Beyond Innovation Week

For our innovation week assignment, I decided to begin marathon training.  I could have sat around and rested for an hour each day, I could have caught up on my TV shows, I could have read a book (which I tried but only got 5 chapters read), I could have watched movies, but I wanted to do something more meaningful to me.  Yes, all of those things relax me, which is important, but they aren't as meaningful to me as doing something with a purpose (besides to relax).  Although running and working out is difficult and hard to get the motivation to do sometimes, what I was searching for was the reward from it.  The reward is how I feel afterwards.  Not only do I applaud myself for going through with it, no matter how much I don't want to, but I applaud myself because I did something difficult that betters myself both physically and mentally.  My stress is erased, my worries eased. I have a better time concentrating after I exercise (which I'm sure has something to do with endorphins and more oxygen in my brain) and I feel better about myself in general.

Taking all of the things that exercise and running does for me, I now look to what it could do for my future students.  As a future teacher, I always consider what I can do to motivate and engage my students to help them become better learners.  What I learned more clearly through my innovation week is that exercise is beneficial for the mind and body. I believe that students need physical exercise in order to have more mental energy to learn in the classroom.  Not only does physical exercise help "fidgety" students get some energy out, but it releases those much needed endorphins and provides more oxygen to the brain so that students can focus more in the classroom.  Taking these things into consideration, my next step has two parts.  Personally, I will keep on training for the marathon, and even keep on exercising regularly beyond the marathon.  This is a step that will keep me physically and mentally fit and also keep me healthy.  This is the first step in providing a model for students.  If I was unhealthy and didn't take part in physical exercise, what benefit could they see in it?  The next step is to find ways to incorporate daily physical exercise into the school day.  I know that this is not an easy task because there are so many things to accomplish in a school day, but all I can think of is how much more productive the students could be if they participated in daily physical exercise.  I believe that P.E. being relegated to once a week in many schools is not doing the students a service.  I believe they need more.  I believe the actual health guidelines call for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week (I could be totally wrong but that's what I'm remembering for some reason).  One step in the right direction that I will apply when I am a teacher is to never keep a child in from recess or lunch recess.  I believe this exacerbates the problem and we need to find more effective ways to handle classroom management issues (like finding more ways to keep them engaged and on-task so there's no room for off-task behavior!).

All in all:  "Commit to be fit!"  ~Author Unknown (I added the exclamation point)
:) 

One Laptop Per Child Presentation

I just wanted to take a few minutes out of my day to discuss the presentation that I attended at USD yesterday.  The speaker was Robert Hacker and he discussed the program One Laptop Per Child.  I'm not sure if I would have attended the presentation if my class had not all gone together, but I was intrigued by the idea because I have not heard much about this program.  As I was listening to Hacker talk about the program, I thought that the premise of expanding educational opportunities to children in need was a great one.  However, I also had quite a few doubts about this program as I was listening to him speak and answer questions during the Q&A session.  My first concern stems from the class I'm taking this semester entitled The Historical Struggles for Educational Equity.  In this class we focus on educational inequity in the United States (we will tie in other countries in the last few weeks of class) and we have a lot of discussions about racism and socioeconomic status and the inequity of resources that characterize our schools.  I know that they are just starting their laptop programs here in the US, but part of me wonders why companies such as this or our own government are not focusing on schools here in the United States.  I'm not at all saying that these other children do not deserve or need these computers and an education, but I feel like the problems we have in our own country are being overlooked and/or ignored and I want to know when companies are going to step up to provide equity in education in OUR school system.  I also had a lot of doubts about the purpose of this program.  It's goal is touted as the education of children in need, and it seems that they come in with these computers but then students are teaching themselves?  He mentioned a short training of teachers there, but basically students are taking in this technology on their own.  He also mentioned that they are working hard to build infrastructures so that there is internet in these impoverished countries, but someone in the audience posed the question, "What about at home?  Is the internet going to be on at home where students can explore and practice there?" but he said that wasn't a concern of theirs.  I also wonder what happens as these children who get the laptops grow up.  Hacker said that children ages 4-12 get the computers, and once they have it, it is theirs.  So they keep it as they get older, and do they keep sending computers out as more and more children are born?  Maybe I just need to do more research on this program because I felt like he wasn't really able to concisely answer anyone's questions about it (I felt like he was beating around the bush a lot).  I guess what I really want to know is, why are there schools in the US that have very few resources for technology, and many many families and children in the US with no computer access but we have a company that is giving children in other countries laptops?  The premise of the company is to educate these children so that they can fix the problems in their impoverished countries, but to me it seems like there are a lot of holes in that concept.

Innovation Week-Beginning Marathon Training

Day One (Tuesday)-Success!  I didn't die of exhaustion on our run (goal of running a marathon in June with my finance and I need a lot of training...will most likely run a half-marathon first)...we ran about three miles?  It's really hard to tell when you're running all over neighborhoods.  I did conquer a few hills, which felt pretty good to me.  It was also nice to spend quality time with my fiance, since both of us have school and a million other things going on.  We actually talked about how we can better the world, and tossed around ideas in the ecological sense, like recycling more, picking up trash when we see it, possibly volunteering (time permitting), etc.  Before we went on the run I was stressing about it, because I had an assignment to do (which I still have to do!) and I'm getting bombarded with more school stuff and working more hours and getting less sleep, and to be honest, really didn't want to add one more thing (which is always my excuse).  But I did it because I committed and I have to say, I feel really good about that decision.  I think that training for a marathon will not only get me in shape physically, but get my mind in shape by alleviating my stress and getting me feeling mentally good about myself.

Day Two (Wednesday)-Today was also a success, in that I actually went out running :)  I'm not sure how far I ran...I had to go by myself because Mike (my fiance) has class late.  Since it's night and I was running by myself, I just stayed within my complex and did 10 laps.  The complex is smaller, so I'm guessing I ran a mile and a half.  Not as far as yesterday, but I had the motivation to go on my own, so that's a big plus!  Tomorrow will be another longer run with Mike, so hopefully I'll have more interesting stuff to share.  :)

Day Three (Thursday)-Wow, so by Thursday, I am EXHAUSTED...between school, two jobs, and the million other things it seems I have to do (grocery shopping, paying bills, cleaning, etc.) I am barely hanging on by this point!  Well, I came home after my 12ish hour day (6am-6pm) and was expecting to run with Mike, but he was going to the gym first and I have to work at 6am tomorrow so I didn't want to wait until super late.  So, I went to the gym with Mike.  He had me work out with him every step of the way (he's a crazy gym guy who goes for a few hours every day).  We did abs, biceps, triceps, and back...then went swimming for some cardio.  I did 4 and 3/4ths laps, which is actually good for me considering my legs have been dead from all of this intense working out, and also the fact that I'm not a good swimmer (a few weeks ago Mike taught me the basic free-style movements).  We were at the gym for a couple of hours, I'm going to be hurting tomorrow!

Day Four (Friday)-Well, if you knew how exhausted I was yesterday, then you know how bad it was today.  I had to get up at 5am after my long day yesterday and work, then I had an interview (I had to finally get coffee after trying to stay away from it so that I would be alert and not a zombie) and then work again...but I was bound and determined to go on a run after work anyway, even though I had to babysit from 9pm to 1am.  I had an idea for a run, but I knew it would be a challenge because it was long and involved a lot of hills.  So Mike and I set out on our run and it was really tough and it took us a long time and I walked a little bit, but ran most of the way (I was very proud of myself).  Mike guessed it was about three miles, but I thought it was more so we jumped in the car and drove it and it was 4.2 miles!  That's the farthest I've ran I think ever, especially with hills!  We also drove around my complex to see how far one lap is, and it's .25 miles.  So on Day Two I actually ran a little over 2 miles!

Day Five (Saturday)-Mike doesn't work out on the weekends, so I went on a run on my own today.  I decided to run 10 laps again in my complex (a little over two miles).  Nothing too exciting, but I was pretty proud of myself for pushing myself to complete all ten laps (I really wanted to stop after 8!)

Day Six (Sunday)-Today I decided it was time to give my muscles a break.  I've been pushing myself really hard physically this week (after not regularly exercising for a very long time) so I decided to spend the day relaxing and working on my school work for my other classes.

Reflection of Innovation Week
Overall, I feel like this innovation week was valuable for me.  This week really got me back into working out.  I felt motivated, which I do not usually have.  Part of it was because I felt like I had to for this class, part of it was because I have a partner in it who is holding me accountable, but part of it is because there is a goal that I am interested in (a marathon) in which requires a lot of training.  I think that I would have to keep this up (5 days a week, two days off) for a couple more weeks before the motivation really sticks with me, which means that on Tuesday I need to start again.  I read somewhere that you have to consistently work out for 21 days (three weeks) before the motivation is more natural and becomes a "must" to continue.  I find exercising to be a very valuable thing in life because it is a huge stress-reliever for me.  It is something that I find is worth making time for, even though it is really easy to use as an excuse (seriously, time is always an issue!).  I found that I feel better about myself and I can actually think more clearly and focus better after exercising.  I think that it is important to get outside, get fresh air, and move your body to clear your mind.  This has huge implications for my pedagogy, because it really inspires me to make sure my students have the opportunity to get outside and move around and get exercise.  This means that keeping students in from recess is definitely not something I will do as a teacher, and also taking the kids out to run a lap or do some activities to clear their minds so that they can be better participants in class (you can really see the value of regular P.E. time!).  All in all, I found this time valuable and I plan to continue to make time to do so and eventually I will run my first marathon! 

Reflections of an Intellectually Stimulating Evening at USD

     Tonight was one of those brilliant thought-provoking nights where I think to myself, "Yes, this is it, I am getting my Masters and I am doing what I am passionate about".
     Although I am not a teacher yet (I'm shaking my fist at you, darn economy!) I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am studying what I'm meant to.  I am so passionate about education, that I when I get into thought-provoking discussions about it, I just can't contain myself.  I feel conviction.  I felt so convicted tonight in one of my class discussions that I got choked up.  I just couldn't contain the emotion that comes with passion.  What did I feel so much conviction for, you ask?  Well, for my multiple literacies class we watched a video entitled Digital Media-New Learners of the 21st Century and were asked to make notes about what resonated with us, what concepts we wondered about and what concepts we disagreed with or challenged.  This video is long (about 53 minutes) but really shows authentic ways in which schools around the country are teaching with technology.  There was one clip that portrayed a program in Chicago in which students could go after school and use technology to learn.  They had a recording studio, photographers studio, video editing studios, and showed high school students utilizing these programs and learning with this technology.  The video shows a clip of an African American high school girl who has become really good at video editing and who has dreams of owning her own production company one day.  She even taught a class to younger students on video editing at this program.  One of the members of our class, while discussing the video based on the previously mentioned criteria, brought up this scene and explained that he thought this was an aspect of the video he would challenge because he didn't think that it was "right" for a high school girl to take on the responsibility of teaching a class, and that it was "ridiculous" that she thought that she would one day open up a production company, because that wasn't a realistic goal.  Another girl agreed with him, and added that these kids need to be taught about the real-world and what awaits them and that these dreams are "too big".  Now, when I responded, I felt conviction.  I felt conviction that I believed the complete opposite.  I saw that clip and saw something completely different.  I saw a girl with a dream, but was learning the means to achieve that dream.  Now, I'm not against being realistic and teaching about what happens in the real-world, but I'm also about empowering students to believe that they have the means to achieve anything.  I am also all about students teaching other students and that it is not only possible, but beneficial, to learn from each other.  Not only were the younger students learning from another (older) student, but she was able to take on that leadership role and impart what she had learned to others, which is one of the most powerful ways to learn in my opinion.
     To maybe make you understand a little more why I felt such conviction at this point, is to explain what had happened in the class prior to this one.  The class is The Historical Struggles for Educational Equity, and we research and discuss how educational inequity started in our country and how it still persists today.  A theme we have come across is segregation, and how it still exists in schools today, although according to the "educational system" it is de-segregated.  (But that's a whole other topic!).  Tonight we had a discussion about our students, and how minority students are getting lost in our system.  We talk about the social injustice that happens and gets ignored because of the fact that our education system is politically based.  We talked about how our society has held Asian Americans up as the "model minority", but how that's really masking the discrimination that is still happening, because it doesn't take into account all Asian Americans.  We talked about standardized testing and how it is doing a disservice to our students and leaving many of our children behind, mostly minority students.  We talked about the inequity in schools based on socioeconomic status, and the difference in education the students at different schools receive because of it.  Basically, what I connected with most in this evenings discussions was the absolute passion I feel when I think about my future students (and the students I student-taught) and how I don't want to be the teacher that leaves any of them behind.  I want to be the teacher that focuses on the students and their needs and have a student-centered classroom in which they are engaged and motivated and that ALL students feel empowered to take control of their learning.  I want to differentiate my instruction so that all students feel successful and grow in their education.  I don't want any students to feel discriminated against in my classroom, because they won't be.  I want my students to know that I have high expectations from ALL of them, and that they are all worthy and can be successful.  Which brings me to the conviction I felt in my second class.  For a student in general, not to mention an African American student, who we often marginalize, generalize, and discriminate against in the education system to be so passionate about something and believe in herself and teach others was an amazing thing to see.  I felt conviction that this is indeed a goal for us educators to reach, to inspire passion in our students and to have them take control over their own learning.  I believe it is a goal we should have to allow our students to believe in themselves so much that they can have dreams of overcoming the stereotypes and discrimination against them in our society.  I understand that it is also our job to teach students about the real-world and "realistic dreams" but man, it was so wonderful to me to see passion in these students.  I think that it is our job as educators to foster engagement, motivation, and a passion for learning in our students.
     I can't really concisely articulate what these classes and these discussions did for me, because I could go on and on and more in depth, but I just wanted to get out what I couldn't hold in any longer.  This is what I'm passionate about, and I can't wait to keep furthering my knowledge, figure out a way to make changes, and one day implement them (if any teaching jobs would just open up, already!)

Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it if you made it all the way to the end.
Any feedback and/or comments are welcomed and appreciated :)

Thanks,
Sherilyn

EDUC 578 Post #5-Visitor or Resident?

I think that the idea of visitor/resident is a much better way of conceptualizing internet usage than the native/immigrant approach.  I think that as of now, I am more of a visitor than a resident, but am slowly becoming more of a resident as I blog/tweet/bookmark for this class.  I am constantly online somehow, whether on my computer or my phone, but usually in a visitor capacity.  Google is my best friend sometimes when I need information, I pay my bills online (most of them), do banking, read the news, check email, facebook, etc.  However, I feel like even before this class I was also partly a resident because I have a facebook account.  I use it as personal social networking with friends/family and I participate in it daily, by posting my own status updates and pictures, and by connecting with others by commenting, "like"ing, and sending messages.  I also used to have a myspace account in which I would do the same thing.  Now I would say I'm on my way to becoming a resident professionally by blogging, tweeting, and bookmarking.  I feel like I have a ways to go before I'm a total resident because I think I still approach some of these sites with the mindset of a visitor, but more and more I'm investing myself in it and trying to leave my digital footprint out there for everyone to see.

EDUC 578 Post #4-A Whole New Mind

Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind was an inspiring and thought-provoking read (well, Part 1 at least, haven't read the rest yet!).  The idea that we're moving into what he terms the Conceptual Age rings true, and that means that we're going to need to make a lot of changes to our educational system in response to it.  The Conceptual Age is the switch from the Information Age and left-brain thinking to an emphasis on the "creator and the empathizer" which is a switch to more right-brain thinking skills.  Pink is not suggesting that left-brain thinking is no longer needed or valuable, but he is suggesting that right-brain thinking has been undervalued and is now more valuable than ever in a time when many left-brain jobs are being outsourced to cut costs.  Now, we value beautiful things and those beautiful things need to be created and/or designed by someone, which requires right-brain skills.  Pink also gives the example of "empathy training" being implemented in nursing and doctor programs so that nurses and doctors are trained to understand the patient better and to be able to relate to them and empathize with them.  Empathy is a right-brained activity and is just one example of how right-brain thinking is starting to be valued more and more.  It is for these reasons and many more that Pink suggests that for the Conceptual Age we need "a whole new mind".  Left-brain thinking isn't going to cut it anymore, we need right-brain thinking skills to advance us as people and as a society.  This affects us as educators because it has long been believed that education kills creativity in students.  The idea that there is only one right answer is stunting students growth and is not engaging their right-brain thinking skills.  School and standardized testing is only cultivating left-brain thinking skills, and so we need to make changes so that students also cultivate right-brain thinking skills.  More art, more empathy, more creativity.  I think that the movement to get character education placed into the classrooms (at least in the school districts I've been in) is an awesome start, but we need to be doing more as educators to inspire, rather than kill, creativity in our students.  After all, if Pink is right, when our students are older they will have to have these right-brain skills to be a successful adult.

My First Comment...

Hey Everyone!
It was a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to post about my first "commenting" experience out in the online world.  I was looking through the bookmarks in our Learning and Teaching group on Diigo and I saw an article that Jeff posted called Education Think:  Ten Reasons to Get Rid of Homework (And Five Alternatives).  This sounded interesting to me, so I read it.  I found that I didn't quite agree with the author, and was reading through all of the other comments that people left, and I decided that I would leave my very first comment (as opposed to just "lurking").  I was very nervous because I wasn't just affirming everything the article said and also because I've never done that before!  I was scared that someone would have something negative to say about my comment (I'm totally one of those students always looking for affirmation even when I know I'm doing an great job).  Anyway, I left my comment and there was no damage done.  One other person left a comment after me but didn't even address what I said.  So, no mean comment from the author upset that I didn't agree with him :)  I really don't know what I was so worried about, it's not like I know any of these people!
Thanks for reading!
Sherilyn 

My Passion in Education

So, this week I am faced with the daunting task of trying to figure out what I would like to do research on for either my Thesis or Action Research for my Masters program.  First of all, this is my very first semester in the program and I haven't even taken the core classes of my program and certainly haven't taken the initial research class that I need in order to even begin my thesis or action research.  Therefore, my job is to figure out my passion in education, what I would like to delve into more deeply.  The problem is, I am passionate about education and teaching in general.  I just want to make a difference.  I don't just want to be a good teacher, or even a great teacher, I want to be the best.  The teacher that doesn't just teach, but opens up student's eyes to the wider world and helps them access it and become successful people in general.  When thinking about this passion more deeply, I become extremely perturbed about the issue of standardized testing and what it is doing to the learning in the classroom.  Teachers (in general) are spending a tremendous amount of their time in test prep, what they call "teaching to the test" rather than teaching students the critical thinking skills they need to be successful in education (and life too) and the enriching experiences of art, music, dance, and theater.  In most cases science and social studies are lost as well, as the focus is on the subjects being tested:  language arts and math.  Where I think that I am the most passionate is creating an all-encompassing curriculum, that can somehow link all of these subjects and still provide students with the skills they need to do well on the dreaded standardized tests, but also giving them the critical thinking skills that they need at the same time.  I took a little bit of time to look into this idea and I found a really cool website through Diigo called Interdisciplinary Learning in Your Classroom:  Explanation, in which the author not only defines what interdisciplinary learning is, but gives its roots, the benefits of using it in the classroom, and also gives the tools for you to create your own interdisciplinary classroom.  What I really like about the idea of interdisciplinary learning is that it incorporates many subjects together and emphasizes critical thinking, which is very important to me.  I will definitely be looking into this site further as I more clearly develop what I would like to do with my research.  At this point in time I am also unclear as to what the parameters are and the specific details about how to go about picking a topic and doing the research so I know as I take the classes in the program I should get a much clearer picture of what I would like to do.  If anyone has any resources for me that would be beneficial, please feel free to share them :)
I guess the questions I have at this point are:  Are there other resources besides "Interdisciplinary Learning" that I should be looking into?  Is there already a successful cross-curricular curriculum developed in California and more specifically San Diego that also addresses the interests of students and developing their critical thinking skills?
I am also very interested in using technology as one of the modes of learning in this curriculum that I am passionate about.  I think that it is a way to motivate students and a successful way to engage them and get them actively learning and sharing their knowledge.
The big question is....how do I take all of these things and put them in a nice neat "little" topic?????