Essay: No Child Left Behind vs. Race to the Top

This essay was originally written in 2012. It compares No Child Left Behind to Race to the Top.

In the United States of America, politics often affect the education system.  The government may attempt to improve the education for all students; however, different actions are perceived differently by different individuals. There may not be a clear answer as to how the government should control the education system, but there are currently two federal education initiatives that are often discussed and spark debates.  No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Race to the Top (RTTT) are two important topics that come up when discussing education and politics.  The debates surrounding No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top focus on standards and assessments, data and accountability, effective teachers and principals, and ways of turning around low-performing schools.

Essay: Pennsylvania's Code of Conduct for Educators

The following is an essay with information regarding Pennsylvania's Code of Conduct for Educators. The essay was originally written in 2012.  The full code of conduct can be found by clicking here.

Pennsylvania's Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators relates to daily issues and practices for classroom teachers, both in and out of the classroom.  The formal document's goal is to provide “leadership for improving the quality of education in this Commonwealth by establishing high standards for preparation, certification, practice and ethical conduct in the teacher profession” (Section 1).  The document clearly states what is appropriate for teachers and what is not.  Failure to follow the laws result in violations or consequences; therefore, it is imperative to obey what the document says.  As an aspiring teacher, it is important to know these rules since many implications regarding the code of conduct may appear.  

The purpose of Pennsylvania's Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators is that the students should “receive the highest quality of service and that every professional maintains a high level of competence from entry through ongoing professional development” (Section 3).  The code of conduct enforces teachers to provide the best quality of education.  A teacher's number one priority should be the student's learning.  Educators need to keep current with research and technology in order to give students the greatest education possible.  In addition, educators must take responsibility for their students, along with their potential.  In other words, teachers should do what is in the best interest of their students.  The students should be put first, and teachers must take responsibility for the class.

Display: Division Family

I made a few posters to help students remember long division. When going through the steps, we used the "Division Family" to help us remember which step went next.

What is a 21st Century Teacher?

This post was collaboratively written by Amanda O., Laura F., and Ellie H in 2013. For more information on this teaching approach, check out our video on 21st Century Learning.

21st century learners require 21st century teachers. 21st century teachers are no longer standing in front of the class lecturing for the entire school day; they create and teach fun and engaging hands-on lessons. Teachers are preparing their students for real life situations with the inclusion of technology. This time period is revolutionary in the classroom.  

A 21st century teacher is one that facilitates technology in the classroom. Teachers take on the role of an adaptor, communicator, learner, visionary, leader, model, collaborator, and risk taker. To be a 21st century teacher, teachers should incorporate the usage of technology whenever possible.  This could include assigning projects that require creativity and collaboration through technological devices such as computers or iPads. Another way to incorporate technology into the classroom and connect with society is through video conferencing. Students can make connections with others outside of school, town, state, or even the country. The opportunities are endless!

Students also learn critical thinking skills and learn to collaborate through technology.  Not only are more individuals using technology for their personal use, but more and more jobs are incorporating technology; therefore it is important to prepare students for these real life situations that require technology. Students are also given the opportunities to learn through being leaders, working as teams, being flexible, and being held accountable for their work. A 21st century teacher stands behind and believes in all of these things. 21st teachers must demand new abilities of students, enforcing these demands in day-to-day lessons.

All in all, 21st century teachers give students the skills that enable them to succeed in the real world.  

Display: Social Media Door

Check out this bathroom door-turned-social media display!

The door reads, "What's Your Status?"  On the outside, students created "profiles" that contained their name, favorite subject, future occupation, and a drawing of a "selfie."  A whiteboard poster was used, where the teacher can write a proposed question.  Students will then "comment" on the question with post-it notes, or make their "status" using the post-it notes.  All responses relate the question that the teacher asked.  This is a great form of formative assessment, or an exit ticket!

I decided to use a blue theme with the background, border, and letters, since most social media sites contain some shade of blue.

Lesson Plan: Plural Nouns

Subject: Writing
Grade: 5th (can be adapted for other grade levels)

Integration of Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to correctly use and identify plural nouns by correcting a short paragraph.
• Students will be able to correctly use and identify plural nouns by choosing the correct option in a sentence.
• Students will be able to identify the seven different rules for using plural nouns.

Standards

· 1.5.5.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing.

o   Spell common, frequently used words correctly.

o   Use capital letters correctly.

o   Punctuate correctly.

o   Use correct grammar and sentence formation.

Anticipatory Set

Sing “Do You Want to Learn Plural Nouns?” to the tune of “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?” from Frozen.  Play the video with the lyrics on the board so students can sing along.

TSN's Philosophy of Teaching and Education

Enabling students to succeed and making a positive difference in the lives of students are my two main goals as an educator. My philosophy on education will ultimately help me achieve those objectives.

As a teacher, my main purpose is to help students improve.  In order to help students succeed, several factors are needed.  It is important to engage students and make them excited to learn. My goal is to get students motivated, which could be through the incorporation of hands-on activities, educational games, interactive projects, peer interactions, technology, or eye-opening anticipatory sets. Also, including student interests or real-life situations into instruction keeps students engaged. Incorporating these ideas will give students a purpose for learning.  It is essential to make learning fun for students so they will enjoy coming to school everyday.

It is also important to aid students in becoming better critical thinkers and questioners. In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire discusses the problem-posing method, which enables creativity, dialogue, and critical thinking. In the problem-posing approach, students and teachers work together and create a dialogue. Students propose questions along with teachers. The teacher does not strictly tell students the answers; rather, helps them think through the process.  Students have more freedom to think, yet still receive teacher assistance. This leads to critical thinking skills, which students need in order to succeed.  Utilizing the problem-posing method is a large part of my teaching philosophy because of the skills it develops.

Using dialogue in a classroom also consumes my philosophy of teaching.  Dialogue within a classroom leads to engagement, motivation, and critical thinking, but also helps with development. Students become increasingly dependent on each other for emotional support, validation, and information. Learning is a social behavior, as social development is the foundation for intellectual, emotional, and physical health (Johnston, 2012, p. 67).   Students need to be social because it benefits their development; thus, teachers need to establish learning environments where the main focus is on student-to-student interaction (Purnell, 2007, p. 35).  Teachers should implement discussions, think-pair-shares, and group work whenever possible.  To help create this student-centered environment, teachers should implement the pedagogical strategy of a dialogic classroom.

Teachers need to make sure that their classrooms are student-centered, or student-friendly.  Student-centered classrooms are vital. Teachers must create a safe environment where students feel comfortable, safe, respected, and heard (Cambria & Guthrie, 2010, p. 17).  Student-centered learning focuses on the needs of the students, rather than others involved in the educational process. Student-centered classrooms should include a safe environment for the students so they feel comfortable working with their peers or sharing their work. Students can learn a lot of from their peers and also build ideas off each other, making it important to incorporate discussions, peer work, and group activities into the classroom.  In addition, creating a caring, well-structured learning environment in which expectations are high, clear, and fair, will lead to more engagement (High & Andrews, 2009, p. 61).  A safe environment will open the doors for all students to participate. 

Differentiation is also a large part of my teaching philosophy because it sets up success for every student in the class.  Differentiated instruction tailors teaching to meet the needs of individual students. It is essential to provide effective strategies and methods that work for all students, which can be done through the use of differentiation.  Differentiation not only meets the needs of all learners, but also motivates students to work hard. It is key to use numerous strategies that appeal to various types of learners.  A wide variety of teaching styles will help reach all individuals.

By engaging students, using the problem-posing method, incorporating dialogue, and providing a student-centered classroom, students will be able to receive the best education. In result, students will become stronger, which is the ultimate goal of education.  All of these strategies will lead to a positive difference in the lives of students.