Schools for Cittizens: Preserving the Republic ...Really?

After the American Revolution our country had many challenges to face. They had to make sure they could preserve the republic in which they fought so hard to establish. Jefferson recognized that in order for a republic to survive it needed to be made up of educated and moral citizens. There also needed to be a level of unity and civic conformity. But in a country with such diversity how can you expect all students to adhere to the same morals and values? Were they educating students so that they could participate and contribute to the republic or brainwashing them to accept their morals, values, and beliefs? They established schools to reflect their values, the values of the white male prosperous Protestant US born citizen. This created a lot of problem. However, I do think they made one critically important decision in the formation of our public schools systems. The decision to make our schools nonpartisan was probably one of the best decisions they made.

Political differences can tear a nation apart. Just look at what happened during the Civil War. Political differences in the classroom can seriously impede the educational process. I have experienced this first hand as a student. In high school I had a history teacher that flagrantly expressed his political views in the classroom. His political affiliation and views greatly contradicted my own. His teaching was extremely bias towards his own beliefs. This also aggravated me. I was so distracted by these differences that I ended up not learning anything from the class.

I think what I learned most here is that politics can create controversy in school. There was a reason schools were supposed to be nonpartisan. Teaching history includes politically controversial issues. The most important thing I need to remember is to not inflict my own political views on my students. I need to remain non bias. I would never even tell my students which political party i affiliate myself with.

How I Got Here

Recently I came to a sudden realization. I am really doing this…I am really going to become a teacher. It’s really overwhelming. I just look back and realize how far I have come in such a short amount of time. A year ago at this time I would have never thought I would even be in school at all much less doing as well as I am.

A year ago I had not interest in going back to school. I was supposed to go to Penn. State but by the end of my senior year of high school I was barley graduating. I had missed three times the amount of allotted absences. My vice principle had to fight for me to be able to graduate. After I graduated I informed Penn. State that I changed my mind and wouldn’t be coming. I was living with my boyfriend and I really did not want to leave him, which is probably the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. Left with nothing else to do all day, I had to get a job. I started working at Hooters full time (and no I did not wear a hoochy mama outfit to my interview). This was probably the huge turning point in my life. I had always been an extremely shy person and this completely changed that. It gave me confidence. I always had costumers who would come in, sit, and talk to me for hours. They would always tell me I was too smart and should be in school. One day it just hit me, that’s not the career path I wanted to take. I finally wanted so badly to be in school.

I decided to apply to Montclair and got in. I started in the spring of 2007. I kind of stumbled across what I was really passionate about. I have always been fascinated with history and there’s just something I find romantic about the past. I thought about what I really wanted to do with my life, where I could make a difference. I had a really hard adolescence and like that it hit me. I wanted to be in a high school teaching history and helping children get through some of the roughest times of their lives.

And now seven months later I finally see myself making my way towards this goal. I find myself incredibly motivated. I am doing very well. However, fear has now set it. I know I can get through school and become a teacher, but what’s going to happen after that. This class is scaring me more and more.

We’ve been learning a lot about demographics. Schools are so diverse. What if I am teaching in a school where non of my students are like me. How will I relate to them then? What if my students are poverty stricken and they can do their homework at night because they have no electricity in the house? How am I going to make them feel like I understand them? All of these thing are just scaring me to death. I am trying to figure out if I am going to be able to do this. I am so passionate about becoming a teacher. I already have so many ideas for the classroom. I have a little book I put all my ideas for lesson plans, activate, and game in the classroom. I feel like I should be able to do it but I still can’t shake the fear. What if I just can’t do it?

Martians

Dear Martians:

Us teachers have put together a document trying to explain to you what our schools are like and how they got that way, who are our students, and who are our teachers.
WHAT ARE OUR SCHOOLD LIKE AD HOW DID THEY GOT THAT WAY?
Today, schools can be seen as stepping-stones for the American Dream. Everyone’s goal in school is supposed to be to do their absolute best and succeed when they get out and enter the working world. Our schools are like mini-societies for students. Now most schools are integrated but back then they were segregated and you could only go to school with your own color. The way our schools get funded is by the taxpayers and the government. One reason schools came about was so that we had well educated people in our Democracy so that our country would run as smoothly as it does. If you’re wondering where students who are special go, we have special schools for them. We have schools that cater to every child’s needs, whether it is for special needs, or just because the student is gifted. The students get to school by a bus. It picks them and other children up at a specified time in the morning and then drops them off in the afternoon at a designated time. Schools offer
many wonderful programs such as sports, intramurals, enrichment programs, clubs, and some younger schools have before and after care.
WHO ARE OUR STUDENTS?
Our students all come from different cultures, beliefs, religions, and social and economic status, etc. Each student is different from the next student, they all learn differently and all have different capabilities. Each student has different intellects as well. All of the students come from different backgrounds at home and that’s what causes their behavior to all be so different at school as well. The students go to school five days a week and if they participate in sports, or clubs, they usually meet before school.
WHO ARE OUR TEACHERS?
Our teachers shape the students. The teachers teach the students to follow the government and their laws. They provide students with knowledge that they need to know in the future to succeed. The teachers want to see their students achieve because then they know that they did a good job, Teachers educate the students, but they are also like role models or mentors. They help students when they have problems or need extra help. Teachers want their students to know how to think in abstract ways, outside the box, and to know how to think analytically, critically, etc. Some teachers specialize in specific subjects so they have better knowledge in it so they can teach better than the next teacher who is specialized in something else. We also have teachers who specialize in areas such as special education or speech. The majority of the teachers are white females but we hope to soon see an increase in males.


Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what our schools are and what makes them up.

Sincerely,
Teachers of America

A Public Education Primer

Almost all the women in my family are teachers. My grandmother, mother, and cousins all do or did work for the Passaic public school district. I have just grown up around it. I always helped my mom put things together for school and set up her classroom when I was younger. At the dinner table every night my mother would always talk about teaching and all the obstacles that come along with it. So a lot of the information in this article was not new to me.
The things that stood out to me the most were the aspects of the public school system that make it difficult for a teacher to do her job. Teachers are faced with a lot of diversity in their classrooms. Between ethnic, racial, class, economic status, and cultural differences, it must be hard to meet the needs of all your students. For example almost one in every five students are the child of immigrants. These students would have grown up with a different culture. They may have very different moral, values, and goals. This is something I think is important to consider in your students. I personally think diversity is a good thing. Your students can learn more from other who are different from them. It is just a matter of celebrating their differences and not putting them at a disadvantage because of it.


-Just a few of my thoughts on the readings

First Day of Class

This is only my third semester at Montclair but I haven't even been here for a year yet. I started school late, in the spring, but made up for it in the summer. This is all still pretty new to me and I have to say I feel a bit overwhelmed. This class definitely seems like a challenge but I am excited for that challenge to begin.
I have recently discovered what I want to do with my life. I am very passionate about history. I always have been. I constantly have the history channel on in my house and I enjoy reading historical documents. However, I never really thought I would consider a career involving history. Until, one day, I discovered my passion for teaching. Being so passionate about both aspects of teaching really motivates me to do best. I hope to make great change in the American public school system one day but I am a very far away from doing that. I have much to learn. I think this class with proved me with great opportunities. This class does seem like a lot of work but I think it will also teach me very useful concepts that I will later be able to use in my teaching.
Dr. Goldstein really seems to know what she's talking about and seems to have a great deal of experience. She also seems like a person with some very strong convictions. However, I think it will be interesting to see what she has to say and how she feels about the American public school system. I think I could really learn a lot for her.
The best thing about this class, in my opinion, is the field experience opportunity. I am extremely excited for my first experience in a high school classroom. Arts seems to also be a very unique school. I have to say this class does seem like quite of bit of work but I think it will be well worth it when it is all said and done and I look back on it. I am excited to continue on my path to becoming an educator.