligence and experience toward the attainment of a common good. In other words, for a classroom to focus on wisdom they must not emphasize "book smarts" over "street smarts" but marry the two together in way that enables students to make their world a better place. The goal of getting an education should not merely be to get a good job, but to be knowledgeable and have experiences that make one a valuable asset in changing our environment for the better.
4. I will teach wisdom in my classroom by providing real life situations in which my students can apply their knowledge in a way that betters their community and world. For example, if my students are learning to count money we can have a fundraiser in which they are responsible for counting and spending the money we recieve and put our profits toward a local homeless shelter or food pantry.
Classroom of One, pg.200
ReplyDelete2. Online learning is very good for a non traditional student. Its great for the students that cannot be at school for a class and just want to log on and get it done at home. It is also good for special learners. This way the curriculum could be geared toward them on the computer. Online learning is also great for students who are just continuing their learning while working. It is a great setting for students who really cannot do much with the traditional classroom setting.
4. I feel that online learning will definitely be in my future. I plan to leave school and start working and possibly continue my education. I would also like to use online education in my classroom. I could put special worksheets or extra information on a blog like this. This way parents and students have access into my classroom at all times. I have done some online learning and haven't had a problem with it yet. I feel that my students will be using the internet and learning when the grow through the school systems, so why not introduce them into now? I definitely feel that internet learning is important and will use it.
The article I chose to read was "Schools Shouldn't be a Jungle”. In small schools everyone knows everyone. There is a sense of family in a way. In small school students are able to get more help from the teachers and they know each other more closely than in a large school. In smaller school teachers know the students names and information about them. In large school sometimes teachers do not even know the students names or any information about their background. I think that it is very important to know every single one of your student’s names and their background as well. By doing so, everyone feels closer to each other and you have a better connection with one another. Having a good connection gives students the chance to ask any kind of question and they will not feel embarrassed about asking.
ReplyDeleteWhen I become a teacher, I want to work in a smaller school. It is important to me to have a good relationship with the students that are in my classroom. I want to know everyone by name, information about them, and their learning styles. I want the class I teach to be smaller because I want to have a chance to help everyone in class. If a class is too large, I will feel like there isn’t enough time to get to everyone that needs help. I want no one to feel left out when I become a teacher, and teaching a smaller class will help in helping the students.
I choose the article: It's All About Size by Tom Vander Ark.
ReplyDelete1. Smaller schools have a significantly higher graduation rate then larger schools. Smaller schools also have a high rate of college attendance, compared to larger schools. Small schools have fewer discipline and safety issues than larger schools. Community involvelment is much higher for smaller schools. These relationships exist because a smaller school is more personal. There are less students so the teachers are able to work with their students more and help them achieve their goals. A smaller school offers many opportunities for all the students in the community.
3. The three different types of schools that can serve as successful models for reaching goals are applied, alternateive and academic. I believe that academic is the most effective. The academic allows students to reach their full potential and work hard for a degree while going to high school. I believe the alternative is the least effective. I believe it will not teach the students everthing they need to know, just the things they are interested in.
I read, "The 500_pound Gorilla"
ReplyDelete1) The three major ways coorporations profit from education are: Selling the standardized tests, the material to prepare for the tests, and the business that grade the tests. They adverstize to young people who are required by laq to be in the vicinity of their bill boards, and by running whole schools. Until private or any form of coorporized school is mandatory, people will always have the choice. The fact however that coorporations control the distributuin of test materials is very disturbing. This suggests that the shaping of the young minds in this country is primariliy in the hands of capatilism. The effect this could have on developing intellectual thinkers could be devistating. We are not, "the raw materials to be shaped and fashioned into products to meet the various demands of life."
4) I would like to believe that as a teacher I will be able to influence students to follow their heart wherever it takes them. As long as standardized tests are state mandated then they must be adhered to, but the more awareness to the major players involved in these tests, the better chance there is for a change. I want to relate to my students and let them know that even though these tests are required they are nothing compared to the passion which you can pursue your dreams.
For this chapter, I chose the article "Schools Shouldn't be a Jungle." I think that small schools get a lot more one on one time. The teacher at Ambia knew her students so well that she even recognized them by their handwriting. Being in a large school with a lot more students you don't really get that chance. I think that small schools give you a better sense of comfortability. You and your classmates develop a close bond, almost like a family bond as well as your teachers. Everybody knows everything about everyone.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, I have kind of realized that if I get the opportunity to teach at a smaller school for my first year of teaching I would love to do that. I like the idea of building a close bond with my students and being able to provide them with all the help they need. I want to know all my student's names and their background. This makes the students feel more comfortable and well as me. I think that student's would excel and succeed more if they get that time.
I chose the article Teaching For Wisdom In Our Schools by Robert J. Sternberg. The article was about knowledge versus wisdom, and how without wisdom, basic knowledge fails society.
ReplyDeleteThe author states four reasons wh schools should include wisdom-related skills in the curriculum: 1) Knowledge alone does not guarantee satisfaction, happiness, or behavior that looks beyond self-interest. 2) Wisdom helps in making judgements that have been entered into with consideration and moral deliberation. 3) Wisdom represents an avenue to creating a better, more harmonious world. 4) Students will eventually become valued members of their community and wisdom will help them to learn to judge rightly, soundly, and justly on behalf of their community. Out of these four skills, I think that the second one is the most important. By using wisdom in the decisions that you make, you will be able to encompass all four of the skills in a waterfall-like effect. By making moral and well-deliberated upon decisions, you will be able to make choices to suit yourself and those around you.
In teaching wisdom in my classroom, I think making a valiant effort to strive things such as the golden rule is vital. Teaching students to be empathetic will help them to see how their decisions affect those around them. Students could use things we do in the classroom to better the school or community in some way, such as a recycling venture of some kind. Allowing students to see the benefits of the wise choices that they make will give them a better understanding of how all of their choices will impact others. Students need to learn that being "book smart" is important, but using that intelligence for the common is good of all people and putting that knowledge to practical use is the real goal to strive for.
"Where The Heart Is" Pg.44
ReplyDeleteSome of the unique educational needs of homeless children is that a lot of them feel that adults give up on them, so for them it's hard to trust adults and even other children.They also feel like no place is safe for them since they don't really have a home.As a teacher, you should make these children feel that when they come to school it is their home, their area where they can go to get away from the hardships of the outside. You then make them feel comfortable with and give them that sense that they know they can trust you and your students should do the same.
Some of the major players within the school communities who can serve the needs of these children are the school administrations, the students and even the teachers themselves. Out of theze providers I think the teachers and students provide the most assistance because these are around their teahcers and other students more than anyone else.