Sunday, May 8, 2011
Field Experience
Since I didn't have to complete a field experience for this class, I will tell about the past experiences that I had. The most influential experience and closest to my memory that I will write about was my student teaching experience at Hand in Hand Preschool in Princeton, MN. I was a student teaching at this preschool for three months. I really enjoyed my time there. The particular setting was inclusive and there was a wide range of disabilities. While I was there I spent a lot of time teaching and getting observed. I had complete control of lesson plans and the classroom, along with my cooperating teacher. Over the period of three months I was able to get to know the children and what it felt like to really be a teacher. I attended meetings with my cooperating teacher, such as conferences and meetings discussing the children's disabilities and how they were responding in the classroom. I spent a lot of time working with children with disabilities, varying from ADD to severe Autism. This was very eye opening for me and at some points it was very emotional. I was able to really grow and learn a lot of techniques from my teacher. I really valued my time there and it made me really look forward to becoming a teacher and having a classroom of my own!
Letter to the Editor- Changing Education Today
To whom it may concern:
I believe the current education system really needs some transformation. After many classes at St. Cloud State University I have learned a lot about our current education system and that of many other countries, it is amazing to me that we don't spend the money, time, and resources on our teachers. Our teachers deserve quality training that continues after our teachers receive their diplomas from various universities. Also, districts must realize that new teachers are a great asset to schools. They come to schools with fresh ideas and a lot of motivation. The rule that teachers that are last in and first out is absolutely ridiculous. These are the quality teachers that our students need today! I also believe that funding needs to be equally spread among school districts. It has been proven that districts with higher funds for education have a much higher success rate of their students. In turn, school districts without these funds have high failure and drop out rates. Today, we need to realize that these kids are our future leaders and deserve a great education.
Melissa Hickerson
I believe the current education system really needs some transformation. After many classes at St. Cloud State University I have learned a lot about our current education system and that of many other countries, it is amazing to me that we don't spend the money, time, and resources on our teachers. Our teachers deserve quality training that continues after our teachers receive their diplomas from various universities. Also, districts must realize that new teachers are a great asset to schools. They come to schools with fresh ideas and a lot of motivation. The rule that teachers that are last in and first out is absolutely ridiculous. These are the quality teachers that our students need today! I also believe that funding needs to be equally spread among school districts. It has been proven that districts with higher funds for education have a much higher success rate of their students. In turn, school districts without these funds have high failure and drop out rates. Today, we need to realize that these kids are our future leaders and deserve a great education.
Melissa Hickerson
Philosophy of Education
My emerging beliefs regarding education are recently developed but are still very important to me. I feel that working with children is one of the hardest jobs I have assisted in and observed. It’s not something you can practice before you begin, but more of perfecting along the way. You can be told and told what to do from experienced educators but you never know until you are in the situation. Children with special needs have a large imprint in schools today and it is only growing. Another constant concern regarding education is the parent involvement, and how the parents interact with their child’s school. Many children are dealt with problems with family issues and support at home and that is why SES plays a major role in education. Also, classroom management and the role of the teacher play a very crucial role in Education.
I enjoy working with children and believe it to be one of the most challenging jobs in the market. Right now, especially there is such a diverse population of children in schools all over the United States. This tends to create very diverse schools and teachers need to meet the needs of each child individually, which can be very challenging. Working with children can be a very fun and enjoyable time however; it must be taken very seriously. I feel teachers need to find a balance of respect with their students to have success in their classroom, children can’t learn if they don’t have a leader of the classroom.
Children with special needs are a very vital aspect of education. Special Education is increasing in schools today. I feel it is very important that children with special needs get as much of a normal education as children in traditional classrooms. A good way to achieve this is for special education paraprofessionals to help the child in the classroom versus staying in a special education classroom the entire day. This may help the child in many ways, making them understand they can be in a classroom just as any other child. Some children aren’t exactly classified as special education, but have more of a learning disability, or are delayed. These children may stay in the classroom the entire day and get taken out for extra help throughout the course of the day.
Families play a major role in their child’s education and often determine the child’s attitude and behavior during school. Children spend most of their time at school or at home so it is important they have support and love at the home environment. Children will be successful if there is a parent or guardian at home who is actively involved in their education and can assist in various ways, such as parent-teacher conferences, help with homework, someone to confide in, and a caregiver overall. Children often know if something is wrong at home and it can have a huge affect on their day in school. It is important they have a safe and happy home environment with a guardian that interacts with the child’s education. A good way for parents to be involved is asking questions and offering help or giving advice to the child.
Today, more than ever, schools all over the world are becoming more and more diverse. Teachers are finding themselves with children from very poor communities, an arrangement of ethnic backgrounds, and more ESL students than ever before. ESL and sign language are becoming a necessity in schools of all levels. I feel it would be very difficult for a teacher to incorporate children who do not speak English because of the huge communication barrier and yet trying to make the child fit in. As well as diversity, education today has problems relating to socioeconomic status.
Not only do children come from a variety of backgrounds but also the aspect of SES is emerging quickly. Children from families with low income often struggle in the education scene. These children may not have proper hygiene practices, a good diet or the support they need at home. Children in high poverty schools often display many behavioral, emotional, and cognitive problems. They can struggle with simple tasks such as listening to the teacher read during class or following a simple set of instructions. Not only children from low SES, but sometimes children with “rich” parents may not have enough time for the child and this can have an affect on the child as well. They may not get the proper attention or help with school work because the parents are not involved with their child’s education, spend too much time working or simply think it is the job of the teacher.
I believe that teachers must have a very huge heart and be ready for job that really never ends. I think teachers must enjoy helping others, be extremely caring and very understanding of the many different aspects of teaching. Teachers must be able to adapt and change things such as testing, classroom organization, curriculums, and disabilities that are seen in education today.
Classroom organization is a key to a successful classroom and successful students. I think the environment needs to be welcoming and comfortable. Children need to immediately realize how important and special they are. I also believe that children should be able to express their emotions in the classroom and feel comfortable doing so,
Based on my field experiences for certain classes, I have many ambitions and ideas for motivating students and meeting their individual needs. By personally getting to know each child, their learning styles, and how to personalize their learning experiences, I can hope to make a difference for at least one child in my classroom that will forever change them. I believe for the ages I intend to teach, play is a critical aspect of learning. Through play, children learn to discover everything around them and learn about themselves while doing so. Overall, I hope to be an inspiration to children and become an advocate for them.
I enjoy working with children and believe it to be one of the most challenging jobs in the market. Right now, especially there is such a diverse population of children in schools all over the United States. This tends to create very diverse schools and teachers need to meet the needs of each child individually, which can be very challenging. Working with children can be a very fun and enjoyable time however; it must be taken very seriously. I feel teachers need to find a balance of respect with their students to have success in their classroom, children can’t learn if they don’t have a leader of the classroom.
Children with special needs are a very vital aspect of education. Special Education is increasing in schools today. I feel it is very important that children with special needs get as much of a normal education as children in traditional classrooms. A good way to achieve this is for special education paraprofessionals to help the child in the classroom versus staying in a special education classroom the entire day. This may help the child in many ways, making them understand they can be in a classroom just as any other child. Some children aren’t exactly classified as special education, but have more of a learning disability, or are delayed. These children may stay in the classroom the entire day and get taken out for extra help throughout the course of the day.
Families play a major role in their child’s education and often determine the child’s attitude and behavior during school. Children spend most of their time at school or at home so it is important they have support and love at the home environment. Children will be successful if there is a parent or guardian at home who is actively involved in their education and can assist in various ways, such as parent-teacher conferences, help with homework, someone to confide in, and a caregiver overall. Children often know if something is wrong at home and it can have a huge affect on their day in school. It is important they have a safe and happy home environment with a guardian that interacts with the child’s education. A good way for parents to be involved is asking questions and offering help or giving advice to the child.
Today, more than ever, schools all over the world are becoming more and more diverse. Teachers are finding themselves with children from very poor communities, an arrangement of ethnic backgrounds, and more ESL students than ever before. ESL and sign language are becoming a necessity in schools of all levels. I feel it would be very difficult for a teacher to incorporate children who do not speak English because of the huge communication barrier and yet trying to make the child fit in. As well as diversity, education today has problems relating to socioeconomic status.
Not only do children come from a variety of backgrounds but also the aspect of SES is emerging quickly. Children from families with low income often struggle in the education scene. These children may not have proper hygiene practices, a good diet or the support they need at home. Children in high poverty schools often display many behavioral, emotional, and cognitive problems. They can struggle with simple tasks such as listening to the teacher read during class or following a simple set of instructions. Not only children from low SES, but sometimes children with “rich” parents may not have enough time for the child and this can have an affect on the child as well. They may not get the proper attention or help with school work because the parents are not involved with their child’s education, spend too much time working or simply think it is the job of the teacher.
I believe that teachers must have a very huge heart and be ready for job that really never ends. I think teachers must enjoy helping others, be extremely caring and very understanding of the many different aspects of teaching. Teachers must be able to adapt and change things such as testing, classroom organization, curriculums, and disabilities that are seen in education today.
Classroom organization is a key to a successful classroom and successful students. I think the environment needs to be welcoming and comfortable. Children need to immediately realize how important and special they are. I also believe that children should be able to express their emotions in the classroom and feel comfortable doing so,
Based on my field experiences for certain classes, I have many ambitions and ideas for motivating students and meeting their individual needs. By personally getting to know each child, their learning styles, and how to personalize their learning experiences, I can hope to make a difference for at least one child in my classroom that will forever change them. I believe for the ages I intend to teach, play is a critical aspect of learning. Through play, children learn to discover everything around them and learn about themselves while doing so. Overall, I hope to be an inspiration to children and become an advocate for them.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Supporting future teachers!!!!
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=922093
Finally, some wonderful resources for future teachers! After reading this article I was very happy! The Bush Foundation is pumping 40 million dollars into universities across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, in hopes to revamp their teacher preparation programs. They will use the money to change curriculums and better prepare teachers for the world. They will change the way that student teachers interact with the districts and they will be more selective as to who they choose to become teachers. I definitely agree that this is something that is needed to be done. I hope that teachers will go out into their career and feel confident and excited to begin teaching.
Finally, some wonderful resources for future teachers! After reading this article I was very happy! The Bush Foundation is pumping 40 million dollars into universities across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, in hopes to revamp their teacher preparation programs. They will use the money to change curriculums and better prepare teachers for the world. They will change the way that student teachers interact with the districts and they will be more selective as to who they choose to become teachers. I definitely agree that this is something that is needed to be done. I hope that teachers will go out into their career and feel confident and excited to begin teaching.
International Teaching...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/education/02iht-educSide.html?_r=1&ref=internationaleducation
This article is very interesting and shows a good example of the different teaching techniques across the nation. In Singapore, college students are to make a wiki site. Doing so allows them to grasp the concept of working hard on something, doing research and being the gate keeper of their own education. The students are working hard on their wikis, editing others wikis, and learning what it is really like to start from scratch on such an intense project. I think this professor had a great idea when embarking on this endeavor. The students said they are getting used to such a project but it is a very good thing!
This article is very interesting and shows a good example of the different teaching techniques across the nation. In Singapore, college students are to make a wiki site. Doing so allows them to grasp the concept of working hard on something, doing research and being the gate keeper of their own education. The students are working hard on their wikis, editing others wikis, and learning what it is really like to start from scratch on such an intense project. I think this professor had a great idea when embarking on this endeavor. The students said they are getting used to such a project but it is a very good thing!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
A Teacher's Salary...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/opinion/01eggers.html?_r=1&hp
After reading this article I felt very sad and discouraged. The comparison in the beginning is amazing. How when we don't get results in our military endeavors we don't punish the soldiers or take away their pay. Yet when our students provide low standardized test scores, suddenly our teachers are called "bad teachers" or possibly threatened to have their job taken away. And the statistic that teachers make 14 % less than other professions is very disheartening. Our teachers are even finding extra jobs in the evenings and summers to make ends meet. It's no wonder they are exhausted... But how can we solve this problem? Who knows....This article states that we need to find a way to make this profession very appealing to college graduates. The article compares education statistics from here in the US and in Singapore, Finland, and South Korea. They do things very differently than we do here. They pay their teachers much more, they provide training, and most importantly (I think), they only recruit the very top graduates into this profession. Amazing, it's no wonder the turnover rate is less than 3 percent in each of these countries.
As the article states, we seem to have plenty of money to send a man to the moon, or bail out the banks when they are in trouble. Hopefully someone finds a solution to the issues in Education so our children can get the top-notch education that they deserve.
After reading this article I felt very sad and discouraged. The comparison in the beginning is amazing. How when we don't get results in our military endeavors we don't punish the soldiers or take away their pay. Yet when our students provide low standardized test scores, suddenly our teachers are called "bad teachers" or possibly threatened to have their job taken away. And the statistic that teachers make 14 % less than other professions is very disheartening. Our teachers are even finding extra jobs in the evenings and summers to make ends meet. It's no wonder they are exhausted... But how can we solve this problem? Who knows....This article states that we need to find a way to make this profession very appealing to college graduates. The article compares education statistics from here in the US and in Singapore, Finland, and South Korea. They do things very differently than we do here. They pay their teachers much more, they provide training, and most importantly (I think), they only recruit the very top graduates into this profession. Amazing, it's no wonder the turnover rate is less than 3 percent in each of these countries.
As the article states, we seem to have plenty of money to send a man to the moon, or bail out the banks when they are in trouble. Hopefully someone finds a solution to the issues in Education so our children can get the top-notch education that they deserve.
Early Childhood Education
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/05/01/minn-top-teacher-named-sunday/
Finally!! After 47 years, an Early Childhood Education teacher was named 2011 Teacher of the Year! I could not be more thrilled! Katy Smith has been teaching since 1993. She is an Early Childhood Family Educator in Winona, MN. I was so excited and happy to see that she was named Teacher of the Year. This is really important to Early Childhood Education and like the article states, it really shows how great children will do when they have a great start in their early years!! :)
Finally!! After 47 years, an Early Childhood Education teacher was named 2011 Teacher of the Year! I could not be more thrilled! Katy Smith has been teaching since 1993. She is an Early Childhood Family Educator in Winona, MN. I was so excited and happy to see that she was named Teacher of the Year. This is really important to Early Childhood Education and like the article states, it really shows how great children will do when they have a great start in their early years!! :)
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