Teaching is like baking a cake.....

Teaching is like baking a cake because with the right ingredients you can create a wonderful masterpiece. The foundation of education correlates with the cake mix. Without a foundation there is nothing for the cake to build upon. Things like being able to read, creativity, and the ability to right makes up the foundation for a students school career. Then by reading the instructions, following the directions, and adding the right ingredients it will create a cake. Just as students need instruction, must learn how to follow direction, and need to be taught the correct things in order to grow and learn. The cake will not bake if you don't turn the oven on and heat it up. Students need someone to turn the light bulb switch in their head and grasp their interest. In order for the cake to taste good and the student to learn you should follow the instructions.

The main ideas I took away from this class to help better me as a teacher is learning how to teach every kind of student. Equality is important and each student, regardless of size,race, mental ability,should receive a fair education. It is crucial to teach students more than one way to solve a problem. Everyone's mind works differently and comes from different homes, so therefore it is important to know your students' strengths and weaknesses. Mostly I learned that learning should be fun! The first thing you need to do in a classroom is grab the students' interest and then get the ball rolling, encouraging them to think on their own. Creativity and uniqueness are going to be the main criteria in my future classroom. I learned an amazing amount of stuff from each of my classmates and their blogs. Being able to see another students point of view, or how they attacked the subject/ felt about it, really helped me to get a better understanding on most assignments. I learned ways to teach multicultural classrooms, I learned about famous educators and their theories, and mainly I learned how to teach about holidays. I was struck the most by how much I loved the online class and how well I excelled in it. This class really helped me to "put my foot in the door" of education.The blogs and each of the assignments taught me to have patience, encourage students to be different and creative. I hope to be a great teacher in the future!

Froebel's Theory on Education

"who laid the foundation for modern education based on the recognition that children have unique needs and capabilities."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Fröbel

I chose Friedrich Froebel to do my research on because his methods of teaching are most similar to mine. The first thing that struck me and really hooked me to do my research on Froebel was the first article I looked up,http://www.froebelweb.org/web2002.html, which quotes, "Froebel believed that stimulating voluntary self-activity in the young child was the necessary form of pre-school education. Self-activity is defined as the development of qualities and skills that make it possible to take an invisible idea and make it a reality; self-activity involves formulating a purpose, planning out that purpose, and then acting on that plan until the purpose is realized." I think that it is crucial that we teach young children to seek out learning on their own and to learn that their ideas can become realities. Once they have come to this realization learning will be much more fun for them. Froebel's education theory involved working very closely with the family unit. He believed that parents are the most apparent and consistent influence in a child's life. I agree with this immensely. Parents shape a child into what they are going to be like. If a parent teachers their kid that school is not important, the child is most likely going to have little interest in school. I believe that parents should be greatly involved with a child's education. Froebel believed in enhancing a child's creativity and abilities. I could not agree with him more on any of the points that he has made. It is crucial to ensure that a child's abilities are improved and worked upon. Also creativity is what I believe to be one of the most important aspects of pre-k and elementary school. Creativity leads to better learning, more fun, better social skills, and a better easier way to cope with emotions. I completely agree with everything that Froebel portrays and thinks should be eminent when teaching young children. His methods are not only affective but efficient. He places stress on family, creative, and children being unique, which are all things I find to be very important when teaching young children. I think that his learning theory is very popular, widespread, and smart. 

The Truth Behind Columbus Day & Thanksgiving

I am very excited that this topic was brought up because for the longest time I have been against Thanksgiving and how we teach students about these holidays. I understand that the truth might be too graphic but that has got to be better than lies and false information, right? When I was younger, just as "What not to teach about Native Americans" states, I learned the famous saying in "1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue." It was not until I was much older that I learned what actually is celebrated on these holidays. In my research I found a great idea for a Columbus Day lesson plan,This article advises to simply teach students the truth. I plan to teach my future students that America was already inhabited by the Native Americans but that other countries did not know it existed until Christopher Columbus. And just as we teach children about African American slaves, I will teach them how the Native Americans were enslaved. Teaching the truth does not mean I have to teach violence or graphic images to young kids.  I am not attached to the tradition at all and am actually completely against it. By forming my own lesson plan and incorporating students' heritage and their own knowledge about this events I will help them to understand the actual events that took place.

The topic of Thanksgiving is a very interesting one. For years I have been infuriated that it is even a holiday. In my opinion it is a celebration of the evil things we did to America's native people. In elementary school I was taught that Thanksgiving is this big,happy holiday in which we sat down at a table with the Native Americans who helped us to survive the harsh winter and were thankful for them and everything else. Most of the articles on Google only teach this version of Thanksgiving. If it were up to me I would use primary sources, images, arts and crafts etc. to paint a picture of what happened. This doesn't mean gruesome images of the horrors we did to Native Americans, but in a way a child could understand what actually happened. Incorporating children's heritage, what they already know about the subject, amongst other things will help me to teach them. However, I do not want them to completely dismiss the holiday because it still exists, so a fabricated version of the truth is necessary. Students should respect the holiday as being thankful for what they have and that is the main point I plan on stressing. I don't think the headdresses and pilgrim hats is discriminatory or racist, I think they are cute and fun. Students don't look as far into these things as we are. Although maybe a turkey with feathers saying what the child is thankful for or one that the turkey's feathers is an outline of the students'  hand might be a better project to do.

A hot topic in education today is how to create a socially just classroom.
Think back to elementary school, what kind of group projects did you participate in ? Did everyone participate ? Were you both mentally and physically active? 

More often than not the answers to these questions are no. Classrooms today fail to properly engage students, thus producing students that do not understand how to think critically,how to question,  and how to make real decisions.  According to the article "Rethinking our Classrooms","In a “rethought” classroom, concepts need to be experienced firsthand, not just read about or heard about. Whether through projects, role plays, simulations, mock trials, or experiments, students need to be mentally, and often physically, active."

 In order to create a classroom in which students are both mentally and physically active a teacher must ensure that every student is included, questioned, and often pressured to achieve higher goals. By assigning students to sit in groups or pairs it might help to engage more students. Mostly a teacher should assign projects that get students to experience things first hand. I remember in first grade doing "dress-up book reports" which really helped to get me to read the book I was assigned and to feel as that character felt. Dressing up as the character not only got me involved but helped me to understand what being that character felt like. 


As I continued my research, http://www.simteach.com/, helped me to better understand how to create a classroom such as this. They go on to say that it is all about "creating a balance" between having fun and getting the work done. Another method I found could be helpful was asking students to read aloud and even act out what they're reading. This helps the students that are listening and the student reading to better understand their reading and also helps them to imagine what they are reading. I can remember my teacher having us stand up and do jumping jacks just to get our blood pumping and our minds to refocused. Methods such as these greatly advance students to be both mentally and physically involved with their school work.

I think that creating a school environment that students can participate and be active in is a great thing for teachers and students. It will make class more exciting and beneficiary to all members of the class. Mostly it will make learning more fun for everyone! 
 

Politicians and their views on education

Going into the profession of teaching, it is imperative that we pay attention to what our governors, senate, and president think about education. It is obvious that we all want a politician who is going to support and improve our school systems. The subject of politics is hard to wrap your head around and even harder to believe what any politician has to say. But by doing research and reading articles from multiple sources can prove to be very informational. 

The politicians running in the election today that have positive platforms in favor of advancing our school systems include but are not limited to, President Obama, Elizabeth Warren and John Tierney. I chose these three because they're beliefs are coincide with mine so I find it easier to discuss them with you. Along with the NEA I support President Obama in today's election because compared to Governor Romney on the topic of education, Obama blows him out of the water. 

President Obama's has enacted a reform on the student-loan program, the increase funding in pell grants, and the new income based repayment on federal loans,which greatly effects us who are in college today. As stated by Obama himself "We Democrats have focused on making sure that taxpayer dollars support high-quality education programs, but Mitt Romney is a staunch supporter of expensive, for-profit schools—schools that often leave students buried in debt and without the skills for quality jobs and that prey on our servicemembers and veterans." Obama is a huge supporter in the subject of higher education which is why he earned my vote today. He goes on to attack Mitt Romney once again and says "Tuition at public colleges has soared over the last decade and students are graduating with more and more debt," the platform went on to say, "but Mitt Romney thinks students should 'shop around' for the 'best education they can afford.' And he supports the radical House Republican budget that would cut financial aid for more than one million students while giving tax cuts to the rich." According to www.http://uffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/dem-party-platform-college-education_n_1858987.html, the democratic platform also mentions support of tax credits for families that have children in college.President Obama has and continues to make great advances in education.

Another current politician who supports higher education is Elizabeth Warren, who wants to create a bigger focus on public schools and public universities. In her own words she describes her platform on education as "Good public schools, good public universities, and good technical training can give us a workforce better than any in the world. Well-trained workers are cost effective, and they can give us a powerful competitive advantage in world markets. Investments in our people pay the highest dividends." Voting those who want to advance our education system until office can only improve our country. 

http://www.johntierney.com/issues/Education states that John Tierney has been seated on the Education and Labor committee where he has since worked tirelessly to educational opportunities for Massachusetts' families. Being from Massachusetts this holds great meaning to me. 

From my research I can deduct that democrats place a much greater priority on education that republicans do. Reading on this subject and doing the research made me realize that I'm a democrat. It also gives me better insight into who I should vote for in future elections. Knowing about your politicians platform on education amongst other things is important to me seeing as I am a U.S citizen.

What is perennialism and how is it relevant today ?

Behind every school and teacher is a set of beliefs, or philosophy of education, that determines what will take place in the classroom and how students will be taught. Perennnialism is a philosophical approach to the subject of teaching that places much emphasis on ideas that are everlasting and history. Perennialists believe that studying the great ideas and faults of Western Civilization will help us as modern humans to progress, if we can understand how to solve problems are our past, we will be able to solve them in the future. According to http://www.hccs.edu, "teaching unchanging principals is critical. Humans are rational beings, and their minds need to be developed."

This philosophy focuses mainly on teaching, preserving the past, cognitive development, and conformity. Through my research I found that perennialism is a very popular, effective approach to teaching. I agree with the beliefs of this philosophy because it only makes sense to learn from the past and from our mistakes. I think most learning is done through experience, whether good or bad. It is crucial for us as a society to learn from our successors and to build/grow from them. The world would not exist today if this had not been done in the past. Perennialism is essential to learning, civilization and society.

A quote I liked explaining pernnialism from http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com says "Perennialism gives teachers the power to choose the curriculum, organize the school day, and construct classroom activities. The curriculum reinforces a predominantly Western heritage while viewing the students as vessels to be filled and disciplined in the proven strategies of the past. Essentialists focus on cultural literacy, while perennialists work from the Great Books." I think it is important that the teacher has an input on the curriculum and is able to organize his or her own school day. Although I do concur with this belief I think it is also important to have structure and to learn about things happening in the world today. I think a combination of many approaches will bring forth the best results in a classroom. It is most important to be well rounded and address all topics in a variety of ways in the classroom. So, despite the fact the I agree with this philosophy I think it needs to be altered and expanded upon.

What are some pros and cons of inclusive school programs ?

Inclusive school programs are defined as providing general education classes/programs for students who suffer from educational disabilities. Whether these programs work or not has been debated for years. One side argues that it is a great and wonderful opportunity for those who have disabilities, while the other side says that teachers should be better trained to suit the needs of these students. So the question remains, should students with disabilities be integrated into general education classes or not?


Research on this topic concludes that segregated special education services are not only inefficient, but are also too expensive. It is thought that students that are disabled are better off in a general education classroom because

• "teachers who have only low-ability students have lower expectations;
• segregated programs tend to have "watered-down" programs;
• students in segregated programs tend not to have individualized programs;
• students in segregated programs tend to stay in segregated programs"

• most regular education teachers are willing and able to teach students with disabilities; and
• the law supports inclusive practices.
• "http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues43/underlying_assumptions.html

These points make it very easy to side with the fact that inclusion is a good thing. Although most teachers are willing to teach students with disabilities and the law supports these practices, there is still an opposing side to this argument.

On the other hand, people argue that canceling the segregation problems is just to save money and that it is not in the best interest of the student at all. It is argued that disabled students are far different from those students in general education classrooms and therefore they deserve different services. 

• "special education teachers have higher expectations for their students;
• special education curricula are appropriate for their intended students;
• individualization is more likely to occur in smaller classes with specialized teachers than in the regular classroom;
• regular teachers do not want special needs students in their classrooms; and
• students with disabilities have never been well-served in regular education, and there is nothing to indicate that teachers are any more able to deal with them now than they were previously."

Having researched both sides of the argument I find myself siding with neither argument. Although both sides make good points, I wonder if these points are true to every student. The way I was taught is that every student is a unique individual, regardless if they are gifted or if they have disabilities. I think it is up to the student how they would like to learn. If the student is not capable of making this decision on their own I think the parents should be the successor to making this decision. Some students with disabilities are not capable of being integrated into general education classes, while others fit in perfectly. I think that schools should continue moving forward with inclusive education programs because it is important for students, no matter what their abilities may be, feel included. If a student is not fit to spend an entire day in a general education class room, then a plan should be devised so he/she can spend some of their time in the class room. Inclusive education programs are a great idea but it is not so easy as to say it is right or wrong. With more time, thought, and dedication into the program I think it could be a great opportunity, not only for disabled students but for all students. The most important ideal is to treat each student equally, offer them equal opportunities and ensure that all feel like they are a member of their class.

What works and what doesn't ?

The word multicultural education is defined by Julia Scherba, as "a process of comprehensive school reform and basic education for all students. It challenges and rejects racism and other forms of discrimination in schools and society and accepts and affirms the pluralism (ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, economic, and gender, among others) that students, their communities, and teachers represent." So the question I pose today is which methods of multicultural education actually work in the classroom, and which don't?

Being a "good" teacher involves engaging each student equally, without gender bias' or discrimination against any race in the classroom. The trouble in solving this is that teachers tend to create a bias or stereotype unconsciously or without knowing. The majority of instructors don't intend to not include boys or girls in a certain lesson, however, when they are planning they might forget to take this into consideration, leaving one gender to be left out. So, the obstacle we face here is how to stop this? How to design a classroom that student and teacher alike have no bias against one another, where each member of the class treats each other equally and as individuals, and most importantly make sure gifted or foreign students receive the attention they deserve.

To begin this discussion we will start with what doesn't work.
1.) Racism and prejudice DO NOT work in the classroom! There is no place within a school building that it is appropriate to be racist or prejudice. As a teacher going into this profession you must be aware that you are going to be working with a diverse group of children. If you do not have an equal respect for all beings than you have no place being in a classroom or being a teacher!

2.) Being uneducated about other cultures does not work in the class room! As I said before there is going to be a diverse group of children in and out of your classrooms through the years. In order to better connect, understand, and teach a foreign student you must be aware of their culture as well. It is important to research where an immigrant student is from so that you do not offend them or their native culture.

3.) Having high or low expectations does not work in the class room ! Having high or low expectations of student only makes learning for a child harder. "Students must believe that they can achieve before they will risk trying, and young people are astute at sensing whether their teachers believe they can succeed."
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107003/chapters/Educating-Everybody's-Children@-We-Know-What-Works—And-What-Doesn't.aspx

Although there are many other practices that counteract the task of multicultural education, there are some methods we found that I believe do work!

1.) Promoting parents to be more involved works! If the school and parents have a better relationship this will most definitely better the child. Students often work hard in school to impress their parents, and parents are their to help their children. If the parent is on the same page as the teacher it will increase the students involvement as well! Schools are now beginning to offer more pamphlets in different languages, translators, and even bilingual classes in order to benefit other cultures too.

2.)Teaching students about one another's culture! I think teaching a child that everyone is different and that this is a good thing is one of the most important lessons they will ever learn. It is crucial that a child understand why someone else is different, and how they're life may be. Young children have to learn the fundamentals of equality, sharing, and openness.

3.) The most efficient method I find is establishing a bond with and amongst your students. It is important to get to know your students so that you can start to form a relationship with you. If you provide a comfortable, welcoming environment to the children, and speak in a respectful tone, this will ensure that you and the students will bond. It is crucial that each student feels welcome, engaged, and important and through establishing a bond this can happen.

Multicultural education is a work in progress today, that teachers hope to expand and make more efficient. I hope that one day each child that enters a school building will feel welcome, safe, and secure. As a teacher I plan on incorporating multicultural education and all the things I have learned concerning this topic to ensure that my students will all feel equal. I think that this is one of the most important, overlooked topic within schools that needs to be assessed not only now, but throughout the years.

Private Vs. Public Schools 

The question I pose this week is wether students receive a better education from private schools or public schools? Most everyone would guess that private schools are more efficient; more money to buy books, supplies, and to keep the school up to date. Private schools often advertise better sports teams, clubs, extracurricular activities and the opportunity to be accepted into more elite colleges. Private schools often use the method of uniforms. The use of uniform is to make sure each student is viewed as equals and no one has nicer clothes than anyone else. Also this is a cleaner, more uniform look. But is the bonus of extra money and better supplies really affecting the children's education?

At first glance public schools are thought to have poor quality books, supplies, and buildings.  Most people believe public schools to have lower budget and therefore less qualified teachers than private schools. But after doing research I found that these stereotypes we all know to be true, in actuality they are not. In the article Private vs. Public schools, I found some intriguing evidence according to the CEP;
"When the report's authors compared students of similar socioeconomic status at private, public and parochial high schools, they found that:

• Achievement scores on reading, math, science and history were the same;
• Students were equally likely to attend college whether they had graduated from a public or private school;
• Young adults at age 26 were equally likely to report being satisfied with their jobs whether they had graduated from a public or private school;
• Young adults at age 26 were equally likely to engage in civic activity whether they had graduated from a public or private school."

 Reading this made me wonder if this evidence was true, but as I began to do more research, the NY Times concluded this for me."United States Education Department released a controversial and long-awaited report comparing public and private schools in terms of student achievement as measured on the federal math and reading tests known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress. As with previous studies, this one debunked the widely held belief that public schools were inferior to their private and religious counterparts."(http://www.nytimes.com)

This quote, as well as this article, proved to me that there was no difference between private and public schools.

Having gone to both public and private schools I discovered first hand that I did not like parochial schools, wearing uniform, or having to travel to go to school. I too, concluded that I felt just as comfortable and educated in public schools as I did in private schools. I felt as though uniforms took away my individuality and creative aspect of myself. Also, I concluded that I learned more in public school because private schools do not need to follow the states curriculum, the teachers taught less and were not as worried about meeting a deadline. The last aspect that forced me to resign from my parochial school was the people, because of the cost of the school more wealthy and upper class students attended the school. I found that these kids were snobby and not my kind of people. I feel much more comfortable in a public school and knowing that the education you receive from both public and private schools is equal.

Is it all It's Cracked up to be?

It has been debated for years whether going to college to become a teacher really pays off in the end, or are teachers left in debt more often than not? The job does have considerably low pay compared to other professions, but does this out weigh good benefits, great hours and the possibility to receive tenure after three years. So the question I pose is, is it all it's cracked up to be?


People normally tend to teach because there will never not be a demand in the feild for teachers. In other words there is always going to be a steady stream of clients; "No matter what the economy, there are always children to be educated."
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/teaching-no-fallback-career/
 But is teaching a good or bad career choice?

It is important to know exactly what teaching entails. It is a common career that is dropped after a few years by most people. The job of teaching is not an easy one, but you never know how good you will be until you work in your feild. However, if it something you're good at the job is very reawarding.
Through my research I found that teaching can be a stable career depending if you manage your school loans right and get everything you need to become a teacher accomplished. It requres alot of schooling, testing, and hardwork but if it is something you're cut out to do, you will love your career choice. The job of teaching does offer great hours, vacations, retirement plans, and the oppurtunity to aqcuire more income during the summer. If you are dedicated, passionate, creative and qualified than teaching is a perfect career for you! It may not offer the best pay, but if teaching is something your passionate about you will find that your job makes you happy, which is priceless.
http://suite101.com/article/is-teaching-a-good-career-choice-a287759
My research makes me think that there is risk involved with becoming a teacher, but as long as I feel as dedicated and positive going into my career choice I know it will be okay. So to answer my question, yes, teaching is all it is cracked up to be and then some. I beleive people should choose to teach strictly based on there love for the career. If there is no drive in a person to teach than they are not going to be a good teacher.  The satisfaction of "planting a seed of knowledge that will grow forever" is enough to get me through my future in the education field.

This is a picture of my sister and I on our trip this summer to Bermuda!

Hi! I am Makenzie Calef, an aspiring teacher and student in Education: The Premise of School.  I’m interested in teaching because I feel as though I still have the imagination, creativity, and sense of humor as an elementary school child. I love to help people learn new things and to grow as a human being.I currently babysit for two young boys ages 8 and 12, who are both awesome! I am a 19 year old transfer student at Salem State University. Click here to check it out