This blog project has encouraged me to think critically about the importance of teaching and why it is important to be an effective teacher. That being said, what does an effective teacher do? The answer to that question is always changing. The rest of this blog post will attempt to uncover why teaching is important, what types of teaching techniques and lesson plans teachers can use to be effective, and what teaching actually looks like from a professional perspective.
Unfair Education: Why teaching is important
In my Week 5 Free Post, I talked about charter schools and whether or not they are effective as well as why so many people want to send their children to charter schools. The reason basically boils down to public schools being unfair and experiencing a large achievement gap between black students and white students. In urban areas, income tends to be very low, students have single parents that work multiple jobs, and less emphasis is placed on education. These factors, combined with several others, contribute to lower achievement in urban schools which, in turn, leads to less funding from the state as test scores are a major factor of distribution of funds. Parents want the best for their children so they enter them into the lottery and are hopeful that their child will be picked to attend the charter school that is supposed to be better than public schools (this is certainly not always the case though). That being said, it should not be the case that a child is entered into a lottery system to be given a reasonable education.
Teaching is important because every student needs to be given a fair education opportunity so they can have a chance at succeeding in life. There are currently so many dropout factories in the United States (a school that has less than 40% of it's students graduating on time). The people that don't graduate from high school have a higher tendency to end up in jail for various crimes, where citizens then pay taxes to house these dropouts in jail. So, for the sake of humanity and the future of America, good teachers are important.
I believe teaching is important because I believe education has the ability to impact humanity on a large scale. The more educated people are, the better equipped they will be to make good decisions and support themselves. This will hopefully alleviate poverty, the number of people in jail, some of the global sustainability problems, and a surplus of other issues. In my opinion and reflection, education and understanding is the first step to solving any problem.
Teaching ideas: Recognizing modern teaching as more than blackboard lectures
Throughout my blog, I have provided several resources/ideas for modern teaching techniques. This post discusses overall teaching techniques such as individualized learning, repetition, and engagement and explains why each of these techniques helps students learn better. I really like the idea of individualized learning because allowing students the freedom to learn about things that interest them will keep them interested in learning. Additionally, this individualized education allows students to move at their own pace, so students that need more of a challenge won't be bored and students that need a little more time on certain subjects will be allowed to learn the material fully before moving on so that they don't feel behind.
There is also an article about video games and how teachers have incorporated the use of video games such as Minecraft into their classroom. I had never thought about learning from this angle before, but as soon as I started tutoring a 2nd grade student, I realized that Minecraft is what he lives for. This experience inspired me to figure out a way to relate to him and the video games post discusses potential ways to use video games in a classroom setting, as well as discussing why video games can be considered educational.
Furthermore, I recognize that online education is becoming increasingly popular, not only for college students, but also for high school students that want a specific class that their high school might not offer. In my week 7 post, I discuss the pros and cons of online education. I don't have a strong opinion on online education one way or another. I believe that it might work for some students and might not work for others because everyone learns differently.
Finally, I had the opportunity to attend a professional development event this semester that provided insight on a new method of teaching called a process drama. I am very excited to try this type of learning at some point in my career because I was excited and engaged when I had the opportunity to be the "student" at the event. I am also excited about this strategy because it allows for so much flexibility. I know teachers that use process drama in their college classes, but I know that it can also be adapted to work for elementary school classrooms. A process drama covers multiple disciplines such as writing, social studies, science, and math. It really provides the students with a real life example that will help them connect with concepts they are learning in the classroom. Additionally, this activity can take anywhere from one hour to several weeks to complete. It can correspond with several units in the elementary classroom if the teacher is creative. I am really excited to continue researching this idea and potentially using it in my own classroom someday.
Teaching as a profession: What it's really like to be a teacher
Everyone has their own perspective of what teaching is, but what does it really mean to be a teacher? What is it like? I had the opportunity to interview a professional, experience a classroom, and attend some club meetings where teachers were present. Each of these experiences provided me with a new outlook on what teachers really do. An incoming teacher might not have report cards, parent teacher conferences, and weekly parent newsletters on their radar. They might not be concerned about making a website. However, these are all critical components of the teaching profession. They are things that you aren't taught in college classes.
Final Reflections
Looking back through all my blog posts, I realize that I have learned quite a bit about different teaching methods and philosophies. I know this will really help me develop my future teaching because I will be able to better understand the students needs and will already have some ideas about how to incorporate some of the new techniques. I have also learned about some of the other aspects that come with the job of teaching, and will be able to prepare myself for those tasks, as college doesn't necessarily do that.
In conclusion, there is a lot to the teaching field. It is a major that I feel is often not taken seriously enough. Teaching isn't for everyone, just like engineering isn't for everyone. It is important to me, and to future generations that good teachers are being placed in schools that need them. These teachers will recognize and feel passionately that every individual child deserves a chance and they will do what they can to make students succeed. This blog has made me more excited to become a teacher and it has made me realize the seriousness of the profession.
Citations
Waiting for "superman". Dir. David Guggenheim . Perf. Anthony. Paramount Home Video, 2011. Film.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Week 10 Free Post: Motivation in Schooling
Okay, so I have been struggling with what to write about for my last free post for the last week. I took a trip to Chicago with the Urban Education Cohort Program here at Michigan State and had the opportunity to visit some Chicago Public Schools and an Urban Prep Academy and thought for a while about writing about that experience. I have also been talking about some motivation strategies in one of my classes and thought that might be useful for new teachers too. However, I couldn't find a large enough purpose for either of these topics, so I went searching on the web. I revisited a playlist of Ted talks that I started earlier in this blog experience, and there I found the perfect video to tie everything together. It is called The Key to Success? Grit. I would strongly encourage you to watch it.
Angela left a job in management consulting to teach 7th grade math in the New York Public Schools. While she was there, she realized that there was not a direct correlation between IQ and her best students. So, she left her job teaching several years later to go to graduate school for psychology. In her study she asked "who is successful here and why?". She tried to predict which students would advance furthest in a spelling bee, which teachers would be most successful in urban districts, and several other settings. She realized that the most prominent indicator was grit. Grit is long term motivation for a goal. A person with grit will work really hard to make their dream future a reality.
Angela studied grit in Chicago Public Schools and concluded that the grittier students were more likely to graduate. This was a more likely predictor than several other factors like family income and how safe kids feel while at school. I would like to pause from the video for a moment to reflect on my own experience in Chicago, specifically at the Urban Prep Academy. This charter school prides itself on 100% acceptance rate into a four year college for all of it's students. That is certainly a lot to be proud of, especially in Chicago where several students in public education are dropping out. How do they do it? Well, I'll let you make your own conclusion based on information I learned while I was there.
So returning to the video, the question then becomes, how can we make our students more gritty? How can we motivate them long term? Angela says she doesn't know the full answer to this question, but the best partial answer comes from the incremental motivation theory, which is something we have been learning about in one of my classes. Incremental motivation is essentially believing that abilities can be developed and learned with effort. Angela suggests that when kids learn about how the brain grows and develops as you learn, they are more likely to persevere when they fail, because failure isn't permanent condition.
So, all that being said, the incremental growth system is a great start to building grit, but that's not enough. What do you think can we do to build more grit?
Citations
Duckworth, Angela Lee. "Angela Lee Duckworth:The Key to Success? Grit." Ted.com. Ted Conferences, Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Urban Prep Academies." Urbanprep.org. Urban Prep Academies, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
Angela left a job in management consulting to teach 7th grade math in the New York Public Schools. While she was there, she realized that there was not a direct correlation between IQ and her best students. So, she left her job teaching several years later to go to graduate school for psychology. In her study she asked "who is successful here and why?". She tried to predict which students would advance furthest in a spelling bee, which teachers would be most successful in urban districts, and several other settings. She realized that the most prominent indicator was grit. Grit is long term motivation for a goal. A person with grit will work really hard to make their dream future a reality.
Angela studied grit in Chicago Public Schools and concluded that the grittier students were more likely to graduate. This was a more likely predictor than several other factors like family income and how safe kids feel while at school. I would like to pause from the video for a moment to reflect on my own experience in Chicago, specifically at the Urban Prep Academy. This charter school prides itself on 100% acceptance rate into a four year college for all of it's students. That is certainly a lot to be proud of, especially in Chicago where several students in public education are dropping out. How do they do it? Well, I'll let you make your own conclusion based on information I learned while I was there.
- I learned that admission to this schools is based on a lottery system, meaning that the number of students that apply is over the carrying capacity of the school and students that get in are randomly selected.
- I know that the public school system isn't great, so students that apply for the Urban Prep Academy are more motivated and want a better education.
- Urban Prep is a 100% African-American male school
- Teachers are required to be available 24/7 by cell phones, provided to each student and teacher when they enter the school.
- On average, students are at school from 8-5:30 each day because they are required to be involved in 2 extra-curricular activities.
- Each student is a part of a pride which is a group of students led by a teacher that meets daily to provide mentoring, support, and encouragement.
- Students are treated with respect and are referred to by their last name ("Mr. Leeforth")
So returning to the video, the question then becomes, how can we make our students more gritty? How can we motivate them long term? Angela says she doesn't know the full answer to this question, but the best partial answer comes from the incremental motivation theory, which is something we have been learning about in one of my classes. Incremental motivation is essentially believing that abilities can be developed and learned with effort. Angela suggests that when kids learn about how the brain grows and develops as you learn, they are more likely to persevere when they fail, because failure isn't permanent condition.
So, all that being said, the incremental growth system is a great start to building grit, but that's not enough. What do you think can we do to build more grit?
Citations
Duckworth, Angela Lee. "Angela Lee Duckworth:The Key to Success? Grit." Ted.com. Ted Conferences, Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Urban Prep Academies." Urbanprep.org. Urban Prep Academies, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Week #10 Prompt: Teacher Website Remix
My task this week was to find a remix created by a professional teacher. Well, I happen to have a teacher right now who has created her own website as a resource for the class. Here is the link to her website. It is a remix because it puts what we've learned/done in class in a different format.
Students in Math 202 are the audience for this remix. PowerPoint lectures are posted as well as homework packets and additional resources that may be helpful for students. The page is arranged so that information can be easily found. General information is at the top, more specific information for different classes are categorized into labeled columns. If you continue to check the website you will notice that it is constantly being revised. The teacher will post a PowerPoint preview before class and then post the modified version after class is over. Sometimes the two are the same, other times what we get though in class is different than the plan.
Considering the audience and purpose, the remix is successful because it helps students find information they need outside of class to be successful in class. I know from personal experience that I have benefited from this remix. The way the information is organized could be said to be logos because it is logical and follows a clear pattern. To an outside source, there appears to be a lack of rhetorical strategies. However, there is no need for rhetorical strategies because the audience is only students. The students establish trust and connection with the "author" in real life, so there is no need for rhetorical strategies in the remix.
Citation
Opperman, Amanda. "MTH 202 Course Page, Sections 2 and 3." Msu.edu. Michigan State University, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
Students in Math 202 are the audience for this remix. PowerPoint lectures are posted as well as homework packets and additional resources that may be helpful for students. The page is arranged so that information can be easily found. General information is at the top, more specific information for different classes are categorized into labeled columns. If you continue to check the website you will notice that it is constantly being revised. The teacher will post a PowerPoint preview before class and then post the modified version after class is over. Sometimes the two are the same, other times what we get though in class is different than the plan.
Considering the audience and purpose, the remix is successful because it helps students find information they need outside of class to be successful in class. I know from personal experience that I have benefited from this remix. The way the information is organized could be said to be logos because it is logical and follows a clear pattern. To an outside source, there appears to be a lack of rhetorical strategies. However, there is no need for rhetorical strategies because the audience is only students. The students establish trust and connection with the "author" in real life, so there is no need for rhetorical strategies in the remix.
Citation
Opperman, Amanda. "MTH 202 Course Page, Sections 2 and 3." Msu.edu. Michigan State University, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Week #9 Prompt: Why Education is Important
This week's assignment was to find a news article about why education and teaching are important. My article is called Solutions Under Siege? Is prison the only answer?. Now, you might be wondering how in the world that article is going to explain why teaching is important. I shall explain.
The article discusses the violent crime that occurs in Chicago, but recognizes that the crime rates have dropped drastically. The reason for the decrease in violent crimes, they say, is likely due to the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative that focuses on counseling, employment, education, and other events that will keep people off the streets. Money was used to teach youth life skills such as conflict resolution and job preparation. The state rep. is now suggesting cutting that program, a program that has saved lives and redirect that money to the rich suburbs.
The most important part, though, is who these programs were targeting. They are targeting urban youth at risk of dropping out of school. If kids drop out of high school, they are bound to be unemployed because they are not being educated well enough to get a job. Currently 92% of African American teenage males are unemployed and walking the streets every day with nothing much to do. A combination of characteristics in these men such as self-confidence, helplessness, and need lead to violent crime. From a previous blog, I indicated that taxpayers spend more money on keeping people in prison for 4 years than they would paying for someone's private education for 13 years. Based on this information, I would say that it's safe to claim that money spent towards a program like the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative would be beneficial in the long run.
Better education --> fewer kids on the streets --> lower unemployment --> lower crime rates --> less people in jail --> less cost for the taxpayer
So why is education important? Why is the teaching field important? It's important to engage all students and encourage them to complete their high school degrees so that they will be employed and can support themselves. The public education system is "free", or something taxpayers pay no matter what, so it's a resource that everyone might as well use. It's a shame to see so many people dropping out. If we had better, more qualified teachers we might see drastic changes in the poverty, fertility, and crime rates.
Citations
Muhammad, Richard B., and Ashahad M. Muhammad. "Solutions Under Siege? Is Prison the Only Answer?" Finalcall.com. The Final Call, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
The article discusses the violent crime that occurs in Chicago, but recognizes that the crime rates have dropped drastically. The reason for the decrease in violent crimes, they say, is likely due to the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative that focuses on counseling, employment, education, and other events that will keep people off the streets. Money was used to teach youth life skills such as conflict resolution and job preparation. The state rep. is now suggesting cutting that program, a program that has saved lives and redirect that money to the rich suburbs.
The most important part, though, is who these programs were targeting. They are targeting urban youth at risk of dropping out of school. If kids drop out of high school, they are bound to be unemployed because they are not being educated well enough to get a job. Currently 92% of African American teenage males are unemployed and walking the streets every day with nothing much to do. A combination of characteristics in these men such as self-confidence, helplessness, and need lead to violent crime. From a previous blog, I indicated that taxpayers spend more money on keeping people in prison for 4 years than they would paying for someone's private education for 13 years. Based on this information, I would say that it's safe to claim that money spent towards a program like the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative would be beneficial in the long run.
Better education --> fewer kids on the streets --> lower unemployment --> lower crime rates --> less people in jail --> less cost for the taxpayer
So why is education important? Why is the teaching field important? It's important to engage all students and encourage them to complete their high school degrees so that they will be employed and can support themselves. The public education system is "free", or something taxpayers pay no matter what, so it's a resource that everyone might as well use. It's a shame to see so many people dropping out. If we had better, more qualified teachers we might see drastic changes in the poverty, fertility, and crime rates.
Citations
Muhammad, Richard B., and Ashahad M. Muhammad. "Solutions Under Siege? Is Prison the Only Answer?" Finalcall.com. The Final Call, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Week #9 Free Post: Freedom in Schools
This news article caught my attention today. The headline reads: NC school bans boy from carrying 'My Little Pony' backpack because of bullying. Essentially, this little boy's blue backpack was causing a disturbance in the school day because students were bullying him. The school called his mom and told her that she couldn't send that backpack to school anymore because it was causing bullying, and that her child was to blame. After this issue caused so much drama, Grayson told his mom that he wanted to be home schooled.
Okay, so this post is going to go more in-depth than just the news article. I spent several weeks in a class last semester discussing the challenges young students face for being different. Grayson was defying a social norm and he was picked on for it. Life can be hard for students like Grayson, and often times the hurt stays with them for several years, impacting them for the rest of their lives. I did research last semester on other students like Grayson, students that were picked on to the point of wanting to be home schooled. I couldn't find the exact article, but essentially this little boy was very excited for his first day of school and especially excited about his pink lunch box, but as soon as lunch time rolled around he decided to take everything out of his lunch box and leave it in the cart so that the other kids didn't have to see it. It seems so sad to me that a school can not be a place where everyone feels safe.
As a teacher, what can be done to help students like Grayson? How can we make him feel welcome in a school environment and comfortable enough to learn and grow? I believe the answer to this lies in teaching lessons specifically based around accepting diversity, whether that be accepting people of different races, of different sexuality, or of different abilities. Some ideas that have been suggested to me are encouraging parents of different races to come in and show something special or arrange a family exhibit where students can send in pictures of their families and then showcase all the photos at an event. The purpose of activities like this would be to teach that even though families or people are different, everyone is still special and shouldn't be picked on. Creating a bully free environment will help children like Grayson achieve more than you might think is possible.
Citations:
Milligan, Mandi. "NC School Bans Boy from Carrying 'My Little Pony' Backpack - WNEM TV 5." Wnem.com. WNEM, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Okay, so this post is going to go more in-depth than just the news article. I spent several weeks in a class last semester discussing the challenges young students face for being different. Grayson was defying a social norm and he was picked on for it. Life can be hard for students like Grayson, and often times the hurt stays with them for several years, impacting them for the rest of their lives. I did research last semester on other students like Grayson, students that were picked on to the point of wanting to be home schooled. I couldn't find the exact article, but essentially this little boy was very excited for his first day of school and especially excited about his pink lunch box, but as soon as lunch time rolled around he decided to take everything out of his lunch box and leave it in the cart so that the other kids didn't have to see it. It seems so sad to me that a school can not be a place where everyone feels safe.
As a teacher, what can be done to help students like Grayson? How can we make him feel welcome in a school environment and comfortable enough to learn and grow? I believe the answer to this lies in teaching lessons specifically based around accepting diversity, whether that be accepting people of different races, of different sexuality, or of different abilities. Some ideas that have been suggested to me are encouraging parents of different races to come in and show something special or arrange a family exhibit where students can send in pictures of their families and then showcase all the photos at an event. The purpose of activities like this would be to teach that even though families or people are different, everyone is still special and shouldn't be picked on. Creating a bully free environment will help children like Grayson achieve more than you might think is possible.
Citations:
Milligan, Mandi. "NC School Bans Boy from Carrying 'My Little Pony' Backpack - WNEM TV 5." Wnem.com. WNEM, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Week #8 Free Post: 3 New Teaching Methods
I read an article about 3 new teaching methods that are being implemented and claim to be achieving greater success than traditional methods. In general, teaching is becoming more interactive and student run. There is less focus on authority of teacher over student and more focus on interactions between students. Additionally, there is more focus being placed on enjoyment rather than grades.
Here is a summary of the three teaching methods:
Spaced Learning
Flexible Fridays
Engagement
Here is a summary of the three teaching methods:
Spaced Learning
- Content is repeated 3 times, with 10 minute breaks between
- 10 minute breaks are used for physical education
- Helps create connections
- Relaxes students
Flexible Fridays
- An in depth section is taught all day (for example, math)
- Focused study time that helps students grasp tough subjects
- Prevents meltdowns at home for not understanding
- Personal connection with students individual needs
Engagement
- Students are encouraged to analyze what's happening in every part of the world
- Look at different spheres: economic, social, political, environmental...
- Field trip to local business allows students to understand what they've been learning and create connections
In my opinion, this article has some interesting ideas, but it is incomplete. I have heard about all of these ideas before (with different names) and I believe they do work, but I also believe there are other modern teaching techniques that will also work. Psychologically, introducing the purpose of each activity will ensure the activities are relevant for students and will hopefully make them more interested. Praise is used carefully to reward students for effort and progress, not just for being intelligent, and evaluation reflects this idea. Group activities that force collaboration and build community will strengthen the learning environment and can be flexible based on common interests or achievement level. Individualizing learning and encouraging all students is how education should happen. School the way it works today isn't for everyone, but since it is required until the age of 16, teachers should work to make school a place where everyone can be involved and engaged.
Citation:
Jackson, Sonia. "3 New Teaching Methods Improve the Educational Process." Gettingsmart.com. Getting Smart, 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Week #8 Prompt: Experience in a Classroom
I spent my Thursday afternoon in a 3rd grade classroom learning about Henry Ford, natural resources, Spanish, and how to send e-mails. This is the second classroom I have spent time in since starting my degree at Michigan State. The first classroom was in Lansing. I found it very interesting that these two classrooms were so different just because of the location and types of people attending the schools. The Lansing school was very urban. I saw a mix of races, where white was a minority. There were several kids that didn't know how to read, and even more behind in math. I spent most of my time in that classroom working with individual kids trying to get them caught up from missing so much school, or helping them understand what was going on in class. In the school I visited today, white was definitely a majority. I spent most of my time observing and walking around the classroom to help kids when they had questions. I worked with one student for a while on reading and understanding, but that was only for about a half an hour.
A common interest shared between both groups of kids, was an interest in computers and technology. The Lansing school used computers as a station, where only 4 kids could use the 4 classroom computers at a time. The school I visited today had computer lab time where each kid checked out a laptop and a lesson was taught about how to send e-mails. It was hilarious to watch the kids send each other e-mails and then race across the room to see if their friend got it. I'm not sure they understand that the point of an e-mail is to send a message that doesn't require face-to-face dialogue.
This hands-on experience is much different than reading about teaching in a textbook. A teacher can be well prepared and still have a lesson flop if they aren't willing to be flexible. Trying to lead 25 children in a direction is a difficult task, and it requires much patience. Every day is different, it makes the job like an adventure, which makes it exciting. However, no textbook will ever prepare a teacher for teaching. Hands-on experience is really the only way to go. After all, a textbook doesn't teach you how to deal with broken computers, chaos, and classroom visitors all at the same time.
A common interest shared between both groups of kids, was an interest in computers and technology. The Lansing school used computers as a station, where only 4 kids could use the 4 classroom computers at a time. The school I visited today had computer lab time where each kid checked out a laptop and a lesson was taught about how to send e-mails. It was hilarious to watch the kids send each other e-mails and then race across the room to see if their friend got it. I'm not sure they understand that the point of an e-mail is to send a message that doesn't require face-to-face dialogue.
This hands-on experience is much different than reading about teaching in a textbook. A teacher can be well prepared and still have a lesson flop if they aren't willing to be flexible. Trying to lead 25 children in a direction is a difficult task, and it requires much patience. Every day is different, it makes the job like an adventure, which makes it exciting. However, no textbook will ever prepare a teacher for teaching. Hands-on experience is really the only way to go. After all, a textbook doesn't teach you how to deal with broken computers, chaos, and classroom visitors all at the same time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)