As I reflect on the figureheads we studied and the writings I found most compelling, I'm seeing a trend: The ideas that pull on the heartstrings are my favorite. I look forward to implementing inquiry-based learning and advance organizers in my classroom, absolutely. I am going to get down to nitty gritty teaching techniques! Yes!
Except...I am still chipping away at prerequisite courses and the realities of life (a new baby is due in June, which means my student teaching is still a long way off). And the practical applications feel far away. So the spirit of teaching, and the heart of education? Those warm and fuzzy elements keep me dreaming in the mean time.
Citizenship in the classroom is especially important to me. Perhaps watching the American election season from a long distance across the ocean has made this feel even more essential, but if we do not prioritize civility and respect in the classroom, we are going to have more and more candidates (and voters!) who act like homegrown terrorists.
Cultural literacy goes hand in hand with citizenship, but goes a step further to explicitly require students to respectfully acknowledge that the entire nation will not always eat the same food, enjoy the same sports, play the same music, or worship the same god.
Learner-centered approaches touched a nerve for me as well, knowing how many students suffer the effects of a system designed for one kind of learning mind. Although I am not pursuing a special education endorsement, the message of equality and respect for uniquely gifted children resonated greatly and will certainly shape my personal educational philosophy.
Our final reading this week by Mortimer Adler also inspired me, especially this bold statement: "We have two fundamental goals in view. One is equipping all the children of this country to earn a good living for themselves. The other is enabling them to lead good human lives" (Adler, n.d.).
It will be a real challenge to distill all this brilliant vision into my personal "takeaways" as a final reflection for the course. But at the very least, it will be an inspirational project (if still a little overwhelming)!
...How I hope kids will feel in my classroom!
References
Adler, M. (n.d.) The Paideia Proposal: An Educational Manifesto. Retrieved via R. Scheuermann's EDU 6526 Session 9 course readings: https://bbweb03.spu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1129501-dt-content-rid-2467020_1/courses/EDU6526_27922_201562/SIS%20Session%209%20Reading%20%28Adler%29.pdf
Scheuerman, R. (2016). Session 6 Transcript: Citizenship and Moral Education. Retrieved from: https://bbweb03.spu.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_1129490_1&course_id=_89800_1
Scheuerman, R. (2016). Session 7: Learner Centered Approaches. Retrieved from: https://bbweb03.spu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1129492-dt-content-rid-2467014_1/courses/EDU6526_27922_201562/SIS.%20Session%207%20Outline%20%28Learner-Centered.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment