Education Is Music and Students Are The Listeners

My model of education is based on the fact that education is like music and students are the listeners. All of us teachers are musicians in the way that we're in charge of writing the music and projecting it to the listener. The listener is also a musician, therefore also a teacher. The musician is also a listener, therefore also a student. There is no difference between musician and listener, and no difference between teacher and student other than the positions they're put in within the situation. Teachers, like musicians, have the tools and materials to portray what they'd like to the listener (the student.) They can use different genres (methods) to portray their point, but ultimately the listener will take what they want from the song and interpret it however they feel. It is the job of the musician to make good use of their writing within the song, so that the listener understands and can use the music to let it change who they are and learn from experience. The educator is the musician, and teaching is making music.

This is my last year here at Salem State and I should be graduating in Spring 2010 with a bachelor of arts in music and a minor in educational studies. It's funny that only now have I heard of the most inspiring teacher in education, Albert Cullum.

"Dedicated to all of those grownups who, as children, died in the arms of compulsory education."

This is Albert Cullum's simple dedication at the beginning of his education book "The Geranium On The Window Sill Just Died, But Teacher You Went Right On" and I feel it really defines a neverending struggle. The education system always talks about reform, but so many teachers become comfortable in their teaching styles.

Social Justice is important to all educators for one main reason. Everyone is equal. We only have one chance, one life to make a difference. No one on this Earth gets a second chance at life. We're all here to help each other make life better as a whole. Teachers have more of an influence than most. They see and talk to more people each year than most. They have more influence on a large amount of people than your average daily worker and the people the teacher works for are the easily influenced and have the greatest impact on the most important facet of life...the future. The biggest problem in education is that the teacher lacks social justice in more ways than one. So many teachers tip toe around subjects of race and gender, and forget about other forms of equality. How about age and title?

In a school system, the administration, the teachers, the aides, and the students have to work together to create an ideal learning environment. Social Justice is important to honor in order to do this. A distribution of power can really put people into a position where they may change their original ideals and morals to fit a situation in which they can take advantage of. A superintendent, a principal, a teacher, and a 9th grade student all have the same common goal in the education system. They are no different...at least they shouldn't be. If these four superpowers can find a way to relate to each other, think of how much smoother the school system would run! My high school principal hadn't even said hi to me until my junior year. My teachers didn't follow up to see how I was doing after high school. They didn't make an effort to ask what I did outside of school or how my family was and I was never given the chance to learn about them. Who they are as people. It's these simple relationships that need to be established in order to run a classroom properly. It's become such a factory system in which these kids are just churned out. It's very much like an assembly line where the children enter the school incomplete, we give them the parts to work properly, but we don't test them out. We let them leave the factory depending on a simple test to determine and evaluate whether or not the "product" is properly assembled.

They say that high school years are supposed to be the best times of our lives. I interviewed 10 of my best college friends who came from 10 different high schools in suburban and city public schools. 8 out of 10 were dissapointed in their high school experiences. 9 out of 10 said that their college friends and experiences will be remembered as the "good ole days" over their high school experiences. 10 out of 10 shockingly told me that they couldn't remember one teacher in high school that made a difference in their life.

10 out of 10.

Where are these inspiring teachers we hear about in the movies? Where's the next Albert Cullum or John Dewey? Why aren't teachers inspired anymore?

I feel these are the true problems with education and social justice today.

After taking all of my EDU courses, I am looking forward to persuing my masters in Music Ed next year and teaching high school. I'm really excited that I chose music as my field. Music is my life, love, and passion. When I share my knowledge of music, despite what the curriculum may be, I do it with excitement, because it's my life work. I've found excitement and had teachers in every subject that have inspired me, at least one I can recall from each subject and because of these teachers, i've enjoyed this subject. I'm excited that I will not be bound by standardized testing and I'm looking forward to making a difference. I wish I could teach all subjects to show how it's done. To remind students that it's not the subjects that are boring...it's the teachers.

With that I exit this particular blog with a short story/poem I have written. I call it "Speechless" and it has to do with the lack of inspiration behind an authoratative figure. Sometimes teachers hide behind the fact that they are above a student, rather than work with the student. Teachers need the answers, because once a student loses faith in you...you don't get a second chance with that student.

Speechless By: ~J. Wildes

Mr. Teacher, when there aren't enough pencils in the class for me to do my classwork, is it my fault?

No, this would be the fault of the government funding.

Mr. Teacher, when I can't graduate because of my test scores, is it my fault?

No, this would be the fault of standardized testing.

Mr. Teacher, when I am scared to go to school, because they keep searching my bags as if i'm a criminal. Is it my fault?

No, this would be the fault of the administration

Mr. Teacher, when I am being mistreated because of my gender, race, or social class...is it my fault?

No, that's the fault of social injustice

Mr. Teacher, why do I need to know this? How will this help me?

....speechless....

Mr. Teacher, why do you look down at me when we talk?

...speechless....

Mr. Teacher, why do you get so frustrated when students are talking?

....speechless...

Mr. Teacher....why should I go to school when I have a disabled mother and siblings to provide for?

...speechless...

Mr. Teacher, when I leave your classroom feeling dissapointed, bored, unfulfilled, stupid, failed, isolated, misunderstood, confused, and overall feeling like your class is a waste of time.....is it my fault?

.....speechless....

Helpful Links:

Albert Cullum: A Touch Of Greatness

John Dewey: Democracy and Education

Calling Teachers By Their First Names Is Not A Loss Of Respect

Pictures:

Conductor

Albert Cullum
Albert Cullum Book 1

Albert Cullum Book 2
Mouth Taped Shut

Private versus Public. The Ultimate Fight

I'm in my senior year at Salem State College and I will be graduating in the Spring with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a minor in Educational Studies. Coming to Salem State was almost a mistake on my part, but I fell in love with the new program, teachers, and amazing music courses. I've always wanted to become a music teacher since I was young and share the knowledge I learn. I feel there's nothing better you can do in life than help others to live. I heard Salem State was one of the best education colleges in the state and decided it would be where I would get my education. The problem you ask? Salem State supports every department in the school to go through a Secondary Ed program and recieve licensure at the end......except for music. If you're a music major, student teaching AND the secondary ed minor are not an option. This means that when I leave here...there is no possible way for me to apply for licensure. I will need to either A) Transfer schools and spend another two years persuing another degree to recieve licensure or B) Go to Graduate School for my Masters degree and finish my student teaching there.

However, with many of my fellow music majors exploring these two options...many forget Private Schools. Private Schools look like a dream to many teacher. Private Schools offer teachers

- A job without the binding of state licensure procedures (Bachelors Only required)

- Freedom from state testing restrictions (MCAS etc..)

- Curriculum Freedom... (More private schools allow teachers to design their own course

- Smaller Class Sizes

- Better funding (not state funded, but student funded)

- There are no special education programs, which would result in not putting teachers

in a situation where they would teach an inclusion class with no prior training.

-Easier discipline programs (Students can be kicked out of school for any reason)

So where's the problem? Sounds awesome to me.

The downfall in public schools comes down to three major cons.

1. Less Pay

2. Less Benefits

3. Less Stability

Educators.com states that teachers can expect to earn between 10 and 15,000 dollars less at private schools than in public schools. The retirement isn't considered a "state job" or "public service" therefore there's less money matched in 401K plans and future investments. When i say "less stability" most people probably laugh because public schools, especially in the arts program, have hardly any stability as is...unless tenure. However, Private Schools offer jobs to teachers without licensure and sometimes without topic-specific degrees. Because of this, there are more people available for the jobs and willing to work for less money than others. With hardly any support from the teachers union,,,it's a scary thought. A final con is that many private schools are religious based and this could make private schools more difficult for some teachers who may have different views.

The ultimate debate...public or private.

As someone not getting my licensure with my bachelors...it's easy to see the attraction to private schools. However, many don't have music programs and teachers with higher degrees make more money. Therefore...I choose neither. I choose to continue into higher ed and maybe teach public, maybe teach private, maybe teach college. So many choices. It's a beautiful thing.

Helpful Links:

Education Bug

Educators.Com

Drop Out Of School

Pictures:

Public School

Private School

Do you want to teach for social justice?

Social justice is all about being equal in all senses. Herbert Kohl says that social justice teachers are "those who care about nurturing all children and who are enraged at the prospect of students dying young, going hungry, or living meaningless and despairing lives." The key word is children as these are the students of teachers. Basically Kohl says that social justice teachers are teachers with basic caring instincts.

I feel that social justice is important, but Kohl seems to really exaggerate it. I don't feel that social justice is a big issue because I feel most educators use it. I don't think people "fight" for it because it isn't a major problem in the overall picture. There are more important thinks which are explored in the article "Introduction: Creating classrooms for equity and social justice." The article mentions social justice as an issue, but it also explores teachers inability to control class size and management. The issues of boredom are brought up and the fact that teachers should watch how they teach the curriculum and make it gender, economic class, and racially equal. It's easy to rely on how things are traditionally taught, but to re-explore a situation to explore how other races, classes, and genders react to a certain situation is important.

How important is social justice in the classroom?

It is the responsibility of the teacher to be aware of social justice and a need for equality, but not necessarily to the extremes Kohl suggests. Kohl asks a lot of a teacher demanding a more important life role and creating effective techniques to keep social justice strong. However, he seems to find it a bigger issue than I have experienced in classroom observations. My favorite part of the articles was at the end of Kohl's. He even admits that a lot of his suggestions are overbearing and impossible for any standard person to live up to, but he wants a teacher to "nurture himself" to keep a life outside of the job. I feel this is important to remember how life is and remember that students live the same life in the same world. They experience injustice and it's important as a teacher to make their life and your life a better and more equal situation!

Helpful Links

Introduction: Creating Classrooms For Equity and Social Justice

Teaching For Social Justice

What is Social Justice?

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John Dewey=Genius

Education is Life Itself ~John Dewey

John Dewey is a man who I would love to have lunch with if he were still living. His views on education are similar to how I wish things were. If more inspirational, intelligent people like himself were in charge, education would be drastically different.

John Dewey was born in the mid 1800's and passed away in the early 1950's. He was a philosopher and psychologist who was deeply interested in educational reform. Even in the early 1900's he knew there was an issue with the system. It's funny how some things never change as far as technique and motivation go. He developed education ideas that would spawn experimental education and work toward a "progressive education" movement. (wilderdom.com)

His main ideas express hands on activities as a way of learning. In his book "Democracy and Education" he expresses the importance of formal education in society, but stresses communication.

One of my main ideals in education is how important it is to relate what is done in the classroom to how it applies to the students life. Students don't care how it will help them in thirty years...they often don't care if it will help them in thirty days. They want to know how it will help them today and I feel every teacher in every subject should be able to answer that. Dewey believes the methods of teaching should show this hands on. I believe that experience is a necessity when it comes to education. When someone gets a job...there's some reading, but there's always hands-on training as well. It makes no sense to constantly read and be lectured to in the classroom. Experience in the classroom will give students a chance to experience what they read and further understand it. It will enhance their understanding and also prove their knowledge as the teacher will have an easier time watching them learn. Some examples would be history..imagine having students wear similar clothes to time periods or in math using banking to arrange checking books or calculating their own grades. In music class performing pieces using even the simplest of instruments and in science performing more experiments out in the environment. Too many schools are in fear of letting the students reach beyond the classroom, even if it means enhancing the learning process. Obviously there are boundaries, but there must be a better way to reach students and I feel, like Dewey, hands on experience is the way to go. Applying similar techniques as vocational schools to the subjects that are distributed throughout public high schools could prove motivational to students who don't yet know what they want to do. All they know is they want to be with their friends and they want to talk, so let's get them talking. We can change their topic from gossip to subject...if they're interested.

They call Dewey's ideas "informal education" and this was from back in the 1930's....where is the progress and why haven't we embraced at least SOME of the experimental education ways?

With drop out rates at their highest and funding based on standardized testing hiding our flaws, the least we can do is try in memory for those who will never see it.

Helpful Websites

Informal Education

Philosophy of Education

Democracy and Education

Photo Credit

Opportunity....True Inspiration

Upon reading a chapter within Educational Foundations by Alan Canestrari about Inclusion, the first school that came to my mind was Opportunity. Opportunity is a charter school out of Harlem in New York City. I found this school to be inspiring and share a same unique issue with inclusion as found within the book. I particularly became interested within the topic of inclusion at Opportunity, because I plan on teaching in NYC and Opportunity seemed an interesting example of inclusion and the challenges a charter school can face. My question is "Is a charter school the answer to special education?"

Opportunity is an inspiring school on 113th street in New York City. The school has been open since 2004 and services grades 6 to 12. There are roughly 3.5 students to every teacher and out of the total number of teachers there are nine clinical teachers and nine behavioral teachers integrated throughout the school. Within their website, Opportunity boasts a strong statement

"We welcome students in grades 6 through 12, regardless of their previous academic success: students who are yearning to learn, students who have fallen behind, students who have been told their aspirations are beyond reach. Through a positive belief in every student's promise, we are committed to bringing their potential to life." (Opportunitycharter.org)

This should be the basis of education to begin with. The idea of harnessing potential, but recent articles by The New York Post and Gotham Schools have portrayed the issues that Opportunity faces. The New York Post article written by Leonard Goldberg on August 8th, 2009 portrays the strengths of Opportunity Charter School and seems inspirational and optimistic. He explains that the city of New York had officially decided to foot the bill for special education students to attend charter schools avoiding costs of up to 50,000 dollars per student. Goldberg manages to convince the public that the taxpayers money is well spent due to their success in education the learning disabled by creating and following IEP's and constantly monitoring progress through evaluation. Goldberg pleads for taxpayers to support lifting the charter cap and agreeing to spend money investing in the charter school with the promise that it will not cost extra tax paying money. The reasoning being that less money will be spent in taxes to private special education institutions. Goldberg is the CEO and head of the Opportunity Charter School and hence he creates an impressive argument, but is the school going smoothly?

It seems with an academic layout of courses ranging from music and arts to standard English, Math, History, etc. curriculum that this school is something worth backing. It STRONGLY depends on inclusion and qualified teachers to produce results from their special education students. How well is it working? The school seems to come upon some scrutiny from the city and state expectations. An article by Anna Phillips titled "A School has a year to prove it can do the (almost) impossible." show issues that the school has faced more recently. This article was written only two short months after Goldberg's convincing plea.

Phillips examines the school and labels it as roughly half special education students and half general education students. She finds that the school has the outcome of some of the lowest test scores in the city. Phillips finds that in an interview with Mr. Fazio, Vice Principal of Opportunity, “Lowest achieving kids in New York City. Bottom 10 percent,” is all he could respond. The city has given the school an ultimatum, improve the test scores in one year or lose it's charter. Phillips finds teachers still optomsitic, doing their best for the students, but Opportunity is definatly under some pressure. Why would Goldberg go through all this effort at a charter school instead of teach at a regular school?

“I felt marginalized as a teacher,” he said. “The schools’ attitude was: ‘Why bother with your kids?’” According to Goldberg, Opportunity is on its way to meeting its charter goals, which include having the majority of students score Levels 3 or 4 on the state tests by the time they enter high school, seeing that all eighth graders are promoted to high school, and ensuring that all high school seniors have the ability to go to college." (Phillips)

The school is making some improvements in test scores, but having issues with students reaching a plateau at a certain level without improvement. The improvements the school sees with their students are ones that are impossible to measure by city and state standards.

“I don’t think they [the city and state] understand that you can’t measure students who are four or five years behind on one state standardized test and expect the school to be accountable for a system that has failed them for six or seven years,” Fazio said. “I think that’s a very unfair judgment, but it is a judgment we have to work with.” (Phillips)

With all of these issues fighting against Opportunity, the staff, administration, and principal remain hopeful that their charter will be renewed. However, this seems like an issue that faces many charter schools. Opportunity is willing to take on any students with any conditions. There is no limit to the potential of a student and although inspiring, the city and state seem hesitant to be fully supportive.

Is a charter school the answer to special education? No, but it can't hurt.

Helpful Links:

Opportunity Charter School

New York Post Article- Goldberg

Gotham Schools Article-Phillips

Sexual Health In The School

Where do we draw the line between school and the personal sexual health of a student?

So many schools have issues with the topic of sexual health. Some have programs to educate students of sexual protection, others go into details of intercourse. Some schools even give out sexual protection, but where is the line? With some students having sex with teachers, I believe that schools have gotten out of control. There has to be a line drawn where sexual health is left in the hands of the parents and their children. Permission slips or none, why is this the educators job?

A lot of the sexual conterversy has come from King Middle School in Portland, ME circa 2007. They had voted 10 to 2 to supply birth control pills and patches to students. Only 5 out of 134 students said they were sexually active so why is this school accomodating to them?(Education portal.com) I remember in 6th grade we were offered a sexual health course under parental permission. This class was very vague and tip toed around the subject. The teacher was nervous and untrained and left several answers fromm students unanswered. I recall specifically a student asking "What is masturbation?" The teacher was baffled that a student would even know the word at such a young age. Her response? "Ask your parents, i'm not sure." Of course she was sure, she was at least in her late 40's, but to have the school force her into this awkward position? Unspeakable.

By the time I hit high school we were all required to take a sex ed course with parental permission (even if we were 18.) In this course we learned details on oral sex, pregnency prevention, and the day after pill. It seemed like an open invitation for all students to have sex. Those who weren't mocked it, and those who were took it as an "easy" course because of course they already knew everything. Did anyone really LEARN anything though?

"According to the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care, nearly 30 percent of the 1,700 school-based health centers in the country currently provide birth control to students. "(Education Portal)

I mean it'd be silly to assume students aren't having sex with 46.8 percent reporting they have (SADD), but when did it become the schools responsibility? It is the job to keep kids healthy, but they are practically giving students a hotel room and free reign. It seems the line is being pushed further and further toward letting students have sex at the school. I know this seems drastic....but their was a day when giving condoms out to teenagers was drastic. To inform students and educate them is a job of the school, but to supply them with the materials to have sex when there are public health systems that will do it is a little bit out of line. I know this is only an opinion, but I don't understand how it's came to this.

Helpful LINKS:

Education Portal

SADD

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Death In The School

Death in the school system, although a really depressing topic, is one that needs to be touched on. A majority of education programs require a multitude of psychology courses to deal with the way emotions in an adolescent work. However, I don't feel there is enough planning on how to handle death in the school-place. Whether it be death of a teacher or student it is something that many schools have to and sometimes panic dealing with. A friend of mine passed away in high school and the school seemed to panic. There was chaos everywhere and it seemed a plan was not put in place. This is what made me interested in the topic for this particular blog.

Should schools plan for what to do in the event of death of a student/teacher?

The National School Safety and Security Services report that there have been 279 school related deaths from 2000 to 2009. They are broken down like this...

School-Associated Violent Death Summary Data

School Year	Total Deaths
2009-2010 (8/1/09 to present)	6
2008-2009	13
2007-2008	16
2006-2007	32
2005-2006	27
2004-2005	39
2003-2004	49
2002-2003	16
2001-2002	17
2000-2001	31
1999-2000	33
Total:	279

The top 2 reasons for these deaths are school shootings and suicide. The NASP set up a great plan for schools, but many don't have plans at all. It is set up in separate sections including:

Notfication: Get the facts while being involved with the school. No matter students or adults.

Get Help: Use all those around you to assist you in any way possible to contain the situation

Establish a Call List: A list of who to contact in which order including school psychologists and administration. Followed by notifying the teachers with a hand delivered memo stating the facts of the incident to make sure all are well informed.

Isolate those close to the student/teacher: Have those close to the victim brought to the office to be told in person rather than via announcement.

Announcement: Announce the tragedy via the intercom system but choose words and tone carefully.

Contact the Parents: Have the parents know the facts and let them know how to approach the child. Give them ideas of how to handle the situation to take some of the weight off of their shoulders. Avoid unnecessary facts.

Roles should be distributed. It is the job of the principal to be available to assist all involved in handling the situation. It is his job to make sure that appropriate measures are taken and to contact the family of the deceased. Guidance counselors should be there for support for students and teachers should give ACCURATE information, but not release any unneeded details.

These seem to be GREAT ideas, but the issue I have most is the suggestions given by the American Association of Suicidology (AAS). They seem to have some really bad choices within their ideas and I don't agree with a few of their statements.

According to the AAS only 22 percent of school psychologists believe they were prepared enough through graduate training to deal with a student with suicide tendencies.

They also state

• Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24
• One in 11 high school students made a suicide attempt in the past 12 months
• 86% of school psychologists surveyed reported that they had counseled a student who had threatened or attempted suicide
• 62% of school psychologists surveyed reported that they have had a student make a nonfatal suicide attempt at school

Although these facts are informative, their recommendations for how to deal with suicide in schools upset me. These are their tips

Don't dismiss school or encourage funeral attendance during school hours
Don't dedicate a memorial to the deceased
Don't have a large school assembly
Do give the facts to the students
Do emphasize prevention and everyone's role
Do provide individual and group counseling
Do emphasize that no one is to blame for the suicide
Do emphasize that help is available and that there are alternatives to suicide
Do contact the family of the deceased

I disagree that students shouldn't be encouraged to attend the funeral. I think in order for a student to honestly come to terms with tragedy, they should be encouraged to do what they feel necessary to recover and understand and support their classmates. I also disagree that a memorial shouldn't be dedicated. If a student made an impact to the school and students; that student should be remembered within the school for students to feel comfort in. Just because a student commits suicide means their any less then a student who dies a different way.

I agree an assembly is a bad way to go abou

t talking about the situation, but perhaps offer a meeting in a cl

assroom where students could b

e better informed about suicide prevention. I agr

ee with all the DO's offered by

the AAS, but I don't quite understand the don'ts.

I feel that schools

NEED to think of a plan to ta

ckle crisis if and when it occurs.

A plan to keep all departments, administration, and counselo

rs prepared and free of panic. With many unsure on how to

handle the issue, proper

training should be implemented

for ALL employees within the school. The answer to the

question of whether or not schools should have a plan is absolutely YES.

Websites that assisted in my facts:

National School Safety and Security Services

AAS

NASP Resources

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