Conceptual Framework - Response due Oct 6
BACKGROUND:
The conceptual framework that guides our teacher preparation programs states the following:"The College of Education contributes to the theory and practice of the broad field of education, and dedicates itself to understanding and respecting learners in diverse cultural contexts. We facilitate engaged learning and ethical leadership in schools and clinical settings. We seek collaboration with diverse constituencies, recognizing our local and global responsibilities to communities, environments, and future generations."
QUESTION:
In what ways has your preparation at WSU helped you to enact various aspects of the conceptual framework? How do your student teaching experiences connect to the framework? What aspects of the framework are becoming most meaningful to you?
Additional instructions: Please post your own individual responses, but then, read each others postings and respond/comment on what the other had to say.
Let us know if you need additional guidance,
Chris & Heidi
posted by Heidi @ 8:41 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
My preperation at WSU has helped me to enact various aspect of the conceptual framework because we have had in depth conversations about how to culturally engage our learners. We have been given many teaching ideas of how to engage our learners. The WSU teacher preperation program has taught us to become active leaders in our classrooms and to provide a classroom that allows for learning.
I feel that my student teaching experiences has connected to the framework because of what I am able to apply what I learned during the preperation program. I have been able to be open with my learners and adjust my teaching in was that reaches all of my diverse learnes. I have been able to bring in out side resources and able to present information in a variety of ways. Just today during my lesson I was able to provide my students an introduction to a lesson by using a picture book. This picture book brought culture in as well as history. The students were able to make connections to the book and point out differences. Some students were able to relate to the book on more of a personal level because it was about an African American. However later in the lesson the students were able to tailor their assignment to fit their needs and culture because they are writing books about themselves. Allowing the students freedom in the assignment helped them to be engaged. As this lesson goes on the students are going to be sharing their books with one another and we are going to talk about similarities and differences.
I feel that letting the students write about their lives and cultures is great because they are engaged. I think it is important to have them share their ideas and culture because it opens it up for discussion, and allows us to see the similarities and differences. Having this conversation can allow for students to see that it is ok to be different and to be more open minded about other cultures. I believe that being open minded about one another's cultures fits in to the conceptual framework because it helps the students prepare for the future and it will benefit our community.
Allowing the students to share about their culture engages them and makes them a leader in the class which allows fits the conceptual framework.
The most meaningful part of the conceptual framework to me is taking leadership and having the students engaged in active learning. This is becoming the most meaningful to me because I see it as the backbone to the future. I see it as the stepping stones to teach kids to become active in their education and planning for the future.
My preparation at WSU has helped me to create a conceptual framework. The diagram in itself always seemed fairly explanatory; learners, learning, and leadership seem to go hand in hand. The part that WSU has truly helped me to develop is to understand more of what the words around the diagram, “Collaboration with diverse communities toward a sustainable and just future” mean. I think that leadership requires collaboration between both collogues and the students because everyone can learn something from someone else. There are times to talk and share ideas, times to implement ideas, and times to listen to feedback and get ideas.
A lot of this has come to life during my student teaching. For example I am spending a lot of time getting ideas from both my mentor teacher and other teachers in the building and also sharing my ideas with my mentor teacher for her feedback. There have also been a few times during a lesson when one of the kids figured out a better way of doing something than I did. I think those times when they can be leaders because their teaching me and helping me to become a better teacher. I love it when the kids act as teachers because it gives them more ownership to what we are doing and helps them to be engaged. I think one reason that we can all learn from each other is because we are all unique and diverse.
Teaching here has truly shown me that diversity goes much further than just ethnicity or spirituality. All of the kids have unique ways of learning, unique family situations, and unique backgrounds. I see diversity as more of the whole person now, instead of just certain things. For example our social studies curriculum has focused on me and it is great learning about the kids, their families, what they like, and where their from. I think it has also been good for the kids to learn about each other. One thing I found interesting is when I had the kids hold up two fingers in response to a math question, there were a few children who are German that were confused because the German culture uses the thumb and forefinger, not the first two fingers. Luckily I had learned this a few days earlier while ordering food and was able to use both ways and use the teaching opportunity to show how sometimes even when we're after the same thing, there might be some differences.
So far my student teaching has brought the conceptual framework to life for me beyond what the methods and theory classes did. I think this is because I have been able to apply them to the classroom. I have seen that some kids light up when a lesson involves movement or when it is storytime. I am sure their backgrounds influence this, but at the same time I am sure that part of it is also personal preference.
I have also realized that working towards a sustainable and just future is a daily effort. It's something that is learned over time and I, as a teacher, need to lead by example and encourage the kids to be kind to each other and to take care of their resources.
I believe that when I have an open mind about how to teach things and how to do things in the classroom, more student needs will be met. I also think that this will help the students to see the importance of working together and taking leadership when they need to.
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