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

Thinking about my concerns as I prepare myself to become a teacher, I do feel concerns. I'm concerned about staying relevant once I am a teacher. I'm concerned about being able to find work, and about what the climate will be like in the field when it comes time for me to teach at a school. I worry about keeping up with the technology, because that is a deep field in and of itself and new advances are happening all the time.

Yet in spite of all of these concerns, I still feel confident in my ability to become a teacher and brighten the lives of students. No obstacle is insurmountable.

Chapter 13: Improving Teachers and Schools, and School Reform

Before I graduate, I'd like to have lots of experience in the classroom to put on my resume. I feel like that is really the most valuable thing a teacher can have. To be an educator is really more of a mindset to learn than anything else, and the best way to demonstrate a mindset is to put it to use in the field.

In my first five years of teaching, I'd like to continue my own learning, in and out of the classroom. I will attend whatever workshops are available and applicable, and I will also begin work on a master's degree. All of these things will play a part in keeping me sharp and relevant to the current educational climate. In terms of what I'll do to change the school I work at, I will try to encourage the use of technology and the further individualization of learning for students.

Chapter 7: Thinking about Teaching and Learning

I. I will incorporate quotes from students about how important they feel their inclusion in the decision making process is when it comes to their learning.

II. I will incorporate information about the Socratic method of teaching.

III. I will use information from the chapter to compare and contrast teacher-focused and student-focused classrooms.

Chapter 6: Social Context of Schools

Anybody can be a target for bullying, harassment, and intolerance. With this in mind, my future classroom will be focused on teaching that bullying, harassment, and intolerance are not appropriate ways to express oneself. In the spirit of the Henry Rollins quote I read in an earlier class, I will seek to show my students ways to embrace differences as much as they do similarities, and they will leave my class having been exposed to a variety of viewpoints. I will accomplish this by teaching material from a wide variety of cultures. Intolerance is almost always begat by a simple lack of exposure to a certain culture, and one of the best ways to become familiar with a certain culture is to read its literature. There are always stylistic differences, but even more fascinating are the ever-present similarities in writing from cultures around the world.

Chapter 5: The History of Schools in the United States

Free and universal education has been has been discussed in the United States for a long time, as evidenced by Jefferson's 1813 letter to John Adams. At first, education had a religious focus, and was built around the belief that children were born evil. Schools were used as a place to instill moral values in children, and that continues today, though the methods are now different, as well as the outcomes. The grade range of public education has expanded, from only earlier grades to today's system, which includes high school. The curriculum has shifted as well, according to the needs of the time, from industrialization to today's focus on computer technology.

Debates over school curriculum have raged through the ages. This is because people always have an idea of what they'd like their children to learn, but those ideas are always informed by different goals. For instance, religious people would like for their children to learn from a religious framework, while secular people object to that. These debates will always be similar, because the underlying goal is always the same. For the most part, people want their kids to learn in a way that's in line with what they themselves know and are comfortable with.

How do I start thinking like a teacher?

There's a clear distinction to be made between learning how to become a teacher and learning to think like a teacher. One I think I have a pretty good handle on; the other I think I'm making good progress on, but I'm not quite satisfied with. When I make an effort, I can see a particular lesson as a teacher might see it, but for the most part I'm still looking at school through the eyes of a student. Probably the most helpful thing in this area is the mentoring program at Mt. Blue Middle School. When I'm there, helping a student to understand a mathematical concept or introducing them to a reading comprehension strategy, I feel the most like a teacher.

Which theories and historical influences should most impact the schools we'd like to have?

I don't feel like I've learned much about this subject yet, but I think there's a lot to learn. I'm looking forward to hearing about just what the historical basis is for our current educational system.

How can I use knowledge of the learner to be a better teacher?

Knowledge of the learner is essential for an educator to do their job effectively. It was Tiana's class that really drove home the importance of the student in the learning process. She made very certain to stress to us in every part of that class that the student's needs must come first if the learning process is to be successful. I don't know that there's anything more that I'd like to learn about it. I just think it's something that needs to be stressed constantly.

How can I be successful at UMF?

Success at UMF hinges upon independence and organization. We're a school that offers a lot of freedom, but that comes with a need for the students to take some control over their own learning. I haven't learned much in this area during this course, but my ENG100 class has covered some of it, in activities designed to familiarize us with the resources available here at UMF. I can't think of anything more I'd like covered before the end of the semester.

How do I become a teacher?

I've learned the process to becoming a teacher. I've learned everything that the state requires to attain that goal, and I've learned places to find up-to-date information on the subject for when it's time for me to teach. The activity where we researched on our own was very helpful in giving me that knowledge. Before the end of the course, I'd like to see some discussion of ways other countries educate, license, and evaluate their teachers.

Chapter 4: Schools as the Workplace for Students and Teachers

Staff and organization:

We did not spend much time on the staff and organization of the Ashey Institute for Pure Education when we met as a group. However, I believe it differs significantly from the hierarchy present in United States schools. In U.S. schools, teachers must follow a chain of command that goes through various administrators. In our school, teachers will have only one boss, and that will be Ashey. The size of the school districts in the States necessitates a certain hands-off approach at a certain level. Ashey, because he is only running one very specialized school, will be able to take a very much hands-on approach to the learning of his students.

School district relationship with the state:

None whatsoever. Where schools in the United States tend to be just one part of a large school district, the Ashey Institute for Pure Education stands alone.

Role of federal government:

Again, none whatsoever. The Ashey Institute for Pure Education is, itself, a part of a governing body splintered off the United States government. Where schools in the United States have to consult the federal government for guidance in making decisions, the Ashey Institute for Pure Education has been modeled from the ground up to exhibit qualities accepted by Ashey.

How schools are paid for:

Schools in the United States are funded mainly by taxation. The Ashey Institute for Pure Education will not be funded similarly, as Ashey will not set up any sort of taxation. He siphoned off enough money during that phase of his plan to both establish his kleptocratic dictatorship and keep the Ashey Institute for Pure Education running for the several years it will take to brainwash his conquering army.

As you can see, the similarities between the average United States public school and the Ashey Institute for Pure Education are few and far between, due to wildly different locations, target pupils, purposes, and management.

Things I Need to Know

• Passing all three parts of the Praxis I test is one of the requirements to be a Secondary/Middle Education major.

This impacts me because it is one of the things I need to have done in order to continue on my desired path.

• A student wishing to change their major to Secondary/Middle Education must submit a completed change of major form and a copy of their passing Praxis I scores. A brief essay telling about why they wish to change their major to Secondary/Middle Education is encouraged, though not required.

Students frequently wish to change their major, and it is important to know what must be submitted to make that happen.

• Practicum students may enroll in one other class in addition to their Practicum Block, but if at all possible, former Practicum students encourage those in Practicum to stick with just Practicum.

Advice from people who have been through the process should always be taken into consideration. Practicum can be overwhelming, and any classes in addition to it should be weighed carefully.

• The one-to-one laptop program in middle schools has been renewed for four more years by the state of Maine, and high schools are being prepared for the program through teacher training.

It's important to know what sort of technological landscape we as future teachers will be setting foot into.

Chapter 3: Families and Communities

Religion is an important part of life for many United States citizens. However, the classroom is not the place to influence the religious views of students. Proponents of endorsing religion in schools argue that teaching the religion of their choice would be a good way to impart moral values on students. However, who is to say which world religion has the best moral values? It's far more logical to teach secular values, through the study of history and other humanities, than to attach them to religious beliefs. One of the biggest arguments over religion in schools has been over the contrasting beliefs of evolution and creationism. Where evolution has been backed up time and time again by scientific study, creationism has behind it the backing of centuries of religious tradition. This dilemma has caused many parents to lobby for the two to be taught side by side, or even have evolution stricken from the curriculum. This would be disastrous. Creationism is linked inextricably to a particular religious belief, and to endorse it as much as a scientifically backed theory like evolution would be tantamount to endorsing a state religion.