Blog Post 1
Kumashiro says that “commonsense” is different everywhere you go. What may be “commonsense” here in north America may not be the same else where. For an example, here in North America we start school in September (August in the US) to June (May for the US). That’s commonsense for us. However, for Australia its opposite. They start in February and end in December. What is normal for us is not normal for others. Commonsense is determined by where we grow up.
It is important to pay attention to “commonsense” because students may have a different approach to learning. For example, Teacher talks and students take notes. Or Teacher starts discussions and students are actively participating. There are so many different approaches to teaching in a classroom. Every classroom Teacher has their own methods and so do the students.
I believe that every student learns a different way. When I was in high school taking notes didn’t help me study or learn. If I didn’t understand the material reading the answer over and over never helped. I needed to relate it to something else or have a different way to approach it. I want to be able to bring a different way to look and explain lessons. I want to be able to help every student learn from me.
https://info.australia.gov.au/about-australia/special-dates-and-events/school-term-dates
Blog Post 2
In our math classes our tests were the way to evaluate us. For math if you understood the material you did better compared to memorizing and regurgitating information. In our history class our tests were memorize, regurgitate, then forget. Those types of evaluations don’t work well because for some students they won’t learn from that sort of teaching. I believe history should be an open book. Most people have access to google, they can easily look up dates or questions and they can get answers. I personally never memorised information in history class. I tried to understand and make connections so I could remember it long term, if i forgot then I forgot. I didn’t want to waste time studying then forgetting immediately.
Blog Post 3
I decided to go with the topic of sex education. In highschool I believe we barely touch on sex its self and how to make sure you are having safe and healthy sex. We touched a tiny bit on birth control and condoms, but the key that they emphasized was abstinence. I believe the education system still sees this topic as taboo. If our youth is educated on how their body works the more open and comfortable they will be come with it.
Peggy Smith wrote about how teen pregnancy is starting to go up in numbers rather than down. She explains that teen pregnancies are more common in minorities ages 15-19. Smith also touches on how HIV/AIDS is also still a big issue with our minority youth. Our teens are not educated enough on what HIV/AIDS is and what it does to the body. Smith talks about a study that was conducted to see how 9-12 grade students felt about HIV/AIDS. They felt that they weren’t learning about it, they were just hearing about it and told it was bad. The students wanted more information on what the disease is. As you read more into the article Smith touches on the importance of talking about healthy and safe sex.
My next steps will be to find articles about LGBTQ+ sex education and how we as future teachers can teach students within that community how they can preform safe and healthy sex.
Smith, Peggy B, et al. “Students’ Experiences and Perceived Benefits of a Sex Education Curriculum: A Qualitative Analysis.” Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, vol. 37, no. 4, 2011, pp. 270–285.
Blog Post 4
“Good students” according to commonsense in the Kumashiro reading, they are students who are perfect in the eyes of education. They don’t question teachers they retain all information, and they have good attitude. As a student being able to reach that expectation is nearly impossible. It is unfair for there to be that high of an expectation since student cant and will not spend their whole day retaining information that does not seem practical. I know personally if I am forced to learn something that will not help me now or in the future I will not learn it. If its not practical to what I am doing it is just a waste of my time and the educators time to try and mold me in to a “good student” when it is not going to help either of us. I felt this way all though high school and university when we were made to take useless classes that everybody dislikes and either retains and understands it or doesn’t understand why we have to take those types of classes. As a Future Educator I will never put that expectation of my students to be a “good student” nor should any educator.
Students who do fit the mold of “Good Student” have the privilege to have the time to complete their studying every day and assignments. Those types of students don’t have the amount of responsibilities other have. For example a student who lives alone, works full time, and goes to school full time and that’s not including household chores they will need to complete as well as cooking for themselves. This may seem mainly directed to university students but this could also be the case for some students in high school. These types of students will not have enough time to put their full effort into every single one of their assignments. “The Good students” do because they don’t have those types of responsibilities they can go home where they live with their parents who buy their food and pay for their school and put the same amount of time and effort into every assignment.
Blog Post 5
For the first Part of the reading, (Curriculum Policy and the Politics of What Should Be Learned in Schools) I feel extremely uncomfortable reading an article by a man who is Registered Sex Offender.
As for the the second reading what I took from it is the curriculum is constantly changing but it seems to always be a bit behind. Teachers either have to fight for what they believe should be included in the curriculum or teach it through the “hidden curriculum”. While saying that the Educator also needs to have the support of parents and students in order to make change. It is important that it it takes time and is a long process because there needs to be an agreement on whether or not it will benefit the students. The unfortunate part of that is society is constantly changing and sometimes curriculum cant quite keep up.
Blog Post 6
Hip hop seems to signify much more that a dance. It represents injustices that have happened to students. Students should be introduced to all kinds of art, dance, and band so they can have something they can use to express themselves. Hip Hop is a great source for students to express how they are feeling and be able to express that. Giving students the power to become activist and develop a voice. We as educators should encourage our students to stand up and become activists. If Hip Hop can help our students have a voice we should implement I believe it should me taught. I also agree when the article mentioned that “take action against the oppressive elements of reality.” (pg. 56). The Article concludes with expressing that Hip Hop could help give students the power to ” to hold a mirror to society; to name problems, to identify relations among problems, and to re-imagine them into new strategies utilizing transformational resistance.” (pg.62). We need to give our students more power and more of a voice.
Blog post 7
Music education provides students much more than the ability to play an instrument. As a music education student I grew being very active in the musical community in my rural town. I attended band camps, honour bands, Festivals, and I started a jazz band at my school. Music teaches students how to become strong leader and team work. A band is only as good as its weakest player. It also activates every part of the brain at once, since you are reading, moving your fingers, and listening to the music and those around you. Music gives you so many skills, problem solving, moving on after a mistake, improvisation etc. This article bring out all the good parts about music education and it lovely to see in an Education class, since music educators usually get left out.
The article brings up that music is great at bring cultures into the class room, which is very true. We play all kinds of styles and tunes. “The Crown of Castile” by Johnnie Vinson which is a Spanish march. There are many pieces out there that bring in different cultures. Like the article says “allowing students to be in culture, rather than learning about culture” Music is also a universal language, so you can play with anybody from anywhere in the world. In my opinion music brings people together and brings out the best in people.
My band teacher would put on remembrance day performances and play for the town and those who wanted to attend the concert and somebody would talk and we would march down, Yes march, with a snare drum and a bass drum to walk those who wanted to down to the memorial we have and a student would play the last post. This would happen every year and the town would participate. The only down side to this, is it is very cold in November and walking through the down with just a band uniform was not fun, but it will be something myself and the community will never forget.