Reflections+(Fall+Semester)


 * Reflection #12**


 * (1)** __//Locate and link to an “old” map (define that however you want) that you consider clearly distorted.//__

Link to an old map: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45911048/TE%20407/Distorted%20Map.jpg


 * (a)** __//Try to locate the map’s date, authorship, nationality, language, and other background information.//__

Date: 1930 Authorship: Walter P. Burns and Associates, Inc., New York City Nationality: American Language: English Definition of a cartogram: A cartogram scales geographic areas to some value other than geographic area.


 * (b)** __//Explain the distortion that you see AND explain WHY the distortion exists according to the question on the top of page 23 in Segall’s piece Maps As Stories About The World.//__

The distortion I see is one of geographic area; it is clearly recognizable as a map of the United States of America, but the states are not scaled according to geographic area. Instead, this map depicts (according to its title) "the Population of Each State and of Cities of 50,000 or More in 1930."


 * (2a)** Of the following maps, which one do you find most accurate and why:

Mercator Projection Map Peter’s Map Gall’s Map Miller Cylindrical World Map Projection Molleweide Map

I find the Molleweide Map to be the most accurate if one's goal is to most clearly depict the world as it is in reality. After all, the simple fact that it is round (rather than rectangular like all of the others) seems to give it a big advantage in this area. However, it would also probably be harder to use than the other maps; using one of the other maps for world navigation would probably allow for greater accuracy in travel.


 * (2b)** //__The proposed lessons 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?__//

I thought that the second activity mentioned in Segall's piece would be most helpful in teaching the constructed nature of maps. This is due to the fact that it allows students to explore, analyze, and rate the goodness of several different kinds of maps with a small group of their peers, and then discuss as a class what was brought up in their groups. From this activity, it seems inevitable that students will stumble upon one of the major truths of maps: maps can be scaled to depict values other than geographic area.


 * Reflection #11**


 * (1)** __//Pick one of the following units: Vietnam, Prohibition, or Civil Rights.//__

I choose Civil Rights.


 * (2)** __//Propose a lesson, activity, or what-have-you that addresses the following mode of learning://__


 * (a)** //Kinetic Activity// - At the end of a lesson on Brown v. Board of Education, break the class up into small groups (4-5). Tape a name of someone/some entity involved in this lesson to each student's back (such as the Supreme Court, Plessy vs Ferguson, Dwight Eisenhower, Earl Warren, NAACP, Linda Brown, Thurgood Marshall), and have each student ask yes or no questions to the other students in their group to figure out whose name is taped on their back. Afterwards, it would probably be good to debrief as a class to make sure everyone knew who each person/entity was, as well as what the role of each person/entity was in Brown v. Board of Education.


 * (b)** //Solo-Reading// - For solo-reading, the students could go to http://www.hippocampus.org/AP%20US%20History%20II, scroll down to "Civil Rights Movement," and click on "Brown v. Board of Education." From there, they could choose to watch the short presentation on Brown v Board of Education or read the text of the presentation (or both).


 * (c)** //Music// - For music, we could watch Will.i.am's "A Dream" music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBa55sDTIiA. Lyrics would be provided to the students, and there would also be a couple of guiding questions (to be considered while watching the video), a short discussion following the viewing, and a flawless transition into talking about the Civil Rights lesson for the day.


 * (d)** //Interpersonal// - The class would be broken up into groups of 3-5, and each group would be required to research somone from the Civil Rights unit. After learning more about the person they researched, each group would present what they learned to the class in the form of a 5 to 10 minute presentation; a visual aid (or class activity of some sort) would be required as well.


 * Reflection #10**


 * (1a)** __//What is intrinsic and extrinsic motivation? Give an example of each motivation that you have seen used in classrooms.//__

Extrinsic motivation is motivation brought on by external factors we believe will provide desirable outcomes, such as praise, a reward, or even avoidance of negative consequences (Pintrich & Schunk, 2002). An extrinsic motivator leads a person to do an activity for an end other than the value/satisfaction obtained from performing the activity itself. For example, grades are often used as extrinsic motivators for the activity of learning, as it is hoped/thought that students will be motivated to learn by the fact that they will be assigned a letter or number that, in turn, can/will be used to open or close many doors for them in the future.

Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation to engage in an activity because of the satisfaction derived from the activity itself (Larson & Keiper, 2011). One way I’ve seen teachers foster intrinsic motivation to learn to read is by choosing a story/book that will interest his/her students and reading it to them, thereby making clear to students the pleasure that comes from being able to read.


 * (1b)** __//Explain what type of motivation was most pronounced in Ben Pineda’s teaching at Haslett Middle School on 11/16/11; be specific and justify your answer.//__

I think that the most pronounced type of motivation in Ben’s teaching was intrinsic. I say this because he made the learning process itself fun. I can’t speak for the students in his class, but I didn’t find myself thinking as he spoke, “Will I be graded over this?” or “What comment can I make about what he’s saying in order to get him to like/praise me more?” Granted, I am not a student in his class, so those couldn’t be concerns of mine. However, I do know that I he taught through stories, and I loved listening to those stories and discovering the points he was teaching through them.


 * (2a)** __//What is a multicultural education?//__

Multicultural education seems like one of those fancy buzz terms that encompasses a part of what it means to be a good teacher. Specifically, it refers to a field of study whose aim is to create equal educational opportunities for students of all racial, ethnic, social class, and cultural groups, and whose goal is to help students acquire the life skills necessary to survive and thrive in a democratic society (Banks & Banks, 1995). Also, if you are an advocate for multicultural education, you are a person who strives to incorporate the lives of all students into curriculum, not just the lives of members of the dominant culture group.


 * (2b)** //__How do you plan to employ a multicultural education in your future practice…even if you don’t have a “diverse” classroom?__//

I plan to employ a multicultural education in my future practice by telling the stories that are part of history that aren’t always told in schools and textbooks. This mean we’ll talk about groups of people who have been pushed to the side, taken advantage of, or just plain ignored. I think that a lot of what that means for me is being a continuous learner, always willing to reflect on my current teaching and ready to make changes to it according to new injustices I learn about.

I don't think it matters whether or not there are members of multiple racial, ethnic, social, or culture groups in my class; I will teach, and (whether I remember the term or not), I will teach from a multicultural education perspective.


 * (3a)** //__We don’t teach Social Studies, we teach (diverse) people Social Studies. So, what is differentiated instruction and what function does it serve in the classroom?__//

Differentiated instruction seems like another one of those fancy buzz terms that encompasses another part of what it means to be a good teacher. It is a process to teaching and learning for students of differing abilities in the same class, and it functions to maximize each student’s growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is (Hall, Strangman, & Meyer, 2003).


 * (3b)** __//Consider figure 4.1. What component(s) of the “Learning Cycle in Differentiated Instruction” do you feel needs most consideration in your own practice?//__

In my own practice, perhaps “Process” is the component that needs the most consideration. After all, it seems that that is where I take into account what I know about each of my students and what I know about the life skills and abilities I (and “Curriculum”) am striving to equip each of them with, then coming up with a plan of action.


 * (4a)** __//According to the “multiple intelligence theory,” what intelligences do you feel are most pronounced in yourself?//__

After re-reading the summaries of each of the intelligences posited by the “multiple intelligence theory”, it seems that the most pronounced intelligences in myself are linguistic/verbal, logical-mathematical, spatial, and interpersonal.


 * (4b)** __//What intelligences, in your opinion, are underrepresented and thus in need of affirmation in Secondary Education?//__

I think that the most underrepresented intelligences (which are therefore in need of affirmation in Secondary Education) are bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. I say this because I've rarely (if ever) heard a teacher recognize the existance of bodily kinesthetic or intrapersonal intelligence, and because it seems that many students leave high school without the abilities to empathize or work with others.


 * Reflection #9**


 * (1)** __//What is the difference between (objectively) describing a controversy and (subjectively) engaging in one? Describe and define in contrasting terms, in your words//.__

Objectively describing a controversy involves fairly presenting all viewpoints in their best light, and often comes from a desire to fully understand what is going on. Subjectively engaging in a dispute invloves presenting viewpoints that are distorted by personal bias, and often comes from the arrogant perspective that one already knows all there is to know about a given controversy.


 * (2)** __//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?//__

A teacher's ability to maintain an impartial tone creates at atmosphere for learning (rather than just agreeing with the teacher) and gives students a postivie model to follow when interacting with one another. Loaded language prevents social and educational progess in the classroom, as it dissuades students from thinking critically in a classroom by pushing them to a particular conclusion about an issue.


 * (3a)** __//Explain why it is imperative that educators are able to maintain impartial tones and objective dispositions within the class room.//__

It is imperative that educators be able to maintain impartial tones and objective disopositions within the classroom, as these encourage/allow students to develop skills to critically think about/assess the world around them. Without these, there are a variety of negative consequences for students, which may include learning to just accept at face value whatever people/teachers tell them or becoming excessively skeptical about considering the viewpoints of the people around them.


 * (3b)** __//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. E.g. One student yells at another OR students claims, nihilistically, that studying politics is a waste of time.//__

If one student were to begin to verbally attack another student about a controversial issue in class, I think it could be helpful for the teacher to interupt as soon as possible, remind all the students of the class of the rules of engagement for discussion (which should have been set at the beginning of the year), and attempt to present the viewpoint that the attacking student was presenting in a more postive, discussion-facilitating way. If the situation calls for it, the teacher could also stop the attacking student on his/her way out and more directly address why/how what s/he said was inappropriate.


 * Reflection #8**


 * (A) ** //__ What obstacles and excuses exist to teaching about controversial topics? __//

According to Werner, there are at least four common categories of obstacles/excuses that operate as disincentives against teaching about controversial topics, including teacher costs, subject perspectives, school cultures, and political bias. Under the category of teacher costs, Werner provides several examples, such as time, potential for risk, and students' lack of experience with careful critical discussion. I just about laughed out loud at the apparent weakness of these objections; a social studies teacher with these excuses seems comparable to a baker who would explain why you have a doughy mess in front of you (rather than a loaf of bread) by saying that baking the bread in an oven takes too long, is dangerous, and might result in a burned loaf.


 * (B) ** //__ According to Werner, is controversy worth addressing? Why or why not? __//

Werner definitely appears to believe controversial issues to be worth addressing, as he mentions at least three justifications for addressing such issues in the classroom. One of these is that through engaging views different from one's one, students develop open-mindedness and independent thought. Additionally, he mentions that teachig history/the social studies as though there were/are no issues is to "misrepresent the nature of knowledge production." Finally, Werner quotes Noddings, who said that all school subjects should "give...sutdents what [they] need - genuine opportunities to explore questions central to human life," and I believe it was implied that this is not possible to do in a classroom that avoids controversial issues.


 * (C) ** //__ Interact with the text: how do you envision your future practice as a teacher relating to controversy? __//

I do not believe it is possible to teach the social studies without frequently addressing controversial issues. However, to return to the above analogy, I think controversy should be seen as the oven that bakes bread; sure, there are some dangers in using an oven, but I don't believe you can get the proper end product (see Reflection 1, Part C) without using it properly. Because I believe this, I have no doubt that my future practice as a teacher will involve frequent discussion of controversial issues.


 * Reflection #7**

PART ONE

__//What is your temperament type, what are the specific letters associated with it, e.g. INTP?//__ ENFJ

__//In your own words, summarize the personality type in a paragraph or so.//__ This personality: 1) is energized/motivated by spending time with people; 2) focuses on the "big picture" and the future rather than details and immediate realities; 3) weighs social implications over logic; and 4) tends to plan and make decisions as early as possible. Browsing wikipedia, a few comments are made about ENFJs organizing group activities, taking commitments seriously, and not wanting to disappoint others. Also, it's said that ENFJs hold a wide range of values because "shared values is what creates harmony."

__//Give some famous examples of your personality type according to the test ... how do you relate?//__ Some famous ENFJs include David (King of Israel), Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, and Oprah Winfrey. These people did (or do) tend to operate in very social settings with much focus on pleasing the crowd, which I'd say I can relate to. As far as some of the other characteristics go, I definitely highly identify with the future/big picture focus and the tendency to plan/make early decisions. I wouldn't say I am always energized/motivated by spending time with groups of people, but much of the time I am.

__//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?//__ Education does match suggested ideal jobs for me, as "teaching" is one of the highest ranked ideal jobs for ENFJs. However, being a writer, clergyman, social worker, events coordinator, or sales representative are also listed.

PART TWO

__//Take the test, then (if you feel comfortable) post the coordinates of your location.//__ Economic Left/Right: -2.00 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.10

__//Considering the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, who are you closest to - if this is surprising, how so?//__ From the 2008 presidential nominations, I'm closest to Cynthia McKinney and Ralph Nadar. I do not find this surprising.

__//Click [|this link] to find the analysis of the vertical and horizontal spectrum test ... who historically and internationally do you best identify with?//__ I'm closest to Gandhi, and somewhat close to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela.

__//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//__


 * Reflection #6**

__//Should Columbus Day be celebrated?//__

History is a funny thing. Though it includes people who really lived and events that really occurred in places that really exist(ed), those historic realities are passed down through time via language. While language can be used to paint pictures of things how they truly were, it can also be used to paint inaccurate pictures. This can be done intentionally (when one paints with lies, euphemisms, etc) or unintentionally (when one paints with ignorance, misunderstanding, etc).

The picture that’s been painted of Columbus and distributed throughout many schools is a great example of one of those inaccurate pictures that’s been colored by lies, euphemisms, ignorance, misunderstandings, and probably more. Many of his actions and motivations that would currently be classified as atrocious are left out, while the more commendable deeds and aspects of his character are overly emphasized. In short, he is probably not a man to be celebrated.

Despite that, I believe it’d be foolish to remove Columbus Day from our calendars. To do so would be to discard an annual reminder to take a closer look at a wonderfully inaccurate picture and to critically analyze/discuss the reasons for its presence in our schools and minds. Therefore, if I may go with a fairly loose definition of “celebration” that allows for inclusion of activities like reflecting and group discussion, then I’d say yes, Columbus Day should be celebrated.


 * Reflection #5**


 * (A)** __//Give an example of each type of curriculum discussed in the reading.//__

The term “curriculum” seems to be an EXTREMELY broad term that encompasses what is planned to be taught, what is actually taught (including the intended and the unintended, the conscious and the unconscious), how it is taught, and what the student does and does not learn.

Formal Curriculum is the (still very broad) segment of that definition that refers to all that an educator intends to teach his/her students. Recently we’ve been looking at unit and lesson plans, which both fall into this category. I think parts of our teaching philosophies also fall into this category, as those include the skills and values we hope our students will learn in the classes we teach.

Delivered Curriculum refers to what is taught to the students, which includes the processes and methods used to teach the students, as well as the “teachable moments” that educators can take advantage of to allow his/her class to dig deeper into a particular topic than was originally intended. I think a good example of this in our class this week is found in how Justin is having some people hone their skills in lesson planning by planning/presenting their lessons again.

Learned Curriculum simply refers to what students learn. Forget what the teacher planned, hoped, and strove to get across; this is what the student actually took away at the end of the day. When doing microteaching last Thursday, I learned that I don’t use my body enough while talking, that 15 minutes is a VERY short time to teach a lesson in, and (for the ten-thousandth time or so) that computers tend to fail you when you’re most counting on them. All of these may fall into the general category of things Gerardo intended for us to learn, so (in addition to being part of the learned curriculum) might also be part of the formal curriculum.

Hidden Curriculum refers to what was not intended for the student to learn, but was just “picked up” by being part of the school/classroom. I think aspects of the hidden curriculum can be found in the way an educator communicates with his/her students. Does Mr. Smith make seem to find a way to agree with everyone who makes a comment in his class? This could teach a student to value courtesy and respect in discussion; it could also teach a student to place more value on not offending others than on clearly articulating one’s contrary thoughts.

Null Curriculum refers to what a student does not learn because it was not taught. I think this aspect of curriculum is extremely powerful, and can be the most frightening and saddening of them all. This is because what is not taught is often accepted to be of less importance than what is taught (or sometimes just deemed worthless). I think a good example of the destructive powers of the null curriculum can be seen in the education a father might provide to his son: A father might strive to establish a sense of shared responsibility within the household, and stress the importance of obeying him and mom. He might watch and play sports with his son, take him out fishing and camping, or do/stress countless other activities and values. But what if that father never takes the time to discuss with his son how to respect a woman? Yeah, maybe junior could pick some stuff up from watching how dad treats mom, but if the subject is never brought up, he could quite easily be left to assume that the treatment of women isn’t THAT important. At least not as important as the things that REALLY matter. I mean, "Shut the f!@# up woman, I’m watching the game!" Such is the power of the null curriculum.


 * (B)** __//What does figure 1.2 tell you about a teacher's position in the "Hierarchy of Curriculum Influence?" What roles does the teacher really play with curriculum?//__

It appears that maybe a teacher’s position is near the bottom of the “Hierarchy of Curriculum Influence” (HCI). S/he might come in beginning at department plans, and (possibly) gain more influence over curriculum moving down the hierarchy to course, unit, and lesson plans.

But considering all the different kinds of curriculum, I don’t think that’s the case. Sure, political interest groups, elected officials, state school board, and other parties have a much influence over formal curriculum, but what about the delivered, learned, hidden, and null? Aren’t those HEAVILY influenced by teachers? Sure, other parties undeniably influence each of those aspects of curriculum, but I think teachers have a large influence on them as well. Because of this, I think teachers have more influence over curriculum then figure 1.2 might lead one to believe.

Also, I think that IF an individual teacher (or any other citizen for that matter) cared enough about making a particular change to some aspect of curriculum that s/he did not have power over, and IF there was merit for such a change, and IF s/he could effectively communicate the change and its merit to the parties in power at the top of the HCI, (...and maybe a couple more difficult but not impossible IFs that I haven't considered) s/he could succeed at bringing about that curricular change. In this way, the teacher could be said to have the power to sort of take a position in the upper realms of the HCI, and therefore play a more active role in the creation of curriculum, as opposed to the more passive role (i.e., just do what the instructions say) that s/he may typically play regarding that particular aspect of curriculum.


 * Reflection #4**

**(A)** __//What you know & want to know about the 'Modern Middle East' (e.g. histories, worldviews, economies, geography & etc.)?//__

I think it’s safe to say that I know less about the ‘Modern Middle East’ than anyone I know (and probably most people I don’t know, too). I know it’s a region plagued by much conflict, and that the US has had a hand in some of it. I know that it’s the origin of several of the world’s major religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Let’s just assume that that’s all I know, though, and we won’t be too far from the truth.

What would I like to know? I’d like to know the sources of this conflict. I’d like to hear the most clearly thought out and presented accounts of the problems and solutions from all major parties involved, including those (like the US) that are not geographically located in the Middle East. I’d also like to know enough about this region so that conflict is not the only thing that comes to mind when I someone says “Middle East.”

**(B)** __//What do the terms, "Modern" & "Middle East" mean?//__

I believe the term “modern” refers to the “right now” as opposed to the “back then.” In the present context, I think it’s supposed to direct attention to what currently exists as part of the “Middle East,” including answers to the who, what, where, when, and why questions. I believe the term “Middle East” refers to a bundle of countries and cultures that exists in the area where Africa and Asia meet. It seems to be a loaded term, though, that means different things to different people. When it’s spoken, one often gets the feeling that a fuse has been lit, and that an emotionally charged explosion of political, economic, social, and religious thought is soon to follow. I’m trying to change my response to discussions that start this way by listening closely, which is difficult because I have a long history of just tuning them out.

**(C)** __//Why is this subject important for citizens of the United States to study?//__

Since I know very little about this subject, I can't really address this question directly. I do have the following two general (and very similar) thoughts:

1) When there’s conflict in our world, it tends to have widespread consequences, many of which may be negative. In an effort to avoid the negative consequences that can be avoided, it seems worthwhile to learn what one can about current conflicts. Specifically, looking for root causes seems worthwhile.

2) Neither “what I believe” nor “what the people around me say” is the definition of truth. I think most humans (myself included) tend to forget this, and there’s nothing like a good dose of discussion-about-events-around-the-world to cure an ugly case of ignorance. How? By allowing us to: i. Sift through reports about events to discover the decisions made that caused them to occur. ii. Sift through decisions made to identify the beliefs that those decisions were based upon. iii. Analyze those beliefs (and the ones we currently hold), adopt/keep the ones that make sense, and dump the ones that don’t.


 * Reflection #3**


 * (A)** According to the text of //Planning, Managing, and Motivating//, units should be developed around "essential questions," which cause the student to reflect upon and learn about the "big ideas" of the unit.


 * (B)** Learning happens over time, so teaching must as well. In order to best facilitate learning in students, great educators recognize this relationship and break the big-picture goal (which may be to encourage/enable students to become lifelong learners and communicators) into smaller pieces (which are the knowledge and skills of units), and then break those smaller pieces into even tinier ones (which are lessons).

But educators do not only break; they must also rebuild. This rebuilding takes place in the classroom, and the teacher does not do it alone. S/he has a number of workers to guide (i.e., the students), each of whom comes from a particular background and brings a distinct set of skills, interests, and dispositions to the construction site.

The teacher must consider all of this (big-picture goal, smaller goals, student background/contribution) when planning/teaching a unit, which should be developed around a focus (composed of a set of essential questions) that is small enough to be understood and large enough to be found interesting and challenging. This is part of the reason why educators must think long and hard about teaching units.


 * (C)** A thoughtfully planned unit has a variety of practical benefits for both teachers and students. For one, it provides focus. This is because unit planning requires the teacher to strategically select activities for his/her classroom that best facilitate learning the course material for the students in his/her class. Without intentional focus, it is difficult (impossible?) to accomplish goals.


 * (D)** As I said above (see B), a unit plan is part of a big-picture goal. I believe that that big-picture goal is one's teaching philosophy, and it is one's teaching philosophy that provides the foundational answer to "Why am I teaching students about ?" (Fill in the blank with whatever you are teaching.) If this idea is correct, it seems natural that one's lesson plan should compliment one's unit plan, and one's unit plan should compliment one's teaching philosophy.

Sidenote: I stated part of my teaching philosophy (much too vaguely) in response B above, and part of it (more clearly) in Reflection 1, Part C.


 * Reflection #2**

__//What is a lesson plan?//__

A lesson plan is a guiding framework, prepared by teachers and carried out in the classroom, within which students can learn. I think that the main goal of a lesson plan is to facilitate/maximize learning. In order to achieve this goal, it seems that teachers must consider many things, including (but certainly not limited to):

1) The overall goals of the lesson 2) Students' relevant prior knowledge (or what the student brings to the table) 3) Connections to the students' lives (or what the lesson offers to the students) 4) Truly engaging the students in the lesson. In a book I'm reading for TE 302, the author (Gregory Michie) says, "I tried to encourage my students to see themselves as actors, not spectators, in their lives." I believe that to be a worthwhile/meaningful goal to strive toward, and it is the sort of mentality that I think teachers should be in when they are planning lessons for their students. 5) Considering the different learning styles of students

These are sort of vague points, each of which could be expanded upon. I'm sure there are lots of other things that should be considered, too. What do you think should be added?

__//Why do teachers need lesson plans?//__

Why might a homebuilder use a hammer? Perhaps because a hammer is a tool that can be used to complete the task of a homebuilding? Similarly, I think teachers use lesson plans because they help to accomplish the goal of student education through the intentional incorporatation (into the classroom) of the thoughts and actions that best facilitate/maximize learning.

__//Are lesson plans always useful?//__

Just like any kind of plans, I don't think lesson plans are always useful. There are many reasons why a teacher might not use a lesson plan on a particular day, or might throw a lesson plan that s/he'd prepared out the window. One reason for throwing one out could be that the teacher realizes (while teaching a lesson) that the students were not as responsive to what s/he had planned for that day as they were to an activity/method that they came up with in class.


 * Reflection #1**


 * (A)** In 8th grade at OJ DeJonge Junior High, you'd be taught social studies by one of two teachers. One had the reputation of a mean, old, crotchety, and boring man, while the other was said to be kind, fair, and exciting to have as a teacher. I was assigned to Mr. Crotchety, and I learned more from him than any social studies teacher I’ve had since. One distinct memory I have from his class was the day he had us examine bar graphs. He had the class examine two separate displays of bar graphs; each display contained three bars. In Display 1, the three bars were basically equal in height. In Display 2, the height of the three bars varied significantly. He had each of us answer questions individually about each of the bar graphs, then had us reflect on them altogether. During this group reflection time, he revealed to us that these displays were taken from the same information; in fact, in many ways they were one and the same. The person who had created Display 2 had basically chopped the top of the three bars from Display 1 off, and then blown their difference out of proportion in order to manipulate a certain response/reaction from viewers. Based on the answers to the questions that he’d had each of us answer prior to revealing that the graphs were the same, the creator of Display 2 had effectively fooled nearly the entire class.

On that day, Mr. Catt (his actual name) taught me that truth can be presented in such a way that it effectively tells a lie. This is an invaluable lesson that I’ve had to revisit throughout my life, and it has caused me to be a very cautious news-watching, lecture-listening, decision-making learner. It is a lesson I hope to pass on to the students that I teach.


 * (B)** In 7th grade, I had a social studies teacher who was in many ways truly phenomenal. Here I will focus on the part of her class that I loved the most, which also happens to comprise my worst memory of my time in any social studies course I’ve ever taken: coloring maps. I LOVED coloring the maps of the different regions of the world that we studied in this course. And what I loved most about coloring them was the punishment/reward system this teacher had set up; she would take points off of your maps if she thought you’d done a sloppy job, and would grant extra credit to the students who did a particularly amazing job. Additionally, the student who colored his/her map most beautifully would be verbally praised in front of his/her whole class, and would know that this teacher would also be showing his/her map to the other two sections of this course. With so many rewards for coloring beautifully, I made it my primary focus each time we had a map assignment. I didn’t bother thinking about the fact that the places I was coloring were real, and certainly wasn’t thinking about the people who lived there. This teacher might as well have just torn a page out of a coloring book and made it an assignment.

To avoid misunderstanding, I am not opposed to coloring being part of a social studies assignment. What I am opposed to is a punishment/reward system that causes students who are learning very little or nothing to appear to be the most successful students to both themselves and to others. I hope to avoid setting up a system like this for the students that I teach.


 * (C) ** I believe it is the job of social studies educators to enable/encourage students to be people who are:

1) Willing and ready to seek information from outside themselves and outside their era. 2) Aware of (and able to discern) bias and lies that exist within themselves and throughout their world. 3) Able to learn from (and make decisions/take action based upon) the truth they come across. 4) Adequately equipped to effectively communicate what they’ve learned (or are currently learning/thinking about) to others. 5) Humble listeners and learners who are determined to present and analyze all thoughts, opinions, or worldviews in their best possible light before making decisions about (or based upon) them.

As I made this list up, I’m sure that it’s not anything close to a comprehensive list of the goals of social studies education, and perhaps some would heartily disagree with one or several of these points. However, it is because I believe these skills/attributes are valuable, because I believe they are (or at least should be) a large part of social studies education, and because I believe schools to be a great place for them to be learned that I:

1) Find it compelling for students to study and learn social studies. 2) Want to be a social studies teacher.