http://jdennis5.edublogs.org Just another Edublogs.org weblog Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:41:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en What inspires me as a teacher?  Well, I have been thinking about this a lot.  One thing for sure is the students.  When a students learns to grasp a concept or skill, it is like a child opening up a present and the surprise that you see in their eyes.  ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/04/27/what-inspires-you-as-a-teacher/       This chapter begins by talking about something that we have been debating throughout our degree program.  It talks about how many teachers graduating from today's teacher education programs feel the need to change the world.  As we have discussed many of the issues that are also described in this ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/04/20/oakes-and-lipton-chapter-12-teaching-to-change-the-world/      Assessment is suppose to drive our instruction.  However, after reading this chapter, I'm not sure that educators in American History ever realized the correct way that assessments should be used.  It sounds like we as educators in the US have misunderstood how these assessments should be used.  I look ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/04/08/chapter-6-oakes-and-lipton-assessment/ There were so many thoughts that I had as I read this chapter.  I think this is where deficit thinking can be the greatest. I remember when I first started teaching, understanding that I needed to be flexible to involve parents in the school environment.  I remember hearing that I ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/04/01/chapter-10-oakes-and-lipton-the-community/       This is not a good week to talk about school culture.  Maybe that's why Rhina assigned it.   I found out about a month that our assistant principal would be leaving to take a Principal's position in Paulding County.  Then, we found out last week that our Principal was being ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/03/30/chapter-9-oakes-and-lipton-the-school-culture/ I have to say, I'm glad that I heard Paul Gorski.  I was a little worried because some of his articles had so much rhetoric with little research to back it up.  Then, when I actually heard him in person, I understood him a lot better.  I know he was ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/03/28/paul-gorski-visit-response/       I think about earlier this year when we talked about values in Rhina's fall class.  I talked about how my family valued education most of all.  Now, after reading Gorski's first article, I am wondering was this an example of a classist remark.  His first article really stepped on ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/03/17/paul-gorski-readings/               As I read this article, there were many things that I read that I remember talking about last semester. However, there was one area that I found very helpful. It is the portion of the web site that talked about Culturally Responsive Teaching is Transformative.  As a teacher, I ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/03/02/culturally-responsive-teaching-web-site/ Well, there was a lot about this chapter that seemed familiar to me.  Maybe it was because as I was reading, I thought about what kinds of classrooms that I spent my time in.  As an elementary student, I do remember the Assertive Discipline approach.  I remember reading that I ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/02/23/oakes-lipton-chapter-7-classroom-management-caring-respectful-democratic-relationships/        As I read this chapter, one major theme stands out.  I think there will always be the battle between skills instruction and those who feel that math must be taught in a meaningful context.  As an elementary teacher, I believe that it should all be taught within a meaningful ... http://jdennis5.edublogs.org/2008/02/09/oakes-lipton-chapter-4-the-subject-matters/