Chapter 2 Notes

Chapter 2 defines what the true definitions of Education and Schooling is. Which is a life long process and formalized process that focuses on young children. It talks about culture and society but most importantly school culture. which can be a good or bad thing

a strong, positive school culture engages the minds and hearts of students. A weak and negative school culture may have the same facilities, staff, etc but everyone is just going “through” the motions and children's minds are not being stretched. Socialization also plays an important role in our schools. We are taught how to get along with others this way in the future we can become acceptable members of society.

Schools as transmitters or re-creators of culture:

As transmitters, schools teach the American way of looking at things and the American way of doing things. As Re-creators of culture, one of the examples given are that schools pull children from other ethnic backgrounds. Those children will be taught English and little by little it becomes the child’s first language. What was once their first language only gets spoken in the privacy of their own homes. As reconstructionists schools have taken upon themselves to become social reconstructionists, democratic reconstructionists and economic reconstrutionists.. As social reconstructionists they try to “activate” the students interest in trying to improve society. As economic reconstructionists  they try to peak a students interest in government. A school that focuses on economic reconstrution believe that money, power and control of education are bound tightly together.

The four purposes of schools are Intellectual purpose, political and civic purpose: to learn how to govern justly and wisely, economic purpose: Schools help students obtain skills necessary to get into college and get better jobs, social purpose: teaching students to get along with one another to “share” this way in the future they will be able to work well with others.

A teachers role in school consist of being a “gate keeper”, dispenser of supplies, time keeper and granter of special privileges. Due to the teacher having to “manage” the classroom, the students experience delay because at times the teacher needs to stop the lesson to give the slower learners a chance to catch up. Students learn to wait in line for the water fountain, pencil sharpener, etc. They experience the denial of desire when not called upon to answer a question that they feel they know the answer to. They also learn to handle interruptions from the bells, messages coming over the intercom from the principal. Lastly students have to endure social distractions especially from their peers.

Lastly the chapter describes what life in middle school, Junior high schools and high schools are like. The middle school years are seen as a crucial time in the formation of the students. Schools see life in high school as still a crucial time in a teenagers life. Students in high school are still trying to find social acceptance, as well as trying to learn job skills for the future.

 Chapter 2 Reflection

One common practice that I would change in schools would be allowing students

to be advanced to the next grade level without meeting academic standards.

I’ve seen it happen one to many times as well in my own personal household.

I had to meet with the school’s administrator to argue that my adopted son should

not be passed to the next grade level. When his grades clearly showed that he was not

meeting requirements and if advanced would not be able to succeed.

It is a common practice that schools do in order to receive school funds that child.

One thing that can be done to change this would be to hold meetings with teachers,

administrators and superintendents. In these meetings should be discussed the actions that

teachers need to take in order to help the child succeed and  to advance. Yes, school funding

is very important to keep the school running, matierals, etc. but what is more important,

the child to succeed and advance or funds? This is a question that I posed to my child’s previous

school administrator. Parents also need to be heavily involved with their children's schooling. I honestly believe 


that this is where the change can take place.

Chapter 1 Notes

"Why Teach?"

             

 Chapter one poses the question “Why Teach?” It gives us different reasons why teachers have gone into the profession of teaching. It also tells us to examine our own motives. It mentions two different types of rewards, extrinsic-external and intrinsic which means internal. The chapter tells us to seek guidance and to reflect on our reasoning why we want to become teachers.


It encourages those who want to go into the teaching field to have “real encounters” with children. Sometimes, individuals become teachers because of what they see on television or movies.The chapter calls this “vicarious encounters” but when they first go into the classroom, it is not what they thought it was.


The chapter also mentions how principals no longer see new, incoming teachers like they used to in the past. They don’t think they have as much “drive”. One last reward that the book mentions is the physic rewards which runs deeper than the intrinsic rewards of teaching.

Chapter 1 Reflection

My most significant teacher would have to be my Spanish teacher in high school. Her name was Sra..Hernandez. While I was in her class I felt as if she truly cared about her students. She made sure that everyone understood the concept of what was being taught and was able to utilize the lesson in everyday situations. She respected us as students and treated us as young adults, not as children. Sra. Hernandez hadhigexpectations for all of us and would not accept anything less than what we were capable of doing.

Sra. Hernandez always made time for us. She made herself readily available before and after school as well as the lunch hour. She would write us passes to her classroom during lunch in order for us to obtain the necessary help we needed, Sra. Hernandez was what I call a “roamer”. She would walk around the room making sure that we were on task.  She was not the kind of teacher who would “teach” from her desk. She would interact with us and give us individualized attention if we needed it.

Sra. Hernandez also acknowledged when she had made a mistake. If she was in the wrong she would admit it and would correct it without being condescending. As a teenager in high school I found it rare when a teacher would admit to a mistake.

I believe that perhaps Sra. Hernandez was in the teaching profession not so much for the extrinsic rewards but for the intrinsic rewards. Her characteristics from what I can remember, tell me that she truly wanted her students to be and do their very best and found it rewarding when they accomplished their goals in her class. I can honestly say that Sr. Hernandez, for myself, had a great influence on my decision to become a teacher.

     
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