my bias...

So, this is a tough assignment for sure. I’ve never thought about any biases I have before. I can see how important it is to be reflectively introspective and examine honestly what might influence my teaching. 

I consider myself to be pretty progressive and open to diversity and individualism.  And yet, Jesse said that we all have biases, and we have to dig deep to figure out what they are.  So, after some thought I feel I’m biased towards those individuals who feel they are superior to others based on ignorance.

I don’t mean ignorance as uneducated, but people who I feel are intolerant and unjust to others, especially those who bully or use violence towards others.  When I see or hear of someone being abused or bullied, it pushes my buttons and I get very upset quickly.  I will usually react by saying something to them or taking some kind of action.

This is just my nature, as I have always been an advocate for the underdog. Even as a kid in school I would call people out if I thought they were bullying someone or making fun of them based on ignorance like racial or sexual prejudices.

Right now, APS has a major campaign against bullying in schools and I have seen on television that it’s an epidemic nationwide in public schools.  It’s rampant in schools and online, and kids are committing suicide because of this cruelty.  To me it’s really scary, because I just can’t comprehend how kids can be so cruel and that there is this group mentality where bystanders just watch or walk away.

This bias within me will never go away since I truly believe in justice and fairness towards others; especially those who are smaller, weaker, or less fortunate.  As a teacher, I will always be an advocate for all students’ rights, and I will set the example in my classroom. If I hear or see anything going on that indicates bullying, then I will address it immediately. 

I will have to make sure that I don’t overreact however, and maintain a sense of calm when addressing it with the students. I will try to teach them to be more understanding rather than taking a punitive approach, unless that's the only choice for whatever reason.

changing education paradigms...

How do we deal with public education? This is a very good question in my opinion. Why is it that we are still talking about all of the challenges for teachers in public education that seem to be quite similar to the same ones from the past? Why does it seem like public education issues are spinning its wheels and not getting anywhere?

This is not to say that teaching in the public school system is a bleak and dismal experience, and yet, it has been on my mind a lot lately since we have been learning about the struggles that teachers have.

These hurdles are not limited to the classroom, but also with the administration, no child left behind, parents, testing, being politically correct, meetings and goal teams, transitions, pull-outs, and what seems like a million little things to think about as a teacher these days.

It’s quite overwhelming for a person like me who is pretty liberal-minded and attended more free thinking and creative schools. I have to try extra hard to follow the rules so to speak, and not to sway too far from what’s considered the norm.

I have also found that in my experience that it can depend upon the school you work at, and the actual culture of the school itself.  It might be the “luck of the draw” to find a school where you are a perfect fit.

However, the movie that we watched by Sir Ken Robinson has literally changed my entire perspective of how public education is, and can be. It was an awesome film about the history of public education and how it is still based on the Industrial Revolution and economics. I like the way he pointed out that students are divided into age groups, and that if you really look into it, that there are more effective ways to group students.

He also talked about how creativity is linked with intelligence, but that the creative arts are being eliminated from the public schools. I thought it was interesting also how he said that learning happens best in groups and that students learn best from each other.

As a creative person, I am going to remember these cool pointers and try my best to always work in art into my curriculum everyday. Even though we are still restricted to follow certain institutional standards, we can try to incorporate some of his great ideas into our classrooms.

oppression.dominance

 I thought the chapter we read last week about women and education was hard to believe. To think that it wasn’t all that long ago that just because you were a woman, you had to endure the oppression that was dictated by white men in many ways, and even the right to receive a decent education. We really take that for granted now, and I am so grateful to women like Emma Willard who fought for and pioneered women’s colleges.

I think what impacted me the most was the notion that men dominated the household, and that when women were finally allowed to receive an education, it was still only to support their husbands and to make a “good wife”. 

The thing is, was that in my opinion, women were made to believe that they were pampered housewives when they were doing all of the work in the home anyway. Not only were the women not getting credit for it, but also they themselves actually believed that that was their only role in society. It was hypocritical way of life for these women to have to learn by reading their husbands books, but they weren’t supposed to express their views or thoughts.

To me, it was another form of slavery and oppression by the dominant white males against even their own wives. They didn’t want their women to be too smart, to especially get to “big for their britches”, so to speak. As in all forms of slavery and oppression, it’s based of the fear of losing the power and control.

I am so happy I didn’t live during those times, but I wonder if discrimination still goes on in public education to day. For example, male dominated Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Yale. Women do get accepted and graduate with honors, but it still maintains a very white male dominated “secret society” type of culture.

white privilege...

I thought it was interesting that we discussed the notion of the hidden and not so hidden privileges of being a white person in society.  It was kind of a hot topic, and it brought a lot of controversy to the table, and opinions based on people’s experiences and perceptions.  The handouts that were provided by both teachers were kind of insightful because of the personal feelings about racial discrimination by the authors.

What I learned from the discussions in both classes, was that it is important to at least be aware that it’s going on even if you don’t notice it in your own everyday life. I guess that’s what stood out for me the most.  Even though you may not be a person who doesn’t feel you discriminate, if you say nothing or don’t acknowledge the struggles of others based on the fact that you’re a white person, then in a way it’s accepting it as status quo.

Also, being a white male makes you the most privileged, so, as a woman, I also feel the discrimination of being treated less than a man. I heard a man say he shouldn’t have to give up his privileges because he’s a man, and that women and minorities should just work harder.  I still doesn’t make it fair when a man and woman do the same job, but a man is paid more. This is archaic to me…

As teachers, we must be aware of the privileges that whites in America have, and to be very careful not to stereotype kids based on their race. Even though it’s hard to believe it still goes on, it’s important to be sensitive to each student’s individuality. I will try to always appreciate and respect students’ feelings based on white privileges, and how it affects student learning.

poverty...

the article on poverty by ruby payne was one of the most interesting readings so far. it really made me think about the notion of poverty vs. wealth, and what does that mean exactly? the data was helpful and i especially found that it offerred some serious points to reflect upon. mainly, it made me think about how poverty is perceived by people, even themselves, but primarily in the classroom. i liked the points that stated that poverty is relative, and that we all have hidden rules about poverty. i don't think that one can equate poverty opposed to being wealthy, as far as being a happy child goes. just because a family may be wealthy, it doesn't mean that they have a happy home. and conversely, just because a family may be poor economically, doesn't mean they aren't happy. now, obviously, money can bring more comforts and resources, but i like the idea that education can bring wealth. to me wealth doesn't always have to mean money, but a wealth of experiences, and knowledge can make a person successful in life. as teachers, we have a responsibility to work with the students in a way to where we are familiar with their backgrounds and family situations. we can help them to overcome obstacles that may stand in their way to becoming successful. also, we can help them provide the means to better relationships at school which will also help them to grow and learn about themselves and the world around them. it's our job to help students with the tools to overcome poverty, and to work within their individual cultures and ethnicities.

cleaning out the cobwebs...my philosophy of ed...

So, write my philosophy of education?  The idea was very overwhelming and scary at first. It has to be meaningful, and, for me, that was a really tough task. Where do I begin?  After giving it lots of thought, I decided to begin with my own childhood educational experiences, and put them down in a timeline of memories.

As young girl, I moved around the world, and attended many different schools. And, even in the US, I moved around a lot to different states, and lived in urban areas to more rural communities. 

This was during the 1960’s and 1970’s, so there was a lot going on in the world historically. The Vietnam War was still going strong, and there were lots of protests against it. It was a time of change both for racial justice and civil rights for all people. And, then the hippies came around, and movements began to question authority.

In the 60’s, schools were basically all the same.  Even though the actual communities were different, the classroom teaching style ran consistently the same. Kids followed the rules, and never questioned what our teachers told us. We learned all the basics, but I’m not sure if I was able to explore new ideas or think outside the box. And, yet, I loved school and I had a clear idea of what was expected of me.

Then in the 70’s things changed completely around. I went to high school in Spain, which was very liberal and they encouraged creativity. It was there, that I realized I am an artist, and pursued that a career for many years. I was taught to be a critical thinker and question traditional values, etc. 

By going back in time to my own life’s experiences in schools, it has helped me to figure out that I want to find a balance in my classroom between teaching content and encouraging creativity and individuality.

I like the idea of teaching kids to think critically for themselves and be able to problem-solve, within reason of course. I want to teach Elementary School. But, I still think this approach will help students to continue learning outside the classroom as well.

Monday, September 27, 2015

By David Tym

Staff Writer

Albuquerque- Karen L. Hama, a Kindergarten teacher from Calle de Toledo Elementary School was named 2015-2016 National Teacher of the Year by Albuquerque Public Schools.  This announcement came Friday night to an auditorium of district educators, parents, students, fellow teachers, family members, and community leaders, who filled the room with applause and cheers.

Hundreds attended the 17th annual Celebrating Excellence in Education ceremony held at the Frank Irwin Center on Friday. Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Education sponsored the event, which included a dinner ceremony and music from the Albuquerque Symphony Orchestra.

“I join all New Mexicans in saying just how very proud I am that Ms. Hama, a teacher from New Mexico is being recognized as the foremost in the United States,” Governor Bill Richardson said today.

“I am speechless,” said Karen Hama. “Words cannot express how touched and grateful I am for this honor. There are many great teachers out there, so this is such a surprise.”

“She was the best teacher I have ever worked with in all my 25 years teaching experience,” Mr. Sprigen said.  “She always worked so well in collaborations with her colleagues, and brought forth new ideas to the table.”

“Her idea to have a standardized Pre-K program changed the dynamics of Kindergarten classrooms throughout the district, and because of this, students test scores in Reading and Math have improved over 50 percent,” Principal Marcus Duque of Calle de Toledo Elementary School stated after the ceremony.

“I always felt we had a very open communication between Ms. Hama and my family,” stated Margorie Gardner, a parent of one of her students. “It helped all of us to be on the same page and work together for our son.”

One of her Kindergarten students, Alexis Hilty said, “ I love Ms. Hama, she always makes school fun! I can’t wait to go to school to see what we’re going to learn today.”

“I am so happy for my mom”, her daughter, Lauren said. “She works so hard, and always goes the extra mile. Now it’s finally paid off for her,”

Calle de Toledo Elementary School Teacher Karen L. Hama will be officially named the 2015 National Teacher of the Year by President Barack  Obama at a White House ceremony on October 26, 2015.

the value of an education...

I really enjoyed reading the three articles for this past class period. Each one was so inspiring, but in completely different ways. More than anything, they made me think alot about the notion of what an education means to individual people based on many factors.

Some examples are: when you were born, what country (ies) you were educated in, your gender, your ethnic and socioeconomic background, your own life's experiences, and your homelife and upbringing. What are you family's values about education, and have they influenced your educational experiences?

My Lincoln article was called, "Rachel", and the article describes a woman named Rachel Carson who had such an amazing perspective on what a good education was to her and what wasn't. It was so clear to her even a a young girl, that she wanted to be a writer and author. This was no small feat during her lifetime, in which she was born in 1865.

I was captivated by the tone of the story, which was colorful and full of word visuals describing her difficult upbringing in a small town in Pennsylvania. He mother was formally educated coming from a wealthy family, she highly valued education, and passed this onto her children.

After much hardship, Rachel was determined to get a college education, which she did, and eventually graduated first in her class. She became one of the few female biologists in the country and a famous author, well-known for her last book, "Silent Spring."

Sometimes I wonder if we sometimes take for granted that we have a public school system in the US and the opportunity to attend college regardless of issues that I stated above. Despite some flaws in the American public school system, I do feel lucky to have all of the opportunities that I have had in my education.

Autism and Special needs...

I have been working with special needs kids off and on for many years...mainly because i have a special place in my heart for them. So many of these children have made an impact on my life in such a profound way...it's pretty hard to even describe. As far as APS goes, it's been about 4 years or so as an Educational Assistant in ISP as a one-on-one with a 14 year old boy who is very high on the Autism spectrum, then with D-level Kinder-1st graders, and last year and currently in an Autism specific special program for Independent Communicators Kinder-2nd grade.

I guess I am writing this post about them tonite because I have some concerns based on my experience and observations about what's called "Special Ed' here at Albuquerque Public Schools. 

I am not trying to blame anyone in particular, and I'm sure the intentions are honorable, and yet since i have been right in the trenches with some really special needs kiddos, I have seen first hand what can happen within this beaurocratic system. what I mean is that it is definitely not a perfect system... 

My first example, was witnessing teachers at the high school I where I worked, who were basically not doing any teaching with the kids all day long. They let them play video games all day just to keep them "happy". And, since it's ISP, and in a separate building, no one comes and checks up on the students to see what's going on in the classroom. It was very upsetting to me, and when I tried  to bring it up with the administration, I was removed from the classroom and put into another one.

The next example was when I worked in the D-level kinder classroom...the teacher was awesome, but we kept getting very violent kids placed in the same classroom with the syndromed fragile ones. These violent kids were kicked out of all of their schools for "bad behaviors", but they were in General Ed. The teachers simply threw up their hands and wanted them out of their classrooms. So, they came into the Special Ed classrooms for lack of anywhere else to place them. It sometimes took an act of God to get them the help they really needed...

Now, with these super gifted autistic kids, they are supposed to be assessed properly to make sure they belong in this program. For the most part, this is done, however, if a student moves to Albuquerque from out of State, they'll just place them in the classrom because "there's room". Some of these kids have severe emotional problems and other major learning disabilities, so it's extremely frustrating for them and for us to keep them safe.

I think that overall, most Special Ed teachers are dedicated, amazing and awesome.  I feel they could use more support and to have more say in who should qualify to be in their classrooms. If you see a Special Ed teacher...give them a hug...I'm sure they could use it...

Nature vs Nurture?

Some might say that people's behaviors are influenced strictly by their genetics, or the "nature" theory of human behavior. Where, others believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so, known as the "nurture" theory of human behavior.  This has been an ongoing argument for many years. So, which is it? Or is it a combination of both perhaps? And, so, how does this relate to teaching? Are some people born already having the pre-disposition to be teachers when they grow up?

I guess, it’s entirely possible to be born with the “teacher genes”, I don’t think that it’s very plausible for someone who wants to become a teacher be born just kind of knowing this information. It’s more probable in my opinion that you actually evolve into wanting to be a teacher from your own personal life's experiences. It can evolve from your family upbringing, your particular culture, educational background, working experiences, the passion you have for something you love or believe in, and even simply from the “school of life”.  I guess it depends on when you get the epiphany that you want to become teacher.

If I had to defend the theory of “nature”, I could say that since working in an Elementary school has made me really observant…and so I’ve noticed there are some kids for whom it is obvious they are natural born teachers. They love to help the other kids, or they seem to enjoy the rewarding feeling they get from being helpers in the classroom and showing their friends how to do things.

And yet, how do we know what other factors are involved here? Maybe they are simply emulating their own moms or dads or someone else in their life that has inspired them at some point. Like…a teacher! :0 That’s when I begin to realize what an influence teachers can have on kids, and the possible directions they can take from their example.

How about the notion that a teacher can perhaps create other teachers by being a great and memorable one? I think we can all remember our favorite teachers, and what a difference they have made in our lives. This is something I am going to try to always keep in mind when I become an Elementary school teacher...