I see both sides of the argument about whether or not sex-ed should be taught in schools. On one side we have the if we don't teach them it they won't be curious about it argument. On the other side we have the if we teach them about it and how to handle certain things appropriately than there won't be unsafe curiosities.
What if we turned "sex-ed" into health? Well we tried that and in some schools, including my own Hampden Academy, the subject was not taken very seriously by students. Sure we listened enough and studied enough to get a passing grade but we didn't retain very much knowledge because to us the class was a joke.
What if we made health part of our science classes? Now that might work. My mother, a sixth grade teacher, just ended the school year with a unit about the reproductive system and other body systems. She said it works out great. The students take her class a little more seriously than something that might be considered "extra".
Why can't we take everything students should know about puberty, the body, sex, STDs, health, etc. and spread out all this knowledge over the course of several grades while integrating it into the science classes? There are some things that students need to know about their bodies when they are in fourth or fifth grade that is important. But there are some things that students can wait on until the "middle school years".
Instead of being scared of the topic, administrations should just take the topic, insert it into the curriculum, and stand behind it. Stop running away from it and just do it.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
This We Believe Response - Week One
I just finished my readings for This We Believe and I marked a few quotes that stood out to me.
(1) "In fact, [the] aspect of [hidden curriculum] learning is sometimes so profound and ong lasting that it overrides learning that is more traditional." (18)
(2) "A solid academic experience properly designed is exploratory. Explorations is an attitude and approach, not a classification of content." (20)
(3) "Curriculum is relevant when it allows students to pursue answers to questions they have about themselves, the content, and the world." (22)
These three quotes are in a list of many, but these really reminded me of a particular teacher and unit I had in middle school. When I was in eighth grade we did a particular unit about the Holocaust. It was a cross-subject unit with social studies where we were studying World War II. This particular English teacher was everyone's favorite teacher. She treated us like young adults and allowed us to find the answers to the questions we might have. She would take our questions and turn them into an interesting project for us to complete. During the Holocaust unit we followed the lives of many different children that were alive during that time. All of the children were from Jewish families. We all created butterflies about our children and added details as we learned more information. These butterflies were hung from the ceiling for everyone to see. However, if the child you were following met an untimely death your butterfly received a big black X on it and was taken down from the ceiling. At the end of the unit there were only a few butterflies left. The teacher had us all go outside and those students whose butterflies were taken down brought their butterflies with them. We all gathered in a circle and the "dead" butterflies were burned. In this unit we not only learned about the historical and geographical impacts of World War II in Social Studies, but we learned the emotional impacts through English. We personally watched the population of butterflies dwindle just as the world watched the Jewish population dwindle. We learned about so much more than just that in World War II over 6 million Jews were killed.
This unit had such an impact on me I still remember it very vividly now today, nine years later. I think it is teaching like this that grabs the students and allows them to learn within and outside their "comfort zone". It allows the students to study independently but receive some guidance from the teacher. Students in the middle schools need to be able to feel independence in their work but also feel a great connection to what they are accomplishing. I fully believe that students should be held more accountable and given more freedom than they are generally being given. Too much freedom could be a bad thing, but if you treat students with respect and trust, generally they will give it back. This is what I have found through my own experiences in grade school and while I have been in classrooms during and outside of my college years.
We as teachers today need to find ways to engage the students and turn their imaginations on. We should promote healthy classrooms and allow students to question the content they are being taught. Through this students will not only follow the curriculum that is set forth for them but they will understand the hidden curriculum that lies beneath the surface.
(1) "In fact, [the] aspect of [hidden curriculum] learning is sometimes so profound and ong lasting that it overrides learning that is more traditional." (18)
(2) "A solid academic experience properly designed is exploratory. Explorations is an attitude and approach, not a classification of content." (20)
(3) "Curriculum is relevant when it allows students to pursue answers to questions they have about themselves, the content, and the world." (22)
These three quotes are in a list of many, but these really reminded me of a particular teacher and unit I had in middle school. When I was in eighth grade we did a particular unit about the Holocaust. It was a cross-subject unit with social studies where we were studying World War II. This particular English teacher was everyone's favorite teacher. She treated us like young adults and allowed us to find the answers to the questions we might have. She would take our questions and turn them into an interesting project for us to complete. During the Holocaust unit we followed the lives of many different children that were alive during that time. All of the children were from Jewish families. We all created butterflies about our children and added details as we learned more information. These butterflies were hung from the ceiling for everyone to see. However, if the child you were following met an untimely death your butterfly received a big black X on it and was taken down from the ceiling. At the end of the unit there were only a few butterflies left. The teacher had us all go outside and those students whose butterflies were taken down brought their butterflies with them. We all gathered in a circle and the "dead" butterflies were burned. In this unit we not only learned about the historical and geographical impacts of World War II in Social Studies, but we learned the emotional impacts through English. We personally watched the population of butterflies dwindle just as the world watched the Jewish population dwindle. We learned about so much more than just that in World War II over 6 million Jews were killed.
This unit had such an impact on me I still remember it very vividly now today, nine years later. I think it is teaching like this that grabs the students and allows them to learn within and outside their "comfort zone". It allows the students to study independently but receive some guidance from the teacher. Students in the middle schools need to be able to feel independence in their work but also feel a great connection to what they are accomplishing. I fully believe that students should be held more accountable and given more freedom than they are generally being given. Too much freedom could be a bad thing, but if you treat students with respect and trust, generally they will give it back. This is what I have found through my own experiences in grade school and while I have been in classrooms during and outside of my college years.
We as teachers today need to find ways to engage the students and turn their imaginations on. We should promote healthy classrooms and allow students to question the content they are being taught. Through this students will not only follow the curriculum that is set forth for them but they will understand the hidden curriculum that lies beneath the surface.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Podcast #1 - Week One
Just listened to the first podcast! Good to hear the instructor's voice. This is my first online course so I admit it was kind of strange not going into class for the first class. Sounds like we are going to be doing quite a bit and yet have some fun doing it.
http://moodle.umeedu.maine.edu/file.php/50/Audio.mov
http://moodle.umeedu.maine.edu/file.php/50/Audio.mov
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Welcome to My Blog!
Hello! My name is Maggie. I attended the University of Maine, Farmington and graduated in December 2011. I received a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a concentration in English.
Lately I have been working for the Bangor School Department. Most of this past semester I was a substitute, willing to work at all grade levels, and then starting in May I have been tutoring full time at the James F. Doughty School. While I was subbing I experienced many different classes and challenges. All were rewarding and educational. Let me just say that after I was done subbing in a Pre-K classroom, I was definitely sure that I liked Middle School and High School best. :) While I was tutoring I had many students I worked with. I worked a normal school day with different students throughout the day. I tutored every core subject at some point throughout the day. This has been my only experience with teaching after graduation.
Before graduation I spent my student teaching in two different schools. The majority of my time was spent at Portland High School. There I was either teaching in an AP environment or a low-level environment. I really found my area with the lower level students. However, in November I made the switch to Saco Middle School in a sixth grade classroom. I had a great time at both schools and learned quite a bit about teaching and about myself.
Currently, I am not working toward a degree. I am taking this class because it was recommended to me by a few colleagues and I wanted to further my education. My goal is to end up in a middle school someday.
While taking this class I will be working as the Aquatics Director at Camp Peirce Webber in Hampden, Maine. This is a day camp through the Bangor Y.
Good luck everyone!
Lately I have been working for the Bangor School Department. Most of this past semester I was a substitute, willing to work at all grade levels, and then starting in May I have been tutoring full time at the James F. Doughty School. While I was subbing I experienced many different classes and challenges. All were rewarding and educational. Let me just say that after I was done subbing in a Pre-K classroom, I was definitely sure that I liked Middle School and High School best. :) While I was tutoring I had many students I worked with. I worked a normal school day with different students throughout the day. I tutored every core subject at some point throughout the day. This has been my only experience with teaching after graduation.
Before graduation I spent my student teaching in two different schools. The majority of my time was spent at Portland High School. There I was either teaching in an AP environment or a low-level environment. I really found my area with the lower level students. However, in November I made the switch to Saco Middle School in a sixth grade classroom. I had a great time at both schools and learned quite a bit about teaching and about myself.
Currently, I am not working toward a degree. I am taking this class because it was recommended to me by a few colleagues and I wanted to further my education. My goal is to end up in a middle school someday.
While taking this class I will be working as the Aquatics Director at Camp Peirce Webber in Hampden, Maine. This is a day camp through the Bangor Y.
Good luck everyone!
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