Sir Ken Robinson's Lecture: Do Schools Kill Creativity?

In his lecture, Sir Ken Robinson posed a very bold question: "Do schools kill creativity?" In today's society, the goal is for mistakes to be completely eliminated. However, mistakes can play extremely important roles in anything from discoveries to learning. But today, nobody wants to try and do something new or out of the ordinary if they could be wrong. Without trying new things, creativity is hindered. Robinson defined creativity as "having original ideas that have value". He argues that creativity should be considered just as important as literacy.

The hierarchy of every public education system in the world seems to be the same: Math/Science at the top followed by language, then humanities, and finally the arts. Robinson believes there is a specific reason for this. There were no public systems of education before the 19th Century. Robinson argues that public systems of education were created to meet the needs of industrialism. Thus, the hierarchy is weighted more heavily toward subjects that apply most directly to work in an industrialized nation. This hierarchy created an attitude to the effect of, "Don't take music; you'll never be a musician," or "Don't take art; you'll never be an artist," etc. Some students may have been exceptionally good at something on the bottom of the hierarchy that is intentionally or unintentionally looked down upon by teachers and other adults. This may have caused those students to stop doing whatever it was that they excelled at, restricting their creativity. Looking at all of this, I believe that it is important for everyone to experiment with different things and find their niche in life. Whatever that niche may be, it is important, and people should not be discouraged from it.

To view Sir Ken Robinson's lecture, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

Chalk

I had no idea what to expect when we started to watch Chalk. I had heard that it was kind of like the hit TV show "The Office", so I figured that it would be a comedy about teachers in the classroom. It was much more than that. Yes, some of the events that occurred were a little outrageous and hard to imagine actually happening in a classroom, but one common point I seem to hear over and over again about teaching is to expect the unexpected. Maybe those events aren't that unlikely to happen. Chalk takes its viewers in the world of teaching, and the various struggles, encounters, and successes that come along with it. I would classify Chalk as a comedy, but almost all the comedic parts were events that I could see happening in a real classroom. The movie started out with a very bold and somewhat depressing statistic: Half of teachers quit after their first three years. I had no idea about those figures. However, after watching the movie, the viewer can relate and somewhat understand why so many teachers move on to something else. Teaching is very demanding. However, if a teacher has the the right passion, I don't think anything can steer that teacher away from his or her passion.

The Power of Motivation

What motivates people? Can one person motivate another person? If so, how? The answers to all of these questions vary, but the most important thing to remember is the power of motivation. Motivation can drive individuals to do things they would never do without being motivated. So, how can teachers positively motivate their students academically? Many teachers use different techniques to motivate their students. From threats to rewards, motivation can be a result of various reasons. Finding a healthy balance to motivate students is a continuous experiment that teachers deal with. If every teacher could positively motivate all of his or her students, then teaching would be easy, and all students would be high achieving. It is not that easy. As a teacher, I will continually strive to positively motivate my students academically, and most importantly, I, as teacher, will have to stay motivated as well.

Become a Life-Long Learner

This past Monday, November 3, we had the opportunity to listen and ask questions to a panel of teachers from the Decorah Community School District. It was very interesting and enlightening. One of the quotes that stuck out to me that Jason Rausch, the high school choir director at Decorah High School, said was that, "You have to be life-long learner" which he said was a quote that Weston Noble, a former choir director at Luther, used frequently. I feel that this quote can be used not only in teaching, but in all aspects of life. In life in general, but especially in teaching, things won't ever continually be exactly the same. As things change, you yourself must learn and change as well to be as successful as you can be. This process constantly repeats itself. Therefore, you should continually be learning new things throughout life. Don't resist the changes. Embrace them and adapt to them. It may not always be easy, but it is necessary.

Comparing Test Scores Internationally

This past Monday night, October 27, we had the opportunity to listen to and discuss current issues with two Decorah School Board Members. I found it to be very interesting. One topic that I had a strong opinion about before and still do after the discussion is comparing test scores internationally. One of the school board members took the words right out of my mouth. How can we seriously consider test scores from students in the U.S to be an accurate comparison to test scores from students in other countries? There are so many factors that need to be taken into account: length of the school day, extra-curricular activities involved, other test scores, etc. I was in complete agreement with the school board member when he said something along the lines of, "If we wanted our students to score as high as other students from foreign countries, they probably could, but would it be worth it?" He was referring to the amount of time that would have to be dedicated solely to certain subject areas. Some students in other countries eat, breathe, and live school. Whenever they aren't in class, they're studying, or doing something related. I feel so privileged to have been able to participate in so many extra-curricular activities in high school, which included sports, music, student council, and several organizations. I feel that the education I received from participating in these extra-curricular activities provided me with valuable experience that can't solely be taught in the classroom. As a teacher, I would rather help students become well-rounded individuals rather than individuals who are only good at one thing.

Foundations of Teaching Metaphor

Earlier this semester, we created a visual metaphor for the foundation on which Luther students develop as teachers, which has five main strands. My metaphor's setting is a baseball game.
The first strand is a liberal arts education. When a I think of a liberal arts education, I think of learning about a large variety of areas. This variety is symbolized in my picture by the various positions that can be played during the game and the various types of players.
The second strand focuses on providing experiences and opportunities to aid in the development of knowledge, abilities, and dispositions needed for quality teaching and learning. This is symbolized by the umpire behind home plate. The umpire represents a great knowledge of the game and is respected.
The third strand emphasizes the skills and dispositions necessary for teaching. This is symbolized by the faces of all the players, coaches, and umpire. They are all smiling. They all want to be there, and they're enjoying what they're doing.
The fourth strand talks about providing experiences with diverse populations. This is represented by all the different types of players. Whether they're short, tall, skinny, fat, average, have dark skin, or have white skin, they are all involved and enjoying themselves.
The fifth strand focuses on developing ethical, reflective, and critical thinking teachers-to-be. This is represented by the coaches on the field. A coach is much like a teacher. He should be ethical, reflective, and think critically. He should teach more than just about the sport. Especially at the high school level, a coach should teach life lessons as well.

NCLB Role Playing Activity

I thought that the NCLB role playing activity was very interesting. I personally didn't feel like I knew enough about the subject to take a strong position, but that's what made the role playing aspect of it work. Obviously, some people felt very strongly about certain things involved with NCLB, and I enjoyed hearing the points that the students and professors made. The Monday night that we did the role playing activity, I wished that I had known more about it. However, looking back, I believe it was better that we did the role playing activity first, because it helped me keep more of an open mind about certain ideas. I thought the entire activity was very productive.

The Importance of Parents

The discussion that we had in class on Wednesday, October 1 was one of the most intriguing discussions we have had all year in our educational psychology class. The issues of what kids are exposed to and the importance of parenting are both important to discuss. Children are increasingly being exposed to more and more types of things that are above their maturity level. From music to television and to the internet, children have numerous ways to access things that they may not fully understand. It is almost impossible to prevent children to being exposed to these things. The role that this exposure plays in their life can factor into how they live their lives, but I think it is not a factor more often than not. I believe that this is where parenting comes in. If parents are involved and pay attention to their children's lives, then they should be more of an influence on their children than media. When I was young, my parents always made sure I knew the difference between right and wrong, and they helped me develop my morals as well. Because of this, when I was exposed to things above my maturity level, I could still determine right from wrong, and moral from immoral. I know that parents cannot be with their children 24/7, and I don't think they need to be. Parents can influence their children enough just by making sure they are involved in their children's lives in one way or another. I feel like my parents did a wonderful job raising and educating me. They weren't my best friends. We had our disagreements, but looking back now, I know that they were right, and I know that I am a better person because of them.

Speed Reading Lecture

Earlier this September, a lecture focused on speed reading and improving your study habits was held. I was somewhat apprehensive prior to the lecture, because it was titled "Better Grades in Less Time". Who wouldn't be suspicious about a title like that? However, after being only fifteen minutes into the seminar, I was convinced that this was legitimate. After going through only one of the practice drills for improved reading speed, I more than doubled my reading speed from the beginning of the drill to the end, and my comprehension was just as good. I had no idea how simple it can be to improve reading speed. However, the main challenge to sustaining this improvement is the requirement of practice. The lecturer, Gary Tuerack, advised us to practice our speed reading at least twice a day. It doesn't seem too hard, but it has been one of those things that are easy to push aside and tell yourself you'll do it later. I was very impressed with the lecture, and I am trying to get into a routine of practicing in order to sustain a faster level of reading.

Teacher of the Year Award Acceptance Speech (teaching philosophy)

For anyone to be successful in any aspect of life, or just life in general, hard work is almost always involved. Things usually aren’t just handed to people. They have to earn it, and in order to earn it, they have to put forth effort. This has been my philosophy not in only for educating students, but for life. My parents, coaches, teachers, and friends helped to instill this belief in me at a young age. Whether it was for school work, athletics, relationships, or faith, I believed that I had to give my best effort if I ever wanted to be successful, and I still believe that today.
Hard work by itself is not enough though. Along with it comes attitude. Attitude can be the most significant component in every aspect of life. Negative attitudes are accompanied by negative atmospheres and negative results. When people are positive, it makes everyone around them better. I have always emphasized the importance of attitude to my students. I know that not every single one of the students buys into what I’m saying, but just getting through to at least one of them makes it worth it.
Getting through to students can be one of the most difficult obstacles that a teacher faces. I believe that if you, as a teacher, can find any way at all to relate with a student, you can get through to them. I feel that the best way to relate to students is to pay attention to what they’re interested in. That means to get involved in your school. Attend athletic events, school plays, musical concerts, and anything else that your students participate in. Get involved in the community. Get to know residents of the town or city. Get to know parents. Take a step back and look at things from a different perspective. If one student has performed poorly in class for a period of time, think about what might be going on in his or her life. The reason for his or her poor performance might not be a lack of effort, but it may be things that are beyond his or her control, such as a tough family situation. By doing these things, you will open up countless doors that will allow you to better relate to students.
I know that I teach a certain subject, and that should be the focus of what I do in the classroom, but I also believe that, as a teacher, I should help my students develop not only to be better students, but better people. After my students graduate and move on to whatever it is they plan, I hope that I have prepared them to the best of my ability not only academically, but for life in general. When students mature and become good people, it has a positive impact on me, the school, and the entire community.

Lions for Lambs

When I saw previews for Lions for Lambs in the past, I assumed it was just a movie about politicians and lawyers. After seeing the first part of it this past Monday night, I realized that it is about much more than just politicians and lawyers. The plot has been very intriguing so far, and I am interested to see how all of the stories tie together. It has been a good movie so far.