Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Skype Interview
I am sorry about the glitch in the Introduction.
My interview was with Mr. John Langley, a high school teacher at Pleasant Plains High School, IL.
Blog Trinaest
Sages and Lunatics- Recovering What We Lost in Factory Education
By John Spencer
This was my first time reading anything on a Kindle. Mind you, I don't actually have a Kindle, but I do have a Cloud Reader- basically the same thing. I didn't like it much. I noticed numerous spelling and grammar errors, and there are no page numbers. The reader gives you a percent and number out of 3 thousand and something, but if you go back and forth, the passage you were searching for may be found on a different number. Therefore, any direct quotations from the book cannot be cited correctly, only given by the chapter. Also, I like to note and write on my books. This book, without a doubt would have been covered in thoughts, reactions, doodles, ideas, and whatever else stood out to me. It makes the book easier to read a second time and take home points, well, easier to take out and take home.
Although this project was due 11/20-27, I thought it would be better to actually finish the book (which I did today, 11/28) and turn submit it a day late than complete the analysis yesterday and search for the information on Google.
In the fourteenth chapter, Mr. Spencer gives bulleted points of the main ideas included in the book, mainly what can and should be improved in the current educational system. However, I believe that the points not only cheapen the book, but demonstrate what Mr. Spencer is trying to avoid throughout his stories- a systematic, bottled up, boxed up, bulleted, hamburger helper, "favorites CD," factory, mechanized, assembly line steps to creating a more authentic way to educate students. Authenticity essentially sums up Mr. Spencer's goal for the entire book, along with his approach to education. Sages and Lunatics is a compilation of Mr. Spencer's, a junior high history teacher in Arizona, memories and thoughts throughout his first few years of teaching. The emphasis Mr. Spencer places on relationships with students and other teachers is apparent throughout the book. He gets the majority of the inspiration found in the book from certain students, colleagues: "Brad the Philosopher," "St. John," "Quinn the Business Bohemian," and "Javier the Hippie;" Jesus, and Socrates.
Brad the Philosopher claims in chapter 9 that "Jesus told stories that were exciting and violent and Socrates asked questions that were offensive and off-beat." Mr. Spencer's main approach is metaphors, the same as the public debates and parables told by these past revolutionaries. The title is debunked between the first and third chapters of the book. Mr. Spencer's despair stems from his philosophy rooted in the factory-education metaphor. A factory is uniform, standardized, based on memorization, formulas, and data, a process. It is like the Titanic- a scientific process, isolated from the community, and only focused on the outcome. However, to turn this system around it takes a multi-faceted teacher. A teacher who is both a sage and a lunatic.
The sage is a Ghandi who listens, is rational, and peacefully reforms the system from the inside through relationships. However, Mr. Spencer also points out that it is the pure sages that end up conforming to the system. On the other hand, one cannot be a pure radical for obvious, psychological, surface reasons. The lunatic is the bull horn man, shouting on the street about hell and damnation, God's anger and how no one will ever be good enough, about the need for forgiveness and change. He is "A person who society views as insane, because insanity has become the cultural norm." He is the only hope to see change in the factory, even if it is small, even if it only affects a few people. He takes the road less travelled and it makes all the difference, although it cannot be seen or measured, for students, faculty, parents, and the community alike. A 100% Mr. Spencer Sage would not let his students focus on deep questions, service projects, murals, and documentaries, but a 100% Mr. Spencer Lunatic would not have the reason to still focus on state and test standards- building concrete knowledge to advance in school.
Other meaningful notes and thoughts gathered from Sages and Lunatics:
Ch 1
Spencer's Main Goal: to look beyond facts, steps, and formulas to find what makes educating "successful," engaging, lasting, and authentic.
Ch 2
Silverscreen teachers= fireworks (bright, attention getting, temporary)
Meaningful teachers= campfire ("silent warmth and creating a place where we could share our story together;" "genuinely impacts a small number of people for a longer period of time")
Brad the Philosopher:
-to Americans, our jobs define who we are. why is it not the opposite? focus on teaching as a vocation, not a career
- Professor / Professional: those whoshare profess their core beliefs in the hope to do something with meaning
Goal of education:" to learn an identity"
St. John: A Special Education teacher. Be like him. Learn not to just hear, but to listen. Not to look, but to see.
Quinn the Business Bohemian: the guitar hero way vs. the authentic way of making music; the fallacy you are doing the real thing
Ch 3
Javier the Hippie- my favorite "character:"
-"they create a model and then they try to fit others into it rather than letting it grow organically. And they do it because they are scared of what might happen if something different fails. It's pride, but it's also good intentions. That's what makes it so hard. Some of the nicest people are involved in ruining education and they don't even know it."
Ch 5
Assertion that gaining students' trust is more important than any reward system
Ch 6
What do you want tobe become when you grow up?
Goal of education: to get a better job
- to produce moral citizens to go out and make a difference
> assumes we live in a progressive society that is always improving
-to make one more ethical
> many of al-Qaeda, Nazi Party, Bolshevik Revolutionaries and the Apartheid in S. Africa all had higher education
> many of the greatest revolutions were led by the poor and uneducated
-to lead to a larger world view and help with the acquisition of wisdom
-to become educado
-"to gain wisdom in order to love people well"
Ch 7
Our history and any other textbooks are safe- racially, politically, etc. They all favor the white people, the "heroes"
Ch 9
Did "educate" come from educere: to draw out ("to tap into a person's intrinsic motivation")
or educare: to nurture, provide, and train
or both.
Ch 10
Mr. Spencer listens to Sufjan Stevens! He wants to teach by Sufjan's living philosophy and its manifestation in his music!!
Ch 11
How did text, IM, email, and skype become verbs?
Teachers using technology for the class's entertainment. SO TRUE
Technology is not a tool. A tool denotes physical work, effort, and hands-on problem solving
*Humans shape technology, but it also shapes us*
Utmost, is a loss of community.
In a technology based class, the teacher becomes the facilitator, not an educator.
"We have to go on vacations to see nature." How sad.
Ch 13
comparing students to record- not able to skip over the bad songs, but also not able to repeat the good ones.
- No "favorites CDs"
or American Idol Contestants vying for even the smallest ounce of attention
By John Spencer
This was my first time reading anything on a Kindle. Mind you, I don't actually have a Kindle, but I do have a Cloud Reader- basically the same thing. I didn't like it much. I noticed numerous spelling and grammar errors, and there are no page numbers. The reader gives you a percent and number out of 3 thousand and something, but if you go back and forth, the passage you were searching for may be found on a different number. Therefore, any direct quotations from the book cannot be cited correctly, only given by the chapter. Also, I like to note and write on my books. This book, without a doubt would have been covered in thoughts, reactions, doodles, ideas, and whatever else stood out to me. It makes the book easier to read a second time and take home points, well, easier to take out and take home.
Although this project was due 11/20-27, I thought it would be better to actually finish the book (which I did today, 11/28) and turn submit it a day late than complete the analysis yesterday and search for the information on Google.
In the fourteenth chapter, Mr. Spencer gives bulleted points of the main ideas included in the book, mainly what can and should be improved in the current educational system. However, I believe that the points not only cheapen the book, but demonstrate what Mr. Spencer is trying to avoid throughout his stories- a systematic, bottled up, boxed up, bulleted, hamburger helper, "favorites CD," factory, mechanized, assembly line steps to creating a more authentic way to educate students. Authenticity essentially sums up Mr. Spencer's goal for the entire book, along with his approach to education. Sages and Lunatics is a compilation of Mr. Spencer's, a junior high history teacher in Arizona, memories and thoughts throughout his first few years of teaching. The emphasis Mr. Spencer places on relationships with students and other teachers is apparent throughout the book. He gets the majority of the inspiration found in the book from certain students, colleagues: "Brad the Philosopher," "St. John," "Quinn the Business Bohemian," and "Javier the Hippie;" Jesus, and Socrates.
Brad the Philosopher claims in chapter 9 that "Jesus told stories that were exciting and violent and Socrates asked questions that were offensive and off-beat." Mr. Spencer's main approach is metaphors, the same as the public debates and parables told by these past revolutionaries. The title is debunked between the first and third chapters of the book. Mr. Spencer's despair stems from his philosophy rooted in the factory-education metaphor. A factory is uniform, standardized, based on memorization, formulas, and data, a process. It is like the Titanic- a scientific process, isolated from the community, and only focused on the outcome. However, to turn this system around it takes a multi-faceted teacher. A teacher who is both a sage and a lunatic.
The sage is a Ghandi who listens, is rational, and peacefully reforms the system from the inside through relationships. However, Mr. Spencer also points out that it is the pure sages that end up conforming to the system. On the other hand, one cannot be a pure radical for obvious, psychological, surface reasons. The lunatic is the bull horn man, shouting on the street about hell and damnation, God's anger and how no one will ever be good enough, about the need for forgiveness and change. He is "A person who society views as insane, because insanity has become the cultural norm." He is the only hope to see change in the factory, even if it is small, even if it only affects a few people. He takes the road less travelled and it makes all the difference, although it cannot be seen or measured, for students, faculty, parents, and the community alike. A 100% Mr. Spencer Sage would not let his students focus on deep questions, service projects, murals, and documentaries, but a 100% Mr. Spencer Lunatic would not have the reason to still focus on state and test standards- building concrete knowledge to advance in school.
Other meaningful notes and thoughts gathered from Sages and Lunatics:
Ch 1
Spencer's Main Goal: to look beyond facts, steps, and formulas to find what makes educating "successful," engaging, lasting, and authentic.
Ch 2
Silverscreen teachers= fireworks (bright, attention getting, temporary)
Meaningful teachers= campfire ("silent warmth and creating a place where we could share our story together;" "genuinely impacts a small number of people for a longer period of time")
Brad the Philosopher:
-to Americans, our jobs define who we are. why is it not the opposite? focus on teaching as a vocation, not a career
- Professor / Professional: those who
Goal of education:" to learn an identity"
St. John: A Special Education teacher. Be like him. Learn not to just hear, but to listen. Not to look, but to see.
Quinn the Business Bohemian: the guitar hero way vs. the authentic way of making music; the fallacy you are doing the real thing
Ch 3
Javier the Hippie- my favorite "character:"
-"they create a model and then they try to fit others into it rather than letting it grow organically. And they do it because they are scared of what might happen if something different fails. It's pride, but it's also good intentions. That's what makes it so hard. Some of the nicest people are involved in ruining education and they don't even know it."
Ch 5
Assertion that gaining students' trust is more important than any reward system
Ch 6
What do you want to
Goal of education: to get a better job
> assumes we live in a progressive society that is always improving
-to make one more ethical
> many of al-Qaeda, Nazi Party, Bolshevik Revolutionaries and the Apartheid in S. Africa all had higher education
> many of the greatest revolutions were led by the poor and uneducated
-to lead to a larger world view and help with the acquisition of wisdom
-to become educado
-"to gain wisdom in order to love people well"
Ch 7
Our history and any other textbooks are safe- racially, politically, etc. They all favor the white people, the "heroes"
Ch 9
Did "educate" come from educere: to draw out ("to tap into a person's intrinsic motivation")
or educare: to nurture, provide, and train
or both.
Ch 10
Mr. Spencer listens to Sufjan Stevens! He wants to teach by Sufjan's living philosophy and its manifestation in his music!!
Ch 11
How did text, IM, email, and skype become verbs?
Teachers using technology for the class's entertainment. SO TRUE
Technology is not a tool. A tool denotes physical work, effort, and hands-on problem solving
*Humans shape technology, but it also shapes us*
Utmost, is a loss of community.
In a technology based class, the teacher becomes the facilitator, not an educator.
"We have to go on vacations to see nature." How sad.
Ch 13
comparing students to record- not able to skip over the bad songs, but also not able to repeat the good ones.
- No "favorites CDs"
or American Idol Contestants vying for even the smallest ounce of attention
Metaphorically Speaking
Some things are just too big to understand. Whether it is the meaning of life or explaining a computer program to a grandmother, straightforward explanations do not always suffice. Metaphors are used in everyday conversation, but most commonly recognized in literature. It is using a simple, comprehendible object/ action to represent something more meaningful. Metaphors are like similes, which compare two things using "like" or "as," but in a metaphor, the second of the two things is usually something deeper. An author would not say a house of crystal is "like" the fragility of life and what separates him/her from being a part of the outside world, but leave readers to assume. Imagine. (Example from "Yo en el Fondo del Mar- Alfonsina Storni). Metaphors are essential in poetry because there is no room for eloquence and explanation in poetry. A metaphor can evoke emotions and ideas that describing a situation cannot. Also, even if an author has an intended meaning for a metaphor, readers can interpret it countless different ways, whether for a class assignment or to actually make it relevant to his/her own life and how it should be lived.
Metaphors are also used in history and science to describe events and processes that are no longer relevant in our time. People in the United States are not able to sympathize with victims of the Pakistan Flood unless the comparison is made to a event like Hurricane Katrina. No one actually knows what happened when the Hun's conquered millions of miles and people, so historians must compare it to what they know and see in the world today. Similarly, metaphors are essential for occurrences out of our reach. I just learned about black holes in my astronomy class, but no one or thing has ever been in (and more importantly back out of) a black hole, so astronomers must compare it to what they can measure, like canyons on earth to measure how light acts when an object is falling into a black hole.
Metaphors are also used for events that should or cannot be described, such as death and life. Upon a person's death, 99 out of 100 times someone will say that he/she has gone to a "better place," but what does that actually mean? "Life is like a box of chocolates." Someone's "soul-" if it's there or gone, in life or death, or if it is in 7 different horcruxes. Metaphors give more meaning, feeling, imagination, and creativity to someone/event/thing/idea than any sequence of words.
Metaphors are also used in history and science to describe events and processes that are no longer relevant in our time. People in the United States are not able to sympathize with victims of the Pakistan Flood unless the comparison is made to a event like Hurricane Katrina. No one actually knows what happened when the Hun's conquered millions of miles and people, so historians must compare it to what they know and see in the world today. Similarly, metaphors are essential for occurrences out of our reach. I just learned about black holes in my astronomy class, but no one or thing has ever been in (and more importantly back out of) a black hole, so astronomers must compare it to what they can measure, like canyons on earth to measure how light acts when an object is falling into a black hole.
Metaphors are also used for events that should or cannot be described, such as death and life. Upon a person's death, 99 out of 100 times someone will say that he/she has gone to a "better place," but what does that actually mean? "Life is like a box of chocolates." Someone's "soul-" if it's there or gone, in life or death, or if it is in 7 different horcruxes. Metaphors give more meaning, feeling, imagination, and creativity to someone/event/thing/idea than any sequence of words.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Blog OneTwo(ThreeFourFive)
This proposed blog post will propose homework not only for the students, but also for Dr. Strange (current current events, well, won't be current by next year!)
Blog Post 12:
Events and movements are happening in the world that affect the teaching world, but the connection is rarely made between the event and the teachers. Everyone knows what the OccupyWallStreet movement is, but how is it related to you as a teacher?
Read this article about how teachers are getting involved and the movement's influence on education.
Explore this resource from the New York Times learning network.
Write a post about: how current events (in general, but using OccupyWallStreet as an example) are beneficial in the classroom; how you think the OccupyWallStreet movement is actually affecting the education system, if at all; and create a lesson (different than the New York Times example) to teach your students about the movement.
The website where the first link came from is completely and overly fascinating in itself. I would advise everyone, not only for the class, to explore it and add it to your PLN!
For example, this article relates directly to what we have been learning in EDM310!
Blog Post 12:
Events and movements are happening in the world that affect the teaching world, but the connection is rarely made between the event and the teachers. Everyone knows what the OccupyWallStreet movement is, but how is it related to you as a teacher?
Read this article about how teachers are getting involved and the movement's influence on education.
Explore this resource from the New York Times learning network.
Write a post about: how current events (in general, but using OccupyWallStreet as an example) are beneficial in the classroom; how you think the OccupyWallStreet movement is actually affecting the education system, if at all; and create a lesson (different than the New York Times example) to teach your students about the movement.
The website where the first link came from is completely and overly fascinating in itself. I would advise everyone, not only for the class, to explore it and add it to your PLN!
For example, this article relates directly to what we have been learning in EDM310!
Mrs. Yollis' Magnificent Blog
Mrs. Yollis has incorporated so many projects and aspects into her blog, it is difficult to find everything! Some of the widgets on the right hand side are interesting. Personally, I like the joke of the day, but also, it was really neat to see myself and my activities come up on her Live Activity Feed. I saw a comment somewhere along the way from one of her past students now in junior high that her Blogging elective class (who would've thought that would ever exist!) use Mrs. Yollis' blog as a template for their own and for ideas of widgets to download.
Mrs. Yollis also seems like a fascinating person. Because of her hard work and diligence toward teaching, she has gotten the opportunity to see and attend some incredible things- like the Google conference. And, she got to talk with National Geographic (obviously my favorite magazine) and their educational programs. Jealous! Also, she shares my love of traveling. I hope to maybe speak with her sometime about her teaching experience in Spain because I, too, hope to teach overseas in a few years. I have taken many Spanish courses, ( I also translated her blog into Spanish for the entire time I was exploring!) and have been curious of the difference of teaching/being in Spain versus South America.
A few things that stood out to me in particular were her 365- A photo a day section. I have always wanted to do that, but I guess it would be a lot easier if you had an entire class to help you out! In addition, her global connections in general are amazing (especially her close relations to the school in Australia) but the collaboration in the Ugandan Global Project stood out the most. Schools from China, Australia, and California got together to raise money for a school in Uganda. I am sure through that project, the students were able to learn an enormous amount about each of the different countries involved ( for example, each school posted about their currency and how it compares to the other countries).
Such interesting ideas. Lots to think about and consider for my own classroom!
Mrs. Yollis also seems like a fascinating person. Because of her hard work and diligence toward teaching, she has gotten the opportunity to see and attend some incredible things- like the Google conference. And, she got to talk with National Geographic (obviously my favorite magazine) and their educational programs. Jealous! Also, she shares my love of traveling. I hope to maybe speak with her sometime about her teaching experience in Spain because I, too, hope to teach overseas in a few years. I have taken many Spanish courses, ( I also translated her blog into Spanish for the entire time I was exploring!) and have been curious of the difference of teaching/being in Spain versus South America.
A few things that stood out to me in particular were her 365- A photo a day section. I have always wanted to do that, but I guess it would be a lot easier if you had an entire class to help you out! In addition, her global connections in general are amazing (especially her close relations to the school in Australia) but the collaboration in the Ugandan Global Project stood out the most. Schools from China, Australia, and California got together to raise money for a school in Uganda. I am sure through that project, the students were able to learn an enormous amount about each of the different countries involved ( for example, each school posted about their currency and how it compares to the other countries).
Such interesting ideas. Lots to think about and consider for my own classroom!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Blog Eleven Eleven Eleven
I cannot get over the fact that those students will graduate in 2025. That really truly blows my mind.
Ms. Cassidy definitely sounds like an extremely creative and inspiring teacher. Her kids are cute, which I think would make teaching them easier. Also harder, because with me, they could get by with a lot more with a good puppy face. I still have not really decided how I feel about her ideas for blogs in the classroom. I think that I will try to find something similar in my own classroom, for a few reasons. 1. I think that kids get really excited if they can see that people all over the world get to see what they can do. They get attention, and THEY'RE FAMOUS! 1 1/2. I also think that children would benefit a world if they can give and receive feedback from other students and adults all over the world (using Wiki) to answer their own questions and classroom work. 2. I think that it is so very helpful that the students can check up on their own work and parents can see what is going on in the class if it is all online. No more forgotten flyers, homework, or books left at school. Because I hope to work in a low-income, rural area, Ms. Cassidy has inspired me that grants and federal funding can be earned with a little knowledge and a lot of motivation. She is a neat lady. I think that her students will learn that anything is possible, how to use technology responsibly, and how to find their own resources, through their own learning and exploring.
I am also really glad that Ms. Cassidy said she doesn't use technology much personally. Or something she is particularly interested in for herself. She cares more about the students and preparing them for their own lives. I think this is how it should be.
Ms. Cassidy definitely sounds like an extremely creative and inspiring teacher. Her kids are cute, which I think would make teaching them easier. Also harder, because with me, they could get by with a lot more with a good puppy face. I still have not really decided how I feel about her ideas for blogs in the classroom. I think that I will try to find something similar in my own classroom, for a few reasons. 1. I think that kids get really excited if they can see that people all over the world get to see what they can do. They get attention, and THEY'RE FAMOUS! 1 1/2. I also think that children would benefit a world if they can give and receive feedback from other students and adults all over the world (using Wiki) to answer their own questions and classroom work. 2. I think that it is so very helpful that the students can check up on their own work and parents can see what is going on in the class if it is all online. No more forgotten flyers, homework, or books left at school. Because I hope to work in a low-income, rural area, Ms. Cassidy has inspired me that grants and federal funding can be earned with a little knowledge and a lot of motivation. She is a neat lady. I think that her students will learn that anything is possible, how to use technology responsibly, and how to find their own resources, through their own learning and exploring.
I am also really glad that Ms. Cassidy said she doesn't use technology much personally. Or something she is particularly interested in for herself. She cares more about the students and preparing them for their own lives. I think this is how it should be.
Cee for Kay- October
October 23 My Comment of Sergio's blog post on "Mood and Setting" in Mrs. C's Grade 8 6th Hour Class:
Hi Sergio! I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class for future teachers called EDM310. I really like your blog! I think my favorite quote you have posted is the one by Michael Jordan, but the sharks are very neat as well! I thought this post was very suspenseful, even though it was short. I really liked your description of the sky. Keep up the good work!
October 30 My Comment on Vivienne's blog post in Room 17 Year 6 Pt England School's blog about albatrosses' predators.
Vivienne, that was so interesting!
I did not know much about albatrosses before. I am a college student in Alabama, so I have definitely never seen one either! It sounds like rangers have an important role in protecting the birds all throughout their lifecycle. You did a very nice job as well using Google presentations! Keep up the good work!
November 6 I posted on Mr. McClung's Classroom blog. It was a very short post about how his students were finishing learning about the Renaissance and the Age of Great Monarchs. Which is ironic- I just finished learning the same things in my history class! There was also a really neat diagram his students made relating learning and enjoyment. It was just too bad I could not really read it.
Hi Sergio! I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class for future teachers called EDM310. I really like your blog! I think my favorite quote you have posted is the one by Michael Jordan, but the sharks are very neat as well! I thought this post was very suspenseful, even though it was short. I really liked your description of the sky. Keep up the good work!
October 30 My Comment on Vivienne's blog post in Room 17 Year 6 Pt England School's blog about albatrosses' predators.
Vivienne, that was so interesting!
I did not know much about albatrosses before. I am a college student in Alabama, so I have definitely never seen one either! It sounds like rangers have an important role in protecting the birds all throughout their lifecycle. You did a very nice job as well using Google presentations! Keep up the good work!
November 6 I posted on Mr. McClung's Classroom blog. It was a very short post about how his students were finishing learning about the Renaissance and the Age of Great Monarchs. Which is ironic- I just finished learning the same things in my history class! There was also a really neat diagram his students made relating learning and enjoyment. It was just too bad I could not really read it.
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