September is always a rough time of year for teachers. It takes time to get back into the swing of things. Besides having a new class of students to worry about I also had a new class at Montclair to prepare for. When I walked into class and starting hearing about all the technology that was involved I have to admit I was concerned. I really didn't even know what a blog was and now I was suppose to have one of my own. I thought for sure this class was going to be a nightmare. I am glad I was completely wrong. At times this class was challenging with some of the assignments that we had to do, but in the end I really learned a lot and enjoyed doing some of the projects at the same time.
This class I feel will help me in becoming a better teacher and one day an administrator. I knew that technology was an important aspect to our future, but I guess I never realized just how important it is to our future. I learned many new skills that I can pass along to my students. These skills will allow my students to become life long learners. I am not only teaching them a new idea or a concept I am teaching them how to apply it to many different situations. Having children realize that there is a connection to the real world helps the learning process along.
Another technology aspect of this class that I really enjoyed was the blogging. I tend to be more on the quieter side and at times it is hard for me to state my opinion about something, but blogging made it very easy for me. I also really enjoyed reading other blogs. I think if I taught an upper grade this would be something that I would want to incorporate into my curriculum.
Another aspect of the class that I like that didn't have to do with technology was the readings. I found the articles that we had to do for this class to be very enjoyable. I really like the article "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys." We all try to incorporate differentiated instruction into our classrooms, but this article made me realize that there is more to differentiated instruction than just high, medium, and low level thinkers. Incorporating articles into a lesson is a good way to help get a point across and there were many articles that did that for me this semester.
I will walk away from this class with a better understanding of much change is needed in our schools and a better idea of how to go about making change happen. As a future administrator one day it is important to know those two things. You can't walk into a school and expect change to happen over night. Change is a process that will take time and needs to be done in the right manner.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Link: How to make our lives easier
Throughout the semester we have learned a lot about technology. For the past two years I have used my computer to help me with my grades. There is this program that I found that really helps make your life easier when it comes time to your students. It helps with grades, getting information to parents, and much much more. I really love it and I introduced to some of my colleagues and now they love it too!!
http://www.classactiongradebook.com
http://www.classactiongradebook.com
Monday, November 5, 2007
Orange Middle School
State testing effects all of us in the education world. It effects some of us more than others. Some schools hit it out of the park while other schools have a very difficult time with these tests. Unfortunately, Orange Middle School is one of those schools that has had a problem. They have failed to meet the benchmark for six years now. The school realized that they had a problem and stepped up to the plate to do something about it.
Orange Middle School handled the situation in a way that I thought was very appropriate. It didn't seem like they pointed fingers at people. I liked the way that they divided up the school into five sections. Having smaller groups is ideal. So much more can be done with smaller groups. Teacher and student interaction becomes easier. A teacher can also get to know his/her students on a more personal level. This will allow the teachers to be better prepared to teach the lessons. It will allow the teacher to recognize the difference in their students. Differentiated instruction can easily come into play. Another thing that I liked was how the educators met together to discuss what is going on in their classrooms. Working as a team is very beneficial. Both the teachers and students can succeed in a learning environment where nobody is left out in the dark. During the meeting time teachers can share experiences. I know when I am having a problem it is good to know that I am not the only one with this problem or when I find something that works I can't wait to share it with a colleague. To me there is nothing worse than feeling lonely.
Even though Orange Middle School is taking the steps in the right direction towards a better future I feel that the school would benefit from more parental involvement. I think the school should organize workshops, activities, or just simply invite parents into the school. When the community gets involved it is always a good thing. The children need to know that there is somewhere there for them. The middle school years can be a rough couple of years. All the support they can get the better. The article also mentioned that there is a safety issue in the school. Having police around is a good idea, but I wonder how the children feel about it? You don't want the children feeling like they prisoners. Maybe teachers can attend workshops on how to help angry teens or have a guidance counselor more readily available. Another solution is to have children take place in team building activities. These activities will hopefully make the children realizes that friends or ten times better than enemies.
Overall, Orange Middle School is doing whats needs to be done. It would be interesting to see how test scores change.
Orange Middle School handled the situation in a way that I thought was very appropriate. It didn't seem like they pointed fingers at people. I liked the way that they divided up the school into five sections. Having smaller groups is ideal. So much more can be done with smaller groups. Teacher and student interaction becomes easier. A teacher can also get to know his/her students on a more personal level. This will allow the teachers to be better prepared to teach the lessons. It will allow the teacher to recognize the difference in their students. Differentiated instruction can easily come into play. Another thing that I liked was how the educators met together to discuss what is going on in their classrooms. Working as a team is very beneficial. Both the teachers and students can succeed in a learning environment where nobody is left out in the dark. During the meeting time teachers can share experiences. I know when I am having a problem it is good to know that I am not the only one with this problem or when I find something that works I can't wait to share it with a colleague. To me there is nothing worse than feeling lonely.
Even though Orange Middle School is taking the steps in the right direction towards a better future I feel that the school would benefit from more parental involvement. I think the school should organize workshops, activities, or just simply invite parents into the school. When the community gets involved it is always a good thing. The children need to know that there is somewhere there for them. The middle school years can be a rough couple of years. All the support they can get the better. The article also mentioned that there is a safety issue in the school. Having police around is a good idea, but I wonder how the children feel about it? You don't want the children feeling like they prisoners. Maybe teachers can attend workshops on how to help angry teens or have a guidance counselor more readily available. Another solution is to have children take place in team building activities. These activities will hopefully make the children realizes that friends or ten times better than enemies.
Overall, Orange Middle School is doing whats needs to be done. It would be interesting to see how test scores change.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Curriculum Mapping
Curriculum mapping is a great idea. It is a way of making sure that all children learn the same material. Having students learn the same information is very beneficial. It is also a good way of holding teachers accountable for their classrooms, teaching, and children. When everyone is on the same page we can all benefit from it. It also allows new teachers entering the district to do so with ease. They can hop on board with their partners and teach what needs to be taught with very little confusion.
My district does not use curriculum mapping. I wish we did it makes a lot of sense too. Yes, it would be a lot of hard time consuming work, but in the end we would have a product that would be very helpful to many people. I am not exactly sure why we don't use it, but I feel the administration and the fact that we are a large district has a lot to do with it. Our administration seems to change hands quite often. With this in mind I feel that they don't realize how different one school is to the next. My district has eight elementary schools that all go up to sixth grade. Yes, some schools are bigger than others, but the majority of them have at least two sections per grade. It is hard to even sit down and have a town wide grade level meeting, how would a task like this ever get accomplished? I know in my school alone some classrooms in one grade do things quite differently from another classroom and for this reason I think having a plan all mapped out would be wonderful. I wonder how many schools in this area use curriculum mapping? I also wonder how much better or not those children who are exposed to mapping perform compared to those who aren't exposed to it?
I think that curriculum mapping does relate to the broader concept of curriculum change somewhat. I feel that with curriculum mapping the curriculum is being covered just in a different way. Each teacher is teaching the same thing with the same emphasis put on each topic. The teachers aren't deciding what is important or how important it is anymore. I feel this is a good thing. The curriculum is longer left up to the teachers opinion of what should take more time on or not. Every child needs to learn the same material so that all children are ready for the next year. One child doesn't have an advantage over another because of who their teacher was. All teachers are held accountable, therefore all children would have been exposed to the same material. We need to prepare our children for the future and taking a look at what needs to be taught is a start in the right direction.
My district does not use curriculum mapping. I wish we did it makes a lot of sense too. Yes, it would be a lot of hard time consuming work, but in the end we would have a product that would be very helpful to many people. I am not exactly sure why we don't use it, but I feel the administration and the fact that we are a large district has a lot to do with it. Our administration seems to change hands quite often. With this in mind I feel that they don't realize how different one school is to the next. My district has eight elementary schools that all go up to sixth grade. Yes, some schools are bigger than others, but the majority of them have at least two sections per grade. It is hard to even sit down and have a town wide grade level meeting, how would a task like this ever get accomplished? I know in my school alone some classrooms in one grade do things quite differently from another classroom and for this reason I think having a plan all mapped out would be wonderful. I wonder how many schools in this area use curriculum mapping? I also wonder how much better or not those children who are exposed to mapping perform compared to those who aren't exposed to it?
I think that curriculum mapping does relate to the broader concept of curriculum change somewhat. I feel that with curriculum mapping the curriculum is being covered just in a different way. Each teacher is teaching the same thing with the same emphasis put on each topic. The teachers aren't deciding what is important or how important it is anymore. I feel this is a good thing. The curriculum is longer left up to the teachers opinion of what should take more time on or not. Every child needs to learn the same material so that all children are ready for the next year. One child doesn't have an advantage over another because of who their teacher was. All teachers are held accountable, therefore all children would have been exposed to the same material. We need to prepare our children for the future and taking a look at what needs to be taught is a start in the right direction.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Online Experience
I have had some classes during my undergraduate work that were completely online, therefore, I was familiar with how online classes work. I really enjoy online classes. I am the type of person who learns and comprehends information better by doing it for myself and that is what the online classes allowed me to do. I do not benefit from sitting and listening to a professor speak. I like to be given a list of work to do and a deadline. I do my best work at my own pace by myself in front of my laptop in the comfort of my own home. I am relaxed during this time. I don't feel rushed because I have a chance to get my thoughts together unlike the days when I have to attend class. Those days consist of me rushing from one place to another - work, home, and then school. Everybody is different, but in my opinion I prefer the online class more.
Overall, I really enjoyed the class and learned a lot about technology. Some of the skills learned I will definitely keep on using because I really enjoyed doing it. For example blogging. I have never done until this class, but now I think it is an interesting way to keep in contact with people, share thoughts, and see what others are thinking. Another reason why I liked blogging was because I am a quiet person. I tend to not like to speak my opinion in front of others, but blogging allows me to state what I feel with little to no anxiety. As we have all stated during this class technology is here and it is here to stay so we better get real comfortable using it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the class and learned a lot about technology. Some of the skills learned I will definitely keep on using because I really enjoyed doing it. For example blogging. I have never done until this class, but now I think it is an interesting way to keep in contact with people, share thoughts, and see what others are thinking. Another reason why I liked blogging was because I am a quiet person. I tend to not like to speak my opinion in front of others, but blogging allows me to state what I feel with little to no anxiety. As we have all stated during this class technology is here and it is here to stay so we better get real comfortable using it.
Implementation of Lesson
I have 19 children in my classroom. I have an even mixture of boys and girls. I have three of them that attend the resource program and seven of them that attend the math basic skills program. My group overall can be considered on the lower side. With this in mind I have to make sure that I can grab my students attention and keep them focused for the task at hand. I feel I was able to accomplish this with the lesson.
I began the lesson by talking about fall, something that they can relate too. Right off the bat I got their attention and I was able to keep it. The children had many activities to do. This allowed the children never to get bored with one aspect of the lesson. I do have to say though that this lesson took a little bit longer than I thought it would. Some of the children really couldn't understand why we use variables. They also had some difficulty when asked to write their own problem, but once they got started they were on a roll. Overall, I was pleased with how my math lesson for today went.
I began the lesson by talking about fall, something that they can relate too. Right off the bat I got their attention and I was able to keep it. The children had many activities to do. This allowed the children never to get bored with one aspect of the lesson. I do have to say though that this lesson took a little bit longer than I thought it would. Some of the children really couldn't understand why we use variables. They also had some difficulty when asked to write their own problem, but once they got started they were on a roll. Overall, I was pleased with how my math lesson for today went.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Math Not Just Numbers - Learning and Understanding the Importance of Variables
Stage 1: Desired Results
Established Goals:
4.1.A.4: Number Sense - Understand the various use of numbers
4.1.B.1: Numerical Operations - Develop the meaning of the four basic arithmetic operations
4.3.C.2: Patterns and Algebra - construct and solve simple open sentence involving any one operation
Enduring Understanding: Students will understand that...
*variables are letters used to represent unknown numbers in expressions
*there are relationships between variables and numbers
*word problems can be solved using variables
Essential Questions:
*What is variable?
*How are variables used in expressions?
*Why is it important to use a variable?
*Can you think of a time when you might need to use a variable in your everyday life? Why would you use? How would you use it?
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Performance Task:
*Students will work with a partner to write expressions with variables for word problems given by me. They will also have to tell me what the variable stands for.
*Students will then have a chance to write their own word problem. They will then give their problem to classmate and see if their classmate can write an expression using a variable and they must also state what the variable stands for.
(Example of word problems: Jane went apple picking. Jane picked 15 apples and then gave some to her friend when she got home.)
*Students will then be giving an expression where the variable has a given amount. The students will have to solve the expression.
(Example of problem: 4+x, if x=8)
*Variable Game
Other Evidence:
*Class participation
*Observations
*Examples of word problems that were given
*Homework (practice page in workbook)
Stage 3: Learning Plan
I will introduce the lesson by telling them that fall is one of my favorite seasons and how much fun it is to go to the wonderful farms that are located in NJ. I will tell them about two signs I saw at one of the farms. These signs will be on an overhead transparency. The transparency will have the signs. The signs will have two pictures on them. One picture will have 2 pumpkins and a price tag of $4. The other picture will have a picture of a pumpkin and an apple and a price tag of $3. I will then ask the children if we can figure out how much each item costs. By doing this the children will be able to tell me that each pumpkin is $2. Then, I will show them that by knowing what the price of the pumpkin is we can figure out the price of the apple (2+x). Next, I will introduce the vocabulary word variable and tell them that x is a variable. I will then let the children give me their definition of the word variable before I give them the definition. After that, I will give the children word problems that contain variables and let the work together to write an expression and what the variable stands for. Finally, I will tell them that sometimes you are given the value for the variable. I will explain to them that in that case they must just "plug it in" when they see this. Once again I will give the children the opportunity to solve some problems and then come up with some on their own. To follow up with lesson I will allow the children to play a matching game. They will be give two sets of different colored cards. One set will have an expression and the other set will have a word problem. The children must match the word problems with the expressions.
Established Goals:
4.1.A.4: Number Sense - Understand the various use of numbers
4.1.B.1: Numerical Operations - Develop the meaning of the four basic arithmetic operations
4.3.C.2: Patterns and Algebra - construct and solve simple open sentence involving any one operation
Enduring Understanding: Students will understand that...
*variables are letters used to represent unknown numbers in expressions
*there are relationships between variables and numbers
*word problems can be solved using variables
Essential Questions:
*What is variable?
*How are variables used in expressions?
*Why is it important to use a variable?
*Can you think of a time when you might need to use a variable in your everyday life? Why would you use? How would you use it?
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Performance Task:
*Students will work with a partner to write expressions with variables for word problems given by me. They will also have to tell me what the variable stands for.
*Students will then have a chance to write their own word problem. They will then give their problem to classmate and see if their classmate can write an expression using a variable and they must also state what the variable stands for.
(Example of word problems: Jane went apple picking. Jane picked 15 apples and then gave some to her friend when she got home.)
*Students will then be giving an expression where the variable has a given amount. The students will have to solve the expression.
(Example of problem: 4+x, if x=8)
*Variable Game
Other Evidence:
*Class participation
*Observations
*Examples of word problems that were given
*Homework (practice page in workbook)
Stage 3: Learning Plan
I will introduce the lesson by telling them that fall is one of my favorite seasons and how much fun it is to go to the wonderful farms that are located in NJ. I will tell them about two signs I saw at one of the farms. These signs will be on an overhead transparency. The transparency will have the signs. The signs will have two pictures on them. One picture will have 2 pumpkins and a price tag of $4. The other picture will have a picture of a pumpkin and an apple and a price tag of $3. I will then ask the children if we can figure out how much each item costs. By doing this the children will be able to tell me that each pumpkin is $2. Then, I will show them that by knowing what the price of the pumpkin is we can figure out the price of the apple (2+x). Next, I will introduce the vocabulary word variable and tell them that x is a variable. I will then let the children give me their definition of the word variable before I give them the definition. After that, I will give the children word problems that contain variables and let the work together to write an expression and what the variable stands for. Finally, I will tell them that sometimes you are given the value for the variable. I will explain to them that in that case they must just "plug it in" when they see this. Once again I will give the children the opportunity to solve some problems and then come up with some on their own. To follow up with lesson I will allow the children to play a matching game. They will be give two sets of different colored cards. One set will have an expression and the other set will have a word problem. The children must match the word problems with the expressions.
Thoughts About UBD
I am required to turn in my plan book every Thursday afternoon and I do. I use that plan book everyday. I am a very organized person that needs to have an agenda in order to get through the day. I do have to say though at this point that my plans are very basic. They consist of the the lesson's objective and the CCCS. I have been teaching the same grade now for four years, so I have gathered many materials needed to teach an effective lesson. I am also very aware of the material that needs to be taught. Therefore, the whole process of sitting down and writing out a detailed lesson plan took some time to accomplish. The UBD process is a very time consuming process. I really enjoyed it. I think thinking about the end result is a great idea, but doing it for about 8 lesson a day is too much for me to handle. Even though a school day is from 8:30 to 3:30 I put in many more hours of work, so my lessons do have of many different components to them, but in my opinion I would rather gather materials need to teach an effective lesson then sit down and write the lesson plan out. I don't know if it is a good thing or a bad thing that I think this way, but it is how I feel. Knowing how to get the most out of the lesson is important and the UBD process does really make you think and reflect on your lessons. They are also a great guide for others if they want to use your ideas. I do wonder though how many teachers especially elementary teachers use the UBD process?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Results Now
I am pretty new to the education world. I have only been teaching for four years. In those four years I have grown so much as a teacher. I take a look back to when I just started out and I can't believe how far I have come in those four short years. Schmoker stated that teachers need to collaborate and I completely agree with him on that point. I am blessed to have a great partner to work with. When I just started out I needed to work with her to learn the ropes, but now I work with her and collaborate with her because I want to and really enjoy it. I look forward to coming to work and talking about what the day is about to bring. I also enjoy sharing lessons, ideas, and even having someone to complain to about different issues. Working with others can really make a huge difference in a teachers life. You can learn so much from one another.
I do have to say that if I read this article four years ago I would have been very discouraged. I am a hard working teacher and so are many of my colleagues. This article I feel doesn't give teachers the credit we deserve. I feel that this article doesn't talk about the majority of schools or teachers out there. Teachers are a special kind of person. We have our children's best interest at heart and we want to see our children succeed. Teachers don't wake up in the morning and think about how boring can I make my students day. There is so much work that needs to be accomplished that not every lesson is bells and whistles, but I tend to feel that the majority of teachers' lessons especially where I work make a lasting impression on our students. I do have to say it would be interesting to see how a teacher's lesson or day would change if we narrowed the curriculum.
In conclusion, I feel that in my school and like many other schools teachers for the most part do collaborate with one another and do benefit from it. I also feel that administrators do need to work closely with the teachers to make sure that valuable instruction is going on and that our collaboration isn't being wasted. Helpful feedback is welcomed.
I do have to say that if I read this article four years ago I would have been very discouraged. I am a hard working teacher and so are many of my colleagues. This article I feel doesn't give teachers the credit we deserve. I feel that this article doesn't talk about the majority of schools or teachers out there. Teachers are a special kind of person. We have our children's best interest at heart and we want to see our children succeed. Teachers don't wake up in the morning and think about how boring can I make my students day. There is so much work that needs to be accomplished that not every lesson is bells and whistles, but I tend to feel that the majority of teachers' lessons especially where I work make a lasting impression on our students. I do have to say it would be interesting to see how a teacher's lesson or day would change if we narrowed the curriculum.
In conclusion, I feel that in my school and like many other schools teachers for the most part do collaborate with one another and do benefit from it. I also feel that administrators do need to work closely with the teachers to make sure that valuable instruction is going on and that our collaboration isn't being wasted. Helpful feedback is welcomed.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
"Did You Know"
Actually I didn't know. After I watched that video I was really surprised about some things. I realize that technology is important and that there is always something new happening , but I didn't think that in the near future there would be a computer that would surpass the human brain and possibly the human race. To me that is a scary thought. How do we prepare ourselves or others for that?
There is a great big world out there and we here in the US play a small part in that world. As an educator though I feel I have a bigger part than some others. I feel this way because it is my responsibility to prepare my children in my classroom for the future. Those children are our future. This task is not an easy one considering the fact that I am preparing them for things I don't even know about yet or preparing them for things that don't even exist yet. Our society changes so fast it is hard to keep up so I think as educators it is our job to teach our children the skills needed in order to succeed in this world. Once they have the skills and know how to use them hopefully our children will be able to fit them into their world as they see fit. We need to give our children the confidence to change those skills as they feel is necessary. It is important for our children to become hard-working, strong, and determined individuals.
This responsibility doesn't only lie in the educators hands. The BOEs need to step up also. If technology is so important then why do I have only one computer in my classroom that works and has very, very, limited internet access and why am I using a textbooks that were published in the 70s? Most of information in our social studies books are inaccurate and then as an educator you try to look up accurate information and you realize that the website is denied for who knows what reason. Stuff like this makes our jobs so hard.
The BOE aren't the only ones that need to step up. Parents need to help the schools out. There have been years when I never met a child's parents at all. If the parents don't make any effort toward their child's education then no wonder the children make no effort either.
I think we need to work as one big team; teachers, BOEs, and parents. We need to make sure that our children are prepared for whats to come. Educators and parents need to have basic technology skills in order to help our children. Technology isn't going away and it is time to stop being afraid of it and face the facts, we need it to survive in today's society.
There is a great big world out there and we here in the US play a small part in that world. As an educator though I feel I have a bigger part than some others. I feel this way because it is my responsibility to prepare my children in my classroom for the future. Those children are our future. This task is not an easy one considering the fact that I am preparing them for things I don't even know about yet or preparing them for things that don't even exist yet. Our society changes so fast it is hard to keep up so I think as educators it is our job to teach our children the skills needed in order to succeed in this world. Once they have the skills and know how to use them hopefully our children will be able to fit them into their world as they see fit. We need to give our children the confidence to change those skills as they feel is necessary. It is important for our children to become hard-working, strong, and determined individuals.
This responsibility doesn't only lie in the educators hands. The BOEs need to step up also. If technology is so important then why do I have only one computer in my classroom that works and has very, very, limited internet access and why am I using a textbooks that were published in the 70s? Most of information in our social studies books are inaccurate and then as an educator you try to look up accurate information and you realize that the website is denied for who knows what reason. Stuff like this makes our jobs so hard.
The BOE aren't the only ones that need to step up. Parents need to help the schools out. There have been years when I never met a child's parents at all. If the parents don't make any effort toward their child's education then no wonder the children make no effort either.
I think we need to work as one big team; teachers, BOEs, and parents. We need to make sure that our children are prepared for whats to come. Educators and parents need to have basic technology skills in order to help our children. Technology isn't going away and it is time to stop being afraid of it and face the facts, we need it to survive in today's society.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
"Reading Don't Fix Chevys"
Csikszentmihalyi began his book with a quote that I really liked. He said that, "more than anything else, men and women seek happiness. Everything else we strive for money, health, prestige, everything is only valued because we expect that it will bring us happiness." I think that this is so true we work so hard to make money and become successful, but at times these things can make us miserable. If men and women seek happiness then so do boys and girls. Sometimes I think some of us forget this because boys and girls are just little kids. If children seek happiness as much as adults then as educators we should try to make school a happy place filled with meaningful learning.
Most educators try so hard to incorporate differentiated instruction into their lessons. We try to make sure we touch each type of learner, the ESL child, the special needs child, the academically talented child etc, but what about the differences between boys and girls? You don't hear many educators say that this lesson is geared towards the boys or the girls. Since we don't do that many of our lessons are lost on the children that have no interest in that area. According to the article young men who were passionate about the activity experienced flow and those who weren't didn't experience flow, especially in the content area of literacy. Knowing this why not allow boys to read about topics that interest them. In a way let them make up their own reading curriculum with guidance from the teacher. In my opinion if a child is reading then who cares if it is a classic novel. I would rather have them read something than nothing at all.
I personally love when flow happens throughout the day. It makes the day that much better. I want to share this enjoyment with my class so I try to make it happen for my students. I want my students to walk away from a lesson with understanding. If I need to find out what makes my students tick then that's what I will do. Educators put in a lot of extra hours why not make them count.
Most educators try so hard to incorporate differentiated instruction into their lessons. We try to make sure we touch each type of learner, the ESL child, the special needs child, the academically talented child etc, but what about the differences between boys and girls? You don't hear many educators say that this lesson is geared towards the boys or the girls. Since we don't do that many of our lessons are lost on the children that have no interest in that area. According to the article young men who were passionate about the activity experienced flow and those who weren't didn't experience flow, especially in the content area of literacy. Knowing this why not allow boys to read about topics that interest them. In a way let them make up their own reading curriculum with guidance from the teacher. In my opinion if a child is reading then who cares if it is a classic novel. I would rather have them read something than nothing at all.
I personally love when flow happens throughout the day. It makes the day that much better. I want to share this enjoyment with my class so I try to make it happen for my students. I want my students to walk away from a lesson with understanding. If I need to find out what makes my students tick then that's what I will do. Educators put in a lot of extra hours why not make them count.
No Child Left Behind
Dear Congressman Pascrell,
School is a very important part of a child's life. They are in school for at least 13 years. Since school is such an important factor I feel that the learning experience should be an enjoyable one. A child should be able to walk into a classroom and learn as much as they can without evening knowing it.
I am writing to you because I know that No Child Left Behind is up for reauthorization. NCLB effects me directly. I am not only a resident, but I am also a fourth grade teacher. I know first hand what effects NCLB can have.
NCLB has had some positive effects on our schools, but it has also had some negative effects too. To start, NCLB has help parents out. It has made information more readily available to them. This is important because the more parents get involved the better a school runs. It has also increased the number of highly qualified teachers in our schools. These two things are a major plus.
On the other hand, NCLB does have some negative effects. I am a teacher in a testing grade. I know first hand what the standardized test are like. This test is a very stressful test for the students and teachers. There is so much information on the test that the children need to know by March that educators wind up teaching to the test. This is not what teaching should be about. Children are not getting what they should be getting out of their education. Five days of stressful testing is not an effective way to assess our children. There are many other forms of assessment that can be done. These test do not represent the population of our schools. Our schools have such a diverse population. Each child learns differently so why test them all the same. NCLB doesn't benefit all.
The requirements for NCLB need to be edited. With certain changes made NCLB can be a very beneficial thing. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Kristin Robinson
School is a very important part of a child's life. They are in school for at least 13 years. Since school is such an important factor I feel that the learning experience should be an enjoyable one. A child should be able to walk into a classroom and learn as much as they can without evening knowing it.
I am writing to you because I know that No Child Left Behind is up for reauthorization. NCLB effects me directly. I am not only a resident, but I am also a fourth grade teacher. I know first hand what effects NCLB can have.
NCLB has had some positive effects on our schools, but it has also had some negative effects too. To start, NCLB has help parents out. It has made information more readily available to them. This is important because the more parents get involved the better a school runs. It has also increased the number of highly qualified teachers in our schools. These two things are a major plus.
On the other hand, NCLB does have some negative effects. I am a teacher in a testing grade. I know first hand what the standardized test are like. This test is a very stressful test for the students and teachers. There is so much information on the test that the children need to know by March that educators wind up teaching to the test. This is not what teaching should be about. Children are not getting what they should be getting out of their education. Five days of stressful testing is not an effective way to assess our children. There are many other forms of assessment that can be done. These test do not represent the population of our schools. Our schools have such a diverse population. Each child learns differently so why test them all the same. NCLB doesn't benefit all.
The requirements for NCLB need to be edited. With certain changes made NCLB can be a very beneficial thing. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Kristin Robinson
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Saber Tooth Tiger
I found this to be a very interesting and creative story. I really enjoyed reading it. I think this story did a good job of representing education in our society.
In the story New-Fist realized that something needed to be done in order to change their future. He figured out ways to teach the children very useful skills. The children loved learning these skills. The skills that the children learned allowed them to live a healthy and safe life for some time. As the time past things around them changed. These changes affected every aspect of their lives. The skills that were learned were no longer needed. In the end some realized that new skills needed to be learned, but some of the older people thought that the old skills were still good because they were "timeless" skills.
I feel this story reflects education today. Many skills that the children learn are timeless. For example learning how to read, write, add, and subtract are timeless skills that every child needs to know. Even though these skills are very important it is very crucial in our ever changing society to expand on these skills and teach them in new and invented ways. By expanding on these skills we want to open our children's eyes to many more possibilities that will help them throughout life. You can't teach the same thing the same way for ever. As we as a society changes our needs and wants change too, so we need to be prepared for whatever life throws at us. Unfortunately, not all educators feel that way. Change happens very slow in education. Some teachers feel that if it isn't broken then don't fix it. In my opinion, even though it isn't broken why not try to find a way to improve it.
In the story New-Fist realized that something needed to be done in order to change their future. He figured out ways to teach the children very useful skills. The children loved learning these skills. The skills that the children learned allowed them to live a healthy and safe life for some time. As the time past things around them changed. These changes affected every aspect of their lives. The skills that were learned were no longer needed. In the end some realized that new skills needed to be learned, but some of the older people thought that the old skills were still good because they were "timeless" skills.
I feel this story reflects education today. Many skills that the children learn are timeless. For example learning how to read, write, add, and subtract are timeless skills that every child needs to know. Even though these skills are very important it is very crucial in our ever changing society to expand on these skills and teach them in new and invented ways. By expanding on these skills we want to open our children's eyes to many more possibilities that will help them throughout life. You can't teach the same thing the same way for ever. As we as a society changes our needs and wants change too, so we need to be prepared for whatever life throws at us. Unfortunately, not all educators feel that way. Change happens very slow in education. Some teachers feel that if it isn't broken then don't fix it. In my opinion, even though it isn't broken why not try to find a way to improve it.
Monday, September 24, 2007
N.J. Standards Website
Every teacher no matter what they teach has a set of guide lines to follow throughout the school year. Those guide lines are the core curriculum standards. I am quite familiar with these standards like most educators are. I have used this website before and each time I use it I tend to get somewhat overwhelmed. I can't believe I actually accomplish this all this work in school year. It is amazing what can actually get done in 65 or so days.
Educators have such a limited amount of time to prepare students for the next school year that I feel it would be beneficial for the site to include some helpful tips for educators. For example the site can give sample lesson plans or tips on how to implement the lesson. This would really help out new teachers just starting out and even veteran teachers looking for ways to spice things up. Don't get me wrong the website is helpful and organized, but there is always room for improvement.
I work in a district where a lot of families do not own computers or have access to the Internet. Since these families are not able to access this website I feel this is not a useful tool for some community members. These families should still know what is going on in the schools. I think that possibly the department of education could send out a newsletter to keep families up to date and informed of what is going. Families should not be punished for what they don't have, especially if they can't afford it.
"180 Days"
Some times I feel like there isn't enough time in the day to accomplish what I have planned. At times I feel like I am doing something wrong because I can't get it all done, but when I really think about it, it isn't my fault at all. I do my lesson plans every week and what I write down on paper looks so good. I only wish it was that good. What I mean is that every week something comes up that messes up my plans.
I really enjoyed the video. It makes you stop and take notice of how much instruction time is lost. It is a shame to admit that the video is accurate because it is sad to think about how much time is lost. Take the next two weeks for example. I was doing my plans today and as I am writing them out I realized in the next two weeks so much is going on; picture day, browsing time for the book fair, buying time for the book fair, an assembly, students have a half a day on Friday, October 5th, and off on Monday, October 8th. It is the beginning of the school year, there is so much teaching that needs to be done.
I think administrators need to think about certain activities that they allow to go on in school. For example, some assemblys are very beneficial to students, but some in my opinion are a waste of time. I think administrators might want to include the teachers on certain decisions. Teachers know their children the best and if they feel that certain activities are not helpful at all then maybe they just shouldn't take place. As a teacher I think it is nice to get through a week with no activities going on except teaching.
I really enjoyed the video. It makes you stop and take notice of how much instruction time is lost. It is a shame to admit that the video is accurate because it is sad to think about how much time is lost. Take the next two weeks for example. I was doing my plans today and as I am writing them out I realized in the next two weeks so much is going on; picture day, browsing time for the book fair, buying time for the book fair, an assembly, students have a half a day on Friday, October 5th, and off on Monday, October 8th. It is the beginning of the school year, there is so much teaching that needs to be done.
I think administrators need to think about certain activities that they allow to go on in school. For example, some assemblys are very beneficial to students, but some in my opinion are a waste of time. I think administrators might want to include the teachers on certain decisions. Teachers know their children the best and if they feel that certain activities are not helpful at all then maybe they just shouldn't take place. As a teacher I think it is nice to get through a week with no activities going on except teaching.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Change in Education
In today's society every time you turn around there is something new to be learned about in education. An educator has a very important job. We need to prepare our children for the future. In a society where change happens so rapidly, how come in education change happens so slowly? About 25 years ago the Carnegie Foundation came out with a report called "A Nation at Risk." This report stated that "our educational system in the U.S. was not preparing students for a future much different from the past" (Dickinson 1). It makes you wonder how much has the system really changed since then. Yes, we have made changes, but have we made enough changes?
According to Fullen we need to "unfrozen the froze" and I agree. Even though I don't always care for change, change can be for the best. "The knowledge we now have about change makes the complex process understandable and amenable to productive action" (Salaberry). Knowing this, it is a little confusing why we are so slow to change things. We are suppose to do what is best for the children.
I have only been teaching for four years now and in those four years I have seen my classes change before my eyes. I needed to change certain things about myself and teaching style in order to adapt to what was happening. I think that is what more teachers need to do. They need to step out of their comfort zone and reevaluate how things are being done. We all get too comfortable at times. How many of us teach the same lesson year after year and never change a thing, but the funny thing is our children and their needs change every year. Educators put in a lot of extra hours, but we should make those extra hours count.
I understand that we can not change the system all by ourselves that it requires team work. Administrators, parents, communities, etc. all need to step in and do their part. It is not an easy task to accomplish, but with teamwork and help it can be done. There are tools out there that can help get the job done. Books like Fullen's "can serve as a road map for addressing larger issues and encouraging educators to promote legislative and organizational actions consistent with what research recommends" (Dickinson 2). Change takes time, but it time to speed up the pace.
In conclusion, as an educator myself who knows what needs to be done I'm not too sure why change happens so slow. I think people hear the word change and get scared. It is time to move on and do what is best. We need to prepare our children for a world of many possibilities.
Dickinson, Dee. "Education's Achilles Heel: Unlocking the Dilemma of Difficulty." New Horizons for Learning July 2006
Salaberry, Trudy."The New Meaning of Educational Change." Journal of School Improvement Spring 2003: Vol. 4 Issue 1
According to Fullen we need to "unfrozen the froze" and I agree. Even though I don't always care for change, change can be for the best. "The knowledge we now have about change makes the complex process understandable and amenable to productive action" (Salaberry). Knowing this, it is a little confusing why we are so slow to change things. We are suppose to do what is best for the children.
I have only been teaching for four years now and in those four years I have seen my classes change before my eyes. I needed to change certain things about myself and teaching style in order to adapt to what was happening. I think that is what more teachers need to do. They need to step out of their comfort zone and reevaluate how things are being done. We all get too comfortable at times. How many of us teach the same lesson year after year and never change a thing, but the funny thing is our children and their needs change every year. Educators put in a lot of extra hours, but we should make those extra hours count.
I understand that we can not change the system all by ourselves that it requires team work. Administrators, parents, communities, etc. all need to step in and do their part. It is not an easy task to accomplish, but with teamwork and help it can be done. There are tools out there that can help get the job done. Books like Fullen's "can serve as a road map for addressing larger issues and encouraging educators to promote legislative and organizational actions consistent with what research recommends" (Dickinson 2). Change takes time, but it time to speed up the pace.
In conclusion, as an educator myself who knows what needs to be done I'm not too sure why change happens so slow. I think people hear the word change and get scared. It is time to move on and do what is best. We need to prepare our children for a world of many possibilities.
Dickinson, Dee. "Education's Achilles Heel: Unlocking the Dilemma of Difficulty." New Horizons for Learning July 2006
Salaberry, Trudy."The New Meaning of Educational Change." Journal of School Improvement Spring 2003: Vol. 4 Issue 1
Sunday, September 9, 2007
The Prensky Challenge
I have always wanted to be a teacher and now that I am I absolutely love my job. I do my best to motivate my students everyday. I don't motivate them with IPODS or video games and all of my students at one time or another do get motivated. I don't think that it is right that Prensky puts all the blame on the educator. I feel the challenge that he has proposed would not work with the majority of students. He stated that this challenge would be proposed to a child at "any grade level, and at any level of preparedness." I don't see how this could be. Younger children need to learn the basics from an educator that has been trained to teach the basics. How can a first grader who is learning to read themselves teach another first grader to read? Also, what about differentiated learning? All children learn differently.
I do think though it would be cool to have a famous person from time to time come in and talk about their area of expertise. But here is a question for Prensky, he wants famous people from all over the world to be instructors, but did those people receive an education through his challenge or through normal teaching by teachers?
Another area where I disagree with Prensky is the time frame that he wants our children to learn in. The most experienced teachers have a hard time at times completing the curriculum within the whole school year and Prensky wants these children to complete the curriculum only in the first semester. To me that is putting a lot of pressure on the children.
In conclusion, I really don't think this challenge is a good idea especially for the elementary aged student. This type of challenge might work better with a student who is in high school.
I do think though it would be cool to have a famous person from time to time come in and talk about their area of expertise. But here is a question for Prensky, he wants famous people from all over the world to be instructors, but did those people receive an education through his challenge or through normal teaching by teachers?
Another area where I disagree with Prensky is the time frame that he wants our children to learn in. The most experienced teachers have a hard time at times completing the curriculum within the whole school year and Prensky wants these children to complete the curriculum only in the first semester. To me that is putting a lot of pressure on the children.
In conclusion, I really don't think this challenge is a good idea especially for the elementary aged student. This type of challenge might work better with a student who is in high school.
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