In Search of MY Critical Voice

In Social Studies we were given two different articles about having a critical voice and finding your own critical voice.  I feel that I have to find mine.  I have yet to be able to speak boldly when I need to.  I have learned when you voice my opinion or say what I feel or think. However, I am not one of those people who can say what they believe is right all that time.  I have always been one to do what they are told and follow directions to the tee.  I do not like doing something that is considered "wrong."  However, as a pre-service teacher, I need to find my critical voice.  I need to be able to stand up for my future students when they cannot stand up from themselves and the systems fail them.  I found it a very close relation between the articles in Social Studies and the one article about Valerie Claire.  If Mrs. Coughlin had not had a critical voice or the courage to stand up for her students, Valerie would have been stuck in a place where she was not learning.  I hope I can find my voice and stick to my guns, when I see how the system fails future students.

Black Ants and Buddhists

Black Ants and Buddhists is a WONDERFUL article.  It really shows us how we can use everyday normal dialogue to teach our students to think critically about their actions and other things they would otherwise not think about at all.  It was amazing to see how, when just one student stepped up and was different from the rest the class and made an argument against the norm, all students began to think critical for months after the initial incident.  I loved how this teacher facilitated such great conversation and learning opportunities for months after the black ants.  It helped the students become more responsible for themselves and each other.  It also helped them to understand that not everyone is the same, but we all can understand and be respectful of each others beliefs, ideas, and actions.  I hope if I ever have an opportunity like this one I will see it and grab a hold and let it take me and my students on a wonderful journey.  Teachers should never stop wanting to learn and I know there is many many many things I do not know, and I hope that I will have the desire to continue learning for, from, and with my future students.

What Teachers Make

This video is a poem from Taylor Mail.  Mali is a teacher turned slam poet whose mission is to inspire 1,000 people to become teachers through his poems and his life experience as a teacher.  The title of this poem is "What Teachers Make".  To me this is one of the most motivating poems I have ever heard.  I hope you enjoy.

Block Has Begun!

My last and final "real" semester of college started a week ago.  I am enrolled in the educational BLOCK.  For those who know what this may be then they understand the dread, long hours, excitement, and all the other different emotions that come along with block.  This will be my last semester before I go into a school and student teach! The thought of being in a classroom and teaching is a scary yet wonderful feeling.  I am ecstatic to start getting more hands on learning that comes with block and student teaching.  This blog is for all those student teachers, beginning teachers, and others in the education field who love what they do and are always searching for new exciting things to bring into the classroom or future classroom for many of us.  Feel free to post anything whether comment or link to any useful teacher education site.