Philog #10 THE FINAL ONE!

Well, here we are.  We have made it to the final philog of the semester.  I must admit that I was not sure I would even get thru the second philog!  The end is in sight and I must admit that it looks REALLY good.

Theory of Impact.  After reading chapter 14, I have to become to the point where I need to be really honest with myself and the reason I am becoming a teacher.  I am a person that falls into the category of 'it's all about me' more specifically 'it is all about me and mine'.  My main reason for becoming a teacher is that I am married to one and have two children that are of school age and one that will soon become a student.  I believe it would make my life a lot easier if we were on a schedule that is at worst similar and at best the exact same: same days off, same vacation time frame, etc.  The next thing I must admit is that my children's education comes first and foremost in my decisions to become a teacher.  By my returning to work as a teacher (I have been a stay at home mom for a number of years now), I will be able to, hopefully, get a job at the private school I would prefer my children to attend and thus will be able to get a discount on tuition.  I must admit to having feelings of selfishness as I write this. 

Knowing myself and my tendencies where children are involved, though it began as 'all about me', I have no doubt that once I have students in front of me with faces and names it will quickly become 'all about the kids'.  I have the tendency to fall in love with children and have had that tendency since I was 12.  That is the reason I could not work in the social work field.  I tried to work at a crisis shelter for children and my heart broke daily-sometimes hourly.  I would want to take all the children that were my clients home with me.  I have no doubt that I will have a vested interest in each child as if they were my own.  Funny thing is that they will become 'mine' and thus still fall into the previous category.  I want the world for my children and the children that will momentarily be mine.  That they would love to learn, and be able to hope in the future, and will see that if they work hard and make good choices that they can have the future that is promising and perfectly designed for them and thus be successful. 

As I look at impact on society, I must admit that it is not my desire to impact society as a whole.  I would rather focus on the impact I might have on each individual child that graces my classroom.  However, I do know that by impacting my students I could and would have an impact on society.  So, from a societal view, what would I want to instill in the students that I have had the opportunity to claim for a short period of time?  That they would become productive citizens of society, and that they will take an active role in their rights as citizens in a democratic society.

I can only hope and pray that as I proceed on becoming a teacher and with each successive year in my career, I will be able to further develop the impact I want to have on each of my students and that impact will be one of positive hope for the future.

Philog #9 - 3rd Grade Blog

Hello All-
I have found a blog that not only should be useful but entertaining.  I want to teach 3rd grade and found
http://oneextradegree.blogspot.com/ as a resource.  This teacher (Amanda) is very into literacy and creating fun and interesting ways to expand her student's literacy skills.  As we all know, literacy is crucial in all levels but how to teach it and foster a love of reading with students is paramount in the early grades.  I have not read all of her blogs but anticipate reviewing them to see what I can implement and use in my classroom.  I am also looking for another blog to follow that might incorporate a more complete picture of a classroom.  I have found that many of the blogs out there give practical advice and implementation techniques and others are almost used as parental involvement.  An interesting way to use technology as a tool to keep in touch with parents.  At any rate, check One Extra Degree out, maybe it will help you out as well. Miriam

What is that ?!?

Hi All- not sure why there is a movie on my blog.  It was not intended nor do I know how it got there... Miriam

Philog #8 Low SES Students

I have found the readings on low SES students to be fascinating.  My mother was poorer than poor.  As one of 13 children, she was often living in abandoned buses in the mountains and also in condemned houses within the South Valley.  The low SES was very real for my mother and I observed things in my mother as she grew up that I can attribute to her poorness as a child.  One example is that she would make sure and have 3 and 4 deep of items in the pantry just to make sure we did not go hungry at any point.  Another example is her affinity to 'commodity' foods.  She has fond memories of the taste of these foods that supplemented her family: things that I would have snubbed my nose at.  She was not a good student and will describe herself as a kid that 'just got thru' school.  As I mentioned in previous philogs she did not want us (her children) to be like her and pushed for us to be excellent students.  I don't recall her ever attributing her success as a student to her income level.  So how would I, as her teacher, address the concerns she might have had?  How would I have overcome her self assessment of not being a 'good' student?  I am not completely sure.  I would assume I would begin by trying to encourage her and show her (thru small successes) she could be a good student and that she could have a future beyond what was presenting itself at the moment.  I am not sure if a teacher did that for her or if she even thought beyond her current circumstances to become a wife and mother. 

Ultimately I think that having a teacher that believes and fights for her students can cause a student to think beyond today and begin to dream regardless if it is low SES, race, gender, culture, etc. that might hold them back.  And one that encourages her students to take advantage of each opportunity that comes along is a start.  I don't believe that addressing the differences is a good choice since lower SES students notice that anyway (unless a student approaches the teacher for help).  Why call attention to something the student lives and breathes?  I have spoken in depth to my sister-in-law who worked at Polk Middle School for several years.  Polk is a school that is Title I but also had periods of time being 100% reduced/free lunch.  During her time at Polk she was the ESL teacher (at least 2 years) and also taught mainstream math classes.  When I asked her how she 'bridged the gap' she said she didn't focus on it.  She taught each student to the best of her ability.  If she noticed that a student was missing supplies, she privately pulled the student aside and asked what the problem might be or if she could help in any way.  She often gave supplies away or found other ways for her students to get supplies needed.  Food was not an issue since the students got free breakfast and lunch.  She did caution, however, about homework and technology requirements and did have a flexible policy on make up work since she knew many of her students were required to look after siblings once they were at home while parents worked double shifts or more than one job.  I believe her tactics might change if she were in Elementary school since students at that level might not verbalize needs as one in middle school might.  By the way, my sister-in-law was also raised in the lower SES and believes any student can overcome being poor as a child.

Overall, I believe that awareness is the key to low SES as with many of the other topics we have discussed in class.  Once you have awareness, being willing to assist when needed is where you can begin to impact your students.  Though I did found myself agreeing with Payne and then agreeing with Gorski as I read each of their works it is understanding the individual student and his/her needs that I feel needs the focus.   That being said, I think I might try to avoid a lot of homework, if I had assignments that involved technology, I will allot class time for completion of those assignments and have a flexible make up policy with work or be available for additional instruction time to accommodate students who have to remain at home to take care of siblings.  I also think I need to become an expert (if you will) on programs that are available for students of low SES background.  I am sure there are many more ways I can help and I assume, once I am in a classroom, I will discover them. 

Philosophy of Education 1st Draft

Hello Ladies!
I am thankful to have each of you look at my POE.  I was writing and am feeling uncertain about my 1st draft.  I am struggling with having to include references to something that is supposed to be personal and a living, breathing document that will assist me in my career.  Please give me as much feedback as you feel necessary.  THANKS!!!! Miriam

Philosophy of Education

Miriam Copeland

July 5, 2011

EDUC 2250 – Foundations in Learning

Education was always priority in my home growing up.  We were expected to learn and do well in school.  My parents were always there to push, prod and help whenever needed; even when the information being taught was beyond their abilities.  I was taught to value an individual based on their merits and decisions they chose to make and not by their skin color or ethnicity.  I believe that every person has value and therefore has something to offer.  Every student has the right to receive a good quality education regardless of race, color, gender, ethnicity, location, and socioeconomic status.  A good education is one that prepares them for their future, regardless of what that future might be.  Based on the way I was socialized, I believe that students in my classroom will be impacted in a positive way that is conducive to learning.  Though I have high expectations and values, due to believing in the worth of each individual, my students will benefit.  My desire is to be a teacher that positively impacts all the children in my classroom, ones that are similar to me personally and those that are not, and to challenge every student academically, both those who struggle and for those to whom learning comes easy.

            Teaching is a very important role in society.  Teachers are adults that have direct connection and impact on the next generation.  Though teachers enter the education field to focus on the learning of students, the nature of the job requires a teacher to take on different roles: role models, instructors, friends, authority figures, counselors, and coaches, to only name a few.  A teacher needs to be someone the students can look up to and respect not someone who distracts, leads a student in a negative direction, or potentially harms a child.  A teacher must realize that the life they lead will be one similar to a fishbowl.  Parents, students, and society will all be looking in to not only ensure proper education but also the well being of children.  My desire is to be an individual to look up to.  One that portrays herself well and causes children to want to be like her: That the way I portray myself to my students causes them to want to learn.  My job is to be my best and give my best to every student I have contact with.  I have high expectations for my students and thus will have high expectations for myself- both personally and professionally.  Ultimately, I want to impart to each student that we all have choices in life; what decisions we make with those choices and how we implement them will determine our personal future and our academic future. 

            My goals as a teacher will be to expand student knowledge and assist them in achieving their greatest potential and to prepare the next generation for a future that can be applicable on a local, national and global scale, regardless of what that future the student may choose.   To achieve success I first need to look at my students and then look at teaching methods, parental involvement, and professional collaboration. 

In New Mexico the needs and cultures of each student will be very broad.  The state of New Mexico is extremely diverse and is overall considered poor.  My students will be impacted by their culture, race and socioeconomic status.  New Mexico incorporates Native American populations, Hispanic and Latino populations, Asian, African American, and Anglo populations.  This diversity requires a teacher to be willing to understand and work with each of these groups without causing the others to feel neglected.   By understanding different cultures (making the effort to know basic information and differences that are important to each culture -such as eye contact, focusing on self achievement, etc.) and culturally responsive teaching a teacher can ensure the classroom is a place where the conduits of cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students allow for teaching more effectively (Gay, 2002).  Along with understanding students’ culture, a teacher needs to understand the child’s home life.  If a student is from a family where basic necessities are not always provided (food, clothing, shelter) their focus on education will not always be the priority.  Understanding a student’s beginnings can be challenging to overcome and will ultimately assist a teacher in meeting the overall learning needs of the classroom.  It is also important to gaining the cooperation of parents.  I believe that most parents want what is best for their child and to see their child succeed.  I plan on having portfolios of my students and will strive for parent contact of all children not just those that are in trouble or in need of extra assistance.  This will allow parents to be more involved in their child’s school process and allow them to see their child’s progress.   

            It seems that today many students have been passed to the next grade even though they are missing the essential building blocks of learning.  In order for a student to have a successful academic career, these building blocks must be learned so they can be built upon in subsequent grades.  As an elementary school teacher, that responsibility belongs to me.  A classroom atmosphere is to be inviting and not distracting so a student has the best opportunity to learn.  Students need to feel comfortable, respected and appreciated in the classroom.  I intend to focus on each child, meet them where they are at (personally and academically), and understand their personal background.  These factors will assist me in understanding the way a student will learn and what might be affecting that learning process.  At that point, teaching the basic tenets of learning and keeping the information interesting is the challenge and will be addressed in methods used in the classroom.

            The methods I will use in my classroom will be a blend of traditional and constructivist methods with an integrated curriculum.  By beginning with high (but realistic) expectations, the stage for success will be set.  Snowman et al. (2009) indicates that a teacher’s expectations can propel a student to success but the effects can have both a negative and positive outcome (page 154).  In New Mexico, state standards are given and will guide what information is presented and taught at each grade level.  On way I intend to give the students the expectations is by presenting the actual standard(s) to the student.  Once a student knows the standard the focus will then shift from peer comparison to student-standard evaluation.  In order to teach these standards, I intend to provide students with different activities that will capture many different learning styles (worksheets, small group instruction, individual practice, group response practice, guided practice, etc.) and also integrating technology through the use of computers.  In order to provide students with small successes and build up their knowledge and self-esteem, I will present information in a variety of ways and thus target different learning styles and allow the students to succeed scholastically and personally and ultimately propel them to success.  I find it to be important to have students experience what they are learning and incorporate real life examples of the information thus incorporating constructivist methods.  Providing hands-on activities and experiments that supplement the information allows a student to have a greater chance of grasping the concept being taught through the textbooks and lectures.  Integrating curriculum is an effective way to keep learning interesting and incorporate standards across subject areas.  It also enables students to see the big picture, to understand the topic’s relevance and real-life context, and to engage in higher-order thinking skills (Drake, 2001).

            A final way for my goals to be reached will be through professional collaboration.  I feel that in order to succeed, I need to rely and draw from the experiences of those who have gone before me.  By noting the successful methods, the teaching styles and classroom set up, I can try many different ways to see what will work for me and my students.  Along the same lines, through critically reflective practice, I will asses what works best for me and my students.  Teaching is both a science and an art.  Though I will have the knowledge to teach to my students, the art portion can be tested and tried by observing other teachers and being flexible in my own classroom. 

            Through the methods mentioned, soliciting parental involvement by keeping them informed, recognizing the need for diversity and implementing culturally responsive teaching, teaching the standards through an integrated curriculum, students’ knowledge will be expanded, they will reach their greatest potential personally, and will be prepared for their future.

References

Drake, S. M. (2001). Castles, Kings...and Standards. Educational Leadership, 59(1), 38. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Guskey, T. R. (2001).  Helping Standards Make the GRADE. Educational Leadership, 59(1), 20. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Jung, L., & Guskey, T. R. (2007). Standards-Based Grading and Reporting. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(2), 48-53. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Snowman, J., & McCown, R., & Biehler, R. (2009). Psychology Applied to Teaching. Boston, MA:  Houghton Mifflin Company.