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
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
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.
Philosophy Assessment
After reading the chapter and taking the Philosophy Assessment test, I have come to the conclusion that I am both a pragmatists and a realist. This is how I had described myself after reading the chapter, and after taking the test, I had scored a 6.4 on both of them as well as existentialism. I really had no doubt in my mind that I was a pragmatist once I had finished the reading in terms of education, but I struggled to choose between the two because of my religion. After taking the test it made me feel good knowing that I had struggled to pick between the two, and now I could settle for both of them.
I believe that I am a pragmatist mostly because of the education I have had while in college. I used to hate change, and had the same routine for eighteen years. Since college, I have learned that everything changes, and you always have to be willing to adapt. I believe in creating values through experimenting and learning through those experiences so you can make your own sense of the world. I believe that the best way to motivate students is to teach them by relating the material through their own interests, and experiences as well as learning through several different methods with a wide variety of activities. The job of teachers is to help guide the students in their learning, but it is more important for the students to discover who they are by what they value and learn. The students should use the teacher as a guide and resource, allowing them to reach standards and objectives by their own terms. Students should also be allowed to work in groups and set their own rules and goals on how to reach the standards and objectives.
Idealism is part of me because I believe that if an individual really wants to do something, than they can do it as long as they work hard and have the right mind set. I believe that school is a starting point for students to find out who they are and what they want to be. Though I believe in change and adaptation, I also believe that there are some things that are concrete, and have remained the same over time. Students should appreciate these ideas, and understand how it affects their lives today. Teachers should use material to help the students come to conclusions based on their own experiences and teachers are responsible for finding ways to motivate students to become familiar with the topic.
After reviewing the answers to the questions on the test, I realized why I scored so high on the extrinsic section. Because I had to either give a 1 or 5, the questions were about the students, and focused only on there development, which I am obviously not going to put a 1. I do like that extrinsic allows the students to learn from their own actions and experience, but I feel that it is to loose of an atmosphere and not enough guidance. I did not value any other parts of extrinsic as well as realists.
I believe that I am a pragmatist mostly because of the education I have had while in college. I used to hate change, and had the same routine for eighteen years. Since college, I have learned that everything changes, and you always have to be willing to adapt. I believe in creating values through experimenting and learning through those experiences so you can make your own sense of the world. I believe that the best way to motivate students is to teach them by relating the material through their own interests, and experiences as well as learning through several different methods with a wide variety of activities. The job of teachers is to help guide the students in their learning, but it is more important for the students to discover who they are by what they value and learn. The students should use the teacher as a guide and resource, allowing them to reach standards and objectives by their own terms. Students should also be allowed to work in groups and set their own rules and goals on how to reach the standards and objectives.
Idealism is part of me because I believe that if an individual really wants to do something, than they can do it as long as they work hard and have the right mind set. I believe that school is a starting point for students to find out who they are and what they want to be. Though I believe in change and adaptation, I also believe that there are some things that are concrete, and have remained the same over time. Students should appreciate these ideas, and understand how it affects their lives today. Teachers should use material to help the students come to conclusions based on their own experiences and teachers are responsible for finding ways to motivate students to become familiar with the topic.
After reviewing the answers to the questions on the test, I realized why I scored so high on the extrinsic section. Because I had to either give a 1 or 5, the questions were about the students, and focused only on there development, which I am obviously not going to put a 1. I do like that extrinsic allows the students to learn from their own actions and experience, but I feel that it is to loose of an atmosphere and not enough guidance. I did not value any other parts of extrinsic as well as realists.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Senior Year
Senior year has officially come for the students, and more doors are starting to open for the students and Gruwell. The year starts out by the class being collectively nominated for the Spirit of Anne Frank Award by Gruwell, which they eventually won. They also got another opportunity to publish their book, based on their diaries. While interviewing for the Anne Frank Award, Gruwell happened to run back into a publisher who she had meet with earlier. After hearing the story again, the publisher was all about giving Gruwell and the students a book deal. The book would be about adversities that the students had overcome, and how the class came together in the past four years. As these opportunities arose, along with the prospect of going to college, Gruwell received a new opportunity as well. California State University, Long Beach offered her a new teaching position in the education department. Gruwell decides to take the job, and leave Wilson along with the seniors. Before the end of the year, the students struggled with the idea of life after the Gruwell era, as did Gruwell with life after this group of students. They decided that they would take one more trip. A trip that would not happen until the following year, with only fifty of the students; they decided to take twenty days and go to Europe. The trip was a success; it included guest speakers and even a trip to Anne Frank’s attic. At times there were some nerve wrecking moments, but overall the trip was a great experience that allowed the students to make an even better connection with the environment that they had read so much about. After a year of teaching, and promoting the new book, Gruwell was encouraged and then decided to run for congress, which she eventually lost.
I feel that Gruwell is just a one class wonder. This past section was very sad for me to read, instead of encouraging like all the previous ones. I was originally sad to see the class and Gruwell have to separate, but that quickly turned into an annoyance once she decided to for congress and include them in on everything. I feel like she is trying to hold on to her students as long as she can. I guess I do not blame her, she does not seem happy with them gone, and it seems that her heart is not in anything she does now. I think that she got in to deep with the class. I realize that a lot of the students owe their lives to her, but she did what she was supposed to. She prepared them for life after high school, and all of them made it to college because of her. She now needs to get her life back on track, and move on. Its good that she still sees the students and has an opportunity to communicate with them, but I think it’s a little much that she still allows them to rely and hang on to her as much as they do. I know this book and everything happened for them because of how close they are, but in general, I would not want my life as an educator to end up like that. She just does not seem that happy. I believe she was meant to do two things; teach in high school, and write this book. I don’t know the impact she has had on her college students, but she is a great high school teacher, and I’m sure has changed the attitudes of many education majors who have read her book. I am defiantly someone who will struggle every year at graduation; I do not like change, or goodbyes. I hope that students will come back and see me, but I also hope that I do not get as depressed and down like its seems that Gruwell did with her class. I know it is different, but I feel Gruwell would just be better off teaching the same students for one or two years. That way she can make a connection with the students, give them the opportunity to work under her, and than be sad and excited that there moving on for graduation. Instead of dreading to see them go.
I feel that Gruwell is just a one class wonder. This past section was very sad for me to read, instead of encouraging like all the previous ones. I was originally sad to see the class and Gruwell have to separate, but that quickly turned into an annoyance once she decided to for congress and include them in on everything. I feel like she is trying to hold on to her students as long as she can. I guess I do not blame her, she does not seem happy with them gone, and it seems that her heart is not in anything she does now. I think that she got in to deep with the class. I realize that a lot of the students owe their lives to her, but she did what she was supposed to. She prepared them for life after high school, and all of them made it to college because of her. She now needs to get her life back on track, and move on. Its good that she still sees the students and has an opportunity to communicate with them, but I think it’s a little much that she still allows them to rely and hang on to her as much as they do. I know this book and everything happened for them because of how close they are, but in general, I would not want my life as an educator to end up like that. She just does not seem that happy. I believe she was meant to do two things; teach in high school, and write this book. I don’t know the impact she has had on her college students, but she is a great high school teacher, and I’m sure has changed the attitudes of many education majors who have read her book. I am defiantly someone who will struggle every year at graduation; I do not like change, or goodbyes. I hope that students will come back and see me, but I also hope that I do not get as depressed and down like its seems that Gruwell did with her class. I know it is different, but I feel Gruwell would just be better off teaching the same students for one or two years. That way she can make a connection with the students, give them the opportunity to work under her, and than be sad and excited that there moving on for graduation. Instead of dreading to see them go.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
TWYH Junior Year
As summer comes to an end, and Gruwell is preparing for the upcoming school year, she finds that her marriage is not as successful as her student’s progress in the classroom. The relationship she has with her husband has slowly been detariating since she has become an educator. They eventually decide to get a divorce, and Gruwell merges herself in more school work to help heal her pain. In the classroom, Gruwell’s students are getting more opportunities than ever before. As an assignment, Gruwell has the students write their own diaries, similar to that of Mieps and Zlata. Gruwell wants to give her students an opportunity to type up their work, because of the lack of computers the school has to offer, Gruwell goes to John Tu and asks if she could borrow a few for her students, Tu decides it would be better if he bought thirty five new computers for her class. Since the students have an opportunity to type their diaries, they go a step further and take a trip to Washington D.C. to present their diaries to the Secretary of Education. The trip is a great success, the students come together with their families and with the help of John Tu, raise enough money to go. The trip eventually leads to a write up in the L.A. Times. The article caught attention everywhere. It was a well written piece that brought out the best in the class. People and organizations were sending in donations from all over to the class. Several calls from big time news stations wanted to do a story on the class. With careful consideration, Gruwell decides that an interview with Connie Chung of Primetime is the best option for her students. It eventually turns into a long process that wears on the students and creates a lot of tension with the class and the reporting crew, as long as with each other.
While reading, I originally thought that Gruwell gets extremely lucky with a lot of the opportunities that come about for her students. I still believe that a little luck is involved, but, I now believe it is more hard work and attitude than anything else. Everything her and the class do have some affect on another thing. All the events that occurred during the students junior year was because of her idea to have them create a diary. Though I wish that other classes at the school could have Gruwell as a teacher, I will admit that for a three year plan, she has done a good job of creating a base with the students and continuing to build on it. I feel that this is great for the students. Most of them have never built on something before and got to see positive results. Their getting a better education with Gruwell, they also see the results of what a positive attitude and hard work can do. The students are also making good role-models and seeing how their work can affect others.
It’s sometimes hard for me to remember that Gruwell is only in her third full year as a teacher. The way she handles every situation you would think that she’s not only a teacher, but a business woman, a mom, and a world leader. I did think it was a little sad and discouraging that she could not handle her marriage as well, but I feel that she might have been a little to young to handle it all right away and that they truly were not meant to be. I hate to say it, cause I hope that I can have as much of an impact on my students as Gruwell, but I do not think I could do as much as her. I would encourage my students to write letters and go places, but I feel that I would be too involved with athletic programs and my family to take the time and money to travel across the country and bring in guests from other countries. I realize that Gruwell is the ultimate teacher, but that’s what I strive for, and I feel that it might be too much considering everything that I plan to be part of.
While reading, I originally thought that Gruwell gets extremely lucky with a lot of the opportunities that come about for her students. I still believe that a little luck is involved, but, I now believe it is more hard work and attitude than anything else. Everything her and the class do have some affect on another thing. All the events that occurred during the students junior year was because of her idea to have them create a diary. Though I wish that other classes at the school could have Gruwell as a teacher, I will admit that for a three year plan, she has done a good job of creating a base with the students and continuing to build on it. I feel that this is great for the students. Most of them have never built on something before and got to see positive results. Their getting a better education with Gruwell, they also see the results of what a positive attitude and hard work can do. The students are also making good role-models and seeing how their work can affect others.
It’s sometimes hard for me to remember that Gruwell is only in her third full year as a teacher. The way she handles every situation you would think that she’s not only a teacher, but a business woman, a mom, and a world leader. I did think it was a little sad and discouraging that she could not handle her marriage as well, but I feel that she might have been a little to young to handle it all right away and that they truly were not meant to be. I hate to say it, cause I hope that I can have as much of an impact on my students as Gruwell, but I do not think I could do as much as her. I would encourage my students to write letters and go places, but I feel that I would be too involved with athletic programs and my family to take the time and money to travel across the country and bring in guests from other countries. I realize that Gruwell is the ultimate teacher, but that’s what I strive for, and I feel that it might be too much considering everything that I plan to be part of.
Multicultural
After reading Chelsea and Stacey’s paper, as well as going over their power point and taking their quiz; I realized just how far we are from equal rights. A few weeks ago when the class went over some of the major equal rights acts in history, I understood that we were not even close to everyone having equal opportunities, after reading this I feel that we are much further behind than I thought before. I did not score very well on the quiz, and a lot of the answers were very disturbing to me. It is not fair that individuals from different back grounds, who work just as hard and have been through just as much as the other, do not have the same advantages.
The positive of all this, is that it is in our (educators) hands. Though there will be a lot of influence from home and the environment, we are the people that can bring different diversities together to work as a team. We can help students see that everyone is equal, and that everyone is different in their own ways. By creating an environment in the classroom that promotes understanding and learning from their peers, students will understand and have an appreciation for each other as well as their cultures, diversity, and gender.
I loved the paragraph in Chelsea and Stacy’s paper on “transformation.” It is imperative that educators look at all students as equals, and not give special attention. It was shocking to me in the quiz that 53% of faculty is the cause of homophobic remarks in schools. If all educators can change, then it will be a great start to a long process that will improve attitudes of individuals towards different diversities. If the nation is to change, then it needs to start in the classroom with unbiased opinions. I think it would be a good idea to have a checklist, or the list of objectives that Chelsea and Stacy had. It would be a good reminder to keep their own opinions to themselves and treat all the students as equals.
Students who have an opportunity to be with educators that are equal and allow them to work with a wide variety of different individuals, will have a better understanding and appreciation of others beliefs and ideas. This will hopefully someday lead to a nation that is equal for everyone, and ideas and beliefs can be judged by opinions and not color, gender, or background.
The positive of all this, is that it is in our (educators) hands. Though there will be a lot of influence from home and the environment, we are the people that can bring different diversities together to work as a team. We can help students see that everyone is equal, and that everyone is different in their own ways. By creating an environment in the classroom that promotes understanding and learning from their peers, students will understand and have an appreciation for each other as well as their cultures, diversity, and gender.
I loved the paragraph in Chelsea and Stacy’s paper on “transformation.” It is imperative that educators look at all students as equals, and not give special attention. It was shocking to me in the quiz that 53% of faculty is the cause of homophobic remarks in schools. If all educators can change, then it will be a great start to a long process that will improve attitudes of individuals towards different diversities. If the nation is to change, then it needs to start in the classroom with unbiased opinions. I think it would be a good idea to have a checklist, or the list of objectives that Chelsea and Stacy had. It would be a good reminder to keep their own opinions to themselves and treat all the students as equals.
Students who have an opportunity to be with educators that are equal and allow them to work with a wide variety of different individuals, will have a better understanding and appreciation of others beliefs and ideas. This will hopefully someday lead to a nation that is equal for everyone, and ideas and beliefs can be judged by opinions and not color, gender, or background.
Promising Futures
The Maine Commission on Secondary Education’s Promising Futures shows and discusses improvements that Maine Education programs need to make, based on a fourteen-month examination the board made. Maine students are to often memorizing information, following a routine, and functioning in isolation in their classrooms. Promising Futures breaks down what educators can do to maximize the learning potential of Maine secondary students. The Maine commission first recognized eight core principles that form when students are successful in education. These principles promote high standards for academics, social and personal skills, and knowledge. The commission developed fifteen core practices that if used by schools, students will have the ability to meet all the standards of the Maine Learning Results, and will graduate high school prepared for a productive future. The first eight principles focus more on learning and teaching practices that should be used throughout education; the last seven are practices that are essential for the faculty to do to help the success of the first eight. After breaking down and discussing each principle, the Commission than gives recommendations of ways to change schools environments and inserting the practices and principles into everyday education in Maine. It includes “phase outs, (things you should not do)” and things that need to be done outside school walls to assure that a comprehensive school education is being put in place. At the very end the Commission breaks down eight observations it made on Maine schools throughout the study, and discusses how a comprehensive school education can improve them.
While reading, I was really trying to look for something that I would disagree with or could debate against, but I could not find anything. Education can be very controversial, and when a document like this is written, there is often something that you may not agree with. After I finished reading, I thought about all the people out there who might not agree with any of their suggestions, and realized how lucky I was to basically have my educational philosophies and practices molded in the past four years around strategies that education specialist are trying to implement in schools today.
There are three core practices that stick out to me more than the others, and lately I feel as if I have been developing a good chunk of my philosophy around these three. The first is core practice 1. I thought the line where they said “adults must guide and trust, push and accommodate, and challenge and humor teenagers,” is a perfect explanation of what a teacher should be. I am starting to look at myself more as a guide, than an actual teacher, where the majority of my work will be outside the classroom finding ways for the students to understand the material in their own way using my resources. I feel this builds a respect between the students and adults, as well as gives them both a value for each other and the environment. The next two practices are 5 and 6. I feel these two build off of practice 1, by letting the students create their own environment for their success. Students need to succeed and fail to learn, and school is the best place for this. Students will have people in school and guardians at home who will help guide them to find themselves, but for the most part, students will learn on their own. Allowing the students to make a good portion of their decisions also better prepares them for life on their own. They will be the one making the decisions for America as they get older, and what better way to help them get ready than have smaller version in their school. I really love the idea of portfolios for graduation. Allowing the students to show in their own way how they meet all the Maine Learning Results would defiantly prove the students success and knowledge they have obtained throughout school.
(1998). Promising Futures: A Call to Improve Learning for Maine's Secondary Schools. Augusta, Maine: Maine Commission on Secondary Education.
While reading, I was really trying to look for something that I would disagree with or could debate against, but I could not find anything. Education can be very controversial, and when a document like this is written, there is often something that you may not agree with. After I finished reading, I thought about all the people out there who might not agree with any of their suggestions, and realized how lucky I was to basically have my educational philosophies and practices molded in the past four years around strategies that education specialist are trying to implement in schools today.
There are three core practices that stick out to me more than the others, and lately I feel as if I have been developing a good chunk of my philosophy around these three. The first is core practice 1. I thought the line where they said “adults must guide and trust, push and accommodate, and challenge and humor teenagers,” is a perfect explanation of what a teacher should be. I am starting to look at myself more as a guide, than an actual teacher, where the majority of my work will be outside the classroom finding ways for the students to understand the material in their own way using my resources. I feel this builds a respect between the students and adults, as well as gives them both a value for each other and the environment. The next two practices are 5 and 6. I feel these two build off of practice 1, by letting the students create their own environment for their success. Students need to succeed and fail to learn, and school is the best place for this. Students will have people in school and guardians at home who will help guide them to find themselves, but for the most part, students will learn on their own. Allowing the students to make a good portion of their decisions also better prepares them for life on their own. They will be the one making the decisions for America as they get older, and what better way to help them get ready than have smaller version in their school. I really love the idea of portfolios for graduation. Allowing the students to show in their own way how they meet all the Maine Learning Results would defiantly prove the students success and knowledge they have obtained throughout school.
(1998). Promising Futures: A Call to Improve Learning for Maine's Secondary Schools. Augusta, Maine: Maine Commission on Secondary Education.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Curriculum Integration
When it comes to curriculum integration, I feel that this is an automatic process that happens in my field. Health education relates to everything. Health is so broad, and there is nothing more important than an individual’s wellness and overall well-being that it makes it very easy to bring in other subject matters. The love-hate relationship I have with this field is that it connects to everything and is constantly changing, while at the same time I always feel like I’m behind on information. The reason I get behind is because of all the other content areas that focus on finding and improving information. I often find myself thinking so deep into health, that I get completely confused because I have gone into another subject matter that I do not understand. Whether it is writing descriptions of the human body, stats off food labels, history of diseases, or the biology and chemistry of general adoption syndrome, it is very important that you understand other subjects, so that you can fully understand health.
My practicum teacher was very good at understanding terms that she could use from other subjects in a relationship towards the health content. Though I recognize that health is made up of all the subjects, I often found myself not understanding the terms she used until she explained it to the class. This is one problem I do have, I am not that smart when it comes to subjects outside of health. Though I will be a life long learner, I feel there is no way I could be like my practicum teacher. There were times I would think she was a science and math teacher in her previous life. I believe in curriculum integration one hundred percent, it only makes sense. The students will understand it so much easier not just for my class, but the other subjects as well. It is part of the differentiated teaching I will do. I just have a lot more to learn from my other subjects before I can start using other terms in the classroom, but at the same time, to be a successful health teacher, you need to use and understand other areas.
My practicum teacher was very good at understanding terms that she could use from other subjects in a relationship towards the health content. Though I recognize that health is made up of all the subjects, I often found myself not understanding the terms she used until she explained it to the class. This is one problem I do have, I am not that smart when it comes to subjects outside of health. Though I will be a life long learner, I feel there is no way I could be like my practicum teacher. There were times I would think she was a science and math teacher in her previous life. I believe in curriculum integration one hundred percent, it only makes sense. The students will understand it so much easier not just for my class, but the other subjects as well. It is part of the differentiated teaching I will do. I just have a lot more to learn from my other subjects before I can start using other terms in the classroom, but at the same time, to be a successful health teacher, you need to use and understand other areas.
Sophmore Year
Gruwell enters this semester for the first time as a sophomore teacher, and more importantly the first time teaching without Sharaud and Melvin’s class in the school. So it was only appropriate that her old freshman class, now sophomores, start the year off with a toast. Gruwell had finally broke down, and decided that it did not matter what her colleagues thought of her, she went and bought four new different books for every student in her class. These were books that she felt the students could relate their lives too, and felt that a toast would be the first step in taking the time to read them. What happened was not a change of attitude towards reading, but one toward bettering their lives. Most of the students spoke up and stated changes they were going to make with their life during the toast. A few of the students were less than excited at first, but by being punished with nothing to do, all the novels got read. This lead to a new revolution in the class; suddenly Gruwell was really starting to understand her students, and them of her as well. Students were so excited about the novels, and the connections they made with the characters, that they started writing amazing papers. The students were so engaged that they all worked to bring the heroes from the novels to their class; Miep Gies, a woman who helped Anne Frank, and Zlata Filipovic’, a war torn girl from Sarjevo. These events gave many of the students a safety net in a classroom where they were able to work as a team, and feel good about themselves. All the students even were able to make a positive connection with their parents by teaching them about Zlata Filipovic’, and taking them to supper to meet her.
This semester by far had the most turning points in the student’s lives, but there are two that really stand out to me. The fist one is the very beginning when Gruwell has the class make a toast. Though it was not what she expected, it was much better. These students do not have opportunities to enjoy the small things that a lot of us take for granite. Making a toast was a special occasion for them and it really set the tone for the rest of the semester. The students started reading the books, and opening up to Gruwell. With Gruwell’s abilities, she took advantage of this right away and did whatever it took to keep them engaged. The second major turning point was at the end when Gruwell made her students bring someone special to the dinner for Zlata, and teach them her history. Gruwell hit several important aspects with just that one assignment. The first is that she got to meet the special people of her student’s lives. She also let the students have a moment with that person that was special to them. They got to make a connection that they have never done or felt before. The final thing it did was unit the class even more. They all worked together to achieve a common goal.
There was one moment that really hit home for me during this semester. When Miep was explaining how Anne had no idea how much Miep was doing for her, and Gruwell thought in her head that she was in the same boat with her students. She put so much time and money into the class, and they probably had no idea how much she did for them. It just made me think about all the stress, pain and work that I will do for my students some day, and they will never know. There is no doubt in my mind that’s exactly how I want it to be. It’s like being a superstar athlete, except without the publicity. It just made me proud to think about being a teacher, someone who will quietly put everything together for all these youngster and help set them in a path that is their lives. Even though we rarely get recognized, we are more important to people’s lives than any superstar or rock star will ever be.
This semester by far had the most turning points in the student’s lives, but there are two that really stand out to me. The fist one is the very beginning when Gruwell has the class make a toast. Though it was not what she expected, it was much better. These students do not have opportunities to enjoy the small things that a lot of us take for granite. Making a toast was a special occasion for them and it really set the tone for the rest of the semester. The students started reading the books, and opening up to Gruwell. With Gruwell’s abilities, she took advantage of this right away and did whatever it took to keep them engaged. The second major turning point was at the end when Gruwell made her students bring someone special to the dinner for Zlata, and teach them her history. Gruwell hit several important aspects with just that one assignment. The first is that she got to meet the special people of her student’s lives. She also let the students have a moment with that person that was special to them. They got to make a connection that they have never done or felt before. The final thing it did was unit the class even more. They all worked together to achieve a common goal.
There was one moment that really hit home for me during this semester. When Miep was explaining how Anne had no idea how much Miep was doing for her, and Gruwell thought in her head that she was in the same boat with her students. She put so much time and money into the class, and they probably had no idea how much she did for them. It just made me think about all the stress, pain and work that I will do for my students some day, and they will never know. There is no doubt in my mind that’s exactly how I want it to be. It’s like being a superstar athlete, except without the publicity. It just made me proud to think about being a teacher, someone who will quietly put everything together for all these youngster and help set them in a path that is their lives. Even though we rarely get recognized, we are more important to people’s lives than any superstar or rock star will ever be.
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