# data[].attributes.body
"Students are expected to be quiet and passive, to think quickly (and perhaps superficially), to rely on memory, and to be dependent on the teacher."

I've always noticed this idea of having students regurgitate information. This concept doesn't seem productive because the student worries more about memorizing certain topics than actually understanding them. In my classroom, I wouldn't want to create little robots who repeat everything back to me. Instead, I want to take the time to make sure all my students fully understand the material we discuss in class.

# data[].attributes.body
"These findings have significant implications, suggesting that future roles in adult life are determined by student achievement in elementary school. The labeling system, beginning at an early age, determines who will wear a stethoscope, who will carry a laptop computer, and who will become a low-wage laborer."

I strongly dislike that this is a reality in our school systems. Again, it brings about this idea of confining a student into a certain expectation of what they're supposed to be. Students should not be labeled at such a young age and as a result, prevented from growing into so much more. Schools need to give students all the resources available in order for them to grow and shouldn't inhibit this growth with labels.

# data[].attributes.body
"Most friendless children are aware of their problem and report feeling lonely and unsuccessful in relating to others. Rejection by the child’s peer group is a strong indicator of future academic, emotional, or physical problems."

I remember noticing the division of social groups even as early on as kindergarten. It is a tough issue to address because it is so deeply rooted in our culture to isolate people who are different from the majority. One of my goals as a future educator would be to keep an eye out for this behavior and try to orient my class in a way that makes all of my students feel included. I want my future students to feel like a family, and to walk in knowing it is a safe environment void of judgement and bullying.

# data[].attributes.body
"You undoubtedly have met people who are doing work they love, and they are joyful and fulfilled. You have also met people who have made an unhappy choice, perhaps followed someone’s advice that sounded good at the time—but wasn’t. For them, every day is “a grind.” Your goal is to find the career that puts you in that first group, a career that brings you joy and meaning."

This is a quote that speaks to me personally. In high school, it seemed like there were always a few opinionated people (sometimes fellow students, sometimes even teachers) who decided to share their views on my career path choices. No matter what other people think, what it comes down to is your own personal happiness and being content with your own, untainted decision.

# data[].attributes.body
"It is always easier to catch a movie, surf the net, or even study for the next exam than it is to reflect on and plan for the future."

This is a very important idea because it brings about the reality that sometimes people use little tasks or routines as an excuse not to think about the "big picture." I can say that I am guilty of this for sure. My worries include how I'm going to do on my next piano lesson, or studying for the next music history test, or finishing my next music theory analysis. I busy myself with all of these little worries instead of really thinking about where I want to be in five years.

# data[].attributes.body
"Tenure is not an iron-clad guarantee of job security. It does not protect teachers who break the law, are debilitated by alcoholism, or theoretically have become terrible teachers."

When it comes to the concept of tenure, I think that people believe teachers with tenure can do whatever they want without getting fired. Obviously, a teacher cannot take his or her job for granted even with tenure, because there is never a guarantee that they can't be fired if they step out of line.

# data[].attributes.body
"To this group, setbacks are not considered a permanent reflection of intelligence, rather opportunities to learn and grow."

I appreciate this view on intelligence because often times people are too quick to assume a person's level of intelligence based on one occurrence or impression. This is unfair to the individual to place them in this confined mindset because he or she can start to believe this and feel as if he or she can never grow from the experience.

# data[].attributes.body
"Traditional assessments of intelligence emphasize language and logical-mathematical abilities, another narrow view of intelligence. Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner has worked to broaden this concept of intelligence, defining intelligence as “the capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural settings.”

In this day and age, we need to start encouraging students to flourish in his or her own way. It is my belief that we create a toxic learning environment by emphasizing one area of learning as more important than another, because this causes the student to feel as if he or she is not smart if he or she doesn't excel at that area of the curriculum.

# data[].attributes.body
"...youth who engage in more outdoor activity report better health and social well-being than their peers who spend hours in front of television and computer screens. Yet, young people spend 50 percent less time playing outside than they did a decade ago."

Even though this is a scary statistic, this information doesn't surprise me. It is alarming how the times have changed. As a future educator, I would want to incorporate as much outdoor activity as possible into my lessons. If it is a nice day, why not teach the lesson outside in the fresh air? My belief is that this would be a healthy change in my student's lives and would hopefully encourage them to go outside more as well.

# data[].attributes.body
"There is a popular saying, 'Seeing is believing.' In these and other cases, it may be more accurate to say that 'Believing is seeing.' Teachers believe that racial minorities and boys will be the greater discipline challenge, so that’s what they focus on, and that’s what they see."

It is important for a teacher to be aware of any unconscious biases he or she may bring to the classroom. One must always be openminded in a classroom environment and give every student a level playing field.

# data[].attributes.body
"This phenomenon has been termed the school-to-prison pipeline. These students, often minority children and many with histories of abuse, poverty, neglect, and learning disabilities, have their futures compromised by the unconscious bias embedded in many school disciplinary practices. Rather than receiving the educational and counseling services they need, these children are criminalized early in life and too often branded as society’s exiles."

This is a sad truth that needs to be addressed as a society. We need to start giving these children the attention and help they need and deserve instead of using punishment to "deal with them." As a future educator I want to be someone who will be there for my students and do the best that I can within my legal boundaries to give them the support they need.

# data[].attributes.body
"Many of us continue to live in silence about race and ethnicity. As a nation, we have yet to come to terms with our multicultural society."

It seems like in today's society, it is becoming more and more important to promote this idea of having a multicultural society. It is concerning to see hints of America's discriminating pass come into view. In our schools, we need to do our best to make all of our students feel safe and welcome.

# data[].attributes.body
"For women, teaching meant economic and financial liberation. But not without cost. The dedicated teaching spinsters of the nineteenth century became the object of ridicule in the twentieth century. Women choosing teaching over motherhood were considered unnatural by a mostly male cadre of psychologists, physicians, and authors."

It pains me to know the hardships that women of this time period faced. To be too career driven was seen as insanity. I am happy that society has changed in the way that it is more widely acceptable for a woman to be a dedicated and career driven person without it being deemed wrong.

# data[].attributes.body
"Men who remained in teaching also paid a price. Conventional wisdom early in the twentieth century held that effeminate men were gay men and that gay men were naturally drawn to teaching. Worse yet, gay men were considered to be a teaching time bomb, because they would be poor role models for children. All male teachers became suspect, and few were drawn to teaching. School districts avoided hiring men who did not possess a clearly masculine demeanor. (Married men with children were preferred.)"

This kind of shaming is what we need to avoid in our schools. These ideas are what cause young boys to tip toe around all of their interests that don't seem "manly" enough. In the future we need to let young boys know that they can pursue anything they want without being judged.

# data[].attributes.body
"Much of the history of African American education in the United States has been one of denial. The first law prohibiting education of slaves was passed in South Carolina in 1740. During the next hundred years, many states passed similar and even stronger compulsory-ignorance laws. For example, a 1823 Mississippi law prohibited six or more Negroes from gathering for educational purposes. In Louisiana, a 1830 law imposed a prison sentence on anyone caught teaching a slave to read or write."

This quote truly shows the power of education. In order to suppress a group of people, suppress their access to education. Knowledge is key to being able to fight for rights and have a say in society. This is why it is so important to make education available for all children. There is no place for discrimination in the education systems and we should be focusing on giving ALL children the education they deserve.

# data[].attributes.body
"For thousands of years, philosophers have been wrestling with fundamental questions: What is most real—the physical world or the realm of mind and spirit? What is the basis of human knowledge? What is the nature of the just society? Educators must take stances on such questions before they can determine what and how students should be taught."

This reminds me of the concepts we talk about in my philosophy class. It really shows how our views can affect the way we teach and present information to others.

# data[].attributes.body
"In much of the West, society’s needs dictate educational practices, with statewide standards, national goals, and high-stakes testing. In the rest of the world, that is to say, in most of the world, the child’s education is primarily a concern of the family, not the society. A child’s vocational interests, for example, might mirror the occupation of a parent or be built around the unique interest or talent of the child, rather than respond to the broader employment market or societal priorities. Family and community are foremost; the nation is a weaker influence."

I have always found this interesting because there are always debates on how to improve education in our country, but we have such different curriculums compared to the leading nations in education. I've always wondered what would happen if we decided to approach the idea of the curriculum like how it is in Finland or the Netherlands.

# data[].attributes.body
"The practices and beliefs of peoples in other parts of the world offer useful insights for enhancing—or questioning—our own educational practices, but they are

insights too rarely considered, much less implemented. Perhaps this will change in the years ahead as immigration, the global economy, and technology continue to bring all world cultures closer together."

This quote perfectly explains the point I was trying to get across in the last quote. If America could let go of our current education system and take notes from other parts of the world, maybe it could improve the education of our nation as a whole.

# data[].attributes.body
"Local and state governments have long grappled with the difficult proposition of raising enough public funds to adequately support education. Students in wealthy neighborhoods attend modern, well-equipped schools; poorer children make their way to decaying, ill-equipped school buildings in impoverished communities."

This is a sad truth that can be a difficult problem to deal with. It is definitely unfair for the students in poorer communites who also deserve the education provided for those in wealthier communities. I don't know how I would even begin to address the issue if I were to be part of a government committee.

# data[].attributes.body
"We believe that teachers should be advocates for children, children who themselves are excluded from policy decisions."

This is a great quote. As educators, we have to keep the children's voices in mind and fight for them when dealing with political matters having to do with their education.

# data[].attributes.body
"Finland has a national curriculum not unlike our current effort to create national core standards. But in Finland, the curriculum is quite general, and teachers are given great autonomy in designing and teaching their own lessons. Unlike the United States, there are no national tests, and no emphasis on test preparation. In fact, most Finnish students take their first standardized test when they graduate high school. The few tests given before then are used for school comparisons and are not for public consumption. Finland is at or near the top on international tests, like PISA."

This is just like the ideas that I discussed in the last chapter. I feel really strongly about this because it is common sense to try out methods that work. If America is concerned about our statistics compared with other countries, why aren't we trying out the methods that successful countries are using? Our political efforts should go into changing these policies in order to see improvements.

# data[].attributes.body
"Community and political interests sometimes pressure school leaders to bypass or ignore the spirit and/or letter of the law. Students’ and teachers’ ability to fight for their rights can be hindered by ignorance of one’s rights, fear of retribution, and/or lack of resources to launch legal action."

This quote is showing us that as educators, we can not let ourselves be intimidated to the point where we forget our rights. We should always be aware and conscious of the rights we have so as to not get cheated out of these rights.

# data[].attributes.body
"However, in the real world, sexual harassment is both illegal and very difficult to stop. To find legal relief, nearly all of the burden falls on the victim. Family, friends, and colleagues may ask: “Are you sure? Did you lead him on? Do you want to expose yourself and your school to public embarrassment?” Too often, supervisors or human resource departments opt to protect the school—or even retaliate—rather than support the person being harassed. To successfully fight the harassment, the victim has to keep a record of the harasser’s behavior and have witnesses willing to corroborate what happened—even in the face of possible retaliation toward them."

This is an issue that I'm always disgusted by. In particular, the part of the quote that describes how victims can be pressured into withdrawing their statements under threats of public ridicule. I think that it would be good on the school's part to report and fire predators instead of covering it up. Honestly it looks worse for a school to be discovered for covering up sexual harassment rather than firing a staff member who is a sexual predator.

# data[].attributes.body
"Many teachers believe that insurance to cover liability claims is essential. It is wise to check with your district’s personnel office to determine the limits of professional liability protection. Teacher associations and organizations usually offer additional and voluntary liability policies for you. One common risk that teachers unwittingly take is to offer rides to their students for school events. Check your district’s liability policy about autos before doing this. Remember, your personal insurance policy may not cover student injuries."

This is an issue that came up a lot on high school. There was always an issue with finding rides to events or certain club activities. We would either have to make bus arrangements or have students find a way to carpool with each other. However, a teacher couldn't drive the students due to legal purposes.

# data[].attributes.body
"Although most of us take school for granted, its actual purpose continues to evoke heated debate. Are schools meant to prepare students for college, vocation, or high scores on standardized tests? Are schools also responsible for developing effective interpersonal relationships, patriotism, acculturation, social mobility, or active social change? And are these diverse purposes counterproductive?"

This is an interesting question. For me, I could pick multiple things from the list that I think my years in school actually did help me with. However, the question at hand is which one of these things are our school curriculums actually supposed to prepare us for. For me, I'd say that preparing us for college is an important aspect, however, I also feel as if the intense focus on college in high school especially turns students off to the idea of work trades which can end up leading to very successful lives as well. There can be arguments either way for all of the things mentioned.

# data[].attributes.body
"Citizens fight over whether schools should be named after George Washington or Thomas Jefferson—who, after all, were slaveholders—and over why so few African Americans, Hispanics, and people of non-European ancestry are honored by having a school named after them."

This is a point that never really occurred to me before. It's funny because we seem to worship past leaders of our nation but leave out all the messy details that could make us think little of them. Also, I believe there really is a lack of representation in school names for all people of non-European ancestry which should definitely change. There are so many worthy people in history that schools would be lucky to be named after.

# data[].attributes.body
"Some people object to most of these goals of schooling. John Taylor Gatto, who taught for 30 years in New York City public schools, agrees with Paulo Freire, arguing that compulsory, government-run schooling has more to do with control than learning. Referring to them as more prisons than learning centers, Gatto writes that schools produce “a population deliberately dumbed down and rendered childlike in order that government and economic life can be managed with a minimum of hassle.” He says the U.S. school system ultimately intends to generate barely literate, conformist consumers without real knowledge or much capacity to get knowledge."

Wow, this is definitely an interesting take on this subject. This is a powerful statement that I actually think can be justified. It seems like the first thing that came to mind when I read this was common core and standardized tests.

# data[].attributes.body
"The major goal of textbook publishers is—not surprisingly—to sell books. That is why textbooks are attractively packaged and chock full of terms and names deemed important at the time (including this text!). Many elementary and secondary schools must choose from a list of state-approved textbooks, limiting choices and options. To get onto those lists, publishers may forego in-depth coverage of topics and avoid unpopular points of view. Teachers need to remember that textbooks are published to meet market demands, and not necessarily to offer objective or complex viewpoints"

I love this brutally honest quote! I forgot who first brought this to my intention, but I think it was my dad. He brought up how sometimes textbooks could be a "load of garbage" and how the textbook companies don't care about learning at all. It's true with any publisher, they're looking for what will sell and that is no different for textbooks. In this way, we as educators have to watch what materials are included in the textbook (especially history textbooks) to avoid teaching biases.

# data[].attributes.body
"Conservative parents and communities may object to the absence of Christian values in the curriculum, while liberal families and communities may demand elimination of gender and racial stereotypes in the curriculum."

This always bothers me when talk of religion in school comes up. Since public schools are government run, the same separation of church and state rules should apply. The only way religion should ever come up in school is in history class when learning about ALL types of religion. Other than that, religious influences should not come into play.

# data[].attributes.body
"In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a Louisiana statute that outlawed teaching evolution in public schools without also teaching creation science or intelligent design—the position that God created the universe in six 24-hour periods as described in the Bible. Yet, decades later, public schools were still teaching biblical creationism. Youngstown, Ohio, public schools announced that 'beginning this 2016–2017 school year, any reference to intelligent design, creationism, or any like concepts are eliminated from the science curriculum.' At the same time, the Texas State Board of Education was working to reaffirm biblical beliefs in the schools and arguing against its own science committee’s recommendation to challenge the theory of evolution. The debate over teaching the theory of evolution remains heated and polarizing."

The debate of whether or not evolution should be taught in school is completely stupid if I may be frank. OF COURSE IT SHOULD BE TAUGHT! Again, the separation of church and state comes into play. Keep creationism in Sunday school and make sure actual scientifically backed up theories are taught in actual science classes. We shouldn't still be having issues like in "Inherit the Wind" in this day and age.

# data[].attributes.body
"I never watched the clock in my English teacher’s class. I never counted how many times she said uh-huh or okay or paused—as I did in some other classes. She made literature come alive—I was always surprised—and sorry—when the bell rang."

Wow, this quote really resonates with me. It's almost as if I wrote it. My junior and senior year English teacher was exactly like this and he gave me a new appreciation for great works of literature, poetry, and even music! I want to be a teacher who can have this kind of effect on my students.

# data[].attributes.body
"Listening to students was exactly what Kathleen Cushman did when she wrote Fires in the Bathroom. Adolescents from around the nation were asked to tell teachers what they would like to see in their classrooms. Students advised teachers to: share your plans with me and tell me how I will be evaluated, be excited about what you teach, be firm when rules are broken, treat me fairly but remember I am an individual, give me feedback and encouragement, don’t say 'please' too much, and don’t push yourself into my personal life."

I think that this is an approach I would definitely use as a teacher. I want my students to know that I care about their opinions and that their voices are being heard in my classroom. The last line in the quote is powerful as well. We as educators should always try to be there for our students, but we have to draw a line as far as how close we get to them and trying too hard to relate to them.

# data[].attributes.body
"Surely technology has enormous potential to help teachers improve instruction and enrich student learning. But we believe educators must be wary of focusing on technology rather than people. Computers cannot create a culture of excellence and push students to meet high expectations. Computers cannot visit students’ homes to get to know their families and engage them in school activities."

I LOVE this quote. In today's society, we have become too dependent on technology. In my classroom, I want to incorporate as little technology as possible. I only want to incorporate it if it is entirely relevant. You can't replicate real human connection in the classroom with technology.