October 2012 Reflection
Whew!!! Really where does the time go? I wish I could grab it, squish it, and stuff it in a drawer to keep for later - and so I dream. Well, whoever is reading this, I beg for leniency - if you read my last one you’ll know that I was so sure that everything was falling into place. I think I feel this way at least once per month and then poof - gone. Well, why would this month be any different.
I will start with the reading. Crazy deep! It took me forever. Reading and rereading. I am still referring back to make sure I have it. I am especially enjoying the Duckworth book. Oh to have had this on my reading list before I had children. I visited with my daughter, and she agreed. Her friend said she wore something during pregnancy(around be stomach) to stimulate the child’s brain (?) and it worked. The child is uber (spelling) intelligent. Should I be arrested for child abuse? Did I not give my own children everything they needed? I feel so cheated. Where was I before I had children? Why didn’t I care about all of this information?
So back to the reading. You probably can tell I am one of “those” that tend to get off track with my reflections. I promise to do better. So I have to also be honest. These were tough readings, but also enjoyable. I would have liked to read them months ago. So much good information. So much more to think about. I think my brain is on overload. How do I use this new information? Can I apply it to my research? I know, I am answering my own questions as I write. Hmmmmm . . . .What is it that this organism needs without which he cannot thrive? Deep, deep, deep. Or merely understated. This should really be a no-brainer as they say. As I read about The Classical Theory of Learning, I try to remember if this was how I described myself.
I now wish this class were a few more years and I could take longer to think about books, thoughts, questions, and, well, everything.
Again I went to my principal and we were talking about choices, education, competency based education and the articles. I seriously sat down and started asking him some of the questions - When you hear or read or observe something how do you know what it means? Where does meaning “come from”? What does “meaning” mean?
And so on. I will say he had to pause and think on a few of these and he has been around education for a long time. Then we had the discussion about what’s worth knowing and so on. I really thought the book gave me a lot to think about, but the chapter by Postman and Wingart digs a little deeper - of course we have only read two chapters. As I finish up the Wink/Putney article I am truly without words. Usually, I can put something on paper with know problem. This month I feel I have so much NEW information or information that is giving me major pause that I can’t quite fit them (it)together in words. Yes, I know Vygotsky’s theory and I agree - I can see how the book and the two readings all connect (at least in my mind). If we let students make their own meaning and free up some of the conformity in our schools, students will have the opportunity to make meaning of learning, their lives, and their futures. Yes?
This truly is philosophical thinking at its best. I love this stuff. Truth is . . . how do I apply it to my room. After I read and reread I wanted to ask each of my students all of these questions. I must confess that I did ask some of my students some of the questions. I have one 8th grade student who is coming to my room for behavior issues. His teachers have all but given up on him. I feel so sorry for him. He has nothing to look forward to - no hope. He doesn’t like school, doesn’t like home, and cannot picture a future. Just writing this makes me sad. I have not had this student in class, but he knows me and I know him. We are a small school. He has given up on himself.
So - back to the principal. I bring up this student. Principal says that we are too easy on our students. We don’t expect anything from them and if we don’t, how can they strive for anything. Hmmmmm . . . I told him (again) about my research and how I have good days and bad days. I told him about students being engaged and everything is peachy and the next day students don’t care and I want to give them a story and a test and be done. He just looks at me and smiles. He said my questions, my research, and the student are all connected. Great!!! More things to think about. So think I did.
OMG - this is almost too much.
I am pretty sure this will be my weakest reflection to date. I am confused, and muddled by all of this. I keep questioning myself and my own meaning of everything. Then I think of my paper and look at my piles of books, articles, and data (trying to sort) and trying to keep it all straight, and wonder how I have made it this far. How was I before this class. And my visual - oh my.
Back to my class and research. I want to add this to the end. We had PT conferences last week. I collect reflections from my students as part of my data. One student wrote how he finally had an English class that he liked and it was interesting. He said the material really made him think about people, life, and his mom. He said he was enjoying the class. I read this to his mom at conferences and she cried. Then we cried. Her son does not typically like school, and never classes that he has to read or write. She was so happy that, as a senior, he finally has a class that he enjoys. That makes me happy.
I will start with the reading. Crazy deep! It took me forever. Reading and rereading. I am still referring back to make sure I have it. I am especially enjoying the Duckworth book. Oh to have had this on my reading list before I had children. I visited with my daughter, and she agreed. Her friend said she wore something during pregnancy(around be stomach) to stimulate the child’s brain (?) and it worked. The child is uber (spelling) intelligent. Should I be arrested for child abuse? Did I not give my own children everything they needed? I feel so cheated. Where was I before I had children? Why didn’t I care about all of this information?
So back to the reading. You probably can tell I am one of “those” that tend to get off track with my reflections. I promise to do better. So I have to also be honest. These were tough readings, but also enjoyable. I would have liked to read them months ago. So much good information. So much more to think about. I think my brain is on overload. How do I use this new information? Can I apply it to my research? I know, I am answering my own questions as I write. Hmmmmm . . . .What is it that this organism needs without which he cannot thrive? Deep, deep, deep. Or merely understated. This should really be a no-brainer as they say. As I read about The Classical Theory of Learning, I try to remember if this was how I described myself.
I now wish this class were a few more years and I could take longer to think about books, thoughts, questions, and, well, everything.
Again I went to my principal and we were talking about choices, education, competency based education and the articles. I seriously sat down and started asking him some of the questions - When you hear or read or observe something how do you know what it means? Where does meaning “come from”? What does “meaning” mean?
And so on. I will say he had to pause and think on a few of these and he has been around education for a long time. Then we had the discussion about what’s worth knowing and so on. I really thought the book gave me a lot to think about, but the chapter by Postman and Wingart digs a little deeper - of course we have only read two chapters. As I finish up the Wink/Putney article I am truly without words. Usually, I can put something on paper with know problem. This month I feel I have so much NEW information or information that is giving me major pause that I can’t quite fit them (it)together in words. Yes, I know Vygotsky’s theory and I agree - I can see how the book and the two readings all connect (at least in my mind). If we let students make their own meaning and free up some of the conformity in our schools, students will have the opportunity to make meaning of learning, their lives, and their futures. Yes?
This truly is philosophical thinking at its best. I love this stuff. Truth is . . . how do I apply it to my room. After I read and reread I wanted to ask each of my students all of these questions. I must confess that I did ask some of my students some of the questions. I have one 8th grade student who is coming to my room for behavior issues. His teachers have all but given up on him. I feel so sorry for him. He has nothing to look forward to - no hope. He doesn’t like school, doesn’t like home, and cannot picture a future. Just writing this makes me sad. I have not had this student in class, but he knows me and I know him. We are a small school. He has given up on himself.
So - back to the principal. I bring up this student. Principal says that we are too easy on our students. We don’t expect anything from them and if we don’t, how can they strive for anything. Hmmmmm . . . I told him (again) about my research and how I have good days and bad days. I told him about students being engaged and everything is peachy and the next day students don’t care and I want to give them a story and a test and be done. He just looks at me and smiles. He said my questions, my research, and the student are all connected. Great!!! More things to think about. So think I did.
OMG - this is almost too much.
I am pretty sure this will be my weakest reflection to date. I am confused, and muddled by all of this. I keep questioning myself and my own meaning of everything. Then I think of my paper and look at my piles of books, articles, and data (trying to sort) and trying to keep it all straight, and wonder how I have made it this far. How was I before this class. And my visual - oh my.
Back to my class and research. I want to add this to the end. We had PT conferences last week. I collect reflections from my students as part of my data. One student wrote how he finally had an English class that he liked and it was interesting. He said the material really made him think about people, life, and his mom. He said he was enjoying the class. I read this to his mom at conferences and she cried. Then we cried. Her son does not typically like school, and never classes that he has to read or write. She was so happy that, as a senior, he finally has a class that he enjoys. That makes me happy.