Music Teachers National Association (or MTNA) was founded in 1876 by Theodore Presser and sixty-two colleagues in Delaware, Ohio. The stated mission of Music Teachers National Association is to advance the value of music study and music making to society and to support the professionalism of music teachers. The association maintains two subsidiary programs: MTNA Professional Certification Program and the MTNA Foundation Fund. The Professional Certification Program exists to improve the level of professionalism within the field of applied music teaching and helps the public readily identify competent music teachers in their communities. The MTNA Foundation Fund supports programs to financially assist teachers and students with their educational pursuits while providing an opportunity for individual and corporate support of MTNA and its programs.
MTNA structure
51 state affiliates (50 states and the District of Columbia) are grouped into seven divisions: Eastern, East Central, Northwest, Southern, Southwest, South Central, West Central. MTNA supports more than 500 local affiliates.
MTNA governance
The Board of Directors which is composed of: National Association Officers (6) Directors from each Division (7)
MTNA staff
The MTNA staff currently consists of 12 full time positions.
MTNA Conferences
The MTNA National Conference, held annually, brings together state and national officers, as well as an assortment of music teachers and professors from the United States and abroad. National competitions feature performances of students in all instrument areas - although primarily piano - as well as composition. Conferences include master classes, technology and informational sessions, pedagogy sessions, as well as various exhibits and performances by professional concert artists. Members have an opportunity to participate by submitting proposals and papers for presentation.
The 2010 MTNA Conference will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Hyatt Regency and Albuquerque Convention Center, March 20-24, 2010.
Publications
MTNA publishes many guides for teachers, as well as the magazine American Music Teacher[1], given to MTNA members.
American Music Teacher
American Music Teacher provides articles, reviews, and regular columns whose stated goal is to inform, educate, and challenge music teachers and foster excellence in the music teaching profession. It also serves to inform MTNA members of national, state, and local news, trends in the music field, and opportunities for students, as well as providing a forum for members' opinions and concerns about topics related to music teaching.
MTNA e-Journal
In September 2009, MTNA launched a new publication—the MTNA e-journal. The purpose of the MTNA e-Journal is to provide our members, especially those in academia, an online, peer-reviewed journal, which features in-depth, scholarly, research-oriented articles enhanced through the use of sound, image, and video links.
The MTNA e-Journal is published four times during the academic year: September, November, February and April. It is a benefit to MTNA members.
Technology
The completely redesigned MTNA website was launched in April, 2007. MTNA offers a free content management system, Association in a BoxTM, to its state and local affiliates. The AIB is a full-fledged web presence editable by anyone without requiring technical skill. The purpose of the AIB is to help state and local MTNA affiliates achieve a professional web presence with minimal budgetary impact.
Joining MTNA
MTNA has membership for Collegiate Members, Active Members, International Members, Institutional Members, and Corporate Members. Piano teachers who are certified through MTNA are also eligible for certification and membership in the International Piano Teachers Guild.
Sabtu, 04 September 2010
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)
Profil of Sydney Teachers College
History
The Sydney Teachers College was established in 1906 with Alexander Mackie appointed Principal in November of the same year. Mackie firmly believed that the college could aspire to a partnership with the University of Sydney.[1][2] Prior to that there was a pupil-teacher system in New South Wales, followed by two training colleges, Hurlstone Residential College for women and Fort Street High School for men. Public dissatisfaction with the pupil-teacher system led to the establishment of a non-residential, co-educational training college in part of Blackfriars primary school on Parramatta Road (now Broadway). In 1905 men moved from Fort Street to Blackfriars, and in 1906 women moved from Hurlstone College to Blackfriars. In the first year there were 189 students (of these, 178 were serving teachers). Mackie was appointed Lecturer in Education at the University (while continuing as Principal of the Teachers College) in 1909. In 1910 he also became Professor of Education and Principal of the Teachers College (positions held also by his successor, Christopher R. McRae). In the same year the University Senate approved a Diploma in Education, taught jointly by the University and the Teachers College.
An Act was passed in 1912 for construction of a new Teachers College in the grounds of the University of Sydney. However, the First World War delayed construction, and the foundation stone was not laid until 1917. The building was officially opened in 1925 (but students moved to the partially completed building in 1920).
By 1933 course offerings had become fixed: (a) 2 year ordinary course: to prepare teachers for primary and kindergarten work, science teaching in junior technical and domestic science schools, manual training, commercial work, agricultural and general instruction; (b) 4 year course and graduation from the University or a 3 year course (2 years at the University and 1 at College) for high school specialist teachers; (c) 5th year of study for some students (mostly honours students in science).
Cigarette card featuring the Sydney Teachers College's crest and colours, circa 1920s
A short course was devised in 1938 to prepare tradesmen to teach trades within the Technical Education Branch of the Department of Public Instruction in this eventually expanded into a division within the College and later into an Institute of Sydney CAE.
The 1940s also saw an expansion of in-service training and post-college refresher courses for practising teachers; special courses offered for officers of the Child Welfare Department, the Health Department and the Housing Commission; courses developed in broadcasting, visual education, counselling, librarianship and religious education. This obviously led to a dramatic increase in the size of the college. A temporary Annex established in the Enmore Public School as the total number of students in 1951 was 2339. But in 1954 the Enmore Annex closed and its functions were transferred to North Newtown Intermediate High School in Carillon Avenue. An additional campus was established for Technical Teacher Education in the GAZAL Building, Bulwarra Road, Ultimo and a further campus for Primary Teacher Education at Salisbury Road, Newtown.
The 1970s saw the college go through many changes. In September 1971 Sydney Teachers College became a College of Advanced Education within the Department of Education. The Higher Education Act (1969) was replaced by the Colleges of Advanced Education Act (1975) which determined the operations of the Teachers College from that date. Bachelor of Education course was established in 1975 for students intending to become Industrial Arts of Home Economics teachers. A few years later the Bachelor of Education course extended to include the Humanities, Sciences and Mathematics.
The Teachers College continued to offer: (a) Diploma of Teaching; (b) Graduate Diploma in Education; (c) Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies; (d) Graduate Diploma in Adult Education; (e) Diploma Conversion courses in Technical Teacher Education. College staff worked with staff from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) to develop basic nursing and post basic nursing education programs, and participated in RPAH’s existing basing nursing training program.
By 1981, the College had established over the years, centres in specialist fields. By this year, they included: (a) Research Centre; (b) Sydney Human Performance Laboratory; (c) Audio Visual Centre; (d) Sydney Educational Museum Centre; (e) Curriculum Centre; (f) Multicultural Education Project.
But, on the 31 December 1981, Sydney Teachers College ceased to exist. It was succeeded by the Sydney Institute of Education which was part of Sydney College of Advanced Education. And, in 1989 the Sydney Institute of Education became part of the University of Sydney
Student_teacher ratio
Student-teacher ratio refers to the number of teachers in a school or university with respect to the number of students who attend the institution. For example, a student teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students for every one teacher. The term can also be reversed to create a teacher-student ratio. In the previous example, the teacher-student ratio would be 1:10.
A low student-teacher ratio is often used as a selling point to those choosing schools for tertiary education. On the other hand, high student-teacher ratio is often cited for criticizing proportionately underfunded schools or school systems, or as evidence of the need for legislative change or more funding for education.
In the United States, some states have enacted legislation mandating a maximum student-teacher ratio for specific grade levels, particularly kindergarten. When such figures are stated for schools, they often represent averages (means) and thus are vulnerable to skewing. For example, figures may be biased as follows: if one classroom has a 30:1 ratio and another has a 10:1 ratio, the school could thus claim to have a 20:1 ratio overall. In some cases Child care management software may be used to help monitor student-teacher ratios.
In schools, such ratios are indicative of possible staff changes. If the student-teacher ratio is 50:1, the school will probably consider hiring a few teachers. If the ratio is very low, classes could be combined and teachers fired. In extreme cases, the school may close, due to its apparent redundancy.
Classes with too many students are often disrupting to education. Also, too many students in a class results in a diverse field of students, with varying degrees of learning ability and information uptake. Consequently, the class will spend time for less academic students to assimilate the information, when that time could be better spent progressing through the curriculum. In this way, student-teacher ratios are compelling arguments for advanced or honors classes.
The issue of students' ability to work effectively in groups (as opposed to time-waste and chatting) and peer-teaching is a complex and controversial issue.
Numerous sources argue that lower student to teacher ratios are better at teaching students complex subjects such as physics, mathematics and chemistry, than those with a higher ratio of students to teachers. Commonly the schools with lower student to teacher ratios are more exclusive, have a higher attendance of non-blacks, are in non-inner urban areas and/or fee-paying (non-government) institutions.[1]
The manifold arguments and controversies of funding and student-teacher ratios have been the basis for a multitude of studies and debates. One view is illustrated below:
Many analysts have found that extra school resources play a negligible role in improving student achievement while children are in school. Yet many economists have gathered data showing that students who attend well-endowed schools grow up to enjoy better job market success than children whose education takes place in schools where resources are limited. For example, children who attend schools with a lower pupil-teacher ratio and a better educated teaching staff appear to earn higher wages as adults than children who attend poorer schools.[1]
Governments tend to argue, perhaps with an eye on cost-savings and limiting public expenditure, that higher student-teacher ratios have no net negative on outcomes. This may be considered by some as not only cynical and counter-intuitive but disproven by certain facts. Furthermore, the complex inter-relationships of socio-economics, class, race, ethnicity and achievement are all key factor in the debate. It remains a highly contentious debate and unlikely to be satisfactorily resolved.
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Teachers College, Columbia University ( CU )
Teachers College, view down West 120th Street
Established :1887
Type Private
Endowment :US$200 million [1]
President :Susan Fuhrman
Provost Thomas James
Students :5,087 students
Location :New York, New York, USA
Campus Urban
Website www.tc.columbia.edu
Teachers College, Columbia University (sometimes referred to simply as Teachers College; also referred to as Teachers College of Columbia University or the Columbia University Graduate School of Education) is a top ranked graduate school of education in the United States. It was founded in 1887 by the philanthropist Grace Hoadley Dodge and philosopher Nicholas Murray Butler to provide a new kind of schooling for the teachers of the poor children of New York City, one that combined a humanitarian concern to help others with a scientific approach to human development. While Teachers College holds its own corporate status, the college is also a Faculty and academic department of Columbia University. Teachers College faculty hold Columbia University appointments; its President is a Dean of the University; and all students receive their degrees by the University.
Beginning as a school to prepare home economists and manual art teachers for the children of the poor, the college affiliated with Columbia University in 1898 as Columbia University's Graduate School of Education. Under the terms of its affiliation with Columbia University, the University awards all master's degrees, Ph.D., and Ed.D. degrees to graduates of Teachers College.
History
The founders early recognized that professional teachers need reliable knowledge about the conditions under which children learn most effectively. As a result, the College's program from the start included such fundamental subjects as educational psychology and educational sociology. The founders also insisted that education must be combined with clear ideas about ethics and the nature of a good society; consequently programs were developed in the history of education and in comparative education. As the number of school children increased during the twentieth century, the problems of managing the schools became ever more complex. The college took on the challenge and instituted programs of study in areas of administration, economics, and politics. Other programs developed in such emerging fields as clinical and counseling psychology, organizational psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, curriculum development, instructional technology, media studies and school health care. From 1904, when he became a faculty member there, Teachers College was most famously associated with philosopher John Dewey.
Today, according to its president [3] Teachers College provides solutions to the difficult problems of urban education, reaffirming its original mission in providing a new kind of education for those left most in need by society or circumstance. The college continues its collaborative research with urban and suburban school systems that strengthen teaching in such fundamental areas as reading, writing, science, mathematics, and the arts; prepares leaders to develop and administer psychological and health care programs in schools, hospitals and community agencies; and advances technology for the classroom, developing new teaching software and keeping teachers abreast of new developments. Teachers College also houses a wide range of applied psychology degrees, including one of the nation's leading programs in Organizational Psychology.
It also houses the programs in Anthropology (Anthropology and Education, and Applied Anthropology—the latter with the Anthropology Department of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia, originally founded by Franz Boas). It was foundational in the development of the field of Anthropology and Education. By the 1930s, Teachers College had begun to offer courses in anthropology as part of the foundations of education. By 1948 Margaret Mead started what would be a long association with Teachers College where she taught until the early 1970s. In 1953 Solon Kimball joined the faculty. In 1954, 9 professors (including Mead and Solon Kimball) came together to discuss the topic. In the 1960s, these people formed the Council on Anthropology and Education within the American Anthropological Association, and it is still considered as the leading organization in the field.
The Teacher (role variant)
David West Keirsey
The Teacher Idealist is one of the 16 role variants of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, a self-assessed personality questionnaire designed to help people better understand themselves. David Keirsey originally described the Teacher role variant; however, a brief summary of the personality types described by Isabel Myers contributed to its development. Teachers correlate with the ENFJ Myers-Briggs type.
Overview
Teachers are introspective, cooperative, directive, and expressive. They tend to look for the best and to expect it from those around them. Teachers communicate a belief that everyone has the potential to succeed, and Teachers often seek to help others express this inner potential. In doing so, they may motivate others to meet the Teacher's positive expectations. However, Teachers may unintentionally overpower others with their idealized vision.
Teachers tend to be organized and like to have things settled. They usually plan their work hours and social engagements in advance and can be trusted to honor their commitments. Yet Teachers also use their creativity to invent engaging activities with little planning. Teachers gravitate more toward educational leadership than social leadership. Their primary interest is in personal growth.
Teachers generally have a clear understanding what is going on inside themselves, and their intuition gives them insight into the feelings of others. However, they tend to be less skilled at logical decision-making, and may do well to seek the advice of a Thinking type. Teachers often mirror the beliefs, characteristics, and emotions of those they interact with to generate rapport. This helps them develop a sense of connection with the joys and problems of others. However, they can become overly involved in other people's concerns, which can leave Teachers feeling overwhelmed.
Teachers consider people their highest priority, and their communication often asserts a personal concern and willingness to help. Warm and outgoing, Teachers value harmonious relations and interpersonal communication. They are generally tolerant of others and easy to get along with. They are enthusiastic and unusually expressive. They tend to have strong language skills, which enhance Teachers' influence in groups. Teachers are good at face-to face communication and don't hesitate to share their feelings, beliefs, and ideas. Teachers can become charismatic public speakers and are often asked to assume leadership roles.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the role variant. For other uses, see Teacher.
Head teachers
"Headmaster" redirects here. For the type of Transformers, see Headmaster (Transformers). For headmaster in Japanese martial arts, see soke (martial arts).
A head teacher or school principal (also known as headteacher,[1] headmaster, often in Scotland the heedie, headmistress or the head) is the most senior teacher and leader of a school.
In Scotland such officials are sometimes known as the "rector", most commonly in independent schools. In North America and Ireland (including Northern Ireland) such officials are usually known as the "school principal" but the term "headmaster" or "Head Master" may be used in some schools. Some American public schools, such as Boston Latin School and Milpitas High School also use the term "headmaster" either because of its history or historical connections.
The terms "headmaster" and "headmistress" used to be the standard throughout both the state and private sectors, with "head teacher" usually being used only to refer to them collectively. In recent years, however, it has become usual to officially use the gender-neutral term in state schools. Nevertheless, the gender-specific terms are still in common use, and may be in more formal use in some schools, particularly the remaining state grammar schools. Independent schools usually still officially use the gender-specific terms. Some use other terms, such as "high master" Independent schools frequently use other titles for officials under the head teacher.
The official term for the third most senior teacher in state schools (as in many independent schools) was "second master" or "second mistress", but these terms have generally gone out of use in the state sector.
Some schools, use the terms like "Head of the Upper School", or "Head of the Middle School" to identify those people who are in charge of the division of the particular school but under the direction of the headmaster of that school.
"Principal" or "Head of School" is used as the title of the head administrator of an elementary school, middle school, or high school in some English-speaking countries, including the United States, India and Australia. Public schools in the United States generally use the title principal whereas private schools in the United States sometimes use the title Head of School.[citation needed] Books and documents relating to the early days of public education in the United States show that the title was originally Principal Teacher.
Role
While some head teachers still retain some teaching responsibility, other than in very small schools, most of their duties are managerial and pastoral.
In Australia, the Head Teacher is in charge of one (in the case of a major subject) or multiple (often in smaller schools) specific departments, such as English, Maths, Science etc al, but maintains full teaching duties and status. They are considered part of the school executive, and often a Head Teacher position is a stepping-stone into administration.
Deputy head
Most schools usually also have between one and three deputy heads (occasionally "depute-head" in Scotland) and several assistant heads, who act as assistants or subordinates to the head teacher. Commonly, a state school will have between two and six assistant head teachers (AHTs). Each AHT is normally in charge of a specific area of the school, such as administration, staff appraisal, first year, sixth form, discipline etc. Normally, AHTs have only a small teaching role within the school.[citation needed]. The difference between Deputy and Assistant heads is, the former are legally allowed to run a school (as well as being 2nd in command) whereas Assistant heads are not.
A state primary school will usually have a single deputy head, although they may sometimes be replaced by two assistant heads. In some larger primary schools (over 500 pupils), there may be two deputy heads or a mixture of deputy head and assistant heads. In primary schools deputy heads tend to be class based with some non-contact time to carry out leadership or management roles although in some primary schools the deputy head may not have a full time teaching role but have a range of whole school leadership responsibilities.
Assistants
In larger schools the principal is assisted by one or more "vice-principals", assistant principals, associate principals, or "deputy principals". Their position is secondary to the principal with regard to school governance. Assistant principals generally perform specific duties such as handling student discipline, curriculum, student council or student activities whereas the principal has the ultimate responsibility for the school as a whole (including faculty & staff, physical plant, etc.).
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
The American Federation of Teachers or AFT is an American labor union founded in 1916 that represents teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, local, state and federal employees, higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals. It is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
The AFT is the second-largest education labor union in the United States, representing about 889,000 members as of fall 2009.[1] Unlike the 3.2-million member National Education Association, the AFT has since its founding been affiliated with the AFL-CIO. A proposed 1998 merger between the two was rejected by the NEA's annual meeting.
In general, AFT locals tend to be in large cities and on the East Coast, while the NEA's membership is more concentrated in rural and suburban areas and in the West. Another significant difference between the two organizations is that the AFT has made a serious effort to organize workers outside the field of K-12 public education. The union currently represents higher education faculty (including professors, non-tenure-track faculty, and graduate student employees), nurses working in private-sector hospitals, state public employees, school nurses, school librarians, and educational paraprofessionals, such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers.
Early history
The AFT was founded on April 15, 1916 as a labor union (as opposed to a professional association). After several failed attempts to form a national teachers' union, teachers from three Chicago unions and one from Gary, Indiana, met to organize the American Federation of Teachers. They were supported by teachers from Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, New York state and Washington, D.C.. The union sought and received a charter from the American Federation of Labor the same year.
The union grew slowly during its first 50 years. Many teachers in the United States rejected the AFT's assertion that teachers should join unions, and the legal and political climate discouraged collective bargaining in education. 'School boards mounted a campaign against the AFT, pressuring and intimidating teachers to resign from the union. By the end of the 1920s, AFT membership had dropped to fewer than 5,000—about half the membership of 1920.'[2]
When many trade unions excluded African-Americans from membership, the AFT was one of the first American unions to extend full membership to minorities. In 1918, the AFT called for equal pay for African-American teachers, the election of African-Americans to local school boards and compulsory school attendance for African-American children. In 1919, the AFT demanded equal educational opportunities for African-American children, and in 1928 called for the social, political, economic and cultural contributions of African-Americans to be taught in the public schools.[3]
In 1941, under pressure from the AFL, the union ejected Local 5 (New York City), Local 537 (the City College of New York) and Local 192 (Philadelphia) for being communist-dominated. The charter revocations represented nearly a third of the union's national membership.
In 1936 teachers in Butte, Montana negotiated the first AFT collective bargaining agreement. In 1948, the union stopped chartering segregated locals. It filed an amicus brief in the historic 1954 U.S. Supreme Court desegregation case Brown v. Board of Education. On December 10, 1956, Local 89 in Atlanta, Georgia left the AFT because it would not comply with the AFT directive that all locals integrate. In 1957, the AFT expelled all locals that refused to desegregate.
Throughout this period, the union also struggled over the issue of militancy. 'We realized,' said Margaret Haley, an early AFT leader, 'that we had to fight the devil with fire...' [4] But Haley's view was not shared by a majority of AFT members in the union's first decades. Like many unions of the era, the AFT relied heavily on making a statistical case for its wage and benefit proposals and then consulting with the school board rather than utilizing the power of collective action.
By the late 1940s, AFT was slowly moving toward collective bargaining as an official policy. The St. Paul Federation of Teachers struck on November 25, 1946. It was the first AFT local to ever strike. The local settled on January 1, 1947 after 38 days on the picket line. Nearly a decade later, the union held—and won—its first collective bargaining election in East St. Louis, Illinois on December 10, 1956. The vote tally was AFT-226, NEA-201. Robert G. Porter was treasurer of the East St. Louis Federation of Teachers at the time of the election and later went on to become the longest serving secretary-treasurer in the history of the national AFT. In 1963, the AFT convention voted to end the union's no-strike policy.
Creation of the UFT
After the pro-communist purge in 1941, the Teachers Guild remained the sole AFT affiliate in New York City. In 1960, New York City social studies teacher Albert Shanker and Teachers Guild president Charles Cogen led New York City teachers out on strike. At the time, there were more than 106 teacher unions in the New York City public schools — many existing solely on paper with no real membership or organization. At the same time other unions flourished such as the Brooklyn Teachers Association.
The motives behind the strike were wages, establishment of a grievance process, reduced workloads and more funding for public education. But in order to win on these issues, Shanker and Cogen argued, the city's teachers had to be in one union. In early 1960, the Teachers Guild merged with a splinter group from the more militant High School Teachers Association to form the United Federation of Teachers or 'UFT'.
The UFT struck on November 7, 1960. More than 5,600 teachers walked the picket line, while another 2,000 engaged in a sick-out. It was a fraction of the city's 45,000 teachers. But intervention by national, state and local AFL-CIO leaders pressured New York City mayor Robert Wagner Jr. to appoint a pro-labor fact-finding committee to investigate conditions in the city's schools and recommend a solution to the labor problem.
The fact-finding committee recommended a collective bargaining law, which eventually was forced onto the city's Board of Education by the state of New York. Despite political infighting with the NEA, an infusion of cash by the national AFT and the AFL-CIO enabled the UFT to win the December 16, 1961, election with 61.8 percent of the votes.
Almost overnight, the AFT's membership swelled by 30 percent. In 1964, the Industrial Union Department of the AFL-CIO pledged to match dollar-for-dollar the expenditure of AFT funds to organize teachers.
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What About the Children ?? (Teachers Learn)
Following initial attempts by a determined group of teachers to engage in direct discussions with the Obama administration about the ESEA Blueprint for reauthorization, some of us thought it might be a good time to re-examine some of the issues related to the Blueprint, and why seeking the expertise of successful teachers might help develop better policies.
One of the first points identified by teachers as a problem is that the proposed plan continues an emphasis on test scores. What's wrong with a focus on test scores? Don't we need to know how students are performing?
I'm going to revisit one of my earlier posts as I begin to answer.
I recently had opportunity to talk with some parents, including some of my former students. One of the most profound and disturbing discussions was with a young mother I'll call Debra. Fourteen years ago, Debra had been in my high school English class, and managed to graduate just a few days before her daughter was born. Debra's life, which had never been easy, took a deeply tragic turn five years ago when that child was murdered.
Sitting next to me at the health program, we watched her other child, 9 year-old Donnell sit passively through what was otherwise a lively group discussion. She shared with me her concerns that he was growing increasingly frustrated with school, and more and more withdrawn. Donnell had serious learning disabilities that affected his language and reading skills. According to Debra, his Individual Education Plan (IEP) and previous tests indicated that he could handle the equivalent of first, maybe second grade work. But the newly enacted changes in special education placement and testing to meet AYP required that he be moved to inclusion setting and tested with the fourth graders. She had tried, unsuccessfully to talk with the special education staff, even the superintendent, along with some other concerned mothers of special needs children, about giving him a more gradual transition.
"I don't understand," she said nearly in tears, "why they insist on giving him work and a test that they know he's not ready for yet? He thinks he is stupid, and he's ready to give up on school," at nine years old.
She's been to the school 15 times this year already. His new teacher, with an already overcrowded classroom is struggling to give Donnell the extra help he needs while not neglecting the others. Both women are frustrated and angry with the system.
Donnell's story has been repeated all over the country with tens of thousands of special needs students. The focus on test scores and the over-reliance on them to determine student learning has led to this widespread abuse.
Under the current and proposed federal requirements, we have used test scores to justify punishing schools and students who have been chronic underperformers BEFORE we took the necessary steps to correct the profoundly unequal learning conditions that have been created within those schools. Case in point: My children attended the Black high school here in town which had no science labs (although we parents are charged an annual lab fee). Their teachers resorted to buying lab kits out of their own pockets with which they could at least demonstrate the principles for the students to watch. My children had to take the same state Biology test as their classmates at the predominantly white high school across town which had a fully stocked and usable science lab. I'm not talking 1950s here; this is 21st century inequity; one district, same leadership, responsible for providing equal opportunities to all students. Guess which school's students' performed better overall on the state test? But which school might be punished for low performance by having its funding cut even more? Which teachers are in danger of losing their jobs?
It's a harsh reality that some students in this country receive a rich, challenging curriculum which allows them to perform consistently well on tests and other evaluations; while other children--particularly the children of the poor--are more often in schools focused on control and remediation. Ironically, many of those who insist on forcing teachers and students to spend inordinate amounts of time drilling basic skills believe they are helping "close the achievement gap." In fact, they may actually be making it wider. Lest we forget, the purpose of all this testing is to determine what students have actually learned. The goal of education is not to produce great test takers, but to prepare tomorrow's citizens.
One of my TLN colleagues, David B. Cohen, who teaches at the upscale Palo Alto High School in CA, summed it up nicely:
What I wish people would realize is that "good" schools with high test scores don't think of their instruction as some kind of reward for the test scores. They don't focus on basic skills and then suddenly reach a point where they...develop deeper knowledge, enrich learning, engage students' interests, etc. It's not basics and then enrichment. The basics can be addressed more covertly, more authentically, and more effectively, when those skills are developed in a meaningful and motivational context. That type of environment shouldn't be the exception, the unearned privilege of the children of privileged parents, and those lucky enough to attend schools that test well. That type of education is the birthright of every child.
Reff : Here
Real Teachers,Real Teach and Real Assessments
As the beginning of the school year approaches (for some of us it has already begun), we may hear discussions about "diagnostic testing" of students. I dislike the term "diagnostic testing" because it implies that the students are sick, and that our purpose at the start of the school year is to find out what's wrong with them, presumably, so we can "fix" it. Rather, they are where they are along the educational continuum toward whichever specific standards we are responsible for teaching. Our task, is to meet them where they are, and together move as far along the continuum as we can in the time allotted to us.
A few years ago, I wrote in detail about my pre-assessment process, and I share it here as an example of teacher-developed, performance-based assessment.
My pre-assessment process revolves around having students demonstrate through performance their abilities in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Only reading and writing are tested in the district or statewide tests; however, I include oral skills, not only because they are part of the state framework, but also because they are highly valued communication skills within the local African American community and the ones in which the students tend to be the strongest.
We begin with a short, carefully chosen reading passage It is almost always by or about an African American (preferably someone with whom they may not be familiar). First, we do a timed reading to determine their speed. Then, they are allowed to read the article in full, set it aside, and free write what they remember from the article (this tests recall and ability to pick up on main ideas and key details). Next, I'll have them listen to an audiotape of a professional speaker on a motivational or inspirational topic (such as how to be a better reader or how to be a successful student in high school). They are required to take notes during the tape. Scanning these later gives me an idea of their skill at listening comprehension. Finally, they may use their notes from both exercises to draft an essay. I make sure to give the essay an I-Search twist, such as "What, if anything, did you learn from the reading or the lecture that might help you this school year? What goals would you personally like to accomplish this year in English class?" These essays become my writing and grammar samples. All this usually takes a few days.
By the end of the first full week of school, we are ready to begin analyzing the results together and developing personal learning plans (PEPs). The PEP is the first requirement in the communications-skills portfolio for my class. I spend at least one full class period introducing the portfolio. There are several points in the portfolio that are negotiable, both initially and as the school year progresses. The final step is for them to take the PEP and the portfolio checklist home. Each student must identify a significant adult of his or her choice (parent, relative, neighbor, teacher, church member, Scout leader, etc) whose role is to encourage the student to keep up with the class and complete his or her portfolio. Students must explain the portfolio to the mentors and get them to sign a contract. [For those who could not find someone, I kept a list of school and community volunteers ready]. As soon as I know who they are, I contact the mentors to introduce myself, answer questions, take suggestions for adjustments in the PEP or portfolio, and open the door for communication throughout the year. All these steps help us create a culturally engaged learning environment….
I [used] the term culturally engaged instruction to describe how teaching and learning occur in my classroom. The students and I are engaged (committed to an interactive, mutually satisfying relationship over an extended period of time) in an exchange of cultural information. I have learned over time how dependent upon and integrated into the cultural context language arts instruction truly is. The students and parents must develop a level of trust with the teachers in order to compensate for the historically derived mistrust that language arts instruction has engendered with large segments of the African American community. This goes beyond just a superficial "I like my teacher" (although that may be the way the students articulate it). It is rooted in respect and communication.
Like that of so many of my colleagues, however, my classroom work has been affected by the current frenzy of reactions to the No Child Left Behind Act. I have spent years developing and analyzing my preassessments, only to have my school district insist I use a pre-packaged pretest for all students. Similarly, the administration has attempted to move all the major assessment of students out of teacher control by requiring only district office-generated end-of-grading-period tests. This stripping of professional responsibilities from teachers cannot bode well for the development of quality teaching in our classrooms.
At the time I wrote that passage, I was teaching English and journalism at Broad Street High School in Shelby, Mississippi. Broad Street served 370 students in grades 8 - 12. Of our students, 99% were African American and 100% got free and reduced lunch. (For more on my classroom research, teaching practices, and to meet some of my wonderful students, visit my website: Culturally Engaged Instruction (CEI): Putting Theory into Practice. ) We had state testing data from the previous school year available, which we were obligated to review. Unfortunately, it yielded very little useful information at the classroom instruction level. ["Student is weak in grammar, usage, and mechanics."]
I'd love to hear about some other teacher-developed assessments. Those of you who have used both your own performance assessments and more standardized pre-tests, which have you found more useful?
thi post Reff : Here
Teachers Take on Turnaround Strategies Teach
On Tuesday, August 31, the Teachers Letters to Obama group will sponsored a webinar roundtable: "TurnAround This Policy". A panel of teachers, including some who have experienced these policies firsthand, will lead the discussion. Teachers, parents, and others interested in education reform will share what these policies really do (and don't do) for schools, and what alternatives there are that can really make a difference. Roundtable is from 8:30 to 10 pm EDT; 7:30 to 9 pm CDT; and 5:30 - 7 p.m. PDT. You can register for free here. A few months back, I made the following observations about school turnaround policies:
- Underperformance in Mississippi Delta schools is not a recent phenomena. We have at least twenty years of various types of data showing how the predominantly Black and poor schools of the Delta have consistently lagged behind the rest of the state. The state itself is consistently near the bottom on nationwide comparisons, due in large part to the poor performance of Delta schools. Notably, this entire section of the state has also been a chronic teacher shortage area for at least twenty years.
- A disproportionate number of the classrooms here have been staffed by underprepared, temporary, or out-of-field personnel. Ironically, it is also relatively easy to remove an incompetent teacher in Mississippi, yet it almost never happens; only here there is no union contract or tenure system on which to hang the blame. In spite of all that, Delta schools also have some of the most outstanding teachers, anywhere. Teachers who are devoted to their students; teachers who help those students make incredible academic progress each year against staggering odds; teachers who choose to live and work in the Delta when they could have gone elsewhere.
- These are attributes teachers in poor rural areas, such as the Delta, share with many of our beleaguered colleagues working at struggling inner city schools. In their book The Teaching Gap, James Stigler and James Hiebert back in 1999 showed us that the U.S. did not need a wholesale replacement of its teaching force; we needed to support and fully develop our professionally trained educators. That sage advice, based on careful comparisons to education systems in competitive nations has gone largely unheeded. By most estimates, school districts, even the more affluent ones, spend less than 5% of their budget on professional development of teachers. This continues even though we now have a growing body of evidence on the impact of teacher quality on student learning. This is one reason I am disappointed that in its Blueprint for the Reauthorization of ESEA, the U.S. Department of Education has sanctioned only four "turnaround" strategies for struggling or failing schools. Three of those involve the removal of teachers; only one addresses (though not directly enough) building on the strengths of existing staff. How can we justify such a waste of human resources, of human beings? Yet, the same document calls for an elevation of the teaching profession and greater efforts to retain teachers. I am hard-pressed to understand how increasing the job insecurity of teachers in the schools where we need them most will help make the profession more attractive to potential teacher candidates, especially in poor rural school districts such as those here in the Delta? Events in recent months, particularly in those places where schools have been reconstituted have only served to strengthen my view that wholesale removal of teachers is not the recipe for helping failing schools. What would help? Besides what I outlined above about doing more to maximize the teaching quality of our more of our current teacher force, why not look at schools that have experienced real, long-term "turnaround" success, such as this one highlighted at Public School Insights.
- * Have any of you experienced "school reconstitution"? How has it affected your school and community? *P.S., going to miss the work of Claus von Zastrow at Public School Insights, but wish him well on his new adventure!
How Students Measure Great Teaching?(For Teachers)
Lately when it comes to education, the country has been focused on the goal of measuring good teaching--and I think most people would agree that it's not an easy thing to do. Some (such as Nancy Flanagan of Teacher in a Strange Land) have noted that teachers have been mostly left out of the process, though we are known to play the single most important role in a child's education. There is another group of key players that has had even less voice in how we measure good teaching: the students.
My virtual colleague from the Teacher Leaders Network and blogger at the DailyKos, Kenneth Bernstein, brought this AOL News article by Kelly Middleton to my attention. There, students were surveyed about what makes a great teacher. Their responses (copied below directly from the article) are quite interesting:
1. Know us personally, our interests and strengths
2. Let us know who they are as individuals
3. Smile at us
4. Encourage us to participate in school activities
5. Spend time beyond class time to help us be successful in their class
6. Give us descriptive feedback on assignments
7. Tell us why
8. Share how what we learn is connected to real life
9. Apologize when they make mistakes
10. Give meaningful work
11. Are energetic, enthusiastic and enjoy their job
As I prepare for a new school year, this list is a welcome reminder to me of what matters most to many students. As Ken pointed out, students did not cite raising their test scores as a major factor in a teacher's quality. That in itself is no surprise to me, nor does it necessarily discount the value of test scores in measuring student learning... however, if we only look at test scores, it seems we are discounting the students' experience.
Much of what the students listed would go under the category of building positive student-teacher relationships. However, it seems there is little movement to encourage teachers to build better relationships with our students. On a very qualitative level--though I wonder if we could get some numerical, survey-based data on this--I feel that the focus on data and test preparation has created a new kind of distance between today's teachers and students.
Educators in New York regularly refer to specific students as numbers: "She's a 1; he's a high 2..." etc. And as I spend more time looking at student work for data on what percentage of the class has mastered standard X and deciding how to respond, I have less time to give meaningful qualitative feedback on student work, which is something students reported to be valuable in the above list.
The nature of high stakes testing and all of its consequences makes working in a high need school (and maybe other types of schools, though I'm not sure) much more stressful than it was when I started teaching 6 years ago. Are we smiling less? That might be worth studying as well.
Extra-curriculuar activities are being cut in city schools and nationwide in place of more math and ELA instruction, so there are fewer activities to encourage students to participate in. Teachers are often discouraged from spending time on meaningful work that might not apply directly to standards measured on state tests. Remember, tests only measure what can efficiently be standardized. That leaves out a a great many areas of meaningful academic work (writing fiction and writing poetry, in my discipline, for example).
Students value a teacher who tells them why. My guess is that the answer, "Because it's on the test," has become much more common and will continue to do so as long as test scores are the go-to measure for teaching and learning. This is not to say that tests do not provide valuable data for us about student learning. I just think that, for lack of a better way to measure good teaching, the country is going too far in the use of test scores.
As I look at what the students say makes a great teacher, I worry we may be we may be discouraging the development of such warm and thoughtful teachers. It seems like so much energy is going to distract us from these things: smiling, words of encouragement...there is no guidance in that direction from those policies which seek to guide us teachers.
We also must not forget that we have a staggering national high school dropout rate (close to 50%). My friend who teaches in Oakland at a second chance school, for high school students who've already dropped out and want to come back, did some research on her students' experiences that led to their dropping out. Overwhelmingly they had felt all alone in their education, lacking a strong relationship with any adult at school. Ability and time to form relationships with students needs to be given some formal value. If we constantly measure learning outside of any real context, we are really going astray of what our students need, which is real connection--both to academic content and to their teachers.
Grading Teachers for Mastery in a Progressive Classroom
Grading Teachers for Mastery in a Progressive Classroom As I've written before, grading has always been a weak point for me. Partly because it's tedious, but more likely because my own methods have never fully made sense to me. And if they don't make sense to me, they can't make much sense to my students. This summer I did some reading on the topic, including Rick Wormeli's Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessment and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom. I'm now pretty convinced that grading needs to be based on mastery of academic standards and classroom objectives (even if some of these are not reflected in actual state standards), and not much else.
However, as I get closer to designing a clear, standards-based assessment and grading structure for my classroom, some philosophical questions arise for me. The major benefit of standards-based grading that includes multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate proficiency and growth is that students get a clear picture of what their strengths are and what they need to work on. This can help them gain agency in their own development of these skills and understandings, which is a goal of any progressive educator. In progressive classrooms, teachers design experiences for students. The idea is that through experience, students construct knowledge and build skills. One question that sometimes concerns me is, are students always aware of what they are learning? At what point is it necessary for them to become aware? Sometimes teachers design such compelling learning experiences that students are able to forget they are doing a "school" activity. They derive genuine pleasure from the curiosity and intellectual engagement of the experience. This is what we want and, in my experience both as a teacher and student, leads to the highest levels of understanding. But it's not ALL we want. It's a necessary step in the learning process called exploration. What happens after exploration? In a well-run classroom, reflection and analysis and term introduction--and often multiple rounds of the whole process--lead students to develop conceptual understanding of the topic. They have also built relevant skills along the way. At what point in the constructivist process does it make sense to assess students on what they've learned? When is it fair and useful to grade the students on said learning? Since individual students may differ in what they take from a given activity, at some point it seems only fair to let students in on what the learning objectives are and what they'll be graded on.
That way students and teachers can be full partners on the road to proficiency and understanding, right? The place where I get philosophically tied up is around who is calling the shots on what needs to be learned and when. Do students get a say in this? Is the trajectory basically the same for all students with slight variation, or are there fundamental differences in what each child should learn and when? In my last post, I describe a student who has been home-schooled and has had almost total agency over his own learning for years. Guess what? At age 14--the same age that some 50% of our country's youth begin to think of dropping out of high school--he chose to enroll in junior college, where he selected his courses. He selected some classes based on interest (architecture) and other classes based on his own perception of what his weaknesses are (writing). Seems like he came around to those objectives without anybody else setting the bar for him at any point. And my guess is that he'll go as far as he needs to with his education. In the end, as a public school teacher with 65 students for one year only, I will have to compromise in the name of efficiency. I will not cut out the exploration stage of the the learning process, because without it, I don't believe real learning takes place. But after students reflect upon and analyze the introductory experience, it is far more efficient for students to go into a second experience knowing what they should pay closer attention to and learn. In many cases, individual students or the whole class together can identify what point or skill they will focus on in a subsequent activity. Thinking hard, as I create standards-based rubrics and tracking grids that anticipate all of the learning my students will do this year... I would love to hear your thoughts.
Jumat, 03 September 2010
Teacher Directed Research Teach Holds
To improve the quality of educators, teachers who have obtained certification and allowances of teachers will continue to be monitored. Monitoring also includes training pemberikan teaching methods, teaching materials, and conduct research.
National Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo assess the need to have policies that encourage teachers and lecturers to develop themselves by doing research. "Slowly formulated while waiting for the certification process is complete," said Bambang Sudibyo inaugurated the expansion of the library after the Ministry of National Education, Thursday (8 / 10).
Chief Executives of Large Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) Unifah Rosyidi, Friday (9 / 10), reminiscent of the need for supervision of teacher performance.
"Improving the quality and professionalism of teachers must not stop on the certification program. Principals can also tighten the promotion recommendation, if teacher performance is not optimal, "he said.
Need encouragement
Rector of the University of Indonesia Prof. Dr. Rusliwa Somantri Gumilar remind commitment to improve the quality of teachers can not rely solely on personal commitment, but also need to have encouragement from schools and government.
"Certification is not enough just to test evaluation, but there should be a routine training that will show the strengths and weaknesses of each," said Gumilar.
Gumilar propose some kind of reward and punishment sanctions (rewards and punishments) are clear to teachers. Gradually, overseen by head teachers and school principals supervised by the school superintendent.
Senior Consultant Putera Sampoerna School of Education, S. Gopinathan, say, improve the quality of teachers, among others, by creating research traditions. Various issues surrounding the education not being clear because of the lack of educational research. "During this most educators only focus on improving teaching skills," he said.
Yet educators must know the problems faced by students.
Example How to Become Teachers?
Selection of exemplary teachers (teacher achievers current term) is actually an event to see and self-reflection for teachers. Sometimes a teacher has to feel he was the best, most super, the most successful in teaching among their friends at school where the teacher is located.
Indicators are easy to find is that when gathered fellow teachers who are non-formal, often thrown bahwam himself as the best in teaching, he was the best master in teaching materials, he or she was the best to spark ideas, he was the most mischievous students in overcoming problems, smart students, and many more others. It is no doubt that everyone (including teachers) have a tendency to arrogance, favor him compared with a friend or someone else. Relatively few teachers are aware that he has many flaws. The stories in front of the classroom when teaching also indicate a tendency to arrogance in front of his students. But when there is a circular selection of exemplary teachers (teacher achievers), writing competition, the competition of scientific works, it is very difficult to find teachers who willingly and self-awareness to the school asking her to follow him. This condition apparently occurs in almost every unit pendidika both at the elementary, junior high, and at the level of SMA / MA / SMK. Very ironic indeed. But that's the real conditions in the field. Is this the nature and character of the majority of Indonesian people who tend to be reluctant to compete? Although actual participation in the competition arena, it is necessary to know the potential is real. Competition arena of self-reflection is the extent to which our potential compared with the other teachers outside the institution (unlike the champion who only won in his own cage, but when at home versus no nothing).
In the selection of exemplary teachers, four aspects of teacher competence are really tested, namely paedagogis aspects, professional, social, and personality.
Paedagogis
In this aspect, the teacher demanded to know the theory of learning, teaching theory, theory of mental development of children, also claimed to understand the curriculum that applies especially concerning the direction of curriculum and learning and the spirit prevailing at the time. In the selection of exemplary teachers, this aspect is measured through a written test and interview tests, as well as measured by whether the document existed and that includes learning
lesson plans,
report on the implementation of learning,
teaching evaluation data
data analysis and evaluation results
report follow-up program
Fifth document should complete and attach in the form of a portfolio that combined with other aspects of the document (10 aspects / components of teacher certification).
Professional
At this fusty, teachers are required to master the subject matter appropriate for the desired and mandated by the curriculum, of course relates to the field of teaching that they do, in accordance with diampunya subjects. In the selection of exemplary teachers, this aspect is examined through the work dukumen professional development, ie there are and whether or not the book, published works, scientific works published either through an accredited journals or through other relevant media. Ownership of the award plaque and certificate of participation in scientific forums, also can be an indicator of mastery of the professional aspects of a teacher.
Social
This aspect is very much the indicator. And whether teachers are often assigned in schools and whether or not reflected on many assignments SK principals to teachers, how teachers' roles in the neighborhood (usually evidenced by a certificate Head Keluranan) whether the chairman of the RT, chairman of the RW, RW advisor adviser RT members / administrators Village Community Resilience Institute (LKMD), or the Institute for Community Empowerment City (LPMK), member / board self-reliance Agency for Community (BKM), or other positions in the neighborhood.
Personality
An exemplary teacher would not be separated from ownership kepridadian steadiness and maturity. This aspect indicators tested through interviews and written tests. How do I look in front of the examiner, how to answer and how to speak before the examiner, how to refuse or deny or argue when the examiner blamed. On the other hand can also be tested through questions that are leading to personal views about an issue.
Other
Scientific Work, is an important aspect that must exist in the selection of outstanding teachers. This scientific work can be a research report, seminar or symposium papers, and journal articles. For this one, may not seem so. A teacher shall have a model tends ilmial work, whether in the form of research or other writings, which are generated through scientific procedures. Another no less important to master in the selection of outstanding teachers are familiar with, understand, and understand the rules and regulations and policies concerning education in Indonesia.
This is only the result of small reflections of a teacher who wants to share experiences with peer to peer teacher who wants to follow the example of teacher selection (outstanding teacher). Authors share the results of this reflection in conection has attended teacher selection of Semarang city level achievers who won a new chance three levels of the city of Semarang, in 2008.
Build an Effective Teacher Competencies
By: Drs Anton Sunarto MPD
The development of adult education is so fast. In line with technological advances and globalization - (merapatnya world increasingly becomes one, with no time limit and without baffles). The rapid development it is necessary to offset the ability of the main perpetrator in this case teacher education. Professional capacity and skills they need to be improved.
For some teachers, deal with rapid changes in education can bring anxiety and fear effects. Change and reform in general bring a lot of anxiety and discomfort. Implications of changes in education, not an easy matter, because it contains technical and practical consequences, and psychology for teachers. Eg curriculum changes, or changes in education policy. Change is not just a change in curriculum structure and content. Or simply change the content of learning. But changes that require changes in attitudes and behaviors of teachers. For example changes the character, mental, methods and strategies in learning.
Classroom learning activities related to methodologies and strategies. How a teacher uses methods and strategies for effective learning and fun; determined by the ability and skills of teachers. A fun learning can create a dynamic learning, and democratic.
Use of computer-based learning technology becomes imperative. The teachers should be quick to adapt. A teacher who stuttering technology, became a necessity to use computer technology in the learning process in class. And computers have become foreign to him. Advances in technology (computer) it should be easier for teachers in implementing educational task is to embrace. Learning in any classroom come alive, interesting, and fun. Classroom situation that is fun, and dynamic class management, can facilitate the achievement of learning goals.
As is known for teaching quantum terms, quatum learing, and enjoy learning in the practice of teaching in schools, essentially to develop a model and strategies for effective learning in an atmosphere of fun and meaningful.
Effective teacher means a teacher democratic. Democratic teachers usually choose the method of dialogic learning. Teachers and students together as subjects in the learning process. The learning process becomes a process of discovery together. The process was carried out with the atmosphere in the class fun and need each other. To achieve such learning conditions, requires the presence of learning reform movement. From learning to active learning tradisional-statis/monoton-creative and fun. According to Paulo Freire static and traditional learning in the form of learning "style of the bank." In a simple antagonism Freire arrange learning "style of the bank" like this: teachers teaching - student learning, the teacher knows everything - student does not know anything; teachers' thinking - students think; teachers talking - students listening; teachers set - set pupil, the teacher chose and impose his choice - students comply; teachers act - the students to imagine how to act in accordance with the actions of teachers; teachers to choose what will be taught - students adjust. In view of Paulo Freire, education "bank style", the student becomes the object of oppression education. Education where the teacher does not emancipate the learner.
Seven Sins teachers
In the context of education in our country, education "bank style" as told Paulo Freire incarnated in the form of 7 (seven) major sins which is often done by teachers. Seven sins of teachers are:
a. Take shortcuts in teaching;
b. waiting for new learners to behave negatively reprimanded;
c. using destructive discipline while fostering students;
d. ignore the uniqueness of learners while teaching (students less capable and able to be treated the same students in teaching and learning);
e. lazy to learn and improve skills for being the most clever and know;
f. unfair (deskriminatif); and
g. force the rights of learners.
Teachers as a factor determining the quality of education. Because teachers face to face with the learners in the learning process in class. In the hands of their teachers' quality of personality is formed. Therefore, we should figure teachers are competent, responsible, skilled, and dedicated.
The fact of low competence and skills of teachers expressed Fasli Djalal DIKNAS former Director General of Quality Improvement and Education Workforce Education some time ago nearly half of the approximately 2.6 million teachers in Indonesia are not eligible to teach in school. While the input of teachers in Indonesia is very weak. Data Research and Development pointed PNS prospective teacher test participants after the study was conducted field tests on average test scores are very low selection. Of the 6164 candidates were tested biological biology teacher when the average score was only 44.96; from 396 teacher candidates Chemistry Chemical tested an average score of 43.55 achieved. Of the 7558 candidates for English teachers on average test results achieved only 37.57.
The teacher is the curriculum current. How well the curriculum and the existing education system, without the support of teachers' ability, everything will be in vain. Competent and effective teachers, primary responsibility for guarding the development of learners until a maximum point. The ultimate goal of all teacher mentoring process is the growth of an intact adult personal.
(Source: http://re-searchengines.com)
Inspiring Teachers
In this life we know the two types of teachers: Teachers curriculum and inspiring teacher. The first one is very obedient to the curriculum and feel guilty if you can not transfer the entire contents of the books assigned. It teaches something standard (habitual thinking). Curriculum teachers representing 99% of all teachers I meet.
Inspiring teacher is very limited in number, the population is less than 1%. He is not the teachers who pursue a curriculum, but who took his students to think creatively (maximum thinking). He invites his students to see things from the outside (thinking out of box), change it on the inside, then brought back out into the wider community. If teachers curriculum managers reliable delivery, birth inspiring teacher-leaders who dare to destroy the reformer old habits.
The world needs both as we combine the internal validity (guarded by teachers curriculum) with external validity (which is controlled by an inspirational teacher) in the exploration of science. But unfortunately our school system only provides a place for teachers' curriculum. The existence of an inspirational teacher will determine how long a nation can emerge from the crisis. Increasingly restricted, the longer and more difficult to a nation out of the darkness.
Freedom Writers
The works of renewal, both spectacular scientific discoveries, commercial products, as well as social movements will appear in public. But can not deny it all starts from school. From the hands and minds of inspirational teachers who agitated and saw the need for creativity. He improved things to many people can not be repaired, and connecting the things that are not connected (connecting the unconnected).
The story and work of inspirational teachers, among others, can be seen in Erin Gruwell, the teacher placed women in a class of "stupid", which the students are often involved violence between gangs. In contrast to the next class which is a collection of "honors students", which has a DNA smart and disciplined. In the honors classes are teachers required curriculum.
Erin started with all the difficulties. In addition he said "stupid" and undisciplined, they are a lot of fighting, gang violence involved, harassing each other, tempramen, and always violent. At waist high school kids are only there was a gun or cocaine. Outside the school they threaten and kill each other.
Grade class was discarded. For teachers the curriculum, children should not be super naughty together distinguised schooled scholars. But Erin did not quit, he had made the "curriculum" of his own. The curriculum was not containing the teachings of common knowledge (hard skills), but knowledge of life.
He began with a game (online games) with the draw a red line on the floor and divide them into two groups on the left and right. If you answered "yes" they should approach the line. Starting with minor questions, from favorite music albums, to gang membership, drug possession and served jail time or have a friend who died from violence between gangs.
Line games together bad boys who suddenly see that their common fate. Equally anxious, life is full of threats, suspicious of other groups and had no future. They began to be more relaxed against teachers and friends and agreed to renew relationships with each other. After the peace, inspiring teachers distribute books, from biographies of Anne Frank, who became victims of Nazi crimes, until the diary. The children were asked to write his life story, whatever. They write freely. Their works together, and titled Freedom Writers (FW). Disciples of change, their lives become better and many have become agents of change in society. Teachers inspirational story and the changes experienced by these children documented in the film, starring Hilary Swank FW.
Out of bondage
What does Erin Gruwell was not only limited to basic education, but also on higher education. But somehow our education these days increasingly isolating itself from the outside world and only wants to produce graduates who are shackled by the curriculum.
The so-called professor is a lecturer in the submissive role model to follow the curriculum, writing scientific papers in certain journals that have been determined (though readers may not be sufficient), and diligently to fill absences. Kazuo Murakami Hear protest., Ph.D., award-winning Max Planck (1990) who wrote the book of God in our genes: The Devine Message of The DNA (2007). He had emigrated to America as witnessed domination curriculum teachers in Japan who built the fortress of the hierarchy. Universities, he said, has become an ivory tower who do not care about what had happened outside.
Although not so prevalent in our society, the role inspirational teachers is needed. Moreover, our education budget is still very limited, and many graduates-graduates who can not work within the field of study taken. We can not suppress the birth of an obedient generation curriculum, academically smart, knows the truth internally, but less creative pan external righteousness and blind chance.
There are two problems that we need to ponder here. First, a lecturer in the curriculum only establish competencies (student's ABILITY). He was only formed a few people, for the sake of one's own. While inspiring teachers to form not just one or a group of people, but thousands of people. One person who was inspired to inspire others so often spoken sentence "I want to be like him" or "I can be a great anymore."
Second, the inability of educators responding to external pressures, can make them excessively fortify themselves by locking in a sacred curriculum. Every effort made for creative teachers meremajakannya regarded as a threat, even regarded as immoral deeds
I still remember very well, what happened to an inspirational teacher who is very familiar to me. In 2005 he received an award from the Creativity Development Foundation for his work in education. Similar awards in their respective fields was also given to Helmi Yahya, Jaya Suprana, Bang Yos, and Guruh Soekarno Putra. But not many know the days that he had just received a threat of dismissal for violating the "curriculum". The mistake is to have renewed the teaching methods so that students become more articulate. Delighted his students not mean other teachers happy. They are disturbed by the presentation outside of the curriculum and they demanded that the teachers are drawn. The next semester teaching her name removed from the list. Career gurubesarnya was complicated by a curriculum that teachers use a magnifying glass to test the internal truth.
Said Jagdish N. Sheth, so long denied those new realities, then they can be arrogant, stuck with the competence of the past, wanted a comfortable life, and establish territorial boundaries. Internal behavior is innertia shackles, which he calls the destructive habits. They use a microscope to enlarge the little things that do not possess.
It's time like this innertia fortress was abolished with "humanize" the curriculum by providing a more adequate space for creative teachers
Learning Software For Children of teachers
Here is a software application program or the children's learning, which may also be useful to improve understanding of the creative power of children and children in learning. This software includes
1. Math for Kids
Program for learning mathematics, including accretion, subtraction, division and multiplication.
2. Match Maker
Programs to train the concentration that helps children to learn to recognize and match letters, numbers, colors, shapes, objects and animals.
3. Multipication facts
Applications that help children to learn multiplication
4. Kids's Typing Skills
Applications that help children to learn the "keyboard" and train your fingers to use the keyboard.
5. Holiday Word Search
Applications to search for the words from a collection of many letters.
6. MyABCD
Applications for learning letters and numbers in English
To Obtain the Software-software above, please Download here
Wonders of Numbers Mathematics teachers to increase knowledge
Have we thought about the composition of the following numbers? ..
It's not too important ...
but ... not-presume dinyana really magical.
It is no accident, but that's really mathematics. Lots of things will we get if we want to learn math
One
0 x 9 0 = 0
1 x 9 1 = 10
12 x 9 2 = 110
123 x 9 3 = 1110
1234 x 9 4 = 11 110
12345 x 9 5 = 111 110
123456 x 9 6 = 1.11111 million
1234567 x 9 7 = 11.11111 million
12345678 x 9 8 = 111 111 110
123456789 x 9 9 = 1111111110
This is nothing ...
Consider this also
Two
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12 321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111 111 x 111 111 = 12,345,654,321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
Three
1 x 8 1 = 9
12 x 8 2 = 98
123 x 8 3 = 987
1234 x 8 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 5 = 98 765
123456 x 8 6 = 987 654
1234567 x 8 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 8 = 98,765,432
123456789 x 8 9 = 987 654 321
Four
1 x 18 1 = 19
12 x 18 2 = 218
123 x 18 3 = 2217
1234 x 18 4 = 22 216
12345 x 18 5 = 222 215
123456 x 18 6 = 2,222,214
1234567 x 18 7 = 22,222,213
12345678 x 18 8 = 222 222 212
123456789 x 18 9 = 2,222,222,211
Five
123456789 + 987654321 = 1111111110
1 x 142 857 = 142 857 (same numbers)
2 x 142 857 = 285 714 (each different sequence numbers)
3 x 142 857 = 428 571 (each different sequence numbers)
4 x 142 857 = 571 428 (each different sequence numbers)
5 x 142 857 = 714 285 (each different sequence numbers)
6 x 142 857 = 857 142 (each different sequence numbers)
7 x 142 857 = 999 999 (waw ... ... a result of the Fantastic)
Six
arbitrary numbers can be multiplied by nine the number of results = 9
we prove it ... ..
1 x 9 = 9
2 x 9 = 18, number 1 8 = 9
3 x 9 = 27, number 2 7 = 9
4 x 9 = 36, number 3 6 = 9
ff. till infinity ... ..
Seven
22 x 9 = 198,
how quickly the two x 9 = 18, then insert number 9 in the middle, so 198 .... ok see for yourself how quickly the following ...
33 x 9 = 297, a quick 3 x 9 = 27, tucked amid 9
44 x 9 = 396
55 x 9 = 495
66 x 9 = 594
77 x 9 = 693
88 x 9 = 792
99 x 9 = 891 then how do the three numbers twin ....?
aja tuch tuck same residence in 1999 in the middle ....
do not believe it .... we prove ...
222 x 9 = 1998, a quick way 2 x 9 = 18, tucked amid 99
333 x 9 = 2997
444 x 9 = 3996
555 x 9 = 4995
There are other find any more ... ..???
Math's Great? ...
"Expert Teachers of Mathematics" Talk About, Indonesian Mathematical Educational Achievement
Many people tell "The quality of education in Indonesia", especially in the subjects of mathematics, is still low. Many of these opinions menukung data, such as:
**UNESCO data show, the ratings are in the row of mathematics Indonesia 34 from 38 countries. So far, Indonesia still has not been able to escape from the bottom row of the inhabitants of the board.
**Results of research teams Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) showed that Indonesia ranks number-nine of the 41 countries in the category of mathematical literature. Meanwhile, according to research, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS), which was a little older, which was in 1999, mathematics Indonesia is ranked 34th of 38 countries (UNESCO data).
Yet if we look deeper, according to a study conducted by the TIMMS which also published December 26, 2006, the number of hours of mathematics teaching in Indonesia, far more than Malaysia and Singapore. Within a year, eighth grade students in Indonesia had an average of 169 hours of math. While in Malaysia only got 120 hours and 112 hours of Singapore.
But in reality, the achievement Indonesia is far below the two states. Indonesian students' math achievement only through the average score 411. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Singapore reached 508 605 (400 = low, medium = 475, height = 550, and 625 = advanced). It means "Time spent Indonesian students at the school is not comparable with the achievements.
Indeed we can not blame anyone for that matter, but clearly many factors that affect the low achievement in mathematics. One of them challenged the majority of questions are given a mathematics teacher in Indonesia is too rigid. Generally, students in Indonesia, more work on the problems that are expressed in language and mathematical symbols are set in a context that is far from the reality of everyday life.
As a result, students often feel bored and think of mathematics as an unpleasant lesson. They were not able to apply the theory in school to solve problems in everyday life.
Instead here I want to become an expert in mathematics education, mathematics teacher but it's time to open a new paradigm in the patterns of mathematics teaching in the classroom. This means that math education will be better if it was given with a mathematical approach to reality.
Using everyday examples of cases is expected to raise students' awareness of the importance of mathematics in daily life. So will be encouraged to increase student motivation to learn mathematics.
And, most importantly, it's time to bring student teachers the importance of mathematics in daily life. If I may say "Math is important. Without mathematics, the world will be destroyed. Mathematics can be used to pray in this country and can help Indonesia out of crisis conditions, including in environmental issues.
However, the key, mathematics should not only be used as a tool to calculate. Mathematics should be used in such a way as to be really useful for life and it must be inculcated in the minds of students from the beginning.
So do not be, a generation of students fear mathematics repeated. 'However, in addition it is important to improve mathematics achievement in this country that suffer, love of students toward math also important to take this country towards a better future. "
Additionally, students must also be delivered to view the beauty of mathematical formulas. Thus, in the future not only encouraged students to memorize the formula, as happens now.
"If the students have understood the beauty of mathematics, its students will love math. Not impossible, habits of Indonesia as a follower in the world of mathematics, it takes a maker. "
Remove bulkhead
However, besides the reality of life approach, in practice, Indonesia has also had to revise the adopted concept of mathematics education.
"Today, every level of education has a bulkhead, bulkhead which is difficult to penetrate. Between levels of education with each other as if walking on the tracks are different, do not go hand in hand. "
In fact, the Indonesian education system should be like a train. Schools should be a carriage, with the department of education as the locomotive. The advantage, every level of education has broad access so there is no limit to the mutual support, both in terms of educational facilities and infrastructure.
Education The "Failure" from teachers, Generation Generate Qualified
Triumph and the destruction of a nation depends on the quality of the younger generation. Fundamentals that determine the quality of a generation is thinking.
Brilliant thinking will lead a nation to excellence and greatness, to lead mankind, and happiness of the world lives. Brilliant thinking, of course, is a product of proper education system and able to bring about quality generation in various aspects of life.
One factor that determines the quality of generations, especially Islam, is the faith and their knowledge. The main target of education is to score a generation that has a strong faith. With the encouragement of faith that is, technology and science reviewed, controlled, and developed.
That is, faith becomes the basis for the scientific one. Various facts prove the educational system has failed to educate his generation to be human beings who can face formidable problems of life.
Many teens in despair. UAS does not pass, they commit suicide. Cheating in examinations were performed only on the grounds of the school to help graduating students.
