Blog #10 - My Final ECUR 498 Blog!

For my tenth and final blog(!) there are two things I want to cover. First of all, I wanted to comment on the last chapter of the Gallagher textbook. The part I was most pleased with was his section on the dangers of overteaching a novel. Thank god he finally added that! I spent a lot of time feeling overwhelmed with the amount of information he provided while reading the textbook. Sometimes I feel that overanalyzing text can lead to a complete loss of meaning, so I'm glad he acknowledged that overteaching can be a detrimental to the learning process. His mention of that aspect added the finishing touch to Deeper Reading. I also liked how he provided an example of an article at the end and went through it with the reader as though he was using it in a class. I'll definitely check out more of Gallagher's writing in the future.

Secondly, I wanted to post a list my uncle sent me last week. He's been a teacher for twenty-four years now and he's given me some useful advice since I began the Education program. Sometimes I worry about whether or not I chose the right path with teaching, but I try and focus on the positive experiences I've had thus far. Leanne, I share some of your feelings of doubt, but no matter what happens once we graduate, I know this will have been a wonderful experience. I'm not sure where this list came from, but I found it was helpful in reminding me that even though there will inevitably be those scary, nerve-wracking, difficult days, there will be many rewarding aspects of being a teacher. Enjoy!

Top Seven Reasons To Become A Teacher

Teaching is more than just a job. It's a calling. It's an ever-surprising mix of gruelling hard work and ecstatic successes, both big and small. The most effective teachers are in it for more than just a paycheck. They keep their energy levels up by focusing on why they got into teaching in the first place. Here are the top seven reasons you should join the ranks and find a classroom of your own.

1. The Energizing Environment
It's virtually impossible to be bored or stagnant with a job as challenging as teaching. Your brain is constantly engaged in creative ways as you work to solve a multitude of daily problems that you've never faced before. Teachers are lifelong learners who relish the chance to grow and evolve. Moreover, the innocent enthusiasm of your students will keep you young as they remind you to smile through even the most frustrating moments.
2. The Schedule
Anybody who enters teaching solely for a breezy schedule or carefree lifestyle will be immediately disappointed. Still, there are some benefits to working at a school. For one thing, if your children attend school in the same district, you will all have the same days off. Also, your will have approximately two months off per year for summer vacation. Or if you work in a year-round district, the vacation will spread throughout the year. Either way, it's more than the two weeks paid vacation given in most corporate jobs.
3. Your Personality And Humor
The greatest asset you bring to the classroom each day is your own unique personality. Sometimes in cubicle life, there's a need to blend in and tone down your personality. However teachers absolutely must use their individual gifts to inspire, lead, and motivate their students. And when the job gets tough, sometimes it's only your sense of humor that can keep you moving forward with any sanity.
4. Job Security
The world will always need teachers. If you are willing to work hard in any type of environment, you'll find that you can always get work - even as a brand new teacher. Learn your trade, earn your credential, become tenured, and you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you have a job you can count on for decades to come.
5. Intangible Rewards
Most teachers find themselves encouraged and uplifted by the little joys that accompany working with children. You'll cherish the funny things they say, the silly things they do, the questions they ask, and the stories they write. I have a box of keepsakes that students have given me through the years - birthday cards, drawings, and small tokens of their affection. The hugs, smiles, and laughter will keep you going and remind you of why you became a teacher in the first place.
6. Inspiring Students
Each day when you go in front of your students, you never know what you will say or do that will leave a lasting impression on your students. We can all remember something positive (or negative) that one of our elementary school teachers said to us or the class - something that stuck in our minds and informed our viewpoints for all these years. When your bring the full force of your personality and expertise to the classroom, you can't help but inspire your students and mold their young, impressionable minds. This is a sacred trust we are given as teachers, and definitely one of the benefits of the job.
7. Giving Back To The Community
The majority of teachers enter the education profession because they want to make a difference in the world and their communities. This is a noble and valiant purpose that you should always keep in the forefront of your mind. No matter the challenges you face in the classroom, your work truly does have positive ramifications for your students, their families, and the future. Give your best to each student and watch them grow. This is greatest gift of all.

Blog #9 - Deeper Reading Ch. 9, Critical Encounters Ch. 9

Can it be November 13th already? When I looked at this week's readings I couldn't believe the textbooks were nearly finished. Just because the textbooks are finished, however, does not mean the legacy of Gallagher and Appleman will not live on in my head! Whereas Appleman's last chapter was more of a summary/conclusion, Gallagher's Chapter 9 gave me a lot to think about. Gallagher's emphasis on becoming familiar with current events reminded me of a story my dad has told me several times (he tends to repeat stories).
When he was in university in the 70s, he recalls a history class where the professor asked the class full of students names of Canadian Members of Parliament. My dad knew the answer to every position the professor named, and he was the only one - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, Minister of Finance, and so on. My dad has always emphasized the importance of being informed about the world around us, which is why the sound of CBC radio has never left our garage (the radio hasn't been turned off in 15 years, another one of my dad's favourite stories), the tables, endtables, and bathrooms are scattered with Time, MacLeans, The Economist, and the daily newspaper, and why the sound of Peter Mansbridge's voice feels like home. So how do I pass on my dad's influence to my own kids, and to future students?
Gallagher had many useful tips on how to incorporate real-life situations into a lesson. How many times have each of us gotten spam or junk mail? I'm not sure how I learned, but I'm sure when I was 11 or 12 I clicked on one of those messages with the subject: "Hey!" only to find it was an anonymous sender telling me I won a trip to the Caribbean, not one of my school friends. Teaching students to take what they have learned in an English class and apply it to real life is a lesson that will be invaluable to them in the future.
I especially liked the activity about statistics and lies. I'm not sure what made me this way, but I am naturally skeptical of almost everything around me. I read with caution, I hate reality television (do people really think it isn't staged?), I don't consider anything from an entertainment source to be true, and I usually know a tall tale when I hear one. In a world full of advertising, reality television, bloggers, government-regulated programs, and more, how will future students know how to separate reality and truth from lies and manipulation? Teaching students critical analytical skills is something they will take with them forever. Gallagher's most important line in Chapter 9 (and perhaps the whole book) was about how, ten years down the road, he wants students to remember critical thinking skills rather than the use of symbolism in Lord of the Flies (Gallagher 169).
I absolutely loved Gallagher's exercise on having students collect and analyze newspapers articles. If there is one activity I will take to my future classes, it is this one. I worry about future generations becoming disengaged with the world around them, and I think newspapers are the perfect place for students to begin developing a lifelong appreciation for reading and learning. Even to have students read an article on the internet on a news website would be useful. I often wonder about the future of newspapers with the rise of the internet. I wonder what Gallagher would have to say about the rise of social media and technology, given that Deeper Reading was written in 2004.

Blog #8 - Lest We Forget

In light of Remembrance Day weekend and the current discussion around Remembrance Day in schools, I've decided to blog about my thoughts on the topic. I started thinking a lot about it after our discussion in class last week. I then learned that in some schools (in Alberta, I believe) Remembrance Day services are becoming optional for the students. I felt as though a part of me died when I heard this information, for several reasons.
First of all, my initial response was anger, but I decided to think critically about it. However, after having given the topic several days thought and after spending a weekend full of Remembrance Day activities, my opinion has stayed the same. Remembrance Day absolutely needs to be celebrated or made note of in schools, because if schools don't include these services, how will future generations know about what happened in the First and Second World Wars? I realize that the beginning of the First World War was nearly 100 years ago and the beginning of the Second World War was 73 years ago, but there are still veterans alive in our communities. Even if veterans are not alive, many of us have family members who either served and died, or who may have died after the war. My grandfather, three great uncles, and a great auntie served in the Second World War. I didn't know some of them, but my parents and their families did. However, even if I didn't have relatives in either of the World Wars, as the case may be for immigrants, I believe that over one-hundred-million casualties (not to mention the millions of grieving families) deserve half an hour of our time at a service that takes place once a year.
Secondly, Remembrance Day is what we make of it. If those who were not immediately connected to the First or Second World War do not find meaning in commemorating those who died, perhaps they can connect with another conflict that may have affected them. Remembrance Day includes but is not limited to the First and Second World War. If younger generations find more meaning in remembering a war they feel is more relevant to their lives, it is our job as educators to remind students that Rememberance Day is about showing respect for those who have been affected by conflict (which includes every human being, by the way).
I realize that the issue with students attending Remembrance Day services may have to do with religion, and there are a few things I have to say about that. Last year I attended the Remembrance Day service at the U of S, which included prayers from Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, and Aboriginal speakers. This year, I attended the Remembrance Day service at Credit Union Centre, which was mainly Catholic. One one side, I wonder why all services can't include speakers from various religious backgrounds. On the other side, if a service is mainly Catholic, can't those who are not Catholic focus on the larger meaning of the service for one day a year? The purpose of services is to prompt us to reflect, whether we are reflecting on soldiers, sacrifice, the meaning of war, civilian victims, families of victims, or current conflicts. If we cannot attend a service that does not include our personal religion, how will conflict ever end? Weren't some of these wars fought for the purpose of religious tolerance?
Lastly, and what prompted me to write this blog, was an article I read in this week's Sunday Phoenix. The writer urged us to keep the meaning of remembrance alive and raised the question: who will become responsible for making Remembrance Day meaningful for future generations? Near the end, the writer talks about how History is becoming an optional subject in many Canadian schools because Math and Science are more applicable to life after high school. I almost fell off my chair after reading these words. History is, and always has been, my favourite area of study. Learning about history has made me a better person. History makes people more tolerant, it teaches us not to repeat mistakes, and it helps us to consider the future and why society functions the way it does. For instance, if we stopped teaching students about colonization and the history of Aboriginal people in Canada (topics that are heavily pressed in the College of Education, I might add) how would future generations ever understand why Aboriginal populations are oppressed? Why racism exists? What residential schools were? Why many resort to drugs to deal with the hardships of their pasts? Why are there reserves?
I could literally write forever about how angry and upset I was after reading about History becoming a dying subject in high schools, but I'll stop here. I've almost never been so angry after reading something. This weekend has taught me a lot and it has certainly made me think a lot about what I plan to teach my students in the future. I refuse to let future generations forget about what the people of not only our country but of the entire world have gone through to get us where we are today. The writer emphasizes the responsibility that will be placed on future History teachers, because it is ultimately up to them to make History interesting, applicable, and exciting for students to learn. Challenge accepted.

Blog #7 - Deeper Reading 6, 8, Critical Encounters Ch. 8

First of all, I just realized that last week I blogged about Chapter 7 in both texts, when actually, I was supposed to blog about Chapter 6 in Deeper Reading, not Chapter 7. Since I've already blogged a bit about Chapter 7 in the Gallagher text, I will touch on Chapters 6 and 8 this week, and, of course, Chapter 8 in Appleman's.
I wanted to start by mentioning a few thoughts about Gallagher's chapter on collaboration. I was pleased that he acknowledged the fact that group work does not always work successfully, and his analysis of group work with five students was accurate in my high school memory. If a group is too large, some students will hide and may not even mention a word during a collaboration activity. Gallagher's thoughts on three people per group were helpful. With three people, there is no chance for one student not to participate. I think many of us in the Gamma cohort would agree that five to a group is too many! ;)
One group collaboration idea I thought was helpful came from another one of our classes: the 1-3-6 approach. For this approach, students must first come up with two major points individually. Then, students get into groups of three to discuss their individual ideas and decide on two points from the collaboration. After that is complete, students go into groups of six to decide on two main points. I'm a fan of this approach because it forces students to work with people they may not have worked with before, and together students must share and decide.
Another point that I wanted to make about collaboration was that I believe class discussion and group activities are very separate from each other. During class discussions students are listening to many different ideas, whereas in groups, students may be less inclined to work because the teacher is not always supervising, or else there is one student who inevitably leads the activity. I realize that in class discussions there will be students who are reluctant to speak and may be more likely to speak in a small group. However, teachers have the responsibility of controlling class discussion so that the same students are not always speaking. Class discussions are essential, especially in diverse classrooms. Diverse backgrounds within a classroom should be seen as an excellent resource, which is something Appleman discusses in Chapter 8. Imagine the potential of different perspectives! Instead of being intimidated by differences, we should embrace the ways in which diversity can benefit everyone within a classroom. (By the way, I absolutely loved the poem "Oranges," I had never read it before.)
This blog is already getting long, so I wanted to briefly touch on Chapter 8 in the Gallagher text as well. I will try to focus more on Appleman next week! Gallagher's Chapter on leading students to meaningful reflection was extremely beneficial for me. It answered many questions I have always wondered about. Recently I was in a class where students were not pleased with a novel study, and I found myself asking why that was. Making the connection from a novel to real life is the focus students need to appreciate a novel. If students can't find meaningful connections, novels will inevitably mean nothing to them. Another interesting concept I was glad to be reminded of was the fact that young adults may not share the level of appreciation for reading as we do as older adults. Developing a passion or interest for reading is not embedded in all people. As teachers, it will be our responsibility to instill that passion in our students. Once again, Gallagher has provided me with useful concepts to consider before going into teaching. I have to say, though, that sometimes with all of the information we receive in Education through classes and textbooks on "What to do" and "What not to do," I get a little overwhelmed. There have been some approaches I thought were okay in a classroom, only to find out that they are not! Does anyone else ever feel overwhelmed about this?