Final Reflection

Class Reflection

I gained quite a bit from this class that I can not only apply to my classroom but I also gained a better understanding about what is going on in the field of education. This class truly made me more excited about ways that I can improve my instruction because I was given tools that I can use, as well as examples of excellent schools, teachers, and curriculum ideas. Simply hearing about what BASIS school is doing, inspired me to continue to work in the education field and strive towards learning more about what I can do to become a better teacher.

During the presentations I gained a lot of information that I can apply to my classroom. I really appreciated the examples that the groups gave to the class. I was able to see the concepts in action from many different teaching styles. I would have liked to see more ways that I could apply each of the techniques in my classroom, however, there were multiple ideas that I have already considered introducing to my students, such as a more flexible way of using a Venn diagram.

I really enjoyed the conversation that the class had about innovative ideas. I believe that it is really important that we continue to think about how we can change and improve the educational system. The conversation did frustrate me, however because I feel as if so many of these ideas would be highly productive yet I feel as if I am not able to make such large changes. Even though I feel as if I cannot make these changes at the moment, I feel like if I stay within the educational system I can eventually make the larger changes such as job based educational paths and more rigorous courses for all students.

We discussed many things that I believe are very valuable and the class was a great place to get fantastic ideas as well as inspire me to work towards becoming a better educator. Although the course was focused on education, I appreciated the fact that it was also focused on us as educators. I loved the journal entry where I had to write about something that I had to do alone. This gave me the chance to try something new that was not related to my job or school, which I rarely am able to do. The journal writing also gave me the opportunity to explore how satisfied I am with different aspects of my life. I often do not take my happiness into account when I’m going about my daily business but the journal write forced me to sit down and really think about it.

Overall, I really enjoyed the class and thought the class conversations were quite impressive. I will be taking quite a lot away from this class.

Innovation...

After reading the article I believe that the school system should not be divided into entrepreneurs and non entrepreneurs but instead it should be set up to help students focus on subjects that students would like to focus on. I believe that there should be core subjects that students should study such as math and reading but they should also be able to pick a focus of their remaining minutes in school. For example, they can focus on a science topic like pre-med or they can begin focusing on architecture. I believe that this will give students a taste of real careers early on in their lives. Students should not be forever locked into their topic but instead they should have the opportunity to switch this topic.

We need two school systems

After reading the article, " We Need Two School Systems," I did not know quite what to think. First of all, I understand the mission of mission of creating a school for entrepreneurs but this type of school is definitely not what a majority of people need. I know that America does need innovation but how do we decide who will be the innovators vs. who will be the entrepreneurs? Is it our job in the educational system to decide early in a students' educational career the path they will take? I believe to a certain extent all students should be taught how to be employees and entrepreneurs. As I know from experience, you may have to be an employee before you can truly go after what you really would like to do. So, I believe that a two track system like this would be detrimental to our education system.

What would Make me Happy??

On a scale of 1-10 how happy am I? (7)

On the same scale how unhappy am I? (3)

On the same scale how neutral or checked out am i? (2)

On the same scale How happy would I like to be? (9)

In order to accomplish my intention and heartfelt desire to be happy at a _______. I commit to taking the following actions:

- Going to the gym 4 times a week.

-Setting aside at least 1 hour a day for myself.

- Ending my procrastination streak.

- Working on my friendships (go out with friends, call friends...)

- Devoting time to my boyfriend because he deserves it.

-Putting aside extra money so that I do not have to worry about money all of the time.

- Giving my students more of my attention.

- Spend time reading for pleasure again.

BASIS

I am amazed at the work that the BASIS charter school does on a daily basis. I could only wish for a school environment that demands effort and has high standards for all of their students. I am planning a trip to the BASIS school in Scottsdale. Although I feel as if I could adopt many of their ideals and make my class a more productive environment, I feel as if it needs to be an entire school effort in order to make Davis as successful as BASIS.

I wish it was mandatory for schools to study successful schools and train teachers properly in order to make them effective in the classroom. There are far too many teachers stuck in their old ways and I believe it is time we step out of our comfort zones and make some serious changes to our public school system.

Solitary Hike

This week I decided to take a hike alone after work. I found this hike to be incredibly relaxing and I was able to clear my mind. I used this hike to think about my day at work and walk out the frustrations that I had bottled up inside of me. I found this hike to leave me more positive at the end of it because I did not use it to complain to a friend but instead I created solutions for myself. I plan to hike more often on my own, especially following a difficult day at work. I often forget to give myself time to clear my head but I am now realizing the importance of giving myself alone time.

I am planning more things to do alone in the weeks to come. I am excited to discover how different my experiences are when I do my normal activities alone.

Summary NCLB- Weingarten

Melanie Larson

No Child Left Behind (Summary: Randi Weingarten)

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, believes that No Child Left Behind originally had a mission of creating high standards for U.S. schools, however it unfortunately turned into a focus of high stakes testing and the punishment of those schools who need the most support. NCLB was enacted in order to strengthen the U.S. school system but instead it created a system that did not support actions that would in turn make for a more productive system. Weingarten originally had high hopes for the act; however, it failed to achieve the objectives that it claimed it would. There are a multitude of flaws and no funding to back up the laws’ objectives, Weingarten claims. Any laws that follow No Child Left Behind must do what NCLB intended to do, level the playing field for students who are less fortunate.

NCLB is not only flawed Weingarten states, but it also does not provide schools and teachers with the resources they need in order to close the achievement gap. Since the inaction of NCLB there has been a focus on testing instead of teaching. The tests not only take up valuable learning time but they are also often not aligned to curriculum and force teachers to dumb down their teaching in the classroom. These factors often lead to testing results that do not show how much a student has learned but instead it shows how much students can remember over the course of the year. These tests highlight the issues in the schools but do not help to address the problems.

In order for teachers to help their students to be successful, Weingarten goes on to explain, teachers must have support from all stakeholders. The education of U.S. students is a collaborative effort that needs resources, support, and tools in order for the achievement gap to be closed. Many changes must be made to NCLB in order for the public school system to achieve their objectives.