week 7

Chapter five of Ayers really made me think and reflect more than I have done in the past readings. It reminds me of when I first told my mom I was interested in being a teacher. She said, “Really? But Mira, you hate reading. How can you teach children to read and enjoy books if you can’t even do that?” My mother is a very smart woman, so I always really think about her comments and advise. Her reaction made me question my decision. I don’t often do or follow as she tells me, but her thoughts concerned me. As with every disagreement we’ve had, I try to find ways to justify my decision. Thoughts such as: Maybe I’ll be a better reading teacher because I know what a struggle or mundane activity it can by to some. Maybe I will find a new interest in reading if I read more leisurely and stay away from text books.

My mom and my sister love to read. It was their thing growing up and it is their thing now too. I played sports and created art in my free time as a child. So, that is what I still enjoy now in my free time. I have no desire to sit still and read but that doesn’t mean I won’t be a good teacher. I think moms are there to make you think. I don’t hate reading but I don’t enjoy it either. It’s like a job to me. Some parts are okay, I wouldn’t go out of my way to do it but it’s an obligation.

I like how Ayers worked to bring more diverse books into the library. My niece has a children book And Tango Makes Three, which I think is wonderful. I see the logic behind banning this book. It is based on a true story and so what if it seems to endorse same-sex partnerships. That to me is total ignorance. It is one of her favorite books and her parents don’t think anything of it.

Another aspect I really enjoyed was the questions he said he asked himself as a teacher:

1. Are there opportunities for discovery and surprise?

2. Are students actively engaged with primary sources and hands-on material?

3. Is productive work going on?

4. Is the work linked to student questions or interests?

i. I really like this one. I think that’s an important aspect to keep in mind. I don’t know anything about the curriculum planning process but through readings and discussions it seems the concerns are focused on absorbing the required data and it doesn’t seem like much thought or effort is really put into the students questions or interests.

5. Are problems within the classroom, the school, and the larger community part of the student consciousness?

6. Is work in my classroom pursued to its far limits?

i. I often ask myself this question now when I’m coaching. I’m always wondering if they workouts are too hard or if they’re just not trying, if I’m not explaining things well or if they’re just not listening. This is a question that doesn’t really have a definite answer.

week 6

The Pledge of Allegiance

I actually thought after the controversy a few years ago, that the Pledge of Allegiance was no longer allowed in schools. I heard about it, but since I have not been in a classroom for many years, I had honestly forgotten about it. It was a little surprising when the teacher asked the class to stand while I was completing my volunteer hours. I was working in both of the second grade classrooms and I only remember one teaching doing the pledge in the mornings. It was interesting to see the compliance from all of her students as she led the class in the Pledge.

When I was in elementary school I don’t remember being required to do the Pledge of Allegiance. Actually, I can’t even think of a time when I participated. I have always stood up and been silent, but I have never put my hand on my heart or said the words. Probably in my early years of school I did it because I was asked to, but I really can’t remember a time. I spoke with my aunt who is a high school principal and asked if her teachers do it every morning. She said it is said every morning over the loud speaker but she does not oversee or mandate that the teachers make their students participate.

I was thinking about my own high school experience and even then, I don’t remember doing the salute. My memory is not always the best, so I asked a few of my friends from high school and they said we did not do it, nor was it said over the loud speakers. I am really surprised that it is so emphasized here (at least with the schools I am in contact with). My elementary school was very alternative but still public. The high school was traditional, public and a reputable school. So, is the decision just principal based? There is not much that can make me do it in my classroom. If it’s an issue, than I can discuss it with the principal at that time, but I can’t make my students do something that I am not willing to do myself.

You can’t say you can’t play-

I am not sure yet what I think about this book or the author. I like how she is involving the class in her discussions on inclusion and rejection but it also seems weird that they keep talking about Clara like she is not sitting in the same room. It would be a difficult issue to explain to the students because they have already told her what they feel about including people they don’t want to play with.

“The children I teach are just emerging from life’s deep wells of private perspective: babyhood and family. Possessiveness and jealous are inescapable concomitants of both conditions. Then, along comes school. It is the first real exposure to the public arena. Children are required to share materials and teachers in a space that belongs to everyone. Within this public space a new concept of open access can develop if we choose to make this a goal. Here will be found not only the strong ties of intimate friendship but, in addition, the habit of full and equal participation, upon request” (Paley 21).

In preschool and kindergarten children’s experiences are all new and different. Of course they’ve played with siblings, friends or neighbors but not 20 friends at once. I didn’t think about what a huge adjustment all of that interaction would be. Kids are learning to become independent and self-sufficient but they must also learn quickly how to be social, take turns and share.

week 5

I really like Greene’s quote about what teachers can and should provide in their learning environment.

We can bring warmth into places where young person come together, however; we can bring in the dialogues and laughter than threaten monologues and rigidity. And surely we can affirm an reaffirm the principles that center around belief in justice and freedom and respect for human rights, since without these, we cannot even call for the decency of welcoming and inclusion for everyone, no matter how at risk. Only if more and more person in their coming together learn to incarnate such principles and choose to live and speak in accord with them, are we likely to bring a community into being. All we can do is to speak with others as passionately and eloquently as we can; all we can do is to look into each other’s eyes and urge each other on to new beginnings. Our classrooms ought to be nurturing and thoughtful and just all at once…

This is a very positive and motivating suggestion for teachers. Not just teachers, but for individual and life in general. And she discusses “releasing the imagination” I am forced to reflect and predict how I can encourage and bring her suggestions to a classroom. I am sure there are times when it’s hard to constantly be implementing those qualities but it seems like should be a lifelong goal for all teachers.

We have talked a lot in class about finding ways to make every student feel unique and appreciated, and Mara Sapon-Shevin seems to find very motivational ways to apply these ideas. Her example of the teachers from Australia was also very interesting. After every shared their items she asked around the group not what that person shared but what everyone learned about that person based on what they shared. It gives a deeper meaning and appreciation for the dialogue that takes place in that conversation. When I was volunteering in fall, every Friday was sharing. Each student was allowed to share an item and then after they shared they were allowed to answer one question from their classmates. It was hard because everyone wanted to ask a question but certain people were continuously called on.

Once they were called on, they didn’t really even have a question. They were often caught off guard and made up a question quickly that was already answered during the presentation. I didn’t understand why the teacher did it this way. People would lose interest so quickly and by the end of the sharing time, half of the class was playing with the toys or items that had already been shared.

The treasure hunt and class yellow pages seem to be very effective and creative ways to engage the class is community building. When I wrote in my autobiographical paper, what I enjoyed more about my elementary school was the strong push for developing a community.

I am not sure what needed to be done to make this process more enjoyable and effective. Maybe it really was and I am just not realizing the importance of this type of set up. I think instead of asking questions, stating a comment like “what did you learn about Lenore from her sharing her favorite teddy bear” or something more involved and reflective instead of, “what is your teddy bear’s middle name?” and the answer being, “I already told you. He doesn’t have a middle name.” Even by having the children sit in a circle and find another way to engage them, instead of having them all sit on the ground facing the front where the teacher and sharer were sitting. It was a very long and sometimes tedious sharing time.

After reading Trish’s comment, I can’t believe what a sticky situation this is. Even after reading your comment about the teachers who just resign and are not publicly let go. That kind of information is really depressing. We have been at war with Iraq since 2003 and have spent almost 900 billion dollars on the war with an estimate to reach between 3 and 5 trillion dollars. THAT IS CRAZY! How can we do this and then not be able to afford these three teachers at Trish’s school? I knew we spent a lot of money on the war but I wasn’t sure exactly how much. After searching the web, reputable new organizations and Wikipedia, the numbers all said it is expected to get up to at least 3 trillion. How ridiculous! Where other countries federally pay for education and educational opportunities, our country is too busy and preoccupied to focus on issues in our own country.

Last week I heard Shakira on the radio trying to pass a bill for the US raise our total financial contribution to the Education For All Act from 465 million to 3 billion by 2012. I don’t want to give the impression that I do not support universal education, but we as a nation should spend more time educating our own people and implement better educational standards in our own country. We are exploiting workers in other countries to work in our factories, yet now we also want to spend 3 billion educating those same people? All that is going to happen is tax payers dollars will be going towards this act, towards the war, and less funding for our own schools and our own teachers. Coming from a more comfortable and exposed upbringing (in regards to educational opportunities and activities) I would says yes, let’s give as much as we can for equal educational opportunities to the 72 million children who cannot afford education. That is disgusting. But, after hearing about, reading, and researching many inner cities schools, it is now becoming clear to me how our own educational system has the potential to be screwed up.

week 4

Quotes and comments from Buchmann Article

“You must think, not what you know, but what they do not know; not what you find hard, but what they will find hard; then, after putting yourself inside their minds, obstinate or puzzled, groping or mistaken as they are, explain what they need to learn… In general a shift of concern from self to others comes more from acknowledging ‘this is the kind of work I am doing’ than from stating ‘this is how I feel’ or ‘this is how I do things.’

This seems pretty difficult! It is such common sense though; so plainly written yet it comes as a surprise to me. Someone was joking with me once and said, “Oh, you just want to be a teacher because you’re controlling and now you’ll have a whole classroom of children to control.” But, based on the above a successful teacher would be doing just the opposite. They are not controlling a group but guiding them in selfless concern. What’s shocking but not a surprise is the following comment from the reading:

“A three-year study of fourteen fifth-grade classrooms examining curriculum and learning in science concluded that teachers’ reliance on personal beliefs and teaching styles hindered student learning.”

It’s too bad that research and observation have been done enough to note these circumstances. Like any other profession, I’m sure there are days that teachers would like to just do the bare minimum. Obviously we all need some sort of balance in our lives. I personally have not received these negative comments that my classmates are referring to. I was excited when I decided this was the right time to go back to school and I’m excited now when I tell people that’s what I’m doing.

I have been working since college for a textile design company in Seattle. When I told my immediate boss that my husband and I decided I am going to go back to school, she informed me that the owner of the company is not very nice to people once he knows they are going to quit. I told the VP but I asked her to tell the owner so she could put it in better words and help support my decision. He ignored me for a few months and now, six months later, has he at least acknowledged to me, that I am leaving the company soon. He told me I should quit going back to school and come back and work full time. Not once did he say he was happy for me or support as I made this next step in my life. I did not consider myself much of an asset to the company, but even if I am, he should have at least acknowledged that I would not be there full time anymore.

Reflection

I have always wanted to be a teacher in the back of my mind, and it just took time to decide when was appropriate to quit work and go back to school. But, I am mainly leaving my job now because I’m getting tired of it not being challenging and there is no potential for growth within the company. I know teaching will be time consuming and challenging, so that part is covered, but I’m wondering what I’m going to think of the “no-growth within the company” aspect. Maybe since each year will be a different group of students that will create enough diversity and change to detract from that issue. I obviously won’t know until I’m in that situation. At this point, I have been thinking more and more about the student teaching and getting a bit nervous. We are only 4 weeks into the program so I’m sure there’s time to learn more about that actually part of teaching.

Volunteers in the classroom

Overall, I am still excited about the program but disappointed to hear others are receiving negative comments. Teachers who work with young children are so involved in that child’s life. As I work on this reflection process I try to go back and remember what I can from elementary school. I was very close with my teachers, as were my classmates I’m assuming, but how was our teacher able to make us all feel like we were important?

Maybe all the parent-involvement provided more adults available to work with the students. I know some teachers who are very against parent involvement. They don’t want parents telling them how to teach or contributing too much input. As long as there are clear guidelines and expectations, I think it would be good to have parent involvement in the classroom. I always looked forward to the days my mom or dad was going to come to class. I can see how this could be a bad thing, but with clear expectations and organization, it could and should go smoothly as long as everyone remembers their role and expectations while helping out in the classroom.

If some teacher's don't like parents to be involved in the classroom, then why don't they use outside volunteers as you commented last week?

Ayers-

I am pretty impressed that this boy decided to do all this for his coming-of-age celebration. His mentality and comments seem very mature for a boy of that age. I cannot remember things I did for my birthday as a child besides family dinners and one birthday party I had with friends, but I can’t remember my age. He has taken a very spiritual and enlightening approach to himself. I know Ayers said he seems motivated about doing this because it involves himself, but I don’t know many kids who would decide to do this for their thirteenth birthday instead of a pool party with friends or something like that.

week 3

I had never even thought about keeping a journal while I teach. Looking back as a child, I never regularly wrote in a diary or journal but hopefully those habits have changed. I liked this chapter of Ayers because he spent a little bit of time with more constructive examples and suggestions. Using the parents as a resource to provide advice about teaching their child is an excellent idea. At my elementary school there were always at least three parents in the classroom every day. They were able to facilitate small groups and provide the extra attention some kids needed.

The story Ayers tells about his son Chesa is pretty interesting. It’s amazing that Chesa had such a patient and intuitive teacher to help him with his individual needs. It would be difficult to be the teacher in the situation, because what if the parents get angry about his teaching methods? What if they get upset that he is making their child do labor and chores around the classroom? Besides adapting to each student’s need, finding a comfortable place between guardian and instructor seems difficult as well. Besides overbearing parents, the teacher I was working with last year had trouble getting any sort of response from the parents. Some would never show up for the parent-teacher conference and others were very protective of the children and didn’t want to hear anything this teacher had to tell them about their child’s behavior.

I was watching a bunch of speeches this weekend from Hillary and Barack on early childhood education. I always think about students who have trouble learning in elementary school and end up behind because their peers are learning the material quicker or respond better to that specific teaching method. I never thought about the kids who start kindergarten already behind. It’s always hard to start from behind and play catch up especially at such a young age. I have a niece in preschool now and she just turned three. One of her teachers actually thought she just turned four. At such a young age, one year of development makes a huge difference. When I saw her a few months ago, she could find the blocks to spell my name and count up to 30 by herself. Someone in the Wednesday class during the bio was talking about their nephew or niece (I can’t remember) who is in Kindergarten now and can count to thirty. I didn’t want to tell him my niece is two years younger and can already do that. My parents are very well off and I guess can afford her pre-school were other families may not be so fortunate. So, there kids who are not stupid, just don’t have that early education and therefore seem behind when they arrive in kindergarten.

I haven’t done a ton of research on the top, so I strictly trust the Politian’s on this one. Hillary was saying that 50% of a person vocabulary is developed by the age of five. Both Hillary and Barack were saying that by increasing pre-kindergarten education and exposing young children to as much art, culture and diversity their overall path in school would be more production and thus more successful. I haven’t been keeping up with any of the candidate’s debates and I do not listen to enough news or current events for all of this to seem very interesting to me. They had a very good point. Why aren’t more money and resources spent on early childhood education? Instead of higher income getting schools have more funds, and lower income schools getting more funds due to title 1, what about the middle class families who may or may not be able to afford special such programs. It shouldn’t be a privilege but a necessity for young children.

Can Elementary Education be a Career?
Elementary education is not less than a full career. In high school and college, teachers are there to provide structure, a source for answers and to facilitate work. They are teaching you information that you would not be able to learn if you didn’t have the foundation of elementary school. Every teacher is dynamic, but elementary educators are teaching more than just math and science. Children are impressionable and learn from the adults around them. During the week, a child will probably spend more time with the teacher than they will awake at home with their parents. By the time a student gets to high school or college they are more independent learners. Teachers facilitate a bit more instead of working so closely and individually with each student.

week 2

Jonathan Kozol- Savage Inequalities

On page 54 & 55 Kozol talks about the tax brackets for wealthy and low income families. How frustrating. Not only related to education, I just don’t see where all the money goes. It seems so apparent that this school and these children need a lot of help.


The section that states, “…poor children and particularly black children should not be allowed to hear too much about these matters. If they learn how much less they are getting than rich children, we are told, this knowledge may induce them to regard themselves as ‘victims’… and may them undermine their capability to profit from whatever opportunities may actually exist” (57). This comment is crazy. I’m sure some children would feel this way. But everyone reacts differently to things. Maybe get more people aware and involved in this equality would provoke more protest and change from within. If people live their lives never questioning reality, then there will be no interest or intent to change things regardless of the financial situation. I can see how this could happen with some children. I agree with Kozol when he says, “it’s a waste of time to worry whether we should tell them something they could tell to us” (57). Children are smart, they very aware of what’s is being said and not said.


Children’s crayons were rationed? Aren’t crayons like 50 cents a box? I know it is not up to the teachers, but at this point, the teachers and faculty could chip in and buy some supplies or send letters out to get donations for such items. I must have missed where New Trier High School is located. I am assuming near Chicago. Why can’t the governor redistribute funds? I can see where the parent’s of New Trier are saying something like, “it’s our tax money. We want it to go to our children’s schools”. School is not 100% funded by the parents so there has to be a way to provide more opportunities for schools in Chicago.


I do like Kozol’s passage when he quotes John Coons. He argues, “Even accepting, he continues, ’that you get less for your money with poor children, this doesn’t mean such children haven’t the right to equal schools’. True, he says, ’equal opportunity across the board’ will not automatically ‘produce equality’ in school performance” (77). Obviously there is more involved in a rebuilding process. Some of these kids could do more than just cosmetics if they were given the support and opportunities starting from an early age. Some of the statistics previously mentioned in the chapter are pretty intriguing. I’m not sure what I think about statistics because it implies too many assumptions and generalizations.


I was working in a second grade classroom in Edmonds and the teacher’s comments regarding one student had a similar effect on me. I caught a student cheating on her spelling test. I told the girl to focus on her own test and just sound it out and do the best she could. She didn’t stop cheating so I told the teacher. The teacher ripped the test out of the girls hand, told her she was cheating in front of the class and to stay in during recess. I felt so uncomfortable watching all of this. Later on the day during quiet reading time, the teacher told me that if that students reading and test scores didn’t improve by the end of third grade she was never going to make it to college. She made it sound like there was no hope for this young 7 year old. I still have a hard time with this. She has been a teacher for over twenty years. Maybe she just knows the signs, but to me this means, is that this girl was not learning from that teaching method. I didn’t notice the teacher or aid ever spend additional time with this girl or try any alternative teaching method. I was a slow reader in elementary school and in turn did not enjoy reading in Junior High or High school. That doesn’t mean I did bad for the rest of my schooling.


Girls, Worms and Body Image- Lyman


I really enjoyed reading this article. Although Rhonda was still on her diet during the week, the teacher was starting to make some progress with the kids. I stopped for a moment to think about what I would have done in this situation. I know I was far from those feelings when I was a kid. I was not concerned with my image or have those insecurities until high school. I wore sweat or stretch pants all the time, had bushy hair and I uni-brow until about 9th grade. At this point in my life, without any real teaching experiences, I would not have been able to lead this activity as their teacher did. She seemed so patient with them. I want to learn more about what she said when she was trying to explain the difference between fact and stereotype. I’m not sure what I would have said to a group of 2nd and 3rd graders. It would have been difficult to explain it in a way that they would understand (which is probably why the teacher said she was having such difficulty with the task).


I always have wondered how the curriculum is determined. I am assuming some guidelines have been given to the teacher but I’m surprised that she has the flexibility to decide she wants to spend a few days on a topic like this. Do the parents have the authority to tell the school they don’t want their child participating in such an exercise? This is an activity that I hope she revisits and explores a bit more. There is a lot of potential to really push her students a bit on this topic.

week 1

First off- I don't know how to double space. So, this is a single-spaced blog.

Thoughts after meeting classmates and first week of class- I wouldn’t say that I’m usually a nervous person, but I feel like I possess a different emotion than everyone in the class. I am looking forward to pursuing a career in education but I am not so openly excited or inspired as it seems my peers are. I am more limited in expressing myself in the early stages of a relationship. I do not want to throw it all on the table, tell my life story and have a new best friend during the first week of school. I am hesitant to use the word “reserved”, because once we are familiar I am right out wild and crazy. Maybe “cautious” is a better word.
Feelings about chapter one myths- The myths discussed in Chapter one of To Teach really peaked my interested. Ayers stated the myths but seemed to partially agree with them in some of his descriptions. For an entry level teacher, management and organization seems essential to stay grounded, however this is his Myth 1. I have been a coach for about 5 years and when I first started I assessed the player’s ability, made a plan as to what I was expected to cover and what I felt we needed to really work on, and we went from there. Still now, I go to practice with a plan for the day. I like organized chaos but it still involves management. Ayers explanation of why Myth 1 is an actually myth doesn’t seem to clearly explain it for me.
What’s wrong with myth 5?- Good Teachers Begin With the Curriculum They are Given and Find Clever Ways to Enhance It. It seems like a teacher has been given some expectations as to what they are supposed to teach but they are able to adjust the material to their student’s needs and interests. I need more evidence to convince me that these are myths. Myth 4 states that: Good Teachers Always Know the Material. Shouldn’t a teacher know the material? Looking back at my education, I went to teachers for direction and stability; I would have been so disappointed if I knew at the time that my teachers didn’t always know the material. I looked up to them as a body of knowledge and wisdom.
Myth 8 is not really a myth; Students today are Different than ever before. Children today really are different. I grew up in an age when technology was booming. We surpassed our teacher’s technical ability at a very early grade. With the way our society is going, this generation has more pressure to stay in control and more desire for a quick efficient lifestyle. Kids are now on the go with overbooked day planners and attention duration issues. I’m not saying all kids have ADHD but overall our society is always going going going. I think to teach and keep the attention of today’s children requires more tact than before. With blogs, myspace, facebook, etc. educators need to stay more on top of interests and technology in order to keep up with this generation.

Myspace- Should teachers and administration be able to use a myspace or facebook account against a student? My aunt is the principal of a local high school and they suspended a student based on gang references on his myspace account. They did not have any proof or evidence he was related to the gang besides some comments on his page. I have heard employers check websites before accepting a potential new hire. Is that obstruction of privacy or free information since the individual posted the data online? When is it crossing the line?
I have always thought about this topic. Really, if a person has private information, why publicize it and why not just block your site from people who are not your friends? I have a myspace and a facebook but I am cautious about what I post or gets posted because I know other people are going to have access to my site. That seems like common sense.

This being the first journal entry, first week in the class, and first week in the program there is a lot of unknowns and new beginnings. I will continue to initially observe a lot as I like to do. We will see what this next week brings.