Philosophy of Education...Readers's Digest Edition

Sometimes I just can't accept the rules as they are written.

One of my current courses required me to submit my Philosophy of Education statement in less than one page.  I felt compelled to write a letter to my instructor about the requirement.

Assignment #5 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION:  Write a brief description of what your purpose is in becoming a teacher.  This should be no longer than one page.

I have written and revised my philosophy of education several times during my years as a Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College student. 

The latest version can be viewed on my public blog.
http://shelhart.blogspot.com/2009/01/first-step.html

My personal philosophy, like my resume, does not fit on one page.

Try as I may, I have difficulty deciding what topics are the least important and should be cut.  My gut tells me that all of the paragraphs are important. My educational philosophy is a reflection of my thoughts, feelings, and passions.  It is personal.  For it to be mine, it has to be more than one page.

I can pare it down to meet the one page, double-spaced MS Word document requirement if you wish, but it will be an empty pile of buzzwords and catch-phrases... not my philosophy.


How would you like me to proceed?

Yes, I know I shouldn't be "kicking the beehive" this close to graduation, but I just couldn't bite my virtual tongue on this one.   I felt compelled to stand up for what I see as important.

As the old saying goes, you can't un-ring a bell.  The above email has already been sent.

Am I sorry?  No.   I'd do it again.

The New Indiana Teacher Evaluation

Recently the Indiana Department of Education released their draft of the new model teacher evaluations.  At first glance I thought the rubric looked promising.  I was so excited about the language used I had to share this information with some friends.  My email about change and improvement triggered a passionate response from a teacher "in the trenches".

The following is a portion of the email exchange.  Names have been deleted to protect the sender's privacy.  I am publishing this with the author's permission.

Me:
Did you see this?http://www.doe.in.gov/news/2011/02-February/modelevaluations.htmlAt first glance, I think I like it.
Your thoughts?

Friend:
Honestly- I can see where it can be completely and totally worked to make it seem like the teachers in our building are meeting the highest levels of the rubrics by still using their teacher editions and their current teaching methods:

Domain 1-Purposeful Planning- all the category 4 criteria can be "met" using the teacher edition of the basal. They used this to say they met the criteria for (ADMIN'S) differentiation lessons & criteria

Domain 2- Effective instruction- This is covered in the current teacher evaluation and OF COURSE this would have already would have been fixed by our building principal if it wasn't being done & higher order questioning is in the side margins of the teacher's editions!


Domain 3- Teacher Leadership- The teachers in our building already serve on bunches of committees including (*** club), each grade level has a parent involvement evening through Title 1, there is a grade level representative on the (PTA type organization), and they do RTI. How much else should they have to do?

Domain 4- oops- You want them to be on time? Ok, well we can work on that one for the few who are late every single day. We will mention them in general at every single faculty meeting and maybe if they would shut up they might hear us!

In all honesty, we, as teachers, already fill out a form that makes us prove that we are highly qualified and it just asks if we have taken the NTE and passed or if you are a newer teacher if you have met some other criteria. This is just another bogus form that the principal will check off and say, "yes, of course, my staff does all this stuff and is highly qualified" because if they don't the superintendent will shoot them for causing issues.
It looks like a really good idea and I would love to see it not be so vague with so many generalities that can be met using a textbook or the same old methods. I would like to see it force teachers to step out of the box further, force them to change and prove that they are. Perhaps, proving you are a highly qualified teacher and that you will continue to be one by learning and doing something to improve yourself. In what way will you improve yourself as a teacher, how will you do it and how will you prove that you have done it? Now, if you want to keep your job, go do it.

Me:  I Love your reply.  Can I send it to the state DOE and/or publish it?  I Think Tony Bennett needs to read it 

Friend:
Sure- it won't make any difference though because the state won't do anything that has real teeth to it.  There are ALWAYS loopholes..... The good teachers (and I bravely put myself in that category) will be the ones who worry and fret and work harder and quit teaching because we feel we aren't doing good enough and the ones who have been the same thing for the last 15-20 years will continue to find the loopholes and skate by and not really make any change (although they will gripe about how much they have been forced to suffer over these new rules) and nothing will be done.
Sorry- I do not mean to sound so cynical and bitter but I kind of am because I do work really hard and I want to do more and I want to be a better teacher for my kids (and I know there are a lot of areas where I need to improve) and yet I see people who do the least amount of work possible getting the same title "highly Qualified teacher" as me  and it does make me angry and bitter.
(maybe Tony ought to see this part of my e-mail, as well)

I'd love to hear some more opinions from educators and administrators.  Does the new Indiana plan look like it will make a difference?   Does it or will it have "teeth"?  Will this help foster real change or real red tape?

What do you think?

Please share your thoughts.  

I'm sending a link  I sent a link to this post via twitter to the Indiana DOE and Dr. Bennett with hopes that they might read the blog and the comments.  


Please post your feedback so that we can collectively make Indiana education better.  






Update 2/9/11:  Yes, someone from the state took the time to read this.  


Thanks for your visit, D.O.E.

Get ready.....Get set......

Today is my first day working in 4th grade. This should be a great two weeks. I am prepared to teach my science unit. The classroom teacher should have prepared seeds for today that the students can pry open and examine. I have prepared a batch of seeds just in case she forgot. I have lesson outlines, notebook examples, pictures, software, laptop, supplies, back-up plans, a cool tie, and comfortable shoes.

I'm not nervous at all. This is going to be a walk in the park.

Why did I wake up at 3AM?

Well, maybe a little nervous.

Here we go again...

It's time to get back in the classroom. I start another 'field experience' this Monday. This time I will be in fourth grade. I had an opportunity to meet with my cooperating teacher today. We discussed the schedule, lesson plans, and what I will be doing. I volunteered to teach a science unit, and Ms. C. quickly accepted my offer.

Stay tuned for two weeks of reflections, plant updates, and excitement!

Goodbye Dad

Name: Clifford "Mike" Shelhart Date: May 23rd, 1940 - August 20th, 2010 Obituary: Clifford Mike Shelhart age 70, of Wheatfield, Ind. passed away at his residence on Friday August 20, 2010. He was born on May 23, 1940 in Rensselaer, Ind. the son of John James and Agnes Helena (Tansel) Shelhart, both deceased. Mike was a 1958 graduate of the DeMotte High School. Mike had worked as a operating engineer for the Local #150 for 52 years. On March 23, 1962 in Gary, Ind., he married Barbara Warren and she survives. Mike was a member of the American Reformed Church, DeMotte, Ind. He was a Past Master of the Hebron Masonic Lodge # 502, F&AM, Past Patron of the Order of the Easter Star, Hebron Chapter #119, member of the Scottish Rite Valley of South Bend, Past High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons, Chapter #150, Past Illustrious Master of the Norman L. Brown Counsel #109, Cryptic Masons of Indiana and was currently serving as Eminent Commander of the H.W. Matthewson Commandery #66 of the Knights Templar of Indiana Michael is survived by: Barbara (Warren) Shelhart, spouse; Scott (Lisa) Shelhart, Wheatfield, Ind., son; Mark (Jennifer) Shelhart, Chesterton, Ind., son; Cynthia (Brad Brickner) Shelhart, Chesterton, Ind., daughter; Sisters - Shirley Anderson of Kouts, Ind.; Sandra Shelhart of Hammond, Ind.; Bonnie (Tom) Postma of DeMotte, Ind.; 4 - grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents. Memorials: Jasper County Hospital Home Healthcare & Hospice or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Visitations: 2:00PM to 8:00PM on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at Jackson Funeral Service of DeMotte (Masonic Service at 7:00PM) (map/driving directions) Services: 10:00AM at Jackson Funeral Service of DeMotte on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 (map/driving directions) Cemetery: Crockett Cemetery 1800 W 725 S Rensselaer, IN 47978 (map/driving directions)

Hunting for an excuse.

This Rhode Island school board went hunting for an excuse for their  failing school.
It appears they went hunting with a bomb instead of a rifle (Its an analogy...please don't get the wrong idea about the reference).  One of my friends said this was like a hospital removing someone's entire leg to treat a few small infected sores.
I understand the need for change, but to fire ALL of the teachers seems to be the wrong approach.

Who is the school board going to hire now?  An entire school of fresh graduates?  Teachers that have been fired from other purging school boards?  

What do you think? 

Student Teaching Day 10

2/5/10

Day 10

The End


The last day of my teaching experience started like most of the others.  We had warm up sheets, the two minute math test, pledge to the flag, etc.  For the math lesson we started with watching some of the Schoolhouse Rock videos on multiplication.  After the videos we did some multiplication activities and ISTEP sample problems.  Maybe my post on play vs inquiry had a small effect on Mrs. J.

The children went to music and gym today.  While they were gone Mrs. J. and I talked while she planned lessons and I graded papers.  She showed me the highly scored scoring rubric she had filled out to send to my college. Even though it wasn't all flowers and sunshine, I received high marks from all involved.

The afternoon writing activity was a small group project designed to teach descriptive writing,  The students were allowed to pick their own groups.  The four high ability girls banded together.  The boys stuck together.  The below grade level students grouped together.  The results were not what we expected.  The high ability group and the two groups of boys spent most of their time arguing and correcting each other.  The low ability group worked together and produced more descriptive sentences than any of the other groups.  It was fun to watch.

We did a few other activities and took a few tests as the end of the day approached.  The students turned in their work and got ready to leave.  On girl took Mrs. J  out into the hall to tell her something urgent just before the students were released.  I found out later that the girl had a surprise gift that she wanted Mrs. J. to deliver to me.


Here is my parting gift:

My friend N__ had brought me a Valentine card.  Hannah Montana Wizards of Waverly Place star "Alex" was neatly holding a Jolly Rancher apple flavored sucker.  My first valentine from a student.

After the students had left Mrs. J and I discussed how things had went and what we had learned over the past two weeks.  We both had a great time and worked well together.. Mrs. J, who had said on day one that she never wanted to have another student teacher for 8 weeks, invited me back to do my student teaching in her classroom.  I could have not wished for a better evaluation than to be invited back to teach again.

I have made many new friends over the past two weeks.  I have strengthened some professional relationships.  I have learned about children and about myself.  I discovered new things about office politics and the interaction of school departments.  I learned how to use a Promethean board, electronic voters, and two different document cameras.  I discovered how to co-teach and how differentiation works in the classroom.  I made a great connection with my friend and mentor Mrs. J.

I learned that a handwritten card and an apple sucker can be the best gift in the world.
Happy Valentines Day N____.

I'm going to go eat my sucker, look at all of the photos I took this week,  and miss my students for a little while.

Thanks kids.  Thanks Mrs. J.   I'll miss you.