Just last Friday, I had the pleasure of being a substitute teacher for a Kindergarten class. I had no idea what I was In store for. The second that I walked into the room, I could see the combustible energy in the students just waiting to ignite as soon as the principal, who was introducing me to the class, left the room. In a calm voice, I introduced myself to the class. Hello, my name is Mr. X and waited for that programmed answer good morning Mr. X in unison. What a good feeling. I said to myself “What can possibly go wrong. These kids are putty in my hands”. Not two seconds later, the principal left the room.
I began to read the lesson plans that the teacher had left for the day. As I skimmed through them, it seemed easy to follow. I read step-by-step to figure out what to do first. Before I could even comprehend what I was reading, there was a student touching my leg saying, “Excuse me Mr. X, It’s time to do the daily weather”. As I looked down at the lesson plan, she was absolutely right. As soon I said “Daily”, the whole class was up and in a circle ready to go. Following the lesson plan, I asked the students what the weather was like. “No No No” they shrieked. “We have to sing the song first”. Confused as all hell, I said “Oh yea, the song”. I counted down from three and the students began to sing this song. After the song, I asked the students what the weather was like. They answered and I praised them.
Next on the list was the days of the week. I assumed that there was a song for this activity also, so I just asked the class to sing the song. The class sang the song without hesitation. I decided to spice it up a little. I asked th class what day comes after Monday. No one could respond. I asked what day comes before Tuesday and still no one could respond. Maybe I am a little bit of a extremist but I believe that these Kindergarten student should be able to understand the days of the week.
I began to try to find a way to correct this simple problem but it was too late. Is it possible that as students, we are programmed to simply take in information without fully understanding what this information means, and spit the words out as given? The comical similarity is that I have been in college for about three years now and I cannot remember what information was given to me last semester. It may not be on the same level as comprehending a child’s song but, Is our educational system really based on passing classes? Should the objective of school be to teach constructive information that can actually be applied to the student? I would like to hear anyone’s opinion
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
All for one
While reading Walter C. Parkers “Teaching Against Idiocy”, I have learned many different things. I believe the focus of this reading was on redefining the word idiots. The reading explains that idiot contains the root word idios, which means private, separate, self-centered, or selfish. Used differently in current times, idiot was used to describe someone that was not mindful of common things but focused on private possessions. This reading goes hand in hand with the contradictory Ideals of American society that we discussed in previous classes. One of the main issues that arises is what role should schooling play in developing citizens rather than idiots.
I like the various topics covered by Alexis de Tocqueville. One quote states, “ People think they are following the principles of self interest but, the idea they entertain of the principle is a very crude one; and the more they look after the what they call their own business, they neglect their chief business, which is to remain their own masters.” I believe this quote explains what should be taught in schools. It is saying that the primary focus should be on being a citizen rather than focusing on personal business. This should be applied to the teaching atmosphere. Schools should teach students to become more educated in being a citizen rather than personal gains.
Another strong point that the reading covers is the topic of democracy. This is an issue that comes into play in just about every discussion that we have in class. The reading explains the important fact that schools are a public forum. It mentions that schools should take advantage of the diversity to promote discussions that promote democracy. It states that “When aimed at democratic ends and supported by the proper democratic conditions, the interaction in the schools can help children enter the social consciousness of puberty and develop the habits of the thinking and caring necessary for public life.” Using this idea, the students can learn to develop tolerance, sense of justice, and respect.
From “Teaching Against Idiocy”, I believe that the role of the school system is to teach students not to be idiots. These systems can accomplish this by instilling a democratic system that develops tolerance, sense of justice, and respect.
I like the various topics covered by Alexis de Tocqueville. One quote states, “ People think they are following the principles of self interest but, the idea they entertain of the principle is a very crude one; and the more they look after the what they call their own business, they neglect their chief business, which is to remain their own masters.” I believe this quote explains what should be taught in schools. It is saying that the primary focus should be on being a citizen rather than focusing on personal business. This should be applied to the teaching atmosphere. Schools should teach students to become more educated in being a citizen rather than personal gains.
Another strong point that the reading covers is the topic of democracy. This is an issue that comes into play in just about every discussion that we have in class. The reading explains the important fact that schools are a public forum. It mentions that schools should take advantage of the diversity to promote discussions that promote democracy. It states that “When aimed at democratic ends and supported by the proper democratic conditions, the interaction in the schools can help children enter the social consciousness of puberty and develop the habits of the thinking and caring necessary for public life.” Using this idea, the students can learn to develop tolerance, sense of justice, and respect.
From “Teaching Against Idiocy”, I believe that the role of the school system is to teach students not to be idiots. These systems can accomplish this by instilling a democratic system that develops tolerance, sense of justice, and respect.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Eyes wide open!
So, I have a little story to share with my readings. I have been a substitute for the past two years. I love my job dearly. This past week I had an experience that left my "Eyes wide open". Never have I had an experience like this in a school; or have I? First let me set the story up.
In class so far, one of the most troubling discoveries for me is the fact that 9 out of 10 teachers are white females. This is so troubling to me because this in no way represents the population of the student body. When I see this, I think how in the world can these teachers possibly relate or even handle this diverse student body? And even deeper, what happens to the students that can not relate to the teachers? These are questions that i have gathered from some of the readings until this past week when i found out that this is occuring in my own backyard.
This past week, I had the oppurtunity to work in one of the districts "Small Classrooms". I get this name from way back in time, when I was in school. These Small Classrooms are where the socially mal-adjusted, cognitively slow, and other "handi-capped" children are "HELD". In this classroom, there were many different cultures present. The shades of skin ran from black to white and everything in between. I would say that there was 10 children in total. Of the ten, 2 were white and 8 where "minorities". For these students, there were three teachers. Do you think you can describe them? If you said that they were all white, then you are todays winner.
In the beginning of the day, everything was running smooth. Everyone in the class was doing what they were supposed to do and work was getting accomplished according to schedule. It was not until it was math time that reality hit the fan(Yea I said reality). When it was time for math, the abilities of some children were instantly apparent. There was one child in the class that I thought was brilliant. Whenever the teacher would ask a question, he would answer without delay. It was after about ten questions that the teacher decided to let the students work on a handout with math problems on it. The teacher announced that the students should work on this assignment for the next 20 minutes in silence. After about two minutes, this particular student says he is done. Keep in mind, I am still amazed with this student and wondering why is he in this class. The teacher walks over to him and begins to grade his paper. Everything was correct. The teacher kindly gives him a large check on his paper.
At this point everyone is quite and working on their assignments. One minute later, the student begins to talk to his neighbor telling them that one of their answers is wrong. The teacher tells the student that he is not a teacher and to mind his business. Another minute goes by and the samething happens except, this time the teacher says it in a negative tone. Another minute goes by and guess what happens? The student talks again and the teacher reprimands the student in a even angrier tone and threatens to throw him out. Eventually a argument ensues and the child gets thrown out of the classroom.
I was shocked at this decision. So many questions popped into my head. Why is that kid even in this class? What did he do wrong? What do I do? With all these thought racing to my head, I started to remember all the reading that we have been doing in class. All the topics discussed in class finally hit home and left my eyes wide open.
First of many things, I believe this particular student was a victim of not being able to relate to the teacher. Obviously, the student knew his work and I feel that he was at a superior math level then what was being taught. This may have been the reason for him being placed in the class in the first place. Maybe if there was someone he could relate to, or even someone that could relate to him, actually tried to push him to his potential, this student could be the next President of the United States. If things continue the way they are, I think this student has no chance.
This is just one of many different things that I witnessed that day. All I am saying is that "Things have to change".
Monday, October 1, 2007
He is at it again!
Assimilation
I live in a melting pot
Fondue everyone
Yes sir. As you can tell, I am not exactly a poet however, the past reading in our class has opened my eyes to the ethnocentrism of American education. I think it's great to finally gain a perspective of the progression of "America's education system". As far as the first line, I used assimlitation because of its frequent use in the many documents used in class. The second line represents the "American ideal" of how everything is supposed to be melting together. The third line's main focus is fondue. I use this to portray a mental image. I am trying to paint a picture of when you dip something into cheese, the item is still the same but has a covering of cheese. I am trying to get across that the whole idea of "melting pot" is bogus.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Top secret!
An assignment for class:
Attention Martians ; we are flattered that you have selected us to conduct some research based on our educational system. Below are following figures regarding our public education system.
What are our schools like and how did they get that way? A school is a building that students attend to learn general information concerning our world. Students (the learners) are taught by teachers, who are older and more knowledgeable of the subject areas. These subject areas include language, mathematics, and our county's history, among other things.
Our schools are broken down based on districts; which neighborhood children live in determines where they attend classes. About 35% of our districts teach less than six hundred districts, while the 2% of districts with the highest number of kids teach a full third of all students.
How can we tell if the students have learned? America(our country) does not have a nationwide test to determine this, but some states (sections of the country) do. Also, as of 2001 our country has annually tested school district students to weigh and evaluate their progress.
Public schools got to where they are through out history and ethics ; America has had schools throughout most of its history. As a society, we've valued the the education of our young citizens ; after all, by passing on our knowledge to our youth, we can hope to keep our planet running well into the future.
Who are our students? In American society, our students range from age three to nineteen. Sixty percent of them belong to the majority race, meaning that they are of Caucasian descent. (Because the United States was originally founded by white Europeans, anyone living in the country who is not of white heritage is referred to as a minority). A full forty percent of public school students are minorities (Hispanic, black, and Asian heritage...)
Eighty eight percent of American children are enrolled in public schools (Public schools are learning institutions set up by the government and, usually, funded by the state). The remaining percentage of school children go to a privately owned school. Also, more than one third of our students belong to a low income family (In the United States, low income students are those whose families don't own as much as others).
Who are our teachers? The overwhelming majority of our public school teachers are female, and many of them are white. 58% of them have been in the profession for ten or more years, and half of our teachers hold degrees in their certification subject (meaning that they have studied their area intensively). Teachers working in poorer districts, however, tend to be less knowledgeable in their field. (for example, 16% of science teachers in poor areas are out of field, as compared with 5% in richer areas). It's also worthy to note that 33% of teachers leave the profession within the first three years.
Hopefully, this information can be of some use to the Martian race. Any questions...tell us what you think!
Attention Martians ; we are flattered that you have selected us to conduct some research based on our educational system. Below are following figures regarding our public education system.
What are our schools like and how did they get that way? A school is a building that students attend to learn general information concerning our world. Students (the learners) are taught by teachers, who are older and more knowledgeable of the subject areas. These subject areas include language, mathematics, and our county's history, among other things.
Our schools are broken down based on districts; which neighborhood children live in determines where they attend classes. About 35% of our districts teach less than six hundred districts, while the 2% of districts with the highest number of kids teach a full third of all students.
How can we tell if the students have learned? America(our country) does not have a nationwide test to determine this, but some states (sections of the country) do. Also, as of 2001 our country has annually tested school district students to weigh and evaluate their progress.
Public schools got to where they are through out history and ethics ; America has had schools throughout most of its history. As a society, we've valued the the education of our young citizens ; after all, by passing on our knowledge to our youth, we can hope to keep our planet running well into the future.
Who are our students? In American society, our students range from age three to nineteen. Sixty percent of them belong to the majority race, meaning that they are of Caucasian descent. (Because the United States was originally founded by white Europeans, anyone living in the country who is not of white heritage is referred to as a minority). A full forty percent of public school students are minorities (Hispanic, black, and Asian heritage...)
Eighty eight percent of American children are enrolled in public schools (Public schools are learning institutions set up by the government and, usually, funded by the state). The remaining percentage of school children go to a privately owned school. Also, more than one third of our students belong to a low income family (In the United States, low income students are those whose families don't own as much as others).
Who are our teachers? The overwhelming majority of our public school teachers are female, and many of them are white. 58% of them have been in the profession for ten or more years, and half of our teachers hold degrees in their certification subject (meaning that they have studied their area intensively). Teachers working in poorer districts, however, tend to be less knowledgeable in their field. (for example, 16% of science teachers in poor areas are out of field, as compared with 5% in richer areas). It's also worthy to note that 33% of teachers leave the profession within the first three years.
Hopefully, this information can be of some use to the Martian race. Any questions...tell us what you think!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
So whats new!
The Public Eduaction Primer was very informative and the graphs helped me appreciate the numbers. The article focused on several topics. 1) Where are the students? 2) Who are the students? 3) Who controls the public education? 4) How are the public schools funded? 5) How welll are students achieving? 6) What is the public schoool teachin force like? 7) What other services do public schools offer? All of these questions are focal points that need to be addressed for the future of education.
The first topic that is covered is “Where are the students”? Surprisingly, the facts showed me that the north east had a lower population of students then the south and west portions of the United States. The graph showed about 60% of all students reside in the south or west regions of the United States. I sat for a long time trying to figure these numbers out and could not come up with an answer. As I continued to read, the text stated that in 2003, 38% of students where foreign born and 25% of those were Mexican. This made it all clear to me why numbers would be so large in the south and west.
Another interesting field that the primer focused on was how certain cultures are clumped together in urban areas. One fact that really stood out was that 1/3 African Americans and Latinos attend a school where ¾ of the student population are of low income families. In addition to this, It also stated that only 5% of whites attend a school where ¾ of the student population are from low income families. Because of these dense populations of low income families, many different problems arise. One problem announced in the primer was the turnover rate of teachers in these areas. It states that 33% of teachers leave within the first 3 years of service and 46% leave within the first five years.
This domino effect of facts leads me off into another tangent. The primer states that 9/10 teachers are white and 8/10 teachers are female. This is a problem in its own because the teaching force should somewhat resemble the student body. Maybe this is one of the many reasons young black men have a higher dropout percentage than any other group. The ability to relate to a teacher is one of many qualities that should be exhibited by a student.
So what’s new! The truth is that these problems are just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, these numbers are great to look at but what do they really mean. What can I as a future teacher do to correct these wrongs in our educational system. Truthfully, I feel that no one person can change the system enough to really make a change. These low-income communities need to unite and stand up for what they deserve.
I do feel as though the problem lies within the administrative departments who focus on minuscule topics.
The first topic that is covered is “Where are the students”? Surprisingly, the facts showed me that the north east had a lower population of students then the south and west portions of the United States. The graph showed about 60% of all students reside in the south or west regions of the United States. I sat for a long time trying to figure these numbers out and could not come up with an answer. As I continued to read, the text stated that in 2003, 38% of students where foreign born and 25% of those were Mexican. This made it all clear to me why numbers would be so large in the south and west.
Another interesting field that the primer focused on was how certain cultures are clumped together in urban areas. One fact that really stood out was that 1/3 African Americans and Latinos attend a school where ¾ of the student population are of low income families. In addition to this, It also stated that only 5% of whites attend a school where ¾ of the student population are from low income families. Because of these dense populations of low income families, many different problems arise. One problem announced in the primer was the turnover rate of teachers in these areas. It states that 33% of teachers leave within the first 3 years of service and 46% leave within the first five years.
This domino effect of facts leads me off into another tangent. The primer states that 9/10 teachers are white and 8/10 teachers are female. This is a problem in its own because the teaching force should somewhat resemble the student body. Maybe this is one of the many reasons young black men have a higher dropout percentage than any other group. The ability to relate to a teacher is one of many qualities that should be exhibited by a student.
So what’s new! The truth is that these problems are just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, these numbers are great to look at but what do they really mean. What can I as a future teacher do to correct these wrongs in our educational system. Truthfully, I feel that no one person can change the system enough to really make a change. These low-income communities need to unite and stand up for what they deserve.
I do feel as though the problem lies within the administrative departments who focus on minuscule topics.
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