The visit of Champions

I thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the Wasatch High School video class. It was awesome to see the technologies that they employ in learning many various lessons. It also helped me to realize the possibilities that can be accomplished with a little ambition and creativity. All in all, it was a great experience.

Where have all the cowboys gone?

The title of this capture has little or nothing to do with the classes to be discussed. I find it rather difficult to come up with titles or subjects and so I usually just put down what comes to mind first. Anyways, I mention "classes" to be discussed because I realized that I never captured about last weeks class and yet I got a 3/3 on the assignment. This has prompted me to make up for that.
Last Tuesday, our fearless leader was in the "holy land" (aka Canada) and so class attendance was a little sparse. Basically, we took time to do a few STL's and that was it.
Now back to this week. :P Class was good. I want to lay down some thoughts I have on teaching in relation to excellent teachers I have had and why I liked them. I love teachers that really inspire me to think. To really ponder on various topics, and how they apply to me. I had an excellent Creative Writing teacher in HS who inspired me to write and I learned while doing it. This was quite a feat because I have never liked writing, yet he brought out the best in me. It was truly amazing and I hope to one day be able to inspire others to do there best even in a subject that they may not like.

The Purpose of Education...

You ever wonder what the whole purpose of education is? I guess the real question is why do so many people lose focus of that purpose? Education causes so much stress and anxiety in people's lives. Why? I maintain that the reason is due to an over emphasis in grades.
When I was in High School, the focus of school was so much on getting good grades. It was all about that 'A', and had very little to do with actual learning. This ideology, for lack of a better word, engenders in students the need for getting good grades which continues on in higher education. When these feelings are at the forethought of the education process, real learning cannot exist. One becomes so worried in passing, that the ideas, principles, and basics are forgotten, thus rendering the class almost useless.
So where should the focus be? It should be on learning. Not on learning set formulas, or groups of facts, only to be regurgitated later, but on principles that can be used in real world situations to better our society. No matter what the subject, this dogma can be employed. Let's take history, for example, which also happens to be one of my least favorite subjects. Just learning about Bastille Day happening on July 14th, the day of the French independence, does nothing for me. But if I were to study about their fight, and apply their zeal to be independent in my life in order to further a worthy cause, this would be worthwhile. A lot of this type of learning falls on the student, but even more so it falls on the teacher. When grades are set aside, and the focus is on application of facts and knowledge, real learning occurs.

I love work days!

Today was spent catching up on some past work. I was very grateful for the chance to finish some research on a couple various educational theorists and on education/ teaching theories. I now feel back on top of classes and on top of my homework. What a good feeling.
I really enjoyed gaining a greater understanding of Benjamin Bloom and Edward Thorndike. Both of these men performed amazing research that helped to advance education. One part that stuck out to me was Thorndike's Law of Effect.
"The law of effect states that responses that are closely followed by satisfying consequences become associated with the situation, and are more likely to recur when the situation is subsequently encountered." (Wikipedia: Edward Thorndike)
I am a fan of positive reinforcement and this law supports the building up of others. If you positively build up a student as a reaction to his accomplishments, he will be more apt to perform well again in order to receive that praise again. I am working to incorporate this law, as well as the other ideologies, into my teaching philosophy.

Two for one

It is your lucky day, I get to discuss two class periods in one. Now some of you might be wondering if that means more senseless ramblings...probably not. :) Anyways, I will begin with the visit to Timpview from last Thursday.

It was interesting to be observing at the high school level and to compare it to my previous visits to junior highs. The teachers in high school are focused more on one genre of subjects, rather than the whole gambit. For example, they had a metal shop teacher, a wood shop teacher, an auto mechanics teacher and a drafting teacher. I really enjoyed seeing the projects that can be accomplished with a more focused curriculum.

Tuesday in class we talked a lot about a wide range of things. We had the opportunity to read a talk given by President Hinckley from 1963. It was given to BYU Professors and was entitled "What Shall You Teach?"

I wanted to discuss one point that really stuck out to me. As he was talking about various educations that students need, he brought up an essential education. He said "...there is another education without which the skills they learn may lead only to their destruction. I refer to the education of the heart, of the conscience, of the character--these indefinable parts of our personalities that determine so greatly what we are and what we do." More importantly that just teaching good subjects, is teaching good principles that can be used in the application of those subjects. At a institution like BYU this can be accomplished by closely integrating learning with the gospel. As I have seen this done over the past month and a half, I have noticed in myself a greater desire to learn and succeed. Not just in school, but in life and in the eternities. I am recognizing the eternal implications of all I learn and how I can share that with others.

Moral Dimensions

Teaching is a moral profession. In order to truly educate another, one must have and display morals. The four moral dimensions that we discussed in class are as follows:

Providing access to knowledge for all children and youth.
Enculturating the young in a social and political democracy. (and enculturating is a word!)
Ensure responsible stewardship of schools.
Practicing a nurturing pedagogy.

The driving force for these moral standards is faith. However, faith is something that is not allowed in the classroom in our separation of church and state society...or is it? What is faith? Faith is having a belief in something, and then acting upon that belief. Does faith have to be in a god? I maintain that is does not. Faith can be in anything you want it to be. A higher power, God, a family, a loved one, a career, money. It needs to be something that motivates you to do better and want to excel. Without this faith, morals cannot exist and learning is next to impossible.

Last of the Junior High Visits

Today was another interesting day in Middle School Land. I had the opportunity to visit Mr. Throckmorton's classroom. They were in the process of building and testing bridges. It was very interesting to see the creativity of these students and to see how their designs worked.
While observing, I noticed one student in particular who seemed to be rather rowdy and disruptive. I watched him, intrigued by his antics. I wanted to see how the instructors dealt with him. After not receiving much attention, this young man sat down to work, but was clearly far behind the other students in his construction. I decided to sit down with him and see if I could help him while also learning from him. And learn I did.
I realized that all he needed was a little guidance and assistance. I asked him what he wanted me to do and let him guide me in how I could help. As I performed the tasks, and he led, we were able to accomplish much while engaging in meaningful conversation. The main thing I gleaned from this was how essential it is to allow others room to lead and grow. If I would have just told the boy what to do, he might have resented me and not completed what he needed to. However, by letting him lead, he stepped up to the plate and performed successfully.