Reflection

EESL 5320 Reflection #3
Purpose of Education

Throughout our courses I have reflected back on my “philosophy of education” that I wrote at the beginning of the Elementary Education program. I’d be interested in finding it and seeing how two years in the program and four years of teaching in the trenches and professional development has shaped and molded my perspectives. Before then, I’d like to reflect in writing so as to have the two to compare. (These are initial thoughts that I will continue to reshape and formulate.)

I believe a purpose to education is to build a strong future for our society. The knowledge and history that we pass along to each generation is essential to their learning who they are, shaping their lives, and shaping the society in which they will live.

An important purpose to education is teaching children how to learn, to develop within them a love for learning and desire to know, to enable their creativity, to empower them with resources, and the knowledge of how to find the resources that they need to contribute with their knowledge and influence to the betterment of our world. A child who grows up feeling a part of the existing global community will be empowered to influence it in positive ways.

As long as there are problems, there are solutions unfound. This indicates that our thinking is not yet in alignment with the resolutions of the problems. We should, therefore, not be intimidated by or hinder the creative minds of youth, but encourage their creativity and enable them in their problem-solving abilities. As we express our faith in them, they will gain confidence in contributing to the solving of the world’s problems. Questions posed by students, solutions found in “other” ways are not something we should squelch, but encourage. We can and must empower them to believe they can be a force for good in the world; to believe that they can impact and change the human condition.

We must teach our children to seek effective solutions and the skills for problem solving in their lives. We should not be too quick to step in and tell them what to do or say to resolve an issue in the classroom—in math or with each other or anywhere—but to listen and observe their developing abilities, shaping where necessary. These skills they are developing will prepare their minds for solving the bigger societal problems that plague our global community.

The purpose of education should be to enable each student to walk out of our classroom believing in themselves, having strength of character and resolve to make an impact for good wherever they go, to contribute to the goodness of life with their skills in whatever field they so choose, to know they have the ability to achieve anything they work hard to accomplish, to know they have the power to be an influence, to know we are all interconnected and that what hurts one hurts us all, and what lifts one lifts everyone.

I’ll keep working on shaping this. But this is what I believe. Every child can learn. Every child is important. Every child deserves to be loved and safe and empowered. Every child we teach not only deserves a year’s worth of quality education, but a year’s worth of building, of affirming, of firmly disciplining where necessary, and a year’s worth of our whole heart put into their lives.

This is why I teach.

WTH?...IDK.

Do other professions have this many acronyms? Is this normal?

Check it:
NEA, ZPD, CAT, USOE, UAA, UBSCT, IOWA, DRA, DWA, NAEP, SRI, PALS, ACT, SAT, GED, APT, CRT, NRT, SLD, SOAR, SLP, ART, TAT, SLP, CLD, LEP, UALPA, PTA, PTO, CRESST, GRL, IRA, L1, L2, ALS, OCR, FERPA, JEA, TESOL, ESL, SES, BICS, CALPS, ELL, SIOP, ILDP, WPU, FTE, AMAO, UAA, SWD, IDEA, LPL, UEA, JSD, U-PASS, AYP, NCLB, AMAO, DIBELS, WRAP, NCATE, NCTM, TCM, SEP, PTC, DOE, PPG, NBPTS, DCFS, SDAIE.

Plus terms like 'lexiles' & '504's.

Bonus points to the person who names the most (without copying off the person who posts before you...=o) )

...later...More: PHLOTE, ASL, SEE, CUP, SUP, ART, DART, ADD, DOL, and I taught the MIB dance in PE =o)

Did I Say..."Stars Aligning?"

I've always been one to look at the night sky and point out the beautiful...airplane lights. Interesting how stars aligning can look similarly to airplanes on different courses.

Like, for instance, the airplane that will take this group to Naivasha, Kenya...without me! Because they're moving the trip up to before airline prices go up $800...which will be before girls camp and during my school year. hmm.

Well, I'm going somewhere. An opportunity will open up between now and then. I'll just have to work on my star-gazing abilities.

Another Grades Relapse...HOLY COW!

ohmygoshijustsentanapplicationtogotoafricathissummer!

Look what grades do to me. I hate grades with a passion, as all my dedicated (1) blog followers will remember from last time. So I take "brain-breaks". Generally this is going to Amazon.com and buying lots of random books that I want to read, and the reward for finishing grades is getting lots of packages for the following 2 weeks.

Well, this time I have too many books and it would not be fulfilling to add more to the pile....so.....you know. I applied to go to Africa with this group that sounds reliable and trustworthy and safe.

I CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU MY EXCITEMENT. This, applying, is a step out of my comfort zone alone. I ache to get out of it sometimes. And my heart is in humanitarian work beyond the walls of my classroom...so maybe this will be my opportunity!

I've got 1/2 the cost covered w/o selling my house. I've got to think about the other 1/2. I've got a smidge in savings but'd rather not touch it, but add to it. You know. Any ideas?

WAHOO!

Grades suck. But I love how they make me reward myself in interesting ways =o)

Inspiring

Inspiring...in different ways.

John Williams Rocks.

I have watched this a hundred times and can't get over how gorgeous it is. Always been a fan of Williams and Perlman. Yo Yo Ma and particularly the clarinetist makes it fun for me to watch, too. Someday I want to be in the Utah Symphony or Orchestra on Temple Square! (For now I should practice enough to play my parts fairly decent in the WJ Symphony =o) )

Seeking Harmony and Thinking "Outloud"

A little while ago two of my friends invited people to a Family Home Evening of their unique design. They are fun, interesting, knowledge seeking, innovative thinkers who go through their lives--in my observation--seeking meaning, seeking ways they can make contributions in the lives of others, seeking purpose, and seeking joy--both their own, and the joy of others (which is what I observe they find their joy in). (And sometimes seeking to make people as uncomfortable as possible, because they think they're "funny" like that. =oP)

Anywho. This FHE was a result of experiences they've had at conferences they've participated in. They collected the highlights and wanted to share it with their friends (and loved ones--which is why I was invited. jk.)

The thing that's stayed with me, weeks later, was their question...what is the underlying question I ask myself that motivates everything I do? What is my 'narrative'? What is my drive/intent/purpose/motive behind my actions everyday? What am I seeking?

And once I know that...is it healthy? In what ways could I modify it to achieve better results in my life?

Well, I metacognitively observed what I believe is my driving question. It motivates me to do my best, but also seems to be the cause of my impatience--in life, and sometimes with people--but mostly the unnacceptance of myself with my imperfections. The nagging feelings of "not being enough" might not come from "outside", I just realized. They probably come from my own underlying question. The incongruity between my expectations for myself and my "performance". I don't meet my *own* expectations. Huh. I think that's right.

Well, I read tonight some questions I'd rather ask:

"What could I do and what experiences could I engage in that would give me a broader understanding of human suffering as well as human joy?"

"How can I become more sensitive to the problems in life as well as the triumphs, the sorrows as well as the joys, the failures as well as the successes?"

The author then says: "By answering those questions and then following through on the answers, you will greatly enhance your ability to touch somebody else."

Who doesn't want to enhance their ability to touch somebody else?

I like these questions because it takes the "perfection" out of my previous underlying question. Drive for perfection is good--it is motivating. But let's face it...it's discouraging, too. I will never get there. Though I believe God commanded us to "be ye therefore perfect", I know it is only possible through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is impossible for me based on my own merits. If my underlying question is 'Am I doing the most effective thing with my time?", "How can I handle this situation perfectly?", I will fail. And I will fail everyday. I can't run without recharging my batteries. I can't be everything to everyone. I can't say the perfect thing in every situation and know the outcome of my influence today will change a life. I can't be perfect everyday. (Though President Hinckley said we can be perfect in our tithing and in our prayers. I'm still learning what that means to be perfect in my prayers.) I can't know that the situation I'm choosing to be in, the thing I'm choosing right now to spend my time on, the thing I'm saying right now, is the ultimate, most important/impactful/vital thing I could be doing at this second. That is out of my control.

So, I like these new questions because I don't have to be impatient with setbacks anymore. I don't have to be frustrated when things "come up". It accepts that life has sorrows and pains and setbacks. It acknowledges them honestly. And I believe that humbles the drive for perfection. It gets put in a more realistic place. It changes the joyful aspects of life, too--it's not a farce, not ignorant or rose-colored--but sincere, deeper, and perhaps more realistic (as opposed to Hollywood-ized).

I do believe "man is that [we] might have joy"! I believe that my outlook effects my thinking, and will eventually seep through to my actions. Who we are inside cannot be hid. It comes out, and by our fruits we shall know each other. I am grateful that I can change--I'm grateful that's part of the gospel plan, and that we have been given the gift of agency, to direct our lives as we choose!

I hope that I can develop the best underlying/motivating question so that I can be an instrument in God's hands for good in my life. I feel like I have so much to learn and I get impatient and frustrated with myself.

Just noticed that even after all this, my "motive" for changing my driving question is...for...perfection...developing the most effective and perfect question to live my life by. Which...is still the old underlying question. Looks like I haven't changed much yet! Sigh. There's always work to do.

I'm going to bed. =oP