Something that I read in Chapter 6, made me take my life experiences for granted. The chapter stated "...while learning a second language is standard in other industrial countries, only 50 percent of U.S. high school students study a foreign language." This really made me think back to when I was little. The first language I spoke was French. I grew up on the Canadian border. My mother is from Edmundston, New Brunswick and my father is from Grand Isle, Maine. They both speak French and English, but French was the language that was mostly spoken in my home. When it was time for my older sister to go to school, she didn't know a word of English. At the time, the schools didn't want us speaking French. So, my sister went to school only speaking French. This was very difficult for her, but she had a great teacher and a great ed. tech in the room. Her classroom teacher didn't know French, but the ed. tech did. Coming from a French community, we had French class everyday. My sister's teacher took this opportunity and had my sister teach the class French, she really enjoyed this. So, when it was my time to go to school, my parents made sure that I knew English. I will admit, when it came to French class, I was a little bored until the material got harder, which would have been in high school when I took advanced French. This French was more Parisian French than St. John Valley French, which I was use to. So, while I was in school, I had a French class from grade K-12. I never thought that this was a "gift" that I had been given. I grew up being fluent in two languages. This was normal to me because everyone around me was in the same "boat" as I was. When I got to college, I took the CLEP test and did so well that they credited me for 3 French classes.
Working in the community, where I grew up, we always had customers that spoke French, so being fluent was a plus when trying to find a job in Madawaska. But, I still didn't think that it was something special I had because it was something I had done my whole life, it didn't feel special to me. Now that I am older, I am seeing the French language dwindle and a second language isn't being taught as much as it use to. When I got to middle school, the school district offered a French immersion program that parents could enroll their child in. It was popular at first, but didn't last more than 10 years before parents weren't interested anymore. In the school that I work at now, the French teacher started teaching the elementary students French, which was wonderful. But, because of cuts, we only have a half time French teacher now and the younger students won't get exposed to French as much.
After reading the quote above, it made me realize that my heritage and being able to speak two languages is something that I shouldn't take for granted. This is something special that I have. It is part of who I am. I feel like I should be more of an advocate to get others to learn a different language. You don't know how much of gift it is until you need it or you see something like the quote above.
I think that every student that leaves high school should be fluent in a different language. I am not saying to take two foreign language classes and be done with it. They should be fluent in a foreign language. We can't be cutting foreign language classes from schools. It will give our students such great opportunities and open more doors for them once they are out of school. They will be more of a global learner if they knew more than one language.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
"The Myth of Charter Schools" response
"...we are led to believe, teachers will be caring and highly skilled...the schools will have high expectations and test score will soar; and all children will succeed academically, regardless of their circumstances."
This may be true of charter schools, but it also true of public schools. Teachers in public school care, are highly skilled, children succeed academically and have great test scores. There is nothing different that a student in a charter school will receive than a student in a public school. The only difference is money. I can't speak for teachers in charter schools, but I know that the teachers I work with will spend hours at school preparing for the next days or week. They will spend their own money on projects they want to do in their classroom because the school doesn't have money for it. They will spend time in the summer preparing their classroom, creating lessons, taking classes and going to workshops so they can better educate themselves so their students can succeed. Just because you need to pay to go to a charter school doesn't make it better than a public school.
"...teachers are the most important factor determining student achievement."
Teachers are an important factor for students to achieve, but so are parents, administration, and the students themselves. If the students don't care about their education and aren't determined to learn new things, the teachers can't be blamed for this. If you get a student that doesn't care about school and doesn't want to learn, the teacher has to find a creative way to make that student care and want to learn. Will this happen in a charter school? Do public schools care more about the student's achievements?
" that (Geoffrey) Canada kicked out his entire first class of middle school student when they didn't get good enough test scores to satisfy his board of trustee."
REALLY! If this was running a public school, we would have looked over the tests to see where we can improve our teaching. We wouldn't kick students out of school because they got low test scores! If we would do that, the school I work in would have A LOT less students. How can students learn and feel successful if they are going to get kicked out of school because of a low test grade.
Working in a school that has a low socio-economic population and having students with little motivation is a struggle some days, but we won't kick kids out because of test scores, it's not fair. I can't imagine a charter school dealing with some of the things a public school has to deal with. Like, lice, clothing children, feeding them breakfast, giving them snacks, giving them sneakers, winter boots and winter jackets, etc. Would a charter school do this?
"If one uses student gains or losses as a general measure, then those who teach the neediest children-English-language learners, troubled students, autistic students-will see the smallest gain, and teacher will have an incentive to avoid districts and classes with large numbers of the neediest students."
Teachers should not be measured according to student growth. I think of some of the students I work with and they are behind grade level when I start working with them. So, to try to get them on grade level, or above, to get the them ready for their next school year, is a struggle. These students need to do more work than their peers to try to get caught up to them. It is possible to get them on grade level, but its a lot of work and dedication from the students. Maybe the school they work in may have some incentive for the teachers who have had growth in their classroom. But, I feel that student growth shouldn't be the only thing that teachers get judged on. I feel, that if the state starts to "grade" teachers on student growth, a lot of good teachers will leave teaching, and less and less people will want to go into education because of this.
Reading this article about charter schools made me angry. I can't believe that they would kick students out because of low test scores, or that they think that the teachers at their school are better than public school teachers. I can't speak on behalf of charter school teachers, but I know that public school teacher put in a lot of time and effort into their planning, correcting homework, creating test and lessons, etc. (Which I believe a charter school teacher would do the same). A teacher's day never ends when the students leave to go home and a lot of people don't see the extra time put in so their child can get a good education.
This may be true of charter schools, but it also true of public schools. Teachers in public school care, are highly skilled, children succeed academically and have great test scores. There is nothing different that a student in a charter school will receive than a student in a public school. The only difference is money. I can't speak for teachers in charter schools, but I know that the teachers I work with will spend hours at school preparing for the next days or week. They will spend their own money on projects they want to do in their classroom because the school doesn't have money for it. They will spend time in the summer preparing their classroom, creating lessons, taking classes and going to workshops so they can better educate themselves so their students can succeed. Just because you need to pay to go to a charter school doesn't make it better than a public school.
"...teachers are the most important factor determining student achievement."
Teachers are an important factor for students to achieve, but so are parents, administration, and the students themselves. If the students don't care about their education and aren't determined to learn new things, the teachers can't be blamed for this. If you get a student that doesn't care about school and doesn't want to learn, the teacher has to find a creative way to make that student care and want to learn. Will this happen in a charter school? Do public schools care more about the student's achievements?
" that (Geoffrey) Canada kicked out his entire first class of middle school student when they didn't get good enough test scores to satisfy his board of trustee."
REALLY! If this was running a public school, we would have looked over the tests to see where we can improve our teaching. We wouldn't kick students out of school because they got low test scores! If we would do that, the school I work in would have A LOT less students. How can students learn and feel successful if they are going to get kicked out of school because of a low test grade.
Working in a school that has a low socio-economic population and having students with little motivation is a struggle some days, but we won't kick kids out because of test scores, it's not fair. I can't imagine a charter school dealing with some of the things a public school has to deal with. Like, lice, clothing children, feeding them breakfast, giving them snacks, giving them sneakers, winter boots and winter jackets, etc. Would a charter school do this?
"If one uses student gains or losses as a general measure, then those who teach the neediest children-English-language learners, troubled students, autistic students-will see the smallest gain, and teacher will have an incentive to avoid districts and classes with large numbers of the neediest students."
Teachers should not be measured according to student growth. I think of some of the students I work with and they are behind grade level when I start working with them. So, to try to get them on grade level, or above, to get the them ready for their next school year, is a struggle. These students need to do more work than their peers to try to get caught up to them. It is possible to get them on grade level, but its a lot of work and dedication from the students. Maybe the school they work in may have some incentive for the teachers who have had growth in their classroom. But, I feel that student growth shouldn't be the only thing that teachers get judged on. I feel, that if the state starts to "grade" teachers on student growth, a lot of good teachers will leave teaching, and less and less people will want to go into education because of this.
Reading this article about charter schools made me angry. I can't believe that they would kick students out because of low test scores, or that they think that the teachers at their school are better than public school teachers. I can't speak on behalf of charter school teachers, but I know that public school teacher put in a lot of time and effort into their planning, correcting homework, creating test and lessons, etc. (Which I believe a charter school teacher would do the same). A teacher's day never ends when the students leave to go home and a lot of people don't see the extra time put in so their child can get a good education.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Chapter 10 response
This chapter talked about have a "green" school and teacher students about sustainability along with their core subjects. This sounds like a great idea. I really think that something like this would work in rural areas, especially in farming communities. The students could learn about the ins and outs or farming, they could create a school farm, and they would learn how to create a sustainable future for generations to come.
This may also work in bigger cities. Students could learn about the damaging effects that pollution has on the environment. They could learn how to change their city's use of carbon and how they can create a "better, healthier" city to live in.
I ma not sure how many school would be interested in this type of school, but it sounds like a great idea. If we want a clean and healthy place for our future generations to live, we need to do something about it now. Teaching our students about sustainability may be the way we need to go.
This may also work in bigger cities. Students could learn about the damaging effects that pollution has on the environment. They could learn how to change their city's use of carbon and how they can create a "better, healthier" city to live in.
I ma not sure how many school would be interested in this type of school, but it sounds like a great idea. If we want a clean and healthy place for our future generations to live, we need to do something about it now. Teaching our students about sustainability may be the way we need to go.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Bridging Differences Blog
This site had many different blogs to read and following. Some of them had to do with lessons we can learn from Chinese classrooms, charter schools, and what works best-Help of Punishment.
This blog seems like something that would be a great resource when wanting to try something new in your classroom or when you are "stuck" and don't know how to resolve something in your classroom.
This blog seems like something that would be a great resource when wanting to try something new in your classroom or when you are "stuck" and don't know how to resolve something in your classroom.
Free Technology for Teachers
This website had great ideas on what to do on back to school nights. It suggested that teachers create a QR code instead of having handouts to give to parents. Using that QR code, parents could access a calendar of events, contact information, links to websites and Google Docs, etc.
I thought this was pretty cool! Parents would be able to see new information that is added on throughout the school year without having to send papers home, which sometimes they don't always get.
I may try this for this school year.
I thought this was pretty cool! Parents would be able to see new information that is added on throughout the school year without having to send papers home, which sometimes they don't always get.
I may try this for this school year.
ASCD Website
This website had blogs, webinars and videos. Some of the videos talked about have we need to front load before we ask the kids to do something. We need to show them how to do something and practice it before we asked them to do it.
Some webinars were about engagement and learning strategies. The webinars were all free!
Some of the blogs were about learning goals and interventions.
Some webinars were about engagement and learning strategies. The webinars were all free!
Some of the blogs were about learning goals and interventions.
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