Chapter 1 Reflections
Chapter 1 was mainly just a reinforcement and review for me as I learned a lot of this information through both previous psych classes as well as my teaching classes. It was a good refresher though and helped me review a lot of things I was kind of unsure of since it has been awhile since I took those classes. The ideas of No Child Left Behind has caused a lot of controversy throughout America when it was first released but it has an idea that everyone should share in the fact that all students should have equal education and opportunities in the school system. This also extends to the fact we shouldn't just focus on the smarter classes or students and should make an effort to bring all the students up to the same level.
Chapter 2 Reflections
Chapter 2 had a little more meat in them as well as containing some refreshing material for me. The one thing that was nice about it though was that it held a much more in-depth view into the look of both Piaget and Vygotsky's theories of cognitive development. This lead to me learning a lot more about the two and gave me a small idea of where the basis of why most classrooms are developed in the fashion they are. It was fun reading in the way that both men kind of gave this idea as in it shows their ideas on why children learn a certain way and how, but after reading about many different theories of learning I believe you can see bits of truth in all of them. By this I mean that you can see where Piaget might be correct in the idea that development precedes socialization because of the idea that you need to develop some sort of self before socializing and developing the ability to learn from socialization. On the other hand though you could see how Vygotsky could be correct in the fact that socialization is an important aspect of development! Personally I see worth in both of these theories and a bit of truth I think we can all relate to.
Anita's Podcast:
As a teacher, how will you react when your principal and fellow teachers discuss last years test results at your first staff meeting?
I feel this will be a very scary scenario with the feeling that everyone will be looking at me and making assumptions based on how I did in my first year which just amplifies the fear.
What will you do if your students don’t meet their annual yearly progress goals?
I would be very disappointed in myself and reach out to the many teachers I know and the teachers I work with and ask for advice and look for any changes I could make to better my work and achieve better results without the sacrifice of my compassion for teaching.
How will you work within the constraints that standardized testing puts on your job?
"test's define the curriculum" - Anita. This is one of things I as a teacher really want to stray away from. I don't want my classroom environment to be one of fear of testing and homework but instead a group effort to learn and take the material and find some interest and joy in it. I of course will include the testing materials in my classroom, but not in a testing form, instead I will make it more relatable and interesting.
Did you know that "teacher involvement and caring is the most significant predictor of a student's engagement in school from 1st through 12th grade?"
I can't say this quote is surprising at all because personally I stayed close with a lot of my teachers in high school throughout the years and would always reach out to them if I ever needed help in their area of education or if I needed a letter of recommendation. They were definitely my core education group when it came to any help I needed in school outside my family or friends because sometimes they could offer an insight my family or friends couldn't. Also last year when I did in class observations I got to see an example of a lower class school and how much the teacher bonded with her students and they acted like a family. She would check in on how their personal lives were with problems or unique experiences and give her personal opinions and insights and was very "real" with them. It was genuinely one of my favorite experiences to witness in a classroom.
What impressed you the most? What are your "take aways" from the speech?
I think what impressed me the most was the thing I mentioned above about being "real" with your students. The fact she said that she went into her class to apologize is something I know a lot of teachers definitely wouldn't have the guts to do and I find that sad. Teaching isn't just about giving the students the information it's one person sharing their knowledge with a class and it should be a bonding experience. She also talks about how people don't learn from anyone but friends and I find that true as well and we all know that one teacher we liked and how much we learned in that classroom.
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