"Students at Bat" Article

This article discussed the importance of giving responsibilities back on students. Today, it seems that adults do everything for children at home and in school compared to a couple of decades ago. Because of this "children today have few opportunities to learn about sharing, establishing rules, fairness, and responsibility". Some of the suggestions for teachers include letting students decide how to use their time, choose classroom rules, choose work locations, choose tasks, develop rubrics, implement student-led conferences, and report achievement and behaviors separately.

I thought the article had a lot of great points. Children barely have to think for themselves because adults do everything for them. Giving students the opportunity to be responsible for their work is important, and students will actually want to learn and take responsibility of their work.

No Child Left Behind

The No Child Left Behind law is one of the most controversial educational issues right now. It is something that every teacher is familiar with and I thought the group did a great job presenting the issue from both sides. I enjoyed all of the videos they played, especially the one that interviewed the teachers and principals. I was not aware of all of the specific goals of NCLB, I just new it involves a lot of testing and took money away from schools that did not meet the standards. I learned that to be highly qualified, teachers must have a bachelor's degree, full state certification or licensure, or prove that they know each subject they teach. I was a little disappointed by the fact that health and physical education teachers do not have to be highly qualified to teach because it isn't a core subject. I think it should be included with the other subjects. The group also discussed the goal that by 2013-2014, all students will reach high standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading and mathematics. Some of these goals just don't seem attainable by that date. I think the basic idea of No Child Left Behind is good, but there needs to be something done with this law. It will be interesting to see what is done with the law now that there is a new president.

Philosophy Reflection

My philosophy of education is going to influence my classroom organization because I want students to be the main focus, so there will always be group work, cooperative learning, and presentations where students are teaching other students. I ultimately want students to be motivated to learn about health on their own, but I know that won't happen. I want to have a positive, safe, and comfortable environment for students to learn. Once that is in place, it will be important to relate the topics to students and motivate them to learn. My discipline strategy is very low key. I like the whole idea of body language and I believe it is very powerful. I do not believe in calling students out in front of the entire class, but rather handling the issue one on one. This way it becomes much more personal and students don't have their peers around to encourage them. My philosophy will influence the types of assessment I use because I want to keep the focus on the students, which will include a lot of self and peer evaluations, and also providing the guidelines of an assignment before hand, so students know why they got the grade they got. As I have said, I believe schools should be student-centered and I do not want to be the "sage on the stage" kind of teacher. Teachers do not have to be loud disciplinarians to have control over the classroom. I believe taking the time to really listen to students' opinions and showing them respect will help me be the leader I need to be in the classroom.

Voices Article

The following information comes from the article: The History and Philosophy of Education: Voices of Educational Pioneers by Madonna M. Murphy. Confucius’s Philosophy of Education was to provide all students with an education that would be both practical and moral, and teach them to solve the daily problems of governmental service and bring the best benefits to the people they served. Confucius expected his students to be motivated and active learners who would take the initiative in their learning.

Sappho believed in the education of the whole student and so she gave equal importance to all areas of education. Sappho saw the purpose of education as a finishing school to help these young aristocratic girls develop their social, physical, and emotional potential so as to prepare them for marriage and for taking their place as contributing members of high Greek society. Socrates believed that knowledge could not be transmitted from a teacher to the students, but that students had to discover the knowledge that was within them. Thus, the teacher’s role was to ask the right question so that the students would think about the issue and solve the problem themselves.

Quintilian’s philosophy presented the teachers role as that of an expert who had to take into consideration the developmental level and needs of the students and teach with methods which motivated and stimulated students to learn. In Augustine’s Philosophy, the teacher should take into consideration what his students already know and build on that. The teacher should teach like a father teaches a son, not striving to impart knowledge, but helping the student understand words, signs, and the concepts they represent.

Erasmus recognized the importance of parents teaching children virtues and learning began in early childhood, and preferred a curriculum with a broad general education in all areas worthy of being known. Comenius believed in universal education for all, no matter what their social background, religion, sex, or intellectual ability. He also believed the ultimate aim of education was the religious and moral formation of the child, and that parents are the primary educators.

Rousseau believed that education should be centered on who is taught, rather than what is taught. This was a radical shift where subject matter is no longer the basic element in the educational process, and the teacher is no longer the basic authority figure. I agreed with this philosophy because there is an emphasis on the students, rather than the teacher.

Discipline

Discipline has always been around in schools, but in the past there was an emphasis on physical pain. This type of discipline, also known as corporate punishment, is present in 21 U.S states. Students are given a choice between a paddle or detention, and many schools require a parent's consent before they can use a paddle on the student. The school in the video also required training for teachers to use the paddle. I don't think I could or would want to be responsible for punishing a student using physical pain. That is a parent's responsibility, not the teachers. Some other types of discipline are positive, assertive, and classical. Today the most typical type of discipline in using a “time-out” with detention, suspension, or expulsion. One way to use discipline in the classroom is body language, where teachers position themselves or use eye contact to gain students' attention. I feel this is one of the most effective ways to maintain attention and discipline in the classroom.

Promising Futures

Abstract

The Maine Commission on Secondary Education created the Promising Futures: A Call to Improve Learning for Maine Secondary Students in 1998 to change the direction of Maine high schools. Its core principles promote a safe, respectful, and caring environment; high universal expectations with a variety of learning opportunities; understanding and actions based on assessment data; teacher practice which values and builds upon the contributions and needs of each learner; equitable and democratic practices; and coherence among mission, goals, actions, and outcomes. There are fifteen core practices for learning and teaching, some of which include: every student is respected and valued by adults and by fellow students (1); every teacher tailors learning experiences to the learner’s needs, interests, and future goals (2); and every teacher has sufficient time and resources to learn, to plan, and to confer with individual students, colleagues, and families (11). The document also includes some current practices that high schools should start to phase out, especially those that oppose the core practices. To make these changes a success it will take the participation of educators, parents, students, policy makers and many others.

Reflection

The idea of Promising Futures schools has been needed in Maine high schools because it places an emphasis on learning rather than the scores on a test. One quote I really liked states: “A good teacher is one who makes it O.K. to make mistakes and makes us go back over things you don’t understand, correct it, and learn it…” (25). I agree with many of the core principles and practices mentioned in the document, but I think a lot of them should be expected. I would love to teach at a Promising futures school because it is nothing like a typical high school. Since being published in 1998, I’m surprised that more high schools have not adopted this philosophy.

The 8 Educational Theories

Abstract
The eight educational theories are Essentialism, Behaviorism, Perennialism, Positivism, Progressivism, Humanism, Constructivism, and Reconstructionism. Essentialism is a teacher-centered locus of control which reflects the belief that there is a basic core of knowledge and skills that an educated person must have. The curriculum focuses on subject matter that includes literature, history, foreign language, and religion. Essentialists generally agree about teaching the laws of nature, and the accompanying universal truths of the world. Behaviorism is a psychological and educational theory that holds that one’s behavior is determined by environment rather than heredity, and states that human behavior can be explained as responses to external stimuli. Behaviorists believe that the school environment should be organized and the curriculum based on behavioral objectives. Perennialism is an educational theory that focuses on enduring principles of knowledge; nature, human nature, and the underlying principles of existence are considered constant, undergoing little change. Positivism is a social theory that limits truth and knowledge to what is observable and measurable. It requires schools to develop content standards that represent the best understandings of experts, and students are encouraged to master these understandings and to develop their own skills of observation, classification, and logical analysis. Progressivism is a student-centered locus of control and emphasizes that ideas should be tested by experimentation and that learning is rooted in questions developed by the learner. This theory views the individual as an experiencing, thinking, exploring individual. Humanism is a theory that contends that humans are innately good, that they are born free, but become enslaved by institutions. It seeks ways to enhance the individual development of the students, unlike a group-oriented educational system. Teachers who follow humanistic theory emphasize instruction based on student interests, abilities, and needs. Constructivism is an educational theory that highlights hands-on, activity-based teaching and learning during which students develop their own frames of thought. Constructivist curriculum focuses on the personalized way a learner internalizes, shapes, or transforms information. Reconstructionism is an educational theory that calls on schools to teach people to control institutions and to be organized according to basic democratic ideals.

Reflection

The two educational theories that I feel reflect my views as a teachers would be progressivism and constructivism. Progressivism favors the scientific method of teaching and learning, allows for the beliefs of individuals, and stresses programs of student involvement that help them learn how to think. Constructivism emphasizes the hands-on, activity-based teaching and learning. I think students should be given the opportunity to explore and discover ideas for themselves, and at the same time keep the functions of school in place.

Educational Issue: Classroom Management

The presentation of classroom management covered lesson planning, staying organized, grading, class rules, and ways to set up the classroom. The group presented different lesson templates that teachers can use, and they are all organized in different ways for teachers can use the one that works best for them. Many schools provide an online grading system, rather than a grade book, with a variety of other things a teacher can use. They can add comments, set up a point system, average grades, e-mail parents, and use many other helpful tools. Where the online grading tools are fairly new, as a teacher I would still record grades in a grade book as well, but the online grading can do so much more for teachers. Classroom rules should be short and simple, established early on, and include a zero-tolerance policy so students can feel safe and comfortable. I think students should be involved in creating classroom rules to some degree because they will follow the rules more often if they had a say in what they are. There are many ways to set up a classroom, and I liked the activity where we could design our own classroom on the website. I will probably use a variety of set ups in my class, but I like how teachers are branching out from the rows facing the front of them room.

Chapters 33-38

After loosing the election, Erin found herself feeling alone and in debt. She began speaking out at conferences and events to pay for some bills, but Erin soon found herself traveling all over the country speaking to everyone from businessmen to teachers about her experiences with the Freedom Writers. She never had a script, but she always found a way to connect to the audience. Before one specific event, Erin and her old student Maria met Hank Aaron, and Erin quickly called her father to tell him. Unfortunately her dad died of a heart attack while she was on her way to speak to a group of teachers. In honor of her dad, Erin decided to honor her commitment to the teachers. While all of this was going on, the Freedom Writers movie was also in the works. After searching for awhile Erin finally found someone who would do the story justice and that is exactly what he did. The book ended at the movie premiere in Newport Beach, which is where Erin took her class to see Shindler’s List many years before.

I thought it was exciting that Erin was able to recover from the election by spreading the Freedom Writers story across the country. She touched many people’s lives from all different professions. It was unfortunate that Erin lost her father so young, but at least she was able to realize that she needed the Freedom Writers “family” just as much as they need her. Also, I’m glad that Erin and the Freedom Writers actually had a say in the making of the movie because you never now if a movie will do the book justice. I would have liked to have heard more about what the students were doing, and how Erin helped them succeed.

Four Philosophies of Education

Idealism dates back to ancient Greece and Plato and is considered one of the oldest philosophies. It focuses on the mind, where it is thought that nothing exists or is real except ideas in the minds of people or the mind of God. To the idealist, the purpose of schooling is to promote spiritual and intellectual development. Some methods of instruction for the idealist educator are lecture, discussion, and reflection. Realism dates back to ancient Greece and Aristotle and is also considered one of the oldest philosophies of Western culture. The realist believes the universe is exists whether human mind perceives it or not, and reality is external and can be verified. Realists use a variety of instructional methods including the use of deductive logic, observation, classification, and categorization. According to the realist, a teacher should emphasize and model reasoning, observation, and experimentation. Pragmatism or experimentalism focuses on experience. Those who believe in this philosophy regard reality as an event or process. Some preferred instructional methods for pragmatists are learning by doing, problem solving, experimentation, hands-on activities, and collaborative learning. The teacher should model the most authentic type of knowledge, especially experimental knowledge, and stress the application of the scientific method. Existentialism focuses on personal and subjective existence, where the world of existence, choice, and responsibility is primary. According to existentialists, the purpose of the school is to prepare students to take responsibility for the results of their actions. Some instructional methods include nondirective humanistic values education, and the role of the teacher is to become an example of authenticity for students.

I believe the philosophies that represent me the most are pragmatism and existentialism. I want students to dig deeper and get involved rather than just know or memorize information. I also want to look at the students as individuals, where they are responsible for making decisions. My teaching will probably reflect each philosophy at some points, but I want to bring learning to higher level.

Educational Issue: Tracking

Chrissy and Justin presented the issue of tracking in schools, which is the practice of placing students with others of similar skills or needs. The three types of tracks or "ability groups" that we typically refer to are high, middle, and low. They presented the positive and negative features of tracking and how it affects students. Students are usually surrounded by peers of their own intellectual abilities or talents for every class, which makes the classroom less diverse. They found that there is a high correlation between factors such as race and socioeconomic status and ability level in school. Some suggestions to minimize negative effects and maximize positive effects in a tracked system include minimizing conspicuous nature of labeling students, retain flexibility in terms of groups selection, and monitor student achievement closely. I enjoyed the two videos the group used because they both were great examples of tracking and the affects it has on students. I never really thought of tracking as a type of separation between students. This is probably because in high school I took CP and Honors classes depending on the class, so I was with a variety of people all day.

Chapters 27-33

These chapters of Teach with Your Heart covered the senior year of the Freedom Writers, Erin’s new teaching job at the college, and the class reunion trip to Europe. The students continued on with Erin their senior year and worked on the class diary even more, which ended up being accepted by Doubleday publishing company as The Freedom Writer’s Diary. Erin nominated her classes for the Spirit of Anne Frank award, which they ended up winning and 45 students got to go to New York to accept the award. As the school year ended, Erin still wasn’t welcomed into the school community, so she decided to take a position at the local college rather than continue on at Wilson High. Many of her students went on to college as well. Erin and some of the Freedom Writers planned a trip to Europe to visit Zlata and Anne Frank’s countries. About 50 students ended up going on the trip, which was funded primarily by John Tu once again. Many of the sights were hard on the students because memories were still real for a lot of the Holocaust survivors. It was definitely a learning experience for the students as well as Erin and her family.

I am a little surprised that Erin actually took the job at the college after everything she went through at the high school. It sounds more like she gave up the fight, which is too bad because she could have helped many more students just liked she helped her senior class. It was also had to believe that she was able to pull off the trip to Europe, but after receiving even more of John Tu’s money the trip was planned. I think it was good for the students to experience the lives of others and to be able to relate to the material in the books they read.

A Nation at Risk

Abstract
The report, A Nation at Risk by the National Commission on Excellence in Education, states that the educational foundations “are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people” (p.1). For the first time in history, American students are being outdone and outscored by students in other countries. The Commission suggests a goal for the educational system to develop the talents of everyone: “We must demand the best effort and performance from all students, whether they are gifted or less able, affluent or disadvantaged, whether destined for college, the farm, or industry” (p.7). The first recommendation made by the Commission is to improve education in our Nation includes a specific approach to implementing content known as the Basics as well as the New Basics. The next recommendation makes a few suggestions including: grades should be used to measure academic achievement, colleges and universities should raise admission requirements, standardized tests should be administered at major transition points, and textbooks should be updated to include more rigorous content. The remaining recommendations include time, teaching, leadership and fiscal support. In an attempt to motivate current students, the report advices students to work to their full capacity, so they can create their own future and control their destiny. In their final word, the authors’ state: “It is our willingness to take up the challenge, and our resolve to see it through, that America’s place in the world will be either secured or forfeited” (p.11).


Reflection
I had a lot of mixed feelings about this report. It has been more than 20 years since it was published, so the educational system has obviously changed since then. I think we can now admit that “foreign power” has surpassed our educational performance, Japan is one country that comes to mind. This report made it sound like we were literally at war, and we were all going to die if we didn’t change the educational performance of students now. I don’t understand why it was so important to remain above the performance levels of other countries, we are still strong competitors. The recommendations made by the Commission reminded me of the education system we have in place today. We have standards that students are supposed to meet in each grade level, standardized tests, and the government has tried to have a bigger role in education. One recommendation I definitely agree with is the teaching salary should be increased and be professionally competitive, market-sensitive, and performance based.

Episode 4: 1980-2002

Abstract

This episode covered the most recent years of school from the 1980s to 2002. There were a lot of trends happening in education during this time period. In the early 1980s everything seemed to be going well. We were educating the majority of youth and 85% of students graduated from high school, which was the highest percentage it had ever been. The government tried to blame the poor economy on schools, and the report A Nation at Risk was published. This called for higher standards in schools, which led to standardized testing in all grades. The annual cost for standardized tests was 500 million dollars. The idea of school choice was introduced to try to get students more interested in their education, and schools in Wisconsin tried a voucher program where low income students were able to attend private/non-religious schools at the public schools expense. Charter schools were also introduced during this time as a public school that did not have a superintendent. The government provided more than 80 million dollars to improve charter schools. In 2002, 90% of children were enrolled in public school. After all the experiments with different types of schools, we found that all students need excellence and equality.

Reflection

It is amazing to see how many educational trends and programs were developed in the 1980s and 90s. I think most of these trends were just experiments in an attempt to fix our schools. A Nation at Risk probably scared a lot of people into believing that the educational system was failing, but pushing for higher standards and No Child Left Behind was not the way to address the problem. However, some of the trends like magnet schools seemed to benefit students. I would be interested in looking at school systems in other countries and compare them to those in the U.S.

Chapters 21-26

Erin and her class had a very busy junior year. It started off with the drifting apart of Erin and her husband. She finally saw the toll her career was taking on their relationship, and her husband moved out of their apartment and eventually filed divorce papers. Erin then turned her attention completely to her students. They began a class diary that all students contributed to, and John Tu was generous enough to donate 36 computers to Erin’s class so students could type their diary entries into a book. After watching a documentary about the Freedom Riders, the students came up with a name for themselves, the Freedom Writers. They all wanted to share the Freedom Writers Diary, so the students ambitiously started fundraising for a trip to Washington D.C. to share the story with the Secretary of Education. Once the group returned from the trip a wonderful newspaper article was written about the Freedom Writers, which made their story heard across the country.

I find it unreal that Erin was so caught up in her career that she did not see what was happening to her marriage until now. There must have been signs that she was not paying enough attention to her husband. I thought the class trip to Washington D.C. was a great idea, but like many of the other events it doesn’t seem very realistic. There were almost 200 people on that trip which is a lot to control in a big city. I also think that Erin has been extremely lucky when it comes to her teaching career. She has gotten help from a lot of different people, and now she is going to be with the same class for their senior year.

Episode 1: 1770-1890

Abstract

This episode focused on the beginning of public schools. In the early 1770’s, only towns in New England built schools that students could attend. In 1776, the average lifetime school attendance was 82 days. To make the newly established country more Americanized, British textbooks were replaced by American textbooks; the most popular of these was known as Webster’s Speller, which taught American words and spelling. Thomas Jefferson came up with the idea of providing three years of public school known as elementary school, where those who excelled were allowed to go on to secondary school. Jefferson thought public education was essential for democracy. However, there was no education for slaves and only a few years for women. Horace Mann, who lead the Massachusetts State Senate and served on the board of Education, found that school varied from town to town. He visited over 1,000 schools and wrote about their physical appearance saying that we take more care of our livestock than our schools. African-American schools began to emerge, however they remained segregated well into the 1900’s. There was a law passed abolishing segregation in Massachusetts, which was the first law of its kind. Katherine Beecher stated that it was a “woman’s calling to teach” and as the west expanded, an “army” of women teachers headed to the west.

Reflection
I’ve never actually stopped to think about when and how public schools began. It is obvious that education was very important to the country when we declared our independence, but not many counties had a school system set up. Once schools were established, I was surprised to hear about all of the religious debates. I never realized that public schools followed any one religion in particular, and it is unfortunate that Catholics and others were isolated because of their religion. Watching the history of education helps me understand why the educational system is the way it is today. A lot has happened in schools since the 1700’s, but they are still no where near perfect.

Chapters 15-20

These chapters followed the sophomore year of Erin and her classes. It started with a “Toast for Change”, which was intended for students to start fresh academically, but the students took it even further than that. They wanted to change their lives so they didn’t end up like most of their family and friends in the streets. Erin once again had to purchase books for her class which included Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl. The class could relate to the story because they saw the tragedy of war everyday of their lives. They got so involved with Anne’s story that Darrius came up with the idea of inviting Miep Gies to Long Beach. Luckily Miep was already planning a trip to the area, so the students put together all of the details to have Miep come and speak to the class. The next big project of the year came after the class read Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo. The class wanted to invite Zlata to the U.S., but this time they had so much more work to do and money to raise. They started by donating items to a raffle and Erin came through with getting hotel rooms and meals for Zlata and her family. In the end, everything came together and the students and their families were treated to a five course meal in the ballroom at the hotel with Zlata as the guest speaker.

It is quite upsetting that everyone else in that school has given up on these students, when they clearly have so much potential. I believe Erin has given her students a chance to succeed. In these chapters, the students are so enthusiastic about inviting Miep and Zlata to speak. Miep’s story of hiding Anne Frank and her family hit home for a lot of the students, and I especially liked it when one of the students called her a hero and Miep quickly said in response, “No!...I simply did what I had to do because it was the right thing to do!” I remember many these stories from The Freedom Writer’s Diary and the movie, especially the story about Darrius and his friend playing the “game” of Russian roulette. The only thing that Erin should be a little concerned about is her social life, especially her relationship with her husband, which has been nonexistent for the entire year.

Chapters 10-14

The next few chapters in Teach with Your Heart begin with Erin’s first official year as a teacher at Wilson High. She pleaded with the head of the English department to carry on with the juniors she had, but she was told that first year teachers could never teach senior English. So she was placed with freshmen English classes with all of the “bad” students. She once again had to find a way to connect with all of these students and luckily Manny and Sharaud would check in on her class occasionally and help her connect with the students. Her first accomplishment was finding a connection between Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and her class of diverse students. After reaching out to the students, Erin had her students play the Line Game.

I can’t believe that Erin was treated so poorly from the head of the English department after all the work she did with her first class. I thought it was unfortunate that Manny’s mother was so mad that Erin helped many with his college essay, but she should have gone about it in another way. Once Manny got his acceptance letter, his mother and Erin were proud despite the whole essay thing. I remember when they played the Line Game in the Freedom Writers Diary movie. It was a very moving scene.

Episode 3: 1950-1980

Abstract

This episode reviewed the history of school between the years of 1950-1980. There were many inequalities between race and ethnicity, gender, and students with special needs. Segregation was legal in the 50’s because people believed that as long as facilities were equal that it didn’t matter, but the facilities between black and white schools were anything but equal. After Brown vs. Board of Education was passed, schools began to integrate students in classes, but sports teams, proms, and student governments in the school remained segregated by color. Lyndon Johnson used to be a school teacher and he believed that an equal chance of education is equal chance of life. During his presidency he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which meant that schools may loose federal funding if they refused to integrate schools. After eight years of its implementation, 91% of black students attended integrated schools. The amount of disabled students not enrolled in school totaled 72%. The average amount of years Mexican-Americans spent in school before they dropped out was about 5 years. Students were not aloud to speak Spanish in school, and their culture was misrepresented in many textbooks. Once Mexican-American culture was accepted in schools, 68 million dollars was given to schools who taught bilingual learners. In the early 1950’s only one percent of medical and law degrees were awarded to women. There were many limits put on women in school including sports and scholarships. In 1972, Title 9 addressed discrimination on gender. Once this was enforced, courses and sports became co-ed and 42% of high school athletes were female.

Reflection

This was a really interesting time period in the history of school because so many changes occurred in the span of 30 years. I sometimes feel like this happened such a long time ago, but it really hasn’t been that long. All of my grandparents and parents have lived through the inequality and segregation. I am interested in interviewing my grandmother on this issue because she grew up in Mississippi and must have some stories about what it was like to grow up in the south. It was a time for reaching equality between race, gender, and special needs. I couldn’t imagine going to school in this time period when all of these issues going on. I am very thankful that women now have equal rights and I have just as many opportunities as men.

Synthesis: Generations Article

Abstract

The article “Talking About Their Generations” by William Strauss addresses the generations of the 20^th century including: the G.I. Generation born from 1901-1924; the Silent Generation born between 1925-1942; the Boom Generation born 1943-1960; Generation X born 1961-1981; and the Millennial Generation born since 1982. There are several differences between the generations, such as the ways they were raised, what values were important, and the emphasis put on education. The Silent and Boom generations grew up during the Depression and WWII, attending school during a time of strong community and civic confidence. The Boomers tend to be fonder of their experience as a student and believe they received a proper education. Another characteristic of this generation is that they believed in a "parent centered" child rearing. The Gen-X children were raised in a time where the needs of children were put last, and therefore, parents were not very protective of their children. Those in the Millennial generation are parented by either Boomers, who trust the educational system, or Gen-Xers, who expect direct access to the system to provide the best education possible for their children. The Millennial generation is interested in use of technology and various modes of teaching and learning. They are trend setters, and have changed the face of pop culture and the world of education as we know it. Currently the Boom Generation and Generation X run our schools as teachers and administrators, and the Millennials have just begun their work in the field of teaching recently. The article stated that most of the Xers agreed with No Child Left Behind (NCLB), which is most likely going to be a conflict with our generation of teachers coming into the picture. The second article, “Harnessing the Power of Millennials” by Neil Howe, focuses on the Millennial generation. There are many misconceptions of the Millennial generation, showing that they are more confident and successful then they are given credit for. Millennials have a need to achieve and enjoy proving what they know through standardized tests. Howe describes this generation as “special, sheltered, confident, team-playing, conventional, pressured and achieving” individuals. The author then talks about the traits of the Millennial Generation, from their beginnings as “trophy kids” to their role as a sort of "public property". Overall this article serves as an overview of the current generation for teachers and encourages them to look beyond the stereotypes.

Reflection

The majority of the class thought the first article was interesting, and something we have never known or thought of before. Some others thought it did not present any techniques on how to deal with each generation, it merely presented the information. The article really stressed the idea that specific generations were brought up under certain circumstances that molded who they are and their beliefs. It is important to take a look at various generations in order to understand the values and beliefs of the educational system during each time period. Many of us agreed that we will have to deal with all of the generations as teachers from other faculty, administration, parents, and students. Generation X parents are definitely going to be a challenge, but it is important that you get their support. The article discussed a recent MetLife poll which indicates that parents have become the number one professional headache for K-12 teachers. As aspiring teachers, we need to be fully aware of the values and morals that teachers and parents may hold. The second article seemed to get more mixed reviews from the class. Some people thought it was irritating at how many generalizations were made about the Millennial generation. Some felt embarrassed to be part of a generation of wimps, which is what seemed to be outlined in the article. Many of the perspectives of the Millennial generation are significant for us because we are not only part of this generation, but we will be teaching them as well.

Episode 2: 1900-1950

Abstract
Schools responded to immigrants by “Americanizing” them, where almost all classes were taught in English. Only Christian holidays were celebrated even though most students in NYC were Jewish. In the beginning of the 1900’s, eighty percent of children would rather have worked in a factory than go to school because at this time schools were considered dirty and full of disease. Schools soon became more student-centered when John Dewey tried to focus on the health of the students. Educators exposed students to work places and nature and there was a focus on physical activity and keeping students moving between classes. Schools even built swimming pools to give some students a chance to bathe. Children enjoyed going to schools like this because they focused on work, study, and play. In 1920, the percentage of 17 year olds graduating was 17%, which then reached 45% in 1945. Also around in this time period, the IQ test was created and soon began to rise in popularity. A pilot test was used on American soldier and they calculated the average age for American adults to be 13 years old. Around one million students were tested each year from their home economics skills to citizenship.

Reflection
I thought this documentary was really informative and it helped me understand why the school system is the way it is today. As a health major, I really enjoyed learning about John Dewey and the focus on health in schools. It was surprising how quickly immigrants had to adjust to the American lifestyle, even in cities where immigrants were the majority. Another part of this time period was the beginning of the IQ and standardized tests. I found it interesting that even after estimating the average adult age at a low 13 in the pilot test, it did not stop schools from issuing the test to students. There is obviously still a controversy over standardized tests today, and I don’t think the problem will be addressed and solved for a long time.

Article 2: Talking About Their Generations

Abstract
This article explains the history and role of each generation in the school system. The generations of the past century include the G.I. Generation who were born from 1901-1924, Silent Generation born from 1925-1942, Boom Generation who were born from 1943-1960, Generation X born from 1961-1981, and the Millennial Generation born since 1982. The Silent Generation includes the wealthiest Americans and they are important as taxpayers, voters, and are the most critical of today’s teachers. The Boomer Generation comprises the majority of teachers, superintendents, the U.S. Congress and the White House. A university study asked teachers to compare the students between the boomer and X generations in 43 measures of aptitude and achievement. The teachers rated the boomers higher in fundamental skills, academic inclination, task orientation, morals and ethics, communication skills, and willingness to work hard for the purpose of learning. However, the Gen Xers outscored the boomers in some important categories. In a few more years America’s schools will be fully a Gen-X and Millennial teaching environment, and will once again change the approach to teaching and learning.

Reflection
I thought the article describing each generation was interesting and informative. I never thought of comparing each generation’s affect on the school system. I can compare the differences in my own family because my mother was a “baby boomer”, my father was born in Generation X, and my grandparents are part of the Silent Generation. You can see how the different school experience each one of them has had, has shaped their views on the educational system today. In the second article, I found it interesting that parents have become the number one professional headache for K-12 teachers, according to a recent MetLife poll. These parents would most likely be Boomers and Generation Xers.

Chapters 6-10

The second semester of Erin Gruwell’s teaching career was extremely busy. She started off by taking her students to a showing of Schindler’s List at a theater in Newport Beach, which is a far cry from the neighborhoods where her students live. Erin planned the whole field trip by getting her family and friends to drive the students to the theater, and she even paid for the movie tickets. People in Newport Beach were looking the students up and down, worried that they had a gun in their pockets or something. The stares and assumptions became so obvious that all of the students felt uncomfortable. After the trip, a newspaper article was written about how poorly the class was treated in Newport Beach. Erin even received threatening phone class from people in her neighborhood because of it. Later in the semester the class was able to attend a symposium presentation by the author of Schindler’s List, Thomas Keneally, and after the meeting, Keneally suggested that Erin present the story of her class to Stephen Spielberg. With much deliberation Erin finally sent a letter describing her class as “a colorful box of Crayola crayons” (p. 57). Spielberg loved the class’s story so much he provided buses, tickets to Universal Studios, and a private meeting with him for all of Erin’s students.

Erin has accomplished so much with her class already and the first year isn’t even over yet. I think the students must be so excited to finally have a teacher who cares about them. I can’t believe the community in Newport Beach treated the students as horribly as they did, but I think the newspaper article was an important addition to the story of Erin’s class. I am surprised that The Freedom Writer’s Diary did not cover the part about Keneally or Spielberg. These are some important people that Erin has been able to meet early in her career.

Chapters 1-5

The first five chapters of Erin Gruwell’s Teach With Your Heart describe her experience as a student teacher in one of the most culturally diverse high schools in the country. On her first day of school, she finds herself having to teach every class because her supervising teacher has basically “checked out” for an early retirement. Erin’s first attempt at reading the syllabus and “Guidelines for Student Behavior” did not go as planned because they were far from what these apathetic students wanted to hear. After the first day, she found herself too young, too dressed up, and too white. Erin was determined to find a way to reach her students, and her first attempt was to reach the toughest students first in hopes the rest would follow their footsteps. Her first teachable moment came when a caricature in the form of a note was passed around the room, and reminded her of those from the Holocaust. When asked if anyone had ever heard about the Holocaust, Erin was surprised at what she heard. Most of the students in her class were in the middle of a war in their own backyards, which soon became evident by automatic seating arrangement and the markings on desks.

After reading the first few chapters, Erin Gruwell is already an inspirational teacher. She wasn’t the perfect teacher on the first day, but she never gave up on her students. It seems as though she had so much on her plate with working two jobs and getting married at the same time as taking classes. Woodrow Wilson High School sounds like one of the hardest places to teach in, especially if you are placed with “lower level” students like Erin was. I like how this book builds off of The Freedom Writer’s Diary, and now we get to hear more of Erin’s story.

Article 1: The Culture/Learning Style Connection: Educating for Diversity

Abstract

In this article, the author presents the theory that culture may influence a student’s learning style. There has been a lot of controversy over this issue because it involves a generalization about a specific group of people, when it is apparent that not everyone in that group is going to learn the same way. Some authors believe that describing cultures has resulted in more stereotyping and can lead to a differentiated and segregated approach to the curriculum. However, there is a definite relationship between the culture in which children live and their ideal ways of learning. Research has found that Mexican Americans regard family and personal relationships as important. This explains why “Mexican-American students often seek a personal relationship with a teacher and are more comfortable with broad concepts” (p.448). African-American students are said to value oral experiences, physical activity, and loyalty in interpersonal relationships. These characteristics “call for classroom activities that include approaches like discussion, active projects, and collaborative work”. Also, it is found that Native-American people usually value and develop acute visual discrimination and skills in the use of imagery, perceive globally, and have reflective thinking patterns. To meet their learning styles, a school should “establish a context for new information, provide quiet times for thinking, and emphasize visual stimuli”. Whether the culture and learning style connection theory is accepted or not, teachers from all backgrounds and cultures will have to work consistently to provide opportunities for all learners.

Reflection

I think the culture and learning style connection is a theory that requires more research because there are so many other things that could determine a student’s learning style. The article should be updated because a lot of the information is from the 1980’s, so I would like to hear what the new research has to say on the connection between culture and learning styles. I also wonder if they have included Asian-Americans, or any other cultures, as well. One statement in the article that I support is: “Using information about culture and learning styles in sensitive and positive ways will help educators value and promote diversity in all aspects of the school” (p.452). Teachers who can understand that students learn in many different ways for different reasons, including our culture, can lead students to academic success.