Final Educational Blog: Overview

Significance of Social Justice as an Educator


In the article “Teaching for Social Justice”, there was a paragraph that stated: “So what are social justice teachers - those who care about nurturing all children and who are enraged at the prospect of students dying young, going hungry, or living meaningless and despairing lives - to do? How can they go against the grain and use their classrooms to work in the service of their students?”(article) I really had never been faced with the issue of social justice in the classroom. This paragraph made me look at social justice in a different light. It made me want to examine this topic more in depth.

I think it is really important as a teacher to take part in social justice. Teachers need to realize that it is imperative to look at outside issues, things that they may not be dealing with in the class. It is important for students to be educated on social justice issues as well. I believe that trying to promote social justice in the classroom could create some difficulties but it is something that should be done. When I become a teacher I feel that it is important to work with other teachers and administrators to try and figure out away to spread the importance of social justice.

Teachers have to realize that each child is different. They all come from different backgrounds and families. Not all students will have the same needs and a teacher needs to make themselves away of that. Another thing I learned is that not everyone you work with may feel the same way with you and that could create obstacles. It is important to build relationships with parents and people in the community. Social justice is something that can be started in the classroom and can then be carried out into the families and communities.

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/15_02/Just152.shtml

My Personal Model of Education

Purpose of school?

I think one of the most essential things an educator can do it to build the knowledge and self confidence of their students. I also feel strongly that one of the main purposes of schools is to create an environment where the students feel happy and safe. Students should be able to gain a sense of accomplishment and self confidence when they leave school. One of the main purposes of school is to help the students succeed and to prepare for the future. Teachers and the community play a big role in the success of education. My model of education is that teachers are put in a school and a classroom to influence children. I feel a teacher needs to be a good role model, someone for the students to look up to. Someone to provide students with a solid foundation that will help them grow and succeed as they progress in school and in life. Schools create an environment for those students that need a scapegoat from home. Teaching basic academic skills, building student’s self-esteem, promote global understanding and transmit cultural heritage are so important in today’s schools.

*An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life. ~Author Unknown*
http://www.quotegarden.com/education.html

Educational Analogy:

A classroom is like a puzzle. There are all separate pieces and once they are put in the right spots it is complete. In a classroom there are different students with different learning abilities and interests. It takes some organizing and figuring out what works best for each student individually as well as what works best for the classroom. Once it is complete the classroom has become a whole unit, working together to create a successful learning environment.

Educational Issue: Preparation for Standardized Testing

I chose this topic because I think that students are put under so much pressure when it comes to SAT’s and MCAS, along with other standardized testing. I know personally the more pressure put on me to succeed in something, the worse I tend to do. After reading more and more about what teaching is all about I realized how much work and preparation is put on the teachers. Teachers not only have to get through the required curriculum but prepare these students to take standardized tests as well.

Most test experts agree that students who have good test-taking skills do better on standardized tests than do those with poor skills. Teachers can improve their students’ test-taking skills in two important ways. Go over the sections that will be on the test and then give them practice tests. The second way to prepare students is to give off a positive attitude and tell the students to try their best. If you speak positively about the tests the students will have a better outlook on it. Teachers can either make the situation more stressful or help prepare them. I think that teachers need to figure out a way to prepare the students without giving them the stress of the test. Some students don’t do well under pressure, others do fine. You need to look at each individual student and figure out the best approach for them.

“Standardized testing is a subject that many people feel strongly about. Most people either think that it is the best way to assess students’ abilities or it is a stress-invoking nightmare for everyone involved.” This website went on to talk about positive and negative factors of standardized testing. I found some of these very interesting.

Positive Factors

1) Standardized tests helps teachers figure out their students strengths and weakness’. Some people look at this as a way to map out the school year.

2) Standardized testing is a good way to let the students, teachers and parents know how the students are doing academically in comparison to other students in the state and country.

4) “Since all students in a school are taking the same test (with respect to grade level) standardized tests provide an accurate comparison across groups. (For example, this makes it easy to see how boys are performing as compared to girls in a particular school or district.) Over the years great improvements have been made with regards to test bias, which has led to more accurate assessments and comparisons.”

Negative Factors

1) Some teachers feel so much pressure to make sure their students do well on the standardized tests that they end up teaching the test.

2) There are some schools that feel the heat when it comes to raising the scores of these tests that they reduce the time the students have a recess and some school even completely take away recess. By doing this it can affect the children in many different aspects. “It can have negative impact on children’s social, emotional, and academic well-being.”

3) Standardized tests can cause a great deal of stress of both students and teachers. This could eventually lead to negative health issues.

4) “As much as test creators try to do away with testing bias, it may be impossible to rid tests of it altogether. I once tutored a 5th grader who did not know what a recipe was. If a standardized test was to ask questions directed at a recipe, that child would have been at a huge disadvantage because most fifth grade students know and have had at least some experience dealing with recipes, but she did not. There is just no way to know for certain that every child being tested has a fair amount of knowledge going into the test.”

http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/16137.aspx#ixzz0YN2snnVm

Interview Report

I was very curious in finding out more about what qualities students find that create a good or bad teacher. I chose to interview a child in the fifth grade and a teen that is a senior in high school, both girls. I sat down and talked to them about current and previous teachers they had. I told them to think about qualities that they found in both good and bad teachers. I asked them a series of questions that would help me gather enough information.

I will start by talking about the fifth grader. At first she really did not want to say anything bad about any teachers. I told her to look back and really think about one teacher that stood out in her memory. She said her second grade teacher really stood out to her. I asked her to explain why? She explained that “Mrs. Hache was the best teacher. She always had fun activities planned for us. She was really nice and wasn’t too strict.”

I then asked her to explain a bad teacher she has had. She said “I really haven’t had any bad teachers. They have all been very nice.” I explained to her that teachers need to know lots of different information. I asked what she felt teachers should know and what they should be able to do. “I think that teachers should know something about their students. I think it’s nice when a teacher takes the time to get to know me. It makes me feel special.”The fifth grader expressed. I then asked her to create the perfect teacher in her head. She explained that her perfect teacher “Would be kind and not strict. They can have some rules but not a lot. The teacher should also know a little about their students. I also like it when teacher come up with different fun activities for us to do in school. It makes me enjoy being in the classroom.”

I then went on to interview the senior in high school. She has had a little more experience so I was interested to see her responses. I told her to look back and really think about one teacher that stood out in her memory. “I've had a few teachers that were really good, it wasn't so much how educated they were but they actually cared how I was doing in their class and they helped as much as I asked them to. They talked with me until they knew exactly what I needed help with and what the best way for me to learn it was.”

I then asked her to explain a bad teacher she has had. “Yet again, I've had a few bad teachers. One specific teacher, though, was really bad. He was brilliant but didn't have very good personal skills. He'd teach us something like 3 different ways in one class without letting us practice or get to understand each one. If we asked for help and he didn’t understand exactly what we were confused on he'd get frustrated and move on so we were still stuck confused.”

I then asked what she felt teachers should know and what they should be able to do. “To be a good teacher, not only do you need to know exactly what you're talking about before you teach it, but know HOW to teach it in a way that makes sense to the level and age of the students. Try and understand your students as much as you can. The best teachers I’ve had, I could also talk to them about what's going on in my life at the time (without getting too personal). Also, not every single second of class HAS to be teaching, teaching, teaching, once and a while having some small chat (off topic and yet relating to the topic) is highly appreciated.” I found this response to be extremely helpful and along the same likes that I feel about what a teacher should portray.

I then asked her to create the perfect teacher in her head. “Playing practice games about the topic we're learning (example: bingo for vocabulary) with small prizes, like bonus points on a test or a piece of candy, which still works on seniors), and doing interesting in class, group projects. I also like getting up and moving around in class keeps kid's (of any age) attention WAYYYY better than sitting at a desk taking notes and listening to lectures during the whole class.”