Tony Wagner is the author of the The Global Achievement Gap. He contends that the educational system that is in place right now does not rightfully prepare students for the skills that they will need in college and the real world. He highlights seven specific skills that are needed:
1. Critical thinking and problem solving
2. Collaboration
3. agility and adaptability
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurship
5. Effective oral and written communication
6. Accessing and analyzing information
7 Curiosity and Imagination
Wednesday
Monday
The Global Achievement Gap: Chpt 4
5 main points:
- There is something wrong with the ways that educators are prepared for their profession and how their work is structured.
- We need to improve instruction for all schools.
- "Random acts of excellence" within the school system is greatly overshadowed by mediocrity.
- There is a problem with how teachers are trained and supervised.
- Educators work alone, all day, every day. They are lacking standards of practice. Very reluctant to criticize or evaluate one another.
- There is something wrong with the ways that educators are prepared for their profession and how their work is structured.
- We need to improve instruction for all schools.
- "Random acts of excellence" within the school system is greatly overshadowed by mediocrity.
- There is a problem with how teachers are trained and supervised.
- Educators work alone, all day, every day. They are lacking standards of practice. Very reluctant to criticize or evaluate one another.
The Global Achievement Gap: Chpt 3
5 main points:
- No Child Left Behind and the new state testing requirements continue to be a hotly debated topic, both locally and nationally.
- The goal of 100% proficiency in reading and math by all students is highly unrealistic.
- The parents and teachers definition of rigor are very different. Parents want to see more homework, more math problems, and more memorization. Teachers demand that students move at a faster pace and cover more material in their classes.
- There is a certain kind of core knowledge that students should know as well as specific content that they need to be literate and effective citizens.
- People dont agree on what kind of knowledge is truly foundational across high school graduates.
- No Child Left Behind and the new state testing requirements continue to be a hotly debated topic, both locally and nationally.
- The goal of 100% proficiency in reading and math by all students is highly unrealistic.
- The parents and teachers definition of rigor are very different. Parents want to see more homework, more math problems, and more memorization. Teachers demand that students move at a faster pace and cover more material in their classes.
- There is a certain kind of core knowledge that students should know as well as specific content that they need to be literate and effective citizens.
- People dont agree on what kind of knowledge is truly foundational across high school graduates.
Group 2 Presentation
Group 2 gave their presentation on chapter 5, Introduction to Teaching. I thoughts that they did a very good job in how you can identify a student with exceptionalities. A major focus of their presenetation was on Individual Education Plans, or IEP's. I found this information to be very helpful and useful for me in my development as a Special Education teacher.
Group 1 Presenetation
Group number 1 kicked off the start of our presentations. They focused on chapter 4. I think that they did an outstanding job in how they presented their information to us. It was very easy to understand and follow as they went from one topic to another. The Jeopardy game that we played at the end was great. It was a good way to hammer home the information that they just gave us. It also kept us engaged and was a fun way to learn new information. I learned a lot from their presentation.
Sunday
The Global Achievement Gap: Chpt 2
5 main points:
- All teachers should be teaching every student how to think
- Teachers are expected to only cover the specified academic content.
- Teachers have not been trained to teach students how to reason, hypothesize, and analyze.
- The OECD administered a test of problem solving skills.
- The United States came in at 28 out of the 41 nations that took it.
- All teachers should be teaching every student how to think
- Teachers are expected to only cover the specified academic content.
- Teachers have not been trained to teach students how to reason, hypothesize, and analyze.
- The OECD administered a test of problem solving skills.
- The United States came in at 28 out of the 41 nations that took it.
The Global Achievement Gap: Chpt 1
5 main points:
- There are two achievement gaps in our education systems. The gap between the quality of schooling that most middle-class kids in America and the quality of schooling available for most poor and minority children and.
- Standardized testing is taking up way to much learning time.
- 7 survival skills for the 21st century:
critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration across networks and leading by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information, and curiosity and imagination.
- Teachers are just teaching to the standardized tests.
- Teachers are not teaching the necessary skills effectively, it at all.
- There are two achievement gaps in our education systems. The gap between the quality of schooling that most middle-class kids in America and the quality of schooling available for most poor and minority children and.
- Standardized testing is taking up way to much learning time.
- 7 survival skills for the 21st century:
critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration across networks and leading by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information, and curiosity and imagination.
- Teachers are just teaching to the standardized tests.
- Teachers are not teaching the necessary skills effectively, it at all.
Speaking In Tongues
In class today we viewed a documentary called "Speaking In Tongues." This was a great video that showed what is possible if we emerse our children into a different culture at a very young age. These children are being taught to be bilingual from their kindergarten year throughout their educational career. A child's brain is most maleable during their early years. That is why it is essential to get them going on a different language as soon as possible. It expands the capacity of their brain and uses parts of it that don't usually get stimulated at that age. The children enrolled in these schools experience a higher level of learning and accomplishment. I think that schools and programs like these are a fantastic idea and I hope to see more of them in the future. It will greatly benefit our nation to see these programs thrive.
Field Experience: Day 2
On February 28th I went to my second day of field experience. After my first time, I was very excited to go back and to interact with the kids. The kids were a little bit more calm this time around. When I got there, it was read aloud time, so Ms. Snoberger was reading a book out loud to them. One thing I noticed that she did was she frequently stopped and asked her students questions about what she was reading. I think that by doing this, she was able to better keep their attention. She then went on to teach the math lesson on the Smart Board regarding fractions. The integrated her students into the lesson by having them come up to write their answers on the board. Her lessons are very hands on and keeps her students involved at all times, which is something that I believe is essential when teaching kids of this age. They Had a worksheet to complete and I helped reteach the lesson to some of the students that did not quite grasp it the first time. One challenge that is obvious within the classroom is keeping the kids quite and on task. She uses a technique that I really like. She says "clap two times if you can hear me." Then the students will respond if they heard her. She will do it again until everybody can hear her so she can make further instructions. I feel that my second time was a very productive one and I look forward to my third time.
Intercultural Development Inventory
This week in class we discussed intercultural development and took a Intercultural Development Inventory to assess where we are on the Intercultural Development Continuum. I had a perceived Orientation score of 121.71, which means that I am in between acceptance and adaptation. My Developmental Orientation score was 105.34, which puts me between minimization and acceptance. I have an Orientation gap of 16.37, which indicates that I have overestimated my level of intercultural competence. I am going to continue to work on my intercultural development so that it is at it's highest achievable level. I believe that it will better me as an individual and as a future educator.
Field Experience: Day 1
I had the pleasure of doing my first field experience on Valentines Day. I was a little bit anxious to start because you want the kids to like you and want them to want you around. I am in a 4th grade classroom at Madison Elementary. I introduced myself to them and told them why I was in their classroom. You could tell that they were pretty excited to have someone new in their room. They wasted no time in getting to know me. Their innocence is adorable and they sure do say what is on their mind! One little girl came up to me and said "your hair is big." She was the cutest little thing. The teacher gave her math lesson and after thought I helped students answer any questions that they had. It was Valentines Day so they were pretty excited to go outside for their snowman building contest. We broke up into teams and of course everybody wanted to be on my team, being new to the classroom. We had a great time outside and after came back in and had hot chocolate. One boy, Zakk, was nice enough to get me some. These students are so precious and I very much look forward to working with them on a regular basis!
International article- British Educators Telling Students: Go Abroad
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/education/28educLede.html?ref=education
Because of the rising cost of university tuition in England and the falling percentage of applicants offered places, one British school is giving its students some surprising advice, study abroad. Because of the rising costs and the students inability to afford such an expensive education, it is forcing many British students to study outside of the country. The shortage of university places in the past year has already prompted a record number of British students to study outside the country. I think its good that these British educators are giving their students good advice on studying abroad to save money.
Because of the rising cost of university tuition in England and the falling percentage of applicants offered places, one British school is giving its students some surprising advice, study abroad. Because of the rising costs and the students inability to afford such an expensive education, it is forcing many British students to study outside of the country. The shortage of university places in the past year has already prompted a record number of British students to study outside the country. I think its good that these British educators are giving their students good advice on studying abroad to save money.
Cities Take Aim at Truancy
http://education.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2011/03/04/cities-take-aim-at-truancy?s_cid=rss:cities-take-aim-at-truancy
This article discusses the ongoing problem of truancy within schools nationwide and some of the new techniques being employed to help curb the "epidemic." One thing researchers realize is the importance of making students want to go to school early in childhood. In New York, 79 percent of children in the juvenile justice system had been chronically absent, meaning they missed 20 days or more of school. About 90 percent of high school dropouts had missed significant portions of school prior to withdrawing. Truancy has also been linked to teen pregnancy, drug use, and poverty. "There isn't a city in this country that doesn't face this problem," says John Feinblatt, the mayor's chief policy adviser who oversees the task force. School districts in Anaheim, Calif. have begun piloting a GPS-monitoring system developed by Aim Truancy Solutions. In New York, students will receive automated phone calls from celebrities through the Wake Up! NYC program. Students who have missed at least 10 cumulative days of school will receive automated calls each morning from celebrities like Johnson, rapper Trey Songz, and New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes urging them to go to school. My belief on this issue is that you have to instill the proper motivation within your child and lay down the importance of receiving a quality education. You can try all the gimicks and gadgets you want, but it still has to come from within the child to want to learn, not from a system that we develop.
This article discusses the ongoing problem of truancy within schools nationwide and some of the new techniques being employed to help curb the "epidemic." One thing researchers realize is the importance of making students want to go to school early in childhood. In New York, 79 percent of children in the juvenile justice system had been chronically absent, meaning they missed 20 days or more of school. About 90 percent of high school dropouts had missed significant portions of school prior to withdrawing. Truancy has also been linked to teen pregnancy, drug use, and poverty. "There isn't a city in this country that doesn't face this problem," says John Feinblatt, the mayor's chief policy adviser who oversees the task force. School districts in Anaheim, Calif. have begun piloting a GPS-monitoring system developed by Aim Truancy Solutions. In New York, students will receive automated phone calls from celebrities through the Wake Up! NYC program. Students who have missed at least 10 cumulative days of school will receive automated calls each morning from celebrities like Johnson, rapper Trey Songz, and New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes urging them to go to school. My belief on this issue is that you have to instill the proper motivation within your child and lay down the importance of receiving a quality education. You can try all the gimicks and gadgets you want, but it still has to come from within the child to want to learn, not from a system that we develop.
International article- New Zealand: The Case for Early Childhood Teachers
http://www.ei-ie.org/en/article/show.php?id=13&theme=earlychildhood&country=newzealand
this article asks and debates the question whether qualified and registered early childhood teachers be paid the same as teachers in primary and secondary schools? some people believe that the bigger the child, the more important and demanding it is to teach them. They argue that a teacher’s job becomes more difficult and the stakes are higher, the closer a child is to entering the workforce or moving on to tertiary education. Personally I strongly disagree with that train of thought. Studies show that the most critical period in the brain development of a child occurs in their first six years. Positive stimulation of the brain in these early years lays the foundation for the child’s future ability to learn, to develop language skills and to interact with others. So it is without question that childhood teachers be paid the same as teachers in primary and secondary school settings. They lay the foundation for future learning and are vital in that child's development.
this article asks and debates the question whether qualified and registered early childhood teachers be paid the same as teachers in primary and secondary schools? some people believe that the bigger the child, the more important and demanding it is to teach them. They argue that a teacher’s job becomes more difficult and the stakes are higher, the closer a child is to entering the workforce or moving on to tertiary education. Personally I strongly disagree with that train of thought. Studies show that the most critical period in the brain development of a child occurs in their first six years. Positive stimulation of the brain in these early years lays the foundation for the child’s future ability to learn, to develop language skills and to interact with others. So it is without question that childhood teachers be paid the same as teachers in primary and secondary school settings. They lay the foundation for future learning and are vital in that child's development.
Legislature Spotlights Bullying in Schools
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/us/04ttbullying.html?_r=1&ref=education
This article spotlights the bullying that is taking place within the schools around the nation and the antibullying bills that have been filed for this upcoming legislative session. In Texas, the most highly publicized of those stories is Asher Brown’s. Asher, an eighth grader at a Cypress-Fairbanks middle school, shot himself last fall after what his parents said was two years of harassment for his small size, religion and perceived sexuality. I am so tired of hearing about these tragic stories of young teens taking their own lives because of the non-stop harrassment that they have to endure in their own school. Something drastic needs to occur very fast. The article states that ne challenge is how to define punishable behavior. State Representative Todd Smith, Republican of Bedford, said he was skeptical of any bill’s ability to provide “a clear, bright line definition of bullying.” I believe that there is a very clear line and definition of bullying. If a student feels the need to come to you and address an issue that he is facing, then that is clear enough for me to take action.
This article spotlights the bullying that is taking place within the schools around the nation and the antibullying bills that have been filed for this upcoming legislative session. In Texas, the most highly publicized of those stories is Asher Brown’s. Asher, an eighth grader at a Cypress-Fairbanks middle school, shot himself last fall after what his parents said was two years of harassment for his small size, religion and perceived sexuality. I am so tired of hearing about these tragic stories of young teens taking their own lives because of the non-stop harrassment that they have to endure in their own school. Something drastic needs to occur very fast. The article states that ne challenge is how to define punishable behavior. State Representative Todd Smith, Republican of Bedford, said he was skeptical of any bill’s ability to provide “a clear, bright line definition of bullying.” I believe that there is a very clear line and definition of bullying. If a student feels the need to come to you and address an issue that he is facing, then that is clear enough for me to take action.
International article- Spain: Education for equality
http://www.ei-ie.org/en/article/show.php?id=234&theme=gender&country=spain
This article discusses the fact that in spite of education reform and the introduction of mixed schools, there are still obstacles to gender equality in Spain. There are still many sexist attitudes that still remain and values that influence career choices amongst women. Several studies have shown that the career options available to female and male students are still largely oriented towards fields associated with traditional gender roles. A case in point is vocational training, where courses relating to healthcare, social work, education or fashion and personal image are still mostly attended by women, whereas courses such as telecommunications, automotive studies, and electrical and mechanical engineering are preferred by boys. I think that it is very important that there be a diverse population in all fields whether it has traditionally been a male or female oriented profession. We cant get stuck in traditional norms and expect to see the kind of advancement that is needed to thrive in society.
This article discusses the fact that in spite of education reform and the introduction of mixed schools, there are still obstacles to gender equality in Spain. There are still many sexist attitudes that still remain and values that influence career choices amongst women. Several studies have shown that the career options available to female and male students are still largely oriented towards fields associated with traditional gender roles. A case in point is vocational training, where courses relating to healthcare, social work, education or fashion and personal image are still mostly attended by women, whereas courses such as telecommunications, automotive studies, and electrical and mechanical engineering are preferred by boys. I think that it is very important that there be a diverse population in all fields whether it has traditionally been a male or female oriented profession. We cant get stuck in traditional norms and expect to see the kind of advancement that is needed to thrive in society.
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