Transfer b/w School & Everyday Life

In chapter 3, we are reminded that our goal as teachers is to prepare our students for the demands of the world. What they absorb within our teachings, what they understand within our lessons, and what they gained from our classes are more than just high school credits. Instead, they are being prepared to transfer their knowledge from text to everyday life.

This concept is such a great approach in getting our students to finally see the importance of their education. I myself teach through this concept, especially because the objectives I cover are for that exact purpose. Teaching Business Math allows me the opportunity to show students that math is used everyday. "Managing your money is managing your life!" When students realize how true this quote is, they see beyond the text formula's and start appreciating the value of what is being taught.

Designing Classroom Environments

"Cultural differences can affect students' comfort level in working collaboratively versus individually, and they are reflected in the background knowledge students bring to new learning situations." (Moll et al., 1993)

There are many instances when we are given a child that is not up to par with the standards set forth in our curriculum. In response, we vent about the child's inability to produce work, struggle to teach the child the basic skills, and question how this child progressed into the next level- your class. All we are doing is affecting our ability to see beyond the facts and we cement ourselves within the problem.

I am ashamed to admit I am factor of this bias-nature. Instead of moving past the obvious, I vent and achieve nothing. I try my patience to teach these students yet frustrate myself when they don't understand. I vent again and question...and question again!

Am I achieving anything? Of course not! As a reflection of this behavior, I read the quote again and see that I need to change my attitude and work on my ability to teach. I need to create an environment for these students that is "learner-centered" not "joann-centered." I need to stop venting and start teaching. That's my job! When I allow each student to feel comfortable enough to learn, have all accessibility to learn, and take patience to help them learn, then I can say I am doing my job.

Every student is unique in their own right. They all learn differently- some get it, some takes time, and some need more help than others. Regardless of the situation, we are teachers tasked to provide students with an adequate education. I know what I need to do to improve myself and in doing so, I hope to become a better teacher.

Fish is Fish

When I read this insert, I was amazed at the point that we take new information and formulate it to something that makes sense to us, even if it is just us.

As a teacher, I remind myself everyday that student's learn best when we connect our lessons to something they value or will soon value in life. What is important to me isn't the fact that I cover a lesson, give an assignment, grade it and return it to students. Yet more so that I ignite an interest in something they may not deem worthy.

As a Business Math teacher, it's hard to get student's to value the principles behind such concepts. I use personal information to teach them why they should be smarter consumers, wise decision makers, and responsible adults. Through my mistakes, I can show them the value of my class because I not only show them how to make right choices, but also how not to make wrong ones. I use my history to relate facts to formula's and formula's to assignments and assignments to understanding. Did that make any sense?

It did to me! Fish is Fish, Students are Student - and I need to build on what they know!

My First Day!

Finally, something familiar!

It's good to know that I have retained some information from the previous semester. Once I was a lost soul trying to figure out what my user name was, what was the URL chosen, and what my password was. Now, my best advise to those who are making their first attempt to blog: Write down everything.

Regardless of how much information you can store, you just might now remember where you blogged. Evident of my experience - I found out that I had multiple blog accounts because instead of creating new posts, I kept creating new blogs. That is a big NO NO.

Till our reading encounters,
Joann