Chapter 6: Social Contex of Schools

I created a poster for a diversity day to help show my students some of the different diversities in everyone.
http://mykayla1029.wikispaces.com/

Chapter 4: Schools as the Workplace for Students and Teachers

Just like in the United States schools, our team high school has a chain of command. Obviously a school can not have every teacher or school official doing whatever he or she wants. The chain of command is meant to keep order in our school, but not to make one person more important than another. In our high school the most important people are our athlete students and the decisions are based upon what they feel they need and also what their parents believe. The coaching teachers also have a huge say since they see the students/athletes on a regular basis and know what they need. The decisions are made by these people and implemented by the school board, superintendent, and principal. Our school is more of a private school for athletes with special teachers. The teachers participate in the state programs like every other teacher in the state, but the school itself is not like the other schools in the state. Our high school is tailor made for athletes and includes more sports related activities. The state does not interfere with our planned practice time in the middle of the day. Since this is a school, the federal government plays the same role as it does in every other school in the country. We do not segregate based on race. However, our high school is for those athletes attempting to play their sport at the collegiate level. This does make our high school available only to those student athletes who have the ability to play college level athletics. Although our school is not a public school since not every student can attend, we still receive funds from the taxes placed on residents of the area. These funds are not enough to supply our school so we do charge an admission for those students attending. It is like a private school and we have a tuition.

Chapter 14: Succeeding in Your Teacher Education Program – and Beyond

Some of my concerns for becoming a teacher are all the requirements I must pass in order to be one. All the tests and classes that I must pass seem difficult especially when they involve subjects that I struggle with. Also, I am concerned that the colleagues I am working with may not like me or help me when I need it. I know this concern seems farfetched but I am always concerned that people will not like me. Another concern is the involvement I can get from my students parents. I feel this is a big part of a child’s education and I want as much involvement as possible. I am also concerned about meeting the requirements set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act. The idea of having to teach every ability level in one classroom scares me because with my experience, not every child was taught to his or her highest capabilities.
1. I would say that the self-concern is what is mentioned the most. Most of my concerns deal with my ability to be a good teacher. I think that I have some mention of every single one of the concerns in my statement. In some way all of my concerns can be related to one of the four major concerns. Most of my concerns focus around my ability to succeed as a teacher. I believe they focus around this because if I succeed as a teacher, my students will also succeed.
2. I think my concerns revolve around either a 2, personal concern, or a 4, the consequence concern.

Chapter 13: Improving Teachers and Schools, and School Reform

Before I graduate I know that I will have the student teaching experience that I will need in order to obtain a job, but there are some experiences that I hope to get before I graduate. I would like to have additional teaching experience, like tutoring or substitute teaching. This will further my teaching experiences and make my résumé stand out from those others. Also, I would like to gain some coaching experience by assisting a junior high coach or being able to coach a recreation team. This will also add some quality to my résumé because I want to be a coach as well as a teacher and this will make my coaching stand out also.

The beginning teaching years are very important for gaining experiences that can further my career. I would like to have the obvious experience with teaching and coaching. Also, I would like to have experience working with parents so that I can get the best results out of my students. I want to have experiences with technology in the classroom as well.

Things I need to know

I read about three important things that UMF Secondary Education majors should know.

1. Praxis - The information about getting the financial waver does not apply to my situation because I have already taken Praxis I and I paid the $170. Other than that this wiki only gave me information that I already knew because I have taken the Praxis.
2. Practicum - This wiki was useful because it told me all the steps that I am going to have to go through in order to be in Practicum next year. I found out that I am going to have to have a professional standing in order to be in the course. Also I will only be able to take one other class with Practicum. This information allows me to see what I am getting myself into next year.
3. Transferring Majors - This information did not apply to me. I am already in the education major and I do not plan on transferring out. I don't even have any friends trying to transfer into the major so this wiki was no help to me.
   

Chapter 3: Families and Communities

Gene E. Hall, Linda F. Quinn, and Donna M. Gollnick mention in their book The Joy of Teaching, that it is important that teachers and parents communicate (2008, p. 113 - p. 120). Both parents and teachers agree that parents need to be more involved in their child's education (Hall et al., 2008, p. 113). Studies have proven that when parents are involved in their child's education, students tend to get "higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates; better school attendance, increased motivation, better self-esteem; lower rates of suspension; decreased use of drugs and alcohol; fewer instances of violent behavior; and greater enrollment in postsecondary education" (Hall et al., 2008, p. 113). Even teachers benefit from parent involvement (Hall et al., 2008, p. 113). Teachers' morals are increased as well as teachers' effectiveness (Hall et al., 2008, p. 113). Granted contacting parents and parents communicating back is a two way street (Hall et al., 2008, p. 116). It can be difficult for teachers to find the time to contact every student's parent, but setting "aside 10 minutes a day to telephone, e-mail, or sent postcards to parents" enables teachers to contact a family at least twice in one month (Hall et al., 2008, p. 116). Finding ways that parents can get involved in a classroom can also pose some difficulties (Hall et al., 2008, p. 118). However, there are a couple of ways in which parents can get involved in the classroom (Hall et al., 2008, p. 118 - p. 119). There are the famous parent-teacher conferences in which parents and teachers can both ask questions in order to help the student (Hall et al., 2008, p. 118). Also, parents can volunteer in the classroom on a regular basis (Hall et al., 2008, p. 119). Teachers must provide a specific task for these volunteers so that they feel needed and valued (Hall et al., 2008, p. 119). Parent involvement can help everyone and should be encouraged.

Chapter 5: The History of Schools in the United States

In chapter 5 of Gene E. Hall's, Linda F. Quinn's, and Donna M. Gollnick's book The Joy of Teaching (2008), they talk about the different stages and reforms that schools and education have gone throughout history. During this time period, schools in the United States went from teaching preparation for industry to teaching mostly mathematics and science. The industrial preparation was the teaching of behaviors necessary for success on the assembly lines. Then after Sputnik I, the curriculum began focusing on mathematics and science. After the Sputnik I scare was over, the curriculum moved away from the sciences and math and began incorporating religion. The cultural war enabled this reform and when it was over, schools again went back to focusing their attention on mathematics and science.

One of the main debates during this time was whether or not religion should be included in a school's curriculum. The proponents thought that religion is a part of society so it should be included. However, those people who opposed the idea thought that religion in schools is too controversial and it should not be in a public setting. There are many types of religions and it should not be narrowed down to one or two being taught. That might make other people's religion feel inferior.