Good-bye for now...

I always thought that education and teaching was plain and simple, right up front. After taking this course I have learned that there is so much more under the surface. I have learned that their are different philosophies of teaching and the one that struck me the most was pragmatism. It was not something that surprised me but something I was interested in and something that I wanted to learn more about and take with me. I liked this philosophy because to me it was one that made the most sense to me. Children should seek wisdom, truth, and learn educationally at the same time as they are connecting it with their real lives.

Being able to read my classmates blogs let me understand their thought process better. In classes we always read what the teachers want us to know and we do not exactly get to see different sides and different views of the topic. With these blogs we are able to hear what are classmates are interested in and passionate about. These blogs have also been beneficial for the long run. We are able to use these in the future if we ever need them. We are also able to keep up with them if we want!

Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori is one of the greatest names in education. The concepts of Maria Montessori can be tied back to her faith which she felt very strongly about. According to Montessori, the teacher must always pay attention to their student compared to the child paying attention to the teacher. The child moves at their own pace in an environment controlled to provide means of learning. Imaginative teaching materials are the heart of the process. Each child is self-correcting and this enables the child to make their own mistakes. It is said that if you were to look into a "Montessori Classroom" you would see "controlled chaos". This is said because each child would be working on whatever learning task they chose. When Montessori taught other teachers she would tell them, "When you have solved the problem of controlling the attention of the child, you have solved the entire problem of education." Her thought process of education and teaching are something that I agree with. I love the idea of "each child is self-correcting." I agree with Montessori when this is the idea because it is true that the child will make their own mistakes and then learn from them. Teachers are meant to guide their students not do things for them.

Don't turn a blind eye...

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act states that child abuse and neglect include physical or mentals injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment (1) of a child younger than eighteen years of age (unless state law specifies a younger age), (2) by any person responsible for a child's welfare, (3) under circumstances that harm or threaten a child's health or welfare.

Abuse is something that can happen to anyone. In many cases the abuser might be someone who is not responsible for the child's welfare. In some cases teachers may not want to get involved but what they have to keep in mind, besides the fact that they are legally obligated to say something, is that this child's innocent life is at stake. Not only are they at risk of being injured by their abuser but they may also be harming themselves. Sometimes the teacher might even get themselves in a bind if their accusation ends up being false; in this case, it is better to be wrong than have the case of abuse hanging over your shoulders for the rest of your life.

Participatory, Experiential... Helpful or distracting?

"Traditional classrooms often leave little room for student involvement and initiative. In a "rethought" classroom, concepts need to be experienced firsthand, not just read about or heard about. Whether through projects, role plays, simulations, mock trials, or experiments, students need to be mentally, and often physically, active. Our classrooms also must provoke students to develop their democratic capacities: to question, to challenge, to make real decisions, to collectively solve problems." (Introduction: Creating Classrooms for equity and social Justice, pg. 1)
Coming from first hand experience, I have always been more interested and involved when in the classroom we were able to be hands on. I believe that it all depends on the student and the way they learn. Being a dancer I need to see things and demonstrate with them to grasp an idea or have it actually stick in my system. Having the children participate and experiment in the classroom during learning time also keeps them stimulated, intrigued, involved, and focused if the pace is not too slow. Many children find that they keep themselves more involved in the learning process when they have hands on assignments rather than sitting at a desk and just listening. By sitting and listening they quickly become uninterested. For some other children, they find this method of learning or teaching distracting because they seem to not focus as well. They feel as if there is a lot going on around them and they don't know where to draw their attention.
I feel as if participatory, experiential learning can be helpful or distracting mostly depending on the student and the learning environment.

Out of all philosophies, which seems more attractive?

I seem to be so drawn to Pragmatism. This is because it is closest to "common sense" which is something that children should learn early on especially to succeed in the real world. The goal of pragmatists has been to seek wisdom, or truth, by thinking about the consequences of having particular beliefs and acting on them. The emphasis of individuals to create their own reality is something that is relatable. Pragmatists also believe that children should learn how to make difficult decisions by considering the consequneces their actions might have on others. After reading through about pragmatism I found a quote at the end of the section. It states "Education never ends-it is a process that continues throughout one's lifetime. People are instruments of change, capable of experiencing, experimenting, and testing their beliefs." I was extremely attracted to this quote because this is something I strongly believe in. I believe that you never stop learning. You learn something new everyday and if you're not learning then you're not living. People change everyday and each day we experience new things and experiment. The goal of education, the role of students and teachers, the teaching methods, and subjects studied are all ways that I would go about teaching and believing in.

Education is like a Dance ...

As a dancer and a hands on learner, I have always compared my dancing to my school work. In my lifetime I have learned over 300 pieces of choreography and in school I have learned too many pieces of information to even recall. As a dancer each dance has many, many different steps that at the end of the music all come together to create a piece. I feel like all the information we learn are like dance steps; we have to practice and review all that we learn but at the end of the unit we are tested. Usually when our dances are finished we are able to perform.
Just like education and teaching there is a certain way to teach and learn each step. Teachers of dance must also take the same considerations as teachers in the classroom. Anything that is new needs time to set in and also children learn in different ways. Some pick up the material very quickly while others may need more time, it is a teacher's responsibility in both situations to see what methods work best for their students. Just like my school teachers I spent a good amount of time with my dance teacher and in both cases my teachers new just how to keep me intrigued.
When all the steps and information are practiced and performed perfectly we have a well oiled machine!

Can Inclusion of Regular Students in Special Education Classrooms be Beneficial for Everyone?

The book has talked a ton about inclusion of students with disabilities being included into regular classrooms. From experience, I believe that everyone benefits from regular students being in classrooms with students with disabilities. I worked with children like this for a long time and you can see a change in a student who has come from a classroom, where they have never had a "mentor", to having a "mentor". Not only do the students with disabilities benefit but every "mentor" that has came in closed minded or uneducated come out a new person.
Not only are both parties learning but at my school where each child had a "mentor" to help them got one on one time. We had class time with the teacher and as we worked on assignments, the children had someone right there to help them all the way. They progressed so quickly. One student, from one of my first years in the program, came to our school not speaking a word of English. This student has down-syndrome and was not taught any English, ever. After a year of being in the program, she now speaks English like she has been doing it forever and also continues to speak Spanish which was her native language. I feel so privileged to know this student and to say that I have helped her accomplish getting over a language barrier.
This program of inclusion also makes students aware, understanding, and educated about any type of student with any type of disability. The other benefit is that being able to know children with disabilities is the most rewarding and life-changing of anything I have ever done in my life. No matter what my mood, it was never down around them.
So YES, inclusion of regular students in special education classrooms is beneficial for everyone.

Why might some people oppose bilingual education while others advocate its use?

In the United States today, we have a fast growing, diverse population. A study shows that in three states bilingual education has been taken away in schools in those states. This same study shows that "the three states that passed anti-bilingual education initiatives enroll 43% of the English language learners in the United States." (http://sdkrashen.com/articles/tell_the_truth/all.html) When more than half of a schools enrollment does not speak English, bilingual classes SHOULD and MUST be offered in my opinion. In high schools, it is mandatory that you learn a second language and in most cases you must take at least three years of that language. So, if it is mandatory that English speaking students must learn a second language, why are some school systems making it impossible for students who do not speak English to learn a second language as well?
According to the article, there are two reasons why "we" or the states lost bilingual education; anti-immigrant attitudes and plain ignorance. Many people are ignorant to other cultures and do not understand their lives. At one time bilingual education was acceptable and positive in school environments, that unfortunately, decreased throughout the years. People have mixed feelings about immigrants however I truly believe that most of the people that are negative about bilingual education are depriving children of a better life because they do not like or appreciate these children's parents. School systems are trying to make a better life for the children and the many generations to come after. Being unacceptable to bilingual education also involves being racist. Our country is better than that and I truly believe eyes need to be opened and people should not be ignorant and stubborn. They should also understand that if this were their children they would be very hurt that they had their education being taken away from them.

Should birth control be discussed and provided to students at schools?

One of the biggest controversies that is disputed is whether or not birth control should be distributed to students who ask for it. "Sixty-seven percent support giving contraceptives to students, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll. About as many - 62 percent - said they believe providing birth control reduces the number of teenage pregnancies." (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/01/health/main3439598.shtml) I agree that birth control should be provided to students who want it. I also think that the student should have to have at least a discussion with their parents about what they are considering; somewhat of a mandatory meeting with someone in the school system, the parent, and student. Whether or not the parent agrees, their child is going to do what they want regardless and I can almost say 100% that the parent would rather their child be protected doing something they do not approve of then having sex unprotected. "Parents should be in on it," said Jennifer Johnson, 29, of Excel, Alabama, a homemaker and mother of a school-age child. "Birth control is not saying you can have sex, it's protecting them if they decide to." (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/01/health/main3439598.shtml) This statement is true and very smart. Just because contraceptives are provided at will does not mean "Go and have sex." It is simply giving the student a decision to be smart. It is showing them that abstinence (which seems unrealistic to most students) is not the one and only choice you have to make. It is proven that teen pregnancies have decreased since "those saying sex education and birth control were better for reducing teen pregnancies outnumber people preferring morality and abstinence by a slim 51 percent to 46 percent." I believe that students should have the option to access birth control through their schools because it is only protecting them. By explaining to them the correct ways to use birth control, it will not be taken advantage of but it will definitely help them.

Why Teach?

Why do people choose to teach? Everybody is different and have different motives behind their reasons for teaching. I feel as if each reason strongly depends on your experiences and who you are as a person. As I grew up I discovered more and more that I had a love for children with disabilities. Being able to change someone's life in such a large way is just an incredible feeling.

"I want to teach because students deserve a teacher who really cares about them and wants them to do their best. A lot of people want to teach because of the intrinsic rewards that come with teaching. I want to teach because I love working with students and being a part of their lives. I care about the youth of the world, and I want to help them learn and prosper in any way I can. I also want to teach because I honestly can't see myself doing anything else with my life than teaching." (http://www.helium.com/items/754635-why-do-teachers-want-to-teach)

"7. Autonomy in the Classroom
Once a teacher closes that door each day and begins teaching, they really are the ones who decide what's going to happen. Not many jobs provide an individual with so much room to be creative and autonomous each day. 8. Conducive to Family Life
If you have children, the school calendar will typically allow you to have the same days off as your kids. Further, while you might bring work home with you to grade, you will probably be getting home close to the same time as your children."
(http://712educators.about.com/od/teacherresources/tp/teachergood.htm)

As I researched, I discovered that some people teach to make a difference in the future, touch lives forever, and many teachers teach because they want to be that teacher that really cares. Another article I researched, it was said that most people enjoy being their own boss. Although teachers have people who are above them, they are more or less the boss of their classroom. It is also common that most people become teachers because it works well and makes it possible to become a parent. All of these reasons are valid and logical. One reason I researched was a very important one to me. I love kids and want to have a family of my own and having a job where you have the same days off and the same schedule as your children is extremely lucky.

The picture that I chose is of me and two students in my special needs class. Becoming a teacher and coming in to see these faces everyday just kept me motivated. Whether my day started off on the wrong foot or I was just being a complete grouch, it didn't matter because they made everything better. I was always happier seeing those kids. I have to admit that I would get notes to get out of my classes in high school and go down to that classroom just to get a break from my day (every period :)

About Me!

Hey guys! My name is Ashley and I'm a junior here at Salem. I'm a dance major and just exploring my options by taking some other classes and Education interested me. I don't have a lot of spare time but when I'm not at school or working (2 jobs!) I love attending Celtics games, UNH football games, and just relaxing. I'm overly obsessed with reality tv shows and sports! That's about it! Can't wait to see other blogs :)