1. Philosophical
1.1. There are no generic teachers.
1.1.1. Chalk video (Akel, 2006)
1.1.1.1. Each and every teacher have unique and different personalities and each brings a different flavour to teaching and helping students learn and grow. The Chalk video we watched in class showed that every teacher is different and some are good at their jobs, while others aren't.
1.2. Classroom Management and Developing a Positive Learning Environment
1.2.1. Canter and Canter believes that an "take control approach" or Assertive Discipline, is the most appropriate course of action for teachers to manage a classroom. (Tauber, 1999)
1.2.1.1. Assertive Discipline allows teachers to have an take-control approach to ensure student learning is uninterrupted by student mis-behavior. This process requires a structural functionalist strategy for classroom management that allows for punishments and rewards for student behaviour. The ultimate goal of Assertive Discipline is to maintain student behaviour in the classroom.
1.2.1.1.1. My past experiences as a student in the classroom made me feel that Assertive Discipline is the most effective approach for classroom management. Through all the years of me being a student, I have found that the easiest way to learn in a positive learning environment is for the teacher to enforce their rules upon students to minimize student interruptions and allowing the teacher to teach uninterrupted. This makes the teacher more effective in teaching/presenting the information we needed to know.
1.2.2. Barbara Colorosso believes that Inner Discipline is necessary for teachers to control its classroom and promote a positive learning environment. (Pungar, date unknown)
1.2.2.1. Inner Discipline allows students to take control of their own behaviour in the classroom with support from teachers. The role of a teacher is to provide support and guidance to the students and allowing them to make behavioural decisions for themselves. The ultimate goal of Inner Discipline is to teach students to make decisions and control their behaviours and carry that knowledge for the rest of their lives on a road to become a successful world citizen.
1.3. Reflective Practice
1.3.1. Teachers needs to reflect from their experience to develop better/more efficient methods of teaching and to continue to improve as teachers. (Peters, 1991)
1.3.1.1. No matter how comfortable I feel at doing something, I know there is always room for improvement. For teachers or every profession it is the same thing.
1.4. Secondary vs Elementary Teaching
1.4.1. Secondary Teachers
1.4.1.1. Secondary Teachers needs to focused and be well prepared for lessons (lesson planning), as you only see your students for an hour a day. (EDSE Guest Lecture)
1.4.1.2. Students have to learn something new everyday, in order to succeed in Education. (EDSE Guest Lecture)
1.4.1.2.1. The role of a Secondary teacher interest me greatly because of the daily challenge of engaging my students to learn more about a specific subject area I am greatly interested in and provide a vast amount of knowledge of.
1.4.2. Elementary Teachers
1.4.2.1. Elementary teachers needs to be role models for their students and demonstrate an energetic passion for learning, as while as creating a safe and positive learning environment. (EDEL Guest LEcture)
1.5. Professional Identity
1.5.1. Four Questions to Understand a Teacher's Identity (EDSE Guest Lecture)
1.5.1.1. Who are You?
1.5.1.2. Do you need to know yourself more?
1.5.1.3. How are you going to control your students?
1.5.1.4. What sort of colleague are you going to be?
1.5.2. As a teacher, you can't possibly make include all of your students at the same time. just show all of your students respect and not all students will and need to be happy with your teaching. (EDEL Guest Lecture)
1.5.2.1. I completely agree with the fact that as a teacher, you can't possibly include all of your students in one lesson. Some students will feel left out and that is inevitable and unfortunate. We have had to feel that way from time to time in our student lives.
2. Historical
2.1. Treatment of Aboriginals
2.1.1. Residential Schools
2.1.1.1. Sexual, Physical, and Emotional Abuse of Aboriginal students in Residential Schools, as they were forced to assimilate. (Anuik, 2010)
2.1.1.1.1. Truth and reconciliation commission
2.1.1.1.2. Victims are compensated under the government of Stephen Harper.
2.2. History of Eugenics
2.2.1. Eugenics is a term coined by Francis Galton, aimed to improve human lives through generations. (Rob Wilson Lecture)
2.2.2. Charles Davenport
2.2.2.1. Used eugenics to state that certain races are inferior. This idea was later used by Nazi Germany to start the Holocaust during WWII. (Rob Wilson Lecture)
2.2.3. Eugenics in Alberta
2.2.3.1. Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta (1928-1972)
2.2.3.1.1. Allowed sterilization of "unintelligent" women to prevent them from having "unintelligent" offspring. This resulted in 2830 cases of sterilization being performed while the act was in effect. (Rob Wilson Lecture)
2.3. Bullying Resulting into Violence in Schools
2.3.1. 1999 Columbine High School Massacre
2.3.1.1. In 1999, two students who were being severely bullied for being socially different or "weird", entered their school with weapons and killed many students and teachers, some of the victims were actually the bullies to the two murderers. (Walton, 2004)
2.3.1.2. Brought bullying into the national spotlight, as parents and teachers began to become very concerned with bullying in schools. Soon, many school boards and governments began passing laws or forming programs aimed to prevent bullying and provide support for the ones being bullied. Ex: In 2003, Edmonton passed a bylaw banning any forms of bullying under the age of 18. (Walton, 2004)
2.3.1.2.1. Teachers, needs to be trained professionally to prevent bullying from happening in their classroom. They need to be aware of what is happening around their classroom and their students, so that they can stop/prevent bullying.
2.3.2. Repeal of the Act and Aftermath
2.3.2.1. The Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta was repealed in 1972, after the election of premier Peter Lougheed. 23 years later, Leilani Muir sued and won her lawsuit for wrongful sterilization, thus bringing eugenics back into the spotlight. (Rob Wilson Lecture)
2.3.2.1.1. Showed that everyone has their own talents and they needed to be recognized. Low IQ scores; doesn't mean they will not learn in school, they will only learn less then others.
2.4. Racism in Canadian History
2.4.1. Although many Canadiens feels that racism is not a problem in Canada, Ghosh feels differently. She provides three examples of racism that had happened in Canadian history. (Ghosh,2008)
2.4.1.1. Japanese Internment during WWII (Ghosh, 2008)
2.4.1.2. Anti-semitim throughout Canadian history by Canadians.
2.4.1.3. 1970's Subway Attack on South Asian minorities in Toronto.
2.4.2. Residential Schools
2.4.2.1. I feel that Residential Schools is a form of racism towards Aboriginals, as the Government of Canada doesn't recognize Aboriginals' culture and self-identity, in passing the Indian Act, forcing Aboriginals to be assimilated.
2.5. History of Education in Canada
2.5.1. Neo-liberal Educational Policies
2.5.1.1. Premier Ralph Klein leads the change in Education. Also less government intervention in education. (Harrison & Kachur, 1999)
2.5.1.1.1. Create Charter Schools
2.5.1.1.2. Increase Standardized Testing
3. Sociological
3.1. Professionalism and the ATA's Influence on Alberta's Educational System
3.1.1. Alberta Teacher's Association gives us a base of being a professional teacher in Alberta and the rights and responsibilities of being a teacher. (Mark Yurick Lecture)
3.2. Racism
3.2.1. Racism happens in schools all the time involving teachers and students. (Ghosh, 2008)
3.2.1.1. Racism is the belief that inherent differences amongst people, determines academic achievements. Teachers are starting to become more and more pre-judiced against certain races over academic performance. (Ghosh, 2008)
3.2.1.1.1. As teachers, we should never assume or pre-judge our students base on their race or the "colour of their skin".
3.3. Bullying
3.3.1. Bullying in schools occur due to inequality of wealth, different sexual orientations, academic ability, social ability and many other reasons. (Walton, 2004)
3.3.1.1. How do teachers create programs to prevent exclusion or bullying?
3.3.1.1.1. Always make groups for projects, to prevent anyone from being left out. (Group Discussion)
3.3.1.1.2. Set ground rules in the beginning to ensure full understanding amongst your students that bullying will not be tolerated. (Group Discussion)
3.3.1.1.3. Never pre-judge your students based on what they wear, say, or do.
3.3.1.1.4. Include the curriculum to instil the values of respect. (Group Discussion)
3.4. Runte vs Taylor
3.4.1. Education as Socialization
3.4.1.1. Taylor has an structural-functionalist approach as that children are blank slates, and the function of schooling/education is to socialize the next generation. Taylor views schools as a form of social function that gives children the required knowledge to become functioning members of their society. Therefore, Taylor argues that society decides what the schools will teach. (Pungur, date unknown)
3.4.1.1.1. I personally agrees with the views of Taylor, as I do believe children are born as blank slates. They are then shaped by their parents (primary socialization) and later on school (secondary socialization). As blank slates, children should not be able to decide what they want to learn, as I feel that they are not mature enough to make that decision for themselves.
3.4.2. Education as Emancipation
3.4.2.1. Runte beleives that children aren't a blank slate and that they should have the ability to decide what to learn. Children/students through education, should be able to develop critical awareness of what is being taught and why is it being taught. (Pungur, date unknown)
3.5. Inclusion
3.5.1. Including LGBTQ students in the classroom. (Melinda McNie Lecture)
3.5.1.1. Use and promote inclusive vocabulary and refrain from allowing homophobic slurs from being used in your classroom.
3.5.1.1.1. Prevent homophobic bullying, which results in LGBTQ students feeling safer in a classroom environment.
3.5.1.2. Accept the values of each child.
3.5.1.2.1. Include every child and make them feel comfortable about the decisions they made regarding their sexual orientation.
3.5.2. Including Aboriginal students in the classroom
3.5.2.1. Aboriginals are the fastest growing population in Canada. Therefore, the education system needs to accomodate the different learning styles of Aboriginal students that arose because of their diofferent culture and traditions. (Anuik, 2010)
3.5.2.1.1. Teachers needs to be more inclusive to their Aboriginal students because they are going to public schools more often. We need to include them by communicating and understanding their ideas, culture, and beliefs.
3.5.3. Eugenics and the inclusion of all students. (Rob Wilson Lecture)
3.5.3.1. Each student have different academic abilities. (Rob Wilson Lecture)
3.5.3.1.1. As teachers, we need to respond and adjust to the different needs of each different student. Teachers needs to understand that each student's level of achievement is different, and teachers needs to get the best result out of each and every student.