Daniel+Olsen


 * Due to Tech Issues, there were problems with the Resume, Cover letter, Focus student portfolio, and ELL. I have corrected the problem.**

//(Apparently there was a tech issue and the resume is Chris Sweno's and not mine. Here is the correct resume.)//
 * 4 Lesson Plans**
 * 1) Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan [[file:Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan.doc]]
 * 2) Simulation/Role-Play Lesson Plan [[file:Simulation Lesson Plan.doc]]
 * 3) Discussion/Debate Lesson Plan [[file:Debate Lesson Plan.doc]]
 * 4) Student-Directed Project Lesson Plan [[file:Student-Directed Project Lesson Plan.doc]]
 * 4 Artifacts of Instructional Enhancement**
 * 1) Humanities-Based Lesson [[file:Humanities-Based Lesson.doc]]
 * 2) Assessment Samples [[file:Financial System Weekly Assessment.doc]][[file:Essay.doc]]
 * 3) Classroom Procedures Plan [[file:Classroom Procedures Plan.doc]]
 * 4) Resume & Cover Letter [[file:Cover Letter.doc]]
 * 4 Artifacts of Teaching All Learners**
 * 1) Focus Student Portfoli //(Same problem here)//
 * 1) Special Education Artifact [[file:Special Education artifact.doc]]
 * 2) English Language Learner Artifact[[file:English Language Learner Artifact.doc]]
 * 3) Differentiated Instruction Artifact [[file:Differentiated Instruction Artifact.doc]]

4/27/12 Final Wiki Post +,Δ, -

Due to the length of time since my micro-teaching within TE 408, I have instead chosen to pick a more recent experence when I co-taught with Chris Rivard in our placement class. The subject matter was the Arab Spring and the grade level is 6th grade. + A positive thing that I found within my teaching was that the students retained attention, and I felt that my teacher presence was there. There was interest within the material covered. I felt I accurately handled the questions to the best of my ability. Our placement teacher gave a congratulations upon encouraging the students to watch the news and keep up-to-date with current events and my teacher presence and speed of talking. Δ There is a large chunk of the lesson that could have been handled differently to accommodate 6th graders. The spatial and abstract concepts inherent within the Arab Spring were incredible difficult to convey to the students. Going into the lesson I had overlooked the starting point for these students. Upon beginning the lesson, I asked students what the Arab Spring brought to their mind. I fully expected students to know a little bit about the Arab Spring, if at least from overhearing their parents. There was nobody who knew what the Arab Spring was so I had to quickly adapt to the Middle East in which the students had already covered. I feel that a better launching point would have been to discuss the conceptual framework of the Arab Spring movement and relate an example into what was common for them. Going from the concrete rather than an abstract is something I have to adapt to reach the students. Another adaptation would be to have students read prior to receiving the worksheet. The hunt and seek method is contrary to the critical thinking skills I sought to develop. - A negative that I encountered was that I was so taken up into teaching in the moment. Keeping calm while being enthusiastic in approach will be something to work on. I'm too amped up by teaching.

Consider and reflect on your micro-teaching, even critiquing it. Give a “+”, “delta,” and “-” in 3 paragraphs.

4/16/12 The Terrible, in my opinion, should not be spun. In it's very raw nature it should be shocking. These are a few of the most serious issues and events that I may be teaching about.

The Trail of Tears Civil War Holocaust Cuban Missile Crisis 9/11

In order to be 'real' with the students, well that comes with stance, attitude, command of the class, and the content of the lesson. Imagery will be used. First-hand accounts (primary sources) will be used to relate the student to the individual who experienced the Terrible in some way. I realize I cannot teach a student to care, but I must be able have the students understand the cost of the Terrible. The main goal is to humanize what happened in the past, and connect the student with the information that interacts with their social circle.

Their will be a difference in the intensity of the lesson throughout the grade levels. The imagery of the Terrible and its primary sources will be corresponding in their emotional effect to what can be expected from each grade level and what they can handle. This requires talking with my mentor and field instructor in my placement year. The objective is not to scare them.

If I was teaching a HS class about 9/11 I would begin the day without saying anything. I would have the blinds shut and have the TV turned on with a replay of the events in real time on that morning of 9/11. I would sit and watch what happened with the class for about 15 minutes depending on the class. I would then have a conversation with the class, a writing activity on the ramifications of 9/11 and their thoughts on the tragedy. I would then end the day with a hopeful/funny note with a news blooper, or story.

4/8/12 Panel Reflection:

A commonality among those participating in the panel is an underlying proffesional psychological posture. An apt comparison would be that they were all Captains of their own ships(class) and crew(students). Their proffesional bearing and the path of obtaining that, found through their horror stories and path in finding jobs, keeps me mindfuly of my progression. Going on a tangent off this, a rather profound insight that I found out is that going into teaching is not a one job career. With the backgrounds of the teachers who were interviewed, the idea that I will find a permanent job and teach their for my entire career, may be just a dream. I certainly hope that dream will pane out, but I must prepare myself for a chaotic professional path. I wish that their had been more time on the networking subject. I also wish they had gone more in-depth upon the nature of their student teaching and relation with their mentor teacher. Did they work alongside, did they sit in the back of the class for the beginning. As I go into my internship year, what is to be expected of me remains an unknown. What is the "norm". I will have my fellow classmates to find out while I am in the internship but I would really like to know beforehand. I would like to participate right at the beginning and not be stuck in a corner. The progression of their teaching identity is the overarching question which was identified in part but not in sum. What comforted me was that those who particiopated on the panel had the same chaotic confusion at the beginning of their careers and they were able to find a way through it to find their core selves. They were all teachers and had that bearing but the methods and thoughts were quite different and applied directly to their personality. My personality is still in flux just as the panel's were when they entered the field. It is a great comfort that I can relate to people who went through the same things that are today and in my future and freely shared their doubts and horror stories.

A - On an EMOTIONAL level, what especially comforted, troubled, excited, frustrated, or (other emotion) … you? B - On a PROFESSIONAL level, what insights especially stood out to you? C - Making OBSERVATIONS, what traits did the panelist appear to have in common and/or differ on? 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? E - RELATING: Who did you most identify with/relate to or aspire to be like and WHY? F - VISION CASTING: How did this panel help you think about your future "legacy" or teacher identity?

3/30/12

A. What is the difference between cultural relativism and ethical relativism? Give an example of each.

Cultural relativism is the concept of moral codes differing among groups while ethical relativism is that the differences between morality are not capable of being unified under one framework. Cultural relativism may lead to ethical relativism but this is not exclusionary. An example of cultural relativism is the idea of the Captain going down with the boat. Examined as a heroic sacrifice by some societies, it would be morally wrong in other societies and be viewed as suicide. An example of ethical relativism would be between the moral codes of the Amish and the "English" as they refer to outsiders. The split between these two moral codes can be seen as to large to overcome.

B. In a pluralistic society such as ours, why or why not is ethical relativism a desirable way to think about ethical issues?

The variances in moral codes lead to moral disagreements. Ethical relativism holds each moral code as its own inclusive and worthy doctrine. Not allowing for a basic moral underlying moral principle the clash of moral codes is not suitable for sustained tolerance. Tolerance and compromise are crucial in a peaceful pluralistic society to prevent the rise of groups sustaining their ego-centrism in the name. Ethical relativism provides intolerant division within a pluralistic society and is therefore not desirable in such a defined society.

C. 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?

A meaningful analysis through the usage of ethical relativism on the war crimes of the Nazi regime is not capable due to the notion of being unable to tie moral doctrines across differing moral codes of variant groups. By ethical relativism standards the Nazi regime had its own moral codes which could not come into question due to no unifying moral bonds across moral codes. The lack of the universality of a set moral code leads to a self-defeating argument upon the nature of charging those in a different society or moral code with a moral crime. By ethical relativism standards, charging the Nazi regime with war crimes would not be in the right. Ethical relativism is fundamentally flawed as it is not the base perspective of what drove these war crimes and is counter-intuitive to a meaningful analysis of the universality of moral crimes as this subject suggests. By denying the entire framework of this, ethical relativism leads to no analysis but dismission of the subject all together.

3/11/12 //Thus, in three paragraphs write a sincere and open-ended fictional assessment of yourself as a teacher. //

To whom it may concern,

I find Mr. Olsen to be a good teacher who allowed me to think rather than listen. I can not recall an instance where I've slept through one of his lessons. He allows students to be active within the classroom learning. The projects on Friday are what I enjoyed the most. The ability to be creative is something I rarely find in a class.

Mr. Olsen has encouraged me to look up topics when I'm not in school and gather all my facts together before I write, or make a decision. Before I just listened, agreed, or got angry. His class has taught me to be a better thinker.

Reading has never been a strong suit of mine, but Mr. Olsen has taught me the mentality of how to handle such boring material. I do not worry about embarrassing myself anymore.

Mr. Olsen is a good and fair teacher.

2/26/12

a) Highlight 2 specific teaching strategies/techniques that were used to teach content Lecture and debate were used to teach this content. Due to the lack of content knowledge Cuong used a lecture to establish a base of context for the video and debate to follow. The debate was to facilitate an understanding of the motives and meanings of the war from a diverse amount of perspectives.

b) What do you think was effective about the teaching methods and activities? The teaching methods were effective with both the lecture and video. I do not feel that the debate was necessarily as effective as it might. Comparative to the debate, the time spent covering the content and context of the various perspectives was not sufficient to warrant a fluid and educational debate. Given more time I feel they would have been effective.

c) What adaptations could have been made if this lesson is taught to different groups of students (college students, middle school students, etc)? More time given and more structured sources to look at prior to the debate.

2/15/12 - In their article, //Responding to Globalization?//, authors Kasai and Merryfield explain that, “the goal of global education is to prepare students to be effective and responsible citizens in a global society (p. 355).” <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">a) What do the authors have in mind for education to be responsive to prepare students for a globalized world? <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">b) What do you find especially helpful or troubling about the claims being made? A) Education, as deduced by the article //Responding to Globalization//, is believed to be used for the development of a global citizen. That education should be used to foster cultural understanding, multiple perspectives, and multidimensional analysis of global issues. Communication and critical thinking are stressed in this type of education. B) There are both helpful and troubling issues in regard to this article. The most conflicting issue is whether students should be taught from an American perspective or a global perspective. A global view or outlook of education is referenced by critics as proponent of a one world government. There are great benefits in teaching from a global perspective, one where critical thinking and the understanding and making sense of vast amount of perspectives, There are also concerns with this method of education. It teaches of a unified world understanding of events rather than a nationalistic understanding. This could be troubling due to the worries of practicing an education of ideals rather than reality. The world is still very much segmented and nationalistic. Trade wars, embargoes, outsourcing, world fuel supplies, missile defense to name a few issues that are out looked by a national perspective in this world. We live in a divided world, a population which has the ability to wipe itself out, a world still rife with nationalistic outlooks, war, and limited resources. Education should be taught from a global perspective but an American perspective as well. They are not mutually indistinguishable from one another. Students are being raised in an educational system to be informed participating American citizens. They should at least know the consequences of their outlooks and decisions as well as what would better America.

1/23/12 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Create an accountability/assessment piece for the Cooperative activity on the candidates/election we started in class. The activity should simple hold each group member responsible on some level to ensure that all students work together and see the Cooperative Learning as a valid lesson that is worth participating in and perhaps even worth a grade. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">This is a team assessment for a cooperative learning assignment. The students will have formed debate teams for their individual candidates and have specified roles as given in the directions. Having students staple their own work (not the groups, this would be made clear vocally as well) on the back of the assessment would allow me to check to make sure what they say is accurate.

1. [] a. Made in Amsterdam by Valck, Gerard, and Leonard. Showing Denmark between 1690-1704, Nationality: Holland, Language: Dutch b. The map as far as can be determined due to erosion and build up of material on the peninsula is quite accurate. There is a substantial amount of leeway due to the geographical change leading from the maps creation around 1700 to the time of satellite imaging. There is a distortion which may or may not actually be distortions. The positions of the island of Anholt and Laeso while comparing google maps to the map show that in the older map they are closer to parallel in latitude than current day. This may or may not reflect the squashing down of the image online or an actual error on part of the cartographers. 2a. I find the Molleweide Map to be the most accurate due to latitude and longitude lines showing a more precise picture of where the nations are relative to their worldly dimension. The ellipse captures the essence of the spherical nature of the globe on a 2D map as compared to the other attempts to conceptualize the Earth in 2D form.
 * FIRST SEMESTER**
 * Week 13**

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?

A) Civil Rights would be the unit. B)a. A kinetic activity that might be useful in the Civil Rights unit would be the creation of protest posters. This would allow students who were artistic to voice their talent and learn about the methods used by those who protested peacefully. The posters would also be a good motivational tool to hang around the classroom on the walls. b.[] I would have students pick three speeches from the civil rights era to read and write about what audience they were writing for, what did they say, and what was the effect and significance of the speech. c.[] I wish I Knew how it would Feel to be Free The activity for this would be a free write where students would write continually for about 10-20 minutes on what it means to be free. Followed by a discussion d. I would have students read MLK's "I have a dream speech" and I would have them write their own speech which they would then deliver. There would be requirements of what could be referenced within the speech for students to look up and learn about the Civil Rights movement.
 * Week 12**


 * Week 11**

1a) Intrinsic motivation is where the student is encouraged to complete coursework by an internal motive. There is no set internal motive for all students but there is a wealth of commonality of motives that work within a classroom. Motives may include future careers, dreams, songs, opinions on controversial issues, winning (ex: a contest), or a particular part of the subject matter (ex: a love for history about the American Revolution). An example I have seen of this is utilizing the creative intrinsic motivation found in many people. My former High School English Teacher assigned a project where students could choose or create from diverse suggestions to expand upon //The Shipping News//. This brilliant project had one student paint an incredible work of art of a rowboat in a stormy sea, another was a Halo forge creation of a room found in the book (ex: video games in the classroom), and for me it was writing an extra chapter of the book. Extrinsic motivation is where a motive is derived from another person. Bribes, rewards, positive and negative reinforcement methods are part of this type of motivation. One example I have witnessed is a Science teacher tossing out candy to students when they answered a question. This happened continually for most days. b) Mr. Pineda’s teaching was of an unspoken intrinsic nature. His positive attitude was a positive reinforcement to intrinsically motivate students to answer questions and to complete the coursework as well as an intrinsic motivation for students to find an answer and “win”. This was when the Mr. Pineda asked the students to find out what amendments were broken. This led to a student driven investigation where the student found motivation in successfully finding the amendments broken. The students reaction upon describing which amendments were broken readily shows that their answers were a product of their own motivation and work. They were more into the material. 2a) Multicultural education is bringing in cultural aspects of the non-majority o f the population. The efforts of those who are African American, Latino, Asians, and Native Americans are taught from their own perspectives. It is used for these groups not to be left out and for students to have a well rounded education as well as there to be less of a likelihood of prejudice in and out of the classroom. b) I will utilize multicultural education by having students research and write on topics such as the women’s rights movements, and achievements of minority groups (with a list of accomplishments to choose from). Dr. Drew who invented plasma would be one such option. I will also be hanging up flags from around the world within the classroom. 3a) Differentiated instruction is helping the particular requirements of all students. Using multiple methods of kinetic, visual, and auditory learning for students to understand and learn for lessons rather than a one method course of just lecturing for instance. b) Pre-assessment requires the most consideration for me. I need to know where I’m going before I get there. Otherwise I’m at a loss. 4 A) Interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence are strengths of mine though I sometimes get lost within them. With calm rationality I know the thoughts and feelings of others as well as my own and do not get lost in the moment. This is what I am working towards and have been successful in the past. B) Musical intelligence is underrepresented and is a missed opportunity. The soul of intrinsic motivation is in finding what reaches students. Music is one aspect that is not utilized. Though music does not speak for everyone, music can be used in teaching and is not a waste of time. Music is conceptual and a great memorizing tool. It should be valued and used and is quite appropriate in Secondary Education.

Week 9

__**PERSONAL Q's:**__
a. Guardian SJ Observant, Scheduled b. Guardians maintain society and its institution. Rather than change the order of things they try to save. Order is the goal of guardians and they strive to achieve order in their lives and others. They are preservers rather than changers. c. George Washington and George H. Bush are Guardians. They relate to me by valuing lasting institutions and protecting the order of things. d. Indispensable and thankless jobs is what the site says which is apt in a general sense, but I disagree that teaching is thankless.

a. economic left/right1.88 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 6.87 b. No its not surprising in how I voted. Though how that person acted after being elected did not fit his campaign. But that seems to be always the case now days. The presidency is now of a commercial nature. c. Nobody on the chart relates to me. d. I think this exercise shows the conflicting beliefs within each person that does not make a person one set but a dichotomy of beliefs thus allowing a 2 party system to adequately serve in a healthy manner a republic. People will vote where they lean most towards not who they agree with 100%. Two choices give the two opposite ends that pull on people and allow for an easier decision.
 * __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.)

Oct 12 Should Columbus Day be celebrated.

Columbus Day should be celebrated but for different reasons. I think of Bobby Fischer when I ponder this question. An anti-sematic at the end of his life, he was praised, celebrated, and the standard of America during a segment of the Cold War. Can I as an American accept the specified ramifications of what he accomplished in uniting our nation and fighting the Soviets on the Chess Board? Or do I have to accept his personal views and actions at the end of his life.

Can a single idea or act save the good memory of a person? This is a moral question. As is the very question of should Columbus Day be celebrated. I think a single act or idea should be celebrated if it was amazing. Because with every idea or act there is good and evil. One cannot judge the world in black and white but in gray. I think the discovery of two whole continents is an act to be celebrated.

With celebrations and great acts there are lessons.Columbus Day should be celebrated to learn the lessons of greed, intolerance, and the roots of genocide. Gettysburg is celebrated/remembered every day at the site of the battle. The battle was atrocious and killed thousands but still we praise, celebrate, and remember. Columbus Day is day to be celebrated out of remembrance. The New World is a gift and responsibility. Should we not celebrate that gift but remember the price?

Week 5

Examples The Formal Curriculum - Syllabus The Delivered- A questions raised about why the Anasazi fell when talking about Pre-Columbian Americans The Learned- Civil Duty The Hidden- Respect The Null- Divisions in America The Societal- 5 second rule

Teachers have a limited role in how students learn, and what knowledge they bring to the class whether societal or formalized. A teacher can not expect to be the one to fix all that is wrong with society and make it right to their idea of what it should be. The students societal curriculum is the most important of the defined curriculum areas due to the magnitude of its effect. How a student acts determines all the other takeaways from the curriculum in schools. If the culture of the students is not understood by the teacher the learning ability of that student is greatly decreased. The teacher must incorporate the pre-existing societal curriculum as far as that is good for learning. Just accepting it as a whole can be detrimental. For example allowing food and drink in the classroom is in the societal curriculum for some schools but is a major detriment to learning. Worse than the reasoning behind allowing it happen which is at least they won't act up. Thats the wrong attitude to take. The teacher must take the positives in past curriculum not the negatives.

Week 4 Post on a) what you know & want to know about the 'Modern Middle East' (e.g. Histories, worldviews, economies, geography & etc.) b) what do the terms, "Modern" & "Middle East" mean? c) Why is this subject important for citizens of the United States to study? A) The Modern Middle East is in turmoil by a movement to overthrow decades long leadership of dictators and kings. The crisis between Turkey and Israel is heating up with the Israeli ambassador being kicked out. The few place that the turmoil seems to have passed over is Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

B)Modern means post Colonialism Middle East where the English rule has been kicked out. With the recent arab spring the Modern part may need to be updated. As to Middle East it symbolizes a place whether religious or geographical it is the center of the world's interest.

C) This topic is important to study due to American interests and policies being so wrapped up in that area. One thing I have noticed is that even the media does not know what an Arab is. Wolf Blitzer for instance thought Iranians were Arabs. Which they are not, there Persian. Big difference in understanding culture and policy. I think Americans tend to try and lump everything together to try understand what they don't understand and it leads to terrible ideas.

Week 3

A)To speak of scope and sequence is to talk of differing subjects matter and the order of the subject matter both in the macro style of grade levels and the micro style of one grade level. The scope and sequence whether expanded upon or predetermined should be planned out by the teacher according the standards and school district. Scope and sequence in a larger sense is how the district determines what the student learns and in what order that follows.

C)The advantages of having a predetermined scope and sequence is that the learning is tailored to the needs of the district and less accountability and is placed upon the teacher for subject matter along with the teacher being free of creating a tailored scope and sequence to the individual classes. The disadvantages is less freedom in course content and a rigid time schedule where what can be learned is either severely restricted due to amount of time and coverage and with other subjects to long of a period but no doubt this is a rarity.

D)The advantages of a tailored made scope and sequence for teaching content is that it enables the potential for teachers to create a better learning process based upon the individual class and students rather than a one size fit all. The disadvantage of a tailored scope and sequence is the potential for bad planning and a sequence of scopes which do not cover what the students need to know later on in the grade levels.

Week 2 A lesson plan is the planned objectives for the day which includes defining what state educational requirements it fulfills. Teachers need them to show their course layout and how they manage the class. They are useful to keep track of what was covered and what to cover in the future. Simply put lesson plans should be a journal of class activities.
 * Prompt - What is a lesson plan? Why do teachers need them? Are they always useful?**

They are an outline to plan and extrapolate the future educational path of the students within the class. Lesson plans are crucial for teachers to teach efficiently.

Week 1 " (A) D <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">escribe and post your favorite memory from a social studies class from middle/junior/senior high school; (B) Describe and post your worst memory or experience from a social studies class from middle/junior/senior high school; and (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. " To create your page in the wiki, please follow these instructions:

A) My favorite memory is in middle school where we designed and built our own history-themed board games which included a write up about the game and the time it was centered in. Mostly I like the game and how enthusiastic I was about the class.

B) Worst memory of a social studies class was dry monotone lectures.

C)I would like to teach in the realm of Social Studies for two reasons: however irrational the idea "to make a difference on a small spot of this Earth". Most of all and this sums it up, I enjoy teaching. Its a good feeling when a student realizes something they hadn't thought of before.