Sunday, November 28, 2010

Final Blog

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This class has broadened my views about education and made me more aware about the field. I have learned many techniques and philosophies about teaching that I know I will take with me into my future career. I have learned that teachers are much more than they appear. They not only do their job on a daily basis, but they also deal with many other issues that aren't in their job description. Teachers must rid themselves of any former biases and open their minds in order to be successful. They must be willing to accept all types of students and treat them as equals. They are in charge of giving students the tools needed to succeed in life, which is a big task. If they do not do their job with an open heart and mind, then they will fail. Teachers must also be ready to learn whenever an opportunity comes up. If teachers believe they know everything, then they are not going to continue being good at what they do because society is constantly changing and they need to keep themselves up to date with everything that is going on. Not only do teachers need to work with students, but they also must work with parents to keep the children on track. Teachers are pretty much like the students guardians during the school days and are in charge of much more than teaching. They are in charge of keeping the students safe, happy, and engaged.
byemyspace6.jpgI feel that blogging is a good way to get your thoughts out there and receive feedback. This allows you to voice your opinion and see what other people think as well. This is a good way to get new information and learn more about people and subjects you don't know too well or want to know more about. It is also a good way to communicate with others on a more personal level.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Dealing with abused children in the classroom

How does a teacher know if a student is being abused at home and how should they go about addressing the issue?

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Teachers have the special ability to watch students over the year. They get to know the children individually and on a personal level. They understand how the child works, acts, socializes, etc. If a teacher knows their students and does their job, then they should be able to quickly notice any change in the students behavior, especially drastic changes in a short period. Teachers who notice dramatic changes in one of their students must be on their toes and must really pay attention to signs that they child may be being abused mentally or physically outside the classroom. Teachers must also take into consideration the childs home environment. They can learn about the parents/guardians by holding parent-teacher conferences. Some signs teachers should look out for when trying to decide if a child is being abused are:
      • agressive behaviors 
      • sudden drop in grades 
      • lack of motivation 
      • antisocial behaviors
      • signs of depression/anxiety
      • sudden mood swings
      • low self esteem
      • numerous absences
      • Stays at school longer than needed and doesn't want to go home
      • always on edge
      • states they do not like their home/mom/dad etc.
      • and obvious physical signs 
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These factors alone do not necessarily mean a student is being abused, but if they show numerous signs then the teacher must be alert. Children who are being neglected at home look for a sense of belonging somewhere else and the teacher can be this for the student. Teachers can be a sense of safety for a child. They must take advantage of this and try to get the student to open up to them. Abuse is a serious accusation so the teacher must be careful and really watch the student over time. If they believe abuse of any kind is occurring to a child, even if it is not their own student, they have the responsibility to report it  according to the state statutes. Even if the teacher is wrong and the student is not being abused they can not get in trouble because they were just looking out for the best interest of the child. Schools are supposed to be safe and teachers are responsible for looking out for their students, not just educating them. It is not in their job description,but morally I feel it is a necessity because if teachers do not do so and the parents do not care, then who is going to help these children?


Sources:

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Gregory Cajete-- Blog 9

Gregory Cajete

I decided to research Dr. Gregory Cajete. I chose him because I had never heard about him and found he would be interesting to learn about. Dr. Cajete is a Tewa Indian from New Mexico and a Native American educator. He focuses on indigenous culture and science from a Native American perspective. He obtained a bachelors degree in biology and sociology as well as a doctorate in philosophy. His doctorate emphasizes Native American education. He has had the opportunity to lecture at prestigious schools all around the world including countries such as England, Mexico, New Zealand, Italy, Japan, and Russia. He has had many accomplishments in his life. He was the dean of the Center for Research at the Institute of American Indian Arts for 21 years and was also a professor there. He created and ran the National Native American Very Special Arts Festival. He is a director of Native American Studies currently at the University of New Mexico, which is where he received his masters in adult and secondary education from. He also designed a specialized curriculum for Native Americans which focuses on their specific views and way of life.  He has also written and published five books. He seems to be a very influential member in the education society. He has opened up a new type of education that was not really brought about before. He understands what it means to be a Native American and focuses on teaching about their history, thought processes, spirituality, and ways of life. His book “Look to the Mountain” shines light on his ways of teaching and his beliefs. He believes that current culture needs to open up and teach students about their culture and how to connect to it. He uses indigenous ways of teaching rather than the “modern ways”, which includes story-telling, art, and rituals that the Native Americans used. I feel this is great because the Native Americans have such a rich history and deserve to be able to learn about it and become part of their culture. Not all students are the same and this allows them to learn about what is important to them in a way that means something to them.

Resources:

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Social Justice Blog-- Immigration

What is your view on immigration? Do you feel that we need to put a stop to it or should we continue to allow it?

     Social Justice focuses on equality and considering people equal on all levels. The topic I chose to research in this category is Immigration which has become a hot topic in the US today. Many people have different views, both positive and negative, about this issue and I feel that people need to be more educated about this before considering whether it is in fact "good" or "bad." I do not necessarily feel it is either good or bad, but a combination of the two depending on the factors. The US is the third largest country in the world and is continuing to grow rapidly. According to the US Bureau of the Census, one international migrant enters this country every 30 seconds! If this rate continues, soon we will not have enough room to put all of them. California has faced this issue and has been forced to relocate immigrants to other states such as Arkansas and Georgia. 
     Illegal immigrants are causing a lot of issues within our country. They come into the country without consent which means it is commonly done hastily and without much preparation. These people are not screened before they enter the country allowing a much larger opportunity to bring in some sort of foreign disease that we as Americans are not immune to or do not have medication for. One of the biggest ones is Aids and others include tuberculosis and malaria. These last two have not been around for many many years and we are unable to fight them off. 
     Jobs are another issue with immigrants. People feel that immigrants are taking all of our jobs, but there is more to it than that. By 2020 there is a projected need for 10 million new skilled workers. This leaves low level, low paying jobs open without anyone willing to complete them. Immigrants are more than happy to take these jobs. Not only that, but they also create jobs through entrepreneurship, innovations, and purchasing food, homes, cars, etc. 


    We, as teachers, are supposed to be teaching students to accept everyone for who they are, but then we make a huge ruckus about immigrants. I understand that illegal immigrants should not be allowed, but legal immigrants are paying the price as well. They are judged and viewed as low in society because of the reputation the illegal immigrants have set for them. We need to shine light on this topic and educate people about it because many people are naive and believe that no immigrants whatsoever should enter our country, but the truth is we do have a need for them as they are people just like you and I. They should not be labeled because that is not teaching our students to be accepting, that is simply teaching them to be closed-minded and prejudice. 




Resources:
http://www.newsbatch.com/immigration.htm
http://www.cis.org/articles/1998/sacPublicInterest.html
http://www.pbs.org/now/society/immhistory.html

The New Americans, National Research Council, 1997, p. S-5.


Monday, November 1, 2010

Education is like a road trip

 Education Is A Road Trip

I decided to compare education to a long road trip. Time has to be spent planning the destinations and stops along the way. This compares to education in two ways. Teachers spend lots of time planning the curriculum and students have to plan their destinations in life and decide what they want to achieve and go about doing it. They plan their classes based on what they want to be. Then after planning you embark on your journey. The thing is to enjoy your time and soak up as much information as you can at museums, parks, shows, etc. on the way to your destination rather than just hurrying and getting there as fast as you can. In school if you just rush through everything to get through it, your really not helping yourself. You have to enjoy the learning process and make the best of it. In road trips you have time to wonder and reflect and imagine which are essential for children to learn. Also along the way you see new things, meet new people, and learn new facts about the places you stop at. Going to new places broadens your mind and allows you to learn about other places and peoples behaviors etc.
I have learned a lot in this class this semester. But out of everything three points that have stuck with me include:
  1. Finding ways to teach students who are all different and being able to suit their individual needs as well as the rest of the class can be a struggle but is necessary to ensure all students have the same opportunity to succeed.
  2. Teachers go through many licensure procedures, training, testing, and assesments before becoming a teacher. These include competency tests, performance evaluations, student teaching, authentic assessments, and they have to put together a teachers portfolio.But some schools have such a high demand for teachers, and there aren't enough qualified teachers so they hire people who are not fit for the job which takes away from the students learning experience.
  3. Diversity is a large part in schools and teachers need to be able to put away their prior bias opinions and treat every student the same. They can't play favorites, be racist, sexist, and they need to understand how to handle children with disabilities, etc. Many teachers don't realize they take their opinions into the classroom and this can pose problems. To be a good teacher you can't have bias opinions and you need to treat every student as a person regardless of their differences.