Lost Generation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

After watching this YouTube clip, I would have to say that my generation could be the "Lost" generation. I think about how it seems to have become the dream of many to become wealthy, or at least to be well-off in life. Just thinking about some of the comments made at the dinner table such as, "I'm want to marry someone rich," or "I want to be a doctor or a lawyer" gives me the impression that money is important. Look at how many college athletes leave college early so that they can make big money in the professional leagues. Even if you simply think about how many people apply to be contestants on shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, it goes to show that many people at some level believe that money can make them happy.

Another statement from this clip was about the Lost Generation not caring for their environment. I see many examples of that happening right now. In the lunchroom how many students don't bother to compost their waste? How many students don't even bother trying to recycle? How many people would consider turning off their computer, giving up their car, or taking less than 10 minutes showers for the rest of their lives? I think that my generation generally is quite self-centered. We need instant gratification, and unfortunately being eco-friendly doesn't usually provide that satisfaction.

Finally, I think that my generation could be the Lost Generation because we don't value family togetherness as much as in the past. How easy it is now to get a divorce, to rarely speak to your parents, and to think that we are independent enough that we don't need their love and support. How often do families actually sit down for dinner together? For many families it is a rarity because each family member is off at their own activities. With so much pressure to achieve individually, I think that my generation has grown up without the close family ties that our parents and grandparents had.

Now, just because we might fit some of the criteria of this so-called "Lost Generation", I don't think that means we are hopeless and helpless. We can take action to change things around, but first we have to be willing to recognize just how lost we might be. Check out our iMovie that we made for class to see how you can help the next generation be more active in taking care of the environment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adl5dJVFpy4

Brain Development Presentation

Wow! That lady was animated, and I'm not just talking about her slide show! I thought it was really interesting how they have now developed virtual reality equipment to determine if someone playing sports has incurred brain damage. It also is amazing how the damage can take a long time to heal, long after the immediate symptoms are gone. It just makes me wonder how much we don't know about the brain, even with all of our up-to-date technology.

Clearly the hippocampus plays a huge role in brain development. Without memories being laid down and recalled, we wouldn't be able to build our skills or knowledge. It is unfortunate for those kids who aren't exposed to the "Basics" early in life and then can't really build on them in their later years. As teachers, we have to consider how we would try to reach those students and help them to catch up on what they might have missed out on. As a secondary teacher it seems to me that I will deal less with students who have fallen behind, because by high school those kids might have just given up if they weren't given the proper help and guidance. All teachers have the responsibility to spend time with students and help them to gain knowledge, no matter what level of development they are at.

If you want to learn more about the information that was presented go to http://www.loni.ucla.edu/~thompson/DEVEL/PR.html

Finnish Ahead in Education

The article on the education system in Finland was really eye-opening. Immediately I saw major contrasts between what the Finnish do versus what we do here in the U.S. As we discussed in class, our U.S. schools tend to emphasize a lot of extracurricular activities. School becomes a vehicle for competition and fun in those activities instead of for expanding students' thinking skills. Actual class time loses its value and kids don't see the purpose of sitting in class when their other activities, like sports, are being emphasized so much by parents, coaches, and friends.

I also think that the lack of competition to get into college is an advantage that the Finnish have. In the U.S. we often get caught up in working for the grade so that we can get into a good college. In college we work for a good grade so that we can get a good job. We don't go to class to enjoy ourselves or to solely work at our own academic progress. Rather, we go to class so that we can get the material that we need to pass the test and do better than our classmates. The classroom has become a competitive arena at many ages. Kids are comparing scores all of the time trying to see who's "better" or "smarter". This often leaves kids feeling inadequate and dumb. School shouldn't be a competition because when kids fear being the losers, then they won't want to try to succeed.

Chalk and Wire

Luther's Chalk and Wire program appears to be a simple way to organize and update a portfolio. Having it online makes it easy to upload documents and then submit them to professors for assessment. I think that it would take a lot more effort to keep a paper copy, update it when necessary, and then submit it for a grade. I doubt that professors would want to spend a ton of time wading through paper portfolios that may or may not be done well.

Portfolios are becoming a popular way of assessment. In high school I had to do it for my AP language arts class and it showed me the advantages and disadvantages of keeping one. It was neat to see how my work had changed over the course of the year and how I was able to incorporate feedback from the teacher into my work. The disadvantage was that it took a lot of time to write out comments on my work and keep it well organized in a binder.

I think that portfolios can be practically used as assessment tools for older students, such as high schoolers, but even for them it is important that guidelines are given so that they don't feel overwhelmed. When I first heard "portfolio" I was thinking, "What does that even mean?!" Helping students work through their first portfolio can be a confidence booster and it also provides concrete examples of how their work has improved over time.

Lessons from Vietnam

After hearing the speaker from Vietnam, I was thinking how different Vietnamese culture is from American culture. Clearly familial relationships and educational success are very important to the Vietnamese, but not valued as much here in the U.S. I got to thinking how different classrooms in the U.S. could be if students actually wanted to be there, wanted to succeed, and wanted to be challenged. Would we even have to deal with students who don't bother to turn in their homework or students who goof off the whole class period? Would cheating be an issue?

I've found that many American students are satisfied with doing enough just to get by. They don't have a lot of motivation and don't really care what grades they get. Why is that? How is the American culture fostering this kind of behavior and mindset? One factor may be the lack of strong family relationships and the want to be independent and free. Kids and students want to do what they want to do. They don't want to have to listen to their parents, or teachers for that matter. They may be in the developmental stage where they are trying to figure our their identity and thus think that they need to push the limits placed on them.

I think that it's unrealistic to try to totally change our society into one that has the same values as Vietnam, but I think we should try to improve family relationships and respect so that kids will obey their parents and be open to their advice. As much as we all want to be independent and do our own thing, I think it is very important to listen to people who have more experience and expertise that we don't yet possess.

Building Schools in Sudan

Last night I went to a presentation by a Luther Sudanese student, Christine, who had been awarded a grant to build a primary school in Sudan this past summer. It was quite interesting hearing her story and seeing pictures of the "school" the kids had been going to before an actual building was constructed. There is one picture of the kids just sitting under a tree in a group, looking at a piece of slate that was propped up against the tree. The alphabet was written out on that slate.

I was awed by how those kids could learn in that simple setting. Here in the U.S. we all have our own paper, pencils, desks, and even laptops. We complain when our internet isn't working fast enough, while in Sudan there are students who don't have any of those supplies, who might walk 6 miles to school, and who start attending school as soon as they can walk. What a contrast!

Christine talked about some of the challenges they faced in building the school. First, everything was done by hand so that took time to dig the foundation, dig up rock for the foundation, transport the materials, etc. She said that they had to transport some of the rocks about 16 miles in a truck, and it took 2-3 hours to drive the 16 miles to the construction site due to the poor condition of the unpaved road! While the supplies were being trucked all of the workers made their way to the construction site by foot.

It was really neat to see the pictures of the finished 3-room school building that will be used by over 200 Sudanese students. Check out yariproject.blogspot.com for pictures and more information if you want to make any donations. It definitely makes me thankful for the numerous well-furnished schools I've attended.

Chalk Talk

Well, that was interesting, but it left me hoping that Chalk isn't a totally accurate view of life as a teacher. I hope that as a teacher I'm not depressed, that I have a life outside of school, and that I can actually teach my students useful information. It was comical to see how these teachers and administrators really had no control over their students and didn't garner any respect. I'm sure that many teachers do face that challenge, but I think if teachers conduct themselves in a respectful, professional manner and make known their expectations for the students, then the students learn their role in the classroom.

I think that the movie does hit on some key points for teachers- relationships with colleagues, getting frustrated and losing your cool, time management, and competency. I think it is good for us to think about these aspects and realize how much time, effort, and communication it takes to be an effective teacher. This movie is a good conversation starter for current and future teachers so we can discuss situations and things that we will encounter, but that aren't covered in our Ed. classes.

Never Stop Learning

This past Thursday the biology dept. brought in a speaker who works in a research lab in Texas trying to figure out how to slow down blood growth to cancer cells. People talk about finding the cure for cancer often, but this was really neat to actually see someone with evidence that he was actually trying to find a way to slow down cancer.

A number of Luther students attended the presentation, but along with them there were probably 10 Luther professors (if not more) who came, took notes, and had questions afterward. This made me think how teachers don't just stop learning once they graduate college. Teachers have the responsibility to keep learning about new teaching styles, technology, and new findings in their specific content area.

It was kind of fun seeing the profs put into the role of the students. I wonder if any of the professors felt like they were in over their heads, or if they understood everything the presenter was talking about. I know that I sure didn't understand all of the jargon, but then again, I probably wasn't developmentally ready since I've only taken a few biology classes here at Luther. I think it helps professors reach their students more effectively to step into the role of student once in a while. Especially in a topic in which they are not experts.

Vagina Monologues-developmentally appropriate?

Last weekend Luther students put on a production of the 'Vagina Monologues' sharing real stories about women all over the world and their thoughts on their bodies and sexual violence. How does this relate to Ed. psych? Well it got me thinking about developmentally appropriate material to teach in schools and also how much schools are willing to teach students about their bodies.

I really enjoyed Vagina Monologues but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than high school. The stories shared ranged from funny and comical to downright scary and unbelievable. I think that it might even be developmentally inappropriate for freshmen and sophomores in high school because they may be too immature. As a college student it really opened my eyes to some awful situations that women in other parts of the world are in solely because they are women.

I was also questioning whether this would be something that males should go to. When I went there were a handful of males in the crowd. I think that it would be appropriate for men to go to, but young men or adolescents- probably not. It would be beneficial for males to understand more about what is appropriate in relationships, but I'm sure they would feel awkward. Does that mean they shouldn't go, no, but if they go they should be mature enough to respond appropriately to what they see and hear.

Learning from a Pro

The experience Monday night listening to seasoned Mr. Chambliss differed a lot from the previous Monday when we talked with a panel of new teachers. Mr. Chambliss seemed very sure of himself and his stance on getting a Master's Degree, NCLB, and what effective teaching is. I have a feeling that the panel of new teachers would not be so sure of themselves because they haven't been in the teaching environment long enough to develop really strong feelings towards these topics.

I really liked how Mr. Chambliss told us that we have the ability and responsibility to create a 21st century model of education. We are the ones who can implement changes and ultimately impact generations of students who come after us. As we enter the schools as teachers we can't just complain about what isn't working. It is important that we come up with some type of curriculum that is effective and valuable for students today. It's our responsibility to be the change that we want.

I loved his closing comments about how rewarding a life of service is. I definitely agree with that, whether the service come through being a teacher, begin involved in a church, or in some other way. Serving others leads to bettering the world.

Technology and Tests

After reading the article about schools with laptops for every student, it is clear that there is no research showing that laptops increase learning. Or rather, learning that is assessed by standardized tests. The article pointed out that what kids are learning by using their laptops isn't measurable by traditional tests. They are learning some technological skills that are very practical in everyday life, as well as learning about topics that they are researching online. But unfortunately, many practical skills (like being able to navigate the web) aren't assessed on traditional tests. So that leads me to question whether our tests are testing for the right skills.

As we talked about in class, when was the last time we had to multiply fractions in our normal everyday lives? Umm......never. So why do we continue teaching and testing that skill? Why don't we teach skills that are useful, such as how to act appropriately in social situations and increase your EQ? I don't advocate changing the whole curriculum, but I do think that schools should at least discuss what is really important for students to know in order to thrive in the real world. Changes don't have to be permanent, but it's good to see what the costs and benefits are by trying out new curriculums.

Teacher Panel

I really enjoyed listening to the teacher panel on Monday night. I really was amazed by the influence of technology. First, I was very surprised that all of the middle school students were given their own computers. Immediately came to mind, "Why?" I can understand when the students might be working on a research project in a certain class, but why give them something that can potentially be so distracting for the whole day? If it's known that kids are facebooking and chatting online so much of their time outside of school, then why would we give them the tools to do those same things while they are supposed to be paying attention in school? It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Repeatedly I heard the phrase, "We just don't have time..." Not enough time to grade assignments or do hands-on activities. It really surprised me, especially with the hands-on activities, that teachers don't structure their days and their lesson plans so that they do have times for hands-on activities. It surprises me that teachers would cut out activities that students actually enjoy and learn from. I understand that certain regulations might lead to more direct instruction, but I also think that teachers should make the time to do hands-on activities that reinforce ideas taught by direct instruction.

This panel helped me realize how much the students can impact the lives of the teachers. I will have to work on leaving some of the students' problems at school and not bring them into my personal life. If I plan on being a coach it sounds like I will have to work on balancing many responsibilities. But it can be done. Hearing the panel speak about their experiences just makes me more excited to get in the classroom and begin working with students.

Paper Clips

After watching the movie Paper Clips, I thought that the students at Whitwell definitely were impacted emotionally from the project. They were able to put a picture to how much 6 million actually ammounted to and they learned about survivors' first-hand experiences in the concentration camps. Throughout the most of the movie I wondered how many details about the Holocaust they were learning versus how much they were just focused on recieving more paper clips, but by the end of the movie I do believe this project did teach the students a lot about the facts and emotions of the Holocaust.

The students learned so much that they were able to use the products of their project (the posters, the railroad car, the paperclips) to give guided tours to other schools that were learning about the Holocaust. The fact that the teachers of Whitwell didn't need to be in charge of the tours says a lot about how much the students learned from their Paper Clip project. Someone cannot teach material to others if they don't know the material very well. The guiding students needed to be able to answer questions about the Holocaust and give accurate detailed information. I would consider the ability to give guided tours a way of assessing how much the students actually got out of their Paper Clip project.