Decorah Parents Lecture

Like last week's lecture, I thought that this week's speakers brought some of the most vital tips and information to us future teachers. As a teacher, we decided that one of the biggest fears is the wrath of the parents. By talking with these three mothers and fathers, we were able to understand the frustrations and expectations that they have, and hear about what they feel works best.
Some key ideas that made them happy about their child's education were when there was a lot of communication between the parent, student, and teacher. I don't think that this idea can be made much more loud and clear. Communication can really be the big determining factor t make or break a new teacher. Along with this concept, the parents were pleased with teachers who were engaged with their students, brought current practice and research into the classroom, as well as creative new ideas.
Another thing that the parents stressed was to have high expectations for all students, regardless of their disabilities or special needs. It was hard to hear that some teachers had not given goals, or had given up on a students.
One thing that interested me was the comments made on the NCLB act. The main thing that they were concerned about was the fact that at conferences, all they were shown was graphs and numbers, which mean absolutely nothing to them. As a result, the parents noted lower turn out at parent teacher conferences. These measurable outcomes are not really at the individual level, and as parents, that is what they are concerned with. Even if a child is "at the top" of the charts, does it really give them any benefits in school? Tests do not show tools or ways to be equipped on how to meet the needs of the student.
One other aspect that was difficult to hear was the frustrations of the parents about how often they had to intervene and advocate for their child. These parents were not pushy, but very well educated, and it scares me to think about what fate a child might have if they did not have parents that fit this description, or parents with the time to help them out.
I think the most important idea that this lecture brought about is that as a teacher, we are responsible for someone else's child, their well being, education, and their future.
Around the country, the role of parents in education is gaining notice and support. In Maryland, parents who provide great support to their children for education can recieve bonuses, somewhat similar to the "Teacher of the Year" award. It goes to show how important the relationship of teacher and parent is in the education of a child.

Check out the article:http://www.edweek.org/login.html?source=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35parent.h27.html&destination=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35parent.h27.html&levelId=2100

Decorah Teachers Lecture

Yesterday in class, we were visited by three different teachers in the Decorah Public Schools. Remarkably, all three were fairly young teachers, and had all graduated from Luther. I think that this question and answer lecture was by far the most beneficial and applicable to us as not only education students, but most importantly as future teachers. We were able to ask them questions about how prepared they felt by the education program, things that they learned, aspects of the career that they did not expect, or wish they knew before. I took away some very interesting ideas from this experience.

One of the most vital pieces of advice that the three teachers had given was he idea of being a lifelong learner. They emphasized the aspect of always learning new things, ways of teaching, and new materials, and knowing that by doing this, you are not always going to change the world. In lifelong learning, and as a teacher, you will be making baby steps sometimes, and they are just as substantial as those giant leaps.

Another idea that they really pushed was the need for communication. They told about how you need to work well with all of your colleagues, even if you do not agree with them, or if you think that you won't ever need to work with them, in the future you probably will, and the students that you teach will have contact with them. They also said how it is important to eat and socialize in the teacher's lounge. it is important to have good relationships with other teachers and co-workers, and equally important to take time away from the stresses of teaching.

Another interesting thought that the three teachers toughed upon was their thoughts about No Child Left Behind. It seems like every lecture has to bring up this program, no matter what. The teachers told about how with NCLB a lot of time is taken for tests. They said that some things about NCLB were appropriate, like measuring students, but again, had some discrepancies. They were upset that children in kindergarten, first, and second grade now had to be taking standardized tests, and that time taken for testing was not necessarily "time well spent". In addition, they wondered weather these tests were an accurate demonstration of student's knowledge and learning.

The Board of Education Lecture

This past week our ED Psychology class was visited by two members of the Board of Education. It was very interesting to hear about the jobs and responsibilities of a board member, about their feelings concerning their roles, and especially their thoughts about the education system in Decorah. One major point that I took from the "question and answer" lecture was the fact that the school board has very little contact with the schools themselves, with the teachers, and with the students. The main responsibility of the school board is hiring the Superintendent, rather than defining goals for the curriculum, or certain standards for the schools to achieve. Our class asked many questions concerning the No Child Left Behind Act, and were given a different answer about the program than the Decorah principals had offered the week before. They explained that they felt that the laws were beneficial in a place like Decorah where there was little diversity and little poverty, and small amounts of students on free and reduced lunch. The school board member explained that he felt that the NCLB program somewhat helped the schools by putting goals and achievements in writing, but the system is somewhat flawed. He also explained that he thought test scores do not test everything about a student's current levels or knowledge, and that test scores are not the only defining factor of a highly qualified teacher. As a future teacher, I really appreciate hearing all viewpoints, and getting to look at all sides of the spectrum concerning the education system, especially NCLB.