Our second visit to the Michigan Historical Center seemed more decided Thursday than our first visit. Yes, granted, the first visit was to inform us, let us know about the individuals involved in the project, etc.; I just felt the second visit gave our assignment a purpose, a pulse. I know as I walked through the exhibits, I saw so many things that could make this I-496 project work.
I like the use of video. I feel a 3- or 4-minute video presentation on a loop could allow both school children and adults a visual interpretation of the events that occurred during this time period. I feel this would give the visitors a sense of what occurred in Lansing and how this highway changed Lansing and mid-Michigan to what it is today.
I like the idea of physical objects. I know I joked the other day about a bulldozer, but what better way to give importance – grab attention – than a multiple-ton bulldozer that cleared homes, gravel, and dirt away to create I-496. I don’t know if a bulldozer is possible, but maybe something smaller, something that would show the numerous visitors the importance of the highway, and the changes that occurred over time.
I like this project. I hope we settle Tuesday and move forward. The possibilities for the I-496 project are endless, but I feel we are in a better place now than before.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Building a Better Teacher ... Seriously?!?
Seriously?!? ... Elizabeth Green’s “Building a Better Teacher.” Why not ask if we can build a better country. Oh, wait, that’s happening right now as I type. I may be the wrong person to answer such a question since I started in March, 1998, looking for a full-time teaching position. I do know I do not – and have not – cared for the “No Child Left Behind” act. I have always felt teachers were behind the eight-ball even before this act was initiated several years ago. I do know that the teachers who care about their students go above and beyond to provide the necessary instruction for their learning experience. But their efforts are veiled behind administrators who seek the bigger picture for their school districts.
Having spent more than enough time in high school classrooms, I understand the dilemma many are facing today: crowded classrooms, less time for one-on-one teaching, more time dealing with disciplinary issues, and so on. I also watch from afar as school districts struggle to find money to ease its workload for faculty and staff and improve its school community. Many communities feel their districts are prepared for every-day learning; yet, those same communities never truly see what is happening in the classes on a daily basis. The frustration of the good teachers forces many of them out of the profession, while those considered weak continue on because they may not have other opportunities.
I coached a season of varsity baseball at Lansing-Everett in 2007, and an assistant coach told our team – during a turbulent early-season practice – he had not met someone who cared about them as much as Coach Plum did in such a short period of time. I am one of those individuals who actually cares about the student and cares about the student’s well-being. I want children to succeed and to better themselves. I want to succeed as a teacher, don’t get me wrong, but as someone who wants to help others, the students are more important than my success. I am only one person, but I am one person who gives his all for his students.
I applaud Elizabeth Green for her article, and I applaud Doug Lemov for his classroom efforts. Yet, I see more work is needed to be done. Many of the techniques illustrated in the article, I have utilized before or used similar techniques in a classroom setting. Many of the techniques are common sense. However, common sense is out the window in our country. As long as wars continue to rage overseas and health-care issues highlight the evening news, our schools will continue to suffer and poor teachers will continue to teach our children. Our “No Child Left Behind” may become our “No Good Teachers Left.”
Having spent more than enough time in high school classrooms, I understand the dilemma many are facing today: crowded classrooms, less time for one-on-one teaching, more time dealing with disciplinary issues, and so on. I also watch from afar as school districts struggle to find money to ease its workload for faculty and staff and improve its school community. Many communities feel their districts are prepared for every-day learning; yet, those same communities never truly see what is happening in the classes on a daily basis. The frustration of the good teachers forces many of them out of the profession, while those considered weak continue on because they may not have other opportunities.
I coached a season of varsity baseball at Lansing-Everett in 2007, and an assistant coach told our team – during a turbulent early-season practice – he had not met someone who cared about them as much as Coach Plum did in such a short period of time. I am one of those individuals who actually cares about the student and cares about the student’s well-being. I want children to succeed and to better themselves. I want to succeed as a teacher, don’t get me wrong, but as someone who wants to help others, the students are more important than my success. I am only one person, but I am one person who gives his all for his students.
I applaud Elizabeth Green for her article, and I applaud Doug Lemov for his classroom efforts. Yet, I see more work is needed to be done. Many of the techniques illustrated in the article, I have utilized before or used similar techniques in a classroom setting. Many of the techniques are common sense. However, common sense is out the window in our country. As long as wars continue to rage overseas and health-care issues highlight the evening news, our schools will continue to suffer and poor teachers will continue to teach our children. Our “No Child Left Behind” may become our “No Good Teachers Left.”
Interactive exhibit ...
I realize my suggestion for a bulldozer for the I-496 exhibit received little fanfare notwithstanding one chuckle, I believe something like that would benefit the message we are trying to share with the community. As a visual learner, I feel it is important to give the public something to grasp and to touch as they go through the exhibit. Whatever path we go down, it must incorporate some type of visual portion to give the public an idea of the significance I-496 had on Lansing. I would like to take and create a revolving photo essay of the community before the construction, during the construction and after the construction. I would also like to have a computer-generated model of the community, showing people where businesses, schools, churches, etc., were and giving the people a visual image of the changes that occurred during this time in Lansing’s history.
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