Fellow Warriors,
I attended my first ever TTT event. The VA TTT held its first annual Teacher Prep Workshop in July. It was a one day event and they only invited those who were close to being hired, or newly hired, into a teaching position.
This was very much like a TAP Class, but geared strictly toward teaching, something TAP doesn't even touch.
There were veteran Teachers and Principals available for mock interviews. My interview was very productive for me, not in that felt that I did well, but rather the gentleman helped me to translate my military leadership abilities into civilian/educator terms.
There were also three different sessions that everyone was able to participate in.
One was the use of technology in the classroom. The veteran Teacher/presenter showed how easy it is to use tech and integrate that with the subject matter while incorporating other core subjects as well.
Another session covered Endorsement areas: Academic and Vocational. They also discussed the differences in certifications for these.
A final session was Teacher Portfolios (which I covered in a previous post).
Overall it was a day well spent, especially considering it was on a work day. If you get an opportunity to attend some kind of new teacher workshop, I strongly urge you to do so! After all, if, as military members, we are to train the way we are expected to fight, then we should approach our next career with the same zeal.
More to follow...
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Passed Hurdles
Fellow Warriors,
I successfully passed some of the hurdles in the path to teaching:
VCLA tested what I knew. This is similar to the tests we took in high school. Reading asked me to read a couple paragraphs, then quizzed me on how well I comprehended what I read. Writing gave me a couple paragraphs, then asked how to change certain passages to make the writing better.
FTCE covered some of the same from VCLA, as well as math and science. This test also asked about specific teaching functions. If a student has X problem, then which teaching method would you use to help them. Y'all will want to make sure you study some before challenging this one...
Hurdles I need to get by:
I am told that VRA is all about how to teach reading; methods, practices, etc. I was advise that the VCLA/VRA website has the study material I will need to pass this...
PRAXIS I & II seem to be similar as the FTCE, bit I am sure they are more in-depth. The PRAXIS 1 tests are each about 1 hour, the PRAXIS 2 is 2 hours.
Wish me luck!
More to follow...
I successfully passed some of the hurdles in the path to teaching:
- VCLA - Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment
- Reading
- Writing
- FTCE - Florida Teacher Certification Exam
- Ethics for School Employees
VCLA tested what I knew. This is similar to the tests we took in high school. Reading asked me to read a couple paragraphs, then quizzed me on how well I comprehended what I read. Writing gave me a couple paragraphs, then asked how to change certain passages to make the writing better.
FTCE covered some of the same from VCLA, as well as math and science. This test also asked about specific teaching functions. If a student has X problem, then which teaching method would you use to help them. Y'all will want to make sure you study some before challenging this one...
Hurdles I need to get by:
- VRA - Virginia Reading Assessment
- PRAXIS I
- Reading
- Writing
- Mathematics
- PRAXIS II
- Elementary Content Knowledge
I am told that VRA is all about how to teach reading; methods, practices, etc. I was advise that the VCLA/VRA website has the study material I will need to pass this...
PRAXIS I & II seem to be similar as the FTCE, bit I am sure they are more in-depth. The PRAXIS 1 tests are each about 1 hour, the PRAXIS 2 is 2 hours.
Wish me luck!
More to follow...
Monday, June 28, 2010
American History --> what we weren't taught!
Fellow Warriors, whether you subscribe to his ideologies or not, Glenn Beck's Founders' Friday series is a "must see"! Posted here are just two of several links in this series. The significance of these is that they are about our Black Founding Fathers, to include those hero's who served, and sacrificed, during the Revolutionary War.
More to follow...
Founders' Friday: Black Founding Fathers (Part 2)
Tonight: Founders' Fridays continue with the hidden history of our African-American Founders..this is a part of America that has been completely erased from the history books. These things have been left out by the
progressives on purpose in order to separate us..Tonight, we come together as one and continue our fight to restore the true history of these great patriots. Please pass this show on to your friends and family, it is so
important. If you missed Part one of the Black Founders, you can find it here.
Airdate: 25Jun10
http://watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/June/Glenn-Beck-Show-June-25-2010-Founders-Friday-Black-Founding-Fathers-Part2/
Founders' Friday- Black American Founders
Founding Father's Friday continues with the founders you've never heard talked about before: America's black founding fathers. That's right, they weren't all rich white guys who wanted slavery. These men played a HUGE role in the founding of our country and the fight for independence. Why are these amazing patriots being erased from our history books? It's time to set the record straight. (NOTE: There is a special after the show question and answer segment as the Video Of The Day below this program.)
Airdate: 28May10
http://watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/May/Glenn-Beck-Show-May-28-2010-Black-American-Founding-Fathers/
More to follow...
Founders' Friday: Black Founding Fathers (Part 2)
Tonight: Founders' Fridays continue with the hidden history of our African-American Founders..this is a part of America that has been completely erased from the history books. These things have been left out by the
progressives on purpose in order to separate us..Tonight, we come together as one and continue our fight to restore the true history of these great patriots. Please pass this show on to your friends and family, it is so
important. If you missed Part one of the Black Founders, you can find it here.
Airdate: 25Jun10
http://watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/June/Glenn-Beck-Show-June-25-2010-Founders-Friday-Black-Founding-Fathers-Part2/
Founders' Friday- Black American Founders
Founding Father's Friday continues with the founders you've never heard talked about before: America's black founding fathers. That's right, they weren't all rich white guys who wanted slavery. These men played a HUGE role in the founding of our country and the fight for independence. Why are these amazing patriots being erased from our history books? It's time to set the record straight. (NOTE: There is a special after the show question and answer segment as the Video Of The Day below this program.)
Airdate: 28May10
http://watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/May/Glenn-Beck-Show-May-28-2010-Black-American-Founding-Fathers/
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Teachers Portfolio
Fellow Warriors, a Teachers' Portfolio seems to be a must in today's job hunting arena. Googling this subject can bring up many variations on the theme, making it confusing to get started. My best advice is that if you know where you want to teach, and you already know someone there, then ask them what the portfolio should contain. That way, if there are any differences between the regions of this country, you'll be closer to the mark. A valuable resource of mine got a "table of contents" from a teacher in my area, which I share with you in the below list. I modified that, which you can as well, to include letters of reference; in that section, I also included the Letter of Reference I received from Troops To Teachers.
- Resume
- Philosophy of Education
- Examples of Parent Communication
- Examples of Discipline Procedure
- Awards
- Examples of Lesson Plans with Student Product
- Technology Info
- My Perception of Teaching
- My Perception of Learning
- My Teaching Goals
- Executing the Philosophy
- My Perception of Technology
- My Growth as a Teacher
When I googled "Philosophy of Education", this is one of the things I found:
Your personal philosophy of education statement should include the following:
Your perception of teaching: Here you describe what teaching means to you, your teaching processes, and how you can facilitate those processes as an educator. Issues such as motivating students, facilitating the learning process, how to challenge students academically, and how to support their learning abilities should be addressed.
Your perception of learning: Here you try and describe what learning means to you and what exactly happens in a learning situation. You can either use metaphors to draw comparisons with known philosophies, or you can directly relate what you think happens during a learning session based on your personal experiences as an educator.
Your teaching goals: In this section you describe your goals for your students and also list the various talents or skills that you expect your students to acquire through your teaching. In addition to the goals that you have set for your students, you should also provide the rationale behind these goals and how you will keep changing the goals to meet the growing learning needs of your students.
Executing your philosophy of education statement: The most important component of your education philosophy statement is your elaboration of the different activities that you will implement to enable your students to achieve their goals. You have to illustrate how your perceptions of teaching and learning will be translated into real time class assignments.
Your growth as a teacher: In order to continue growing professionally, teachers need to set goals for themselves and also outline their ways to achieve these goals. The personal goals that you have set for yourself as an educator should thus be mentioned in your philosophy of education statement.
Formatting The Philosophy of Education Statement
Here are some tips on formatting your teaching philosophy statement:
Ensure that it is not more than 2 pages long, unless a detailed description has been asked for.
Write in the present tense and in an active voice as it is easiest to read and relate to.
Do not use too much technical jargon but try and use language that will be understood by broader audiences.
Include specific examples of your personal philosophy of teaching so that the reader can actually 'see' how you interact with your students even though they have not visited a real class that you teach.
Give your philosophy of education statement a lot of thought and ensure that you write about your personal beliefs and real experiences. If you simply churn out a standardized education philosophy statement, that will come across to the reader and will not be as impressive.
Friday, May 14, 2010
On How Education is Being Changed
Fellow Warriors, I'm not trying to push any political ideology in this. That being said, I invite you to watch this video.
More to follow...
The Plan, Part 3: Education
How education is being changed, in other words, they are changing/erasing past facts.
The liberal bloggers in their parents' basements are going to be very angry at Glenn after
this. Tonight, the plan to save education. The solution? Simple. Abolish the Department
of Education. Tonight's guests: Chris Edwards of the CATO Institute and Stephen Dubner,
author of the book "Superfreakonomics"
Airdate: 14Apr10
More to follow...
The Plan, Part 3: Education
How education is being changed, in other words, they are changing/erasing past facts.
The liberal bloggers in their parents' basements are going to be very angry at Glenn after
this. Tonight, the plan to save education. The solution? Simple. Abolish the Department
of Education. Tonight's guests: Chris Edwards of the CATO Institute and Stephen Dubner,
author of the book "Superfreakonomics"
Airdate: 14Apr10
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Part of Why I Want to Teach
Fellow Warriors, below is a homework assignment I had to do recently. It'll give you a bit of insight, partly anyway, as to why I want to become a teacher.
My posting is for the edification of those who may wish to follow this path. Please do not copy this, in part or whole. That is considered plagiarism in academic circles and could land one out of school, with a bad mark on their academic record. Know and use the APA and/or MLA standards if you find this useful for any of your works.
More to follow...
“Cultural literacy gives precedence to an overriding American culture and the English language, rejecting the concept of pluralism espoused by some in which aspects of all subcultures in the nation are studied with equal concentration.” (Oliva, 2009, p 474)
Anyone who has seen Jay Leno’s Jaywalking! must surely have been amused by the respondents’ answers and behaviors to basic American cultural questions. (Vickers, 2010) Beyond amusement though, this author would argue that the knowledge base of the average American that Jay Leno found on the street is appallingly poor in regards to our American cultural heritage. Having served abroad with the United States military, this author can further attest that this general lack of American cultural knowledge, by Americans, is a point of contention, and in some instances, has been a point of loathing amongst some of the foreign nationals he has encountered. The overall viewpoint being: how could we tell other nations how to be when we do not know, let alone understand, our own history?
Another point to be made on the dismal knowledge of American culture comes from one whom some call a right-wing hate-monger. However, as students, we are taught to research the truth for ourselves and, quite possibly, not only accept but also proclaim that our hypothesis may be wrong. In the April 8, 2010 episode of Glenn Beck, entitled Faith of Our Founders, Beck discussed what our current educational system teaches and how greatly that differs from what past generations learned in regards to what the Founders actually believed. (Cliff, 2010) The greatest of these is the separation of church and state. Last year President Obama cancelled a Day of Prayer service. The administration claimed he was “simply reverting back to pre-Bush administration practice.” (Duin, 2009) While attending Day of Prayer services may not have occurred prior to George W. Bush, an outspoken belief of, and faith in, God is very evident in the writings of our Founding Fathers and first Presidents. From there one can readily argue that each Founder outwardly displayed their personal Faith in their words and actions as well.
The Texas State Board of Education recently “approved sweeping and controversial changes” to the states Essential Knowledge and Skills. (Preston, 2010) It has been claimed that these changes will also alter what content will be put into newly published textbooks. Since Texas is the largest purchaser of textbooks, publishers would find it unprofitable to not incorporate those changes. It is further argued that “the enormous print run for Texas textbooks [will leave] most districts in other states adopting the same course materials, so that the Texas School Board effectively spells out requirements for 80 percent of the nation’s textbook market.” (Dykes, 2010)
The various states’ standards of learning have been changing since Benjamin Franklin developed his Academy. (Oliva, 2009, p 23) Each of the major curriculum developers since has had their hand in what would be taught in our schools. Along the way, compromise was obviously made in order to incorporate what leaders of that particular time thought more important. Perhaps this was not done with bad intentions, but with the thought that some knowledge of our cultural heritage was simply inherent and as such would not be lost over time. It is apparent through the works of Leno and Beck that our American cultural heritage is in fact dissipating rapidly!
The following strategies are developed upon the worldview perspective that this author is an American who is also happens to be a Catholic Christian. Strategies that would help in returning students back to a cultural depth of knowledge in America would require little effort. First and foremost, politicians need to get out of the schools! In early America, education began at home by the parents, the first teachers. Later, teachers would be found in one-room schoolhouses where they would teach the same subject to all ages. Today, politicians, many of whom have spent no time as teachers or working within the education system, are making up what, how, when and where students are to be learning. Politicians are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Second, textbooks must reference and be based upon original works, especially those of the Founders. Yes, it is important to include scholarly studies upon these original works, but care must be taken in verifying the accuracy of these studies; e.g. that there are references of original materials vice only secondary source reviews. Third, God must be allowed into our daily lives, not only in the classroom, but in the public square as well. Whether one thinks of Christ, Allah, or some other deity when they hear the name God must be irrelevant. One of the principles America was founded upon is the Freedom of Religion, the freedom of all peoples to worship whomever they call God without forcing it upon their neighbors or denying them the same right. As Americans, we have an obligation to return to this line of reasoning, especially as they apply to our Rights!
Cliff, C. (2010, April 8). Faith of Our Founders, The Glenn Beck Program [Television broadcast]. New York: FOX News Network. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,590642,00.html.
Cliff, C. (2010, April 8). The Glenn Beck Program [Television broadcast]. New York: FOX News Network. Retrieved April 12, 2010 from http://www.watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/april/watch-the-glenn-beck-show-april-8-2010/.
Duin, J. (2009, May 6). Obama to be prayer day no-show. The Washington Times. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/06/prayer-day-no-show/.
Dykes, B. (2010, March 15). U.S. history textbooks could soon be flavored heavily with Texas conservatism, Yahoo! News. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100315/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1253?om_rid=DKrZBL&om_mid=_BLn3R8B8GcIg$0&.
Oliva, P. F. (2009). Developing the Curriculum. Boston: Pearson Education.
Preston, M. (2010, May 16). The Texas Textbook Controversy and the Failing American Consensus, True/Slant. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://trueslant.com/michaelpreston/2010/03/16/the-texas-textbook-controversy-and-the-failing-american-consensus/.
Texas Education Agency. (2010). Text of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC, Chapter 113. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/board/proposed/0310/ch113A-one.pdf.
Vickers, D. (Executive Producer). (2010). Jaywalking! The Tonight Show with Jay Leno [Television series]. New York: National Broadcasting Company. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/jaywalk-427/1223211/?__source=tnt%7Chome%7Cleftcolumn%7Cjaywalking.
My posting is for the edification of those who may wish to follow this path. Please do not copy this, in part or whole. That is considered plagiarism in academic circles and could land one out of school, with a bad mark on their academic record. Know and use the APA and/or MLA standards if you find this useful for any of your works.
More to follow...
Cultural Literacy (Academic Area Initiatives)
“Cultural literacy gives precedence to an overriding American culture and the English language, rejecting the concept of pluralism espoused by some in which aspects of all subcultures in the nation are studied with equal concentration.” (Oliva, 2009, p 474)
Anyone who has seen Jay Leno’s Jaywalking! must surely have been amused by the respondents’ answers and behaviors to basic American cultural questions. (Vickers, 2010) Beyond amusement though, this author would argue that the knowledge base of the average American that Jay Leno found on the street is appallingly poor in regards to our American cultural heritage. Having served abroad with the United States military, this author can further attest that this general lack of American cultural knowledge, by Americans, is a point of contention, and in some instances, has been a point of loathing amongst some of the foreign nationals he has encountered. The overall viewpoint being: how could we tell other nations how to be when we do not know, let alone understand, our own history?
Another point to be made on the dismal knowledge of American culture comes from one whom some call a right-wing hate-monger. However, as students, we are taught to research the truth for ourselves and, quite possibly, not only accept but also proclaim that our hypothesis may be wrong. In the April 8, 2010 episode of Glenn Beck, entitled Faith of Our Founders, Beck discussed what our current educational system teaches and how greatly that differs from what past generations learned in regards to what the Founders actually believed. (Cliff, 2010) The greatest of these is the separation of church and state. Last year President Obama cancelled a Day of Prayer service. The administration claimed he was “simply reverting back to pre-Bush administration practice.” (Duin, 2009) While attending Day of Prayer services may not have occurred prior to George W. Bush, an outspoken belief of, and faith in, God is very evident in the writings of our Founding Fathers and first Presidents. From there one can readily argue that each Founder outwardly displayed their personal Faith in their words and actions as well.
The Texas State Board of Education recently “approved sweeping and controversial changes” to the states Essential Knowledge and Skills. (Preston, 2010) It has been claimed that these changes will also alter what content will be put into newly published textbooks. Since Texas is the largest purchaser of textbooks, publishers would find it unprofitable to not incorporate those changes. It is further argued that “the enormous print run for Texas textbooks [will leave] most districts in other states adopting the same course materials, so that the Texas School Board effectively spells out requirements for 80 percent of the nation’s textbook market.” (Dykes, 2010)
The various states’ standards of learning have been changing since Benjamin Franklin developed his Academy. (Oliva, 2009, p 23) Each of the major curriculum developers since has had their hand in what would be taught in our schools. Along the way, compromise was obviously made in order to incorporate what leaders of that particular time thought more important. Perhaps this was not done with bad intentions, but with the thought that some knowledge of our cultural heritage was simply inherent and as such would not be lost over time. It is apparent through the works of Leno and Beck that our American cultural heritage is in fact dissipating rapidly!
The following strategies are developed upon the worldview perspective that this author is an American who is also happens to be a Catholic Christian. Strategies that would help in returning students back to a cultural depth of knowledge in America would require little effort. First and foremost, politicians need to get out of the schools! In early America, education began at home by the parents, the first teachers. Later, teachers would be found in one-room schoolhouses where they would teach the same subject to all ages. Today, politicians, many of whom have spent no time as teachers or working within the education system, are making up what, how, when and where students are to be learning. Politicians are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Second, textbooks must reference and be based upon original works, especially those of the Founders. Yes, it is important to include scholarly studies upon these original works, but care must be taken in verifying the accuracy of these studies; e.g. that there are references of original materials vice only secondary source reviews. Third, God must be allowed into our daily lives, not only in the classroom, but in the public square as well. Whether one thinks of Christ, Allah, or some other deity when they hear the name God must be irrelevant. One of the principles America was founded upon is the Freedom of Religion, the freedom of all peoples to worship whomever they call God without forcing it upon their neighbors or denying them the same right. As Americans, we have an obligation to return to this line of reasoning, especially as they apply to our Rights!
References
Cliff, C. (2010, April 8). Faith of Our Founders, The Glenn Beck Program [Television broadcast]. New York: FOX News Network. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,590642,00.html.
Cliff, C. (2010, April 8). The Glenn Beck Program [Television broadcast]. New York: FOX News Network. Retrieved April 12, 2010 from http://www.watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/april/watch-the-glenn-beck-show-april-8-2010/.
Duin, J. (2009, May 6). Obama to be prayer day no-show. The Washington Times. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/06/prayer-day-no-show/.
Dykes, B. (2010, March 15). U.S. history textbooks could soon be flavored heavily with Texas conservatism, Yahoo! News. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100315/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1253?om_rid=DKrZBL&om_mid=_BLn3R8B8GcIg$0&.
Oliva, P. F. (2009). Developing the Curriculum. Boston: Pearson Education.
Preston, M. (2010, May 16). The Texas Textbook Controversy and the Failing American Consensus, True/Slant. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://trueslant.com/michaelpreston/2010/03/16/the-texas-textbook-controversy-and-the-failing-american-consensus/.
Texas Education Agency. (2010). Text of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC, Chapter 113. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/board/proposed/0310/ch113A-one.pdf.
Vickers, D. (Executive Producer). (2010). Jaywalking! The Tonight Show with Jay Leno [Television series]. New York: National Broadcasting Company. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/jaywalk-427/1223211/?__source=tnt%7Chome%7Cleftcolumn%7Cjaywalking.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
SpeEdChange: Teachers, Tenure, Transformation
Fellow Warriors, one thing about being Active is the job security. Let's face it, one has to screw the pooch pretty bad to lose this job! The article linked below high-lights one of my greatest fears about needing to transition back to the world. I leave it for your perusal...
SpeEdChange: Teachers, Tenure, Transformation
More to follow...
SpeEdChange: Teachers, Tenure, Transformation
More to follow...
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