Robert+Billman

 Final Wiki Post: Micro-Teaching has taught me a variety of different things throughout the year. The positives of my teachings from my own experience and reflections from my peers has given me a positive outlook to my confidence in front of a classroom. That was I think my best attribute that could be easily seen to build throughout the year. From the quivering of my first micro-teaching film all the way to the confidence of my final micro-teaching shows a growth in both actual and perceived confidence. I continued to not be as prepared as I would like to be for my Micro-teaching. Of course their has been this largely used write-off of only being a micro-lesson but I wish that I would have had more demonstrations or explanations ready for students. There were times when I had to improvise on the spot for some un-prepared issues during my micro-teaching and learning that is important. Although deliberate at times, I wish that I would have included more information in my micro-teaching lessons. I think that a lot of the micro-teaching lessons that I made did not have enough information presented. Although they are only micro-lessons high information content lessons are going to dominate most of our class periods and I wish I would have had more experience dealing with more content in my micro-teaching lessons.

Portfolio assignments: Something seems to not be __working__, so here is a back-up with all the files in it.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0k2aozqql6qgj3y/rUzIil_DIE

__Back ups__: [|Assessment] [|Classroom Procedures Plan] [|Cooperative Learning] [|Differentiated Instruction] [|Discussion/Debate] [|English Language Learner] [|Focus Student Portfolio] [|Humanties Based] [|Simulation/Role-Play] [|Special Ed Artifact] [|Student-Directed] [|Full Resume]


 * [|Article] for Differentiated Discussion

Does anyone know how to fix this ^















Teaching the terrible to students is a very delicate __balance__ between maturity levels and content discussed. The __idea__ and atrocities of the holocaust is a subject that is broached at a middle school level, but not fully discussed until high school. The Holocaust is approached from multiple different perspectives in social studies as well as __language__ arts through books like Elie Wiesel’s “Night” and the diary of Anne Frank. The true task of a high school social studies teacher is to be able to build off of these already established understandings and develop a deeper understanding of the humanitarian concerns that continue to plague the world. The recent spotlight on Joseph Kony has reminded us that atrocities are not an issue of the past. The dual edged sword of having students already know what the holocaust is, or who Anne Frank was leads some students to apathy to learn any more about the whole subject in general. These students tend to have the same attitude that history doesn’t matter because “it already happened”. By focusing the shift of teaching the holocaust away from the past, and into the present events like Joseph Kony and Rwanda students can attach the horrendous nature to contemporary emotions and responses from the media in real time. Unlike the mass media of contemporary societies, the holocaust was not covered in real time with cameras and reporters on the front lines. So in order to study these events of the past it is vital that we teach students not only about the events as they occur, but the methods used to cover them. Resources like “Night” and “The Diary of Ann Frank” become vital when understanding that they are the most prominent primary sources to the event itself. By combining the attention grabbing power of modern electronic resources with the relevance of primary sources teachers hope to revitalize the study and understanding of horrible events. History itself is filled with examples of man’s inhumane treatment to his fellow man. Adapting these stories to contemporary events will rely on understanding students maturity level and being able to reach them on a personal level. While some students may become quickly empathetic to the individuals covered in the curriculum, others may need __special__ attention. Each student has unique features of their personalities that we must, in other words, exploit. There are facets of these inhumanities that will perk the interest of even the most apathetic students to pay attention and remember that these events are sadly going to continue, and civic duty gives us a responsibility to seek out justice on any continent. It is always important to note that although justice is a part of civic duty, there are times when the forced imposition of this justice may be for humanitarian purposes, but it is not always interpreted solely from this lens to the people involved. The complex intricacies of international relations has led to the breeding grounds of conflict that exist today, and sometimes meddling in foreign affairs will lead to unexpected consequences.
 * __Teaching the Terrible__**

A - On an EMOTIONAL level, what especially comforted, troubled, excited, frustrated, or (other emotion) … you? It seemed like all of them had unique stories about how __teaching__ has inspired them to have such a positive __outlook__ about it. It was comforting to see how each of them could lead different paths but end up in nearly the same place. I was a little troubled when I noticed that each of them had, or were close to having, their masters. I know that it is something that is a necessary __step__, it was just startling to see how each of them has __a job__ because of it. The main concern was whether it would be necessary to even get __a job__. After Joel discussed the cost/benefit analysis of getting further __education__ it was comforting to know that it could go both ways. It was still a concern, but seeing how many times that many of the panelists had to move relocate and try different things to ground themselves it was positive, but still frustrated me about the whole __idea__ of the trials and tribulations of being a teacher. B - On a PROFESSIONAL level, what insights especially stood out to you? The distinct social skills with each of the panelists all showed how the professional level may be about showing professional skills, but also networking socially through professionals. We had been talking in class about how to exude professionalism through __work__ ethic, but to hear examples of the importance of physical __professional networking__ is important aspect to consider. __This networking__ of professionals provides a first impression in which these people will be considering us before, during, and after every single one of our teaching experiences. We need to make an impact and ensure that it is a positive influence on our students, peers, and faculty. Combining all of the different panelists we see how each one of them impacts their students and environments in unique ways. We have to capitalize on what makes us unique and build off of that __idea__. C - Making OBSERVATIONS, what traits did the panelist appear to have in common and/or differ on? All of the panelists seemed all to __agree__ on the same life philosophy for teachers: that teachers like people. How this specifically manifested itself was interesting to notice between the different panelists. Joel was motivated in interacting with the students through athletics while other panelists interacted through other social channels like student government. In common they all showed different experiences about how they made deliberate attempts to integrate themselves at a personal level to both faculty and students. These relationships have a dual affect of increasing the enjoyment that teachers have, as well as the positive memories that manifest through recommendations and short-lists for more permanent positions. D - MORE PLEASE: Because our time was limited, much was left unsaid. SO, what questions, requests for stories, tips, or issues still remain either unexplored or find you wishing would have been explored more? I wish that I would have asked the panelists about their 'aha!' moments with their placement teacher. More specifically, when they began to work in harmony. Or at least some sort of big break through that they had during their placements about teaching with another person, or teaching by themselves. I also which I would have more discussion about balancing a social life with the school responsibilities. I know that we heard stories and examples about how they did have lives, but not about how they managed to __balance__ the responsibilities. A lot of these questions come down to a very specific person by person basis, but just like the other stories it will be nice to know that we can go about getting to where we are going in our own ways.

F - VISION CASTING: How did this panel help you think about your future "legacy" or teacher identity? This panel helped me to more formally understand the importance of more than just my teaching for my internship year. Leaving behind a legacy at every place that I interact with is something that I understood before, but all of the panelists seem to drive this idea home with specific stories about how their legacies impacted their future employment. In order to leave a positive legacy it is important to leave behind positive and strong impressions on all faculty as well as show proficiency with pedagogical techniques to the students.  **What is the difference between cultural relativism and ethical relativism? Give an example of each.** Cultural relativism accepts the __idea__ that morals are linked to a diversity of different principles. For instance, while it is not moral to subjugate and treat women differently in American society, places in the middle east enforce this treatment. Ethical relativism is a concept that concedes no specific or over-arching themes of morality and concludes that the only ones that should pertain to an individual are the morals they themselves hold.
 * Ethical Relativism Prompt:**

**In a pluralistic society such as ours, why or why not is ethical relativism a desirable way to think about ethical issues?** Ethical relativism is vital in a diverse society such as ours. The only problem is that it requires the individual family units to identify and instill within their children a moral compass. I believe that the family unit in general is deteriorating in America for a variety of reasons, so the idea of ethical relativism is at the same time vital, and dangerous. However, the variety of different cultures in America doesn’t allow for cultural relativism to create a single American morality to be instilled to all of its people. The question of how to effectively institute a system of morals within a people requires them each to believe, or at least want to believe, in a greater good for mankind. How to achieve this is a question that has plagued philosophers of the modern era.

**Specifically thinking about “teaching the terrible” in social studies classrooms, how might ethical relativism prevent (or enable, if you can make the argument) a meaningful analysis of events such as the war crimes of the Nazi regime?** C. What few people come to realize is the disconnection between the Nazi regime, and the people of Germany. Although many of them embraced and understood the actions they were participating in, few questioned any different. The state of Germany was in shambles when Hitler provided them with everything they needed: someone to blame, a solution, and most importantly a powerful leader that inspired hope within them. While the actions of the Holocaust should not be forgotten or glazed over by simply chalking up and excusing them because of ethical relativism, the atrocities of World War II were not solely committed by the Nazi Party and its allies. Perhaps by showing some of the atrocities and crimes against humanity that the Allied powers committed the students will understand that ethics can be manipulated to be excused by a government, but it is important for the people to stand up against these moral atrocities to ensure that they do not happen again.

a) Highlight 2 specific teaching strategies/techniques that were used to teach content  Group Work/Discussion Debate b) What do you think was effective about the teaching methods and activities?  The teaching methods were built with a clear purpose to a larger goal of the final discussion/debate. So the building blocks of the group __work__ progressively built to a personal identification with the source material. The instruction/learning from the video put everybody's identification into the larger picture and completing what was supposed to be the instruction portion of the lesson. The ensuing debate was used to examine critically the information by interacting with others. The aggregation of ideas in the previous activities gave multiple students multiple perspectives to answer the questions and act. c) What adaptations could have been made if this lesson is taught to different groups of students (__college__ students, middle school students, etc)?  The relaxed style and relatively little direct instruction of this activity was fantastic for our class, but would cause problems in other classrooms. I myself feared that the debate portion was going to be a flop and few people would express comments/feelings in the manner that was intended. Whether it was due to the lighthearted banter or the unabashed pride of some of our colleagues the ball could easily have been stalled in a different classroom. The amount of instruction or guidance could have been altered to clarify.


 * Choice 1 **

a) What do the authors have in mind for education to be responsive to prepare students for a globalized world?

"The primary goal of global education is to prepare students to be effective and responsible citizens in a global society" This quote was taken from the beginning of the article and seems to summarize the point of both the article and the greater movement it is in support of. The authors intend to involve the students in creating a worldview that includes adverse perspectives of world events. For instance, it is important to realize that although textbooks and societies tend to create assumptions on conflicts that inevitably lead to creations of "right vs. wrong" or "good vs. evil". The dividing of the parties involved in World War II were simply put into the categories of "Axis vs. Allies" with the axis referring to the "Axis of Evil". Instead of personifying these events as such, it is important to teach the students that the actions of the Axis power were not made in favorable circumstances. The measures that led to Nazi occupied/controlled Germany were not initially subversive messages, but revival images, personifying in reverse the maltreatment of Germany between WWI and WWII. If students can begin to look at conflicts with a more critical analysis, instead of the cookie cutter images of 'right and wrong' personified in children's media, they will indeed develop a greater understanding of globalization that will allow them to more aptly view the great domestic conflicts that are often glazed over in textbooks.

b) What do you find especially helpful or troubling about the claims being made?

These claims lead us to a wonderful rosy picture of students understanding globalism and it's impact on there daily lives. It would be great if we all could afford to educate our students of our "global travels" but most often we will not be able to afford to teach these lessons, for issues of time and finances. We have already designed lessons in our classes that mimic the examples listed in the articles. It is not difficult because students lack the potential to understand these ideas, but that we as teachers are fighting an uphill battle. We are basically asking our students to drop all prejudices and look at different cultures with an open mind, but I most often see disinterest in these types of topics when approached in middle school or even high school classrooms (Higher tracked classes excluded). The reason I see for this is how students originally begin to view the world and how those ideas are reinforced throughout there education and there life. This strategy, although amazing and important in creating well-rounded individuals, would be difficult to do successfully in a class until an environment is created that supports critical dissension as part of educational skills at a young age.

Useful quotes: "The primary goal of global education is to prepare students to be effective and responsible citizens in a global society"

"ecumene refers to the interconnectedness of cultures across vast world regions and bodies of water."

"Characterized by conﬂicting points of view, global issues (1) challenge and concern citizens today and tomorrow, (2) affect the lives of persons in many parts of the world and (3) cannot be adequately understood or addressed solely in a local or national context."

" In some communities teaching multiple perspectives is seen as subverting unity and nationalism while in others this pedagogy is taken for granted as part of students’ development of critical inquiry skills"

====The importance of the debate/candidate activity is to get a general understanding of each candidate running. For a final activity that makes sure that each person has contributed they would have to fill out a grid organizing the basic and simple issues and take notes on other attributes unique to the candidates. Also, each student would have to have a unique pamphlet or newsletter that would be done in the style of the candidate they chose outlining there campaign platform. This combination of assignments assures that the students have specialized knowledge in the candidate that they researched as well as a common understanding of all the candidates in a fashion requiring there attention during the presentations. ==== __

1.How specifically does the text establish the significance of Media?
==== "Media literacy is not simply teaching with media -- rather it entails teaching about media. Key frameworks such as the text, audience and production (TAP) model" (63). This excerpt from the media matters article seems to summarize what the entire article is attempting to portray: it is our responsibility as teachers to not only expose our students to different forms of media but make them critical of it as well. ==== ==== The article emphasizes the TAP model: Text, Audience, and Production. The base of the model is the audience into which the deeper critical aspects of text and production are formed around. With the ever increasing influence of media it is important that every student will be able to analyze the information they get from 6.5 hours of interaction with technology every day. ==== ====<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> While some teachers become troglodytes and avoid the use of any technology, others may incorrectly or over use new technology that creates a divide between what students //want// to do and what they //have// to do. While using media in the classroom is an important aspect to creating a myriad of instructional techniques it is important that the time spent with the media is not meant to fill time, but to fill minds. ====

====<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">2. Develop an idea to share of a lesson you would like to teach that uses/presents a film (of any genre) to explain (a) a time period; (b) a cultural/social/political point; (c) a biography; or (d) an idea or concept. ==== ====<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> The Film "We Were Soldiers" is among my top five war movies of all time (probably 2nd behind "Braveheart") because of its amazing special effects and realistic bullet action....kind of. The film is based around the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry's battle of Ia Drang on November 14th 1965. The battle was significant because it was the first use of air cavalry in an actual military conflict. While the use of paratroopers was honed and made precise during World War II the use of helicopters as the only lifeline of a battle had never before been used. ==== ====<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> Joseph Galloway wrote the book that inspired the movie, but he also was on the ground during the battle. This movie provides a variety of different aspects of cultural literacy, media relations, military relations, and most uniquely to the genre of movies: a sense of cosmopolatinism. Unlike most war films that are made to be a patriotic or heroic telling of might and good triumphing over evil, //We Were Soldiers// shows how both sides in that battle came out understanding that a lot of lives were lost in the battle. The deeper understanding and conclusions from this battle in real life were the exacerbation of conflict in Vietnam that extended US involvement. ==== ====<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> The use of showing both sides in the film show what few other films were willing to tell, both sides objectively. Although the United States had won the battlefield, both sides claimed the battle of Ia Drang as a success. Films like //The Thin Red Line// and //Stalingrad// show how war is ugly and brutal, but not necessarily the humanity that is being lost on both sides. A specific assignment after watching this film would be to analyze the information and be able to write the same story with the primary focus being on the Vietnamese troops that were involved in the same battle. This change in perspective can help students to understand and humanize the enemy so that hopefully they can see how conflicts like war are largely misunderstandings of intention and purpose between two parties. ====

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">1. According to the Washington Post this is the first map created for the united states in 1784. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">a. This map was created in 1784 by Abel Buell. It was the first map to feature the American flag, and the first to make it off the presses in the United States following the American Revolution.

b. It is quite difficult to actually tell whether the major distortions in the map were caused by a variance in what we consider to be borders today and how they were originally. but whenn I compared this map to one made 20 years later it was clear that while the East Coast is almost prcecisely done, the midwest region of the United States was still not accurately charted. This chart also distorts the actual size of these states due to the time period in which it was created. Taking a look at this map creates an image of the original colonies as much larger than they existed.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">2. a. Of the following maps, which one do you find most accurate and why: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"> I find the Mercator map to be the most accurate. Unlike the other maps the continent of Asia is divided with half on the left and half on the right side of the map. This creates a continuity in the map that shows how the whole world is connected. Also, while the other maps may be more accurate in reflecting what the world looks like proportionately keeping in mind the round nature of earth, the idea that that is necessary isn't as important when students can view a globe while viewing a map.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">b. The proposed lesson were said to be for upper elementary, yet they could work well in a graduate school; they have great utility. What of the proposed lessons do you find most helpful in teaching the constructed nature of maps and WHY? <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;"> I think that Activity 5 is a great activity that can be used for any grade level with only minor tailoring to the needs of the age group. This is a great activity because all students can notice the difference in maps quite easily. While graduate students can probably draw there own conclusions, it is always interesting to hear why a middle school student believes the maps are different. Regardless, it allows for you as a teacher to try and get students excited to talk about well...maps..... which is something that isn't so easy. This activity works for both an introductory section into cartography as well as a deeper activity to discuss how politics can be seen through maps.

I would choose to address the Vietnam War: a. Kinetic Activity: The vietnam war created a lot of controversy, and people are still largely divided on the ethics of the situation. After the class had finished covering the information for the class, but before the test ask the class how they would have felt about the war by dividing the room into "agree, strongly agree, disagree, and strongly disagree" like we did in class. Instead of leaving the discussion at this however I would ask for students to be able to defend their placements with facts or deeper insights into where they stand. This will give the students a chance to move around and express themselves while refreshing their memories on content information. b. Solo-Reading: A non-textbook article or relevant current event This section on hippocampus has a great section that would be used as an introduction reading that students could do at home before they started talking about the subject. With this base knowledge the discussion in class could be more vibrant without having to worry about covering the basics. [|Hippocampus] c. Music: song or musical activity These __lyrics__ from [|Creedence Clearwater Revival's song "Fortunate Son"] teach a vibrant lesson that can __help__ put students into the mindset of a generation that sat in protest to the __vietnam war__. What do each of these lyrics mean? Who were these lyrics targeting? How does this song set the tone of a generation?

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, Son <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son. No, no.

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, Son. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> d. Interpersonal: Design something that will get students “in the head of” of someone (generally like a Prohibitionist or specifically like LBJ or MLK) from your unit. Watch the movie "We Were Soldiers" or assign the book outside of class in order for the students to get into the mindset of both the Vietnamese soldier and the American Soldier. A lot of times students read from these textbooks and get the facts but rarely see the brutality of war. This movie shows the gruesome aspects of war and would require a permission slip, but would be worth the effort to be able to show a great piece of cinema that goes behind war from only one-sided war.

Week 11? 1a. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are differentiated by what is used to influence the student to want to do an activity. For instance, intrinsic motivation does not physically manifest itself, while extrinsic motivation relies on a material motivational rewards. An example of intrinsic motivation would be the positive result of helping out another student. I noticed this specifically in my TE 302 classroom when one student would be happy just to help another student. Extrinsic motivation would be like a pizza party for good behavior.

1b. I would have to say that Mr. Pineda’s classroom relied on intrinsic motivation that dealt with students wanting to behave in the classroom without relying on extrinsic rewards. He didn’t seem to have a “gold star” system or anything like that but seemed to reveal to students why the information they were learning was useful within themselves. This created an intrinsic motivation that controlled the classroom.

2a. An education that intends to provide all students with opportunity equally to achieve that is blind to class, race, gender, or cultural background is what multicultural education is.

2b. It will be difficult to teach multiculturalism because a majority of classrooms never tend to be as diverse as they claim. Often times schools will be a majority of one race or the other due to highly financially segregated neighborhoods and gerrymandering school districts to avoid clusters of rental property. I talked in the beginning of the year of introducing the classroom by giving different students character cards that would from time to time be used to segregate or stereotype students in activities to expose them to the negative aspects of these concepts. This would in turn use fictious stories to teach real events, and hopefully after fine-tuning the activity it could help to change the minds of students about the resistance to multiculturalism.

3a. Differentiated instruction is a methodology that emphasizes that different students learn better in specific environments or situations. For instance, some students will remember material better if they listen while others prefer to watch. While this is only a simple example it is much more complicated when considering the number of students and diverse learning profiles that exist, but by being conscious of how our students prefer to learn we can tailor our teaching to their best interest.

3b. //Process// and //Content// will be heavily emphasized in my classroom and teaching style. These are two of the largest factors when considering consistency long-term. Being conscious that although the content may remain consistent the process must be constantly tailored to fit the needs of students is vital to a good teaching practice.

4a. I feel that I am comprised of spatial and logical-mathematical intelligences. I tend to notice the logic and order within events both large and small and think about them for a logical or rational point of view. While this is not my only frame of mind it is most often what I use for my first impressions of situations.

4b. The streamlining of educational techniques into a digital lecture format has constantly outraged me since I have been in school. Although I consider myself logical-mathematical I still rely heavily on kinetic learning to keep myself engaged in certain topics. Students twitching or being overly energetic consistently in classrooms results in them being punished for having the pent-up energy of an adolescent student. Although we cannot allow them to freely exercise in the classroom initiatives by teachers to allow students to pace or walk in place allows a healthy relationship between teacher and student.

Week 11


 * 1) What is the difference between (objectively) **describing** a controversy and (subjectively) **engaging in** one? Describe and define in contrasting terms, in your words, don't copy and paste from the web. ;)
 * 2) Objectively describing a controversy presents the students with the information that can be used to subjectively form opinions about how they feel when presented with the information. It is very difficult to avoid becoming subjective when trying to describe the objective information, but this is the teachers responsibility.
 * 3) How does a teacher’s ability to maintain an impartial tone help students engage in critical thinking and productive interaction? How does loaded language prevent social and education progress in classroom?
 * 4) By maintaining an impartial tone students will be free to make their own opinions without telling them what to think. Unlike other subjects, social studies fosters teaching how events in history must be critically debated in order to be truly understood. The way that information is presented to students is vital to how they interpret the topics. Since a majority of time students do not have previous knowledge on the topic if an objective description carries a subjective tone whether through blatant or null tones.
 * 5) a. Explain why it is imperative that educators are able to maintain impartial tones and objective dispositions within the class room.
 * 6) As I noted above, the impartial tone is essential so that students are free to develop their own opinions. If an issue is truly controversial it should be possible to have students naturally divide on the issue without having to force them. A teacher must maintain an objective disposition by having a mastery of the contrasting viewpoints.
 * 7) Give a positive example (either based off of something real or hypothetical) of how you as teacher could handle controversy as it pertains to the upcoming 2012 election (you will be teaching in an election year, wink). E.g. One student yells at another OR students claims, nihilistically, that studying politics is a waste of time… got?
 * 8) The idea of having to break through a students apathy is something that I have contemplated at many different times, and is something that is never going to be easy to do. However, all students do care passionately about something and it is our job’s as (good) teachers to translate the passion they have in their lives into enthusiasm for social studies. With the upcoming election it will be very interesting to see how students make decisions about preferences in the presidential election. After presenting the information in an intended objective environment it would be interesting to poll the students about how they felt and see if the students tended to lean in a particular direction as a result of your instruction, i.e a test into the true objective nature of your instruction.



Week 10 A. What obstacles and excuses exist to teaching about controversial topics? Teaching about controversial topics is a staple in the best social studies classrooms around the country, but sadly every classroom cannot be the best. It is not that these teachers do not want to educate students about the duplicitous dichotomy of history but more often the inability to conquer the "powerful disincentives--teacher costs, subject perspectives, school cultures, and a political bias--against the widespread use of controversial content." The curriculum of modern society only includes small objectives incorporated in the curriculum for developing a students identity in regards to socially relevant controversies like the debate on Pro Life vs. Pro Choice. If schools want to truly develop a classroom curriculum that developed controversial topics exclusively like a debate or AP Government class it would require a lot of funding. For instance, the high school class that changed my life and switched my focus from math/science into social studies was an AP government class that developed curriculum around a competition known as "We The People". Larger schools with deeper pockets could afford to offer these courses when I was in High school, but few invested as much into it as we had. In the program there were 5 "coaches" who all taught at the school, and a few other individuals throughout the community (including a district judge). Although most of these positions were not paid, those filling them were more than highly qualified teachers and the organization alone was staggering. The program taught me how to take controversial topics and be able to argue on both sides of the debate, and always win. The program was cut last year and funding from the federal government being removed has reduced this national competition to rubble. These programs are important to creating citizens rather than just high school graduates.

B. According to Werner, is controversy worth addressing? Why or why not? According to Werner controversy has to be seen as a tool to teaching the critical thinking skills required to be a good citizen: "Unless the study of issues is seen as a means for achieving goals related to citizenship and critical thinking, and as a way to draw connections between the curriculum and the social world, it will have little priority in the face of competing demands associated with teacher costs, subject perspectives, school cultures and political bias". Until the point that it is valued to be worth the cost of teachers, schools can look beyond there own perspective, the culture of schools becomes universally cosmopolitan, and political bias becomes something that is not shunned but championed as a component of the human condition. The decisions and the choices of history have been controversial since the moment they were decided, assuming that it became at one point either a good or bad decision is jaded by a static view of history taught by mundane text books. Just as controversy creates news, it also creates excitement in the mind of young adults that can be channeled to greatly increase the depth of knowledge through passion.

C. Interact with the text: how do you envision your future practice as a teacher relating to controversy? I value and thrive on controversy, whether satirically or pragmatically. The use of controversy has been used to increase the popularity of courses: "This is pertinent because the social studies are boring to many students, often ranked near the bottom of school courses in terms of preference (Siskin, 1994, p. 130), whereas youth do report increased interest and a sense of efficacy through the study of issues (Blankenship, 1990; Hahn and Tocci, 1990)." I imagine my classroom to engage students into questioning what I have to teach them in order for them to develop a deeper understanding of the concept. Everybody has a belief, or idea that they will champion and defend adamantly. The tricky part is getting that concept to occur in the classroom in an educational setting. I have thought of beginning my school year with an open ended discussion with students to determine a good idea that is understood to all the students and then opening up them to a debate on something that they are comfortable with. Hopefully, I will manage to stir up a good conversation that will spark passion into enough students to be able to finish the class with a transition into using that passion in learning.

Week 8

PERSONAL Q's: a. What is your temperament type, what are the specific letters associated with it, e.g. INTP? Artisan b. In your own words, summarize the personality type in a paragraph or so. The artisan personality type excels in fine arts, performing arts, and "the art of the deal" in business relationships. The groundings for this personality type are in solid objects that can be touched and manipulated. The emphasis is on working with tools, instruments, and materials. They will often take risks that are involved in risky or impossible tasks. The "devil-may-care" attitude has a positive effect of creating intimate relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. They resist obligations or being tied down, and revel living in the moment.

c. Give some famous examples of your personality type according to the test ... how do you relate? Franklin D. Roosevelt, Donald Trump, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Mel Brooks are all famous examples of the artisan personality type. As a Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy major I found my identification with Rousseau to be closest to my theory of thought and personality. I have read his philosophical texts and can closely agree on his general disposition. The inclusion of personalities like Mel Brooks also seems very appropriate to my sense of humor; a little off color but still funny and generally appealing to most audiences. d. Searching the page, locate where the Keirsey site suggests ideal jobs for you; how well does education match these suggestions - if not at all, what job(s) fit best? The websites description of "Their alertness to current realities, the joy they take in variation, and their tendency to follow their instincts to 'what works' make them good troubleshooters and negotiators…excellent leaders in all kinds of emergencies and chaotic situations." Is a very apt description of a good teacher who can deal with a variety of situations. In education you have to be alert and attentive if you want to be swift in making decisions that can avert crisis and hostilities in a classroom. Also, "In the workplace, you can be excited by the chance to capitalize on opportunities others don't perceive, and applying information to present or emerging challenges" is an exciting answer to this question that hopefully shows how Artisans will make great teachers by seeing potential in students that others do not see, or do not know how to handle, and being able to capitalize on that.

POLITICAL Q's: *(This can be kept to yourself, but be sure to answer these in electronic writing to show your instructor that you have done this.) a. Take the test, then (if you feel comfortable) post the coordinates of your location. Economic Left/Right: -7.62 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.97 b. Considering the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, who are you closest to - if this is surprising, how so? __Obama__ c. Click [|this link] to find the analysis of the vertical and horizontal spectrum test ... who historically and internationally do you best identify with? Nelson Mandella, Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama are all close to my political spectrum in that order respectively. d. In a paragraph, how does this relatively simple (but better than most other tests) exercise illustrate the diversity of belief and reality of compromise in our political system? Further, how can our (essentially) 2-party system function in a healthy manner The understanding that the political spectrum runs on two dimensions rather than one seems to challenge the practicality of the two party system. Essentially we have a party system with four dispositions, two on the outer ends of the spectrum with the others sitting slightly outside of the middle. With people paying less attention to politics it often times will force people to vote straight ticket when they should have had a mixed representation on their voting ticket. Pragmatically the two party system is a large pain, neither side is willing to compromise on it's core set of beliefs to placate the other side. Even when they manage to compromise on controversial topics it is often times a failure of legislature due to overt compromises that defeat the whole intent of the original bill. While the framers of the constitution never intended for the country to be a two-party system, its creation and solidification into American politics has ruined the ability for the government to act in a prodigious and effective manner.

Week 7 The __holiday__ of columbus day comes around every year, and federal workers enjoy the day off. Since 1937 the United States has celebrated this holiday faithfully, giving teachers a talking point to bring up the discovery of the Americas as a discussion point in the classroom. Ever since I can remember as a child the story of the pilgrims has always been a happy story about how the Indians helped the Europeans survive in this new terrain. What is mostly overlooked is the atrocities that the Europeans committed when they landed. While the discovery of the "new world" was an influential and world changing event, many people are beginning to question the merits of Columbus and his crew. With the merits in question, why would we celebrate such a controversial figure? Keeping in mind the European ethnocentrism, the atrocities and viewpoints that Columbus held were not too surprising or out of the ordinary. Columbus was also under great pressure from the crown to deliver results. Part of his crew remarked: "The admiral, it is true, was blind as those who came after him, and he was so anxious to please the King that he committed irreparable crimes against the Indians." While he was under extreme pressure, and racism was an acceptable social norm, do these conditions excuse him for his actions? There can be no historian that cannot hold Columbus accountable for his actions, but is it important enough to cancel a federal holiday? Ensuring that children grow up and foster a strong sense of democratic citizenry is a vital role to teaching social studies. Part of that is the creation and fostering of a "national myth". For instance, while most of the founding fathers had questionable morals, enjoyed gambling, frequented the tavern, and were regulars at brothels yet most of this information is never brought up in textbooks. The similarity to propaganda can easily shown to manipulate the people, but it is a part of every culture to create "myths" regarding our nations founding. This is not to say that I whole-heartedly agree with columbus day being a holiday either. By ignoring the atrocities, but celebrating what was essentially a giant mistake, we embrace the idea of white superiority in our culture. While we have certain holidays that celebrate black history, native american history, and women's rights the majority of the year is spent as a reminder of white patriarchal dominance. While race relations have drastically grown better throughout the years tensions continue to exist. Instead of celebrating columbus day we could have a day reflecting on misconceptions of things our government has done. While this would be reserved for older/more advanced students, by placing these dissents out into the open it will foster a deeper understanding of universalism. In the long run however, I do not think that not celebrating columbus day is the best alternative. Children need to have the optimism in the United States clear in their conscience as they grow up. The ideas of patriotism cannot be fostered in a country full of cynics. While sometimes the interests of truth and nationalism conflict, it does not always need to be a competition. The existence of myths and exaggerated stories create in a child a sense of awe and reverence for the country that is a necessary component to a good democracy. After the emotions of positivity fade into the deeper understanding of adolescence the critical thinking skills have hopefully developed that can allow them to view the atrocities with a deeper understanding, rather than just viewing Columbus on his negative merits alone.

Week 6 Formal-State Standards Delivered- The actual lesson taught, not the lesson plan Learned- What students have learned Hidden- Something that a student learns that we do not directly intend for them to learn (i.e manners) Null-What a student learns about society from its absence in the curricula
 * 1)** Give an example of each type of curriculum discussed in the reading.

Teachers actually play little to no role in the curriculum for the student, only the approach to teach it to them. With so many standards sent down the line from Federal, State, District, and even individual school mandates the teacher has no wiggle room in which to really create an unique experience for the students. While many of these standards ensure continuity across state and district bounds, I believe that it has gone too far. A lot of other students have noted the "no child left behind" policy in a disgruntled manner. The actual idea behind the policy is altruistic, but in reality it was initiated by a man who cared little for his time in a classroom. The figure 1.2 shows how far removed the teachers are from making decisions about their own classrooms. In a country that claims to stand for democracy I see little of the idea that we are supposed to so patriotically teach.
 * 2)** Answer this question in paragraph __form__: What does figure 1.2 (Curriculum and the Stake Holder diagram) tell you about a teacher's position in the "Hierarchy of Curriculum Influence?"

Week 5 a) what you know & want to know about the 'Modern Middle East' (e.g. Histories, worldviews, economies, geography & etc.) The 'Modern Middle East' is the result of thousands of years of oppression and interference of foreign powers into the poltiics of the region. The invasions and interests of Europe and Asia were hashed out in the middle east. The countries are controlled by very powerful arab leaders who have very specific relations with each other. Recently (in relation) the United States has placed an interest in backing a jewish state, but support for it is beginning to falter as other foreign countries (saudia arabia) threaten to ruin special relationships between them and the United States. b) what do the terms, "Modern" & "Middle East" mean? Modern can be used to define a plethora of things, in this context I would regard the statement to be a focus of certain groups within society to creating a capitilistic economic model. "Modern" as a general sweeping definition would include the focus on pragmatism and productivity. "Middle East" is a geographically incorrect term that describes the land region between Africa, Europe, and Asia. These countries all have similar demographics with drastically different rulers. c) Why is this subject important for citizens of the United States to study? The United States in militaristically involved in multiple countries in the region, and until we begin to understand these countries and why they feel the way they do, we can never 'win' the war on 'terror'.

//1. Planning, Managing, and Motivating// asserts that “Without planned units, daily lessons lack focus.” According this text, what should units be developed around? The unit needs to be developed around the elements of teacher, student, environment, and content. With the essential question of a lesson included as the focus these elements need to be combined in a lesson plan taking each into consideration both in planning, but in implementing lesson plans.

2. Use the answer to the question A. to explain why a teacher’s practice must be theorized – why do educators have to think long and hard about teaching units? Schwab's elements are only useful in making a __lesson plan__ if each individual element is accounted for. This process alone takes time to consider how each of them will react upon the others. Failing to consider even one of the elements could result in disaster. Environment is perhaps one of the most important, but most often overlooked, element. For instance, noticing that a day you plan on having a long lecture is also the same day that students leave for thanksgiving break. The attention span of students is already thin in some situations, but when it is the last day it becomes almost impossible to keep their attention.

3. What practical benefits does a thoughtfully planned unit have for teachers and students? Thoughtfully planned out units benefit the teacher by having something to guide the lesson if it ever gets off track. While sometimes it can be useful to freelance a lesson around provoking discussion among students, most of the time a very specific lesson has to be taught. By having a lesson plan it ensures that the teacher can budget time to cover the whole lesson. It is very important to establish a sense of continuity and order in a classroom. By having a lesson plan and a clear set of goals that need to be accomplished students can stay focused and disciplined if they expect to have a routine.

4. How can unit planning compliment a well-developed teaching philosophy? I think that the teaching philosophy makes itself apparent in unit planning by constantly effecting the focus of said lesson. A majority of the standards that have to be taught become universal, but each teachers lesson plans are unique to their equally unique teaching philosophy. By planning to incorporate aspects of teaching philosophy into the lesson plan the teacher becomes both comfortable and accomplished with the results of his plan.

Week 2: A lesson plan is a blueprint with the purpose of guiding a teacher through the intended teachings in an organized fashion. Just like outlines, they do not spell out every specific detail, and even should include some wiggle room. Just like you write an outline for a paper to keep your thoughts organized, a lesson plan allows you to look at the big picture and how the pieces fit together. Sometimes lesson plans can be constricting. Luckily, we write our own lesson plans and can draft them to our specific teaching strategies. The usefulness of a lesson plan relies both on the time put into writing it, and how close you stick to it.

My favorite __memory__ from social studies was my senior year in high school in a program called We The People. It was a debate like program centered around governmental policies and such. My teacher completely converted me from planning on studying math/science into social studies. My teacher Ms. Snow managed to show me how little things inside the constitution continue to effect our daily lives. It was through this that I found my expression of my love for social studies.

My worst __memory__ from social studies was when I took a class with a certain teacher that was "the cool teacher". He was the attractive teacher that had girls (in high school) hitting on each other back and forth. While he did manage to teach the section, it was obvious his purpose and his mode of teaching was not exactly my style. He never 'did' anything but he would easily get distracted and played obvious favorites. That was what I had been my worse experience in a social studies classroom.

What made me decide to become a social studies teacher was Ms Snow, what made me decide to become a teacher came from many different events through time. I had always excelled in any classroom section, so when other students would fall behind and get frustrated I would help them out. Sometimes the teacher would not have time, sometimes they would simply not be able to break down the content differently. I enjoyed helping others and myself.