Final Blog

This is my final Blog for this course.  I learned a lot in this course most of which I enjoyed, completing the Blog assignments was not one of them!  I guess I am challenged in the area of computer technology.  I'm not saying I'm computer illiterate but the Blog stressed me out in the beginning.  I'm getting much better and definately see the benefits of doing one!  What I will take with me into my further teaching endeavors is my newly found awareness to the big picture of education.  I no longer focus on my students, my class, my school, I have been made aware of the global issues and what is happening to our education today.  Being aware is the first step, doing something to help change our ways is what is going to matter.  I will present "my case" of what is important in teaching and teach the way or style that I have and that I know is right for children.
The Blogs became fun to look at and view.  I liked getting to know other peoples perspective on things.  I think each of us brings something different to the class.  Some of us are parents, some of us teach or want to teach, some just took the course to fill their schedule but the differences came through too in the responses and choices that each of made in responding on our Blog.  Again, its that reawakening of how we are different but the same.

Child welfare

WHAT IS AMERICA DOING ABOUT OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING ABUSED OR MISTREATED OR JUST PLAIN UNWANTED?
Americas youth are our most important asset and our future is in their hands!  Most of us would believe in this statement.  The problem then is take a look at our children of today, better yet, lets take a look at society and what is important to the majority.  Recently there was an public cry for help to save the zoo's elephants because the zoo was no longer able to afford them.  I am all for saving the animals after all they are living creatures to but there is no public outcry from stopping a child welfare hiring freeze.  The statistics change almost on a daily basis becuase thats how many children that are in our country that are being abused, neglected or just plain unwanted and we fail them.  There have been many attempts to help the social service system but its an uphill battle.  Let's reinstate the White House Children Conference which was derailed by President Reagan in 1980.  We need to focus on our children to save our future.  There is some initiatives out there that are helping such as the american bar association and its commission.  They successfully passed a series of 3 related education resolutions to help the nation secure the right of every child to high quality education.  This is huge because child neglect effects us all.  The school sytems most of the time are not even aware of the child's homelife.  In schools everything should be equal and fair.  It should also be a safe haven for our children.
www.americanbar.org/groups/child_law

Hot Topic: Nutrition in Schools

          Would you vote for legislation to enforce as a "core" subject a Health and Nutrition Class?

"About 1/3 of children in adolescents-25 million kids-are obese or overweight".  America needs to make changes and it's starting within the schools.  Children typically eat 30-50% of their daily food intake at school, given that they are eating breakfast at some schools and the school's "nutrition" or lack therof needs to improve.
President Obama signed into law in December of 2010, "the Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act of 2010".  Michelle Obama leads the campaign "Let's Move" which promotes healthy lifestyles including nutrition and exercise.  Our leaders are aware of chidhood obesity and the health related complications such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. which leads to shorter life expectancies so why aren't we!  We as parent's and teachers need to make that same committment.  In my Kindergarten class, I enforce fruit for snack and all children keep a water bottle(not diposable..we are protecting our earth too)at their desk.  It's a small part but it's a start.  Most children do not drink enough water and I am a huge advocate of water!  Kids learn by doing and by viewing!  We are their role models.  Model the behaviors you want from your children.  If we promote and serve healthy foods in school we are educating children to be healthy!   Health and nutrition should be encouraged and taught in schools.

The US Department of Agriculture is raising the standards for meals served in schools.  They plan on reducing sodium, minimizing saturated fat, establishing calorie maximu and minimum intakes (for the first time!), increase fruits and vegetables, increase whole grains and provide 1% or fat free unflavored milk.  There are challenges with this plan.  A lot of kitchen staff need to be retrained.  Food costs are a concern..why is it that healthy foods typically cost more!

In addition to eating right, exercise is equally important.  Some schools take away recess as a punishment, which always confused me.  Isn't it odd that you would take away recess to those that need it the most(the ones that can't sit still for hours listening to you go on and on and on!!).
I get outraged when I hear about this school or that taking away some of their recess time because they don't have enough time for academics during the day!  Children need to move.  Being healthy is not just about eating right.  We need to move our bodies and get our blood pumping. I would vote for it! 

For more information about the "Lets Move" campaign: http://www.letsmove.gov/
For more information about  School Meal Standards: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/nutrition/
Related article: http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/food/diet-nutrition/2011-01-12-schoollunch/

Learning is like a RAINBOW! It's a beautiful thing to see, full of color, and has no ending!

I was in highschool when my first revelation about education came about. "To reach the destiny of your painted rainbow", was the phrase that stuck with me to this day. There are many factors that influence a child's learning (environment, parent's, teacher's, income, etc.) but always keep your eye on the sky! Look for your rainbow and always aim for your destiny. This was my goal as a student because I was one of those children that overcame all the obstacles of home life and poverty.
I think that a good teacher would be one that takes the time to know her student's and encourages them to be the best they can be. I think the education system failed me in that sense and that is why I feel it is so important to connect with your students first.  Once you make that conncetion it is like adding the colors to the rainbow and when you have that moment when you know a child learned something new, the sky opened up and they found their rainbow! 
It's the interactions and enthusiasm that you bring into your lessons that will make the impact on their learning, not reading from the text book or dictating what you think is important to teach them.  Children should be heard, their opinions do matter.  Take the time to listen to them and you will learn together!
I learned some important points during this course!  The most important to me is that it's okay not to have one philosophy in teaching.  I compare myself to other teachers and always thought something was wrong with me, like I  was missing something becasue I didn't have the same convictions or expressed them so passsionatley! Being a good teacher is like wearing many hats or being a "juggler".  You have to change with society and adapt to the children in your class.  That's what I love about teaching and it keeps me going!
Another point that I will take with me is that Education in America needs to change.  Not one person can change it but if we all feel that something needs to be done, then we each make our little changes and contributions to a better today which will make an impact on tomorrow!
Lastly,  I have always known this was important but it made me stop and think!  Children don't get time to talk in schools. I'm not talking about "talking with their friends", I'm talking about being heard.  I teach Kindergarten and if anyone knows five and six year olds, they love to talk!  Everyone wants a turn, everyone wants to be heard, all are equally important things to be shared.  Teacher's need to listen!  America is in a hurry, always.  Part of learning is listening.  Plan "talking time" if your a clock watcher and need to schedule time!  Looking back at my most memorable moments in teaching they all were related to conversation!

Educational Philosophy: Essentialism

Do you think education can cure all of society's problems?

Some think that education is the cause of society's problems. 

I would like to think that education can certainly help with society's issues. 

"Essentialist's aim to instill student's with the "essentials" of academic knowledge, patriotism, and character development.  This traditional back-to-basics approach is meant to train the mind, promote reasoning and ensure a common culture among all americans."
Then why is the students role: "to listen and learn"?  Would you agree that students could have a lot to say and teach us about society's problems as well as help us as a community to solve some of the problems?
Standard curriculum in essentialism philosophy, emphasizes the traditional American culture which, I do feel is important, but, society changed so does our curriculum need to change too?

www.education.com/teachercenteredphilosophies

Multicultural Education

                 What happens to ethnically diverse students that are "gifted or "talented".
We all are aware of how those who are educationally challenged fall through the cracks but so do the gifted students.  According to Ford (1996) African American, Hispanic American, and Native American gifted students may be under-representation by as much as 50%.  There are probably a dozen reasons for this but most of it comes down to there are very little programs that hep identify gifted students and those tools out there fail for example the standardized testing is proven to be biased.  Students that are ethnically diverse are typically at a disadvantage due to educational, linguistic cultural, environmental, etc. factors that cause disparity in the test performance.

I feel like this is an area that we as educators do not focus on so I wanted to learn more about it.  I am challenged each day in my classroom to teaching 23 children that are 5,6,or 7 years old.  They are all at different levels of learning and it's my job to challenge them and promote their learning.  At the Kindergarten level it's easy to figure out, I think.  When children are bored, they will find something to do and its usually something they shouldn't be doing!  Know your kids.  Challenge them to be all they can be no matter what language, or color skin, or income level, etc.

Why do people choose to teach?

There are a lot of answers to this question but the most common was because we love children and want to help them learn. Teachers mold the future each day in their class. I love to see the excitement you can see on their faces when they figure out something that I taught them. It's rewarding as a teacher to see the student's successes. It's what drives you as a teacher to keep coming back each year. A student's potential and successes make you want to be the best teacher you be. We are certainly not in it for the money!

Sites that I used were: http://712educators.about.com/
http://www.teach.gov/why-teach