What Will I Do to Create Change?

     In response to the article What Will I Do to Create Change? School is in a constant state of fluctuation to fit into the current times and keep up with how education is being taught. George Couros talks about in his TEDTalk how teachers need to stay innovative in reaction to students todays learning environment. Students today are learning in one of those period when schools are trying to innovate to new inventions and creations such as the Internet. The Internet has brought on a new age of learning where students have access to unlimited amount of information constantly. I feel that teachers are not doing that great of a job keeping up with the times especially older teachers who are stuck in their ways. Although, I have had a few examples of teachers innovating and keeping up with todays youth.

1) Voice
In my AP Physics class we are currently doing a project where we are given a topic and we have a week to study up and learn all we can about. At the end of our studying week, we have to present and give a lecture about our topic. From this project, the class as a whole is learning a new topic from the people who understand it and who understand how they learn, themselves.

2) Problem Solvers/Finders
Also in my AP physics class, we finished a project called The Pringle Challange. The objective of the Pringle Challenge is to find a way to ship a single pringle in the mail, without any special delivery method, to our teacher without breaking the chip based on our knowledge of physics. This project allowed students to create their own ideas and creativity with the power of physics on our side. (P.S. I won the challenge of having the lightest package with an intact pringle!)

3) Self-Assessment
My Eduction and Training class is a very innovative class that understands how students learn and gives them the knowledge and the tools to succeed. In this class we created a self portfolio that highlighted our awards and all of our accomplishments. This portfolio will be of great use later in life when we need to apply for jobs and have easy access to a resume.

In my future classroom, I plan on being that cool hip teacher that understands the kids and how to connect with them not just in the classroom. I plan on involving all sorts of things that bring my students and I closer together through learning not just textbook style but also through the power of technology.

1) Opportunities for Innovation
I plan on being a middle/high school history teacher and a lesson I have thought about is to help teach the Reconstruction Era. The Reconstruction Era was all about rebuilding after the civil war and many great technological advances came from this time, my lesson would be to create an invention using the technology and resources they had during that time period. This project would help students understand how limited the resources was for inventors then and unlock a level of creativity.

2) Connected Learning
In my future classroom, I want to be connected with my students at all times via social media. I will have a page where my students can come and share (positive) experiences in my classroom. Students will be able to post suggestions that I could integrate into the classroom so my students could have a voice that matters and is not ignored. This classroom page would be on the most popular social media at the time.

3) Time for Reflection 
My future classroom, at the end of the year, will have a day set aside for reflection on what we have learned and how we have progressed throughout the school year. This can be accomplished by keeping folders for each individual that contains their work like essays and tests they have completed during the school year. I think it is beneficial for students to look back and be proud of their accomplishments and all they have achieved in just a short year.

Here are more ideas of connecting with students in the classroom

http://www.apa.org/education/k12/relationships.aspx

http://hepg.org/hel-home/issues/27_1/helarticle/five-easy-ways-to-connect-with-students_492

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/make-meaningful-connections-with-students-nick-provenzano

Bill to Bypass Exams OK'd

In response to the article, Bill to Bypass Exams OK'd, the standard requirements to graduate high school in Texas are being lowered. The standards to graduate high school should be set at the minimum of if you passed all required classes and the end of course exams for those classes, you can graduate. These standards are low enough for most students to pass.

Two Texas Senators, Kelly Hancock (NRH) and Jane Nelson (Flower Mound), voted against the bill. I think these two Senators voted against the bill because they think this is an easy way out of high school for seniors.

Majority of senators are in support of this new bill. These senators are only considering the way these students not graduating will affect how Texas is viewed. A high rate of students not graduating high school makes the state as a whole look bad. These  students not graduating will not be able to find jobs and eventually careers because a basic necessity for any job is a completed high school graduation.

How Do You Measure Up?

Did you get the grade you were expecting from your teacher?
I received the grade I expected because I feel as that over all I do fairly well at my field sight.

What insights did the comments give you?
The comments informed me that maybe I do have what it takes to be a teacher. When I started interning in my classroom I was over whelmed with all the responsibility and how much leadership skills it takes to be a teacher and i thought I didn't posses those qualities. After reading the comments of my teacher it assured me that I might be able to make teaching a career.

Name an area in which you would like to improve. How could you do that?
I know that need to study more about what my kids are learning in subjects I have forgotten about since not being in 1st grade in 10 years. I feel like that I could be more aware of how my students learn the material because learning styles have changed in many ways. I can do this by sitting down with my teacher and have her explain the daily routines of the classroom when I'm there and when I am not. I can also have better communication with my teacher. I can improve on this by asking for her phone number so I can always be able to communicate with her and keep her informed.

My Plans for the New Year!

My 2014 was a year that I want to look back on and gladly say that I got it together in 2015. I Promise. 2014 was a year full of surprises, opportunities, and lots of disappointment in myself. In 2015 I vow to keep on track with the following goals I set for myself.

In 2015, I vow to...

• I vow to apply for my top 5 colleges by applying to a college every 2 months to ensure I have a plan after high school.
•  I vow to have better attendance by even if I am feeling ill in the morning to push through it to go to school so I will not have to make up hours.
• I vow to improve my core classes grades by setting aside an hour for each class everyday until i average a B+ in my classes.