This was a fun video. A lot of facts (are they?) that I didn't know. But I have to say that what comes out of my mouth is not always the only teaching that goes on in the school. For example:
Testing.....teaches patience, resposibility, time on task
PepRallies, Assemblies....give new information, enlighten us to our peers endeavours
Substitute Teachers....teach children to love their teacher (the sub is bad) or hate their teacher (the sub was better) and the limits of what they can get away with.
Honestly, all experiences are a place to learn. They aren't written in the NJCCCS but we as humans do learn from this. The sad thing is the realization that I only have 65 days to teach all I want to teach. How that video has changed me is that I will now take time to really work with the kids to help them understand what we are covering. The idea of "busy work" needs to be revisited and classwork with true value to the students now needs to be put in it's place.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards
This was my first time on the website. We use the standards contantly in our common planning and in our planbooks. We are aware of what we teach in Fair Lawn that relates to the required standards but luckily we are given the creativity to incorporate those standards.
I sent the site to my friend. I asked her to read it and tell me what she thought as a parent. She said it was easy to understand and navigate. Some of the educational vocabulary was confusing at times but she could figure them out as she read.
I think the state wrote very clear standards but dropped the ball on areas that needed to be revisited in grades. For instance, phonics should never be "demonstrated" as it says in the 3rd grade Reading. Demonstrate suggests that it was taught and should now be mastered. It should be a constant spiral like math. This would be confusing for a first year teacher who would think that students are done learning and revisiting vowel patterns. The seasoned teacher can see this and know that is must be continuously taught.
The website gives some ideas to help the new teacher if a program does not exist, but leaves them in the dark for lessons on most of the site. For the seasoned teacher, it is wonderful because it gives a basic objective to cover in the school year and leaves them with the power of creating the lessons.
As far as student interest, there are ways to plug the standards into lessons that are students generated. Through careful planning of student interest classes, a teacher can cover the standards with creative thinking. That's if we were so lucky to have that time and creativity.
I sent the site to my friend. I asked her to read it and tell me what she thought as a parent. She said it was easy to understand and navigate. Some of the educational vocabulary was confusing at times but she could figure them out as she read.
I think the state wrote very clear standards but dropped the ball on areas that needed to be revisited in grades. For instance, phonics should never be "demonstrated" as it says in the 3rd grade Reading. Demonstrate suggests that it was taught and should now be mastered. It should be a constant spiral like math. This would be confusing for a first year teacher who would think that students are done learning and revisiting vowel patterns. The seasoned teacher can see this and know that is must be continuously taught.
The website gives some ideas to help the new teacher if a program does not exist, but leaves them in the dark for lessons on most of the site. For the seasoned teacher, it is wonderful because it gives a basic objective to cover in the school year and leaves them with the power of creating the lessons.
As far as student interest, there are ways to plug the standards into lessons that are students generated. Through careful planning of student interest classes, a teacher can cover the standards with creative thinking. That's if we were so lucky to have that time and creativity.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Sabertooth
This was so funny. It was like reading "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson M.D. all about resistance to change. Whether it be cavemen or mice, the fear of change was portrayed very lighthearted so as to make us realize that change is not as devastating as it is made out to be.
The very interesting part of the article was that the major component of testing was not in the story. I believe all of us would love to change based on the changing world but if the state is going to test you and your students at the end of the year on "catching fish" you better be teaching "catching fish". The people that don't teach (state ed. depts) are telling us that "catching fish" is important. We know it is not important.
I dont think the article portays teachers as much as it portrays the NJ Dept of Education. We are in the profession of change and movement, they are in the profession of testing and money.
The very interesting part of the article was that the major component of testing was not in the story. I believe all of us would love to change based on the changing world but if the state is going to test you and your students at the end of the year on "catching fish" you better be teaching "catching fish". The people that don't teach (state ed. depts) are telling us that "catching fish" is important. We know it is not important.
I dont think the article portays teachers as much as it portrays the NJ Dept of Education. We are in the profession of change and movement, they are in the profession of testing and money.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Perensky Challenge
As a teacher, this is such a great article. As a mother who has to get 3 kids into college, it would be my nightmare. I believe that we are not innovative and confident enough as classroom teachers to let every child out into this type of school. These programs are usually offered to my students- the gifted student. The student that has compacted out of all grade level skills and can take his thinking into higher order Blooms. That way when they take the NJASK they will still score in advanced profiecient. I would think that the child with learning disabilities or the slower, concrete thinker would not be able to partake in an education where they moved in abstract areas. It would take a very advanced school/district that didnt care about test scores to take this and try it.
Prensky's Article
At first the article seemed as if it was a spoof but as I read, I realized they meant it. I can see how many of the habits of success come from the individual gamer skills. Being proactive, thinking of the end product as a way to solve a problem and analyzing by putting things in order of importance are great skills learned through gaming. The group skills also are understandably gained through gaming. But my biggest problem in this article is "sharpen the saw". Covey states that gamers continuously improve their skills better than anyone else. What about our athletes or military? They are physically challenged daily and continue to work on their skills through drill, videos and practices. I believe that the split second decisions an athlete or military person has to make can never be compared to the gamer who can push the "pause" button when it going gets too tough.
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