Friday, April 25, 2014

MERCER ELEMENTARY OBSERVATION #5: Wednesday April 23rd, 2014

On the last day of my observations at Mercer Elementary, I was so happy to walk into a history class! The students were given memorabilia and antiques from the American Civil war that their teacher gave to them, had to observe them carefully in groups of two, and write a paragraph about what they thought they were observing. It could be a picture of Abraham Lincoln or General Lee, or a Union battle cap, or a letter from a soldier who fought in a battle etc. After they were done they were supposed to stand up in front of the class and read what they wrote, and why they thought of a specific historical event or person when they were analyzing each object. I even intervened in some cases when I saw that students were struggling, because I always enjoyed studying about US Civil War history and wanted to help them. After this project was done, the students headed down to the computer lab to do online math exercises. Ms. Rashid told me that they do online math exercises once a week, using a new IB program designed specifically for elementary students, combining math work with games and fun. I could tell the kids liked it as they were quiet for the whole forty five minutes it lasted. While they were doing their work, Ms. Rashid and I engaged in conversation about how students relocate so often, that it is hard for them to follow along and get used to a new school environment. She says it’s the worst thing in the world when students keep changing schools, and when a teacher strives to help a student for months and then he/she leaves. It’s also hard on the student to make new friends and get used to a new school, as she said, school is home away from home for many kids. And she said some parents don’t even care or are aware of the damage this can cause to their children; that upsets her more than anything. The hardest thing is that many of them refuse to hear it, or completely neglect the advice that the teacher gives or some of the actions she takes.
After the students were done with their math work we all headed up to class. At this time I asked Ms. Rashid if I could talk to the students a little bit since it was my last observation and I never really had the chance to talk to them a little bit about me. So I stood up in front of class and talked to them about my Greek background, the fact that I went to school in Greece and my parents still live there, that I am a college student now at John Carroll and how much I love soccer. They were fascinated by the fact that I was raised abroad and specifically that I was from Greece, as Ms. Rashid had told me that they were learning about Ancient Greek history and mythology. They asked me questions about the Gods of Olympus, the Trojan War and Achilles, and if I had ever been to Thermopylae were King Leonidas stood against the Persians with his army of three hundred.  Then I told them about how my elementary school in Greece was similar and different to theirs, and how there is homework in college as well and tests and quizzes. It was nice to finally be able to get to address their questions and give them a little information about myself, as most of the time I was just observing and they never had the chance to really get to know me.  At the end of my mini-lecture, I thanked everybody for their help and assistance, promising to visit them again soon, and departed from Mercer Elementary with the best impressions and an excellent amount of knowledge that I would have never been familiar with had I not had this unique opportunity.


MERCER ELEMENTARY OBSERVATION #4: Tuesday April 22nd, 2014

My observation of Ms. Rashid’s class on Tuesday was fascinating, as for the first time I got to actually observe a Chinese class from start to end. The students were learning about the Chinese vowels and the four different ways to pronounce each one. Luckily, I got to the classroom before the teacher got there and was able to see the students stand up, and greet her in Mandarin. The class began with the Chinese teacher writing down the vowels on the board and pronouncing them one by one. The students knew that they needed to pronounce every vowel after her, in the same exact way. This language class was a lot about students pronouncing words or sounds either individually or as a whole class. Sometimes they would take turns pronouncing the vowels they saw on the board and that the teacher instructed them to, other times they would pronounce them together in groups of two, or as a whole class. Ms. Rashid, who was also in the class during the Chinese lesson, was also pronouncing the vowels as instructed by the Chinese teacher, and it seemed as if some students who were initially either too lazy to pronounce words, or embarrassed or afraid of making a mistake, once they saw their teacher join in, suddenly got motivated. It was an interesting observation. After the students became familiar with how to pronounce each vowel, and managed to understand the difference in sound each vowel can make (four different sounds in total), they began incorporating the vowels into actual words. So from writing down simply vowels or letters, she started writing down words in Mandarin that incorporated these vowels. Interestingly enough, it was now easier for the students to pronounce the words than it was to learn to pronounce the individual vowels. It is all about patience and order. Step by step, as long as you make sure they learn the basics well it will be easier for them to learn the more complicated things down the road. After pronunciation was over, the Chinese teacher played the remainder of the documentary from last class (about 15 minutes). The documentary was about everyday life in rural China, and the students said they wanted to see it since they hadn't finished it last time. The teacher had to explain what was going on in some parts as the documentary was in mandarin. After that was done, they stood up, thanked their teacher in Mandarin very respectfully and she departed. They had their snack break shortly after.

The second part of class was math again, but this time Ms. Rashid did it in a different way. What she did was, and this was really interesting and the kids loved it, was take small pieces of paper, each of them with a math problem written on it (from what they did in last class), crumble them up, put them in a hat, and every student got to choose one. When they opened the paper, they had to solve the problem in 5 minutes and then one by one, present the method they followed to the rest of their classmates. If they didn't know the answer they used the “buddy system”, where they could call a friend from class to stand up and help them. Most of the kids were able to solve their problems and show how they did it to the rest of the class. However, the kids that had trouble and had to call a buddy to help them eventually succeeded as well. It was great to see two students helping each other solve a math problem, and succeeding in doing so without the teacher’s interference.  This method not only cultivates a relationship of support and trust among students in a class, showing them how to work as team, but also giving them the opportunity to be teachers and use their abilities to help their classmates learn something. 

Monday, April 21, 2014

MERCER ELEMENTARY OBSERVATION #3: Thursday April 17th, 2014

Upon my arrival to Mercer Elementary the students were preparing a very interesting project that Ms. Rashid told me they do once a week, every week. They come up with ideas of things to sell during recess to the rest of the students at school. This time they had all bought lollipops which they would sell for $1.50 each during recess. The money that they get from their sales, goes towards something they would like to use in their class. With the money for example of their last sale they bought a large map of the world that they hung on one of the classroom walls for their geography class. Activities like these, she said enhance their “teamwork spirit”. They work as a class, all together very cooperatively for a common goal. They all contribute one way or another and that is very important. While they were doing that, I sat next to one of the teacher’s assistants in the classroom. He told me how it is he works with the students that have some kind of learning disability. There are a total of three children in the class that have learning problems and he is the one in charge of making sure they pay as much attention as possible to the class activities and do not disturb the teacher while she is teaching, as many can be on occasion rather loud and noisy. He said that one of the most important tasks is making sure that the parents are informed about their children’s’ progress in class as often as possible. That doesn’t only mean the students with the learning problems but the whole classroom as well. Both Ms. Rashid and her assistants monitor student behavior, success, difficulties, issues, progress through a list that they update every day at the end of class and also with a series of notes that they take while class is in progress. Obviously, the assistants have a much longer, detailed list since the students they work with face different kinds of issues and difficulties every day that the parents must be aware of, so they update it as soon as they see something interesting or different. The assistant teacher told me that the objective of working with these kids is not to make sure that they learn everything the teacher instructs in class, or memorize the materials or ace their test and quiz scores. It is more about teaching them how to properly function within a school environment, how to get used to working with others and how to develop skills of communication and cooperation. He told me that the secret of working with children who face problems is to find that something in them that gets them motivated. Sometimes he said that he will, for example, ask one of the kids who cannot stand still in class, or who is easily distracted or is causing trouble to help him, or go take some papers to the principal’s office or go to the library and choose a boom to read at home for pleasure. Something that will get that student motivated, whatever it may be, even a small snack break if necessary. He explained to me that it is not one specific thing that you have to look for in students facing learning disabilities in order to keep them motivated, but multiple things that you have to “play with” on a daily basis to see what works best in a specific period of time. He said it is hard work, and can be stressful at times but it pays back when you see that the kids are putting effort into it and get to learn something that they will remember.

After I was done talking to the assistant and the class was done with their sales project of decorating the lollipops they were going to sell during recess, a Chinese teacher entered the classroom and showed the students a documentary on her homeland and how agriculture in rural areas helps strengthen the economy. Mercer Elementary is an I.B. (International Baccalaureate School) meaning that the children participate in activities that many of their peers participate in around the world. It is a “global” school, with a specific curriculum set up in Geneva Switzerland that a limited number of schools around the world offer. I myself was an IB student, as my high school in Greece offered the program, and I think that it is fascinating, as students are more globally aware. The students are expected to learn different languages, get enhanced with different cultures and traditions and interact with kids from all over the world sharing experiences and ideas. I was fascinated to see how many of them were able to respond to their teacher in Cantonese words. They also must have studied some of China’s geography and history. While they were watching the documentary they were asking rather in depth questions about what they were watching and to me it seemed as if they were already familiar with the culture. Ms. Rashid and the Chinese teacher were asking them questions about the flora and fauna in China, about the way people build their homes, cultivate the land, the differences between life in the US and China, the differences in life between life in a Chinese city compared to that in a rural town or village etc. I feel that I was lucky to have been able to experience this portion of the class. I feel that Mercer Elementary school is doing a wonderful job in helping its students build on the IB model, and get to know something different other than the society they are raised in. It opens their eyes to new things at a young age, and brings them in contact with people from all over the world. I loved the IB program at my school, benefited greatly from it and am glad to see that younger students are doing the same here in Cleveland. 

MERCER ELEMENTARY OBSERVATION #2: Monday April 14th, 2014

Today, on my second visit to Mercer Elementary school, I arrived to the classroom at 11 am. At this time the students had already started doing their math exercises from their workbooks with the help of their teacher Ms. Rashid. They were talking about geometrical shapes today. It fascinated me how quiet they were while doing their exercises while the teacher spoke from the head of the classroom simultaneously solving problems on the smart board. Like I said in my previous observation post, I feel that the way the classroom is set up, plays a role in the attention the students show their teacher, and the fact that they rarely interrupt conversation. Ms. Rashid would go around the classroom and help individual students whenever they needed her help, so there is a lot of individual attention in the classroom which I believe is very important. After the math work was completed and Ms. Rashid had checked everyone’s workbook, making sure that they had done their work, they had their snack break which has a duration of five minutes. In these five minutes, and while eating, the students are not allowed to play or run around as if it is recess. They are supposed to sit in the seats and go over the work they did earlier in class with the help of their friends. Ms. Rashid told me that the five minute snack break is motivating to them, and when they are doing work while eating a snack or enjoying a beverage, it seems more exciting to them, not actual “class” work. So she uses this method for every hour of class every day, or at times when she can see the students are getting distracted, tired, or bored. A small five minute break can motivate them tremendously and get them back on track. The first period of class (after the snack break) ended with a “current affairs” conversation. The students, every other day, raise an important global topic that they might have heard of in the news, or heard their parents talk about or read in a magazine or newspaper and discuss it in class. This time one student talked about the missing Malaysia Airlines plane and how countries from all over the world were sending ships and research crews to try to find it. Suddenly, the conversation sparked the interest of almost every single child in the classroom. They all had something to say that they heard about at home about what was going on in this situation. I feel that it is wonderful that Ms. Rashid extends their knowledge and makes them familiar with global affairs. Also, the fact that this is an IB school I think necessitates that. Students are supposed to have a perception of what is going on in the world, and not simply limit their knowledge to what is going on in their country. 

            The second period (from 12 pm-12:45 pm) was gym. I am glad that I chose to visit Mercer Elementary from 11 am to 1 pm, as this time always includes another special class, other than that being done in the classroom. I get to experience the facilities of the school, but also the way different classes work and different teachers as well (for example music class and gym). Gym class was interesting. It took part in the school’s indoor gym and throughout the class there was music playing in the background. The gym teacher told me that music motivates the students. He had a microphone while giving instructions, and told me that at this age, students need noise to get them excited. They began with body exercises like stretching, jumping jacks etc. and then played a game were they needed to run around the gym and tag each other. They were split into teams.  At this whole time, as I previously mentioned, music was being played in the background, so the students were also encouraged to dance! And of course the gym teacher did not stop giving instructions by speaking into his microphone. Another important technique used by the teacher, was that before every exercise, or before the game, the gym teacher explained how everything they do in class helps their body in one way or another. So there was a little bit of “lecture” before each activity, which I believe is very important and the students seemed to appreciate, as when I asked them after class why they did what they were doing, they explained every exercise and how it helped a specific part of their body. 

MERCER ELEMENTARY OBSERVATION #1: Friday April 11th, 2014

On my first visit to Mercer Elementary I was assigned to Ms. Rashid’s 4th grade class. I was cordially greeted by the school principal, the teacher and the students. I honestly feel that, (and this was probably the main factor that made me want to choose Mercer Elementary to conduct my observations) the professionalism and willingness of the staff here is detrimental to the success of the students. From the first moment I contacted the school, and asked to visit in order to observe, they were more than willing to assist me, especially Ms. Rashid. Upon my arrival in the classroom, the students were doing 4th grade mathematics exercises. The class environment is very well set up and I am sure enhances the students’ interest in learning. It is a very colorful classroom, with posters and artwork of the students hanging from the walls. They also have their own small “library”, a couple of bookshelves with numerous books, that the students will either be using in class, for projects like book reports or allowed to take out in order to read at home for leisure or practice. The students sit in a U-shaped desk setting, so that they are always facing each other, but also the teacher at the front of the room who is easily able to move around, checking the students’ work, and constantly be able to maintain a visual of them. From my previous experiences, and observations this semester from different schools, I feel that this is the perfect setting for a classroom, as there is no interference between teachers/students, as long as the teacher is constantly moving around, like Ms. Rashid was. The other thing I thought was excellent was the teacher’s assistance. For the duration of my two hour observation, Ms. Rashid had two assistants in class, who, from what I was told, help her with students who face learning disabilities and require individual attention. There are two students in Ms. Rashid’s class who have learning disabilities, and each one has his own personal support. I think that is excellent and should be implemented in every school possible.

As previously mentioned, the first hour of my observation was a math class, which Ms. Rashid taught with a combination of notes from the board, but also worksheets that that students were working on. I actually had the chance to help some students. It was interesting as the students seemed to know exactly what they needed to do, and the teacher was not constantly being bombarded with questions as in other cases I witnessed. They were talking about the different types of measurements: feet vs. meters, kilos vs. pounds, miles vs kilometers etc. The teacher was bringing in every day examples to help the students understand the differences, but also used visual examples, like posters on the wall or pictures from the internet in order to show them for example what the difference is between a liter of water and a gallon of water. There is a lot of communication in the class. At the end of the first period the students were able to enjoy a five minute snack break and then they headed out to music class. The music teacher, Ms. Kaiser, had the students sit on the carpet, and together they practiced their songs for their upcoming closing school ceremony in May. They have to learn a total of four songs, which they must have been practicing for a good amount of time, as they weren’t struggling with them. The teacher was either singing along with the students, or playing the piano while the students were singing their songs. Both teachers seemed to be thoroughly enjoying what they do and the students seem to love their enthusiasm! Overall a wonderful first observation of Mercer Elementary!  

"This I Believe"- Final Paper Proposal

In my paper, I plan on addressing the issue of public education vs private education in the United States. My main goal will be to provide an accurate analysis of the way the educational system functions in this country, in order to show that public schooling is being undermined and neglected, while also failing to reach the standards of certain private educational foundations. This, in turn creates a huge gap in the educational opportunities given to the American youth. Public schools are seen as "second class" schools compared to most private ones. The students, whose families are able to afford sending them to private schools, are provided with everything they need at an abundance; in order to succeed in their academic career, compared to those students who attend public schools. The economy, the history behind the American educational system and how it has been established and organized in recent years, but also multiple other societal factors that impact education, are some of the main reasons for which one can see such an immense gap between private and public education. In order to successfully address this issue, that is highly controversial, as, from the limited research I have conducted thus far, I have noticed that public opinion varies to a great extent, I will have to dig deeper within the intricacies of the educational system in the United States. My sources so far have proven to be very effective in helping me: a) develop an accurate argument against this inequality but also b) becoming more and more familiar with this specific topic.
The reason why I chose to address this is because of the first-hand experience that I have had since I came to the United States. I think it is clear that the more money one has the better education he can get and will usually get. The private (and in some cases even public!) schools in wealthy upper class neighborhoods, outweigh the public schools in the inner cities to a huge extent. The government is failing to provide its schools with the necessary funds, in order for them to be able to reach a specific educational standard that can make them competitive. Also, the fact that in the US, education has become somewhat of an "economic market", does not help the situation at all. It seems as if, businesses have managed to infiltrate American schools, pouring millions into the ones they want to and could see benefiting from. Sadly, other schools don't have that luxury and solely depend on limited governmental funding and support. Whole communities across the country are desperately trying to stop this and reverse the situation in favor of their schools, but the importance of economic benefit for the few constantly seems to put their efforts down. In Cleveland, I have met and become friends with individuals who attended high schools in impoverished neighborhoods, middle class neighborhoods, and upper class neighborhoods, both public and private. The differences that they have described are so immense, it is as if these schools are located in different countries. On the one hand, schools with extraordinary facilities,modern technological equipment, multiple extra-curricular activities etc. and on the other hand I have heard of schools not being able to get enough desks or blackboards for a classroom or not being able to get their fifty year old library renovated. In our ED 100 class this semester we talked a lot about inequalities and the major issues that have negatively affected schooling, and I personally think this is one of the biggest ones. I also plan on comparing the US educational system with the European one (the one most prevalent in the countries if the European Union). By comparing and contrasting the two systems (since I myself have a first-hand experience of what it is like to attend a public and private school abroad, their differences there compared to here), I might be able to come up with some solutions, that I believe could eventually solve this issue and slowly but effectively gap public and private education so that all students, no matter their economic or societal background are able to enjoy the same educational opportunities. 

Sunday, April 13, 2014

The grand finale-Summing it all up!

While going over my blogs, I managed to make a significant assessment of the many different things we managed to accomplish, as a class in our introduction to education class this semester with Dr. Shutkin. I feel that it is necessary to mention, that everything I learned this semester, was achieved due to the teamwork within our class. The in class conversations we had, the field trips we took and generally the cooperation between myself and my classmates in a multitude of different projects was what contributed to this attained knowledge of mine. Had I worked alone, I wouldn't have been able to achieve as much as I have in this class. 
In my blogs I specifically focused on referring back to the readings and in class conversations on specific educational topics, while also introducing certain  personal experiences throughout my schooling. I felt that it was necessary to include my own personal experiences from school back in Greece but also here in the United States for two specific reasons: 1) because by analyzing my own experiences and looking back into the past, it was much easier for me to grasp the full meaning of the material covered in class and 2) so that my fellow classmates, and anyone else who would be interested in reading my blogs, could have a better understanding of my educational background, of my position on certain topics and also my personal ideology when it comes to certain aspects or factors connected to the educational world. I wanted people to understand where I came from, and how the views I may have, that could be differentiated from theirs are directly connected to my past experiences. 
The blogs my classmates and I posted, were a great opportunity to reflect on everyday class activities, but also show how well we understood either an assigned reading, our daily lectures, or generally the way things work in modern day education. I was truly shocked to find out how many different elements and different views and opinions characterize modern day education, from the way students are taught, to the way teachers teach, schools are set up, and the way society has managed, over the years, to either effectively or ineffectively impact the educational world. Topics like the banking concept of education were completely new to me ( I had never heard of it before), however I managed to learn a lot about it and the effect it can have on students. I talked about the detrimental effects of racism in schools, bullying, and how societies play a great role in contributing for the betterment of their schools. Negative and positive factors, were all mentioned in my blogs, and I would argue for or against them in almost every blog. I managed to visit numerous American schools (Elementary, high school) and I tried, as best I could, to point out what I liked and disliked from these observations, the similarities and differences between these schools and the schools I attended back in Greece, or the educational systems in general. I won't lie, some of the topics we analyzed seemed rather boring, others extremely interesting, however looking back at my blogs now, I see that all of these topics we read about in our books or analyzed via our in class conversations were mandatory in shaping our character, and preparing us as possible future teachers.
Being a part-time teacher myself, I know that I will eventually look back to the blogs I posted in order to get information, and I think that's the most important thing. That these blogs contain significant general information but also personal information and experiences that are connected to each other, and helped me understand what education is really about, and how I, as an individual will be able to tackle certain topics or situations that will rise in my career.   

To Teach- William Ayers Chapter 7 'The Mystery of Teaching'

"GREATNESS IN TEACHING, TOO, REQUIRES A SERIOUS ENCOUNTER WITH AUTOBIOGRAPHY. WHO ARE YOU? HOW DID YOU COME TO TAKE ON YOUR OWN VIEWS AND OUTLOOKS? WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU TO BE 6? WHERE ARE YOU HEADING? OF ALL THE KNOWLEDGE TEACHERS NEED TO DRAW ON, SELF-KNOWLEDGE IS MOST IMPORTANT". (Ayers, pg.97)  

These five lines above, from page 97 of William Ayers' book, struck me the most, as I mentioned in our class discussion, when analyzing chapter 7. The author here  states something extremely important, that I myself have come to understand about myself, being a part time teacher. Self-reflection, a look into my own past, my own experiences as a student in the educational world, has helped me understand my eight and nine year old students to a great extent. I can relate to them. And being able to relate to your students I believe is not only the hardest task of all, but also the most important one. Familiarization and acceptance of a teacher from his students can effectively only happen, if that teacher is aware of his own past, his own personality/character and what he wishes to achieve in his classroom. Personal goals coincide with the students' goals, and are so deeply connected and relative to each other, that, if both are not accomplished simultaneously, the teacher can fail in passing on the knowledge he wishes to pass and will completely lose that connection he wants to have with his students. For example, I teach my elementary students Greek every weekend.  It is a foreign language to them, as they are all raised in the US and attend American schools. I have been an elementary student myself in the past, and every day I go to class to teach, or every time I make a remark or a comment, or assign homework or do an art project with them, I try to relate to my students as best as I can, by recalling my own personal experience of that age. And it is extremely helpful. I feel as if they know that, and it makes them happy and pleased. Only by conducting my own personal autobiography and fully understanding  my own aims and goals (what I wish to achieve not only in the classroom, but in my everyday life, as an individual) am I able to teach. I not only believe, but I know, from my multiple teachers in the past, but also from myself, that a teacher who lacks self knowledge, is not a teacher. If I don't know who I am as a person, how can I expect to guide my students in the right path, essentially helping them understand who they are and who they will become? 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The "GOOD" School- Fact or Fiction?

What is a good school for me may not be a good school for any of my fellow classmates or friends. The characteristics that define a "good" school for me are different than those that define the "good" schools of others. So can any educational institution  be truly defined as being "good" or "bad"? I personally believe that every school has both positive and negative characteristics that define it, and an attempt to create a school based on the "Utopian model"  is not only impossible but completely unnecessary as well. In order to further support my opinion I would like to present certain characteristics from my high school and my university and by comparing and contrasting them show how: a) there is no one "good" school and there can never be b) schools are both different and the same in many different ways and c) the implementation of my ideas for what would be my "good" or "perfect" school is impossible. Some of my ideas may sound interesting and could even be possibly implemented, however some others I am certain would face opposition as they serve my personal wants and desires that are probably different than those of others. I feel that both my high school back in Greece and the university that I attend here in the United States are "good" ones (whatever that is supposed to mean!). My high school back home was private, had excellent facilities, I had excellent teachers, many of which,  shaped the person that I am and guided me towards the educational tract that I am following today. It was also backed up by a very strong and successful community that wanted to make sure that students and school remained in high standards. However, the curriculum was much too difficult, we covered a variety of classes throughout my years there, most of which were difficult to follow and do well in, there were teachers who I felt weren't teaching me appropriately and as effectively I would have liked and the athletics department was rather unorganized, something that personally upset me. The same goes with my university. I have excellent, engaging teachers, I am really enjoying the curriculum so far and all the classes I am taking are really fascinating and I believe I am doing well in them. People have embraced me as a person and the foreign culture I brought with me, I have many friends and I enjoy being here thoroughly. The facilities here at John Carroll University are exquisite as well and I like the fact that the religion aims and ideological background of this institution is a part of everyday life here in campus. But, just as my high school, John Carroll, has some things that I don't like or necessarily agree with. I am sure the same can be said about any single school on this planet. But, the things that I perceive as being negative, that I may personally think affect the lives of students here in a bad way and should be changed, someone else may not agree on. The ideas I have for example that I believe could turn John Carroll University into a "good" institution and separate it from the "bad" ones, could be the exact opposite for some other student studying here. Therefore I strongly disagree with labeling a school or institution as being "good" or "bad". They are both good and bad, effective and ineffective, serve certain of my needs and others they don't. The important question that should be asked is whether I feel contempt here as an individual student. If I am satisfied with the positives, and these positives outrun the negatives, then I can say that I am happy, satisfied as an individual, and the institution I belong to can assist me in achieving my future goals. So this notion of a "good" school for me is a fallacy and a misinterpretation. The place I go to be educated, to socialize and to become a mature adult ready to tackle the modern society should not be good or bad and cannot be good or bad, it is impossible as it incorporates a little bit of both. So the "GOOD" school that some people may believe to exist is, according to my argument above, an educational and societal inaccuracy. 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

To Teach- William Ayers Chapter 4 'Building Bridges'

"THE BRIDGE FROM CHILDHOOD IS LONG AND COMPLEX, BUILT BLOCK BY BLOCK" 

This quote from Chapter 4 struck me because it cannot be true enough, and directly relates to every individual's life and his/her process of maturing and becoming an adult, a functional, independent and competent member of society. People say that children have brains like sponges, they absorb everything they see and hear from their surroundings and the people closest to them from infancy, and form their character accordingly. There is a process however through which this happens. An infant must get the appropriate examples from his parents in order to become a capable toddler, then be introduced to the stage of early childhood, adolescence, young adulthood etc. until he becomes an actual independent adult. The blocks that this quote talks about must be laid out accordingly in order for this to happen and ensure that the individual develops properly. It starts at home from the parents, who raise the child from day one, and provide it with the necessary "tools" in order for it to survive and grow and satisfy its everyday needs. So initially the close family environment plays a detrimental role in making sure this happens, there is no question about that. What baby can survive without immediate care, love and affection? However, the next step of familiarization with larger societal groups and establishment within a larger human environment would be schooling. From preschool  up until college, the schooling system and the individuals that make it up (teachers, students etc.), in combination with life at home provide each individual with the "building blocks" he needs in order to mature appropriately. If you think about it, teachers are like our second parents and our school has forever been like our second home. Almost half of our days from about age four are passed within the school walls. And there is a reason for that. Our teachers are there to help us use our "blocks" appropriately  so that when the time comes, the structure we've built with the blocks will a) not collapse and b) help us move forward in life. People sometimes tend to forget what an important role teachers have, and how careful they have to be to ensure that they help their students develop so that they can one day become successful members of the harsh society that they will have to enter. From the moment a preschool teacher tells a child not to pull on his friend's hair, to the moment a first grade teacher shows someone what it means to spell out a word and make a sentence by combining these words to the college professor who talks about finance, or biology or literature, every one of these lessons is there to serve the ultimate purpose. Of bridging the gap between childhood and adulthood. It is funny to think about it, but a teacher's job is very delicate. Instead of having one child or two children at home to give "building blocks" to, he must give the necessary "building blocks" to new children he must familiarize with every year. And that must be scary, because a teacher is who these children, who are trying to cross the long and complex bridge of life, always look up to and trust, for some things even more than their own parents. I know I have, and I am sure at some point in their lives everyone has to some greater or lesser extent. The teacher thus, must be careful, help the child build his bridge just like the parent does. They work together in a way. But, as I previously said (and as the quote says) the blocks have to be laid out very carefully and delicately, or else the bridge may collapse. 

Monday, March 10, 2014

Orange High School-AP Euro Class

At Orange High School I was placed in Mr. Chordas' 10th grade AP Euro Class (Advanced Placement European History Class). Being a history major myself, with area of concentration being European history I think they placed me in the best possible class which i found to be very interesting and I must admit I got carried away. The topic of the class discussion for the day (which lasted almost two hours) was trench warfare in the European battlegrounds of World War I. When I entered the classroom the discussion had already started. There were two groups of students sitting at opposing sides of the classroom facing each other. Half the students on the one side and half the students on the other side (on the east and west sides of the classroom). The teacher's desk was close to the southern wall of the classroom and then there was one more desk in the opposite direction (northern side of the classroom) where the group discussion leader for the day sat and basically "taught" his class. So basically everyone could see everyone. Everyone was facing each other. The classroom was decorated with different historic artwork from the students and other students who took history there. Everything from pictures of the US presidents and small descriptions of them, a timeline of World War II battles and main events, quotes from Mahatma Ghandhi, pictures of Ancient Greek and Chinese historic sites and the terracotta soldiers in the forbidden city in Beijing. A true history classroom! 
The classroom had about sixteen students in total who paid close attention to their fellow classmate attempting to ask them questions concerning their previous day homework readings and their in class conversation on World War I. One of the opening questions made from the student who was the "lecturer" for the day was: " How do you define glory?" and then " To some, being within the trench was described as a living hell. What is your own personal "hell"?" I could tell that the questions were specifically given by the teacher to the students to prepare at home for two purposes: a) so they can obviously get familiar with the kind of life soldiers and civilians in Europe were facing during the First World War and b) to get them to relate to this historic past through their own personal experiences of every day life. For example one student replied that she is frightened of cramped spaces, because she is claustrophobic. She also said that she is afraid of the sight of blood. The teacher immediately told her that the French, British and German troops fighting in battles like Ypres and the Somme had to live in tiny, narrow trenches for months, were dead bodies would rot next to them for days and days, were sanitation was horrific and soldiers would get sick from infections. He also told her that it was impossible for the to leave that place, because the moment they stuck their head out of the trench a bullet was most likely to take it off. I thought it was fascinating how the questions proposed by the teacher concerning trench warfare in World War I were introduced in such as a way so as to help the students relate them too their own personal life and experiences. 
So, the student at the one desk facing the others would ask questions and he would choose his classmates who raised their hand to respond. Having a friend and classmate of their own age asking the question, I believe was motivation for the students, who ALL responded at some time during the class, and did not feel intimated or worried of making a mistake. The teacher, on the opposing side of the room, was kind of the moderator of the conversation that took part, would state his opinion on occasion and also would show some pictures of the war and of the battlegrounds on the classroom screen while the conversation continued and changed topic or area of historic interest. The teacher in a way was a student, and would even occasionally ask his student who was the lecturer for the day answer one of his questions, and he raised his hand as well! He became a part of the class, and I thought that was excellent, and motivated his students very much, making them feel like his equals in class rather than his "subordinates". And I could tell the students were learning the material from their enthusiasm in wanting to answer the questions. 
There were a couple of negatives that I would like to point out from my observation. The first was that the class was way too long (almost two hours!), to the point that it made it tiring even for me, and I could tell after the first hour the enthusiasm started to deteriorate and the students started talking to each other and lost interest. It is hard talking about trenches in World War I for two hours. The teacher should have either given them a small break, shown them a video or some fun pictures from the war, or just changed the subject. The conversation although very interesting, was just a bit unnecessarily long. the other thing I noticed was despite his excellent technique of making the actual students run the class discussion and it was successful to a good extent, he himself was a little too distant and quiet, which is part of the reason I believe he followed this technique. He would sit at his desk, stood up once the whole time to fix his computer, asked a couple of questions or gave a couple of instructions and that was it. I personally believe in the enthusiasm of the teacher. I feel it is more motivating when the teacher talks more, and makes jokes, and is an actual part of the lesson. I feel that the teacher can and to some extent should come down to the level of the students and not be intimidating to them, but it should also be evident that HE is the instructor as well. 
In general though it was a very interesting and unique experience for me to visit class (especially a history class!) in an American high school, and I could definitely in the future see myself having a class like that of my own. The students were very respectful, interested, and made excellent historic observations, and I myself enjoyed seeing them fascinated by some of the things I myself have been fascinated with for a very long time.  

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Banking Education-Paulo Freire

For our previous class on February 25th, we were instructed to read chapter 8 in the Educational Foundations boo, which primarily discussed and argued against a very new and unique educational subject called "Banking Education". Now from my understanding of the reading and our intense fifty minute talk in class, banking education is seen as a negative approach of teaching students, and is highly structured upon the idea that the student sits at his desk, keeps his eyes wide open for hours, looks at the authoritative figure who feeds him and feeds him information of his liking (which could be anything, but since he is the teacher it must be something important), and then expects the student to receive the information, accept it, memorize it, prove his success in doing so, stand up and leave. When I see or hear "Banking Education" all I can say is "Another Brick in the Wall"! That song by Pink Floyd and the awesome video clip that we saw in class, shows how education is in a sense a "laboratory", feeding the minds of children with anything and everything at the same time, regulating their lives and ignoring their own personal opinion,  basically turning them into little manufactured robots that learn to do whatever they are told, respect whoever they are told to respect, and say whatever they are told to say. Students are oppressed are oppressed and need to break free. They need to go beyond taking in information and memorizing it because authority tells them to do so. They need to explore and question in order to learn properly. Paul Freire, the author, fights against this "Banking Education" notion within the educational field by promoting a bit of his own experience within the text. His Brazilian background suggests how education should not be a form of oppression but rather a form of liberation for the masses. Just as any dictatorial regime is condemned for denying people their democratic freedoms and overthrow them (as happened in Brazil), in the same way students should be able to overthrow the "Banking Concept" which oppresses and dictates their life within education. 

Beachwood Middle School

Our class field/observation trip to Beachwood middle school, was very interesting, however left me with mixed feelings upon my return to campus. First of all, I must admit, that the staff at the school was very helpful and welcoming and the facilities incredible. I don't think that in my life I have ever seen a school so modern, and so highly technologically equipped with such a multitude of educational tools. That was incredible! However, it made me think of the inequality in the educational system here in the United States. How schools that are located in wealthy neighborhoods are able to enjoy such luxuries, whereas other schools located in East Cleveland and down in the inner city, need to beg for equipment every year because they can't afford it. Anyhow, I attended two different classes during our trip, and was paired up with two friends and classmates, Ally Klimko and Katie Cavassini. The first class we visited and had the opportunity to observe was a seventh grade social studies class (I myself am a history major so I was lucky to be able to observe a class). This class relied a lot upon the use of modern technology and optioacoustic media during the lesson. The teacher sat behind his desk in the far left corner of the class, while the students, backs facing to him, where constantly either on their laptops or staring directly at a huge screen on the front wall of the class. The lesson we saw was about life in the middle ages. The kids were learning about castles, and fortresses, knights, kings and queens, peasants, armor, how houses and towns were built in the 1200's etc. A very interesting topic that I loved to learn about in junior high school myself. They all had blogs, similar to what we have in our ED 100 class, and every day, for homework, had to answer a series of questions posted on the class web page by their teacher, in their own blog so the whole class could see what they answered. They also had to conduct their own research on the web, downloading pictures and music and incorporating them within their blogs. There was also something like a chat, where they could ask questions to their professor if they needed to, or if they struggled with their homework. The kids watched a lot of videos in class, and listened to medieval music in order to get deeper into the concept. Don't get me wrong in any way, the teacher in the class had done impressive work, using technology as a primary tool of teaching these twelve and thirteen year-olds history. It was amazing to see these kids so familiar with everything, simultaneously working on their laptops, typing, listening, answering questions, having their little passwords, and email addresses and usernames was unbelievable. At age twelve, they probably know how to use a computer better than I do and that was impressive. However, and this didn't strike me until after a couple of days, I personally think it was a little too intense. I myself, prefer the traditional way combined with a modern way of teaching my students. Standing up in front of them, never sitting down, reading to them from an actual book, not from some website while they can't see me. I feel it is necessary for the student to have a clear view of the teacher while he is receiving information. I use technology as well, when I teach my kids. I show them videos and play music for them so that they can get used to the Greek language. However I do it sporadically, because I feel that there should be a limit with everything including technology. I am not a fan of the fact, that in ten years as estimates prove, kids won't need books or notebooks anymore, everything will be done electronically. I believe that it is important, if not crucial, that the students interact with each other and the teacher, and not just stare at their laptops or at a big screen. We were there for roughly an hour, and more than 75% of class time was attributed to lecture via a computer screen. I feel that kids need both, and need to be balanced out and that a teacher should always be facing them. I also didn't feel like the teacher was very approachable and it was hard asking him questions and concerns about how the class is taught.
The next class we visited was a reading and writing class. The teacher who was a woman, was very welcoming and explained to us in detail how she teaches and structures her classroom. First of all, the kids (again seventh grade I believe), were all sitting in a big square of desks, and they could all see each other. I think that is very important. Then each student would be assigned a reading, or a character in the story, which he/she practiced at home, and then read to the rest of the class. While we  were there they were reading a story about a family celebrating Hanukkah and having guests over. The kids all respected the boy who was the narrator, and the rest of the students who were assigned to read for the day. They all had books in front of them, however there was also a big screen were the reading was also visible in case someone left their book at home. That was very smart, as young kids tend to leave their material at home very often. I am at college and still do many times as well! They all had notebooks open right by their laptops and were instructed to write down vocabulary words from the texts, and find their meaning. The teacher said she focused a lot on their writing skills, and had them writing a lot of essays and comprehension questions at home, due to the fact that exams, as she said are becoming more and more difficult and competitive. Compared to the other class the students were a little louder and talked to each other, but for me personally it is more pleasurable seeing them interact with each other, and laugh a little and giggle than be focused on their laptops the whole time. In general I have to admit, that this was a great experience for me and would again like to thank Beachwood Middle School for letting us visit them and observe, and also Dr. Shutkin for arranging the trip. I would definitely consider visiting the school again and possibly observing another one of their classes just for fun. 

Sunday, February 23, 2014

LGBT

LGBT COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

During my high school years in Greece there was never an organized LGBT community that I encountered or knew about. It was a concept and organization that I encountered for the first time here in the United States when I came for college. Honestly, it is still something I am not completely familiar with. I would like to elaborate on my own personal experience in Greece. I had a couple of good friends who were openly homosexual and I can never really say that, within my own school, I ever noticed anyone discriminating against them or treating them in a disrespectful way. I was actually very proud of my school (staff and students) for the way they never excluded people based on ethnicity, religion or sexual preference. Racism was looked down upon from everybody, and there was always severe condemnation by the majority of students, if someone was in any way mistreated. I feel though, that had there been an actual LGBT community at my high school back home, it would've been even better for them, as I feel any group within a school environment, is capable of producing something positive. Whether that be informing the public on specific issues or topics, supporting other societal groups, volunteering or conducting  fundraising activities. Like I said previously, I have had gay friends that I spent a time with in high school and were genuinely some of the greatest individuals I have ever met. I would like to conclude this blog post of mine with something a good friend of mine once told me back home and I will never forget. He was not gay, however we were out one night and had a conversation about the way homosexuals are mistreated and discriminated against all over the world, in some cases even humiliated in the most grotesque ways possible. He literally said:  "Whatever one wants to do in their own bed and own home is absolutely none of my business, and whether straight or gay I really wouldn't like to know either! As long as they are nice to me and treat me well and with respect, I will do the same". I couldn't agree more with him, and what he said that day is something I have come to live by. 

Monday, February 17, 2014

Institutional Racism

INSTITUTIONAL RACISM FROM MY POINT OF VIEW

The topic of institutional racism is a very sensitive one. Therefore I feel it is better if I talk about it via my own personal experience, so that people can begin to understand that it is something evident all over the world, in different societies and cultures. Since institutional racism is something that it derived from a group of people rather than an individual, I would like to bring forth a personal experience of mine from back home. This example may not be directly linked to the educational world however it shows us how it is possible for racism to culminate in areas (such as schools) where large masses gather and can directly influence each other. The institutional racism I would like to talk about relates directly to the political life of Greece which has been extremely turbulent, due to the financial crisis the country has been facing since 2009. Fears of economic collapse, deterioration of the public sector and a corrupt political system that governed the country for almost three decades, caused people to eventually seek solutions in the extremist, radical parties, that they believed could help them overcome their current economic issues and secure the future of the country which had been completely undermined and humiliated. The political instability and societal anarchy brought forth the birth of a political party, called "Golden Dawn", that belongs to the extreme right, supporting ultra nationalistic ideologies that can be directly linked to neo-fascism. Members of this political party would literally hunt down illegal immigrants in big Greek cities in their attempt to "purify" the nation of all those they deemed undesirable. And yet, despite their extremist mentality which obviously promotes racist ideologies (even though they try to conceal it in numerous ways), they have managed not only to gather significant support (in the 2009 elections they managed to attain 10% of the popular vote and thus 10 seats in the Hellenic Parliament), but people now see them as the norm. It is truly incredible!  A political party, fundamentally neo-fascist, supporting ideologies and mentalities that some people over seventy years ago used to conquer the world, murdering millions of people, has become a commonality, a social norm. And this is where I connect it to other incidents of institutional racism, that have ceased in many cases to be evident, because they have been going on for so long, that people have learnt to accept them and see them as something normal so either ignore them completely or completely fail to acknowledge them in fear that they might change the society that we are use to. As if we live in a utopia! I used this extreme example of social institutional racism to prove the point that, even sometimes, the more extreme cases of racism can easily become a part of our every day culture and society to the point where we completely neglect to see it. If history has taught us one thing, it is that institutional racism is something that has existed always, subconsciously as a part of a human society where inequality and indifference are two main characteristics.   

Monday, February 3, 2014

Mercer Elementary School



First time I ever visited an American Elementary school and was fascinated by the way it differs in many ways to my experience from Elementary schools in Greece. I didn't think the school was too large, and its architectural style was similar to the schools we have back home. Classrooms evenly spread out in long corridors of the three story building, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, an auditorium, music room etc. Very similar I believe to most elementary schools one person should find in any European country. However what I did like and noticed, was the way in which the corridors and the doors to the classrooms were decorated with the artwork, and essays, and other multiple achievements of the students. Me and my partner Kevin, who was my buddy for the day, thought that that was very interesting and motivating, something that both of us hadn't experienced growing up in Europe (my friend Kevin is from France). I think it gives the students a) a feeling of belonging, a place were they all contribute to make look nice with their projects and b) makes the school look like a fun and colorful place, which I believe motivates children of that age (and any age really) very much. The school library was appropriately set up, with its little tables and chairs, motivational posters with kids' heroes like Harry Potter for example hanging up on the walls. Multiple bookshelves with many books for all ages surrounded the desk area, where the children knew that they were not supposed to be loud in order to respect each other and us, the visitors of their school while we were talking to their Principle. My friend Kevin and I walked around for a bit, looking into classrooms and then decided to enter a third grade classroom on the upper floor where the kids were sitting in their desks practicing reading, math and spelling. We sat down on a small table that was right across from the teacher's large desk in the one corner of the room. The desks of the children were connected and formed a large square that took up most of the classroom. We observed the setting of the classroom first of all. Large and colorful posters, drawings, tests and papers decorated the walls. There were many books on the bookshelves, and many magazines as well and three computers on the one side of the room behind the desks, where some students where solving math problems.
 The environment of the classroom I strongly believe is highly motivational. By promoting their artwork, or tests, or "golden stars" for when they've achieved something, you make them feel welcomed, they know and appreciate that that is their classroom, their own room and space which they share with their classmates. A large blue rug and pillows where the students lay and read books. The one student was reading 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' while the teacher was helping a student with her spelling exercises. The other students were quietly either reading, or solving math problems. All of them were quiet and respected each other, I was amazed at that sight. After observing the classroom, me and Kevin decided to introduce ourselves to the class and ask them some questions. We told them about our background and they seemed very interested when we told them about where we grew up in Europe. The more we talked and asked them funny and intriguing questions the more comfortable they felt to speak with us. We talked about Greek mythology, about the Eiffel Tower and Christmas in France, and finally asked them questions about how they like school. The classes they like the most, what they find difficult, what it is like to learn Chinese and learn about other people and cultures. By the end of our conversation there was not a single child who did not have his hand up to either ask a question to me and Kevin or answer a question. Being a Greek school teacher for the past year, I have noticed that the more you make children feel comfortable of speaking with you at the same level, and make them feel as if you are not above them, but rather someone who is genuinely wanting to learn from them just as they want to learn and hear things from you, the more you will get out of them and that is the best honestly! It happens to me every time I walk into a classroom, whether mine or someone else's. And the best is, when you leave the classroom, can't ask any more questions (like me and Kevin) due to time, and you hear the children complain cause they want you to stay more and ask them more things. It was an excellent field trip all around and I want to thank Dr. Shutkin for organizing it, my classmates for coming along, and the staff at Mercer Elementary for allowing us to visit and observe their unique program (International Baccalaureate)!

First and second weeks of class...

BLOG 3

Question: " From these first two weeks in Dr. Shutkin's ED 100 class, what can you say intrigued you the most, and you considered rather encouraging in possibly pursuing a future career in teaching?" 

Answer: The readings we have covered in class so far, and especially the in-class conversations that we conduct, analyzing those readings and the messages they attempt to convey, are significantly important, in helping me grasp the concept of what it is like to teach. However, I am more of an "experience" rather than "talk" person myself, and believe that the best way to truly understand if you are fit for something or like something to the point where you could become successful in it, is if you experience it in the way the "professionals" who we look up to, experience it (by professionals I mean actual teachers). So for me the field trip we took to Mercer Elementary this past Thursday, was something significant, in that, it tested my own personality and character, in a new teaching environment for me, an actual American Elementary school which I had never been to before. I will not dig deeper into the positives and negatives of this experience, what I liked and disliked etc., but I have to admit that, out of everything we have done so far in class, this has proven to be the most beneficial for me. I feel that as is mentioned in one of our books, in order to understand that "...THE TEACHER ATTENDS TO THE STUDENTS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT GROWTH AND LEARNING..."  (Ayers pg. 26) or that "...YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT, BECAUSE SEEING IS SUBJECTIVE..." (Ayers pg.32), it's not just about talking in class, but about actually going out there and seeing how and if appealing quotes like the ones above actually and effectively apply to the actual world of teaching and education. It's one thing sharing experiences in class, another thing living actual teaching experiences and different combining the two together for a complete and positive result. How would I have been able to talk about what I think of teaching had I not experienced it first hand by teaching Greek to eight year-olds on weekends or by visiting Mercer Elementary on Thursday and talking  with the youngsters there? It would be impossible, which is why I hope excursions like the one on Thursday continue. For me at least, the readings would be nothing had I not been able to combine the readings with the actual experiences and I hope Dr. Shutkin keeps it going that way. 

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

At the airport...

Wednesday 29 January, 2014

BLOG POST 2


Greetings to my fellow classmates and professor and apologies for this late post!! I finally managed to make it to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, thanks to my friend Svetlana who drove me there! Together we were able to make our observations of the people who had just begun to arrive. We got to the airport at 6 pm, and sat in a small lounge in the main entrance, right behind the United Airlines check-in desks, as there was a late evening flight departing for New York (JFK) and it was the only area of the airport that was actually busy. The other airline desks were either closed or not as busy. Here is a detailed list of the rather interesting observations we made of the passengers who were checking in their bags and printing their tickets. Due to my hurry, to write the information down I included observations and interpretations together. Hope it's not too hard to follow through my notes!

NIKOS:

  1. Passengers mostly males, travelling independently. Majority are middle aged, late thirties, early forties and fifties.
  2. Most have a single piece of luggage (carry-on), probably going to New York for business rather than a vacation or a long stay.
  3. Men look very serious and agitated, whereas women in line seem a little more energetic, either talking on their phones, or to other women next to them. 
  4. I-phones and I-pads, almost every person has one in their hands. Texting, calling, playing, listening to music etc.
  5. Blue jeans for most of them, suggesting a casual way of travelling. Women a little fancier dressed than men. Men wearing tennis shoes or casual business shoes, women boots. 
  6. Two security men dressed in blue talking to each other in the front of the line. Look rather tired and don't look at each other while talking.
  7. Men and women have black suitcases, some have brown, two little girls are carrying back packs. 
  8. Most people seem to be calmly waiting in line, but most don't have any intriguing expressions on their faces.


SVETLANA:
  1. Men look serious, are carrying briefcases or very fancy carry-on bags. 
  2. Airport seems very quiet, people aren't talking while waiting in line. Late evening flight, terrible weather, must be tired.
  3. Cute little girls, with pony-tails talking to each other and laughing.
  4. Woman in beige Burberry coat talking on her cell-phone while leaning on her suitcase. 
  5. Two students wearing glasses, one is wearing a New York Yankees hoodie and Nike tennis-shoes.  
  6. Tall man wearing long coat, blue jeans and a cap. He is holding a black Samsonite overnight bag on his shoulder  Must be in his late fifties, waits in the express line, must be wealthy or a business man who travels a lot. 
  7. Three United Airlines desks are open, the rest are closed. 
  8. Women don't seem as frustrated as the men waiting in line and seem a little more cheerful. 
  9. Only a couple of women seem to be travelling alone, the rest are either with another adult or a child (or children). 
  10. Coffee in man's hand and newspaper on top of his carry on. 
  11. Fluorescent lights on marble floor and carpeting in front of desks. 

From these random but interesting observations I managed to understand two things: 1) that Svetlana paid more attention to detail, especially when it has to do with nice clothes (I can't believe she actually saw that the jacket of one of the women was Burberry!!) and 2) Svetlana (and I don't think that this has anything to do with gender) paid a little more attention to the surroundings as well, rather than solely on the people that were waiting in line. We set a time limit of ten minutes for observations and another ten minutes to write down what we remembered and above you may see some of the bizarre things we paid attention to. I must admit though, that despite that we did have many differences in the things and specific details that each of us paid attention to, we did have some things in common. For example, the mood that we detected in the people's  faces who were waiting in line, their posture, the type of luggage they were carrying etc. What I think differentiated our observations, is the fact that we are different genders, and of course the fact that she is intrigued when she goes to airports (she doesn't travel often) and pays attention to details as she likes it. I've been on airplanes more times than I can remember, travelling back and forth to Europe, so for me it's something common that I don't really notice the small details any more, at least not as much as she does, as you can tell from our notes above.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY POST!!!










Tuesday, January 21, 2014

CLASS SURVEY

CLASS SURVEY
 
1) I prefer to be called Nikos.
 
2) Nestorio, Kastoria, Western Macedonia, Greece.
 
3) Junior history major, art history minor at John Carroll University, would like to teach at the college level.
 
4) I was born in the United States to parents of Greek origin. I was raised in the city of Thessaloniki in the region of Macedonia in Northern Greece, and came to Cleveland specifically for college. I am very passionate about history (any history really!), but more specifically focus on late Medieval and Renaissance European history. I have been involved in politics, and apart from history my other ultimate passions would be European football (soccer) which I have been playing since a very young age, and travelling. I have a younger sister who studies in Columbus, Ohio, and my family is spread between the United States and Greece.
 
5) For me, it is important to get to know my fellow peers in class. I feel that the better I get to know them the more comfortable I feel expressing my ideas to them in class. I feel the same way about my Professor. The better I get to know him and understand him the better I will feel communicating with him in class. I don't mind expressing my ideas, as long as I feel that they will be received with respect from my classmates and my Professor.
 
6) As a student I always enjoying participating in class discussions. If I don't do that I feel that lectures can sometimes be very monotonous and frustrating, which is why I like that we sit in a circle, everyone can see everyone and the Professor encourages us to talk and voice out our opinion. I try to make it to class at the right time everyday, and try not to procrastinate when I have assignments that have to be completed. However, sometimes, I do leave things for the last minute (homework especially!) and struggle to finish them in time, or end up staying up very late. I very much like the lectures we have been having in class so far, and I feel it's important that the teacher isn't the only one talking, but that the students feel that they can also contribute to the class. I have trouble focusing in class sometimes when I am seated for a very long time (classes that exceed an hour) and kind of lose my track of thought. I also tend to forget important things sometimes which is why I constantly need to be taking notes. It is imperative that I meet with my Professor outside class at least once a month, to make sure that I am on the right track and to have him address specific issues that could be troubling me in class.
 
7) Having been raised in a foreign country, I feel that my educational experiences as a student differ from my peers in class. I went to a public school from pre-kindergarten to elementary, and then from junior-high school till I graduated I went to a Greek-American private high school in my city. The amount of work in junior high-school and high-school was I believe unnecessarily difficult. Our final  examinations would last for four weeks, and in tenth grade for example, I had to take seventeen different exams, each for a specific school subject I was taught throughout the year. Most of the material covered was similar to what I am being taught here in college my junior year. I have been adequately prepared I believed, but that system was extremely stressful. Elementary was different, and our teachers were harsh on us. I had a second, third and fourth grade teacher (the same one for three consecutive years) who would regularly beat us on an every day basis. It was the norm back then so we couldn't really do or say anything, since the law didn't prohibit it. It was considered to be a tool of training the youth to be respectful towards their instructors and organized in their work. So I assume a very different experience than most individuals here in the United States.
 
8) For me some of the most important elements that concern me when it comes to education and teaching, would be the motivation behind doing so. If in fact today teachers do it because they really want to teach, and motivate young students or because of financial reasons and any other benefits. Or if it's simply a combination of both. I feel that every individual should never be denied the opportunity to be educated, and that education is the most important factor that will shape a young person's life, so society should place the greatest emphasis on it. It is detrimental that  the educational system of today satisfies the need for personal growth and knowledge of every individual. There should be no economic or political "games" when it comes to educating the masses. Education should always be at the top of the priority list to every government and every society around the world,. and global education even much more so.
 
9) Professor Shutkin, in all your years of being a teacher, do you think you could share with us one of your most important life changing experiences in the field? Something that made you think or see things about the people you taught in a different way that you hadn't noticed before? Thank you.