https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j ED6000 - Eugene Guillian en-us 2021-12-13 02:16:21 UTC 2021-12-13 09:49:08 UTC hello@padlet.com http://www.staradvertiser.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20140801_hpu_sharks_logo_63613.jpg shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943559847 This is my first artifact.
Western Governors University is an online based educational system as opposed to the traditional student cohort class model.

I chose this artifact, because it's concrete and gives exact reasons as to why to become a teacher. It addresses the specific reasons that becoming a teacher would be relevant to individuals considering the profession. Most individuals, when considering education - may have one or more reasons for considering the profession in the first place. This article gives reasons including: job security, sharing a love of education, and working with the world's youth. ]]> 2021-12-13 02:53:09 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943559847 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943591859 This is my second Artifact.
The Harvard Business Review, is an entirely owned subsidiary under Harvard University. 

Too often, is the profession of Education taken for granted. Policymakers and other individuals of the like continue to make different laws that affect education, when they have little idea as to the little ins and outs that their policies entail. Teachers are consistently degraded and go unheard. They oftentimes work much longer hours than other professions for much less of a reward. There was a comparison between the process of becoming a Priest and becoming a teacher. Oftentimes - these professions are viewed as a "calling." With this artifact - it's clear that being a teacher, based on hard research, is becoming less and less lucrative, simply because teachers are being forced to do more with less. They're not being listened to, and yet are being expected to listen closely. 

I chose this artifact - because it shows that despite what others may believe about the profession of teaching, it's most DEFINITELY a profession. It's something that requires countless certificates, degrees, and money spent at college only for those same teachers to be underpaid, overworked, and treated in an unprofessional way. Teachers still stick around, not for the money, or for their own job sake; but for the sake of their students. Their children are of the utmost importance to them - and teachers will always be known as doing whatever it takes to protect their children, at all costs.]]> 2021-12-13 03:16:18 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943591859 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943623614 This artifact, is a bit smaller and won't be as representative on paper - but is from a personal experience that was chalk-full of experience and demonstrated to me, what a strong educator looked, sounded, and acted like.

Ms. Joanna O'neill was the teacher for 5-6 grade Social Studies when I was attending Lanikai Elementary. She was a tremendous educator and oftentimes incorporated her own viewpoints within her lessons. She was a beautiful educator and her philosophies oftentimes aligned with my own - that the students would always come first. She made projects that were specific to the child, and she also provided opportunity for every student to succeed, in their own special ways. She understood what was necessary for her students to learn - but never let that affect her. Now that I'm becoming an educator, she based all of her teachings based on experiences that she built from the years of teaching.

As a social studies teacher - she demonstrated many of the qualities that educators from the past had. She was a strong believer in students blazing their own path - but also wanted to make sure that she was still a leader. I found a large connection between reading about the philosophies of Egypt, Ancient Greece & Rome, and the Middle Ages, in the way she taught, which I'm guessing was only primarily because she was a history teacher. 
Her perspectives and philosophies were all her own - and though I'm sure she learned all the things we're learning now - she learned to incorporate and recreate the lessons so that her students would be able to learn the same forms of history - but in their own respective grade levels.
To this day - Ms. Oneill is still the greatest teacher of Social Studies that I've ever had. She was influential, driven, and always focused on making her students better.]]> 2021-12-13 03:40:22 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943623614 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943677716 I chose this specific article because it represents the solid viewpoint of the political aspect of education. Those who are in charge - or at the top, generally tend to be the administrators or principles. 

It's easy to forget that most of these principles have a background in education and have had to teach before. This goes in detail, stating that having principles within the classroom, gives them the opportunity to be on the frontlines and to experience what it's like to be within the classroom themselves. I would imagine that it could become quite easy to forget about the work necessary that comes with having to be with the students day in and day out - and proposing the idea that these individuals are present. Within this article - there are also anecdotes given by various principles that participated in this activity - and explains how relevant this idea is. It can be applied to a broad view - that educators possess a certain viewpoint that can't be understood by the politically charged individuals who make and emphasize laws unless they're actually put in such a situation.]]> 2021-12-13 04:27:14 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943677716 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943697336 This artifact is important to the aspect of funding within education.

Throughout Chapter 8, there were various mentions of different ways to fund education - through tax dollars, and in some cases, through private donors. Education is a fundamental right - but that doesn't mean that every place receives the same amount of funding. This particular artifact makes this known - and uses an example of two places within Texas: Edgewood & Alamo Heights. One place is wealthier than the other - and receives much more funding; $5,000 per student more, type of funding - and its proven to have a positive effect on student performance by a wide margin.

Student performance goes hand in hand with money mattering to said school district. It doesn't just matter that a school may have more funding - if they don't use that funding for good. Investing and creating a good future for students is a necessity if they, especially lower income students, are to succeed. It was also mentioned that students in lower income and higher poverty rated areas had less access to core subject help resulting in poorer performance. However, the biggest reason that funding was important within education - was that it's nearly vital for districts, states, and the federal government to intervene and provide good programs and to help in minimizing inequities within these school districts. Without the help from all - schools will only continue to plummet. A school can have all the resources available - but if they don't know how to use said resources, or don't have the correct tools, those resources will eventually fade, having been unused and untouched.]]> 2021-12-13 04:45:36 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943697336 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943917587 I thought this artifact captured the idea and the impact that social classes have not only within the classroom, but outside of the classroom too. 

Social classes play a much larger role than just what people see on the surface. Whole communities that live in poverty, have the largest effect on the children/students that come from there. From test scores, to backpacks, to school lunches and malnutrition - all of these different factors play into the hardships that some students face - while others can simply only imagine. 

Education is only as good as the things that support it. Education at its core is a basic human right - everybody is entitled to an education up to a certain degree, should they desire that. But what happens when education is "too expensive?" What if children can't afford those supplies, or good clothing? This can lead to bullying, or other types of social problems - which will only contribute to to further problems down the line.
These social problems also contribute to a sense of inequality. Some students don't have access to programs that other wealthier students have, some students may not have transportation - which will lead to late/tardy/absence from the classroom. All of these issues are discussed within this lengthy but informational artifact, which I feel demonstrates the Module 4 topics perfectly.]]> 2021-12-13 08:01:51 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1943917587 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944000462 The first artifact I've chosen for this module - is the website from my own Elementary school - and their mission and goals. This is the school that I hopefully want to teach at.

When I was attending, this school - the curriculum was strongly based on Parent-intervention. Parents were regularly involved in the activities, but teachers still were the pioneers who provided a lot of educational fronts. What differentiated Lanikai from other public schools at the time - was that parent/teacher involvement.

One of the most important topics I took from this module, was Chapter 13 - the discussion of the Pendulum - and which way it'll swing.  The important topic I noticed - was the responsibility that people don't take. The pendulum continues to swing, and yet nobody takes ownership or or is accountable for their actions. 

The difference with Lanikai - is that parents actively WANT and ATTEMPT to be a part of their children's learning. This artifact further demonstrates the hopeful learning that takes place within the classroom, because of parents willingness to help. This artifact also hopefully disproves the status quo of the pendulum swinging with nobody wanting to help, or nobody wanting to take accountability, despite their voiced concerns over their children's performance.]]> 2021-12-13 08:56:41 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944000462 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944025767 For this last module - I chose Japan. 

Japan is a culturally rich environment, that is famous for having students perform well in educational activities - especially those rooted within STEM (Science/Tech/Engineering/Math). 
As a descendent of Asian grandparents and a half Asian parent - the Japanese culture was heavily engrained into me from a young age. Pursuing a higher education was of the utmost importance - and getting good grades was a must.]]> 2021-12-13 09:13:29 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944025767 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944026177 Some of the most important characteristics of Japanese Education that stood out to me from my research of this nation were:

1.) Manners
   - Manners are of the utmost importance in Japanese society and are taught to children as young as 2!! Children learn the importance of manners like self-respect, determination, and understanding. Students at this age, are also taught gentleness, as they're gentle on animals and on themselves. The younger years for these students are focused less on examinations (which are in G.4) and are more focused on becoming a good person and building good character.

2.) Importance on cleanliness
   - Many of the Japanese schools from Elementary to Higher Education do not have janitors. Students therefore are responsible for keeping their classrooms tidy and clean. This further builds upon discipline and is a skill that students are expected to have learned in their younger years. Skills like putting things back where you've put them, cleaning up after every small mess, and making sure you and your friends are being careful with materials, are heavily encouraged. These tasks are believed to teach these students the importance of teamwork, and to respect every environment they're invited into.

3.) Balanced Meals 
   - A students health is heavily dependent on the food they put within their systems. School-chosen chefs AND health professionals keep their food choices limited, and provide them with healthy foods to stimulate brain and body power throughout the day. Japanese officials know that if your body is powerful enough and fed the right things - your brain will follow and be able to work at its peak.

4.) After-school/Extracurricular Activities
   - There is a heavy emphasis placed on the examinations that are life-determining for these students. Parents will oftentimes spend large sums of money to send their children to programs that are proven to prepare them for the college exams that will sort these students into their respective career fields. There is also an emphasis on "shadow education" which is the teaching of materials outside of the classroom that isn't learned during the normal school day, and it's a common sight to see students who are still studying and practicing even after a 8hr long school day.

5.) Uniformity
   - The use of uniforms is something that I'm personally accustomed to. The Japanese have the idea down, that uniforms remove a social barrier that is placed between students who may have less than others. For that reason - these uniforms alleviate any societal pressure that students may face for their differing clothing patterns - so that all excess thoughts and mental capacity can be placed on examinations and schoolwork.

6.) Attendance
- Attendance at almost every Japanese school is 99.99%. That's a staggering number, especially in comparison to American numbers, which vary from state to state; from income to income and other varying factors. Japanese students value learning, and value hard work - and would rather not skip school, or be late to classes. The examinations are incredibly difficult, and require every last oz. of knowledge from the students - so being late is expected to be near if not at 0%.

These are just a few of the things I found incredibly interesting.]]> 2021-12-13 09:13:47 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944026177 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944027568 It's very clear that the Japanese culture and country have drastically different educational views from the US.

The most prominent in my eyes, is the emphasis on attendance, as well as the providing of school meals that are healthy and beneficial. In the US - nearly 60% of students NATIONWIDE do not partake in breakfast. This is data across the entirety of grade level. Without necessary energy in the morning, the brain will always be in a constant state of "catch-up." This is something that Japanese officials have recognized. Japanese tests are much more rigorous and difficult than the US - and yet, students still seem to perform well. I think that it does have a great deal to do with the meals that are provided. The attendance in the US is at a high 92% - but when compared to the drastic 99% of students who are in attendance every day within school - it definitely leaves something to be desired.

Japanese education also places a heavy emphasis on STEM - and also produces students with incredible literacy in these fields, while also still producing students in the top percentile in English (a foreign language) and history. ]]> 2021-12-13 09:14:38 UTC https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944027568 shirasun https://padlet.com/shirasun/2mrxmwmcwbcihv6j/wish/1944028665 The US can learn a plethora of knowledge from Japan in terms of how to make education more accessible. A few of these would be:

1.) Providing healthy, beneficial Meals
2.) Offering extracurriculars that are more beneficial to student learning, and less on just "paying attention/watching" these children
3.) The necessity of uniforms within most Junior/High schools.
4.) Performance on examinations and the emphasis to do well on these is expected. Students, regardless of residence, income, or background are given equal chances to succeed for the most part - but it all comes down to determination and grit.

Japan can equally learn a bunch of beneficial things from the US

1.) Giving children breaks in between school days to allow for socialization - and to students to have an opportunity to get to know their classmates.
2.) Providing more support to students who wish to pursue arts careers. There is a heavy push for students to entire into STEM-related careers, but there isn't much support or backing for these students to pursue careers that emphasize creativity, or imagination.
3.) Critical Thinking is not pushed as harsh in Japan. The need for a rigid learning environment, that produces students who are regimented is emphasized - which leaves very letter free-thinking, or questioning of why topics/things are the way they are.
4.) Employing a team of principles or administrators who are passionate about providing the best possible education for their students. With a team, instead of just one Principal/Asst. Principal - the ability to cover more ground, and to address more needs for students could be more accessible.

Honestly - the educational system in Japan, seems to flourish much more than that of the US. The US can definitely take more after the Japanese system in terms of rigid instruction. However, the US boasts a large variety of free-thinkers and individuals who can see multiple points of view. This is definitely a tally for the US - in that their creative and imaginative individuals outnumber those of Japan.

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