Response to first reading assignment

Reflection Journal:  6/20/11            The Role of Reflection in Epistemological Change:  Autobiography in Teacher Education Bushnell, Henry

“I realize that everything I have learned in the past has taught me something about myself.” (Bushnell, 2003) This quote by a teacher is exactly how reflection affects a person’s thoughts and ideas.  I think back on teaching in the 80’s as opposed to today and I see a world of change.  Teachers are encouraged to find their voice and own their ideas and perspectives.  Whereas, earlier, teachers were supposed to do it the way you were taught.  There was always a right way and a right answer.  The use of autobiography may be a difficult task for me, but I see it as a way to engage students in a way that goes beyond learning the right way to do a task.  This perspective also speaks to children with behavior problems and those that have difficulty making connections with peers.  This thinking also meshes with the current stress on reader’s workshop and writer’s workshop as a vehicle to teach reading comprehension and relate to the world.  This technique allows students to own their work and their effort. 

            The reading also posed this question. “How might you be different had you been educated differently? As I think back to the need to be right, I think I would have flourished.  To know that my ideas were simply heard and accepted without judgment…without a grade that told me I was smart or not smart would have given me the avenue to flourish. My worth…my knowledge was defined as a grade and everything was a test…and what if I failed?  What if I gave the wrong answer?  What if I did not know something? Or someone thought (Oh, No!) I was stupid?  All those “what if’s” made me an uncertain student that tread softly through school. 

            Perhaps, that is why I try to create an atmosphere where students are accepted and have little fear of doing the wrong thing in class. A sign in my class read: Mistakes are allowed here! Most of my students have already failed in every other school setting.   Perhaps that is why I try to help students think about their work and their effort so that, at the end of the day, they can say, “I did okay today.  And what about tomorrow?”  So, reflection is a welcomed task in my classroom.

            The authors also, discuss an awakening of females as they transform to life challenges.  I think I relate to this.  I stayed home with my own children (twins are a whole different beast), and I always felt guilty for wanting to work.  I knew, I was unable to do it all so I made a choice, but the guilt never left.  It did not prevent me from enjoying my family, however, it caused me to think about my life goals and I think I waited too long for me.

            Spring’s view on the history of an education framework is critical and timely with the many changes that face public schools.  I believe that the underlying theme is that schools are for everybody.  Our constitution provides a free and public education for all citizens. Now, of course that really did not mean anything in the historical structure of our country because racism and intolerance played such a large part in our evolution as a society.  And it is also a history that cannot be changed.  We can review and learn from it, but you can’t forget that it happened…that Native Americans and African Americans were excluded from schools.  What we can do is move on and try our best to provide the elements and opportunities of an education that is needed by all children.  Public schools were created to protect the general interests of all children…even if it took hundreds of years to finally get to this point.  However, other doors open for many children.  Those that can afford private school educations have the opportunity to enroll their children in private and religious schools.   Our country is a plethora of choice!