I think I finally understand why the College of Education at NIU bothers me so strongly. Once you enter the program after fulfilling all the requirements, they force us to take classes in sections. This limits our choices of when to take a class and with whom. Once you get in, these instructors teach their courses by the design of their respected departments. And here's what upsets me: you would think that if the college designs a program around courses set to correlate with each other that the departments actually communicate! The assignments, the demands and expectations, and the workload is so off tangent that it makes students frustrated and discouraged. Was this the college's intent? "To kill off the weak?"
Communication with other teachers is what they drill into our minds in all of the courses, but these instructors and departments do not follow what they preach. If we are to teach our students by modeling what we want them to do, then our college is not acceptable. No matter how great an instructor is, the problem still remains that these teachers lack the empathy or desire to help us succeed in becoming in-service teachers.
The textbooks we use in our pre-service classes discuss the importance of developing a sense of ownership for our students so that they can have a deeper connection to what they're learning. I strongly believe in creating a curriculum that matters to them; otherwise, how will they ever believe a higher education would be of any worth to them?
My question for this is about a college education? Don't we need a sense of ownership as well? All the essays, projects, readings, but for what? Do our professors consider the students in their planning and assigning? Do the departments even think we matter? I have spent many nights writing up papers or reading up on chapters from the text wondering, "what's the relevance? The books tell me why I should read it, but when was the last time the professor actually gave us a thoughtful and sensible reason?"
Why is college treated so different from elementary and secondary education? Do people stop thinking a certain way right after graduating from high school? Are we robots that can purely learn from a teacher-directed lecture?
Since this semester has started, I've had this distressing feeling. This feeling like what we're doing for our students is not what we should be doing. The courses, the philosophies, the implementations--everything seems to lose its validity through my eyes. My classmates, the teachers, the students.. they're hearing but they're not listening. Is it because everyone's lives are so busy? Can we no longer stop and listen?
Many techniques and strategies offered in this article are listed in the textbooks and lectured in our in-service courses, but it’s restated over and over for in-service teachers. There must be an explanation-the teachers are not applying what they learn. My clinical teacher behaves in this manner; she had a self-confidence team-building exercise required, but she modified it to her class. The class was to pass around a “shining star” and write positive comments about each other, but the teacher felt 8th graders would not take it seriously and directed students to work independently and fill it in themselves using skeleton sentences, such as “I am good at…” Her behavior contrasted the ideas I have been taught in my courses: demonstrate what you want the students to do, encourage cooperative learning, and make it relevant. So this brings me back to my earlier point. The teachers I have had an opportunity to talk to say that they have not learned much from college. What happened to them? What will happen to us? I fear that many of us are already encouraged to drop the research and practices for the easier route. Perhaps, our college instructors themselves are not relating the courses to the students. The courses do not give us the deeper impact, the relevance, or the inspiration to do more. From reading, the guidelines do not seem like it involves a lot of time and effort to implement. What reason can there be? The teachers are trained to teach and follow, but not to lead and take a risk to do more.
I was assigned a rather tedious make-up assignment from the College of Education recently. I wrote this when I had the time; it was more of a reflection off of the given assignment because it wasn't challenging and as an adult, I felt that it did no good to simply do what I was told. In the end, I will probably not hand this version to her. If students had a voice in the policies of our education department...
Make-up summary for seminar 2:
Upon completing the slide notes for Seminar #2, I have come to the conclusion that these seminars are needed for administrative purposes. We are instructed to be professional, not just for the sake of our own development, but because we will get a disposition notice. The students of this college, those who earned a slot into the program, are taught with fear and juvenile techniques. They are in fear of making a mistake, to take a risk and ask questions. Are we not adult enough to put away the cellular phone or dress appropriately if only the speaker asks? Are we still children that need adults to formulate rules and bans? Seminars are tools for the administration to successfully create men and women that will continue to listen and follow the traditions of a failing system.
In order to meet the satisfactory requirements of this assignment and keep me from getting into problems, I shall focus on the ways to implement the key points covered. Besides the fact that I had to discuss this already on the powerpoint slides handout (on every single slide, no matter how obvious; see slides 1-3 and 8), I shall not challenge my instructor’s directions and shall regurgitate in a summary manner. Yes, pre-service teachers must not be treated like adults. Assigning the notes on the seminar is not enough; assign it again as a 1 ½ to 2 page summary!
Student-teaching confirmation forms are approaching on our timeline. We have been told through the seminar to follow a certain protocol. Once we receive the email from Sue Lowell, we will need to go to the office and take the form to the school. It has to be signed and submitted within two weeks of receiving placement. Contacting the teacher is a priority, but visiting is not. That is, if it is received during the three-week block, then we are to wait until it is finished.
The take-away idea for this seminar is called the 3-Step Interview. Interviews are done in pairs and then assimilated into another. Communication skills are practiced as well as critical thinking. What you learn from another should have a connection to each other or on the topic.
The last key point I have missed is the first assigned reading from the Wong textbook. To implement high expectations, I will organize my goals and expectations into something tangible. This is effective when students have no guidance on the first day. To support this point, I connect the video of Chelonnda Seroyer’s presentation. She provided clear rules and guildelines. The students knew that her classroom does not get distracted by low expectations. By using her own childhood, Seroyer exemplified a first-hand source: create a structured environment that remains consistent and safe even when everything else is chaotic. Students should feel that a classroom will provide a learning environment and away from inconsistencies of their lives.
I just read an article from the Tricycle website, and it really inspired me. It is a really good read, but I know that many people don't have time to just sit down and read an article about spirituality. So I'll just highlight some things.
He’d always explain to me that my actions had consequences. And, most important, he taught me that we have the right to ask questions about anything and everything. But with that right comes a responsibility: If we’re going to question the actions of others, we also have to be willing to question our own.
The author was raised in a Jewish family, but his family rejected all religions and raised his children to think in a scientific manner. He wanted them to think critically and question the why's and the how's. It's a very good way to raise children in my opinion. Rather than to take your child to church every weekend to teach them what is right and wrong without ever giving them the choice often seems absurd to me. Back to the article..
Should we take the practice of the dharma is learning how to live, and this is both hard and joyful work. Practice makes extraordinary demands of us. It requires that we take nothing for granted, that we accept nothing on faith alone. If we practice with diligence and honesty, then we must question everything about ourselves; we must challenge our most basic beliefs and convictions, even those we may have about the dharma itself. Of all the teachings of the Buddha, the KalamaSutta is one of my favorites precisely because it encourages such rigorous inquiry into our beliefs. Indeed, if Buddhism were not infused with the spirit of this sutta—a spirit of questioning, of critical examination—I’m quite sure I would not have a meditative practice today.
I believe in this full-heartedly; just because you follow a practice, religion, or philosophy doesn't mean it must be followed to the teeth. I believe that more people need to challenge their beliefs, because there are so many problems in this world and they're all based on our values. Ill people with no medicare in Africa, terrorism in the Middle East, hate crimes all over the world.. all starts from what we believe in.
Exclusive truth-the author believes this is what people are more comfortable with; something concrete and definite. Something that they can put their faith into.
Actually, I think their skepticism is very admirable, and rather unusual. The history of the world reveals that people are drawn to those who provide a strong, uncompromising teaching. We’re drawn to those who say, “This is it, and everyone else is wrong.” Certainly we see this pattern in contemporary politics, but we also see abuse of this sort within spiritual circles. It makes you wonder: Do we really want freedom? Can we handle the responsibility? Or would we just prefer to have an impressive teacher, someone who can give us the answers and do the hard work for us?
There’s a teaching story from China: People came from far and wide to hear the dharma talks of a young teacher. Apparently he had some depth. And one day, an old master came to hear him. He sat in the back of the meditation hall while the young teacher was giving a dharma talk. But the young teacher saw him, and out of respect, knowing that he was a renowned teacher and also much older, said, “Please, come up here, sit next to me while I give my talk.” So the old master rose and sat next to him. The young teacher resumed his talk, and every other word was a quotation from a different sutra or Zen master. The old master started to nod off in front of everyone. And the young teacher could see this out of the corner of his eye, but he just continued. The more authorities he cited, the sleepier the old master became. Finally, the young teacher couldn’t stand it anymore, so he asked, “What’s wrong? Is my teaching so boring, so awful, so totally off?” At that point, the old master leaned over and gave him a very hard pinch and the young teacher screamed, “Ouch!” The old master said, “Ah! That’s what I’ve come all this way for. This pure teaching. This 'ouch' teaching.”
How do we balance internal authority with external authority? As the Buddha says, just because something is ancient doesn’t mean it’s true. Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s true. Just because it’s in the scriptures doesn’t mean it’s true. Just because it seems reasonable, or you like the person teaching it, doesn’t mean it’s right.
So what is the test of truth? The Buddha offers a simple formula: Test things in terms of cause and effect. Whatever is unskillful, leading to harm and ill, should be abandoned; whatever is skillful, leading to happiness and peace, should be pursued. Apply the test of skillfulness to all teachings in all your actions. Where is this teaching taking you? Is it moving you in a direction that is wise and kind? One quick test isn’t enough, you know.
I cannot say that I'm Buddhist or Christian when I'm still experiencing life. Just like Larry Rosenberg of the article says, we need to see the cause and effect of our lives.
I left for the 5th regiment of LDAC back in June and got back home in July. It was an interesting experience; the weather was amazingly cool and hot rolled in one day, and I made some friends.. Well I would think they were friends, but things like this in ROTC is a bit grey. I passed everything, but at one point I certainly thought I would have to go home and do it all over again next summer.
Assessment was a problem, because the grader is not always around to observe your day of leadership so one would have to rely on a yellow card. The yellow cards are used to make yourself sound awesome and brilliant. Exagerrate and elaborate. It is the key to getting that "excellent" grade rather than a "satisfactory." This whole game at LDAC confronted my religious beliefs, and it was definitely a point worth thinking about.
Was getting an E at LDAC worth sacrificing my values and beliefs? In the end, even the Army wasn't worth ruining my chances of spiritual enlightenment and human honesty. I passed with a Satisfactory grade. Fine with me. Do I really need the graders to know how much I've done for my platoon? In the eyes of the Army, yes, but in my eyes, I believe there is more to life than this. I figured this was all another obstacle on my road to self peace and happiness. How can you care about others when you can't be honest with yourself? That's what I think about when I look at these lame evaluation cards. If I know that I did my best for my men, and they know it too, then it's all well said and done.
And that was LDAC. I really didn't like it all that much; it was TAC-dependent. If you had some really traditional and stubborn cadre following you around like me, then you'll have a sour taste in your mouth. Just get er done.
I don't know how I stumbled upon this new LTC promo on youtube, but it exists! My friend is also in it; she's interviewed about swimming or something along those lines. It was fun to see this video and it brought back great memories.
