I found Ben and Adam’s presentation and paper interesting. Before the presentation, I had very little understanding of how I would discipline in the classroom. I hate to punish kids, but at the same time I do not do well when students disrespect me. I had some clue that a lot of discipline problems occur when the students are not interested or motivated, thanks to my research project. But I found it a lot more comforting hearing it from the people who actually did the research on discipline. I do believe that if you create an environment and lesson that fits all the students needs in interest, then there will be little issues. I thought along with motivating the students it was a good idea to mention that everyone has good and bad days, and that you should take that into consideration before deciding to discipline a student.
I’m not sure exactly what method I will use for discipline. I liked the discipline with dignity when they were describing it in the classroom, but I did not understand the definition they had on the website or in the paper. I thought the choice theory had some appealing aspects in the paper. I imagine that I will use parts from both of them to create my own. The one thing I will defiantly do is allow the students to help me make up the rules. I liked that a lot, and I liked the examples that Ben and Adam gave for them. Students will have more of an appreciation for the rules that they helped create; there also won’t be any confusion on what they are as well.
One other important part that I learned is if you are meeting all the students’ needs, and there are still one or two students that cause trouble; then they probably need help from outside the classroom. It is important to help these students find that help, rather than continue to punish them and decrease their feeling of self-worth even more. Some adolescents are not emotionally stable enough to understand the help that you are trying to give them. Hopefully this will never happen, and that all my students will be so engaged that they won’t cause any problems. If it does happen, then it is important to discipline them like you design the classroom, beneficial to them and with their help.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Theories
To learn more about my philosophy, I read chapter ten to find out what theories my beliefs fell under. Teacher centered theories included essentialism, behaviorism, and positivism. Essentialism believes that there is a common core of information and skills that an educated person must have. Essentialism teachers educate the students on core information, hard work, and mental discipline. Their teaching styles include required reading, lectures, memorization, repetition and examinations. Behaviorism is a theory that asserts that behaviors represent the essence of a person and that all behaviors can be explained as responses to stimuli. A behaviorist teacher uses both positive and negative reinforces of the environment to help the students learn. The environment plays a critical role in this theory as it believes that one behavior is determined by the environment, not heredity. Positivism limits truth and knowledge to what is observable and measurable. A positivism individual believes that all reality can be explained by laws of motion and matter.
Student centered educational theories include progressivism, humanism and constructivism. Like positivism, progressivism emphasizes that ideas should be tested by experimentation and that learning is rooted in questions developed by the learner. A progressivism person believes that ideas must be tested by experiment, and that only then the true meaning of and practical results will appear. Humanism contends that humans are innately good, but adopt bad behaviors as they grow. Humanism is all about the individual, it rejects group oriented work. Students should be active and should be encouraged to make their own decisions. Constructivism emphasizes hands-on, activity- based teaching and learning during which student develop their own frames of thought. They believe in a wide variety of activities and that students develop their own ideas and create their own pathways.
To my surprise, the existentialist theory was my favorite of the eight. I like constructivism simple because it only focused on what works in terms of student learning. I liked how it emphasized hands on activity for teaching and learning, as well as requiring the teachers to use a variety of teaching techniques that include different learning activities which allows students to find their own answers. I think humanism would have been my favorite, if they did not have such a negative attitude towards group work. I liked how humanist try to bring out the good in the students, and how it emphasizes instruction and assessment based on student interests, abilities and needs. I liked how it also focused a lot on the student’s feelings and allowed the students to make their own decisions.
Since I am a pragmatist and idealist, I got to cover humanism and essentialism. Like all the teacher-centered theories we have covered, I did not care for any of them. I did like how behaviorism placed a lot of importance on the environment, but the overall thought of the theory was a little weird to me. I am glad that I had the opportunity to look more into humanism. I went into the class only liking constructivism, but I found humanism a lot more appealing than I originally thought. Like I said earlier, I think this would have been my number one choice had it not looked down on group work. I obviously found more in common with the student centered material, as I two of the three where my top choices. I did not like progressivism at all though. I do not like that idea can only be found in practical results. There are a lot of things covered in schools that are hard to prove in a classroom, or even in a professional lab.
Student centered educational theories include progressivism, humanism and constructivism. Like positivism, progressivism emphasizes that ideas should be tested by experimentation and that learning is rooted in questions developed by the learner. A progressivism person believes that ideas must be tested by experiment, and that only then the true meaning of and practical results will appear. Humanism contends that humans are innately good, but adopt bad behaviors as they grow. Humanism is all about the individual, it rejects group oriented work. Students should be active and should be encouraged to make their own decisions. Constructivism emphasizes hands-on, activity- based teaching and learning during which student develop their own frames of thought. They believe in a wide variety of activities and that students develop their own ideas and create their own pathways.
To my surprise, the existentialist theory was my favorite of the eight. I like constructivism simple because it only focused on what works in terms of student learning. I liked how it emphasized hands on activity for teaching and learning, as well as requiring the teachers to use a variety of teaching techniques that include different learning activities which allows students to find their own answers. I think humanism would have been my favorite, if they did not have such a negative attitude towards group work. I liked how humanist try to bring out the good in the students, and how it emphasizes instruction and assessment based on student interests, abilities and needs. I liked how it also focused a lot on the student’s feelings and allowed the students to make their own decisions.
Since I am a pragmatist and idealist, I got to cover humanism and essentialism. Like all the teacher-centered theories we have covered, I did not care for any of them. I did like how behaviorism placed a lot of importance on the environment, but the overall thought of the theory was a little weird to me. I am glad that I had the opportunity to look more into humanism. I went into the class only liking constructivism, but I found humanism a lot more appealing than I originally thought. Like I said earlier, I think this would have been my number one choice had it not looked down on group work. I obviously found more in common with the student centered material, as I two of the three where my top choices. I did not like progressivism at all though. I do not like that idea can only be found in practical results. There are a lot of things covered in schools that are hard to prove in a classroom, or even in a professional lab.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Philosophy in the Classroom
As an educator, I feel that everything I believe in and follow, connects together to form my philosophy. All the little things that I do, reflect my approach to the classroom and how the students will learn under my guidance.
Classroom organization is crucial to my classroom. The environment helps set the tone of what kind of teacher you are and how things will be guided. Having a neat classroom that is well structured based on the day’s activities sets a good example for the students to follow. I am a big believer in group work, and mixing up the diversity of the groups every class, therefore I prefer tables that fit four or five students. I like having a big room so the tables can be spaced out. This creates easy access for me to move around throughout the lesson, as well as the students since they will be doing a lot of activities that will involve movement. All of my lessons will be aligned with the districts curriculum as well as the Maine learning results. I will try my hardest to meet all of the students needs by making the appropriate modifications for each student, as well as differentiating my instruction by using all of the multiple intelligences and using a wide variety of resources and activities. A major goal of mine is to create a non-judgmental, encouraging, supportive and healthy atmosphere that allows the students to reflect themselves in their own light, while having the respect of their peers. Students will be assessed based on standards, not on tests. Students are expected to prove to me that they understand how they relate to the material, and how they can use it, not proving it to me by memorize it and write it down on a test.
Without motivation, the students do not learn. Motivating the students is the single most important thing teachers must do. They do this by meeting their needs. Teachers should understand what makes their students go, and use all of their needs within one lesson to catch the interest of all of them. Students are more willing to learn and understand how the material relates to them, when the work is described in ways that they can understand it. I will motivate the students by finding ways to help them understand how the material relates to them. In my class, students will have an appreciation and understanding how their overall well-being is affected with the different health materials I will cover.
Discipline is not a very strong point of mine. I have not spent much time working on it, and therefore have very little experience with it. In the perfect world I hope that my students will enjoy my class and be engaged within the work so that they do not cause any problems for me. Since that is not likely to happen, I hope to discipline in positive ways. Such as the students staying after and helping me create a lesson, or having them write a journal about how the health topics of that day could have helped them have a better attitude during that class.
Most of my assessments will be based on the students showing or proving to me how they are able to understand the material by relating it to real world concepts. I do not believe in tests, and have no intentions of giving them out. I prefer activities that allow the students to practice the concepts instead of memorize them. Assessments will be based on whether or not the students can show me that they meet the standards based on that particular lesson.
Like classroom organization, the climate is part of the classroom environment. Before students are even willing to learn, they must feel safe, intellectually stimulated, and the classroom must meet their basic needs mentally and physically. Students want to learn, but they need the feeling of self-worth. To do this, it is imperative that they learn in an environment that is supportive, encouraging, and fits their needs. My main focus at the moment is looking at all the students as equals, and not playing favorites to any of them. I feel that this will help in terms of creating a healthy relationship with my students, if have a respect for who they are, and are interested in what they do, than I feel the rest will come naturally. I also feel as a health educator, that I will always have an open door policy that allows my students to come in at anytime and discuss any issues they are having or foreseeing. I will always encourage parents to come in and talk with me. I hope to have some sort of classroom wiki, or website that allows them to follow along with the material for each day. The better I know the parents, the more I will understand where the students are coming from. If parents have an issue, I am more than willing to sit down and discuss it and respect their opinions. The only thing I will not do, is talk about another student, or get into a war of words.
In my classroom the main learning focus will be that of understanding how to improve and maintain your overall wellness. This is the goal for every lesson that I teach. Because health is so broad and interconnects in so many ways, I will always have to leave some extra time available in my lessons in case questions or discussion wonder off. I do not mind this, because it means the students are interested and are questioning how it affects other parts of their health. Since health is so important, it will not be a big deal to answer and go off topic. The majority of class time will be spent doing activities that will hopefully reach all the students and give them an understanding of how the material relates to them. I am horrible at lecturing, and do not believe in it. I believe that the students should be doing things that are hands on and allowing them to think about what is going on and how it affects them. I will be constantly assessing the students to see if they understand how the material relates to them. In health, the importance that the students place on the material, all become part of their value system, whether it’s good or bad.
I like to think of my teaching style, like Larry Bird describes his coaching style. Most of the coaching should occur before the game even starts. That means, I should have all the hard work done before my class enters the room. Though my class is like practice, most of my coaching will be done on my own, preparing the material to meet all the students needs and interests with a wide variety of activities that help them to succeed on their own, and only using me as a guide or resource. Like Bird, teachers are leaders and change agents. They find what works for their class and they do it, and their peers who do not catch on, only get left behind (or in other terms, their students). Using technology is critical for future teachers, not only does it have great resources and activities, but it is the easiest way for students to learn. Being a lifelong teacher, and being able to adapt so that they can maximize their students learning is what teaching is all about.
I believe that leadership flies under the radar way to often. I am all about creating leaders and not followers. The best way to create leaders is to set an example of yourself. In health education, if you’re truly passionate about it, this makes it easy. It happens by doing what you teach, always looking out for the whole of the classes health, taking time out of your day to help students with health issues and by pushing the school to constantly improve the school health coordinated program, and create programs that push for more health classes and improving a healthy school environment and setting. The classroom in general requires a leader who gives everyone the same opportunities, and pushes students to reach learning potentials. All my students will have ample amount of opportunities to have a leadership role in the classroom. These students are the future, and their health decisions are based on their willingness to be a leader, not a follower.
Classroom organization is crucial to my classroom. The environment helps set the tone of what kind of teacher you are and how things will be guided. Having a neat classroom that is well structured based on the day’s activities sets a good example for the students to follow. I am a big believer in group work, and mixing up the diversity of the groups every class, therefore I prefer tables that fit four or five students. I like having a big room so the tables can be spaced out. This creates easy access for me to move around throughout the lesson, as well as the students since they will be doing a lot of activities that will involve movement. All of my lessons will be aligned with the districts curriculum as well as the Maine learning results. I will try my hardest to meet all of the students needs by making the appropriate modifications for each student, as well as differentiating my instruction by using all of the multiple intelligences and using a wide variety of resources and activities. A major goal of mine is to create a non-judgmental, encouraging, supportive and healthy atmosphere that allows the students to reflect themselves in their own light, while having the respect of their peers. Students will be assessed based on standards, not on tests. Students are expected to prove to me that they understand how they relate to the material, and how they can use it, not proving it to me by memorize it and write it down on a test.
Without motivation, the students do not learn. Motivating the students is the single most important thing teachers must do. They do this by meeting their needs. Teachers should understand what makes their students go, and use all of their needs within one lesson to catch the interest of all of them. Students are more willing to learn and understand how the material relates to them, when the work is described in ways that they can understand it. I will motivate the students by finding ways to help them understand how the material relates to them. In my class, students will have an appreciation and understanding how their overall well-being is affected with the different health materials I will cover.
Discipline is not a very strong point of mine. I have not spent much time working on it, and therefore have very little experience with it. In the perfect world I hope that my students will enjoy my class and be engaged within the work so that they do not cause any problems for me. Since that is not likely to happen, I hope to discipline in positive ways. Such as the students staying after and helping me create a lesson, or having them write a journal about how the health topics of that day could have helped them have a better attitude during that class.
Most of my assessments will be based on the students showing or proving to me how they are able to understand the material by relating it to real world concepts. I do not believe in tests, and have no intentions of giving them out. I prefer activities that allow the students to practice the concepts instead of memorize them. Assessments will be based on whether or not the students can show me that they meet the standards based on that particular lesson.
Like classroom organization, the climate is part of the classroom environment. Before students are even willing to learn, they must feel safe, intellectually stimulated, and the classroom must meet their basic needs mentally and physically. Students want to learn, but they need the feeling of self-worth. To do this, it is imperative that they learn in an environment that is supportive, encouraging, and fits their needs. My main focus at the moment is looking at all the students as equals, and not playing favorites to any of them. I feel that this will help in terms of creating a healthy relationship with my students, if have a respect for who they are, and are interested in what they do, than I feel the rest will come naturally. I also feel as a health educator, that I will always have an open door policy that allows my students to come in at anytime and discuss any issues they are having or foreseeing. I will always encourage parents to come in and talk with me. I hope to have some sort of classroom wiki, or website that allows them to follow along with the material for each day. The better I know the parents, the more I will understand where the students are coming from. If parents have an issue, I am more than willing to sit down and discuss it and respect their opinions. The only thing I will not do, is talk about another student, or get into a war of words.
In my classroom the main learning focus will be that of understanding how to improve and maintain your overall wellness. This is the goal for every lesson that I teach. Because health is so broad and interconnects in so many ways, I will always have to leave some extra time available in my lessons in case questions or discussion wonder off. I do not mind this, because it means the students are interested and are questioning how it affects other parts of their health. Since health is so important, it will not be a big deal to answer and go off topic. The majority of class time will be spent doing activities that will hopefully reach all the students and give them an understanding of how the material relates to them. I am horrible at lecturing, and do not believe in it. I believe that the students should be doing things that are hands on and allowing them to think about what is going on and how it affects them. I will be constantly assessing the students to see if they understand how the material relates to them. In health, the importance that the students place on the material, all become part of their value system, whether it’s good or bad.
I like to think of my teaching style, like Larry Bird describes his coaching style. Most of the coaching should occur before the game even starts. That means, I should have all the hard work done before my class enters the room. Though my class is like practice, most of my coaching will be done on my own, preparing the material to meet all the students needs and interests with a wide variety of activities that help them to succeed on their own, and only using me as a guide or resource. Like Bird, teachers are leaders and change agents. They find what works for their class and they do it, and their peers who do not catch on, only get left behind (or in other terms, their students). Using technology is critical for future teachers, not only does it have great resources and activities, but it is the easiest way for students to learn. Being a lifelong teacher, and being able to adapt so that they can maximize their students learning is what teaching is all about.
I believe that leadership flies under the radar way to often. I am all about creating leaders and not followers. The best way to create leaders is to set an example of yourself. In health education, if you’re truly passionate about it, this makes it easy. It happens by doing what you teach, always looking out for the whole of the classes health, taking time out of your day to help students with health issues and by pushing the school to constantly improve the school health coordinated program, and create programs that push for more health classes and improving a healthy school environment and setting. The classroom in general requires a leader who gives everyone the same opportunities, and pushes students to reach learning potentials. All my students will have ample amount of opportunities to have a leadership role in the classroom. These students are the future, and their health decisions are based on their willingness to be a leader, not a follower.
Monday, November 5, 2007
NCLB
I have enjoyed all of the presentations so far, but I have to say that I think Stephanie and Angela’s have fascinated me the most. I do not do a good job of keeping up with laws or guidelines in education, and I had a tiny understanding of what No Child Left Behind (NLCB) was. This was a real eye opener to me, as I found a lot of the information was drastically different than what I believe, and have been taught, that education is all about. I feel that there are some schools that are doomed from the get go because of this. Schools that are in rural parts of America that struggle to attract the resources and money needed to survive. It is impossible for them to improve if their below the line, and getting the money turned off every year, and than eventually having the school terminated. This is what bothered me the most, when schools that needed money the most, are unable to get it. I feel that their should be some evaluation program that should be set in place for the schools that are below the line and decreasing. A group of evaluators should come to the school and find out what is, and is not working, and than report it so that the school can get what it needs to succeed. I realize there are many other things to be concerned about with this Act, but this is what really disturbed me the most from the presentation and paper.
I do wish that Stephanie and Angela discussed some positives to the Act, because my opinion of it is completely negative. Which is a little unfair sense I am still very new to it, and obviously only learned a small section of it. I am interested in the next few classes going over it, because it seems to me that it is going to be a big issue for the future and will no doubt impact me as a teacher down the road.
I do wish that Stephanie and Angela discussed some positives to the Act, because my opinion of it is completely negative. Which is a little unfair sense I am still very new to it, and obviously only learned a small section of it. I am interested in the next few classes going over it, because it seems to me that it is going to be a big issue for the future and will no doubt impact me as a teacher down the road.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Voices
The History and Philosophy of Education had many different opinions and beliefs from a wide variety of leaders from different times. Though almost each one of them had at least one similarity to my philosophy, I found that Thomas Aquinas and Comenius’s to be the most similar to myself. If I could combine those two, then there would be a philosophy very similar to mine.
Aquinas similarities include the student understanding how they can act based on their power of choice through what they know and understand. Education is meant to help students develop their intellectual abilities and form their character by giving them the power of choice. Teachers should help equip students in a way that will help them develop good habits through their own free action. A teacher should stress the importance of giving the students opportunities to make good choices, by recognizing their strengths and potentials and allowing them to learn through discovery. Aquinas believed that a good education was one that enabled individuals to engage in activities that allow them to achieve their own good, and happiness. The only way this would work was when family, school, and the community worked together. Aquinas also tells us: “Just as one is inspired to virtue by another and by himself, so also does he get to know something by discovering for himself and learning from another.” Aquinas also believed in studying the classics, as they are an important reason of why we are where we are today, but also studying for the future. The only thing I disagreed with Aquinas on was that woman should have equal rights.
Comenius believed in universal education for all, no matter what their social background, religion, sex, or intellectual ability. He created a universal education that implied holistic development of the human allowing woman, deaf, blind, and retarded individuals to be part of the school. He believed that the parents were the primary educators, especially in the development of the child’s character form. Teachers made the school a workshop for the virtues in order to help each student to develop themselves. Teachers should encourage, be kind, give individual attention to students, and be open to all learners, creating a non-coercive atmosphere in with the subject is presented with a variety and practicality. The teacher should combine moral integrity, enthusiasm, and diligence with pedagogic efficiency. “School is the workshop where young souls are formed to virtue.”
There are other major concepts taken from a wide variety of the philosophers in the text that fit my own philosophy. Similar to myself, Tyler believed in new experiences in educational programs that would interest the students, meet their needs, and prepare them for life after school. Montessori believed that the environment was crucial for student development. The teacher was not their to teach, but rather present, observe, and allow children to teach themselves as they worked with material that made up the properly prepared environment for their activity. The teacher was responsible for creating an environment that through careful observation of student movement and behavior meets the needs and interests of the students and allows them to develop and achieve satisfaction. Like Plato, I expect students to become leaders, and promotion of leadership should be used in different activities. Many of the philosophers believed that motivation of the students was in the hands of the educator; if they created a lesson that meet their interests, needs, and level, then they would want to learn. “He teaches me who puts before my eyes, or any bodily sense, or even my mind itself, those things which I want to learn,” were words spooking from Augustine when referring to the students needs. I also like how Augustine speaks in terms of teachers being role-models, and showing just as much passion and enthusiasm for the content as they expect their students to show. I also like how he built upon ideas and concepts, guiding the students to reach a goal. “We are born with faculties and powers, capable almost of anything; as it is in the body, so it is in the mind, practice makes it what it is.” Locke said these words in terms that every student has their own potential; it just needs to be brought out through the process of education and socialization. Finally, like many of the philosophers, I believe that the educator should care for the students and their abilities to learn.
http://www2.nd.edu/Departments//Maritain/etext/walsh-q.htm -Thomas Aquinas
http://www.comeniusfoundation.org/comenius.htm -Comenius
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/ -Locke
Aquinas similarities include the student understanding how they can act based on their power of choice through what they know and understand. Education is meant to help students develop their intellectual abilities and form their character by giving them the power of choice. Teachers should help equip students in a way that will help them develop good habits through their own free action. A teacher should stress the importance of giving the students opportunities to make good choices, by recognizing their strengths and potentials and allowing them to learn through discovery. Aquinas believed that a good education was one that enabled individuals to engage in activities that allow them to achieve their own good, and happiness. The only way this would work was when family, school, and the community worked together. Aquinas also tells us: “Just as one is inspired to virtue by another and by himself, so also does he get to know something by discovering for himself and learning from another.” Aquinas also believed in studying the classics, as they are an important reason of why we are where we are today, but also studying for the future. The only thing I disagreed with Aquinas on was that woman should have equal rights.
Comenius believed in universal education for all, no matter what their social background, religion, sex, or intellectual ability. He created a universal education that implied holistic development of the human allowing woman, deaf, blind, and retarded individuals to be part of the school. He believed that the parents were the primary educators, especially in the development of the child’s character form. Teachers made the school a workshop for the virtues in order to help each student to develop themselves. Teachers should encourage, be kind, give individual attention to students, and be open to all learners, creating a non-coercive atmosphere in with the subject is presented with a variety and practicality. The teacher should combine moral integrity, enthusiasm, and diligence with pedagogic efficiency. “School is the workshop where young souls are formed to virtue.”
There are other major concepts taken from a wide variety of the philosophers in the text that fit my own philosophy. Similar to myself, Tyler believed in new experiences in educational programs that would interest the students, meet their needs, and prepare them for life after school. Montessori believed that the environment was crucial for student development. The teacher was not their to teach, but rather present, observe, and allow children to teach themselves as they worked with material that made up the properly prepared environment for their activity. The teacher was responsible for creating an environment that through careful observation of student movement and behavior meets the needs and interests of the students and allows them to develop and achieve satisfaction. Like Plato, I expect students to become leaders, and promotion of leadership should be used in different activities. Many of the philosophers believed that motivation of the students was in the hands of the educator; if they created a lesson that meet their interests, needs, and level, then they would want to learn. “He teaches me who puts before my eyes, or any bodily sense, or even my mind itself, those things which I want to learn,” were words spooking from Augustine when referring to the students needs. I also like how Augustine speaks in terms of teachers being role-models, and showing just as much passion and enthusiasm for the content as they expect their students to show. I also like how he built upon ideas and concepts, guiding the students to reach a goal. “We are born with faculties and powers, capable almost of anything; as it is in the body, so it is in the mind, practice makes it what it is.” Locke said these words in terms that every student has their own potential; it just needs to be brought out through the process of education and socialization. Finally, like many of the philosophers, I believe that the educator should care for the students and their abilities to learn.
http://www2.nd.edu/Departments//Maritain/etext/walsh-q.htm -Thomas Aquinas
http://www.comeniusfoundation.org/comenius.htm -Comenius
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/ -Locke
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Experiential Learning
I enjoyed Michael and Megan’s presentation on Experiential Learning. I completely agree with them when they say that it is the best way to learn. I agree that individual’s best learn through involvement and experiences. I like how Megan and Michael found several different types of learners and teachers, and they were all able to succeed and fit their styles into Kolb’s four step cycle. There are some learners I feel would have a difficult time going through the process without changing their attitude, but I believe the research would know more than me, so I believe it. I thought the foxfire example was perfect, and summed up everything a classroom should be. I also like in the conclusion how Michael and Megan discussed that experiential learning brings everything all together. It really touches upon everything we have learned about creating an equal and positive learning environment that involves differentiated instruction. All the presentations we have had so far all link, and experiential learning has all of these concepts in one. The only thing I am confused about is how it makes the work load easier for the teacher. I realize that the students will have more responsibility since they will be using their own experiences and understanding to learn, but doesn’t the teacher still have to put in a lot of time developing a plan for each student so they can understand how they use their experience to learn the material? I must say that this was a great project, and it was nice to have them refer back to information that they learned from Sean and mines project.
TWYH Final Chapters
After Gruwell lost the election, she was in a financial debt. She found ways to make extra money by traveling around and giving presentations and speeches about her experiences with the freedom writers. Throughout these trips, she got to meet famous people such as Rudy Giuliani, and Hank Aaron. She also made connections with people that were able to help her out. One of those people was Ric Kanye, who was so impressed with what she had done with her students that he wanted her to create an exact replica of her teaching model that she used with her students. So that her students could help her create the model, as well as get some college credits, Kanye offered to pay for half a dozen of the students tuition. While celebrating during the fundraising party for the start of the program, Gruwell ran into an old friend whose husband was a movie producer. This lead to another opportunity for the Freedom Writers, a movie was going to be produced based on their stories. In the middle of all this happening, Gruwell’s father dies. He had just seen his first speech by her, and called her to tell her how proud he was of her, when he died later that day. Gruwell struggled at first, though she continued to do her work. She found the Freedom Writers helpful during the coping process. The book ends with Hillary Swank playing the part of Gruwell in the movie, and Darius and Maria giving speeches before the kickoff of the highly anticipated move Freedom Writers.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and would have to say that it is probably one of my favorites now, but I have mixed feelings about the ending. Its frustrating reading about how Gruwell put all this time into teaching, and the only thing left for herself is a divorce and no money. I think its great what she has done for her students, and all the experiences she has had, can never be matched, but I hope that in the end she was able to have her own personal life. I thought there were to many times at the end that she did not seem happy, and I think it would have been a lot easier on her if she had more of a support system other than her dad, and had time to slow everything down. I do not know whatever happened with the work that she was doing for Ric Kanye, but I thought that was good for her. That’s something I could see her enjoying and being successful at.
After the students had graduated, I wished Gruwell had spent less time discussing congress and her speeches, and more talking about what the students are doing now. I thought it was necessary to talk about what she did, because it all connected and showed how they got to where they are now, but I did not feel that she needed to go into that much detail. I am curious on hearing how there all doing. In the end, I am very appreciative of what Gruwell has done. She has not only sacrificed her time and energy for her students, but also future teachers like me who are able to learn from her experiences and ideas.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and would have to say that it is probably one of my favorites now, but I have mixed feelings about the ending. Its frustrating reading about how Gruwell put all this time into teaching, and the only thing left for herself is a divorce and no money. I think its great what she has done for her students, and all the experiences she has had, can never be matched, but I hope that in the end she was able to have her own personal life. I thought there were to many times at the end that she did not seem happy, and I think it would have been a lot easier on her if she had more of a support system other than her dad, and had time to slow everything down. I do not know whatever happened with the work that she was doing for Ric Kanye, but I thought that was good for her. That’s something I could see her enjoying and being successful at.
After the students had graduated, I wished Gruwell had spent less time discussing congress and her speeches, and more talking about what the students are doing now. I thought it was necessary to talk about what she did, because it all connected and showed how they got to where they are now, but I did not feel that she needed to go into that much detail. I am curious on hearing how there all doing. In the end, I am very appreciative of what Gruwell has done. She has not only sacrificed her time and energy for her students, but also future teachers like me who are able to learn from her experiences and ideas.
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