Wk4 Publishing Leadership Project Part 2 of 2: The New Recipe for Urban Education

Publishing an article that can help new teachers or teachers making that transition from traditional teaching methods to using technology would be one of those great moments in making a difference to society or contributing to change.
"It is during adversity when one can really make a big difference. But making a difference is not about being a big hero. It is simply about leaving the bathroom a little cleaner going out, than when you came in (Brokaw, 2010)." This quote states that we are not trying to change the the world, but to affect the students in your classroom. Regardless of what they know when they come into your classroom, we should be determined as true educators to heighten their level of education every day when they leave.

Providing students the opportunity to change is what we as educators must do. With what I have learned this past year, I am more focus than ever to use every tool available to me to deliver instruction to students so they may have that opportunity to take to make a difference in their lives. With the research packet that I have been able to compile, I believe that this would make a real and firm contribution to all educators in making a difference in an urban school system.

i feel very strong about my action research. Based on what I have seen and experienced, my ideas, backed by research done prior to my recorded accounts, is a recipe for success for all teachers in any subject. With Math my focus, students - regardless of their background - can learn complex mathematics if given the opportunity. The opportunity must be true. An educator must seek to see what motivates the student and then implement the delivery of instruction that promotes engagement by using technology the student can interact with.

edutopia is a publishing company that pushes the envelope in providing information to all educators regardless of their experience.

Brkaw, T., (2010), Making a difference, About.com : Quotations, Retrieved from
     http://quotations.about.com/cs/inspirationquotes/a/MakingADiff1.htm

Wk4 Publishing Leadership Project Part 1 of 2: The New Recipe for Urban Education

With what I have experienced all year through Full Sail University, the only act one can do is to share with everyone your own know-how. Seeking an educational journalism company can be difficult. Wanting to provide easy access to educators is crucial for urban teachers.

Teaching in an urban school district, you learn to build a network of colleagues where you can share ideas and experiences that could only improve on your delivery instruction skills and experience at your school. There are many educational firms. Which one should a novice to the industry got to.

I have identified several publishers that met my requirement as an organization that focuses on sharing ideas and techniques for new teachers or anyone thinking about embarking on this unique industry. Looking at edutopia, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, Education World, and Learn out Loud provided positive insights on articles that they already had. I prefer to present an article to be published. This article would provide more credibility for readers all over our country that teach at an urban school.

Week 4 Wimba Session 4 Part II - Sharing: Joseph Andrieux

With the site almost complete with more data that I am trying to put in place, I was able to get responses from my critical friends. The comments were most appreciated and plans have been drawn to make corrections to make the site a more useful resource.

Developing expertise in mathematics takes practice, which is exactly the point of this engaging, user-friendly website. The site is packed with information and my lessons are packed with real-world examples from a range of clinical settings, as well as sample interactions and hands-on learning activities.

You as the reader will experience step by step how to practice core skills raising the importance of organizing, taking notes, practicing homework, and solidifying your commitment to education.

Joe - I am not surprised with what you have discovered with our students helping each other.
Our demographics and the culture promotes our students to work together when the opportunity warrants it.
I have reviewed the site and your project notes. This was a lot of work that you have done with everything that is going at our school. With what I have seen you have done so far with the Trigonometry students this year I am glad to be your next door neighbor to peek in every now and then.
If I can provide you with some feedback, be careful with images taken of our students. You know about our school policy. Lastly, I would recommend you implement more sample lessons that you have created for our home-bound students.


Steve Harris - Math Teacher, Reading High School

_____________________________________________________________________________

Joseph,
I am not an expert on technology, but I do understand what you were trying to do. There are families where no one including the parents have any education beyond 11th grade or sooner. For a child to seek help from a neighbor or a family member is not possible.
We need to provide more for these kids as far as education, I am proud with what you have been able to accomplish that more teachers like you will embark on the same path.
The lives teachers touch has a ripple affect in our community. If students have the desire to learn, then they will spend less time on the streets. I enjoyed reading through your site especially looking at the data indicating that our city kids can learn. They just need to be taught differently.

Earnestine Towles - Counselor, Spring Valley Educational Center

Comments on John Harvey - Wk4 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 10-12

John Harvey's first paragraph,

Reading about the art of possibility has been nothing short of completely enlightening over these past 4 weeks. I have learned so much about different situations, and myself. And it all culminates in this week’s reading. Situations are certainly what we choose to make of them. A natural response to a given event is the downward spiral, but we must be conscious enough to choose possibility. While working at the bank, I’ve attended a couple of customer service seminars, and at each one, the instructor tells us to take problems, issues, and challenges, and turn them into opportunities. I believe the most painful, frustrating, and challenging part of this teaching is taking it from theory and into practice. It is like we must unlearn reacting as a reflex. Our reactions must become less reflexive and more reflective. Just as Ben and Roz did in our book, we must have someone we can confide in and ask how to take a challenging situation and turn it into something positive, something in the framework of possibility.

@ John,

We are always taught to persuade or motivate individuals to completing what we want them to do. It is rare that we are asked to create a foundation for them to work from. As a basketball coach, I quickly learned that we must teach players what the game is about before we can actually teach them how to play. The players must learn the simple fundamentals of how to carry themselves on the court and off the court - not simply how to dribble the ball.

Due this book, my teaching strategy changed as well as my coaching strategy for this year. We must establish a framework so our students can see vision what the goals are for themselves. That is why we need to see ourselves as the board on which our students are playing on.

Comments on Jeff Kohls - Wk4 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 10-12

Jeff Kohls first paragraph,
Be the Board?
It's quite a concept to remove oneself from the game as player, and establish oneself as the board. Especially the board on which the whole game is being played, taking the problematic aspect of any circumstance from the outside world and bringing them into the boundaries of yourself.

The Art of Possibility provided great insights on how to continue to motivate my students and myself. The topics you commented on being the board is a key that I never thought of. I always expected to be a coach in steering students in the correct direction.

Instead I am looking at how I can affect the family of that student and others who may come into contact. That is truly making a difference in our society.

Wk4 Free Choice - Andrieux, Joseph: Teaching outside the box.

Educating urban high school students was always a concern of mine. Will they listen? Will they follow instructions? Will they complete the assignments? Are they willing to sacrifice the time to learn and study the complex aspects of mathematics? Are they just going to make my term here short. Do they think I care about how fast they work or how much they can learn?

Students are students - they do not know what the world is like or what is in store for them. We as educators, we are not to meet them on the same plane, but we are to bring them up levels where they will find themselves on top. On my first day, I was presented with a class where students were just frustrated and tired because I was their 4th teacher in less than 30 days since school started.

At first I assumed that they just simply was trying to get rid of me, but I quickly saw that they wanted me to stay so they could learn something. I tried something new. It wasn't my introduction as to how much education I had. It was about where I came from and what was my story. I told every class about my growing up with a single parent who was hardly ever at home because of work. I shared with them how I had no one to come and watch me play football or any other sport when I was young. I shared with them, that there was really no one at home that could help me with my homework because English was not their first language.

I established a framework of trust. I created an environment where the students can see that if I can make it as a commercial pilot with where I came from, then they can make it as well. I reassured them that I ma here to make a difference and I will do everything I can to make sure that they are a part of the equation. We will learn together and pass together.

Three years later, I am still teaching at the same high school and I very much enjoy it. My old former students still come back for extra tutoring and most of them have either graduated or are taking Trigonometry or Calculus classes. This is a great leap since students were only interested in enrolling in easy math classes. They are more interested in learning math that will separate themselves form the rest of the pack when it comes to job hunting or scholarship winning.

I have told all my students that beyond these doors, is a world to learn from. No time will be wasted and no time will be taken for granted. Once you are enrolled in this class, you are here to take what you have learned and apply it outside. You will have fun and you will debate. You provide explanations for everything you do and you question everything that is presented if you are not sure. At first they were nervous and scared, but they soon learned that I was going to keep my word by making sure that they know the material using every piece of technology as my arsenal.

Week 4 Weekly Reading: Chapter 10,11,12 - Joseph Andrieux

Playing the blame game is a way of releasing yourself from any fault or reponsibility of an act that occurred or will occur.  As teachers, it is very easy to blame teachers of the previous years as to why your students are not prepared. It is very simple to place blame on others so, you do not have to push forward with any real effort. Is this a role of an educator?

The author suggests that we must look past the board, because we are the board. We must not look at the cards we are dealt. We must look at who is playing what particular game and what cards are they using. As an educator, we must seek out and evaluate what your new students know, so you may move forward by educating them in every aspect of techmology that will assist them in learning the subject content that you are teaching.

The blame game stops. Be the strategists in setting up the players so they play themselves on an even playing field. Like the drunk driver, I won't blame him as the author suggested, I will look to see how often does this occur to others and seek a solution to prevent it.

 Further on through the readings I have discovered that to continue generating good lessons is to have a strong framework in what you are trying to accomplish.

This is defined as having a vision.  A vision about what you and your organization want to become. It should resonate with all members of the organization or group and help them feel proud, excited, and part of something much bigger than themselves. This framework should stretch the organization’s capabilities and image of itself. It gives shape and direction to the organization’s future. The framework should be scribed on paper for others to be reminded. Scribed as a mission statement that has a range in length from a couple of words to several pages. This will keep our ideas and efforts within the framework where we may tend to venture off.

Furthermore, telling the "we story" is discussing what the entire Math Department has done to lighten the path for our students to walk. It discussed what the teaching staff at our high school has done to prepare our students into becoming productive members of society. It has discussed what the school district has done to affect the families and our town by stating to the business world that if you are from Reading, Pennsylvania - you are destined for greatness. "We prepared you for the future and we would be honored to continue that tradition."

Week 4 Wimba Session 3 - Joseph Andrieux

Part I
After listening to Week 4's Wimba Session, I am overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be completed. It has been stated that the Action Research Website must be completed by Sunday night and it will be reviewed on Monday morning.

This year has been tremendous for me. I have been able to utilize what I have learned and implement strategies and ideas in a classroom filled with urban high school students. Teaching Algbera II, Geometry, and Trigonometry is a challenge. Looking for ways to maintain the students focus when they are in a classroom of 36 students is challenging.  I am glad to say that technology has worked and allowed me to motiviate students into coming back for more, but them into completing their assignments faithfully.

Part II

The presenters for Tuesday evening were Jodi Zeigler, Lori Pickering, and Lori Irwin. With Lori beginning her presentation, she was able to present her thoughts and ideas with confidence. She discussed her thought process behind the publishing of her action research and how should be a success in it being published in next month's magazine.

With what everyone's doing in completing their assignment, It is very exciting to be able to produce concrete evidence of an idea that was put into place in making a difference in young student's minds.

Week 2 Weekly Reading: Chapter 7,8,9 - Joseph Andrieux

Chapters 7 through 9 covers how an individual can make a difference in people's lives. How a person can create and leave a legacy that can thrive on improving a span of people.


As a 9th girls basketball coach, my responsibility is not to simply teach girls to play basketball, but to enlighten them in how to become better individuals in school, at home, and to themselves. Winning games can do wonders for an urban student. Helping them to develop into mature students who are organized and striving to want more for themselves through education is a spark that will constantly burn by passion and what they see how things are.  

As an educator, we have the ability to touch a vast amount of individuals. We as teachers have the ability to affect families and communities. In order for us to affect and implement change, we need to look at what we have - "the way things are." Establish a plan based on what needs to be improved or saved.

The author discusses in several examples that educators need to create a passion for students to succeed by improving their lives through education. We need to speak to affect the many. We need to develop a passion in students to care for themselves. Have students feel so motivated with fire that the passion will be enough to get them through the difficult times that might be ahead.


As an educator, my spark was lit when I was able to tutor a poverty stricken adult in scoring very high on their entrance exams. She later was offered a full scholarship to a community college based on her numbers. Through difficult times, she was able to complete her education with my help. Years later, she is now a nurse working at a hospital with a bachelor's degree in biology from a 4 year institution. She has used her experience by sharing it with others so they may be motivated in returning to school.

For me, this story has heightened my passion where I will never lose my spark because I will always remember that I may not change many people's lives, now, but I will affect one who will.

Comments on Carlos Benitez - Wk3 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 7-9

First paragraph from Carlos Benitez:



Reading the chapters assigned for this week’s reading, I have both to highlight the depth of its content and the fortunate coincidences with what has been written by other connoted authors, as is the case of the Counselor and spiritual master, Eckhart Tolle.

@ Carlos,

You and I are on the same page. We as educators must push forward with passion. Passion is what motivates us to develop lesson plans that are meaningful. Passion is what pushes us forward to educate our students.

Students can see through us. Students can see if you are sincere or just acting out a fake persona.

Comments on Seanna Denee' Jackson - Wk3 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 7-9

First paragraph from Seanna Denee' Jackson:

Chapter 7. The Way Things Are: Sometimes settling for the way things are is a lowering of expectations, sometimes it’s finding a starting point so that one can make things better. Where are you in this continuum?

Reading through your blog I wanted to comment that you are not a "leave it as it is" person. You are about change by caring to make a difference in the lives of your urban school students. You observe and analyze as you stated in your second paragraph and then - pow. Here comes change. Change encouraged and implemented by Ms. Jackson.

Teaching urban students is a task. A task to motivate ourselves as educators because not every plan or idea will work or work for long. We have to remain focus that we are doing the right thing.

Wk3 Free Choice - Andrieux, Joseph: How Do We Motivate the Future in Our Urban Students?

Thus far, I have learned a great deal between taking graduate courses at Full Sail University, Arcadia University, and Alvernia University. Between all three schools, I have been exposed to technology, creating differentiating lessons, and involving our students so they remain engaged in learning.

Through the past year, my mind has been filled with information which allowed me to implement self-generated ideas. These ideas work and they don't. These ideas are not made for everyone. Because you can’t possibly know exactly what will motivate every student. It’s vital to have a reliable blueprint and a set of strategies that are proven to work across a broad spetrum of students. Drawing from recent research of the concepts of internal motivation and control, Bob Sullo describes how to get students in every grade focused and ready to learn by

• Eliminating “the external control model” from your teaching.
• Using differentiation strategies to provide all students with a way to be successful.
• Adopting the behaviors and vocabulary of a positive classroom.
• Developing lesson plans and grading practices that allow every student to experience academic success through sustained effort.
• Strengthening your own professional identity in the classroom.

These are great strategies, but where do we discuss bringing in parents. Most of our students if not all of them have no support from home. Parents are

• too busy
• don't understand the academic responsibilities
• not familiar with opportunities in higher education
• not educated enough with subjects
• and etc.

Parents are the key to keeping our urban students motivated. Parents are the key in motivating our urban students to pursue education beyond high school.

Sullo, R., (1951), "The motivated student : unlocking the enthusiasm for learning.", Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.

Wk2 Free Choice - Andrieux, Joseph - Struggles in Becoming and Remaining an Educator

Photo of Joseph Andrieux's classroom

"Tumbling through a thousand centuries
You don't know where you'll land
Its so dark in mythology
Treasures of history to be found
Near the legends of time
All the handiworks remain there
Only a dream away"
Lyrics from "Dream Away", George Harrison, 1981

In my early years, I never thought of what I needed to become an astronaut. I just wanted to become one. Later, as I got older, I wanted to become a fighter pilot and fly in the blue sky. As I became much older in my teens, I started to fear that I was going to have responsibilities and dreaming of remarkable things was soon going to be over. I did not want this to happen. I wanted to go back in time, start all over again, and stay there in that moment of happiness.

Songwriter and former Beetles' singer - George Harrison, wrote and recorded lyrics to "Dream Away" stating that we all go through hard times. We need to devote our lives in pursuing a joyful life through dedicating ourselves to our family and ourselves. We need to improve ourselves through knowledge and experience.

As an educator and a Full Sail graduate student, I have learned that we are dedicated to share. We need to share what we know so others may go further and do the same. That is how we grow. George Harrison was perceived as philosophical and enlightened because of his music. It could have been because he was diagnosed with throat and brain cancer. He may have felt that with the little time that he had left, he did not accomplish anything. Time simply ran out.

We cannot go back in time. Time simply moves forward. As we move on, we need to look at how we educate our students. Are we using all the tools available that will allow them a fair chance to compete or are we simply going through the motions, because we ran out of time. If you make the decision to keep changing people's lives as I have learned through Full Sail, then you are granting greatness to others. 

Comments on Zeigler, Jodi - Wk2 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 4-6

First Paragraph is from Jodi Zeigler,

Wow this weeks reading has made me put on the brakes and take a good look at myself and my contributions in life. I have grown up a very competitive person and even now find myself terrified of failure due to an overwhelming drive to be successful. Zander explains that unlike success and failure, contribution has no other side.

Life is universal. We all get bogged down with one or many things. How we deal with them defines who we are. As you, I was preoccupied with many things to complete. Taking two classes at one university, four more at a another university, preparing for a State Exam, preparing to teach 186 students Trigonometry, and taking classes through Full Sail.

I am exhausted, but I do sense room for air approaching. Full Sail will be over and my State Exams will be done. After this semester, I will have only one class to complete.

We all have to look that there is always an ending in site, but we must stay focus on what keeps us human and alive. We must still enjoy life.

Comments on Benitez, Carlos - Wk2 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 4-6

First Paragraph comes from Carlos Benitez,

Chapters 4,5 and 6 of the book the “The Art of Possibility” continue to evolve within the subject matter of human behavior and very specifically as it relates to the contribution that falls to each person not only in terms of personal fulfillment but also in relation with what should be the contribution to others. The various writers on this subject have been very repetitive in that an important part of our own welfare is inextricably tied to the two-way relationship with our fellows, whether they are our relatives or just friends.

Your comments are on point. For us to grow as a people, we need to refrain from being tied down by our emotions involving fear of what others may think of you or how you compare to others. We need to strive for knowledge and sharing that knowledge with others.

Photo taken while on family vacation.

It can be difficult due to the financial responsibilities of just living and caring for our families and ourselves. We get distracted and remain so distracted that we create hurdles that sometimes do not even exist.

Week 2 Weekly Reading: Chapter 4,5,6 - Joseph Andrieux

Purchased through Istock Photo

A professor once told me that an educator is one who creates a legacy. A legacy is described as touching the lives of people in ways that are unaware to them or motivates them in becoming something special as a productive member of society.

In order to create a legacy, you need to be a contributor by granting greatness while not constantly thinking about the burdens in life. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of the book “Art of Possibility” discuss this concept in detail through the lives of individuals and their families.  

As an educator in my 3rd year, I have realized that I have the ability to touch people's lives and their families through education. Educating students in subject content is not enough. We need to educate students to become a better people. In my first year, I was exposed to students with very little expectations as to how they will live their lives next week. Instead of teaching Algebra, I felt the need to help transform them to a student ho can organize themselves. With this new skill, students were able to organize their thoughts and notes for easy extraction later. This provided motivation to these students when they were rewarded with higher academic marks when taking assessments.

Purchased through Istock Photo

Students, now having positive feelings for them, enabled them to be more focus on how much further they can go to achieve new goals that were never imagined before. Giving a student a grade is not what is all about. It is providing students the ability to know how to earn that grade and discover pride in helping others as well.

Sometimes you can reach everyone. This is where "Rule Number 6" comes into play (Zander, 2000). Do not make this process a chore. Do not make this responsibility a burden that you must undertake. You do what you can and move on. You hope to touch the lives of enough individuals that will help improve society. While living in your own environment, remain positive with how life looks. Your attitude and always remaining hopeful does rub off on others.

Zander, R. & Zander, B., (2000), “The art of possibility”, Harvard Business School Press, p.97

Week 2 Wimba Session 2 - Joseph Andrieux: AR Status Report Check-In

In listening to the archived wimba session, we are at the crucial moment in placing the final touches on our action research website and action. I have a lot to do to complete. As discussed, we all have a great abundance of work to compile and to present.

We have been introduced to the Action Research Status Report we page. The site allows us to check off items that we need to complete to get to the final stage of our program.

Through further discussion, the abstract paper assignment was introduced. The assignment has to be a single paragraph consisting of 120 words or less.  The paragraph must contain a brief version of the lit review, methodology, purpose, and the conclusion. This paragraph will be placed in the final presentation stage.

Wk1 Free Choice - Andrieux, Joseph

After completing my first day week of school, I feel more confident in educating my students with the training that I have received thus far through Full Sail University. With the various forms of technology that I have been exposed to, I have been able to create a new form of delivering lesson plans for Trigonometry to Juniors and Seniors at the high school.

During the 3 years of teaching and writing, I have learned many things about the teaching and learning of mathematics. I have found that students are most successful when they know what they are expected to learn and why it is important to learn the concepts.

Educators who stress applications and problem solving, or exploration and technology, coupled with more traditional methods will be able to connect students with their material successfully than others. Hands-on is not enough. How are students today use technology and are connected to it regardless of demographics or culture is what we need to identify with in getting them engaged in the material.

In a class of 36 students, averaging 32 per class, providing a 50 minute lecture can not be provided. I have been able to provide a 2 minute video clip that relates to degrees and radians. Then apply it to what we are about to learn with something that they have viewed. Always providing reassurance that this is simple and we will keep it that way. A typical educator would say that is it.

I need to assess that the students get it. I activated 36 voting remote devices and posted several problems on the board in which students need to vote on an answer. We created a competition.

Students who answered the most correctly using the remote voting devices were able to complete only half of the necessary homework while the others had to complete all 40 problems at home (60 minutes of work). The excitement was on and every one working rapidly in solving the problems correctly. Scores were posted on the screen with codes that only the user and myself knew. This eliminated embarrassment. Out of 36 students, I was seeking the first 30 to complete the problems.

Did we have fun? We sure did. It was close - too close. I eliminated the homework all together. 98% of the class answered all of the trig questions correctly inside 10 minutes while it would have normally taken 30. I expected for them to fail. They proved me wrong.

Comments on Jackson, Seanna Denee' - Wk1 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 1-3

First Paragraph belonging to Seanna Denee' Jackson

Im the artist in this place right now. And I feel myself being challenged as I think outside of the box that we llive in, in fact I am physically outside the box, yet the life pieces and parts are still in the box. I could kick the box right now. But at the same time, I realize that I am apart of the whole and we, the box and I must work together to somehow make whatever is at hand worth it. 

@ Seanna,
The box, the box, the box - My grandmother who is 109 years of age can not understand how a light bulb in a box heats food so quickly without any fire. She even questions how a laptop plays movies with no projector because the screen is so thin. She forgets herself, but this is how our teenagers think sometimes. Some high school students do not understand how an airplane stays up flying in the air.

You are correct. If you did not invent it, how will you understand. We are all confined to a box. It takes for one with courage to open that box or an educator to help the student open it for themselves.

Comments on Collins, Tamara - Wk1 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 1-3

First Paragraph belonging to Tamara Collins,

It seems that we often are caught up with not only how much information a student has retained, but if are students are doing what we are telling them. Often times this leads us away from truly acknowledging the different gifts students may possess. The Art of Possibility has begun to show exactly that... what if?

@Tamara,
As a math teacher, there is a right answer and a wrong answer. There is a 1 or a 0. To help a student to develop themselves and to apply what they have learned to a real-life application, we have introduced, "show me the work."

We grade students on "have they followed the steps." If the students present work displaying the same steps we introduced, we assume that they have learned and understood the material. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, that is not enough. Questions will be twisted and turned to make sure the student understands on how to apply various methods to answer one question.

As a math teacher, we need to find a unique way to teach instead of following directions. We can not give a grade because they obeyed. Chapter 3 caused me to question on how should I grade. How can I present to a student that they are being rewarded on their efforts?

You made some good comments which should make all educators question how they assess.

Comments on Benitez, Carlos - Wk1 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 1-3

First Paragraph belonging to Carlos Benitez

Any unsuspecting reader of this blog could be asking themselves why two Self-help books and one based on the definition of entrepreneurial strategy have some common places. To my personal point of view the answers are obvious; especially since the Self-help books or motivation books are focused on the evaluation that the reader should make about their personal situation and the settlement in regard to an action plan that would drive the individual to a desired goal, a point where they can find their full potential, acting on the understanding that the ability of the human mind has no limits and that all successful things today can and must be overcome. 

@ Carlos,
Connecting materials as self-help books is unique. I would have never taken that approach, but it makes sense. The book provided me comfort that I was on the right direction and to not give up, because the students are not to blame for lack of knowledge. That is why educators are here. We are here to educate them by helping them open their minds to new possibilities without the chains.

Wk1 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 1-3 - Andrieux, Joseph

3 years ago, as a new high school math teacher, I came into a classroom where I felt that I could make a difference in student's lives. I wanted to see where they stood in relations to the course they were enrolled in.

The reason for this attitude was that the previous teacher quit. She no longer felt appreciated because she was teaching 9th grade Math with 4 years under her belt. She felt betrayed and complained about the students and left.

I was hired to take over and bring these students up to speed with the remaining 9th grade student body. My strategy was that I needed the students to succeed. With the book, "The Art of Possibility", I have compared my experiences with the sample stories this book presented. If you go to a country to see if you could sell shoes and you saw no shoes, would that be an opportunity? As I ventured into my first class, I strove to find ideas to gain these students trust and to keep them engaged in every lesson. I saw an opportunity to keep employment while making a difference in people's lives.

Sometimes, it can be difficult. The book mentioned that we as educators need to open our minds to new possibilities and not be constrained with what we were groomed into. Students have the capability. We need to show them that it is there and how to use it. We need to expose them to a new environment where their understanding of reality will be upgraded. As the Me'en viewed the photograph, they saw and object, not a photograph. Our students need to feel that their minds have been opened to a new realm of understanding. That is not why they have a headache.

As an educator, you need to know that you are there to make a difference and to create a legacy. You will not be given students that already know the subject. You will be given students that need to be developed into productive members of society.  That is how we are remembered and rewarded.

Week 1 Wimba Session 1 - Joseph Andrieux: Introduction

We are close to the very end of the program. This week was an introduction to the 11th month and the final phase of the program before our work is reviewed and approved. The work we all work so hard on includes the following:

• Action Research Website
• Literature Review
• Action Research Blog Postings
• All research collected and date recorded posted and update on our website.

I noticed that it was commented quite frequently on the backing of our data on our computer and on the web. Making sure that everything is duplicated on a media that is separate from our computer.

The multiple postings are a little confusing, since we have to place 3 postings on chapters that we must read. The concern for the confusion, is that my feelings will only portray my understandings and new thoughts as a novice.

Lastly, I will be working forward on providing a thorough website that is professional looking. I may change the format and I will keep the google.doc updated.

New MAC EDM613 - Andrieux, Joseph

Image captured from Wimba Session for Week 1

All previous blog posts listed above are for MAC EDM613 only.