1. Chapters in Section V identify trends and issues in IDT in various contexts: business & industry; military; health care education; P-12 education; and post-secondary education. Select 2 of these 5 contexts and compare/contrast the IDT trends and issues. Then describe how knowledge of IDT trends and issues you captured from those two fields can better inform your work.
Coming from a business background into the P-12 educational field I feel that I am able to compare and contrast these two contexts best.
Both context are given trainings that help prepare all parties involved for possible advancement. With these trainings some may say this can create a fast-paced source that many may not be able to keep up with and that can possibly be the downfall for both. The biggest difference that I have seen from both context is that the business side is more geared toward personal advancement while the educational side concentrates on moving forward on a broader spectrum.
This difference can help and hinder both parties. From a business point you can easily notice that people are putting their best foot forward to make their presence known and absence felt. Although, this individual may being trying their best for their own personal advancement it can benefit the company in ways also. In the educational field I quickly saw the difference and could no longer think about myself. I had to first consider my students, secondly my fellow staff members and thirdly my district. Mostly every individual considers all those aspects when doing their job. If I was to only think about myself, what would I really get done. My students wouldn't learn anything and everywhere I lacked my co-workers would have to fill in.
2. Chapters in Section VI discuss global trends and issues in IDT. What have you learned from the selected chapter and how can/will it enhance your teaching? In a global and more connected society, we face unprecedented challenges that have implications for learning. How and can we prepare our youth to develop cultural sensitivity when working with people from the another (or your selected) region? Does our current education system, curriculum, and instructional practices help learners foster the skills necessary to tackle these issues? What can be done in your role?
I am a strong believer that experience is the best teacher. To prepare our students for these types of diversified situations we must first present them to the students. Elementary kids aren't aware that there may be other individuals in the world that are different from them until they are introduced to that difference. Whether it be male or female, black or white, Christian or Jew etc. The culture shock comes when you aren't prepared or prepped for something outside of your norm. In my classroom I tell my students that my #1 rule is to always respect and acknowledge that they have entered a "judge free zone." I present this rule because we talk about everyone's goals and dreams for life on a daily basis and everyone has the right to express themselves without feeling judged or ridiculed about those ambitions, even if it they only feel that way for 45 minutes in that particular class. In order to help our students understand the different cultures our world offers we must teach them that there are individuals that may feel, think, speak and act differently from what they may know and teach them that it is OK for that difference and it should always be respected. What would be the fun if everyone was the same?
I couldn't agree more with your comment about how experience is our best teacher because we are never fully prepared to take on something just through a training or class on it, but once we have experienced it first hand is when we know how to handle the situation successfully. I liked the information you were able to provide when comparing both business and p-12 since you said in your blog that you have experience the business side as well. "The biggest difference that I have seen from both context is that the business side is more geared toward personal advancement while the educational side concentrates on moving forward on a broader spectrum." Personal advancement is definitely a characteristic of the business world which is the complete opposite when it comes to p-12 where teachers have to think solely of their students and how to advance them onto the next grade level. Great blog post this week!
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoy reading your each week. I have a tremendous respect for how you approach diversity. I have older students and those tough years of middle school. One approach I use is hammering the fact that no one should be made to feel uncomfortable. At times this has to be hammered home when dealing with freshmen in a biology class. I have a group this year that really thinks outside the box. We are approximately 75-80% Hispanic. We discuss skin color in a context of inheritable traits. Some of my students are amazed and take great pride when I mention that the lighter colored, Hispanics may be descended from European blood, such as Spaniards; whereas, the darker Hispanics may be descendants of the Aztecs, Incans, or Mayans and would actually be considered what Columbus deemed Indians. Eye color plays a role in these discussions as well. It is a way to show students the diversity of the melting pot of our nation.
ReplyDeleteExcellent.
ReplyDelete