The Make a Difference (MaD) project turned out to be far more insightful than I thought it would! Sitting down and picking something wrong with my local and observed school districts that I would like to change for the better, turned out to be a great way to really focus in and learn more about the problem itself.
As my problem to make a difference against, I chose overcrowding in the classroom. I thought that I had experienced this problem having seen classes of thirty five or so students, but reading up on it, I found that those numbers didn't even compare to others. There were teachers out there with classes of over fifty students, who still managed to teach their class! Obviously, those teachers still had a difficult time giving each student the attention that they needed, but the fact that they were able to function with such numbers amazed me!
Back on the positive side of things, I also found out about many ways for school districts and teachers to come together and work around the issues presented by overcrowding, or in many cases, end it entirely. The whole experience of working on this project has not only been an eye-opening one, but an enlightening one as well.
The link to my Prezi on the whole matter.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Technology Based Lesson Plan (10)
Technology Lesson Plan for the Chemistry Classroom
GOALS
Standard 1 - Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.
Standard 2 - Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information, using appropriate technologies.
Standard 6 - Students will understand the relationships and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning.
Standard 7 - Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions
*Standards from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/phycoresci.pdf
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
Condition - Class set of computers, internet access for linking to Energy Skate Park
Expected Behavior - Students will use the Energy Skate Park simulator to create basic ramp designs for the virtual skater, and through the available graphs within the program, observe the changes in potential and kinetic energy as the "object" moves. They will do so by turning off friction and viewing the graphs. Students will also be encouraged to view the effects of friction by re-enabling friction and viewing the amount of thermal energy that steadily increases as the "object" slows down. The instructions will be accompanied by a series of questions to be answered about the moving "object's" kinetic and potential energy, as well as the changes in the two that occur as it moves. Students will have to answer these questions in order to show their understanding of the basic workings of these two types of energy.
Criterion - Students will be considered to have an acceptable grasp of the concept if they have answered 90% or more of the questions correctly. (9/10 = 90%)
MATERIALS
A class set of computers is required for this lesson, so either a computer room must be booked, a computer cart requested, or the class must have their own computers.
INTRODUCTION
Review - The instructor will introduce this activity as a method of building on the prior introduction to potential and kinetic energy. The activity itself also draws connections to weight and friction - two prior topics of force that the students have already done extensive work with.
Focus/Attention Grabber - The promise that students will have time in which they can experiment how they want after finishing the primary activities should grab student focus well. They can use their creativity to it's fullest, as the Energy Skate Park program actually allows for a great deal of customization and experimentation.
Anticipatory Set - The anticipatory set will be a short instructional demo on how the program works, in which the instructor will indicate the different functions of the simulator, as well as point out where the check boxes to show the different types of graphs are located. Students will then be asked to think about how friction will have an effect on the various energy types after they apply it, and to share their answers. The instructor will take note of these on the board to compare their later observations to, and see if their hypotheses were correct.
Advance Organizer - The instructor will notify the students that today will be their chance to visually experiment with kinetic and potential energy hands on. They will first go through some basic patterns and answer questions on how potential and kinetic energy changes as an object travels along the track given. Then they will follow instructions to create a more complex track and observe the energy changes along it. Finally, after finishing the activity, they will be free to experiment with the program as they choose, and see what sorts of interesting interactions they observe.
Purpose From Student View - This is a fun activity in which students have a chance to see the exchanges between potential, kinetic, and thermal energy with a visual aid. It is a hands-on activity as well, in which they have the opportunity to experiment and potentially answer some of their own questions about the subject.
DEVELOPMENT
Instructional Model - Inquiry
Teacher - The teacher will provide the materials and questions, as well as the initial objective.
Students - Students will be free to answer the questions provided through experimentation, come up with questions of their own to experimentally answer, and discuss findings among one another.
Interaction - The instructor initiates the activity, then addresses students individually to provide guidance.
Main Points -
GUIDED PRACTICE
Guided practice is a short overview of how the skate park program functions. The instructor will explain how to adjust the various settings, enable the graphs, and add and adjust new slopes.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS
The instructor will be available to give personal assistance as needed to any students with learning disabilities. This will allow for more thorough instruction and guidance as needed by students.
SUPPLEMENTARY PRACTICES
The class has previously been introduced to the basics of energy, as well as the first equations related to potential and kinetic energy, relating them to mass, velocity, and height. This activity is meant to build on the previous lesson(s) and help to make the concept less abstract by providing more visual aid.
CLOSURE
At the end of class, the instructor will gather student attention, then review the basics of what the students should have learned in the lesson. The teacher will collect the question sheets, then go over the answers to the questions with the class -- allowing students to share their own answers. After reviewing the questions, the instructor will assign the additional independent practice activity to be done before the next class.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Students will be asked to asked to come up with their most interesting designs before the next class -- they will be asked to include certain components, such as a spot where the skater has only kinetic energy, a spot where they have only potential energy, and that their creation work in forward and reverse without friction applied.
EVALUATION
The questions that are to be answered for the activity are to be the main evaluating tool. Since the instructor is free to circulate the room and address students individually, while doing so, the teacher will also observe student responses to questions and give guidance as needed to those having difficulty.
The lesson should, of course, be followed by a critique and self-evaluation, along with plans for improvement.
Energy Skate Park can be found on the University of Colorado's site where they link all of their simulations: https://phet.colorado.edu/
Potential and Kinetic Energy in the Energy Skate Park
GOALS
Standard 1 - Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.
Standard 2 - Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information, using appropriate technologies.
Standard 6 - Students will understand the relationships and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning.
Standard 7 - Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions
*Standards from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/phycoresci.pdf
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
Condition - Class set of computers, internet access for linking to Energy Skate Park
Expected Behavior - Students will use the Energy Skate Park simulator to create basic ramp designs for the virtual skater, and through the available graphs within the program, observe the changes in potential and kinetic energy as the "object" moves. They will do so by turning off friction and viewing the graphs. Students will also be encouraged to view the effects of friction by re-enabling friction and viewing the amount of thermal energy that steadily increases as the "object" slows down. The instructions will be accompanied by a series of questions to be answered about the moving "object's" kinetic and potential energy, as well as the changes in the two that occur as it moves. Students will have to answer these questions in order to show their understanding of the basic workings of these two types of energy.
Criterion - Students will be considered to have an acceptable grasp of the concept if they have answered 90% or more of the questions correctly. (9/10 = 90%)
MATERIALS
A class set of computers is required for this lesson, so either a computer room must be booked, a computer cart requested, or the class must have their own computers.
INTRODUCTION
Review - The instructor will introduce this activity as a method of building on the prior introduction to potential and kinetic energy. The activity itself also draws connections to weight and friction - two prior topics of force that the students have already done extensive work with.
Focus/Attention Grabber - The promise that students will have time in which they can experiment how they want after finishing the primary activities should grab student focus well. They can use their creativity to it's fullest, as the Energy Skate Park program actually allows for a great deal of customization and experimentation.
Anticipatory Set - The anticipatory set will be a short instructional demo on how the program works, in which the instructor will indicate the different functions of the simulator, as well as point out where the check boxes to show the different types of graphs are located. Students will then be asked to think about how friction will have an effect on the various energy types after they apply it, and to share their answers. The instructor will take note of these on the board to compare their later observations to, and see if their hypotheses were correct.
Advance Organizer - The instructor will notify the students that today will be their chance to visually experiment with kinetic and potential energy hands on. They will first go through some basic patterns and answer questions on how potential and kinetic energy changes as an object travels along the track given. Then they will follow instructions to create a more complex track and observe the energy changes along it. Finally, after finishing the activity, they will be free to experiment with the program as they choose, and see what sorts of interesting interactions they observe.
DEVELOPMENT
Instructional Model - Inquiry
Teacher - The teacher will provide the materials and questions, as well as the initial objective.
Students - Students will be free to answer the questions provided through experimentation, come up with questions of their own to experimentally answer, and discuss findings among one another.
Interaction - The instructor initiates the activity, then addresses students individually to provide guidance.
Main Points -
- Enables student creativity
- Distinct guidelines and requirements, while still allowing freedom in achieving them
- Adds a visual aspect to a concept that is normally abstract and difficult to visualize
GUIDED PRACTICE
Guided practice is a short overview of how the skate park program functions. The instructor will explain how to adjust the various settings, enable the graphs, and add and adjust new slopes.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS
The instructor will be available to give personal assistance as needed to any students with learning disabilities. This will allow for more thorough instruction and guidance as needed by students.
SUPPLEMENTARY PRACTICES
The class has previously been introduced to the basics of energy, as well as the first equations related to potential and kinetic energy, relating them to mass, velocity, and height. This activity is meant to build on the previous lesson(s) and help to make the concept less abstract by providing more visual aid.
CLOSURE
At the end of class, the instructor will gather student attention, then review the basics of what the students should have learned in the lesson. The teacher will collect the question sheets, then go over the answers to the questions with the class -- allowing students to share their own answers. After reviewing the questions, the instructor will assign the additional independent practice activity to be done before the next class.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Students will be asked to asked to come up with their most interesting designs before the next class -- they will be asked to include certain components, such as a spot where the skater has only kinetic energy, a spot where they have only potential energy, and that their creation work in forward and reverse without friction applied.
EVALUATION
The questions that are to be answered for the activity are to be the main evaluating tool. Since the instructor is free to circulate the room and address students individually, while doing so, the teacher will also observe student responses to questions and give guidance as needed to those having difficulty.
The lesson should, of course, be followed by a critique and self-evaluation, along with plans for improvement.
Energy Skate Park can be found on the University of Colorado's site where they link all of their simulations: https://phet.colorado.edu/
Immigrant Students and Teaching Diverse Learners (8)
There are many school and community resources to aid immigrant students. I'm sure I don't know of all of them, but there certainly are a few that I do know of. First, within the school, guidance and administration should be able to help - these are the people who would be able to find a translator for the students if necessary, or to order exam materials in their native language if possible (for example, many of the New York state regents exams come in Spanish, as well as a few other languages). Several websites that Dr. Smirnova linked for the class are also handy, such as the National Association for Bilingual Education, and the National Association for Multicultural Education. Lastly, I want to address the obvious elephant in the room -- Google Translate. Google Translate can be a wonderful tool for understanding another language, as long as however you use it does not include "hard translating" things. While the way certain phrases come through may not include proper grammar, or may include a wrong word here or there, I have found that you can often still glean the general meaning of something that one has put through Google Translate, and that ability to turn something incomprehensible into something understandable, makes it a valuable tool to add to one's repertoire.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Being the Judge! (7)
All of this argument can be found in this handy dandy link!
This is an argument weighing the pros and cons of schools and teachers for our society. I weigh in on both sides, but ultimately, I feel that teachers and the school system do more good than harm, they just need some improvement!
This is an argument weighing the pros and cons of schools and teachers for our society. I weigh in on both sides, but ultimately, I feel that teachers and the school system do more good than harm, they just need some improvement!
Models of Instruction
The 4 Models of Teaching chart and Approaches to Teaching article explained several different approaches to instruction, ranging from direct instruction, to discussions, to fully indirect instruction, all the way to independent study. All of these approaches are valid, but for the sake of better teaching to each student, a teacher should probably use a variety of them, not just their favorite one or two. Much like we discovered when I took Curriculum and Assessment, where we created a variety of lesson plans, it seems that these methods can all be spliced into a lesson, beginning with direct instruction, and moving on to indirect, or independent study for example. This sort of variety helps to differentiate instruction and reach all students, making the lesson more effective overall.
Letter to Future Me! *Warning: Letter May Contain Dangerous Levels of Snark and Wittiness* (9)
Dear FutureMe,
It is not really December fist when you wrote this - it is/was November 30, 2016. I hope at this point, you are not such a horrible procrastinator, but knowing you/me, we will be getting around to procrastinating less sometime next year. HAHAHA WE AM SO FUNNY! :D
Seriously though, Nature of schools has been insightful, if a bit confusing at times. Remember how we learned so much about the education system in general? About the different kinds of schools, and how you, despite the pros and cons of it, still wanted to be a public school teacher? Remember how you discovered in your observations and in teaching, that you have a great propensity for bonding with your class, and developing a good teacher-student relationship? Now poke yourself in the head and let it deflate, and remember that, again, you are a horrible procrastinator, and we, back now, hope that you have made at least some progress on that because you hopefully remember how useful you found planning better to be now and then! If you haven't, then get off your behind and do a bit more of that time-budgeting-type-plan-y-stuff! It helps to streamline things and leave you less confused later! We hope that your views on educational philosophy have been serving you well, and that your students are asking you more questions than you can shake a stick at - that's how you know that you are doing it right, after all!
Best wishes, and most blunt reminders,
- Derek
P.S. Whose name did you think would be at the bottom of this letter? Wow, you really must be as forgetful as we give ourselves credit for, if you are actually reading this. Even if you aren't, you can't say anything snarky back to past you, so I guess that means that you win! Wait... that's not..... aw whatever, we both know we are just having some fun now anyway!
It is not really December fist when you wrote this - it is/was November 30, 2016. I hope at this point, you are not such a horrible procrastinator, but knowing you/me, we will be getting around to procrastinating less sometime next year. HAHAHA WE AM SO FUNNY! :D
Seriously though, Nature of schools has been insightful, if a bit confusing at times. Remember how we learned so much about the education system in general? About the different kinds of schools, and how you, despite the pros and cons of it, still wanted to be a public school teacher? Remember how you discovered in your observations and in teaching, that you have a great propensity for bonding with your class, and developing a good teacher-student relationship? Now poke yourself in the head and let it deflate, and remember that, again, you are a horrible procrastinator, and we, back now, hope that you have made at least some progress on that because you hopefully remember how useful you found planning better to be now and then! If you haven't, then get off your behind and do a bit more of that time-budgeting-type-plan-y-stuff! It helps to streamline things and leave you less confused later! We hope that your views on educational philosophy have been serving you well, and that your students are asking you more questions than you can shake a stick at - that's how you know that you are doing it right, after all!
Best wishes, and most blunt reminders,
- Derek
P.S. Whose name did you think would be at the bottom of this letter? Wow, you really must be as forgetful as we give ourselves credit for, if you are actually reading this. Even if you aren't, you can't say anything snarky back to past you, so I guess that means that you win! Wait... that's not..... aw whatever, we both know we are just having some fun now anyway!
Emaze Presentation and Teaching Philosophy (6)
Elaborate 6
I have found, through the various quizzes and evaluations on teaching philosophy that our class has taken, that I am far more influenced by the arguments that support student-centered approaches to teaching, rather than those that center around teachers. While to some degree, some of the values in the more teacher-centered categories are important here and there, I find that a student-centered approach always felt more natural and appealing to my classmates and I back when I was a student, and I also find that today's students seem to respond similarly well to these approaches as well.
Personally, I am a scientist as well as an educator, so the western-centered, more authority-emphasizing views of the other side of the philosophical spectrum are not very appealing to me. While I acknowledge that respect for authority is important, I also feel that that respect should be earned through actions, and that authority that conflicts with one's reason should be questioned. This falls right in line with my future career as a science teacher -- students in a science course should question the world around them. It is important that students experience and observe phenomena for themselves and come to their own conclusions about the world around them. I may tell them that gravity is real and they will agree because they experience it, but when I tell them that the acceleration of gravity on the surface of earth is approximately 9.81m/s2, they should question that. "Is it always that number? What about out in space, or on other planets? I want to do a lab and see it myself!" These are the questions I feel my students should be asking, not simply bowing to my rank as their teacher and silently writing it down.
To this end, I will have to use strategies like thinking aloud to model this thought process for my students. When addressing that unit on gravity, I need to say something like, "Who doesn't believe me? Who wants to prove whether or not this is correct in the lab? I bet that If I shoot a metal ball out of a little cannon over here, you guys can measure how far it fell, and how long that took, and tell me if that 9.81m/s2 is right!" And when students ask questions, it will be important for me not to brush off any of that honest curiosity (related to the class, of course). Ignoring or shutting down a student when they are curious and expressing their interest is a good way to keep them from asking more. Realistically, class time is limited and I might not be able to answer every question then and there, but I can also answer a few students on their way out the door, or if they have a free period and stop by to ask something, or even after school. If my philosophy is to support that inquisitiveness and students interest, then I have to actually reflect that in practice, and let the students know that it is welcome.
My Emaze presentation on the subject.
I have found, through the various quizzes and evaluations on teaching philosophy that our class has taken, that I am far more influenced by the arguments that support student-centered approaches to teaching, rather than those that center around teachers. While to some degree, some of the values in the more teacher-centered categories are important here and there, I find that a student-centered approach always felt more natural and appealing to my classmates and I back when I was a student, and I also find that today's students seem to respond similarly well to these approaches as well.
Personally, I am a scientist as well as an educator, so the western-centered, more authority-emphasizing views of the other side of the philosophical spectrum are not very appealing to me. While I acknowledge that respect for authority is important, I also feel that that respect should be earned through actions, and that authority that conflicts with one's reason should be questioned. This falls right in line with my future career as a science teacher -- students in a science course should question the world around them. It is important that students experience and observe phenomena for themselves and come to their own conclusions about the world around them. I may tell them that gravity is real and they will agree because they experience it, but when I tell them that the acceleration of gravity on the surface of earth is approximately 9.81m/s2, they should question that. "Is it always that number? What about out in space, or on other planets? I want to do a lab and see it myself!" These are the questions I feel my students should be asking, not simply bowing to my rank as their teacher and silently writing it down.
To this end, I will have to use strategies like thinking aloud to model this thought process for my students. When addressing that unit on gravity, I need to say something like, "Who doesn't believe me? Who wants to prove whether or not this is correct in the lab? I bet that If I shoot a metal ball out of a little cannon over here, you guys can measure how far it fell, and how long that took, and tell me if that 9.81m/s2 is right!" And when students ask questions, it will be important for me not to brush off any of that honest curiosity (related to the class, of course). Ignoring or shutting down a student when they are curious and expressing their interest is a good way to keep them from asking more. Realistically, class time is limited and I might not be able to answer every question then and there, but I can also answer a few students on their way out the door, or if they have a free period and stop by to ask something, or even after school. If my philosophy is to support that inquisitiveness and students interest, then I have to actually reflect that in practice, and let the students know that it is welcome.
My Emaze presentation on the subject.
School Boards (3)
Elaborate 3
1. In order to endorse the establishment of the Escalante charter school, I would need to know much more about the people who would be running and establishing it. Some of the paperwork recognized in the school board meeting is vague in stating its goals, and I have heard much over the past year or two about the workings of charter schools. There are many that are poorly/fraudulently run, and even some that have been shut down mid school year, leaving students without a school and in need of enrolling somewhere to continue their education. With the information presented, I feel that I cannot support the establishment of the prospective charter school.
2. School boards can often be resistant to change. The amount of paperwork and involvement in implementing change are certainly a deterrant to this -- after all, it is much easier to maintain what is currently in place than it is to make changes. Due to the uncertainty in many of these decisions, they often (sometimes quite reasonably) opt to maintain the stability of what is, rather than implement changes that they are uncertain about.
Notes on Evaluate:
I did not definitively know much of the vocabulary, but was able to figure out what was what with only one wrong answer based on reasoning and vocabulary techniques. As far as the school governing quiz went, that was about 50/50, so it seems there is much for me to look into, though the things that I got correct were things that I feel it would be in everyone's best interests to change (the cultural and financial composition of the school board, for example).
1. In order to endorse the establishment of the Escalante charter school, I would need to know much more about the people who would be running and establishing it. Some of the paperwork recognized in the school board meeting is vague in stating its goals, and I have heard much over the past year or two about the workings of charter schools. There are many that are poorly/fraudulently run, and even some that have been shut down mid school year, leaving students without a school and in need of enrolling somewhere to continue their education. With the information presented, I feel that I cannot support the establishment of the prospective charter school.
2. School boards can often be resistant to change. The amount of paperwork and involvement in implementing change are certainly a deterrant to this -- after all, it is much easier to maintain what is currently in place than it is to make changes. Due to the uncertainty in many of these decisions, they often (sometimes quite reasonably) opt to maintain the stability of what is, rather than implement changes that they are uncertain about.
Notes on Evaluate:
I did not definitively know much of the vocabulary, but was able to figure out what was what with only one wrong answer based on reasoning and vocabulary techniques. As far as the school governing quiz went, that was about 50/50, so it seems there is much for me to look into, though the things that I got correct were things that I feel it would be in everyone's best interests to change (the cultural and financial composition of the school board, for example).
An Older Quote for an Older Time... Still Relevant in a Way? (2)
Elaborate 2
There are many differences between the schools of the past and schools now, and I feel that the quote given from the New England Primer is very indicative of that. It may just be my interpretation, but when I read that piece of text, I find it very evident of the emphasis on both religion and the teaching of basic societal values of the time. We've moved beyond that now, and in our schools of today, we teach more information and knowledge based values. Religion has moved away from (public) schools, and students are not so capitally punished for their behavior. Rather than simply punish bad behavior, now we try to correct it, all as part of a learning process to become a better person and citizen. On that word citizen though, that really is also what schools have been trying to do ever since colonial times here in the United States, and I think that for all of the changed values within the quote, that one goal has remained: trying to educate well-intended, more informed, intelligent citizens who are prepared to be helpful, productive members of society.
Do I Feel What They Feel? (1)
Elaborate 1
There are many strengths and weaknesses to the American school system. To begin with its less fortunate parts: there are other countries that have students far more well-versed in math and the sciences, America really seems to find itself lacking in adequate foreign language instruction and retention among students, and our school system is run by a veritable bureaucratic entanglement of red and yellow tape, much of which does not officially require any sort of educational background to become a part of!
Now, on the not e of strengths of the American school system, there is quite a bit to the benefit of our students as well. Students are allowed a great deal of freedom to make their own decisions, there is a heavy emphasis on personal creativity in our schools, and perhaps most significantly, whether intended or not, there is a massive social development aspect ingrained in the the way our schools are run and how their students are put in situations in which they are encouraged to interact with their peers. Creativity and social development are things we emphasize quite well in this country, and it feels like, measured aside scientific advancement, the general public ignores this great strength, taking it for granted that social skills are not difficult to learn. Having heard conversation about this topic from immigrants from some other countries, that is not the case. Not every nation's schools allow the degree of social freedom that America's do. This is important because I am sure anyone will agree that, without the ability to properly communicate with others, it doesn't matter how intelligent a person is -- they need to be able to share that knowledge as well.
No, I don't believe that my personal feelings fall under the public perception of schools. I try to always be optimistic, and to look at the positive as well as the negative aspect of things, but I feel like schools have so much massive, publicized negative points that it is difficult for people to get around that and see the good in them too.
Questions
Why are teachers so underpaid and ignored (general attention-wise) if their public trust rating is so high?
Science and math aren't the be-all-end-all of education, just as we know that sports aren't either. Even as a science teacher myself, I wonder why we don't give more recognition to those other departments, and why it is that resources can't be provided more evenly. (I know the realistic answer to this, but wish to pose the question philosophically.)
Why are there so many teachers that, given the chance to do it all again, wouldn't still choose to teach?
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
First Classroom (11)
It may look a bit cramped, but one can attribute that to my lack of precision in properly resizing everything in the room to properly represent a science lab room (although, some of them really don't have too much extra space added on, and do have to squeeze seating a bit).
This layout that I envision for my first science classroom includes all of the necessities for such a room - a board (hopefully a Smart Board!) and a computer, seating for a full class of students (ideally, this should have been about 20 seats), a fully stocked lab area, with lab tables and cabinets for storage, garbage and recycling baskets, and storage for various paperwork and chemicals. The board on the upper wall and the desk under it are where assignments and extracurricular advertisements can be posted, and where assignments can be turned in, along with a shelf for extra loose leaf paper, and necessities such as a stapler and scissors. Lastly, the A/V carts have a distinct purpose - they are for transporting chemicals and other lab necessities from my desk and the storage next to it, over to the lab area for use in labs.
Monday, November 28, 2016
First Teaching Position - From Peer Review, to Thoughts on Merit Pay
Peer Review and Peer Coaching
This seems to me like a very reasonable, realistic way to help newer teachers learn, and help veteran teachers improve their practice. I can't see much of a negative context for learning and getting constructive feedback from one's peers.
As far as observing and rating performance goes, this again seems far more fair an approach than random administrative observations. Not only would teachers' peers seem more qualified to make judgments about performance, but as long as those individuals observing could be trusted to be honest in their review, it would seem like an incredibly more accurate method of observation as well.
I can say without a doubt that I would prefer to be observed and evaluated according to this method, as I feel that I would receive far more meaningful feedback that extends beyond a simple cookie-cutter response of "X is scored 2 or 3 out of 4, so this category of the rubric can still be improved."
Job Searching
From My experience using the search tools, the internet seems like a fine place for checking what sorts of jobs are available in the teaching field. All the same, I think that I would rather follow through with the actual application process by travelling to the places that I find, and filling out an application to hand in in-person. This not only allows me to better acquaint myself with the administration in the location of a prospective job, but also allows me to see a bit of what it is actually like there -- something that is difficult to tell from the other side of a computer screen.
Both the Education World and Finding Teaching Opportunities links were quite useful as job searches, however, many of the others either turned up pages with errors, or had further links to other sites for job searches of which I wasn't sure if I should trust.
The NBPTS: Latest Developments and Future Plans
The organization is currently making their ATLAS online library available, as well as promoting teacher leadership growth, in an effort to help teachers expand their horizons and better themselves, that their students might benefit from their teachers' growth as well. The Group works to provide schools with teachers who are better prepared, more experienced, and are more capable leaders, all through their provided resources and certification process.
NBPTS spells out in their "Get Certified" section what the worth of their certification is to teachers, students and parents, and schools and administration. It is a degree that really has no drawbacks to it, even to the point where a teacher working in a school could possibly get financial help from the school/district to pay for the fees required. It's an additional proof of a level of proficiency and competence that everyone, from teachers, to administration, to parents and students want to see more teachers have.
This seems like a great goal for the future to me. I would like to become NBPTS certified at some point later in my career when I have more experience, and have established myself. At such a point, I will be able to set aside the necessary time to complete this process, as well as have the background experience to properly benefit from it.
This seems to me like a very reasonable, realistic way to help newer teachers learn, and help veteran teachers improve their practice. I can't see much of a negative context for learning and getting constructive feedback from one's peers.
As far as observing and rating performance goes, this again seems far more fair an approach than random administrative observations. Not only would teachers' peers seem more qualified to make judgments about performance, but as long as those individuals observing could be trusted to be honest in their review, it would seem like an incredibly more accurate method of observation as well.
I can say without a doubt that I would prefer to be observed and evaluated according to this method, as I feel that I would receive far more meaningful feedback that extends beyond a simple cookie-cutter response of "X is scored 2 or 3 out of 4, so this category of the rubric can still be improved."
Job Searching
From My experience using the search tools, the internet seems like a fine place for checking what sorts of jobs are available in the teaching field. All the same, I think that I would rather follow through with the actual application process by travelling to the places that I find, and filling out an application to hand in in-person. This not only allows me to better acquaint myself with the administration in the location of a prospective job, but also allows me to see a bit of what it is actually like there -- something that is difficult to tell from the other side of a computer screen.
Both the Education World and Finding Teaching Opportunities links were quite useful as job searches, however, many of the others either turned up pages with errors, or had further links to other sites for job searches of which I wasn't sure if I should trust.
The NBPTS: Latest Developments and Future Plans
The organization is currently making their ATLAS online library available, as well as promoting teacher leadership growth, in an effort to help teachers expand their horizons and better themselves, that their students might benefit from their teachers' growth as well. The Group works to provide schools with teachers who are better prepared, more experienced, and are more capable leaders, all through their provided resources and certification process.
NBPTS spells out in their "Get Certified" section what the worth of their certification is to teachers, students and parents, and schools and administration. It is a degree that really has no drawbacks to it, even to the point where a teacher working in a school could possibly get financial help from the school/district to pay for the fees required. It's an additional proof of a level of proficiency and competence that everyone, from teachers, to administration, to parents and students want to see more teachers have.
This seems like a great goal for the future to me. I would like to become NBPTS certified at some point later in my career when I have more experience, and have established myself. At such a point, I will be able to set aside the necessary time to complete this process, as well as have the background experience to properly benefit from it.
Qualities of a Good Teacher... Or Perhaps Only a Great One?
The title here is quite appropriate for my feelings as I completed the "Qualities of a Good Teacher Survey." I found myself checking off a five on almost every box in the survey, as I felt that every quality that they listed was crucial in some way or another to being a truly good teacher, but upon seeing how my answers measured up to a nationwide percentage of people's answers on each quality, I found that perhaps my standards for a good teacher differed from many others'. Where I felt that certain qualities like having a good sense of humor, being innovative, and being adaptable to change were all crucial qualities to being a good teacher right along with things like knowing one's subject matter, the other quiz-takers didn't seem to agree with me. In fact, those former qualities that I listed were broken down almost evenly between people rating them four and five. While this still means that those people found them important, it also means that those taking the quiz felt that those qualities were of lesser important than the others on the list which might be described as "more professional" qualities and behaviors. It might just be that what I was defining as a good teacher others would define as a great teacher, but I would counter that in order to be a truly good teacher, one should hold themselves to a higher standard and strive to be the best that they can. So while my answers may not fall completely in line with those of others who have taken the survey, their answers still have not swayed me in what I truly believe a good, or even great teacher to be.
Link to Qualities of a Good Teacher survey:
http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073525839/student_view0/chapter11/what_do_you_think_.html
Link to Qualities of a Good Teacher survey:
http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073525839/student_view0/chapter11/what_do_you_think_.html
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Educational Technology for Me is Like...
I would say that for me, technology is much like having a third arm. It may not always be convenient, it might get in the wrong place sometimes, and it may even be annoying now and then. But when you coordinate properly with it, it can be a wonderful boon to both teacher and student!
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Who am I as an Educator? (*Warning* Drastic Differences in Belief-Scores Follow)
Perennialism = 9
Essentialism = 8
Progressivism = 24
Reconstructionism /Critical Theory = 25
Information Processing = 22
Behaviorism = 19
Cognitivism /Constructivism = 21
Humanism = 23
In Progressivism and Reconstructionism, the focus is on the student, and attempting to better personalize the learning experience, while teaching said students to take an active role in societal change and showing them that they are an effective instrument of change, respectively.
Perennialism and Essentialism focus on western culture and its values and focus on teaching students that those values are most important, while teaching students the necessary basics, bare facts, and to work hard and respect authority, respectively.
I think that my high and low scores in these particular areas stem from both my adolescent education and the values I was taught by my parents. In my high school, there was considerable political conflict going on in my local school district, and many teachers at the high school had taken an active part in fighting for what was best for us, the students. Some of those teachers even did their best to keep the student body (particularly the juniors and seniors who were often most interested) very well informed, and actively encouraged student involvement in expressing what was best for ourselves.
At home, I grew up in a very relaxed family environment that encouraged open expression, My parents always encouraged me to express my feelings and to question both my surroundings, and authority. I was taught that just because someone had power didn't necessarily meant that they always knew best (through example of course, not in so many words), and to always think before I acted and to use my personal experiences, common sense, and intellect to solve my own problems.
The combination of both of the environments that I grew up in, both academic and at home, would seem to have strongly shaped my personal outlook and values. As with anyone else, to some degree I take this outlook with me everywhere I go, and it helps to shape my personal philosophies (my outlook and philosophy on teaching being no exception).
Overall, the outcome of this test/quiz seems to show that I have a fairly balanced outlook on different ways of learning, teaching, and expression, with the exception of a strong dislike for a western-centric curriculum, as well as a dislike for teaching just essentials and a respect for authority. There is more to the world than just the west, and many cultures all have their own contributions to knowledge as a whole. And There is certainly more to life than knowing the basics and respecting those with power -- we should question our environment and the powers that be in our world. This is not only a great way to learn, but it is also often the only way to instigate change and make the world a better place for both ourselves and others.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Ways Education Might Change By 2020 (5)
Elaborate 5
I title this post a bit different from the article it was inspired by because I always find myself a bit skeptical when it comes to saying something "will" happen within a certain time frame. After all, the Jetsons cartoon was supposed to take place in the year 2000 wasn't it? This wasn't the only case either, many other movies and TV programs have given such glimpses into the not-so-distant future, and been incorrect as well. That beings said, all of the predictions given in the article all seem fairly reasonable, and like they are what education will indeed be striving towards in these upcoming years, even if it doesn't quite get there.
Many of these predictions can be seen to already be coming true now. The issues about whether or not students have a voice is in particular, a current change taking place. Student opinion about their education environment matters in many schools today, and the students have the power to make a change in these schools if they really want to make a difference.
Technology has already begun introducing more remote interaction to student life both in and out of the classroom as well. Students can work on project with each other from the comfort of their own home, and teaching techniques such as flipped classrooms support this idea that not all learning has to be done within the classroom, and that in fact, much can be done from right at home.
Personally, I would love to imagine that the author of that article was correct in that the students' wants and needs will become a bigger factor in the field of education. I hope for this more than almost any more change in particular because this change could hopefully bring about a change in the system as a whole. It would be wonderful if as a society, we could further distance education from politics -- this intermingling is the source of much unnecessary complication when it comes to doing what is best for students, and while the closeness of education to politics and government can bring about change for the better, that is not always the case, and I have all too often seen administrators more concerned with their political career and position than with the well being of the students. People working in education with this sort of attitude only hurt the students, and I sincerely hope that the future brings a concerned eye to see what is going on and what needs to change.
Link to the referenced article.
I title this post a bit different from the article it was inspired by because I always find myself a bit skeptical when it comes to saying something "will" happen within a certain time frame. After all, the Jetsons cartoon was supposed to take place in the year 2000 wasn't it? This wasn't the only case either, many other movies and TV programs have given such glimpses into the not-so-distant future, and been incorrect as well. That beings said, all of the predictions given in the article all seem fairly reasonable, and like they are what education will indeed be striving towards in these upcoming years, even if it doesn't quite get there.
Many of these predictions can be seen to already be coming true now. The issues about whether or not students have a voice is in particular, a current change taking place. Student opinion about their education environment matters in many schools today, and the students have the power to make a change in these schools if they really want to make a difference.
Technology has already begun introducing more remote interaction to student life both in and out of the classroom as well. Students can work on project with each other from the comfort of their own home, and teaching techniques such as flipped classrooms support this idea that not all learning has to be done within the classroom, and that in fact, much can be done from right at home.
Personally, I would love to imagine that the author of that article was correct in that the students' wants and needs will become a bigger factor in the field of education. I hope for this more than almost any more change in particular because this change could hopefully bring about a change in the system as a whole. It would be wonderful if as a society, we could further distance education from politics -- this intermingling is the source of much unnecessary complication when it comes to doing what is best for students, and while the closeness of education to politics and government can bring about change for the better, that is not always the case, and I have all too often seen administrators more concerned with their political career and position than with the well being of the students. People working in education with this sort of attitude only hurt the students, and I sincerely hope that the future brings a concerned eye to see what is going on and what needs to change.
Link to the referenced article.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
SCHOOL The Place For...
What is school the place for? If I saw a half torn away bumper sticker with the words given in the title, how would I imagine that it ended? I would like to imagine that it said, "SCHOOL: The place for discovery."
I say discovery because it implies more than just leaning things and being educated. Discovery implies some sort of interest and interaction -- when a person leans something new and is interested in this new concept, or even amazed by it. That is what it really means to be engaged in learning as well -- to be involved and interested in one's own education.
I say discovery because it implies more than just leaning things and being educated. Discovery implies some sort of interest and interaction -- when a person leans something new and is interested in this new concept, or even amazed by it. That is what it really means to be engaged in learning as well -- to be involved and interested in one's own education.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
How Much *Do* I Know About the History of Education?
Truth be told, I don't in fact know all that much about the history of the education disciplines. While I took this quiz, and still managed to get most of the answers right, with exception to a few that I actually knew, most of my answers were only, as they put it, "intuition." Since intuition in this case is a fancy word for guessing, what I am trying to say here is that it is a shame that prospective teachers don't know more about the history of their future careers.
At this point, I am learning much about education through my graduate courses, but it seems like much could have come earlier. It would've been nice to learn about much of this stuff back in high school, when it also would have been relevant to my personal and fellow students' education.
At this point, I am learning much about education through my graduate courses, but it seems like much could have come earlier. It would've been nice to learn about much of this stuff back in high school, when it also would have been relevant to my personal and fellow students' education.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Chapter 1: What are We Doing? How Should We Feel About This?
I find after reading, that I actually have more feelings about the Change article than the chapter in general.
In terms of the chapter, most of the talk was about pay. It would seem that there is more than a little bit of discouragement thrown towards potential teachers in the form of low wages. An overwhelming majority teachers responding to the surveys said that they teach because it is what calls to them and what they enjoy. They take pride and joy from educating the nation's youth, and in some cases were even influenced to become a teacher by one of their own teachers earlier in life. Not one of these responses included anything about pay-satisfaction, and perhaps with good reason. The national average teacher salary is around fifty thousand dollars a year, but from state to state, the average varies wildly. By state, this number may vary anywhere from sixty thousand, to as low as thirty seven thousand. I don't know much about cost of living expenses in many other states, but enough on this list fell right at below the forty thousand mark that perhaps an important question is in order: How much do we really value the education of our children?
The Change article talked about a vastly different issue in american society as a whole, that also applies well to education specifically. It discussed issues with valuing professionalism over feelings, and letting dread of repercussions get in the way of inciting needed change. While true, there is maybe a bit of heroic recklessness to what was being suggested. It is of course important to be careful to establish a good report with administration and other teachers. What I mean to say is that it is important to ensure that doing the right thing isn't a decision that will result in one's firing and removal from said position where they can help.
If I were to sum up two of the most significant good/bad aspects of the american school system, it would be related to both teacher impact, and the administrative system behind it all. I find it wonderful that here in America, teachers have the opportunity to make such a difference for their students. These educators spend large portions of each day with their students over the course of the year, and in some cases, even spend multiple school years teaching the same children. On the flip side of things, one of the biggest roadblocks to much improvement in the field of education can often be the impenetrable bureaucracy that is embedded in the administrative aspect of the american education system. There can be quite the perplexing amount of paperwork, even for something as simple as having class outdoors one day, and quite often when there is a question that needs to be posed to administration with regards to proper procedure, the average teacher doesn't even know which administrator they should be asking.
All of these different pros and cons come together to create a dream job for some, the perfect storm for others, and for some people, both at once. Being a teacher can be the most rewarding and/or the most frustrating job out there for a person, but given the experience all of us have in this class, it's safe to say that the rewarding part is the deciding factor in each of our minds.
I know that my feelings aren't quite in line with public perception however, as I have experienced the career from behind the teacher's desk, and find myself quite often disagreeing with many of the misconceptions that I hear.
Questions
For each of my fellow students, which of the pros stood out to you the most?
Which is the worst con in your opinion?
What do you feel gets in the way most when it comes to teachers being able to help their students in need?
In terms of the chapter, most of the talk was about pay. It would seem that there is more than a little bit of discouragement thrown towards potential teachers in the form of low wages. An overwhelming majority teachers responding to the surveys said that they teach because it is what calls to them and what they enjoy. They take pride and joy from educating the nation's youth, and in some cases were even influenced to become a teacher by one of their own teachers earlier in life. Not one of these responses included anything about pay-satisfaction, and perhaps with good reason. The national average teacher salary is around fifty thousand dollars a year, but from state to state, the average varies wildly. By state, this number may vary anywhere from sixty thousand, to as low as thirty seven thousand. I don't know much about cost of living expenses in many other states, but enough on this list fell right at below the forty thousand mark that perhaps an important question is in order: How much do we really value the education of our children?
The Change article talked about a vastly different issue in american society as a whole, that also applies well to education specifically. It discussed issues with valuing professionalism over feelings, and letting dread of repercussions get in the way of inciting needed change. While true, there is maybe a bit of heroic recklessness to what was being suggested. It is of course important to be careful to establish a good report with administration and other teachers. What I mean to say is that it is important to ensure that doing the right thing isn't a decision that will result in one's firing and removal from said position where they can help.
If I were to sum up two of the most significant good/bad aspects of the american school system, it would be related to both teacher impact, and the administrative system behind it all. I find it wonderful that here in America, teachers have the opportunity to make such a difference for their students. These educators spend large portions of each day with their students over the course of the year, and in some cases, even spend multiple school years teaching the same children. On the flip side of things, one of the biggest roadblocks to much improvement in the field of education can often be the impenetrable bureaucracy that is embedded in the administrative aspect of the american education system. There can be quite the perplexing amount of paperwork, even for something as simple as having class outdoors one day, and quite often when there is a question that needs to be posed to administration with regards to proper procedure, the average teacher doesn't even know which administrator they should be asking.
All of these different pros and cons come together to create a dream job for some, the perfect storm for others, and for some people, both at once. Being a teacher can be the most rewarding and/or the most frustrating job out there for a person, but given the experience all of us have in this class, it's safe to say that the rewarding part is the deciding factor in each of our minds.
I know that my feelings aren't quite in line with public perception however, as I have experienced the career from behind the teacher's desk, and find myself quite often disagreeing with many of the misconceptions that I hear.
Questions
For each of my fellow students, which of the pros stood out to you the most?
Which is the worst con in your opinion?
What do you feel gets in the way most when it comes to teachers being able to help their students in need?
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Nature of Schools, The -- Post One: I Begin to Catalog My Journey
This title is sort of a work in progress. It's just an attempt to put two words together, from someone who doesn't yet know what the course is truly about. I did this to reflect a fumbling un-sureness as to what lies ahead in this course's content, but he titles of the blog posts and the content will, I am sure, come to reflect a more clear image as the course continues.
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