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10 Weeks To Go

Posted on April 25, 2011 by auburnchick

I can scarcely believe that I only have ten weeks left to go in my education certification program.

I spent last week finishing up assignments.

I had to evaluate an educational software package for my teaching and technology class.  The teacher had instructed us not to purchase software, but finding a complete trial version of software was not easy.  Fortunately, I found this site, which proved invaluable.

I chose to evaluate Jump Start 5th Grade.

My children had several of these titles when they were in elementary school, and I loved them; however, that was back in the 90’s.  Unfortunately, this software is old and does not incorporate a lot of today’s technology. 

Either way, the experience of evaluating software was a good reminder of what to look for in technology.

For one of my field experience classes, I had to complete a professional development scale.  What this assignment entailed was creating short-term and long-term goals for each of the twelve Florida Educator competencies.

It required a lot of self reflection and practical application.

I also had to take a practice test for the Profession Educator Exam.

I learned a huge lesson.

Never take a quiz at 12:30 in the morning.

The results were not altogether pretty.

Note to Self:  Don’t schedule my real exam for the darkest hours of the night.

Not that the facility will be open, but you know me and my anal self.  I’m sure in my sleep-deprived state, I might just try to insist that I be allowed to do just such a crazy thing.

Either way, the practice test was good for me.  It pointed out some areas that I need to study…namely the various psychological theories of education.

Other than those two big projects, I only had to write a couple of responses to my classmates’ discussion forum postings (if you have ever attended school online, you’ll know that classroom “conversation” is generated through the use of discussion forums).

I had worked my behind off…and it all paid off when I was able to greet my Chicky, who came home for Easter, without worrying about pending assignments.

As such, I was able to spend the weekend relaxing my brain, enjoying my girl, and celebrating Easter.

Although I am still awaiting feedback on a number of assignments, I am not stressed at the moment.  Although my next term will start in a couple of weeks, I am going to enjoy the freedom I currently have.

Folks, the next time I write, I will be in single digits!

Go on and do the happy dance with me!

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

12 Weeks to Go

Posted on April 11, 2011 by auburnchick

I am officially at the halfway point in my certification program!

Happy Dance!

Week 12 was b-r-u-t-a-l.

After I sent my collaborative lesson plan to my mentor, I waited…

And waited…

And waited.

He sent me one email that said, “Wow!  Overachieve much?”

I chuckled because, as you know, I am a bit anal about my work.

On Thursday morning, he sent me a message that my lesson plan was fine as it was.

Now, this might seem like a good thing, and it was, mind you.  However, the requirements of my assignment were such that collaborative effort had to be shown via red font on my lesson plan.  So, I sent him a message asking him to “find” something for me to “fix.”

A little after lunch, I received a message that he would like me to incorporate more reading of the text in with the lesson plan.  He also suggested that the people I had used in my motivation be changed to people the ninth graders would know.

Oh, I guess I should explain what I’m talking about.

See, the lesson plan was about Romeo and Juliet’s respective tragic flaws.

I decided to get things going by showing students pictures of famous people/characters…

I originally had Anakin Skywalker, Jack Bauer, and Martha Stewart, but I axed Jack and Martha at my mentor’s suggestion and added Charlie and Lindsay.

Armed with the feedback that my mentor provided, I got to work Thursday afternoon.

The job was tough.  I had to get the lesson plan fixed and email it to my college instructors.  There were so many parts to fill in…

I worked for about five hours before discovering, upon my attempt to print the revised lesson plan, that my printer was out of color ink.

Ugh.

I ran to Office Max and had my documents printed.  I was fortunate because I got there just as the copy center was getting ready to close up shop.

Then, I went back home and spent another four hours typing a script for myself.  I color-coded it so I would know what questions to ask (a certain number were required), when to write stuff on the board or pass out papers, and when to read text…

Yeah.  I’m anal like that.

I already told you this.

Finally, I headed to bed satisfied that I had done all that I could do.

I was calm.  I think that was because Super Sis had called me shortly after I got home from Office Max just to check on me.  She knew that I was going to be observed by my college professor the next day, and she figured I would be nervous.

I was.

We talked about it, and before we got off the phone, she prayed for me…out loud.

I don’t know if you’ve had people pray for you out loud in front of you, but it really is a humbling and emotional experience.

I was mostly touched because she had remembered.

I am so fortunate to have a Christ-following sister.  We have been through some tough times together.  God has used these times as a cord that binds us together.

On Friday, I woke up easily, despite the lack of sleep I’d had.

Surprisingly, I was only mildly nervous…nothing outrageous.

I put on a very nice outfit and headed out the door.

It was especially important to me that I make a good impression on my college professor.  She is the epitome of professional.

I tend to feel very intimidated by people who have their act together like this.

I taught my first ninth grade class, and things went fairly well.  It wasn’t a perfect run, and I asked my mentor for tips after class.  He made a couple of suggestions, which I quickly made notes about in my script.

Then, I saw my professor walk in.

She took a seat beside my mentor in the back of the room.

Now, it’s at this point where you would think I would have been almost faint with nerves.

God was so good.

I pretty much blocked her out of my mind and began class.

It was so much easier after I heard one student say, “Mrs. AuburnChick, I wanted to go to the school’s store, but I didn’t want to miss your class since you were teaching today.”

I’d only been in this classroom two times, and she was already telling me this.

I felt so good.

And I began class.

I really think it went well.  I saw my teacher laugh when I held up Charlie Sheen’s picture.  (That’s always a good sign.)

I covered the board with notes for the students…

I completely submerged myself in the lesson and those kids, and it was amazing!!

Did it go perfectly?

No.

Were there things I could have done differently?

You bet.

However, for a person under the intense pressure of working full-time and attending school full-time, it wasn’t bad at all.  In fact, it’s a lesson that I would have been thrilled to have taught to my own students.

After class was over, I got feedback from my mentor, and before I left, he gave me a hug.

It had been a very good experience.

Though my mentor is a completely different kind of teacher from me…he’s much more relaxed…I learned a lot.

I left the school with a huge smile on my face and a load off of my shoulders.

I also left with a grateful heart.

God had been in every moment.

Believe it or not, my week was NOT OVER!

On Saturday, I had to attend class all day.

I’ve gotta tell you that second Saturday classes are so much better than first Saturday classes.

By that, I mean that every term, we have to attend two Saturday sessions for each class.

The first Saturday finds me and my classmates with deer-in-the-headlights looks on our faces.

I typically go home those days and nap.

I.  Cannot.  Handle.  Life.

Second Saturday classes usually mean that we’re over the hump of the first four grueling weeks of class.

I told one of my instructors that I like second Saturday classes because I can see light at the end of the tunnel.  She laughed.

This program is incredibly demanding.  In fact, some of the courses are transferable to a four-year college two hours away for a Master’s program.

Yeah.

So, I didn’t really mind attending class on Saturday.  I actually wanted to ask a couple of my professors questions.

My technology teacher is amazing.  She’s in charge of instructional technology in the public school system in town, and she really knows her stuff.

Did you know that if you open up iTunes and go to the iTunes store, there’s an iTunes U button at the top that you can click on.  From there, you can click on various colleges and listen to or watch lectures of different classes.  You can take virtual tours of museums.  There is a wealth of information there, and it’s all free!!  That was my favorite tip from the day.

I saw the professor who had observed my teaching the day before, and she smiled when she told me that I had done a good job with my lesson plan.  Her words touched me.

And so Week 12 ended.  I have one rather large assignment left to do in one class and smaller assignments in my other classes.

Because I’ve busted my butt the last four weeks, I am ahead of schedule; however, I am going to continue working hard so I can hopefully finish my classes early and take a breather before Round Three begins.

Week 12…you’re outta here!  Let’s see what Week 13 brings!

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

13 Weeks to Go

Posted on April 4, 2011 by auburnchick

Another week of my educator certification classes is now behind me.

Finally.

It was a very long week.

I nervously awaited feedback about the assignments I had turned in, and to my dismay, two of them got returned for corrections.

As a perfectionist, this was devastating and really set my nerves on edge.

These assignments were for the teacher who will observing me on Friday too, so it’s no wonder I was upset!

The program, though, is great because the point of it is to help students attain mastery of skills.  Students are not expected to turn in perfect work, and the instructors give feedback so that students can learn from their mistakes.

So, I emailed my instructor several times, made some corrections, and resubmitted the work.  I hope she accepts them this time.

Meanwhile, I began feeling overwhelmed as my second observation day drew closer.

I spent some time on Wednesday evening crying on the couch.  Rooster was very sweet as he listened to my fears.  He reassured me and offered sage advice, “Well, Mama, you can’t quit now.”

Gee.  Thanks.  Being reminded that I am stuck in this until July was not very comforting, but he was right.

I am not a quitter.  So, I dried my tears and pushed on.

On Thursday, I had to go into my mentor’s class and teach the lesson plans he had prepared.

Folks, if you’re not good friends with a teacher, you probably won’t know that teachers who have been in this field for a long time do not make detailed lesson plans.

While teacher candidates write 15-20 page lesson plans, experienced teachers fit their plans on small squares of paper.

That’s it.

Oh my word, but my first class did not go well.  I was very nervous.  It was okay, but not great…certainly not up to the standards I have for myself.

Fortunately, my mentor was there, and he was able to step in and provide some assistance.  I watched, took mental notes, and used that information during the second class.  It went a lot better, and I was actually pleased afterward.

After his last class, we sat down and began discussing the lesson plan for next week.

My biggest assignment this term is to write a collaborative lesson plan with my mentor and then teach that lesson plan to my mentor’s classes.

By collaborative, I mean that I have to write the lesson plan, and my mentor offers suggestions and corrections.  Then, I make the corrections, submit it to him again, and he looks over until it’s right.

I get to do most of the work.

Folks, my least favorite part about teaching is writing these lesson plans.

Especially for these certification classes.

Oh.  My.  Word.

There are so many different components that students have to put in them…motivation, materials (that’s the easy part), performance, standards (easy), student learning outcomes, performance/practice, review, assessment, and differentiated instruction.

Sigh.

Aren’t you tired just reading that?

So am I.

I knew that the weekend would be rough.

It was.

While Rooster and the Mr. went to a movie, I sat at home experiencing writer’s block.

Although I knew what topic I would be planning my lesson for, I could not wrap my head around any definitive ideas.

I wanted to cry.

I sat in front of the computer for two hours with barely anything coming out of my brain.

Finally, I prayed…mightily.

In the bathroom, I might add.

Remember that I have spent many minutes praying in bathrooms.

That seems to be the magical place to go.

Not too long after, I felt my brain start loosening up.

Ideas started coming.

I googled.

I took notes.

I googled more.

I took more notes.

I began to have a vision of what I would be teaching.  I could see a plan opening up.

Once again, God had answered.

He knows how much I doubt myself.  He knows how tired I am.  He knows how badly I do want to throw in the towel some days.

Having a career is not easy, people.

Life was much simpler when I could stay home.

Sigh.

But, I know I’m supposed to teach.

God knows that too.

I took a break and went to Panera for dinner.  I actually ate my dinner there just to give myself a break.

I had more ideas coming, so I wrote them on the back of my receipt.

Then, I hurried home and started typing.

I got about 1/3 of the way done before retiring for the evening.

After church on Sunday, I returned back to my table, where I spent another seven hours working.

I can’t tell you how many times I considered taking a nap.

Napping and Sundays go together like peanut butter and jelly.

But I didn’t.

I had to get my lesson plan emailed to my teacher so he would have time to review it.

I cannot tell you how good it feels to complete an assignment of that nature.

It’s as if a cartload of bricks gets lifted from my shoulders every single time.

Of course, that cartload will return this week as my final observation day draws nearer.  It’s not fun being evaluated when you teach…especially when you don’t have a lot of experience yet…and especially when you are easily intimidated by people who completely have their acts together.

Please pray for me.

I know God wants me to do what I’m doing, but I am a human being who has doubts and fears…especially when feeling overwhelmed, which is most times lately.

The good news is that when I post next, I’ll officially be halfway done with this program.  But first, I’ve gotta get through this week!

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

14 Weeks To Go

Posted on March 28, 2011 by auburnchick

Wow!  What a crazy week I had!

My newest EPI term was officially in its second week; however, I have been working ahead…trying to finish assignments before they are actually due.

Why would I torture myself?

Well, you see, when we begin each term, we are given schedules with the assignments and due dates on them.

The college has an online site where all of the term’s class materials get dumped.

Quite honestly, it behooves students to work ahead, given that we have the materials we need.

Besides that, I tend to be forward thinking.  As I looked ahead in the schedule, I quickly figured out that there were some very big assignments due for different classes but during the same week.

If I added them to my teaching responsibilities, well…they would make for one huge ulcer.

That is why I worked my hiney off to get all of my technology quizzes out of the way.  I also finished a rather large assignment in one of my Field Experience classes.  Most of the assignments in this class will, from here on out, be related to my observations/teaching experiences in my mentor’s classroom.

Speaking of mentor…

You might remember that I met my mentor last week.

What a great experience that was!  He has over twenty years of teaching experience and has been mentoring EPI students for the last five years.

I’m in good hands.

Thank goodness, because I’m nervous as all get-out.

I have two more observation/teaching days with him, and I cannot wait to learn more tidbits.

One thing I discovered last week was how invigorating it is to talk to other teachers.

I am so shy, and I rarely step out of my shell.

I cannot do this as a teacher.

I won’t grow if I don’t.

Being in Mr. Mentor’s classroom got me excited as I heard him put his own spin on the lessons he was engaging his students in.

Teaching is a profession in which you cannot just sit back and put your feet on the desk all day.

It’s not a profession where every day is the same old, same old.

Every single day is different, and, though you make lesson plans, you still never know what you’re going to get once you’re in the midst of teaching them.

With all of that said, I have to say that with nearly half of my program completed, I am exhausted.

I took a good portion of the weekend off, and my body was so thankful.

I slept a lot.

I needed it.

I spend nearly every waking moment thinking about my assignments or my own lesson plans for the classes I teach.

I am longing for July 1 when I can close the books on this part of my education and relax my brain.

But, I’m not there yet.

Until then, I’ll take whatever moments I can and work my behind off in the moments that I can’t.

With fourteen weeks left to go, I’m starting to feel like maybe…just maybe…I’m getting there.

It’s ever so slow and painful.  Sometimes, it feels as if I’m walking uphill on a very windy day.

God is good, though.  He is merciful, and He is with me every difficult step of the way.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

19 Weeks To Go

Posted on February 15, 2011 by auburnchick

So, I’ve gotten down to the teens, eh?  It’s really hard to believe that I am a little more than halfway done with my first term of my certification classes.

Week 5 of Term 1 was deliciously pleasant.

Why?

Well, you see, two of my classes did not have any artifacts (assignments) due!  I only had to take quizzes in those classes.  In my Teaching Profession class, I still had regular work, so I did it…

While watching a local high school soccer game…

Regional Finals…

My friend, Barb’s, son is on the team, and she’s been so wonderful to me that I wanted to support her…

I only managed to read two pages during the game.  The upside was that I only had 38 left to read when I got home.

Silver linings, people!  That’s what keeps me going!

The most significant thing about last week was that I used my “free” time to get ahead on assignments for the next couple of weeks.

One, in particular, was a BEAST of a project.

I had to take all sixteen learning outcomes I had developed in Week Two and create a formative assessment/instructional strategies day-by-day plan.

Oh yeah.

Not easy.

It was so bad that the instructor had warned us to send all of our family away for a day or two — for however long would take us to complete it.

Rooster took the advice to heart and left Dodge to sleep over at a friend’s house.

Although he is a quiet child, the house was almost dead-still without his Xbox mania going on in the other room.

I had already decided that I would complete the BEAST over the weekend, even though it wasn’t due until the following Friday (this coming up Friday, by the way).

On Saturday, I set up shop…

I planted myself on the couch and, with few exceptions, stayed there until that evening.

All total, I spent about nine hours working on the BEAST.

It was a relief to finish and upload the project to my online class site.

Of course, I am awaiting feedback from the instructor, so chances are good that I will have to tweak the chart.  However, I learned a very important lesson last week.

Make a game plan and stick with it.

I could have easily taken part of the week off…given myself time to relax.

I didn’t.

Good students don’t do that sort of thing.

They have vision and wisdom to recognize gifts of time as opportunities to work ahead.  You never know when something unexpected might happen.

Besides that, Week 8 is the week when there will be no assignments due, with the exception of making electronic portfolios (CDs) for all of the classes and getting them turned in.

THAT is the week I will relax…maybe knit.

But, until then, I have more work to do.

I have another BEAST of a project due next week.

I think I’ll take the lessons I just learned to heart and get busy.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

20 Weeks To Go

Posted on February 7, 2011 by auburnchick

Another week is finished.  I now have 20 weeks to go until I am finished with my certification classes.

Last week was another busy one!

I thought I would give you a run-down of what my week looked like:

  • Monday
    • Instructional Strategies quiz
    • Foundations of Research-Based Practices in Reading quiz
    • Teaching Profession quiz
  • Tuesday
    • Instructional Strategies critical review (chapter summary/reflection/application)
    • Reply to another student’s review
  • Wednesday
    • Reading class’s critical review
    • Reply to another student’s review
  • Thursday
    • Teaching Profession research topic #1
    • Reply to another student
    • Teaching Profession research topic #2
    • Reply to another student
  • Friday
    • Reading class observation
    • Observation Summary form
    • Debrief form
    • Instructional Notebook – Comprehension
    • Instructional Notebook – Vocabulary
    • Feedback on assignment from last week’s Instructional Strategies class:  must resubmit
  • Saturday
    • Monthly in-class sessions at the college all day
    • Resubmitted Instructional Strategies formative quiz assignment
    • Worked on summative assignment rubric for Instructional Strategies class
    • Cried because I felt overwhelmed and couldn’t sit and watch tv and laugh while the Mr. got to
  • Sunday
    • Finish rubric after church
    • Done with all assignments for the week

Yes, folks.

That is what I did last week.

On top of teaching my own classes.

Not only that, but each day at lunch, I studied for my General Knowledge Test.  I am working on the math section because that is where I struggle the most.  Thus far, the school’s math teacher and three students have taught me various math concepts.

I have felt a lot like Laura Ingalls.  Did you see the episode of Little House on the Prairie when she had failed her teacher examination, so she studied really hard for the second time she would take it.

Oops.

Apparently she’s studying biology with Almanzo in that picture!  😉

She carried books with her everywhere.  She read as she milked cows and cooked.  Everywhere she went, she had a book in her face.

That is me right now.

The bathroom is no exception.

TMI?

Who cares.

We all do it.

If I could take a book in the shower with me, I would.

This is how it will be for 20 more weeks.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

21 Weeks To Go

Posted on January 31, 2011 by auburnchick

Wow!  Another week of certification classes is behind me.  I can scarcely believe it.

Last week was a lot more stressful than the week before, believe it or not.  Though the assignments were not quite as difficult, having the holiday the week before had spoiled me.

Last week, I felt the pressure of balancing my teaching with my own education.

To make sure I had time to complete everything, I did not attend a big soccer game for my high school girls (Chicky’s teammates from last year).  I did get a play-by-play via 60+ text messages from one of the player’s sisters, so I worked on my assignments while periodically throwing out “Crap” and “Woo Hoo” according to how the game was proceeding.

The team won, by the way, and will face a big rivalry on Tuesday night for the Regional Semi-Finals.  I am still debating if I will go.

So, what did I learn about last week?

For my Teaching Profession class, I had to write a small report about one of the social issues facing education.  I selected childhood homelessness and poverty.

Oh.

My.

Gosh.

My research was very sad.  I learned a lot, let me tell you.

In my Reading class, I learned about fluency.  I am finding my reading class fascinating!  Perhaps this is because I have always been a great reader, as have my children, and it has sometimes been difficult for me to comprehend how other people struggle.  Now I am beginning to realize that there are many components to reading, and teaching it is a very specialized skill that must take into account every single component.  No wonder reading teachers like my friend, Barb, are so incredible!

I am also realizing how important it is for every teacher, regardless of the subjects they teach, to spend time on reading skills and to watch for possible warning signals that could serve as indications that students might need some help in this area.

For my Instructional Strategies class, I had to create a performance-based assessment and a formative assessment for the unit plan I have been creating (which, by the way, I got great feedback on regarding last week’s 16 student learning outcome assignment).  I decided to use an essay as my performance assessment, and my teacher required that students create multiple-choice formative quizzes.  Although I have created numerous exams this year, I found this assignment a lot more difficult than I anticipated.  Perhaps this was because I was also looking at a rubric, which I am both grateful for and freaked over every time I work on an assignment.

I continue to be amazed at how much I am learning each week.  Quite honestly, after what I’ve been taught in such a short time, I must say that I don’t think non-education, bachelor-degree holding people should be allowed to have their own classrooms of students until they have gone through these classes.  While they (and I include myself in that grouping) might have real-world experience, teaching is so much more than knowing a subject.  There is a lot of “teaching” terminology that you have to understand.  There are also a lot of “teacher” how-to’s that you must practice.  Sure, the work is a huge pain to complete, but the exercises are practical and very necessary to understanding exactly why and how teachers need to do things to help their students be successful.

I also think these classes are good for helping people figure out if this is a profession they want to participate in.  The work load is incredibly heavy…a small taste, as I already know, of the commitment and sacrifice that teaching requires.  I don’t think that most people really understand what being a teacher encompasses.

This program probably comes as a huge shock and a reality check for the naive people who first walk through the program’s doors.

I continue to take things day by day and remain ever grateful for the daily presence of God.  I could not do any of this without His help, for without Him, my brains would be mush.  Heck, they are mush, but He restores me every night and allows me to wake up, refreshed (unless I’ve been up until 12:30am) and ready to face a new day.

Week 4 promises to be interesting.  I’ll share details next week.

If you’re interested in what I wrote for my paper on childhood homelessness, I’ve provided the text below…

When people dream of becoming teachers, they sometimes envision utopic classrooms where students sit in rapt attention eagerly awaiting the lessons about to be imparted upon them.  These imaginary students are dressed impeccably and hail from ideal families.  Reality, however, proves to be a stark contrast from such lofty dreams.  The students who file into today’s classrooms often carry with them the burdens of various social problems – issues that do not have easy solutions.  Childhood poverty and homelessness are two closely-related issues that have left educators scratching their heads as they try to overcome the effects these issues on the children who have been charged to their care.  Children are the innocent victims of poverty and homelessness, having little choice but to deal with circumstances that are completely out of their control. Karen M. Pellino’s article, The Effects of Poverty on Teaching and Learning, provides a comprehensive assessment of the challenges of teaching impoverished children and suggests several pragmatic ways that educators can address the challenges through teaching methodologies and curriculum.

Childhood poverty and homelessness pose several educational challenges including classroom diversity, student achievement gaps, and student motivation.  A diverse classroom is comprised of students from many different cultural, economic, and academic levels.  Children who are poverty-stricken live in the flux of constant change as they are forced to endure frequent moves from one residence to another.  As a result, these children change schools often.  Thus, school attendance is spotty, at best.  Many children do not have permanent homes and, as a result, lack proper paperwork, such as academic records, when they register at new schools.  This complicates educators’ jobs as they desperately attempt to place students in the classes that best meet their needs (3). To combat the effects of classroom diversity, Pellino suggests that teachers create age-appropriate lessons to help children understand the different cultures that surround them (3).  According to Pellino, constructivism is the key to providing children with the skills they need to “become active learners by questioning, hypothesizing and drawing conclusions based on their individual learning experiences” (4).  These are basic but critical skills that will remain with students long after they have changed to other schools.

Another challenging aspect presented by childhood poverty and homelessness is a varying achievement gap between students.  Pellino defines achievement gap as, “The difference in academic performance among children from different classes or groups (ethnic, racial, income)” (4).  Education has always been considered the key to escaping poverty.  People often rise to meet the challenges that are presented to them, and children are no different.  Often, schools will water down material with the misconception that impoverished children cannot handle a rigorous curriculum; however, the opposite is true.  According to Pellino, “Content should be of high quality and be culturally relevant” (5).  Teachers should utilize students’ backgrounds to formulate specialized lesson plans and teaching methodologies.  Only by doing so can achievement gaps be bridged.  Student motivation to learn is a third challenge and is closely related to the achievement gaps discussed previously.  Children of all cultural, economic, and academic realms should be motivated to learn.  Impoverished children have fragile psyches – products of the unstable lives they lead.  These students must be taught why education is important and how education will directly impact their lives.  Teachers face the task of fostering classrooms that build self-esteem and trust.  Additionally, “Educators also need to work to foster resilience in children, focusing on the traits, coping skills, and supports that help children survive in a changing environment” (5).

Utopian classrooms do not exist.  Childhood poverty and homelessness is a social issue that will never disappear.  There will always be the have’s and the have not’s.  Educators face the unique challenge of meeting the needs of all students, regardless of their stations in life.  Traditional teaching methodologies may need to be thrown out the window and replaced with more flexible ones that allow for specialized instruction that more readily molds itself around the unique backgrounds of the children who enter modern classrooms.  It will only be through diligent, focused efforts that children will be able to rise above their difficult circumstances and become confident participants of society.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

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