What are some of the effects of hidden curriculum?
Hidden curriculum is not defined by the state or school districts. It is what students learn simply because they participate in the school system. Hidden curriculum can be both positive and negative. Hidden curriculum is different in every state, every school, and every classroom. Some hidden curriculum is taught more purposefully while some teachers teach it without realizing they are doing it.
Hidden curriculum largely includes many social skills both good and bad. Students and learn to share, be a good public speaker, communication skills, and responsibility. These skills are just are important to the student as the explicit curriculum. For without these the student cannot be successful.
Other aspects of hidden curriculum can be detrimental to our students. School buildings that are falling apart, teachers that are disengaged, outdated supplies, and more send a clear message to students that they aren't of value. As teachers we must be very careful of the subliminal messages we send to our students.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
3/3/09 continued
What inequities can occur because of a disability label?
When students are labeled a certain term because of their disability it is very confining. They can't escape the label, people dont see much past that. It is especially bad when the label comes before the child. For instance, that "ADHD student" versus "a student that has ADHD." When we put labels before our students we are saying that their disability defines who they are. I don't think this should be how we look at our students.
When students are labeled with a disability they get thrown into the special education program and usually don't get back out. This is not to say that special education is bad or undesirable, but that students aren't included with the general education.
Labeling can be helpful in telling teachers how to accomodate for certain disabilities. We as teachers should know what our students are up against. It is up to us to use labels appropriately.
When students are labeled a certain term because of their disability it is very confining. They can't escape the label, people dont see much past that. It is especially bad when the label comes before the child. For instance, that "ADHD student" versus "a student that has ADHD." When we put labels before our students we are saying that their disability defines who they are. I don't think this should be how we look at our students.
When students are labeled with a disability they get thrown into the special education program and usually don't get back out. This is not to say that special education is bad or undesirable, but that students aren't included with the general education.
Labeling can be helpful in telling teachers how to accomodate for certain disabilities. We as teachers should know what our students are up against. It is up to us to use labels appropriately.
3/3/09
Is multicultural education as important for members of the dominant group as it is for minority and underprivileged groups?
Multicultural education is important for everyone! In order for multicultural education to be effective it must be MULTI. I think that everyone needs to step outside their comfort zone and come to understand they way other people live and why its important to them. The more we learn about each other the more accomodating we can be. This is very important for teachers, especially when they are dealing with diversified students. We will all encounter future students whose backgrounds differ from our own. As teachers we need to validate our student's individuality and that includes their culture, ethnicity, gender, and race. The dominate culture must come to understand the microcultures of this country in order to relieve some of the oppression they cause to them.
Multicultural education is important for everyone! In order for multicultural education to be effective it must be MULTI. I think that everyone needs to step outside their comfort zone and come to understand they way other people live and why its important to them. The more we learn about each other the more accomodating we can be. This is very important for teachers, especially when they are dealing with diversified students. We will all encounter future students whose backgrounds differ from our own. As teachers we need to validate our student's individuality and that includes their culture, ethnicity, gender, and race. The dominate culture must come to understand the microcultures of this country in order to relieve some of the oppression they cause to them.
3/2/09
What privileges have I had based on my race, ethnicity, gender, and economic status?
I have been learning all about my many privileges in my multicultural class lately. It's called White Privilege. Basically, because I am white I get certain privileges simply, because of my skin color. The number one privilege I have that comes with my race is that I don't have to think about race. That may sound like a wierd comment but it's true. I don't walk into the grocery store and think I'm white or no one else looks like me. But most people of other races do have to think about that and they can't get it out of their minds. White people are also usually given the benefit of the doubt. People typically view whites as honest and are more skeptical of other races.
I have been learning all about my many privileges in my multicultural class lately. It's called White Privilege. Basically, because I am white I get certain privileges simply, because of my skin color. The number one privilege I have that comes with my race is that I don't have to think about race. That may sound like a wierd comment but it's true. I don't walk into the grocery store and think I'm white or no one else looks like me. But most people of other races do have to think about that and they can't get it out of their minds. White people are also usually given the benefit of the doubt. People typically view whites as honest and are more skeptical of other races.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
2-3-09
Explain how the family structure has changed over the past. Include examples from personal experience.
When my grandparents grew up mothers stayed home to raise children. Each family had a mom, dad, and children. Husbands went to work and payed the bills, wives cleaned the house and did laundry. They would spend evenings just sitting on porch swings telling stories to little ones. Divorce was simply unheard of.
When my parents grew up most moms continued to stay home with their children, besides the "radicals" who went to work. Some women even went to college before they got married. A few marriages started to be dissolved, but only once children left the home. Families started to stop having so many children and life starting picking up the pace. Family dinners were mandated when they were young, but as they grew older they sort of dissolved.
Then my parents had me. :) I have lived to see divorce become more steady than marriage. I know of more single parent families than traditional. Gay and lesbian couples have come into being. Children are being raised by grandparents and others. Adoption, Invitro fertilization, surrogate mothers, and other terms have been introduced and continue to popularize. The world has changed its basic unit of society. These changes are sometimes hard to deal with but can broaden our views and ideas.
When my grandparents grew up mothers stayed home to raise children. Each family had a mom, dad, and children. Husbands went to work and payed the bills, wives cleaned the house and did laundry. They would spend evenings just sitting on porch swings telling stories to little ones. Divorce was simply unheard of.
When my parents grew up most moms continued to stay home with their children, besides the "radicals" who went to work. Some women even went to college before they got married. A few marriages started to be dissolved, but only once children left the home. Families started to stop having so many children and life starting picking up the pace. Family dinners were mandated when they were young, but as they grew older they sort of dissolved.
Then my parents had me. :) I have lived to see divorce become more steady than marriage. I know of more single parent families than traditional. Gay and lesbian couples have come into being. Children are being raised by grandparents and others. Adoption, Invitro fertilization, surrogate mothers, and other terms have been introduced and continue to popularize. The world has changed its basic unit of society. These changes are sometimes hard to deal with but can broaden our views and ideas.
Monday, January 26, 2009
1-27-09
Reflect in your journal on the advantages and disadvantages of standardized testing.
One advantage to standardized testing is that it is easily measured. You can quickly run bubble sheets through a scanner and now most tests can be completed online. The results can be determined quickly. With quick feedback, teachers can make necessary adjustments in instruction and lesson planning.
The next advantage of standardized testing is that it keeps expectations high. Teachers who might think that students wont understand or arent capable of learning are forced to teach material that will be on the test to all their students. It requires students to pass a minimal level ensuring that they know enough to become successful.
One disadvantage to standardized testing is that it does not require higher level thinking. It is really only able to assess factual knowledge. What about a student's procedural knowledge? Isn't that important too? It doesnt allow students to give justification for their answers. It is too set in stone.
The next disadvantage to standardized testing is that it is biased. It requires background knowledge that some students may not have. They are also written in English and for some students, English is a second language, making standard tests very difficult. Sometimes tests have more than one right answer and students are just expected to pick the best one. Best in whose eyes?
Another disadvantage to standardized testing is that it is difficult to make accomodations for and it is not authentic. Standardized tests do not engage students, so sometimes students will get answers incorrect because of boredom not because they dont know the answers. Students display what they have learned in many different ways and it is not fair to assess them in a singular way. Students are individuals, who need individualized tests.
One advantage to standardized testing is that it is easily measured. You can quickly run bubble sheets through a scanner and now most tests can be completed online. The results can be determined quickly. With quick feedback, teachers can make necessary adjustments in instruction and lesson planning.
The next advantage of standardized testing is that it keeps expectations high. Teachers who might think that students wont understand or arent capable of learning are forced to teach material that will be on the test to all their students. It requires students to pass a minimal level ensuring that they know enough to become successful.
One disadvantage to standardized testing is that it does not require higher level thinking. It is really only able to assess factual knowledge. What about a student's procedural knowledge? Isn't that important too? It doesnt allow students to give justification for their answers. It is too set in stone.
The next disadvantage to standardized testing is that it is biased. It requires background knowledge that some students may not have. They are also written in English and for some students, English is a second language, making standard tests very difficult. Sometimes tests have more than one right answer and students are just expected to pick the best one. Best in whose eyes?
Another disadvantage to standardized testing is that it is difficult to make accomodations for and it is not authentic. Standardized tests do not engage students, so sometimes students will get answers incorrect because of boredom not because they dont know the answers. Students display what they have learned in many different ways and it is not fair to assess them in a singular way. Students are individuals, who need individualized tests.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
1-22-09
Explore online support sites for teachers. Reflect on their accessibility and helpfulness.
I found out that there is a lot of support groups online. I never realized there would be this type of support for teachers. I think it is great in this day and age because we are always on the go with a laptop. I found http://teachers.net/mentors/ to be a great site because not only did they have ongoing support groups, they also had chat rooms. You could pick any subject in school to chat about or by other themes. I personally feel that sites like these can lead to professional growth. There are plenty of expert teachers willing to share information and tips. Just as we want our classroom to be a learning community, we should also create this type of community within the teaching profession. I think that if more teachers participated in mentor/support groups the turnover rate would not be as high.
I found out that there is a lot of support groups online. I never realized there would be this type of support for teachers. I think it is great in this day and age because we are always on the go with a laptop. I found http://teachers.net/mentors/ to be a great site because not only did they have ongoing support groups, they also had chat rooms. You could pick any subject in school to chat about or by other themes. I personally feel that sites like these can lead to professional growth. There are plenty of expert teachers willing to share information and tips. Just as we want our classroom to be a learning community, we should also create this type of community within the teaching profession. I think that if more teachers participated in mentor/support groups the turnover rate would not be as high.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
01-20-09
Ethics Survey. How accurate were you? What situations did you have questions about?
When I took the ethics survey I was more harsh in delivering consequences than the actual state and district. When I completed the survey, I felt in more than half of the situations the teachers should have their license revoked. One instance we talked about in class, was the teacher who showed an rated R movie. I thought that the teacher should at least be written up, when in real life they usually just end up having a discussion with a supervisor. For some students this could be very traumatic and I feel that parents should have more of a say.
One other scenario included a teacher sending inappropriate emails from his home computer to his students. I felt that because he did this, he should be fired and have his license taken, but because he did this from a home computer it could just be flagged or written up. To me, what you do makes you who you are; whether it is at home or work.
The rule of thumb is: if it is a felony you can plan on license being revoked, misdemeanors are usually flagged or written up, anything else is generally just discussed with a supervisor.
JUST BE ETHICAL!
When I took the ethics survey I was more harsh in delivering consequences than the actual state and district. When I completed the survey, I felt in more than half of the situations the teachers should have their license revoked. One instance we talked about in class, was the teacher who showed an rated R movie. I thought that the teacher should at least be written up, when in real life they usually just end up having a discussion with a supervisor. For some students this could be very traumatic and I feel that parents should have more of a say.
One other scenario included a teacher sending inappropriate emails from his home computer to his students. I felt that because he did this, he should be fired and have his license taken, but because he did this from a home computer it could just be flagged or written up. To me, what you do makes you who you are; whether it is at home or work.
The rule of thumb is: if it is a felony you can plan on license being revoked, misdemeanors are usually flagged or written up, anything else is generally just discussed with a supervisor.
JUST BE ETHICAL!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
01-15-09
Determine and reflect on your philosophical beliefs by taking the Philosophical Survey. Reflect on the survey's validity.
I took the philosophical survey and scored high in Progressivism and Existentialism. After reading the brief explanation of both philosophies I decided that the survey was accurate. The reason for this is that I have taken multiple surveys regarding educational philosophy and most often I score highest in Progressivism.
Progressivists believe that the student is more important that content material. I agree with this because unless you understand the student you cannot tailor the curriculum for maximum learning. They also believe that students should reflect on their experiences. I think this is essential for learning, because most often we learn from the mistakes we have made. Thus, it is very important for students and teachers to reflect on prior experiences. Progressivists also say that change and new ideas are important, this is true. How can things get better unless change occurs?
Existentialism is the philosophy that stresses the individual and emotional commitment to living authentically. I am an Existentialist in part, because I feel that students need to make decisions and choices. This will help them to define who they are. Finding out who you are leads you to finding out where you want to go in life. When students accomplish this they can reach their goals and better contribute to society.
Overall my educational philosophy is formed by taking parts of all different philosophies. Curriculum and academics are important, but what is more important are the students themselves.
I took the philosophical survey and scored high in Progressivism and Existentialism. After reading the brief explanation of both philosophies I decided that the survey was accurate. The reason for this is that I have taken multiple surveys regarding educational philosophy and most often I score highest in Progressivism.
Progressivists believe that the student is more important that content material. I agree with this because unless you understand the student you cannot tailor the curriculum for maximum learning. They also believe that students should reflect on their experiences. I think this is essential for learning, because most often we learn from the mistakes we have made. Thus, it is very important for students and teachers to reflect on prior experiences. Progressivists also say that change and new ideas are important, this is true. How can things get better unless change occurs?
Existentialism is the philosophy that stresses the individual and emotional commitment to living authentically. I am an Existentialist in part, because I feel that students need to make decisions and choices. This will help them to define who they are. Finding out who you are leads you to finding out where you want to go in life. When students accomplish this they can reach their goals and better contribute to society.
Overall my educational philosophy is formed by taking parts of all different philosophies. Curriculum and academics are important, but what is more important are the students themselves.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
01-13-09
Write reflectively on some aspect of teaching and learning that you have recently experienced.
As I read the first chapter of Because Teaching Matters, I thought a lot about my field experience from my first semester in the teaching program. My partner and I spent 3 weeks in a 4th grade classroom teaching about mountain men. This was part of their social studies curriculum. However, the amount of material and instruction given in the state core standard came out to about 3 sentences. I was very nervous to spend 3 weeks teaching about mountain men, when the state curriculum provided me with only 3 sentences of information. I learned first hand about commitment #2: Using the Curriculum Responsibly. We had to research and learn all about mountain men. Then we had to decide what we wanted to focus on. We also had to create challenging lessons that engaged the students. This turned out to be very demanding. Who knew all that work could result from 3 short sentences of the state curriculum? It is true that you will be provided with the "ingredients" for teaching but it is up to you to create the "recipe". From my short field experience I did learn that teaching does require many commitments and none of which you can do half-heartily.
As I read the first chapter of Because Teaching Matters, I thought a lot about my field experience from my first semester in the teaching program. My partner and I spent 3 weeks in a 4th grade classroom teaching about mountain men. This was part of their social studies curriculum. However, the amount of material and instruction given in the state core standard came out to about 3 sentences. I was very nervous to spend 3 weeks teaching about mountain men, when the state curriculum provided me with only 3 sentences of information. I learned first hand about commitment #2: Using the Curriculum Responsibly. We had to research and learn all about mountain men. Then we had to decide what we wanted to focus on. We also had to create challenging lessons that engaged the students. This turned out to be very demanding. Who knew all that work could result from 3 short sentences of the state curriculum? It is true that you will be provided with the "ingredients" for teaching but it is up to you to create the "recipe". From my short field experience I did learn that teaching does require many commitments and none of which you can do half-heartily.
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