Danielle+Turner

Hello! My name is Danielle and I am in my 4th year here at MSU. I am an IDS major with a History minor. I am from Jackson and teaching is something I have always wanted to do. I love doing things outdoors, anything really. I am very passionate about the importance of a good education and can't wait to have a classroom of my own. I studied abroad this past summer in the UK, visiting places like London, Scotland and Ireland. It was by far one of the best experiences of my life and I certainly plan on continuing to travel.

TE classes have always been my favorite because we are lucky enough to work in this close, familiar, educational setting. These classes are usually unlike any other classes I have taken here I am very excited for 407/408 with all of you!



**Student Directed Investigation Lesson Plan **

TOPIC FOR LESSON: Researching Presidential Candidates Date: 3-19-12 Grade Level/Course: Senior level Government class Unit: Government: Elections and Campaigning

Lesson Objectives (information, disposition, and skill objectives):

1) Students should be able to identify reliable resources, research specific question and draw conclusions based on evidence and research.  2) Students should be able to properly reference and cite material used in research and project formation.  3)  6.1.2 Locate, analyze, and use various forms of evidence, information, and sources about a significant public policy issue, including primary and secondary sources, legal documents (e.g., Constitutions, court decisions, state law), non-text based information (e.g., maps, charts, tables, graphs, and cartoons), and other forms of political communication (e.g., oral political cartoons, campaign advertisements, political speeches, and blogs).

Assessment Tools: Students can choose to write a research paper or present the material to the class with a visual aid.

Activities: 10-15 minutes || After going over the website I will hand out the assignment sheet and go over it with the class, answering any questions they may have. I will then explain that students will have access to computers for the next 2-3 days in order to do research and create the final product. Their assignment sheet will have suggested websites and || Students’ Activities After being introduced to the assignment, websites and candidates, students will choose one of the following 3 options: 1.Choose 1 republican and 1 democratic presidential nominee. Research their campaign thus far (focusing on at least 4 of the issues provided). Compare and contrast the platforms of the two candidates. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">2. Choose 2 candidates from the same political party. Research their campaign thus far (focusing on at least 4 of the issues provided) Compare and contrast the platforms of the two candidates. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">3. Choose 1 candidate from either political party. Focusing on at least 4 issues (from the list provided) research this candidates current platform and compare/contrast your findings to this candidates previous statements, voting record in congress or previous platforms.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Initiation/Opening/Hook || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The class and I will take time exploring a website that has a list of presidential candidates. Students will see different aspects of the site and places that they can find information on each candidate || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teacher’s Activities

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Once students decide on which candidates they want to research, they will be given 2-3 days (more if needed) to gather information. They will need to use and cite at least 3 reliable web sources, properly. Students can choose to write a 3-5 page paper with their findings or create a presentation with visual aid.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Issues they can focus on include but are not limited to: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Health care, bailouts, abortion/women’s health care, social security, war, education, economics, international relations, etc. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">2-3 class periods (more if needed) || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">On the day students turn their projects in, we will have a debriefing discussion in which students will be given the opportunity to talk about their findings, what they found challenging or interesting about the research and what they learned about elections and candidates from this project. ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">15-20 minutes ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Closure

**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Debate Lesson Plan **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">TOPIC FOR LESSON: Debate about increasing the driving age Date:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Grade Level/Course: Government

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Unit: Legislative systems and procedures

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Lesson Objectives (information, disposition, and skill objectives):

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">1) <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">P1.5 Present a coherent thesis when making an argument, support with evidence, articulate and answer possible objections, and present a concise, clear closing.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">2) Students should be able to analyze and interpret data and use it as evidence in a debate

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">3) Students should be able to debate a topic using facts and understand both sides of an argument based on evidence presented.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Assessment Tools: Students will be assessed on their participation in the activity.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Activities:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">2 minutes || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">35 minutes ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Initiation/Opening/Hook || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I will ask the class how many of them have a drivers license or are in a driver’s training class. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teacher’s Activities: I will have prepared hand outs that have statistics and arguments for and against raising the driving age to 18. I will randomly divide the class in half and give handouts to each side. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students’ Activities: The class will be divided in half and each half will be given a side of the debate to support. Students will be given time to read the hand out and discuss the points with their groups. After they have discussed their sides information, I will open the floor up to discussion asking for each side to present their case using the data they have been given and their personal interpretations of that data. After the important points have been made (I will be guiding discussion if needed to ensure that they hit the main points). Students will be given the chance to come up with a compromise that makes each side happy. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Closure: After students debate, defend and compromise based on the side of the topic they were given I will give them the opportunity to talk about how it felt to defend a point they may not have agreed with, if the debate changed any of their initial opinions on the topic and will close by talking about how this goes on in congress and help them understand that passing bills on hot topics can be very difficult. ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time: 12 minutes ||

**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Role Play Lesson Plan **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">TOPIC FOR LESSON: Republicans and Democrats in Congress

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Grade Level/Course: Government

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Unit: Systems of Congress

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lesson Objectives (information, disposition, and skill objectives):

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">1)Students will learn to think and debate using the platforms of republicans and democrats.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">2) Students will learn to use facts to debate one side of an argument even if they don’t personally agree, making fact based justifications.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">3) Students will understand the general differences between conservative and liberal beliefs and platforms

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">4) Students will practice compromising to reach an agreement as is done in congress.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Assessment Tools: Students will be assessed on participation and their abilities to follow instructions and argue as the role they were given.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Activities: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Should the government regulate and control the internet? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Time:5 minutes ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Initiation/Opening/Hook || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Students will be introduced to the following topic:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Teacher’s Activities:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Students will be given broken up into 2 sides, one will be considered republican and one will be democratic. They will be giving lists of points for each side of the argument including statistics and general opinions. I will provide students with these resources. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Students’ Activities:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Students will read over their resources. I will open instruct students to discuss this proposal, making sure that they cover each point given to them and that they respectfully allow time for rebuttals. Students will be given 35 minutes to debate and I will then ask them to come to a compromise. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Time:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">35 minutes ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Closure:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Once students have come to a compromise (or don’t) there will be a debrief in which we discuss what they understand to be the general viewpoints of both republicans and democrats. Students will be given the chance express whether or not they agreed with the side they were given and how they think debates are in the senate and house. ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Time: 10 minutes ||

**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">-- **

**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">TOPIC FOR LESSON: Regional analysis of the United States Date: 1/30/12 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Grade Level/Course: Geography <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Unit: Regional Geography of the United States

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Lesson Objectives (information, disposition, and skill objectives):

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 1) <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'GillSans','sans-serif'; font-size: 14px;"> P2.2 Read and interpret data in tables and graphs. <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'GillSans','sans-serif'; font-size: 14px;"> 2) P2.3 Know how to find and organize information from a variety of sources; analyze, interpret, support interpretations with evidence, critically evaluate, and present the information orally and in writing; report investigation results effectively. <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'GillSans','sans-serif'; font-size: 14px;"> 3) P2.4 Use multiple perspectives and resources to identify and analyze issues appropriate to the social studies discipline being studied.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Assessment Tools:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Activities:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Initiation/Opening/Hook: || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A slide show of pictures from different regions of the united states. Pictures that are representative of different regions. While having them guess where they pictures were taken. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time: 10 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teacher’s Activities: At this point I will have introduced my students to the basic features of geography. They will know what types of information geographer’s research and study and will have knowledge of the definition of what geography is. I will introduce the project by showing them a map of the United States broken up into regions. I will give them the hand out for the assignment and break them up into groups || **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Students’ Activities **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">: Students will be broken up into groups and assigned a region. Each student in the group will have to choose a different state from that region. The groups will be making presentations to share the data they collect. Each student will be responsible to research population, income levels, population distribution (rural vs. urban), top industries in the state, employment rates, etc. They will be given the list of these attributes to research. Once all information is collected they will have to compare the similarities and differences between the states of the region to come up with regional themes. They will then have to think critically about why many of these trends are present in their region and what some of the causes and effects may be. They will present findings to the class with some form of visual aid and will also need to submit a paper with their entire individual and group findings. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Intro to project: 10

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Making groups: 10

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Explaining & answering <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Questions: 15

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">(Project will take multiple days) ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Closure: Once groups are set and questions are answered, I will give students 5 minutes to pick the states they want, record the assigned states and turn it into me as an exit slip. ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Time 5 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Assessment: Students will be given a packet that describes the project and the rubric for grading. They will be given a list of details they need to find on their state. They will be assessed individually based on their research their ability to work in a group. The group will also be assessed on its ability to work together, create a presentation and use their research to defend and justify their claims. I will collect papers with researched information and observe their presentations in order to grade them. ||  ||   ||

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[1] Larson & Keiper (2011). Adapted from Instructional Strategies for Middle and Secondary Social Studies: Methods, Assessment, and Classroom Management.

November 30th: Reflection: Go to the below site, take the test... [] and respond to how well it fits you and if you think it is helpful in understanding how you learn.

I scored a 4.43/5 on body movement, the second highest score was a 4.14 on logic/math and then a 3.86 on Self. This is what I would have expected. I am constantly moving some part of my body, especially when studying, reading or thinking about something. I click pencils, bit my nails, tap my feet and all other sorts of obnoxious habits. Sitting still is very challenging for me so the fact that I ranked so high on body movement makes alot of sense. This means that involving physical movement in learning could really benefit me. I also was not surprised by my second highest of logic/math. I do think in very mathematical terms and enjoy analyzing various things that way. Seeing how I scored didn't bring me any surprises however I do like this activity because it lays out the skills we work with every day and explicitly helps me understand what role they play in my learning.

**November 16th-** Write about the teacher you were closest to in either middle or high school, why was this teacher important to you? How did it impact what you did in his or her class?

I was very close to all of my teachers in high school, but my Spanish teacher was particularly special to me. I had this teacher for the first time in 8th grade, and since she was the only Spanish teacher in our district I had her for the entire time I was in high school as well. She was also my volleyball coach in middle school. This teacher built great relationships with her students that were the perfect combination of teacher and friend. She made it obvious that she cared about us and was someone that became a mentor to me. I could go to her for more than just Spanish concerns. She was actually the one who had the biggest impact on my decision to go to MSU after graduation. She was able to sit down and tell me why she thought I would do well here with actual reasons based on me as a person rather than promoting it as a big ten school. She had known me for 5 years and knew my strengths and weaknesses in a way that she could help me make such an important decision. On top of the relationships she built, she was also a great teacher. She kept lessons interesting and used many different learning techniques, regularly in class so that we had many ways to remember our Spanish terms and rules. My senior year she made it possible for us to teach Spanish to our elementary schools since those programs had been cut. I enjoyed going to her class and working with her because her classes were valuable and I felt that our classes were like small families in which we all enjoyed learning and working together.

**November 9th- Anything you remember, or want to ask about our visit with Ben at Haslett Middle- I really liked the way he interacted with his students. I would like to ask him how he gets to know his students and is able to create a fun, productive classroom. It was nice to see the way he runs his class but I would be interested to find out what his thought processes were in making those certain decision.**

November 2nd- Describe crucial (memorable) aspects of the hidden and null curricula that you experienced in secondary school. (ie what did you learn from school that was not academic, or what did you understand to be important or not important based on what you were taught or were not taught)

I was a very productive student in high school and was involved in every activity and group I could possibly be in. During my senior year, every teacher I had would let me come and go to class as I desired. I had free reign over the school to basically do whatever I wanted. There were days where I would sign myself out to go tan during the day and then return to school. I also had a teacher who would let me sleep at the very front and center of his class when he wouldn't let any other students rest their heads on their hands. The hidden curriculum I took from this is that some students are more privileged than others. If you were a certain type of student that carried yourself in a certain way and preformed at a high level, then in a way you were above other students and treated as such. This worked well for me but if I had been on the opposite end of it this would have really frustrated me and I would have thought it was totally unfair.

October 26th- (A)What surprised you most about this reading? (B) What would you argue were the strongest influences on how social studies began? (C) In what ways might the foundations of social studies impact what we do or don’t do today? (reference the last full paragraph on pg 91 as well as the one that follows it)

A. What surprised me most about this reading was the whole idea or race and inequality. I was shocked by the concept of different stages of life and that different races are able or more likely to reach higher stages of life just because of their genetics. This just seems so ignorant but at the same time, thoughts like this were very common for a long time, it was just strange to see it explained in a reading like this. B. The content area of social studies seems to have been strongly influenced by the desire of those in power (white males) to have some control over the development of democracy, society and the social divisions that were so present at the time. They wanted a workforce that held certain beliefs and knowledge. It was a way to define what our society "should be" in a way that could be taught and studied. C. This article gave us a better understanding of the logic behind the origins of the social studies discipline. Understanding how race and class were used to divide society and categorize or track can help us not repeat the same mistakes in our own classroom. We have learned that no two students are the same. They all have different stories, come from different back grounds and have different educational needs. These details and information should be used to help each student grow as much as we can rather than as a way to make divisions deeper.

October 19th-How will you teach about Columbus after our discussion the other day? Why? I think it will definitely depend on what grade I am teaching. 6th graders aren't going to need to learn the same type of information as say seniors. If I am teaching younger grades I will keep the lesson much more PG. In class we talked about some of the things Columbus and his men did. I think some combination and comparison of these details along facts and the idealistic story we are lead to believe will need to be touched on. It is important for students to understand the climate of the world and exploration at that time, I think it will be important to make sure they understand that social norms were not the same as they are now and that the things they learned when they were younger were not necessarily the hard and true facts. It may also be useful to point out why there is a disconnect. What might be the cause or benefit of portraying Columbus in the way many Americans do.

October 12- How do you feel about the process of creating a professional growth and development plan? Do you think this is a useful task? Would it have usability in a middle school or high school classroom?

I really like that we are creating these plans. It forces us to self evaluate and think about what skills we have and need to work on. I think it will be very useful because it is giving us the a structured and monitored way to work on the things we want to but may not take the time to do if it weren't for this project. I think this kind of project could be usable in lots of situations, including a secondary classroom. Any activity like this that gets someone to think about themselves in a reflective way has the potential to help the grow and work on the areas that need work. I think this or variations of activities like this could be used for a wide array of reasons.

October 5- I really enjoyed the video we watched in class about schools killing creativity. He made some very good points about the way public school systems are set up. Many of the things he mentioned are things I have thought about before, I just haven't heard them spoken in the way he described them. I myself always enjoyed most of the subject areas taught in school but constantly found that the more creative activities I was involved in or projects I got to do sparked a much stronger interest. I was always more passionate about creative outlets but didn't have room in my "college bound" schedule for classes like art or band/choir. I think he has such a valid point. Children love doing creative things, they love creating. But as you grow up you are taught that you can have a career in following the paths others have laid out, not creating your by following your passions. He said, "If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original." It is safer for adolescents to choose a career they are less likely to be wrong in. I absolutely love to dance, if my school would have offered anything in the way of that I would have been thrilled. But as he points out, these types of things are not considered important to be taught on the schools time. I can't help but wonder how much raw talent and amazing creative ideas are being lost each year as students are driven farther from creativity and into mainstream expectations.

**September 28- Responses from my Pen Pal teacher:** **My pen pal teacher really gave me alot to think about and has been very detailed in his responses. I am finding this activity very useful and am glad that we are including it in this course.**


 * __What are the most important traits of a good teacher?__**

The single most important trait of a good teacher is being a positive role model! By being a positive role model others (teachers, administrators, students, parents, & community members) look at you as a teacher who "does it right". Now you must define for yourself what "right" is over many different areas. These areas include discipline, lesson planning, grading, expectations of students, expectations of yourself as a teacher and as a person in your private life, interactions with students, & dealing with stress, just to name a few. Now to look at each a little more-

1.Discipline. What is the right way to set up your classroom discipline policy? Can I back up everything in the policy (Administration agree with it?)? Can you treat all students the same? You must be fair!

2.Lesson Planning. What is the right way to plan a lesson to help every student learn in your classroom? How to involve students in the learning process? What is my hidden curriculum? Am I covering what the State and district say I must teach?

3.Grading. What is the right way to grade to ensure all students learn? What is each grade worth to you? Example- What is the 60% knowledge threshold? What is an "A" worth vs. a "B"? (Think back to how my discipline policy could make a student with discipline problems get a B even though the work was an A grade.)

4.Expectations of Students. What is the right way all students are expected to act in your classroom? To do homework? Deadlines? Language used in your classroom? Insulting others? Being seated at all times? Raising their hand to talk?

5.Expectations of yourself as a teacher and as a person in your private life. What is the right way to be/act at school and out of school? How organized should you be? How prepared should I be when class starts? When you are out on the weekend, should you drink and/or get drunk at a bar or restaurant where students/parents/community members are at? Do you swear in class or out in public?

6.Interactions with students. What is the right way to interact with a student in a given situation? Do you pat a student on the back? Do you give a student a hug? Do you put the student on the spot in front of the class?

7.Dealing with stress. What is the right way to not allow stress to effect my life? How do I not take stress out on students? How do I release stress at home?


 * __What do you think are the most important things I should learn during my senior year?__**

First, you need to find the answers to 1-7 above! Danielle, the unfortunate part about this profession is that no college can ever prepare you for all you need to be able to do when the door to your classroom closes and you have 30-42 pairs of eyes looking at you- and you must always have the "right" answers because you are the adult... and you are the teacher!

Second, you should also learn these things-

1. How to discipline a student. How is the key word! You must know how to recognize bad behavior (using your eyes, ears, and the eyes in the back of your head!) and be able to put an end to it successfully.

2. Have a lesson plan format which you will always use! I learned I-TIP (Instructional Theory Into Practice).

3. Your view on a union? Are you for or against? Know the role they play for you as a teacher!

4. What type of school are you willing to work for? (Public, Private, or Charter) Each has differences, know them so you know what you may be getting yourself into.

5. Are you willing to move out of Michigan for a job? If so, where are you willing to move to? The current state of the economy must be considered!

6. What career services does Michigan State University offer in terms of job placement and help?

7. When you are a teacher you give up your private life! You will always have eyes on you no matter where you are! Teachers are judged on so many levels and by so many standards. New liberal standards are not always accepted for teachers, we are still held to many moral standards by those who make the decisions about our careers

**SEPTEMBER 19** - ( A) What has been most difficult in planning this unit so far? The most difficult thing so far in trying to plan our unit on the Modern Middle East is figuring out what information is most important and how to organize it in the most effective way. There are many ways to structure the unit so trying to decide on one particular format is some what challenging.

(B) Do you think units should be planned chronologically? Around a theme? Through enduring understandings? A combination? Why? I think it is really going to depend on what topic you are teaching and what types of information need to be relayed to your students. For history, chronologically would seem to make the most sense, but this may not always be the case. I think it is important to understand how things happened in time but a mixture of chronologically and around a them may help students get a deeper understanding. I think it is important for us as teachers to look at the unit we are planning, and use our best judgement when deciding on a way to organize it.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**SEPTEMBER 12** - (A) Keeping in mind that there are many models of good teaching, describe some attributes or characteristics that good teachers possess. I do not think that one could describe what makes a good teacher by a set of requirements. I think there are many different attributes and combinations of these attributes and skills that define the difference between a teacher and a good teacher. To me, the most important trait a teacher should possess is the heart. A teacher dedicates their lives to educating other people and it is so important to care about and be passionate about students, education and the topics being taught. Besides caring about the work a teacher must also have the skills to give their students the information they need in an effective way. A teacher must have good communication skills, they must be able to manage a classroom with out being a complete dictator over the class, the teacher should be able to get students interested and relate material to their lives. These are the first big characteristics that come to mind although I am sure there are countless other traits that are also very important.

(B) Reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses as a teacher at this point, what are some areas you are strong in? Where do you have room for improvement?
==== There are a few areas I feel that I am already strong in, such as the fact that I have always wanted to teach and am very passionate about the importance of teaching and education. I am also a very organized person which I believe is going to be very important. I have been working on my communication and speaking skills for the past few years, I have improve d tremendously but definitely need to continue improving on this. I also feel that I need to get a better grip on how to be a teacher as far as details and expectations are concerned (which is the point of this class!). I also have room to improve with smaller areas such as my penmanship and would like to be able to explain things more effectively.====

(C) What are some things you need to learn or skills you need to practice to improve your teaching?
====I need to learn how to run a class room, in every sense of the phrase. I need to learn how to make lesson plans and manage the time I have with students. I need to figure out what is more important to focus on and what types of things are less important. I would like to know useful tools and tactics for teaching effectively and what to do in situations that are not textbook or ideal.====

====**SEPTEMBER 7** - (A) D<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">escribe and post your favorite memory from a social studies class from middle/junior/senior high school: ==== ====<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Most of my experiences prior to MSU in social studies were less than interesting. Most classes and teachers would put me to sleep and I never felt like I learned anything. This changed my senior year in Government. My teacher was amazing and so engaging. The class was frequently interactive and I feel like I learned more in there than in all previous social studies classes combined. We would have debates, games, activities involving the election and he would tie the course concepts into our lives in a way that no teacher had done before .====

====<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(B) Describe and post your worst memory or experience from a social studies class from middle/junior/senior high school: ==== ====<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My worst memory from a social studies class was my freshman history class, it was so bad that I don't even remember the topic. The teacher should have stopped teaching years before. She clearly did not want to be there and let us know it. Every week consisted of the same thing. We would read out loud in the same way each time, then work on the most boring work sheets you could imagine. It was easy to get credit for the work but I don't recall her lecturing or engaging us outside of the book (which we were reading to each other) and the few movies she would show. That class could never get over fast enough. ====

====<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(C) Describe and post your rationale for why you want to teach social studies and what particular reasons you find compelling for having students study and learn social studies in schools: ==== ====<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Before my classes here at State, I hated social studies because they were taught in the most boring way. Now that I have had good teachers, I feel that I am connected to the material in a way that I never would have been if it weren't for these classes. Since I have became more familiar with the importance of social studies, I am so very interested in getting into a classroom and showing my students that they can be interesting and that they actually are very relevant. In my opinion, social studies is one of the most important subjects and offers students key information on how to live in society. You may never use that math equation again in your life, but to know how to read a map, understand basic economics, know how our government works are things that every person should be well acquainted with. My goal is to introduce students to these topics and show them how they directly impact their lives. I want to do this by being as engaging and creating the most ample learning environment as possible. ====