Chapter 11 Reflection

          Ideally I would like to become a superintendent one day but due to what I have seen and personally experienced as a student leader, if I had to choose between these options, I would like to become part of the school board.
          As a student in a small community I have seen how the board members, educated or not, have over powered the authority of the superintendent. When I was a senior in high school and even now, my school district was very corrupt and nothing was done to help the students but only benefit the individuals on the board. Individual power is not what I would seek, but stopping that is what I would strive for. I would use the power a board member has so that the students can be educated to their fullest potential and provide all kinds of experiences and opportunities.
          It is seen in the media very often on how board members always sabotage the school to benefit themselves and yet the community or city keeps re- electing them or citizens simply are not aware of the candidates motives if they become board members. My goal would be to make a change and show what great progress and outcome of doing the right thing, how not only benefits the students, which is what the board is there to do, but benefits you too by giving one that feeling of doing good for others.

Chapter 10 Reflection

          In the year 2020 many aspects of the education field will see many changes compared to what it is like now in days. From technology, to architecture, to maybe even the curriculum.
          My guess is that as to technology is that it will be so advanced that books will no longer be utilized and everything will be done through a computer. As I mentioned in a previous chapter reflection, I believe this hurts students at a certain extent. They now lack the one on one communication between teachers and students. The different styles of learning within children will no longer matter because everything will be done one way…on a computer.
          The architectural aspect of the typical school will be constructed very different from today’s buildings. They will look much more modernized and classrooms might not have as many hands on equipment besides a computer, which also excludes desks in order to implement room for computers.
As far as the curriculum, some subjects might be removed from the general core plan in order to focus more strongly on what is essential for the student to learn in order to succeed in their careers. Or maybe, more might be added and may become much more diverse.

Chapter 9 Reflection

        Chapter 9 is about the philosophical foundations of American education. A variety of different philosophies were introduced such as: Perennialism, which is delivered primarily from the writings of Plato, views truth and nature- in particular, human nature as constant, objective, and unchanging. Essentialism is a uniquely American philosophy of education that began in the 1930s and 1940s as a reaction to what was seen as an overemphasis on a child-centered approach to educate and concern that students were not gaining appropriate and adequate knowledge in schools.
         I found these two philosophies to be very interesting being that with perennialism I too believe that students should be taught with a hint of a classical aspect to the material. I have personally seen that discipline knowledge can be taught through subjects such as history, mathematics, language, science, and the arts. In the essentialism philosophy I agree that students must lean the appropriate material and knowledge in school in order to be successful in life.

Chapter 8 Reflection

Chapter 8’s topic is about the ethical and legal issues that face teachers. A wide variety of subjects are covered throughout the chapter.

It talks about the difference between laws and ethics which is that ethics are morally embraced while laws are                written rules one must follow. The six characteristics of teaching are discussed, which are: appreciation for moral deliberation, empathy, knowledge, reasoning, courage, and interpersonal skills. The importance of ethical teaching is presented in the chapter in three ways teachers ethically influence students which are, personal example: the way you do your work and treat the students, classroom climate: the environmental safety in the classroom which allows students to be more effective, and finally ethical dialogue: discussing core ethical values so that the students can begin to clarify their own ethics.

The teacher and the law is also presented in the chapter which explains the substantive and procedural due process. These subjects have to do with the rights a teacher has and the contract requirements, dismissal procedure and cause.

Other topics discussed in the chapter are liability precautions, child abuse reporting, self defense, freedom of expression, the fair use of copy right materials, life style and the teacher, religion neutrality guidelines, students and the law, student suspension and expulsion, and reasonable suspension and probable cause of search.