Teaching methods

Varying instructional methods including group discussion, brainstorming and cooperative learning is the key to keeping learners engaged. Presentation of material is not enough. It must be shared, reviewed and retained. By using technology and varied methods students are engaged and actively learning. When new material is enriched with peer input, personal opinions and creative thought, applicable learning has taken place.

Censorship

I think this issue is very delicate. I personally do not believe in censorship of any sort for my own children. However, I am going to be held responsible for what other people’s children are exposed to on the internet. That is a huge responsibility. As a parent, I have taught and modeled to my children the importance of asking questions and discussing what they read and watch. I have a very open relationship with them. Other people raise their children differently. Who am I to say what is or is not appropriate for others’ children. As a teacher I have to err on the side of caution. I want to keep my job even though I believe, philosophically, censorship is wrong.

Its time to let go!!!! I am the first person to admit I have a strong need for control. I have been called a nerd and a geek because I was that one that had everything you could every possibly need in my purse or locker or office desk. At some point, we have to take a step back and realize that teaching is not about the teacher. It is about student success. Though it can be uncomfortable, teachers have to learn that what they have been doing may not be working. If its not working, its time to try something new.
Learning new technology has been so difficult for me. I have struggled to learn and apply that learning to the way I do things. I accept the fact that I have to change, instead of trying to change the world around me. I think part of the reason that some teachers are stuck in the “lecture rut” could be related to their generation. It seems that teachers expect kids to change in order to be successful in THEIR classroom. When in fact, teachers need to be the ones will to be flexible in order to best serve their students

To discipline assertively or not to discipline assertively, that is the question! I think that this is somewhat like the decisions you make as a parent. How much discipline is enough? When do you start to discipline a child? Who is going to be in control?
I found it very interesting that the opponents of assertive discipline argue that it is more effective to teach students the value of the rules and freedom that comes by following those rules. I do agree that it is important that children understand why a teacher is putting limitations on them. It is also important that they understand that outside forces place expectations on everyone.
If I were going into the elementary field, I would try to focus on teaching the value of rules. It is so important to understand that the way we raise our children may not be the same as the way our students are raised. Some young children have never had boundries and expectations placed on them. These children are at a severe disadvantage because they have not had any practice following rules. The way young children test their parents and the way their parents respond are a valuable tool needed for maturity. Children cannot learn self-regulation without practice.
Because I am going to teach secondary, I feel that the importance of rules should already be understood. It is my responsibility to follow through with what their previous teachers have given them. It is important that I make following rules important in my classroom. I have to assure each student a place to learn while being secure that the social learning of kindergarten is still important. We still have to be nice, take turns, and follow all the other kindergarten rules.
By being firm, yet fair, I will continue to set those expectations. It is not just enough to be assertive. Though it sounds trite, I believe that every person responds better when treated with dignity and respect. It is important to balance the need for control with the kindness and sentiment we feel for students. It is necessary for a teacher to be the example in a classroom. Sometimes, people are not going to be very nice. The way a teacher deals with an incident like that sets the tone for the year. We have to choose our battles yet be determined to win them.

Educational Standards

The idea of essential knowledge is a tricky one. Many people will argue that all students should have a specific skill set and body of knowledge. While this is a nice idea, we must ask ourselves if it is a possibility in America. A set of clearly defined, useful skill set would be beneficial for all students. This would even out the playing field for all learners regardless of their situation.
However, it is their situation that is the very root of the problem. Not all learners begin school with the same advantages, experiences or support. It is faulty thinking to assume that all (or at least most) learners can acquire the same skill set. The methods used to measure students’ learning are equally faulty. In an effort to standardize curriculum and requirements nationwide, those who create the guidelines have forgotten one very important factor: the individuality of each student.
If we lived in a perfect world it would be wonderful for all students to meet and exceed all state standards. Also in that perfect world we would not have whirlwind effect of social poverty and inequality. It would be every preschool teacher’s dream if children came to school with a full tummy, clean clothes, well rested and ready to learn. That, however, is becoming increasingly less common. If some children are afforded these basic comforts and others are denied how can we expect them to get the same amount of gain from the preschool experience? As students get older the gap between the haves and the have nots will only grow wider.
I would like to think that we as teachers are more concerned with students learning how to think and apply knowledge to new situations. Rote memory of facts is not only a proven failure, but it also does not help the child who will be working in a fast food restaurant. This child needs to know how to think and apply her knowledge to her job. Not all children will head to college after high school. Does this mean that children on a college path should be held to a different set of state standards? No, it means we need to individualize education in order to best serve the needs of all students. If we change the standards to be general enough for all students, then we have just proven that setting standards is a waste of time.

Exercise 2.1A

I would like to do a warm-up exercise where everyone sits in a circle facing each other. Everyone takes a turn saying her name. I throw a ball to someone. That person says the name of the person they caught the ball from and then the name of the person they are going to throw it to. If they call the wrong name they go to the middle until someone else replaces them. I think this would work without almost all learning styles except perhaps the visual learner. I couldn't think of one that included all learnering styles.

Exercise 1.5

I attended a very strict private school. It was very religious and intolerant of other cultures and faiths. There were very small classes. My graduating class had 23 people. I remember hating school and thinking it was a waste of my time. I am a very liberal person and hated the environment. My teachers all seemed to be very undereducated. I loved to correct handouts in red ink and return them. I often got in trouble for this and had to write chapters of Proverbs. Students fell into one of two categories: rebellious or blind follower. I thought that high school was a waste of time and thought I could do a better job teaching the classes myself. I would like to forget my chemistry class and the old bag that taught it. She could not stand me because I was "full of sin." She said I was going to hell because I asked questions about science that did not fit into her biblical interpretation. Knowledge was not important, only blind acceptance. I felt pressured to be average. It was not favorable to be a hard worker or too inquisitive. I spent MANY hours after school writing from the bible.