Why I Want to Be A Teacher

* I wrote this  after graduating from high school in 2005. I'm working on an updated "Why I Want to be a Teacher" to  analyze my growth from high school.

Everyone has a dream, an aspiration to make a difference, and mine is to be a teacher. I want to teach the art of language and literature at the secondary level, and it is my opinion and belief that every student has the potential to excel in these fields of studies. It would be a tremendous honor and challenge for me to help guide them along the way.

I have aspired to be a teacher since grade school. I was lucky enough to have teachers who left imprints on my life that taught me not only about the academics, but also about morals such as character, determination, teamwork, and commitment; all of which are important to me today. I hope to instill these morals in my students because they will be able to apply them both inside and outside of the English classroom. Along with writing and grammar skills, students will be spending a lot of time discussing and comprehending (together) the meanings of stories and poems. Knowing the symbolisms of works of literature will bring students to a higher level of understanding and appreciation for the material, and will be working closely with their peers. I plan to create a learning environment where my students will feel comfortable with the material being taught and enjoy it at the same time.

I want to teach not only because of my passion for the English language and the beauty and art that is literature, but to help young adolescents understand the meanings beyond the book. Although reading and writing call for mechanics, there is also a lot of room for creativity. It is so important to encourage students’ thoughts and ideas so that they are challenged to think for themselves instead of quoting from the text. As a result, it becomes a fun learning experience for everyone. To me, learning should be fun; not fun and games, but fun in a way that motivates students to want to learn. Anyone can read out of a textbook and assign the various exercises, but a teacher, a good teacher, will go beyond the curriculum to give her students as much knowledge and insight as she possibly can. This is my goal. I have heard about the pure joy and feeling of ecstasy that comes from seeing your students succeed, and that is definitely something that inspires me to be a teacher. 

My First Observation as an Education Major at U.O.G.

Here it is!

There's More to Technology Than Google and MySpace!

I have always considered myself to be a "decent" computer, internet, multimedia user, and when I registered for this course, I figured that it would be relatively similar to what I always do at home. When I thought of "integrating technology in the classroom," I naively thought of PowerPoint, email, and YouTube videos. This course has showed me just how "un-techy savvy" I am. Thanks to this course, I am a just a tiny bit more knowledgeable about what it truly means to incorporate in the classroom.

MOODLE

I Love the Moodle! In toher classes, we keep in touch with each other via email and forwards to the entire class. However, the MOODLE tool is so efficient and effective in that it provides direct contact to the teacher, and to every one else in the class individually. It is almost like a giant bulletin board of upcoming events and assignments, an email service, a discussion board, a blog center, and a multimedia presentation maker at the same time. I am so impressed with its capabilities and am seriously considering using it for my future teaching career. 5/5

Firefox

Again, I have learned that I don't know have as much about multimedia and internet services as I thought. I am part of the large popuilation of people who are disappointed with Internet Explorer yet still use it. I have heard of Firefox and its faster, more reliable services, but never took the whole 2 minutes to see for myself how much improved it is. Thanks to Firefox, I will never use Internet Explorer again; it's not worth wasting my time and frustration :) Because Firefox has proved so useful, I also looked for other web browsers and found that Opera is extremely efficient as well. Very fast, I love the speed dial feature, and it's pretty. 5/5

del.icio.us

Delicious is an awesme tool for keeping track of research, of favorite websites and videos, and it saves space in my "My Documents" file. When doing research, I usually save whole pages to my computer and then waste time looking and sorting through them later on. With Delicious, I can access the site on the spot by looking at the description of it and the date I saved it. I have used it a lot this semester for research in other classes as well. It's great. However, because I am not used to using it (first time user), I had a hard time learning its other features (bundles and such). It's fine now. 4/5

Google Suites

As much as I have used google for email, for researching projects, and looking up pictures for presentations, I had no idea that it could do more than that. I enjoy blogging, and Google's blogger feature allows for a lot of creativity (links, videos, pictures, etc) and it's very easy to use. My favorite Google Suite, however, is Google Groups. I'm used to networking through myspace, email, and msn messenger, but none of them allow changes to occur in real time. I really appreciate its ability for users to input new information, pose questions to other members, and edit work without waiting for a replied email. 5/5

Isleuth

I have started using Isleuth's seach engine instead of Google and Yahoo because even though there are not as many hits, they are very relevant to the searches I make. In addition to relevance, I have also found articles and websites in Isleuth that do not show up in Google, which then give its users an upper hand in terms of "new information." 4/5

Synthasite

I am a "ready-made" kind of person, in terms of creating websites, simply because I am not familiar with the technicalities. Synthasite is a website-builder that makes web building easy, colorful, and fun. I have used it for a few assignments, and found it to be very efficient. It does not load as quickly as other web-builders, but it allows for so many other application that make up for it. 4/5

Authorstream

I really like using Authorstream because it nakes it so eas to upload videos into an online presentation without the hassle of encoding and embedding URLs, etc. In many presentations, I have a separate window open for videos because it was too much of a hassle for me to include it in the original presentation. However, Authorstream allows me to put it directly to websites, other online presentations, without any hassle. 5/5

Webs

This is another website builder, and while it is does not have as many applications as Synthasite (inclusing discussion groups, widgets, etc., it is very easy to use, has colorful and professional templates, and allows music to play while another is going through the website. 4/5

History in an Engilsh Class? Why not =)

I approached this multimedia lesson plan lightly, assuming that it would not be very difficult to integrate technology in my lesson and in turn, require students to complete an assignment using technology. My first thoughts were, "Teach the Parts of Speech using a PowerPoint and a School House Rock video and then have students present their own." But, that was too simple, too common, too boring. After long contemplation, I decided to give a lesson that involved a brief lesson on the Civil War, which is relevant to my subject area in that its effects strirred writers and song writer to react in the literary world and the music industry. Majority of my lessons for education courses are spefically English (grammar, writing, literature, for example), so I found it difficult yet fun and interesting to incorporate history and music in a lesson.

After figuring out how to present the lesson, I found it even harder to give an assignment in which students had to use technology other than a PowerPoint presentation to show their understanding and creativity. Because music plays such a big role in peoples' lives, I decided that a fun and different way to get students to participate was to have them make their own music, along with a music video. A problem I faced in making this lesson was that not all students are equipped with a video recorder or video makerprogram on their computers. For the sake of this lesson, my classroom was already equipped with video making materials for the students to use during class, and after school (for those who do not have these at home).

The NETS*T Standard that I thought very important in the making of this lesson plan was 3B, which is to use technology to support learner-centered strategies that address the diverse needs of students. I realize that this is a big project and not many students (especially in middle and high school) are mentally disciplined to work as hard for their grades. But, I think that because it involves music (and they can create it however they wish: rap, reggae, hip-hop, etc) there is a lot of room for creativity. This standard calls for precision on the teacher's (my) part to avoid any confusion in the students, as they will be working with their peers to complete the assignment. The project, I think, is very relevant to the subject area: students are required to use their creative writing skills and create a rendition of a song on slavery (or create their own) and then make a music video (they can dance, they can create an animated movie; whatever they like), and it will force them to use technology (which they often use for pleasure and fun) and use it for educational purposes.

The Civil War and Its Aftermath

Gettysburg Address

Click here to watch a presentation of the Gettysburg Address on YouTube!

                                          

                                              

Course: 11th Grade American Literature
Unit 3: The Civil War and Its Aftermath
 Lesson Plan: Songs About Slavery 

Time: 85 minutes; 4x4 Block Schedule
                                                               

Analyze Learners

Students are in the 11th grade and have been studying the effects of the Civil War  in the literary world.  By this time of the school year, students are familiar and comfortable with discussing and presenting in class; participation should not be a problem.  Students work well  individually and in groups (this assignment calls for group participation).

State Objectives

 By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Identify the purpose of songs during the slavery era. 
2. Identify the meaning behind certain slave songs.
3. Identify the biblical and historical backgrounds of slave songs.
4. Identify the connection between slave songs and previous lessons, especially those regarding slavery (e.g. Underground Railroad, Frederick Douglas, etc.).
5.Students will also be informed of their next project, which is to sing a slave song in a group, with their personal touches (including melodies, dance moves, costumes) added on to it, and create a music video using the class’ video recorder, and present it to their classmates.

• Students’ knowledge and comprehension of the above is expected to be 80% on a test.


Content Standards (GPSS):

Content Standard 1
1.B.11/12.2 Analyze how clarity is affected by the patterns of organization, hierarchical structures, repetition of main ideas, syntax, and word choice in text.

1.B.11/12.4 Make warranted and reasonable assertions about significant patterns, motifs, and perspectives by using elements of text to defend and clarify interpretations.

1.B.11/12.5 Analyze an author’s implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a subject.

 Content Standard 4  
4.A.11/12.7 Use appropriate rehearsal strategies to achieve command of text, skillful and artistic staging, and attention to performance details.

4.A.11/12.10 Evaluate when to use different kinds of effects (e.g., visual, music, sound effects, graphics) to create effective productions.

4.B.11/12.5 Recite poems, selections from speeches, or dramatic soliloquies with attention to performance details to achieve clarity, force, and aesthetic effect and to demonstrate understanding of meaning (e.g., Hamlet’s “To Be or Not to Be”).

Select Instructional Methods

Teaching Strategy:
In this lesson, I will use a combination of lectures, a question and answering session, as well as a multimedia presentation (playing a song) and a PowerPoint to highlight the events of the Civil War in order to present the information.

Anticipatory Set:
The setting for this lesson will be in a block schedule-style classroom, and will utilize the entire class period.

Utilize Media and Materials

 I will begin my lecture by discussing important points of the three songs of slavery that have been assigned, which include: 

 “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
 “Go Down Moses”
 “Follow the Drinking Gourd”

I will discuss, in relative detail, the purposes of songs such as these, as well as any hidden meaning that may be found within the lyrics to the song. I will also discuss how at its most general sense, slavery songs helped slaves pass the time as they labored in the fields of their masters.

Require Learner Participation

I will briefly prompt the class to offer any suggestions as to what they might think the songs mean, and I will point out any common motifs between what the students point out as well as what I point out.

During the question and answering session of the lecture, I will ask the class if they have any questions or comments about the songs that were covered, and I will attempt to answer them to the best of my knowledge. I will also provide leading questions, including “What do you think slaves meant in this song?” and questions of the kind. The question and answering session will be intertwined with the overall section, so questions and comments may be offered and entertained at any point during the lecture.

Once I feel that the class’s questions have been adequately addressed, I will then play them two versions of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” that I have in my music library. This demonstration of the two versions is intended to give the students a sense of variety of the ways in which the song has been interpreted, since this song is such a popular piece when one considers the slavery movement. Exposing the students to variant versions of the song will demonstrate to them that there is no one way to “hear” a song, and that its meaning, while clear-cut for slaves, may be totally different in today’s society.

Evaluate and Revise

Once the two songs have been played, I will then introduce the Slave Song Project (see Slave Song Project handout). The class will have the rest of the period to discuss with their group mates their ideas for the project.

Songs of Slavery Project
Objectives: In small groups, students will choose one slavery song, interpret the lyrics themselves, then “remix” the song, including in the new version any additions they see fit (e.g. different melody, reordering of the verses, dance moves, etc.). After one week of development and rehearsal, students will perform their song to the rest of the class.
Instructions:
With this project, students will:
1. Choose one of the three songs that have been assigned (“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, “Go Down Moses,” or “Follow the Drinking Gourd”)
2. Decide among themselves what additions will be made to the song
3. Practice the changes made to the song
4. Present their music video in front of the rest of the class
a. Clapping of hands and stomping of feet are required
* Important: EVERY STUDENT MUST SING. Not singing during a group performance will be considered refusing to participate, and a significant amount of points will be deducted. Also, students may not have any papers with them as they perform. Memorizing the song is not required, but highly encouraged. If a group cannot memorize the piece in time for the performance, that group may create a background with the lyrics printed on it (butcher/construction paper, poster board, etc.).

Alternate:

Students can also  give a live performance of their rendition of a slave song.  However, they must provide the lyrics, background music, and or/pictures relevant to their song in a PowerPoint or other slideshow for their classmates.
Extra Credit: Extra credit points will be awarded to groups who “go the extra mile.” This includes groups who come in costume, groups who develop original songs instead of renditions to slave songs,and individuals who choose to lend their musical talents to other groups who may not have limited or no musically talented members. Furthermore, the best performing groups will be asked to perform to other classes, and those that do will be given extra credit as well.

Ironic: Video To Keep Students Interested is...Not Very Interesting

Although the video on Assistive Technology contained a lot og good information and tips about incorporating interesting, colorful, fun, and up-to-date technology in the classroom, it proved to be a contradiction of itself in that there was no incorporation of any interesting, colorful, fun, or up-to-date technology.  

At first, the video captured my attention because it had a mysterious appeal to it, and each word appeared as if it were being typed by another person, drawing me in to continue watching.  Additionally, any piece of material that is relevant to a person's personal preference of study is alluring in itself.

I assumed that after the first few slides of black background and white text, there would be a picture of teachers using technology in the classroom, or streaming video of examples of an effective technology-efficient classroom.  Unfortunately, there were not.  I began to lose interest after the first couple minutes and only managed to finish watching for the sake of having comments to make on it for this reflection.

If, however, the creator kept his or her presentation short, then choosing to use the same text, pace, and background would have been effective instead of losing any viewer's interest.  Again, while the presentation provided very useful information on using technology in the classroom to keep students excited and interested in learning, the creator failed to do just that, keep our interest.  I strongly that if he or she had added a bit of color to the video, or simply enlarged the text and positioned it in different areas on the screen, then the viewer's attention would have been kept for a longer period of time.