Brainstorm

I-search Brainstorm

Questions to address:

-How is a Montessori classroom set up?

            *Why does this particular set up work “better” then mainstream classrooms?

-What is in a Montessori classroom?

-Is there any form of a “curriculum”?

-Why does Montessori cost so much money?

-Do you have to be Montessori-trained in order to teach at a Montessori school?

-Does Montessori get any form of government funding?

-What is the parental involvement of a Montessori school?

-At what age does Montessori begin?

*Are there infant/toddler classrooms?

Notes/ thoughts on topic: Every parent I have ever spoken to, who has a child attending Montessori, loves the program.  Most parents who have children in mainstream classrooms that I have talked with, have multiple issues with the school.

At my school, upon training and learning about our philosophy, I learned the fundamental difference between a teacher and a facilitator.  A facilitator  observes, and only intervenes at certain times during student conversations and conflicts- How true is that of Montessori?

Intro: Why I want to learn more about Montessori.

Body: What is Montessori?

Why does Montessori work so well?

How does Montessori differ from mainstream classrooms?

How this will impact my daily work/ life long career.

Conclusion:  Education, my role within it, the future.

GRAF 7

If there is anything that offends me most, it’s when someone attempts to make another person look bad infront of a group. It’s as if they wait for the perfect time, when another, or multiple adults are around to hear them bully their victim.  Currently, I work with this so called “bully” of a person. She is 50, has a P.H.D, has worked in childcare for 25+ years, and is a very good friend of mine. Unfortunately, “Sarah” has a habbit of treating others like they are inferior, but only if another adult is around to witness. Several days ago, infront of two co-workers, “Sarah” addressed an issue with me from the previous day. She said it with a smug look, and in the oh-so familiar condesending tone that we have all experienced. Luckily, “Sarah” takes feedback well, and I kindly said, “Okay, I hear you, and I’d be happy to talk to you about this in private."  She responded well to that, and we wound up having a very nice conversation. What is it about human nature that makes us want to belittle our peers? Why are we always trying to be the top dog?  Because of how much it bothers me when this happens, I have tried to be very aware of  the time, place, and tone that I talk to people in, and hopefully, someday, "Sarah" will be more aware as well.

I-Search Worksheet

What do you want to write about?

-I am choosing to write my i-search paper on the Montessori philosophy.

What do you want to find out about your topic?

-I want to know more about how the philosophy was developed, and what some of the practices look like. I also want to learn more about the benefits of Montessori, and how it differs from traditional learning.

What are your questions about the topic?

1. How was Montessori developed?

2. What are the pros and cons of Montessori?

3. How does Montessori differ so much from traditional public schooling?

How does this topic connect to your life?

-This topic connects to my life because the preschool that I work at practices alternative learning, and I’d like to continue to teach in an elementary that practices similar or Montessori . I am passionate about education in general, and I want to find out which teaching path I would like to follow.

Give three reasons you like the topic

1. I like this topic because I believe that the little I know about Montessori seems like a phenomenal way to teach our children.

2. Clearly, public education has its’ flaws. I like the idea of any alternative form of education.

3. I like this topic because it will hopefully challenge me to evaluate my current style of teaching, and figure out what I can do better within my classroom.

Give three ways your life might change if you answer your questions

1. I would look at my everyday teachings.

2. I might decide that Montessori is not the style of learning that I want to support.

3. Montessori education is a part of the larger education picture, and I may be able to see issues more clearly.

GRAF 6

I really enjoyed reading through several of the isearch pieces from previous students, because it made me think of my own topic and layout more clearly. I particularly enjoyed the paper on eco-friendly housing, because it was very clear about why the writer chose the topic. There was alot of information that was very matter of fact, yet there was feeling and personality behind the paper as well.  Each of the examples showed evidence that the writers chose topics that were meaningful to them, and I was able to really see the difference between research and isearch papers.

GRAF 5

When I was 12, my dad was in a traumatic car accident, inwhich he was not expected to live. During the many weeks that he was in the ICU, my mom, sisters and I were each given a glass angel pin to wear as some sort of lucky token. My family is about as far from being religious or spiritual as one could possibly be, but when you are potentially facing the death of a parent, you are not in any position to give up any sort of "good luck".  I wore this angel through the months of miraculous recovery that my dad endured, and afterward, the angel never left my side. 

At my highschool graduation, I tucked my little angel pin behind my dress strap. I can remember squeezing her as I stood up to accept my diploma.  After highschool, I decided to spend all off my graduation money and travel for the year- Miami, Germany, Manhatten, Brooklyn, were just some of the places that myself and my angel (tucked secretly in my purse pocket) ventured off to. And then of course, there was the exciting happenings of my first apartment. Oh, that poor angel, who witnessed so much from the wooden vanity that she was pinned to. She now rests in the change compartment in my car, and during storms and late night driving, I aways make an effort to make certain that she is there.

I've never believed in actual angels, and I certainly don't believe in "lucky" tokens, but I do believe in comfort and familiarity in special objects...........

GRAF 4

I take 25 minutes showers- always have, always will. This bothers 99 percent of the people in my life, especially before any sort of event, but, it’s not going to change. When I go to the doctor for anything, I usually research the ailement for about an hour so I can be prepared to ask every question. I can’t stand the smell of Mayonaise, and will not eat anything that contains it. I love the smell of Lillies, and it’s inevitable that each time I smell them, I end up with a yellow nose from the pollen that I was apparently sniffing-happens every time.  Women who are single moms and have full time jobs blow my mind, and are perhaps the most incredible people on Earth. I primarily only eat vegetarian foods, although once a month I treat myself to a thick, rare steak at my favorite steakhouse.  I like to support Patagonia as much as possible, as they do good things with their money. I have never had my ears pierced, I think holes in ears are bizarre(but I think the piercing in my nose is cute and completely normal). Tattoos will never be considered on my  body, ever. I love Tequila, and occasionally, I love it enough that my morning after text messages to my girlfriends ususally read, “did we really do that?”.   I love PBS Masterpiece Theater, and any Jane Austen series. I can be a really bad friend, because I am selfish with my time and my energy.

Graf 3: Inventory

Inventory

Here is the inventory of my computer desk:

-A key, one of which I have stared at for weeks and have no idea where it goes to.

-A 12-inch Macbook

-An old popsicle stick- circa summer time?

-A calculator

-Five black Sharpies (because you never know when you will need five at once, of course)

-A cup reading, “Life is good.”

-A pencil

-Three stained coffee cups

-My cell phone

-A bottle of Tums

- I pod

-A matchbox car(your guess is as good as mine)

-A letter to an old friend that I have lost touch with

-Two pieces of Eclipse Spearmint gum

-Matches

-Classified section of the newspaper

-Scissors

-Two coasters

-Five envelopes, empty

-My cell phone charger

-A stack of bills

-Three Red Bull cans(empty of course)

Conclusion:

Ohh this poor girl. And yet she wonders why she has heartburn. Coffee coffee and more coffee! On top of that, she will kill herself with the liquid, legal crack that they call, Red Bull. She takes another Tums because if the bright computer screen piercing her eyes won’t make her crazy, the heartburn will.  If only she would pay those bills, her anxiety and late nights of trying to find a better paying job would be gone. She has circled every single job that she could ever imagine herself having, and she hasn’t even noticed that the black Sharpie ink has run right through her newspaper-right onto her desk! She stares at her “Life is Good” mug and smirks at the irony. Ohh if only life WAS good.

Worst Teacher

The first time that I read the name “Ms. Merril” across the classroom whiteboard I thought, “Hmmmm, Ms.?” My judgment about why a forty-something year old woman was unmarried immediately began. The desk from which she stood behind was as cold as the face she wore. There were no pictures of family, no tacky pencil holders, and no form of life other than the stack of papers that were waiting to be graded.  I wondered what kind of life she had. She had short dark hair, and wore loose Carhart jeans and a plain shirt. Her face was thin, and her eyes appeared black. She had pressed her small lips together unless she spoke, and when she spoke, her tone was aggressive, and her words seemed angry. My judgments would continue. I would often wonder, “Why would any woman dress so masculine? Why doesn’t this woman have children? Is she grumpy because no man would marry her?”.  I studied her expressions and her body language hard, and assumed she felt my annoyed energy. What was wrong with this teacher? Who talks like that?  How could anyone be so unfriendly-especially a female?

 Months would continue, and my fellow classmates and I suffered through the painful Earth Science course that had been required and chosen for us each to take. Ms. Merril asked each question to the class in a condescending way, that made you question every bit of yourself, and left each person feeling utterly embarrassed for moments later.  When students asked questions, Ms. Merril had even colder answers.

The following semester, Ms. Merril resigned. I had always wondered months, and even years later what had happened to her. I even fantasized that perhaps she was a happy person. Maybe she did have children and a loving husband at home. And maybe the judgments of twelve, fourteen year old students were inaccurate. Perhaps her abrupt tone and “I don’t take B.S” attitude was exactly what we needed to learn the material. However, I don’t remember a single thing about Earth Science…..

Syllabus questions

Dear John,

1.) Why don't you allow poetry in weekly freestyles?
2.) If homework is due on a certain date, does that mean BEFORE this day or by the end of this day?
3.) Why do you use blogspot instead of Blackboard?

Thankyou and sincerely,
Curious Abby

GRAF 1

As I look down at my hands, I see my future. I dream of a sparkling, small diamond on my left ring finger, from a man whom I have not yet met. I watch my fingers begin to fold, as if I am cupping something in my left hand, and I dream of an infant's tiny head that the hand is supporting. As I am holding this child, my right hand is supporting the rest of the infant's body, and I am gazing into my first born's eyes.  I look at my hands and I see future wrinkles, the wrinkles that reflect the hard work that my hands will do; the cooking, the writing, the typing.  I invision scars from hot embers that I was not patient enough to let cool before adding that extra piece of wood to the fireplace. I look down at my hands and I see not my past, not my present, but my future.

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