Thursday, October 31, 2013

Questions 1

1. What type of school do teachers prefer to work at and why?
a. Magnet school
b. Charter school
c. Public school
d. Private school
d. International Baccalaureate School

2. What scheduling do teachers prefer? Why?

3. What are some of the negative points of teaching teams?

Monday, October 7, 2013

FOR DISCUSSION: Challenges of discussing culture and racism

FOR DISCUSSION: Challenges of discussing culture and racism

Read the following class comment and respond to at least one of the questions that follow.
Your response will go in the threaded comments section.
Following each class, you will be given multiple prompts to respond to each week.

The comment(s):

Teaching can be slightly less challenging if the students know that things like racism and different cultures are dealt with everywhere. Real world issues can be brought into the classroom to help facilitate these transitions. Diversity should be encouraged and never over-looked. It would be helpful for students to know and understand their own culture as well as understand and be accepting of the cultures of other students.

The question(s):

1. What is racism? Why is it important for students to know that things like racism are 'dealt' with 'everywhere'? (In terms of this question, please define 'dealt' and 'everywhere').

2. Why is it necessary to talk about different cultures in the classroom? How do you approach different cultures in your classroom?

3. The use of authentic materials (relevant conversations, news, artifacts, and other semiotic elements) can facilitate discussing race and culture. What will the teacher accomplish with the incorporation of these materials?

4. Define diversity. According to you, why should it not be overlooked in a classroom?

5. Define culture.

6. How do/can students understand their culture? What do they gain in doing so? What do they gain in knowing about the culture of others?

FOR DISCUSSION: Structuring the classroom

FOR DISCUSSION: Structuring the classroom

Read the following class comment and respond to at least one of the questions that follow.
Your response will go in the threaded comments section.
Following each class, you will be given multiple prompts to respond to each week.

The comment(s):

Structuring the classroom requires teachers to consider the value of competitive learning, the messages we are sending our students about responsibility, and the ever-present standardized test.

The question(s):

1. Define competitive learning and how it is valuable in the classroom, or not?

2. Define responsibility. Is there a bias embedded in responsibility? Who is involved in teaching about responsibility?

3. What kind of responsibility should you teach?

4. Is teaching responsibility part of your TEKS? Is teaching responsibility part of your school's plan?

5. Define standardized testing. How do you 'consider' the value of a standardized test?

FOR DISCUSSION: Lowering the dropout rate

FOR DISCUSSION: Lowering the dropout rate

Read the following class comment and respond to at least one of the questions that follow.
Your response will go in the threaded comments section.
Following each class, you will be given multiple prompts to respond to each week.

Comment(s):

No matter what the numbers are, as a whole we need to focus on lowering the drop-out rate.

What we would do:
- find way to motivate students
- connect with them on a personal level
- show that you care

Source: TEA and IDRA websites.

Question(s):

1. What is the drop-out rate in San Antonio? Does it vary from district to district? Does it vary within districts, from school to school?

2. Define motivation (include age and other demographic elements). How do you motivate students?

3. How do you connect with students on a personal level? How does this benefit the student? And what does this accomplish for you as the teacher?

4. How does a teacher 'show' that s/he cares?

FOR DISCUSSION: Effective teachers must...

FOR DISCUSSION: Effective teachers must...

Read the following class comment and respond to at least one of the questions that follow.
Your response will go in the threaded comments section.
Following each class, you will be given multiple prompts to respond to each week.

The comment(s):

Effective teachers must exhibit organizational skills, a high level of self-confidence, and awareness of student perceptions.

The question(s):

1. How would you define an effective teacher?

2. What are good organizational skills? How does an effective teacher exhibit organizational skills?

3. How would you define self-confidence? How does an effective teacher manifest a high lever of self-confidence?

4. What are student perceptions? How are they defined and identified in a classroom environment? Why are they important to the teacher?

FOR DISCUSSION: Recognize and incorporate cultural diversity

FOR DISCUSSION: Recognize and incorporate cultural diversity

Read the following class comment and respond to at least one of the questions that follow.
Your response will go in the threaded comments section.
Following each class, you will be given multiple prompts to respond to each week.

The comment(s):

We need to recognize and incorporate the cultural diversity of our students in order to better serve their learning needs and to help diminish oppressive white privilege.

The question(s):

1. How do you recognize cultural diversity in your students?

2. How do you incorporate cultural diversity in the classroom?

3. What elements require modification in order to better serve the learning needs of our students? How?

4. What constraints will you face in your classrooms that inhibit modifications?

5. To diminish oppressive white privilege one must define it first. How do you define white privilege? How is it manifested in our culture, in our society, in our classroom?

6. How does white privilege oppress?

7. How do you diminish white privilege?