Chapter 8

Which geographical area do you want to work in: rural, suburban, or urban? Explain.

If I had to choose I would like to work in either a suburban or rural area. I would like to work in the suburban area for several reasons. One I live in a suburban area. This would make it easier to get to work and I would get to have my children closer to me. Also I have never lived in a big city so I would feel more comfortable being and navigating the suburban streets. I would really like to work at one of the three elementary schools outside of my neighborhood. I know that it probably won’t happen right away, but eventually maybe.  If suburban schools are not possible I would like to teach at a rural school. It would be a further drive for me but I would feel more at home. Growing up I lived in a small town/city that was bordered by a rural area. My best friend growing up lived out in the country, so I grew up around it. I would be able to connect with the students in a way that I would not be able to with urban students. I can relate to the suburban students and the rural students but I would find it harder to relate to the urban children. So if I had my choice that is what I would choose.

Chapter 7

Given the important role that religion plays in the beliefs system of the American people, should prayer (of any religion) be allowed in public school? Explain

 

I do believe that prayer of all religions should be allowed in school.  I think that if a student wants to pray, no matter what their religion may be that they should be allowed to do so. I believe that as Americans we have the right and freedom to worship whatever religion we choose, as long as it stays within the laws of our country. I understand the reasoning behind not making it required in public schools because not everyone is the same religion. I know that if they made it a requirement that they would have to choose one religion and that would be discriminatory to other people’s religion. That would cause many problems and fighting. So I do not believe that public schools should make it mandatory. I know that there are private schools that make religious practices part of the curriculum, and that is fine for a private school. However I believe that if a student chooses to pray when they have a moment that they should be allowed to do so and that it should not be part of the curriculum for public schools. I know of several people in my old high school that prayed before they ate lunch or when they felt like they needed to.

Chapter 6:

Contrast maintenance and transitional bilingual education and choose one that seems more appropriate? Explain.

Maintenance bilingual education is where the student is exposed to their native language longer before going into an only English speaking classroom. The student’s native language is used in a maintenance classroom for about 40 percent of the time in an elementary setting. The maintenance classroom usually is at a slower pace than a transitional classroom. In a transitional classroom the object is to get the student into a English only classroom as quickly as possible. This process usually takes around three years. With this method a bilingual teacher would teach the student(s) subjects such as math, science, and social studies in their native language. I’m not really sure which one seems more appropriate. They both have valid points to them. The transitional method seems to be faster in some cases but is it as effective? The maintenance method seems to be more thorough in my opinion. However it does take longer to accomplish the goal of transferring the student into an English only classroom. The transitional method has good points too. By learning subjects in their native language the student can easily transfer the skills learned into the English language when they learn it fluently. So I guess overall I would have to say the transitional method is the more appropriate.

Chapter 5

Discuss three to five specific accommodations you will make for exceptional students in your classroom.

Having exceptional children in your classroom as a teacher is something that you most likely will face every year. These children could have learning disabilities, emotional issues, or a physical issue. There are different ways you can accommodate these students in your classroom. These accommodations are different depending on the child. If I have a student who has a learning disability an accommodation I could make for that student would be to spend more time one on one with that child to help them better understand the concept. I would also sit down with them and explain why they got something wrong so they understand why the missed the question. If the student has emotional issues I would make sure that that student knows the classroom rules as well as the consequences for breaking one of those rules. If the student has a physical disability I would make sure I address any bulling issues that come up with that. Another accommodation I would make for a student who has a physical disability is to make sure they sit in the classroom where they can see, hear, and understand what is going on in the classroom.  I would also make sure that the student felt safe in the classroom. Of course I would provide a safe classroom for all my students no matter who they are or if they have any exceptional qualities. A safe environment is the best environment for learning!!