I am currently reading a book on education and it is discussing the difference in teaching our kids for the ability to pass tests by rote memorization and teaching our kids to think critically and through exploration. It has really made me think back to when I was in school and what all my teachers did or didn't do and I quickly found myself angry at the way I was educated.
I was taught to memorize and everything was drilled into my head. This makes me angry because now I am finding myself trying to be creative and to look at things at a deeper level and I am really struggling. I know that I can, it's just a harder process than I thought it would be. I know some people are more creative and can think of things off the top of their head more than others but I also believe that if you work and study hard enough you will be able to understand at some level.
Even in my first year of college I was required to take a class that taught you how to 'store information in your brain and retrieve it when needed,' how to study for tests, and how to scan reading. I have tried to scan read and it does nothing for me, its like I read nothing at all. I have to read everything and think about it in order to comprehend anything.
It is just at this time very frustrating because I just want it to all fall together in order and its not happening. I'm also aware I am not knowledgable enough in certain areas to even attempt such a task. So for now I guess I will put my immediate desires aside and start researching and studying more. I thought I had done that enough but today I have proven myself wrong.
It's time to reconfigure my plan. Where to begin first and then where that will lead me to? I'm not good at brainstorming, another concept I was never really introduced to. But I will someday accomplish this goal.
I feel as though I have no place, I have no significance. I am doing nothing. It is driving me crazy. Even as I am looking for jobs I just feel all the more unqualified, unknowledgable, and depressed. I just want to live, thats all, nothing amazing. Simply existing is just not working out for me, I need something more.
It just makes me feel like I will never accomplish anything that I have set out to do, or want to set out to do. Time is just passing by and I am still sitting here still doing nothing. It's so aggrivating. Now I know why so much crap is going on like people killing themselves after they lose their jobs, or going on a shooting spree. I'm not saying I agree I'm just saying I understand how they feel and it sucks.
Oh planet earth please bring us all back to sanity and provide us with all the things we desire and the ability to not screw everything up again. My sister in law plays a game with her daughter, if it rained...and they fill in the blank. If it only rained amazing job offers...if it only rained new cars....if it only rained money....if it only rained.
Oh planet earth why does bad have to exist? Everyone would be much happier without it. I also believe we would all be smarter too. That's just my theory.
Oh planet earth how i enjoy your documentary series and board game. I have recently partaken hours of watching, you are very interesting. If only I had as many layers of goodness.
Alright listen up all you so called parents. I have no idea why you can't comprehend simple concepts but its time to begin so the world doesn't simply collapse because of your stupidity. Obviously no one has informed you of normal parental behavior and how to achieve such a goal but I will gladly help you along.
First, it is time to stop babying your kids. I don't care if their 2 or 10. There is no reason to talk to your child like a plastic baby doll or new puppy. They are, believe it or not, human just like some of you. They have the same feelings and concerns but just not the same ability to express them. And realize if you do talk to your kids this way you are actually stalling their emotional, social, and cognitive development along with making yourself look like an idiot. Another normal behavior is to actually have your children sleep in their own bed, not with a or both parents, especially when they are older. It's a pretty simple concept to grasp: if you treat your child like a baby they will act like a baby, even if they are 12. And we can all know that no one wants that.
What most parents fail to realize or not care about is that when you have a kid you are now responsible to raise and teach that child. To prepare them for life not just a day or event. Teachers have to have training and an understanding of teaching so why don't parents? Why are the parents allowed to just be stupid or not care about their child's future.
Seriously people is it that difficult to read some articles, suscribe to some magazines or study online about child development, i dont know maybe during the nine months your pregnant? Oh no but no one wants to "need" help. Everyone wants to do it on their own and they seem to know exactly how to raise a child. I'm sure that has nothing to do with how our kids act today.
Another area that needs to be adressed is discipline. Now I'm not going to be the one to tell you how to discipline your child but I will say that it needs to be done in some way or another. There are many options to choose from so just pick something and if it doesn't seem to work after a few weeks then try something else. But if you do absolutely nothing to discipline your child and you ignore their behavior then someone needs to slap you. Stop being lazy and do something!
Stupidity drives me crazy, especially when it involves parents and their kids. I know raising a child is by no means easy but does require some amount of common sense. So if your a complete idiot, save us all and do not reproduce.
I have been doing a large amount of reading lately (at least for me) on how children learn and education and I am slowly realizing something. All these studies have been done, all these theories, and philosophys of learning have been presented for years and it seems to me that schools and educators know it but do little to put it into use. Not that I have marched into and observed mulitple schools or classrooms, but just hearing from students and teachers I know it doesn't seem to be used today.
For example, my niece started school this year and yeah ok its kindergarten but still the same concept applys. Before classes started she had to go in and take a test to see what all she knows and where she is developmentally. But it didnt seem to have an effect on what class she was put into. Everyone in her class is so different as far as how they scored and what they know. What is the point of even giving such a test unless you are going to look at the results and say, "Oh well this group of children seem to be on the same level or at least close so let's put them into one classroom with this teacher so they are not being taught what they already know but can move on to the next level."
Now let's take it a step further. Let's say that the same test aslo tells you what their learning style is or do more tests to understand what kind of teaching will benefit the child. Then you could break the classes up into learning styles. That way teachers are not trying to teach 5 or 6 different learning styles while at the same time keeping everyone's attention in the class. This way you can teach all of your children say using 2 or 3 different learning styles and they all can keep the childrens attention.
I mean why are we randomly picking names from a sheet of paper and saying okay, Billy will be in this classroom with this teacher and Joe will go here with this teacher. It seems as though all the work to teach them and help them learn starts after they are in the classroom as opposed to before. It just doesn't make sense to me. Then teachers are stressed because these kids are behind and they have to get them 'caught up' with the rest of the class or 'where they are supposed to be.'
Is there a school out there that does this? Is this common and I am just not aware of it or are my thoughts just crazy and off the deep end?
Labels: education, learning styles, school
How long will you rage inside me? Spinning in my head and turning my stomach inside out. All you do is long to be released and spoken, but you have yet to see your freedom. Day after day you remain only thoughts seeking to become more, but i cannot let you out of my mouth.
These words not spoken are eating me away from the inside out. They are all i think about. At the same time so many words are spoken in, some out of love and some not. Some not even with knowledge of what they are saying or who they are saying it to, and they all collide.
Even to the one i should be able to free everything, only my thoughts are displayed. Why is this so? Maybe it's the fear that if they are finally released instead of being freed myself, the opposite will be the only thing to emerge. Is there a simple remedy?
From the beginning it has affected my perspective on life. It's hard to see everything in a different light all at the same time. It's hard to become a completely different person not because of choice but because of life experiences and then recognize and handle it at once. It's like im now living someone elses life and still wanting to fit mine into theirs. It doesn't exactly work. In fact it doesn't at all. I am rediscovering myself and having to deal with things i am discovering for the first time.
My emotions and feelings change so much from day to day. Yeah i know thats a normal female habit, but it is draining. It is odd not caring about the things i used to care about and now finding new and different things i have a deep passion for. I know people change but i feel as though i am going through a massive transformation and i dont what the outcome will be.
Well it has definitely been an interesting trip home. I was extremely excited to see and finally try on my dress! I am so excited. Then after all the excitement of the day I was tired and decided to go to bed early. That was when I decided to have an allergic reaction to..well, something. So I freaked out and went to the er which is always so much fun. It was definitely something in the house because I felt so much better after leaving. Anyways, that was taken care of and fortunately didn't occur again.
Sunday proved to be another interesting day. I was expecting it to be so, but not to the extent that it was. To be blunt and honest I never look forward to going to church with my parents while at home and usually try to get out of it by going somewhere else. I don't like their church or agree with some of the things they do there. One eye opening experience on this trip is that I have realized how different I am from the rest of my family. I mean yeah there is a huge generation gap, but I was reminded how old people don't like to change and how they lack understanding of younger generations and how they are changing things.
Church was at least somewhat bareable this time. Although I sware the choir is following in the footsteps of Southeastern Singers because they all had a colored shirt and black pants and jackets on. They even sung the same songs we always sang at school. It was like a bad flashback to Southeastern chapel, well during worship at least. The no children under 2 in the sanctuary still bothers the tar out of me. I know why they do it, but it drives me crazy when churches do not consider the thoughts or feelings of first time visitors. If I have a small child and I am at a church for the first time I am not going to just drop them off in a nursery and most people wont. To most visitors that is just a sign that tells them they don't want to mess with children or a plug for their 'wonderful children's ministry.' Of which honestly, a first time visitor doesn't care about.
Even the pastor had crued and what he thought were funny jokes about the president. It totally turned me off. Of course everyone is going to have their own opinion and thats fine, but in a church service is not the place to voice it. I despise services that have nothing but a political agenda.
At home the conservation got even more interesting. For some reason even when I do not go to church with my parents when I am home they still have to discuss every detail over and after lunch. So of course everyone is just talking about how wonderful the service was and how much they love the church. Then they started discussing the children's ministry and how much they have done with the kids and how great it is. "They have an amazing two story playground for the kids to play on inside!" Oh how wonderful it is it is just so good. I fought to keep my mouth shut. It angered me so bad. Why does everyone think all we need for kids at church is a good playground? We don't teach our kids about the Bible but we still wonder why 'our kids are so disobedient and disrespectful these days.'
Then they continued on talking about some church that is building a gym on campus and how much money it will bring in and how good it is to encourage their leaders and church to be in shape and healthy. And oh its just going to be the next big thing that every church is going to do and have. Really? Do Christians not realize that most communities and society already has this? Why are we wasting our money on building big fancy gyms on church property when there are 2 across the street from your church? Why don't Christians use what is already in the community and appreciate it? Beacuse of our Christian pride that says oh yes they have one but we can make it better because we are Christians. Nothing pisses me off more. All we do is waste money and property and anything else we are given when we have decent places to go we just won't because they don't have Christ's name plastered everywhere. No wonder non Christians hate us.
I'm beginning to do the same. To make it even worse we do it with everything. Have you been to a church in the last 5 years that doesn't have a coffee shop or cafe? Probably not. What about a highly themed youth and children's area that looks something like chuckie cheese or monkey joes?
And a part of all of this that was also brought up by my own family is this whole, "it's not from America so we aren't buying it." Have you never noticed before that most of the fruit and other foods in most chain grocery stores are not from America, are you just now catching onto this? Now I don't think that everything should be sent to be done overseas, obvioulsy we need jobs here too, but I'm not going to go to such an extreme as they are. It's a little crazy to me. Just another difference between generations. They think on an American mindset and I think on a more global mindset. It's not all about America, there are other continents out there that are trying to survive too.
I am shocked at the extent of hate and horrible things that I have heard "conservative" Christians say about our president since I have been home. I don't know if it is just this area or if I am just not observing it at home but either way I am shocked and disgusted. I mean to hear on the radio a joke about how they wished the president would "have heart failure and drop to his knees and be cold before his head hit the floor." Wow! Seriously? I am horribly disgusted and ashamed that anyone would say this as a joke, much less people who claim to be Christians. And these are the same Christians that don't understand why their children are so violent. Really?
What is our problem, what is our issue? Why are we speaking and acting like this? I feel like everyone has gone crazy thinking the world is going to end and the economy is going to fail. Personally I don't think its that bad. You have depressions you have times of growth. I hope that we will eventually come out of it and things will get better, but at the same time I think it is time for people to become a little smarter about how and what they spend their money on. And ok what if it doesn't? What if America absolutely fails and crumbles what then? Why does everyone thing that America has to be the answer?
Labels: children's church, Christians, church, politics
As I was in the bookstore looking for some preschool teacher materials for some new, different ideas for the classroom I realized something. There are none. Everybook I looked at today said the same thing, had the same ideas, crafts, and games. Really, seriously? We haven't came up with anything new yet? It is extremely frustrating to try to come up with new things when you are stuck in the same pattern everyday.
So this then of course got me thinking about the whole concept of school and education and how it is done today. We all know that schools on the most part are screwed up and kids are not learning or at least not at the level they should be. There are many reasons why I think this is so but the one thing that bothers me the most happens to be the most obvious concept to me.
Keep in mind I am mostly speaking of preschool education but it could even be done in school aged kids after working out the difficult details. Today I will just be discussing the early years setting. Mostly you base classrooms on ages. You have a one year old class a three year old class etc. Which obviously sounds good because for the most part children the same age learn the same information and are on very similar levels. But as much as it is not going to be admitted by staff, you have kids in every class that the teacher does not know how to work with or handle, are on a different level or maybe works better with another teacher. Yet they are kept in that class because of their age or some other minute reason instead of being put where they can learn and develop better.
Then on the other end, you have a child or children that are learning and developing at a great rate and have developed a great bond with their teacher and what seems like as soon as they are growing and doing good it is time for them to move to a new class with a new teacher in a completely different environment with a completely different teaching style. Also, this new teacher has to take the time to learn and understand that new child and their learning style in order for them to be able to just keep up the momentum the teacher before had going. Not to mention many other issues that could arise at this time. The previous teacher already knows what that child knows and what they need to work on, what is next. The new teacher has to figure all this out when they first enter their class. Are they where they should be emotionally, cognitively to be in this class? Do we not see how this is affecting the childs development and desire to learn?
And let's face it, let's be honest here. Some teachers that are above or below you in the line of where the kids go next may not care as much, or may not teach as much. I see it all the time and I'm sure other teachers do too. You spend all your time and energy in getting this kid to this certain level and then they move to the next class and the teacher has the least care in the world about that certain thing you worked so hard on and they give in or do nothing and the child falls right back to the level they were at when you first had them in your class. Is there anything else that could piss you off more?
I don't understand why we don't take a more personal look and discover what kid works best with what teacher and keep them there? Why throw them around from class to class when you know that they work well with this certain person? Isn't that what we all want anyway? Parents want the best teachers for their kids, college students want the best professors to mentor them and help them even in non academic areas of their life. We all want that person that will invest into you and guide you. So why do we have to give that up when you find it and are in that class for a year or a semester?
I know that as a teacher myself I would rather have a group of kids that I can teach and see grow and learn and continue to build things upon. To see them grow in every area of their life not just educationally. That is the joy of teaching. And that is also the problem. So many teachers have lost that joy because that opportunity has been taken away from them because of the continual movement of kids from here to there. They are frustrated and confused because their class is always changing and they are trying to figure out where they are at and what they need. It is not fair for the kids nor the teachers.
Now I also realize that there are flaws in my plan. This means that teachers will have to know a large amount of information on different topics of study as opposed to being trained and skilled in one or two areas of study. It means pleasing the child and the parents as a teacher. What about the problem kids that no teacher wants or that no child wants to be with a teacher? Of course this means we would need more teachers because some teachers would have smaller classes and some would have larger. Why not make schools smaller and more personalized to the students that are there?
I'll be the first to admit that there are issues with this idea, but I can't get past it. I can't understand not doing it. It seems as though now all that is taught to kids are what is going to be on this test that they have to pass in order for them to move to the next grade. Especially in the schools here. Why aren't we just teaching them what they need to know and letting them use it. Why are we so focused on this, because of that we are we are missing out on teaching them other important skills and life tools. It just seems to me that in the end it would be better for both student and teacher.
