Final Blog!

I cannot believe this is the FINAL blog, classes seemed to fly by faster than ever.  I really enjoy online classes and this one in particular was set up nicely and I enjoyed the class very much.  The one thing I learned that I think is the most important is simply HOW to teach, how there are many different ways and approaches and this class opened my eyes to many different strategies, tips and tricks.  Everything we went over is important, and I am not just saying that to get out of picking and describing one thing.  Before this class I didn't really know what was in the package of teaching, but through this class I have been highlighted on many different areas of learning and even laws and issues within a teaching environment and how to deal with them. 

I honestly really didn't like the blogs much unfortunately. =/ They were nice to be able to put our own thoughts and take on things and it also allowed us to have a little more freedom in what we chose to write about.  Also it allowed for pictures, but I feel they could have just as easily been a discussion in WebCT with the same requirements, on a website that we are continuously on, rather than going to this separate website.  I guess I am just not a "blogger."

Anything like blogging or WebCT discussions would be helpful for teaching and learning because students in today's schools are technological learners and introducing a computer type assignment would allow kids to more easily be able to express and relate to the things they are learning and hear comments from teachers and students quicker.  Also, it may allow for extra learning time by being able to work on assignments and continue learning within the home.

Howard Gardner - Multiple Intelligences

I feel that the revelation of Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner, though it has been discussed often, is the most influential person and theory of learning.  When you sit in a classroom and look around, you can visually, right away, see how many people are different.  Now just because they look different doesn't mean they "are different," but imagine how many people would learn differently from you.  Imagine the student in class who loves music and can easily remember the lyrics and melody to a song, but cannot remember a lecture from a teacher.  Imagine the student that stares out the window and want nothing more than to experiment on the different types of fungus that grown on trees.  Everyone has different interests, personalities, and learning styles. 

 Howard Gardner was born in Scranton, PA and actually wanted to be a professional pianist.  He loved playing the piano and was very good, but he ended up teaching it instead.  Gardner is now 67 years old and  is a teacher at Harvard Grad School.  He was a piano teacher, got his Ph.D., studied with many famous psychologists and philosophers, worked at a hospital for 20 years, is co-director of Harvard Project Zero, theorized multiple intelligences, written over 400 research articles and 20 books.  WOW.  Gardner is clearly a busy man and has done many things and I find that very admirable. 



As we all know, multiple intelligences is a theory based off of students learning in different ways.  It is made up of spacial, linguistic, bodily-kinesthetic,  logical mathematical,  musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic.  Together, these intelligences help students individually identify who they are as a learner and how they are better able to learn. 
I think it would be amazing if children at a younger age could be made aware that they do learn differently and they are ways they can help themselves learn all different materials in ways that are specific to them.  I feel schools are geared toward left brain people, toward only some aspects of multiple intelligences, and that does not give students enough to help them learn in ways best for them.  I am not saying school sshould split up kids based on their highest scoring intelligence, I am saying, make them aware of their strengths to help them individually help themselves.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0004/ai_2699000478/

http://www.howardgardner.com/index.html

Education is a Recipe

Recipe's require planning, much like an education.  You have to first think if you have the right ingredients.  You then go shopping for the missing ingredients.  Once you have everything together you follow a set of instructions to get the perfect result.

Education requires the same type of planning, you must determine if your child is ready to start school, then once they are in school until the time they graduate they follow a curriculum much like a recipe, this leads to, hopefully, the perfect end result of an educational success, a student who did well and graduated.  Now, of course, some recipes don't turn out as planned, the oven could have been a few degrees too cool, or an ingredient could have accidentally been left out, but it still can be fixed.  The end result for these recipes can have different outcomes, BUT, the most sought after outcome, the most important, is success of the students learning, achieving an education, making that dish juicy, delicious, and right on time for your guests arrival.
 Throughout the process of receiving an education, some recipes may go through bumps.  Your muffins may deflate and your toast may get burnt.  Some recipes cannot recover from this, much like some students.  They may act out, have bad behavior, skip one too many classes and this is definitely a sad event, but with great teachers, and a great environment, they can be helped and maybe even saved to become the most scrumptious meal anyone has ever had! 

 

I have learned many things in this class.  The two most important I feel is the issues facing racism and cultural diversity in classrooms.  These two I feel work hand in hand and I feel that it is still a problem even in today's melting pot America, and that it does need to be handled in schools.  Cultural diversity is something that is growing everyday, and every child will be exposed to culturally different kids more and more.

I also liked learning about curriculum.  It is something you always hear about as a student, but it is never something you know a lot about.  As a teacher it is so important to know what it is, how it works, and how it is applied.  Curriculum, I feel, is the base of the "recipe" for education.

http://www.foodservices.uwaterloo.ca/foodbuzz/modules/pdfs/HowToFollowRecipe_osu.pdf

http://www.salemstate.edu/webct (this is what I used to look over past assignments and information)

Module 5 - How Important is Cultural Diversity in School?

 How Important is Cultural Diversity in School?

I find this question interesting and very important.  The world and people in it are constantly changing, and moving.  I think it is important to be culturally aware and be exposed to diversity.  One of the best places to learn and do this is in the schools.


According to the Census Bureau by 2100 the non-hispanic white population will be the minority in the U.S.  This means students will need to learn how to interact with people of different races, languages, and cultures.  So how important is diversity in schools??  I say very important.  If you keep children sheltered an unaware of this, they will not be able to prepare their futures or their own children.  When I was in high school I had never ever thought about it.  There were maybe 3 African American students in my entire school, 5 or 6 of other races.

 When I came to college, it was a whole new experience!  I wish I was a little more aware and knowlageble about all of it.  In college I have take over 5 classes that touch and go in depth on the subject, and I am happy to learn about different cultures, they way they live.  I also think being more diverse in schools will help with issues of racism.  Also, diverse classrooms can help all the students learn different cultures, maybe even different languages.  I think it is so important to be able to speak different languages, America is after all, a melting pot.

http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/defining-your-ideal/cultural-diversity-at-school.gs?content=284

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/presrvce/pe300.htm

Module 4 - Hot Topic In Education - High Fives and Hugs Banned?!?

Why have schools banned hugging and high fives?  Do you agree?  Is it okay to ban PDA but not a hug from a friend?


Increasingly in schools everywhere, there has been problems with students and public displays of affection (PDA).  However now, schools are beginning to do things about it, but are they doing too much?  In Vienna VA, Kilmer Middle School has a "no touch" policy.  No hugs to your best friends or high fives when something goes right.  Some schools do not take this drastic approach, but enough do.  I know schools have a lot of responsibility and have to honor the fact that they are supposed to be an environment free of harassment, but I feel some schools are taking it too far.  There is behavior you can stop, bad behavior, but if a child wants to run into school and hug their best friend, or say whats up to a friend by giving them a high five or a handshake, why shouldn't they be able to do that?  There is plenty of inappropriate touching you could say no too, just make it apparent don't punish everyone by having a rule that says you cannot touch anyone in any way.   According to the president of stoppingschoolviolence.com, "I see nothing wrong with hugging.  If the teachers could tell the difference between good touch and bad touch whether someone is bullying or horse playing, that would go much farther."

Children who are having a rough time at home or a loved one passed face suspension if they seek comfort from a friend at school.  Is this fair?
A 12 year old girl was suspended for consoling a grieving friend during a break at school.  Was what they were doing wrong?







                 SOURCES:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,309296,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1683668,00.html

Week 2 - Intro to Blogging

My name is Sarah Oosterman and in 21 years of my life I have never posted on a blog!  I have a boyfriend of 5 years, and my favorite color is lime green.  This is really new to me and it seems like it will be a lot of fun. 
I have picked my three links to be
         1. PBS kids because a lot of the shows on PBS offer learning in a really fun way.
         2. Educationworld.com because I accidentally came across this website when searching for MTEL information and thought it had some really cool information about education and teaching on it.
         3. Salemstatevikings.com because I like to keep up to date with Salem sports, and mostly my boyfriend basketball team.

Blogging?

I have never done a blog before, so I am extremely new to this!  Comments on how to make this a smooth experience for me?