EDSS530 Final Exam: An Agenda for Action

Key Components of My Personal Vision:

In referencing the key components of my personal vision for Secondary Schooling in the 21st Century, I’d like to respond to bell hooks quote that “teachers need to conceptualize themselves as ‘transgressive,’ to see their role as part of larger social movements, and explicitly attempt to create conditions for young people to become active participants in a changing society.” As I have experienced this Single Subject Credential Program I have gained a wealth of insight in some aspects as to what innovation will be necessary on my part in order to affect the lives of my students in the capacity I desire. In conceptualizing myself as transgressive I realize I am going to have to stretch myself beyond my own comfort level in order to provide innovative methods of learning math. In all honesty, many of the math classrooms I have observed have been ridiculously similar and traditional in nature in that the teacher holds the wealth of knowledge and the students are empty vessels soaking in all they can. One discussion we had in methods that was very powerful for me was the difference between being a tutor and a teacher. I consider myself to be closer to the role of a tutor than I am to a teacher right now and my desire is to transgress beyond that and into a role that will have a greater impact on the learning of my students. I see this as taking a lot of additional work on my part in the form of attending professional development workshops, doing research, etc. Many teachers have so much to do within the normal responsibilities of their classroom, so that the extra time it would take to conceptualize themselves as transgressive would not seem possible and many times unwanted so we’ve fallen into what works.

There is a social movement taking place in which young people need to be taught how to think. Within the context of the math classroom, I consider this to be a huge feat in that a major reason I desire to teach students math is because I believe the lessons to be learned extend beyond the content into things like problem solving. The only thing constant in this world is change and if we do not teach our students how to be active participants in this world we are doing them a huge disservice. So I do support the idea of creating a classroom of active learners in which I do not hold all the knowledge, but my students do. I do not yet know exactly what this looks like, but I have made a commitment to being a life-long learner myself in which I will research innovation within a math classroom, or attend workshops with the utmost excitement, etc.

Next Semester…

In one of the courses I will be teaching this semester it appears as though after the students have taken the state exams there is sort of free reign concerning what’s on the learning agenda. I have not yet found an exact activity, but I thought I might consider finding something related to Geometry in which the students will get to explore a Problem of the Week style assignments. Throughout the course of the semester I will definitely facilitate opportunities for cooperative learning and for students to develop their own understandings, but I’d like to really “play” with how this might look more so at the end of the semester when there is less pressure on me.

My First Two Years…

In listening to the Principal’s Panel last week, I heard a lot of affirmation toward “know the culture, be the culture, change the culture.” It was pretty much a consensus the principals appreciate innovation, but in the first years of our teaching to be less innovative and more of a team player. Within my first two years of teaching I’d like to focus on being a team player, but a valuable member to the team in which I speak up when appropriate. In my CPI I found many of the things they had developed were as a result of them knowing the students they teach. I believe a lot can be learned from sitting back within that first year and developing an understanding for why things are they way they are. At the same time, I believe I have the responsibility to challenge anything I believe needs challenging. This will, of course, be done in a respectful manner only when I deem it appropriate.

Within these first two years I also will seek opportunities for professional development. Every once in a while I may use my prep period to observe another teacher at whatever school I am working in teach their class, whether it be in the same content area or a different one. Within the first five years my teaching style is constantly being molded and it is my responsibility to seek those molding opportunities, even if I am finding things I do not want to do in my classroom.

Later In My Career…

I’d like to stretch myself beyond the four walls of my classroom and come to the realization I am teaching in the 21st century. There are so many different things going on in technology that I believe should be implemented within my instruction in order to move students toward becoming active participants in a changing society. In addition, I believe the implementation of ITUs are important for student learning, and I will work toward seeking opportunities to implement such a curriculum even if it just begins within my own classroom.

Position…

In the completion of our Ethnography, one of the administrators we interviewed suggested now was a viable time for our education system as it is to be blown up. I am not completely opposed to that idea in that it seems all of the following need to be taken into consideration:

1. Creating new curriculum paths
2. New Professional Roles
3. Restructuring Schools
4. Powerful Teaching
5. Comprehensive Support for all students
6. Comprehensive Accountability & Assessment

When we do begin to be mindful of the needs within each of the six reform areas listed above we will have a more effective system in which we creating a learning environment for our students to experience/learn what it means to be an active participant in a changing society. I struggle to explicitly say what my agenda for action is because I still struggle to see clearly what this all looks like, but I can say the biggest agenda action for change is to be a life-long learner in which I am exploring all the innovations currently being discussed as well as taking into consideration all that has worked in the past.