Social Media

The social media that I plan to use in my career would definitely be Twitter. I believe that Twitter is a way for students to display the knowledge learned in a course while also incorporating technology. When younger children use Twitter I do believe that the page should be private, allowing only parents and other classrooms in the school the opportunity to view any posts made by the students. This microblog site makes using technology an essential part of learning. I also think that using Twitter in the classroom would be an excellent way to give students, who are normally shy, the opportunity to interact in the classroom. Twitter also gives students the chance to display the knowledge they learn in class. When children are able to show others what they have learned they feel more confident in what they do. Using this piece of social media also actively engages parents and other members of the community in the learning process.

ESL Certification: In High Demand!

With growing numbers of English Language Learners in the United States, there has been an increase in the demand for ESL certified teachers. In many districts there are very few jobs that are available that do not require teachers to be ESL certified. In other school districts they are requiring that most teachers attend ESL classes in an effort to increase awareness regarding ESL certification. Once the TExES examination has been take and passed, one can seek ESL certification without returning to a college or a university. To become ESL certified all you have to do is study the material required for the certification and sign up to take the exam. In many districts teachers who are ESL certified receive a stipend also. Remember that being ESL certified does not require you to speak a language other than English. Speaking both English and another language is known as being bilingual.

Mentoring: An Educators Job Beyond the Classroom

                When you were younger, did you wish you had a positive role model in your life outside of family? Someone you could discuss anything with and not have to worry about ones judgments? Well, I did!

 I always wished I had someone who could help me with difficult homework assignments when my mother didn’t always know the answers. I dreamed of a relationship with someone I could call my sister, who wasn’t my sister biologically. Throughout the African- American community there has been a rise in the number of single families and broken homes. Many children who come from these types of families usually do not have a positive role model in his or her life. Because the single parent is forced to take on the responsibility that should be handled by two adults, some parents do not find the time to bond with their children.  As a future educator, I feel that it is my job to help students reach their highest potential even before I reach the classroom. Mentoring programs have had a positive effect on not only the children who participate in them, but also the mentors.

                Mentoring programs have been proven to be successful in low-income environments and also for at-risk youth. Spending just an hour out of a week with mentee’s can have positive effects. An educators success should be proven both inside and outside of the classroom, becoming a mentor is a great way to broadcast your skills.

Here is an article on the effects of mentoring on at- risk youth: http://bit.ly/eT2Erc

Observations: A Hands-On Learning Experience

Throughout the months of October and November, I have had the opportunity to observe in a pre- kindergarten classroom. During my five observations at ATTAS Daycare Center, I have acquired an even greater love for children. The observation hours have motivated me and inspired me to complete school so that I can have a positive impact on the lives of children. Observing introduced me to hands on experience that I will need to prepare myself for entering the classroom.

            The pre- kindergarten classroom gave me an idea on how to organize learning centers and it also made me realize how important learning centers are in an early childhood classroom. Being able to witness firsthand the effects of learning centers shows me how important they are to have in every early childhood class. This also gave me an idea on what types of centers to include in my classroom and also what to include in each center.

I also learned that it is very important to have a relationship with the parents of your students. It is very important to have a relationship because it gives parents the opportunity to be more open and trusting towards the teacher. This has shown me how important it is to build a relationship with not only each individual child, but also his or her parents. Both the teacher and the parents play a very important role in the child’s life, therefore it is very important that they establish a relationship for the success of the child.

Image from capl@washjeff.edu under a Creative Commons 3.0 US License

http://capl.washjeff.edu/browseresults.php?langID=1&photoID=1971&size=l

An Excerpt from My Philosophy of Teaching

My philosophy of teaching comes down to three main points, passion, dedication and understanding. According to Webster’s dictionary, passion is a strong like or desire for, or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.  As a teacher, you must have a passion and love for children of all ages. You must have a desire for enhancing students’ higher order thinking and pushing them to perform at their greatest ability. As teaching becomes one of the most controversial careers, being passionate about teaching is crucial. I believe that teaching is one of the most important careers in the world.

As teachers we have the world in our hands. We are responsible for not only teaching, but creating smart, strong and independent leaders. We must have an understanding of not only our field, but also an understanding of each individual child that enters our classroom. Teaching revolves around having an understanding that each child comes from a different household and environment; therefore the curriculum used should be altered and adjusted to fit the needs of each child.

Here is a link that will aid in the development of a great philosophy: http://bit.ly/cGPyJ1

Using Signals in the Classroom

The use of classroom signals is very important in classroom management. Signals help create a controlled and organized work environment for both the teacher and the students in the classroom. Nonverbal signals are a great way to recapture your student’s attention when conversations or noise levels get too loud in the classroom. When trying to get the children’s attention in a noisy classroom, yelling often enhances the noise. Nonverbal signals can also help the teacher get control of the classroom by addressing the student’s needs. The teacher can create and explain signals for using the restroom, sharpening a pencil, or even for answering a question. This can eliminate issues during instructional periods. Verbal signals can also be used to catch the attention of the students. Verbal signals such as a song can be very helpful in primary grades. Songs can be used to express that a certain task needs to be completed, such as, cleaning up or lining up.  Signals are very important to manage, control and organize a classroom.

Technology in the classroom: Video games, computers, 3D screens, OH MY!!

            As the United States falls tremendously behind other nations in Science and Mathematics, many educators are searching for ways to put excitement back into those challenging areas. As the upcoming generation of children becomes more technologically advanced, shouldn’t we use the children’s interest in technology to reinforce learning?

            One of the main reasons children do not like math or science is because they find that it is boring. As an educator it is our responsibility to not only make sure that the children are learning, but to ensure that the children enjoy the material or lessons presented. If the children are able to realize that learning math or science can be just as fun as playing their favorite video game, then he or she will be motivated to engage in the activities presented. Incorporating technology does not mean allowing students to simply play video games, but to present unfamiliar technological devices to allow students to explore. Megan Timme, a principal at a Dallas, TX elementary magnet school used 3D technology in her classrooms, here is the article describing the students encounter, and the effects on the students learning: http://bit.ly/b8sxJO

            I believe that using technology in the classroom can be an excellent learning aid. I don’t believe that every lesson should involve technology. The teacher should be able to balance using technology aids with other teaching aids. Using technology is another way of engaging students in the learning process, while making learning fun and exciting.

Teaching to the test. Helpful or harmful?

Teaching to the test has been a very controversial topic in our education system. The main question about teaching to the test is, does it hurt or help students? I personally believe that teaching to the test is a bad thing. This method eliminates room for teachers to become creative in the classroom. Teachers are more focused on teaching items that will be on the test, rather than teaching things that will be beneficial in the students’ future.

Teaching to the test can also be very stressful for students who are not good test takers. The student may know the information located on the test, but because of anxiety issues, the student will perform poorly. I do believe that testing is an important part of the education system, but I disagree with the fact that a test score can be a determining factor on the child’s promotion to the next grade level. Test scores should work together with the child’s performance on other activities to determine promotion.

Here is a 2008 article about teaching to the test, and yes, the issue still remains unsolved. http://thejournal.com/articles/2008/04/10/accountability-yes-teaching-to-the-test-no.aspx

Self- motivation

As the Whitlow R. Green College of Education proposes new requirements for graduation, self- motivation should become a new word in the daily vocabulary of students. Although the requirements seem high and unreasonable, we have to motivate ourselves in accomplishing what we set out to achieve. Many times we often complain about the quality of teachers in the department, when we don’t strive to do what we can to help ourselves. Like the saying says, “If you can’t beat them you might as well join them”. If we cannot get the department to change the requirements, then we have to figure out what we can do to pass the examination with the required grade. This means purchasing test preparation manuals, missing parties, studying, and making other sacrifices. We often wait around for people to tell us when, how and where to do things. As a future educator, we must take the initiative to become successful ourselves. When we reach our career paths, no one is going to hold our hand to guide us through our job, therefore, we must motivate ourselves to strive for excellence and overcome any obstacles we may encounter. An excellent educator is many times recognized by former students as a motivator, but how can we motivate our students if we cannot motivate ourselves?

Here is an atricle regarding some steps to become and remain motivated
http://bit.ly/QHaBz

Waiting for Superman

With the decline in education ratings, "Waiting for Superman" comes along to save the day. This movie is a must see for every educator, parent, and student. This movie raises awareness of the danger of our education system.

As a future educator, I believe that the future of our education system lies in the hands of me, and my future colleagues. In order to solve a problem, you must first know what the problem is, and "Waiting for Superman" makes the problem clear. America is known as one of the most advanced countries in the world, but yet we rank number twenty- five when it comes to math education and number twenty four in Science. This is a problem because we have so many different resources, but we still rank below countries who have little or no resources.

With different technological advances, our country does not focus on the important things like education; instead we focus on things such as capabilities of a new cell phone.