letter to the editor

As future teachers, cyberbullying is an epidemic that is taking control of our schools. Cyberbylling has caused many to take their lives in extreme cases, and causing many other problems that affect students in the classroom as well as the teacher, and the school itself.  Something has to be done, in order to protect those affected. What should be done? Parents should teach their kids what is appropriate behavior when it comes to the internet. The parents should also monitor what their child is doing on the internet. The internet can be a great tool when used correctly, but when it is misused it becomes a hazard.  

                The topic of cyberbullying has caused numerous problems among today’s teens and young adults.  Suicides, depression, and isolation are few of the many problems that are associated with cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is an unnecessary form of harassment that takes place via the web, cell phones, I pads/ pods. People aren’t afraid to say what they want, and aren’t aware of the consequences that can follow. This is where intervention needs to start. Young adults should be educated about cyberbullying, and the effects it has on people involved. This education should start as early as possible. The more we teach our children the more lives we can save by early intervention. Some states like New Jersey, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, are taking steps in the right direction to fix this problem. They are viewed as models because they include provisions allowing school officials to address off-campus actions that disrupt school operations.

                Although some states are taking steps in the right direction to stop, or prevent cyberbullying, this is not enough in some cases. Educating the children in our school systems has to be our number one priority. Hopefully in time other states will pass laws just like the ones that already have, to  prevent this from happening to any other young adults.

Field Experience Reflection

Field Experience

This semester I completed my first field experience in a classroom.  I was placed in a first grade class at Clearview Elementary in a Spanish Immersion class.  I had never actually worked or volunteered in a classroom when I wasn’t a student in the class.  I was very excited and nervous at the same time.  I chose to work with a math curriculum because I am currently taking MATH 330: Teaching Elementary Math and I thought it would be a great use of what I’m learning and use it in the class room.  After going to the training session I quickly realized that my MATH 330 class would be very little help since we were suppose to be using Fermi math.  

                        My students have taught me so much over the past weeks that I would never have learned if I did not experience it myself.  You have to be put in situations to know how you will actually handle them.  There is always “role play” and “what should you do if?”  But when you are on the spot with 24 eyes starring at you, you don’t always remember what you practiced before.  These children think the world of you and saying one wrong thing could break their hearts.  When I walk into the classroom now I get bombarded with hugs from almost all the students, and when they have to leave at the end of the day I have to tell them to get in line for the bus.   They see me as a role model and are always asking questions about my life.  I even had one little boy ask if he could marry me when he gets older.  It was very cute but I explained I was much older than him and that it was not possible.  Respect has to be earned by the students.  They will not listen to you until you prove to them that they should and that it is worth their time.  Disciplining the students is a hard line and knowing whether or not you can do that or if the teacher allows it is tricky.  I had to let my students know that when I am working with them that they have to listen and follow directions.

            While I was in the classroom I would work with the students about 4-6 kids at a time.  There were different stations in the class that they would rotate their groups every 10 minutes or so.  The teacher was very organized with materials, supplies, and where everything was located in the class.  I think this really helped the day go smooth and was less stressful for the students and the teacher.  The teacher also had several ways of getting the students attention when they would change activities or if students were being too loud.  Professora Kari (what the students would call the teacher) would either do a loud pattern of claps that the students would repeat exactly how she did or she also had a small set of hanging chimes that she was ding.  I think those were very good tactics used to control and get the attention of students.  Another thing that Professora Kari did was acknowledgement of good behavior and incentives.  There were different pins and prizes that students would receive for these things.  I think it is very important that we praise our kids for the good things they do instead of always punishing for the bad.

            Overall, I really enjoyed my experience and time at Clearview.  Professora Kari was a 1^st year teacher so we related on several levels.  I was very pleased to hear that she didn’t receive a “pink slip” last week.  It was very cool to talk about policies and issues that she and other teachers face that were mentioned in the book.  She gave me many pointers and we discussed many thoughts about Immersion programs, which was very insightful for myself.  I really appreciate everything she has done for me and I am actually planning on attending a field trip with the class in the end of May.  I will miss the students but maybe one day I will see them in another class or even my own down the road.

Philosophy of Education

Philosophy of Education

I believe that everyone has a calling.  I have concluded that my calling is to be a Special Education Teacher.  Through out this course we have studied many different topics and gone in-depth with many issues in the education system and our current educators around the world.  There are many different aspects to the philosophy of education and mine in particular.  We will look into the role of the student, the purpose of schools in society and my specific philosophy of education, teaching strategies and attributes, how we can prepare our students to be globally competent students and how the learning environment and class room management can affect students.

            When a student walks in the door on their first day of school they turn into a fragment of the population that we call students.  There are expectations that we have for our students as they fulfill their duties as learners.  When students are in elementary school they are so excited to be there and learn.  We need to take full advantage of this and help their little brains soak up as much as possible.  As a student gets older the nature of them will change and I want to make sure that they can be as excited about school on their first day of kindergarten to after they have taken their class exam in whatever level of education that is.  I expect my students to be willing to learn and accept the challenges that they will face during their education path.

            A philosophy of education is a set of ideas and beliefs that guides teachers’ actions and provides a framework for thinking about educational issues.  Throughout the world there are many schools that are completely different from each other depending on many things including; the country of school, whether it is a private or public school, the area that the school is located, the faculty, and background of the students who attend.  I believe that we need to focus on the individual student and the success of the individual.  A positive atmosphere can make or break the curriculum and the success of the students.  I also believe that the US needs to change the social reconstruction and what specific things should be emphasized. 

            Have you ever been around someone who is always negative and always bringing your mood down?  Imagine having a teacher be like that every day.  Many students have to deal with a negative environment and this tends to affect the students and create a negative image towards school for them.  I believe having a positive atmosphere in a classroom can really change a student outlook on school and many different life long lessons.  I believe that positive behavior and affirmation can really drive a student to want to succeed and complete that goal.  There are many teachers out in the world today that only teach to get that paycheck and therefore tend to be negative and not really care about their students.  Those students are really getting the short end of the stick and not realizing what is possible.  Being enriched with positivity in school and just positive behavior can really change a person’s life.

            The US has an act of congress called the No Child Left Behind; its goal is to set higher standards and establish goals that will improve individual outcomes in education.  I personally think that the NCLB doesn’t help an individual at all.  We as future educators need to focus on the specific need of each individual.  Not everyone is going to learn at the same rate we have to accommodate each student to what they are capable of and what they specifically need help with.  A positive atmosphere will really inspire and give students the drive that they want and need to succeed in school, the classroom, and for their future life.

            There is a lack of Social Reconstruction in the education system today.  I believe in the educational philosophy of social reconstruction, asserting that schools, teachers, and students should take the lead in addressing social problems and improving the society.  With social reconstruction the primary teaching method would be discussion.  I know from a personal experience that when you discuss things in class vs. reading a textbook you pick up much more information on the topic at hand.  You are going in-depth and have much more critical thinking about the topic when its discussed in a group setting.  Group projects and student collaboration will really help student learn but also develop communication skills that they will need down the road.  Schools and teachers need to comprehend that more discussion time in classes will really benefit the student and isn’t that what our goal is as educators?

            I believe that a highly qualified teacher has certain qualities and attributes and these are called teacher’s philosophies.  Having a spark inside you to want to educate and make the world a better place one student at a time has to be on the top.  You must be able to teach all type of students and not give attention to certain students over others.  Also being able to teach the same thing but multiple ways so that a student who learns differently from his/her classmates can all learn and understand concepts at the same time.  A great teacher needs to be organized, educated, caring, respectable, understanding, reliable, charismatic, smart, engaging, and fun!

            A teacher is the barrier of knowledge.  They should be student centered, pushing students to achieve more than they had imagined.  You can never stop learning things and many forget that.  I believe effective teaching strategies that I use would be to bring more critical thinking into the classroom throughout each lesson and not just here and there, if it is constant the student will gain much more knowledge.  I also want to have a great relationship with my students and I want them to know that I am always here for them in any situation.  I plan on working with EBD students and typically there are much more outside of school issues with these students and they need to be able to trust me and understand that I am there to talk and support them with whatever issue may arise.  Teachers also must have a strong communication with the parents.  Education and learning goes outside of the classroom walls and making sure that the student, parent, and teacher are on the same level will help everyone in the long run.  I will always do what is best for my students and sometimes parents will not agree but I am willing to take that chance if it means that they will have a better future because of it.

            We are in the 21^st century and that consists of a different type of educating and learning as students.  I want to prepare my students for the world now and what they will come across and make sure they are prepared for these situations.  The US unfortunately is behind the rest of the world in global competence and I want to change that.  I grew up in a public school in suburbia and rarely would we discuss or even go over global issues.  If you go over to China the students there are globally informed and know what is going on in the world around us.   I hope one day our students can get to that level but there is so much work to be done.  Tony Wagner writes in his book The Global Achievement Gap about how students from across the world are much more prepared that American students and will be taking the jobs that we have worked hard for.   We need to step up our game and define new survival skills for the future.  This includes the 21^st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and learning and working with people from other cultures, understanding other nations and languages, and being globally competent.

            Another factor in being in the 21^st century learning is technology.  There have been so many drastic movements in technology that sometimes it can be hard to keep up.  We need to teach students how to write emails and letters that don’t contain “text vocabulary.”  I believe that many teachers were have been in the field for quite some time should really learn themselves about this new technology and understand that students can learn easier with it.  I know I personally have a much easier time doing this on a computer because I am so comfortable on one and use it so much.  We can’t live in the past we need to move forward to the future and that consists of new teaching tools and strategies that are up to par with this fast world paste. 

            To have a good learning environment a teacher must be organized.  This doesn’t always mean that every little thing is neat in their classroom.  A teacher’s philosophy impacts a learning environment and your classroom management.  I’ve learned from working in a first grade class that if you aren’t organized and prepared the students are going to take over and get out of hand.  As we saw in the Science Express each station had their own everything and it was also clearly labeled and color coordinated.  The teacher I had my field experience with had the exact same concept.  There were 5 group tables in the classroom and the students were assigned to a group or table.  Each table had its own tools and utensils so that when doing an activity the students weren’t running around the room or waiting to use something.  There was also a cubby or box for each students to hold their take home mail, homework, assignments, or anything that needed to be kept safe.  At the end of the day the teacher would pass out each students’ folder and they would go over to their cubby to grab the things they would need to bring home.  This helps the students and teachers not loose things and stay organized.  There was a lot of structure and routine in the day’s activity and this really helps students stay focused and keeps the teacher sane.

            I want to become an educator to change students’ lives.  Everyone deserves that chance and opportunity.  I want to change the education system today and break the cycle of failure that we have some how come across.  I have learned that I was placed on his world to help people and change lives.  I want to break the cycle of students who come from bad homes and families and show them that they don’t have to be like that.  There are many more options out there then what they have come from or know and they just need someone to believe in them and show them the possibilities.  I know I can do this by my teaching philosophies and I hope that other teachers will realize this as well.  My purpose in life is to change lives and I am more than excited to have the opportunity to do this and am excited to change the world one day at a time.

With Crises, Universities Worry About Students Abroad

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/18/nyregion/18campus.html?ref=internationaleducation

The New York Times recently published a story about studying abroad that I thought was very interesting and related directly to our class discussions in the past weeks.  Over 250,000 students travel from the US across country to another country to attend school.  It has been a very popular idea that I know many of my friends/family have done and I eventually would like to do myself.  It is now possible to go to all 7 continents and study abroad.  Recent issues across the world have caused some serious problems for American students attending school in other countries.  Universities all over the US are starting to pull some of their programs and send for current students overseas.  At Temple University in Tokyo 100 American students have left out of the 3,300 students they currently have because of the recent earthquake and tsunami.  Cornell University is worried about their 500+ students they send across country every year.  "Much is at stake for colleges with footprints in other countries: not just students’ safety, but also the schools’ properties, liabilities and reputations."  Some schools are decided to end programs that they have had for many years because it isn't safe for their students and is also not helping the reputation of he school.  Boston University is ending its 20 year-old program in Niger after two French citizens were kidnapped from a local popular bar.
I am surprised that I haven't heard more of this in the news lately.  It scares me a little bit because so many schools are pulling their students out of these programs and sending them back to the US.  It's a pretty serious deal when that happens.  I am very interested in traveling abroad for the future and this could really impact my decision and what I end up doing.  I know this all could change in a matter of days depending on what is going on across the world politically and physically.  I hope that the world can pull it together so that these programs and students can continue.  I guess we will just have to see what happens.

Global Achievement Gap: Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Motivating Today's Students- and  Tomorrow's Workers
"What does it take to bring out the best in young people today, both in school and in the work place?"  Wagner asks this question at the very beginning of the chapter.  Many including myself are very worried about the work ethic of young people today and how it continues to decline.  I have noticed this over the years that we are caring less and less about our work ethic and some don't even have a work ethic.  I have had a job since I was 15 and always have taken it seriously trying to my best ability.  On the other hand my brother is 16 years old and my parents are struggling with him to get a job.  He has no motivation to work or even fill out applications and its rather pathetic.
Another impact of this generation is how differently we have grown up.  I grew up in a digital world.  There is not very much time out of the day that I am not on my blackberry or macbook or have my ipod on.  We have so many more distractions now that my parents ever had.  Because we grew up in the digital world we also learn differently.  I know I am much more comfortable doing tasks and finding information on a computer vs hard text.  We multi-task so much that we have to learn the same way which doesn't always work.  Parents need to step up their game and help their children with more critical thinking.  Simple conversations weekly can really help students with these skills.  If no one is pushing them and testing them then how will they get better?  We need to engage ourselves and our children to become all that we can be :)

Global Achievement Gap: Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Reinventing the Education Profession
Wagner talks about the path to a teacher a lot of this chapter.  The experiences of making it through college of education.  Most teacher prep programs are all the same.  We take courses and tests then we are "ready" for the real world.  We don't always develop the skills needed to be an effective teacher and receive enough experience with effective supervisors.  We need to come up with a new program where there is much more hands on training.  And where we can get good feedback from day1 instead of the very end of your last semester of college where bad habits are hard to break.

Group 8 Presentation

Group 8 presented on chapter 12 Creating Productive Learning Environments: Classroom Management.  The group shared valuable information that was not in the book.  They shared a website: www.dailycafe.com which is a great resource to have.  They also spoke about classroom management which I think it vital to the learning experience.  As we learned today in the Science Bus being organized can make such a huge difference.  We need to make learning easier and  accommodate for the students not necessarily the teachers.  There are many tools that this up and coming teachers will have access to that can make a huge difference such as smart boards.  There were several tips and ideas given during the presentation that will be very valuable as we continue our journey to teaching.