Final Timeline

Final Timeline

Timeline Bibliography

“ A Brief History of the National Catholic Educational Association”. Ncea.org. 13 June 2012.  http://www.ncea.org/about/index.asp

“A Brief Overview of Catholic Schools in America”. Ncea.org. 13 June 2012. Web.

http://www.ncea.org/about/historicaloverviewofcatholicschoolsinamerica.asp

Gardner, David. A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. 26 April 1983. National Commission on Excellence in Education. 13 June 2012. http://teachertenure.procon.org/sourcefiles/a-nation-at-risk-tenure-april-1983.pdf

“Historical Timeline of Public Education in the U.S. Applied Research Center. arc.org 13 June 2012. http://www.arc.org/content/view/100/217/

Kennedy Knox, Robert.  A Timeline of Private School Events and History. 3 August 2011. Private School Review. 13 June 2012.

http://www.privateschoolreview.com/articles/237

Kolderie, Ted. Ray Budde and the Origins of the “Charter Concept”. June 2005. Educationevolving.org. 13 June 2012. http://www.educationevolving.org/pdf/Ray_Budde.pdf

“Milestones in African American Education” Infoplease. Web. 10 June 2012.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0872844.html

Orgins of Chartering Timeline. Educationevolving.org 13 June 2012. http://www.educationevolving.org/system/chartering/history-and-origins-of-chartering

Spring, Joel. The American School: A Global Context From the Puritans to the Obama Era. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2011. Print.

 “St. Ignatius College”. Ohio History Central. ohiohistorycentral.org. 13 June 2012.

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2188

Toppo, Greg. “Nation at Risk”: The best or the worst thing for education. 1 August 2008. USA Today. 13 June 2012.

“United Negro College Fund: About Us”. uncf.org. 10 June 2012. Web.

http://www.uncf.org/sections/WhoWeAre/SS_AboutUs/aboutus.asp

Writing Circle 3

In our latest writing circle we discussed each other's work and how we are progressing with our research. Stacie is motivated to write about urban public schools. I can see how this topic is a passion of hers and her research is sure to reflect that.

In our discussion myself and Darcy seem to have particular topics. Darcy is focusing her work on Catholic schools separation from public schools. I am focusing my work on the separation of education as a whole, which will include private vs public education.

I have written often about this topic and it is an issue I admit that I do not fully understand. My research has been effective and allowed me to gather more insight on the issue. Our writing circle discussion was focused a lot on my paper topic and Darcy's. (Sometimes I feel bad because I do not wish to focus all or much of our conversation on my topic but rather on everyone's equally). Our conversation was candid, open, respectful and insightful. It was very interesting to hear Darcy's views and mine, because although we both came from a Catholic High School, we have different views on how this education influences students.

Stacie and Shawn have given me excellent input that I am extremely grateful for. While we were in our circle, Shawn made a comment that poked my interest. He said that he felt that I received a better education than he did because he went to Mayfield and I went to St. Ignatius. This is exactly the type of comment that I want to focus my paper on, What makes Ignatius a better education to some people. Further, what does a better education even entail? I look forward to exploring these ideas in my research paper.

I learned a lot from our writing circle and I can honestly say I enjoyed everyone in out group. It was refreshing to have open, critical conversation. I feel that we were all able to bounce ideas off each other and get a feel for what we wanted to direct our focus on. I always enjoy debate because I see it as an opportunity to learn about a different view or ideal. Our writing circle was able to teach me many things and ultimately give me a solid base for my research. Shawn, Stacie, and Darcy were extremely helpful and I enjoyed every conversation we had together.

My Focus

While conducting my research I found myself asking the question: Why did I focus on this topic? With the work that we did, the readings we analyzed, and the different topics we discussed, I could have been led to any number of different topics. So why did I choose the separation of education? What in my thought process pointed my in this direction?

I believe that my desire for this topic came from my own personal struggle over the issue. I was brought up in Catholic Schools until college. My cousins had gone to Catholic schools. All my friends had gone to Catholic schools. I did not know much else. For the first 2 years in college I always pictured myself having children and sending them to a Catholic grade school then a Catholic high school, hell maybe even my alma mater of St. Ignatius. But then I had a life changing influence come into my life. My current girlfriend and I met and started dating. She had come from an all public school upbringing. Eventually as our relationship grew we discussed what we thought about where kids (if we had them someday) would go to school. Her view was strong that she was not ever going to pay to send her children to a Catholic school when they can get a perfect education for free at a public school. This was her experience. She attended a great public school system in Medina, Ohio and she had succeeded just as much as anyone who went to a private school. I'll admit, her stance took my back at first. But I could see why she felt passionately about the issue. I felt just as passionately that my children should go to a Catholic school. It was our different experiences that led us to these thoughts. But our different experiences also had led us to Ohio State and to successfully graduate. The phrase "There's more than one way to skin a cat" rang true. Meaning, there is more than one way to achieve a goal. Me and my girlfriend had gone through very different experiences, but ultimately ended up in the same place.

Now our different experiences shaped who we were as people, and also how we felt about certain issues, specifically education. After we discussed our viewpoints we were both able to find neutral ground. However, the question has always ate at me. Which path is best? Clearly the answer is not concrete. Many factors such as economical situation and the school district are important.

This experience in my life taught me to constantly challenge ideas. I had a set idea in my mind on how to best raise children through education. But my vision was narrow and inwardly focused. I had not challenged myself to investigate different paths because I had not experienced a different way. Encountering my girlfriend, I came across a different, successful approach that I had not considered before. I believe that many people, even grown adults with children, still live in the fantasy world that I once saw as the only way. In fact there are many ways to bring children through education. There are many ways in which a child can be successful. One is not "better" than the other. Often the experience is just different and that is all. What is important to consider is how the choice will shape the ideas of a child.

I tend to find myself leaning toward public for my children. This is an idea that 3 year ago I would have laughed at. But it is that fact that I despise. I do not want my children growing up and seeing that a private education is the best and only way. I thought that once. I was lucky to be able to gain the proper perspective. At the same time, I would not want my children going through public school and despising private education. There has to be a balance and a respect for all types of education. A respect that took me entirely too long to grasp.

This story and struggle is what led me to my topic. I wanted to research the history of separation in education and relate it to my personal experience. I wanted to find studies and opinion pieces about how different educations effect students. My topic came to me because long before I even took this class, I questioned what kind of impact different educations had.

Should We Leave Public vs Private Alone?

In doing my research I came across an article (link below) that challenged the idea that private education is distinct and separate from a public education. In the article Doug Tuthill argues that with charter schools and other laws that are in place, the line between public vs private is blurry. Charter schools are private in almost all aspects except that they are tuition free. They are privately owned and privately staffed. President Obama has continually vowed to increase support for charter schools. The question is, who gets to go to these schools? The answer may be as simple as: whoever fits the school the best. A charter school is often viewed as a better way of learning than a normal public school. But why? Yes the building is different and class size may be smaller, but education is education. Tuthill takes the perspective that education should not be looked at as private vs charter vs public. Instead, by taking the view of education for all as a whole, the system is just one of finding the best fit for a child. That can be a public institution or a private one. Tuthill argues that private education is not an attack on public education and that those who view it as such need to see it for what it can be. At its best, public and private education work to strengthen each other, not work at odds.

Tuthill raises an intriguing argument. It is his belief that there should not be so much talk and effort in complaining about, analyzing, and changing the way public and private education interact. What Tuthill is pushing for is a world in which public and private interact to provide the best educational system. He provides examples of how this is already occurring with public money to private schools and money to public schools to fund private tutors and programs. Tuthill's ideal world, however, is just that. He does not bring up the socialecnomic factors that influence public and private schooling. There is still a lack of opportunity for those who are less well-off to attend a private school. They have no choice. I believe that Tuthill realizes this, but in his mind as long as both private and public are working together, both can provide an equal education and erase the educational differences that are perceived. However, even if the schools were equal academically in all aspects, the fact that private schooling is simply not an option for many students still leaves a feeling of inferiority. The idea that they cannot have what someone else can. Exclusion. As long as this persists there must be discussion about the issue. There must be a focus on the separation just for the fact that it exists. Without the constant banter, we risk losing the relationship that public and private schools already have.

I agree that the focus needs to be on education as a whole. It needs to be about developing an institution that benefits all equally. But that is not what exists. Until public and private schools have equal graduation rates and equal students attending college there will be talk about the fairness of the system. And even if these statistics were to be equal, the reality that some schooling is unavailable to many people will keep the debate going and going.

Rethinking Public vs Private (starts on pg 44, then scroll up to pg 28)
By: Doug Tuthill
Education Week
January 21, 2009

Public v Private: A Constant Debate

I attended a private Catholic High School and the first year I carpooled everyday to and from school. My second year I was fortunate enough to be able to drive to school almost everyday. I never took a bus. Each day I would arrive at school I saw buses from other public school districts dropping students off at St. Ignatius. To me, this was always very odd.

During our last discussion the issue of busing and private schools was passionately debated. Each person has had a different experience with the subject. Some people went to public schools and have their feelings; some went to private schools and have their feelings. One side may not be completely right or wrong. It is my view that private schooling is a privilege, but far from a necessity or right. When a parent or student is choosing to attend a private school, they are, in a way, rejecting the schooling that the government is offering for free. There is nothing wrong with this, and in districts where the public school system is failing, private school may be the only realistic option for success. However, when the decision is made, then the student and family have decided to pursue an education on their own, outside of what the state is offering. Public taxes for education should not be given to them, but be put into the city and school in which they live in. The taxes are to make the school district the best it can be. They are not for individual pursuit. Dr. Shutkin discussed how the money follows the student. This logic leads to the use of public busing for private school students. I strongly believe that the money should follow the school and the district. For example: I live in Strongsville. If my children attended a private school, I would expect that my tax money would go into improving the Strongsville school district. I would not expect anything for my tax money, from an educational standpoint, because I have rejected what is being offered to me. A question that may arise is: Would you send you kids on a public bus to a private school if one was offered? My answer is: I don't know. I would like to think that I would not, and that my beliefs about the system would keep me from having them take the bus. Realistically, however, if it makes my life easier, and I can get up and go to work without having to worry about my child's transportation, then I'm not sure what my actions would be.

Now this is not to say that there aren't private school students who need the busing. There are many who need it. When choosing private schooling, however, that is part of the process. Even if there are extra buses available in a school district, I still think that the use of the buses for private school students is taking away money from a school district that could use it to improve their services. What is the solution then for private school students who need busing? The answer is complicated. Carpooling could be utilized, or the private school could run their own buses. If a bus that said Saint Ignatius High School on it picked me up, then that is not taking money away from the schools.

I realize the topic of private vs public has been discussed at length already. My intention is not to continue to harp on the same topic over and over. My personal experience has led me to examine the topic more than I maybe even should. Education is education, and maybe the foucs should be on improving the institution as a whole and not worry about petty differences. But improving this difference, this separation, may be am avenue to improving education as a whole. I find private vs public schooling as the aspect of education that most separates students. I know the impact it has had on me.

Timeline 1

Timeline

The above link is to my timeline that I have started.

Analyzing Ourselves

During class on Thursday we further analyzed our reading on how to best conduct autobiographical forms of self-research. At first the reading confused me. I found myself re-reading sentences with little idea of what was being conveyed. But reading aloud with another person made the task simpler. What I gained from the reading was that it is not enough to simply read material, or engage in a conversation and have a reaction or opinion on the matter. My prior blogs have taken this approach and it was helpful to get my ideas and thoughts put together. But after reading about conducting autobiographical self-research I believe that we are being asked to do more than just react and share our stories and opinions. We are being asked to challenge our beliefs and challenge ourselves. To take it a step further, why do I have the opinions I do? Why did I react in this particular way? Why do I see one thing as right and the other as wrong? What part of my being is causing my thoughts? What in my upbringing, and self-formation has shaped my opinions?

I think that evaluating these questions is taking the next step in autobiographical self-research. It is analyzing our analysis and asking "why do I think this" that will lead to new ways of thinking about ourselves and who we are. Just simply having an opinion is not enough. Finding why my opinion is different from someone else's, that is essential.

Honestly, I realize that this can sound like a bunch of language and "nice" to think about, but hard to put into practice. This is what we are being challenged to do however. We are being asked to look into why we are who we are. Inevitably this can lead to never-ending questions. One can always ask "why" to pretty much anything. But when we challenge ourselves to look at who we are, this will open up different ways of looking at a topic or a reading. This will lead to further exploration on an issue we feel passionate about. This is the meaning of the exercise. The goal is not to jump into a wave of endless questions, but to seek answers and find where that takes us. We are being challenged to analyze ourselves as "subjects of education." I believe questioning our beliefs will start us down the right path.

Writing Circle 2

Our second writing circle focused largely on the issue of ebonics (an African American dialect of English) in the classroom. Darcy had written about the subject in her blog and we explored the issue further. The main talking points centered around whether or not ebonics should be used in the classroom, when and if students should be corrected for using ebonics, and most importantly, how to address the use of ebonics without halting learning and without making the student feel inferior.

Ideas about the topic varied. I believed that at the high school level, in my area of history, I am not concerned how the students convey the information to me, as long as I know that they grasp the material. But what if I cannot understand the students when they're talking or what about ebonics in an English class? The consensus was the students at the high school level should be corrected when they use improper language in formal papers. Constant correcting of discussion in the classroom can lead to students withdrawing and not being engaged in the class. However, it is important at all levels of teaching to emphasize that ebonics is a dialect, a second language or sorts, that is not inferior to "proper" English. For example, when correcting a younger student, one might say, "that's really awesome that you know that language. In this class we're going to learn to speak a different way so that you can know two languages." This is a far better way of teaching students proper English than simply correcting while a student is reading. Constant correcting of a student can and does lead to issues of inferiority, and feelings that their dialect, their ethnicity is somehow wrong. When dealing with young students, this kind of inferior feeling can lead to consequences such as disinterest in school and a view that they are somehow separate from "normal". The main idea is that the issue of ebonics must be handled with care. A teacher who thinks that correcting a student's language constantly, out loud, in front of the class will have a positive outcome is misguided. Ebonics is a major issue in any school with African Americans. It is essential to react to the situation properly and with care. It is this type of approach that will allow students who speak ebonics to thrive.

Finally, we concluded with the notion to continue to explore the issue of language in education. Ebonics plays a huge role in this field. Also, we can consider issues that Spanish-speaking students may face. Language can be an obstacle to any teacher and the issue is not one that will go away soon.

What is the "best" Education

I grew up in Strongsville. The city has a fantastic public school system and a great high school. However my parents chose to send me to a catholic grade school in North Royalton call St. Albert the Great. Obviously at the time I had no input. So much of our educational experiences are shaped by what are parents believe is the right way. When choosing a high school came around my parents let me choose. I could choose to go to Strongsville if I wanted. Realistically though the choice was never there. I was not about to go join a public school system from which I had been absent from for all my life. So I chose St. Ignatius. This time my educational experience was influenced by MY choice of institution. It's interesting to look back and think "would I have made the choice my parents made for me". Specifically, if I knew what I know now, would I have wanted or chosen to go to a catholic grade school? I am not really sure. So many of us grow up to have a different life perspective than our parents, yet our early education is in the palm of their hand. I believe the best school choice I made was going to Ohio State, a public University. A public education brought about different viewpoints, ideas, and values that I had not experienced before.

Today we discussed what the future of education could look like. Whether realistic or not we were challenged to dream a little bit about "what if". The idea of an all public, no private, education system was discussed. I feel as though this may be better than the system we have now. Having attended private schools growing up, it is my thought that young people who attend these school more often than not do not have an elitist feel about themselves. However, there can be a sense that those in a private school are better off, smarter, and more privileged than those who attend public school. Is this really the message we want to be sending to our youth? At such an early age, kids are taught that there are those who are better, who are more privileged and who deserve a different education than is offered to a general population. Then we wonder why there are social and economic separations in society. Private schools exist as an alternative to those who are privileged enough to afford it, or be presented with an opportunity to attend such a school.

Shifting topics a bit to the makeup of a school. Today schools are as segregated as ever. There are no laws to enforce this segregation, but we have social norms, housing, and economics to take the place of the segregation laws of the past. The question that hits me is: Is the best educational situation one which has an racially and ethnically diverse student body? For instance, would it be ideal if every school reflected the population statistics in the United States? I'm not sure because no such set of schools has ever existed. This would mean that whites, blacks, latinos, and those of asian descent would all be mixed into different schools. Socially and culturally, this would teach our youth from the start that everyone is on the same playing field. While this is well and dandy, in reality by teaching equality we are teaching a fallacy. Because these students who would theoretically be educated together would then move into the world. In today's society, most communities do not reflect the diversity of our nation. Instead communities are mostly made up of people who are like each other. Whether this is do to economical situation or not, the fact is, there are plenty communities that are known as white, or black, or Slavic village or German village. With these separations in existence it only is logical that these same separations would continue into education. We cannot be surprised by the segregation of our schools today, because it is result of living choices, or lack of choices.

Through my experience in a Catholic grade school and high school, and then a public university I now ask myself the question of what is the best route? Where do I want to teach and maybe more importantly, where would I send my children to school? The idea of the best education changes from person to person. I find myself thinking that I would send my children through public school because that is more of a "real" experience than being sheltered by a private institution. Or is it that the sheltering and guidance that a private school often promises the best way to raise a child and that he or she will experience that realistic world soon enough? What education is the best? I wish I knew.

Writing Circle 1

Our first writing circle was very stimulating and provoked many thoughts and ideas. Our group was open an candid about discussing topics such as private vs public schools and the teaching profession as whole.

We began by discussing each of our blogs. We talked about how my blog discussed that the some reasons for becoming a teacher needs to be a desire to benefit the profession as a whole. We discussed how in American School, Kohl said that in his 26 years, he had never heard teachers talk to colleagues about ways to improve teaching and learning. Whether that be techniques, styles, or other things.

Stacie brought up how she had a discussion in which a person had the opinion that urban public school teachers were of a much lesser quality than teachers in suburban schools and in private schools. The idea was that better teachers move out of the urban schools and into "better" jobs. The group seemed to agree that this notion is ignorant. I believe that the best teachers teach in urban public schools. The desire and love of teaching has to be present in teachers who face adverse circumstances. A teacher who may have to walk through a metal detector everyday must truly be passionate about his or her job to deal with such adverse situations.

Both Darcy's and Stacie's blogs were great personal stories that motivated me to want to write about my personal experiences as they relate to our learning. Their blogs pushed me to try to conceptualize the readings from class and compare them to my life experiences. Just reflecting about what I read without bringing in my personal experiences is not good enough.

Shawn's blog involved a poem that he himself told us took him awhile to understand. He discussed how his blog meant that the focus of education should not necessarily be on the check points that students hit along the way, but instead be focused on the accumulation of knowledge and life skills over the lifespan of a students education.

After discussing our blogs, our conversation mostly focused on the issues with private vs public education and the many questions that follow. We discussed how a teacher needs a wide variety of skills because the type of instruction that happens in a private school like a Walsh Jesuit or a St. Ignatius may be very different than strategies utilized in a Cleveland Public School. Not to say one is better or even more effective than the other.

I found the writing circle to be a source of guidance and a source of new ideas for myself. It was important to here other people's perspectives and thoughts and interpretations about the ideas we have discussed so far in class.

Teaching: Evolving as a Profession

One thing that struck me about our last reading in the Foundations book was when Gatto mentioned that in his 26 years as a teacher, he never experienced a conversation among teachers that consisted of ideas about the profession, teaching techniques or different teaching approaches. I find that extremely sad. Although I can understand that teachers want to get away from the job at times and unwind, teachers that are truly passionate about the job should want to engage in intellectual conversations about improving the profession as a whole.

Hearing why everyone in class got into teaching was moving. The readings were also equally moving as I found the Why Teach? question being answered on many occasions. Going along with what I said above, I feel someone should teach because they have a desire to advance the profession. Go to conferences. Get more schooling. Teaching should be a constant work in progress to improve the quality of one's abilities. To me a teacher who gets a job right out of school and teaches high school history for 25 years is not completely dedicating themselves to the profession unless they are continually working to better themselves and the profession as a whole. In practice, this means not using the same lecture for 10 straight years, but instead reviewing the material each time to see if there is a new angle that inspires you. It also means engaging in consistent conversations with colleagues about different ideas and techniques that can be used to inspire young people.

Another topic that I found interesting was the story of the girl Milagros combined with the idea that Kohl said, which was that there has to be a separation between the fantasy of teaching from the reality of teaching. All of us have a vision of what teaching will be like. How we will influence the young students, and what strategies we might use to be most effective. The Milagros story is the type of "fantasy" we all think about when it comes to teaching. Our idea is that we will have these moments that inspire us and make us know that we are making a difference. While I believe that all great teachers will have this impact on students and these type of moments, they may not come often. It is important that teachers find their inspiration, their reason for teaching in other ways. There may not always be students who come back and thank you. A teacher needs to find solace in that they are constantly contributing and improving the profession. They are exploring new ideas and engaging in further education so that the "fantasy" of teaching will become a reality.

The online reading we had a quote that I found fitting. The writer said
      "When I work with new teachers, I tell them that continually developing themselves is the best route   to becoming good teachers. Only after they understand the importance of self-development are they ready to teach." (Moss as quoted in Foster 1997, 165).

About Me

1. James Shurtleff,  Strongsville, Ohio,  jshurtleff15@jcu.edu
2. Jim
3. Undergraduate degree from Ohio State - history major with a geography minor. Seeking AYA Licensure (7th-12th grade) in Social Studies. Interning at Brush High School in the fall.


4. I am a big sports fan and follow all the Cleveland teams.  I will attend many Indian games this fall where I will be attempting to break my brother's dollar hot dog record of 15. I enjoy running and playing tennis. I also love to cook. I like trying new foods and making new recipes. I have four brothers and I am a triplet. My youngest brother will be a senior at St. Ignatius where much of the class will be teaching. 


5. I have already been feeling more comfortable getting to know the group of students in this program. In order to take risks in classroom, I need to feel at ease asking questions and speaking my thoughts.  Also, having other students actively participating makes it easier for me to jump in. 


6. As a student, I view myself as a hard worker. I come prepared to classes and complete readings and assignments. When working on projects or papers, I sometimes procrastinate, but I do manage my time well and complete assignments on time. My active participation in class can definitely improve. Often times I have ideas and thoughts but refrain from commenting. I would like to participate more often than I do. I find discussion the most effective way of learning because many ideas and perspectives are expressed about the same topic.
      I learn in many ways. Standard lecture and notes have been effective for me. When I do a project or group work, I think that I am more able to commit the information to long term memory because I have a picture in my mind of how I learned the material. 
      When I have trouble understanding information, I usually do more research on my own. Usually that involves looking up information on the internet or doing further reading. If I am still having difficulty finding an answer, I try to ask someone that understands the topic, like a teacher or fellow student. 


7. There is nothing specific that comes to mind.

8. A formative memory I have as a student occurred this past spring in a Civil War discussion course where I was presented with the opportunity to teach and discuss a book that the class had read. It was a small, 10-student class. It had a significant impact because it was my first real experience tackling a topic from every possible angle from a teaching perspective. The book focused on dissent in the Civil War South. I read the novel twice, took detailed notes each time and found myself noticing different themes and ideas. Leading the discussion, something I had always been nervous about previously, was an an empowering feeling. Ultimately, I found that my classmates had different topics and ideas that had an impact on them. I came away with a better realization that educated, free-thinking individuals can assess the same information in different ways and form contrasting viewpoints on the same topic. The class taught me what it truly meant to be a historian. 


9. A major issue in education right now is respect and faith in teachers. All the standards and structured curriculum from the state reflects the lack of trust in teachers' ability to teach students on their own. If standardized tests were not a measurement of success, teachers could more freely exercise their ability and connect with their students. When students fail to reach requirements, teachers are often blamed for the lack of success. There is the idea that students need to be assessed on certain information in a standardized way. The tests are far too often viewed as a measurement of how a school and its teachers are doing. Teaching for a test does not allow a teacher to express her or her abilities in a classroom. Instead it lends itself to cramming information into the minds of students. This does not create a passion to learn and it inhibits creativity and thought. If there was more faith in teachers, then the standards could be less strict. 
      This issue of funding goes along with these ideas. Teachers are pressured by their school districts to get as many students as possible to pass a test. When schools fail to reach certain standards, their funding can be cut back. But this makes no sense at all. A school that does not meet standards needs just as much, if not more assistance because without funding the school will fall further behind. The focus should be on improving struggling schools, not cutting funding from these schools.


10. For this course to be a meaningful experience we need to have both small and large group discussions that create shared ideas from each individual in the class. We must treat each discussion as valuable to understanding educations. We need to draw from each others' experiences and viewpoints to learn. We must engage in projects that analyze topics from a point of view we may not agree with. Readings that may anger us are also an important way to create thought. 
      We need to address current education issues and relate them to the issues of the past. A historical perspective on education is imperative. Content such as how education is evolving and how to deal with obstacles in education today are important topics to explore. Specifically, how do we get the best out of ourselves as teachers and our students despite certain restraints that may be placed on the classroom? What are the best ways for a teacher to continue to learn about teaching?  How can teachers work together as a unit to improve education as a whole? What ways can teachers learn from each other and continue to improve the profession?
    We need to be a class that engages in diverse conversations. We need to disagree with one another and voice different opinions and ideas in order for the class to reach its potential. Each person needs to have a unique perspective that shapes how others in the class view topics. 
    We need to avoid generalizations and standard ways of taking on learning material. We need to avoid having conversations where everyone is in agreement. While this may occur, there is often a perspective that disagrees, and these ideas need to be explored. We need to avoid holding back any thoughts that we think may contribute to the class discussion.


11. What is the most significant class in education that you have taken? What is your favorite hobby?