The mission of the combined ESE program is to produce graduates whoare able to understand the unique attributes of each student without focusing solelyon established special education or other labels.
This is an amazing goal to teach new educators. Provide them with the attributes and tools to provide differentiated instruction for all students! This is a great way to meet their needs.
In a combined program teacher candidates learn about thewide variation of the human condition, including students with disabilities, incourses in which the content for elementary and special education is integrated.
I think this is good because these students got to learn about how to lead a classroom with students that have certain disabilities. I bet this helped teachers learn how to deal with all different types of students, learning styles, and much more.
The interviews wereplanned to allow teachers sufficient time to reflect on their first year with moreobjectivity.
I really like how they are reflected in an objective manner. It is best to look through the lens in a non-bias way.
Research on successful novice teachers stresses the importance of praxis inteacher education
I have taken many Praxis exams, and they have given me knowledge that has aided me in my early years as a teacher.
An important aspect related to the development of critical reflection, is therole that theory plays in a novice teacherís ability to enact meaningful change inthe classroom or school setting
Reflection is a key tool for teacher growth. If we do not reflect, then how can we improve, as professionals?
Teacher education programs strongly influence the extent towhich novice teachers are able to think and problem-solve
I have learned so much from my 4 year college, and I continue to learn and grow through work and my graduate studies!
In order for novice teachers to become successful, they require the toolsnecessary for coping with challenges they encounter.
I believe this is done with the communication and collaboration from veteran teachers.
if theenvironment is conducive to positive growth and provides the novice teacher withopportunities for success, then the likelihood is that his/her self-efficacy willincrease
I agree with this statement completely. If our work environment is positive and uplifting, it will result in positive growth from all teachers!
Teacher education research has focused on various ways programs havepositively impacted confidence levels through successful participation in fieldexperiences that are connected to course work
I have to say my confidence grows when I receive positive feedback from peers, and when I attend county meetings. It gives me a sense of improvement and gives new ideas.
Personal as opposed to collective self-efficacyhas to do with the amount of confidence individuals have in their ability to completetasks successfully; therefore judgments of efficacy forecast how much effort oneexpends and how long he or she persists on a task
I agree with this statement. Confidence builds with how well a lesson goes!
novice teachers revealed that they are expected toengage in activities that result in the development of shared meaning and a sense ofcommunity in their schools. This involves an alignment between the philosophy ofthe new teacher and the context in which he or she is teaching. The notion of collectiveefficacy means that greater confidence is attained when its constituents have sharedvisions and goals
This sticks out to me because I am still a new teacher. I believe that it is best to collaborate with veteran teachers to see what progress has been made.
The school culture literature points out that teacher retention decreases whenteachers are confronted with inadequate support by administrators
In order for teachers to be their best, they must have support from their peers, especially their administrator.
Schools that teach for deeper learning gauge mastery throughassessments that reflect the kinds of literacy, mathematics, andanalytical tasks found in higher education and the work world.
Once a child learns deeper thinking for their learning, it will enhance their academia to a new level. I think that its the teacher's role to get them started as young as possible. I think they should build this foundation at a young age!
Personalized supports for learning in the form ofadvisory systems, differentiated instruction, and supportfor social services and social-emotional learning alongwith skills
It is very important to design a lesson that meets the needs of all students. My school does a wonderful job at this.
Encouraging strategic and metacognitive thinking sothat students can learn to evaluate and guide their ownlearning
Giving students the ability to 'think outside of the box' can activate deeper learning. They are using all of their skills to answer some of these questions, and it could promote interest in the activity or lesson.
Providing clear standards, constant feedback, andopportunities for revising work
A good way to measure learning, is to constantly assess students throughout the lesson. This can be done with formative assessments and giving feedback.
Drawing connections to students’ prior knowledge andexperiences
In order to gain new knowledge, we must have students active prior knowledge. This can help them make connections, and it can help with deeper levels of thinking.
Creating ambitious and meaningful tasks that reflecthow knowledge is used in the field
Making tasks or activities meaningful will increase student interest and engagement. This can be achieved if the lesson has deeper learning, group based, and activated prior knowledge.
Sizer and others called for educators to choose“depth over breadth” by emphasizing instruction in critical thinking,problem solving, and other “habits of mind” that would foster lifelonglearning as well as the ability to acquire and use knowledge to tacklenew problems and develop new ideas, products, and possibilities.
I believe that teachers are responsible for providing education required by the state, but they should aim for proving life skills, as well. If lessons require deeper thinking and collaboration, it can teach lifelong skills.
arguedthat the high school curriculum had become little morethan an amalgamation of scattered facts and skills, lackingcoherence and more likely to elicit boredom than seriousengagement.
If educators can drift away from lecture styled lessons, they can make lessons for hands-on. If lessons are more hands-on, students will learn and not get bored.
he need for a new accountability system to holdpolicymakers responsible for conditions within schools
It is our school, district, and state's responsibility to hold these policymakers accountable for their decisions. Whether it be a good or bad decision, they need to be accountable to learn and grow.
the need to ensure access to high-quality earlychildhood education
As en elementary school teacher, I believe that we are responsible for giving high quality education to all students. We just need to find ways to have a more efficient way of providing access.
The first is the development of the Common Core StateStandards, which aim to improve upon the “mile wide, inchdeep”
This sticks out to me because teachers are given so many standards. The intended idea or guideline is great, but it is extremely shallow.
Learn outside of the school and the typical school day
I believe that teachers should teach students skills that go beyond the classroom. Giving them deeper learning strategies and the 6C's will help achieve this!
Participate in ambitious and rigorous instruction tailored to their individual needs and interests
I believe that students learn and grow if they are pushed outside of their comfort zones. It may be difficult, but this is a great attribute to have.
Local superintendents can create more authentic teacher leader and career pathwayprograms that focus on practitioners spreading their expertise
My school district does a very good job at this. We meet and collaborate with other members of the same expertise. I really enjoy these meetings and collaboration centers!
Such a system requires building teachercapacity to become assessment leadersin designing, field testing, validating, andscoring high-quality performance tasks.
I believe that learning can also happen through hands-on approaches. Teachers need to realize that learning occurs more often if their lessons are more engaging. They can do this by keeping their lessons hands-on, and making it relevant to the real world.
accountabilitysystems encouragedteachers to teach tothe test, not to thewhole child.
It seems like schools in the past were only focused on getting a good score on their GSA. There is so much more than getting a good score on a test.
Deeper learning—achieved for every student—will hinge on the extentto which teachers can evaluate the impact of new practices on studentlearning and broaden their own reach
Deeper Learning can also be achieved if teachers have a strong understanding of each element. They can achieve deeper learning by staying up to date and communicating with other staff members.
Finally, there must be a school- and system-wideorientation toward inquiry and risk-taking.
Education can be viewed like a business. If there are not any risks being taken, how can the school grow or improve? I think that professionals get scared of failure, so they are scared to take risks.
Teachers and administrators must have respect forone another’s differing expertise
The teachers must respect their administrator's policies, but the principal should respect their teacher's teaching style and expertise. It works both ways.
Third, school financing formulas must ensure thatappropriate and adequate human, fiscal, andphysical resources are in place
Schools need to always make sure that they have the resources to provide to their teachers. This is why faculty Senate if super important. Teachers can communicate and collaborate ideas and get resources into their classes.
She continues, “I have also, through the years,learned to honor my authentic self because it was,and is, accepted and nourished by so many othersalong the way.
No matter what you are or choose to do in life, always be your authentic self. Not only will others respect yourself, but you will have a whole new level of self respect for yourself.
most teachers have become accustomedto the isolation of classroom teaching,
In most cases, you will be teaching by yourself. It is okay to ask other colleagues for advice or help, if need be. This could result in a more successful academic environment.
As Stacy Szczesiul and Jessica Huizenga havefound, teacher leadership is a “socially distributedphenomena” that develops over time as teachersgain efficacy; to do so, they must have “repeatedopportunities” to reflect on what they master inthe context of structured collaboration.
Teacher mastery comes with valuable experience that takes time. I feel like collaboration and communication between teachers can help bridge this gap even faster.
Teachers often relish the opportunity toinnovate and serve their students better, butstruggle to reconcile new approaches withexisting requirements—not to mention limitedtime and resources.
I think a lot of teachers have very engaging and creative ideas for their classrooms, but state guidelines and time crunches can get in the way.
OurEnglish teacher was always talking about whatit means to be a catalyst for change and how wecan make a difference in our community.
I think it is really good that this student's teacher was telling the class that they can make a positive impact in their communities. Positive feedback and trust can go a long way for students that could turn them into young leaders.
No. Now you realizeyou need help and you shouldn’t feel bad aboutthat.
To some extent, we all need help in our lives. Having a strong team with a clear goal, can go a long way. It is up to us, to put our pride aside, and to ask for help.
Students are well aware that they are seen asindividuals at this school. As one student explained,“At first when I came here I was a little thrown offby the amount of respect I received. . . . I wasn’t justtreated as a student, I was treated as a person.
This quote stuck out to me because we need to make sure we treat each student with love and respect first. I believe learning can happen only if your students have respect and trust for YOU.
While the term “deeper learning” is relatively new, the general concept is not.
I am very glad that my education course is teaching us about Deeper Learning. If we can learn and use this tool, it can enhance learning in a big way!
Achievement gaps arevery real and must be addressed.
Achievement gaps need to be addressed on a consistent basis because this could result in student growth. Not only for the students, but it can make the school a better work environment, too!
A number of new school designs, fueled in part bythe Ford Foundation’s More and Better LearningTime work, have created opportunities for students,particularly those in low-income communities of color,to be supported by a diverse set of community-basedorganizations who work with teachers to expand andenrich the curriculum
I think that this is amazing that the Ford Foundation is stepping to support lower-income students. I believe we ALL should have an equal opportunity to education!
Arecent report of the Annie E.Casey Foundation estimatedthat almost 6.5 million teens are disconnectedfrom school as well as the workplace
It is alarming that 6.5 million teens are disconnected from schall and work. It can take 1 person to change the world, for the better, and it could possibly be one of these teens that are disconnected.
30%of America’steachers say theyare “activelyengaged” in theirjobs
30% of teachers is an alarming percentage. I believe that learning can only happen if a teacher is actively engaged and has a strong passion for their job.
The roles of teachersmust be transformed.
Teaching is a career where change is "normal." It is up to the teacher to be able to make a change. It all starts with us, as teachers. We can do this by willing to change, keeping up with new trends, and being open to new ideas.
Deeper learning forall students willonly result from asystem of teacherleadership
This quote stands out to me because we are responsible for teaching students. Deeper learning for all students only happens if teachers are ready to take leadership. If we come ready to teach, have a great attitude, and give skills, the children will flourish.