What I wasn't taught in school about the Pilgrims

Until I read this blog article which includes exerpts right out of William Bradford's journal, I had no idea the Pilgrims plight depended more on their system of organization than anything else. It's a short article and I am interested to hear what everyone has to say about it.

It really is amazing what is left out of our history, social studies and economics studies based on the political leanings of the teachers that taught me.

I thought Jeff might find this article fascinating especially. Enjoy!

Notes From an Accidental Teacher

Article Author name(s): Carol Ann Tomlinson
Title of article: Notes From an Accidental Teacher
Title of journal: Educational Leadership
Date of publication: December 2010/ January 2011
Volume of the journal: 68
Issue number of the journal: 4
Article Page numbers: pp. 22-26

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec10/vol68/num04/Notes-from-an-Accidental-Teacher.aspx

Summary: Forty year veteran teacher never had an itch to teach until she stumbled on a rural teaching job by chance. Over the years, this “accidental teacher” considers five beliefs to be useful in the positive structure of an educational system. Find a place that fits you: Find an environment that nurtures fearless practice and discovery. Work in schools that mirror your own development and value your goals and creativity. The place you teach at will have large influence over the type of teacher you become. Understand teaching as a calling: callings challenge us to be more than we think we can be and to draw on capacities we didn't quite know we had. Effective educators connect content and kids; they dignify whom and what they teach by making the act of learning dynamic and compelling. Know that you don’t know: The best teachers I have known are humbled by how much more they need to learn and seek professional development opportunities. Associate yourself with quality: Develop friendships with colleagues who set high standards and value those who constantly remind you of what excellence in the classroom looks like. Develop a keen sense of what quality looks like and expect quality from students and finally, Generate your own energy: All teachers feel they work hard, what makes the difference in the work ethic of high-quality teachers is that their work is regenerative; they draw energy from what they do. Finding this energetic balance of finding task is in itself what Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi (1990) calls “flow”. Passions outside of the classroom will help to fuel a teacher’s sense of balance, and will re-energize the teacher.

Relevance: I loved these main points because they are insightful and not often voiced among the educational community. As new teachers it’s helpful for us to examine the most commonly passed advice, but it’s also useful to utilize the advice that may be “outside of the box” but especially effective.

The real qualities of teacher excellence

Joanne Yatvin
"The real qualities of teacher excellence"Washington Post
March 17, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/the_real_qualities_of_teacher_excellence/2011/03/16/ABqodRh_blog.html?wprss=rss_education

Topic: Teacher Excellence

What makes a good teacher?

Key Points: This is a nice list of the qualities of successful teachers. Although test scores are not on the list, there has to be a place for them in some form. The fact is, without passing entrance exams, basic skills tests or doing well on college placement exams, none of us would have made it past High School…that is, as far as formal education goes. To not actually focus on preparing students to handle tests or acknowledge that this specific skill has some importance is a smidge naïve in my view.

Relevance: Discovering the qualities and techniques of successful teachers is key to success.

Ironic Extremes: Lauding and Bashing Teachers

Valerie Strauss
"Ironic Extremes: Lauding and bashing teachers"Washington Post
March 17, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/ironic_extremes_lauding_and_bashing_teachers/2011/03/17/ABlCnql_blog.html?wprss=rss_education
Topic: Teacher Motivation

More on the issue of judging and measuring what makes a quality teacher.

Key Points: This article does make a good point. As a pilot, I never had someone who was not a pilot, judge my performance. I never had someone who was not a pilot determine what my syllabus would be during flight training. Everyone is good at being a 20/20 hindsight armchair quarterback, but no one wants an armchair quarterback actually making the play calls. On the other hand, if your aircraft does not adhere to the flight plan or the football team consistently loses, well, don’t expect to be sticking with that career for too long.

I don’t mind being held to a set professional standard but, that standard must be set by someone who understands and has experience in the educational profession. And if the outsiders do not trust the professionals, well, then find someone you do…and then trust them.

I am still trying to understand the actual role and priorities of the teacher’s unions too. I hear loud and clear what they say but... I am posting this political satire video here to show some of the frustration that I have already witnessed from parents, teachers and tax payers. The video would be funny if it was not eerily similar to a conversation I overheard recently while eating lunch in an undisclosed teacher’s lounge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kxc6kzH-uI
Relevance: This article highlights the challenge of this profession and I can see why some folks question sticking with it or even entering into it.