Monday, December 7, 2009
Can Dispositions be Taught?
Yes and no. I think people are naturally disposed to being certain dispositions. Some people are more patient, resilient, etc. and some people have to work at those things. I think everyone (except psychopaths) has the capability to exhibit dispositions but some of them need to be trained and practiced. That is something that can only be done if the person wants to work at them, because no amount of outside force can truly change a person. Only the person can make the decision to want to change.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Humility
I have been wrong before and I have made mistakes. I will continue to make mistakes because I am human. No one, regardless of profession, should expect perfection out of themselves or the people around them I think humility is important as a teacher because you don't want to chide the students, taking on a "holier-than-thou" attitude which turns them off to whatever you are teaching.
Humility is the happy medium between having low expectations and expecting perfection out of yourself. While it is unhealthy to expect perfection from yourself and beat yourself up over mistakes, it is also unhealthy to have low or no expectations to yourself. Being humble means you have achieved a happy medium between perfectionism and apathy. Humility is doing your absolute best but being able to accept failure and admit that you are not perfect.
I admired teachers that were able to laugh at themselves when they said or did something silly on accident. I hope to be a teacher that easily admits when I am wrong, although that is sometimes hard to do.
Humility is the happy medium between having low expectations and expecting perfection out of yourself. While it is unhealthy to expect perfection from yourself and beat yourself up over mistakes, it is also unhealthy to have low or no expectations to yourself. Being humble means you have achieved a happy medium between perfectionism and apathy. Humility is doing your absolute best but being able to accept failure and admit that you are not perfect.
I admired teachers that were able to laugh at themselves when they said or did something silly on accident. I hope to be a teacher that easily admits when I am wrong, although that is sometimes hard to do.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Collaborativeness
There is a fine line between collaborative work and group work. In a perfect world, all group members would be dedicated to the outcome of a project equally, but in reality, some people care more than others. Instead, group work is usually the case. Group work is usually done by a small percentage of the group while the others contribute minimally and take credit for the outcome. People in group work are often motivated extrinsically by incentives such as a good grade or a prize of some sort.
True collaboration consists of a group of people who feel passionate about something and are working toward a common goal. These collaborators are intrinsically motivated and are contributing all they can to the group because they want to succeed. I think one of the main differences between collaboration and group work is the choice factor. Usually, people doing group work or cooperative learning have to choose topics within an assignment or topic. Collaboration occurs when people are physically and mentally present of their own accord.
I have been the victim of group work countless times...even at the college level. Admittedly, I am not always intrinsically motivated to complete a project and I do it for the grade, but I am still not willing to let the quality of the work suffer. There is some truth to the adage, "If you want something done right you gotta do it yourself." I usually end up doing most of the work.
The first time I was part of a collaboration was during this semester in my Contact Improvisation class. The dance affected us so much that our class has become a community of sorts and we hosted an all night jam (dance) last weekend. Although not everyone was able to make it, we worked together in class and outside of class to organize and plan the event. There was no grade riding on it, it was a suggestion thrown out by a student that my teacher agreed to, and it was fun. For the first time, I was involved in a collaborative activity and I found it much more meaningful than any group work I have ever done. In fact, I detest group work because I come out of the project feeling used. The problem is, kids have such varied interests that trying to do a collaborative project in a class would be almost impossible. There are bound to be people who are uninterested but they might be the only ones interested in that topic, leaving them no one to collaborate with. It work in Contact Improvisation because we all took the class because we wanted to. It isn't a required class. I speculate that most people in my high school Spanish classes will be there to satisfy a graduation or college entry requirement. Teachers cannot magically create intrinsically motivated kids in a subject they don't enjoy.
True collaboration consists of a group of people who feel passionate about something and are working toward a common goal. These collaborators are intrinsically motivated and are contributing all they can to the group because they want to succeed. I think one of the main differences between collaboration and group work is the choice factor. Usually, people doing group work or cooperative learning have to choose topics within an assignment or topic. Collaboration occurs when people are physically and mentally present of their own accord.
I have been the victim of group work countless times...even at the college level. Admittedly, I am not always intrinsically motivated to complete a project and I do it for the grade, but I am still not willing to let the quality of the work suffer. There is some truth to the adage, "If you want something done right you gotta do it yourself." I usually end up doing most of the work.
The first time I was part of a collaboration was during this semester in my Contact Improvisation class. The dance affected us so much that our class has become a community of sorts and we hosted an all night jam (dance) last weekend. Although not everyone was able to make it, we worked together in class and outside of class to organize and plan the event. There was no grade riding on it, it was a suggestion thrown out by a student that my teacher agreed to, and it was fun. For the first time, I was involved in a collaborative activity and I found it much more meaningful than any group work I have ever done. In fact, I detest group work because I come out of the project feeling used. The problem is, kids have such varied interests that trying to do a collaborative project in a class would be almost impossible. There are bound to be people who are uninterested but they might be the only ones interested in that topic, leaving them no one to collaborate with. It work in Contact Improvisation because we all took the class because we wanted to. It isn't a required class. I speculate that most people in my high school Spanish classes will be there to satisfy a graduation or college entry requirement. Teachers cannot magically create intrinsically motivated kids in a subject they don't enjoy.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Efficacy
It certainly takes a lot of self-confidence to be a teacher. A teacher lacking in self-confidence will not be respected by their students because the students will not have confidence in the teacher's ability either. It is also difficult to respect a teacher who expects good work from you and yet fails to return tests and papers in a timely manner. The student-teacher relationship cannot be one-sided and hard work should be expected from both parties. Often, teachers who have a high work ethic provide a great example for kids.
Efficacy can be developed only through the way you react to situations. By training yourself to laugh at and learn from your mistakes instead of beating yourself up about them or becoming upset and giving up, you are training yourself to be persistent and confident in your ability to work through problems that you may not have been able to solve the first time. Self-awareness is extremely important in the profession of teaching. There were always those teachers, as we saw in "Chalk" that don't even know they're extremely boring or over-the-top and distracting. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses as a person and as an educator can prevent you from making a fool of yourself and losing the respect of your students.
Efficacy can be developed only through the way you react to situations. By training yourself to laugh at and learn from your mistakes instead of beating yourself up about them or becoming upset and giving up, you are training yourself to be persistent and confident in your ability to work through problems that you may not have been able to solve the first time. Self-awareness is extremely important in the profession of teaching. There were always those teachers, as we saw in "Chalk" that don't even know they're extremely boring or over-the-top and distracting. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses as a person and as an educator can prevent you from making a fool of yourself and losing the respect of your students.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Inventiveness
Creativity and inventiveness are a huge part of why I decided to be a teacher. The teacher that inspired me to teach, Mr. Bonstetter, was always using out-of-the box ways to get us to remember Spanish verbs and grammar rules. He used cooking projects, arts and crafts, actions, and songs and chants to help us remember what we needed to know. But, like all of my other classes, he never answered the "why" question. Why is this important? Why should I learn this?
Sir Ken Robinson criticizes the education system in his speech, claiming that it squashes creativity which should hold equal importance with literacy. He defines creativity as "original ideas that have value" and likened education systems worldwide to strip mines that mine only for what they want: in this case intelligence that will allow kids to get a "real" job. He describes this as "educating people out of their creative capacities." He questions why dance is not a part of formal education, and he questions the people that decided what was and was not important. He realizes that due to the ever-changing world, creativity is something that needs to be fostered and encouraged to allow for future generations that can come up with solutions to problems and use their creativity instead of squashing it with logic.
One of the things he said really struck me. He said, "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original." This reinforces the idea that learning is inherently messy and creative. I am always terrified of making mistakes, because I have been taught that mistakes are a result of a personal failure. In his speech, Sir Ken Robinson redefines intelligence as diverse, dynamic, and distinct. As much as we would like to think it does, the American education system does not allow for or encourage diverse learners. Those who are kinestetic learners like the dancer he described are labeled as ADD or ADHD and treated for something that should be encouraged.
I think it really took this speech for me to realize how incredibly flawed formal education is. I've joked with my friends that when we were kids we were told that we could be anything we want to be and now we realize that that old adage is complete bull. What they were really saying was, "You can be anything you want to be as long as it will get you a steady job." Slowly, the system pushes people toward "reasonable" jobs like math, science, and languages. We coin phrases like "starving artist," implying that artists cannot be taken seriously for trying to turn a hobby into a career. But who decided that art can only be a hobby? That dance is only for those with the right body? Creativity is not valued in the American school system, yet it is valued in society. People praise historical figures for thinking outside of the box, but people exiting the school system are equipped only with facts and not the ability to think creatively and inventively.
End rant.
Sir Ken Robinson criticizes the education system in his speech, claiming that it squashes creativity which should hold equal importance with literacy. He defines creativity as "original ideas that have value" and likened education systems worldwide to strip mines that mine only for what they want: in this case intelligence that will allow kids to get a "real" job. He describes this as "educating people out of their creative capacities." He questions why dance is not a part of formal education, and he questions the people that decided what was and was not important. He realizes that due to the ever-changing world, creativity is something that needs to be fostered and encouraged to allow for future generations that can come up with solutions to problems and use their creativity instead of squashing it with logic.
One of the things he said really struck me. He said, "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original." This reinforces the idea that learning is inherently messy and creative. I am always terrified of making mistakes, because I have been taught that mistakes are a result of a personal failure. In his speech, Sir Ken Robinson redefines intelligence as diverse, dynamic, and distinct. As much as we would like to think it does, the American education system does not allow for or encourage diverse learners. Those who are kinestetic learners like the dancer he described are labeled as ADD or ADHD and treated for something that should be encouraged.
I think it really took this speech for me to realize how incredibly flawed formal education is. I've joked with my friends that when we were kids we were told that we could be anything we want to be and now we realize that that old adage is complete bull. What they were really saying was, "You can be anything you want to be as long as it will get you a steady job." Slowly, the system pushes people toward "reasonable" jobs like math, science, and languages. We coin phrases like "starving artist," implying that artists cannot be taken seriously for trying to turn a hobby into a career. But who decided that art can only be a hobby? That dance is only for those with the right body? Creativity is not valued in the American school system, yet it is valued in society. People praise historical figures for thinking outside of the box, but people exiting the school system are equipped only with facts and not the ability to think creatively and inventively.
End rant.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Reflection on Role Playing: Town Hall Meeting
The role playing we did on Monday was a great way to learn about the No Child Left Behind (nclb) legislation that will probably affect my teaching experience. Direct instruction approach in the form of a lecture would have been more informational and a more objective overview of nclb would have been given, however I would have tuned that out for multiple reasons. First, I have a very basic understanding of legal documents and legislation. I am unable to translate the complicated jargon of legislation into how it affects people on a day-to-day basis. The role playing we did on Monday did just that; we were able to learn about the legislation through its application. This had far more meaning for me than would a lecture about the same subject. So yes, this was a very legitimate way to learn about the truth behind nclb and examine not only the good points, but the bad as well.
The emotional engagement aspect brough it really close to home and my emotional investment made it important to me. The whole thing will stick with me better because I was emotionally invested. I do agree that people need basic skills in order to engage sucessfully in an activity like this. It takes skill to be able to put your own opinion aside and see things from the perspective of another person. I was given the perspective of a parent of a high achieving student, which was a stretch because I'm not a parent. For someone lacking the basic skill of empathy, role playing in a role unlike their own would be very difficult.
I do think we pay closer attention to more successful people. Look at Oprah; people hang on her every word and she is a respected woman. The same kind of reverence is not reserved for the garbage man. As harsh as that may seem, it's a fact of life. People admire those who are successful and make everything, including their opinions, worth more. Is it right? No. But in our culture it is crucial to have prestige. As a teacher, I will begin with no prestige and will have to build it through hard work and being a good person. Prestige is important on all levels, and with prestige I will be able to gain respect from co-workers, administration, and students.
The emotional engagement aspect brough it really close to home and my emotional investment made it important to me. The whole thing will stick with me better because I was emotionally invested. I do agree that people need basic skills in order to engage sucessfully in an activity like this. It takes skill to be able to put your own opinion aside and see things from the perspective of another person. I was given the perspective of a parent of a high achieving student, which was a stretch because I'm not a parent. For someone lacking the basic skill of empathy, role playing in a role unlike their own would be very difficult.
I do think we pay closer attention to more successful people. Look at Oprah; people hang on her every word and she is a respected woman. The same kind of reverence is not reserved for the garbage man. As harsh as that may seem, it's a fact of life. People admire those who are successful and make everything, including their opinions, worth more. Is it right? No. But in our culture it is crucial to have prestige. As a teacher, I will begin with no prestige and will have to build it through hard work and being a good person. Prestige is important on all levels, and with prestige I will be able to gain respect from co-workers, administration, and students.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Reflectiveness
Reflecting is hard. It's challenging because reflecting means admitting that you're imperfect and that there are things you can do better. It's hard to realize that your habits and tried and true ways of doing things may not be the best or more effective. Because of this, reflectiveness is really important in becoming and staying an effective teacher. I always hated the teachers who have had the same lesson plans and activities for 20 years, which weren't really relevant anymore anyway. Besides, as a teacher, I want to stay interested and invested in what I'm doing and the material I'm teaching.
I reflect best when I'm outdoors on a walk. For some reason, those two components of light exercise and the great outdoors makes me pensive in a way that no other environments can. I think being outside brings me peace and I'm able to enjoy it for the beautiful creation that it is without being distracted by man-made structures. Walking keeps my body busy so I feel like I have a purpose and a destination, even though I usually do not. With my body busy doing something natural that requires little or no thought, my mind is free to wander and reflect on problems and their possible solutions.
No matter where or how one chooses to reflect, it's frustrating sometimes to have to admit to yourself that you are always a work in progress. No matter how much you improve upon yourself, there are always more things to work on and more problems to address. That's something effective teachers are able to admit to themselves; that they aren't perfect and neither are kids, but putting forth effort to better oneself in personality, mentality, or academics is beneficial for all parties involved.
I reflect best when I'm outdoors on a walk. For some reason, those two components of light exercise and the great outdoors makes me pensive in a way that no other environments can. I think being outside brings me peace and I'm able to enjoy it for the beautiful creation that it is without being distracted by man-made structures. Walking keeps my body busy so I feel like I have a purpose and a destination, even though I usually do not. With my body busy doing something natural that requires little or no thought, my mind is free to wander and reflect on problems and their possible solutions.
No matter where or how one chooses to reflect, it's frustrating sometimes to have to admit to yourself that you are always a work in progress. No matter how much you improve upon yourself, there are always more things to work on and more problems to address. That's something effective teachers are able to admit to themselves; that they aren't perfect and neither are kids, but putting forth effort to better oneself in personality, mentality, or academics is beneficial for all parties involved.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Passion
Passion is important no matter what job you do. If you don't like what you do it shows in lack of productivity and lack of motivation. If you do like what you do, it makes your life (and the lives of those around you) so much better. My favorite example of this is a janitor for my middle school named Dwayne.
Dwayne was in his 40's or 50's when I was a student at Bettendorf Middle School. He was always seen with a smile on his face and a kind word on his lips. Even though he was dirty with ratty, long hair and missing teeth, everyone liked Dwayne. I was on the newspaper staff at the time and I decided to do an article on Dwayne. The teacher that oversaw the newspaper drove me and two other kids to Dwayne's house on a farm an hour away. His farm was as unkempt as his own appearance but his gentle personality showed as llamas, kittens, and an assortment of other farm animals let him pet them and returned the affection. Dwayne loved being around kids and everyone knew it and loved him for it. I moved on and went to high school and every football game when the marching band would go out to march, Dwayne would be hanging on the chain-link fence cheering us on. I graduated and returned to Bettendorf last fall break to go to a haunted house with some friends. Oddly enough, I ran into Dwayne there, waiting in line in front of us. He remembered all of our names, even though it had been 5 years since we were in middle school. Dwayne was passionate about being with kids, even though his job may not have been considered a respectable vocation. I remember Dwayne, a janitor, a lot better than I remember most of my middle school teachers.
Passion is so important. It was the passion of my high school spanish teacher that inspired me to become a spanish teacher. I want kids to have the best experience with spanish that they possibly can, even if they decide they don't like it. I hope my passion for the language is contagious and I hope that I am able to retain that passion as time goes on. Just like any friendship or relationship, it's sometimes necessary to change in order to spice things up. I think teaching will be similar and I'll need to change up some activities or ways of doing things so the students and I don't get bored.
Dwayne was in his 40's or 50's when I was a student at Bettendorf Middle School. He was always seen with a smile on his face and a kind word on his lips. Even though he was dirty with ratty, long hair and missing teeth, everyone liked Dwayne. I was on the newspaper staff at the time and I decided to do an article on Dwayne. The teacher that oversaw the newspaper drove me and two other kids to Dwayne's house on a farm an hour away. His farm was as unkempt as his own appearance but his gentle personality showed as llamas, kittens, and an assortment of other farm animals let him pet them and returned the affection. Dwayne loved being around kids and everyone knew it and loved him for it. I moved on and went to high school and every football game when the marching band would go out to march, Dwayne would be hanging on the chain-link fence cheering us on. I graduated and returned to Bettendorf last fall break to go to a haunted house with some friends. Oddly enough, I ran into Dwayne there, waiting in line in front of us. He remembered all of our names, even though it had been 5 years since we were in middle school. Dwayne was passionate about being with kids, even though his job may not have been considered a respectable vocation. I remember Dwayne, a janitor, a lot better than I remember most of my middle school teachers.
Passion is so important. It was the passion of my high school spanish teacher that inspired me to become a spanish teacher. I want kids to have the best experience with spanish that they possibly can, even if they decide they don't like it. I hope my passion for the language is contagious and I hope that I am able to retain that passion as time goes on. Just like any friendship or relationship, it's sometimes necessary to change in order to spice things up. I think teaching will be similar and I'll need to change up some activities or ways of doing things so the students and I don't get bored.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Authenticity
People tell me that authenticity is one of my greatest qualities, but it can get me into trouble as well. My biggest problem has been curbing my authenticity so I don't offend people. In some cases, it's best to tell a white lie to keep a job, keep people on your good side, and stay out of trouble. In the classroom, authenticity will be a difficult but important thing to show. I think it will be best done by taking the qualities and some of the behaviors that truly reflect who I am and trying to use those as much as possible, avoiding expressing my opinion on controversial issues.
I had a teacher once who was too authentic. He bashed the principal behind his back and complained to us about the inner workings of the school. Although he was being authentic, he was taking negatives and passing them on to us. It influenced me a surprising amount; soon I was rolling my eyes at the principal just because of this teacher's opinion. I think the fact that he was authentic made me respect him and put a lot of value in what he said, but because those things were negative, they affected me in a negative way.
I plan on showing authenticity by limiting my compliments so they retain meaning and showing them how excited I am about the Spanish language. There's something about a teacher enjoying his or her subject that just cannot be faked. If a teacher is stuck teaching a subject they don't enjoy, it rubs off on the students and they begin to not enjoy it. I hope to make the most of my natural authenticity, allowing the students to more easily trust me and put value into what I say.
I had a teacher once who was too authentic. He bashed the principal behind his back and complained to us about the inner workings of the school. Although he was being authentic, he was taking negatives and passing them on to us. It influenced me a surprising amount; soon I was rolling my eyes at the principal just because of this teacher's opinion. I think the fact that he was authentic made me respect him and put a lot of value in what he said, but because those things were negative, they affected me in a negative way.
I plan on showing authenticity by limiting my compliments so they retain meaning and showing them how excited I am about the Spanish language. There's something about a teacher enjoying his or her subject that just cannot be faked. If a teacher is stuck teaching a subject they don't enjoy, it rubs off on the students and they begin to not enjoy it. I hope to make the most of my natural authenticity, allowing the students to more easily trust me and put value into what I say.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Compassion
I went to a big high school and it was almost unheard of to have a conversation with a teacher that was not centered around class material. When I got to Luther, I began to realize that most professors invested more in their classes than in high school and, on the flip side, students were expected to be personally invested as well. With the exception of larger classes that were lecture based or straightforward classes such as math, opinions and personal contributions became an important part of the class structure. My Paideia professor, Amanda Hamp, showed an incredible amount of compassion in the way she talked and interacted with the students in my Paideia class.
She was always open to suggestions of due dates (at least ones that were in her control to change) and suggestions on how to better run the class. Not only did she listen to our requests, but she did everything in her power to cater to them. She never verbalized disappointment in anyone's performance in front of the class and instead offered constructive criticism for the whole class, rather than picking on one person. She was very respectful of each individual's learning style and cognizant of each individual's writing style. Her compassion showed in the way she empathized with how much work we had to do for the research paper and the fact that she recognized we had other classes and obligations.
When I began struggling with my depression in February there were some days when I just couldn't get out of bed. I went in and talked with Amanda and she adjusted the way my participation was graded so my grade wasn't completely destroyed as a result. I didn't have to do less work, she just allowed me to do work in a way that was easier for me while I was getting my depression under control. Compassion, as lived out by Amanda, is truly caring for the all-around well-being of another person.
She was always open to suggestions of due dates (at least ones that were in her control to change) and suggestions on how to better run the class. Not only did she listen to our requests, but she did everything in her power to cater to them. She never verbalized disappointment in anyone's performance in front of the class and instead offered constructive criticism for the whole class, rather than picking on one person. She was very respectful of each individual's learning style and cognizant of each individual's writing style. Her compassion showed in the way she empathized with how much work we had to do for the research paper and the fact that she recognized we had other classes and obligations.
When I began struggling with my depression in February there were some days when I just couldn't get out of bed. I went in and talked with Amanda and she adjusted the way my participation was graded so my grade wasn't completely destroyed as a result. I didn't have to do less work, she just allowed me to do work in a way that was easier for me while I was getting my depression under control. Compassion, as lived out by Amanda, is truly caring for the all-around well-being of another person.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Respect
Respect is the consideration of the feelings of others, as well as consideration for yourself and your needs. In the classroom, respect is shown when students are attentive to the speaker, whether that be the teacher or another student and also when students try to learn that material. In that way, they are being respectful to themselves, allowing themselves the success they deserve. Teachers also have a responsibility to be respectful toward the students and be patient and encouraging, while recognizing each students' different approach to life. A respectful classroom tends to have students on better behavior than in a classroom where the students don't respect the teacher.
How is respect best established in the classroom? I have no idea. I suppose the teachers I respect most were considerate of my situation yet pushed me enough to motivate me to learn on days when I felt unmotivated. To get respect from students there needs to be a balance of discipline and consideration on the teacher's part and as for the teachers, well, they have to be respectful no matter what.
How is respect best established in the classroom? I have no idea. I suppose the teachers I respect most were considerate of my situation yet pushed me enough to motivate me to learn on days when I felt unmotivated. To get respect from students there needs to be a balance of discipline and consideration on the teacher's part and as for the teachers, well, they have to be respectful no matter what.
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