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.”

Home Schooling

I chose to talk about Home Schools because I have never met anyone that has been home schooled before. I was curious to do some research and find out the pros and cons. Every parent has the option whether or not to home school their child. Some parents decide to take that route and become the teacher. It has been studied by the U.S. Department of Education that more than one million students in the United States are home schooled. When I heard that number I was shocked. Every state has different regulations for tracking the number of students being home schooled.


Why teach your child at home?
When asked why parents choose to home school their children there were many reasons given. Some of the reasons were giving their child a better education, religion, and avoiding poor school environments.

Advantages of Home Schooling
• Educational Freedom – Many students that are homeschooled are given choices to study subjects they want to learn about. With doing this they can concentrate how when and how long they want to study different subjects.

• Physical Freedom – The physical freedom is a big factor for some parents. They do not have to revolve their lives around school calendars. They can create a family schedule that works for them.

• Emotional Freedom – One advantage home schooled children have is dealing with the typical school bullies and peer pressure. Another advantage is that these kids can dress and think for themselves. They don’t have the constant worry about trying to fit in with the other students.

• Closer Family Relationships – Many parents expressed that by home schooling their children is made the family bond much closer.

Disadvantages of Home Schooling
• Time Restraints – Parents lives are completely turned upside down when they choose to home school their children. It consumes a lot of their time. Planning education activities from day to day can be draining for one person.

• Financial Restraints - For married parents, usually one takes on the full-time job and the other stays home to home school. This can be a big hit to a family’s financial situations.

• Being with your children “24/7” – Making the decision to home school your children means they are around all day long. There is no time off.

• Limited Activities – If a child does not attend a school it has limitations. Your child will not be able to join a school sports team or club. Also school related activities such as dances and events will not be in the cards for them. This can cause friendship restraints.

I personally am not a fan of home schooling. I think parents sometimes want to protect their children from the ups and downs of public schools and sometimes private schools. I strongly believe that a child should be placed in a school environment. Even though there are ups and downs that is how they learn. Children learn to be stronger, stick up for themselves and they learn from their mistakes. They need to be able to experience their youth but attending school events and having a group of friends inside of school.

http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/parenting/29861.html

Enviornmental Justice

“Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across this Nation. It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.“ (epa.gov)

I think that environmental justice is something that should be spread and taught in schools. People need to realize that environmental justice is working to create a better unity in America. I don’t think that it should be a main focus point the curriculum, but I do believe that is something that should be addressed with the students.

The article Obama, Schools, and the Environment raised some very interesting points. “educators have a responsibility not just to the children in our schools and classrooms, but also to the world as a whole.” I believe that is an overstatement. I think that sometimes too much pressure is being put in teachers to get certain issues out to the students. People need to realize that not all the responsibility should be on the teachers, communities and parents should inform their children about certain issues as well. I think the rest of the article went a little over board trying to get the issues across.

I chose these pictures because I think they point out how many people are concerned with this issue. They demonstrated how important it is to get out the message to as many people as possible.

Social Justice in the Classroom

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)

Before reading these articles I really had never been faced with the issue of social justice in the classroom. This paragraph really made me look at it in depth. The other article stated “Rethinking Our Classroom is not about what we cannot do; it’s about what we can do.” The article “Creating Classrooms for equity and Social Justice” explain that it is argues that classroom practice should be critical, anti-racist, experimental, hopeful, academically rigorous, and culturally sensitive. 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. 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.

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi

The educational philosopher I found myself able to relate to is Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. In the late 1700's, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss educational reformer. Instead of dealing with words, he argued that children should learn through activity. He believed that they should be free to pursue their own interests and draw their own conclusions. He placed a special emphasis on spontaneity and self-activity. He believed that children should not be given ready-made answers but should arrive at answers themselves. In order to do this, he felt their own powers of seeing, judging and reasoning should be cultivated, their self-activity encouraged.


Holding that children should study the objects in their natural environment, Pestalozzi developed a so-called "object lesson" that involved exercises in learning form, number, and language. Pupils determined and traced an object's form, counted objects, and named them. Students progressed from these lessons to exercises in drawing, writing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, and reading. Pestalozzi employed the following principles in teaching (viewed as correct even today): (1) begin with the concrete object before introducing abstract concepts; (2) begin with the immediate environment before dealing with what is distant and remote; (3) begin with easy exercises before introducing complex ones; and (4) always proceed gradually, cumulatively, and slowly.

I strongly agree with this theory that children should learn from activity and drawing their own conclusions. I have taken classes where it had been dictated to me what the correct answer is or what the correct way to do an assignment is. I found that I did not learn a lot from these types of assignments, I left wondering “how did they get that answer?”, or “why is that the correct way to do this assignment?” In a couple of my classes growing up my teachers relied on activities to help us gather our own conclusions and we would look examine our conclusions and look at how were drawn. This made class more interesting and gave me a better sense of accomplishment. It can be frustrating at times when you figure something out on your own, but I found those were the classes were I learned the most.  I believe that this should not be the case for every lesson, but I think it is a good idea to do once in a while.

“I wish to wrest education from the outworn order of doddering old teaching hacks as

well as from the new-fangled order of cheap, artificial teaching tricks, and entrust it to the

eternal powers of nature herself, to the light which God has kindled and kept alive in the

hearts of fathers and mothers, to the interests of parents who desire their children grow

up in favour with God and with men.” (Pestalozzi quoted in Silber 1965: 134)

Adaptive Physical Education

I chose to cover the topic of adaptive physical education. I have broken it down into different questions I had in mind and the answer to each question. I feel that so many people look ad think about students with disability in the classroom setting. I thought it would be important to take a look at another atmosphere that the child would be placed in the school that could create a difficult situation and how it would/could be handled. I hope you like it :)

What is meant by the terms "adaptive physical education" and "specially designed physical education"?


The term "adapted" means the process of modifying a program or service delivery to meet the needs of the student. As in other areas of the regular education program, adaptations can be made in the regular physical education program to allow a student to access the general curriculum and to meet academic standards. These adaptations do not require special education and can be provided to any student with or without a disability. Physical education means the development of physical and motor skills. Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction.



When is physical education considered to be special education?

The IEP team may decide the child needs specially designed physical education to address theunique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability. For some children, specially designed physical education may be the only special education service included on the IEP. For other children, specially designed physical education may be included on the child’s IEP in addition to other special education services. The IEP team also considers whether the child needs any other services such as related services or supplementary aids and services.

Must physical education be made available to all children with disabilities?

Yes, if children without disabilities in the same grade receive physical education. Federal regulations implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) state:

1.) Physical education services, specially designed if necessary, must be made available to every child with a disability receiving a free appropriate public education, unless the public agency enrolls children without disabilities and does not provide physical education to children without disabilities in the same grades.

2.) Each child with a disability must be afforded the opportunity to participate in the regular physical education program available to nondisabled children unless the child is enrolled full time in a separate facility or if the child needs specially designed physical education as prescribed in the child’s IEP

3.) If specially designed physical education is prescribed in a child's IEP, the public agency is responsible for the education of that child must provide the services directly or make arrangements for those services to be provided through other public or private programs.

4.) The public agency responsible for the education of a child with a disability who is enrolled in a separate facility must ensure that the child receives appropriate physical education services in compliance with this section.

Are there any circumstances in which a child with a disability may be exempted or excused from physical education participation?

The school should follow the same process it would use to excuse a student who is not disabled from physical education participation.  Exempts from required school attendance any child who is excused by the school board because the child is temporarily not in proper physical or mental condition to attend a school program but who can be expected to return to a school program upon termination or abatement of the illness or condition. The school may request the parent or guardian of the child to obtain a written statement from a licensed physician, dentist, chiropractor, optometrist or psychologist. The school board’s excuse shall be in writing and shall state the time period for which it is valid, not to exceed 30 days.

Must the child with a disability receive the same amount of physical education instruction as the student without a disability?

Yes. The child with a disability should receive the same amount of physical education instruction as a child without a disability, unless it is determined by the IEP team that this is not appropriate for the child and this determination is specified in the IEP. A determination to provide a different amount of physical education instruction must be based on a child’s unique needs, not availability of services.

What qualifications must a teacher possess in order to provide specially designed physical education?

Any licensed physical education teacher may legally teach children with disabilities in regular physical education programs, including adapted and specially designed physical education programs. However, licensure in adaptive physical education is required for physical education teachers whose salaries are funded with state or federal special education dollars.

When physical therapy is provided to a child, could this be used to fulfill the physical education program requirement?

No. Physical therapy is a related service whereas physical education is a component of the educational program that is required for all children.

Must a child need specially designed physical education in order to receive occupational therapy or physical therapy?

No. A child may receive occupational therapy or physical therapy when it is required to assist the child to benefit from any special education described in the child's IEP.

Here are some examples of how adaptive physical education can work and what is needed:

Equipment - Larger/lighter bat, Use of Velcro, Larger goal/target, Mark positions on playing field, Lower goal/target, Scoops for catching, Vary balls (size, weight, color, texture)

Time - Vary the tempo, Slow the activity pace, Lengthen the time, Shorten the time, Provide frequent rest periods

Rules and Cues - Demonstrate/model activity, Partner assisted, Disregard time limits, Oral prompt, More space between students, Eliminate outs/strike-outs, Allow ball to remain stationary, Allow batter to sit in chair, Place student with disability near teacher

Actions - Change locomotion patterns, Modify grasps, Modify body positions, Reduce number of actions, Use different body parts

Importance of Communication

The importance of communication in the classroom is a key part of keeping the class together. The way that a teacher communicates with their students could make or break how the students interact in the classroom. When a teacher communicates effectively with their students many different things can happen: learning can become easier, the class goals are more likely to be made, the teacher and students tend to have a better connection and it creates a positive atmosphere. To create a classroom environment where communication issues are openly recognized and managed in a way that promotes learning.


There are many different strategies that a teacher can use to effectively communicate to their classroom. The first one is to assess and develop your own communication skills and knowledge. By doing this teacher set the tone for the year and students become adapted to the way the school year will be run. Another strategy is to learn more about each student’s communication before the course begins. This way the class runs more smoothly and it deepens the connection the students have with their teacher. Adjust the classroom environment as needed and Establish communication rules and guidelines. These two strategies are key when communicating with a class. Some days the students attention span is not what it normally is and you need to be able to look at the situation and figure out a way to make the class calm down and listen.

Classroom Communication Checklist


Know your students
Don't let silence unnerve you
Be clear
Avoid jargon
Listen carefully
Be sensitive to student behaviour
Create equity in your classroom or laboratory
Use humour appropriately

There are many different components to classroom communication. There is non-verbal communication, lecturing, interaction and the way you deliver yourself and lessons to the classroom. There are a few major things to remember when using non-verbal communication in a class. You need to remember to make eye-contact, have facial expressions, look relaxed and use certain gestures and body movements. When you are lecturing to a class you need to make sure that you are thorough with instructions. You need to make sure that you also remember to summarize what you have just talked about. This will make sure the students are all on the same page, it will also leave room for any questions they may have. When you are interacting with the class you need to make sure that you spread yourself throughout the class. Some teachers spend too much time with one student and not enough with the other. When speaking to the class you need to make sure that you use appropriate volume and speed. You need to make sure that you also emphasize and pronunciation your words correctly.

One thing a teacher said to me was to “talk to the students, don’t talk down to them”. This really made me think. It is very true that if you talk down to students, they are less likely to respect you. After hearing this I looked back at my previous classroom experiences and took note of what teachers I liked and which I didn’t. I noticed that all the teachers I liked talked to us with respect and kindness. I am very grateful for that teacher because he really opened my eyes to a topic I would not have thought about when I become a teacher.

Teen Pregnany

Do you know that one in three teen girls in the United States is estimated to get pregnant at least once before age 20? Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences a young girl can face. It completely changed their entire lives. There are many things teens stress about when finding out they are pregnant. How am I going to finish school? What will my classmates think? How am I going to tell my family? After doing some research I have learned that there are many different resources out there to help pregnant teens. The tools to successfully prevent pregnancy are all there, but many adolescents do not utilize these tools.

In my high school alone there were 32 girls in my grade that had either had a baby or were pregnant by the time I graduated. 10 out of those 32 girls actually graduated. Even though sex education is offered through school, there are still many teens getting pregnant. There are a few choices that teen mothers have to make:



1.) Some teen mothers decide to continue their pregnancy and then choose adoption for their baby. Adoption may be the best choice for the baby and the teen parents. There are many adoption agencies and types of adoption. Some teens are able to meet the parents who wish to adopt the baby.

2.) Many teens decide to keep their babies. Some marry the baby’s father and raise their baby together. Sometimes the baby's grandparents or other family members help raise it so that the teen mother can stay in school and work. But it requires a lot of additional hard work for a teen parent to finish school and get a good job. Children of teen mothers face greater risk of poverty, behavioral problems, poor academic performance, incarceration, and teen pregnancy, so good parenting skills are very important.

3.) Some teen pregnancies end in abortion. Abortions can have complications. There may be emotional consequences, as well: some women say that they feel sad and some use more alcohol or drugs than before. Some states require teens to have their parent's permission to get an abortion. To understand the scope of this situation, consider these numbers: In 2002, there were over 750,000 teen pregnancies in the United States, including over 215,000 teen abortions.

Some teen girls see things in magazines or movies and think that they want what those girls have. Take a look at the movie “Juno” and then all the girls in Glouster, Ma that decided to all get pregnant. There was also Jaime Lynn Spears who had a baby last year. Many girls looked at her and said she is so young “If she can do it, why can’t I”. I feel that there is not much that school can do to help prevent teen pregnancy. I feel that it is more the parents role to explain the consequences of sex than the schools. Students (most) do not take sex education seriously. I think that it should be more than parents responsibility than the schools.

DRESS CODES: Are they really necessary?

I chose the topic of dress codes in schools because I think this has been an ongoing issue. At my old high school it is now a violation of dress code if you wear flip flops. There was a girl that fell down the stairs due to her shoes. The school now feels that it is a hazard to wear flip flops, so they were banned. Most schools have restrictions on how students dress. By doing this they feel that it will keep the focus on academics. But how far is too far?


Are dress codes necessary in schools?

To a certain extent dress codes should be enforced but at the same time students should be allowed to dress in a way that expresses who they are as an individual. People say that students that wear extremely baggy pants and bandanas could be interpreted as members of a gang. People think that girls that dress “X-rated” cause a distraction to other students. Students should dress respectfully in school. They should be allowed to wear what they want, but to a certain extent. Students should be able to express their individuality but in a presentable manor. The picture below demonstrates what is “appropriate dress” and “Inappropriate dress” (www.orecity.k12.or.us/students/policy/dress_code)

 
 

 

 

I remember the fun I used to have going back to school clothes shopping with my mother. It made me a little excited about summer ending and going back to school. I think most kids express themselves by what they wear on a day to day basis. Sometimes students get out of control and that’s when the dress code needs to be enforced. I feel that a dress code makes students resent the school and creates an uptight environment.

 

One arguement for dress codes express' the concern of distractions from academic performance.  Some authorities feel that without dress codes the students become distracted from their studies.  Another concern is the underlying meaning that is being used by clothing.  Such as students wearing a certain thing to signify a gang.  Students wear pants with big pockets to smuggle things into school, such as drugs.  Another arguement for the dress code explains that students should be able to pick out their own clothes and define who they are. People say that just becuase students are told to dress a certain way it doesn't make the gangs and violence go away.  It just hides it.  

 

I personally believe that students should be able to dress as they feel within reason.  I never understod why hats were not alowed in schools?  What good does that do by making students take off their hats once on school property.  I think that students should not be able to dress "X-rated".  For example half-shirts, miniskirts.  I think that is a very degrating appearance.  By allowing students to dress how they are makes us stick out as individuals.

 

 

 

 

http://educationalissues.suite101.com/article.cfm/dress_codes_and_school

http://www.keepschoolssafe.org/school/codes-uniforms-1.htm

Introduction

Hi everyone and welcome to my blog!

My name is Kristen and I am an elementary education major at Salem State College.  I am currently a junior and have hopes of graduating in May of 2011.  I graduated from Waltham High School in 2003.  I was a cheerleader all four years as well as part of the dance program.  I also cheered on an all-star cheerleading team from 1999-2002. 

I attended Framingham State College from 2003-2004 with a major in communications.  I realized it wasn't for me and decided to take a year off.  I then went on to Middlesex Community College where I obtained my associates in Bussiness.  I decided to change my major once again to Elementary Education.  This is my first semester at Salem State. 

In the back of my mind I have always known that I wanted to become a teacher. There were many things that scared me and made me second guess my decision. It is a scary to thought to know that people are putting their children in your hands to make sure they get the best education possible. I think that there are a few reasons that have confirmed my desire to teach. I think it is an amazing thing to teach children and to see their growth and their expressions when they have accomplished a goal. Another is to be able to work in an atmosphere where you can be creative and use your knowledge to help the students, also to make learning fun for them. 

My mother is a teacher and I think she inspired me. She loves her job and she would always talk about kids in her class and what they did for certain lesson. I think she really impacted me and helped me realize that I could be a great teacher. I have been a cheerleading coach for 9 years, worked at preschool summer camps as well as various other camps. I came to love and admire working with children.