Final Blog

When I took this course, I came in thinking that it was just going to be an elective and I will cruise through it. I thought that I wouldn't really taken anything with me because I am not planning on becoming a teacher when I graduate in May. This class really opened my eyes to ways in which teachers could work to make the classroom a more special place for children.

Although I dont plan to become a teacher, I found out who I would want to be as a teacher. I was able to open my eyes to issues that children face in school settings, and with this i have better knowledge of issues that children face daily. Through all the discussions, posts, observations and readings I have gained more knowledge of the education systems and how communities need to come together to create these wonderful education plans.

As i said before even though I took this class as an elective I found that I enjoyed this class and learned alot more in this elective than I have in classes of my major. Online classes to me i thought would be difficult but the learning and set up that went into this class really helped me understand things better. I really enjoyed this class!

Teaching and Presents

So I had a really hard time with this post, I really didnt know where to go with this idea. A metaphor about teaching and learning I found to be difficult to come up with. After reading over others ideas, I began to understand where to go with this idea. Although i'm not exactly sure if this is what connecting this means, but I feel like teaching and learning can be like un-wrapping a present.

You first take the ideas that you have of creating your classroom and the school you want, this would be the entire package the present. You then begin to understand the students in the classroom and the atmosphere in which they would like to create, unveiling their personalities, where you then can begin to teach, this would be UN-doing the tie.

You then begin to understand the dynamics of the students and learn to work with the community and families to create your learning environment. This would be taking the tape off the package. After you have taken the tape off you are now able to fully dive into your teaching, you have created the classroom structure and you are now unfolding your own teaching dynamics setting the tone for the rest of the learning experience. This is taking the wrapping off and unveiling the package.

I think of education as something special and a good teacher and classroom is like being presented with a gift almost. If you are able to create a room in which students feel comfortable and free to learn, you have created a special and safe classroom.

Social Justice

Social Justice is such an important part of educating children, unfortunately many people over look this issue. When I think of social justice many things come to mind, but the one thing that really has stuck out to me is working together as a community to accomplish goals to help educate children. All to often children are deprived of one of the most important things in every ones lives, education. Children who are faced with poverty, have to deal also with the lack of proper education. Children should not be deprived of this very important aspect of life, when looking at articles about social justice I found many parts of schooling that communities ban together.
On the West Side of Chicago a small town banned together to help create a school for students who are from low income homes who have been deprived of this very important part of life. Parents concerned with the thoughts of their children traveling many miles to go to school decided to work together to create a school right in their back yards. With the plans underway they hit a few small snags causing the construction to come to a prompt halt, this did not discourage the parents again they banned together and protested until the schools building picked up again. Communities working together is very important in creating a socially just facility. This is just a small idea of how others working together can make such an important difference in many peoples lives.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080225/doster

Vocational Schooling

Vocational Schooling is an alternative for high school that allows students to work in areas that they are interested in. There are many different areas that students are able to focus on including cosmetology, hair dressing, carpentry, electricians, plumbing, heating, and many other options.

There are many different types of vocational schools around us that focus on different jobs that students are able to work to obtain licenses post graduation. Essex Agriculture is located in the Danvers area that offers the students a chance to work with animals and work in a type of farming/agriculture jobs in many different fields.

I think that this is very important to help get children interested in school, for many students going to high school is seen as socializing and hanging out and something that they would rather not do. But with the option of learning something that really interests you and you may be able to use in the future I think is very important. Getting students actively involved in learning is such a very important part of schooling and this is just another way to get students working together on something that is interesting.

Marie Montessori

Marie Montessori is a woman that deserves accreditation for all the accomplishments that she has made. She created a program that helps children that were deemed as 'defective minds' to learn to read and write. She created different styles of learning to help adjust to children's individual learning styles. She created programs to help children learn different skills that they need not by repeatedly teaching these skills but by creating exercises to go over the skills. She began to create a school that embodied all of the skills that she thought would create an effective learning school. I think that this important to understand her concepts because every child learns differently and she teaches each student skills to help them understand rather than dictating to them repeatedly information that they will not obtain. My view on education is similar to that of Marie, teaching children through different ways is very important to help the children learn the concepts. If a child is not interested in a subject you may be able to get their interest by teaching it in different ways that encourage them to partake in their learning process like Marie has put forth.

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-mont.htm