Class Reflection

Since this is my last blog, I thought I would just reflect about the overall experience of the class. This class has been one of my favorite classes that I have taken at Luther. One reason I can tell this is true is because I hardly ever find myself looking at the clock while sitting in class! The discussions and chosen topics have been relevant and important. I really enjoyed writing papers that gave the students a lot of choice. It was refreshing to be able to write response papers and give opinions about specific issues that matter to the individual. I hope that in the future, I will be teaching at a school that fosters this type of professional dialogue about the philosophy of education and some of the key ideas surrounding education.

The only thing that I think could have improved the class is if somehow there were more students not majoring in education. I really enjoyed hearing the thoughts and opinions of the students who aren't bogged down with all the "politics" and redundancy sometimes felt by students in the education department. This may help take away from the feeling that PCAP U.S. Schools is "just another ed. class". Hopefully students who are not in the education department would not feel intimidated, but that they would speak up and share their opinions. I think it is important to get outside opinions from those who aren't jaded from all the "education talk". This is something that I believe all teachers should be doing more consistently. Although I think it is very important for colleagues to discuss big ideas in education on a regular basis, I also think it would be beneficial for those outside of the profession to be able to bring new clarity and insight to issues. Sometimes it is necessary to step back and do things differently. We have discussed some big issues in education throughout the semester in PCAP and it has inspired me and made me more excited to get into the classrooms and start making a difference. Hopefully in the years to come, young educators will be able to help reform our current education system in the U.S. and bring fresh ideas and the enthusiasm that is necessary for big changes.

Community Change

The second group that read "Dumbing Us Down" presented this morning in class. I really enjoyed the presentation and I think it contained the most thought provoking questions raised so far. The group’s basic theme was about the importance of community in all aspects of life. In relation to the education system, they seemed to say that our current educational system is methodically structured by standards and rewards that the students educated in this system are no longer creative and original individuals. The group did a really great job relating the content of the book to our every day lives and the lifestyles that Luther College students live. Although it was a little bit disheartening to think about becoming a teacher in such a ineffective system. I really appreciated the conversation that took place at the end of the period in which the class discussed ways to make a difference. I felt like I left the class feeling like each individual can make a difference. Maria made a really good comment. She said that as we make a change in our own lives and spread the change to our families, the change in communites will begin as relationships and involvement grow. Eventually a greater societal shift can take place. Change can’t come from a new law or adapted standards. Rather, the change first has to start with the individuals and smaller communities.

Dumbing Us Down

I really enjoyed the group presentation this morning, Dumbing Us Down (group 1). The presentation really made me want to read the book. Overall they highlighted some great points from the book. I agree with them that there are a lot of problems in the schools. But some of the issues they highlighted seem to just be a necessary part of running a classroom of 30 plus students all day. For example, the group talked about how we discourage independence and ask kids to just follow instructions and do what they’re told. An example they shared was bathroom passes and transitional times. A lot of these types of things are irrelevant to me and are just management issues that come with running a school with hundreds of children in it at a time. One thing that I did like that they addressed was the reward/punishment system used by lots of teachers. The examples and discussion started with the class was really interesting. Why do so many teachers use these systems like check marks, gold stars, “worm holes in an apple,” etc? I see lots of reasons for not using this reward system because we want to encourage students to learn because they want to learn, not just to please the teacher or get some tangible object as a reward. But what are alternatives? Obviously teachers use these systems as ways to manage classroom behavior most of the time. How can teachers be educated and presented with realistic ways of dealing with these issues in a way that doesn’t inhibit student expression and place value on insignificant things like grades? There is so much criticism of our current school system and so few ways presented to actually deal with it. I enjoy hearing the opinions of actual classroom teachers, rather than administrators and educational philosophers who have never taught full-time in a classroom. I liked the way the group concluded their presentation by telling the class that they should think of 7 realistic things that they could do as a classroom teacher to make a difference. Although it would have been nice to hear their opinions and the opinions for change from the author, I like that they encouraged the class to think of solutions and not just dwell on the fact that we have problems. I am looking forward to the second group presentation on this book.

A Model Citizen

Today in class we talked about what it means to be a model citizen. Brighouse suggested that there are three criteria for defining a good citizen. The first criteria is abiding by the law. The second is political participation to achieve justice. The last component needed to make a good citizen, according to Brighouse, is participating in political endeavors in pursuit of personal interests. We were asked to think of someone that we viewed as a model citizen. I found that there were a lot of people that I could think of that encompassed the qualities the Brighouse deems important for the ideal citizen to posses. But I found that I didn’t actually think of these people as good citizens just because they met those requirements. As discussed and brought up by couple other students, I think there is definitely more involved in defining someone who is a good citizen. Other factors that I think are defining characteristics would be respect for other people and for the environment. I don’t think anyone should refrain from stating their viewpoint in fear of offending someone, but I also think these things can be coined without being overtly offensive. Having respect for others doesn’t mean agreeing with them and never creating controversy, it simply means acknowledging that other valid perspectives exist and presenting your opinions in a way that doesn’t diminish others. I found that it was a lot harder to think of people who meet the expectations of a model citizen as outlined by those five characteristics.

Language and Assimilation

In our group discussion last week we talked a lot about appropriate expectations for minorities who are learning to assimilate into our culture. We specifically talked about what we think should be required for citizenship. It was a little bit conflicted at first, but I think there was mostly agreement when it came to language. We thought that in order to become an American citizen you should be required to speak English proficiently. One of the group members shared a story about a family that had worked for her dad and the family had lived in the U.S. for almost 10 years and the parents still hadn’t learned any English. I am all for doing things to help ease the transition and of course as a future teacher I definitely think it’s important that students don’t abandon their culture. But at the same time, in order to be active and engaged citizens, you have to be able to speak English. No one should feel that they are unwelcome in the United States if they don’t speak English, however in terms of becoming a U.S. citizen I think it is something that should be required. By learning English, you are showing that you are committing to participate and be part of this culture. You can’t say that you truly want to be part of a culture and society and then make few efforts to actually assimilate. If I moved to France I think it would be expected that I learn French in order to really be part of the culture. The reason many students study abroad is to learn a language and really become part of a different society. Why should moving to the United States on the terms of becoming citizens be any different? In relation to schooling, I think working with children is much different than requiring an adult of at least 18 years of age to make a commitment to learn a language. Students who are learning to speak English should never be told that they cannot speak their own language and it should be dealt with in an extremely different manner. Teachers should make sure to foster and encourage students to take pride in their own heritages and cultures. Part of what makes America so great is that it is so many people bringing their backgrounds and beliefs together in order to create a culture unlike any other. But part of being able to contribute is making active steps to be a part of that culture and not simply remaining separate. Taking away the language barrier is a major way to make it possible for people to mix and blend and be part of a society that brings people together.

How do we motivate boys to learn?

In class on Wednesday we spent a lot of time talking about gender equality in school and how schools have become “feminized” and in doing so, males suffer in the classroom. Research has shown that males have been falling behind females in test scores and behavior. What do these results tell us and how can we motivate boys to learn in a school environment? It seems that by getting male teachers involved in the education of young boys and girls is a key factor in getting all students, especially boys, more engaged and active in their learning. We also discussed how it seems to be a cyclical cause and effect. We want to make classrooms a place conducive for male learning, and we think that having men more involved in the teaching process is key. However, how do we get male teachers to get in front of the classroom? There are so many societal stigmas about male teachers and that seems to play a huge role in deterring them to work with children. Stigmas about inappropriate interaction with students are cause for concern for any male looking into a career in education. Moreover, we discussed the pressure that most men feel to be “the provider” in the family and how the relatively low salary of teachers may be another reason that turns men away from education. How can we change these ideas or stereotypes about men and by men? If research proves that having men in the classroom is the most effective way to level the playing field for girls and boys, would it be appropriate to give bonuses to male teachers to get them into classrooms? This doesn’t only apply to gender. It could also apply to teachers of color. How do we entice minorities to get into the classrooms where we need them?

Case Studies

Today in class we had discussions about equality and fairness in schools. We broke into groups and talked about the consequences and values that go into making controversial school decisions. All of the case studies or issues discussed were based on the gifted and talented programs, the connection between academics and after-school activities (sports, music, etc), and/or budget cuts. I really enjoyed the class period because it was very interactive and all students were given a chance to share their opinions about these easily debatable subjects. My group spent a long time contesting the case study in which the star player of the #1 high school football team in the state in a blue-collar Kansas town is at risk for failing a class. In doing so, he would be forced to sit during the conference championships. This seemed to be the most controversial issue for our group because we had to decide what we would do as teachers. Would you let the student play even though he hasn’t been doing the required work for your class? Or would you follow the school policy, make no exceptions, and require him to sit out of the big game? Clearly the conclusions that each group member came to were a result of the things that they valued highly. I found that I seemed to be much more lenient on this issue, while others in the group thought it was appalling that I would even think about allowing that student to play in the big game. However, there was another case study about a student who wants to try-out for the all-state choir concert but was caught drinking. I found that some students were more apt to make exceptions in this situation if they valued this kind of extracurricular activity more than sports. One thing that I think is important to consider when making big decisions is whether you are making decisions based on value judgments, or on personal preferences. Overall, each of these case studies were extremely controversial and it would be a very hard job to be an administrator who is forced to make decisions like this on a regular basis and be held accountable for those choices.