Relection on Group 9 presentation 4-28

Today we learned about chapter 13 which is instruction in today's schools. I thought that the presentation was very well organized and interesting. The video shown was really a different way of showing the different ways of instructing and well not instructing. The video did mention a little how good technology can be for students, but most of it was saying was that we need to get them away from technology. I disagree with this because i feel that technology is a very helpful tool and can really be used to better students, that is to say if its used the correct way. Specially with special ed students i feel that technology can really help these students see things that otherwise they wouldnt be able to see. I the group had a lot good of information that really effects us future teachers.

Final Blog The letter to the editor!

Dear Editor of the Star Tribune:

I am writing you because my class at St. Cloud State University wants us to get involved in speaking out about education since all of us in the class are planning on becoming future teachers. To get involved as teachers you cant just accept change sometimes you have to stand up and fight for it. There are many passionate issues to talk about with such a broad subject as education but I found out one that I am very passionate about that is really taking us by storm. With the recent deaths from the two teenage girls in Marshall, Minnesota teens committing suicide from being bullied, this is one topic that we must address before we lose more lives. Bullying has always been around in schools but students today are really going out of the way to torture their fellow students. I feel that parents and teachers need to say something if they are witness to this cruel stuff. However, it really needs for the students themselves to stop bullying itself. They need to stand up together and to say this is wrong and we need to put a stop to this. Everyone in the world is different but that’s what makes each one of us special. We need to start treating people how we in return would like to be treated. I recommend that every student from 6^th grade on should watch the documentary bullied which really puts bullying into perspective and how hurtful it can be and how it can ruin someone’s life.  We need to stop this epidemic before we lose more of our precious student’s lives. To be a teacher you must really have a passion for learning and using your heart so why is it that are students are not getting the message of using your heart. We need to try harder to show kindness to our students. We are role models and have to start acting like it. Thank you for your time listening and for writing such a wonderful paper and letting me give this cause a voice.
From your reader,

Elias Hoversten

Reflection on class from 4-26

Today we went on kind of a class field trip to the St. Cloud State science bus. It was very funny at first because the whole class was waiting in the husky hub for the teacher because it was raining and she came pulling up 10 minutes later saying i had been looking for you everywhere and how could i lose a whole class. After we all got into the bus i was shocked at how big it really was and how many students they have in their at one time. i think they said 36 to 45 is the most they have ever had which is quite amazing. It was very amazing to see each little lab station and learn about what they do on the bus and then to actually perform the labs were very fan. It really is a good learning tool and gets kids out of the classroom and not have to travel to far to learn. I had a great time and suggests everyone should try it.

N.Y.U. to Establish a Degree-Granting Campus in Shanghai

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/nyregion/28nyu.html?ref=internationaleducation

I thought that this article was very different but very interesting and i was schocked that school were starting to do this. I think its a very good idea in such a global economy and will really give students more advantages with learning especially those students that would like to learn more about a country but not from a text book. This student i think will be able to gain more about China from actually living there and experiencing it first hand. With so many Chinese immersion programs in the states this will outpost will help these students that are very interested in the culture and have gone to China but not been able to stay longer.

House Bill on Student Testing Reopens a Familiar Debate

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/us/17ttstudents.html?_r=1&ref=education

I though that this article was interesting and showed a very different aspect of education and that is through the government. Both sides agree about the topic but the way it is going to be put into action and what it will require has both sides disagreeing and in fact they have been in a disagreement for quite some time. I think that the whole testing issue needs to be looked at and reformed ever since no child left behind has been put into play our country has struggled to keep up with the rest of the world with are grades. In fact Finland who has no tests has the best grades in the world so whatever there doing is right and we need to learn something from them.

Chapter 6 The Youth Edge in Education Nation

The five key points from this chapter are:
1. For Students to use their technological prowess to help teachers teach.
2. Asking a student for help is a sign of weekness has to be broken down.
3. The technology being used today is so advanced that previous generations are having a hard time catching up.
4. Only 4 periods in last 500 hundred years where media has changed enough to qualify being called a revolution.
5. There are few precedemts for giving students more responsibility for the operatings of the classroom.

Reflection on Group 8 Presentation 4-21

Today group 8 presented on chapter 10 dealing with productive learning management. The group did a very good job presenting had a lot of visuals, spoke very clearly, had tons of very good information. Each member of the group knew their materal very well and was very comfortable with it. The information given to us even though they didnt intend it too gave us a little background for are up coming papers on what are room structure for teacher should be like with the explination of one teacher hoice for her room to tables instead of desks and no over head lights but lamps. The videos during the presentation kept the class focused and attentive.

Reflection on Group 7 Presentation 4-14

Today the group presented on Chapter 10. There presentation was very well done and each of them demonstrated they had practiced and knew their information. They each spoke very clearly and got the class envolved by giving them a test and asking us certain question about the presentation. When the quiz was given on the following tuesday it was a little difficult to remember all the information that had been given out on the prevous thursday. But the topics sparked a very good conversation with the class and the video on facebook really brought around some different comments. Both sides are very easy to see about the facebook issue and are schools and teachers are in for a rollercoaster ride down the road dealling with this mega issue.

Australian Universities Take Steps to Increase Numbers of Indigenous Students and Academics

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/world/asia/11iht-educSide11.html?ref=education
I came across this article and thought it was perfect because in my other class i was just learning about indigenous people and already learned so much that this was icing on the cake and just interesting to read about them in the present day news. I though this article was very good and informative and really makes you see why the Indigenous people of Austrailia are going through. They do make a very good point the with schooling the Indigenous students are more likely to succeed and be better financially well off. However they can also see it as trying to make them white and lose their rich heritage of being a aborigine. There is also the fact that a lot of these students end up failing out of college because they have no leaders put into place untill now that is of graduates that are of the same type of heritage. These students need someone to talk with and look up too, to make them believe in themselves.

Chapter 5 The Co-Teaching Edge- Education Nation

The five key points i learned in this chapter are:
1. Teachers are the most important factor in the educational process.
2.The educational system has to allow teachers enough time to learn about and adopt the new teaching methods in the 21st century.
3.Opening Minds Through the Arts.
4.Parents need to be envolved in their students life.
5. A single comment from a teacher can make or break a students spirit.

reflection on The Finland Phenomenon 4 -12

Today we watched a documentary called The Finland Phenomenon. This documentary was put together by Tony Wagner and shows why Finland is the highest ranked country in the world in education and what the United States needs to do to move up in the world ranking of education and to better our future generations of students. The first thing which is huge is that Finland doesnt revolve the education around testing and in fact dont use it at all. The classrooms are more relaxed because of this and more personal in fact the students call the teachers by their first names in most cases. Another thing that leaped out me is the students classes are smaller making learning more personable and they get to spend more time on projects and such which cuts down on homework time. The third thing that really leaped out at me is that trust here is huge. In America if a teacher were to leave his students for 20 or so minutes and come back the class would be going crazy with talking and not doing work... here however the teachers trust the students so much that they can leave the room and the students keep right on working.
The Three ways how teachers are prepared in Finland are:
1.The students must get good grades to get accepted into college then get a high score on a entrance exam to get into the  teaching program.
2. Teachers in Finland go through a five year course study.
3. The Training teachers have many in- class observation and inturn are critiqued as they critique others which helps build stronger teachers.

Reflection on Studentfirst.org 4-7

I recently went to and explored student first.org a site that was set up by Michelle Rhee the former chancellor of  D.C. public schools. This site is a very good tool for teachers and the purpose of it is a really noble cause. We must save our teachers and eleminate the good teachers being fired and letting the tenure teachers being able to stay on just because they have tenure. I like how on this site there is a place where you can support teachers right on the site as well as many interesting blogs and videos that really help describe what they are trying to do.

Cathleen Black Is Out as City Schools Chancellor

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/cathie-black-is-out-as-chancellor/?emc=na

After reading this article i thought they really brought down a lot of Ms. Black's accomplishments and things that she had done right for the school district even without much expierence. Im sure the new chancellor Mr. Walcott will do a fantastic job in this new post however with the school district being where it is and the amount of media coverage in this area im sure their will be alot of judgement and opinions on how he is preparing and doing his job.

Reflection on Group 6 presentation 4-7

Today the group 6 presentated on School Governance and Finance. The presentation was very good and they each had a lot of spirit and gave us a lot of information. This topic seemed like a hard topic to do because there is a lot of information as well as it being not that exciting, but i thought the group handled it very well. i though that the crossward puzzle was a very good idea to get us involved and to make sure we payed attention. I also have to reflect what kinda teacher i want to be which is the kinda teacher that makes his students excited to learn and want to learn. I am still learning my path and how and what i want to teach.