The reading, "Preserving the Republic," made clear to readers what our country went through to make our schools the way they are today. This is not saying that today our schools are perfect and politics are not an issue, but what we should take under consideration is what these men did for our education. In the past readings we have been talking about equality with races, religion, culture, ect. , and still this is an issue after hundreds of years. Yes, we have come a long way, but we as a nation are not there yet. There is a quote, on page 20, that really brought this to my attention. It said, " the common school, a public institution that mixed students from all walks of life, was to teach a common denominator of political and moral truths that was nonpartisan and nonsectarian. Political parties and religious denominations should stop their quarrels and competition at the schoolhouse door. Let civic education work its magic." This statement to me is very powerful and true! The schools shouldn't be in the middle of all these political controversies. The schools are a place for people to learn and recieve an education. Maybe with the all of the education that is provided, someone someday will enlighten the rest of the country and take politics out of our schools.

Demographics, reading 2

Teachers of the future have alot more issues to be prepared for that were not around ten years ago. This article on demographics is proof of the issue of diversity in the classrooms. There are many people, teachers and parents, who think that having a diverse class is not good, or parents that want there child only in an "all white" school. To me, a future teacher in P.E, I feel that having different cultures in my class would be such an experience not only for me but for the rest of the class. For example, in different cultures, different sports are very popular. Here in the U.S football is a huge sport, but in Mexico soccer is their main sport. Having a diverse class can teach me and my other students different techniques on how to play the sport, or even just watching that student play can be enjoyable to watch. There is so much to learn about different cultures and the more time you spend with people from those cultures, the more you will learn. I feel that this is a learning experience for not only the other students, but also for the teacher.

Our School System

what are schools?
We have many different types of schools, including public, private, and charter schools. The majority of students attend public schools in the areas that they live. Nine out of ten students are educated in public schools and private schools educate 12%, so public schools are responsible for formally educating the majority of students. Our education system is based on 12 grade levels, where students must attend between 9 and 13 years, however in order to further their education at a college or university they must attend all 12. There are mandatory subjects in which students must study, including Math, English, and Science.
Who are our students?
Our students come from many races, backgrounds, and ethnicities. The percentages between them all are always changing, however by 2020 half of the nation's school age children will be children of color. More than 1/3 of public school students are from low-income families. Our students consist of those who are born in the U.S., immigrants, those with handicaps or disabilities, and those whose first language is not English.
Who are our teachers?
Our teachers are required to be well educated and have a degree in the subject area that they teach. The majority of our teachers are white females. Because of new laws that deal with education in our country, such as the No Child Left Behind Act, there are more demands placed on teachers and teacher requirements. For this reason there is a high turn-over rate in the teaching force.

First class

Attending our first class , you know, the dreadful 2 1/2 hour class, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Walking into the class to begin with i was a little nervous just by looking at the way the chairs were set up. Then I took a look at our teacher. I didn't know what to expect, I didn't really get any good or bad vibes. When class started the room was packed. The only thing going through my head is, " PLEASE let this teacher be chill!" As class went on, my heart rate definately went down when our teacher expressed who she was. Our professor does seem like she can be tough, but in a way that we will enjoy what we are doing, and we will definately get something out of this class.
The activity that we did expressed alot about our teacher. I have never done an activity where i had to find a uncommon commonality. It was a GREAT way to the students to talk and know one another. It was very creative and I know that I will definately use it in my future career. Our teacher is very down to earth and very knowledgable. I can actually say that I am looking forward to the rest of this semester.