Final Blog

SOCIAL JUSTICE

EDU-100 Premise of School has really made me open my mind on the meaning of social justice. Before this class I did not really know what Social Justice meant, let alone its relationship it has with education. I know justice is having freedom, standing up for a reason or cause, or to appreciate things fairly. I never really thought about how unfortunate young kids don't get the proper education on social justice. Although it is important to teach kids math, English, reading, science, and social studies it is also important to teach them about concerns that people face every day or to let them understand that there are some people in this world who are not as fortunate as others. I think this topic is neglected a lot and it should really be expressed in schools more often. It might be hard for teachers to approach this topic, but if they break it down for children to have a better understanding, then maybe it won't be forgotten as much. Now a days a lot of things are taken for granted and I think it is important for children to understand that statement. Today there are a lot of new technologies and a lot of opportunities for children to have new things and live great lives and that is not how it is for everyone. Unfortunately there are some children who live in poverty or have no food or even don't have the great opportunity to go to school, because they have to help their families. That is what teachers should be teaching children. I know it might be a rough hard topic but it lets students know other stories and they can have a better understanding of how fair and unfair life can really be.

In the article Teaching for Social Justice, by Herbert Kohl I really like the ways in which he gives out suggestions on how teachers can teach this subject. My favorite one is number three. "look around at the many effective ways of teaching children." I like this because it can let a teacher be creative. You have to admit, teaching young children about social justice can be a challenge, but if you incorporate a game, or a fun worksheet to show students the meaning then it can be very easy. All teachers are not the same. Just because they teacher subjects does not mean that they have the same curriculum. Just remember to be your self and like Herbert Kohol says "hone your craft at a teacher."

As a future educator I think I will have to bring up social justice with my students and now that I have a better understanding of what it is, I will be very effective. I don't think it will be easy, but after reading Teaching for Social Justice I will be prepared and ready educate my students on the situation of the world that need care.

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/publication/roc1/Intro.pdf



MODEL OF EDUCATION

To me my model of education would not just be one thing but a few. I believe that schools should have a curriculum. After reading chapter 10 in McNergney called Curriculum and Instruction I learned that it is beneficial to having a certain schedule of what is taught in school. I think having a broad idea of what a teacher is going to teach can be helpful of the teacher and the students. I also like how a curriculum can involve after school activities and interpersonal relationships. I think lesson plans are essential and can help if a teacher needs to be absent.

I also be live that schools should have special education, but also involve students in special education to not feel left out. Students with disabilities can often feel like they don't belong and just by having special ed classrooms does not mean that they are a total different group of people. It is good to mainstream special ed students because they can have a better chance to feel welcomed and to learn more.

Another model of education that I think is important is that I think teachers should have the responsibility to teach students more than academics. I think that it is a lot of work for them and some do not get a lot of credit, but it is part of their job. Along with parents, teachers are around students for a large amount of time during a day. They see how they act and know what they do. They have to teach them to be kind, to have manners, and to be self sufficient. There not just there to teach children how to read, but to be respectful and responsible.

One other model of education that I feel is important is to think about the overall purpose of school. One important question to ask yourself is why is school so important? Is it to get through high school and then go to college and then get a good job? or is it important because it's just something that you have to do. To me the real reason is, that it helps you become a better person. It makes you learn things that you would not learn from a TV show. It expands your knowledge of certain subjects and it is important to go to school because it can help help you grow as a person. School is a whole big new experience for children.

EDUCATION ANALOGY

Education is like a gum ball machine. =] You out a quarter in the machine and you never know what color your going to get. You might know what color you WANT to get, but you might not always get what you want. When it comes to education and teaching, this can be some what similar. When a student starts schools they might think they know how the year is going to be or what they are going to learn, but that might not always be the case. There are so many different subjects (gumballs) to explore and that only can be taught one at a time. When it comes to teaching. Teachers have their own way of doing that. They make lesson plans, worksheets, pictures, observations, or group work. You never know what why they are doing to teach you, but what ever way it is, it is sure to be a good juicy (gumball) one.

EDUCATIONAL CONTROVERSY

One educational controversy that I have a strong interest in is homeschooling. I have written about this before in a previous blog and I think it is something that not a lot of people talk about. I have never been home schooled but I know people who have been. My cousins used to be home schooled and I remember going over there house on a school day when it was a school holiday and they would be "in school" and their mom would be teaching them and they were just sitting there in the living room but it was not the living room it was like a classroom. It was very weird to me and I would just watch them and i could never picture myself in their shoes. I am not against homeschooling, but I think it is just another type of schooling that is judged a lot. My cousin's did have some benefits to it. They got more individualized attention and the had a lot more help with work (seeing their mom was the teacher). They did not have a lot of distractions that can be part of a classroom and they seemed to go by fast with their work. they seemed to really enjoy being in their own home learning what I learn everyday in a classroom sitting in a small desk. Although this type of school can be effective to to others it can cause a lot of disapproval. Some people think that children who are home schooled don't have a lot of social skills and lose out on a lot of social experiences. From what I have seen personally with my cousin's this is not true. My cousin's are very out going people and even though at one point of their lives they did not leave their house to go to school they still had a lot of friends at the time. Now they are older and one is in college and the other just graduated high school. They have been to schools and learned a lot and I think that they are just as smart as when they were home schooled and have learned just as much. Like I said home schooling is a very controversial issue and its a plus for some and a negative for others.

EDUCATIONAL ISSUE OF IMPORTANCE TO ME

One issue in education that is important to me is Special Education. I have a passion for teaching special ed and that is my main goal. I was in special ed when I was in elementary school, middle school and high school. I still would consider my self a special ed student but now that I am in college I don't have to rely on the resources that I had when I was younger. I think that it is important for children to know that just because they have a learning disability does not mean they are different. I went through a lot when I would younger of people telling me that I was different because I would go to a different classroom for extra help. This is not fair. Some children learn differently and need more support. I want to be there for those children who need help and let them know that nothing can stand in their way and no one should ever tell them different.