Week 13

Last week I journaled on directions, lesson planning, and classroom management. When observing my mentor teacher giving directions, I noticed that she repeats herself a lot to get a point across and avoid confusion. She gave warnings on when things might change or transition. I realized that the students needed consistent direction when working with multiplication and reminders on how to complete the problem. She also reminded them to not talk and used the count down method for silence. On thursday I journaled on lesson planning. This was tough because I'm only there for 30mins so I missed the beginning and end of the lesson. The objective was written on the board as the students will be able to write improper fractions and mixed numbers. It was difficult to see however because it was on the other side of the board. I did get to see the model and guided practice. The model was about the teacher doing a practice problem with mixed numbers and improper fractions on the board. The guided practice included the class doing problems together on white boards and then moving on with an in class worksheet. I can assume that the independent practice included the back of the guided practice worksheet following with homework as a conclusion. On Friday I journaled on classroom managment but unfortunately it was a testing hour so there was little too report. She did however remind some of the students to not talk with others around them. I noticed how her tones varied depending upon the different situations. She also expects students to be able to get up and do what they need to (ex: turn in work, sharpen pencil) quietly without difficulty. I also realized how missing work was a big issue and she inforces it with zeros and coming in for reccess to make it up. I really enjoyed observing and did not really have any negative experiences.

Week 12

Last week I was only at my mentor site for one of the days. I recieved the topic I would be teaching the class which is drawing and identifying quadrilaterals. This lesson should be easy for the most part but I need to make sure that I do not mix up the definitions. I'll prbably meet with her one day outside of class to get more details. The best thing that happened was just being back in that classroom and seeing everyone again after 2 weeks. The worst thing was that when I entered the room the students got very distracted from their lesson and tried to get my attention. The teacher got them back on track but I do not like feeling as though I am interupting and I'm not always sure what to do. I learned about my lesson, what may be expected, and some ideas of what I can do with my lesson. I plan on using tangrams for my model but I am still debating on what to do for the other parts of my lesson plan. I'll probably figure it out in class next week.

The Hurried Child

The Hurried Child

Essential Questions

1. What are factors that contribute to stress for kids?

            Fast paced schooling, inability to understand, lack of self-confidence, unpleasant home life, conflicts with family and friends, bullying, physiological or psychological needs not being met, lack of sleep, and poor nutrition.

2. What are some results of kids being stressed?

            The child may feel the need to give up or quit, may be irritable or moody, and unwilling to cooperate with others.

Questions about the Hurried Child

1. Elkind believes that if children are dressed like adults then they will tend to feel and act like adults. However they lack judgment and level of thinking of adults. Some products make-up, perfume, clothing such as nylon stockings are marketed for the elementary age. This promotes the “child-adult” attitude in society.

2. For elementary school students, they are faced with the physical and social problems associated with competitive sports. Doing this type of sporting at a young age can make children more susceptible to injury and as parents push their children, it can create feelings of failure and unwillingness which can link back to feelings of stress.

3. Young girls often are encouraged to cheerlead, wear make-up, and enter beauty pageants. This can cause high levels of stress because expectations for the child have now reached an adult level. I agree with Elkind’s feelings on this issue because these promotions for young girls transforms them into a symbol. Now they must live up to that image.

4. When young girls wear make-up and young boys play football, it contributes to sexual-stereotyping because you are creating a symbol for what they are to be like when they are older.

5. Spontaneous play in a child’s life is valuable, because it allows stress free play, socialization, and self-discovery. However, camps that promote achievement and professionalism make it difficult to attain the same positive results of spontaneous play because the child is being pushed to a higher goal and expectation that creates stress, lack of self-discovery, and limited and restricted socialization.

6. The media such as literature, television, films, and advertisement promote falsities in violence, sex, and various other adult situations. This can hurry children because they are now exposed to many adult scenarios which may cause the child stress or even worse, make the child believe it is normal and acceptable behavior in the adult world.

7. Children’s literature and television programs have changed dramatically and today, there are less of them. These programs are more susceptible to promoting negative taboos such as sex, drugs, and violent behavior. Characteristics of these stories such as violence can create a high stress situation for the child.

8. Some nursery schools are offering academics. Elkind feels that these children should be working on social and motor skills for it puts pressure on the parents as well as the child.

9. Children often feel hurried in family situations of divorce. This is because the single parent confides in their youngster, making them feel as though they must provide adult sympathy when they do not have the intellectual, social, or emotional ability to help. This can occur whenever a parent feels stress from problems such as work or finances and they do not realize that the effects of it pressure the child. The reasoning for doing this is that the parent may not have anyone else to conveniently turn too.

10. some parents believe that since we live in a harsh world, then our children should be exposed to it. Elkind feels that this is the parent’s need, not the child’s, to project their own feelings onto their children as by putting unnecessary stress upon them.

11. Some of the child’s signs of stress are stomachaches, headaches, listlessness, lack of motivation, discipline problems, learning problems, increased crime, suicide, and obesity rates, and cult memberships.

12. In order to provide an ‘oasis of quiet’ for children, we can provide the child with a place and a time for quiet and sharing time.

13. Elkind says we should never say ‘no’ to the child unless it is in the interest of the child. I believe that saying ‘no’ is acceptable provided you give the child a reason for why you are telling them ‘no’. ‘No’ is too common of a word to not expose your child too and should be used as a word that initiates learning.

14. Parents can reduce stress by investing more energy to the child, recognize the child’s need for time to grow, provide limitations, and allow quiet time. The school can help by smoothing transitions between and within classes, school, and home schedule. Schools can also prevent fast paced academic learning, and understand the child’s need for play as it provides the child with experience and stress relief.

15. I agree with Elkind’s view that children are hurried and stressed and that contributing factors to that include family situations, rushed schooling, and revolutionized media. Children, more than ever before, are exposed to adult-like situations and constantly feel the weight of it all upon their shoulders. I disagree that it should be prevented completely. Some experience at early ages can get the child exposed to the future and they will be less likely to panic from the arising situation if they have some experience beforehand with it. I also believe that some competitive sporting is okay as long as it does not dominate the child’s life and they are free to socialize with other members and enjoy the sport that they do. The child should, however, have a say in what they do. It should not be forced upon them by the parent because then it may result in a burnout of the sport and resentment towards the parents.