On Wednesday I was able to attend my first meeting at Arts High School. It was a departmental meeting at 3:00 pm. I am an art major and therefore my departmental meeting was with the visual arts department. The room was very welcoming, as well as the teachers that greeted me upon their arrival. At first I nervous about meeting the teachers as they walked in but they just glanced over asked if I was a Montclair Student and then they carried on with their business.
The agenda addressed things that were art related as well as things that were not. I was a little confusing to me but at the same time very interesting. The thing that found most interesting about the whole thing was the Art Auditions. Since next year the school will be accepting a new class, they were in the process of looking over the applications that were completed. I was amazed to see just how intense the applications were and how impressive the talent was coming from an eighth grade student. After the meeting was over I had a chance to do some community service, which involved looking at the applications even closer, this was so exciting for me because I was looking at something that I love, so it didn’t even feel like work. The whole experience was wonderful and I am looking forward to shadowing my teacher on Friday.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Reaction to Arts High School
Arts High School met all my expectations and then some. I thought that the program that they put together for us was amazing. I really enjoyed that we were able to get a chance to talk to some of the teachers. I felt like I was meeting a celebrity, all I could think about the night before was questions that I wanted to ask them but then when the sat down next to me my mind went blank! When I finally was able to get my questions out the teachers were so helpful. The things that they were saying about teaching sent chills down my spine. I could tell by the way they talked about teaching, that it meant everything in the world to them. It was so inspiring.
For the first time I walked into a school setting and I felt like a teacher, everything to the clothes that I was wearing to way I was treated was wonderful. After seeing and talking to the teachers and students at Arts High I am even more excited then I originally was. For the first time in my college career I feel like I am exactly where I am suppose to be.
For the first time I walked into a school setting and I felt like a teacher, everything to the clothes that I was wearing to way I was treated was wonderful. After seeing and talking to the teachers and students at Arts High I am even more excited then I originally was. For the first time in my college career I feel like I am exactly where I am suppose to be.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Pre-Orientation, anxiety, anticipation, and excitement.
I have to say that I am very excited to visit Newark tomorrow, I having been thinking about it all week. I have been to Newark before, in nice neighborhoods and not so nice neighborhoods, so I am aware of my surroundings. What I am not aware of are the children that I am going to be meeting. I am still having trouble grasping the concept that I am going to be in a high school tomorrow where I will be looked at like a teacher and not a student. I know that the anxiety that this is bringing me will subside once I get into the environment.
After looking over the videos and website about the school I have become even more excited. Since I am an art major I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to go into an arts high school and get to know the teachers and students. I always knew about Arts high schools and have even encountered some graduates. So although they were able to give me an idea of what the schools are like I know that I am still in for a surprise. I hope to see a lot of different kinds of art, and see students working on it.
Educating citizens is something that schools have been doing since they have existed. To me the relationship that they have is symbiotic. By this I mean that not only do citizens benefit from the education that a school gives them but the school itself benefits from the citizens and their education. Without the citizens that belong to a school teachers and other faculty would never have the chance to learn what will work in education and what will not work. School is a learning experience for citizens because that is where they get to interact with other students and learn about different subject areas, at the same time every year teachers will learn too. Schools rely on educating citizens, but citizens rely on schools.
After looking over the videos and website about the school I have become even more excited. Since I am an art major I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to go into an arts high school and get to know the teachers and students. I always knew about Arts high schools and have even encountered some graduates. So although they were able to give me an idea of what the schools are like I know that I am still in for a surprise. I hope to see a lot of different kinds of art, and see students working on it.
Educating citizens is something that schools have been doing since they have existed. To me the relationship that they have is symbiotic. By this I mean that not only do citizens benefit from the education that a school gives them but the school itself benefits from the citizens and their education. Without the citizens that belong to a school teachers and other faculty would never have the chance to learn what will work in education and what will not work. School is a learning experience for citizens because that is where they get to interact with other students and learn about different subject areas, at the same time every year teachers will learn too. Schools rely on educating citizens, but citizens rely on schools.
Monday, February 2, 2009
How can understanding demographics help us better understand teaching and learning?
During the last year I have been trying my hardest to understand teaching and learning. I have taken classes and studied examples only to find out that this process that I have been enduring since I can remember is actually a lot more complicated than I had ever imagined. I feel that as an educator in order to really understand and teach your students, you should have a grasp on the demographics of that particular group of students, as well as the surrounding area.
This type of information is beneficial in helping you distinguish an idea of what to except when you walk into a classroom, as well as possible the neighborhood you will be spending a lot of time in. If you take this into consideration it can help you better understand the different backgrounds that your students are coming from which will help you understand the way you will have to teach these children. By this I mean, if you are dealing with students that have come from a poverty stricken neighborhood, the demographics will help to understand this. Information like this can prepare the teacher by giving him/her an understanding of ways to teach these children. They may need extra help in certain areas, so going into a situation with background knowledge of your students is helpful.
Demographics and understanding learning is a bit of harder subject. I feel that learning will take place either way but if you know demographics you can better equipped yourself to understand the way that you students will need to learn. For example if you have children coming from diverse backgrounds you can try group activities to get them acquainted with each other and things of that nature.
Although I do believe that demographics are helpful as a teacher, I also fear that they could make a new teacher skeptical, which I think could be potentially harmful to the students. The statistical data that demographics provide can be helpful as long as it is not used to create a stereotype against students, because regardless of the background of a student or town, everyone deserves a fair chance learning.
This type of information is beneficial in helping you distinguish an idea of what to except when you walk into a classroom, as well as possible the neighborhood you will be spending a lot of time in. If you take this into consideration it can help you better understand the different backgrounds that your students are coming from which will help you understand the way you will have to teach these children. By this I mean, if you are dealing with students that have come from a poverty stricken neighborhood, the demographics will help to understand this. Information like this can prepare the teacher by giving him/her an understanding of ways to teach these children. They may need extra help in certain areas, so going into a situation with background knowledge of your students is helpful.
Demographics and understanding learning is a bit of harder subject. I feel that learning will take place either way but if you know demographics you can better equipped yourself to understand the way that you students will need to learn. For example if you have children coming from diverse backgrounds you can try group activities to get them acquainted with each other and things of that nature.
Although I do believe that demographics are helpful as a teacher, I also fear that they could make a new teacher skeptical, which I think could be potentially harmful to the students. The statistical data that demographics provide can be helpful as long as it is not used to create a stereotype against students, because regardless of the background of a student or town, everyone deserves a fair chance learning.
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