1.
The first
thing would be to increase the budget
for education and schools. Many schools,
at least in California, are overcrowded and many do not have the technology and
resources students need in the technology driven world. Also, more money could allow standardized tests
to include other things than multiple choice answers, which are the cheapest
way to grade the tests.
The next most important thing is to make a solid national
curriculum, including all the
subjects and other parts that create a good education. For example part of a curriculum would
include the subject content as well as parts that make them a better part of
our society through behavior, attitudes, critical thinking, etc. If
there were states that would like to add parts to their state curriculum, that
would be fine, but they could not replace or change the national curriculum
that is created.
The standardized tests also need to be
changed.
I would change the way
standardized tests are viewed and used. Once
you have a curriculum, whether it is national or statewide, then you can create
tests that can measure other skills then bubbling in. You could include projects that students
made, essays, reports, free response answers, short answers, and almost an
unlimited number of ways to assess other than multiple choice bubble
tests. Another thing I would change
about the tests is when they are given, and how the information from the tests
is used. Giving a test near the end of
the year, and using that data to decide how successful a school has been does
not truly show how successful or
unsuccessful it has been. There are
students who come to the school just before the tests are administered, there
might be an extra stressful time for the student taking the test right now,
possibly being sick, etc. so students and schools should not be judged on how
well they do in math from being tested in math on one day. Instead, they should give a standardized test
at the beginning of the year, not just bubble in answers, but including other
ways to assess their knowledge, and take another test near the middle and the
end of the year, and analyze the growth in the student. If there is no growth between the first and
second test, the teacher or teachers should collaborate and see what this
student is lacking that is needed to improve their understanding of the
content.
Another thing I would change would be about how to teach students the basics of math and language arts.
I have seen a big gap of skills already in elementary school. I know there were some fourth graders I had
last year, that could write and spell better than high school students I had
two years ago. I think this gap needs
to, and should be able to change. This
probably needs to be solved in elementary grades. I don’t know if it needs to be something with
a student being retained and repeat the grade, but these students need to have
extra help in the subject or subjects they are struggling with. If they just move on to the next grade, the
material is harder and they are expected to be able to perform and do these
more advanced things. Without the basic
steps they should have learned earlier, they will just fall further and further
behind. These students need to have some
extra help in and outside of school to get the skills needed for their current
grade and allow them to move on.
Another thing I think all pacing guides should be eliminated. I feel like pacing guides
hold back some of the teachers’ ability to teach. If there are some things in the pacing guide
that the teacher does not like, or would not want to present the material in
that way, they will not be teaching up to their potential. If the district/ school wants to stress certain
subjects, then maybe they can request teachers cover certain material in more
depth than others, but I think it should
be up to the individual teachers and their department about how they would like
to do their class. If the district wants
to, their “pacing guide” could be a guide, but not something that is mandatory
for teachers to follow.
2.
Ravitch
has been very meaningful for me. It has
shown me the problem that American schools are facing, and also many attempts
at solving these problems. She has
brought her own perspective on her views of what has been happening in the education
world, and especially who are attempting to solve these problems. Luckily I have not yet felt the extreme
pressure for test scores, but Ravitch has shown me how much pressure some teachers
are under to increase test scores, no matter what the risk. She also has presented the problems with
standardized tests the way they are. They
do not test everything someone needs to know to be a well-educated person. There are many things that should be learned,
but cannot be measured on a standardized tests.
Ravitch also educated me on charter schools, and other reform ideas that
have had mixed results in their implementation.
She brought up a lot of problems that the education system faces, and
presents her views in a sort of depressing way.
She does however make it seem like there will and can be hope in the
future with proper attitudes and changes being made.
3.
As a
teacher and a citizen of America, I know that I can have an impact. As a teacher, I can use everything that St.
Mary’s has taught me and help my students the best I can. Not only teaching
them science, but also teaching them how to think on their own, behave like
students, and problem solve. I can also
bring my ideas and what I have learned to my school site and collaborate with
other teachers and share my thoughts with my principal as well. Also, if I ever am presented with the
mandatory pacing guide, I can try my best to please the powers above me to “follow”
the guide, but try to incorporate things that I find valuable for the students
to do and learn. As a citizen, I can
try to use what I know and help educate others about how education is
struggling, and what we can do to help.
Like spending time with our kids on homework and other educational
activities. Not letting television run
our lives and let our kids go out and play instead of staying in with video
games. As both a teacher and a citizen,
I can try to inform my students’ parents about the importance they play in
their child’s life and in their education.
This is a
link to the national association of biology teachers. On this website, there is a link to a blog
where different people have posted things they have seen or done with different
technologies and tools. There is a link
for recent press in science and NABT related news. There is also a place to become a member and
it is only $25 for a student membership.
There is a section that has free teaching resources, but it really just
has links to other sites that cover different topics. There is also a link that shows the upcoming
conferences and workshops provided by NABT.
This is a
link to the national science teacher association. Pretty much everything on this website you
need to be a member to view and use.
There are links to web seminars but you have to be a member to view, but
once you are a member these seminars are
free. One think that I do like about the
site is that they have different categories for different science subjects as
well as different science levels like elementary, middle school and high
school. The cost to become a member is $75
for the lowest membership, and more for different lengths and number of
journals. There are also conferences and
many professional development opportunities listed and linked on the site.
5.
A. Things to see in the Bay Area: Exploratorium
in S.F., Chabot Space Center, California Academy of Science, The Tech Museum in
San Jose, U.C. Botanical Gardens
B. Things to read: On the Origin of Species, A Brief History of Time, The Botany of Desire,
Silent Spring, DNA: The Secret of Life
C. Like to investigate: The Journal of Medical
Entomology, Journal of the American Medical Association.
D. Like to attend: National Association of Biology
Teachers Professional Development Conference, Explortorium Teacher
Institute.
E. See in the world:
Galapagos Islands, , Kalahari Desert, Angel Falls, Amazon Rain Forest, and the
Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii.
