Educational Issue: NCLB and Charter Schools

I enjoyed the organization of the teaching and presentation of this educational issue. The presenters did a nice run-through of the background information of NCLB and Charter Schools, with a good use of resources, like the GW and Charter School videos, internet resources, and giving us the opportunity to try the test. The presenters all seemed really knowledgeable about NCLB and especially the problems associated with it and its "results," and Charter Schools as well. With Charter Schools, one of the aspects of your presentation that I found most useful was to examine the advantages and disadvantages. It was cool to be able to generate ideas for our ideal Charter School, yeah! The clip at the end was interesting after discussing and creating Charter Schools, because we could see how successful they can be, and areas where they are lacking, like in funds and space.

Philosophical Thinking

As I think about my philosophy of education, naturally I have been reflecting on how this will impact my classroom. I want my classroom to be a safe, caring environment for all learners, so I will try to be as flexible as I can with the room arrangement, taking into consideration what my students suggest. I would start of the year with some type of circular, discussion-ready set-up, depending on if I have desks or tables will impact this. I would love to have enough floor space so students can work on the floor for certain activities, which I know some student prefer, or it is just nice to have options. I will have shelves on the walls and different displays and posters that represent various things from what we are learning to the cultures that exist among the students, because who I am teaching is just as important as what I am teaching. As far as motivation is concerned, I know that some students are motivated by grades, and others will only be motivated if it pertains to them and they can feel some sort of connection to what I am teaching, so I would want to motivate in different ways. I will motivate with words and with grades, always giving students positive feedback when I can, and working hard to pertain the lessons to real life. I think what I will be teaching is important, and I plan to work hard so students can make these connections as well. I want to encourage students to motivate themselves and one another, which kind of plays a role in having them work together and with me to create the rules and expectations for the classroom. We will all work together to ensure the success of the class. This also of course goes along with discipline, and by enlisting students' help in creating and establishing rules and expectations, students will be aware of the outcomes that misbehavior will have in our classroom. I will handle discipline problems as aligned with the rules we make, but will also consider the student and his or her personal situation, so, for instance, if they have a behavioral problem associated with a learning disability, I will take this into consideration when deciding how to encounter them. I will assess my students by asking thoughtful questions to get them thinking and to see how they are thinking and understanding the content. I will meet with them one-on-one as much as I can, and encourage them to give me feedback on how they feel they are doing in the class. I will always let them as clarifying questions. I will try not to use tests and quizzes unless they seem necessary, and will ask students to journal about ideas and what they learn. Through journals I will write back to them and be able to assess where they are in the class and how much they are getting out of it. For assessments that will be associated with grades I will assign students to do projects and papers to show me what they have gained from taking my class. I want my classroom to be comfortable and students can feel encouraged to learn and interact with peers and myself. I will use humor and a be good-natured when appropriate, and encourage students to be themselves and share their insights on the class. I will enforce the rules and adhere to the curriculum, so I will hold high expectations for all students. I will let them know this from the beginning, and that I believe in all of them. I plan to use technology frequently, and will probably want to incorporate a wiki in the class and have them do blog posts. I will use the blogs to assess and encourage them to comment on one another's blogs as well. I will have my desk at the back of the class but will frequently move about and teach from anywhere in the room. I will be easy-going when I deem it fit, but will stress the importance of each lesson and student participation. I will show students that I respect them and expect them to show me and others that they have respect in return. I want my classroom to be fun and engaging, and that all students will be able to learn and feel confident in my class. It will be our classroom, where we value respect, learning, difference, individuality, cooperation, and having fun.

Reading through our printout of sections from Drive I have found a few things of interest to me. One idea I liked, among many, was the concept of DIY Report Cards, which has students list their top learning goals at the start of a unit/year, and then at the end of it they create their own report card and reflect in a couple of paragraphs about their progress. Afterward,they meet with me and I show them their "real" report card and we compare and discuss how they align or do not align with one another. I also appreciated the section on praise, and how to use it correctly. This means, for instance, praising effort and strategy over intelligence, making praise specific, doing it in private, and only offering it when for a good reason and if it is completely honest and heartfelt. The section "Help Kids See the Big Picture" aligned nicely with my ideas of motivation; make certain that kids can successfully answer questions like "why am I learning this and how does it relate to my life and the world I live in?" Make the lessons and content relevant, and students will be encouraged to learn, and make their own connections. Additionally, I liked some of the section "Turn Students into Teachers," because I think it can encourage students to want to learn and to further explore the content. It also holds them accountable of learning and can be used to assess their knowledge. One thing I did not like about this was making students teach to other classes, teachers, etc., because I think this would work better as an option for students, or maybe if they were allowed to work in groups or partners, because some of them would certainly not be comfortable doing this nor would they enjoy it. Overall, I enjoyed reading what we received for sections from this book and it seems like a useful educational resource.

Ms. G's Secret Sauce: My New Favorite Recipe!

The teacher's guide to Ms. G's Secret Sauce presents each ingredient that help make the recipe for success. These are as follows:
1)Believe in your students;
2)Break down comfort zones;
3)Establish a safe environment;
4)Validate prior knowledge;
5)Motivate your students;
6)Encourage collaboration;
7)Teach tolerance;
8)Promote diversity;
9)Create community;
10)Build bridges;
11)Expect accountability;
12)Celebrate success.
Reading through these I would say that I completely agree with including all of these in the recipe and they each hold a lot of value in the classroom. I feel like I wholly support every one of these, but I especially find myself relating my philosophy most to the first one, believing in your students. I believe that all students can succeed, no matter what their background, SES, race, ethnicity, previous academic background, or anything else. I want to convey this to every student and help them believe in themselves as well. The fifth ingredient was about motivating your students, which is most certainly something that I want to do and I think it is so important in ensuring that the students can be successful too. I want to get to know them and be able to identify what they will be able to relate to or what will encourage them to want to do the work and succeed. As it was aforementioned, I think each of these ingredients are extremely important, but another one that really spoke to my philosophy was the eighth one about promoting diversity. I want all of my students to feel accepted and to embrace their own differences and the uniqueness of one another. I want everyone to feel valued and respected in my classroom, and I want to acknowledge the diversity through my actions and lesson plans.
Overall I appreciated reading about Erin Gruwell's "Secret Sauce," and my philosophy centers on a lot of the ingredients that she also felt were important to ensure success. It was useful for me to not just think about how I want these ingredients in my own classroom someday, but to see that she succeeded at it by reading the excerpts that aligned with each ingredient, as well as the diary entries.

Educational Issue: Standardized Testing

This presentation on the educational issue of standardized testing was a useful and informative one that related to this topic that I have always found disheartening. The presentation was organized nicely, as it presented the history of standardized tests and different ways that have been used to assess over time, different types of standardized tests, and a video about tests. The other video that we watched was an interesting one as it made a unique connection between how students can use math textbooks to figure out solutions in the same ways they can approach these standardized tests; doing both in ways that they can find the answer without really knowing it. I did not enjoy doing the concept map, I felt unprepared for this, but I appreciated how this activity was done, providing two types of assessment. The brainstorming at the end of class was also useful, collaborating with others and sharing and listening to ideas of assessment and standardized tests. So overall, the presentation was well done, the presenters seemed well-informed on the topics and the information was given in an engaging way.

Bright Futures

This article "Bright Futures: A Framework of Twelve Core Practices for Maine Middle Grades Schools Developing Full Academic, Personal and Social Potential for Maine Young Adolescents," presents the twelve Core Practices that should be implemented and adhered to to ensure effective middle schools for Maine youth. The concept behind these practices is to fully prepare students to be contributing members in today's society and to be successful in their futures.
The first practice states that students should have access to curriculum that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory and maximizes accessibility for all individuals. The second says that teachers use instructional practices that are research-based and are effective in upping the learning and achievement of the students. Core practice 3 is about teachers in every content area using teaching and learning practices that have their foundation in 21st century literacies. In the fourth practice students can access one-to-one computing technology integrated throughout the curriculum, which allows them to gain the critical thinking skills related to information, media, and technology. The fifth practice states that all middle school students experience learning opportunities that stress creativity and innovation. In the sixth practice school leaders focus on establishing an environment that supports the learning needs of the students. In the seventh, faculty, administration, and students all work together to build a safe and caring climate that nurtures the individual. Number eight focuses on how students benefit from organizational structures within the middle school that increase the sense of community, support meaningful relationships, and optimize curriculum delivery. The ninth core practice says that students have access to a co-curricular program that encourages all students to become involved, develop skills, be a member of a team, and simply have fun. Number ten states that teachers' professional development is an ongoing process that is included in the school daily. The eleventh is about how parents are actively involved in the life of the school and their child's education. The twelfth and final core practice states that teachers, administrators, and staff who are responsible for the education of the middle grade students are knowledgeable about their developmental needs and appreciate them for being unique.

One thing I did want to reflect on after reading this was the idea of having teams in the middle school. Prior to my practicum experience at Mt. Blue Middle, I had never heard of or seen in place teams, and so I sort of assumed that this was just something this school did. After reading this, however, I realize that not only do other schools implement this, but it is highly suggested that they do so. One of the core practices that related a great deal to my own beliefs about myself as a future educator was the twelfth one. Since my time in the middle school during Practicum, I knew this was where I wanted to teach; I appreciate the students and what stage they are at developmentally in their lives in and out of school and I enjoy teaching the content. Core Practice 12 assured me that if this is how I feel, then I will be in the right place, for myself and my students. I think that all middle schools should try to put in place and adhere to any and all of the 12 Core Practices, I think they would benefit on an individual, community, and state-wide level.

Voices of Educational Pioneers

Reading through The History and Philosophy of Education, Voices of Educational Pioneers, I had a bit of trouble narrowing my preferential philosophers to just a few, because the majority of them aligned with at least part of my philosophy, and below I have outlined these.
Overall, I did not wholly support the view of Quintilian. But, one thing I did appreciate from his philosophy is that although he thought of the teacher as the expert, he thought it was important for he or she to consider the developmental level and needs of the students, and to use methods that would motivate and stimulate students to learn. I like this idea because he realized that it was important to know not just that the teacher was the all-knowing expert, but that she or he should really take into account each student and what they need to be successful.
Jesus was another educator who I had shared beliefs with. Although I do not think religion should be so highly involved in the classroom, I agree with the idea of using storytelling, illustration, repetition, and silence, for didactic methods, and using conversation, discussion, question-answer and answer-question as interactive methods in the classroom. I think, as he did, that it is beneficial for the students to become involved in the application of both types of teaching methods.
I did not really find myself supporting the beliefs of Augustine, but one thing I did appreciate was that he thought that effective teaching meant that a teacher spoke with enthusiasm and motivated students to want to learn. I think it is really important for teachers to show enthusiasm while teaching, especially within his or her specific content area, and I think this is motivating to students in and of itself.
Erasmus is a philosopher who I thought had one important perspective on education. He believed that the teacher should gently instruct students using many examples to vividly explain concepts. I found this to be a valuable point because students learn in different ways, and having various examples can help ensure that all learners are capable of understanding the concept.
Comenius had a lot of ideas on education that I think are valuable. Comenius believed in the idea of universal education for everyone, despite social background, religion, sex, or intellectual ability. This is really important to me because I feel that everyone is capable of learning, and I believe that I will be able to teach each student that enters my classroom. He thought that teachers should encourage, be kind, give individual attention to students, and be open-minded to all types of learners. The subject matter should be taught with variety and practicality. He also thought that teachers should be paid more than they are, which I agree with because the job they do is so valuable to society and it is very demanding and involves extensive time in and out of the school, off and on the clock.
One element of Rousseau's philosophy that I appreciated was that he thought that instead of education being centered on the subject matter that is taught, it should be centered on the student who is being taught. I think this is an important distinction for the teacher to make, as lessons should be tailored to the students.
Pestalozzi had a lot of beliefs that are aligned with mine. He was an advocate for the idea that learning had to be stimulated by the interests and motivation of the child, instead of punishment and fear. He thought that no one, not even girls or the poor, should be denied education. Pestalozzi also said that teachers needed to take into consideration students' emotional and social needs while trying to teach to them. There should be a loving and caring student-teacher relationship, and the teacher should respect the child. He thought that the school should be a good home and the teacher should be like a good parent. I like this idea because for some students school is the closest they may come to a safe, caring home-like environment, with the teacher being as close as they get to a real parental figure in their lives, sadly.
In regards to Jefferson, I really liked how he believed in the equality of men, (and women, I would hope) despite race, religion, or habitat. He had a lot of confidence that higher education was capable of bring the lower class up to a higher class. I support this idea and think that education may be some people's best and only hope of moving out of poverty.
I enjoyed reading DuBois' philosophy because he was such an advocate for desegregation and equality among varying races, especially promoting equality for African Americans. I don't think race should have any matter in education, except for the teacher knowing the race each student identifies with and incorporating it into the classroom.
I liked Dewey's idea of the activity or hands-on method of educating students because I know that this can help reach many learners. Dewey favored the idea of democracy in the classroom and letting students make their own choices and have a say in their education. He acknowledged the multicultural world and saw education as a way to foster mutual respect among the diverse cultures, which I think is so important. School is a great way for students to learn about different cultures and be able to come to respect them and one another. He was a proponent for cooperative learning, which is most certainly something I will implement in my own classroom.'
Tyler's philosophy also aligned quite nicely with my own. He thought that the purpose of life was learning, and that the purpose of school was to help children learn and develop the problem-solving skills that would assist them in becoming actively engaged citizens in the work of a democratic society. Tyler encouraged teachers to introduce new experiences to their students, which makes me think of an example of how we will be teaching the technology-age students and it would be good for me to be able to show them different types of technology or resources on the web that they can use and I can use to teach them something. He valued cooperative learning, which, as aforementioned, I feel is very important and valuable. I also liked how he said, "Before I go to sleep I always ask myself three things: one, what did I learn; two, what did it mean; and three, how can I use it?" I really liked this quote and I think it is something worth reflecting on.
The final philosophical view that I appreciated was that of Piaget. He thought that teachers needed to understand the way that children understand things and this understanding must guide their teaching practice and evaluation. Instruction needs to be individualized in order to accommodate each learner. The purpose of school, according to Piaget, was to help children learn to think, discover, and create. He also supported the idea of cooperative learning.
So many philosophies of education and schools of thought I found valuable in learning and reflecting on in regards to my own philosophy.

The 1st Annual 402 TechCon

So, yeah, this was an awesome conference that I attended today. It was totally applicable for educators with resources that could be used in any classroom in relation to every content area. I found the conference to be very engaging and informational. I learned about the history of technology and how much it has progressed in a short span of time. I appreciated the videos that were used and each of the workshops. The Content, Teacher-Tech and Must-Have workshops each provided me information on different sites and allowed me time to explore them, and I would say there are definitely several sites and programs I would use in my future classroom to help me and my students. Overall, my thoughts on the conference are that it was organized and spot-on with the information I need in order to successfully, appropriately, and efficiently use technology in the classroom.
Muchas Gracias Señoritas!

Oh, and thanks for the certificate-definitely going in my portfolio!

Eight Philosophical Theories

There are eight theories of educational philosophies; these theories are: perennialism, essentialism, behaviorism, positivism, progressivism, reconstructionism, humanism, and constructivism.
Essentialism centers on the core of information, hard work and mental discipline, and teacher-centered instruction. The role of the student is to be the learner, with the teacher as the person to instruct the child on what he or she needs to know. There is a common core of information and skills that an educated person needs to have, and schools are to transmit this core of material.
Behaviorism states that behaviors are representative of a person's essence and all behaviors can be explained as responses to stimuli; behavior is determined by environment. Reinforcement, both positive and negative, are critical to this theory.
Positivism limits the truth and knowledge to what is observable and measurable. Direct instruction should be used by the teacher to teach specific content and this should be done in a variety of ways. Repetition of the ideas of instruction should be enforced by using different teaching strategies.
Progressivism is a philosophy that stresses that ideas should be tested by experimentation and learning is rooted in questions developed by the learner. Life experience determines curriculum and thus all types of content are allowed. This experience-centered curricula emphasizes the process of learning instead of the result.
The philosophy of humanism asserts that all people are born good and free but become enslaved by institutions. Education should be a process of developing free and self-actualizing individuals, centered on student's feelings. The curriculum is found more so in the subject matter which is taught rather than within the subject matter.
Constructivism stresses hands-on, activity-based teaching and learning in which students develop their own frames of thought. It focuses on problem-based learning, which centers student activities on tackling authentic contemporary problems.
Perennialism asserts that the curriculum should focus on the intellect by teaching the classic subjects. It is important to teach the everlasting ideas and seek constant, not changing, truths.
Recontructionism has its focus on society, as it asserts that the curriculum should be a method of change and social reform for society, and schools are the solution to various social crises. There's an emphasis on addressing the social questions and the goal is to create a better society and democracy around the world.

Overall, I would have to say that the one that speaks most truly to what I believe in is constructivism. I think that student-centered teaching and learning is crucial and problem-based learning is a good way to turn the learning over to the students on an individual basis, letting them answer and solve questions in their own personal ways. Students will be hands-on, involved in their own education, and the teacher encourages students to explore and find their own meanings, as opposed to lecturing and instilling a sense of what should be their meanings. I think it is important for students to join hands with the teacher and step up in making their educational experience about them personally.

Reflection-Educational Issue: Discipline/Classroom Management

This presentation on discipline and classroom management was useful and informative. It covered the basics of the different ways to manage and discipline within the classroom and each member of the team contributed in a helpful and individual way. The presentation started out with the history of education in regards to discipline. One thing that struck me about what was said concerned physical violence as punishment in general, and more specifically use of physical punishment through bureaucratic classroom management. Under this, physical punishment is used only in extreme circumstances, but my question is, what entails an "extreme" situation where physical violence in the only means to a solution to the problem? Can any situation really be deemed "extreme" enough to warrant physical punishment? I have a problem with this especially because this method of discipline is still used today.
I liked that the presentation included the definition and examples of "withitness" something I had most certainly heard of but never quite understood. Now I see that I do not have this yet within the classroom, but it is something to strive for. Also, this made me think of Mad-Eye Moody, (from Harry Potter, obviously) as he is able to see things all around him and he is totally with it! You can't pull a fast one on him, (well, unless you are able to somehow take on his identity) but yes, one should strive to be a teacher as with it as he is!
One of the most valuable parts of this presentation was that of the distribution of scenarios to the class for us to do as small groups and later to report out on. I thought this was a nice way to reflect on what we know about discipline and classroom management, but also a way to think further of our own philosophies and what we would do, but generating ideas by collaborating with others. Nicely done.

Oh, yes, and I appreciated Jason's use of "scuttlebutt" and "scull diggery"(sp.?)!

Chip, chip! Well done lad and lasses!

Empowerment

"The Last Melon."

Admittedly, I am sad to see this book come to a close. I have gained extensive insight into the world of education, and what it means to be a successful teacher who makes a difference in his or her students' lives. This last section "Empowerment" truly details stories in which teachers are able to empower their students and help them see their true potential and that they can be successful. So many of these stories instilled in me a sense of empowerment with my future as an educator because I feel like I am capable of being the positive, caring, respectful and understanding teacher as so many of them were. For many students all it took was for a teacher to exemplify these traits for them to be able to succeed and no that a positive future was a strong possibility for them. I feel confident, after reading Teaching Hope, that I will be able to uphold these traits and what it really means to be a teacher.

The Four Philosophies

There are four schools of philosophical thought, and these are Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, and Existentialism.
Idealism can be traced back to Plato's writings. Within this philosophy, ideas or concepts are the essence of everything that is worth knowing. The spiritual world is the perfect version of the physical world in which everything lasts forever and is not subject to change. People who follow this philosophy believe in the power of reasoning and assert that the rational mind has the ability to reason to the ideas that support the physical world. Idealists believe that universal or absolute truths and ideas that remain constant over time are of the greatest value. Within education, idealism is idea-centered as opposed to subject or child-centered; the idea is the foundation of everything. Educators who are idealists emphasize the study of ideas or works that have lasted over time, as well as encouraging the imitation of great leaders. Idealist educators teach mainly through lecture, discussion and imitation.
Realism came from the thinking of Aristotle and says that reality, knowledge, and value exist independently in the mind. People who follow this school of thought assert that the sense and scientific investigations are the best way to find truth in the physical world. Knowing involves sensation and abstraction, and one is able to classify things into different groups. Contemporary realists put an emphasis on the significance of scientific research and development. Realist educators assert that the ultimate goal of education is advancement in rationality. The realist curriculum would be subject-centered. Realists consider the role of the teacher to be of the utmost importance in the educational process.
Pragmatism dates back to the thinking of nineteenth-century American philosophers such as Charles S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. It stresses becoming rather than being. It is separate from idealism and realism in that it focuses on a belief in an open universe that is dynamic and in a state of becoming. Pragmatists put a lot of emphasis on the importance of understanding what it means to know, and they believe that we learn best through experience and experience changes both the knower and the world. They emphasize applying knowledge. Educators who are pragmatists present concepts as they relate to contemporary problems and questions. The most important thing for pragmatists to know is how to question what we know and how to reconstruct it to match the ever-changing world. They view the school as a community of learners. These teachers use learner-centered problems as a teaching focus.
The final of the four philosophies is that of existentialism. Existentialists focus on the importance of the individual rather than on external standards. Nothing is absolute and there is no ultimate principle or meaning. Every individual is the creator of his or her own essence, and the creator of her or his meaning. Existentialists believe that the most significant knowledge is personal and nonscientific. Existentialist educators encourage students to discuss their lives and the choices that they make. The highest goal in education is to search for oneself.


I feel like the philosophy that most represents me is that of pragmatism. I believe on an emphasis on becoming and how the way of reaching the state of being is just as important, if not more so, than the final result. I like the idea of an interdisciplinary approach, however I have yet to really see it implemented or thing of ways to do so consistently and frequently in my classroom. I see significance such aspects as learner-centered problems as the main focus and encouraging students to collaborate.
I also, however, can relate to the school of philosophical thought that existentialists follow. This is in the sense of how human beings are free to make choices and that we define ourselves. I believe that we are what and who we choose to be. I, like an existentialist educator, feel that we should not predict the behaviors of our students. I feel that existentialism represents me as I want to encourage students to be who they want to be and strive to become who they choose, not who society wants for them.

"The Story of Schools" 1980-present

The main point of this video on schools it that people in the United States were ultimately trying to better public education, and they attempted to do so in a myriad of ways. This era seemed to start out with a bad reputation for public schools as the poor quality of schools was thought to be putting the nation at risk. There were two different widespread opinions about school, with some people saying the nation was at risk and schools were doing poorly, blaming the poor economy on schools, while others were saying that assessment was showing a steady rise, and the U.S. had made significant strides in areas like racial segregation, gender issues, and handicap accessibility and participation in schools. The Nation at Risk suggested things like the study of subjects like computer science, more homework, longer school days, and more requirements for graduation. Schools were getting tougher about grades, instilling policies where students had to have certain grades to be able to continue in such activities like sports and chorus. Some people, contrastingly, thought that school reform was not needed.
In 1974 the choice experiment began. The place this really seemed to start was in East Harlem, where small alternative schools were created within existing buildings. These alternative schools ranged from maritime and performing arts to sports schools. The idea was to try to raise academic achievement within each school, with different ways to go about it. Choice brought out competition, as schools were shut down it they didn’t work and students could choose one school over another. Choice and competition drove reform throughout the 1980s.
In some cities students could also choose to attend magnet schools. These were intended for high caliber students and tended to receive extra funding. When George Bush was president he called for vouchers, saying that the goal was to make American schools the best in the world. These allowed low-income students the opportunity to attend private schools, supported by state taxes. Poor students were receiving the same opportunities as richer students, which seemed like a great way to create more choice and equality among students.
It eventually became legal to teach children at home, and by 2001 about 2.5% of children were home schooled. Another type of schooling that arose was that of charter schools. These were like the traditional public schools, as they were open to everyone, and did not cost money. Teachers often ran charter schools and parents were heavily involved. These schools focused on different things like manners. There also came a time when there was a focus on high academic standards, and it came to hold the most importance in schools. Every state was supposed to aim for high national standards, and curricula emerged that aimed at raising achievement levels. Core knowledge schools were started, which were aiming to offer students the same academic content across the country, for instance all third graders were immersed in the history of ancient Rome and all eighth graders were studying Shakespearean sonnets. All students were expected to master the same exact content at the same time.
Progressive schools were also created. These were student-centered and they were trying to get students to master critical thinking skills instead of a set body of knowledge. Teachers were not teachers but coaches, and students learned by doing. Progressive schools showed positive results in achievement and test scores.
As far as schools in the United States are concerned today, public education still needs the support of all citizens in order to be successful. We need to help give students what they need in order to ensure the success of our citizens and the United States as a whole.

Rejuvenation

This section of Teaching Hope was an interesting one in the sense that some stories really illuminated the "aha" moments that I hope to have in my classroom someday, while others described the challenging scenarios I know I will have to confront. I enjoyed reading many of the stories, like the one about pen pals and how they were successful in having students engage in intimate story-telling and secret sharing with people via letters that they had never met before. I also appreciated reading about the accomplished field trips that the teachers and their students were able to participate in.
The story of Manie and how he changed his previously set views on the Holocaust after winning the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum with his teacher. He grew up listening to his family say things about how they supported what Hitler "accomplished." I know that I will have to face students who grew up in families where things like this are said, or discriminatory behaviors are the norm. I worry about how I will be able to handle situations when students bring these views into the classroom, and I hope I will be able to create opportunities to enlighten students and educate them on history and the importance of not allowing the past to repeat itself.
One quote that I really liked from one of the teachers was that the job of every teacher is "to make every student feel welcome, to make every student feel she or he belongs, and to give every student a voice to be heard". I appreciated this perspective on the job of teaching because it speaks to my philosophy and how I feel about what I want to accomplish in my classroom.

Nation at Risk

The article "Nation at Risk" is speaking to the growing concern that while the Nation had once been one that led the way in technological and scientific innovations, commerce and industry around the world, we are now being surpassed by other Nations, and our the success of the education system has been declining.
Some of the indicators of risk include that about 23 million adults in America are functionally illiterate; the average achievement of high school students on most standardized tests is now lower than it was when Sputnik was launched 26 years ago;
and the average tested achievement of students graduating from college is also lower. One useful quote from the article was one connecting what needs to happen in order to change the current situation: "Learning is the indispensable investment required for success in the "information age" we are entering." By educating the citizens and increasing such aspects like literacy, we can increase our success in schools, industry, and all other elements of the American life. The second article mostly talks about how to convey this message, and whether or not "Nation at Risk" was the best way to go about it. Maybe it was considered an overstatement, maybe we needed to make the changes it suggested, but ultimately it was deemed appropriate.

When reading about some of the indicators of risk, particularly with the tested achievement of students graduating from college being lower, I couldn't help but be reminded of my past experiences with high school graduates when I was younger. They all seemed so smart, so much more intelligent and scholarly than I ever was, and now I feel like I wasn't too far off. Graduating from college this year seems kind of scary to me in the sense that I don't feel excessively prepared for the world outside of college. On the subject of achievement tests, I have never quite excelled at these, and I have certainly not gotten better since being at college.
However, back to the main point of the article, I think that "Nation at Risk" said what needed to be said. Perhaps a different tone could have been used, but based on factual evidence and a base interpretation of it, this article simply showed people the problem and provided ways to assess it and alter its course.

"The Story of Schools" 1800-1900

Someone who really stuck out in my mind while watching this episode was Horace Mann. He has been considered as the paragon for the promotion of public schools. Horace Mann was the Secretary of the Board of Education, and he took it upon himself to travel on horseback to visit schools in various towns. He accomplished the visitation of 1000 schools in about six years time, writing reports on each school's physical condition. What he came to find and write about was that the conditions varied by school, but at most materials were inadequate and teachers had no training at all in many of the schools. On average about forty to sixty children were crowded into little school buildings, and Horace Mann remarked that livestock was treated better than children were in schools. Many children were leaving these public schools to go to private schools, and Mann, knowing this, wanted public schools to be funded by the government. He made reports recommending things like chairs with backs, blackboards, and standardized textbooks. He had a lot of ideas on school reform, and eventually started the concept of Common Schools. Common Schools were open to all white children, did not charge tuition, were governed by local school committees and were somewhat regulated and overseen by the state. It wasn't so much what Horace actively did but what he expressively and earnestly wrote and reported to all who would listen.

Disillusionment

From this chapter “Disillusionment,” my own fears about teaching were confirmed within the pages. I worry about the economy and how it will impact my success at finding a job, getting the job I want, and keeping it, no matter how qualified and successful I am. After reading the Freedom Writer’s Diary, I had decided how I wanted to use it in my classroom, but after reading this chapter, I realize how many challenges I may face by doing so. I could not believe that a teacher was fired for using it in her classroom, and another teacher was attacked by parents and the community for having students read it, but in both situations the students had responded so positively to reading the book that the teacher deemed it worth it.

After reading the first story about Ema, the girl with dyslexia, I realized how little I know about accommodating students like her, just as her and her special education teacher/ case manager note about the general education teachers in her school. I feel like I will most certainly try my best to acknowledge and follow the modifications of each of my students IEPs, because I do not want to be another one of those general education teachers who seem to ignore IEPs.

Reading the story of the teacher who puts the students in his classroom first, and the other teacher who deems him or herself “undatable” due to their career as a teacher, I couldn’t help but ponder about my own future outside of the classroom. I hope to have a family someday, and I hope that I may have a supportive family that understands what it means to be a teacher, and that my job doesn’t end when I leave the classroom. I also hope that despite how it may seem that my students need me more, I always need to be a reliable and caring mother as well.

"The Story of Schools" 1950-1980

During the 1950s through the 1980s there was a tremendous struggle for equal opportunity among the sexes, races, and people with disabilities. In the 1950s there was no physical education for women and they were not accepted into prestigious colleges, 72 percent of disabled children were not enrolled in school, the average time for Mexican American children to be enrolled in school was a mere 5.7 years, and African Americans were segregated by law. Luckily activists, parents, and students crusaded to get all students in school and demanded equality. One of the places that led such crusades was Topeka, Kansas, were the infamous Brown vs. the Board of Education came to be. The N.A.A.C.P was gathering evidence to prove that schools were never equal, as segregation was legal as long as separate facilities were equal. Even in schools like the high school in Topeka where they integrated, there were still separate activities like sport teams and proms. Luckily at the schools that were still segregated, all-Black schools commonly had African American teachers who were highly qualified. Even so, African American students got the discarded books from the white schools and they were always outdated. The N.A.A.C.P. advised black parents to enroll their students in the white schools, and each of them were turned away, thus the Brown vs. the Board of Education case, in which sixty years of legal segregation finally ceased to be. Although a lot of positive outcomes stemmed from this, many schools struggled with integration, riots gathered against integration, and thousands of African American teachers were kicked out and principals were demoted. This was really unfortunate, especially because these teachers were so highly qualified.

Another important contributor to the improvement of schools and equity during this time was President Lyndon Johnson. He said that and equal chance at education meant and equal chance at life, and so true he was. Students across different races, social classes, and sexes benefited from his presidency. He helped with such things as Head Start and low cost college loans, and most importantly he helped start to ban discrimination in places like public school. He signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in which states and school districts could lose federal funding if they refused to de-segregate. He seemed to realize that unfortunately it would take the threat of money to really make people listen and change their discriminatory behaviors. He also signed the Elementary and Secondary Act that helped aid children who needed help.

Something the video brought up about the 1960s that is hard to listen to and not get angry over is the treatment of Mexican Americans. In 1968 approximately 75 percent of Mexican Americans had dropped out of school by eighth grade. They were forbidden to speak Spanish, textbooks were not written for Mexican Americans, and schools really pushed to Americanize them. Some Mexican Americans spoke out, wanting teachers to stop calling them names, and desiring an education that respected their lives as Mexican Americans. At one point 500 students stayed out of school on strike, and this eventually led to Mexican Americans taking up positions on the school board, with one even becoming the school board president, their culture and history were included in schools, Spanish was allowed, teachers were Spanish, among other things.

As far as the unfair treatment of women, they were seen as the lesser sex, discouraged from taking higher-level classes, and playing sports. Eventually, after such women as Dorothy Raffel spoke up about wanting to play basketball, unbiased textbooks came to be, 50 percent of women were earning their masters and 40 percent were enrolled in athletics.

By 1976, schools started to extend equality for students with disabilities, making them more accessible and welcoming. This time in history marked so many positive changes as the civil rights era. More were still to come, as segregation was still entrenched in certain places, but a lot had been accomplished in the 1950s through the 1980s.

Culture Identity Shield

Engagement

Chapter three of "Teaching Hope," was yet again a chapter that really seemed to speak to me. It is hard for me to grasp and come to terms with some of the experiences that these students have and relate it to the students that could potentially fill up my classroom someday. Also, the more I read from this book the more I note to myself how much potential having a journal in the classroom seems to have, and how I can't imagine not using one in one way or another. This seems to be the overarching reason for many of the students to confide in their teachers.

One story that particularly stuck out for me in a different way than some of the others was the story about Enrique coming in and crying to the teacher, confiding in them about a certain family situation. Another student comes in, also crying, and when the teacher expresses their puzzlement at what is going on, someone speaks up by saying, "'Miss, this is where we can talk about what's going on. Our friends are here and you're here. We know you'll listen and let us be ourselves'" (page 132). Ultimately, this is one of the most meaningful stories to me because this is how I want my students to feel. I want to be that teacher that they feel they can trust and confide in. I want my classroom to feel like a safe place for students. I want students to know that I care about them, not just as growing students but as individuals as well, even if that means setting aside my planned lessons to help students when they really need it.

“The Story of Schools” 1900-1950

In the early 1900s, American public schools were considered by some to be inhospitable to students. This was most likely due to their being dark and cold, but also kids seemed to stand more of a chance of getting ill, as illness was quite prevalent and contagious at this time in schools.

While on the topic of lack of hospitality in schools, immigrants at this time were treated okay as long as they accepted the idea of being Americanized. There was at least one instance of students being spanked and slapped for using their first language, like Spanish, and teachers telling them they must only speak English in school. Schools were started in part to help out in places where a lot of immigrants had come in. The Gary Schools, which sprang up in cities everywhere in 1906, stayed open weekends and nights, so it would be more convenient for those that needed to work. This seemed to be a good idea, especially for the incoming immigrants, except they had to accept that it would be an English-only curriculum, which was really pushed in 1917. German textbooks were thrown out and children were forced to read the Bible and acknowledge holidays like Thanksgiving. They had to study and practice patriotism. The schools seemed quite centered on making every student be American first and foremost.

During this time I.Q. tests were developed to assess ability and capacity school efficiency in the country. These tests were to determine the quality of people by race and class, and unfortunately this made non-White people do especially poorly. For instance, two-thirds of Mexican students were labeled as mentally retarded and/or were held back a grade, and in high school they were shunted, like other immigrants, toward vocational programs. There was a lot of race prejudice, sadly.

Overall, schools did progress during this time, with progressive schools changing from those having classes like animal husbandry, swimming, nature, and art, to just having the standard subjects. Many people supported one type of school system over another, and a lot of progress still needed to occur for children to be treated fairly, despite their social class, race and ethnicity.

Generation

In his article “Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees,” Greg Hammill discusses how four generations of employees have to work together. These would be the following: the Veterans, which are from 1922 to 1945, the Baby Boomers from 1946-1964, Generation X, from 1965-1980, and Generation Y, from 1981 to 2000. There are many differences among the generations, and these can have an impact on the workplace environment, as each generation has a certain way of approaching and dealing with work. Hammill mentions that everyone needs to be aware of the generation they come from and how it will impact their outlook on and experiences with such aspects of life such as education, family, core values, communication, approaches to money, and various dealings with and in the workplace. The boss especially needs to be aware of these differences in order to make it and efficient and successful place of work. He or she needs to be able to understand these differences and acknowledge them when approaching each individual employee.

Overall I thought this was an interesting and informative article. This might mainly be because this is the first I have heard of my being from Generation Y, and this is the first time I have actually considered the fact that they are four generations in the workforce today. I have always been aware, at all of my places of employment, that there are generational differences with how we approach work, but I never really thought of it in the sense of how we need to focus on understanding these generational characteristics when regarding how to be and maintain a successful working environment for each individual. One significant element of this article that I enjoyed was that it provided so many examples of generational differences and, with the workplace, gave instances where one could acknowledge these differences and ways to work around them or resolve them.
I could definitely relate to some of what was appointed to the Generation Y, what with such things like education being an “incredible expense,” communicating with use of the internet, and the interactive style at work being “participative.” I did, however, find myself relating to other generations over Generation Y in the sense of my core values and communication at work being more along the lines of the Baby Boomers.

Challenges

I had somewhat of a difficult time reading this second chapter “Anticipation” in Teaching Hope. So many of these teachers’ stories and the stories they told of their students were heart-wrenching and depressing, and in some cases it was hard to see the positive side or eventual happy outcome to the issues they had to deal with. While reading these stories I couldn’t help but think of the struggles, familial and financial, that I have had to deal with and confront in my life, especially some that are sprouting up now. With that said, however, I feel like I have lived a much more privileged life than so many of these students and teachers, and the issues that I have had to deal with seem like nothing in comparison to some of them.

One aspect that seemed evident about many of the stories in this chapter was that they were not taking place in rural Maine, where I plan to teach. I have never encountered someone who came from the projects or known anyone involved in shootings and gang-related crimes, and reading about these experiences made me stop and think about how I would react to having some of these students in my classroom someday. One of the most important things for me to do would be to show each student that I care about him or her, respect them, and value his or her presence as an individual learner in my classroom. I want my students to know that I can “get” them, and that I am someone that they can talk to.

Something I did while reading was to try and put myself in the position of one of these teachers; would I be secure enough to share my experiences with my students? So many of these teachers I admire for feeling safe and ready to share their past experiences with their students. I also am not a very affectionate person, and I cannot help but think that I will never be comfortable hugging a student despite the positive reaction the students in the stories seemed to have to their teachers hugging them when they were upset. I will always do my best in trying to console a child, and I never want to look back on my time with any of my students and regret not being able to connect and really get to know some of them.

Diversity

The article “Diversity, Learning Style and Culture, written by Pat Burke Guild, discusses how each student is an individual learner with his or her own learning style, background, intelligences, talents and abilities, socioeconomic statues and culture. All of this will impact how each student will learn and perform within and outside of the classroom. Part of the teacher’s main responsibility in the classroom is to strive to understand each student and be able to engage him or her in a meaningful way. It is important for the teacher to acknowledge that everyone learns in a different way. The goal is for all students to be successful learners and for each learner to have equal opportunities in the classroom. The teacher must be willing to teach to each individual learner and learning style to ensure that each student is reached.

One thing this article touched upon that definitely had me try to put into perspective for what I would do in my own classroom is concerning student files. If I had access to student files I would question whether or not I should look at them because, as the article discussed, I wouldn’t want it to form the basis of what I expect each student to be as an individual and a learner. But, one must also consider that this information could be useful in the sense that it is providing the educational history of each learner that could save a teacher a good amount of time when getting to know the students and deciphering each student’s learning style. Another topic the article discussed is that usually there is not only one way to learn. When teaching English/language arts, I can already see potential in being able to teach content in different ways for the individual learners I will have in my classroom. I realize how important it is for me to teach in a variety of ways so as to ensure that all learners can benefit and succeed in the classes I teach. I want to be able to teach to the multiple intelligences and engage students in different ways of learning. I would like for students to be able to have their learning styles accommodated in my classroom, but also for each student to experience trying to adapt to learning in other ways as well.

Anticipation

As I delved into this initial chapter of Teaching Hope I definitely had mixed emotions. Right away I started thinking of how I am so nervous and anxious about the first day of my student teaching and eventually actual teaching and as I continued reading my nerves were somewhat assuaged. These teachers felt just as I am feeling about the first day! The speakers were so surprisingly relatable and I did not want to stop reading about their hopes, dreams, and fears and their first day experiences. I loved reading about how some of these teachers were able to relate to their students and really get to know each of them as individuals. Each teacher seemed to make so many differences in his or her students’ lives and I strive to be able to do that someday. I desire the ability to be able to honestly get to know the individuals in my class and figure out who they are as people. Like each of the teachers in this chapter I want to show my students that I care about them and I want them to see my classroom as a safe and fun learning environment.
One thing that seemed to frequent more than one story within this chapter was the teachable moments, something I fear I won’t be quick enough to realize and take advantage of on the spot. I hope that I will be able to ease tensions and replace awkward moments with teachable ones, because so many of these teachers were confident enough in their classrooms to be able to make these moments happen and have the students learn from them, like answering personal questions or non-content-related questions. Honestly, I would love to meet any one of these teachers, but for now I will just strive to be like them.