Rants and Raves

My solution of how to “fix” the multitude of problems that the U.S. has with education would be, first and foremost, for the people in office to actually start listening to the people on the front lines, the ones that actually walk-the-walk: US….The Teachers!!!!

If things are ever going to change for the better, WE, the teachers need to be respected for what we do and that means that WE must be respected for our experience and knowledge of educating children and what WE know works best in our classrooms.

For change to occur educators need to be valued for what they know. They need to be validated for their experience. They need to be supported by the system and paid fairly. They need to have funding to keep their classrooms stocked, supplied, and outfitted with the best and latest equipment available to teach to the present day “global classroom” of this new age. The focus has to be on educating the “whole child”. The public system needs to bring back the programs that were cut from so many schools: science, art, technology, P.E, and music. It is true, education is a system, just like any other, and when parts of that system are missing the system does not become stronger, it becomes weaker.

The type of professional development that works best for me is hands-on, activity based workshops/classes. As an educator I have come to realize how I learn best. Activity based classes that are student centered and creative allows me to learn at my own pace while keeping me inspired through creative culminating projects. As an independent, private school educator, I have been lucky in that I have had the privilege and liberty of personal choice when looking into professional development.

Top Ten Resources to be The Best Teacher I can be:

1. State of the art equipment
2. Art supplies
3. School supplies
4. Money for awesome field trips
5. Supportive Administration
6. Supportive Parents
7. Colleagues who believe that collaboration is good
8. Time
9. Fair wages
10. And the Number #10 resource needed to be the BEST….. Freedom with curriculum

The California standards, in my opinion, provide a structure to follow across the board for the most part. Some of them however, should be reevaluated for content and authenticity and impact in today’s world (4th grade Native Americans and the Mission period in particular). However, I like the structure that the standards provide; yet I prefer personal choice with how I execute the information.

My take on the NO Child Left Behind policy is that Yes, it is important to meet the needs of every child, however if the U.S. really wants to stand behind what they preach than they need to provide the funding for the children who need the individual support. The U.S. needs to be accountable for the aftermath that this policy mandates.

Smaller class size allows me to build closer relationships with all my students. It affords me the space and time necessary to get to know them on an individual basis and to see where their needs and strengths are. It allows for 1:1 teaching on a more consistent basis.

I fell into the world of teaching at 14. It was my first after school job and although later I majored in child psychology, I was resistant toward becoming a teacher. Then one day I found myself in Japan teaching ESL. The school I went through in San Francisco “New World Teachers” taught me to “as a teacher think outside the box” with regards to lesson planning. They emphasized a philosophy that transformed education, as I knew it to be; lessons that were activity based, student centered, engaging, and fun. I had never been a student with a teacher teaching in this manner and to find myself now a teacher executing this type of lesson was overwhelming. I was hooked!

I was really surprised at my emotional response to discussion on the KQED radio podcast. During my listening, I found myself taking all kinds of notes about who I am as an educator, what inspires me, why I chose this profession, and most importantly I realized that my natural ability to be successful in my field because teaching IS my craft and one that enjoy and am extremely proud of. This podcast helped me to put words to how I feel about being a teacher 'at present' and 'where I want to go with it in the future' (words that I have been something I’ve been struggeling to string together for the past few months.) This podcast left me feeling empowered and that my choice was a good one.

Since entering the field of education I have always been working at private, independent schools (except for my one year student teaching assignments). My choice is based on my desire to work in a supportive environment that allows its faculty to be autonomous, creativity, freedom, flexibility, personal choice, and professional growth opportunities. directed toward fulfilling a My experience has shown me that reason for this choice is because the independent, private sector retains a philosophy and mission toward providing the best possible environment for its faculty and students within the parameters of leaning and growth.