Teaching in Style

Inspired by this post, I’m indulging my style addiction and looking at teacher fashion. For many young teachers, it can be challenging to find looks that are modern yet comfortable. Chic doesn’t always coincide with classroom-ready, especially when it’s play time for your kindergardeners! But I’m confident that there are looks that are professional and practical.

I love the bright details on the kimono dress below. Paired with functional and classic accessories, such as the bag and watch, it’s doable in a classroom yet makes an strong impression. Dresses may not be the most practical choice, but you can make it work with the right details. Tights and a cute cardigan keeps the look conservative, and ankle boots are a comfortable alternative to heels.

Here’s the look – let me know what you think!

No, I’m Not Going to Be a Glorified Babysitter

Here’s the response I get when I tell people that I’m going into elementary education:

“Ah, how cute!” (from adults)

“Good luck finding a job” (from cynical adults)

“That’s good money and benefits if you find a job” (from more cynical adults)

“What do you mean you’re busy? That’s a freakin easy major!” (from sleep-deprived pre med majors)

Of course, these responses are gleaned solely my personal experience. And I have (some) gotten respectful and positive feedback. But they illuminate that people don’t always see the significance of early childhood education. They see arts, cratfs, and playtime, and people paid too much to “babysit”.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone who’s gone, “I want to be rich – I’ll go into teaching!”

Early childhood educators are professionals. We study the theories that make up the foundation of our field, and keep up to date on the latest research. We use these theories and research to develop practices that we apply to classrooms. We reflect on our practice and constantly work to improve how we educate children. Are there a small number of people in the field that give teachers a bad name? Yes. Are there policies that need reformed? Yes. But these are non-contagious diseases; bad teachers and bad policies do not negate the good, even great, work that most educators do every day.

This applies to all educators, but early childhood has an especially tough time. Preschools are constantly in danger of being the victims of budget cuts. After all, isn’t it just babysitting?

No, it’s not. I’m so grateful that I am taking a child development course because it stresses all of physical, emotional, and cognitive changes that occur during early childhood. Diana Mendley Rauner makes a great case for our preschools. When you think of what’s best for children, you become a firm advocate for early childhood education.

As a preservice teacher, I’m extremely biased. I wouldn’t be studying education if I didn’t believe that teachers are part of a respected profession and that we make a difference. But even when looking through an objective lens, we can only gain – our children can gain – from giving teachers our full respect and support.

Please share your thoughts! Do you feel that teachers aren’t given the professional respect they deserve, or am I blinded by bias? Does Rauner over stress the importance of early childhood education? Discuss!

Is “Failing to Succeed” A Bad Thing?

Here’s an oldie but goodie:

What if failure’s not that bad? What’s if it’s even beneficial? Do we need to hit rock bottom in order to truly succeed?

I don’t feel that these questions are new or groundbreaking. But they’re worth taking a look at because so many people still fear failure.  To paraphrase the awesome Sir Ken Robinson, there’s a stigma against mistakes. But when you look at profiles of successful individuals, failure played a significant role in their lives.

Want (a snippet of) proof? If you haven’t already, check out JK Rowling’s 2008 commencement address. Talk about a rags to riches tale!

What does this mean for education? “Failing” school is a hard sell. We want our children to get gold stars and A pluses. And what if we’re wrong – what if we let them fail and then can’t help them succeed?

I don’t have the answers. This NY Times article examines one education leader who believes that students need to fail to succeed. It’s a bit wordy, and it delves into other issues such as character building. But if you can spare some time, it’s worth a look.

Here are my (non-groundbreaking but still worthwhile) ideas for teaching students how to “fail to succeed”

• Create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions. Show that their work is valued by displaying their projects in the classroom. If they give an answer that’s not quite on target, help them refine their point through follow up questions.
• Set challenging, but reachable, goals. Try having the students set the goals – you may be surprised at how self-aware they are!
• Take your students’ diverse array of interests and learning styles into account. Think in terms of strengths and weaknesses rather than “high” and “low” ability. Live by the Einstein quote featured at the beginning of this post.

The older we get, the harder it gets to accept failure. The more we encourage youngsters to “fail” (and learn form it!), the more likely it is that they’ll have the courage to be imaginative, innovative leaders.

Best,

Mares

Watch TV. Cause Reform.

After watching and posting about The Cartel, I immediately checked out its website signed up for email updates. No matter what your views on the education system are, it’s a great source for the latest updates on classroom reforms.

A “birth announcement” for Choice TV  hit my inbox this morning. According to The Cartel‘s news blast, Choice TV “will offer video testimonials from students, parents and teachers around the country.” This aims to amplify the emotional appeal for school choice and break the notion that reform is driven by the elite.

A quick disclaimer: I have not looked at Choice TV’s resource’s in depth. From browsing the website, I am pleased to see that it features more than personal anecdotes. Don’t get me wrong: I think getting first person accounts is a great idea. But when it comes to reform, you need to be well armed. This site seems to have a rich variety of information, including viewer submitted videos, a news wire, a calender, and a blog roll. I think this has the potential to be a great source, and I’m eager to see how it grows.

Go check it out – what are your thoughts?

Don’t Miss These

Ok, so the  title might be a tad overdramatic.

But one of the most important aspects of reform is staying informed. With public schools across the nation opening their doors last week, education has flooded the news. When children’s futures are at stake, we can’t afford to not pay attention to what these schools are doing this year.

• Interested in the charter school movement? This article highlights a Texas high school that is trying to up achievement with charter school practices. I was really interested in what the article touted as the five traits that make charter schools successful. Your thoughts?
• Budget cuts in our classrooms are nothing new. However, what is new is how this innovative teacher used funding issues to lay a foundation of social justice in his third graders.
• Looking for lighter fare? This video will take you back to what’s really important in education – the love of learning. Plus, it’s just cool to watch all of the zany things these guys tried!

I’d love feedback. Any article suggestions? What sources keep you up to date on America’s classrooms?

Best,

Mares

Sound Off Series: The Cartel

Sorry for the delay – soon, I’ll have a regular blogging schedule and better time management 🙂

Now, to kick off my first series – Sound Off! This series focuses on education innovations expressed though videos, documentaries, and whatnot. There’s a lot of great resources, and most of them (such as TED talks) are free or really inexpensive. (Youtube and Netflix are godsends for broke college students)!

The Cartel (check out the trailer) is documentary by journalist Bob Bowman that focuses on educational pitfalls that plague the nation. He features an English teacher who can’t read, a principal fired for blowing the whistle on teachers who watched porn on the clock, and frustrated parents.

My Response: Angry. Not very eloquent, I know, but the “bad apples” Bowman features give you a sinking feeling, especially when children’s futures are involved. At times, the doc makes the problem seem overwhelming. Schools are failing, yet the complex politics surrounding education policies makes it difficult to take any action. Even dedicated individuals who try to spur change by opening charter schools are often stopped by bureaucratic roadblocks.

But…..

Bowman stops short of being “anti teacher” or “anti union” by stressing that there are good teachers out there, and that unions are needed to protect workers. And, despite the challenges, there are glimmers of success, such as the charter schools that were able to get up and running. He encourages action despite the obstacles, and expresses hope for education’s future.

The Cartel focuses on New Jersey. At the end, Bowman briefly states that the problems facing New Jersey schools are seen across the nation. While I usually criticize something for having such a narrow scope, I’ll make an exception in Bowman’s case. His focus allows you to view the issues in more depth, and that fact that he lives in New Jersey makes you feel like he is personally invested and affected by the education crisis.

This film has inspired me to look more deeply into charter schools in my own area and see what kind of change I can create.

This film provides a detailed, jaw-dropping look the problems plaguing American classroom. It might make you angry, but more importantly, it will make you want to get involved.The Cartel is a must-see for educators and non-educators alike.

Have seen the film? What do you think? Do you think charter schools are the antidote to failing, unsafe schools? Share your thoughts!

The Mission Begins

What's the future of education?

This is the first step of a journey – the journey of one pre-service teacher to “break the mold” by searching for unconventional ideas and innovations in education. This blog is a means of connecting with anyone who shares this goal, who is doing fresh and exciting things in the classroom, who is interested in education, who believes that we need new strategies for a new generation of learners. Education shapes the future; why educate based on past paradigms?

I’d love to hear your thoughts – what changes have you seen (or would like to see) in education?

Coming Attractions:

Sound Off Series – This series will spur discussions based on educational videos and talks. We’ll start with The Cartel, a controversial doc on failing public schools, and then move on to one of Sir Ken Robinson’s jaw-dropping TED talks

Word of Mouth Series – This is my ambitious project to interview “movers and shakers” in education. I’m especially interested in individuals who have founded or have worked in charter schools in the Pittsburgh area. (If anyone has connections and would like to set me up with such a perosn, that’d be awesome 🙂 )

Best,

Mares