This I Believe: Governance and Finance and My Life as a Teacher

For each item, circle the number that best represents your belief. use the following scale as a guide:
4 = I strongly believe the statement is true.
3 = I believe the statement is true.
2 = I believe the statement is false.
1 = I strongly believe the statement is false.

1. All state govern education in basically the same way. 3

2. The state office of education in each state is responsible for setting rules and regulations. 3

3. In the past, the federal government has provided the largest source of educational funding. 1

4. Most of a district's budget goes to funding instructional activities. 4

5. Students in different districts across states are provided with approximately the same amount of money to fund their education. 1

Finding a Good School

3.1 Describe characteristics of an effective school.

• Effective schools are of an optimal size and have strong academic focus and leadership, high collective efficacy, and interactive instruction. They monitor the progress of students, maintain a safe and orderly environment, and involve parents and the community.

3.2 What is the most distinguishing characteristic of effective instruction in effective schools?

• The most distinguishing characteristic of effective instruction is interactive instruction. Teachers involve their students in learning activities that actively involve students in the content they're learning instead of lecturing them and giving them menial seat work.

3.3 Why is frequent monitoring of student progress essential for an effective school?

• It allows teachers to gather a lot of information on the students' understanding of course content. I also think that monitoring student progress allows you to see trends in student performance. It can give you a heads up on whether or not changes need to be made to the instruction.

School Levels

2.1 Describe two ways in which teaching in an elementary school differs from teaching in a middle school, junior high, or high school.

• Elementary teachers are responsible for teaching all the content areas, whereas middle school, junior high, and high school teachers all teach specific content areas. Elementary classes also have more flexibility on the amount of time spent on specific content areas, whereas the other three all have classroom schedules that are set ahead of time (e.g. 55 minute class periods).

How Do Schools Function?

1.1 Schools are described as social systems. Define a social system, explain how a school is a social system, and give another example of a social system in our society.

• Social systems are organizations with established structures and rules designed to promote certain goals. The different components of a school, with their own (or shared) established structures and/or rules, work together to achieve a common goal - educating students. There are lots of types of social systems in our society such as sports teams, churches, companies, and even families.

This I Believe: Choosing a School to Being My Career

For each item, circle the number that best represents your belief. use the following scale as a guide:
4 = I strongly believe the statement is true.
3 = I believe the statement is true.
2 = I believe the statement is false.
1 = I strongly believe the statement is false.

1. My school principal is the person who will have the ultimate responsibility for the successful operation of my school. 4

2. If I decide to teach in an elementary school, I'll have to choose between promoting my students' social and emotional development versus preparing them for standardized tests. 1

3. Middle and junior high schools are essentially the same but are given different labels. 2

4. Larger schools generally provide students with better educations, because they have better facilities and can provide a wider variety of programs. 3

5. If some of students fail to master the content at the grade level I'm teaching, retaining the students in that grade is the best way to ensure that they will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed at the next grade level. 2

Developing Your Philosophy of Education

4.1 Why is a personal philosophy of education important?

• Your philosophy of education strongly influences what kind of teacher you want to become: the content you select, the teaching strategies you'll use, and the criteria you use to analyze, reflect on, and improve your teaching. With a clear educational philosophy, you'll be able to make systematic changes when you decide that your instruction needs improvement.

Philosophies of Education

3.1 What are the major philosophies of education?

• Perennialism: Believes in a constancy of nature and that education should provide a foundation for the future. Classic literature is emphasized as well as basic skills like math, science, and art. The curriculum is rigorous and remains largely unchanged over time.
• Essentialism: Believes the purpose of education is to advance society through specific needed, essential knowledge that all people should know. Instruction is directed by the teacher to make sure students attain this knowledge.
• Progressivism: Emphasizes real-world problem solving and developing individual students as completely as possible. Believes students should have experiences applicable to today's world, and the most common instructional method is question and discussion to guide the students as they learn.
• Social Reconstructionism: Believes schools, teachers, and students should take the lead in addressing social issues and improving society by eliminating social inequity to create a more just society. Classroom instruction is largely discussion based. The curriculum uses topics that reflect current social issues.

Branches of Philosophy

2.1 Describe each of the major branches of philosophy.

• Epistemology deals with knowledge and questions of how we come to know what we know.
• Metaphysics is what we know.
• Axiology considers values and ethics.
• Logic examines the processes of deriving valid conclusions from basic principles.

Philosophy and Philosophy of Education

1.1 Define philosophy and normative philosophy, and explain how they differ from theory.

• Philosophy is the study of theories of knowledge, truth, existence, and morality. Normative philosophy is a shared belief of the way things should be in a particular context (such as education). Theories are sets of related principles based on observation that are used to explain the world around us. Theories explain the ways things are. Philosophies suggest the way things ought to be. Theories are used to back up philosophies.

My Philosophy of Education

People are naturally inquisitive.  Learning is an inherent tendency that all people possess in order to answer their inquiries. This is done through basic acquisition of knowledge and the more complicated process of relating new knowledge to what is already known in order to create meaning and construct a new understanding of objects, events, and ideas in their environments.

My job as a teacher is to impart new knowledge and then facilitate an encouraging and nourishing environment in which students’ learning will flourish. This will be done by providing students with methods that promote analyzing, interpreting, and retaining new information and giving students real-world examples and applications that they can relate to.

This process will help focus learning around the individual and promote critical thinking and problem solving skills. The ability to apply knowledge to everyday life is a critical skill needed to function fully in today’s world. Reason and intellect will be obtained naturally if these goals are carried out, leading to students who are well-prepared for life outside of school and the responsibilities and decision making that accompany it.

To implement these goals, students will be given problems to solve or think about that occur in their lives. A nurturing atmosphere that encourages questions, discussion, and exchange of ideas will be encouraged and maintained. Projects that incorporate the practical use of class content will be outlined in the curriculum and will include interdisciplinary subject matter. All teaching will be done based on the students’ level of cognitive development to ensure the best retainment and understanding.

I will know that my students have successfully acquired and retained the content when they can demonstrate its use and/or processes through formal or project-based assessment. As I continue to grow as a teacher, I hope to find more and more realistic and illustrative ways to connect content with my students to best prepare them for their lives after school.

This I Believe: Educational Philosophy and Me

On a scale of 1-4, 1 strongly disagreeing and 4 strongly agreeing, rate the following:

1. The purpose of educational philosophy is to help me and other prospective teachers understand how past experts have thought about teaching. 2
2. Children should learn morals in the home. Teaching morals in school is not part of my job. 2
3. As a teacher, my primary goal should be to help students master essential content rather than to help them develop emotionally and socially. 2
4. Our nation's schools should focus on teaching students to think and solve problems in the real world. 3
5. I should encourage my students to think about their personal role in making the world a better place. 3

The Modern Era: Schools as Instruments for National Purpose and Social Change

6.1 How did schools become instruments for national purpose during the modern era?

• During the Cold War, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, and the US, thinking we were losing the technology war, authorized a five-fold increase in the funding of the National Science Foundation, created to support research and improve science education. Congress also passed the National Defense Education Act to improve instruction in math, science, and foreign languages. Education was called the first line of defense against our enemies by Admiral Hyman Rickover.

Searching for Equality: The Education of Cultural Minorities

5.1 What are the similarities and differences in different minority groups' struggles for educational equality?

• All minority groups started off in mission schools and/or segregated schools. Most of them struggle with language and cultural barriers in public schools. Some groups struggle with resistance and drop out rates more than others. Native Americans and Hispanics especially struggle in this area, while Asian Americans actually have higher achievement test scores and college attendance rates than other minorities and whites. Asian American have fared better overall than other minority groups, but still have problems in school and run into language and poverty obstacles. Considerable differences also exist between the educational experiences of different Asian American groups.

The Evolution of the American High School

4.1 Describe the historical roots of contemporary secondary (high) schools.

• Latin Grammar Schools - First American high schools. Taught Latin and Greek to help prepare boys for the ministry or a career in law. High cost made it available only to the rich.
• Academies - Benjamin Franklin founded academies in reaction to the Latin Grammar schools. Free of religious orientation, open to boys and girls, and tuition-charging, they taught math, navigation, astronomy, bookkeeping, logic, and rhetoric. Students selected from these options, setting the precedent for electives and alternative programs that exist at the secondary level today. Three important contributions that remain today:
• Practical
• Secular - Removed religion from the curriculum.
• Public - Partially supported by public funds, which established a trend that flourished during the common school movement.
• English Classical Schools (later called English High Schools) - Free secondary schools designed to meet the needs of boys not planning to attend college. Spread slowly due to competition from academies and public opposition to tax-supported schools. Unable to decide between practical or college preparatory, responded by offering both.

The Common School Movement: The Rise of State Support for Public Education (1820 - 1865)

3.1 Explain how the common school movement influenced education in our country today.

• During the common school movement...
• States and local governments directly taxed citizens to support public schools.
• States created state education departments and appointed state superintendents of instruction.
• Educators organized schools by grade level and standardized the curriculum.
• Separating schools into grade levels resulted in more age appropriate instruction and allowed material to be taught to older students in greater depth.
• States improved teacher preparation.
• Normal Schools: 2-year institutions developed to prepare prospective elementary teachers. These later became many of our current state colleges and universities.
• All of these changes are still seen in schools today.

The Early National Period (1775 - 1820)

2.1 Explain how the early national period influenced education in this country.

• The Constitution played the major role in educational history during this time period. The founders concluded that no one religion should be placed over another. This led to the "establishment clause" of the First Amendment, prohibiting the formation of any official religion. From this we get the principle of separation of church and state. This principle has repeatedly been upheld in court.
• As discussed below, the national period also saw legislation removing control of education from the federal government and the federal government endowing itself with a role in educational funding. This created an early blurring of the line between state and federal governments. Now, the federal government can pass federal laws that all states must abide by. The federal government also uses schools to achieve national goals.

The Colonial Period (1607 - 1775)

1.1 How did the diversity of the original colonies shape the education system of the United States?

• Regional differences in the original colonies effectively divided them into three geographic regions with varying economics and different reasons for coming.
• The southern colonies were linked to the land and revolved around agriculture. It was the location of many large plantations with small, poor farmers barely making it by. Education in the south was restricted strictly to the rich who hired private tutors or groups of families who hired a single tutor to teach all their children. Private schools sponsored by the Church of England and boarding schools for the wealthy sprang up in larger cities.
• The middle colonies were very diverse, so no one school could meet the demands of everyone. Different cultural groups created parochial schools that taught in their native language and included the study of their respective religions in addition to the three R's.
• The New England colonies were culturally and religiously homogeneous and industry and commerce encouraged them to cluster into towns, allowing for the formation of common schools. Education there was viewed as the vehicle for helping people follow God's commandments and resist the devil's temptations. New England have had the most influence on many controversies in schools today.

This I Believe: History of Education and Me

On a scale of 1-4, 1 strongly disagreeing and 4 strongly agreeing, rate the following:

1. The Constitution of our country requires that religion and public schooling be kept separate from each other. 2
2. A free public education for students like me has always been a cornerstone of education in the United States. 2
3. The American high school has historically attempted to meet the needs of all students. 1
4. When slavery ended in our country, cultural and ethnic minorities were welcomed into our public schools. 1
5. In recent times, the federal government has used our nation's schools as instruments to achieve national goals. 3

Learners with Exceptionalities

4.1 Define the concept of intelligence, and explain how the idea of multiple intelligences changes this definition.

• Intelligence: The ability to acquire and use knowledge, solve problems, and reason in the abstract, and adapt to new situations in our environments.
• Multiple intelligences suggests that overall intelligence is composed of eight relatively independent dimensions. This theory supports the idea that students can be intelligent in some areas, but may not excel in others. In addition to Gardner's dimensions of intelligence (linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist), there is also the idea of emotional intelligence.
• So, the definition of general intelligence is kind of an all-encompassing view of the multiple intelligences. Having any one intelligence may make it easy to acquire and use information related to that dimension, while acquiring and using it in another may be really challenging. The same can be applied to solving problems and reasoning in the abstract. Adapting to new situations is often a skill of emotional intelligence because that's often the part of us that is challenged by changes in our environments.

Gender

3.1 Explain how society influences gender differences in our students.

• From the day we're born, girls and boys are treated differently. Girls are picked up more, talked to more often, and treated more delicately than boys on average. They're given pink blankets, called cute and pretty, and offered toys such as dolls and stuffed animals. Boys are dressed in blue, regarded as handsome, and are seen as tougher, more coordinated, and hardier. Play with them is usually rougher and more physically stimulating. Naturally, each gender grows up acting much differently as a result of how they're treated very early on.
• As boys and girls get older, there begins to be emphasis on what they should and should not do. Mathematics, computers, and science occupations are deemed as male occupations, where nursing and teaching is more often seen as careers for women.
• Even schools are thought to perhaps be more compatible with girls genetically. In girls, components of the brain that focus on words and fine-motor skills are a year ahead of boys, and emotional centers are also more advanced. This gives them a head start in school and also allows them to sit still for the long periods of time that schools demand in order to teach them.

Language Diversity

2.1 What has been the government's response to language diversity in our nation's schools?

• 1968 - Congress passed the Bilingual Education Act, which provided funds for educating non-native English learners through bilingual approaches intending to maintain the first language while learning English.
• 1998 - California passed Proposition 227 to replace bilingual education programs with one year immersion programs. Students were then transferred into mainstream English-only classrooms.
• 29 states have also passed legislation making English the official state language.
• Under public pressure, the government has changed gears, advocating for schools to teach English with little emphasis on preserving minority languages. The federal Office of Bilingual Education has become the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA). The government's goal is to teach ELs English as fast as possible.

Cultural Diversity

1.1 Explain how cultural diversity influences learning.

• Different cultures have different attitudes and values about learning - some are beneficial to learning and others are not. 
• Language can be a huge barrier. Many students are hesitant to drop their use of non-standard English or to primarily use English at all out of fear of alienation from their peers and parents.
• Members of some minorities view succeeding in school as rejecting their native culture. Students who choose to succeed academically may risk losing the friendship of peers. Students who hold to this view may form "resistance cultures" where learning is not supported or is even opposed.
• Some cultures, such as the Vietnamese and other Asian cultures, strongly emphasize hard work, perseverance, and pride in their homes which can be seen in their academic studies.
• Indian cultures also have a high work ethic and determination.

Cultural Discontinuities

1. This section discussed two potentially conflicting ideas: accepting and valuing cultural differences and accommodation without assimilation. How do these ideas relate to this dilemma?

• In the story, the character is invited to an awards ceremony at a local church of Pacific Islanders to honor students from their school. Many things happened throughout the ceremony that were normal for the Pacific Islanders, but totally foreign to the guest. It made the guest really uncomfortable, but s/he struggle to remain quiet as to show respect and acceptance of their cultural norms. By doing so, s/he is trying to accommodate their differences, but it's putting a great amount of strain on her/him because s/he doesn't know what to do in the situation.

This I Believe: Student Diversity and Me

On a scale of 1-4, 1 strongly disagreeing and 4 strongly agreeing, rate the following:

1. Culturally sensitive teachers treat all students the same way. 1
   Definitely not. Just like any other difference between people (girls don't have the same needs as boys), students of different cultures are going to have different needs, ideas, and desires than others. It is not culturally sensitive to treat all students the same; in fact, it's extremely insensitive and tells students that you don't recognize their individual identity.
2. Students who aren't native English speakers learn English most effectively by hearing the teacher use correct English. 1
   Well, duh. If a non-English speaker is being taught English, they obviously need to hear correct English. Interacting with someone who speaks the language you want to learn is the fastest and easiest way to learn a new language.
3. Boy generally get better grades in school than girls. 3
   I could either see this as being true or both genders are equal, but I don't think boys get better grades than girls. Girls generally tend to be more motivated, in my opinion, but there are also factors like teen mothers that could affect the average.
4. It is important for me to adapt my instruction to the individual learning styles of my students. 4
5. Experts in special education advocate the creation of special classrooms to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities. 3
   I could see the usefulness in having a separate environment for special education students because they have different needs and learn at different rates than other students. If it's not advocated, it's probably because of education politics and not based on the actual needs of the students.

Teaching Students Who Are at Risk

1. Classroom management is a perennial concern for beginning teachers. Which approach to classroom management makes the most sense? What about instruction?

• I think Emma's approach makes the most sense. Allowing students to move around the room, get into groups, interact with the teacher, and take some responsibility in their own education leads to more successful students who retain more of what they've learned. They also learn valuable skills in working with others and expressing their own thoughts and ideas. It's important for them to be treated like people and not lined up in quiet, little rows by an authoritarian teacher, and it's also important for them to know that you're a human being too. So, like, smile and provide feedback. Don't tell them what to do and what to think at every turn. (:

Students at Risk

4.1 What are the characteristics of students at risk?

• Students at risk encounter social, academic, and emotional problems. Some background factors include low-SES/poverty/homelessness, divorced/single-parent families, inner city, minority, non-native English speaker, drug and alcohol abuse at home, high neighborhood crime rates. Some educational factors include high dropout rates, low grades, grade retention, low achievement, participation, and motivation, poor attendance, misbehavior in class, low self-esteem, lack of interest, and high suspension rates.

The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Students

3.1 Define socioeconomic status.

• Socioeconomic status is the combination of family income, parents' occupations, and level of parental education. Socioeconomic status is divided into four classes - upper, middle, working, and lower - each with more distinct sub-classes therein.

Changes in Our Students

2.1 What changes have occurred in student sexuality over time? What are the implications of these changes for education?

• Nearly half of all teens are sexually active by the end of high school - 1 in 10 before the age of 13 and 1 in 10 with more than four partners by 10th grade. Only 61% of sexually active teens use a condom. The average age of first intercourse has dropped to 17.
• Rates of teenage pregnancy are falling, but they're still the highest of any industrialized country. The decline is attributed to decreased sexual activity and increased use of contraceptives. Becoming a teen parent increases the risks of dropping out, developing poor work skills, and receiving limited employment opportunities. Energy is diverted from self-development, and the babies often fare poorly as well.
• Many teenagers are infected with some type of STD. (This textbook conveniently gives only the statistic for female teens...) Depending on which STD and whether or not it's discovered early, infection could cause serious health issues which would impact student education.
• Sex education is still a controversial topic with form and content of instruction varying widely across the nation. Polls suggest a vast majority of parents are in favor, but many programs are still ineffective due to certain restrictions in various states and districts.
• There is still a lot of stigma around sexual orientation and identity, which can be especially difficult for teens as they're coming to understand who they are sexually. Sexual harassment is also a huge problem with more than half of all students reporting being sexually harassed and especially affecting the LGBTQ community. These circumstances can lead students to feelings of isolation, depression, and helplessness, impacting personal health and school attendance and raising the incidences of drug abuse and suicide.

Changes in American Families

1.1 Describe changes that have occurred in the American family over the last 50 years.

• "Traditional" families aren't so common anymore. Less families are headed by married couples, most women with children now work, the divorce rate has quadrupled in the last 40 years, less children live with both parents (single mother, father, or neither), and poverty among single-parent families is drastically higher than households with married couples. Many of these circumstances lead to busier adult schedules, leaving children with less time to spend with their parent(s)/caregiver(s).

1.2 What implications do the changes in American families have for child care in this country?

• Quality child care is more important than ever. Child care can have a lasting impact on children, often well into adulthood. Good care is positively correlated with long-term cognitive and emotional development, higher earnings, and greater relationship stability. Poor care is correlated with the opposite effects. Quality care is especially important for children of poverty, but participation rates of these children have declined in recent years.

1.3 Who are latchkey children? What problems do they encounter in their homes?

• Latchkey children are children who come home to an empty home because their parent(s)/caregiver(s) are at work (or maybe school). They don't receive as much time spent with their caregivers and lack the structure and support of children whose caregivers are consistently home with them. Problems include safety concerns, supervision, excessive TV watching, lack of homework help, and perhaps poor nutrition. Students may not complete their homework if they're unsure what to do and don't have an adult present to ask questions.

This I Believe: Societal Changes and Our Students

Many students come to school with "baggage" that is often linked to societal issues. How do these issues affect our students, and how will they affect your life as a teacher? On a scale of 1-4, 1 strongly disagreeing and 4 strongly agreeing, rate the following:

Reform in Teacher Education

4.1 How is the current reform movement in education changing the teaching profession?

• Stringent standards have been implemented as specified by each state that state what students should know and be able to do. Standardized tests determine grade promotion and graduation. Parent's are offered choices between public and alternative charter schools.

What Kind of School Is Right for You?

1. Which advantages and disadvantages of different types of districts are most important to you?

• Small class sizes would be pretty nice. I think being able to afford each student the attention that they need would be important to me. I'm not worried about the pay - I could do many other things if it was money that I wanted. Chances for growth, leadership, and choice are important. The school having up to date technology would be nice. High standards are really important. I want to know that the other teachers and staff are committed to teaching. Diversity is important among students and staff. Some rural communities can be stuck in their ways and make reform challenging when needed. I come from a low income family, so I think I might enjoy the challenge of trying to work with students in lower economic classes.

Diversity: The Changing Face of American Classrooms

3.1 Identify the different dimensions of student diversity. Explain how these dimensions will influence your work as a teacher.

• Culture and ethnicity, Socioeconomic status, Physical and emotional maturity, Personality, Gender, Learning capability, Location (rural, urban, suburban), Language, Religion, Learner exceptionalities
• These dimensions will create many opportunities and challenges as a teacher. It will provide a means of personal growth as a teacher and impose opportunities for understanding and compassion. It will garner chances to teach students about commonality and difference and gain a better sense of it myself. It will teach me to appreciate diversity even more and perhaps even appreciate the challenge in working among such diversity. There will be many challenges. Some students may not be willing to learn or have other things to worry about. Political correctness could become an issue. Choosing where to place my focus or staying on task could be difficult if some students need a lot of extra help. Learning how to respond to all these differences will influence how well the students learn, how they feel about school, and my own enjoyment of teaching.

3.2 Why is an understanding of different teaching and learning environments important for beginning teachers?

• Understanding the differences between different environments will be beneficial in choosing the best suited place to teach for individual teachers. It will also help prepare them for the challengesnand give them a general understanding of what to expect when they step into the classroom for the first time.

The Teaching Profession

2.1 What are the essential characteristics of professionalism?

• A specialized body of knowledge
• For teachers, this includes knowledge of content, pedagogical content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of learners and learning.
• Pedagogy: I The function or work of a teacher; teaching. II The art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods.
• Teachers are also required to receive extended training for licensure by individual state standards and laws. It must be periodically renewed to confirm continuing education and current knowledge.
• Autonomy
• Teachers have autonomy over the specific content they teach, how they teach it, and how they will assess their student's learning.
• Complete autonomy is impeded by state and district standards, prescribed curricula, and mandatory standardized testing.
• Emphasis on decision making and reflection
• Teachers work in dynamic environments and must make on-the-spot decisions constantly throughout the day. This type of environment makes it essentially impossible to function without professional knowledge and continuous reflection. Teachers receive little formal feedback, so self-assessment is a necessity in order to continue to develop as a professional.
• Ethical standards and codes of conduct
• Teachers are held to high standards of ethical conduct. The largest professional organization in education is the National Education Association (NEA) which addresses the issues of teachers' ethics and interactions. Ethics are an important part of professional decision making.

What Is It Like to Be a Teacher?

1.1 Identify the four most commonly cited reasons people give for entering teaching.

• Working with young people
• Making a difference in society
• Subject content
• Self-growth.

This I Believe: Teaching and Me

I'm only taking one education class this fall, and I bought my book today for EDUC 101.

I can't believe they charge $200 for these things.

I'm a zealous type, so I started reading the first chapter. On the fourth page, the authors have a little questionnaire titled "This I Believe: Teaching and Me". They actually have a "This I Believe" for every chapter in the book. But since I'm reading it, I decided I might as well do it.

Education

This fall I'm going to be starting a new program at school. I went for therapeutic massage for a year, but I decided to change my path to education with a focus on mathematics. Math has been a pretty big passion of mine for several years now, and I've found that I really enjoy teaching and tutoring people. So, I figured the two would go together nicely. Not to mention math teachers are always in need. ;)

So, that is where this blog comes in. I'm going to attempt to keep track of my educational journey on here. As a teacher, resources will be very important, so I figured it would be a good idea to start compiling everything I've got into one spot for easy reference.

School starts in T minus 11 days. I am so ready!