My Teaching Experience

Today in class I had to teach my mock lesson, for 15 minutes. In my lesson I approached the topic of Prohibition In my Roaring 20's Unit. I thought the topic was a good one, because it allowed students to appreciate the prohibition of a past time of many people during the time, and maybe even today. Since it was high school oriented class i couldn't really approach the topic of drinking, but i avoided it up asking students how they would feel if their favorite past-time was outlawed. I got mixed responses, but i thought it was a good was to open up the class this way.
I thought my lesson was well formulated to meet the needs of a 40 minute regualar class session, but I had to minimize it down to a 15 minute class. I enjoyed not having to meet the pressures of teaching for a whole 40 minutes, which I have had to do in my other education classes, but it made me realize that being prepared for changing plans for lessons is an important skill to have, and pull off.
The interruptions in the class were kind of funny, and I think approached them well. I think I need to work on being more of myself in front of a class, and to just make sure to be personable. I was nervous before going up, but hopefully when i do my junior field experience within the next month I will learn how to tackle my nervousness.

U.S. Eases ‘No Child’ Law as Applied to Some States

As many predicted, the No Child Left Behind Act is beginning to show signs of failure, and flaw by diagnosing too many sub-par schools or school districts based on school test scores. The problem with the system is that it is dianosing schools who little or not problems, but have some poor test scores, and lumping them into the same category as schools who actually need a large overhall. The secretary of education, Margaret Spellings vows to change and allow leeway for some states school disctricts who have been i.d.'ed schools disctricts in need. Under Spellings 's new program, the federal Department of Education will give up to 10 states permission to focus reform efforts on schools that are drastically underperforming and intervene less forcefully in schools that are raising the test scores of most students but struggling with one group, like the disabled, for instance. The problem with the system in place right now is that the rising number of failing schools is overwhelming states’ capacities to turn them around, and states have complained that the law imposes the same set of sanctions, which can escalate to a school’s closing, on the nation’s worst schools as well as those doing a reasonable job despite some
problems.
Critics of the system claim that the spectrum that allows for the federal government to access whether or not a school needs aid, or improvement, is too broad, and now schools are becoming mistaken and lumped in to conflicting groups, thus spreading the money and funds, and oversight that should be targeted at poorly performing schools, and making a blanket for thousands of schools.
Its interesting to see that the system put in place to monitor school progress, is still struggling to oversee all schools. An alternative im my own view is to let states handle education and give government aid based on income of neighborhoods. This would allow for an equal balance, and more productive means of helping faltering schools and districts.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/us/19child.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin>

Small Town Minds, Prove Difficult To Overcome For Harvard Student

The article reflects one conservative students struggles with life at college, in particular the "hook-up culture" at Harvard University. I think the article is important because it shows the willingness of one student to stick to her guns and not give into temptation, in her eyes to become a typical American girl. The featured students name is Janie Fredell, and the article goes indepth to see that the root of finding yourself, when you leave your parents or communities reach, is knowing who you are, as well as who you are not. Fredell is from a very conservative part of the the country, Coloardo Springs, Coloardo, and until arriving at Harvard University was never approached about making moral personal decisions pertaining to sexual activity. Fredell felt she was threatened by a school newspaper article that demonized the choice of abstinence, and couldn't believe that such an article could be published.
The article opened my eyes to how students that come from different parts of the country, regardless of age, have conflicting views with societal norms. I think the artcile is important because it shows that knowing yourself, can get you along way, when confronted with personal struggles, or obstacles, presented by the people you surround yourself with. In Fredells case, she seems to be confronted on a daily basis by all encompassing liberalism on the Harvard Univeristy campus, but stays true to herself.

< http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/magazine/30Chastity-t.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin>

School Bus-Ride Gone Wild!

This is a pretty ridiculous article, but I thought it was blog worthy, just because its so crazy to watch. Apparently in TUALATIN, Oregon, two teenage girls got into quite a tussle, but were caught on another students video cell phone. The bullying that took place on the busride resulted from when one student called another "a fat cow". The "fat cow" student then started slamming the other girls head into the a window, and pulling her hair. Students intially found it amusing but then realized the girl being beaten was actually getting seriously hurt. After a few minutes the bus driver pulled over and called the police. The conflict came to an abrupt stop, but the cops had already been called, so the damage had been essentially done. The biggest injury as a result of the fight was a bloody lip suffered by the antagonist who called the other girl a "fat cow."Interesting... Below I have supplied and link that shows the bullying on a bus-ride, I'm not sure its the same incident, but it still shows who bullying can take place at the most random of time, over the ludicris of statements.

I couldnt embed the video for some reason, so I'll just leave the link for the video:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8o7fxLpA5Y>

story below:
<http://www.nbc5.com/education/15514532/detail.html>

College Students Seeing Green As The Way To Go

In the wave of the "St. Peters Go Green", I found an article that explained the pheonomena, and made me realize that this "going green" business isn't just an isolated St. Peters approved activity. Apparently campuses like the Univeristy of Tennessee in Knoxville, the University of Utah, the University of Vermont and many others (including St. Peters College) have all jumped on the band wagon, in order to stop the burning of fossil fuels, which had attributed to the problem of Global Warming. A student who was interviewed from the University of Tennessee, named Katelyn McCormick, was adament about the campaign and encouraged all college students, and campuses to join the rest of the nation in educating and preventing the spread of global warming. She said, " Global warming, environmental injustices and social injustices are so closely tied together that you can't separate one from another, I definitely have found my passion and plan to make this part of my life."
The national organization is actually called "Focus on the Nation", and has been rapidly spreading helping bring together multipe generations, making the world look like a more and more eco-friendly place everyday. One student commented on the hard work, and dedication of all involved, and said, "You've got the old-school people in the movement who fought in the civil rights movement. And you've got these instinctually brilliant young people who know how to organize, who know how to broadcast, because they already organize every day when they look for friends (on Facebook or MySpace).
I in particular find the last quote in the article important because it shows that there is little or no prejudice when it comes to who is involved, and which mode of involvement they use, just so long as the word of spread of the movement. It is exciting that such a large-scale movement such as "Focus on the Nation" is being used to benefit all societies, and is being handed over to future generations, because it shows a transistion of power, but also a level of trust.

<http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-03-12-focus-the-nation_N.htm>

District to Settle Bible Suit

This article was interesting to me because I just finished learning about the problems with keeping public schools secular, and how teaching of specific religious material is so touchy. I felt that the article was somewhat of a let down though, because it didn't escalate into a full blown controversial event. The two parties involved were able to resolve that curriculm that had been introduced, by the West Texas school district that violated the constitutional statute that there must be a seperation of church and state. It argued that the course curriculum, adopted in 2005 by the Ector County Independent School District, promoted Protestant Christianity and a specific reading of the Bible as a literal historical document. The settlement between the A.C.L.U. (American Civil Liberties Union) and the school district came to an agreement that a new curriculum that has been already developed will be used in place of the original course material. In the original complaint filed last May, the plaintiffs said the district established the elective Bible course through a process that was “improperly designed to promote religious instruction.”
The outcome of this article is pretty boring, and this is a rather short and boring post if this legal stuff doesn't really matter all to much to you. I find it interesting that there wasn't more of a fight to keep the original course in the state that it was instead the school district crumbled and gave in to the A.C.L.U.'s case and complaints.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/us/06bible.html?ref=education>

Principal Sees Injustice, and Picks a Fight With It

The problem of illegal immigration statutues is much more far reaching than most people think, and in this article awareness of the impact that state statutues are having on illegal immigrant children comes to the forefront. In the article we meet a principle, Mr. Watterson. Shes an advocate for illgeal immigratn student funding, and rights, and has chosen to see to it that the children who suffer enough as it is, are able to atleast able to be educated in a sound way. Watterson became principle of Gateway Early College High School in 2003, and immediately started implementing change. She was not infavor of the old curriculum, and replaces it with a traditional set of standards because she felt the new progressive way was detriorating school performance. She is known for change, and when she felt the time was right she began her crusade to end or question the state statutes of Arizona, which is known as Proposition 300. The proposition says that illegal immigrants could not receive in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in Arizona. Nor could school administrators like Ms. Watterson use state money to pay it. Is this is fair thing for the state to impose on children who have fled primarily Mexico, i search of both a better life, but for the sake of the article, a better education?
Since Ms. Watterson has taken charge, and has began appearing on television shows, and interviewing with newpapers, and magazines, she has managed to raise of $27,ooo dollars in order to pay for some her students to attend college here in the United States.
Although Ms. Watterson is using her abilities to help those in need, is she really helping the rest of the country, by setting an example of being a dissenter against a state law? I find it hard to believe that she still has her job.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/education/12education.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin>

High Court Declines To Hear Student Free-Speech Case

At the moment I am taking a Constitutional Law Class here at St. Peters, so I figured it was interesting to see an article regarding the always hot topic of the Freedom of Speech, and Education. The basis of the article is centered around a student who goes by the name of Andrew Smith, and who attends Novato High School in California, a predominantly liberal state. The source of controversy surrounding this whole case is an article Smith wrote for the high school newspaper the BUZZ, a sponsored extracurricular activity his senior year. In one of his articles which dates all the way back to the year 2001 (just to give a little timeline on how long this case took to be decided and now denied by the Supreme Court) he addresses the issues of illegal immigration, and expresses his dissatisfaction with the state of his community which happens to be located in a heavily populated area of "illegals." As a result many of the parents in the school district, who naturally are I'm sure ethnically similar to the people he is describing as "drug dealers, thieves, who milk the welfare system of the United States" were very upset that the article was made public, and available to the school community. Although the student is entitled to his own opinion, and the school can either choose to let the article go to press or not, there was a large backlash that resulted from the article. The negative reception was bad enough for the principle for send out a letter of apology to the whole Novato high school community, thus deteriorating the impact and intent that such an article could bring about. In repsonse to the action of the principle Smith and his father sued the school for its "student expression policy" that impinged on Smith's Freedom of Speech Luckily the school district knew their boundaries and didn't take the extra, and in my view, inapropriate approach and repremand the student for his honest, and newsworthy article exposing not only a Novato High School issue, but a national issue that politicians and American society for the most part choose to ignore. The article has made enough racket that it was brought up the California State trial court, which deemed the article wasn't in fact protected by freedom of speech because it contained "derogatory, insulting, and disrepectful speech." The case was then brought up to a three judge panel of the California- Appeals Court which ruled unanimously that the decision made in the state trial court had in fact violated Mr. Smiths Freedom of Speech. I find this article to be eye-catching because it deals with a seemingly hamrless extracurricular aspect of high school, and in this case was used to a students advantage only to be shot down because of political correctness. I commend the student for recognizing the potential of power he had, and addressed an issue that is high debated, and will surely make a big diffence in the upcoming Presidential race of 2008. I hope that everyone gets a chance to check it out and see what all the "hooplaa" is all about. <http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/27/25scotus.h27.html?tmp=138428594>

Do Students Know They're History?

It may come as a surprise that many students today are just not as schooled in liberal arts in high school as they should be, but according a recent survey done by a group called the Common Core, facts such as Christopher Columbus's founding of the "New World" which took place in the year 1492, are being confused by teens these days with some year in the late 1700's. Common Core is a group that describes itself as a research and advocacy foundation that is discovering and unearthing the truth that high school students are not as aware or informed about history as they should be. Interestingly enough the group is holding President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" which is extremely controversial act passed by Congress that reauthorized a number of federal programs aiming to improve the performance of U.S. pimary and secondary schools by increasing the standards of accountability for states, school districts, and schools, as well as providing parents more flexibility in choosing which schools their children will attend. The groups executive vice preseident Antonia Cortese has a very close tie to the Democratic party which comes as no surprise based on their accusations aimed at Pres. Bush's NCLB Act, but is also an acting member of one of the most important and influential teachers union in the United States.I dont believe that this groups telephone survey has found the answer as to why school children don't know the history of the United States, but improvements must be made to better acquaint them with the important dates and events that helped shaped this country. According to the Common Core, aprox. 1,200 seventeen year olds were called randomly throughout the month of January and given a series of thirty three multipe choice questions. This isn't exactly the best method of surveying students history knowledge, but ok. The group issued the statement regarding the poor test scores, “The nation’s education system has become obsessed with testing and basic skills because of the requirements of federal law, and that is not healthy." Although this jab at the current state of secondary education is somewhat relevant you must remember that the group relied on phone surveys, and we all know I'm sure how annoying phone surveys are.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/us/27history.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin>

N.C.A.A. Sports Programs Short On Cash?

"It's all just a game"..how many time have you heard that line used when something doesn't go your way? Well in the world of college sports, the game of giving less to student athletes who demand more money to pay for their $45,000 tuition bill might be in for a rude awakening. It has come to the attention of many that although the glamorous N.C.A.A. sports programs you see on your t.v. when watching a baskeball, football, or sometimes even baseball team, won't be the ones dealing out the green for your skills too generously. In the article Villonova baseball coach, Joe Godri tells and almost pleads through the article that parents as well as student athletes understand that the money they are looking for just is't available.
Godri says he sometimes is baffled by the requests he get from parents as well as prospective recruits, when they are for thousands of dollars, that the program just doesn't have in order to keep a roster of 25- 30 kids afloat. Godri says he often feels like a "used- car salesmen", because when it comes down to it, he jut can't offer the invisioned amount of money that both the parents and the athelete want or need. “Parents say to me all the time: ‘Can’t you just throw her something? Just make her feel good,’ ” said Gobri, the Villanova coach, and “I have to explain I don’t have money to throw around"
I find this article interesting because it sheds light on two aspects of college sports that is rarely seen. For one, student athletes think that no matter where they go the money is available, and for the most part scholarships like this are just waiting to be taken, which is not the case whatsoever. The second point that the article sheds light on, though unintentionally is that smaller lesser known named schools (ehhem... St. Peters) probably are the better option because they value your skills, and are able to give out good amounts of money because they must push for athletes who get turned down by bigger "brand name" schools.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/sports/11coaches.html?ref=education>

A Cure for the College Blues

When are too many activities, a little too much? This is a question that honestly I find myself, a junior in college contemplating, and for the most part besides my job on campus of lifeguarding, I am a full time member of the St. Peters College Swim Team, and yes, a student. Thinking back to highschool I feel like the demands of being in school all day, and then playing an instrument, and going to my swim club practice (and when in season, my highschool varsity swim team as well), and maintaining a life outside of my commitments sometimes began to clash, possibly a little more than even now.
The article I read for this week deals with students who are much more invovled than I was in high school, and they say they have too much on their plate, which makes me feel like my whining expressed above really doesn't amount to much more than excuses. In particular the article showcases a woman named Sabrina Skau, who now attends Portland State University, but throughout high school, better yet, until the last day of her senior year, she was super student/extra curricular woman. In the article she expresses her need for a break, and wished that when she graduated, that she had a break between the end of high school, and the rigorious upgrade to college life. The article also begs the question now being asked of both high school over-achievers, and college admission offices, and that is, " do students need the option of being accepted but allowed to take a year off?", before plunging into the college atmosphere. Some schools such as Princeton University have already developed programs that allow for students such as Sabrina Skau to study abroad, for a year of social service before actually starting. I dont believe this type of progam would be beneficial to the academics of any incoming freshman, due to the fact that getting immersed in the college life and academic scene is both beneficial and important for the students future. What do you think?

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/fashion/09gap.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin>

Plagarism Isn't Just A One Way Street, Professors Do It Too!

Haha, it has been determined the phrase "plagarism is a crime", a phrase often told to students in order to deter cheating in highschool and college still actually applies to the teachers saying it. After an 18 month investigation into a professor at Columbia Unveristy named Madonna G. Constantine, a committee has found that she often plagarized not only officially published material, but students work as well, ALL WITHOUT CITATION, and has had the nerve to publish it as her own in academic journals over the past five years. The committee put in place to investigate Dr. Constantine after a noose was found hanging on her office door last year in October prompting a full scale police and college investigation, said that Columbia University is taking the necessary disciplinary actions with Dr. Constantine and that she was being penalized, but did not say what the penalty was.
Constantine has fired back against the allegations stating that, “[the investigation] (which initially was being done to benefit her) is a conspiracy and witch hunt by certain current and former members of the Teachers College community." She then proceeded to play the race card and say, “I am left to wonder whether a white faculty member would have been treated in such a publicly disrespectful and disparaging manner." It was said that in 2006 the chairman of Dr. Constantine's department was informed that she had used materials from journals, and students, and even a junior colleague, and passed it off as her own thus shifting the focus of the investigation.
It is unfortunate to see a professor at one of the most prestigous universities in the world be scrutinzed for such a stupid act of laziness, and also carlessness, but as my teachers always said, "plagarism is a crime."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/education/21prof.html?pagewanted=2&ref=education

Is Co-ed Education Beneficial Or Is It A Draw- Back?

In a recent article entitled, "Teaching Boys and Girls Seperately", the question of the whether public schools at all levels should start offering single sex education facilities. In particular the article focuses on a small school in Foley, Alabama, called Foley Intermediate School. By the authors descriptions of the seperate learning environments for boys and girls, the classrooms seem to be benefitting the girls who have a more comfortable settings of bright colored walls, warmer room temperatures, etc. The boys classrooms on the other hand are darker colored, their room temperature seems to be a little lower than the girls rooms, and it seems that the school is focusing on all the wrong aspects of education. The chief argument for the seperation of sexes comes from the schoools principle, Lee Mansell who said she was inspired to make such a drastic change to the school after reading the book, "Boys and Girls Learn Differently!" by Michael Gurian. After reading the book and a few assorted articles on the topic, Mansell developed the plan to help the "low scoring students" (who in this school were minority boys), and began seperating in 2004. Apparently after making her school faculty read the articles and studies, and book that she had, a full scall overhaul of the school took place to better suite the failing or sub-par population of students in it. Additionally, enough parents were impressed that when Foley Intermediate, a school of 322 fourth and fifth graders, reopened in 2004 after summer recess, the school had four single-sex classrooms.
After reading the article I find it interesting that a whole school make up was changed based on a few well-written articles, and studies that were done on Japanese children, not American, and one good book. Yes children learn differently, but there are things that can't be taught in a seperated atmosphere. Social skills and developing control for students male or female all take place and really come into their own during middle school and high school years. I believe that although handling students weaknesses is a good reason for the change, it is not a good enough reason to deprive developing children from experiencing how to communicate and interact with the opposite sex.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/magazine/02sex3-t.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin>