Alternative Certification

I just read this article on MSN about alternative certification. I think it's a great way to get people from other professions into the teaching field. With different backgrounds and experiences outside the classroom, maybe they can add a little something different than teachers who go through the normal certification process.

http://spotlight.encarta.msn.com/Features/encnet_Departments_eLearning_default_article_NewWaystoEducation.html?GT1=27001

Classroom Environment

Just a little something related to what we talked about on outside factors affecting the students...
Even in our short lessons we did in class, we can see how much the environment factors the students. Whoever went first usually had it easiest (as far as the behaviors on the cards), and as the class went on, each teacher had to deal with more elaborate problems from the students. In our actual classrooms, we may have to be prepared with more motivational techniques for the earlier classes, and towards the end of the year. Once the weather gets nice, the students (and some teachers, haha) would much rather be outside than in the classroom. Maybe we can somehow incorporate the nice weather into our lessons. In my science classes in high school, we usually did some sort of hands-on experiment outside, which allowed us to enjoy the class when we did not really want to be there. I didn't realize until now what a good idea that was for our teachers to do that with us, and it will be something that I'll have to remember in the future.

Teacher vs. Friend

Today in class when Dr. Luongo was talking about the need to be a teacher, and no longer a friend in the classroom reminded me of one of my high school teachers. I had the same math teacher for two years, and both years it was the same deal. The first day of class he explained the week to us:
Monday--no teaching since it was a Monday, so we would just talk.
Tuesday--some work, but not much.
Wednesday--a little more learning than Tuesday, but not really.
Thursday--getting ready for the weekend, so we'll either have quizzes or hang out.
Friday-- since he didn't have class on Fridays in college, he didn't think we should have them in high school.

I was a little bit of a nerd in high school, and actually liked math. In 8th grade I was pushed up a level so my sophomore and junior years in his math class, I was with juniors and seniors who were fine with this schedule. So I took advantage the days we did work. I was the only student who understood the material, and would answer whenever he asked a question, and was the only one to do so. The days that we didn't have class, I would do the homework, or some extra work from the textbook. Eventually, he told me to stop raising my hand because he wanted the rest of the class to have a chance to answer. But why would the rest of the class do their work, when he didn't do his? That marking period he told me to stop raising my hand, I gave up and got a C, after getting A's in math every other quarter ever since I can remember.

The students who wanted a friend rather than a teacher benefited from his classroom, since they didn't have to do anything. But it hurt the students who were actually in school to learn (imagine that...). So that's just another example of why teachers have to teach, because there are actually students who want to learn.

(P.S. Sorry for the rambling, I guess I have some repressed anger about my only C in math, lol)

Teachers vs. Educators

My aunt sent me a slightly education based joke I thought I would share. I got a chuckle out of it...


According to a news report, a certain private school in Aberdeen was recently faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done.

She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man.

She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

There are teachers, and then there are educators...

In the Classroom

Today when I actually did my teaching, it made me excited to be in the classroom. I had so much fun when I was in front of the room, even dealing with some of the mock problems of the students. I really hope when I do my Junior Field next month I'll have the opportunity to teach, since I didn't have that chance with my Sophomore Field Experience. Thank you for all being wonderful students today, and I hope you enjoyed my lesson! =)

State Requirements

Today in Principles and Techniques, we were talking about having a whole course just on assessment, as they do for the Elementary majors, but for the Secondary level. Since state testing is so big right now, I think it would be a really good idea. Also, Dr. O'Brien asked about having a course for Special Education, even though a lot of it is covered in Ed. Psych. I thought it would be a great idea especially since one of our neighboring states, New York, requires it for certification. After gradution I'm not sure if I would like to teach in New York or New Jersey, since I live on the border, but I would like to have the option of New York, just as back up. But what I don't really understand is why the certification process is so different throughout the country. Shouldn't all teachers in all states meet the same requirements, so that the students will (ideally) be taught almost the same, and meet their same requirements? Wouldn't national certification be a good idea? I don't really see why not. Just a thought, though.

Going Back to School

Over the weekend, I was talking with my boyfriend about him going back to school. One of his mother's friends chimed in and said that it would obviously be great for him to get his degree, but he should do it soon since "he's not getting any younger". I was surprised she said that, since he's only 21, turning 22 in July. I've always been under the impression that it's never too late to go back and get a degree.

Afterwards, I was thinking about it, and I guess she was right. She went on to say that soon (not too soon) he'll be married and have kids and have a full time job, and not have time to go back. So here's the question: can it ever be too late to get your degree? I would still like to think no. My uncle was in the Navy for six years after he graduated high school, worked after that and didn't graduate college until this past May. He took night classes after working a full time job, and even though it took several years, he was still able to do it, with a 3.98 GPA. So yes, I think it is best if students get their degree as soon as possible, but if it is necessary, it is always possible to go back and get it even after getting a full time job, a family and unlimited responsibilities.

Last Lecture

Wow! It's been a long long time since I've posted. Sorry!

Ok. Well, this is in reaction to Susan's video that we all saw the other day. It really made me think about how important it is not to teach a subject, or teach material, but to remember that you're teaching students. What is it that you really want them to go away with when your class is over? Probably not just recalling facts and general information, but being able to think for themselves, form opinions, on things more than your subject area.

I know I want my students to be able to live a successful life. Doing so goes beyond teaching an academic subject, but teaching life in some ways. We talk about "teachable moments" and how important they are, and I think this video was a perfect teachable moment. It taught students not only what the lecture was about, but also not to be sorrowful. This man is about to die, and while most would choose to sulk and feel bad for themselves, he is continuing to spread a simple message of achieving childhood dreams. If I were in his shoes, I would like to say I'd be doing the same thing, but really, who knows.

Teaching Beyond Our Subjects

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about how many people make themselves sound kind of ignorant and, for lack of a better word, stupid when they speak. It's one thing if you're with a group of friends, not necessarily peers, and talk one way, but once you are in a professional setting--like college--a person is expected to present themselves better. Its very sad that people who I know got good educations in high school cannot express themselves with proper English. I actually had an English class here in which a student described one of the characters as "mad crazy", after he called her a "chick". I was absolutely appalled. Who were this students teachers in the past??

I am now realizing that this is where we come in. No matter what subject we teach, whether it be English, Social Studies, Spanish, Math, or Science, even Music or Art, it is necessary that we hold students to a higher level of communication. I'm not saying that every lesson has to be an English lesson of how to speak properly, but if they know the correct times of when to use proper grammar, they will be better off in the future. If they become too comfortable with using their every day language around peers, this will continue through college, and their future jobs. So no matter what we teach, we have to place some kind of emphasis on speaking properly, with correct grammar and speech, so that students are better prepared for the future. It all comes with the package, I guess.

Flexibility

Last week got me thinking. Not just the craziness on campus on Wednesday, but the week as a whole. We're always taught while making lesson plans to be sure to be flexible and prepared when we're actually out there teaching. Last week was a perfect example. Monday we didn't have class, which we knew about since it was a holiday. Tuesday was normal. Wednesday we had two classes, then lockdown. Thursday was normal, but classes were unusally small, perhaps students were wary about coming to school after Wednesday's events. Friday was a snow day (yay!). If this had happened in a high school, the lesson plans for that week would almost be shot. If a teacher is flexible enough with their lessons and prepared with extra material, a crazy week like last could be handled beautifully unlike so many times days are wasted in high school because teachers cannot deal. Just a thought..

Letter Etiquette

Just a quick thought...

I'm in the process of applying to study abroad next semester and today I had to send in the application fee. I had to write a formal letter to mail in with it, and it occurred to me that I completely forget how to write a letter--headings, greetings, etc. I know I learned it almost every year in middle school, and probably senior year of high school, too. I haven't written a letter since then, though. Everything is either an e-mail or a phone call. I actually had to go online to search how to write a letter, which is kind of ironic. Are we going to have to teach our students proper e-mail etiquette instead of letter-writing? Or maybe text messaging or instant messaging? A lot of offices now use inter-office instant messaging to communicate with each other, so will that be the next thing we'll have to teach? Or maybe something that we're not even familiar with ourselves yet...

No Child Left Behind

OK, so I was home for the long weekend and saw an article in the local newspaper (I can't find it online, unfortunately) about the No Child Left Behind Act, and its affects on the schools, the students, and the teachers. Teachers do have a tendency to "teach to the test" because of the law restrictions of children who have to pass the tests, we all know this. Maybe the students don't learn as much about the curriculum as they should, since teachers omit certain points to focus on others that are on the test. I went to high school in New York State, where they give the Regents exams. Unlike the state tests in New Jersey, the Regents were in all subjects (English, Math, Spanish, Sciences and Social Studies), and were given different years for different subjects. So basically, ALL of the teachers in our schools taught to the test so that we would all pass. But most of us did pass. We learned, the school got a good rating, and so did our teachers. Is that so bad? No, I don't think so. I don't think there is still a need to focus on the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act, do you?

How Good is Technology?

While on my way to Yahoo Games this evening, I came across a headline: High School Calls All 2,550 Students to Detention. My first thought was, sweet! a blog topic. My second was, that must have been one huge senior prank. After reading the article, I realized it was one of those tricky ones that the students didn't actually do anything wrong, and the school's automated calling system called each household and left a message with the parents that their child had to serve Saturday morning detention the following day (the messages were left on Friday afternoon).

A little disappointed after not hearing some huge scandal (just kidding...), I got to thinking how useful things like that are. The principal of the school said that by the time they figured out what was wrong, it was 9:30 at night, and too late to call everyone. They used the system again, which seems silly to me, to call everyone back and apologize. What a hassle!! I've used a system like that before, and it didn't really make sense. There were only sixteen people on the original list for Saturday detention, what is wrong with calling their parents individually? That way, if the parents have a question, they can have an actual converation with a human being (imagine that!!), instead of hearing a recording, hanging up, and then accusing their child of something they didn't necessarily do. Sometimes all this technology seems like its a waste of time, and there are some things--not everything--, but some things that should be done the "old-fashioned" way.

Check out the article!! http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2008-02-12-fla-students_N.htm?se=yahoorefer

Can We Teach Morals?

After doing a paper for Principles and Techniques on educational philosopher Nel Noddings, I began to think if we can teach our students morals and values for their good outside the classroom. Her philosophy is all about caring, and sometimes crosses the border of moral education. For some, it is ridiculous to think that moral education is something that should be done in the schools, while others believe the schools are where children should learn values, since not all parents can be depended on to do so. Should us teachers be depended on, though? We have enough trouble dealing with the actual content of the curriculum, do morals really need to be immersed into that also?

Most children's morals and values come from their family, and usually their religious and cultural backgrounds. Since each student is different, we don't really have a right to impose on them. However, I do believe it is our duty as teachers to teach them common courtesies-- saying please and thank you, everyday respect, making eye contact while speaking, professional greetings, etc.--that may not necessarily be taught at home, all of which will be expected from future employers. How to behave in certain situations, on the other hand, is something that can be dealt with by each individual's conscience, or their families--those morals should not be up to the schools to handle.

Asperger's Syndrome

For whatever reason, I decided to visit http://www.education.com, really, just to see if the website existed. As I thought, it was a website consisting of different articles and such for parents, teachers, and students. While looking through, I actually found an interesting article generally explaining Asperger Syndrome. I realized how important it is for educators to be aware of a disease such as this, since often times it is quite possible to overlook, claiming a child may just be "socially awkward".

Recently, Asperger's has been more open in the public eye. For example, a contestant on America's Next Top Model had Asperger Syndrome, as well as a fictional character in a book I recently read. Since it is a milder form of Austism, it is often times not seen as very serious, but it is difficult for these children to learn, unless a teacher can understand how to help them.

Here are some websites with advice and other links to help students with Asperger's that may be in your class. Since they, usually, are "normally" functioning, there may be a student in our classes with Asperger's, whether it has been recognized and they have an IEP plan or not. We need to be able to recognize how to help these students with their learning!

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/education.html
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/karen_williams_guidelines.html
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Asperger_Syndrome/

A Different Species?

Between our Improvement of Reading class and my Principles and Techniques class, there is a lot of discussion about the adolescent culture, and how to deal with them. A lot of the same points are raised, but in each class we are able to have new discussions about different situations. Sometimes, I feel like we are being prepared for battle! I realize that it is difficult to deal with adolescents, since there is a lot that they are going through, but how hard can it really be?

I mean, I'm 20 years old, not that long ago, I was in their shoes. Even by the time I get into the actual teaching field. Sure, teens are a lot different from how I was when I was their age. But are they really that different from "normal" people? The way we talk about them, it is as though we're examining animals on the discovery channel, looking at all their moves and how they will behave in certain situations.

I don't know if our professors are preparing us so much so it's not that bad once we're actually teaching, or if it will be that bad when we're out there. I actually found a few websites, not really for teachers, moreso for parents, about how to deal with teenagers. There were some interesting questions and articles. Some were actually pretty funny. But it made me think of how I'll deal with situations I'm not ready for. I can generally figure out how to deal with behavior or alcohol or drug problems. But some of the things on these pages really surprised me. Check them out!!

http://www.kidshealth.com/parent/growth/growing/adolescence.html

http://life.familyeducation.com/parenting/parenting-problem-solving/39558.html?detoured=1

Technology in Education

After watching the "Pay Attention" video on YouTube.com today in class (link below), it made me think of how much technology I plan on using in my classroom. I generally know my way around a computer, but would not consider myself too computer savvy, I have an iPod and a cellphone, and do my fair share of text messaging, but how could I incorporate that into the classroom?

Last semester one of my professors was discussing the material we had to cover for class, and realizing that it is way too much to cover in one semester suggested that maybe he would start a podcast for us. Since we all have access to a computer, and therefore iTunes, it would be quite possible. I remember thinking that that idea seemed possibly a bit too advanced, since I had never been exposed to technology like that in the classroom. Later, though, I realized that it makes a lot of sense. It is perfect for students who have to miss class for either an illness or personal reasons, and can still keep up with the curriculum in a way.

Will I be able to bring that technology into my classroom? Hopefully. Will my students be able to understand the technology? Definitely. It will most likely get to a point that they would expect advanced technology incorporated into the lessons. As a teacher, I will have to understand that and make any attempt possible to achieve that. I feel that by the time I will be teaching, it will be a sort of in-between as to the "traditional" teaching methods of lecture, chalkboards, and dittos, versus the technology of smart boards, podcasts and internet projects.

Link to Pay Attention video on YouTube.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFKfXiCbLw