Freedom of What? January 15, 2007

Judging from the frequency of this topic, one would have to assume that a hot topic not only in the educational world, but in our own English 311 Section A is censorship in literature.  Why is the topic so hot?  Well, for starters, because it is debatable.  Anything that allows people to square off and pick loyalties generally sparks an interest.  But why else?  I think it is interesting because it is another instance of hypocrisy. 

Today, the push in America is not for conformity, but for standing out and being an individual, the freedom of expression.  Even in schools, educators encourage making your own choices and not following the crowd.  Be your own person.  Make your own decisions.  Well, let’s not get too crazy.  It isn’t realistic to let you choose what books to read.  If a student is not allowed to form their own opinion on a book that they read, whether it is true, ethical, or morally right than what choices are we actually giving?  Apparently we feel that students do not have the capability of deciding if witches are real, or whether of not to use profanity is any situation.  Shouldn’t they get the freedom to decide and form an opinion?

I am not a liberal or radical.  I would like to think I am realistic.  Students are faced with so many choices.  There are numerous places that students are subject to violence and profanity.  I am interested in how big of an influence books from English have to the decisions students make.  I am choosing this topic because there is a plethora of information, and it is interesting.  Everyone has an opinion, and they will not match up, but that is what makes good discussion.  I hope to find different justifications for certain bans, whether or not there are common bans, and what the majority thinks about the topic.

As far as news feeds go I am looking at educational articles from BBC, NPR, CNN, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.  There are plenty of blogs about this topic, and I plan on using many different posts.  I have not chosen any one particular feed that I find better than the rest.

Since blogging is new to me, I am excited to learn more about the technological process, while learning about my topic.  I think this will be an incredibily beneficial experience for me, and I am thrilled to get started. 

The Challenge January 15, 2007

I can’t wait to teach.  I actually have very few worries about teaching.  Most of the time I would classify myself as a solid public speaker, and I have always been told how much I love to talk.  I am prepared to be a good role model, and can’t wait to watch students learn.  Setting all of this aside, I have one fear.  My fear is that I am standing in front of a classroom, teaching a lesson, or just leading a conversation and not one person in the room is interested.  Their blank stares, and out of touch expressions suck the life out of me. 

Well, I hope this never happens, but if it does I would be interested in breaking down the question of why are they bored?  It could just be me or the material that the state board wants taught.  But let’s assume it is larger than that.  Is the discussion or work floating right over the heads of some students, is it intellectually below others, and I would hope there are some it is reaching at the correct level.  This is a problem that many teachers are presented with everyday.  This is why I want to look at the pros and cons of tracking gifted students, or ability separated classrooms.

At the current time, I am not sure if I believe more strongly in ability separated classrooms, or integrated ability rooms.  I am interested in finding out different viewpoints, and possibly looking at different statistics dealing with the topic.  As a teacher, the final decision is not ours.  It is much further up in the hierarchy, but we are the ones who must constantly deal with the issues, so it is important to be informed.  I hope to become educated in this area, and figure out different methods of dealing with ranging ability levels.  It is true that no two students will have the same abilities or learning styles, but teachers have to find a way to reach as many students as possible.  Do we risk holding students back?  Does it hurt the less abled when the abled are taken out of the classroom?  Are they still challenged?  There are numerous questions that arise from this intriguing topic.

Right now I have feeds from multiple news sources.  I have CNN, NPR, BBC, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.  I have looked up “tracking gifted students” through Google News and I am browsing through the different blogs on the topic.   Right now the blog that I have subscribed to is titled Essential Blog.  It is loaded with educational articles and many deal with equality in classroom.  I have already read a couple articles of interest in the blog. 

In my high school we were separated by ability level, and at the time I never really thought much about it.  As I begin stepping out of the student role and into the teacher role, the perspective has changes drastically.  I see much more than a social life, and after school practice.  It is time to explore. 

Pleasure To See You! January 15, 2007

Hi, and welcome to my blog.  I am a first time user of blogs, and I will admit that I am not the most tech-savvy person.  This will be a learning experience for me, but it is one that I am very excited for.  I am a participating in both English 310 and 311, so the specific blogs for the two topics are under “Classes” on the right side of your screen.  Each section will have it’s own opening. 

On a general note, I am a senior at GVSU and this is my last semester before student assisting.  I am actually a Group Social Studies major, with an emphasis in History.  This is where my teaching heart belongs.  I am an English minor.  I truly enjoy English, and I am hoping at these couple classes give me a stronger feel for the subject. 

Because I am down to my last semester, I have been able to substitute teach on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  This is great experience as far as classroom management goes.  I also coach volleyball at Otsego High School.  I love my girls, and they work extremely hard.  We are off to a great start, 16-3-3.  I think educational athletics are an essential part of every school.

I knew from day one that I wanted to be a teacher.  It is a great job for a working mother, and someday that is what I hope I will be.  I also love athletics, my father was the Athletic Director at my high school, so consequently I grew up in the gym.  I am the fifth of six children, so family is huge.  I have nine nieces and nephews whom I adore.

That’s a brief introduction to me and my background, which I think is very important in the structure of the opinions that I will express throughout this blog.  I am looking forward to this semester,  and can’t wait to see everyone in class!