Boy! It has been a long time since I visited here! Lots of things have been going on, and I have been very busy. I completed my first year of teaching still on fire, despite the odds. I've learned a lot about how to close the education gap by closing the attitude gap, how to build a culture and climate in my classroom that encourages students to follow the expectations that are set, and how to teach kids how to take standardized tests.
*awkward pause*
Is that really what we're supposed to be doing? I mean, pretty soon here, we're headed for Smarter Balance, we're implementing Common Core, which is supposed to help us get ready for these tests. Yet, in many places, we are still doing the same dry standardized testing that got us here in the first place. We're supposed to be teaching students how to think and reason, then we give them a multiple choice test that doesn't tell us what they know, but what they can eliminate as a wrong answer - or worse, nothing, because they guess at every answer.
I can spend 90 minutes teaching the best lesson, know my students know what I've taught, and at the end of the day, it doesn't matter, because they will be tested using a method that looks nothing like what I taught. We're tasked with differentiated instruction, then we give out a generic standard test that is not differentiated at all. You don't learn what students know by giving them a multiple choice test. Of that, I am confident. If I can have every student engaged and giving answers, or telling their classmates why an answer is wrong, then I know they have learned. I give them a test, and all I know is that I feel like I have failed.
Just because I feel like this doesn't make me any less inspired or fired up for teaching; it makes me less enthusiastic for the methods of assessment that are common practice in schools today. Next year, we will be steamrolling a new method for testing that looks nothing like what our kids are used to. Yes, we may be teaching the building blocks now, but in the meantime, our students are learning to tune out to tests, because it is oh-so-easy to just pick one instead of thinking about what they're doing. The ones who take it seriously have so much anxiety about it, they don't do well anyway. These tests aren't designed for learners; they're designed for sponges who absorb information and can regurgitate it - for those who can follow directions instead of explore.
I want my career to mean something. I want to be able to say that I have made a difference, and that my students don't feel that they have learned nothing because they aren't able to fit into a simple box. We all know students learn differently, but we expect them to test pretty much the same. I know that some kids are able to complete tasks that others are not, yet they all have to do the same things when it comes to assessment. Formative assessment helps, but doesn't do much when faced with a summative, one-size-fits-all assessment.
I want to be that change. I want to break the chains of conformity. I want to be the inspiration for a student like the teacher who inspired me. I can only hope that I will be able to have that opportunity.
Looping
Today I met the teacher that I will be student teaching with. She's amazing. I also learned about looping - the process they use where students stay with the same set of teachers for two years (middle school). I had a nice conversation with her about the different things that are going on, and I must say I'm pretty excited. This does coincide with my last set of questions for my survey: I asked if they could team teach or teach one subject, would they consider keeping the same students for 2-3 years at a time. Imagine my surprise when I found out that is happening in a middle school right where I live. One of the advantages that my co-op teacher gave me was the ability to know your students. Things are really hard that first year getting to know your students. Personally, I think that it is hard because you spend a whole year getting to know students and learning their quirks and mannerisms, figuring out where they are education-wise, and then you hand them to somebody else. She also mentioned that it helps to know where your kids are at in the beginning of the year.
When I asked if you team-taught or only taught one subject would you consider keeping students over 2-3 years, 67% of my participants said yes, while 33% said no.
Reasons for looping:
When I asked if you team-taught or only taught one subject would you consider keeping students over 2-3 years, 67% of my participants said yes, while 33% said no.
Reasons for looping:
- Relationships are the key to success; the better relationship you have with your students the better you can educate them.
- To teach a child you must first know and understand that child.
- Greater continuity of subject matter from year to year.
- Being able to see the tracking data on it would be interesting.
- Knowing what your students know or don't know will help make the following year even more successful.
- Third through sixth grade to help them prepare for middle school would be good.
- Growing together; knowing their strengths and weaknesses and trying different approaches to enhance their learning would be beneficial. We could learn as much from them as they learn from us.
- It would help the students feel comfortable knowing they would see the same teacher in the fall.
Reasons against looping:
- If you have a difficult group, you will be stuck with them for a few years.
- Students benefit from being placed in a new classroom each year, making new friends, learning from different teachers, learning to treat all people with respect, and adapting to change.
- Students will benefit more with a variety of teacher flexibility.
- "Students and teachers need to expand their horizons. The beauty of having a new class of students each year is that good teachers challenge themselves as they find other teaching strategies. Students who are with the same teacher get 'mentally' tracked into performing according to one personality."
What I found interesting about this part of the survey is the types of responses that were against looping. Most people who didn't agree with it gave some form of this reason: students will be expected to work with many different kinds of people after they finish school. When I think about this response, I think about the many classes I've had with the same students each semester. I know most of the people in my program, if not by name, then by face. We are expected to work together in groups, and many of us tend to stick to the same group of students because we are comfortable and we know what level of work to expect from our group members. More importantly, you learn really quickly in college which professors are great and which ones are not so great. We tend to stick with the ones we know and like, and avoid those we dread. The difference is, we have tutors available to us to help with the things we don't understand, which makes those dreaded professors not so scary.
In contradiction to the last response, I think that having the same teacher for a couple years can help students to learn healthy study habits. An ideal situation would be to have students keep a portfolio with the different tips and skills they've learned that help them learn better. This folder would follow them through their education, keeping themselves and their teachers aware of what their strengths and weaknesses are, how other teachers have helped them, and what they do to get around obstacles.
I think a lot of those responses didn't take into account that this would be something to do if you taught single subjects or team-taught with another teacher (splitting the subjects into 2 per teacher or so).
Team Teaching Responses
Team teaching is the process of teaching several subjects and then switching off with another teacher (co-teacher) for the other subjects. This process may allow teachers to teach what they know and are confident in, give them someone to plan lessons with, or figure out ways to incorporate learning from subject to subject with support.
An ideal situation to me would be to have middle school and high school teachers work together to connect subjects to continue this trend as students transition to those grades. I think it would also be helpful in college settings; sometimes it is hard to see where subjects connect, especially when textbooks aren't necessarily in context.
Team-teaching: would you do it? 67% said yes, 18% said no, and 15% said they would consider it.
Reasons for Team-Teaching:
An ideal situation to me would be to have middle school and high school teachers work together to connect subjects to continue this trend as students transition to those grades. I think it would also be helpful in college settings; sometimes it is hard to see where subjects connect, especially when textbooks aren't necessarily in context.
Team-teaching: would you do it? 67% said yes, 18% said no, and 15% said they would consider it.
Reasons for Team-Teaching:
- Cross-subject units help students make connections and retain information that is taught.
- Sharing ideas and having different options.
- Helps with prep time.
- It offers students the ability to learn from one another/have differentiation in instruction.
- It eases the burden of one educator being responsible for a group of students.
- Less chance for burn-out.
- Keeps teachers actively involved in their area of expertise.
- For students, it gives them the opportunity to have two teachers that may have very different personalities and teaching styles.
- Teachers can focus their skills and teaching time, so that real learning can take place.
- It allows teachers to give students their best by being able to concentrate on only the topics they have to cover.
- More time to plan good quality lessons and more freedom for integration working with a co-teacher.
- "More hands make light work. We need to have more of a community approach to education instead of closing the door and keeping others out of our classrooms."
Reasons against Team-Teaching:
- Personality clashes.
There really weren't any other reasons given against team-teaching.
Teachers in middle school where I live generally teach on teams so that they have the same set of students all day. They plan together and have their team for support when they're doing things or have troubled students. While they all teach a single subject, it is still nice to be able to talk to other teachers and coordinate lessons that will fit together, in my opinion.
Results: Participants and Single-Subject Teaching
The results are in! I was able to get 27 completed surveys and the results will be posted below. After all the work I've done, reading articles and books and trying to find research, the survey has been most telling. Since the results are a bit extensive, they will be posted in chunks.
This is chunk number one, which is about how educators feel about teaching one subject as opposed to all subjects in K-8.
What did I learn from this experience? I thought about the fact that students spend up to 8 years in a setting with the same students every day, then are abruptly transitioned into having six separate classes that aren't guaranteed to have the same students in each, plus homeroom. Students have generally five minutes between each class to change books and socialize before they need to be in their next class. To me, this represents two drastically different approaches to how teaching is done. Middle school and high school are more like the college setting (different teachers for each class, no guarantee the same people will be in every class you take) but they do have differences (class scheduling and part of what you take are completely your decision). After all this, I feel that if we are to prepare our students for college, we need to give them environments that help them prepare for the environment of college. That doesn't mean interconnecting subjects, but giving them the opportunity to see where the differences will be. I personally am for single-subject teaching, but I see the benefits of teaching all subjects as well.
So, for your results:
Out of 27 people surveyed, 67% were teaching students, and 33% were educators.
When asked if they would be interested in single-subject teaching, I got mixed reviews. 59% said they would, 30% said they would not, and 11% said they would consider it.
For those who would, their reasons were:
This is chunk number one, which is about how educators feel about teaching one subject as opposed to all subjects in K-8.
What did I learn from this experience? I thought about the fact that students spend up to 8 years in a setting with the same students every day, then are abruptly transitioned into having six separate classes that aren't guaranteed to have the same students in each, plus homeroom. Students have generally five minutes between each class to change books and socialize before they need to be in their next class. To me, this represents two drastically different approaches to how teaching is done. Middle school and high school are more like the college setting (different teachers for each class, no guarantee the same people will be in every class you take) but they do have differences (class scheduling and part of what you take are completely your decision). After all this, I feel that if we are to prepare our students for college, we need to give them environments that help them prepare for the environment of college. That doesn't mean interconnecting subjects, but giving them the opportunity to see where the differences will be. I personally am for single-subject teaching, but I see the benefits of teaching all subjects as well.
So, for your results:
Out of 27 people surveyed, 67% were teaching students, and 33% were educators.
When asked if they would be interested in single-subject teaching, I got mixed reviews. 59% said they would, 30% said they would not, and 11% said they would consider it.
For those who would, their reasons were:
- Not feeling qualified in some subjects as much as others.
- It gives educators the chance to enhance their personal knowledge of that subject, which can help with flexible techniques in teaching students.
- Having more enthusiasm for subjects they are comfortable with/enjoy.
- Being secure in content knowledge.
- "Elementary educators should have the ability to be 'content specialists' as well, because I think students learn better from someone who really is an expert in the subject."
- "The need for differentiation is too great to be effective within the time constraints given. Reinforcement is key to continuous learning and having too many students at different levels makes the process almost ineffective... unless you have a Paraprofessional or access to a co-teacher."
- Alleviates stress of trying to create an all-encompassing classroom.
- Much easier to plan the day.
- Teaching multiple subjects and the threat of evaluations stresses the staff in my school.
- It gives you time to research so that you are always up to date on the best practices.
Those who said they wouldn't, their reasons were:
- All subjects are related and showing them how they relate stimulates learning and deepens understanding.
- Students need to make connections between subjects.
- Burn out.
The Research Project
So, this is my first post of many, about my current project. Feedback is always welcome. I'm currently working on a research project where I want to explore different options for changing the methods of teaching. It's a shame when students get a good teacher and then have to leave them at the end of the year. Things that I am researching include extended school hours, longer breaks between subjects/classes, teachers sticking with students for more than one school year, teaching one subject as early as kindergarten or first grade, and aspects of curriculum development.
I'm currently looking for/at research that shows students learn better when they have the same teacher for more than one year. I also was able to visit China this spring and learned that their teachers teach one subject throughout their K-12 system. They also have breaks that are about 20 minutes throughout the day where children participate in activities that get them moving. This got me thinking about the struggle students in the U.S. have with obesity, restlessness, and boredom. It also was brought to my attention that children lose a lot over summer break. While I wouldn't immediately suggest that the school year be extended, I do want to look at how extending the school day could help to combat things that hinder education. Maybe incorporating those 20 minute breaks would help with the problems I listed above. Having after school programs for all students instead of just some may help to provide students with extra support on the things they work on in class and allow them more opportunities to socialize- helping students to curb their need to socialize during the school day. It may help them to form study groups as well, which is something that has been proven effective for college students.
Most importantly, in my experience schools have become less about learning and more about passing tests. As a result, we've had some really horrible stuff happen in this country. Teachers helping kids cheat, the rise of for-hire services that pretty much allow students to skirt around academic integrity... When will it stop? With the rise of the online school always comes the option for students to cheat in some way. How do instructors truly know that their students aren't just registered for the class but have someone else doing the work for them? We've given new meaning to "passing the buck" and now there's very little learning taking place.
As I begin my last semester of actual classes, I'm very pleased to know that my instructors care that I learn something. Making a test that is so difficult that none of your students can pass it doesn't make you a good teacher; it just proves you're not willing to actually teach. With the classes I have this semester, it isn't about passing a test- it's about learning something that will make me a better teacher.
In the future weeks, I'll be looking for feedback on ideas, places to get information, or just someone to offer their feedback on my ideas. This may lead to something big in the future.
I'm currently looking for/at research that shows students learn better when they have the same teacher for more than one year. I also was able to visit China this spring and learned that their teachers teach one subject throughout their K-12 system. They also have breaks that are about 20 minutes throughout the day where children participate in activities that get them moving. This got me thinking about the struggle students in the U.S. have with obesity, restlessness, and boredom. It also was brought to my attention that children lose a lot over summer break. While I wouldn't immediately suggest that the school year be extended, I do want to look at how extending the school day could help to combat things that hinder education. Maybe incorporating those 20 minute breaks would help with the problems I listed above. Having after school programs for all students instead of just some may help to provide students with extra support on the things they work on in class and allow them more opportunities to socialize- helping students to curb their need to socialize during the school day. It may help them to form study groups as well, which is something that has been proven effective for college students.
Most importantly, in my experience schools have become less about learning and more about passing tests. As a result, we've had some really horrible stuff happen in this country. Teachers helping kids cheat, the rise of for-hire services that pretty much allow students to skirt around academic integrity... When will it stop? With the rise of the online school always comes the option for students to cheat in some way. How do instructors truly know that their students aren't just registered for the class but have someone else doing the work for them? We've given new meaning to "passing the buck" and now there's very little learning taking place.
As I begin my last semester of actual classes, I'm very pleased to know that my instructors care that I learn something. Making a test that is so difficult that none of your students can pass it doesn't make you a good teacher; it just proves you're not willing to actually teach. With the classes I have this semester, it isn't about passing a test- it's about learning something that will make me a better teacher.
In the future weeks, I'll be looking for feedback on ideas, places to get information, or just someone to offer their feedback on my ideas. This may lead to something big in the future.
A Change - Part 1
One of the things that strikes me as odd about how the school day works is this:
Students go to school from 8-9 until 2-3. Some kids only go half the day (the little ones who need the most attention in order to not fall behind while they're just starting). However, At most, their school day is approximately 7.5 hours long, which includes a half hour for lunch. Middle school and high school students are there for about 7 hours a day. That means that they have six to seven hours everyday to learn English (which includes reading and writing), math, social studies, science, and let's not forget physical education and health education. They may have time for recess - but then again, they may not. So that means that they're expected to sit for several hours a day without much break learning all these subjects. If they're in a good district, they can expect to have inventive and fun ways to learn that will help this information stick. If not, it's a wonder that they don't learn much.
Parents who work full time work at least 8 hours a day, five days a week. 40 hours is the definition of full-time. If you're like any of the parents I know, it's more than 40 hours a week. I once took care of my niece and two nephews and held on to 3 part-time jobs on top of going to school full time. I was busy until 7pm every night and had to find a sitter for when the kids got out of school. It's a situation I know that many parents face when looking at working full time: having to find a part-time job to pay for daycare for the full-time job they already have.
What if the school day were longer? I'm not suggesting that teachers work longer hours; simply that they be given the time they need to prepare and discuss with other teachers about lesson plans, teaching strategies - the things that make us better teachers. Lots of schools have after school programs, so why can't we make those an extension of the school day? In China, I noticed that students were in the building for a considerable amount of time more than our students are. This isn't because they're in class cramming all day - they take at least two to three twenty minute breaks to exercise as a whole. Whether it be playing outside or doing actual exercises, this is the case. I'm not sure that every class is outside at the same time, but it would be fairly easy to schedule that so that teachers aren't overwhelmed with antsy students in their classroom. It would also give them that needed break to prepare for what's to come.
As for the extension of the school day? Let's be honest: a lot of schools are struggling. Families in those schools are struggling too. Some kids don't even know whether they'll have dinner or not when they get home. A lot of them don't know if they'll have a quiet place to complete homework or if they'll even be able to when they get home. Students are struggling with homework that they can't ask a parent for help with. Sure, there are plenty of parents who care about their children. What if that isn't enough? What if they need help that their parents can't provide? What if they can't always afford to put food on the table? I"m not suggesting that the school take up that responsibility entirely- but lots of money in my state gets wasted that is available for after school and summer programs.
I left this post and came back to it in an effort to clear my mind and allow time to collect my thoughts. Well, I found an article about longer school days- and an initiative about it. That will be my next post. Cataloging the research I find and what I get from them. Until next time!
Students go to school from 8-9 until 2-3. Some kids only go half the day (the little ones who need the most attention in order to not fall behind while they're just starting). However, At most, their school day is approximately 7.5 hours long, which includes a half hour for lunch. Middle school and high school students are there for about 7 hours a day. That means that they have six to seven hours everyday to learn English (which includes reading and writing), math, social studies, science, and let's not forget physical education and health education. They may have time for recess - but then again, they may not. So that means that they're expected to sit for several hours a day without much break learning all these subjects. If they're in a good district, they can expect to have inventive and fun ways to learn that will help this information stick. If not, it's a wonder that they don't learn much.
Parents who work full time work at least 8 hours a day, five days a week. 40 hours is the definition of full-time. If you're like any of the parents I know, it's more than 40 hours a week. I once took care of my niece and two nephews and held on to 3 part-time jobs on top of going to school full time. I was busy until 7pm every night and had to find a sitter for when the kids got out of school. It's a situation I know that many parents face when looking at working full time: having to find a part-time job to pay for daycare for the full-time job they already have.
What if the school day were longer? I'm not suggesting that teachers work longer hours; simply that they be given the time they need to prepare and discuss with other teachers about lesson plans, teaching strategies - the things that make us better teachers. Lots of schools have after school programs, so why can't we make those an extension of the school day? In China, I noticed that students were in the building for a considerable amount of time more than our students are. This isn't because they're in class cramming all day - they take at least two to three twenty minute breaks to exercise as a whole. Whether it be playing outside or doing actual exercises, this is the case. I'm not sure that every class is outside at the same time, but it would be fairly easy to schedule that so that teachers aren't overwhelmed with antsy students in their classroom. It would also give them that needed break to prepare for what's to come.
As for the extension of the school day? Let's be honest: a lot of schools are struggling. Families in those schools are struggling too. Some kids don't even know whether they'll have dinner or not when they get home. A lot of them don't know if they'll have a quiet place to complete homework or if they'll even be able to when they get home. Students are struggling with homework that they can't ask a parent for help with. Sure, there are plenty of parents who care about their children. What if that isn't enough? What if they need help that their parents can't provide? What if they can't always afford to put food on the table? I"m not suggesting that the school take up that responsibility entirely- but lots of money in my state gets wasted that is available for after school and summer programs.
I left this post and came back to it in an effort to clear my mind and allow time to collect my thoughts. Well, I found an article about longer school days- and an initiative about it. That will be my next post. Cataloging the research I find and what I get from them. Until next time!
Researching The Change - Part 1
While looking for things about longer school days, I came up with an initiative in Massachusetts. I haven't had a chance to really delve into it yet, but it's the first of several places I intend to check regarding longer school days. KIPP is another one of the places I'm going to check, and so is the Harlem Children's Zone. I'm keeping in mind that the latter two are charter schools and I'm going to look at their criticisms as well as what they've been doing. This is just one avenue of my research. I also had the chance to read a really good book this summer - The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore. He was recently on NPR which I didn't get to hear, but I placed the link here anyway so that I could go back to it later.
His story is one about himself and another man with the same name. To me, it shows how drastically things could be different if only a few things were done differently in your life. I could very well be on drugs or have lots of kids or stuck in a situation where I'm going nowhere in my life. Things happened that brought me to the place I'm in now. I'm healthy, happy, well-adjusted, about to finish my bachelor's degree, and looking forward to making a difference in my community. I'm one of many of my peers who feel that shirking your responsibility to the community that gave you so much is being irresponsible. I can't deny that my community, my schools- they have all helped to shape the person I am today.
These few things start the first leg of my research: the longer school day. Now it's time to find some related articles and get my literature review started!
His story is one about himself and another man with the same name. To me, it shows how drastically things could be different if only a few things were done differently in your life. I could very well be on drugs or have lots of kids or stuck in a situation where I'm going nowhere in my life. Things happened that brought me to the place I'm in now. I'm healthy, happy, well-adjusted, about to finish my bachelor's degree, and looking forward to making a difference in my community. I'm one of many of my peers who feel that shirking your responsibility to the community that gave you so much is being irresponsible. I can't deny that my community, my schools- they have all helped to shape the person I am today.
These few things start the first leg of my research: the longer school day. Now it's time to find some related articles and get my literature review started!
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