Week 3

After just completing our literature class this weekend, I have come away with some questions about how possible total integration, as Lindquist describes really is. I mean I think its great and wonderful that there are so many fantastic historical fiction book out there that I'm sure you could connect to your social studies curriculum. However, there are more books and novels out there that are just about being human, about friendship, family, self-discovery about life and about death, and if you can't find a way to connect these stories to so other part of your curriculum, does that mean you shouldn't cover as many of these books, I definitely hope not because I think books like Bridge to Terabithia are so important for kids to read, whether or not they connect to any other part of the curriculum , I mean I'm sure if you really thought about it creatively they do connect to some aspect of another subjects curriculum, I just think that the intrinsic value of books like these is greater than the connections you would have to envision in order for the philosophical books to fit into an integrated curriculum model.

Other than that, as Alice mentioned in her post, I think its wonderful and obviously integrated (as most real world situations happen to be) to have students do something real together, such as run a school store, organize a field trip or run a fundraiser, as both Fried and Lindquist suggest several times. You learn so much through these experiences, and since its working toward something, and other are depending on you, Most kids thrive in these situations, and since everyone is so engaged, boredom and behavior issues are rarely a problem. Through real world situations like these, students learn about the value of collaboration, time management and organization skills, how to talk with adults, and address business people, what it feels like to make a difference for someone else it's really an invaluable experience, that i wish more classrooms would use on a regular basis.

Fried and Lindquist -Overwhelming but neccasary

Reading through A Passionate teacher, I was rather overwhelmed and scared by many of his statements, such as his assertion that students that are not naturally obedient or self-motivated often fall by the wayside, and on the whole teachers are okay with this and even expect it. He continued with equally depressing sounding gems such as "It's as though by the middle of first grade they've already figured out that school- or homework at least- is a trick, something to learn how to get around." (pg.95) and "Wherever the game prospers, passionate teaching subsides and purposeful learning diminishes. It can happen to he best of people, in the best of schools, it happens to almost everybody almost all the time." (pg. 100), of course he does finish out the chapter by saying " It [the game of school] is not immutable. It can and must be changed" (pg. 105), Perhaps with all the negativity and woe in the rest of the chapter, it was a little bit too little too late to make me think that little me can have a positive affect in the educational system as he describes it, but maybe I can as, it just seems like a very tall order right now.
As Far as Lindquist goes, I really appreciate the way its set up as a how to manual almost, and relate to a lot of the things she mentions, I feel as though she spends a large chunk of time talking about classroom management, and dealing with disagreements, and even delving into why they may arise, nipping them in the bud so to speak. This is something I feel I still need help with, and although it does partially come intuitively, knowing other people deal with the same problems with 5th graders as I have, but that I still love this this age group is encouraging, Also, because I feel like classroom management isn't really talked about enough in many of our courses I appreciate Lindquist take on the issue.

The passionate teacher, a great book from many anges.

Reading the Passionate teacher, I found so many connections to other classes I'm taking, such as as my ELL course, and relating in to the SIOP model, which has a big part about creating a comfortable and respectful climate, where students feel that they can take risks, and really are self-motivated to Succeed. From what Fried wrote about passionate teaching, and the impotantanc of the teacher not only having good content knowledge, but also being a classroom role-model for continued learning and self-improvement in a subject, which gives kids the message that school is not about graded or living up to standards, although those things are important oo, the most important thing about school is to become a lifelong learner, and find something that you are passionate about and learn all you can about it.
I am really glad that this book was assigned, because although it does not directly connect to social studies, it just makes you think that choosing this profession of teaching really gives each of of the opportunity to change the world, be it one classroom or one child at a time. If we approach teaching the right way, and teach our students to work for learning, and a desired self understanding, this can really be achieved, and I think through this book we will see ways of just how this can happen.

Trying this out!!

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