The following post is a reflection on "Challenging Deficit Thinking," by Lois Weiner.
Teachers often have pre-conceived notions of how they would handle problems. I know that I certainly do. What happens when these strategies do not work? What makes an effective strategy to handle classroom problems?
Disruptive students act out for a number of reasons--and some of those reasons may have nothing to do with our classes specifically. A pro-active rather than reactive first step might be to engage the student(s) as to their situation and what might be negative to them about a certain class procedure(s). This then can alert us as to the real issues, which might be simple boredom or the challenge to develop more creative and movement oriented lessons.
I have found that students usually work toward expectations that are set and models that are outlined by the teacher. In the classroom, we must address these issues and not just "hope they go away." Positive, pro-active methods such as role-playing or having the students discuss behavior and come up with solutions for the class on their own that are mutually agreeable assist in educating students about the proper responses and behavior that is expected.
Again, students usually work toward expectations that are set and maintained (consistency is crucial). The time spent on setting expectations and training students to meet them will minimize future disruptions and allow much more time to be placed on instruction.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Interesting Views Part II
An interesting addition to the earlier blog.
In writing the earlier blog, I began to think about a move many conservative Catholics are making today in higher education. A handful of conservative Catholic colleges have been started over the last 15 years that boast of a highly faithful Catholic only faculty and cater mostly, if not exclusively to Catholic students. The movement is in reaction to many colleges run by orders of the Catholic Church that have seemingly become too liberal and involve courses that question the teachings of the Church, often blatantly. The historical developments studied for our course reminded me of these colleges and other institutions that have a more exclusive purpose and curriculum that can be interesting to investigate. It shows in many ways that the movement to have schools form and shape values and religious beliefs is still very much alive in our country today--and not just involving Catholics.
In writing the earlier blog, I began to think about a move many conservative Catholics are making today in higher education. A handful of conservative Catholic colleges have been started over the last 15 years that boast of a highly faithful Catholic only faculty and cater mostly, if not exclusively to Catholic students. The movement is in reaction to many colleges run by orders of the Catholic Church that have seemingly become too liberal and involve courses that question the teachings of the Church, often blatantly. The historical developments studied for our course reminded me of these colleges and other institutions that have a more exclusive purpose and curriculum that can be interesting to investigate. It shows in many ways that the movement to have schools form and shape values and religious beliefs is still very much alive in our country today--and not just involving Catholics.
Interesting Questions, Personal Experiences
Wow! What a great discussion we had in class on Tuesday! Discussing these historical readings can certainly raise some important issues for all of us and I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion and sharing. The first major point involved a discussion very much in the forefront of the beginning of Catholic schools in the mid-19th century. The Catholics did not want the government getting involved with teaching religion because they were convinced they would mess it up and teach untruths.
Considering the material in the text and others I have seen in my historical study, I can see how their fears were real. But is such the case today? Can only a Catholic teach Catholicism effectively? How about a Muslim teaching about Christianity? Or a Christian teaching about Islam? In our discussion the topic of a Caucasian teaching African-American studies came up, since a number of students actually had this experience. Gratefully, things have changed much since the mid-19th century. There are many people who go beyond their own culture and religion and become scholars and competent teachers on these topics. Likewise, I have heard some Catholics who do a very poor job of teaching their own faith, and the same can be said for other situations also. Expertise in scholarship and competence in the classroom are much more widespread (thank God!) than they have been in the past, as well as my experience of interest in other religions and respect for accurate interpretations of them and other cultures taught by others. It is indeed a good development and speaks of the value of a more multi-cultural society that needs to be more and more appreciated.
As for the second part of the discussion, I appreciated the insights offered concerning the African-American experience. I know of a number of African-Americans who have been successful and moved out of their neighborhoods and into other areas of society and, yes, seemingly (if not actually) abandoned their roots. I consider it noble to have the idea that was put forth that professionals that have developed their talent in academics strive to develop and raise those who are in the urban setting. Living where I do in the Buckeye-Woodland neighborhood, I and others at Benedictine have given of ourselves to assist the students who come to us from this neighborhood and to our neighbors know we care about our surroundings. Many have appreciated our contributions, but there is much work to do.
The suggestion was for an overhaul of the entire system that rids it of the established prejudices that have existed since the late 18th century and that persist even to the present day. This is a noble thought, but filled with hard work and many difficulties in changing the minds of others. But in time, with support and the realization that the current situations are real and have detrimental results, there is the opportunity for change. It will come slowly, but person by person, we can make a difference and strive for greater results.
Considering the material in the text and others I have seen in my historical study, I can see how their fears were real. But is such the case today? Can only a Catholic teach Catholicism effectively? How about a Muslim teaching about Christianity? Or a Christian teaching about Islam? In our discussion the topic of a Caucasian teaching African-American studies came up, since a number of students actually had this experience. Gratefully, things have changed much since the mid-19th century. There are many people who go beyond their own culture and religion and become scholars and competent teachers on these topics. Likewise, I have heard some Catholics who do a very poor job of teaching their own faith, and the same can be said for other situations also. Expertise in scholarship and competence in the classroom are much more widespread (thank God!) than they have been in the past, as well as my experience of interest in other religions and respect for accurate interpretations of them and other cultures taught by others. It is indeed a good development and speaks of the value of a more multi-cultural society that needs to be more and more appreciated.
As for the second part of the discussion, I appreciated the insights offered concerning the African-American experience. I know of a number of African-Americans who have been successful and moved out of their neighborhoods and into other areas of society and, yes, seemingly (if not actually) abandoned their roots. I consider it noble to have the idea that was put forth that professionals that have developed their talent in academics strive to develop and raise those who are in the urban setting. Living where I do in the Buckeye-Woodland neighborhood, I and others at Benedictine have given of ourselves to assist the students who come to us from this neighborhood and to our neighbors know we care about our surroundings. Many have appreciated our contributions, but there is much work to do.
The suggestion was for an overhaul of the entire system that rids it of the established prejudices that have existed since the late 18th century and that persist even to the present day. This is a noble thought, but filled with hard work and many difficulties in changing the minds of others. But in time, with support and the realization that the current situations are real and have detrimental results, there is the opportunity for change. It will come slowly, but person by person, we can make a difference and strive for greater results.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The good, the bad, the ugly and the sublime in my educational experience.
Narrative accounts of personal experiences as a student and as a teacher, from pre-school through graduate school and beyond, significant to your formation as a subject of education.
Grade School
I remember being excited about starting school. I was the oldest child in my family, so I had no subling experience to hand this onto, but I do remember being excited. My birthday is August 14, and I remember my mother making a cake that had a school house depicted in the icing with a licorice bell on the roof. But my initial experience in school in the Fall of 1969 had ups and downs. My initial experience was interest in that old school building that looked like a palace: tall, imposing, stone accents, fancy lights, long corridors. I was at first rather intimidated. The teacher was nice at first, but she was definitely close to retirement age and rather rough at times. I remember her saying once, when someone had stepped on a piece of construction paper that was on the floor: "I am going to check whose shoe print that is and then I am going to step on his neck!" This made a bad impression on me, and filled me with fear. I did not expect my teacher to say something like that.
I remember being impressed by the displays in the classroom that changed as the year went by: Halloween, Fall time, Christmas, President's Day, etc. I actually tried to imitate some of these artistic things at home, and the teacher was nice enough to share some of the decorative patterns with my mother so I could do so (with Mom's help, of course).
We moved to the suburbs in March of my kindergarten year and the change was dramatic. The school building was not as palatial as in Cleveland, it was newer and brighter, and my teacher was much younger and of a different demeanor than my previous teacher in Cleveland. I enjoyed the change and found myself fascinated with building blocks, artistic renditions of letters in the spelling books, and the wider, open spaces that the school property had.
My best educational experiences in grade school involved teachers that challenged me to be creative. They shared books and materials with me beyond those in the classroom curriculum, and I ate these things up. We did not have much money for a lot of extra things at home, but the school was a storehouse of plenty materials to satisfy my curiosity. I particularly remember the shared experiences with my first, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth grade teachers. And I would have to say that these were my best years in grade school. It was through these experiences that I developed a love for history and social studies. This was also developed at home with a deep love for my ethnic heritage through my parents--especially my father--who instilled in me a great desire to learn about and be proud of my heritage.
My educational experience was greatly heightened by summer reading assignments that necessitated use of the local public library. What a world opened up for me!! Apart from it being air-conditioned (our house was not), I just ate up every book I could get my hands on. I would spend hours of days in that building just browsing through books and developing a love that is still very mush with me.
The worst experiences that I had in the classroom centered around problematic students and teacher reactions to them. The most horrid experience I ever had in the classroom was in fourth grade, when one of my teachers called a classmate out in anger and proceeded to push him down the center aisle of the classroom and into the chalkboard at least 5 times, all the while heaping verbal abuse at him. I was terrified. My father was a strict disciplinarian at home, but I never experienced anything like this.
Some of the older sisters that I had (I am a product of Catholic Schools) also believed in "physical intimidation" from time to time and I got my share of having my hair, ears, and cheeks pulled. I don't remember these events detracting from my ability to learn, but I believe they changed the motivation from education to fear. I didn't want those problems happening to me.
One of my best educational experiences in grade school was the 8th grade field trip to Washington DC. I have always liked field trips and their value for education is great. This trip began a life-long interest in our nation's capital that continues to this day. It also promoted the value of traveling the country to see the sites of our historical interest: Something I could see and touch and make part of my own experience. This was coupled with our family vacations during the summers, where we visited and camped at many historical and natural sites up and down the eastern US.
Another negative from my experience was bullying that did occur from time to time. This was largely the result of being a boy who didn't appreciate sports very much. I never saw myself as an athlete and I never saw myself as physically strong enough to compete in this area. This, coupled with bullies that did play sports, soured my appreciation for school sports and I wanted little or nothing to so with them. This negatively impacted by view in that I could see no value in gym classes or sports in education and I developed a prejudice against those that did.
High School
As I entered high school, I felt a huge breath of fresh air. Here was a challenging environment where you didn't have to line up for the bathroom and where people trusted you more. I loved the atmosphere and the opportunities to participate in so many things. I have to say that I loved listening to my teachers talk. Lecture was the most common method used in the classroom and I had no problem with it. I felt like a sponge and I soaked up everything I could. It was in high school that I felt the calling to be a teacher myself, and I saw myself in the classroom in this role as comforting and satisfying.
My most challenging teachers in high school were also my best. Math was not easy for me, but my teachers were patient and never yelled or showed impatience. I also enjoyed working in smaller groups with fellow students and friends that could help me out by explaining things. This became more valuable by the time senior year arrived, as the difficulty of my honors math and science courses necessitated work with my teachers and fellow students to aid in comprehension and application.
As a musician, I was constantly in the band room every free moment. There were practice rooms here and I spent hours there preparing for concerts and recitals. I enjoyed the satisfaction of doing something that I definitely had the facility for and hanging out with teachers and fellow students who shared the same competence and interests.
It was in high school that I experienced the desire to research a number of topics and then present them as projects in the classroom--either alone or with a partner or two. I immensely enjoyed this experience and recognized what a great way this was to learn and to solidify my knowledge about a subject.
I also remember a number of films and videos especially in history classes that contained live footage and my interest in seeing and studying these images. I have always loved documentaries, and this was solidified in the home, due to my father's interest in these as well.
College:
The freedom I experienced in high school was only heightened on the college campus. I always commuted during my undergraduate experience, but still a greater freedom was felt. My English and History profs taught me to become the best writer I could. It was painful at times, but this skill was probably the most developed during my undergraduate years.
Another important development during college was the experience of diversity on a much deeper level. I had been surrounded with suburban values until college, now there were many people from greatly different backgrounds socially, religiously, economically than ever I experienced before. I was challenged to evaluate my beliefs and foundational perceptions in many ways. Sometimes I feel I made a fool of myself, but this was part of the process of growing and learning on a deeper level. College taught me how to debate, challenge, synthesize, evaluate, and discover on different plane. These lessons continued to be experienced in my graduate courses, especially when I studied for four years in Minnesota--so far away from home.
In graduate work, my educational experience seems to be more a wedding of theory to practice. In theology for the priesthood and my monastic studies, as well as the MEd program now, the work of others in the field help to value the experiences of others and I can now evaluate this in light of my own experiences. This I have found very helpful, especially in light of rapid technological change that has affected the educational environment. These classes and the experience of my profs and classmates have definitely made me a better teacher, administrator, and overall person.
Although negative feelings with regard to athletics continue to creep into my experience, I have had to realize the great value competitive sports can have for the development of the person. I came to the realization of my own need for integration of the physical dimension in my life and I discovered a love for hiking, biking, and running. While not competitive, in my teaching, I began to realize that some of my best students were also the most competitive on the athletic field. I was challenged to change a personal prejudice and now realize alot more the discipline needed for these competitions. I now have a great respect for people who can integrate all of these aspects into their lives and balance them appropriately. The value of sport in developing the whole person in now a positive part of my consciousness.
Grade School
I remember being excited about starting school. I was the oldest child in my family, so I had no subling experience to hand this onto, but I do remember being excited. My birthday is August 14, and I remember my mother making a cake that had a school house depicted in the icing with a licorice bell on the roof. But my initial experience in school in the Fall of 1969 had ups and downs. My initial experience was interest in that old school building that looked like a palace: tall, imposing, stone accents, fancy lights, long corridors. I was at first rather intimidated. The teacher was nice at first, but she was definitely close to retirement age and rather rough at times. I remember her saying once, when someone had stepped on a piece of construction paper that was on the floor: "I am going to check whose shoe print that is and then I am going to step on his neck!" This made a bad impression on me, and filled me with fear. I did not expect my teacher to say something like that.
I remember being impressed by the displays in the classroom that changed as the year went by: Halloween, Fall time, Christmas, President's Day, etc. I actually tried to imitate some of these artistic things at home, and the teacher was nice enough to share some of the decorative patterns with my mother so I could do so (with Mom's help, of course).
We moved to the suburbs in March of my kindergarten year and the change was dramatic. The school building was not as palatial as in Cleveland, it was newer and brighter, and my teacher was much younger and of a different demeanor than my previous teacher in Cleveland. I enjoyed the change and found myself fascinated with building blocks, artistic renditions of letters in the spelling books, and the wider, open spaces that the school property had.
My best educational experiences in grade school involved teachers that challenged me to be creative. They shared books and materials with me beyond those in the classroom curriculum, and I ate these things up. We did not have much money for a lot of extra things at home, but the school was a storehouse of plenty materials to satisfy my curiosity. I particularly remember the shared experiences with my first, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth grade teachers. And I would have to say that these were my best years in grade school. It was through these experiences that I developed a love for history and social studies. This was also developed at home with a deep love for my ethnic heritage through my parents--especially my father--who instilled in me a great desire to learn about and be proud of my heritage.
My educational experience was greatly heightened by summer reading assignments that necessitated use of the local public library. What a world opened up for me!! Apart from it being air-conditioned (our house was not), I just ate up every book I could get my hands on. I would spend hours of days in that building just browsing through books and developing a love that is still very mush with me.
The worst experiences that I had in the classroom centered around problematic students and teacher reactions to them. The most horrid experience I ever had in the classroom was in fourth grade, when one of my teachers called a classmate out in anger and proceeded to push him down the center aisle of the classroom and into the chalkboard at least 5 times, all the while heaping verbal abuse at him. I was terrified. My father was a strict disciplinarian at home, but I never experienced anything like this.
Some of the older sisters that I had (I am a product of Catholic Schools) also believed in "physical intimidation" from time to time and I got my share of having my hair, ears, and cheeks pulled. I don't remember these events detracting from my ability to learn, but I believe they changed the motivation from education to fear. I didn't want those problems happening to me.
One of my best educational experiences in grade school was the 8th grade field trip to Washington DC. I have always liked field trips and their value for education is great. This trip began a life-long interest in our nation's capital that continues to this day. It also promoted the value of traveling the country to see the sites of our historical interest: Something I could see and touch and make part of my own experience. This was coupled with our family vacations during the summers, where we visited and camped at many historical and natural sites up and down the eastern US.
Another negative from my experience was bullying that did occur from time to time. This was largely the result of being a boy who didn't appreciate sports very much. I never saw myself as an athlete and I never saw myself as physically strong enough to compete in this area. This, coupled with bullies that did play sports, soured my appreciation for school sports and I wanted little or nothing to so with them. This negatively impacted by view in that I could see no value in gym classes or sports in education and I developed a prejudice against those that did.
High School
As I entered high school, I felt a huge breath of fresh air. Here was a challenging environment where you didn't have to line up for the bathroom and where people trusted you more. I loved the atmosphere and the opportunities to participate in so many things. I have to say that I loved listening to my teachers talk. Lecture was the most common method used in the classroom and I had no problem with it. I felt like a sponge and I soaked up everything I could. It was in high school that I felt the calling to be a teacher myself, and I saw myself in the classroom in this role as comforting and satisfying.
My most challenging teachers in high school were also my best. Math was not easy for me, but my teachers were patient and never yelled or showed impatience. I also enjoyed working in smaller groups with fellow students and friends that could help me out by explaining things. This became more valuable by the time senior year arrived, as the difficulty of my honors math and science courses necessitated work with my teachers and fellow students to aid in comprehension and application.
As a musician, I was constantly in the band room every free moment. There were practice rooms here and I spent hours there preparing for concerts and recitals. I enjoyed the satisfaction of doing something that I definitely had the facility for and hanging out with teachers and fellow students who shared the same competence and interests.
It was in high school that I experienced the desire to research a number of topics and then present them as projects in the classroom--either alone or with a partner or two. I immensely enjoyed this experience and recognized what a great way this was to learn and to solidify my knowledge about a subject.
I also remember a number of films and videos especially in history classes that contained live footage and my interest in seeing and studying these images. I have always loved documentaries, and this was solidified in the home, due to my father's interest in these as well.
College:
The freedom I experienced in high school was only heightened on the college campus. I always commuted during my undergraduate experience, but still a greater freedom was felt. My English and History profs taught me to become the best writer I could. It was painful at times, but this skill was probably the most developed during my undergraduate years.
Another important development during college was the experience of diversity on a much deeper level. I had been surrounded with suburban values until college, now there were many people from greatly different backgrounds socially, religiously, economically than ever I experienced before. I was challenged to evaluate my beliefs and foundational perceptions in many ways. Sometimes I feel I made a fool of myself, but this was part of the process of growing and learning on a deeper level. College taught me how to debate, challenge, synthesize, evaluate, and discover on different plane. These lessons continued to be experienced in my graduate courses, especially when I studied for four years in Minnesota--so far away from home.
In graduate work, my educational experience seems to be more a wedding of theory to practice. In theology for the priesthood and my monastic studies, as well as the MEd program now, the work of others in the field help to value the experiences of others and I can now evaluate this in light of my own experiences. This I have found very helpful, especially in light of rapid technological change that has affected the educational environment. These classes and the experience of my profs and classmates have definitely made me a better teacher, administrator, and overall person.
Although negative feelings with regard to athletics continue to creep into my experience, I have had to realize the great value competitive sports can have for the development of the person. I came to the realization of my own need for integration of the physical dimension in my life and I discovered a love for hiking, biking, and running. While not competitive, in my teaching, I began to realize that some of my best students were also the most competitive on the athletic field. I was challenged to change a personal prejudice and now realize alot more the discipline needed for these competitions. I now have a great respect for people who can integrate all of these aspects into their lives and balance them appropriately. The value of sport in developing the whole person in now a positive part of my consciousness.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Introductory Blog
Michael Brunovsky; Cleveland, Ohio; mpb1993@msn.com.
BA, History and Education, John Carroll University, 1988
MA, Theology and Monastic Studies, St. John's University, 1993
I am currently enrolled in the MEd program for school administration (secondary).
I have taught full-time in secondary education for the past 18 years in the fields of social studies and theology.
I currently have a license from the ODE for social studies 7-12.
I was appointed the academic dean for Benedictine High School in 2008 and began my responsibilities in this role with the 2008-2009 school year.
I enjoy reading and exploring places of natural and historical interest. I am a musician and play the cello and keyboards (mostly piano and organ). I also serve as the director of music for the religious community of which I am a part and have instructed many students in rudimentary chant as well as keyboard basics.
Learning Style:
I believe that a teacher should be organized, but also flexible. Familiarity with the learning atmosphere is essential. As a teacher, it helps very much to know the intellectual level of your students as well as how they best learn, as well as their cultural and social backgrounds. It also helps to have familiarity with the technical tools available for learning. I am comfortable with many different learning styles: lecture, small group discussion, research with presentations, projects. All of these interest me and have helped me learn.
It is imperative for the class material to be organized in its presentation; being unorganized defeats the purpose of the lesson in my opinion. I have no problem asking questions in the classroom. If misunderstanding occurs on a deeper level, I have no difficulty in making an appointment with the professor and discussing the relevant issues.
Education Past and Present:
I have been most successful as a student when I have researched topics and been able to present them. I also have enjoyed the opportunity to see the relevance of the lesson in a field trip or actual application. Examples have been: 1) studies of the Civil War and then visiting battlefields; 2) researching topics and then presenting them to the class.
One of the interesting issues that I face is the relation between testing and curriculum--how can we utilize testing to assist our work in the classroom and student knowledge?
For the course to be the best, I would think that we should study the recent literature on the subject of educational theory. We should explore new ideas and also take a look at what is actually working in classrooms: theory that is applied and shows results. It is good for us to theorize, but there has to be application in mind also, so that there is practical application.
Dr. Shutkin:
I would like to know about your experience in the classroom, where you have been, your years of teaching and where, and how long you have been involved in university education.
BA, History and Education, John Carroll University, 1988
MA, Theology and Monastic Studies, St. John's University, 1993
I am currently enrolled in the MEd program for school administration (secondary).
I have taught full-time in secondary education for the past 18 years in the fields of social studies and theology.
I currently have a license from the ODE for social studies 7-12.
I was appointed the academic dean for Benedictine High School in 2008 and began my responsibilities in this role with the 2008-2009 school year.
I enjoy reading and exploring places of natural and historical interest. I am a musician and play the cello and keyboards (mostly piano and organ). I also serve as the director of music for the religious community of which I am a part and have instructed many students in rudimentary chant as well as keyboard basics.
Learning Style:
I believe that a teacher should be organized, but also flexible. Familiarity with the learning atmosphere is essential. As a teacher, it helps very much to know the intellectual level of your students as well as how they best learn, as well as their cultural and social backgrounds. It also helps to have familiarity with the technical tools available for learning. I am comfortable with many different learning styles: lecture, small group discussion, research with presentations, projects. All of these interest me and have helped me learn.
It is imperative for the class material to be organized in its presentation; being unorganized defeats the purpose of the lesson in my opinion. I have no problem asking questions in the classroom. If misunderstanding occurs on a deeper level, I have no difficulty in making an appointment with the professor and discussing the relevant issues.
Education Past and Present:
I have been most successful as a student when I have researched topics and been able to present them. I also have enjoyed the opportunity to see the relevance of the lesson in a field trip or actual application. Examples have been: 1) studies of the Civil War and then visiting battlefields; 2) researching topics and then presenting them to the class.
One of the interesting issues that I face is the relation between testing and curriculum--how can we utilize testing to assist our work in the classroom and student knowledge?
For the course to be the best, I would think that we should study the recent literature on the subject of educational theory. We should explore new ideas and also take a look at what is actually working in classrooms: theory that is applied and shows results. It is good for us to theorize, but there has to be application in mind also, so that there is practical application.
Dr. Shutkin:
I would like to know about your experience in the classroom, where you have been, your years of teaching and where, and how long you have been involved in university education.
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