Final Lesson/Info

I feel I could also use Mr. Pauk's lesson information in that there is really nothing in the book that is directly related to my curriculum, so rather than an actual lesson, I am using a strategy mentioned in ch. 8 about how students need to work with something at least 3 times before they will remember or understand. 

One lesson idea that comes to mind is having students create a presentation, i-movie, or possibly a different type of project that shows what they know or have learned about beginning education and comparing it to the education system today.  In this they could place what they like/dislike and could possibly design/describe the "perfect" education system or school.

This was a very interesting book study where it was a good conversation/discussion each time we met.  Besides the fact of other things I felt I needed to be doing, I found myself looking forward to our TQ time.  

Relevant Issues in Education Lesson

This lesson asks students to analyze issues in contemporary education and write a letter to a peer influencing their position on the same topic.  Fifteen topics discussed in the book are included.

Click here to see the lesson.

Final Lesson Plans

What are a few ways to keep teaching interesting and to help prevent burnout?

If we could fix the educational system, these are the things we would do...

Is open up teaching opportunities to non-traditionally trained teachers a viable solution to educational stagnancy?

Finally the end.

Any thoughts on the author's conclusions?

The public is always demanding greater accountability from schools. The question is whether we should run schools more or less like a business (since business is seen as the "model of efficiency" for schools to emulate)?

Politicians focus on the quality of education in America. What is being done from a societal perspective in addressing the quality of student in our schools today?

They say ten percent of teachers in America aren't doing their job (whatever that means). How much do these people really impact the system?

Let's Make a List....

List the qualities of a good high school teacher.  Think of a teacher your child will have in high school.

There is a wide variety of teachers from talented and passionate to lackluster and burned out to all of the in between. How do we keep teachers talented and passionate and away from getting burned out or lackluster?

Hypothetically lets say that the Iowa legislature gives public education a blank check. Would unlimited funding fix schools?

Is it possible for politicians to ever agree on the shape and nature of public education?

Value Added?

Can you really analyze teachers through one test?

Why are teachers scrutinized through tests and in the public eye so much more than other careers/professionals?

If you were hired to most accurately assess the quality of schools, what characteristics of a school would you look at?

Why do states continue to use "high stakes tests" when all it does (seemingly) is tell the general public how bad of a job our schools are doing?

Bad teacher

If you were the administrator of a "bad" /incompetent teacher , how would you handle it? Would you fire them?

Do students of poor backgrounds, inner city, or different race still get treated differently today?

Urban schools

Would you feel comfortable teaching in an "urban " school or racially diverse district? Why do urban schools constantly score lower than suburban schools?

Did unions of the past attract a more radical, more confrontational teacher than we see today?

Should the community control education or should it continue to be a "political football"?

If unions were disbanded tomorrow, how might public education change?

Unions

Do unions save us from horrible work conditions and pay or are they hurting our education system?

Ponder this...

In the mind of a progressive educator (Pauk), what is the ultimate endgame in regards to race and education?

Was it easier or harder for a person to become a teacher back in the 1920's-1960's than it is today?

Example:  Johnson was a college drop out.

It seemed to teach more life skills back then and now there is so much more.  This should be credited to teachers we have had as educators, yet it seems we are constantly trying to change the way things have worked.

Is it fair that minority students still primarily attend "bad" schools. Inner city, low test scores.

Do teacher licensure standards inhibit change in the education industry?

In 2015 do children across the country have the same educational opportunities?

Is education an economic equalizer?

Sports were used/seen as a way to reduce dropouts in the book and beginning of schools. Are sports still helping in this area or have they become less important to our youth and less of an aide to preventing dropouts?

UnAmerican teaching

To what extent are we expected to teach the "idealistic America"? and how does one balance this with a lot of revisionist history which has a very critical view of America?

Should schools be able to get involved in a non-academic situation involving their personnel?

Tracking

This is the second time in the book that it has mentioned the idea of tracking students by IQ or ability. We discussed this a little last time so probably no new insight, just found it interesting.

Do you only risk getting in trouble if you are a "good" teacher who pushes kids and pushes the limits?

Does tenure offer academic protection for teachers?

Are controversial personal views a fireable offense for teachers?

Do teachers enjoy academic freedom?

In the book why do you think teachers were blamed for juvenile delinquency?

Do you think today's teachers face some of the same problems as beginning teachers?

Where would public education be without the development of unions?

Respond to this quote....

p. 75

Teachers who question administrators "carry little children with them into rebellion...what we need in Chicago is a set of teachers who will either work in harmony with the board of education or else get on the outside and stay there.  Insurrectionists are not exactly fit guides for the young".

In many ways, aren't teachers still expected to adhere to this?

Does legislation possess the power to instill "fairness" and "equality" of opportunity in American classrooms?

Is education really the great equalizer in America?

Is the liberal arts education vs. vocationalism argument still valid in today's world?

Are black community "leaders" really interested in solving problems in education or are they taking advantage of their positions of power?

Are teachers scrutinized to be "perfect" in the public eye and be a teacher first at any and all times?

Do socioeconomic disadvantages continue from slavery?

Knowing that it is very difficult for a child to succeed academically if their parents did not, is low achievement by black students still a remnant of slavery?

Are teachers responsible for promulgating civilization?

How different is public education because of the presence of women?

Was teaching one of the main helpers in women's suffrage?

Is teacher pay "low" because it is still seen as "women's work"?

Do public sentiments still exist that teaching is somewhat an amateurish endeavor?

Is education a truly egalitarian enterprise?

Would higher salaries improve teacher quality?

It would create a larger pool or more interest bringing in more qualified people to apply for the positions, but it would not necessarily mean we would have better teachers.

The book used a statistic regarding most teachers are from "non-selective" universities. What does this mean?

Are schools responsible for the moral/ethical behavior of students?

To some extent we have to be.  We are with the students for half of the day they are awake.  With the number of broken homes we have today, a teacher becomes another parent for students.  We should not be responsible, but we do play a large role in their lives and need to help in this aspect.

Is education really a philanthropic exercise? Is education in essence charity work?

Why do American educators have less public respect than in other countries?

Teachers in a small community are held to a higher level and considered intellectual.  We also see that teachers in some small communities are seen as outsiders.

Respect for teachers is less in the United States than overseas.  You have to convince people that you are highly qualified as a teacher, and our culture still looks at it as a teaching degree, not a college degree.

School pride is going by the wayside it seems at some districts.  There are many students and people in schools that don't attend events as much or show the community support.

Why do teachers face public criticism?

The general public doesn't understand what really goes into teaching and what we do as teachers.  Compared to chapter one in the text, teachers today have many different levels of students.  When education began, they had different levels of students and many different age levels also.

People associate the type or age of student you work with and they feel that is your educational level as well.  Example a Kindergarten teacher doesn't just have to have a Kindergarten educational background.

Everyone spends 12 years of their life in a classroom, so they all have their own opinion on what a teacher does.  It is also every person's tax dollars being used and any money spent by the government is a bad expense.  People feel when students don't achieve well, it is the teachers fault and complain about our tax money and where it is going.

Teachers in a small community are held to a higher level and considered intellectual.  We also see that teachers in some small communities are seen as outsiders.

Respect for teachers is less in the United States than overseas.  You have to convince people that you are highly qualified as a teacher, and our culture still looks at it as a teaching degree, not a college degree.

School pride is going by the wayside it seems at some districts.  There are many students and people in schools that don't attend events as much or show the community support.