FieldBlogPost: Hathaway Brown Pt. 3- The Wicked Walk to the West

My walk to Hathaway Brown this morning was met with a rainstorm that would have made even Dorothy and Toto nervous. The sidewalk was spotted with puddles certain to soak my socks, and the wind continuously blew rain into my face. Unfortunately Dorothy and Toto most likely would have been more nervous upon arriving at the school, as I learned today that one HB alumna is known for being particularly wicked. Thats right, Margaret Hamilton, who plays the Wicked Witch of the West, was a previous student of Hathaway Brown. She is one among many of the HB alumni who has gone forward in life to achieve incredible things. I was able to observe the education of the future successful HB alumni today in a US Government, and ninth grade English class.

I once again fond a seat around the table in Mr. Hoffman's room; this time for US Government. For the first part of class he explained to his students the topics for a future essay on the information presented in the chapter. This included connections to modern day government, and topics through which students were able to freely respond, such as the call for a twenty-eighth Amendment. The class then moved into a review of important vocabulary and people for the upcoming test. This particular practice was not something new to me, but was executed in a different manner. Rather than Mr. Hoffman telling the students which words or people would be on the test, the students asked Mr. Hoffman whether or not specific terms would be included. The students directed the majority of the review session. Another observation I made during this time was that Mr. Hoffman has created a place where students feel more than comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions on what they are learning. These interjections are never misplaced, and always allow for class discussion. The remainder of the class consisted of the viewing of two pertinent School House Rock videos, and the discussion of more current events.

At the sound of the bell I was escorted downstairs to Mr. Ciuni's freshmen English class. I joined the class in the midst of the reading and analysis of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. After beginning with a few general "housekeeping" notes, Mr. Ciuni asked the class to break into groups and create tableaus (similar to a freeze frame) of scenes from the play. After every group was finished, they would present in front of the class. The rest of the students would have to guess who was playing who in the scene, and what was happening. With some minor glitches, the class guessed each scene correct. Mr. Ciuni had them do it a second time with a different scene, and made sure they emphasized that being "over the top" is the best way to ensure the audience would know what is happening. The girls did so, and each scene was able to be guessed almost immediately. This activity, and its two rounds, related to the focus the class had while reading Twelfth Night; staging and directing. The class discussed how to evoke a response from the audience with the way things are portrayed on stage. What was amazing to me was how enthusiastic each student was about doing something hands on in class. Mr. Ciuni also was very enthusiastic about the activity. I certainly want to emulate his level of enthusiasm in my teaching.

While I may not have observed any future Wicked Witches in my classes today, I am positive I have met the girls that will help to shape our future world. Backing each of these girls is a committed, passionate group of teachers that are determined to bring out the best in each student.

FieldBlogPost: Hathaway Brown Pt. 2-The Return to HB

On Tuesday afternoon, I made the walk around Fairmount Circle and up to Hathaway Brown to observe Mr. Hoffman's US History class. While I only spent one hour at the school, what I observed in his class was well worth the walk.

To begin the typical history class one would expect perhaps a review of topics previously discussed, or the context in which the next section of the course takes place; not in Mr. Hoffman's class! Rather the girls started by marching around the table to the tune of a popular jazz song; an all but alien practice to Mr. Hoffman's students. This ultimately livened up the atmosphere, and got the girls excited for class.

The discussion that followed centered mainly around current events of the last week. Any student that was so inclined was asked to share a current event so that the rest of the class could have a meaningful discussion about the topic. A range of current events from Donald Trump to police brutality were shared, and the conversations pertaining to each one left me absolutely shocked. These juniors in high school were able to make connections to other news stories, to historical happenings, and to the political scope of the event. What aided significantly in the coherent flow of the conversation was the extent of Mr. Hoffman's knowledge on the events being discussed. He was able to inject certain facts or opinions into the conversation in order to stimulate responses from the girls.

Later in class the focus shifted from current events to a discussion of working in the United States, to a PowerPoint on American Nationalism. Mr. Hoffman progressed through the slides in a typical fashion, but always made sure to stop and ask/answer questions pertinent to the information. He also made sure to stop at appropriate times to elaborate and develop ideas that may have been somewhat difficult for students to understand. The craft displayed by Mr. Hoffman is certainly one that I wish to integrate into my own future style.

BlogPost8 It's All Greek to Me: Understanding Great Teaching

It is my hope that I will one day become a high school Language Arts educator. As a result, it is inevitable that my future students and I will be reading many novels, stories, and passages. Allusions to Greek and Roman myths, gods, and goddesses reign significant and prominent throughout many literary works. I plan to educate my future students on the significance of such myths so that they can fully grasp the meaning and far reaching implications of the stories we will be reading. In order to do this, it would fare well to do a brief unit on Greek/Roman Mythology (this is the topic on which I will focus this response). Whilst instructing them, I will make sure to keep in mind the many notions and dispositions of the authors we have covered in this ED100 course.

In To Teach: The Journey, in Comics, Bill Ayers stresses the importance of "building bridges" in education. He claims that this is a movement "toward broader horizons and deeper ways of knowing." What he means to suggest is that it is imperative to make connections between what students are interested in/what they already know, with what it is they are learning. Ayers wants us to build bridges from knowledge, to greater, deeper, fuller knowledge and understanding. In doing so, we as educators are ensuring a form of student engagement that cannot be guaranteed in the typical lecture/notes structure. So, in the example of my Greek Mythology lesson, I can begin the bridge building by starting with a look at Greek/Roman mythological presence in popular culture. For example, I could start by asking students if they wear Nike clothing; then ask if they know what Nike means; then explain that thousands of years ago when someone said Nike, they were talking about the Greek Goddess of Victory. This would serve as a springboard for a discussion of other cultural references, wherein I would offer a god, goddess, or character (i.e. Achilles) and we could work to establish how they have significance in today's everyday world (i.e. Achilles' heel). Another way in which I could build bridges is use an activity wherein students will try to match up present day celebrities with Greek gods and goddesses who's descriptions match similarly (i.e. Beyoncé and Aphrodite). Hopefully these activities will "bridge" the material pertinent to people thousands of years ago, to the interests of the students of today.

Simply talking about and analyzing the information with students will not be enough for me to teach effectively. I find it necessary that students take advantage of their learning, apply it to what is happening in the world around them, and use it to grow their understanding; closely reflecting the beliefs of renown educator Paulo Freire. In his analysis of "the banking concept of education" he offers an opposing education form that works to motivate students to make the world their own. he dubs this form "problem posing education." One of the things that Freire writes is that education is a "constant unveiling of reality." I feel as though this notion most accurately reflects the function a Greek mythology lesson. The information is not being taught because students will need to pass a test, or know it for a future job prospect. Rather, Greek mythology is taught so that students may more fully understand the plethora of literary allusions and references that we hold most dear today. Following the logic of Freire's argument, once students have been educated in a problem-posing/liberating way, they will be free to explore and understand the world around them in their own perspective, through the lens of their new-found education. As far as problem-posing education goes, I am not sure how many issues are currently facing the world regarding Greek mythology. Regardless, I will work closely with students to examine possible issues today that connect closely with the stories we will read (i.e.Narcissus and Echo).

In her work Stir-and-Serve Recipes for Teaching, Susan Ohanian stresses the importance of recognizing teaching as an art form. She writes, very passionately, that "the profession requires more than a spontaneous overflow of good intentions or the simple cataloging and distribution of information." Her apparent call to originality is something I will hold close as I instruct students. While it may be easier to draw lesson plans from other educators, I ultimately have a responsibility within the field to be a creative lesson planner. So in the example of a proposed Greek mythology lesson, I will personally create, or stylistically change my activities to follow the reading and discussion of the myths/bios of gods/goddesses. I would have made sure to do so in the way in which I build brides at the start of the lesson as well. I will also, in accordance with Ohanian's call to action, be open to the changing environment of the classroom. As many stories and notions are up to many different interpretations, I will anticipate the diversity of understanding,as well as many other possible twists and turns within the lesson.

One disposition that I will aim to hold close to always is the notion that the best teachers are enthusiastic about the content they are teaching. This concept, as well as many others are explored in Robert DiGiulio's piece about great teachers. He writes that there are nine great qualities of excellent teachers. Enthusiasm for teaching the subject matter is inseparable from teaching the subject matter well. DiGiulio writes that all of the most memorable teachers had an enthusiasm about them that allowed their students to "'pick up on their excitement' for the subject." Is that not the measure of a successful teacher? To have students remember them, and by extent their class because of the enthusiasm demonstrated by the instructor? I would say so. I intend to be enthusiastic always in the classroom, regardless of whether or not I am teaching Greek mythology or other matters. Keeping a positive attitude when working on things that are not so exciting (i.e. reading the actual myths) will be a powerful tool in my effective teaching tool box.

Another characteristic that DiGiulio discusses in his piece, going hand in hand with enthusiasm, is "having a solid command of the subject matter" being taught in the classroom. He asks us to consider whether an effective teacher must be an expert in their subject area. Certainly, I would agree, that in some respects of education a teacher must be an expert. Now, this does not imply that teachers must be living breathing encyclopedias of knowledge to be used at the leisure of the students. Rather, the teacher should know enough to answer the questions of students, or direct students to the correct means through which they may obtain an answer. In my classroom I will make a point of being knowledgeable about the material. For example, using the mythology lesson, I will research the historical context of the myths, and current interpretations of the myths so that I may be able to better guide students to complete understanding. I know full well that I will not become a mythological expert, but I hope to harbor a wealth of information to share with the students.

Finally, after all has been taught, I will be self-critical of the work I have done; a notion that Bill Ayers discusses in To Teach: The Journey, in Comics. Ayers writes that self-criticism is necessary for "renewal and growth." In other words, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of your teaching. Certainly I can emulate the proposed style outlined above, but if I never sit down and assess what is working and what is not, I will never grow, change, and perfect my style as a teacher. So, looking at the Greek lesson, did I teach every item fully? Wholly? Which activities worked? Perhaps I spent too much time on Achilles. Maybe Achilles is not necessary. Asking these questions of myself is what stimulates self-criticism. Without practicing this disposition, I can ensure that I will never achieve the success of a great teacher.

In his 2014 Oscar acceptance speech for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McConaughey explained that his hero is himself in ten years; that way he always has someone to chase after. He perpetually works to become a person he knows he can never be, for ten years later his hero will still be ten years away. I like to think in these terms when considering myself as a teacher. My perfect teaching style is out there. It is just years away. I will work constantly to achieve the status of a great teacher, knowing full well that the best is still to come. What makes a great teacher in my opinion? Well certainly it is one who effectively implements the ideals of Ayers, Freire, Ohanian, and DiGiulio as discussed above, but it is also someone that is constantly challenging and changing what it is about using those ideals that makes teaching great. A great teacher understands that there is a better form of their teaching somewhere down the line; whether it be in ten years, or ten minutes. Understanding great teaching can seem like understanding Greek. Unlike Greek, however, and luck for us, there are a number of different ways to interpret exactly how one can be a great teacher.

FieldBlogPost: Shaker Heights High School

This morning our ED100 class traveled to Shaker Heights High School to do our second round of full class teaching observations. Each student was given a two period itinerary, consisting of two different classes in which to observe. I was able to it in on a Psychology class, and a Physics course. As I quietly sat in the back of the room, I made an attempt to relate the teaching I saw in the classroom to the qualities of a good teacher as outlined by Robert DiGiulio in the reading for class. The query that focused my observations asked which of the qualities each teacher showed. Lucky for me, I was able to find a number of connections.

Mrs. Sheppard, the psychology teacher, was the first person I observed today. The lesson was centered on the cognitive abilities of children, and how they affect behavior and mental processes. In what could have been pinned as a boring lecture, Mrs. Sheppard remained very enthusiastic. She continually maintained a positive tone and attitude when talking through examples and new ideas. Also, her distinctive character emanated from the way she presented herself in the classroom. She sat on a physio-ball chair when talking with the students, and continued to move around the room in a comfortable manner. The tone she took with her students relayed to me that she genuinely cared about their learning, and put their needs first. One thing that Mrs. Sheppard has done is created a classroom atmosphere where students feel comfortable asking critical questions. This has ultimately resulted in a mood of productivity in the room that better engages students in their learning.

At the sound of the announcements I walked immediately next door to room 259 for Mr. Schmidt's physics class. I was instantly greeted with his enthusiastic personality. He was working on the conclusion of a review session with a class as I sat down in a seat. The next class was doing more of the same review. He would pose a question that was on the worksheet they were working on, and ask for students to answer. What I noticed about the characteristics he showed was that he was very knowledgeable on his discipline, held students accountable for their learning, and believed that all students could succeed. Many times a student would offer a wrong answer, and rather than say "wrong" and move on, he would work though the problem to identify what the student did incorrectly. Also, at one point one student referred to another as "dumb." Mr. Schmidt addressed this by simply asking the name called student to work with him through the problem. Afterwards, every student was on the same page, ready to move forward.

All in all the trip to Shaker Heights High was very educational. Not in the manner that we observed educators, but in that I learned a little about myself, and good teaching at the school. By identifying the characteristics of good teaching, as discussed in class, I grew in my own understanding of great teaching.

FieldBlogPost: Hathaway Brown Visit #1

Upon walking through the doors to Hathaway Brown, a PreK-12 all girls private school located just off Fairmount Circle, I entered a building teeming with over one hundred years of rich history. While the current location has only been set since 1925, her reputation for academic excellence and top tier education has been around for ages longer. Luckily I was able to sit in on a few of the classes that occur during a typical HB school day. Amidst classes full of attentive girls, seemingly challenging content, and extraordinarily effective teachers I made observations in a single-subject seventy page notebook. While I was able to record the sights and sounds and feel of each classroom, I was unable to accurately capture the pride that each student, teacher, and administrator expressed in knowing they were an integral member of this high achieving community. 

After meeting my mentor teacher, Mr. Carl Hoffman, I was quickly handed off to another History teacher, Mrs. Ali Day. Mrs. Day is the instructor for a Freshmen/Sophomore Ancient Cultures class. On this day, the class was at the tail end of a section on the history and relation of different religious traditions, specifically the three monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). Students were asked to take out their laptops, and download a PowerPoint  from HaikuLearning (similar to our Canvas). Next, the girls were asked to move in to groups of 3-4, all of which were pre-picked. The assignment went as follows: Students were to observe, along with the rest of the group, images depicting art or architecture from the three major monotheistic faith traditions. In the “Notes” section below the slide, students would record which of the three faiths (many times more than one was possible) was represented in the picture. What proved to be most shocking to me was the genuine respect and desire for involvement that each student expressed in the activity. Mrs. Day has quite obviously created an atmosphere in which students feel as though connecting with the content, and the teacher are essential to successful education. Furthermore, Mrs. Day made a point of connecting students learning to prior knowledge about the subject matter, and tied the lesson into a global context. Both of these actions have been attributed to effective teachers in Dr. Shutkin’s class, and many others. 

The next class I observed, AP US History with Mr. Kevin Purpura, was a blast from the past (as I am a previous APUSH student). The students were beginning a new unit on Jacksonian America. One thing that particularly stuck me as interesting the very college-like feel the course took. The information was presented in what felt like a lecture, with an overlapping, all-encompassing visual aid. Furthermore, the attentiveness and curiosity of the students was amazing! Mr. Purpura commands a classroom in which his students feel free to ask deep and meaningful question that pertain to the information being discussed. The almost dialogue-like nature of the course made even me, single day observer, feel like part of the conversation. One thing that Mr. Purpura did that made the course seem relevant was connecting the information to everyday life. For example, he talked about the radical political ideology of Andrew Jackson and asked who a modern day example would be. The students very humorously responded with “Donald Trump.” 

My third and final class of the day was Art History with Mr. Jamie Morse. The girls in this class were busy reviewing for a test the next day on Baroque artists. I felt ready to take a test on these artists after the conclusion of class! It was amazing to me how Mr. Morse could capture and keep the attention of a class, and make the review for a test so riveting. What I noticed right out of the gate was the enthusiasm that both the teacher and students shared. Next, the genuine appreciation and respect that all students showed towards the subject, and the content of the review. What absolutely stunned me was how much information each student knew, and or retained for the review. Mr. Morse would pull up a picture, and students would comment on the use of light, or the types of people being painted; things that I never could have thought. 

The last thing that really stood out to me about my first visit to Hathaway Brown was the arrangement of the classrooms. First, the distinguishing characteristic of an HB room is the large, wooden table in the center of the room, with accompanying wooden chairs. Interestingly enough, each classroom felt as though the subject being taught there belonged in that room. For example, Mrs. Day’s maps on her wall gave the feeling as though the religions being learned about had global implications. The furniture and lighting in Mr. Purpura’s room made it seem as though it was an executive office where important conversations take place. Finally, Mr. Morse’s room felt as though it were a small room in an art museum. I am positive Bill Ayers would approve. 

BlogPost7: Fall Break!

Blog Post IT

In the article The Banking Concept of Education, Paulo Freire voices his thoughts on the current, versus an ideal, form of education. He dictates that the current form is called the "banking concept" of education. This means that students act simply as depositories to be filled to the brim with information. On the other hand is problem posing education, wherein questions and problems are raised in the classroom in hopes that students will solve them; all in attempts to give students a greater understanding of the content. Amidst his compelling argument, Freire also makes some powerful connections and statements regarding the teaching profession. He allows us as readers to dig below the text, and wonder how we will be preparing our future students for the world.

Well into the piece, Freire makes his claim writing, "Those truly committed to liberation must reject the banking concept in its entirety, adopting instead a concept of women and men as conscious beings, and consciousness as consciousness intent upon the world." This struck me when reading it because he talks about education in a light that I have not yet considered; education as an agent of liberation. Freire asks us to understand that when we are educating children, in a way we are setting them free. We are ridding them of the oppression of ignorance and allowing them to find their own way in the world. This is where his argument forms, since current methods, according to Freire, of freeing the oppressed are inherently oppressive. He asks us, as future teachers, to evaluate how we will be asking our students to learn. Will we be simply filling them with information? Or asking them the questions that allow them to be free in this world? I plan on using the second tactic.

Another interesting distinction he makes is the role teachers should be playing in the classroom. He explains that "through dialogue, the teacher-of-the-students and the students-of-the-teacher cease to exist and a new term emerges: teacher-student with students-teachers." I have often heard it said that a teacher learns many things from his or her students, but the fact that he is pinning it as such an integral part of effective learning really makes it pop from this passage. Also, he names these "new terms" in such a way that he makes the teacher as much of a learner as the students. When the intelligence of the class grows symbiotically, all members benefit. Students are encouraged to think deeply, answer confidently, and question constantly. It also proves to be in the students best interests when they are actively involved in their education, or rather, their liberation.

BlogPost5: Sexuality and School

In the piece A Radical Rethinking of Sexuality and Schooling: Status Quo or Status Queer?, Eric Rofes explores radical and liberal conceptualizations of homophobia and heterosexism in schools. Many of the things he speaks to resonate with me personally, and my schooling experiences, yet many things he claims do not apply as well. His also explores modern ideas of childhood, and how it coexists with current notions of homophobia and heterosexism. All of his analyses lead me to question and ponder the state of the future educational institutions in which I will teach, in regards to LGBT issues.
In much of what Rofes says, there seems to be a disconnect between his ideas meant to encourage educators to uphold the rights of LGBT students, and those geared towards empowering LGBT students to use their sexuality, and supposedly disrespected rights, as a way to rebel against institutions. He makes the distinction that it is important for educators to celebrate the diversity of their students, and to uphold their rights. He claims it is of equal importance, however, to have students, and educators, that are willing to challenge the status quo, in hopes of creating a more enjoyable learning environment for all. In my experience, both teachers and students have worked together to challenge community norms, and allow for an accepting school atmosphere. One of the Theology teachers at my high school worked with a group of students this past year to create somewhat of a Gay-Straight Alliance. This group of students was held responsible for educating other students on LGBT rights, and their significance at a Catholic institution (seeing as they all attended parochial school). I feel as though Rofes' liberal conceptualization was represented by the student's drive to make LGBT rights known to others. I think perhaps the radical aspect of it was that it was done in such an environment as a Catholic high school. Students both upheld the rights of LGBT students, and used them to challenge social/communal norms.
Speaking of the rights of others, Rofes speaks at great length to the notion that children in today's society have no rights. He characterizes children as helpless human beings, left to nothing but the whims and wills of their parents. He even stakes the claim that children are treated now how women were treated before feminism. In an ideal world, according to Rofes, children would be granted with the opportunity to choose their family, and would be able to vote/voice their opinions. In claiming this, Rofes in implying that children would be more inclined to be themselves. Instead, children are thrown in to a system of education that oppresses them even more that the wills and whims of their parents. Bullies run rampant, and sexually deviant children are almost forced to repress their true selves.
It is my hope that in future educational environments, I will promote an atmosphere that is everything but what I have described above. I hope to foster a place where students are free to be themselves. I chose that phrase carefully because I do not wish to create a place where students feel pressured to "come out," or be open about their sexuality. Rather, I hope to encourage other students to be accepting of others; not in a manner that views everyone as the same, but celebrates differences. If the schools I teach in have Gay-Straight Alliances, or an LGBT group, I will not necessarily be a faculty advisor, but would definitely advocate the use of such programs. In the event that neither of these institutions exists, I would be happy to morally back the formation of such groups. I do believe that these organizations have positive impacts on school communities everywhere.

Field Blog Post: Mayfield Middle School

On the morning of October 1st around 9:30, I walked through the bright green hallways of Mayfield Middle School. Everything from the friendly staff, to the amazing students proved that Mayfield was, according to one student, "a wonderful learning environment for kids grades six to eight." In the few hours I was able to spend at this school, I took the opportunity to observe an eighth grade History course, and a seventh grade Accelerated Math class. What I was interested in looking at was how teachers interacted with their students. In what visible ways had teachers already formed connections, and built bridges between themselves and their students? My observations and inferences yielded some perspective on such.

Eighth grade History, the first class I observed, was a co-taught course on American History. The concept of "co-taught" was new to me upon hearing this, so my conversation with one of the instructors allowed for a greater understanding. In this model, one teacher is paired with another in an attempt to integrate and involve students with special needs. I had the privilege of speaking with the special needs instructor for this course. What was interesting to see was not only the use of two teachers instead of one, but also the way in which each teacher treated the students. When students would have an issue, or a question that could perhaps be satisfied on a personal, versus class-wide, level, whichever teacher was not currently lecturing would help out. Due to this personal attention, the teacher to student rapports I observed were slightly more familiar than those of a usual classroom. Students felt free to be themselves, and to express thoughts while in class. Also, the students in this class were preparing to play a "Trade Game" to explore the concept of mercantilism. The use of game playing and student's interests in order to tie in with the course content was another connection. It was apparent to me that the teachers had done an effective job of understanding the person behind each of their students.

Seventh grade Accelerated Math presented some of the same situations, but in a different context. While I was observing this class, students were working on a review sheet in order to prepare for a quickly approaching test. The atmosphere of the classroom, as a result, was a little more lax. Students were grouped at tables to work together, while the teacher was up and walking around to check work. Students also traveled from table to table to discuss problems, and occasionally non-math items. What genuinely surprised me was the complete respect that each and every student had for the instructor. Despite the seemingly chaotic nature of the classroom at times, when asked to quiet down, or return to work students were more than responsive. There have obviously been connections and bridges built between these students and the teacher. Without some sort of attempt to be more than just a mouthpiece for math in front of the class, the teacher would not have the respect she has today. I truly enjoyed my time in this class. After the period ended, I was delighted to hear the teacher talking about how much she enjoys teaching children. She was sure to include in her comments that there is nothing like teaching an advanced group of kids. She claimed that because they are all so bright, it is easy to help them learn.

In my time at Mayfield Middle School, it was easy to see some physical ways in which teachers have connected with their students. The levels of respect, and the ways in which students and teachers interacted showed me that building bridges is very important. I am glad that I was able to see the day to day environment of a middle school classroom. Overall, Mayfield was a wonderful first Observation Field Trip.