Blog Post 9

Works Cited

"Envisioning a common core curriculum." American Educator, vol. 34, no. 4, 2010, p. 37+. Student Resources in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Journals&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=SUIC&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CA296963901&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=lnoca_brecksv&jsid=ab0b2626451b0ff380cff83f50289df7. Accessed 16 Nov. 2016. This source gives different views on the Common Core. Most of the viewpoints in this source say that they dislike the Common Core, but believe there needs to be a standardized core across the country. In the journal, it talks about each specific subject area and how the Common Core fails it. What I like about this source is that then they describe how to fix it in each subject area and what should be focused on. The source also has one person who thinks that the common core is good and that it does not need to be fixed. This opinion challenges people to think of a better core that the government will agree with. This person believes that there cannot be a better Common Core that the government will agree with. This source will add more information on how to fix the Common Core and it will give me opposing viewpoints. Opposing viewpoints allows me to disqualify those opinions with other sources.

Singer, Alan. "Results Are in: Common Core Fails Tests and Kids." The Huffington Post, 2 May 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-singer/results-are-in--common-co_b_9819736.html. Accessed 12 Nov. 2016. This source talks about how the Common Core failed students. Seniors from 2013-2015 showed that their performance in math dropped and they did not improve their reading at all. Compared to 1992, the seniors were further behind. The source says that only 37% of students are prepared for college due to the implementation of the Common Core. The standardizing of education should not mean that only 37% of students are ready for college. Yohuru Williams, who is a Fairfield University Professor, says that the standardized tests are unfair to needy students and causes students in urban areas to fail. This source will give me data and examples of how the common core is hurting students. The source shows that the Common Core is causing students to digress and not be prepared. The data shows that there needs to be a change in the system.

"The standardized testing problem no one talks about." Washingtonpost.com, 17 Apr. 2016. Student Resources in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/NewsDetailsPage/NewsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=News&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=SUIC&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CA449824134&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=lnoca_brecksv&jsid=c738b4ff89ea3829a4703045afbbd60d. Accessed 16 Nov. 2016. This source is about the problem with standardized testing that is rarely talked about. The problem is that students do not care about them. If the students have a mindset that they only have to pass a test, and that getting a good score does not matter as long as they pass, then the students will not try very hard. This causes results to be skewed and not be a true representation of the students learning and knowledge. It also causes schools to look bad. Kids think it is cool or funny to not care about standardized tests. This causes more students to not try their best so that they can fit in with their peers. This source brings up another problem of standardized testing. I can use this source when I am describing why standardized tests are not a true representation of students and knowledge.

"The Test: Why Our Schools Are Obsessed with Standardized Testing--But You Don't Have To Be." American Educator, vol. 39, no. 3, 2015, p. 39. Student Resources in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Journals&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=SUIC&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CA431349001&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=lnoca_brecksv&jsid=ef63160d256b50878b8efd0c1ff2d8cf. Accessed 16 Nov. 2016. This source talks about how standardized tests should not be focused on. Personal assessment and performance assessment is key. If a student can perform math correctly and pay attention, that is more important than being able to do 20 math problems in 10 minutes. The source also talks about how Common Core is not helping students as much as it helps businesses. Businesses can slap the title Common Core on a book and sell it to schools. Common Core has also caused school to buy new books so it meets standards. Buying new books has allowed book publishers to make more money. Th worst part is that sometimes the books that say Common Core do not actually follow the common core. This source lets me talk about who benefits from the Common Core. It also brings up what kind of assessment should be valued over standardized tests.

Urzillo, Robert L. "Prosperity requires more rational testing: standardized assessments take the art out of teaching and measure wrong skills." District Administration, Jan. 2016, p. 68. Student Resources in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Magazines&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=SUIC&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CA440551114&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=lnoca_brecksv&jsid=99c8d693f5c156f10c669922e62d5368. Accessed 16 Nov. 2016. This source talks about the unnecessary stress that standardized tests put on teachers. It causes teachers to teach to a test and try to teach students how to test. This source explains how standardized tests stress teachers out, but it stresses administration even more. The results of the tests reflect on the school. The problem is that the administration only has standardized tests used as an evaluation of their job. This causes administration to be rougher on teachers and for teachers to not teach students about everything they want to or believe is important to know.  This source shows how the standardized tests put pressure on everyone including administration, and teachers. It shows that you cannot blame the teachers for teaching for tests. You must blame the system or the process that enforces it. In this case, that is standardized tests.

Blog Post 7

         What is greatness in teaching? To me, it is being an ally to students, being helpful and understanding, and being supportive. Greatness in teaching is also teaching in a way that students learn material and can retain and apply it. Last Thursday, we explored what being a good teacher is in the book, To Teach: The Journey, in comics. On page 101, it specifically lists the best parts about school. The book says that students who are comfortable, and believe they can be successful are the ones who have been affected by teaching. I think that all students should be comfortable and feel successful and that it is a teacher’s job to allow students to feel this way.

When I am future planning, I hope to be an ally to students. I was fortunate enough to have had a couple teachers who I could go to with anything and they would help me. I could go to them saying I had a bad day, or tell them about a problem that I was having and they would always be there for me. I would hope to be one of those teachers. I want students to feel comfortable coming to me for help or guidance. Students need to know that school is a safe place, and teachers can help students realize that school is safe.

My Planning Guide is:

-to always be an ally to students

-have a no tolerance for bullying policy

-be supportive and understanding

-teach to the best of my ability

Field Post 3

How can a teacher challenge students in the classroom?

When I went to Height High, I was put in an honors biology class. The class had students from all backgrounds. On the day that I was observing, the students were going to be working on a lab. The students got to work with their friends during the lab. The teacher challenged her students by having the students create their own experiment to test diffusion. Normally students have to perform a lab that the teacher assigns. By letting students create the experiment, it caused them to be more engaged. I wish that I would have been challenged to create an experiment of my own so that I could apply and practice the scientific method, and critically think about how to test an idea. By having students create the experiment, it forced them to think critically and work with others to come up with a way to test diffusion. Ayers and Freire would have liked seeing students apply their knowledge and not just regurgitate information. In a way, performing a cookbook lab (lab with directions) is almost like having students sit through a lecture. Only in this format, the students get to move around.

How can a teacher help students learn without lecturing?

At Heights high, the teacher forced students to create experiments, but she also allowed them to make mistakes. When she walked around the room, she let the students think of new ideas and ways to test ideas. She only took control if students got off task, or they would not be able to test their ideas in the time allotted. When I was at Heights High, I saw kids enjoying learning and enjoying others company.

BLOG POST 6

For homework, we were assigned to read chapter 8 of the book, Educational Foundations. While we were reading, we were told to put post it notes in sections of the book that interested us, caused us to have questions, or areas where we were confused. When I was reading, I put a post it note on page 104 for the first paragraph. The section is about how teachers make students into “receptacles” who memorize information and regurgitate it. I put a sticky note there because I agreed with the idea. I think that teachers sometimes just teach to the test or relay information. They do not care if you understand it, they just want you to do well on the test.

I brought that up in class when we were broken up into different groups. My partners agreed with me. We both felt like many teachers just stand and lecture and expect students to spit back the information. To me, that is not what learning is. Yes, there needs to be some lecture but there should also be discussion. There should also be application of the material so students can see what the know and apply the material before they take an exam on it. This seems to be a problem in college because there are so many lecture classes and for some classes, the only hands on application or discussion is when students are taking an exam.  Education is not just depositing information, but reflecting on the information and drawing new conclusions or asking questions.

Blogpost 5

Rofes believes that there needs to be more changes done for the LGBT community to be accepted. There are liberal and radical approaches, and liberal approaches are more common. The problem though is that liberal approaches do not bring radical change. It is true that liberal approaches are more common. Many high schools have GSA’s and support systems for students. There are also many websites, support centers, and programs for LGBT people. Rofes thinks that there needs to be more education for the people against LGBT people. Those people are the problem. LGBT people are not causing any problems.

My junior year of high school, students at my high school tried to create a GSA. The students who were trying to create the club were all close friends and they told me about all the backlash the principal gave them about the GSA. In the end, the principal allowed the GSA to be formed. Unfortunately, my senior year, seven of the eight founder of the club graduated and the person left in charge of the club stopped caring about it. They only held one meeting the entire school year. A reason the GSA was not a priority was because the president my senior year was not LGBT and did not feel any discrimination. I think that no matter what, people should care about the hardships LGBT people go through. They may not be public, but problems still happen.

When I in vision the school that I will be teaching in, I think of a school that is very accepting of students. I would hope that the staff and faculty were open minded and supportive of all students regardless of race, sexual identity, or identity. I would want to be a teacher that was welcoming to all and a safe haven to all students. I would listen to students’ problems and support them. I would also have a zero tolerance for bullying of any kind.

Field Post 2

This past week, we attended Shaker Heights Middle School. I went to two science classrooms. One was a seventh grade class and the other was an eighth grade class. When I was in the seventh grade class, the students were learning about energy transfers. The students were split up into table groups. Each table had boys and two girls except one table had 3 boys and two girls. The students were working on a worksheet that forced the kids to communicate with each other to find the answers. The teacher walked around the room and allowed the kids to struggle a little bit before he helped them, so the kids would at least attempt the worksheet before giving up. In the eighth grade class, the teacher was leading a community circle. During this time, students get to talk about a specific question to the entire class and build a greater sense of community. The teacher allowed everyone to speak and only let one child speak at a time. In order to ensure that only one child spoke at a time, she passed around a talking stick and made the rule that only the person holding the stick could talk.

What Ayers means by building bridges, is that students need to make connections and grow as a person due to those connections. In all of Ayers examples, the bridge built helps the child learn and grow. In the eighth grade science class, the student built bridges between each other because they all got to express their opinion. The students were able to feel closer as a class and gain more of a community in the room.

Blog Post 4

Dear Representative Marlene Anielski,

In my Education 100 class at John Carroll University, we are learning the basics of education. What we have been told is that since 1997, Ohio's system of school finance has been found to be unconstitutional and still has not been changed. In our class, we watched a video about how poor the school buildings are for the students. Some kids have to walk through puddles of water in the hallway, and others have foundation that is cracked. All schools are being affected by the lack of funding. Suburbs and urban schools are affected. I am an alumni of Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School. Brecksville has the stereotype for being full of affluent people.  Brecksville recently got a new high school. You would think that the school would then have no problems. That is not the case. The school was built backwards, meaning the from of the school is now in the back. The school has mice and garden snakes in it. The school has orange water from rusty pipes. The school, back in November, had two floods in one week, but students had to stay in the school. During the floods, poop water was in the hallways, ceiling tiles were falling, and peoples lockers were ruined. People also had to walk outside in the rain to get to certain classes. All these problems are not even bad compared to the fact that the school is sinking. There is a gap in between the floor and the wall. There is also a crack in some of the walls that separates walls. Ohio needs to change their finances so that all schools are safer.
Thank you for your time,
Maddy McBride