Going Green in Teaching- Course Concluding Thoughts

In the beginning of our blog assignment, I first felt that the bi-module reflections were going to be difficult. However, after getting the hang of creating "analogical bridges" between the work of art of teachers and the work of art of experts in photography, film & television, architecture & interior design, music, and fashion became much easier. As I re-read my blog entries, I had to ask myself if roles were reversed, would the analogical/imaginative bridges be as simple to create from architecture, for example, to the field of teaching? I think not. While much is like teaching, nothing is really like teaching… Funny! In general, I don’t feel that people truly understand the life and the times of teaching. People in other careers instantly assume that we teachers have it easy with only working nine months a year, no weekends, all holidays off, and the great benefits. They just don’t get it. Teaching seems so easy to bash, but I think it is only because people don’t know. They assume teaching is what happened when they were in school, and this is what I meant earlier with “the time” of teaching”, especially in how they’ve changed. Cultural and socio-economic diversity alone has dramatically changed teaching since I was a student, and truly, it wasn’t that long ago! Which is why I believe people in other careers don’t necessarily “get it”. Most assume that things are the way they were 15-20 years ago when in fact, that is not the case.
At any rate, comparing teaching to other fields has made me aware of things that maybe I have come to overlook in the past few years. Not intentionally of course, but neglect may be an easy part of routine. The Art module made clear to me that consistency is key. The film module made me question if perception is reality; Is seeing feeling or is feeling seeing? Do we see with our heart or our eyes first? Then, what matters more. In the end, I think that it depends on the kind of person we are as individuals and what is done with what we see and/or feel. The architecture module made me question the issue of form versus function. When applied to teaching, it asks why do we do what we do if there’s no reason for it? What is the purpose? Is it part of the big picture? Or is it done that way, just because that’s how it has always been done?! The module really made me question the approach we often take to teaching. The music module reminded me of the importance of the hook in teaching. Teachers have to hook students not only at the beginning of a lesson, but also throughout the lesson in order to engage all learners. Music and fashion both contradicted the Art module and provided that a good fit be paired with change to be the most beneficial. Art said consistency mattered, and music and fashion said that change mattered. I had to sit and ponder these factors for a little while. I concluded that consistency is important in standard classroom operating procedures and that change is necessary in lesson formatting, styling, and approach with students. Teachers have to be willing to give up old teaching methods for new ones in order to be “fashionable” with students. We have to be appealing in order to be purchased and “worn” proudly.
For example, new graduation requirements are that all students must be fluent in a foreign language by the year 2015. I’m fairly certain that this is true across, at least Michigan, and possibly the entire U.S. Let us not even question how this reaffirms my idea earlier that other professions, such as governmental bureaucrats, do not relate or understand, or even have a clue as to what is happening in schools and the teaching profession! However, I must ask, would it not be more important in our students lives to ensure that our students all know English and be fluent in it prior to throwing another language at them?!? As a non-academic core teacher, I am now in a position to compete with the language courses as well as the other allied arts teachers. My class and I are “for sale” so to speak; I must be reaching, teaching and keeping students interested in coming back for more in order to secure my position as a teacher. If students do not elect my class, my position could be eliminated. I have to be aware of my practice, my pedagogy, and my relationship with my students! A store that has no shoppers, rather buyers, has no business or store at all! This is why even after the close of this class, creating "analogical bridges" between the work of art of teachers and the work of art of experts in photography, film & television, architecture & interior design, music, and fashion are important to consider throughout my career. All of these agencies must “sell” in some way, shape, or form to different buyers and do so with intelligent design methods. I must keep all of these methods in consideration and be prepared to renew, reduce or recycle my teaching to keep up with my students and be an effective educator. NDCE has influenced me to appropriately keep my teaching GREEN! Renew what works, reduce what doesn’t and recycle older methods into something newer or better.

Trying on some new... and some old.

As a woman, the fitting room can be a very intimidating place! It is a time to try on something new. If quality and fit are a match, we often consider the purchase. The cost is also a noteworthy determinant of purchase, but often considered first, before even entering the fitting room. We also likely chose a store to shop in where we were prepared for and found in past experiences that the cost of items were within our comfort zone and budget.
Often times, I will try on a new style or color garment and find that I'm not ready for the cut, cost or new fashion. The same is also true sometimes of "older" apparel that I own. Originally, the garment or accessory worked and was a good fit, but for whatever reason, is no longer a match for me.
Many of the same connections are true in teaching. Sometimes, I'll try something new and find that it didn't work. The truth-telling three-way mirrors of self-reflection granted me the wisdom to know that either the lesson was not a good fit, made me uncomfortable, or was too great a cost. I sometimes never "try on" the method or lesson again, but most often I will modify or alter it, like clothing, so that the fit or style is more appropriate for me as the teacher or for my students- as the learners.
On the other end of the spectrum, I will occasionaly revive a lesson or practice that worked (fit) from the past and find that it no longer fits either because I've changed, my students have changed, or the actual lesson has become tattered, stained, or is just too aged to use any more.
Just like I could not wear the the clothes from when I was younger, such as, in high school, I could not use the teaching methods that my teachers used then. We must update our lessons, practices, policies and procedures almost as often as we must with our wardrobes. Sometimes, we can get away with an update and sometimes, we must "donate" the old practice to match the needs and "fashions" of the time.

What Matters in our esthetic economy?!

I agree that looks matter. I am susceptable to our consumerist economy too, especially at the grocery store. I teach kids that a national brand product has the same contents inside the package as the store brand product, and yet I just buy what is on sale or the brand that I prefer over the store brand. I realize the hipocracy, but how can I be immune to the science of brandology?!
The What Not to Wear episode I watched yesterday said, at one point, that Pam's bad hair and lack of make up were hiding her beauty! As soon as I heard that, I cringed!Postrel made two points that I loved.
1. "Aesthetics is nothing more than a tool for manipulation and deceit."
2. "... sign of the pervasive falsehood oiling the machinery of gratification and instant desire that is contemporary capitalism."
Both of these quotes flash me back to the Paul Hirsch interview when he said that editing movies is all deceit and lies. Which I stated earlier is not true of teaching. But now, I think that maybe I was wrong when I consider my grocery shopping habits. Sometimes, maybe we do teach an ideal instead of the real. Postrel went on to question form and function (surface and sebstance) like Susanka, when she discusses the not so big house- without function, what is the point in anything. So in our society, and to our students, why is branding so important? Why do we care?!? Now it is Hollister, American Eagle, and Pink. When I was in middle school, it was I.O.U, Skidz, and Z. Cavvaricci. But why, when we know its not whats on the outside that counts? Have we, as a society, confused product branding with people branding? While a flashy package may make us choose a more expensive toothpaste, does it also now make us choose people?!? I know there are many answers and possibilities for these thoughts, but maybe we as teachers need to be extra careful that our consumerist subconcious does not blur lines in our classrooms.

You know how when you're listening to the radio, likely in your car, sometimes you listen to part of or the beginning of a song and then lose interest and change the channel? You were grabbed by the hook but the songs ability to hold your attention was not continuous. Is it not the same as when we prepare a lesson and lead off with a fun opener or activity to get students thinking about some piece of content, but then as we transition and move into the lesson, we lose students interest and attention? I think it is... and also why we need to be continuous in seeking the attention and interest of our students throughout the lesson. We also need to allow for breaks, speed up and slow down our tempo, and vary pedagogical techniques to keep up the learning experience for students just like music must do for listeners.

Teaching, Music, and Fishing- Module 4

OK- well I may be criticized for saying this, or rather putting it in writing, but I sometimes wonder if what I (and other teachers) do in middle school is really even making an impact on students and our world. When asked what grade I teach, people always respond with something to the effect of "I was a hellian when I was that age!", "You must be so patient." or "God bless your soul!" I knew that middle school would be challenging from the get go but I accepted the job seven years ago because I felt that middle school minds are still so impressionable and I have great things to share with them. I am positive that on a daily basis, we as middle school educators impact the social and emotional lives of our students, but at this age do we really give them more than a handful of insight to our subject area?! And is our "content" really what is most important at this age or stage of life for them?! Consider that there are no credits awarded in middle school and barely any consequences for being unsuccessful more than a label. Students know they have to actually fail 3 out of 4 of their core subjects to be held back a year and it is so rare because no school these days wants to be viewed as letting any child slip through the cracks without intervention or in George W's terms "left behind"! Finally consider that middle school is like a Wednesday... The "hump years"- students are half way through and either picking up steam to finish or weary, unmotivated and have feelings of indifference to continue. They just can't see the big picture, right? That's what we have to convince ourselves and them, to press on with our journey in education. Here's where music comes in! While reading Music and the Imaginative Mind, I found myself exchanging the word 'music' for 'learning'... See what you think.
In regard's to opposing theories to [learning's] significance, "One is that the meaning of [learning], if there is any meaning, must be sought in the [learning] itself, for [learning] has no extra[learning] connotation; and the other is that [learning] is a language with a dictionary whose symbols are interpreted by the [learner] according to some unwritten esperanto of the emotions." (p12)
The second "theory" would be more relevant to me, as a teacher. It just simply says that in order for me to teach my students anything whether it be social, emotional, or content-driven, I must appeal to students feelings and attempt to do it in ways that appeal to different emotional draws... Every day, and maybe every few minutes in a lesson, I must appeal to student emotions to employ them to learn, intrigue their mind and emotions, feelings and senses. Maybe in order to be a great teacher I can't label myself as a teacher... Maybe I have to see myself as a fisherman, kids as fish, feelings as bait, and my job to "hook" them with nourishment of learning...

My classroom and architecture

Here is a partial picture of my classroom. It is full of light and space but occasionally lacks order! Its my passion for organized chaos, I suppose, that drives the order aspect of my room. I actually have a very large classroom, but I guess it would be impossible to have 6 kitchens in there otherwise. So my not-so-small space in my classroom is a McMansion classroom if you will! There are some things that Susanka talks about that create a cozier space in the room. The picture shows one of them~ the lower ceiling. I know that this was created as a function piece several years ago when the entire building was remodeled, but accidentally became one of my favorite design elements in the room! It is part of the heating/cooling unit. However, it makes the section underneath it a bit smaller ad homier. In addition it is painted a nice blue color. Susanka wrote in the introduction to Home By Design that "The contrast between the colors, combined with the separation of the wall surface into two parts, tells our senses, inaccurately as it turns out, that the ceiling is higher than it actually is." (p. 14) She is speaking of a kitchen space that was made to look larger by contrast and illusion. I think that this blue painted ceiling duct of mine creates an opposite effect in that it makes the room/area feel smaller.
So with respect to Space and the principle of Ceiling Height Variety (vary the heights of parts of rooms, as well as the connections between spaces, to define one activity place from one to another, without resorting to solid walls), I will give another valiant effort at creating an imaginative bridge to teaching... Being that my classroom is so large and that many different activities occur in it I have attempted to visibly organize it so that different areas are obviously for different purposes. I cannot construct walls in my room to separate activities that should occur in different areas so with the desks in one area, I imply that independent learning takes place in the area, at the six round tables and in the kitchens, it is indicated that cooperative learning, group work and conversations will take place here, and finally my space is in the corner of the front of the room. The space creates boundaries protected by my desks creating the opposite corners and students know that this is an area that they may not freely enter. Its not a rule or ever even stated by me, but they know or maybe feel that it is a space that is not for them.
Secondly, if it takes space, light, and order to create a feel of home, maybe the same necessity exists for students to learn. Space is provided by the building, order is physically created by the organization of the room and the boundaries, rules, and standard operating procedures of the teacher. Light is not only what is provided to students through instruction but also what occurs inside of students as they learn!

Imaginitive Bridge Disconnect: Film and Teaching

I just have a quick imaginitive bridge to question. Actually, it is a disconnect between film and teaching. So the opposite of a bridge, I suppose! Hirsch says that "Film is truth, but its all an illusion. It's fake.Film is deceptive truth... So the shooting of a movie is the truth part and the editing of a movie is the lying part, the deceit part." Teaching is all real, all the time. We, as professionals, have no time to edit, cut, or re-take. We can add music and plan our transitions to add depth, feel and engagement, but we have no real deceit to go on...We are all truth. The only form of editing we have are our internal filters in what we choose to say or do with students. There is no undoing in our jobs. Another issue I take with comparing film to teaching is in the statement, "One of the old definitions of art is deception." Is teaching really an art if that statement is truth?!?