Letter to the Senator

Dear Senator John Pederson,


I am appalled by your bill proposal SF1291.  I am  a college student majoring in Special Education and I believe this bill is violating those children's rights.  Every child should have the right to the best education possible.  All children are equal and no child should be left behind, especially in education.  This bill is taking away the right of students with disabilities to the highest level of education.  Children in the special education program are already at risk of being left behind, so why would you want to solidify it by your proposal.  These students need qualified professionals to help them achieve the highest level of education possible.


If this bill were to pass we would be ensuring students in special education programs that they are different, and do not deserve the same education.  Teachers and professionals in the field would be under much more pressure to help their students stay in school.  The bill would strain teachers ability to receive the best education possible.  I cannot believe that this bill was ever proposed and I am very disturbed by your actions in office.  Please do not propose this bill again, or any bill against education.  If we provide and give to education now, the benefits in the future will be more than what you will save if you cut education budgets.


Sincerely,
Kate Robinson

Group 9: Chapter 13

The main focus of this chapter is to make sure we are motivating our students.  Student motivation should be a real world experience, and should be personalized to the students.  As a teacher these are some characteristic of a motivating teacher:
-Become a role model
-Be enthusiastic
-Get to know your students
-Set realistic performance goals
-Give praise and constructive criticism
-Give students as much control over their own education
Teacher planning is very important also.  Teachers need to select topics that relate to students and have objectives. Some skills include: caring, personal, positive expectations, enthusiasm, organization, focus, introductory reviews, questioning, feedback, and closure and application.  Also, a teacher needs to choose an instructional strategy that will provide students with the highest level of learning.  There are four different of instruction strategies: Direct Instruction, Lecture-discussion, Guided Discovery, and Cooperative Learning.  I believe students of the 21st century will relate most to the last two styles.

The Science Express

http://www.facebook.com/scienceexpress

On class Tuesday we went to visit the Science Express.  This is a trailer that goes around to schools and provides hands on science experiences to all levels of students.  The Science Express also provides teacher workshops, and that is what we did.  We went through a simple pipetting experiment and then discussed the many benefits of hands-on experiences.  The great thing about the Science Express is that it has a wide curriculum of activities for students.  Also, modifications can be made to ensure that every student has a fun learning experience.

My Educational Philosophy

            My educational philosophy has been influenced by many factors.  It is also not complete; I believe my philosophy will continue to grow as I do.  My calling to the field of special education came naturally to me.  I couldn’t see myself being in any job field other than education.  In my paper I will discuss the following topics in order: the role of the learner, the purpose of schools in society, the duties of teachers, preparing students for the 21^st century, and my ideas on classroom organization.  I will discuss how my philosophy of education fits into each of these categories.

            As someone who believes in Progressivism and Social Reconstructionism, I believe that students should be able to explore and develop their own personal growth through education.  The learning experience of students should be experimental, fun, and real-world based.  Students should be able to relate to the information they are learning.  Also, I believe the students should be their own teachers.  They should be able to choose how they want to learn, and what they want to learn.  Teachers should be guides to help students stay on track with the curriculum and help the student strive for success.  This idea of teaching is completely student centered.  As stated in The Finland Phenomenon, I believe students should do 60% of the talking and teaching and the teacher should do 40%.  This allows students to become more responsible for their own educational success and gives them a sense of empowerment.  Also, it allows student to have more hands-on experiences, more critical thinking, and problem solving.

            The education system we have now in America is failing the majority of our students.  There needs to be a complete reconstruction of the system in order to help our kids.  Right now our schools are only concerned about the adult needs.  We are trying so hard to protect the jobs and programs at schools we are failing to address the students.  We continue to have failing educators who are under tenure and cannot be disposed of.  Students must always be the number one concern in the schools, community, and budget.  If our schools were more students based I believe we would have higher test scores and lower dropout rates.  Students’ input helps them control their education, and if they feel in control they are more likely to want to achieve more.

            Our classrooms need to be more open to different teaching styles.  Students learn best through experience.  Classrooms where there are hands-on activities and experiments will benefit students more than a lecture.  Students can manipulate the experiences to fit their own style of learning and relate that to their own lives.  Students can explore and find ways to make every lesson fun and educational.  This will create a safe learning environment for all students and can indirectly affect many other areas of the school.

            Lastly, I believe that schools must do a better job of preparing students for the “real world.”  Instilling values that students will need in their everyday lives is imperative.  Every school is different and some students are exposed to more diversity than others.  It is every schools job to produce respectful and knowledgeable citizens.  Also, another quality student learn through school are their social skills.  So, by having an open area for expression is very important.

            I believe that everyone has the potential to be an amazing teacher; they just need to be relatable.  I know in every class I’ve really enjoyed and excelled in I had an amazing teacher.  Your duty as a teacher is to help your students grow and learn, but also to been seen as an equal.  As a teacher I think your students should think of you as an equal mind.  We are not superior to our students; we are there to be with them on their educational journey.  Also, I believe you must have compassion for every single student.  An effective teacher is patient, understanding, relatable, and willing to spend extra time.

            I feel very strongly that students learn best when the curriculum includes a hands-on learning.  I think active learners are more engaged in their schooling.  In special education I believe it is crucial for students to be able to use critical thinking and problem solving.  Special education students really need that interaction in order to be engaged.  Lecturing is a thing of the past, and has been proven to be ineffective.  I believe Progressivism and Social Reconstructionism teaching are important factors in the ability to change the educational system.

            As a student of the 21^st century I realize the importance of change, especially with technology.  It is of growing importance that students in the U.S. keep up with technology.  I believe this mindset is actually become detrimental to students.  They have become so dependent on technology their communication skills have suffered.  Also, problem solving has taken the backseat to Google.  Today’s employers are looking for people who are technologically savvy, but also great with communication and collaboration skills.  If we implement a Progressivism and Social Reconstructionism philosophy students will have more opportunities to develop those skills.

            America has been continuing to slip in global competitiveness.  We are being surpassed by many countries by astonishing numbers.  Companies are hiring people from other countries because they are equipped for the new 21^st century jobs.  The newly graduated students in America are just not up to standards that employers are looking for.  They have little communication skills or problem solving skills.  Also, many people have become completely dependent on technology.  I believe we need technology to advance in the world, but the U.S. educational system must do a better job of incorporating technology with communication and analytical skills too.

            In order to produce a safe and effective learning environment classroom organization is a must.  In my classroom I want my students to feel comfortable to explore and grow.  It is very crucial in helping students reach their full potential.  If the student is detached from the room they will have a much harder time connecting to their education.  A welcoming open environment that encourages positive attitudes is a classroom that will help students become more involved in their education.

            Classroom management is imperative in every classroom.  The classroom should be a safe place for students to grow and learn.  So, there must be well established rules and procedures to ensure an effective learning environment.  I believe students should have a role in deciding the rules and procedures they will be following.  If they have input into the final product I think they will be more likely to follow the rules.  The structure a classroom provides will help students in the future to establish a health and responsible lifestyle.  Being proactive with your students will help establish an equal ground.

            In conclusion, my philosophy of education focuses on the students.  I want all of my students to reach the highest level of achievement possible.  My calling is to become a special education teacher and I believe my style of Progressivism and Social Reconstructionism is perfect for changing the educational experience of my students.  I want my students to realize their potential and that they can achieve great things.  Every child should get the highest level of education, and I will be there to help them along their journey.  I will provide a safe open environment where my students can express their feelings and grow.  I will be one of those teachers who makes a difference in my students’ education and lives.

Field Experience Reflection

            For my field experience I was placed in 4^th grade math at Kennedy Elementary.  My cooperating teacher was Mrs. Ramler.  I was scheduled to be there Monday’s from 12:00-2:00.  I want to start out by saying that having a busy schedule and getting sick is very difficult.  I had gone to one day of my experience before I became sick with mono.  So I missed a few days because of being sick and rescheduled softball games.

            In my classroom my teacher actually had me teaching the lessons in groups to the class.  We did a lot of work with whiteboards and dry erase markers, and always worked in groups.  Many of the lessons we did were related to preparation for the state testing.  Also, my teacher did not leave time at the end of the class for me to teach the FERMI math our pre course had said we would.  Which was fine with me, I really enjoyed being engaged in the students’ actual curriculum.

            My first day was actually on Valentine’s Day!  The first hour of my time was spent helping my teacher and the students with their geography work.  After that we had a short math lesson which was split up into groups.  With thirty minutes left in school the students had their Valentine’s Day party.  I brought a candy treat for each of the students.  I didn’t not have a candy bag, so some of the students were nice enough to share theirs with me.  I was very nervous for this first day, but it ended up being very fun and easy!

            I have completed six days of my field experience so far.  I have two days to finish yet.  My days spent in Mrs. Ramlers class were very useful to me.  She does a great job of engaging her students, and provides a fun and efficient learning environment.  Also, she knows how to get and keep the attention of her students.  She uses a simple clapping tune to get her students attention.  Instantly when her students hear that sound they are quiet and have all eyes on the teacher.  Also, Mrs. Ramler uses a ticket system.  Student can receive tickets for good behavior, work ethic, and assignments.  The students then collect the ticket until they have enough to get a small treat.  If a student misbehaved she would simply stick out her hand and ask for their ticket.  The student cannot object to her authority, and this I believe gets students to gain respect for the teacher.

            When I was working with students in group work this ticketing system was very helpful.  I would pass out tickets at the beginning, and if the students did a good job and paid attention got to keep their tickets.  Otherwise, I would hold out my hand and the students knew to hand over their ticket for the misbehavior.  Even being just a field experience student, my students respected me and thought of me as authority.

            I have really enjoyed my field experience thus far.  I have learned many techniques I can use in my future.  I was able to develop my skills and really learn through experience.  The only problem I had with my experience is that there isn’t much diversity.  In my class there is one African American girl, and one American Indian girl.  There is also another student who is part of the special education program.  I am very upset that this student is not mainstreamed into the class at all.  I can tell Mrs. Ramler would love to have this student in her classroom more often, but he just isn’t allowed.  It blows my mind and I feel terrible because I have never even talked to him before, I don’t even know his name.

            I really would have loved to be place in a classroom that had more diversity.  I really want to gain that experience of working with students of different backgrounds.  I know being in a diverse environment would help me strengthen my cultural competency.  In the future I hope I am placed in a school with more chances to experience these differences.  I have enjoyed my class very much, and the students have been fantastic.  For my overall experience I would put this at 3 out of 5.  I know I could have built my skills and gained great experience in a more diverse classroom.  Overall though it was an amazing experience, one that will help me create a future as a teacher.

Ideal Teacher Prep Program

There are many things that can be done to improve teacher preparation.
1. Give student teachers more time and experience. I believe this is the most important change that can be made.  We have required hours that we must fulfill before we can graduate.  But sometimes we still don't experience many of the situations that a first year teacher would.
2. Requiring teachers to take a second language.  Student diversity is becoming more and more apparent in all schools.  Learning a second language and studying another culture can help with closing the achievement gap for minority students.
3. Having all education majors take more diversity and special education courses.  This will benefit all students in our classrooms.  Incoming teachers will have more experience in student diversity, and how to help and teach students with special needs.  This will help mainstreaming and helping all students achieve their highest educational ability.

Philosophy of Education

In class we took a test that exames your philosophy of education. There are four different categories: Perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, and social reconstructionism.  I scored highest in social reconstruction, then progressivism, then perennialism, and the lowest in essentialism.  Social reconstruction teachers believe in asking social questions, questions about society. It's about improving the world around them and making students think critical and make their own conclusions. Progressivism is a student centered way of learning. The idea that you learn by doing or doing  hands- on scientific experiements for example.  These two types of teaching really fit me.  I want to better my students and help them reach their highest potential.  These types of teaching push students to work out problems on their own and use a teacher as a guide, instead of for the answers.  Taking this test helped me put into words how I wish to be as a teacher.  My educational philosophy will emphasize a students' role in their own education.