Diversity stirs the melting pot. It creates individuality that makes each one of us unique. The face of diversity is the face of an individual. We as future educators need to embrace diversity and develop teaching patterns that work for all our students. The expectations must be set high, but set differently for each individual student. We must also consider students with physical and mental challenges, and how we do not single them out. Teachers are faced with many challenges, and there is no such thing as a perfect classroom setting. It is how we deal with these challenges. How do we create environment where all students culturally and ethnically feel comfortable? How do help a child who has AHD or ADD overcome their stigma, and see themselves as individual? They are not AHD or ADD, they have these disabilities and are not defined by them. Teachers must avoid stereotypes and gender bias. Taking all this things into consideration teachers will be able to adapt to the diversity in their classroom. The next challenge in diversity is English being a second language for a student. How do we adapt when half of our class does not speak English?
There is now a greater need for assistance for students whose first language is not English. We call these English language learners (ELLs). Schools have now responded to this great need for assistance in four different programs. There is Bilingual Maintenance program where the first language is maintained through reading and writing first language while English integrated. Next, is the Transition program where student first learn to read in native language and then given some instruction in English as Secondary language. Once they have mastered English they are placed in English speaking classrooms. Then we have the Immersion program students learn English by being "immersed" into classrooms where English only spoken. Finally, the program called English as a Second language (ESL), where students are pulled out of the classroom to have supplementary English instruction. All programs work in some shape or form but ESL seems to be the most favored program because it is easier to administer to all students.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
How does a great teacher develop?
In the profession of teaching a teacher must constantly be evolving. Teachers are held to higher standard because they are teaching the next generations. The question posed is how do great teachers become great? There was a news story that was given: What made a great teacher? A great teacher will make sure their students are keeping up, they will change their lesson plans if they are not working, and they set high expectations for ALL students. In today's discussion there will be a look at how great teachers become great through the development process. There will be the look at the beliefs teachers have and how they influence how they teach.
The beliefs teachers have play a huge role in how they teach. The majority of prospective teachers have great confidence and are optimistic. Then the classroom shock hits, and they claim no one prepared them for this. These teachers usually end up quitting. The ones that don't end up quitting usually will gain more confidence with time. In the beginning prospective teachers believe they have to tell or explain the content. Teaching is definitely more complex. The experience is the classroom is one of the most vital tools a teacher can have, but it is not really enough. Prospective teachers think they will learn teaching when they are in the classroom. Teachers must have the experience, research and theories that they can apply to the classroom. The knowledge the teacher gains in a subject does not always mean that they will be able to translate it to their students. In all these beliefs there is a hope, but as prospective teachers there must be the realistic look at what lies ahead.
The first year of teaching is the real awaking for most first year teachers. The teachers face the chaos of students and the teaching environment. There can be loneliness and isolation. Often there is focus more on non-teaching duties, leaving little time for planning, and no time for themselves. The first year can also be a great adventure, and so rewarding. The beliefs teachers have about themselves and what they can do realistically will evolve with time as long as the teacher is willing to evolve.
The beliefs teachers have play a huge role in how they teach. The majority of prospective teachers have great confidence and are optimistic. Then the classroom shock hits, and they claim no one prepared them for this. These teachers usually end up quitting. The ones that don't end up quitting usually will gain more confidence with time. In the beginning prospective teachers believe they have to tell or explain the content. Teaching is definitely more complex. The experience is the classroom is one of the most vital tools a teacher can have, but it is not really enough. Prospective teachers think they will learn teaching when they are in the classroom. Teachers must have the experience, research and theories that they can apply to the classroom. The knowledge the teacher gains in a subject does not always mean that they will be able to translate it to their students. In all these beliefs there is a hope, but as prospective teachers there must be the realistic look at what lies ahead.
The first year of teaching is the real awaking for most first year teachers. The teachers face the chaos of students and the teaching environment. There can be loneliness and isolation. Often there is focus more on non-teaching duties, leaving little time for planning, and no time for themselves. The first year can also be a great adventure, and so rewarding. The beliefs teachers have about themselves and what they can do realistically will evolve with time as long as the teacher is willing to evolve.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Do I want to be a Teacher?
The answer for me is yes, but there are definitely days when I question becoming a teacher? What is the trigger that gets me questioning, the teachers that are jaded and do nothing but complain. Then I realize that complaining gets you nowhere. I am realistic enough to know that teaching can be hard, sometimes there is frustration, but it is all worth it when you have a student come back to you ten years later and tells you as teacher had a huge impact on their lives. In this section we will look at the rewards and challenges, the teaching profession, diversity in the American classroom and the modern reform movement in Education.
The rewards of being a teacher can be satisfying for emotional or intellectual reason, which we call intrinsic rewards. Extrinsic are the outside rewards, such as job security and vacations. The majority of teachers enter the teaching field because of intrinsic rewards. In a survey conducted 8 out of 10 teachers said they "love to teach". The emotional aspect that is receiving letters, hugs, high fives, and laughing from students makes it worth while. Teachers also look at the intellectual aspect as the opportunity for self-growth, and this kind of stimulation keeps teachers going. The extrinsic rewards are another aspect that teachers look for in teaching. Job security, receiving tenure, family having the same schedule, and salary increase with each year that you teach, or increase with the more education you receive.
The challenges in teaching can be the complexity in the classroom, and always having to make decisions. The characteristics of the classroom that make teaching more complex and demanding are defined in the following areas. The multidimensional, the large number of events that happen in a classroom. The simultaneous, events and tasks that happen at the same time. The immediate, the events that occur rapidly or sometimes to rapidly. There is the unpredictable, the classroom often takes unexpected turns. Then finally, the public watching your every move, referred to the "Fishbowl".
The teaching profession has the characteristics of professionalism. These characteristics include the specialized body of knowledge, knowledge of learners and they learn, extending training for licensure, autonomy, the emphasis on decision making and reflection, and ethics. In the four forms of knowledge content there is the pedagogical content knowledge, which the science and art of teaching, the teacher has the ability to illustrate abstract concepts, such as nationalism in history. Then general pedagogical knowledge is order in teaching. There is the knowledge content of understanding how people learn and develop. The teacher must have bachelor's degree, clinical experience and internships. There must be a demonstration of autonomy, control
The rewards of being a teacher can be satisfying for emotional or intellectual reason, which we call intrinsic rewards. Extrinsic are the outside rewards, such as job security and vacations. The majority of teachers enter the teaching field because of intrinsic rewards. In a survey conducted 8 out of 10 teachers said they "love to teach". The emotional aspect that is receiving letters, hugs, high fives, and laughing from students makes it worth while. Teachers also look at the intellectual aspect as the opportunity for self-growth, and this kind of stimulation keeps teachers going. The extrinsic rewards are another aspect that teachers look for in teaching. Job security, receiving tenure, family having the same schedule, and salary increase with each year that you teach, or increase with the more education you receive.
The challenges in teaching can be the complexity in the classroom, and always having to make decisions. The characteristics of the classroom that make teaching more complex and demanding are defined in the following areas. The multidimensional, the large number of events that happen in a classroom. The simultaneous, events and tasks that happen at the same time. The immediate, the events that occur rapidly or sometimes to rapidly. There is the unpredictable, the classroom often takes unexpected turns. Then finally, the public watching your every move, referred to the "Fishbowl".
The teaching profession has the characteristics of professionalism. These characteristics include the specialized body of knowledge, knowledge of learners and they learn, extending training for licensure, autonomy, the emphasis on decision making and reflection, and ethics. In the four forms of knowledge content there is the pedagogical content knowledge, which the science and art of teaching, the teacher has the ability to illustrate abstract concepts, such as nationalism in history. Then general pedagogical knowledge is order in teaching. There is the knowledge content of understanding how people learn and develop. The teacher must have bachelor's degree, clinical experience and internships. There must be a demonstration of autonomy, control
Nicholle Ann Miller
"The best way to know life is to love many things." -Vincent Van Gogh
The quote above has been mantra for as long as I can remember. Life is full experiences good and bad. The bad times have definitely made the good worth the long journey. My journey begins in the "exciting" town of Bountiful, Utah, where I was born raised. I grew up in a crazy family. My Dad was an artist, and to this day this how he makes his living. My Mom helped managed the business end of my Dad's career, which allowed for her to stay home with my brother and myself. Both my parents encouraged creativity and a love for the arts. Music was a part of our everyday lives, and to this day I would rather listen to music than watch T.V. any day. My childhood was pretty great. It was only my brother and myself, and we were pretty spoiled, but my parents instilled good working values in us. I started my first job at the age of fifteen, and have been working ever since. Now I joke that I am retired because school is my new career, as I pursue my degree in Elementary Education at Weber State University.
When I'm not in school I love being with my beautiful boy Henry James. I love going to concerts at the Depot and Red Butte Gardens. I love to workout. It keeps me sane when life gets crazy. Part of the reason I workout is so I can eat. My boyfriend calls me a food snob. I love trying new restaurants all over the valley. I have a boyfriend named Scott, and he keeps me grounded when I get too emotional or when I want to give up. We have been together for over two years now, and we are considering marriage, but Scott knows that school is my number one priority.
Now the question of why I want to be a teacher? My son's first grade year was not a very good experience. I helped a lot in the classroom , and the teacher was a "hot mess". She was very disorganized, and there was no real disciplinary system in place. Eureka, it hit me I should become a teacher. I love kids, I'm organized, and I know how to run a classroom. I was a preschool teacher and I ran summer camps for a local preschool. What was stopping me? The answer was Nothing. The following fall I enrolled in classes here at Weber, and here I am now. I have a great support system, and they cheer me on when I want to through in the towel. This blog is here to give you some of my personal experiences and lay the foundation for what I learned on the road to becoming a teacher!
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