Four Philosophies

Idealism is "a school of philosophy that considers ideas to be the only true reality". Idealist search for universal and unchanging truths. In regards to education, idealists believe it is idea-centered and that learning comes from within the individual. Learning cannot begin until it is self-initiated. Idealists focus on lecture, discussion and imitation.

Realism is "a school of philosophy that holds that reality, knowledge, and value exist independent of the human mind." Unlike idealists, realists believe this is the physical world that is the ultimate reality. Realists teachers encourage students to use observations and experiments, and present new information logically and carefully. Realists also believe in organization and clearly classifying all material.

Pragmatism is "a school of philosophy that stresses becoming rather than being." Pragmatists also believe in using experimentation to gain knowledge, however, the stress is on applying that knowledge to solve problems. Pragmatists teachers do not believe in absolute truths, rather they would have students ask questions and solve problems as they occur in the real world. They also believe in a strong interdisciplinary approach to teaching.

Existentialism is "a school of philosophy that focuses on the importance of the individual rather than on external standards." Existentialists believe that life is meaningless, and, as human beings, we all have free will and create our own meaning. Educationally, existentialists believe that students should be allowed self-direction and personal choice.

I most closely fit the pragmatist approach to teaching. As a math teacher, I strongly believe in using experimentation to gain knowledge, and using that knowledge to solve problems. I want to enhance my students abilities to apply what they know to new situations and use applications from the real world when possible.

Classroom

(Also found in my Philosophy of Education)

Classroom organization is something that I've had to think about often, starting with Practicum, and even now in writing lesson plans for Math Methods. The classroom will be arranged in clusters, as I students will doing a lot of group work and cooperative learning. Everyday, I will put the outline of the day's events on the board, and encourage students to check of each section as we go. There will also be a word wall when appropriate, which will be incorporated into the lesson plan. In this way, I can be sure that my students know the proper vocabulary that goes along with a particular section. As a teacher, when I write my lesson plans, I like to go back and forth between group work, and doing examples/teaching at the board. I like to reflect on each section of group work that I have my students do, and I rely heavily on observation to ensure that I am meeting my students' needs. Observation also allows me adjust my lessons accordingly.

Motivation is something that all teachers struggle with. How am I going to get all my students motivated today? Some of the topics I've had to write lesson plans about were, in my opinion, not the most exciting material, but being creative and incorporate student interests can always make a lesson more interesting. Humanism is very applicable here, as it emphasizes heavily on student choice. Student choice, as I have already described, is extremely useful tool in motivating students. If they have some freedom over the assignment they are producing, then they will be more likely to work had and do a good job. When I was in high school, I took a college chemistry course. The final project had to have an oral component and at least 2 visuals, but we could present the information in any way that we wanted. I opened my presentation with an interpretative dance about the dissociation of salt particles in water. I would never have been able to that if my teacher had not been so open, and always encouraged creativity. Progressivism also mentions choice, but in a more toned-down way. The example in the textbook talks about having students watch a movie and writing done any questions they would like answered. Then you take those questions and those are the topics you talk about next. That is also a great way to spark discussion amongst the students. If they are truly curious about the questions they wrote down, then this could start a great class discussion. Choice is a strong motivating factor for students.

To be honest, I have not had a lot of experience discipline. During my time in Practicum, the students were great and I didn't not have to take any type of disciplinary action. They were well behaved, and, for the most part, wanted to learn the material. Some of them struggled, with was off-putting, but by floating around the room, observing and answering questions, I was able to help them stay on track and understand the material at hand. As for other disciplinary issues, I do not want to be the type of teacher who sends her students to the office at every turn. In class, we have talked about the issue of discipline thought our Teaching Hope books. Each teacher had different approaches to their students, some which I agree some, some that I don't. Teaching Hope also made the class think of all the 'hard stuff', things that could happen in a classroom that we might not be ready for. What if a student gets out of control? What about throwing things? What about depression? And there's no right answer, but there is a best answer for your student. If I've learned anything about discipline, it's this. You need to deal with it right away, and you need to deal with it yourself, if possible. Several good examples of this were brought up by Sara and Ryan's Educational Research Project. If a student is angry, for example, and gives an attitude, it is not okay to just send them away to the principle. (In severe situation, such as a risk of violence, then you should not deal with it on your own. But I feel, for the most part, that students just need to know that someone is there. They don't need another trip to the office). I would ask the student to wait in the hallway, get my class working on something, and go talk to the student in question. You never know what could be going on with your students, and sending them away will only cause them to resent you. You need to let them not that that behavior is not okay, and ask them why they feel that way. You might be surprised at what your students will tell you, if you just ask.

Assessment, I never stop thinking about. How am I going to assess my students in a fair way? There are two very strong factors at play in my view of assessment. First of all, I think back to Fair Isn't Always Equal. Do my students have the tools they need in order to do well? If not, then how can I properly assess them? How do I know what they can do if I haven't given them the tools to show me? The other portion of my knowledge of assessment, comes from my math methods course. As I have already discussed, I rely heavily on student observation in my classroom. This is an excellent type of formative assessment, that I have seen work many times in the classroom. As for summative assessment, I know that I will need to give my students tests, and quizzes, and projects. But for each summative assessment I assign, I will make sure my students know what I am looking for by using a rubric. I remember in school, and even sometimes in college, getting bogged down because the assignment was too vague, or the teacher didn't specify what they were looking for. Which choice is important, your students need to now how they are being assessed. They can't show you what they know if they don't know what you are looking for. Handing out a rubric solves this problem. There are my two biggest ways to assess my students, and are great tools to keep in any teacher's toolbox.

As a teacher, I want to have a classroom climate that my students feel comfortable being open and asking questions in. This brings in a lot of Humanism, as I want to teach my students about respecting one another’s opinions. As a math teacher, I want to focus on problem solving abilities. There isn't just one way to solve a problem, there isn't just one way to get the answer. I want my students to speak free and share. They could all benefit from being exposed to someone else's viewpoint. And just maybe they might find someone's viewpoint to make more sense then how they were thinking about, or maybe it'll spark new questions and new ideas into their heads. Either way, it all starts with knowing they can speak freely.

The learning focus will always be, as I have mentioned, on problem solving and critical thinking skills, which is where Constructivism comes into play. It's not enough to know the answer. How did you get there? Why does it work? What does it mean? It my Problem Solving class, these are the questions we answer every day. What other problems does this suggest? This is exactly the way I want to teach my classroom, and I may very well expose them to excerpts from Polya's book How to Solve It. It is a well written piece of literature that focuses on problem solving techniques, including simplifying the problem, and locating a similar problems. Have you seen this before? I want my students to understand that math doesn't just stay in the classroom, there applications all around us. By enhancing problem solving and critical thinking skills, you enhance your ability to make connections and solve problems outside of school. For example, I might teach a lesson on solving for missing angles in right triangles (which I wrote lessons plans about in Practicum). What other problems does this suggest? What real world application does this have? Making connections to student interests will also help to motivate the students and keep them on track.

I draw a lot about my teaching style from Progressivism. The focus will stay on my students. My classroom will be hands on environment, where students discover answers through experimentation. For example, manipulating graphing tools will help them see first hand how exponents of leading terms change the graph. As I have discussed already, I will act more as a guide to my students, asking leading questions and providing extra examples as necessary. Having students come to their own conclusion allows them to internalize the material much better because they did it on their own.

My leadership style, which stems directly from my philosophy of education, could impact a school district in many ways. I'm new to the field of education, which means my views, techniques, methods, are going to be much different than in the past. That's just the way things are. I hope to bring a lot into my school district, as well as the field of education in general. I want to show those around me that I can teach with compassion, that principle's office isn't the end all be all of discipline problems. I want to spark creativity, and get motivate those around me to do the same. I want to start conversations with veteran teachers. I know that I can learn a lot from them. But I also feel that they could learn a lot from me, too. I want to hear their stories of classrooms past, and use that knowledge to create a healthy environment. I want to know what they've tried in the classroom and what happened. This is why I find books like Teaching Hope, Freedom Writers' Diary, and Fires in the Bathroom so interesting. Tell me what it's really like. In practicum, I felt like I was still wearing training wheels, so to speak, but one day I am really going to be out there on my own, and I know that no amount of reading can prepare me for that. So I will start conversations with the teacher's around me. Tell me about your classroom, and I'll tell you about mine. We can all work together to make a better classroom environment, a better learning environment for our students. That it is, after all, why we became teachers, isn't it?

Moreover, technology is of the greatest issues in schools today. My research project on technology integration really helped open my eyes to many issues I hadn't given much thought to in the past. There is so much wonderful technology out there, including the smart board. Too many times, teachers will smart board use them as glorified projectors. But what else can they do? They've never been trained, they've never seen this before. So what do we do? We get into schools and start educating those around us. We start workshops about technology integration and open up a discussion between teachers. How do you use that in your classroom? What tips do you have? Such and such is working for me, what else have you tried? Once a dialogue is opened up, that is when change can truly start to happen. And I suppose that the Progressivist in me, viewing school as a vehicle of social change. But where else would change start, if not with education our children? We owe it to them to provide the best education we can give them. As a teacher, these are the kinds of conversations I want to start in my school district, not just about technology, but about anything that might occur in the classroom, and anything that could benefit our students. As I said before, we can learn from each-other, it's just about starting a dialogue.

Bright Futures

Bright futures was written to bring attention to Middle School reform. The report states the reforming Middle School is important because it's when students are at a critical point in their development, and focuses on incorporating twelve core practices into the Maine classroom. The article continues by saying that Maine has made many advancements in terms of education through the technology intiative programs (such as providing one laptop to each student), but there is still a long ways to go. There are many skills that students need to have to succeed in the 21^st century, and the article lists many of skills the author believes are necessary, providing a rationale for each one.

Though a lot of the core practices were common sense, it was nice to have them brought to my attention. Yes, of course, you should emphasize creativity, and students should have engaging and challenging material, etc, etc. But these things aren't always on my mind. It was nice to be reminded about what's really important in the classroom, and quite relieving to see that the state feels the same way. It's easy to get bogged down seeing how many problems there are with the current school system, but we can't let it get to us! Afterall, as educators, we wants what's best for the student, and Bright Futures is a great way to start.

Nation at Risk

Abstract

The Nation at Risk article came out in April 1983 to warn Americans about our school system. It made the general public aware, using a lot of statistics, that American schools were behind schools in other countries. Some of the statistics include:

• Average achievement of high school students on most standardized tests is now lower than 26 years ago when Sputnik was launched.

• Over half the population of gifted students do not match their tested ability with comparable achievement in school.

• The College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) demonstrate a virtually unbroken decline from 1963 to 1980. Average verbal scores fell over 50 points and average mathematics scores dropped nearly 40 points.

• College Board achievement tests also reveal consistent declines in recent years in such subjects as physics and English.

• Both the number and proportion of students demonstrating superior achievement on the SATs (i.e., those with scores of 650 or higher) have also dramatically declined.

• Many 17-year-olds do not possess the "higher order" intellectual skills we should expect of them. Nearly 40 percent cannot draw inferences from written material; only one-fifth can write a persuasive essay; and only one-third can solve a mathematics problem requiring several steps.

The article continued on to say that if we want our children to grow up to be successful then we have no choice but reform our schools. Nation at Risk-25 Years Later, revisits the original article. There is a split opinion about the original article. Many people believe that is was too harsh, while many others believe it was 'just what the doctor ordered.'

Reflection

Though the original article was harsh, I believe it was necessary. In order for people to pay attention, things can't be sugarcoated. Perhaps things could have been written less antagonistically, but it might not have had such an impact if it was written any other way. In any case, the statistics presented did stir up the American public and caused Reagen to back off on cutting spending for Education. And though schools have improved over the years, they are far, very far, from perfect. There is still a long road ahead. Which brings up another point; The article did a great job at bashing the American School System, but provided no concrete ways in which to fix the schools. Sure, the schools are bad, so what do you do? Maybe another article needs to be written.

Multicultural

I honestly don't feel that many of the topics brought up have their place in a math classroom. For example, as I have stated in a previous entry, Homosexuality. I am not saying that I would ignore a student who brought the topic, but it is not something I am comfortable discussing. I would, however, be more than willing to help my students find another outlet, such as the library, or I could go to their English or History teachers ask them about whether or not they would like to address the issue. The same would go for Sex Education. If a student asked me, I would find the best way possible to help them get the information they need, but I would not feel comfortable addressing it myself for many reasons, one of which being I'm a math teacher, not a Sex Ed teacher, or a gender studies teachers. Though I do understand the importance of incorporating other areas of study into the classroom. History is a big portion of the math world that is often left out. Coupling a history unit with a math unit and team teaching is something that I am very interested in, and think could be very beneficial to my students. Overall, however, I think it was awesome how the group was able to get a conversation going and that everyone was very respectful of one anothers' opinions. I am also glad that the danger side of the talking about such issues was brought up. Homosexuality, Religion, and many other topics are a leading cause of debate, anger, and hostile feelings in general, and it is something to be aware of when planning any kind of unit about a controversial topic. This presentation really helped get everyone involved and thinking about topics and issues they might not otherwise have put too much thought into.

Discipline

This presentation really got me thinking about the different approaches to dealing with students. I have long been an advocate of doing everything possible before forcing a student to leave the classroom, but I had never really put a lot of thought into different styles of discipline. The presentation opened with the line game, asking tough questions, such as "Have you even been hit by a teacher?". I think that made a lot of the students in the class open their eyes. There are a lot of ways to handle any given situation, and not all of them are good. The role playing was an excellent exercise in coming up with alternatives to handling situations you might encounter someday, and having each group explain why each disciplinary action was good or bad really helped get everyone in the classroom thinking. Each situation is different, and should be looked and handled in the way that best suits the students' needs. Forcing them from the classroom isn't the end all of dealing with misbehaving students. It is much more beneficial to open the lines of communication. This is why that behavior is not okay, Is there something you would like to talk about, Why did you do what you did, What made you feel that way?, etc. This presentation really helped reaffirm my views on discipline, and open my eyes to many other forms of discipline as well. Overall, the presenters did an excellent job of showing everyone in the class what's out there, and helping us come to our own conclusions of better ways to help our future students.

Empowerment

This section was an excellent way to end the book, each entry more powerful than the next. It truly shows why everyone in this class chose to study education- to help their students. Entry 146 really struck me. Mike had failed his portfolio, and decided that he should just give up, that he couldn't do it. But instead of just letting him fall through the cracks like so many others, his school came to his rescue, so to speak. He was encouraged to stay in school, and many of his peers showed empathy and shared their own experiences with him. In the end, Mike eventually came back and passed his Portfolio, and moved onto the next grade. To me, this entry is the epitome of the support system that students need. Students have doubts, insecurities, fears. Sometimes they just need to know that someone believes in them so that they can start to believe in themselves. This book was definitely inspiring and extremely insightful. It showed a true, honest look into being a teacher and what that means. It's hard. But it's worth it.

Rejuvenation

Entry 10 truly shows the complexity of students. I remember as a child, whenever there was a substitute the class would groan. Really? A Sub? We knew which ones we liked, which ones we didn't, and maybe sometimes some of the students would misbehave more than normal in order to give the sub a hard time. If you're a sub, it comes with the territory. But this entry also does a great job at displaying the compassion that all people are capable of. The students let another student, who was not good at basketball, join them. They knew he wanted to play by the way he watched them, so they let him join in, and it was all in good spirits. How could the teacher stay mad after hearing that?

I also enjoyed entry 121. A teacher who grew up having a stutter, helps a student who also has a stutter, and shows him that you cannot be defined by it. He teaches the student confidence, and that he has every right to speak up, and say what's on his mind. The student goes on to become a great speaker, and all it took was encouragement from the right person. This teacher is truly an inspiration, not only to his students, but to everyone who read this book.

Disillusionment

Entry 77 makes me so angry. Standardized Testing. The students in this entry are truly getting the short end of the stick. Lack of funding, lack of materials, and many students who are learning English as a second language. How can they be expected to perform well in a less than perfect circumstance, to say the least? But the teacher tries, despite everything in her way; she finds creative ways to reach out to her students and teach them. Even though no one wants to take the test, and she doesn't want to give the test, she must. I can definitely see why Standardized Testing is put in place, and I understand the logic behind it, but stories like this are heartbreaking. Just because students don't test well doesn't meet they aren't smart, or capable, or college-ready. And there are too many stories like this being told. So what do we do? For now we are stuck with putting our students through Standardized Testing again and again, but maybe someday that won't always be the case.

Entry 82 is another entry that gets under my skin. This entry is about a teacher who proctors a Time-Out room-- A room students are sent to when they get kicked out of the classroom. It's absolutely absurd to think this helps students in any way. Many students who get sent to the TOR are probably glad to not be doing work in class, and if they know the only trouble they'll get in is to be sent to another room, then why not disrupt class again today? This isn't teaching anyone, anything. Not only is it hurting students, it's also creating bad teachers. Oh, you don't want to deal with John Doe's behavioral issues? Send him away! Jane Doe talking in class? Send her away! Why not talk to your students!? Maybe there's an underlying issue? Maybe they just needed someone to notice them? Maybe they are waiting for that one teacher to look their way. Or maybe they've given up and would rather be in the TOR then be let down again. Every student has a story, and every student needs a helping hand, not to be brushed aside by the system. Sending students away doesn't help anyone. I studied education because I wanted to help my students, not send away the ones who are "harder" to deal with.

Engagement

The entry that struck me the most was number 56. A student speaks up in class, asking the teacher's opinion of gay marriage. He then deflects the question back on her, finding a way to make her embarrassed in front of the whole class. This was definitely not an appropriate way to handle the situation. Doing things like that to your students will teach them to be careful of what they say, because the teacher might make fun of them. I want a classroom where all students are appreciated and are comfortable enough to say what's on their mind. However, I do not feel that homosexuality is an appropriate topic for the classroom at all. I'm a math teacher, and I want my students to be doing math, not discussing topics that could easily become out of control and spread a lot of anger and hate unnecessarily. Though, I am sure that that topic will someday arise, and instead of berating the student who brings it up, I will simply say that it's not a topic for the classroom, or that it's not a topic I feel comfortable discussing, but if you want to know more, you can go to the library, to this website, talk to these people, etc. I want my students to be aware of available resources, but I certainly do not want to seem like I'm picking sides, or putting any one down. In this way, I hope to show that they can come to me and share with me, and that I will always answer their questions/concerns to the best of my ability, or tell them where their questions can be answered.

Another entry that really struck me was number 66. The teacher in the story spends $200 on her student so that she can go to college. I have extremely mixed feelings about this entry. On the one hand, of course, as a teacher, I would want to do everything possible for my students to succeed. But how far is too far? I constantly worry about crossing lines inadvertently, getting in trouble and not being able to get out. And this stems from my own personal experience with a teacher. In High School, I was struggling, I was drowning. There was so much going on in my life, and I felt like I couldn't deal with it on my own. So I went to a teacher I trusted, and they talked with me a couple times a week, for about 15 minutes, right after school or during a study period. The teacher did notify the principal right away of what was going on, so he was aware the entire time of what became known as my condition (I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder my Freshmen year of college) and that the teacher in question talked to me frequently. If not for him, I would not be in college, I might not even have graduated in High School. But somewhere along the way, the principal decided that it was crossing a line and that teacher was forced to resign. On top of the that, the principal called my house to ask me what happened, and I told him the truth. But he didn't accept it and told me "When you are ready to tell the truth, you can call me." Never in my life have I hated the world so much. So I worry, as a teacher, how much is too much? And is it worth my job? I'd like to think the answer to that question is yes, every time.

Alternative Assessment

This presentation was a really great eye opener in a lot ways. All throughout our schooling here at UMF we are taught to teach to our students' strengths, and one of the stations really showed ways you might do that, and that there is no wrong answer. As a teacher, you need to be aware of what your students' abilities are, and use those abilities to show you that they can "meet the standard" or do understand the concept at hand. The board was also very eye-opening, in that it really brought statistics about assessments to light. It really makes gives you a lot to think about. And the skits really made us think of solutions to problems we might encounter as future teachers. What do you do if there are students with special needs? Or students who speak other languages? How do you make it fair? Lately I've been thinking a lot about the book Fair Isn't Always Equal. That truly applies here, whether the student is from another culture, or needs glasses. Alternative assessment is a truly beneficial tool to keep in mind when lesson planning in any classroom.