Failure

We've been talking a decent amount of failure, and if it's the current student's downfall that they don't fall down enough. Hellicopter parents hover around their children so much and prevent true learning--through trial and error--that children aren't allowed to learn in their own way. It is my feeling that it isn't necessarily the students who are afraid of failure--rather that teachers (because failure reflects badly on them) and especially parents are afraid of seeing their shining star make a mistake. Because society is afraid of failure, it eventually and naturally leads to a stigma about failure, and kids create their own distorted fear of danger and mistakes.



Here's a humorous (and sadly true) story I stumbled upon this morning about a group of teachers in London.

Inventiveness

As educators, it is one of our tasks to constantly bring out the best in each and every one of our students. Often, this entails eliciting a single, correct response. As John W. Santrock states in "Educational Psychology" (Chapter Nine), "schools spend too much time on getting students to give a single correct response in an imitative way rather than encouraging students to expand their thinking bu coming up with ideas and rethinking earlier conclusions." The inventiveness of a student is undermined by the task to find the correct answer the teacher has in mind.

To be completely honest, I was in the mindset that there was only one correct answer and that what the teacher taught me was the truth. It was not until I arrived at college that I truly began to "think" in the fullest sense of the term. As much as I hate to admit it, Common Ground requirement Paideia I showed me how to think. The make up of the course I was in (with one of the best teachers I have ever had, might I add) was tailored to finding alternative responses, or even taking a side of an argument that there really was no answer to. Once I bought into the idea that there was "no correct answer," I was able to cut my creative reigns and really think in a fulfilling way. As a future educator, I believe that it is one of the most important things I wll do is to cut the reigns that we hold so tightly onto students with and let them take control and let them arrive at their own answers--even if it is not the way we see it.

It was philosopher Fredrich Nietchze who said that truths are just illusions we have forgotten are illusions in a more eloquent way. This speaks to what educators do every day. We teach things that basely we believe are truths. There can be science behind it, faith behind it, personal experience behind it. But underneath all of this, educators need to remain cognisant of the fact that all we are teaching is the current standardization of things we hold to be true. We need to remain open to other viewpoints that students express in the classroom, as well as present research of different approaches and "holdings of truths" to our students to expose them to ideas outside their realm of reality and help them think in such a way. It is important that we develop classrooms where creativity is encouraged and embraced, as well as create an environment where mistakes are equally encouraged and embraced in pursuit of the truth.

In a society where the "standard of education" is not working in comparison with other nations, it should be our number one goal to create innovative thinkers for the twenty first century. Regardless of how our nation's students stack up against other nations, if they can hold their own in innovation, then we truly have nothing to worry about. Innovation comes in science, in medicine, in music, in art, in politics, in all realms of life. All this innovation definitely cannot hurt our economy if innovative marketing is employed. There also needs to be a link between high achievement and innovation, but if creativeness is encouraged from the onset, then achievement will skyrocket as a consequence. In the midst of economic uncertainly, education needs to our investment instead of "Cash for Clunkers" or corporate salvages and stimulus packages. By investing in upcoming generation's creativity (instead of making sure they are not "left behind") we can look towards a better national life and personal self-fulfillment.

Two Unrelated Subjects--Roleplaying and Reflectiveness

Students and teachers alike find it hard to reflect because of the very nature of reflection. Reflection demands that you critically evaluate your performance, and this often involves looking for your faults, mistakes, or failures. Society as a whole finds it difficult to admit one flaws. However, reflection, done correctly, allows us to correct mistakes and improve future performance. Even if you are successful, reflecting on what made you successful is useful because it will continue to improve future performance. I constantly reflect, whether it be as I am engaged in a task, trying to figure out what is working and what is not and how to get the best results, or laying in bed thinking about my day. People are always changing, always learning, but the only way to make sure that their is positive results is to critically reflect on what you absorbed.

In regards to Monday evening's role playing simulation:

This method of role playing is a legitimate way to learn about student learning and accountability. It opened up a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages to high-accountability/high-student achievement models emerging in school districts like Washington D.C.. In comparison to a typical lecture approach of discussing the same material, the role playing model forced us (the students) to take a stance and explore given problems and advantages to the proposed model versus a professor giving us the same data--it makes students think. Students need to have a common grasp of a base set of skills before they can grasp more complex skills. I think Santrock would agree with me. Students need to have at least some sort of developed schema regarding a subject matter before they can build off of that and engage in high level, critical thinking. Without, they are shooting around in the dark, struggling, and making things up. That time would be better spent developing a schema than skipping over that and having them struggle. Emotional engagement is a big part of the learning process. When students are passionate about a subject, or can at least relate to it at some level, learning becomes exciting. Education is never without emotional engagement. For example, a student may hate math. They struggle with it because it not an interest of theirs, and therefore they do not pay attention in class. That is an example of emotional engagement. It is negative emotional involvement, but involvement nonetheless. If the teacher is successfully able to negotiate this emotion, and make something click with the student, they become excited about the fact they "got" something. This is emotional engagement.

PASSION

I believe that passion is what makes life interesting. It is what drives us in our daily pursuits, and guides us towards a fulfilling life.

Educators who bring passion to their classrooms spark similar passion in their students. Regardless of whether a certain discipline is appealing or interesting to a student, if their teacher shows enthusiasm and vibrancy towards that subject, some of that passion will transfer to them, and they will begin to look at the subject in a new light. A passion-less will come off as being bored with the subject, and if the teacher is bored, you can bet the students will find no intellectual importance in the subject.

Not only will passion rub off on them, but if an educator has a passion for something, this passion will cross over into their work. They will spend time creating interesting and stimulating lessons and search for creative ways to reach every student.

However, passion in an specialized area is not the only requisite for being an effective teacher. There must also be a passion for teaching, a passion for seeing students succeed. If one lacks this, they can share all the information they know in the most passion-driven way, but they will not reach their students because educating them does not lie on an equal plane.

I remember one of my 11th grade teachers. She was...interesting...to put it gently. Every day my peers and I would leave the class smiling over some new quirk we learned about our teacher. But we also left knowing things we did not know coming in. Underneath her eccentric visage laid a genuine passion for her subject. Partnered with this love was also a genuine passion for teaching. She loved to see students "get things" as well as bridge the gap between assumed literary interpretations and new, abstract understandings and connections.

Because she exerted this educational passion, my peers and I picked up on it, bought into it, and found success in her class (which was not an easy one may I add).

Authenticity

One of the biggest principles in authenticity is also one of the biggest principles in living a happy life. It is a simple principle; one that often causes people difficulty. At it's base level, be yourself. An educator who is concerned about putting on a "show" for their students is not doing their job. Their energies are focused on being what they think their students want instead of focusing all of their attention towards being a good teacher.

"Be the change you want to see." I believe that this applies directly in the classroom and relates into authenticity. Students spend numerous hours with you over the course of a week with their teachers. Compounded monthly, and even over the course of years, this amounts to a significant amount of time. On occasions, depending on one's disciplines, a student could see more of their teacher than their immediate family. It follows that students will naturally pick up on your value system, not by direct teaching methods--but by example, and that value system will rub off. Regardless of whether or not students buy into your values, they will begin to see things from your viewpoint, and examine how that fits or does not fit into their world perspectives. If you are not true to yourself, your "example" will be inconsistent, and therefore affect your overall authenticity.

When a teacher is not authentic, that is--being themselves, students see through the transparent facade. (This is qualified in the sense that teachers will not share their "whole selves" with their students. There are certain professional limitations that are not appropriate for teachers to share. However, it is important when learning from someone to know where they are coming from and what their outlook is. Students can therefore determine any biases an educator may have and remain critical to such opinions.)When a teacher strays too far from their base self, students will lose respect for the educator who is not holding up their end of the teacher-student bargain. Students feel cheated or short changed, and are more likely to cheat themselves, not to mention blowing off any information that the teacher may have to offer.

Dispositional Implications: COMPASSION

"It is rigor and compassion together that allow me to set the bar so high with my students. Rigor without compassion is rigor mortes--that is, inhumane. Compassion without rigor is the soft bigotry of low expectations."

Compassion is one of the primary dispositions that allows educators to be effective in their classrooms. Teachers lacking compassion have no gage on where their students are coming from, and therefore, cannot presume to have any idea of where they need to take their students (educationally,) let alone how to get there and maximize the potential of their students to the fullest extent. Educators exemplifying this disposition understand where their students are coming from. They understand what challenges students face day-to-day in other courses, they understand developmental limitations, they understand cultural differences. In short, effective educators know what's up. This is not to say that a teacher demonstrating compassion is condescending towards students because they may require extra help; nor is it to say that a teacher demonstrating compassion is "soft" on their students. Rather, the educator has an adequate grasp on what students are up against, and helps students soar above the bar and expected standards. After all, as educators, we do not want to see students fail. Good teachers want to see their students excel beyond expectations, and it falls to us to set students up for success. This includes diligent compassion to maintain consistent and clear expectations, while at the same time giving students the extra boost (in the form of encouragement and perhaps help outside the traditional classroom) when they need it.

2.) When did a teacher's compassion make a difference in your life?
There was a death in my family right before exams, and I was unable to attend them. Most of my teachers had me take the exams before their scheduled date; amidst grieving over a sudden loss, I was also studying for exams that naturally were not on the top of my priority list. I had one teacher who told me to go spend time with my family, that the test could wait, and we would deal with it when I was back. This teacher's compassion towards me and my situation made a difference in my life; they knew where I was coming from, and really understood what was the best course of action. The expectation--to take the exam--had not changed; instead, the time when I took the exam was a result of compassion.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines respect as "high or special regard; esteem." In a classroom setting, this word is defined slightly differently.

Concisely, my definition of respect surrounds a significant principal:

Respect in the classroom is the mutual understanding between the educator and the student to treat each other with said "esteem." An educator who demonstrates respects is one who treats the student with appropriate regards. This can take on many forms, but it is not to say that the educator sees the student as an equal. Rather, the educator fully understands the emotional and mental capabilities along with their limits. The educator understands their role in the student's life: always a pillar; sometimes a disciplinarian; never one to judge their ideas, but rather to help shape these ideas to form positive and productive youth; a resource for assistance; a mentor to help shape goals; and above all else, an educator provides the student with the necessary skills to excel both in academia and in larger society. The educator is also sympathetic to outside challenges the student may be facing, and finds creative solutions for finding individual success amidst sometimes difficult times. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the student looks to the teacher as an authority figure to guide them through their academic year. Whether openly admitted or (mostly) never verbalized, the student shows respect to the educator by entrusting their minds to them. They unconsciously, respectfully trust that educators are competent in their respective discipline to pass on the knowledge to them. This is not a light form of respect, and it is something that educators must work very hard to be held worthy of.

The bottom line is that this mutual respect pours the foundation for a productive and stimulating classroom, as well as establishes authoritative boundaries. With this respect, an educator is going to be able to be much more active in guiding "safe" discussions and experiences, accomplishing broader goals, reaching more students, and teaching at a more rapid pace with better retention. Most importantly, the student will learn more. The teacher will not be distracted, as it were, monitoring misbehavior, outlining proper language and etiquette, nor forced to remove a student from the classroom (which does not help that student.) This is not to say that creating a respectful classroom eliminates all disciplinary issues; the teacher will still have to address these. However, if both the student and the educator buy into this idea of respect, both will be more willing to meet at the middle (more like the student travels 3/4 of the way, but they will see it as a fair compromise) and they will see the larger goal--education--as the most important aspect, and other common distractions will seem trivial.

The one question that sticks out in this discus ion on classroom respect is "how does one establish such respect?" That is a good question, and one that I do not necessarily have the answer to. I believe a lot of this comes with experience and time. It is not something that is automatically granted to you by students because you have a college degree, rather something you will have to work for. In the past, the fact that you were a teacher automatically gave you the respect of the students; however, the trend now seems to be that teachers almost have to "earn" their respect. Regardless of the whether or not this is right, the fact is that it is what is happening, and as educators, it is our challenge to face. It is the educator who much earn the respect of their students by showing respect to their the students. The educator, in their authoritative role, must be the initiator of mutual respect in their classroom in order to develop a respectful atmosphere as well as be given the appropriate reciprocation.

Dispositional Reflection

1.) Describe a time when you were treated with respect by a teacher and a time you were disrespected by a teacher.

For the most part, I have generally been respected by teachers. One particular instance that stands out to me is that I had a high school instructor who was going to be late to a class due to a faculty meeting. He asked me to begin the class with warm ups. It showed me that this particular teacher had enough respect for me, and saw the respect my peers showed me, to entrust his class to me for ten minutes, and still have an effective rehearsal period.

One instance that stands out to me happened very recently. I have a course which meets two days a week, and you have one week following each lecture to complete a quiz about the material covered in that course. It was the afternoon before the week was up, and I logged onto the network to take the quiz. However, the quiz said it had already closed. I e-mailed the instructor asking if this was a mistake, and I heard back the next day that it was in fact a mistake, and the quiz would be re-opened. Nonetheless, I still feel that this educator did not show me adequate respect. I was in the mindset to take the quiz, and I had appropriate time allot ed in which to do so. Even though it was a mistake, my hectic schedule and studious nature were not respected.

2.) When did a teacher's compassion make a difference in your life?

There was a death in my family right before exams, and I was unable to attend them. Most of my teachers had me take the exams before I their scheduled date; amidst grieving over a sudden loss, I was also studying for exams that naturally were not on the top of my priority list. I had one teacher who told me to go spend time with my family, that the test could wait, and we would deal with it when I was back. This teacher's compassion towards me and my situation made a difference in my life; they knew where I was coming from, and really understood what was the best course of action.

3.) How do you know where your limits are in expressing authenticity?

I think this is kind of a trial-and-error approach. Each student's comfort ability level with authenticity is going to be different. It is always important as an educator to authentic, and one should always display genuineness, but not all students will respond the same way to it. It is important to find personal boundaries that is appropriate for each student.

4.)Can you think of a time when you became more interested in a subject because of a teacher's enthusiasm?

One of my English teachers in high school was absolutely off the wall looney about teaching her subject. She enjoyed so much talking about literature and learning about literature, that it was hard for that displayed enthusiasm not to be contagious. It ended up being one of the classes I took the most from.

5.)Why do most teachers and students find it so hard to be reflective?

Students and teachers find it hard to be reflective because the very nature of reflectiveness demands personal criticism. Often, it is hard to admit our mistakes. However, if we look at it as a way we can improve, it has a definite impact on our reflections. We no longer are looking for the places we went wrong; rather, we are looking for places we can improve for the next time. It is a more constructive form of reflection.

6.)Which of Gardner's eight multiple intelligences is your main creative strength?

I believe I have a good balance of Gardner's intelligences. If I were to chose just one, I would identify it as music. Music has become one of the driving forces in my life, and it is this music that I inspires me to teach; I want to share this music with able and receptive minds.

7.)Describe a time when you helped someone believe in their ability to succeed at something.

I worked with students over the summer on a musical. There was one in particular who had terrific talents, but just did not trust themselves nor their abilities. Throughout rehearsals, I always made a point to encourage them (without showing favoritism.) That bit of reassurance was the little push that student needed, and to see them bloom during the performances was remarkable.

8.)Describe a time when you or someone you know demonstrated resilience.

The very fact that I am a college student is tribute to my resilience. Being in college and juggling everything that goes along with that part of your life is often very stressful, but finding the joy in that is something difficult. The fact that I am loving life even with the stress proves my resilient nature.

9.)Describe a time when you successfully made an on the spot adjustment in some activity.

Again, I led rehearsals this past summer with a group of students. We worked long days, and I would notice waning attentions, frustrations, and so forth. When I gathered enough of the group felt this way, and that what we were learning was not going to be retained, I would switch the activity up to something easier, go back and review, or tweak my teaching approach to engage them more.

10.)Spend five minutes with your eyes closed paying attention to your in and out breath. What did you notice?

I noticed how calming the sound of my breath was. I noticed the definite rhythm and patterns--in, out, in out.

11.)When was the last time you changed your mind about something important?

To be completely honest, I do not pretend to have answers to things in life. Most of the important things I am faced with, I can see from two different viewpoints, and do not necessarily lean more towards one than the other.

12.)When was the last time you admitted you were wrong?

One of the most important things I learned this summer was from a fantastic teacher who said always to verbally admit when you are wrong. This past Sunday, I did just that. As part of my duties as an RA, I have to fill out logs detailing my interactions and experiences over the course of a week. There was an incident in retrospect that I probably did not handle the best, and filling out this reflection form and admitting where I was in the wrong is both a productive learning tool for me, and an assessment judge for my bosses.

13.)Can you think of a time when you took the initiative to get things started?

I prefer things that get done efficiently and well. Most of the time, if I want this to happen, I have to do it myself. For our Ed Psych study groups, I was the leader this week. It was up to me to set a time and location to meet, send out materials so that the group was ready for discussion, and then carry out those plans.

14.)Describe a highly effective team that you were part of. What made the team successful?

This summer I was part of the artistic staff for Celebration Iowa. This team was very successful and effective working with the students because we all shared the same goal. This commonality allowed us to work past personal differences and create a final product.