It's December 27th, 2010 and I'm on Christmas vacation reflecting on what has happened in the past ten months since I wrote in my blog. I remember celebrating New Years Eve 2009-2010 and saying to myself this was going to be my year; a year filled with decisions, growth and opportunities. I did finish my masters on December 8, 2010, defending at 11:00 a.m. in the Winn Center and then going to lunch with Dr. Jacobs and two other classmates that defended earlier that same day. We had a nice celebration at Mancy's Italian and I then went out with my family that night to celebrate my completion at Rosie's. We had a nice dinner and it truly was an enjoyable evening. Now what? I want to go on for my Ph.D, but is it a wise move. I know advancing your education, no matter what your age, is internally beneficial. But the cost, how much in loans can I take on? Will expanding my education, receiving my Ph.D help me financially? Since Robbie died, working and living on a Catholic school teachers salary has been a paycheck to paycheck experience. After 4 years I need to be able to be able to put something aside but there is never anything left. What to do, what to do? Maybe 2010 was my prepping year so 2011 would be my year; the year when I can close my eyes at night without financial worries.
As far as my Ph.D, I think I would like to pursue curriculum and instruction again. I truly am an advocate for the arts and believe that the arts are a way in helping our students obtain true understanding. Through my research for my masters so many scholars were addressing the education of our children of the 21st century and how the traditional way of teaching was not meeting their needs. I have thought of many ways of implementing the arts into core curriculum studies. The question is: how to get educators to listen? Maybe 2011 is the year that some of my ideas, ideas that use the arts to teach, will be recognized as concepts worth pursuing.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Friday, February 11, 2010
Any teachers out there! It's Friday and no school Monday due to President's day, that in itself is a reason to celebrate. I would love to talk to anyone who is using the Reggio Emilia Approach in their classroom. I've gone back to school for my masters and believe my thesis will be in this philosophy. I've been teaching over 20 years and believe the students need something other than old fashion traditional teacvhing. Please drop me a line!
Since it is Friday and it's the 11th, I sitting here waiting for the opening of the winter Olympics. How the Canadians are going to top the Chinese is beyond me. I was in awe over what the Chinese did with their opening - the precision was amazing. Look forward to what the Canadians are going to do. Talk soon!
Any teachers out there! It's Friday and no school Monday due to President's day, that in itself is a reason to celebrate. I would love to talk to anyone who is using the Reggio Emilia Approach in their classroom. I've gone back to school for my masters and believe my thesis will be in this philosophy. I've been teaching over 20 years and believe the students need something other than old fashion traditional teacvhing. Please drop me a line!
Since it is Friday and it's the 11th, I sitting here waiting for the opening of the winter Olympics. How the Canadians are going to top the Chinese is beyond me. I was in awe over what the Chinese did with their opening - the precision was amazing. Look forward to what the Canadians are going to do. Talk soon!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday, Febuary 10, 2010
SNOW DAY, SNOW DAY!!!! Two in a row. This is heaven. Not that I don't want to go to work and teach but it sure is nice having 2 days off to do absolutely nothing. I spent yesterday on the computer looking at other people's blogs, especially those who spoke of the Reggio Emilia Philosophy. This blogging thing is new to me and I am amazed what people actually write on their pages. I'm not that free yet. Maybe if I keep doing this I'll open up. It intrigues me that people can read this, if they ever find it, but it also bothers me. I quess it's because I didn't grow up in the tech world like my children did. It is so natural for them. They type more than they talk. I don't think that such a good thing and it makes me think about my students and how do we as teacher's reach them when teaching is mostly communicating. That's what I love about Reggio Emilia's Approach, it allows children to express themselves with many languages. They pick the medium. Yesterday I also did some more reading about Reggio Emilia and I wish I could find someone or somewhere that uses and explains how to effectively appply this philosophy in a traditional classroom setting. I'm thinking about all of my students (k-8 grade)that come to my art studio at school and how they light up when they discover new things or create something that that they are truly proud of. The words "I can't" are very seldom heard. I do hear "Can I start over" because they made a mistake or discovered what they initially wanted to try is not appealing to them. My answer is usually "No, try and make it work" I'm trying to help them with problem solving and self discovery; another reason why I want to pursue more knowledge about Reggio Emilia. I think it would be wonderful for each classroom to have a mini studio set up that students could go to and "self discover" things about a new topic that would be discussed the following week. How cool would that be! Think about what they would bring to the table!!!! The issue is how to implement this philosophy, which takes time, in a traditional 40 minute period setting. Somehow I will figure this out - I think it would help so many kids.
SNOW DAY, SNOW DAY!!!! Two in a row. This is heaven. Not that I don't want to go to work and teach but it sure is nice having 2 days off to do absolutely nothing. I spent yesterday on the computer looking at other people's blogs, especially those who spoke of the Reggio Emilia Philosophy. This blogging thing is new to me and I am amazed what people actually write on their pages. I'm not that free yet. Maybe if I keep doing this I'll open up. It intrigues me that people can read this, if they ever find it, but it also bothers me. I quess it's because I didn't grow up in the tech world like my children did. It is so natural for them. They type more than they talk. I don't think that such a good thing and it makes me think about my students and how do we as teacher's reach them when teaching is mostly communicating. That's what I love about Reggio Emilia's Approach, it allows children to express themselves with many languages. They pick the medium. Yesterday I also did some more reading about Reggio Emilia and I wish I could find someone or somewhere that uses and explains how to effectively appply this philosophy in a traditional classroom setting. I'm thinking about all of my students (k-8 grade)that come to my art studio at school and how they light up when they discover new things or create something that that they are truly proud of. The words "I can't" are very seldom heard. I do hear "Can I start over" because they made a mistake or discovered what they initially wanted to try is not appealing to them. My answer is usually "No, try and make it work" I'm trying to help them with problem solving and self discovery; another reason why I want to pursue more knowledge about Reggio Emilia. I think it would be wonderful for each classroom to have a mini studio set up that students could go to and "self discover" things about a new topic that would be discussed the following week. How cool would that be! Think about what they would bring to the table!!!! The issue is how to implement this philosophy, which takes time, in a traditional 40 minute period setting. Somehow I will figure this out - I think it would help so many kids.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Studying Reggio Emilia
Monday, Febuary 8, 2010
Beginning my reading about the Reggio Emilia Philosophy - I begin to wonder if this philosophy, or parts of it, could be incorporated into our American Grammar Schools. Reggio Emilia, developed in Italy in the 50's, is a pre-school philosophy that truly appeals to me. I think the studio, or the atelier, in each classroom is amazing and the idea of learning through self discovery is a wonderful way to learn. The teacher is more of a facilatator. Can our American schools become more concerned about the child as a creative individual and let them speak in all languages? It would take a huge change in our teaching practices. I look forward to reading more about the Reggio Emilia Philosophy and how it incorporates the studio (atelier) into the classroom environment. Will talk again soon.
Capstone for Grad School - Reggio Emilia
Beginning my reading about the Reggio Emilia Philosophy - I begin to wonder if this philosophy, or parts of it, could be incorporated into our American Grammar Schools. Reggio Emilia, developed in Italy in the 50's, is a pre-school philosophy that truly appeals to me. I think the studio, or the atelier, in each classroom is amazing and the idea of learning through self discovery is a wonderful way to learn. The teacher is more of a facilatator. Can our American schools become more concerned about the child as a creative individual and let them speak in all languages? It would take a huge change in our teaching practices. I look forward to reading more about the Reggio Emilia Philosophy and how it incorporates the studio (atelier) into the classroom environment. Will talk again soon.
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