CEdO 565 Post#5

I think the reading for this week was pertinent because of the tendency of educators to low-rate student ability. I have four sections of students that are considered the castoffs of the educational system. They (with the exceptions of a couple sandbaggers) have a history of low achievement, and don't come to school excited about learning. They will sit in class and simply suck oxygen without ever really having to think. These students are perfectly happy sitting for 45 minutes without doing anything, and I sometimes wonder what brain activity occurs during that time. It would be easy for me to take a defeatist attitude towards these students, and give them coloring books and crayons, hoping that they will color between the lines as much as possible. I think many would be happy if these students simply didn't create any problems during their time at school, and any teacher that can help that happen would be perceived to have done a good job. Why should I work hard creating lessons that I think are relevant if students are not willing to try? I have had students tell me that they are already taking summer school, so why should they work hard in my class. The logic, or lack thereof, for wasting 18 weeks in order to take 3 more in the summer is staggering. With that said, our book addresses issues with teachers not thinking their students can achieve. Rather than developing lessons that have value to students, many teachers would be happy simply occupying space in a classroom without having to think, much the same way as their students. I am reminded of the movie Stand and Deliver, where the teacher, Jaime Escalante, stated that students will rise to the level of expectations. If we don't expect anything from our students, they will happily meet those expectations. We need to find ways to unlock the potential of students that have not had success in schools. Part of that process begins with addressing data. It is important to see what students are able to achieve, and then play to those strengths. Gabriel mentions in his book about a colleague that became disenchanted because she was forced to teach Dickens to freshman. I am a big fan of Dickens, but would never force it down the throats of students that are not reading at that level. I think that books must be found that meet the ability levels and interest levels of students. With the power of the Internet, access to many of these books is only a click away. By analyzing data to see what our students can achieve, we can start designing classes that challenge our students without burying them. Is this a daunting task? Of course, but we are entrusted with empowering the generation that will be wiping our noses when we are too old to do it ourselves. I would much rather work hard to develop a relevant and challenging curriculum now, which is able to produce critical thinkers, than take it easy and be blind to the fact that I contributed to a world of people who cannot think.

CEdO 565 Post#4

I have found the idea of change to be of particular interest in the educational environment. We seem to be creatures of habit, and any deviation from the norm is often met with resistance. On the last day of school, I was speaking with one of the younger teachers that was getting a new classroom. He was packing his belongings for the move, and in the process, commented on how he disliked change. Although many Millenials are open to change, I think it is evident that the idea of having things comfortable is often in jeopardy with change. Although my colleague was happy to be changing rooms, he knew that he would have to adjust his daily habits in order to make sense of the change.
My students also don't like change. Being somewhat sadistic, I like to change the seating arrangement in my room each week. When the students arrive after a change, it takes them about five minutes to stop drooling on themselves and babbling because they have been taken out of their comfort level. As soon as they get comfortable again, I will change the arrangement just to keep them guessing. (I am really not sadistic, but I do think it is important to adjust to changing conditions)
So the point here is that change is a risky business because of the uncertainties of the outcomes. As told in the "Asking the Right Questions" perception can be a stumbling block for change. If teachers perceive that a change will not benefit them directly, then it will be unlikely for them to be supportive. This perception is something that is pervasive throughout our schools, and is an epidemic without a cure.
I have always felt that change benefiting my students would be a good thing to pursue, but I seem to be in the minority. Many teachers say that students are first, but their actions indicate that they are more concerned about themselves. It is kind of like rallying support for changes to our schools. The majority of parents would probably be in favor of making improvements to a school because they realize that it would benefit their children. When told that property taxes would be increased to support these changes, the support and excitement with the idea dissipates rapidly. So in theory, everyone probably supports change, but when the change takes people out of their comfort level, that is where problems occur.
So to get teachers to support change, perceptions must be addressed. Leaders need to sell the idea and show how the benefits will be shared by all. Telling a teacher that a change will benefit students but make teachers' lives more difficult will be met with less than satisfactory support. I wish that we could all look beyond our selfish nature and do what is in the best interest of our kids. When we took this job, I am sure that we knew what it entailed and that it would take a selfless attitude on our part. I am hoping that more teachers will look to what is really important and embrace change if it can positively impact the students in our classrooms.

CEdO 565 Post#3

The assignments this week focus on an area of weakness in many schools. Educators, by nature, seem to exist in isolation from the rest of the school. This trend needs to be broken for positive change to exist. At my school, I think it is important for my department to share what we each do in our classrooms, and evaluate areas of weakness and strength. By doing so, we would develop a more cohesive experience for students from year to year. As it currently stands, getting people to share what they are doing has been a challenge. I often wonder why teachers are so guarded as to what happens in their classrooms. I suppose, like in any profession, it is easy to get too comfortable with how things are currently done (much like Hem) and become complacent. Even if we realize that there are better ways of doing things, we often stay mired in what is comfortable. It is important to note that this decision is never in the best interests of our students. The focus in education needs to shift from selfish needs of teachers to the needs of students. There is nothing wrong with a bit of discomfort if it benefits our students. We, as a department, need to realize that the sum of the parts equals the whole, and that identifying the parts is crucial for making the whole stronger. We are not 14 individuals operating in isolation, but instead, we are one department with 14 minds that can positively impact the learning of our students. Being resistant to change can be tolerated, but being unwilling to change benefits no one in education. My hope is that some attitudes will be changed, willingly or otherwise, in order for our department to keep moving forward.

CEdO 565 Post#2

This week revisits an old friend in data analysis. I have always been concerned with putting too much stock in data, because beauty is often in the eye of the beholder. My school district is data hungry, and I often question making decisions based on data returned in the form of surveys. In one sense, survey takers are often conflicted about having to take a survey, and consequently, results can be skewed. In another sense, I often wonder how the data is analyzed. The focus can often be misplaced, or areas are highlighted that ignore some obvious concerns.
What I have enjoyed with the Winns site is that the data seems a bit more black and white. Data based on standardized tests is hard to minipulate because of the uniformity of the test. With that said, my high school still finds a way to paint a picture that seems a bit too rosy for my taste.
As a language arts instructor, my focus has always been on making my students better writers. I have examined the data concerning student abilities in the areas of reading and language. As readers, my school has results that surpass or at least rival many schools. Language results, on the other hand, shows that we are woefully deficient. So I have to ask what causes my students to struggle in the area of language. My contention is that students have fallen behind in my district because grammar instruction is no longer emphasized in the classroom. Further investigation shows that many educators in my district claim to provide some form of grammar instruction for students, but when put to task, grammar instruction is more theory than reality. Some teachers incorporate small bits of grammar instruction, whereas other teachers avoid grammar like the plague.
From the data studied, I think it is fair to say that grammar instruction needs to be a priority in my district, and it is also evident that it should become very focused prior to the WKCE test during 10th grade. My department has decided to include formal grammar instruction during 9th grade, and to be continued throughout the high school experience.
I remember some national data that was gathered showing that grammar instruction didn't have an impact on student writing. I never saw the data, but read the conclusions with caution. I have always believed that there is a connection between grammar and writing abilitiy, and I think my high school's data supports my theory. I look forward to incorporating some "old school" grammar instruction at my school, and I will be curious to see what I think will be improvement in student scores in the area of language on standardized tests in the future.

CEdO 565 Post#1

I believe that every educator is a leader, but how one accepts the role of leader varies from person to person. In one sense, I would love to be more of a follower. Not in an apathetic sense, blindly going where others tell me to go, but in a behind the scenes capacity. I would prefer to do the heavy lifting without having people recognize my role. Call it self-deprecating, humble, or just plain silly, but I have never really felt comfortable being considered a leader.
When I was in my 20's, I accepted a position as the assistant general manager of an upscale restaurant. Aside from my sports background, this was a time in my life where I learned the most about what it meant to be a leader. Being responsible for 100 employees was a constant challenge, and I learned a lot about what I could and could not accomplish.
I finally became a teacher when I was 30, and within a year I became the department head at my school. I enjoyed the responsibilities of the position, but didn't enjoy the politics involved. During this time I also coached, and I learned a lot about conflict resolution.
These experiences helped forge my leadership skills. Now I am in my third year of teaching at Bay Port high school, and it is my tenth year as an educator. I think this graduate program has allowed me to be a leader in my department. As we continue to adapt our curriculum, I am asked to lead the way in presenting technology tools that might be viable alternatives to methods that are currently practiced. Although I am far from an expert, I do feel comfortable making recommendations concerning technology in order to improve student learning.
I also lead when it comes to the writing process at my school. I am on a committee that is evaluating current writing practices (or lack thereof) and trying to develop solutions to improve student writing. I feel comfortable sharing information with staff concerning classroom weaknesses in the area of writing, and can deal with the often frigid audience. If I do anything well, it would be my ability to disarm the defensive strikes often volleyed by teachers when they feel threatened by inquiries. I never take sides, and do not form any alliances with groups. Impartiality has helped me reach more staff members, and I think people respect that about me.
My classroom is my favorite area for leading, because it is there that I feel most in my element. My students are often the castoffs from other classes, and many adults have given up on the chances of these students being successful. I feel that I can influence these students to a greater extent than any other groups at the school, for these students need the most direction. The daily interaction with these students has helped me become more organized, compassionate, and determined to be successful. In many cases, I am the only role model that these students have, and I cherish having that opportunity. Although I am not the best person to ask, I do hope that my students consider me to be a good leader.

CEdO 555 Post #3

As I finish my search and rescue project concerning assignments and standards, I am now focusing my attention on my major project. My project involves the study of Google Wave. At a glance, Wave is intended to be what email would look like if it was created today. Forty years of email has been effective, but a new way to communicate was desperately needed. Whereas email sends the message to viewers, Wave is a hosted conversation. People come to the message rather than the message coming to the people. Viewers are invited at any stage in the process, and a playback feature allows them to see the stages in the development of the message. Drag and drop features allow for easy placement of content, and everything updates in real time. Gadgets can be employed such as Blogger, which automatically links the wave to a blog. A translator gadget can be used to allow communication to cross language barriers. Other forms of gadgets can be used to add graphics to the messages. There are many more features of Wave that allow for a great way to communicate and collaborate with others.
With that said, Wave is far from being perfect. The Beta version doesn't allow for users to access many of the features that will be available in the final product. The user is teased with the idea of using many features, but as of yet, Wave is still in the stripped-down test mode.
I am anxious to continue my study of Wave because I think it will be a great tool for classrooms and schools in general. Will it make current email a thing of the past? Probably not, but it certainly has the potential to be a powerful tool for the toolbox. :)

CEdO 555 Post #2

As I head towards the conclusion of the graduate experience, I find myself revisiting many of the projects that I created throughout the course. In one sense, I wish that I would have taken more care organizing my work when I was creating it; and in another, I wish that I was matching my assignments to standards during the creation process. I agree with John that this is an excellent experience, but the projects were originally created to fulfill the requirements of assignments. In retrospect, I would have rather had standards in mind during the creation, so that greater care could have been given to meeting an array of standards. With that said, revisiting the work has brought to the surface my thought process during the creation of assignments and also how changes would be made if creating again.
My culminating project is also a good endeavor, and for it I have decided to take a closer look at Google Wave. I had thought that Wave would have been available for public consumption by this point, but it will be a good experience putting the tool under the microscope. I love the idea of collaboration with my students, but I know through experience that students are often looking for the path of least resistance. My initial approach to introducing technology in the classroom was met with resistance because I tried to incorporate too many tools at once, and that is where Wave might have some value. Rather than having students use numerous tools for collaboration, Wave should narrow the field to one tool. I love how it ties to blogs, allows history of activity, and can limit who sees what. The control factor is one of the coolest features of Wave. Although working together, students and teachers can choose who can see what information. I do wish that Wave activity could be tied to an email account so that students wouldn't have to visit Wave to see if anything has been updated. At the same time, the fact that Wave can replace many tools will help to streamline my approach with students, and hopefully provide an excellent resource that they are willing to use.