Full Inclusion or Not?

The video we saw in class was tough to watch, but confirmed to me that we need to be aware the issues surrounding special needs students.  The idea of full inclusion is a great idea, but I think what is need is that teachers need to have the right training, the administration is on board, the full support from the parents of students attending the school, and the communities support.  We saw a great example of how full inclusion can work, in the situation where the parents knew the first time they walked in to the school that was the right place for their child.  Also we saw an example of how full inclusion didn’t work in the case of the student with schizophrenia and then the student doing better in the environment that supported her emotionally, socially, mentally and educationally.  In this case, going to a specialized institution helped this student out verses being a regular student under the policy of full inclusion.  So all of these different situations make me question if full inclusion is always the right the decision for students, or how can we work to fully include students with special needs.  I feel for full inclusion to completely work teachers need to be trained correctly.  Without the right training how can we do a good job teaching the special needs students in the class, but also other the students in the class?  I like how the idea of full inclusion is to make people (students) feel more comfortable being around student with special needs. 

At this point in my teacher training, I know that I am not prepared to be in a full inclusion class or even work with students with special needs in my class.  But I know at some point that I will work with students who have special needs, and that is what I need to be prepared for.  Jesse is right, if we feel we are in a situation as teachers where we feel uncomfortable we need to speak up and let our administrators know how we are feeling and that maybe more training is needed to be a better teacher to all of our students.  

On another note, you all should view this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwjqXubo4Io.  I don’t if you have seen it, but it is titled “A love letter to Albuquerque Public Schools.”  Let’s say it was eye opening.

Poverty and Privilege…

The discussion on poverty and privilege was interesting and how they play apart in schooling.  Payne’s article illustrates a good definition of poverty and different types of examples of poverty for me.  It clearly defines the two types of poverty, which gave me the understanding of the type of poverty that I am currently facing to generational poverty that many families experience.  But many of her scenarios stereotype the experiences that of other ethnicities may experience.  Later in life I realized that I grew up with as a part of middle class, but her article made me clearly realize how much more privilege I was than the scenarios that were presented.  The poverty that I am experience now is taking an emotional and financial toll on me, but I know in the future that I will out of that situation because of the skills that I have and educational background that I have gained.  The affects/realization of poverty on school children had not crossed my mind until I started this class.  But poverty has a harsh effect on children from poor diets to living conditions to learning and more.  Adolescence is time great change for children and we as teachers a have to be observant of the changes they are going through and be aware of what it means for families.  How as teachers do we be helpful and be supportive of those children in the class, but also not push them away? 

So I guess the question I ask myself, How do I understand or demonstrate to my students that I understand them when I grew up with a middle class background? How do I respect their values and teach them what Payne call hidden attributes of class? I think knowing the hidden attributes of the middle class is important because it is being aware of some of thing that affect your way of thinking.

My Philosophy - Purpose and connection to Education

What is the purpose of education?
A person can be educated in many different ways, going to school and receiving knowledge from a teacher and books.  Another ways a person can be education is by exploring the world around them, traveling and learning about other cultures and their experiences.  I think the purpose of education to impart knowledge to a person on a subject that they don’t know about.  The knowledge that one has about multiple topics gives helps them guidance in making multiple decisions about their life and to question what happens in the world around them.  Alternative histories allow people to question the tradition view of American History and question the actions of government and people of a specific time.  For example, thinking about the Native American experience, we all know about the pretty picture shown about the first Thanksgiving, but there is a harsher view of the events of reservation life and ideas “they need to become farmers” and “they need to be civilized” which became the main lines of thoughts and in essence destroyed many of cultural believes and ways of the Native population across the United States.  But education is also about learning from listening to what other people have to say, which may alter there own thinking. We need to have an open mind to what people are saying. 

In some ways education is learning the basics a person needs to survive in this world.  Life skills are important because they give you a foundation for the rest of your life.  In part, many people believe that education is supposed to help you get a better job, so that you can move up in life. 

What connection does my philosophy of education have the act of teaching?
The thoughts and the application of my philosophy of education seem to be abstract right now, but I feel that it will give me guidance when I step into the classroom for the duration of the years I teach, especially during my first few years as a teacher.  It is about listening to what is said and seeing how the class reacts and then adjusting the lesson for the students in your next class without giving up your beliefs.  If you are rigid about your believes it can make you less productive as a person and teacher.  My being a rigid person at times has made it tougher to get along with people. I want my students to go away with something of value and understanding of the subject.  It is my job to guide my students and my philosophy of education is there to help ground how I teach.

Is there only one way to have a “museum experience?”

Is there only one way to have a “museum experience” and how does that translate to the classroom?    I think the answer to question “No.”  Museums and when I say museum I am using it a broad sense; ie: zoos, art, history, science, etc.   The museum experience is about presenting and sharing ideas in ways.  It is also about hands on and visual experience that can occur at the museum.  At History San Jose, I would sit and guide visitors through the Umbarger House. The children found the objects box interesting because it presented hands on things from the past which helps to bring the past alive.  I loved when touring the children around the Fallon and pointing out the hair art sitting on the wall.  Hair art represents a form of art that many don’t know about and informs people that are other ways of preserving the memory of people that are important in your lives when photographs were not around.  I think an interesting activity to teach about the museum experience if children haven’t had the chance to visit a museum is by having students bring in an object from home based on a topic and then treat the object as if it was going to go on display in a museum and have them write a blurb about it.   Then the class could put together an exhibit on objects they have brought in.  This activity would allow them get to the feel of what it would be like to visit a museum.  I think part of the value of museums is the hands on experience they offer to see objects that may not be available to see elsewhere.  Hands on experiences offer a chance to learn from by interaction with what is in the museum.  Objects give a look into the past into how things that have changed and they inform.  I pose this question, “What is the museum experience to you?” and “how do you see it translating to the classroom?”

Local History and Math Teacher Wins the 2015 National Teacher of Year Award

Setting where is the ceremony taking place?  Albuquerque transplant Sharon Mariko Ehrhart wins the 2015 National Teacher of the Year award.  Ms. Ehrhart has taught for the last five years at Jimmy Carter Middle School here in Albuquerque.  She has a B.A. in History from the University of California, Riverside and M.A. in History from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.  Ms. Ehrhart, started her early work in education, working in museum education departments across the country.  She worked at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN, the University Museum in Las Cruces, NM and History San Jose in San Jose, CA.  Working with museum and education she felt she could reach others She credits her parents for fostering her interest in history when they took her family on a six week car trip across the country and during that time she experienced exposure the nation’s history though historic places and the nation’s natural beauty through visiting many National Parks and their undying support of her dreams.  Ms. Ehrhart’s dream became to share her view of history with the world.   

Ms. Ehrhart also teaches math (basic to pre-algebra).  She told me while grow up that she struggled in her math classes and that she work with the concepts until she knew it forwards and backwards.  Her parents would sit it her every night and go over the concepts that she was struggling with.  She said, “Her parents worked with constantly to help strengthened her basic skills because they knew without a foundation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) she would continue to struggle in her classes.  She wants to help students with their math skills the ways she was.  It is all about knowing the basics and being able to apply them correctly.”  The following quotes are from her students, parents of students, and fellow teachers and administration.

Students: Jimmy tells me, “I enjoy that she takes us museums related to New Mexico that we are learning in class.  She really takes the time to listen us.”  Another student, Chris said “I really enjoy the hands on activities in her math class.

Parents:  Samantha mother tells me, “My daughter comes home excited about what she has learned in class and always talking about a new fact that she learned in class.  I enjoy going on the field trips especially to the museum about New Mexico history.  The field trips allow the student to experience history outside the classroom.  Ms. Ehrhart brings history alive for her students.”  Jimmy father says “My son responds well to hands on activities she uses with her math assignments.  He responds well to those types of activities because he is able to see the picture. 

Fellow Teachers/administrators:  The principle at Jimmy Carter Middle addressed how Ms. Erhart’s studies during her schooling influence her teaching by the way she makes connections between the past and present, but also what is going on at the same time in other parts of the world.  She attempts to be a democratic as possible with her principle and classroom management.  She does a great job of getting her parents involved in her classroom, which keeps open line of communication between the teacher, students, and parents.  A fellow teacher of Ms. Ehrhart said, “I like her how she is able to integrates the museum experience into her classroom.”  

She says “without the support of her parents she would not have done as well as she did in school.”   Here is her shout of to her parents, “Thank you mom and dad for everything.”  As you can see from the above comments that Ms. Ehrhart is well liked by her students and their parents and is well respected by her fellow educators and administrators.  She says, “it is important to know history because it helps to gain an understanding into current political and economic issues and hopefully will help prevent actions like Japanese American Internment and Black codes from happening again.”  Another important point she is to understand the basic for math, so students have a foundation for the future.  I hope we have Ms. Ehrhart working the Albuquerque School District or elsewhere in New Mexico for years to come.  When Ms. Ehrhart retires told me when she retires from teaching that she hopes to apply her teaching skills to working in museums especially museum education to create programs that are set to their state’s curriculum standards and benchmarks.