Any job will present it's challenges and obstacles, teaching is no exception. I know being a teacher is hard work, however, I believe I am up to the challenge. I feel that I am on the right career path. I'm already an assistant and I can not see myself working anywhere else, but the school system. I love working with children and there is never a boring moment. A good teacher has many responsibilities. I believe a teacher's top priority should be to give his or her students the best education possible. Furthermore, a teacher should ensure the safety of all the students in their care. A good teacher will continue his or her own education to better educate their students. The student's needs should always come first. An educator should use different methods of teaching to make certain that all students will have an equal opportunity to learn. Being a good teacher and a good student go hand and hand. A good student will more than likely make a good teacher and a good teacher will be a good student. It is all about the desire to learn more. A student that is not really enthused about learning would probably not be an asset to the education profession.

Module 11

I chose the question, how can teachers best tap into different student learning styles. Students will become bored with the same methods day in and day out. A teacher needs to keep his or her classes attention by using different teaching styles. Students do not all learn in the same way. In the fifth grade math groups I visited, the teacher was a wonderful example of tapping into diverse learning styles. During her lesson she reviewed, used a smart board, and used manipulates. She accommodated all of her learners; visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Differentiated instruction will ensure that all students will learn, however they may not learn it all in the same way.

What classroom management skills foster academic achievement, was the second question I chose. Classroom management is crucial to the success of the students. A class that is filled with constant chaos will have trouble staying on task. One effective classroom skill is known as group alerting found on page 432. This keeps all the students on their toes and paying attention. In the fifth grade class I visited, this skill was used. The teacher asked the question first and then called the student by name to answer. This teacher also used the skill known as overlapping. She would handle a student talking, while still teaching a math lesson without skipping a beat. This fifth grade teacher had great classroom management skills.

Legal Decisions

Teacher's Rights
I chose the issue applying for a position in the Teacher's Rights and Responsibilities Section. This situation causes a predicament for young woman who wants a career, however at some point may want to get married and have children. In years passed, a woman was expected to get married and raise a family. Today's world is quite different. School systems today look for employees who may not have to be out of work a lot. When teacher's have a family, things will come up, children will get sick, and life happens. Thankfully to Education Amendments and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 questions, such as, marital status, race, or age are illegal. A position should not be based on whether or not a woman chooses to marry or have children. All women should have the right to have a career and a family if she so chooses.

Student's Rights
I believe that it is unfair to award scholarships based on sex. Therefore, I chose the distribution of scholarships section of student's rights. Although criteria may lean to one sex or the other, scholarships can not be given solely on gender; thanks to Title IX. Boys may however receive more scholarships based on sports abilities,as spoke about on page 395, but scholarships can not be granted just because they are male. Scholarships should be based on the abilities of each individual, not on the sex of that person.

Field Experiences

I have completed both of my field experiences in the school I work at. I went to a fifth grade class and a kindergarten classroom. The school I work at is nice and orderly. Both classrooms were colorful and inviting. The classrooms were neat and clutter free. Everything seemed to be organized and have its own place.
The teachers were friendly and helpful. They seemed to be very knowledgeable about what they were teaching. I believe these women truly love their jobs. They worked great with their students. The teachers praised their students as well. They let them know when they were doing a good job. I could tell this was a positive learning atmosphere for all of the students.
I enjoy getting new ideas from looking at other teacher's classrooms. Ideas that would work for my future classroom. I liked this assignment!

The Leandro Case

The Leandro case that was filed against North Carolina in the 1900s proved that every student deserves the right to have a basic education. This lawsuit was initiated by five low funding counties in North Carolina. This lawsuit had several major arguments.One argument is that funding for NCs school districts were unfair. In this case, the state was failing to allocate enough money to the low wealth schools. When the funds are not in place the students may suffer. Resources, materials and other teacher tools will not be there for the students to use. Technology is another resourceful tool that many schools can not afford because of funding.
This case made it to Superior Court,where it made a ruling in 1997 and 2004. Judge Manning preceded over this court case . He reviewed both sides of the case, then ruled in favor of the at-risk students. He believed state, as well as, locals had their own faults in these education issues. Manning decided that North Carolina students were not receiving the education that they deserve. The state has stepped up the pace and started making changes in North Carolina school districts. Many programs have come about to ensure all children have an equal opportunity education.
The Leandro case shows a strong connection between social issues and unfair school funding. Many schools that do not receive adequate funding are located in the poorer communities. These schools probably have the most diverse group of students coming from different backgrounds and cultures. There are many children who come from low income households or even poverty. Schools such as these need additional funding to ensure these students have an adequate education to be successful in school and in life. Thanks to Leandro, this case will set the standard for fair school funding in North Carolina.