EDSS 531

Journal 1 Response:
    I hope that students in my class find that it is a disciplined but fun place to learn. They should expect to do work for points each day, although the activities that they do are varied. I tried to create a welcoming environment but have high standards at the same time. I wanted to make sure that students felt like they could ask for help when they needed it, whether their questions were content based or just about life. Some students just need a sympathetic ear and some advice from an unbiased adult.

             My goal was to help student become critical thinkers and to apply the scientific method to problems. Many students found this challenging and at first were frustrated by the fact that the answers were not easily found. Most adjusted to what I was asking them to do, but even at the end of my clinical practice some students were still fighting and complaining. I wish had more teachers would hold their students as accountable and set their standards high. As students move through classes at school I don’t think that they are challenged by content often.  Since the school is relatively small, I think a shift in all of the teachers’ attitudes and approaches would force students to become independent thinkers and teach them not to quit and wait for the answer if things get difficult.  


Journal 2 Response:

Quote	What it Means	Deeper Thinking
1. “Nobody has a clue what the world will look like in 5 years time, yet we’re meant to be educating them [students] for it”	Robinson makes the point that we are trying to prepare students for their future, but because things can change so fast we cant predict what that future will look like.	While that is an excellent point, I think that the best way that we can attempt to prepare students is to keep them current on technology and societies developments. Teach them to be open to new ideas and to change, and to teach them to harness their own ability to create new ideas for the future.
2. “We are now running our national education system, where mistakes are the worst thing you can make. And the result is that we are educating people out of their creative capacities.”	Students are being taught that the worst thing they can do is to be wrong, or make a mistake. As they grown up with this idea they work at being correct and ‘mainstream’ and loose the ability to create original ideas, because these ideas may not fit in with what is considered ‘right.’	I easily related with this quote. I remember in elementary school I was so afraid that I would get the answer wrong and be embarrassed. Not that my teacher every made me feel that way, but I was just upset that I made a mistake. I want to make sure that students in my class don’t fee like that, by always acknowledging something positive about right answers; whether it be partially correct or the logic that they used to come up it.
3. “Our task is to educate this whole being, so that they can face this future.”	By educating students in a variety of subjects and not creating stigmas towards those that are not ‘usable for careers’ like art or music, we will help create well rounded adults with an increased power of creativity.	I must be too much of a left brained person. Yes creativity is important, but how can it be fit in with the economy we are in? I am a scientist, my husband is an engineer. I come from a background where learning the basics and studying from a textbook are how you succeed. How can I incorporate and foster creativity when I am supposed to be teaching students the basics of biology? If me keeping my job is based on test scores and there is no funding for arts, how do we as teachers add creativity to our curriculum?
4. “Behind every challenging behavior is an unsolved problem or lagging skill (or both).”	When students act out in class it is usually due to a problem or lacking skill not because the student is unmotivated, or seeking attention.	As a teacher, once you determine the underlying cause/s of a behavioral problem, you can then begin addressing the real issue.
5. “There is a big difference between interpreting the lagging skills described above as ‘excuses’ rather than ‘explanations.’”	Some people will look that the problem of lacking skills and use it as an excuse, while others will find that it is an explanation instead. By thinking about the lack of skills differently, the behavior problem can be treated.	If students or teachers view the lack of skills as an excuse, they will use it to avoid an experience because the are ill-adapted for it. However if you use it an explanation for an action, you can begin working towards a plan to help the student develop what is lacking and improve.

Journal 3 Response:

    I hope that I understand the needs of my students and what they need to be successful in the 21st century, although I'm still learning. I am fairly current on technology and web tools that are popular at the moment. I think that the trick for me will be staying current. I have heard that as a teacher you will always be learning about new technology from your students, and I'm ok with that as long as I can master it and teach it to others. I think that as long as I continue to be open to learning new technologies I will still be able to help my students. 

  

    The gap between myself and my students varies. I think that I am still young enough for my students to find it easy to relate to me. I have read many of the same books and seen some of the movies that teenagers are into. I have had in-depth conversations about the Hunger Games and prom and high school sports. Although sometimes if wonder if this may be a disadvantage. I want to be able to relate to my students but I find that it is difficult to maintain a certain level of authority. Some students feel like since we have a connection, they don't have to pay as much attention in class since "It's ok, Mrs. morgan and I are cool." This balancing act has been tricky for me this semester. 

Journal 4 Response:

What are your biases and how do you mitigate your

behavior when working with students?

Journal 5 Response:

Philosophy Paper 

What I Know and What I Believe About the Development and Learning Needs of Adolescents

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Model Integration Paper
How I plan to integrate teaching models discussed in class into my own educational philosophy.
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Reflection Paper
Comments on the coarse and my perspective as an educator.
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