1. Why do so many students describe their educational experiences as boring?
Many students feel "stuck" inside the classroom all day. They mainly sit at desks, read, write, are told to be quiet, and do not interact with their friends outside of recess. Now, I realize that this is not the experience of all children or at all schools. However, I fear it is reality for far too many. Students want to spend time moving around, talking, hanging out with their friends, playing, and utilizing technology. Of course I do see the need for quiet activities, reading, and writing. However, allowing students time to collaborate, at times picking their own groups, can drastically improve their attitude and engagement. The attitude of the teacher can also dramatically alter the mood of the students in the classroom. Students who have teachers who are cranky, impatient, unmotivated, or disrespectful will probably have a negative outlook regarding their school experience. However, students who have teachers who are passionate, kind, patient, and respectful will likely have a more positive outlook on their school experience. As educators, our attitudes matter -- significantly! 2. If you could have an internship in any area, built around any interest, what would it be and who would you want to have as a mentor? Why? Photography has been a passion of mine for several years. To refine and extend my skills would be a phenomenal opportunity. Because this is an interest that I am passionate about, I would want to have a mentor whose passion exceeds my own. Therefore, I would choose a photography internship with a local photographer, Kim Meredith. Kim was my youth group leader back in 2007, way before she began photography. She is a kind, caring person who values family and takes pride in her work. Her photographs of weddings, families, and anything else are always stunning. I appreciate her style and seem to have a similar one myself. I would enjoy learning how to use the manual settings on my camera more accurately, how to utilize other lenses, and how to edit the photos using a more advanced software. I trust Kim to be honest; to tell me her mistakes and most wonderful successes. Not only do I have faith in Kim's abilities, but I admire her work and would be honored if my work could one day compare to hers. I appreciate that she does more than simply run a business, she captures memories for families to treasure for a lifetime.
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1. Imagine you've found out that a kid you know is really interested in astronomy. How would you help her go into depth in this area? What might she learn by exploring her interest more deeply?
This scenario would be slightly different depending if the child was a student or a family member. Assuming this child is a family member, I would buy her astronomy books and glow-in-the-dark solar system stickers for her birthday and a telescope for Christmas. By equipping her with the tools she will need for her own learning, I am eliminating barriers for her to explore astronomy independently. I would take her to see the large telescope and planetarium at MJC during one of their public openings. We would bring her telescope with us to go camping far out in the mountains, where the city lights do not inhibit the view of space. We would drive down south to visit the Griffith Observatory to wander through their exhibits and see the historic telescope. If possible, we would travel to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, too. I would do my best to create personalized experiences for her that were centered around her interests and allowed her to learn more about the subject in real life. I would find videos from scientists that explain and discuss various aspects of astronomy. By listening to experts, it would be my hope that she gains some knowledge and creates her own questions about astronomy. When she is in high school, I would help her find colleges that specialize in astronomy. If possible, going to tour these colleges would give her a sense of what each school is like and, hopefully, would help her more clearly develop the path she wishes to create for herself. 4. Do you save any of the papers you wrote for school? Why or why not? Yes, I have saved a vast majority of the papers that I have written in college, especially those written in my Liberal Studies or Child Development courses. I knew that these topics would relate to my future career. Therefore, I knew that the content within them may prove itself useful. In high school I saved all of my papers until I graduated. At that point, I sorted through them and only kept the ones in which I took great pride or received extra valuable feedback. I also save all of my creative writing, such as poems or short stories. From a young age, I have dreamed of becoming an author. (This is actually a dream that I am beginning to pursue this summer!) Whenever I write something creative, I keep it in hopes that I can use it somehow in a publication. 5. Tell about a time when you were in school and your learning matched your interests. How was that experience different from times when your learning didn't match what you were interested in?
In my junior AP US History class, our teacher assigned a project to show the affects of any historical event that occurred within the history of the United States. Somehow, my best friend and I hatched this crazy plan to provide commentary on Mickey Mouse cartoons and how they reflected the times. As it turned out, there was actually an enormous amount of connections, both direct and indirect, between the Disney cartoons and political changes, especially surrounding WWII. Michaela and I spent an entire weekend at my house watching, talking, writing, eating Doritos, and researching. Even though we were best friends, this is still one of our favorite memories together. We were both so proud of our work. In addition, watching something that interested both of us and we had the best time getting to spend time together. I will be the first to admit that I have always liked school. Even when I was not particularly interested in a subject, I would still motivate myself to learn the content because I knew that I was capable of doing so. Then, I would do my best to help someone else who was struggling. Teaching and helping others was often my motivation for finishing work quickly. The only time I remember not being particularly interested in a school subject was when I took Calculus. Thankfully, that class was full of my more mathematically gifted friends and a wonderfully patient teacher. Even though I did not see a use for me to learn the math other than to earn a grade, I was almost more motivated to practice and study for this class because I wanted so badly to succeed in it despite my struggle. However, I realize that I am the exception to the norm, here. Most students do not innately just enjoy school or the challenge of mastering a subject. That is something that I try to be mindful of when I am teaching....not all kids want to be here; some feel trapped or forced or discouraged. I try my best to encourage those students, but what else can I do to help them embrace the challenges of learning? How can I validate their feelings while helping them to also learn the content? How can I help students at this young age to not only enjoy learning in my classroom, but promote a sense of becoming a lifelong learner? 6. What do we have to unlearn about traditional schooling so that we can educate one student at a time? I am not convinced that we need to unlearn anything; rather, I think we need to learn from failures of the current systems and improve upon them. The idea of educating one student at a time is appealing, but I still have a difficult time believing that it is a realistic model on a mass scale, especially in a K-12 format. However, if this approach were to be modified and used at the junior high and high school level, I feel that it could be helpful to students, teachers, and the community. Standardized testing is one constraint which restricts teachers from focusing on a more individualized learning plan for students. Although it would be ideal to remove this barrier altogether, legislators and communities still need a way to keep schools accountable for teaching students content. What, then, could produce data and satisfy the public in regards to school achievement? It seems that the public would also need to relinquish their thirst for data and accept alternative methods of measuring learning and academic success... Test scores are constantly being compared among schools, districts, states, and countries. How do you change an entire worldview of what educational achievement means? These are the unanswered questions that swim in my mind and, as of this moment, I am at a loss for how to even approach them. This whole educational shift is so daunting, and I honestly do not agree with all of its components. However, one thing has become quite clear to me: something has to drastically change in order for education to truly serve our current and future students. 1. What would a school that was a "little more human" look like to you?
A school that was a little more human would not have bells. After reading Littky's explanation and reflecting upon my high school experience, I understand how a loud buzzer-type noise can be intrusive to a good learning environment and add a sense of hurried pressure. However, I do believe that providing some sort of transitional signal would be important. Instead of a bell, I would play music. That is what I do in my TK class, after all. When it time to clean up after free play I put on the clean up song. When it is time to transition during centers I shake a maraca. Children, and often teachers, can still benefit from a gentle reminder of when it is time to wrap up the day's learning. Playing music helps to lower affective filters, helping everyone to feel more calm and comfortable instead being abruptly interrupted by a bell. Another change I would make to create a more "human" school is to make them smaller. I agree that smaller schools often create a more welcoming, safe environment where teachers, students, administrators, and families can more easily stay connected in meaningful communication. Currently, I work at a smaller country school. For the most part, it feels more like a big family than a school. Teachers collaborate and work closely with one another in professional and personal endeavors. Administrators eat lunch with teachers on a regular basis, creating lovely and often hilarious conversations together. Students wave to and hug their teachers, even teachers from several years past. Parents stay and chat with each other and with teachers after school on the lawn. Most of the students are cooperative and kind, they seem happy to be at school when they are at my site. It is a beautiful example of how a small community can create an environment in which students can thrive. 5. Do you and your colleagues share the same philosophy or vision about your school? Why or why not? How does this influence the way you work together and think about your work? Yes, most of my colleagues share the same philosophy and vision about our school. Because our school is fairly small, the teachers all know each other well and work together often. From what I can tell, it seems like all of the teachers are truly educators who want to positively influence young minds while teaching the standards through engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Veteran teachers step up gladly to support new teachers, and new teachers have a voice that is heard just as loudly as those more experienced. We all want a school that is a safe and encouraging place for our students to be challenged and grow up to be intelligent, helpful, and kind human beings. I am so grateful to work at a school where I feel welcomed and valued. Every day, I get in my car to drive an hour commute with a smile on my face because I wholeheartedly believe that my school is a place full of kind, fair, and passionate teachers who are helping to raise responsible, educated students. 3. Have you ever thought about the idea that “the world is changing—schools are not”? What are some things we could do right now to bring schools up to pace with the changing world? YES! This thought has crossed my mind many times before and I am honestly relieved to be reading it in Littky’s published work. The world is changing faster than ever before and our schools seem to quickly become full of outdated systems with buildings that are physically crumbling to the ground. My best teacher friend at school can seriously see daylight through three spots in her portable, one interior wall becomes completely wet every time it rains, and there is no in-class sink for the Kindergartners to wash their hands. How can teachers or students function in a physical environment that is not conducive to learning? Not well. Therefore, I believe we must fight for the proper funding to fix the infrastructure of school sites. Schools need updated classrooms that are properly sealed from the outside elements, include a sink, and are conducive to grade level collaboration, such a connected classrooms with work rooms in the middle. They need air conditioners and heaters that work properly to maintain a healthy and comfortable temperature for learning. However, I digress.
Right now, I am honestly not sure what I can do to help bring schools “up to speed” with the rest of the world. The constraints of school district hierarchy, standardized testing, testing data, pacing guides, poor infrastructure, and now COVID-19 safety protocols seem to suffocate my hope for fixing the outdated systems of our current school…Yes, this is coming from the optimist. I know there must be a way, but changing legislation at local, state, and national levels seems daunting to my twenty-six-year-old non-tenured teacher brain. Since I am still new to teaching, I also feel that I do not have enough experience to be taken seriously by those who have been in the field for so much longer. Changing curriculum is another overwhelming topic; what do students need to know and how do we, as educators, help them to learn those concepts in meaningful ways? Adding technology into classrooms is a step in the right direction, but that will still only make a small dent in the grand scheme of a total school system overhaul. Where do I even begin? Is it even possible? My hope is to gain more insight about how to bring about positive changes throughout this course and the rest of my M. Ed. journey. I long to help make a difference, for the good of all children and our society at large. I just need to figure out how…. 5. Do you believe that there is one set of knowledge that every kid should learn? If so, what is this knowledge, and what actions should schools take to make sure every kid gets this knowledge? I believe that there should be one basic set of knowledge that every child should learn in elementary; however, I believe there should be flexibility as to which components are explored in more depth and how that learning should occur, especially during secondary education. I believe that at the primary level, every child should learn how to read, write, and have a basic sense of how to work with numbers. They should also gain a basic understanding of science to understand the how and why behind how systems, animals, the Earth, etc. work. Major historical events, patterns, and shifts should also be taught; however, a research based approach should allow students to investigate the components of the unit that interest them the most. This will boost engagement and allow for more meaningful learning to occur. Art and art history should also be covered in elementary school; however, I also believe that allowing students to explore the arts with more freedom will also produce more fruitful learning opportunities. The best way that schools can ensure students gain this knowledge is to better educate their educators and provide the environments and supplies necessary to facilitate this type of learning. Teachers are the agents who impact the students directly. Therefore, when the teachers have the learning tools, necessary supplies and equipment, and proper training, they will be able to more effective facilitate learning within their classrooms. Reducing class sizes will also help teachers get to know their students on a deeper level, allow them time to personalize each student’s educational journey, and the opportunity to provide more meaningful, constructive feedback. 1. What are your “real goals of education”?
As I reflected about this chapter, the affirmations that I repeat with my class continued to circle around in my mind. The mantra says, “I am strong. I am brave. I am kind. I am smart. I can do anything if I put my mind to it.” As the year goes on, I inevitably hear students saying these words quietly to themselves or loudly to their friends during challenging moments. When I hear them repeating these truths during times of discouragement, I feel as if I have truly done my job as their teacher. Although I obviously want my students to also learn their letters, numbers, sight words, etc., I have always been strongly concerned about the way they handle difficult situations and how they treat others. As a child, I remember more of how my teachers made me feel or helped me grow as a person more than I remember the content I learned in their classes. Because of the marvelous educators that I had experienced, I knew that I wanted to focus on creating a safe, encouraging environment where students could grow and thrive. Therefore, my “real goals of education” have a primary grade focus that also align in many ways with Littky’s list. I want my students to be kind and brave. I want my students to be honest and responsible. I want my students to have the courage to stand up for what is right, especially when it is not the popular opinion. I want my students to believe that they are truly capable of doing and being anything if they exert the research, planning, and effort necessary to reach their goal. I want my students to be resilient, to persevere even when they are tired or feel hopeless. I want my students to be mindful of the world and people around them, striving to understand and assist others who differ from themselves. I want my students to be able to critically think about situations and solve problems through thoughtful conversations. I want my students to read, write, and manipulate numbers with confidence. I want my students to understand how and why things, such as the seasons or a mechanical pencil, work. I want my students to discover and pursue their passions. 6. What do you look like and feel like when you are really learning? There are various settings in which I feel that I am truly learning. When I am collaborating with others, especially those who have more experience than I do, I enjoy gaining their wisdom and ideas. During these conversations, I take notes with brightly colored pens, writing down ideas and phrases as quickly as possible. After these collaborations, I rewrite and reorganize my notes; mulling over the information again to give it clarity and connect or expand ideas I had not earlier in the day. Another way I enjoy learning is by watching a demonstration. If the demonstration is how to make something, I also want to make one along with the lesson or take notes during the lesson and make one afterwards. I tend to retain information best when I write it down, and I can more easily make something once I have seen it made in front of me. I wonder if this is why I make sure to model each of my centers thoroughly before sending my students off to complete their tasks? I feel accomplished after attempting a new task, even if I make mistakes or fail miserably. Once I am done, even if it seems to be a success, I immediately think of or ask others for opinions of how to do this task better the next time. My drive to improve and continue learning seems never ending. This reflection is also part of my true learning process, and it is probably the part that I enjoy and value the most. |