Letter to Editor

Friday, May 06, 2011

Amanda Mozis

St. Cloud, MN 56301

To whom this may concern,

First, thank you for taking the time to read this. I am writing to inform you of one the critical issues in today’s schools. Though there are many issues, bullying is one of the worst issues that are in need of fixing.

Bullying is repeated, aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions. Bullying can be in any of the following forms: verbal bullying; social exclusion; physical bullying, such as hitting, kicking, spitting, etc.; lies and false rumors; damaging property; threatening or forcing others; and racial, sexual, and cyber bullying through text messages or email. There are many reasons for bullying, some of which include the bully having a strong need for power and dominance; the bully finds satisfaction in causing injury or suffering to others; and the bully is rewarded in some ways for their behavior. Bullying has many effects everyone involved.

All students deserve to feel safe at school. For those experiencing bullying, there are lasting effects, such as depression, low self-esteem, health problems, poor grades, and suicidal thoughts. For the students who are bullying others, they need to be held accountable for their actions. These individuals are more than likely the students who get into fights frequently, steal and vandalize property, drink alcohol and smoke, report poor grades, perceive a negative attitude about school, and can be seen carrying a weapon. Bullying does not stop with those being bullied, or the one bullying, but also involves those witnessing the bullying. For those students who see students being bullied, they may also feel that they are in an unsafe environment, feeling fearful, powerless, and guilty. Bullying in today’s schools is a very serious issue that needs to be fixed.

Bullying is a vicious cycle. In every classroom, about one in five are experiencing in one way or another. The cycle starts with the student who is bullying, usually taking on a leader role. The next stage is the followers, who take part in bullying but do not initiate. The next two stages are the supporters/passive bullies, and passive supporters/possible bullies. The first group openly supports bullying with laughter, and the second does not openly show signs of support. The middle stage is the disengaged onlookers, who do not get involved, nor do they take a stand. The last two stages are the possible defenders and defenders. They both dislike bullying, but only the actual defenders step in and try to help. Because this is a never ending cycle, it will continue to repeat itself unless it is stopped.

Again, thank you for taking the time to read this. It is important to me to educate others on the critical issues in education today. I hope I was able to do so with this particular issue, bullying. Help make a difference in the lives of our students, be the change maker.  

Sincerely,

Amanda Mozis

The Global Achievement Gap

Chapter 5

·         The decline in work ethic among young Americans is a major concern with both our business leaders and educators.

·         Growing up Digitally: Growing up in a generation and environment that is completely different from previous generations.

o   The Net Generation, “growing up digitally”

o   Me, MySpace, and I: Parenting the Net Generation, by Larry Rosen

§  87% of teens, online, has increased from 60% of 12 year-olds to 82% of 13 year-olds, and 94% 16-17 year-olds

§  Teens are online an average of 5 days a week, 2-3 hours a day

§  75% of online teens use Instant Messaging (IM), chatting with an average of 35 people a week, totally 3 hours

·         New Learning Styles:

o   Learning Through Multimedia and Connection to Others

§  The Net Generation prefers Internet research versus library book research.

o   Learning as Discovery

§  The Net Generation researchers discover new information through different search strings.

o   Learning as Creating

§  New developments on the web give the New Generation a new set of experiences, creating hunger for learning through creation.

·         Producers at School:

o   “In order for young people to respect learning and school, we need to think more carefully about what we’re asking them to learn—to ensure that schoolwork is not busywork or make-work but real, adult work that requires both analysis and creativity” (189).

·         Employers Who Meet the Standards:

o   “Some companies are consciously restructuring work in ways that better meet the needs and interests of the Net Generation—often with stunning results” (197).

o   “There are also some schools that ‘meet the standard’ and are successfully engaging all students, harnessing their extraordinary potential to problem-solve and to collaborate and to create” (199).

Chapter 6

§  High Tech High: A school development organization that runs K-12 public charter schools, serving over 3.000 students in the San Diego area.

o   100% of HTH students have been accepted to college, 80% to a four-year college.

o   The original idea for HTH developed out of the concerns from business leaders and university partners.

o   Common Goals:         

§  Serve a student body that mirrors the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of the local community.

§  Integrate technical and academic education to prepare students for post-secondary education in both high tech and liberal arts fields.

§  Increase the number of educationally disadvantaged students in math and engineering who succeed in high school and post-secondary education.

§  Graduate students, who will be thoughtful, engaged citizens.

§  The Met: A network of schools, a project of the Big Picture Company.

o   Their philosophy is based on educating one student at a time, creating personalized educational programs that are unique to each student. 

o   Five Learning Goals: Represent specific intellectual and interpersonal skills.

§  Communication: “How do I take in and express ideas?”

·         Understand audience, write, read, speak and listen well, use technology and artistic expression, and be exposed to another language.

§  Empirical Reasoning: “How do I prove it?”

·         Use empirical evidence and logical process to make decisions and to evaluate hypotheses.

§  Personal Qualities: “What do I bring to this process?”

·         Demonstrate respect, responsibility, organization, leadership, and reflect on your abilities and strive for improvement.

§  Quantitative Reasoning: “How do I measure, compare, or represent it?”

·         Understand numbers, analyze uncertainty, comprehend properties of shapes, and study how things change over time.

§  Social Reasoning: “What are other people’s perspectives on this?”

·         See diverse perspectives, understand social issues, explore ethics, and look at issues historically.

§  “Habits of Learning” in Action

o   Inquiry: Showing intellectual curiosity and wonder about the world. Asking thoughtful questions and seeking out their answers.

o   Expression: Honestly communicating what you know or want to know, and what you believe or feel.

o   Critical Thinking: Analyzing, synthesizing, and drawing conclusions from information. Generating solutions to problems using creative and rational thought.  Keeping an open mind and appreciating different points of view.

o   Collaboration: Contributing to the overall effort of a group, working well with diverse individuals in a variety of situations.

o   Organization: Sifting through ideas and data, arranging them wisely and making sense of them. Setting reasonable goals, planning and managing your time.

o   Attentiveness: Focusing on the task at hand, observing and taking in the information.

o   Involvement: Taking the initiative to participate in the process of learning. Contributing your questions, ideas, and actions in group discussions, activities, and projects.

o   Reflection: Reviewing and thinking about your actions and the work produced, with a purpose of learning more about yourself and work. 

Field Experience Reflection

Amanda Mozis

SPED 200

Kathy Johnson

Monday, April 25, 2011

Field Experience Reflection

            Throughout this course, I have learned a lot about myself. Before this course, I was unsure if I really wanted to become a teacher. I have learned about where I want to go in life and what I want to do. Before doing my field experience, I was not sure where the experience would take me. So, ten weeks and twenty hours later, here I am, confident about where I am going.

            The first day of my field experience was nerve wrecking. I had done some “internships” with this district in high school, but every experience is new and different. I was not sure what to expect this time around. Walking into my teacher’s classroom, I was relieved at how comfortable it was. He walked me through what he had planned for me for the day, as well as his usual Monday morning routine.

            I soon learned that mornings were spent on reading. Not just straight forward reading, but multiple activities, making it exciting for the students. The teacher had his students split into groups (whether they were split like the ‘People Plus+’ activity arranges students, or not, I am unsure), each group working on different reading activities. One group would work at his computer, listening to stories or playing reading-related games. Another group would work on what is called AR, or Accelerated Reader. This program is one that has been around since I was in second grade. Books are given different amounts of points, and the students take computer tests on each story. Based on the number of correct answers, the students receive these points, adding up throughout the year. When I was in school, the points were then used to earn rewards such as pencils, erasers, bookmarks, etc. I believe now the school has a contest between both grades as well as classes at each grade level. This program brings excitement to reading, allowing the children to enjoy it rather than dread it. The teacher would also work with a group of students on site words in whatever story they were reading. The students were allowed to use their own small white boards and markers, allowing them to be actively engaged in their learning. There were also one or two other groups, however, I cannot think of the activities he had arranged for them. I really enjoyed the set-up my teacher had for his reading time. With him being engaged with a single group, it left the other groups to be responsible for themselves, showing them his trust, which is an important part of education.

After announcements were finished, I would either take a group of students to do make-up tests, or I would work one-on-one with students on their reading speeds. The students had reading packets in which they were timed on the short stories. Each student was at his/her own level, allowing them to progress at their own speed. I would go over the vocabulary words for each story before they were timed for the first time. After the first minute, we would read the story together. The student would then read the story through fully without timing, and then they would read through for the last time with a final timing. This activity was very rewarding. I had students that were slower, with more words correct, and I would have students who were super fast, with multiple mistakes. I really enjoyed the one-on-one time because I was able to see the students succeed as their words per minute increased, as well as their confidence.

            For the mornings where I was working with students on make-up tests, I was able to get an understanding of how far along they were in comparison to their classmates. I particularly was able to really get to know one individual, Boston. I was not told so, but I had a feeling that he had special needs, needing extra help and attention. He was not a trouble maker, rather the most respectful of the group, only needing assistance for comprehending some of the material. At first, he was quite shy towards me, unsure of my presence, but at the weeks fly by, he had learned that I was there to help, and truly cared about him and his education. He, out of all the students, I am going to miss the most; he was really something special!

            Before this experience, I was unsure where I wanted to go with my life. I knew that education was important to me, and that I wanted to make a difference, but I was not sure how I was going to do this. Was I going to be a mainstream teacher, or was I going to be a special education teacher? Was I going to be the one complaining, or the one making the change? Through this experience I have realized that this is my calling; this is where I was meant to be.

            I have seen my brother struggle through school, and wondered what the heck was wrong with our teachers. I have spent numerous nights wondering why we could not find teachers who care, only teachers who ‘teach.’ I have realized that it is not the teachers, though, but the education system as a whole.

I have learned the importance of standing up for what you believe in. I believe that we need teachers who want all of their students to succeed, not just the ones who they feel are ‘going somewhere in life.’ We need teachers who are willing to put themselves out there if it means that their students will do better. We need teachers who can respect differences among their students, and be willing to work with each student, and accept them for who they are. And most of all, we need teachers who love what they do, and want to share and spread that love with their students.

I want to be the person who is making the difference in the lives of my students and our education system. There is so much to be fixed and review that one cannot just stand by and hope that it happens, one needs to take actions to make it happen. I am not going to be walking down a path already mapped out, but making my own as I conquer my dreams. 

Class Update

4/26: Today we visited the Science Express. We were able to do pipetting experiments, which were very interesting! The Science Express visits 16,000 students, 300 teachers per year. This was a really great experience, and I recommend this to any and all teachers.

4/28: Group Nine, Chapter Thirteen: Instruction In Today's Schools

• Motivation: It is impossible to teach without the students' motivation. Without it, students will not feel the need to complete their work/tasks.
• Motivational Strategies:
• Become a role model
• Get to know your students
• Use examples
• Use a variety of student-active teaching activities
• Set realistic performance goals
• Be free with praise and constructive criticism
• Give students control over their own education
• Assess students in a variety of ways
• research projects, essays, etc.
• Essential Skills: 
• Caring, positive expectations
• Practice modeling, enthusiasm
• Organization
• Focus
• Introductory reviews
• Questioning
• Feedback
• Closure & Application
• Instructional Strategies: Approaches to teaching that designed to help students acquire deep understanding to specific forms of knowledge.

Class Update

4/12: Today we watched The Finland Phenomenon. We were asked to think of three of the biggest differences in the way that teachers are prepared in Finland versus the United States.

• In Finland, student teachers are allowed into any classroom, at any time, to observe a teacher's lesson. After observing, they are able to ask questions and discuss the lesson. Along with this, the teacher's do the same. Student teachers and the teacher they are working with interact through email prior to a lesson. This allows the student teacher to change and update their lesson, as well as allowing a teacher to help prepare for what will be taught. When a student teacher is teaching, the main teacher critiques the lesson while the student teacher is teaching the lesson. This allows them to give exact examples and such in their critiques.
•  In Finland, a teaching degree is not just a four year degree. They have a five year program, consisting of a three year bachelor's degree, along with a two year master's degree. Having the master's degree be part of the general teaching program, I think, helps ensure the best teachers are working in their schools. 
• In Finland, the school system's are based on trust. They believe that their teachers are well trained professionals. They do not believe in having an inspection/inventory time for their teachers. By doing this, the teachers are allowed to think outside the box and work with their students to ensure the best results for each student. There are better results when there is trust. If a teacher's being inspected, they are preparing for inspection day, not preparing their students for success. By knowing that you can do it, versus having to prove yourself, a teacher is able to do their absolute best!

Here are points that I thought were really key points from the video:

• Everyone gets the same education, no matter their background.
• Students have the same teacher for several years, allowing them to learn easier.
• School is casual; teachers are called by their first name.
• Teacher's are knowledge workers, and need to make sure that all students succeed.
• Less is more!
• Lessons are/should be 60% student, 40% teacher.
• Students have the choice between vocational track or academic track for high school.
• Moodle is used, which is much like our D2L system.
• Students take responsibility for themselves in their classrooms, allowing teachers to have more time for individual help.
• There is little testing, allowing students to develop their own learning style.
• There is a core curriculum as well each school's own curriculum. 

4/14: Group Seven, Chapter Ten: School Law

• Legal System:
• Constitutional Amendments- 1, 4, 14
• State- passes laws, legal rights
• Local
• Overlapping Legal System
• Ethics:
• Facebook Policy 
• NEA (National Education Association)- gives teachers a code of ethics
• Rights & Responsibilities:
• Licensure- credential evaluation, background check, competency test
• Contracts- legally binding between school board & teacher
• Collective Bargaining- protests, budget cuts in education
• Tenure & Dismissal- legal safeguard, job security by preventing teacher dismissal without cause
• Liability

4/19: Today, group seven finished their project and we discussed district policies, as well as what is going on in the St. Cloud school district. In the school district, there will be a $3 million budget cut, $500,00 of it going towards special education. Every teacher that was not tenure received a pink slip, cutting many of the districts newest and greatest teachers. We also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of tenure. An advantage is job security, for the teachers who are good at what they do, as well as pay protection. A disadvantage is that is keeps the bad teachers in our schools. Along these lines, we also discussed school policies, such as religion and corporal punishment. Interested in where my school, STMA, stood with these issues, I decided I was going to look into all their policies, and become informed. 

4/21: Group Eight, Chapter Twelve: The School Curriculum

• Positive Learning Environment
• Respect & Responsibility
• Classroom Set-up/Efficiency
• Time Management
• The Daily Cafe
• The Daily 5 Program
• People Plus+ Activity
• Gold Learner
• Organized, values family traditions, dependable, values order
• Generally needs extra time adjusting to change
• Orange (Red) Learner
• Quick, energetic, risk taker, high need for mobility, competitive
• Generally will be the chatty, social butterfly
• Blue Learner
• Sensitive, imaginative, strong sense of spirituality
• Generally will be the 'motherly' student 
• Green Learner
• Analytical, thorough, calm/cool/collective
• Generally will be the leader in a group
• Parent Involvement
• Communication
• Parent-Teacher, Parent-Student, Teacher-Student
• Expectations
• Consistency in classroom
• Praise
• Phone call/Voicemail, Mail/Letter, Email/Text Message
• Open House
• Teacher Introduction, Teacher guidelines/expectations
• Progress Reports
• Report Cards, Conferences
• Misbehavior Intervention
• Awareness
• Having eyes in the back of your head
• Dignity
• Don't embarrass the student in front of his/her peers
• Consistency
• Having same expectations, yet respect for differences (IEP students)
• Communication
• Tone of voice, eye contact
• 'Solution Tree'

Class Update

3/31-4/5: Today we watched Waiting for Superman, a public school documentary. The documentary focused on four children--Anthony, Daisy, Francisco, and Bianca.

• Washington D.C. has the worst education system, with only a 12% reading proficiency.
• 'Dropout Factories' are found across the nation. They are the schools with a 50% dropout rate between freshman year and sophomore year of high school. 
• In Pennsylvania, which I am sure is common among many states, $33,000 a year is spent on inmates. 
• The difference between a high performing and low performing teacher affects each child by the loss of one academic year.
• The 'lemon dance' is the passing on the bad teachers between schools. One schools passes their bad teachers onto another school, but take in another schools bad teachers also.
• The United States is ranked 25th in Math and 21st in Science.
• Families are moving into homes with high mortgages, thinking that will be a high expectation in the local schools.
• KIPP schools are charter schools. With that, they have a lottery system like all other charter schools. The difference is, KIPP schools believe in not letting their children fail.
• Our school system is broken. We need great teachers and great leaders to fix our system.

4/7: Group Six, Chapter Nine: School Governance, Finance, and Choices

• Large cities are choosing to authorize the Mayor to take over the running of their school districts.
• Reasons for this include fiscal management and low academic achievement
• The formula for funds = money, times the number of children in the district
• Compensatory Aid- percent of children in poverty in the district.
• School Choices:
• Public schools
• Private schools
• Charter schools
• KIPP school
• Homeschooling
• Vouchers

Education Article Update

Bullying of Teachers 'Increasing in Northern Ireland' -(Global)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13005767

Though this was a short article, it really made me think. In Northern Ireland, teachers are facing serious cyber-bullying from students and parents. We forget that anything posted on Facebook or YouTube is accessible to thousands of other views. Parents are writing their frustrations and comments to others, visible to teachers, administration, family members, etc. It makes you think about the kinds of ideas, words, materials that you(I) are posting on the internet, not thinking about how long it will be out there, and who will view it. 

The New Gatekeepers of Media -(Local)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/us/09iht-currents09.html?_r=1&ref=internationaleducation

The article explains New Gatekeepers as our virtual cousins and neighbors. By this, the author means that these are the people that we are depending on for information and truths. A quote I really like was this: "When I spoke the other day to Jon Gosier, the director of SwiftRiver, he said something peculiar: that digital technology is, in a way, bringing us back to the days before the printing press." I had to really put some thought into this idea. Do you agree? I think I do. If you think about it, we find ourselves finding information on Facebook or Twitter, and passing it on as truth, without really knowing whether it is true or not, much like passing on what you may have heard from your neighbor, way back when. Though the article does not see this as a problem, I do. I grew up doing research from books or reference books before Internet was depended on. Now I worry about the children growing up where Internet is the main source for research. Where Wikipedia is a source that pops up with almost any search. Just this afternoon I was talking to my brother about where he got some idea he was telling me about, and his answer was Internet. Was it something I believe was true? NO! Do students know the difference between legitimate sources and sites like Wiki? That to me, is a problem. 

The New Barriers to a Foreign Degree -(Global/Local)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/education/04iht-educside.html?ref=internationaleducation

Three nations, Australia, Britain, and Sweden, have made it much more difficult to get into their universities for foreign students. Britain will be cutting up to 80,000 students visas a year, effective April 2012. Sweden will stop subsidizing education for non-European Union foreign students. And Australia's foreign student enrollment has dropped nearly ten percent since government policy changes. Not only is this affecting the nations themselves, but foreign students who had hopes of being able to become globally educated. For students, such as myself, it is discouraging to see the limits being put on foreign higher-education programs. In today's world, studying abroad provides great opportunities for all careers fields, as well as personal development. With the limits being put on the education programs, it is going to be much more difficult for students to get in. The only positive that I can see out of this, is that this will help limit the students who are not in it for the right reasons. It will be seen as a way of finding the students who want the high quality of education, versus the free education that may be provided previously. 

Teachers Strike Over Pupils' Discipline -(Global)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/teachers-strike-over-pupils-discipline-2264503.html

The one thing worse than bad teachers is bad administration. Teachers at a Darwen, Lancashire high school are feeling the burden of bad administration. They picketed the school gates over the lack of support needed by the head of the school. The teachers made clear that they were not 'striking' over the children's behavior, but the lack of support from administration to help with the behavior. Teachers facing issues with their students need the back-up support from their administration and without that support, the school will end up down the drain. How can the students take their teachers seriously if the administration does not take them seriously and respect them? As a future teacher, this is really discouraging to see the lack of good administration in schools. 

Cathleen Black Is Out as City Schools Chancellors -(Local)

 http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/cathie-black-is-out-as-chancellor/?emc=na

Right now, I am not sure how to respond. I am shocked at the lack of respect she showed for the parents in the community. Comments such as--“I have a three-year term, and I am willing and excited to fulfill it to the absolute end,” which to me is a 'I have three-years to be here, to do what I want, so get used to it"; making jokes about birth control; and making a mock of parents at a local school closing-- all seem very disrespectful, as well as childish. 

I do however, like that the mayor did as he felt needed in finding a new chancellor for the school district. As education is his main focus, finding a new chancellor is at the top of his list I am sure. 

Class Update

3/17: We were asked to think about three possible requirements for an ideal teacher prep program. These are my ideas:

• I believe it should be required for all teachers to take special education courses in order to get their license. And I believe that they should be required to keep updated on special education, through continuous courses, seminars, workshops, etc. With this, I believe that it should be required that if a main stream teacher has a student with special needs in their classroom, that the teacher be informed on their specific needs. Ex: My brother has many disabilities, among them are Asperger Syndrome and Cystic Fibrosis. Not only do his teachers believe that Asperger's is the 'new thing,' and don't think he has a problem, but not one of them is truly aware of what CF is, and what it entails. My mother has tried to send the teachers information packets for them to better understand the disease, but it means nothing to the teachers. This to me is a problem, not only personally, but for any child who faces school districts and teachers with the same attitude. 
• I believe it should be required for all teachers to take multicultural courses in order to get their license. Yes, at St. Cloud State, we are required to take a certain number of courses, but I believe it is important to be informed beyond the simple understanding that these courses provide. Like the special education courses, I believe that teachers need to be informed on the backgrounds of the children in their classroom. To better help the students and their families, you need to understand where one might be coming from with their beliefs and cultures. 
• I believe it should be required for all teachers to have studies abroad in order to get their license. Whether it is just studying abroad or doing the student teaching abroad, I believe that it is important to have an understanding of the global education system. The experience, from what I can imagine, of studying abroad, would not only give you a better understanding of education across other cultures, but a better understand of the other cultures themselves. This would give us the one-up to other teachers applying for the job, but also a new viewpoint on how we may run our classrooms. New experiences can never hurt!

3/22: Today my group did our presentation on chapter seven, philosophies of education.

3/25: Today we watched a video, Two Million Minutes. This video focused on six students across the globe, and how their two million minutes were spent. In the United States, we had Neil and Brittney. In India, we had Rohit and Apoorva. And in China, we had Jin and another student who's name I did not catch. Three main difference that I noticed between these countries, were that U.S. students go to college to find out what they want to do in life, where they want to go; India students go to college already knowing what they want, and where they are going, usually by the age of seventeen; and China students focus solely on their grades throughout high school with the intent of getting into the best colleges with the highest grades. Some other facts that I found interesting were:

• U.S. ranks number 24 in math, globally
• In. focuses on math and science to get into engineering, which will get them out of poverty
• Ch. with their one child policy, all the focus goes towards that child's education
• In. dedicate 12 hours per week to studying
• Ch. studying is the top priority in high school
• U.S. dedicate 20+ hours per week to sports and extra curricular activities

3/29: Group Five, Chapter Eight: The Organization of American Schools

• Goals of a School
• Academic
• Social and Civic
• Vocational
• Personal
• Characteristics of an Effective School
• Optimal school and class size: 600-900, 20
• Clear academic focus and strong leadership
• Interactive instruction
• Frequent monitoring of student progress
• Parental involvement

We were asked to think about the organization of our schools and what the pros and cons were in terms of the number of days per week, the scheduling, the format of the school building, etc. The school that I attended was your traditional high school. We went to school five days a week, 8:30 to 3:15, September to June. 

When I was in high school, we used what was called a 'block' schedule, which was about an 90 minute class, five days a week. Instead of having this class all year-round though, we would only have it for either have it for a quarter or a semester, depending on the class. For me, I really liked this. Not only did it give the teacher enough time to get the lesson done, but there was almost always time to work on homework before the period was over. With the shorter classes, there was just barely enough time to get the lesson done, let alone assign homework and have time for questions. 

The layout of my high school was some what confusing. We had the freshman pod, which was at the center of the school. Then from there, the school was split to seniors to the left of the pod, juniors to the right, and sophomores at the back of the school. Having the pod for the freshman was nice because it gave you a sense of knowing where to start from if you got lost, and was an area dedicated to the newcomers of the school. The other grades were kind of messed up, in terms of how they were divided up. The lockers for the rest of the grades were up and down hallways that made no sense, but space was limited. I do like, however, how the classes were divided. Our school was divided by subjects, where all the geography/history/economics/government courses were in one area, foreign language, arts, sciences, all grouped together. This I like because after freshman year, when you knew where your classes were, it was easy to think back to where a certain subject was, instead of thinking about the room number and trying to find a class that way. 

My class, class of 2009, was the last class to graduate from this school. Our district built a new high school, turning this school into a middle school, with fifth through eighth grade in the building I just described. This building was not built to be a middle school, and it not divided at all the same. Though there is much more signs, directing the students where to go, the school is way too big for the young ones. I was overwhelmed as a freshman, I cannot imagine being in fifth grade in that school!

Class Update

3/15: Today we watched a video about unequal education, called Listening to America. The video focused on two schools in NYC; Riverdale and South Fordham. These schools were in the same city, but two completely different worlds. South Fordham's teachers were unqualified to be teaching the subjects that they were teaching, and some of them had not even taken educational credits. Riverdale's teachers were qualified for the specific course that they were teaching. The qualification of the teachers was not the only major difference between these schools. The attitudes of the teachers was also a huge difference. The attitude of a teacher makes a world of difference in the success of a student, in school and out of school. Some of the students were being talked down right to their face by their teachers. In high school, my sister had a teacher that believed she would never graduate, let alone go onto college. This teacher made a huge impact on my sister's self-esteem. She believed that she would go nowhere and for a good majority of high school, put no effort into school because of this. Not thanks to this teacher, she is almost finished with her two year degree, and getting better grades than myself!

3/17: Group Three, Chapter Six: Education in the United States

• Colonial Period (1607-1775)
• Religion was huge in schools
• Education was for wealthy, white males
• Early National Period (1775-1820)
• Constitution (1787) states there is no official religion
• Common School Movement (1820-1865)
• An attempt at an education for all children
• Standardized curriculum 
• Education of Cultural Minorities
• Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans
• Taught to be white
• Forbidden to speak native language

The Global Achievement Gap

Chapter 2:  The Old World of School

Key Points:

• G.A.P. is between what the academically able students are being taught v.s. what is needed to succeed in today's world.
• We are not teaching our students the skills needed for them to succeed in today's world. Even the AP courses are not preparing our students, though these courses are supposed to be college-like courses. The students are coming out with good test scores but no hands-on skills. 
• "... in the majority of the classes that we observed, teachers has a common purpose -a 'core curriculum,' if you will- ... It's often referred to as 'test prep,' and a growing number of people believe -and studies suggest- that teaching for the sake of succeeding on the state and national standardized tests is quickly becoming an epidemic in our nation's schools -one that is profoundly infecting our students and their ability to become critical thinkers..."(59)
• The No Child Left Behind act may be one of the leading causes of the 'test prep' teaching style that is becoming so common in today's classrooms. With testing being done in reading and math basics every two years, schools are focusing on these subjects in order to account for the success of all their students. 
• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), designer of another standardized test, assesses the skills needed in life on a regular basis, through problem-solving and other assessments. 

Chapter 3: Testing, 1 2 3

Key Points:

• The No Child Left Behind act has it's up's and down's. It is good for it's accountability, but the goals set for the act are unrealistic, making schools fall below the 'adequate yearly progress' maker, which leads back to the focus of the curriculum staying on 'test prep.'
• Employers are finding that though their interviewees have taken and passes general math and science courses, they are not able to apply the problem-solving skills they supposed to have gained, yet we continue to teach our students the same courses with the same curriculum. 
• Motivation among our students and adults entering the work force, has dropped significantly. The motivation to do well in school has dropped as well as the motivation to succeed in the work force. 

Chapter 4: Reinventing the Education Profession

Key Points:

• To improve student learning, improving teaching and the coaching of teachers needs to be done.
• Teacher prep programs are not focusing on what is needed to becoming an effective teacher. The student teaching programs are not giving students effective experiences before entering the work force. 
• Without a strong administration or faculty, our schools and their teachers will not reach their potential. Passing courses and exams does not measure their capabilities and skills that really matter. 
• With a possible new certification process, teachers would have to show their competence and critical skills in order to get and keep their license. 

Field Experience: Day 03

Monday, March 7, 2011

Today I worked again with individual students on increasing their reading speeds. I also brought in a book to read to my class. It was a very mellow morning that flew by way too fast. As I am slowly getting to know the children, there are definitely a few that I know I am going to love working with. One of the students I worked with today gave me 'knuckles' and I wanted to just jump up and dance, it was the cutest thing! I cannot wait for what the rest of the semester holds for me!

PACER Center

The mission of PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of helping parents. (http://www.pacer.org/)


These are some workshops that may be of interest to future teachers!

• IDEA: Understanding the IEP 
• http://www.pacer.org/workshops/flyer/4-5-11IDEAUnderstandingtheIEPlow.pdf
• St. Cloud
• This Individualized Education Program (IEP) workshop explores IEP requirements and components of IEP development, including evaluation, resolving disagreements, and an expanded section on writing measurable goals.
• Tuesday, April 05, 2011 
• 6:30pm-9:30pm
• IDEA: Understanding the Special Education Process
• http://www.pacer.org/workshops/flyer/4-4-11IDEAUnderstandingSpecEdlow.pdf
• Alexandria
• This workshop outlines the basic principles of special education. Topics include free appropriate public education, evaluation, resolving disagreements, and the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Monday, April 04, 2011 
• 6:30pm-9:30pm
• http://www.pacer.org/workshops/flyer/3-10-11IDEAUnderstandingSpecEdLow.pdf
• PACER Center (Minneapolis)
• This workshop outlines the basic principles of special education. Topics include free appropriate public education, evaluation, resolving disagreements, and the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Thursday, March 10, 2011 
• 6:30pm-9:30pm 
• Communicating Strengths and Needs with Early Childhood Professionals
• No link
• PACER Center 
• Thursday, April 14, 2011 
• 6:30pm-8:30pm 
• A Life of Hope
• http://www.pacer.org/workshops/flyer/3-2011Benefitmailinglowres.pdf
• PACER Center (Minneapolis)
• Spend an evening with award winning author, speaker, and educator Jonathan Friesen. As a person with Tourette syndrome and epilepsy, Jonathan will share his life journey. He highlights the messages he most needed to receive from his parents in order to move from pain to joy.
• Thursday, March 31, 2011 
• 6:30pm-9:00pm
• IDEA: Blueprint for Special Education
• http://www.pacer.org/workshops/flyer/3-21-11IDEABlueprintPrincetonlow.pdf
• Princeton
• The special education process is like building a house. There is a logical order to both. This workshop will cover how to use the building blocks of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to develop appropriate services for your child.
• Monday, March 21, 2011 
• 6:30pm-9:30pm 

Field Experience: Day 02

Monday, February 28, 2011

Today I learned that the teacher I am working was my best friend's teacher when we were in first/second grade, as well as many of my other graduating class. This started my morning out great, feeling like I somehow knew his a little better, and did not have to be so nervous. After morning announcements, I worked with two separate groups on make-up spelling tests and summer school math request tests. These two groups took up a large portion of my morning. With the last half hour, I worked with individual students on their reading. The students would read a story as I timed to see how far they were able to get. We would read through it together after the first timing, and then they would read again and see if they could get farther. It was really rewarding watching each of the students as they would get farther and farther. They were so proud of themselves when they saw their own improvement!

Class Update

2/22: Today we went over the terms: culture, multicultural, diversity, inter-cultural, and American culture. Many of my classmates agreed that in today's schools, multiculturalism is not part of the curriculum, but a single day dedicated to multiculturalism. In my opinion, it should be part of the curriculum that is engaged in everyday activities. We also took notes on some key concepts, including the inter-cultural development continuum. This continuum went along with the inter-cultural development inventory test we took last week. The continuum ranged from a mono-cultural mindset to an inter-cultural/global mindset, from denial up to adaptation with polarization, minimization, and acceptance all in between.

2/24: Group One, Chapter Four: Student Diversity

• 300 ethnic cultures in U.S.
• minority feel like they have to become "white" students
• multiculturalism allows students to express their identity
• needs to be added into the curriculum
• holiday celebrations
• holiday policy that relates to all families and traditions

3/1: Today we watched a video on immersion programs in the United States. Currently there are thirteen full programs, with six of them being in Minnesota. In the video, many of the parents felt that having their children become bilingual will bring more opportunities for them. These programs start out in kindergarten, only speaking the targeted language, and growing as the years go on. One of the teachers stated that the only struggle was to not be caught speaking English, because she would lose the respect level she has with her students, and it would be hard for her to continue having them speak the target language. She said that many of her students will try teaching her English and that they are so proud when she will repeat whatever it is that they are teaching her. 

3/3: Group Two, Chapter Five: Learners with Exceptionalities

• IDEA Act- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• allows individuals to learn in the least restrictive environment
• protects against discrimination testing
• schools must follow these guidelines
• IEP- Individual Education Program
• legal document for individuals needing their own educational plan
• example handed out (excellent idea!)
• Characteristics and Symptoms
• short attention span
•  hand-eye coordination problems
• disorganization & other sensory difficulties
• remembering & sticking to deadlines
• understanding what info. is important
• keeping materials and assignments organized/neat

We were asked to consider this: do you think that kids with disabilities can be in an immersion program?

I think that depending on the child's disability, that yes they can be in an immersion program. For many students, they have different learning styles, and an immersion programs gives them another learning style. I think it could be a great opportunity for many children with learning disabilities. 

Concerns over Government's new reading test

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/concerns-over-governments-new-reading-test-2220289.html

The Government's plan is for a 'phonics-based progress check,' aimed at helping those who are behind and need extra help. Phonics is based on the sounds rather than the site of the word, and many in the UK are concerned that this test is counter productive. Children would have to recognize 's-t-r-ee-t' versus 'street.' In my opinion, I think it is important for children to be able to not only recognize a word by seeing it, but by having to sound it out. I do not know if this test is the way to go about getting children extra help, but I do think it is important. During my field experience, I am working with a student who is far behind his classmates. He can easily recognize works such as 'job' 'dog' 'log' but when it came to me sounding the words out to him, he was not able to connect the sounds to form the words. In this case, he does need the extra help, and that is why I am working one-on-one with him, but not every child learns the same.

Story repetition 'helps children'

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/story-repetition-helps-children-2220368.html

This article was about a study that was done, testing the learning of young children through story time. Those who were read the same book multiple times, versus those who read multiple different books, remembers details and gained a larger vocabulary. By reading multiple different books, the children do not pick up on the details as much as just listening to the story. The study could not explain how the learning happens, but it did!
If you think about it, this really makes a lot of sense. I have read many children's books and the children pick up and can follow along when it is a story that they have heard before. Many can explain in detail exactly what the story means and so on. I never really thought about this before reading this article, but as a future teacher, I think this will be a valuable piece of information.

Class Update

2/15: Today we took an inter-cultural competency test.

2/16: Today there was a speaker, Jamie Tworkowski, with the organization, To Write Love On Her Arms.

2/17: Today we did not have class. Instead, we were asked to attend a Black History Month event. I attended "The Smallest Freedom Fighter" on February 8, 2011. Sheyann Webb-Christburg started her speech by singing 'Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around.' She spoke about being a daughter of the civil rights movement, from Selma, Alabama. She also spoke about her encounters with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The way she spoke about him, you could see the admiration she had for him. She made you feel like you were right beside that 8 year old girl that she was. Two minutes turned into an hour, and I was tuned in the entire time!

Share this if you are a teacher, love a teacher or appreciate our teachers.

Right now a teacher in your community is grading and preparing lessons to teach your children while you are watching television. In the minute it takes you to read this, teachers all over the world are using their "free time", and often investing their own money, for your child's literacy, prosperity, and future. 


I found this and thought I'd share! :)

Field Experience: Day 01

Monday, February 14, 2011

Today I met my class that I will be working with for my field experience this semester. I am working in Big Woods Elementary, which is part of the St. Michael-Albertville school district, in a first grade classroom. My morning started out great! As I was walking down the hall to the classroom, I saw a bunch of smiling faces and a hand full that I knew. As I greeted the children while they were being checked into the class, I realized that three of the students were ones I had worked with at a previous child care center. I was very excited to know some of the curious faces in the room. After announcements were finished, the class broke up into reading time. I went off with an individual student to work on the letters and their sounds.He was new at the start of the year (2011) and is having trouble forming the correct sounds. Though I was nervous to be working with him alone, I really enjoyed it. I had a sheet that showed what he knew and didn't know from last week. It made me feel good to see the progress he had made in just a week. After working with him, I took two students down to the library to read and take AR (Accelerated Reader) tests. Both students read their book of choice, and tested afterwards. I could tell that they were proud to show me how much they could read on their own, as well as long themselves into the computer for the tests. By the time I was done with these students, it was time for me to leave. I cannot wait for next week; the teacher has something special planned for the students!

Class Update

2/8: Today we watched the video "Bullied," a documentary film about a student, a school and a case that made history. The film was dedicated to a young, 11 year old boy who committed suicide. The film focused on the case that made history, and the gentleman that made it happen, Jamie. Bullying is a very big problem in many school districts across the country. This young man suffered from verbal, physical, and emotional abuse day-in and day-out. Through his struggles, he met a legal advocate, here in Minneapolis, who suggested a law suit. This case would be the first case accepted for anti-gay bullying. The case was won, and Jamie was awarded $900,000 in settlement, though no amount of money can make up for what he went through. Now, he works with schools on bullying, and has been invited to speak in Washington, D.C. Though this story made history, it is not the only like it. Many teens are in similar situations, with no support.
As a future teacher, I was shocked at how the school district dealt with, or more did not deal with, Jamie's on-going fight. As I watched this film, I felt for him and his pain, and I wondered what more it would take for all school districts to take a stand on this issue. With starting my student teaching on Monday, it is my goal to make a difference in the district in which I feel needs a stronger anti-bullying program.

2/10: Today we watched serious of video clips related to bullying. The clips focused on what it takes to be popular, or with the 'in' crowd and the social cruelty issues. After watching these clips, we worked in groups to come up with ideas for an 'Anti-Bullying Campaign.'
These are some ideas discussed in class:

• Provide a resource room
• safe zone for students who feel threatened
• Courage Retreat
• http://www.youthfrontiers.org/index.shtml
• large group bonding activities
• Anonymous drop-box 
• safe for revealing issues throughout school
• System of rewards and consequences
• good behavior earns rewards
• bad behavior earns loss of privileges
• take responsibility for actions
• Senior mentor/Peer mediation
• freshman paired with senior mentor
• easier to talk with peer vs. adult
• Youth Issues class
• focus on issues such as bullying, depression, sexual orientation, and acceptance
• Adult supervision
• more supervision in halls, playground, etc. 
• Parent involvement
• more involvement in rewards and consequences 

English-only bill could create civil rights problems

http://minnesotaindependent.com/76468/english-only-bill-could-create-civil-rights-problems-groups-say

This bill, that would make Minnesota's official language English, could create many problems for many of our systems. The article stated that in other states where similar bills were present, students were suspended for speaking other languages while walking down the halls at school, or were banded from registering to vote. There is currently voting instructions in six languages, including English, Hmong, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali. If you look at how many languages documents are printed, you can see the diversity that Minnesota has. I take pride in my state, and the fact that so many diverse cultures feel welcomed to call MN their home. If this bill goes through, it will greatly affect the state. How will these groups feel welcomed when they are being forced to speak English, or punished for not.
I post this article for multiple reasons, but mainly because it could be affecting our school systems. St. Cloud is well known for the diverse community we have. Though many are willing to learn English, they may feel threatened by this new bill. I see the positiveness of learning amongst other cultures, and hope that the bill does not scare off the multilingual culture we have in St. Cloud or Minnesota.

Mother: Anoka-Hennepin School policy contributed to gay son’s suicide

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2010/09/02/mother-anoka-hennepin-school-policy-contributed-gay-son%E2%80%99s-suicide

Bullying is a huge problem, whether it be due to one's sexuality or one's race. Why kids/adults do it is way beyond me. I can somewhat relate to the mother in this article. Her son committed suicide after being bullied about being gay. Not only do I know someone who committed suicide, and was just at an awareness event, but both my brother and sister have faced bullying throughout their school years. Neither of these situations were due to sexuality issues, but none the less, no one should have to deal with being bullied!
The school district in which the mother's son attended, Anoka Hennepin, was offered an LGBT sensitivity training program for all it's teachers. To my understanding, the district denied the offered from OutFront Minnesota, saying that the neutrality policy prevented the support of the LGBT community. In my opinion, this would have been a great opportunity for the school district to take advantage of. I know that not every one accepts LGBT's, but today's teachers need to be informed. In a growing LGBT community, the bullying is becoming more 'in your face,' and is something that needs to be fixed and dealt with. Whether we want to accept it or not, I believe our teachers need to be taught how to deal with situations like this. 

The Global Achievement Gap

Chapter 1: The New World of Work and the Seven Survival Skills

Key points:

• We need to teach students how to think, versus only covering chapters from a textbook, and preparing students for multiple choice tests.
• In-order for educators to see passion amongst their students, they need to involve "hands on" activities for the students to enjoy.
• The emphasis on the standardized tests is due to the fear of more highly educated students from developing countries will be taking over the high end jobs here. 

Qualities needed in today's world of work:

• Ask good questions, the right questions
• Engage in good discussion
• Show ability to work well with others
• Be inquisitive, bright

Survival Skills:

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Asking good questions, linked with the ability to think critically and problem solve
• Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence
• Having the skills to work individuals across many cultural and boundaries
• Global Awareness:
• 21st century skills used to understand global issues
• Learn from and work with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Understanding for others' cultures
• Agility and Adaptability
• Being able to adapt in a changing business world
• Being able to move from a hierarchal authority to a team-based environment
• Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
• Seeking out new opportunities, ideas, and strategies for improvement
• Becoming a knowledgeable worker
• Effective Oral and Written Communication
• Growing importance for general communication with cultural diversity in colleges and the workplace
• Accessing and Analyzing Information
• Being able to conceptualize and synthesize lots of data
• Curiosity and Imagination
• Using the "right-brain" skills
• Creativity, imagination
• Using "out-of-the-box" thinking and problem solving

Sauk Rapids-Rice district to change specialist plan to help pay for full-time kindergarten

http://www.iste.org/welcome.aspx

The article explains Sauk Rapids-Rice district's plans for helping to pay for a full-time kindergarten program. As of right now, half-day kindergarten is free, and parents can pay to have their children in a full-day program. This is similar to many districts that I know of. The Sauk Rapids-Rice district however is changing their plans to allow $250,000 to go towards the full-time program. I think this is a great idea, a great way to help those families who can not afford the program. If I were one of the parents wanting my child in the full-day kindergarten, but could not afford it, I would be feeling like I am not giving my child the best. For me, this plan will help any parents who feel the same way.
Personally, I have worked with a full-day kindergarten classroom, and I believe that it is a really good program to have available to all students. The children I worked with had gained knowledge far beyond the average kindergarten student. These students were learning things that I did not even know. And they loved the idea of being smarter than the student teacher!