Final Exam - An Agenda for Action

A. Graphic Organizer (analog)

B.

1. It's so hard for me to visualize teaching. For some reason, it feels about as fun as it would to look into a black hole. But, I recognize this discomfort as a type of "Novice Syndrome" and when I think of my personal vison as an educator in the 21st century, I begin to grow peaceful. So I want to be a mentor for students potential careers. I want to be a life long-learner and someone who continues to grow professionally, individually and collaboratively. What does that mean for a student? The more I learn, the better I become, the richer their environment will be. I want to work with them some how in their digital domain. Something as easy as a free blog, like this might be a start. Maybe it could cut down on my English paper work as well.

2. I'll be doing research papers with my English 11 students most of this semester, speeches the last two weeks (the papers track a trend over the course of the 20th century as it was defined by war, civil rights or women's issues). I hope to get them turned on to their work with inquisitive caps as opposed to being pulled down by Drudgery's harnesses. As I plan the unit I'll try to incorporate inquiry based methods so they become the researchers who find the answers to questions they want to ask, not mere recipents of research that's already been done. We'll be in the library for the first 3 weeks combing through databases. Over that time I plan to help them find what turns them on by guiding questions back to them and what interests them. AS for an example off the cuff?
For my honors students with whom I'll be reading "To Kill a Mockingbird", I hope to share current articles, and theories that show that yes, we've come a long way but there's many civil rights issues in our society that need to be questioned critically. I hope to instill in them, a group of elite college bound kids, the courage to follow their conscience and be agents of change for social justice.

3.I don't know. I want to say, in 2 years, that I'm part of closing the acheivement gap. I want to become a damn good teacher who teaches in a place where it's needed and wanted. So, what I mean by that is, I'd like to come on board to a place that has the passion for innovative teaching like KIPP academy but I wouldn't want to be in a school that is a sinking ship and I'm the only person who feels optomistic. That could be a case for burn out.
Let's just say, I'll start out small. I won't plan on going into a school, filled with ideas of social justice, and start pounding my fists to make change. But there's some quiet things I can do. I can simply implement group work into my class. I can start the year off taking some time out to introduce my students to a few exercise that will model the desired behaivor I'm looking for in my classroom--collaboration, consensus building, listening skills, personal and group accountability. Something as small as implementing group work can quietly bring about social justice.

4.Eventually, after my two rookie years, I want to be on a team with people who share a common vision and would be interested in collaborating thematic units and ideas to run through our curriculum. I'd like to implement my idea for having a thematic unit that explores food as it relates to sustainablitiy and self-sufficency. I can see getting kids to learn how to garden or even become actively involved in CSAs. With the right colleagues, this could be an amazing ITU which has no problem encompassing science, health, English and history. It could be as long as 2 weeks or 6.
The fear I have is that I'll get to a school and people will be so wrapped up in their own daily grind that any Utopic visions I have will fizzle by the wayside.

5. The ITU I envision is an example of a new curricular path because it teaches holistically and with a theme. Many of the assessments that come out of an ITU are authentic and project based. As an educator, this marks a new professional role because of the amount of collaboration it entails.
The quiet group work is a way to create comprehensive accountability. Comprehensive accountability is an easier way to make sure no child is left behind than any grand bill that is not a panacea for our educational problems today.
And for my immediate goal this semester. I hope to start now with the idea of being a powerful teacher and that means asking powerful, inquiry based questions. So, on ward and up, I ask myself, "What questions will make my kids want to become curious and start to make them generate their own powerful questions?"