Learning to love books was modeled by many and nurtured by more. The love of books and reading has not always been part of my life. In fact, I hated reading for some time. But as the youngest member of my family, I knew at some point I had to love reading. I remember summer vacations with my family, and each was engrossed in his or her book. I would bounce from one to the other, looking for an easy moment of distraction. My books did not seem to be filled with the same excitement that theirs did. And then the switch was flipped in 3rd grade. A patient teacher found the passion for reading that I still have today. The first time I really got lost in a book, so lost I wanted to enter the book was with Harriet the Spy, I made my family call me Harriet for days. Books now are a huge pleasure in my life, one that I cannot image living without. The smell of old books, the feel of a new book and the secrets that lie within. I’ve travelled many miles with my books, and plan to travel many more. Books keep alive the many other lessons of my life.
Growing up in suburban Boston I don’t even remember the first time I rode the subway, or walked within the tall buildings. The environment was peppered with green spaces and beautiful outdoor spots, but my love of these spaces was not awakened until much later. My family offered me many great opportunities, but sleeping in a tent was not a part of growing up. The first time I had to pitch a tent it was a long and laughter filled process. I had never known how great sleeping outdoors is, or how comfortable camping can be. The wonder of a restful night after a day of activity. The great taste of food after many miles of hiking. All these things have been learned and relearned with many friends as each patiently taught me one more trick to enjoy the outdoors. None of them had to teach me, or show me, how beautiful the world is when taking time to move into more hidden places. I still remember a friend teaching me to tie a bowline, and the first time I tied one in the presence of my father who couldn’t believe this was now a skill I had. Learning the knot when I did came from the need to know and a good teacher.
Although some lessons have a teacher, there have been many in my life that have come to me through experience. Gardening is another love in my life, and my education as a gardener is distinctly informal and experiential. Each year provides a new canvas for learning, and new frustrations as weather patterns are not static. The joy of seedlings coming up on my dining room table when the snow is still deep outside. Each afternoon checking to see what has grown. The amazement of sunlight and nutrients and photosynthesis, it works, plants grow. And then the tender transplant to the outdoor world of the garden, hopeful for warm days and nights. Each year my joy is the same as plants grow and produce vegetables and flowers. Each night taking a look to see what has grown. The plants telling me which plot of land meets their needs, and how much water they need. Listening with my eyes to the growth patterns brings me great joy. It is not a lesson than anyone can teach, but one which I will spend a lifetime learning.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Morrill Land Grant
Blog b: Morrill Land Grant Act
The Morrill Act was passed in 1862, after the south has seceded from the Union. Abraham Lincoln passed the act, along with another to expand railroads. Both acts had been opposed by southern states, but could be passed during the Civil War. Both were also aimed at boosting the economy across the nation. The Morrill Act originally gave all western states 30,000 acres of land to sell, per senator and representative. The land could be sold to generate money for state run colleges. These original colleges were for agriculture, engineering and military service. This offer was then extended to all states in the Union, and after the Civil War, to southern states as well. Although the federal government had been involved in issues relating to higher education, this act represented a major step forward. Land was an available commodity in these days. Land had already been tied to schooling with earlier legislation regarding the development of schools as new towns emerged This was one of the first major instances of the United States federal government trying to promote education. This same goal can still be seen today in many different federal programs that support higher education. Although this support has many positive outcomes, there has been a trend in education the federal government now wants to make education accountable to all people. This increase in accountability has had many effects of education, many of which we see today in our schools.
As a result of this act many states were able to begin or expand on state school system There are over 50 institutions across the nation that currently have roots in the passage of this act. This act had direct impact on Maine, as it allowed Maine to raise money for the University of Maine System to begin in Bangor. This generated import revenue for that area of the state, as it still does today. Although University of Maine at Farmington is now part of the University of Maine System, it was not always so. It was originally the Farmington Normal School. It was created from the Normal School Act. These acts are related in that not only did the government want to promote post secondary education for many, it also wanted to ensure that teachers of the future students received a meaningful training. This same desire to prepare quality teachers is still part of University of Maine at Farmington’s mission. The college helps students meet state standards for teaching.
Sources:
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/27.htm
http://www.higher-ed.org/resources/land_grant_colleges.htm
http://www.bangorregion.com/about_the_region/history.html
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=33
http://www.maine.gov/education/150yrs/150part1.htm
http://www.farmington.edu/about/history.php
The Morrill Act was passed in 1862, after the south has seceded from the Union. Abraham Lincoln passed the act, along with another to expand railroads. Both acts had been opposed by southern states, but could be passed during the Civil War. Both were also aimed at boosting the economy across the nation. The Morrill Act originally gave all western states 30,000 acres of land to sell, per senator and representative. The land could be sold to generate money for state run colleges. These original colleges were for agriculture, engineering and military service. This offer was then extended to all states in the Union, and after the Civil War, to southern states as well. Although the federal government had been involved in issues relating to higher education, this act represented a major step forward. Land was an available commodity in these days. Land had already been tied to schooling with earlier legislation regarding the development of schools as new towns emerged This was one of the first major instances of the United States federal government trying to promote education. This same goal can still be seen today in many different federal programs that support higher education. Although this support has many positive outcomes, there has been a trend in education the federal government now wants to make education accountable to all people. This increase in accountability has had many effects of education, many of which we see today in our schools.
As a result of this act many states were able to begin or expand on state school system There are over 50 institutions across the nation that currently have roots in the passage of this act. This act had direct impact on Maine, as it allowed Maine to raise money for the University of Maine System to begin in Bangor. This generated import revenue for that area of the state, as it still does today. Although University of Maine at Farmington is now part of the University of Maine System, it was not always so. It was originally the Farmington Normal School. It was created from the Normal School Act. These acts are related in that not only did the government want to promote post secondary education for many, it also wanted to ensure that teachers of the future students received a meaningful training. This same desire to prepare quality teachers is still part of University of Maine at Farmington’s mission. The college helps students meet state standards for teaching.
Sources:
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/27.htm
http://www.higher-ed.org/resources/land_grant_colleges.htm
http://www.bangorregion.com/about_the_region/history.html
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=33
http://www.maine.gov/education/150yrs/150part1.htm
http://www.farmington.edu/about/history.php
Influential Educator
Jonathan Kozol
Jonathan Kozol is a passionate advocate for quality education for all children. He was born outside Boston, Massachusetts in 1936. He attended public schools early on and then attended Nobel and Greenough School, a private school in Dedham, MA (Wikipedia, 2007, para. 1). He excelled as a student at Harvard University and graduated in 1958.
After studying internationally he returned to the Boston area and became a tutor, and then a public school teacher. As he recounts in his book Letters to a Young Teacher, Kozol took over as a substitute teacher in a classroom where he was the 14th teacher the students had had that year (Kozol, 2007). After teaching a Langston Hughes Poem he was fired from his job. The administration stated that the poetry was not part of the curriculum.
Today Kozol is an author who uses his voice to give voice to many who do not have a voice in the debates over education reform. His works are passionate pleas to value each child equally and to examine the broader context of educational inequality.
Howard Gardner
Howard Gardner was born in Scranton Pennsylvania in 1943. His parents had recently lost another child, and only three years previously has fled to the United States to escape the Holocaust (Gardner, n.d., p.1). Growing up he states that he was studious and his parents encouraged his intellect. He attended Harvard University where his mind was awoken by his experience in class and with professors. Gardner (n.d) remembers that he was drawn the social sciences, and is now able to trace a path through his journey that seems clear in its direction.
Gardner has explored many different topics in his work, and the one that has been explored most in the context of education is his theory of multiple intelligences. In this theory he argues that there exist many ways of knowing (Gardner, 1983). He names nine such manners of knowing, and believes that all people experience strengths and weaknesses with these intelligences (“Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences” n.d). His challenge to educators is therefore not to force all students to “know” in the same manner, but instead for educators to learn about each child as an individual and allow them to work with his or her strengths for maximum learning.
Sources
Kozol
http://edaction.org/kozol.php?section=career
Kozol, Jonathan (2005, September) Still Separate, Still Unequal: America’s educational apartheid. Harper’s Magazine, 41-54.
Kozol, Jonathan (2007). Letters to a Young Teacher. New York: Crown Publishers
http://ed-action.org/content/NCLBPoints.pdf
Newman, Joseph W. (2006) America’s Teachers: An Introduction to Education (5th Ed). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Kozol
Gardner
Gardner, Howard (1983) Frames of Mind: The Theories of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
http://www.howardgardner.com/bio/bio.html
http://www.howardgardner.com/docs/One%20Way%20of%20Making%20a%20Social%20Scientist.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_overview.html
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.
Jonathan Kozol is a passionate advocate for quality education for all children. He was born outside Boston, Massachusetts in 1936. He attended public schools early on and then attended Nobel and Greenough School, a private school in Dedham, MA (Wikipedia, 2007, para. 1). He excelled as a student at Harvard University and graduated in 1958.
After studying internationally he returned to the Boston area and became a tutor, and then a public school teacher. As he recounts in his book Letters to a Young Teacher, Kozol took over as a substitute teacher in a classroom where he was the 14th teacher the students had had that year (Kozol, 2007). After teaching a Langston Hughes Poem he was fired from his job. The administration stated that the poetry was not part of the curriculum.
Today Kozol is an author who uses his voice to give voice to many who do not have a voice in the debates over education reform. His works are passionate pleas to value each child equally and to examine the broader context of educational inequality.
Howard Gardner
Howard Gardner was born in Scranton Pennsylvania in 1943. His parents had recently lost another child, and only three years previously has fled to the United States to escape the Holocaust (Gardner, n.d., p.1). Growing up he states that he was studious and his parents encouraged his intellect. He attended Harvard University where his mind was awoken by his experience in class and with professors. Gardner (n.d) remembers that he was drawn the social sciences, and is now able to trace a path through his journey that seems clear in its direction.
Gardner has explored many different topics in his work, and the one that has been explored most in the context of education is his theory of multiple intelligences. In this theory he argues that there exist many ways of knowing (Gardner, 1983). He names nine such manners of knowing, and believes that all people experience strengths and weaknesses with these intelligences (“Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences” n.d). His challenge to educators is therefore not to force all students to “know” in the same manner, but instead for educators to learn about each child as an individual and allow them to work with his or her strengths for maximum learning.
Sources
Kozol
http://edaction.org/kozol.php?section=career
Kozol, Jonathan (2005, September) Still Separate, Still Unequal: America’s educational apartheid. Harper’s Magazine, 41-54.
Kozol, Jonathan (2007). Letters to a Young Teacher. New York: Crown Publishers
http://ed-action.org/content/NCLBPoints.pdf
Newman, Joseph W. (2006) America’s Teachers: An Introduction to Education (5th Ed). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Kozol
Gardner
Gardner, Howard (1983) Frames of Mind: The Theories of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
http://www.howardgardner.com/bio/bio.html
http://www.howardgardner.com/docs/One%20Way%20of%20Making%20a%20Social%20Scientist.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_overview.html
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.
Language Arts Ideas for Units
Option 1: I am thinking about designing a second grade unit for my literacy unit. The students are learning about different kinds of animals. I am thinking about designing a research unit on animals, with the finished product having the students write a non-fiction description of the animal, and an original poem. Once the students have composed these we would publish a wiki book that could be read by the kindergarten class down the hall. I think that having an audience for the writing would greatly improve the quality of the writing.
Option 2: Another option I am considering is using podcasts with a 3rd grade class. Since I have not used podcasts, I think this would be a fun challenge for me and potential students. Since the students are learning about writing instructions, that I could have students work in groups to write instructions for future students of the school. Since the students are new to the school building in 3rd grade, I am thinking it would be helpful to have a website of podcasts about expectations at the school. Embedded in this project I would want to students to interview classmates about different key terms such as respect, hard work and team work. They could also share these definitions with future students. I would have students publish both the podcast and the written information.
Option 3:
Option 4:
Option 5:
Option 2: Another option I am considering is using podcasts with a 3rd grade class. Since I have not used podcasts, I think this would be a fun challenge for me and potential students. Since the students are learning about writing instructions, that I could have students work in groups to write instructions for future students of the school. Since the students are new to the school building in 3rd grade, I am thinking it would be helpful to have a website of podcasts about expectations at the school. Embedded in this project I would want to students to interview classmates about different key terms such as respect, hard work and team work. They could also share these definitions with future students. I would have students publish both the podcast and the written information.
Option 3:
Option 4:
Option 5:
Growing Your Garden
Thinking today about how education has many challenges, and how hard it is to envision new solutions to our problems since so little has changed in education. Trying to look for schools that have begun to use new structures to teacher
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