Module 1

     In Chapter 1 of the Woolfolk text, it describes the diverse community of learners that are in the classrooms in modern society. It describes a breakdown of a survey taken by 100 high school students. Out of 100 students, 71 had experienced physical assault, 51 had used drugs or alcohol in the previous 30 days, 48 were sexually active with over half of that number not using protection, 17 were employed, and 16 had carried a weapon the previous year (p. 4).There were more statistics, but I'm choosing to focus on the aforementioned. Since I am doing my observation in a high school setting, and plan on teaching in a high school, I found the results of this survey rather telling. It really makes me think about the kinds of  situations that my students will be enduring while trying to earn their education. I can't imagine being physically assaulted by family or peers, and then walking in a classroom to focus on an exam. Furthermore, high school students have some situations that differ from elementary students, namely, sexual relations. What if I have a pregnant student? Or a student who was raped by another student at a party? These are situations I hadn't thought a lot about before reading the text. I hope to be the type of teacher that that students would want to come to with their problems, academic or otherwise.

     Additionally, in Chapter 1, it discusses the qualities that are key for good teaching: reflection, knowledge, inventiveness, commitment, and confidence are some examples (p. 9). The teacher I am observing, Mr. McDowell, is such an incredible example of all of the above qualities. He utilizes several teaching strategies for course content to ensure that all students are learning the material in the way that is easiest for them. He told me that he tries different things all the time, and throws out what doesn't work and uses what works for the next class. He is a really good example of a  reflective teacher. He teaches World Studies and Cultural Geography, so he comes up with a lot of interactive ways to teach the content. For example, he divided the students into groups and did a simulation of The Silk Road having the students use poker chips and cut out pictures as currency. The kids are all sophomores, but they got into it and got excited about it. They even tried bartering in different accents and tried to speak in ancient lingo. It was awesome to watch.
   
Chapter 2 of Woolfolk discussed development. I was particularly interested in the nature vs. nurture debate. I always believed that the two were connected, but always wondered if the myth about "bad apples" was true. I liked that the text said that "some psychologists assert that behaviors are determined 100% by biology and 100% by environment- they can't be separated" (p. 33). This chapter really got me questioning the truth behind that. Are people born biologically pre- programmed to be a certain type of learner, or a good or bad student? Or does one's environment dictate the sort of problems, or lack thereof, with learning some people will experience? I think it's important as all of us students become educators that we always remember that every student learns differently, and all students have various experiences in their personal lives that can affect learning. My job as an educator will be to consider the whole person, and map out a strategy that will guide the student to achieving academic success, regardless if there is a predisposition to lean one way or the other.

Chapter 3 focuses on the self, social, and moral development of humans. I think this chapter is especially important for me to understand because of the social implications and moral compass high school students are challenged with. High school is such a crucial time for friendships and developments of social groups (p. 86). It is also a time where so many kids can feel isolated, rejected, or bullied, especially with the rise of social media and cell phones (p. 92). I have noticed in my observations that almost all the kids in the class have cell phones, and upon entering class immediately flock to their group of friends to chat before class starts. I also notice the few kids who nervously smile when no one approaches them, don't make eye contact with anyone, and are rejected by classmates when they try to join in a conversation. As a teacher, it is one of my goals that NO student will ever feel isolated in my classroom.Those feelings of not fitting in, bullying, and rejection are so harmful for students and seem to be the leading cause for kids in that age group to snap, leading to tragedies such as Columbine. I'm hoping, as a teacher, that I can reach the students who feel like nobody cares before they cause harm to themselves or anyone else.