divided no more...

A recent example from home that speaks to the kind of movement that starts from the ground up is how parents & extended local community demonstrate how CPS (chgo. public school, =the institution) should be working in relationship with, instead of imposing top-down visions for neighborhood schools. This community of congruence, The Whittier Parents’ Committee began a sit-in (lasted 43 days until CEO of CPS finally sat down to dialogue last week) to fight against the demolition of the Whittier Dual Language School’s field house (la Casita), in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. Refusing to allow its' demolition so that a soccer field be built for a nearby private school, brings to light contentious issues around the management and accountability over funds (Tax Increment Funding) and the top-down reshaping of public education.
Parents demanding to be part of the decision-making process have been asking for the remodeling of the building, including a school library. The presence of organizations supporting the demands of the parents definitely aided the cause, along with accessing media attention helped pressure the bureaucracy to face the parents.

This kind of community organizing for change, is not just asking folks to get on the bus, but be involved in the planning of the action/change in attitudes/behavior over how to assert rights and connect to a larger analysis for what is happening, in this case with the broken system of public education in the country. CPS has been conducting an extreme makeover that includes privatization, demolitions, school closures and turnarounds, massive firings of seasoned teachers that have been part of the large-scale redesign of public education. Public funds are being used to renovate schools that are privatized, while low income neighborhood schools are being starved of the most basic resources.
The fight over the survival of this little field house is an important one in the larger struggles around educational rights, community self-determination and control over institutions. Particularly, the skewed interpretation/narrative of charter schools being the "solution", a campaign on school-reform funded by corporate america. What is the real desire behind the privatization of public education?

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/10/21/chicago_parents_occupy_elementary_school_building

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&feature=player_embedded#!

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/10/1/waiting_for_superman_critics_say_much

Chp 5& 6...

In many ways, teaching as described in these chapters, touches upon styles of facilitation. This has made sense to me in working with youth -the heart of the attempt of creating knowledge -ways of knowing -is being engaged/engaging that grounds the experience to making something feel fun, new, connecting the aspects of real-life before us. Echoing the comment Leah shared on the subject-center having that power to reveal those connections across history, it is true in the work of creating solutions and processes that speak to how sustainability can actually be practiced and modeled in the daily living. I often struggled with gauging how overtly I had to make the connections (from whatever activity or projects worked on) explicitly linked to environment vs. working a creative method to have the participants expressing such connections in their own language. To a certain extent, as facilitators you are still in a role of shaping how an analysis can take place and yet the good stuff is really about how we all get to arrive there as a group, class.

The mapping exercise described in chp. 6 seems like a great tool as an entry point to unfolding what makes up the integrity & identity nuances of people working on the ground. I appreciate Palmer's comments that speak for having a lens to recognize the cultural context through which things such as "ground rules for dialogue" are crouched in.

Chapter 5 and 6

My mind races when I read this book. I think I'll start writing in the margins because my thoughts are a mess. The story about Palmer's speaking engagement is a story I need to read often because its message is at heart of education.

Teachers always feel the need to cover everything in the book. State standards, end of course assessment exams, and administration place fear in the minds of so many teachers (especially math teachers)! Palmer recognized the need for student voice. I could picture the tension in the room with 150 students, and I know it is easier for a teacher to talk for an hour rather than allow students to respond and ask questions. Plus, there is always the fear of not knowing all the answers. This kind of classroom does take some practice, but it's amazing once you are in it. Of course what Palmer does not address is the fact that all classes are different. One year you might have a class that thrives on discussion. Another year you might have a dud. I can never figure out why. I guess I'll blame it on genetics.

Chapter 5/6 reflection

Ok, I have to admit...in order to actually read this book, I had to get rid of the dust jacket (it was so distracting with its unrealistically lit mountain peaks and river...). Ah, that's better :)

Chapter four was really meaningful to me. He reminded me, when talking about subject centered education, of the impact that art history classes had on in me in my undergraduate schooling. Up until that point, dates, line charts, and small chapters referring to important periods of history from my previous schooling made a very little impact on how I saw the world. I couldn't remember the dates of the first world war, couldn't tell you when the United States entered the second world war until.......Art History, Renaissance to Modern Era. Suddenly, connections between art periods and what had gone on in the world was making sense. Ideas were being aligned, dates were being remembered, history was making sense in a REAL SENSE to me. To this day, so much of how i remember the different periods of world history have everything to do with the art that was made during that time because it suddenly becomes holistic- everything is connected to everything else. Before my art classes, I had seen history removed, in the past. Art subjectivised it for me- made it real.

chapter 5 6 and practicum thoughts

I think that the space that he is talking about is also what we talked about in Research methods class. Getting the student to learn to ask questions, its about open ended questions, things that make us wanting to know more and having the space to do this. Two of the smartest people I know (no not me, but the type of people you want to have on your trival persiut team) were home schooled. The way they were taught was to ask questions and find it out yourself. So they looked into things that interested them and things that didn't but thought they should know. They learned how to learn, which is what I think a great teacher does and what this practicum/year is about. The environment is very different in Southern Manitoba but I have the skills and confidence to learn about the trees, plants, animals there because I was given practice and the knowledge to do so.

Another important point is that the subject is important. I love history and can sit through or listen to podcasts about history because the subject is interesting to me. When the stories take over the class and I can laugh in my head about people being so silly or thinking that it was a good idea. My sister on the other hand is a math major. Again the subject was so interesting to her. Her and her math friends would dream about their solutions, they would talk about things and there teachers taught them how to learn and how to figure things out. THey loved it, me the subject was so far from my train of thought I have no idea what they are talking about (I have also learned not to ask because I am so lost.)

I know that there are limations to evaluations that are done on the last day of class, but I have seen productive and positive change from them. At CMU there was an aweful professor and after 3 years of consitently poor evaluations he was encouraged and maybe forced to take teaching classes.

Practicum thoughts. I don't mind the work of practicum. Its fun and I get to hang out with kids. I just don't completely understand why it is like this, and am wanting to challenge Merry Lea to think outside the box about how it can be better. Teaching experience is great, but with my masters I am hoping to not only work and teach with adults and kids, but get to think creatively and practise implementing my own work. And I have been told that the project is for this but I would like to see more of it.

Chapters 5 and 6

When I was reading from our book I was constantly reminded of all the teachers I have had in the passed because since I haven't ever been a teacher that's all I got! My Ecology teacher, Ryan S, kept coming to my mind of a teacher that help be grasp both the information at a small scale and then relating it back to the bigger scale. Ryan was always about scales and learning that it's important to spend time learning and researching both the smaller scales and the bigger scales. Knowing and understanding the different sized scales in any area of subject are important to have. This example reminded me of the one in the book in chapter 5 about the medical school story. Palmer stated, "In this model of medical education, that small circle of students around a patient, that small version of the community of truth, is the hub that turns the larger wheel..."

I liked how Palmer split up the sections in chapter 5 because it helped showed the true complexity of education and everything in general. Chapter % also helped me think of what characteristics all the good teachers I have had in the past and what it takes to be a good teacher. I said it before and I'll say it again... teachers don't get enough credit. Another part that I liked what Palmer said was about space and how important it is to have. For example, "By reconstructing the dynamics of teaching and learning in the community of truth, I remind myself that teaching this way involves much more than going with the flow. I must hone certain skills and learn others as I go to make a space for this kind of education to happen. "

And I think it's important to always be reminded that education can never be perfect. It's going to change all the time and we as educators need to be light on our feet and ready to accept change, and we need to listen to those that seek change and what to learn. The end of chapter 6 made sense, " if we who lead and we who teach would take that counsel to heart, everyone in education, administrators and teacher and students alike, would have a chance at healing and new life. Learning--- learning together-- is the thing for all of us."

Overall this passed week I had a good time. I did learn that it is very hard to mange 10 home schooled 8-11 year boys. They just like to run everywhere! but I realized that exploring and having that freedom is liberating for them so I let them run ahead of me and of they got too far ahead I would shout stop and they would listen. They really liked the bird migration game, a little too much. I thought it was fun having the home schoolers back bc I recognized a lot of the kids that were at Autumn Adventures and that made me wish I got to spend more than 4 hours at a time with the kids that come through Merry lea. but on the other hand I couldn't imagine myself in the classroom so it's all gooood.

Thoughts on teaching

Let's see!

Well, I have to say that Kati and I did a great job on our own on Thursday. We were off to a rough start when the tractor wouldn't go into reverse and we couldn't get ahold of any staff member to help us with the fire. But we got it under control. We had the fire ready to go so that we could run over and get it started while the kids washed their hands. The tractor got going after Kerry came over and got it movin. It started raining for a minute, but I threw that tractor into 4th gear and gave those kids the ride of their lives!

We had plenty of time to spare, great teachers to work with, as well as interested and engaged students. I was impressed that we could pull it off with just the 2 of us and no coordinator, but we did so with flying colors!

Enchanted Forest was different, but pretty much enjoyable. I did like being able to be creative and getting into my role. It was fun to act and pretend that I was a turtle. I will say though, that by the 2nd night, I was a little sick of it. I think maybe we should have done something different on the second night. I would have liked to see how it was run. We never got a chance to do that because we were dressed up. I would have liked to be a trail guide, or seen how people were put into groups and what not. I understand though that there is shortage of volunteers and staff members like to change it up as well.

Chapters 5&6

I enjoyed both the chapters that we read. While reading, I was happy that I have experienced most of what he is talking about. It made me feel as if I have had a good education and good teachers to base my teaching off of.

Chapter 5 Thoughts:

I like the thought of teaching from a microcosm. As a creative writing major, most of my classes were set up in this way. We usually discussed 2-3 poems each class, in a circle, with all of us being engaged. This happened with our own poetry, as well as poets that we were assigned to read for each class. When we were up, we were not allowed to speak until the end of our critique. This gave everyone a chance to speak without being influenced by the author's point of view. This also helped is in learning how to critique professional writers that we do not have in the room with us. At the end, each author was given to chance to clear up anything that they wanted to and speak honestly about the critique from the class. This was purely subject centered. We were focused around one poem and poet at a time. The teacher was as much a part of the discussion as the students were, offering insight from their own experience and learning, but never correcting what other students have said.

Our grades in these classes were never really based on our poems either. Although some teachers asked for certain forms that we had to write in, we never really had restrictions. Grades came from doing assignments, participation, and a few papers about our personal reaction to a certain book of poetry. We were not to look outside for others views on poetry, but we stayed within our own class. We never really consulted the "professionals", but drew our own conclusions.

Chapter 6 Thoughts:

I like the idea of learning as a community of teachers. I had 2 classes in my undergraduate career that were "team taught". My Southwestern Studies classes, which were my favorite and brought together so many subjects that I learned to love was set up this way. We had one teacher who gave us tests and grades and what now, but every other week we had another professor from another department come into class in order to give us their perspective. They also had a "jones" professor that was there more often and was in another department as well. The first class I took, our "jones" professor was my mentor, who was from the geography dept. The second class I took the "jones" professor was from the history department and basically studied Mexican-American history. Each professor brought their own views into the class, which was primarily a writing intensive english class. The great thing was that each professor taught us things that made sense in what we were reading. They gave new light to the situation and made us understand what we were reading about even more than simply looking at it from an "english major" point of view. I loved these classes! They were my favorite ones and they encouraged to me to take more electives that were outside of my field. I ended up taking classes from each of the Jones professors as electives so that I could better understand the Southwest and the literature that was written about the land.

This also made me think about one horrible teacher that I had. I had this woman twice in my college career. Once I had her in a class of about 150 students. She was AWFUL! She gave us assignments of about 500 pages to read a week and screamed at us when we didn't want to talk in class or had not done all of the assignments. I found out that her husband was the dean of the English department. I swore up and down that this had to be the reason why she had tenure because if anyone had ever watched her teach they would have been horrified. Plus, she got awful evaluations from students. The next class I had her in was a senior level class that was much smaller, about 20 students. She was different in this class. She still was not the best teacher, but I was able to realize that she was very specialized in a certain author that she loved. She taught this author's book in this class and her way of teaching improved dramatically. She also never had any outbursts in class. Even when we didn't read she sympathized with us. Although she was so late at getting papers back to us and unorganized as hell, I eventually came to understand that she was a little better than I had thought. I guess when she got to get to her subject and author that she loved, her teaching and people skills followed.

Correction-I suck at counting

Hi guys,

I realized that I had counted wrong. Missed some observation days and days like the overnight group when we were actually all on.

We were about the same. 19-23 days worked.

Some of us had about 4 more days than other people. Still, this is about a week extra of working.

Just wanted to clarify. I am bad at math, and I guess this also makes me bad at counting (hehe)! Thank goodness I am not in school for accounting!

My inner landscape

my inner landscape earlier was a jumbled mess of thorny bushes, molten lava, and blue-green algae. not a pretty feeling- or sight at that! I was awoken last night by the foot of my offspring as it made contact with my rib cage. soon after, i was thrust into the freezing air as all of the blankets were pulled off of me. I woke up this morning angry....and wanting to hand this most unidyllic life back to the joker who gave it to me in the first place!

yikes!

but really, being a parent is being a teacher. and it is really hard some days. I don't have compassion. i don;t want to listen. i want to be the authority. the last word. the omega. the end.

but....where is the grace in that? and when can i learn if i am only barking orders to my little boy? (who is only 5- and is FULL OF GRACE).

it is time that i look to the student....

Oliver sees everything sacred. yesterday, the site of a pile of raccoon scat on a log made him squeal with delight. Look mom! he had berries for dinner!

the mushrooms growing out of the rotting limbs were such a treat for him to find. Wow, mom. this is really cool.

yes, my dear, darling, full-of-life -and- love, son, THIS IS COOL.

(i need to remember this always!!!!!!)

Chapters 2 & 3

I just re-read chapter 3 again....am really thinking a lot about the idea of paradoxical teaching.

This idea makes me think back to all the teachers in my past who had a positive influence on me...as well as the ones who had a negative. I am realizing now that the teachers that affected me profoundly (positively!) the most were the ones who sought to have a dialogue with me. They were willing to share their own personal thoughts with me, and still give me room for my own independent thinking. They gave me good teaching, but also were good listeners and did not shrug off my own "elementary" thoughts- but rather sought to learn from me as well.

Teachers that I had that affected me profoundly in a negative way were the one with absolutes. (and there were w few of them!). One in particular was a photography instructor in college that had "decided" what sort of photography I was to make, and that was that. Any time i strayed outside her "box" I was chastized. Thankfully, she left in my third year, and I was able to make my best work in undergrad in her absence. I don't want to be that teacher! Nothing really in the world in black and white- especially when it comes to human beings .

chapter 4 - community truth

I think I liked this chapter, mostly because i think it said some good things in regards to my feelings about life and lots of things. I know that I don't need to know everthing because my community knows things. For example, most of my friends are artisitics, so to have myself tagged in facebook pictures, I don't need to be the picture taker.

Being apart of the community and the personal reality reminded me of Harry Potter. For Ron's dad understanding the muggle world was really hard because he wasn't apart of it and couldn't really understand life without magic.

Practicum reflections
1. AA. Rachel, Jim and I got to do AA on Friday. It was nice relaxed and we got to take control. One of the things I think is important is the hike, here the kids get to see and expereince what they learned in the morning. If we make the morning so long that we cut short the afternoon, we are not making it worth while for the class to come all the way out to Merry Lea.

2. I am struggling with this next thought but I will try and put it into words. Practicum so far is not all that challenging for me. I have worked at summer camps for 9 years, worked with inner city kids for 2, worked year round at a camp doing environmental education/recreation things. I am not challenged. I don't feel like I can change things, partly because the participants expect something and they like it and because it is a well developed progam, and doesn't need a whole lot of changes. So why am I doing this?

3. I am not planning on working in a nature center when I leave here. All of our practicums are placed in a nature center. How is this helping me? I love community, the debate if talking to a community member who really wants to tell you a story of eating a chicken bone or going to pick up compost on time is important or another time. Working with a local community is great, there is the diversity where you get the most random skills from people. Also people know you and won't feel hurt if you are honest. Here I can't say to a parent I can't listen to them or not to tell me their chicken bone story because I will never see them again.

4. I understand that practicum is like a job, but I am not sure if this practicum or sugar bush will challenge or help me develop enough to brag about in job interviews. I would love to work with community on more of a personal level with my practicum.

5. I know some of these issues are way bigger then the people who are forced to read this blog. As a group I would like to honestly hear and think creatively about these thigns.

Thoughts on Teaching

Well, after this chapter, I will say that practicum does not feel like a community.

I have no connection to the kids. I only see them for a couple hours. I don't get to know anything about them, I can't even remember their names most of the time.

On that end. I had a really good day today. My group was fantastic. The kids were just great! They were excited and ready to learn. They grasped onto the bigger concept. They related everything back to the earth. When I sand "Dirt Made My Lunch" a kid in my group knew exactly what I was talking about because he had been paying attention throughout the day. This just filled me with joy! Most of the kids were also asking me when I would be there so that they could come back and visit me. I felt like this was the first day that I actually began to connect with kids, but of course, it is not really going to ever pan out to make a community from it.

I will say though, I am burned out. I show up not too excited about teaching. I get excited when I have good groups like today.

I think one thing that I want and crave is evaluation. I agree with Jabin that at times, I feel like the cheapest of all labor and wonder what I am getting out of all of this. It makes me feel like I am being used, and I am the one that is going into a large amount of debt for this. I know that this is part of the program, but sometime I wonder what I am learning. I am yearning to be back in the classroom so that I am engaged in my education. So, I have a thought on how to possibly improve it. I would like to be observed. I think that if I were being observed and evaluated on a regular basis I would feel as though I was learning something. I know that one day we will get evaluated, but I feel it is too late. We should have been observed and evaluated on our first day, then again a few weeks later, and again towards the end. This way, I would at least see myself improving and be getting constructive criticism instead of beating myself up and being my own critic of my teaching.

I also have looked at the schedule and realized that I was scheduled and have worked more days than anyone else. I am not complaining. I don't think this was as attack on me in any way. But, when I looked at everyone, there is really no "set" amount of days given across the board. Jabin, Kati, and I have 22+ days that we have worked. Leah, Rachel, and Tanya have about 19-20 days. I know it is not a big difference, but I think I can feel it. I think it could have been spread apart and shared among us so that people like me are not working 5-6 more days than other people in the program.

Again, please do not take this as a complaint. It is something I have noticed over the weeks. I have noticed that some of us are there more than others. I think that it would help if it were equally split between us. I know that this is not intentional and I do not blame anyone, but I thought it should be addressed.

Chapter 4

I loved this chapter. I have a strong feeling about education being a community. Many types of communities and have strived to do this in my own education. One part that REALLY stuck out to me was when Palmer says,

"We say that knowledge begins in our intrigue about some subject, but that intrigue is the result of the subject's action upon us: geologists are people who hear rocks speak, historians are people who hear the voices of the long dead, writers are people who hear the music of words. The things of the world call to us, and we are drawn to them--each of us to different things, as each is drawn to different friends".

I just loved this and felt like I could relate to it. Poetry called to me when I was dealing with the death of my mother and held my hand through it. Then, I found WATER and geography. This was a part when I truly felt connected to the subject that grabbed me and pulled me in. Many of you have heard me talk about the San Marcos River. It is amazing! Spring fed from a limestone aquifer right in the center of town. It does not meet another river for 4 miles, and that 4 miles flows right through the city. It is crystal clean, clean, 68 degrees year round and just the most beautiful thing ever. The great thing about it is that when you live there you are always near or in the river. I swam in it every single day from May-Sept. We also float in it. It is a major part of any San Martians life. Because of this connection and time spent not only near it but IN it, there is a great appreciation for the river. It makes people want to conserve and preserve it.

I wrote many times for classes that due to the fact that we can float and swim in the river, that there is a greater chance for education. People can connect with those waters. This is what got me so interested in water quality, education, and geography. This river and my connection to it made it come alive to me and I didn't want to stop until I knew it's story. I believe this is community. A community between people and a river. One that is protected by its citizen. A river that not only houses wildlife, but is a central part of a college and community.

Enough with that. I also like his feelings of community within education. Not that my last ramble, didn't touch on that. I feel like nowadays many people are disconnected from their education. We are told that it is something we must and should do. It is something that has become the norm. I have met so many people that are my age that really don't give one shit about their education. They are only doing it because their parents made them and they are paying the bills. This causes so much frustration and concern with me. I mean, we should be a part of our education. We should be challenging it. We should feel as though we are a part of a whole, not just a consumer or a child made to sit in a classroom because we are told that it is right. We should take control of our education. I think that this is not done because most people don't care.

Chapters 4 and 5

Well I have been feeling that teaching has been going smoother. I felt that last friday was probably my best day ever since practicum has started. It was autumn adventures and a bunch of first graders came from Fort Wayne. Tanya and I decided to decrease the stations to 10 minutes each and that was the best decision ever! Then they went on a hay ride and we had plenty of time for a hike. It was really fun to see all the kids get excited on the hike. I felt that some of them retained the information from the morning lessons because on our hike they were talking about spores and pointing on things that they had just learn. So that day left me feeling up beat!

While reading the book it made me think of all the factors that are involved to a child learning. Community is a big part of a child's learning abilities. I found Friday such a good day to teach because the kids were excited to learn and the adults were really nice and helpful and also willing to learn. I find it a lot more helpful when the adults are engaged and willing to learn themselves. The kids learn from example so when the parents and teachers are enthusiastic and happy to be where they are, they are showing their kids that it's "cool" to learn. haha or something like that.

Response to Chp 4 & Jabin, el profe

It's constructive feedback -a space where questions get shape-shifted and we can get to those truths,...and its' because we ultimately care that engaging in this makes sense (oh yah, I am offering monetary exchange for higher ed. too!)

our seeing & feeling is in part what is asked of participants coming through Merry Lea programming -except that theirs' is a momentous more-on-the-sensory experience, whereas we (as students, not staff or public volunteers) are attempting to process our own learning & educational orientation in this context. In this searching & seeing, I am also questioning several things that you alluded to Jabin ( note: I appreciate your honesty, young grasshopper)

It's not that I am opposed to being exposed to what is the kind of programming being delivered here, having those first faces of youth really helped me personally (the transition of lessened human contact living on farmstead headquarters is part of my story) when we first started. But indeed, it feels quite excessive in time, lack of relevancy, and I only have a handful of months (after all, it's Nov. in 2 week!) Everybody else (those mastered M.A.s) seems to think I should be elsewhere along in my project.

How is this immersion experience of Merry Lea's k-12 programming really speaking to the broader scope of E.E. that we apparently have been engaging with in our classes (mostly thinking about Paul's) and the reality of both the work experiences we are bringing and our project development orientations?
I'd be interested in how we conceptualize the "learning" intended to formalize within a practicum (does the student exhibit different "needs"? Are we interested in accomodating such?

I am wondering what if any, were the other ideas conceived in developing the context of practicum from the onset/ the birth of this M.A. program. As Palmer defines conflict, "as the dynamic by which we test ideas in the open", how is the content of practicum revisited -the idea of practicum as is (being that we are the 3rd cohort). I ask principally, because it is solely focused on the delivery of nature-center E.E. and this is definitely not reflective of the broadening scope of E.E. that we have been trying to unravel in our classes and acknowledge the need for to connect with what is out there. (I think often of Cristine whom we met at the park near (?) Elkhart and her supervisor who expanded on interpretative education).

Connecting to undergrad Goshen students volunteering with the Bosque Encantado this past weekend was great learning for me on a couple of levels. First off, as this was Merry Lea's first attempt, it was all about the teachings that came with the organizing, the actual audience =children & adults that were present and the volunteers. I have more thoughts I am unraveling, but what struck me was how this is could potentially be a prime example of what next year's cohort could fulfill practicum requirement with the set guidelines (does it have to be strictly connected to Merry Lea Learning Center, as the sole institution that we (as students) work with?) Understanding programmatic logistics (outreach, coordinating, etc.) could have a hands-on taste with this as well as with other local communities perhaps yet not identified. All this to say, that I am concerned and holding a picture of a community of truth flaming during winter.

Chapter 4

When I think about community I am reminded of a quote by John Muir.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."

Palmer does a good job of detailing the disconnect between academic superiority and the learner. I believe this disconnect can be corrected with collaboration. By collaborating you will not only enhance student learning, you will also enhance your own knowledge base. Eastern University of Michigan reports, “Collaboration ensures a more effective use of individual talents. Modern research is increasingly complex and demands an ever-widening range of skills. Often, no single individual possesses all the knowledge, skills, and techniques required. In principle, an individual might be able to learn or acquire all the techniques needed to solve a particular problem, but this can be very time consuming. If two or more researchers collaborate, there is a greater probability that among them they will possess the necessary range of skills.” Education of students requires teachers to develop curriculum, administer curriculum, grade papers, and discipline students. No teacher is expected to rewrite textbooks on top of all the other responsibilities they have. Collaboration with others will ease that responsibility. Some may say collaboration is another task added to a teacher’s overburdened work schedule. Stuart Smith writes, when teachers “share teaching practices or critique one another’s teaching, they are engaging in activities to improve their work.” A sense of comradery begins to form between the teachers. By implementing environmental education in courses other than science teachers will build connections with their faculty, strengthen their teaching methods, and obtain appreciate from their students. Collaboration is the beginning of community in the field of education.

Thoughts on Programming:

Palmer also writes about the importance of honesty. "We practice honesty not only because we owe it to one another but because to lie about what we have seen would be to betray the truth of great things." I think Farmcraft is making me stupid. I can't focus on Natural History or my project with the same enthusiasm I had earlier in the year. For a moment I actually contemplated skipping the Natural History exam because I just didn't care. I would have never said that a month ago. Some may say this is due to timing. I've been told there is a natural process of highs and lows in grad school. I fully knew this before entering the program. I've experienced many highs and lows in my life, just none like this. The routine of making magic muffins and apple cider is making me crazy, apathetic, and dry. Don't get me wrong. I believe the staff at Merry Lea has done an amazing job creating programs that inspire children of all ages. I'm not saying the material is mundane, but rather, it's the repetition of the material. We've been doing this for almost 7 weeks now with 3 to go. The thought of returning to Farmcraft in the spring is killing me. Once again, I am not criticizing the program. I'm happy that we have had the chance to learn the program, but I'm not sure why we are still doing it. Some might say the reason for doing the program for an extended time is to teach us the ability to make things exciting even when it seems boring. I can accept that statement if programming was our job. Trust me, teaching Biology 1 for 16 years can be a bore, but there is an investment when I teach Biology. I want my students to excel and develop an enthusiasm for the subject. There is no investment in the students we teach during programming. The other motivating factor in teaching Biology is the fact that I'm getting paid. I want the school corporation to know they invested wisely when they hired me. We are paying for an education through Goshen College, but right now it seems like we are cheap labor. In addition, we were promised more time to work on our projects during programming, but I've had less time (pretty much none) to do research now than I did when we were taking classes. When I should be working on my project, I'm putting away the tractor and cleaning up the bathrooms. I want future grad school students to experience programming. It's an important part of environmental education, but in the future there needs to be less programming or a better rationale for it.

I think that what worries me most is that Farmcraft is forcing me to lose my self.

Chapters 2 nd 3

Chapters 2 and 3

I must say before starting practicum I was scared, nervous, and antsy. I haven't had much teaching experiences before starting this program, well with kids that is. Before starting this program I actually didn't really like to spend my time with kids and I didn't have patience for their little habits. So I guess you are wondering, "Then why in the world are you here Rachel??" Well I shall let you into the mind of the Great Rachel Funk. Last year during my senior year at Goshen College I decided to take a course called Human Behavior and in that class we learned all about the different stages of when humans are infants all the way to when we become old. And I was surprised by how fascinated I became with learning why people are the way they are. In that class we had a lot of assignments that required us to observe people that were children, families, or just people in general. I spent serval weeks observing and interacting with Alta (Carol's daughter) to see how she evolved over time and during that time I noticed how I evolved into actually enjoying kids. So from that class I felt that it helped me develop patience and understanding for how children are developing into their own selves. From doing practicum I have also noticed that I have enjoyed all the kids that have come to Merry Lea, which is great news for me! And I also think I will be able to tolerate my own kid one, which I never thought was possible.

From these practicum sessions I am discovering what I am capable of in the teaching world and I am learning how to deal with my fears and struggles. I liked the reading from the book in particular the fear chapter. Teachers really don't get as much credit as they should.

Those who can't do, Teach. Ha.

Have you ever heard that phrase? It always made me angry, but then I realized it was always stated by horrible teachers.

Palmer writes about the little stories of the individual and the big stories of the discipline. These are my little stories that hopefully show you the big story.

On the first day of school I read a passage from Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. In this passage Dillard explains how she “used to hide a precious penny” in hope someone would find it and “receive, regardless of merit, a free gift from the universe.” She goes on to compare this free gift with watching “a muskrat kit paddling from her den.” Dillard wonders if this sight is only worth a “chip of copper.” She concludes, “It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won’t stoop to pick up a penny, but if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then since the world is in fact panted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. What you see is what you get.” I have to read this story because it reminds me of the kind of teacher I want to be. I want the students to "see" the material presented.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to take five students to a BioBlitz sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The event took place at the Indiana Dunces National Lakeshore. At the Dunes we gathered with 176 scientists from around the globe to catalog as many species as possible during a 24 hour time period. We chose to search for mosses and lichens with Dr. Gary Merrill of the Chicago Field Museum. We also studied amphibians and reptiles with Dr. Robert Brodman of Saint Joseph College in Indiana. Our trip with Dr. Merrill could have been a disaster. What student wants to look at mosses in rainy, forty-five degree weather for three hours? I was surprised when my students described the experience as a wet adventure. Luckily, the rain subsided and the trip with Dr. Brodman provided my students with the opportunity to find salamanders in their larval stage. When one of my students caught a larval blue spotted salamander her excitement made me think she had found a nugget of gold. The experience at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore provided the students with a life long story. Seeing at its best.

Of course there is always fear. Our studies in AP Environmental Science culminate in a trip to Everglades National Park and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. In the Everglades the class camps near Florida Bay, canoes in Nine Mile Pond, and hikes through the sloggy waters of Big Pine Nature Preserve. At John Pennekamp students observe the fragile coral reefs of South Florida. For some of my students it is the first time they have ever slept in a tent outdoors. Every time I take that trip I filled with fear. In fact, I tell my chaperones that I won't be myself the first few days. I often take chaperones that I know will help calm me down. It's incredibly stressful.

Well, I've gone on way too long. I do know that teaching is the best thing ever, and that Palmer has nailed the sense of fear and paradox.

Thoughts on teaching: I agree with Sami that the kids surprise me with their intellect. I've also been surprised how easy little kids gravitate toward knowledge and their teachers. I'm sure elementary teachers get a high from this. Oh, why do we lose this excitement for knowledge as we get older? I think I like Farmcraft better than Autumn Adventures, but I'm looking forward to teaching AA on Thursday. Teaching the program may change my perspective. Although programming is starting to become a little routine, I am trying to keep it fun with high energy.

Recent Thoughts and Experiences While Teaching

OH BOY! I feel like it has been so long and only today really sticks in my mind right now.

Well. I have to say that farmcraft with 3-5 year olds is a bit of a challenge. Although I love this age, it is not as easy.

Today I had a group of nine 3-year olds. I struggled to find ways to present material to them so that they could learn as well have fun. I found myself talking much less and doing more. I didn't know how I really felt about this. At times I feel like these kids should be taught by an equal amount of talking and doing. Maybe I am selling them short because they are so little, but at the same time, they are 3! What is really tough about this age, as compared to even 5-year olds is that they are so shy and don't really talk or interact much. I had one girl today that was really into everything, but then her teacher had to continually be telling her to "stop doing this and that". The rest of the group was quiet and not really totally engaged. They wanted more to do with their parents and very little to do with me and what I was doing. I gotta think of ways to get to these kids, but at the same time they are 3, and having a stranger try to get them out of their shell may not work so well.

As for the rest of my experiences lately. We have had some young ones so that have been similar. Although I do find that I enjoy this age, I struggle trying to feel okay about the fact that they may not be getting all of what I am trying to teach them. The 5-6 year olds have amazed me! They are super smart and really into everything that they do. A few weeks ago when Jabin and I were working together, I was singing "Dirt Made My Lunch" to a bunch of kids. Before I began the song we were talking about their lunches and where dirt fit into the whole picture. One kid looked at me and said, "Well DUH, everything comes from the earth, I get it!", the other kids looked a little confused but eventually they caught on. This just made me smile and feel like at least one of them really understood where I was coming from and could pass this on to his other classmates at some time.

Courage Chapters 2&3

I am really enjoying the book. His outlook and views on teaching really speak to me as an educator and as a student.

I was drawn to the 2nd chapter on fear (maybe because I wasn't so sleepy while reading it). As I look back on my schooling, the thing that always held me back was fear. I would stop myself from saying things, hold back from turning in certain poems, skip certain days because I thought I wasn't ready, ect. because I was scared. At times it was because I was intimidated or scared of my teachers, and other times I held back because of other students that I thought were smarter than I was and would be able to explain things better. Now I was never one of the kids in the back of the room (I was always annoyed with those people), but at times I was the student that the teacher pried at. I was always engaged in class, but at times would just say nothing, even though I most likely looked like I wanted to puke because there was so much that I wanted to say.

I think part of it was having so many teachers in the past that stressed the right or wrong...which leads me to chapter 3. I had been told so many times that things were black and white that I was so scared to express an opinion because I didn't think I had it. Who knows, I may have had it all along, or would have brought something to the table, but this fear is what stopped me. This is why my undergrad degree worked so well for me. I was able to bring in a piece of work and have no one tell me that I was right or wrong. They could tell me their opinions, but never that I was wrong in what I was thinking or feeling and the way that I presented it. It makes me want to stress the fact that while I am teaching I am also learning. Not only learning better ways to teach, but also continuing to challenge myself to understand things better.

CHP 2 & 3...

I'm not totally sold on fear being the sole motivator behind our disconnectedness exemplified by techer-learner experiences or the "system" at hand in mainstream formal education. It seems that other things have taken precedence over teaching, with the education of teachers & students undermined.

I gravitated more towards the critique of objectivism and the normalized worldview of fragmentation that gets interfaced with by learners, teachers, administrations, culture of schools. I couldn't wrap my mind around this in my own schooling experience and in many ways felt alienated with the idea of having to continue through higher ed. The fallacy of an objective p.o.v., is that we are always operating from a place rooted in our way of understanding reality/the world. Those ways of knowing are what they are for better or for worse -reflection and challenging -is a path towards critical thinking.

The passage on the principal being afraid -in solidarity? -with the shop teacher brought me good-hearted laughter. Yes, the culture around how work gets done, how learning & teaching is interpreted, and the relationship of otherness are crossroads to awaken to.

Welcome!

Welcome to our Fall Practicum blog! This is your place to share your thoughts and experiences about teaching at Merry Lea as well as your reflections on our readings from The Courage to Teach.