1. Answer these 5 questions:
a. What did you intentionally do and/or what was something that just happened to you that resulted in you learning more about yourself as a teacher, both as a reading and content area teacher?
At the beginning of this practicum, my plan was to be organized and prepared for each week as soon as I got my placement. This held through for my first four weeks but soon after that Jake’s students moving to new schools or didn’t show up on Wednesdays. Quickly, I realized I had to redo my lesson schedule and rethink what the students would be doing each week. As my practicum went on, it was more and more apparent that the class dynamics had completely changed and to make it relevant to my new students would be a challenge in that: 1. I had no idea who would be at the next class period, and 2. Each student was in a different place in his or her art experience, 3. They all have drastically different interests. I had all three of these to consider and was expected to work with the entire group that was there that day. It was more of a challenge than I thought and I can’t even remember how many times I revised my lesson schedule. I knew that teaching can’t be held to a strict schedule but I feel like I really realized at the end of the practicum when I had multiple lessons ready and knew when we had to stop and discuss other matters (like dropping out or babies) that were playing a huge roll in the students life which were distracting them from their school work. I learned that any other major event in a students life, is worth taking a step back and talking to them about, they won’t learn otherwise.
One other thing that happened to me quite a bit in this practicum is that the students were all at extremely ...
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... peer / friend attitude. I felt they really appreciated having a true, honest conversation about the struggles of colleges but also the major benefits.
I feel the education would be so much more meaningful if they understood why they are learning it and are excited to learn! The article even mentions on page 163 the fact that some educators are not willing to really work with the student if it means changing what has been effective in the past for other students.
I feel like a student really has no chance at getting a wholesome education if the person providing the education, the teacher, has no interest in truly helping each individual child. I really enjoyed the article and feel it was a very good read, especially for my SPED degree and it really makes us consider how hope and the well being of every child is what our educational programs should be centered on.
...hould serve as a guideline not only for teachers but also for parents. I also believe parents should be held accountable for their children’s successes. As with most government funded programs, in order to be eligible parents must meet a financial criteria to participate in head start, I believe there should also be a required class or number of classes that parents must also participate in if their child is in the head start program. This serves as a reinforcement for the child, and helps the parents become active in their child’s development in and outside of the classroom. Often children struggle because they don’t have access to constant support and education. I feel as though if parents know better they can do better, and because often these cycles tend to repeat themselves, I do feel as If educating parents is also a step towards ending the cycle of poverty.
It has never been hard for anyone to find, what they would believe to be, flaws in our educational system. Even the articles “Hirsch’s Desire for a National Curriculum” by Eugene F. Provenzo Jr., “Studies Explore Whether the Internet Makes Students Better Writers,” by Josh Keller, and “Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong,” by James W. Loewen are all obviously focused around problems the writers have found with the ways students are being taught. Although every article clearly discusses several concerns for our nations educational system and the way our students are learning, not one of the authors take into serious consideration the opinions, concerns, or feedback from the actual students. Nor do authors acknowledge whether the students are happy or not with their own education and the way they learn.
no excitement. regardless of what the teacher says, this is not a new challenge"(158). Rose shows how he felt abut his early high school as his teacher were supposed to be teaching exciting subject, but ruin subject by just reading out from the book. making it harder for any to really pay attention in class. " No wonder how so many student finally attribute their difficulties to something inborn, organic: That part of my brain just doesn 't work"(158). Rose state that student 's in the vocational education program having already lost interest in classes they try so hard to contemplate with, instead they decide to move on and blame their inability to learn for the reason they can 't understand what the teacher is teaching them. "They open their textbook and see once again the familiar and impenetrable formulas and diagrams and terms that have stumped them for years"(157). From the beginning of their high year the student in the vocational educational program were set to fail. The school treated them as experiment by placing them into class room with inexperience teacher or not caring teacher. where they have to either decided to go with what the school says or try as best they can to well in the
One that stood out to me the most was Melanie's, who was a recent high school graduate and had just made the immensely stressful transition to Lakeshore community college. She states, “ I never realized how fast college would be -- comparing one year of high school with one semester of college. Its really fast pacing. Like, i'm taking french right now and that has really kicked me in the bum. Because in highschool, you have two weeks to learn one section.” I was able to relate to what she was saying. College is very fast pace and highly stressful compared to how high school was. Students were able to take time on assignments, make time for assignments and not feel as if they are being pressured to know the answers immediately. Many teachers want assignments turned in a couple days after students barely learned the new material. In college everything is thrown at you and you are now expected to know exactly what to do and have the assignments completed on time. That alone can cause stress and can cause a student to feel as if they should just give
Students are motivated by many different things, for example Carly is motivated by chips. I remember when I was younger and took flute lessons, my teacher would give me candy if I practiced in between classes and improved. It also takes some students longer than others to learn things. It took Carly until she was 10 to really express herself. Even once she started typing she had to learn how to spell the words she wanted to write, she also had to learn to form sentences from those words. Some students might take longer than others to learn, as a future teacher we must be patient with the students and find the best way for them to learn the material. Another part of the book I found upsetting is when the general education teacher said she could not teach Carly anymore. She gave up on her without trying much to help Carly. As a future teacher, we must try to help all our students, even if they have
...her ups, and then once their ideas of education update, so can school systems, then teachers themselves. Maiers “Keys to Student Engagement” shows the raw potential that school systems already have. It also shows that students need the drive and ambition to succeed. Tristan’s article on edutopia provides ideas that are already in motion. His ideas and tips have already started to work in public high school in his community. With the guidance and vision of these three authors public school issues could cease to exist. Even though there’s a lot involved getting administrators (and some teachers) on board, it is possible, and in the near future, a reality.
I believe that the aim of education is to create well-rounded citizens in a democratic society. This means that students are not only being taught just the academic standards by also being taught social skills. The students will be able to be a citizen that will improve their society and be a person who is diverse and who is open to the differences in people. With this comes a couple of barriers, such as the desire to learn new things in both teachers and students in the classroom is lacking and the worker-as-machine model.
... a great trial run for me. I will use what I learned during this time for future reference. For example, if I am teaching something and everyone gets it wrong on a test I will have to re-evaluate myself and the way I am teaching. I may even have to find another way to teach it. I also have learned a trick that I will use with my students one day; to make side notes on what they missed and why they missed it. Sure it may take more time but some students have a fear of talking to teachers at first, so by doing this they won’t always need to talk to me, but if they feel that I am wrong with their grade they may have the courage to approach me. I really want to teach the students about the importance of keeping a planner too, not only because it helped me stay organized, but because of how much it helped me in general. I want the students to get the most out of my class.
The purpose of education has had very little change since the beginning of schooling, also education systems today in the United States have a purpose that provides little to no benefits to children. The purpose has evolved into preparing students to test, test, and test. Instead of providing students with opportunities to grow and find their passion(s), students are expected to learn a great load of material in a short time frame. With these methods and purposes, we are failing the children and ourselves. At some point, we must draw the line and realize this system is failing and it needs reconstruction.
Education is meant to be the key to a successful life. It is supposed to inspire great ideas, and prepare each and every generation for their future. However, school for today 's generation fails to meet those requirements. Every student knows education is important, but when school is not engaging or in some cases, even relevant, it makes learning difficult. Improving the school system is something educators attempt to accomplish every year. Despite their best efforts, there are numerous flaws students see, but adults overlook. There is a lack of diversity for students to learn, an overabundance of testing, and students’ voices are being ignored on how to create a more productive learning experience.
When I think about what counts as learning to me, I think about my life. Just being able to live in this world to me is a learning experience, because I feel that my life is full of lessons and I believe that it takes lessons to learn in life. I feel that I have learned to understand learning more and to also understand the value of learning. As I get older I can comprehend subject matters more than I could ever do before. I am learning to be more serious and I find myself not taking life for granted anymore.
It is important that education is properly enforced and easily accessed by all people. Poor teaching is implemented in the classroom today, such as boring lectures consisting of taking notes and regurgitating information. Because of this, people lack the motivation necessary to take advantage of their academic opportunities. In his essay “I Just Wanna Be Average,” Mike Rose writes about how during the majority of his academic career “[he] did what [he] had to do to get by, and [he] did it with half a mind” (154). Not only had Mike Rose done this, but other students follow in the same footsteps as if they are blind to how valuable education is and how it can empower a person. The type of an educator you are taught by can differentiate whether you will “do what you have to do to get by” or actually engage yourself while in the classroom. Mike Rose makes it obvious that school was not fascinating to him, but when he is introduced to a new teacher, Jack MacFarland he states that “[he] worked very hard, for MacFarland had hooked [him]; he tapped [his] old interest in reading and creating stories” (160). Professors like Jack MacFarland are what leave impacts on students and help them realize the importance of academics. Rose even states “MacFarland gave him a way to feel special by using his mind” (160). When educators can make students feel the way that MacFarland made Rose feel they can ascertain a great amount of
...sionate professors who helped shape the type of teacher I would like to be. They found ways to talk to me in a manner that motivated me to want to improve, all while honoring the work that I have already done. I would like to bring this same moral into my classroom, when a child is motivated, passionate,and self-aware of their needs, strengths, and weaknesses, they can and will push themselves to improve. Students do not solely care about how much knowledge an educator has, but they care about how much these educators truly care. We shouldn't judge a person on how educated they are based only on test scores. The most educated person may not be the most suitable person to teach children. I may lack the test scores, however, I do not lack the passion and motivation needed to be a great teacher. If we cannot celebrate small successes, the final outcome is less weighted.
A time approaches in every person’s life when they must come to learn new things. Speaking on behalf of all those who have attended school at some point in their life, I must say that most do not like it for its educational significance. Today’s youth undervalue the worth of America’s public school system to the point of shame. Hard-working, underpaid teachers and professors prepare to educate these ingrates as their living, and it’s exasperating for the students to not even care. I must be fair though and call attention to the fact that not everyone shares this loathe for education and schooling.
students to learn and teachers to teach. At first glance, it may seem problematic, but research has