hw 46

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time was about a boy named Christopher who had autism. He finds a dog murdered with a gardening fork and makes it his responsibility to find out who killed the dog. Throughout his searching a detective work to find out what happened to the dog, he uncovers letters from his mom (who passed away) that revel a nasty truth.

This relates to my topic because since Christopher has autism he is in a special school, and although he is in this special school kids still make fun of each other for being different. Although Christopher is in a special school he is allowed to take special math and science test that will allow him to get into a good college. This relates to my topic because it shows how event though kids have certain needs and disabilities there are always ways to give them the same opportunities of kids without disabilities.

The fact that the kids in Christopher's school still make fun of each other is a good example of how no matter the surroundings are kids are going to get picked on. Also when ever Christopher talked about school he talked about how one of his teachers would draw certain things to show an emotion or a color to show a meaning/point, this relates to my topic because many current teachers can find simple things like to draw in the attention of kids with a.d.d or a.d.h.d any little thing such as bright colors could change the way a student focuses into something.

hirsch and sizer

. Using quotes from the text make arguments of your own that address (in a paragraph or two each) one or more of the following angles:

Hirsch's main argument was that when compared a community college was not able to obtain the same level of understanding of the American civil as a University could. This is understandable because a community college doesn't offer the same educational opportunity's as a university does. Hirsch then came up with the concept of cultural literacy, which is understanding the back round information of the topic your learning about and then learning the fine details. Although his theory's have been criticized and he has kept on with his work and made several books on curriculum starting at kindergarten going up to 6Th grade.

Sizer was known as the father of the essential school movement, this movement brought both public and private schools to a common understanding of a common principle. The principle was that students are part of a community and in that community they are the workers, while the teachers are meant to be mentors or a coach. Although his principle started with only 12 schools it expanded to several hundreds. Sizer's inspiration sprang from personal seminal books that he wrote which later turned into a trilogy.

1. Do these theories contradict each other? Intellectually, emotionally, practically? In what ways do they? Could they be adapted to work together? Both Sizer and Hirsch brought up great points, Sizer with his idea of schools being a community and Hirsch stating that if students had more background information on topics learning specific points and dates would be a lot easier. These two theories don't contradict each other, they set a mode of aggression and determination. "Begun with 12 schools, the coalition now encompasses several hundred across the country, plus a handful overseas." Sizer's theory began in only 12 schools and then expanded to over a hundred schools, to me that shows a lot of determination and aggression. I think if both Sizer's and Hirsch's theory's where put together and really set into action education could go a lot farther and deeper then it is right now.

3. What additional points does reading these theorists make you think of, about your own education and philosophy? After reading "The principles hold, among other things, that a school is an egalitarian community and that the student is a valued worker in that community, with the teacher in the role of mentor or coach." It made me realize how School Of The Future has many teachers who take the roles of mentors and try to guide us instead of just spitting out ideas and teaching us things without giving us the deeper meaning. SOF has definitely made me stringer as a student.

HW 44

After reading Obama's "Back to school" speech i felt like him connecting his speech back to his life was a nice touch but i didn't feel like that changed the way i felt about the first day of school and sleeping in. He brought up responsibility's and how if everyone put there part in America could have some of the best teachers and schools, but then he slides in his own opinion and sorts of puts us down and says if we don't fulfil our responsibility's we won't achieve his goal of having amazing schools and teacher's. I feel like this relates to the classroom because although most teachers look out for the students and try to help them out, some teachers slip in slick comments that just demotivate us to do anything and shoot our self esteem down.

After reading the benefits of intellectual and social awakening, it was clear to me that people who have a strong opinion about education and school always have a strong clear plan they want to follow in order to put there plan in action. Both articles had very strong opinions about making classrooms and teachers the best they can be and responsibility's. Although i agree that if more schools had better teachers and curriculum it would make some students want to come to school more, but i think if school wasn't so demanding and didn't require as much work and stress a majority of the kids would cause less trouble and do a lot better.

If a student gets good grades and goes to a good college that doesn't always mean that they are set with a wonderful job that will pay good money. There are other aspects that connect with getting a good paying job and you don't always gain those aspects from going to school. If people have been trying to improve schools and give us better futures since 1932 and making pledges and have yet to make a major difference in the way schools teach i think that's making a major statement. My opinion to this problem is that schools shouldn't be the decision maker in kids life's, there should be another element so kids who are slower learners have an equal chance of making it big.

42 Significance

How do teachers help students diagnosed with ADHD?

I believe this topic is significant because there are many children diagnosed with ADHD or ADD such as myself and its very hard for us to stay focused. ( I'm not saying that's an excuse to be distracting in class) I think it would be a lot easier if teachers would take into consideration that kids with attention problems such as staying focus and talking in class should be given assignments that's are more verbal and or more short assignment's so children don't loss focus.

This topic relates to my personal life but it doesn't effect how i am going to live. In school i get distracted but i get my work done. If teachers where more aware of the students with ADD orADHD in there class and made more hands on activities i think it would have made my earlier years of school a lot less stressful and i wouldn't have gotten in as much trouble. Although medicine helps a lot of kids it is still very easy to get caught up in the gossip of school of school and get off task. Not only would the teachers help ADD and ADHD students but they would help the whole class if they did more activities that draw the students in.

This relates to society because many people are effected by ADD and ADHD although society accepts people with ADD and ADHD it would be interesting to see how people would react if the symptoms where more outspoken such as turrets or autism. Society only likes normal itdisagrees with difference and makes up excuses to why difference shouldn't be aloud. Not many schools have a place for disable kids and i believe that should be changed.