I think all teachers need to ask themselves what their responsibility is to understand and be comfortable in a culture other then their own. This answer is probably different for everyone.
For me, I think it is highly important that I understand other cultures and be comfortable with them. I can imagine if I went to another country and entered a classroom, the children would think I was pretty strange and it would be important for me to get to know them personally and culturally. Also the children would need to get to know my culture a little bit to understand where I was coming from.
Who knows if I'll ever teach in another country, but it is very likely I will teach someone here in the United States who is from another country.
In order to establish a good teacher/student relationship, it would be to the child's benefit if I learned about their culture. It could be a nationality difference or religious difference. By understanding and feeling comfortable with the students, I will be a more effective teacher and the students will feel like they matter just as much as the students of the primary culture.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Reaching Out
I was born into poverty. I don't remember it very well, because my dad managed to secure a good job and climb the cooperate ladder a few rungs. I do remember thinking that Kmart was about the best store around and it was very special to get new clothes. Most of our clothes were hand-me-downs and used clothing from Goodwill. I didn't realize we were poor. I thought we were very wealthy, because we didn't live in a trailer like most of my neighbors.
The first time I saw a teacher reach out to a child from a terribly sad situation, I was in awe. I used to ride horses, and as payment for a lesson, my mom would pick up my instructor's son at his school and bring him to the stables with us. They lived in a very run down house with twenty or more cats. He always stunk and I felt very sad for him. After Christmas one year he had a new coat and backpack. He told me that his teacher bought it for him and he was so proud of it. It was his best Christmas present ever. I was so amazed of what the teacher did. It was so simple, yet it made a profound impact on the little boy. His teacher didn't have to get him anything. I'm sure he wasn't the only student in his class with needs and she probably did buy more coats and things for the other children. She spent her own money, and I knew even then that teachers didn't make very much, to make a difference in this boy's life.
I think about that incident and I say to myself, "That is the kind of teacher I want to be." I am sure I will have children of poverty or ESL students in my class. I have a desire to teach ESL. One thing I want to express to my students is that they matter individually to me. I don't ever want my students to feel like a number or that they are only students to me. One way to show this to praise them for their individual talents or personal achievements or give them individual awards at the end of the year, that are completely unique to their individual abilities and personality.
Having a good relationship with their parents is probably just as important. I don't ever want my students or parents to feel uncomfortable around me or feel like that I think I am better than them in any way. I think it will be crucial for me to understand their lifestyle at home and their way of thinking. I found the "hidden rules" fascinating. Understanding these "rules" will be very beneficial in communicating and understand where these children are coming from and what will they respond to in a learning environment.
Also, having after school clubs or special events to further establish learning and relationship would be important with any student, but especially those in poverty. They may need extra help with technology or other skills that they may not have available for them to use at home. I may even have to be willing to give up a Saturday or two a month.
Being a teacher of children of poverty will be a bigger challenge than teaching children who come from middle class families. It is my hope that I can bring stability, comfort, and acceptance into the classroom environment, to enhance their learning and sense of citizenship. I will do whatever it takes to intrigue, wow, and awe them into learning and becoming young, successful adults in our society.
The first time I saw a teacher reach out to a child from a terribly sad situation, I was in awe. I used to ride horses, and as payment for a lesson, my mom would pick up my instructor's son at his school and bring him to the stables with us. They lived in a very run down house with twenty or more cats. He always stunk and I felt very sad for him. After Christmas one year he had a new coat and backpack. He told me that his teacher bought it for him and he was so proud of it. It was his best Christmas present ever. I was so amazed of what the teacher did. It was so simple, yet it made a profound impact on the little boy. His teacher didn't have to get him anything. I'm sure he wasn't the only student in his class with needs and she probably did buy more coats and things for the other children. She spent her own money, and I knew even then that teachers didn't make very much, to make a difference in this boy's life.
I think about that incident and I say to myself, "That is the kind of teacher I want to be." I am sure I will have children of poverty or ESL students in my class. I have a desire to teach ESL. One thing I want to express to my students is that they matter individually to me. I don't ever want my students to feel like a number or that they are only students to me. One way to show this to praise them for their individual talents or personal achievements or give them individual awards at the end of the year, that are completely unique to their individual abilities and personality.
Having a good relationship with their parents is probably just as important. I don't ever want my students or parents to feel uncomfortable around me or feel like that I think I am better than them in any way. I think it will be crucial for me to understand their lifestyle at home and their way of thinking. I found the "hidden rules" fascinating. Understanding these "rules" will be very beneficial in communicating and understand where these children are coming from and what will they respond to in a learning environment.
Also, having after school clubs or special events to further establish learning and relationship would be important with any student, but especially those in poverty. They may need extra help with technology or other skills that they may not have available for them to use at home. I may even have to be willing to give up a Saturday or two a month.
Being a teacher of children of poverty will be a bigger challenge than teaching children who come from middle class families. It is my hope that I can bring stability, comfort, and acceptance into the classroom environment, to enhance their learning and sense of citizenship. I will do whatever it takes to intrigue, wow, and awe them into learning and becoming young, successful adults in our society.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Student Voice
Students are the whole point of the educational system. Without them, we would have no one to educate, so it seems to me that letting children have a voice of their own is important. The younger children can partake in smaller issues, where older children who are becoming adults need to know that their opinions matter.
In many cultures, there is a passage into adult hood that boys and girls go through. We don't have that in America, unless you are a part of a particular religion. We expect our students to graduate high school and make good decisions when they turn eighteen, but up until then, children don't have the opportunity to make many decisions that affect their school or learning.
I think that it is a wonderful idea to involve high school children in parent-teacher conferences and with other issues so their voices can be heard. It teaches them to be involved with what effects them and it helps the parents and teachers understand what their child/student likes or dislikes. Having students more involved wouldn't mean they make every decision and the school will be run by children. It just be giving them an opportunity to learn about being responsible, to form their own opinions and learn how to express themselves without being ridiculed or judged.
I wonder what the parents and teachers at Kennebunk High School in Maine have learned by letting the students have more say. I'm willing to bet they learned things about their child/student that they otherwise might not have known.
Students have a big responsibility, and that is to learn and be able to demonstrate their learning. What better opportunity to let children, especially teens express their opinions, however outrageous, and let them learn from this experience. Maybe this would help them gain more confidence in the transition of growing from child to adult.
In many cultures, there is a passage into adult hood that boys and girls go through. We don't have that in America, unless you are a part of a particular religion. We expect our students to graduate high school and make good decisions when they turn eighteen, but up until then, children don't have the opportunity to make many decisions that affect their school or learning.
I think that it is a wonderful idea to involve high school children in parent-teacher conferences and with other issues so their voices can be heard. It teaches them to be involved with what effects them and it helps the parents and teachers understand what their child/student likes or dislikes. Having students more involved wouldn't mean they make every decision and the school will be run by children. It just be giving them an opportunity to learn about being responsible, to form their own opinions and learn how to express themselves without being ridiculed or judged.
I wonder what the parents and teachers at Kennebunk High School in Maine have learned by letting the students have more say. I'm willing to bet they learned things about their child/student that they otherwise might not have known.
Students have a big responsibility, and that is to learn and be able to demonstrate their learning. What better opportunity to let children, especially teens express their opinions, however outrageous, and let them learn from this experience. Maybe this would help them gain more confidence in the transition of growing from child to adult.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Teacher Crisis
Quality teachers are in high demand, but it seems as though there are too many unqualified teachers teaching in many classroom, especially in lower income districts.
The problem is complex, and there are many reasons that high quality teachers, or highly qualified as the government requires. One of the reasons is because teachers are leaving their jobs. A small percentage are retiring, although many will be retiring within the next ten years since the average teacher age is 44. The higher percentage are leaving because of job dissatisfaction or in search of higher paying positions.
Many of the low income districts have a severe teacher shortage, because of the harsh environment, low pay, and low moral. These districts are the ones that need highly qualified teachers probably the most. So instead of quality teachers, they are left with teachers who are not as effective, often times not qualified in the area they are teaching, and sometimes have no teaching certificate at all.
The solution is to offer better teaching programs, so teachers are more prepared and effective in their classrooms when they first enter the work force. Many community colleges are offering programs for educators and many states are offering state wide articulation agreements, so one doesn't lose credits from one college to the next. This makes it more affordable for many people, and they have the advantage of taking many of the required classes in a smaller classroom environment where they might get more help from their instructors than in a large classroom at a University. Community colleges are all about teaching, so the students learn not only the materiel but the effectiveness of teaching styles.
It is imperative that new teachers have the skills and knowledge before they enter the classroom. The learning of the children depends on it. New teachers need to take advantage of the tools offered to them while in their first few years of teaching, and throughout their teaching career.
With the higher expectations placed upon teachers, it seems that many states are providing many different ways to grow up better teachers, and make teaching a more appealing job.
The problem is complex, and there are many reasons that high quality teachers, or highly qualified as the government requires. One of the reasons is because teachers are leaving their jobs. A small percentage are retiring, although many will be retiring within the next ten years since the average teacher age is 44. The higher percentage are leaving because of job dissatisfaction or in search of higher paying positions.
Many of the low income districts have a severe teacher shortage, because of the harsh environment, low pay, and low moral. These districts are the ones that need highly qualified teachers probably the most. So instead of quality teachers, they are left with teachers who are not as effective, often times not qualified in the area they are teaching, and sometimes have no teaching certificate at all.
The solution is to offer better teaching programs, so teachers are more prepared and effective in their classrooms when they first enter the work force. Many community colleges are offering programs for educators and many states are offering state wide articulation agreements, so one doesn't lose credits from one college to the next. This makes it more affordable for many people, and they have the advantage of taking many of the required classes in a smaller classroom environment where they might get more help from their instructors than in a large classroom at a University. Community colleges are all about teaching, so the students learn not only the materiel but the effectiveness of teaching styles.
It is imperative that new teachers have the skills and knowledge before they enter the classroom. The learning of the children depends on it. New teachers need to take advantage of the tools offered to them while in their first few years of teaching, and throughout their teaching career.
With the higher expectations placed upon teachers, it seems that many states are providing many different ways to grow up better teachers, and make teaching a more appealing job.
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