WebLog 2: Apple Reading

After reading Apple's words, I came up with the following questions for discussion:


1. Should curriculum be community based in order to capture the needs and interests of the students along with relevant issues to address based on current events and situations?  If done, how would colleges/others know what students are learning in school is legitimate?


2. Who ultimately decides on standards and sets curriculum?  Why do I not know anyone that has been a part of this process?  Shouldn't the teachers that will actually be teaching the material and the students choose what should be covered?


3. Does current curriculum in schools continue to maintain the status quo of inequalities that exist in our society?


4. Why do the "for profit educational ventures" have control of what we teach?


5. Apple discusses the ties our country has with God, capitalism, and a romantic cultural past.  How could we best work with those ties in order to create curriculum that would be suitable and effective in educating students and diminishing inequity?


6. Apple speaks of the necessity of the distance theory provides in order to think through difficult issues; however, do you think Apple's theory offers too much distance?  Not enough?  Would less distance be more productive in a way that allows for more time deciding on solutions rather than focusing on the problems?

WebLog 1: Class Survey

Personal Information:


1. Rachel Rose Morse, originally from Perry, OH, currently live in University Heights, OH
    giannelli05@gmail.com

2. I prefer to be called Rachel or Rach

3. Currently teach Spanish I, Honors Spanish II, and Spanish II at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, OH
    I am pursuing my M.ed in the professional teacher program

4. I am very busy and active, and I prefer it that way.  I have been married for almost 3 years to my husband, Jeff.  Both of my parents are teachers, both of my in-laws are teachers, my brother is a teacher, and my sister is going to graduate with her degree in history education this spring!  So, education is in my genes.  This is my 4th year teaching.  I am involved in many clubs at school and am a very dedicated teacher.  In my spare time, I love to cook and bake.  I also played many sports in high school and love to watch sports.  Currently, I really enjoy practicing yoga and running.  My husband and I also recently adopted a kitten, Alejandro.  We love him!!  I also enjoy going to local restaurants in Cleveland and seeing independent films at the Cedar-Lee theater.  I am passionate about food, and I always try to buy as many organic/locally grown products as I can!


Learning Style and more:


5. In order for me to feel comfortable in a classroom environment, I feel that the instructor needs to be understanding, fair, and familiar with his/her students.  It is also imperative that the students have a mutual respect for one another.

6. As a student, I love to participate because I like discussion and talking in general.  I am very OCD, so I like to get things done early.  I am also very thorough, extremely organized,  and a very hard worker.  Sometimes, I probably care too much!  I really appreciate a class that does not dwell on lecture or simply on one activity for the duration of the time because I prefer to be actively engaged.

7. As are many others in the class, I am a full-time teacher and grad student along with a dedicated wife!


Education Past and Present:


8. I remember in the 4th grade when my teacher let me plan and create one bulletin board per six weeks.  He also "put me in charge" when he was absent.  This was the year that I most loved school and started doing very well as a student.  Since then, I knew I wanted to be a teacher.

9. Inequality of resources is a huge problem in education.  Resources, for me, can mean anything from money, to supplies, to books, or good teachers.  Also, I feel that there is a lack of respect for educators as professional contributors to society.  We are, after all, responsible for educating the future senators, public servants, presidents, ceo's, accountants, lawyers, doctors, etc., and I believe that it is a serious issue that some do not revere us with the respect we deserve.  I see this as a problem from within and outside of the profession.

10. Because we are all working as well as attending grad school, it would be great if we could start focusing in on our topics for our research paper right away with readings for class.  I would really like to explore the amount of curriculum expected of teachers to cover during the course of a year/four years.  It would be nice to focus on current problems that we see and discuss solutions together in class.  I think that busy work would get in the way of the success of this class.


About Dr. Shutkin:


11. Did you teach before you became a professor?  Where?  What subject(s)?
      What are your hobbies?
      What is your favorite class to teach?