Goodbye EDU 100!

EDU 100 was a requirement based on becoming an elementary education teacher. I am glad it was a requirement because I learned a lot about education that I did not know about before. What I am going to take away with me specifically is the discussion on "Waiting for Superman". I found this extremely interesting ebcause this is a major issue within not only the state but the entire country. Becoming a teacher I need to know of all the issues within our education system and how I can help to change that. Students need a teacher who is willing to stand up and fight for them so each and everyone of them can succeed. I will definitely rent this movie to watch it completely because it seems so interesting. Although this is a major eyeopener to me and the one that will stick with me the most, I will still keep in mind all the other lessons we had this semester. I also enjoyed learning about the Zero Tolerance and Underprivileged children. These aspects are really important in our schools and the education systems need to be aware of it. Teachers specifically. They need to be able to be there for that child and do anything in their power to help them. Students want to succeed as much as the next one so you need to be there for them. Also they do not want to be in school that could cause them harm, so schools need to take into the account the safety and comfortable factor for the students.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! :)

How can we stop violence within schools?

Bullying, violence, threats, accusations. All these words play a role within a school each and everyday whether a teacher sees it or not. It is hard as a person from the outside to help those on the inside who are dealing with these issues everyday. Schools are now becoming more anti-bullying and setting up campaigns about it. Schools need to become more active though. They think that creating a golden policy and making signs to say stop bullying will help. Even though these schools think it is positive way it is not finished. Schools need to get into the heart of the problem and have a zero tolerance for this type of action. There should be no bullying what so ever and if there is someone who has been caught they will be reprimanded. Bullying leads to violence whether it is the victim being hurt or the bully themselves. Bullying can lead to death in our world today as well. Schools should reach out to each and every student giving them an overview of what it is like to be the bully and the victim. Students need to learn that bullying is not okay and even if they are not the victim, speak up for that person. Schools are supposed to be a safe place for students and when there is bullying taking place inside those walls, it is not safe. There are multiple ways that bullying can be stopped and it is a major campaign sweeping the country.


http://www.stopbullying.gov/

Friedrich Froebel

Kindergarten. A place where education begins for most students. Friedrich Froebel was the creator of Kindergarten previously known as Play and Activity Institute. I chose to do Froebel because kindergarten is where our journey through school begins, and I have never heard the background of it. Froebel created a new method of on learning using structured and activity based learning scenically. This method soon created what we have now, Kindergarten. To Froebel this aspect of education was extremely important because it was a place where students could grow and learning with freedom and Kindergarten was this place. It stood for a garden for children. He wanted it a place where they can learn from nature through observations and interactions. Froebel wanted a place for students to learn freely but using practical methods and multiple uses of materials. For his new method he created "gifts" and "occupations" which were used mainly within Kindergarten. These gifts were toys such as blocks or balls, and the occupations were different lessons in which the students would learn from. Froebel wanted healthy activity through these occupations and also the use of nature through observations.  I definitely agree with Froebel and his teachings because kindergarten is the starting point and it is like a freedom learning stage. The students are to young to understand a whole lot but they are learning from themselves and each other. The gifts and occupations are the beginning for them and teach the basics aspects they need. These basics are taught through freedom though and that is what I love. In Kindergarten the freedom is the aspect of sitting on a rug and learning a new song, shapes, or colors, where as down the road it becomes sitting at a desk and learning these things. I think that Froebel's method of  kindergarten is one of the greatest teaching methods because it gives us the beginning to it all.

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-froeb.htm
http://www.froebelweb.org/

How can Social Justice be a regular aspect within the classroom?

It is hard to say but the two article given were full of truth and negatives. What a terrible aspect to a future teacher seeing that schools can be "corrupt" in this way. Teachers should be there for there students 100 percent of the time and making their school environment an enjoyable one. Students should not be falling behind or not having the chance to succeed. These students may find school their safe haven because it is better than home. Teachers need to create an environment where they feel free of judgement and neglect. Students with any sort of difference, which is all of them, need to feel comfortable at school not secluded. Social justice needs to be a main priority within schools and the faculty need to make an effort to do so. Within the article I provided, it gives tips to integrating social justice within the classroom. It is very informative for a teacher that is looking to add social justice to not only the classroom but the curriculum. It gives tips on how to get background information on different areas and getting the students involved. It is not just a lecture type of lessons students need the hands on experiences to the world that will help them understand what social justice is.
A classroom that has the aspect of social justice is the type of classroom that will produce successful students time after time. Within these kinds of classrooms children feel comfortable and able to learn in this kind of setting. There are some classrooms where social justice is not an aspect and these students struggle. Using an example from the reading in the Educational Foundations book, Death at an Early Age, Stephen was an African American boy within a class and was segregated by the Art teacher. You can see he struggled because of his race and was secluded in the classroom. That is the type of classroom where social justice is not present. It is a horrible thing to think about when you know that there are classrooms out there like the one Stephen was in and this student will struggle to succeed but will not have the useful tool called a teacher to help. Social justice needs to be a large component in every school. every day to create successful children.

http://ctfd.sfsu.edu/feature/top-ten-strategies-to-integrate-social-justice-into-the-classroom.htm

Life's road map.

I believe education should be the road map to life. I chose this at my metaphor because it is the perfect outlook of what education should represent. You are attending school and receiving an education so that you can be successful in everyday life. You learn you basic language, math, history, etc through school but you also learn a whole lot more. The basic curriculum is extremely useful as you go, as an example reading. You cannot survive one day with out reading unless you sit and stare at the television that does not show words, which is highly unlikely. You need these basic skills to create the journey you are embarking on called education. While on this journey you also learn core skills for everyday interaction as well. Language is an obvious but within your education you learn manners and meaning of things around you. One thing that I have learned from school that sticks out most to me and is probably not a section at all within curriculum is people and their feelings. I have learned so much from school about how to treat others with the utmost respect and that with this they will treat you the same. The road map that teachers set out for us is the perfect example of how they give us education. Although some people struggle with this road map I feel as though it is worthwhile. The road map guides you through the tough times as well as easy but really sets your life straight. With out education you do not have much  and I am sure that life will be a struggle. In today's society it is extremely hard to get a substantial job with just a high school degree. People want the experience of higher education. Using the metaphor of a road map you can see that education sets up your life, the map will lead you in the right direction of success. There may be some wrong turns along the way but there is always someone there within the education system to turn you back onto the right path.

Is behaviorism useful to the classroom and how?

 I ask this question because there are so many websites out there that contain different information on each philosophy and then proceed to either agree or disagree with them. I was slightly confused by all these different perspectives because as I was researching I felt a behaviorist philosophy would work for me in my future classroom. Using a behaviorist philosophy you are basing the lessons off of previous work and how the student did on it. Along with this you also use a rewarding system where if they do well they receive a special type of reward. I really like this idea because it gives students incentive to work hard for something. I can connect with this philosophy from when I was in school. One way is during third grade my teacher had a large tube that had popcorn kernels in it. Next to this tube there was a jar that also contained more kernels. Each time the class was to be rewarded for something my teacher would give us a scoop of popcorn or multiple depending on the reward. If the class was not acting up to par she would remove kernels from the tube. Once the kernels hit a certain point of the tube, we were to have a popcorn party. This type of reward system allowed us to learn that in order to receive a good reward we must act in a specific way during school and also always be prepared. By the taking away of kernels it showed the loss of something as a punishment and we must now strive to get it back. I can see myself using some sort of reward system similar to that so that my students are consistently striving to get rewarded.
I think that this type of philosophy is definitely help in the classroom in so many ways. It helps students to learn the concept of a reward system and what their boundaries are within the classroom. This type of philosophy also will help them with the understanding of what is expected of them on a daily basis in the classroom. Using the popcorn as an example again, if all the students had brought in the previous night's homework finished then they would be rewarded if not they did not receive any popcorn. This is such an easy assignment for the children to get a reward and not realizing that this type of exercise actually makes them do their work.
This article I found was interesting to me because it uses Pavlov's dog as the example. The students within my classroom will be a replica to Pavlov's dog, they will be waiting everyday to find out whether or not they will be given a reward. I liked this article because it also goes beyond the school outlook and into the everyday world. It shows that people who have been accustomed to the behaviorist theory during their life are not always rewarded as they assume. The article uses the example of receiving a fine from a police officer for speeding but not receiving a reward when you do something good while driving. This is true the theory is not always practiced out in society but I think for the classroom benefit it works well.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2017184/behaviorism_uses_in_the_classroom.html?cat=4

Is Special Education possibly holding students back?

I am currently oberseving a third grade classroom right now and there is a specific student who I rarely see. I am familiar with this student because she was in this third grade class last year as well. Her pseudonym will be Kaley. She is one of the happiest little girls I have met and that is saying something because every little girl is happy. But Kaley as a unique difference than everyone else, she does not have a stomach. Kaley was born without a stomach and has dealt with this issue on a daily basis. She eats like everyone else, through her mouth but occasionally uses feeding tubes. Kaley has struggled with this because she can get extremely ill and be out of school for long periods of time. Kaley moved to this school at the begining of last year and started in the third grade. Watching Kaley struggle was a tough scene, although she had moved up a grade it showed she did not belong. Kaley was on about a first grade reading level. During second grade she became ill and was in and out of school for a long time. She had a personal tutor but it did not really help, she had already fallen far behind. Her previous school felt that it would be okay to promote her though. When she came into the third grade last year she struggled and needed a lot of extra help. Kaley was put on an IEP and was to stay back in the third grade. That is how I see Kaley now, on occassion. For Kaley's IEP it was said that she would go to a program called Connections within the Special Education department. She goes there on a daily basis but it should only be for an alotted amount of time. Why I so frequently see Kaley is because the Connections teacher never sends her back. It is hard for Kaley because she barely gets to be in her real classroom. This program is supposed to connect the special education class with her third grade class. She is hardly ever in the classroom and misses out on a lot of things. Her work she is doing is definitely far below her level. The third grade teacher works with her frequently to help in any way possible and is finding that the lessons she is having is just review and Kaley is actually quite good at everything they are reteaching her. I think that with the Connections program it is limitying Kaley's education as well as social skills. It is obvious Kaley as a certain learning exceptionality that affects her education. She struggles with a lot of things and needs the extra help in many areas. This program is supposed to be helping her in advancing while still active in a "normal" classroom. The teacher in the Connections is not advancing her but rather limiting her. She "dumbs" Kaley down rather than trying to expand her knowledge. Kaley's mother wants her out of this program because clearly it is not helping in any way she is just falling behind more. Kaley's mother is very involved in the classroom and is always questioning the Connections program. It is hard for her mother because she feels that Kaley is losing out on a lot of things. For example, the Connections teacher doesn't always send Kaley down for specials or events within the classroom. She missed out on a visit from a Pilgrim during their lesson for that topic because the teacher refused to send her down.

I find it hard for Kaley because she knows she is missing out on so many things because she is forced to be in the classroom. She knows she needs the extra help and so does her mother but they feel it is not really helping that much. Her mother is contemplating pulling her from the program because she feels that it is not useful. Kaley is ahead of a lot of the children in that program so she is made to do what they are doing such as addition and subtraction when clearly she knows it. Her mother practices at home with her on other things she needs to be working on such as multiplication and division. Her mother is what is keeping her intact with the third grade classroom and that is not how it should be. The Connections teacher should be incorporating the third grade lessons into the program so that Annie is getting extra help as well as not falling behind.

Should Sexuality Be Taught in Classrooms?

Schools have always incorporated Sexual Education into their curriculum whether it is during gym or health class. There have been some questions raised as whether or not to teach further into the Sexual Education area and talk about sexuality. Sexuality has been a topic in schools now and in the past but not to the extent that some people. According to this article schools talk about gender roles, such as in the past girls did home economics and the boys were involved in wood shop. In schools today students are mixed together and take both courses. Gender roles play a huge role in everyday life no matter what and in this article they use a few good points. These points are starting preschool when students are addressed as "boys and girls" then goes on to "best friends" and "boyfriends/girlfriends". All these terms play a role in gender differences and are a key point in teaching that teachers need to be aware of. Another aspect that the author touches upon in the article is about a teacher training seminar offered to work on expanding their knowledge of homosexuality and gender diversity. A lot of this new knowledge acquired for the teachers is completely new to them and can help within their curriculum. Incorporating this new topic in their curriculum can help to lessen the bullying in schools due to homosexuality as well as gender roles to.
I am all for teaching sexuality to students within their health classes at school. I believe thought that students should be taught this starting in the eighth grade or higher because I feel that they are not mature enough any younger than that to understand the real factors. It is hard for students who are struggling with the fact that they possibly be homosexual to try and fit in because people can judge them far to quickly. With a higher understanding of what the student feels and that their differences are okay in the classroom will definitely help in the decreasing of bullying within schools. Sexuality in the classroom can help students who are straight or homosexual in so many ways with out them even knowing. They could be affected personally by this topic or down the road but I am sure that once they learn more about the subject and understanding of it all they will be far less likely to pick on someone for being "different".

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/gender-and-schooling/201007/teaching-sexuality-how-much-can-we-expect-classroom-teachers

Are some schools going a little to far with the banning?

   Is a high five to much contact during a school day? No. Is hugging to much contact? It can be. Is playing tag at recess to much contact? NO! Why do some schools believe that they can just take away certain things from students that seems completely absurd? A middle school in Virginia has taken it to the next level and has banned just about any form of touching possible in school. Yes I agree in every way that students should not be able to show affection during school, such as kissing but a hug is not really that bad. A student may be having a bad day and if someone gives them a hug to make them feel better they could be punished for it? That is definitely taking it out of hand, maybe if two students are showing a little bit to much of public display of affection while hugging then a teacher can take initiative and tell the students to break it up. This school in Virginia isn't the only one taking away touching during school other schools in Iowa, Texas, and Florida are taking the initiative to. 

   I understand where the schools are going with banning some of these actions but then again I think they are getting out of hand. I do not agree in some of the aspects though, such as the high-fiving. Students and teachers do the high-fiving as a sense of congratulations or good job. Denying that sort of interaction can limit success rates in the class. A teacher can still kind of "hype" the situation but I think the high-five within the classroom boosts self esteem within the child. 

   Some students and parents within these school systems created a petition to take away these bans but then there are others who think they should stay. I see where students and parents are coming from when they want to petition the ban of certain things because students need to have their freedom. The article says that we may be a "sue-happy" nation and that is why schools are banning so much. Yes, it is understandable that school systems want to cover themselves from any sort of law suit that can come about within school but to go to the level of banning tag at recess is definitely to much. I do not agree completely with these school systems and to the extent of their bans but I can agree in some aspect. Yes the PDA is banned but high fives and tag is way to much. 

http://education-portal.com/articles/Hugs_and_High_Fives_Banned_in_School.html

How come people want to teach?

Teaching is such a large and vast profession and the reasons of while people choose the profession is just as broad. Some people want to teach because they want to change the lives of others and make a difference in the world. Others just love working with children and believe that teaching is the best route for them. There are so many reasons that make up the decisions of choosing teaching as a profession that you just lose track. After researching the question, "how come people want to teach", I found that there are even more reasons than I came up with.
-http://www.helium.com/items/754635-why-do-teachers-want-to-teach: In this article the author is explaining why she wants to be a teacher and gives many aspects of the job that she wants to incorporate into her teaching. Her reasons are primarily based on affecting the lives of students each day. The author feels that she is going to change the world with her students not only through curriculum based learning but with real life situations. She feels that teaching is the only occupation for her because of the feelings she will get when a student learns the curriculum they have been struggling for or a student who will tell her that she is a role model to them. I can really connect with this specific article because I feel the same exact way this author does about why I chose to become a teacher.

-http://712educators.about.com/od/teacherresources/tp/teachergood.htm: This article portrays ten reasons of while people choose teaching as a profession. I found it interesting because it gives the opinion a lot of people have about teaching as a job. For example, it is definitely not for everyone because some people can barely be within a classroom for ten minutes with out wanting to pull their hair out. One of the points that I have never heard nor thought of was the control of the classroom. The article says that the teacher decides each day what will take place, it is one of very few jobs that allows you to control your work day. I believe teachers do have a lot of this control by deciding how things will be run and what will go on, but they do not have very much leniency for what they want to teach. The curriculum they are given is very strict especially when it comes time for MCAS.

Introductory Post.

Hi! My name is Brittney and this is my first blog ever. I am an Elementary Education and English major at Salem State University. This is my first semester there, I transferred from Middlesex Community College. I have been at Middlesex for a year and a half, my freshman year I went to Worcester State. I really love working with children and I have known for a long time that I would like to work with them as my profession. I am currently working at Vera Bradley and I love it there! I enjoy hanging out with my family, friends, and boyfriend a lot when I am not at school or working. Some of my favorite hobbies are reading, playing basketball, shopping, watching movies, or just being lazy. I have an obsession with Harry Potter and can't get enough of the series. I just started reading them last year actually for a class and then I had to keep going. I am currently rereading the series and I can't wait for the second part of the seventh movie to come out!