Consider the following statements and questions from Palmer’s The Courage to Teach: ‘Good teachers possess a capacity for connectedness.’ They “weave” the connections between themselves, their subjects, and their students on ‘the loom of the heart.’
How does that image speak to you? What is your experience of trying to hold the tension of these connections in your heart?
This image speaks to me because that is the heart of good teaching. Even if teachers know their own subject well, generally the horrible ones are the ones that don't care about the students. They don't care whether or not the students understand. They present the information in one way and if the students don't understand then too bad for them. The great teachers can connect the subject to the students and connect to the students themselves. My experience is that making a connection with the students encourages them to do well in your class. I had a student recently who failed a test. She was a solid B student and she was apologizing to me and assuring me that she would do better next time. I felt like saying, "Hey it's your grade not mine" but I didn't because I was a little shocked that she was worried about hurting my feelings. Hey, whatever motivates them right? If me having a connection with my students, and them having respect for me as a person is going to encourage them to try harder in my class then that is just a positive side effect of my personality. Whether or not me having a connection with the students actually made them better students wouldn't really matter to me as having a connection is important is the only reason I teach. Interacting with the students is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. If developing that relationship is going to encourage them in my class, all the more reason to try to develop that relationship.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Read the provided article: “Defining the Integration of Faith and Learning” by Robert Harris.
How can you develop the capacity for connectedness?
You can develop the capacity for connected when you understand that everything is related. Anytime you learn something new it is going to be integrated into the knowledge that you already have. As a Christian, that knowledge and worldview is going to differ from somebody who doesn't look at the world from a Christian perspective. The author of the article talked about how we need to be wary of postmodern thought and the idea that there are no absolute truths because they do view the world from a lens that doesn't involve God or anything supernatural. For example, they would study ancient civilizations and their culture and way of life through the lens that these poor people were exploited by those in power into fearing a supernatural being to keep them in check. They, of course, will never explicitly mention this. It will only be there for us figure out that they are making those assumptions and viewing the world in that way. This article spoke to me directly because in the field of social science there are always ideological factors at play in the authors writing. You really have to be careful to question the author because they could be coming from somewhere that is entirely different than me. Their worldview could be one where all religion is bad and they present their view of history from that lens. You have to be aware of where the author is coming from and whether or not you accept their information and integrate into what you know, or if you will reject it.
How can you develop the capacity for connectedness?
You can develop the capacity for connected when you understand that everything is related. Anytime you learn something new it is going to be integrated into the knowledge that you already have. As a Christian, that knowledge and worldview is going to differ from somebody who doesn't look at the world from a Christian perspective. The author of the article talked about how we need to be wary of postmodern thought and the idea that there are no absolute truths because they do view the world from a lens that doesn't involve God or anything supernatural. For example, they would study ancient civilizations and their culture and way of life through the lens that these poor people were exploited by those in power into fearing a supernatural being to keep them in check. They, of course, will never explicitly mention this. It will only be there for us figure out that they are making those assumptions and viewing the world in that way. This article spoke to me directly because in the field of social science there are always ideological factors at play in the authors writing. You really have to be careful to question the author because they could be coming from somewhere that is entirely different than me. Their worldview could be one where all religion is bad and they present their view of history from that lens. You have to be aware of where the author is coming from and whether or not you accept their information and integrate into what you know, or if you will reject it.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Read and reflect on Romans 12:1-3
Consider the following statement and questions from Palmer’s The Courage to Teach: ‘We cannot know the great things of the universe until we know ourselves to be great things.’ Do you agree? Why or why not? If you agree, are teachers responsible for helping students develop this sense of self-worth in order to help them learn deeply and well?
Is the scripture verse and text statement at odds with each other? Explain.
I agree although it is kind of a weird thought. When I think about that quote I think about atheists and their lack of faith in God, or lack of his existence. I think it is difficult to comprehend the notion of a God, but I think that is made easier when you think just how fantastic human beings are. In my mind, it is impossible that we ended up this way through a series of genetic mutations as some people think. Once you recognize how truly spectacular and great we really are it is easier to see the reflection of God in us. Of course teachings are responsible for helping students develop this sense of self-worth. Watching students grow and mature as people is what I like best about teaching, the information I teach is secondary. I know I am a pretty smart person but it is so weird because some of the students think I am a super genius. My master teacher asked me a question the other day ( a really obscure random fact) and I didn't know it and one student was shocked and said that is the first I have never not known something. Just today they were putting their notebooks together for their final and I was just walking around the room talking to the students and they were asking me about how hard college was and if they would be able to finish, how long it took me etc. It was awesome to make a connection with them and be able to talk about life after high school with them. Making a connection with students to me is the best part about teaching.
As for the Bible verse I don't think it is at odds with Palmer's quote. The verse is encouraging us to be humble and not put ourselves on a pedestal. We can identify that we are great and give glory and thanks to God for giving us the talent to do whatever it is that we do. If you are the best in the world at something, just because you recognize it doesn't mean that you are not humble. If you boast and are arrogant and put yourself above others, then you are not humble. If you quietly thank God and praise him giving you the abilities that you have then you are simply doing what he put you on this Earth to do, and that is to be great.
Consider the following statement and questions from Palmer’s The Courage to Teach: ‘We cannot know the great things of the universe until we know ourselves to be great things.’ Do you agree? Why or why not? If you agree, are teachers responsible for helping students develop this sense of self-worth in order to help them learn deeply and well?
Is the scripture verse and text statement at odds with each other? Explain.
I agree although it is kind of a weird thought. When I think about that quote I think about atheists and their lack of faith in God, or lack of his existence. I think it is difficult to comprehend the notion of a God, but I think that is made easier when you think just how fantastic human beings are. In my mind, it is impossible that we ended up this way through a series of genetic mutations as some people think. Once you recognize how truly spectacular and great we really are it is easier to see the reflection of God in us. Of course teachings are responsible for helping students develop this sense of self-worth. Watching students grow and mature as people is what I like best about teaching, the information I teach is secondary. I know I am a pretty smart person but it is so weird because some of the students think I am a super genius. My master teacher asked me a question the other day ( a really obscure random fact) and I didn't know it and one student was shocked and said that is the first I have never not known something. Just today they were putting their notebooks together for their final and I was just walking around the room talking to the students and they were asking me about how hard college was and if they would be able to finish, how long it took me etc. It was awesome to make a connection with them and be able to talk about life after high school with them. Making a connection with students to me is the best part about teaching.
As for the Bible verse I don't think it is at odds with Palmer's quote. The verse is encouraging us to be humble and not put ourselves on a pedestal. We can identify that we are great and give glory and thanks to God for giving us the talent to do whatever it is that we do. If you are the best in the world at something, just because you recognize it doesn't mean that you are not humble. If you boast and are arrogant and put yourself above others, then you are not humble. If you quietly thank God and praise him giving you the abilities that you have then you are simply doing what he put you on this Earth to do, and that is to be great.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Read and reflect on the provided poem: “Now I Become Myself” by May Sarton
Now I become myself. It's taken
Time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people's faces,
Run madly, as if Time were there,
Terribly old, crying a warning,
"Hurry, you will be dead before--"
(What? Before you reach the morning?
Or the end of the poem is clear?
Or love safe in the walled city?)
Now to stand still, to be here,
Feel my own weight and density!
The black shadow on the paper
Is my hand; the shadow of a word
As thought shapes the shaper
Falls heavy on the page, is heard.
All fuses now, falls into place
From wish to action, word to silence,
My work, my love, my time, my face
Gathered into one intense
Gesture of growing like a plant.
As slowly as the ripening fruit
Fertile, detached, and always spent,
Falls but does not exhaust the root,
So all the poem is, can give,
Grows in me to become the song,
Made so and rooted by love.
Now there is time and Time is young.
O, in this single hour I live
All of myself and do not move.
I, the pursued, who madly ran,
Stand still, stand still, and stop the sun! (from http://www.breakoutofthebox.com/now.htm)
What connections can you make between identity, integrity, the undivided heart, and the message of the poem?
This was a pretty cool poem, I really liked it. The message of the poem is the transformation we go through as we experience life. The author talks about the changes she has undergone and how she wore many faces meaning it took her awhile to finally realize who she really was and what she really believed. The other main part that I really enjoyed was how she wrote "in this single hour I live", which really made me reflect on what that actually means. Anything in the past is gone, and the future is uncertain. The only thing we can count on and control is the seconds that we live everyday.
This poem relates to identity and integrity because the author is talking about growing as a person. Finding your own identity and how this journey is one that is forged through the daily trials and experiences that we go through in our lives. As we grow older and we hold true to our beliefs about life and the way we treat other people we begin to shape our identity and it is that integrity and the adhering to our ideals which gives us our integrity. These are related to the undivided heart because our identity and integrity is what will hopefully eventually lead us to have an undivided heart as teachers. We will devote our whole hearts to teaching and dedicate our lives to becoming the best possible teachers we can become. The poem talks about finding our identity and developing our integrity but it also talks about living for today. Living for the moment and not putting too much of your thinking into the future or the past. It is encouraging us to live in the now and not be overly worried about the past, which can't be changed, and the future, which is not guaranteed to exist. Since time is so precious whatever you do should be wholeheartedly, and not with a divided heart.
Now I become myself. It's taken
Time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people's faces,
Run madly, as if Time were there,
Terribly old, crying a warning,
"Hurry, you will be dead before--"
(What? Before you reach the morning?
Or the end of the poem is clear?
Or love safe in the walled city?)
Now to stand still, to be here,
Feel my own weight and density!
The black shadow on the paper
Is my hand; the shadow of a word
As thought shapes the shaper
Falls heavy on the page, is heard.
All fuses now, falls into place
From wish to action, word to silence,
My work, my love, my time, my face
Gathered into one intense
Gesture of growing like a plant.
As slowly as the ripening fruit
Fertile, detached, and always spent,
Falls but does not exhaust the root,
So all the poem is, can give,
Grows in me to become the song,
Made so and rooted by love.
Now there is time and Time is young.
O, in this single hour I live
All of myself and do not move.
I, the pursued, who madly ran,
Stand still, stand still, and stop the sun! (from http://www.breakoutofthebox.com/now.htm)
What connections can you make between identity, integrity, the undivided heart, and the message of the poem?
This was a pretty cool poem, I really liked it. The message of the poem is the transformation we go through as we experience life. The author talks about the changes she has undergone and how she wore many faces meaning it took her awhile to finally realize who she really was and what she really believed. The other main part that I really enjoyed was how she wrote "in this single hour I live", which really made me reflect on what that actually means. Anything in the past is gone, and the future is uncertain. The only thing we can count on and control is the seconds that we live everyday.
This poem relates to identity and integrity because the author is talking about growing as a person. Finding your own identity and how this journey is one that is forged through the daily trials and experiences that we go through in our lives. As we grow older and we hold true to our beliefs about life and the way we treat other people we begin to shape our identity and it is that integrity and the adhering to our ideals which gives us our integrity. These are related to the undivided heart because our identity and integrity is what will hopefully eventually lead us to have an undivided heart as teachers. We will devote our whole hearts to teaching and dedicate our lives to becoming the best possible teachers we can become. The poem talks about finding our identity and developing our integrity but it also talks about living for today. Living for the moment and not putting too much of your thinking into the future or the past. It is encouraging us to live in the now and not be overly worried about the past, which can't be changed, and the future, which is not guaranteed to exist. Since time is so precious whatever you do should be wholeheartedly, and not with a divided heart.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Identity and Integrity
Identity and integrity are closely related concepts. How do you understand their relationships and distinctions? What does each concept mean to you?
Identity and integrity are concepts that shape one another. Your identity is how you and others view who you are. The way you feel about what your total contribution to this world as a person and what you can offer it is your identity. Your identity is how you define yourself. Integrity is a large part of your identity. Integrity is being honest and consistent in your views and how you act towards other people. An example of integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking and no one will ever know if you did the right thing or not. How you behave in certain situations is a large part of your identity. People often define themselves by their belief system and morals and integrity is a part of your identity. How you treat people and act on a daily basis is going to be one of the main ways that you develop an identity for yourself. These two concepts are always in a state where they reflect upon one another. Your identity is always going to shape how much integrity you have, and your integrity is also going to define you as a person. As one becomes stronger, so does the other. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. If you begin to lose part of your integrity and your devotion to behaving in an honest and honorable way, your identity will also suffer.
Identity and integrity are concepts that shape one another. Your identity is how you and others view who you are. The way you feel about what your total contribution to this world as a person and what you can offer it is your identity. Your identity is how you define yourself. Integrity is a large part of your identity. Integrity is being honest and consistent in your views and how you act towards other people. An example of integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking and no one will ever know if you did the right thing or not. How you behave in certain situations is a large part of your identity. People often define themselves by their belief system and morals and integrity is a part of your identity. How you treat people and act on a daily basis is going to be one of the main ways that you develop an identity for yourself. These two concepts are always in a state where they reflect upon one another. Your identity is always going to shape how much integrity you have, and your integrity is also going to define you as a person. As one becomes stronger, so does the other. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. If you begin to lose part of your integrity and your devotion to behaving in an honest and honorable way, your identity will also suffer.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Reflections on Psalm 86
Read and reflect on Psalm 86:11-13 and respond to the questions below. .
"Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O LORD my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."
What do you think is meant by an “undivided heart”?
An undivided heart means giving your all to something. As it applies to teaching, we are not to become part-time teachers and spend a good deal of our time in other ventures. I am a perfect example of that, I was taking online classes simultaneously to get my real estate license while I was getting my teaching credential, but I postponed the program once I started student-teaching because it took up too much time. I wanted to dedicate my time to teaching and learning how to teach (as I spend a lot more time learning than I do teaching!). I needed to have an undivided heart towards teaching. Once I feel that I am an expert teacher and have devoted enough time to teaching I can pursue other ventures, but right now is a time in my life where I need to have an undivided heart and totally dedicate myself to being the best teacher I can be. It makes it much easier since I love teaching so much and I really really really hope I can get a job once I'm done student teaching.
What is at the “heart” of your life as a teacher?
The heart of my life as a teacher is service. I did not enter the teaching profession so that I could become wealthy and obtain many worldly possessions. Sadly, that is the goal of some people who really have no direction in their life and their materialistic outlook leads to greed instead of a relationship with God and with other people. My ultimate goal in life is to have a positive influence on as many people as I possibly can and teaching is an excellent way to do that. There are so many young students out there who have no direction, no positive role models, and no hope. Hopefully I can be the person to bring those things to some of them.
"Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O LORD my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."
What do you think is meant by an “undivided heart”?
An undivided heart means giving your all to something. As it applies to teaching, we are not to become part-time teachers and spend a good deal of our time in other ventures. I am a perfect example of that, I was taking online classes simultaneously to get my real estate license while I was getting my teaching credential, but I postponed the program once I started student-teaching because it took up too much time. I wanted to dedicate my time to teaching and learning how to teach (as I spend a lot more time learning than I do teaching!). I needed to have an undivided heart towards teaching. Once I feel that I am an expert teacher and have devoted enough time to teaching I can pursue other ventures, but right now is a time in my life where I need to have an undivided heart and totally dedicate myself to being the best teacher I can be. It makes it much easier since I love teaching so much and I really really really hope I can get a job once I'm done student teaching.
What is at the “heart” of your life as a teacher?
The heart of my life as a teacher is service. I did not enter the teaching profession so that I could become wealthy and obtain many worldly possessions. Sadly, that is the goal of some people who really have no direction in their life and their materialistic outlook leads to greed instead of a relationship with God and with other people. My ultimate goal in life is to have a positive influence on as many people as I possibly can and teaching is an excellent way to do that. There are so many young students out there who have no direction, no positive role models, and no hope. Hopefully I can be the person to bring those things to some of them.
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