In your blog response to this blog posting reply to my three requests:
One of the most important things you will need to do but may not have time to do once you are in the classroom is thinking of about thinking and thinking about learning. Do you spend much time thinking about thinking and thinking about learning?
Ponder how you are building your own philosophy of teaching and ponder on how you are building you own philosophy of learning. Share some of your ponders and how you define thinking and learning.
To be a successful educator each educator has to have his/her own concepts what learning and teaching - share yours.
Share what your beliefs are - beliefs about life – about schools – about teaching - about students and about school leadership.
3. Explore two - three Websites that I share at the end in this blog posting and share you thoughts about them and then provide three- four of your own websites that you think other middle level teachers should know about – and a little about them.
One clip at a time - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ZByPflgJ0&feature=player_embedded#t=445
Is Anybody listening? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU&feature=player_embedded
Larry Lessig - how creativity is being strangled - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q25-S7jzgs&f
Twitter and the world malaria day - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZADez_MIr5I&feature=player_embedded
I look forward to reading your thoughts.
27 comments:
Blog Response part 1
1. I look forward to the time when I can have an effect on young minds. I have always been a thinker. I have always been a good “idea” person. I have a vision of what kind of teacher I’ll be and for the most part I picture myself a combination of the better teachers I’ve had during my time in school. I have been a fan of "school" all my life. I've succeeded and I've failed in courses. I've had great teachers and I've had lousy teachers. I've had more middle of the road teachers than I care to think about. I think the same happens in life. I've worked as a civil engineer and also as a homemaker. I've seen good, bad and middle of the road types in those careers as well.
I wish to rise above mediocrity as a teacher. I still remember as far back as elementary school the classes in which I've had fun learning. I remember the good teachers. I know their names even 30 years later. Ms. Malab, Mr. Krueger, Dr. Branson, Ms. Foutris. I quote them from time to time. “Raise your hands and shout I believe!” Mr. Krueger would shout in my geometry class whenever he got into a subject that brought blank stares from the students. He would always say that and somehow I’d know that sooner or later I’d understand. He was that kind of educator. He’d challenge me with something difficult. He would even show the solution and then tell me to just believe if I didn’t get it right away. He then earned my trust by presenting the information in such a way that I did learn the material. The next time he’d shout, “Believe”, I would.
If I’m going to teach, then I’ll do it the right way. What a fantastic way to be remembered. I hope I inspire someone 30 years from now to repeat something that I said in class to them during their middle school years. There is so much riding on what you can bring to students. So many ways in which you can shape lives and inspire learning in children.
I have always been categorized as a pleaser and so my biggest fear or weakness will probably come when I face a student who doesn't like me or has a hard time learning under my lesson plans. I hope that my education here at NLU will help define those weaknesses and that I can better handle that situation when it arises.
Blog Response part 2.
2. Comments on Standards
NMSA 1: Educators who value working with this age group and are prepared to do so. It is hard to think back at my middle school years and remember if I had teachers who were not prepared to teach. It is seemingly impossible to be unprepared and give your students a worthwhile education. I will not just find a lesson plan and stick to that for years on end. I will continue to educate myself and stay current with technology and culture and try to adapt a successful lesson plan through the years to make learning current, interesting and enjoyable.
IMLS Standard 1: Young Adolescent Development. This standard includes Knowledge Indicators and Performance Indicators. Basically this standard defines what it takes to be an effective middle level teacher. As an aspiring middle level math teacher, my goal is not just to blindly teach math and then move on to the next class. The goal is to connect with young adolescents and to inspire them. In order to do this properly I’ll need to continually educate myself in the ways of adolescent development. The more I learn what makes young adolescents tick, the more effective I’ll be as an educator and the net result is more prepared or inspired students. More prepared and inspired students can translate to more prepared and inspired adults. It can then translate to a more prepared and inspired community. It all starts with having a better sense of young adolescent development and being a more effective middle level teacher.
INTASC 1: Subject Matter. This standard requires the educator to be well versed in the discipline they wish to teach. The only way to be well versed is to not treat the subject as a static entity. All subjects are dynamic. They constantly evolve. The class I teach in Algebra today will not be the same as the Algebra class I teach 5 years from now. Principles and concepts may stay the same but the methods of teaching are refined and learning environments change. Adapting to new systems or different textbooks or advances in technology will be part of my career in order to be a more effective teacher.
Blog response part 3.
3. YouTube Video: Rethinking US. “The Internet has a face. The Internet has a heart. The Internet has humanity.” I will forever be in awe of the powers of the Internet. I almost don’t remember a time when we weren’t able to go online. I’m proud of those who use this remarkable tool for good and have been fortunate enough to make connections to strangers and lost friends. I feel that I’ve been able to be more creative and to get myself out there to people whether through written expression or the sending of music to friends and family or just shaping myself a little more by what I learn from others.
YouTube Video: An anthropological introduction to YouTube: I watched the first 15 minutes of this with my 12 year old and it was fun to see facts and figures on how powerful this medium is. The two of us had moments where I’d seen a video from 2005 and where she’d seen a video from 2008. It was very fun to share laughter at the, “You bit my finger Charlie!” which I’d never seen before. “Come on Dad! I can’t believe you haven’t seen that!” my daughter said to me. “Free Hugs” is one I’ve seen that she hadn’t seen and at first she thought it was strange but then said, “That was pretty cool.” So there we were connecting by watching things on YouTube together.
Websites I recommend for Middle School Teachers to share…
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com
This is a fun site just to see the Dancing 2008 Video. Moving and beautiful and a great lesson in feeling united with people all over the world. I enjoyed reading the journal and learning about the places Matt has visited. It also shows what a self-proclaimed “less than mediocre student” can accomplish. There are great and exciting ways to fill your head!
http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html
This is a great website to give middle school students an opportunity to say thanks to our troops by sending an internet post card to them.
http://www.wordle.net
This is a fun website where kids can get creative with words and make their own “word clouds”
In my ponderings about my philosophy of teaching and learning, that have been developed over 15 years of teaching, I have arrived at various conclusions - which are of course evolving - regarding teaching and learning. On teaching, I believe that the teacher should act as a facilitator, creating a learning a collaborative learning environment with his/her students. I am not a big proponent of direct instruction, and feel that the teacher's role should be to essentially enact learning, and be a catalyst for learning, rather than to be the primary means of learning. As adult students, I find that we become increasingly resistant to a teacher directed model, and find that we yearn to be more collaborative in the learning process. I also think that this happens with younger students, certainly by the middle level, as students become increasingly evaluative of the learning process, question teaching methods, and find direct instruction to be less and less compelling.
My philosophy of learning, consequently, is grounded in a belief that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process, instead of being mere receptors of information. I also think that one of the best measures of learning is for students to be able to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways, beyond simply standardized measures. In addition, I feel that a very reliable indicator of student learning, among adults and young adults, is whether you are able to teach what you have learned to someone else in a coherent, effective manner. Students should, therefore, have opportunities to demonstrate their learning among peers, to the teacher, and all other stake holders in the learning process.
I have taught in a wide variety of schools that embraced a range of philosophies on instruction, from multi-age, cooperative learning models, to schools that definitely forwarded the direct instruction model. I have noticed that in larger school settings, where discipline and control are bigger issues, that the direct instruction model, or leanings in that direction, are promoted by school administrators - as a means of maintaining control. This sense of "control," tends to be measured very simply by determining how much noise exists in a given classroom. Classrooms, in this model, with the least amount of noise are seen as those most in control, and indeed seen by administrators as the most effective classrooms.
This brings up the topic of school leadership. I feel that school leaders often feel a degree of pressure, from administrators above them, to have a school that seems to be a model of control. As a result, school administrators seem to favor classroom environments that are the least noisy - particularly in larger schools. I feel administrators are often clouded by this concern, and it has the tendency to color their own philosophies about what represents learning. Administrators will all tell you that they feel it is important for students to be engaged. For some, however, engagements means quiet, individualized work with a minimum of cooperation among students. This is a pitfall for administrators, I feel, that can hamper their ability to promote effective learning environments in their schools, with students that are authentically engaged in learning.
What frightens me, or causes significant anxiety, as an educator is the sense that I must consistently keep the concerns of administrators in mind as I attempt to foster what I believe is an effective learning environment in my classroom. I'm concerned that my own creative abilities to engage students in a cooperative manner may be hampered by the priorities of administrators who may be leery of this learning model, because classrooms may be more noisy than they want them to be. I worry that I may have to restrict my own teaching tendencies in order to conform to the "control" mode that administrators favor.
Susan Reilly
Thinking about thinking and thinking about learning
I have been pondering about how I am building my own philosophy of teaching and learning for several years, beginning with my initial substitute teaching experiences. Those ponderings have continued through my experience in the MAT program and in the teaching opportunities I have had since then.
I consider myself a lifelong learner. I believe learning should be interesting, engaging, fun, and clearly related to real life situations. Teachers are responsible for helping students develop higher order thinking skills by challenging them to analyze, reflect and synthesize.
Students’ individual learning needs and styles should be taken into consideration as much as possible. I believe differentiation is a key element in addressing students’ individual needs. Helping students understand their own learning styles can instill a sense of confidence that allows them unlimited growth in the classroom.
I have begun to build my philosophy of teaching with a strong emphasis on respecting the dignity of my students. Because of several of my own negative school experiences, I am highly sensitive to the need for students to be treated with respect at all times as a means of offering a safe, trusting learning environment.
Susan Reilly (more of #1)
Life/Schools/Teaching/Students/School Leadership
My beliefs about life are simple: Cherish each day. Respect others. Smile. Always do your best. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Pray for peace. Find someone to love. These are all clichés, but they all represent how I truly feel.
My beliefs about schools: Some schools are better than others. I’ve been in schools where there are over 30 students in the class and they have to ration out paper. I’ve also been in schools where each student has their own Mac notebook computer. I think that no matter what a school has to offer in the way of materials, as long as the teacher is motivated and passionate, and the support system between teacher, parents and administration is strong, students will have opportunities to learn.
My belief about students is that most of them are eager to learn and they do their best learning when they feel safe, appropriately challenged and respected. I think it’s important for teachers to be sensitive to the fact that students’ lives outside the classroom are not always ideal and that can have an effect on how they behave in the classroom. I always look for an underlying reason when one of my students has an issue in the classroom. I have seen so many teachers rush to judge students without even trying to communicate with them and find out what’s really going on.
Scary Stuff
There are just a couple of things about being an educator that scare me. The first is the lack of sufficient teaching time over the course of a school year, particularly in the public schools. I would be more than willing to teach longer hours for the same pay because I feel so strongly that many students are not getting enough instruction time. With the amount of material that needs to be covered, it can be difficult to offer in depth learning on topics that may be of great interest to students. I’m not sure if year round schooling is the solution to the problem, because many of those programs don’t actually add school days to the calendar, but I am a strong advocate of longer school days/years.
The current job market in teaching is somewhat scary. It seems that the trends in types of teachers hired have been changing over the past several years. It appears that simply having a masters’ degree in teaching is not enough and many schools are seeking teachers with specific endorsements, such as special education, science, and languages. Having a middle school endorsement appears to be the minimum requirement needed in today’s job market. Even having that is no guarantee that a job offer will be presented. In addition to earning the middle school endorsement, I am thinking about other ways I can set myself apart from other teacher candidates as I continue my job search.
Susan Reilly (#2)
Standards
Social Emotional Learning Standard
Goal 2 B: Recognize individual and group similarities and differences
2B.3a: Explain how individual, social, and cultural differences may increase vulnerability to bullying and identify ways to address it.
In order to bring this alive in a middle school classroom, I would ask the students to consider a project where they write a play based on bullying and show how kids can identify and respond to bullying in ways that are positive and might put an end to it. They could present the play to students in the lower grades.
Emotional Learning Standard
2D.3b: Define unhealthy peer pressure and evaluate strategies for resisting it.
I think this standard is extremely important for young adolescents as it relates to drug and alcohol use and sexual activity. I have observed the DARE program in schools and I believe it is very effective in reaching students, particularly those in fourth and fifth grade. The use of role play is something the students enjoy and helps them understand the effects of peer pressure as it pertains to drugs, alcohol and sexual activity. I think it is especially effective when the lessons are presented by a police officer. I will do my best to make sure that my students have the opportunity to experience this type of program in my classroom.
INTASC 5 Learning Environment
Standard 5.30: The teacher creates a smoothly functioning learning community in which students assume responsibility for themselves and one another, participate in decision making, work collaboratively and independently, and engage in purposeful learning activities.
I was recently in a classroom where the teacher was guiding a poetry lesson. Part of the lesson involved the students creating their own homework assignments. Although the teacher made the final decision on the 3-4 assignments that would be used, this was an opportunity for the students to decide how they might best learn. The students seemed to genuinely like this idea and they were quick to get started. This is an idea that I plan to use in my own classroom. I also like the idea of creating assignment menus so that students can choose projects that appeal to their personal learning styles.
Susan Reilly (#3)
Dr. Mee’s suggested Dr. Mee’s suggested websites
An anthropological introduction to youtube-
This is a fascinating perspective of the beginning of the youtube phenomenom and the impact this medium has had on popular culture. I was particularly drawn to the videos where people were demonstrating extreme introspection. Mr. Wesch makes valid and believable connections between the sense of self, voyeurism and the outside world.
This video could be use to help students understand not only how youtube began, but the incredible impact it has had in popular culture.
How Creativity is being strangled-
“Endless Love” with Bush and Blair – LOL!!!
This video is an excellent example of the consequences of trying to constrain creativity and innovative technology within outdated legal boundaries. I could see using this video in a lesson where students could debate the pros and cons of boundaries on the internet.
Twitter & World Malaria Day-
After the first 30 seconds of watching this video, I was thinking “Arghh!!”, I don’t have time to watch Ashton peddle his cause!!! Then, I began to see how the power of one human being changing the world quickly and profoundly is now very possible through the amazing advances in technology. Kids need to understand those possibilities and think about the impact they want to have on the world, both immediately and in the future. This could be used as an example for students who are designing a project based on community activism.
Carrotmob-
I thought this was a nice grass roots-type video, and one that made a valid point about people coming together for a good cause. I particularly liked the store owner’s son’s reference to needing “change” at the end of the video.
My 7th grade daughter heard my comments while I watched this video and kept saying, “what, what are you watching?” So I had her watch the video and I don’t think she really grasped the whole idea of what the video was presenting. Even after I explained the concept of a group of people (the masses) offering stores (corporations) high volume business in exchange for a commitment to helping a cause (environmental, or otherwise), she seemed very lukewarm to the whole video and walked back into the family room (and her own computer and t.v.) without further comment.
The four websites I visited all highlight the impact technology has had on modern society. As educators, it is absolutely essential for us to understand technology ourselves and to provide our students with opportunities to use technology in the classroom as a means of enhancing the learning process.
Susan Reilly (#3 cont'd)
Websites I’ve Chosen to Share
www.googleearth.com
For anyone who has been living “under a rock”, this website is a must see for all humans, young and old, whether you are a student, a teacher, or someone in between. The site is easy to navigate and gives satellite views of every corner of the earth. One can simply type in an address or even a place name and be taken there instantly. It’s a great way for students to see what the top of a volcano looks like, or how much of Greenland is covered with snow. The possibilities for geography lessons are endless.
www.facebook.com
Students, teachers, parents, employers, sisters, brothers, cousins, grandmas, grandpas, friends, pets, long-lost people you forgot you knew – okay, you get the idea. EVERYONE is on this site and EVERYONE should be familiar with how it works. Young adolescents need to know that it really does matter what words, images, and random thoughts are posted here. I’m guessing more people have access to what teens post here than anywhere else. I think parents should know how to access this site and, if possible, know their children’s passwords.
www.field-trips.org/sci/tornado/index.htm
This site provides students with an opportunity to attend a virtual tornado field trip. It is full of amazing tornado photographs, the history of the worst tornados, misconceptions about tornados, FAQ’s about storm chasing, etc…It also links users to many other sites where violent weather can be studied in more depth as well as access to hands on learning, such as making a tornado in a bottle. I incorporated this site into a lesson within a weather unit and am excited to us it in my own classroom.
1.Building my own philosophy of teaching has been a process with many factors. My interest in the career began with an exploration of my own values, and a desire to work in a field which would allow me to exercise those values, and help build a future where those values are present. After I decided to pursue this interest, my philosophy was developed through observation and reflection.
My philosophy of learning has been developing my whole life. I feel that I have always had a well-formed sense of cognitive awareness. That is, I have always been a "reflecter", and one of the things I reflect on is what I think, why I think it, and how my thinking process works. Having an understanding of my own cognitive process has naturally led me to be aware of how I learn, what methods work the best for me, etc. So, through my own experience, I have developed part of my philosophy of learning.
I could get way too in-depth about my beliefs about life. "life" is such a broad topic. In a nutshell: I believe our human life is made up of three important factors: Mind, Body, Spirit. All three contain mysteries I don't believe our consciousness on this plane can comprehend. Mankind's use (or 'invention' in some people's books- but that's another topic) of religion is one way I believe we have tried to comprehend all three of these things. But I strongly believe there is a metaphysical aspect to our lives that joins mind, body and spirit, that is too big for us to wrap our heads around.
My belief about schools is that they should be a safe place for our children in all three of these life aspects. Children need to be physically safe. They should be mentally safe- for instance, they need to feel that they can approach the teacher with a problem or a question. They need to feel comfortable with their peers. And they need to be Spiritually safe; that is, they need to be able to exercise their child-ness. They need to be able to play, to grow under natural circumstances. They need to be able to celebrate when they are glad and feel upset when something is wrong. Curriculum can be better delivered and received under these circumstances.
School leadership needs to come from an individual or group of individuals who share a philosophy with the teachers. If the teachers are not on board with the priorities of the administration, faculty cohesion will diminish very quickly.
The main thing that frightens me as an educator is classroom discipline. I am okay with the idea that not every single one of my students is going to think of me as their favorite teacher of all time. But I know I am in need of much practice when it comes to setting a tone for expected behavior, and being consistent with my discipline and reward routine. I think this frightens me because I know I have tended to be a pushover in the past and have struggled with controlling a classroom full of kids.
2. Standards:
1. NMSA 10: Multiple learning and teaching approaches that respond to their diversity.
I will demonstrate this standard in my classroom by having more than just one way to deliver a lesson. I understand that everyone learns differently, and there are many different kinds of intelligences. I will try to identify which intelligences my different students tend to lean toward, and try and make each lesson relatable to each student through the use of different teaching and learning styles.
2. IMLS Standard 2J: Develops and teaches interdisciplinary units.
I believe people learn better when information is connected to other material they may be learning simultaneously. A book that takes place during the Civil War would be a good book to read in Language Arts while the History class is learning about the Civil War. An exploration about the importance of advances in map making and how we visualize Earth could be a good tie-in to Earth Science.
3. INTASC 2: Student Development
Casual discussions that loosely relate to curriculum can be a good way to occasionally socially and intellectually engage students. Also, working with groups and assigning projects that engage creativity can be a good way to support intellectual, social, and personal development.
3. The "Rethinking US" video, the response to the video "Web 2.0" I believe it was called, and then the lecture video, "An anthropological introduction to YouTube" were all very interesting. I consistently use the internet in my daily life, so much so that I sorely miss it when I don't have access to it, even just for a day. In the anthropological video, we saw an in depth exploration of how the internet has become such an important part of our lives in terms of expression, communication and communities. I have to admit, at the end, I got a little teary-eyed when everyone was holding up their hands with what they had written on them, I am sentimental like that. But it really is a good representation of how even though it's not "like it used to be", as critics of digital communication like to complain (i.e., "no one ever writes letters anymore"), the internet has been able to bring people together on a much larger stage than ever before.
The websites I would suggest for Middle Level educators don't deal so much with the topic of digital communication and technology, but are more of a resource with free materials teachers can use.
www.braingle.com
This websites has thousands of free printables, some can be used for lessons, but most of them are just puzzles and logic games, which are a good way to sort of "trick" kids into using their brains, it's fun but it is also exercising their minds. great for sub days. I used to print pages from this website every day when I worked as an after school counselor.
www.lessonplanet.com
this is a search engine for teachers, but rather than just look up ideas and activities you can share your own lessons, interact with other teachers, search by topic, theme, type of activity, standard… since it is user-generated, the activities and suggestions are tested in real classrooms for their utility.
www.thinkexist.com
this website is particularly useful in a middle or high school humanities classroom, most likely english or social studies. It is a search engine for quotes, you can search by topic or by who said the quote. Having students write a quick paragraph or journal entry with a quote as their prompt is a good way to get their minds working.
Sharing my beliefs about life...
My beliefs about life are mostly positive. I believe people, especially children are resilient and can be happy and successful against all odds. You need to believe in yourself!
I believe schools are for the most part amazing institutions that provide our children with an incredible education. I believe there is always room for improvement and we as educators and parents should be striving for perfection. We need to have the best teachers, the best facilities and the best tools!
I believe teaching is a hard, but rewarding job. I believe the best teachers are rare. I think teachers can always be better. Through critical evaluations and continuing education, our teachers can set goals and commit to improving themselves. I believe teaching is something that is most rewarding when much effort is put into it.
I believe students are for the most part good people looking for positive experiences and role models. I believe students desperately need teachers who listen and care about them. They all have tremendous potential and sometimes need assistance and guidance to set and achieve their goals.
I believe not everyone is born a leader, but leadership can be learned. I believe leadership begins with respect and trust. If you give respect and trust, then it is returned back to you. Leadership is very important and it is something that I wish could be taught in school.
The things that frighten me most about being an educator is being only mediocre. I want to be the best. I am afraid of children not ready to learn due to a stressful home life or other issues not dealt with in their lives. Stress and distraction can be an obstacle in the way of learning and is sometimes out of reach for the teacher. I am afraid of failing my students. It will be my responsibility to be sure they learn as much as possible while in my class.
Wendy Raymond
1) When I think back on my days in middle school and high school (mainly high school), I often think of adults whom I felt failed me at the time. This feeling causes me great apprehension now, as I consider working in a classroom: Will these students think I failed them? Will I know what they need? Certainly, I can teach them and help them if I know them, and know what they need from me, but how will I know?
Learning is an individualistic process. Information and ideas can be presented to a group, but everyone in that group will perceive and process that information differently. Each will draw different parallels to other ideas, and each will file that information away under a different heading in their minds. Schools should not exist merely to give students a place to be during the day, subject them to disciple, and force them to memorize facts. Schools should be a door to knowledge, and pathway to personal development, and a framework in which personalities can grow and potential can be realized. But middle school students barely know themselves. How can I know them, and know their needs, well enough to guide them? I think of all the times I felt misunderstood, and all the times I just wanted to hide from a world I didn’t think knew or wanted me, and I worry that I may misread students who haven’t yet gained the self-knowledge or language to explain why they are having trouble in school. My biggest fear is not that I will fail as a teacher of a group, but that I will fail individual students who need help.
2) Standard 3A.3b. Analyze the reason for school and societal rules. This is an interesting standard to explore with students who are beginning to ask “why” questions about authority. I’d like to pick a few rules that apply to the whole school, such as rules in a student handbook, and a few laws that apply to society at large, and engage the students in a discussion of why these rules were created and whether or not they are valid. This would be a good tie-in to a study of the American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution. I might ask students to think of a law or two that they think should have been included in the Constitution, and have them explain why that law would have been helpful.
Standard 3B.3a. Analyze how decision-making skills improve study habits and academic performance. A review of good study skills and what makes a good student would be useful at the beginning of any school year. To tie it in to this standard, I’d like to ask students to make lists of goals in their school and non-school lives, and to explain why some things on their lists are more important than others. I would then ask them what choices they could make to help them reach their goals. Finally, I would ask them to list the qualities of a good student, and to suggest what choices a good student might have to make to reach their goals.
Standard 3C.3b. Evaluate one’s participation in efforts to address an identified need in one’s local community. Working with this standard will require students to discuss their lives outside the classroom. I’d like to ask them to talk with one another about what needs and problems exist in their communities, and to think of ways that problem could be addressed. Then I would ask them what individuals could do to help, and finally I would ask them to list ways each of them might have interacted with aspects of that problem, and what they could do in the future to aid their communities. They would be faced not only with “what could you do” and “what should you do”, but also “what have you done” and “what will you do in the future”.
While I was viewing the CarrotMob video and the Twitter/Malaria Day video, I flashed back to an epiphany I had in the late 1990’s, when I created my first website. It hit me that anyone at all can publish on the web. No longer would aspiring writers have to wait and hope that a publisher would pick them up, or try to self-publish and pray that someone would notice them. No, anyone at all, whether a good writer or a bad writer, a philosopher or a crackpot, could self-publish online, for little cost, and reach countless people all around the world. It was right then that I began to understand the power of the new medium. More than t.v. or radio, this new world wide web thing was going to connect people like never before. Anyone could go online, and anyone could share any idea. Everyone with access to the internet automatically became a journalist, a teacher, a preacher, or an activist. This medium could be used to share any idea. Used well, it could spread revolutionary and exciting ideas, teach across boundaries, and grow movements. Used for more nefarious purposes, it could do exactly the same things. The ubiquity of the web across the world has led people to begin to understand that not everything online should be trusted or taken seriously, but in the early days of the web, being online gave a thing a certain legitimacy. Even now, people who are not media-savvy will believe scams and lies and conspiracy theories disseminated online. This is, without a doubt, the single most powerful tool for social change that has ever existed. Students (children and adults) need to develop a strong understanding of the world wide web and how websites are used, not merely to “compete” in the world, but to become true citizens of the world in which we now live.
Over the last year, I’ve come across some really exciting websites. My favorite, from an education perspective, is the Smithsonian Institution’s site: http://www.si.edu. In addition to information about the museum and its exhibits, the site presents lesson plans, searchable by grade and subject, related to a wide variety of topics.
http://www.iliketolearn.com looks a little simplistic and unsophisticated at first glance, but it’s full of geography map games. I once took a college-level History of Africa course, and had to take a quiz that required me to label all the countries in Africa on a map. I used the Africa map game on this website to study, and got an A on the quiz.
The website of the Chicago Historical Society (http://www.chicagohs.org/) is a must for anyone teaching social studies in the Chicago area. Along with information about the museum, the site includes stories, images, and other resources related to local history. Guides for teachers and students at different grade levels are shared, and kits for classroom activities can be downloaded.
Blog Response 1
I actually do spend a great deal of time thinking about thinking and thinking about learning. Throughout student teaching, I kept a journal, and reflected a great deal on my experience.
I ponder how I will be able to differentiate instruction effectively? How am I going to keep all of my students engaged when their ability levels and schemas are so incredibly diverse? I ponder about incorporating the arts into my curriculum and creating interesting cross-curricular units of study. I ponder whether the decision to replace Spanish in elementary education for daily P.E. was a good one, in my children's school district.
I would define thinking as the talk that goes on inside your head, the wonderment, the "what ifs?", the trying to figure it outs.
I would define learning as the, "Ah ha!" moments, the "Now I got it!" nanoseconds, and the feeling of understanding something new over time.
I am fearful of being too exhausted at the end of the day to have the energy I need to take care of my children in the way I always have. I am afraid that if I am offered a dual language teaching position, my Spanish won't be quite good enough, and I will be struggling to not only construct and facilitate substantive curriculum, but also be spending time and expending energy educating myself on the nuances of the Spanish language which I love, but am afraid of not having the time to do it as well as I would like.
My concepts of teaching are constructivist based, guiding students toward knowledge through wonderment, exploration, investigation, and discovery. Behaviorism has a place in the classroom in order to help management, but as a class, we collaboratively design our rules to coexist in harmony. Learning should occur by not simply drilling and memorizing, but mostly by making connections across content areas, to ourselves, and to the world around us. Using the arts, literature, technology, and movement in my lessons are integral components of my pedagogy. Standards are necessary in order to guide our instruction. I love that Alice in Wonderland exchange between Alice and the Cheshire Cat. "Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?" to which the cat replies, "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." I don't much care where--,"said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat. Teachable moments need to be embraced, even if it means diverging from the plan. I strive to Stay flexible, malleable, and open-minded while my concepts of teaching and learning are ever evolving.
I believe in family. I LOVE my family...my kids, my parents, my brothers....I'd rather spend time with them than anyone else in the world. I believe in love. Seriously corny, but I believe in keeping an open heart, being kind, being nonjudgemental. I believe change can be very difficult for most, but is usually always for the best. I believe one should stay true to oneself, while being mindful of one's consequences of one's actions. When I started my wholesale baking business, Little Miss Muffin, 15 years ago, I created a tag line for our logo: "Eat Well. Work Out. Live Life. Laugh Often." I still live by that motto. I believe in in being present in the moment in which we are. I am anti-greed. Generosity of spirit is important to me. I believe schools are the soul of our nation. I believe all children have a right to a solid education. I believe teaching is the most noble profession. I believe kids/students are insightful, honest, funny, and all gifted in their own way. If I had to describe an ideal school leadership team, it would have the students' and teachers' best interest in mind at all times, serve as a resource for it's educators, and would create a professional environment in which creativity, collaboration, and accountability are present.
Thanks for this reflective opportunity!
Staci (a.k.a. Ms. Mintz)
Blog Response Part 2:
Comments on Standards
NMSA 4:
This standard has to do with creating an inviting, warm and safe environment. To meet this standard in my next full-time teaching position, I will set the tone at the beginning of the year by welcoming the students and giving them many opportunities to express themselves and share their personalities with the class. I, in turn, share my ideas and show my personality to students so that they will hopefully feel more comfortable revealing their own personalities. I think an important component in achieving this is validating the students ideas and personalities by posting their work, projects, etc., widely throughout the classroom, and having these displays updated and changed regularly. I will foster in-depth learning by being an active partner with students in the learning process, and promoting highly engaged learning among everyone in the class. Achieving all this, of course, requires that students feel safe in the school classroom and the school environment, with zero tolerance for teasing, bullying, or any other behaviors that would diminish a student's sense of safety. As this standard states, human relationships are paramount and a sense of trust and respect is essential for these relationships to develop. Through a combination of trust, respect, engaged, learning, validation of student work and participation, and a healthy sense of humor, a joyful learning community can be created.
IMLS 7A:
This standard "Realizes the benefits of and techniques for working collaboratively within the school environment."
This standard has essentially been built into my teaching practice since I began teaching 15 years ago. When I graduated from UIC with a teaching certificate, cooperative learning and heterogeneous grouping where very much in vogue. I still believe strongly in the cooperative learning model and working collaboratively with students as well as fellow staff members. In three of the teaching positions I have held I taught in multi-age classrooms, and at my first school, Foundations in CPS, we looped as well. I taught a 1st/2nd followed by a 2nd/3rd and 4th/5th class. By getting to know my students very well in this multi-age, looping structure I think I became a particularly strong adherent of cooperative, collaborative learning. I can't imagine having a classroom where I don't have these elements in place.
INTASC 4:
This standard concerns Multiple Instructional Strategies.
To make this standard come alive in my classroom, the best approach seems to be using Howard Gardner's theories on Multiple Intelligences as a guide to creating various instructional strategies that promote development of critical thinking, problem solving and performance skills. These instructional strategies include mini-lessons, modeling, working with students in small groups, individually, and taking advantage of various different methods for teaching in order to address the needs, for example, of visual and/or auditory learners. In turn, students need to have a variety of acceptable forms in which to demonstrate their learning, with authentic performance tasks and rubrics that represent a diverse and accurate gauge of student learning.
I think about thinking and learning, regularly for most of my life; though sometimes it’s only reflecting of the creativities of people in the Arts section of the New York Times, or broad social trends (why do they happen?) Or, I wonder about the minds of the players in government battling over policy and politics, and my children as they change. And often it’s about my learning and my thinking, and I take out books like Learned Optimism and This Is Your Brain On Music.
Now I want to teach, so I watch others in and outside of classrooms and listen and look the patterns of responses of the students, and often about how students learn together.
Even before I was an aspiring educator, I’ve spent my life thinking about how to motivate, and how people learn. My brother, who came directly before me, has a learning disability; back in my parents’ household and, there has been a great deal of thinking about teaching – what can he learn, what can learn, what’s the best way? I watched approaches vary from in-the-moment from hyper- focused on mastering the skill at hand, to including broader considerations such as teaching skills to teach one-self.
In classrooms and as a parent, I’ve watched (and in my best moments practiced) inspired moments, that included confidence building as an essential consideration in whatever is being taught.
This aspect- incorporating the self confidence of the learner as an integral part of a lesson- is something I’ve seen practiced commonly outside of school, but not so much within schools. There are powerful reasons for this of course, starting with the stiff logistical challenge of sheer numbers, and the attendant lack of time allotted to learn each student’s different learning styles and aspirations. It has perhaps even more to do with that the very tasks that are taught outside of school, how to properly hold a bat or kick a ball or how to wash a dish or mow the lawn are comparatively bit-sized and less time-consuming than tasks taught in school – which progress in complexity year after year.
After resource poor environments, numbers are the most daunting challenge I’ve witnessed to effective teaching. There are emerging best practices over the last fifteen years to implement effective teaches, now mandated in standards such as differentiated learning,
The common strategy that seen in elementary school (though less so in upper grades) is small group activity. Small group lessons frees up the classroom teacher to rove and observe what individual students are learning, or attend to those who need more direct-teacher tutoring; also, within the context of math or literacy stations, students are given a variety of tasks and additional freedom to do something active, to talk to their friends to make choices, though too many choices stumps them.
Now, I’m finally getting to what I’ve been most think about when I think currently about teaching and learning. Student- working-with-student activities, and how to increase cooperation among themselves.
I find myself returning to this daydream, and each time I refine it a little more.
I’m up in front of a classroom. It might be fourth grade general education class, it might be eighth grade science, but I would use pretty much the same opening dialogue.
“Before we begin I want to ask a few questions so I know what kind of lessons you would like most. This are questions teachers struggle with all over the country, and the choices may be hard, but I want you to answer as honestly as possible.
So, would you prefer to be taught by A) a teacher who plays Gotcha when you make a mistake, believes that your human worth is reflected by test scores;or ,B) teacher who doesn’t judge you if you make a mistake, and sees it as an opportunity to teach it to you again, maybe a little more clearly.
I show of hands please for ‘A’. Very interesting [I would jot down the number on a clipboard]; a show of hands for ‘B’. Very interesting. Next question.
Would it be better if A) I tried to discover what your best learning style is, and design lessons for the best fit, or B) Follow the textbook as closely as possible,
Naturally I know and believe in leveled materials, portfolios that include projects that include allow for auditory, kinesthetic and visual learning styles; and it’s been demonstrated to me the clear benefits of collaborating with peers in different content areas make for interdisciplinary lessons that are richer, more interesting, and give me something concrete to fill those portfolios that I just mentioned..
However, reflecting my personal inclinations, I would also introduce meta-cognation as part of my curriculum..
The mock polling for a show of hands, not only would be intended to imply what kind of teacher I would like to be, but to begin for them. the process of discovery ; to in effect, learn to reflect on what kind of learning approach works for themselves. The questions whether they are visual learners, or tactile, or auditory or whatever, would be brought out in the open so the students can fully participate in building their learning environment. And I think approaches which were used for teacher training classes, could be appropriated for young adolescents. Wouldn’t it be an interesting starter to use Eye-Accessing Cues, and wouldn’t it both inform the students about their strengths if understood the value of, and then proceeded to fill out a Style Indicator or My Learning Profile? The goals of higher-level thinking, and constructivist student driven classrooms work together when self reflection becomes part of the learning environment.
One clip at a time:
Holy cow! This is one of the cooler youtube videos I've seen. Firstly, it got me thinking about the word "ethnography" again. I studied ethnographies during my first semester at UI, and I was required to write one. To this day, I'm not exactly sure I understand the word ethnography, or what it entails. Yet... I've written an autoethnography (at least I think I did--because I got an A on it). Then that got me wondering about grades--how did I get an A if I don't even understand what I was doing? How often will that happen in my classroom? How can I prevent students from going through that?
Mostly, though, after I stopped getting stuck on that word I really started to appreciate this video. I like to think about the concept of "you are what you pretend to be". That scares me a little bit, because internet-goers can get a really skewed view about a person if their opinions are only based on the contents of a single website. When did getting to know someone become so impersonal? I notice it with my sister who is 14--she had a "boyfriend" (on facebook, of course) and for the first 2 months that they were in a supposed "relationship" they had never even met in person! What is with that? It's hard for me to understand it or relate to it, so I wonder how often I'll have that problem of not being able to relate with my students.
An anthropological intro to YouTube:
Wow again! How interesting. After reflecting so extensively on identity and "voice" this quarter, this video really hit home. It's true that youtube.com and the social networking sites have really redefined the concept of community. You make a single video and upload it onto Youtube.com, and within days/hours/minutes/seconds it can travel and spread around the world. It's almost infectious. I think there is a lot of potential for a random acts of kindness lesson relating to youtube.com. In fact, a lot of cool things can be done with youtube. There are a lot of cool videos that would pertain to the science classroom. We've talked in class about the power of music, and how music lyrics are often more memorable than speech (For example, I can still rap the whole Fresh Prince of Bellaire theme song--as I'm sure many of my classmates can do too! But why? It's not exactly relevant to my life for me to remember it!) If we can make music relevant to our classrooms, our students might have an easier time relating to some of the tougher concepts. Check out F=MA song--a rap about newtons 2nd law: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQmYBF_Sd8I
One clip at a time:
Holy cow! This is one of the cooler youtube videos I've seen. Firstly, it got me thinking about the word "ethnography" again. I studied ethnographies during my first semester at UI, and I was required to write one. To this day, I'm not exactly sure I understand the word ethnography, or what it entails. Yet... I've written an autoethnography (at least I think I did--because I got an A on it). Then that got me wondering about grades--how did I get an A if I don't even understand what I was doing? How often will that happen in my classroom? How can I prevent students from going through that?
Mostly, though, after I stopped getting stuck on that word I really started to appreciate this video. I like to think about the concept of "you are what you pretend to be". That scares me a little bit, because internet-goers can get a really skewed view about a person if their opinions are only based on the contents of a single website. When did getting to know someone become so impersonal? I notice it with my sister who is 14--she had a "boyfriend" (on facebook, of course) and for the first 2 months that they were in a supposed "relationship" they had never even met in person! What is with that? It's hard for me to understand it or relate to it, so I wonder how often I'll have that problem of not being able to relate with my students.
RESPONSE PART 2:
An anthropological intro to YouTube:
Wow again! How interesting. After reflecting so extensively on identity and "voice" this quarter, this video really hit home. It's true that youtube.com and the social networking sites have really redefined the concept of community. You make a single video and upload it onto Youtube.com, and within days/hours/minutes/seconds it can travel and spread around the world. It's almost infectious. I think there is a lot of potential for a random acts of kindness lesson relating to youtube.com. In fact, a lot of cool things can be done with youtube. There are a lot of cool videos that would pertain to the science classroom. We've talked in class about the power of music, and how music lyrics are often more memorable than speech (For example, I can still rap the whole Fresh Prince of Bellaire theme song--as I'm sure many of my classmates can do too! But why? It's not exactly relevant to my life for me to remember it!) If we can make music relevant to our classrooms, our students might have an easier time relating to some of the tougher concepts. Check out F=MA song--a rap about newtons 2nd law: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQmYBF_Sd8I
It is important for students to take time to just relax and ponder about things. This can help them reflect on their day, what they feel they need to work on, or maybe just to sort out some issue they might be going through. The best time to do this I believe is at the end of the day. It would be a good idea to take the last ten minutes and just talk about the day let students express their concerns. This is beneficial to a teacher as well. They can also reflect on their day as well as connect with their students.
Blog#2
I think it can be difficult to find the right balance between a rigorous and nurturing environment. As a metaphor a bicycle is a great example. In order to ride a bike you need balance, and in order to run a classroom you also need balance. I believe a good way to do this is to have clear expectations for your students. Explain to them that they are expected to do their share of the work. However, at the same time make it clear that if there is ever a problem they can feel free to talk to you about it, and that you do care about their issues.
I really never realized how important it is to ponder, until you mentioned it in class and reading this blog. It is important for YA to ponder and for them to wonder about things. I think it was maybe two weeks ago when you asked, "Does anyone have a ponder they would like to share with the classroom?" Of coarse, I wanted to raise my hand, but I did not. I was on the way to school on the train that same day and thought about some things. I have two ponders that I still do not have the answers to. YA need to ponder and reflect on things. If a student is daydreaming, it may not be completely bad. A good way to let students ponder in the classroom is to make a graphic novel like we are in class. It requires our imagination and that is what YA need. We are doing this assignment as adults and I am pretty excited to do it at the age of 23. I think YA would be thrilled to do the assignment as well.
Blog Response Post #2
In order to ride a bicycle, you need balance as well with running a classroom. I will give my students clear expectations and let them know how things will be done and in what routine. If they are struggling with a subject, or a problem with school or home, I want them to know that I am here and open to talk to.
I think that children should be allowed to ponder and reflect during shool time. Sometimes, children need a little "me" time to reflect on what is being asked, and just to escape from the school work. Its like taking a break at work. Teachers need an opportunity to reflect and ponder for the days lesson, too. We all get caught up in our work sometimes, and we all can use a break. Also, this time can be used for assessing children's progress.
Blog Response part 2
i believe that finding that balance between nurting, and being stern is crucial in becoming a successful educator. In my practicum class, I found myself wanting to give the students things that would make them happy:food. I threw two pizza parties, and I brought something with me everyday that I observed that classroom. The supervising teacher informed me that I was being too nice. Naturally, I am a very giving person. But I took the teacher's comment to mean that I have to strike a balance between being nice and steady with the children. Being a teaher, I must remove my feelings sometimes, and let the students blossom on their own, without my constant "gift giving" Honestly, that will be the hard part for me becoming a teacher. I am a givert. I must reate an enviroment where rewards are earned, and not just given away. School is striking that balance between being a parent and being the knowledge giver. Hopefully, further education will enable me to understand that I must guide the students through the education process, and not just reward them for being children.
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