Educator Philosophy

InterviewsTeam Volunteers: Bianca Lucas, Kalle Palmer, Demetrius Thompson, Sherita

Turner, Tamara Wilson

MTE/501

March 9, 2015

Joel Slater

(“The Book Worm Educational Supplies", 2015)

What are the challenges facing education

today?

Teachers weigh in.

Angela Lewis

Kinnick High School

Yokosuka, Japan

("H3dwallpapers", 2015)

Tiffany Ardis

Clintondale Continuing Ed. Center

Clinton Township, Michigan

Tammy Cabbell

Metz Middle School

Manassas, Virginia

Eureka Duckett

John F. Kennedy

Elementary

Nashville,

Tennessee

Jenette Peters

Issac Lane

Elementary

Jackson,

Tennessee

Angela Lewis

• Name: Angela Lewis (AL)

• School: Kinnick High School (DODEA)

• Location: Yokosuka, Japan

• Grades: 9th-12th

• Subject(s): Science, AVID

• Years Teaching: 14 years (since 2001)

Tiffany Ardis

• Name: Tiffany Ardis (TA)

• School: Clintondale Continuing Ed. Center

• Location: Clinton Township, Michigan

• Grades/Ages: 15-20 years old

• Subject(s): General Studies and Graduation Lab

• Years Teaching:8

Eureka Duckett

• Name: Eureka Duckett (ED)

• School: John F. Kennedy Elementary

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee

• Grade: 6

• Subject: ELA, Science, Math, Social Studies

• Years Teaching:6

Tammy Cabbell

• Name: Tammy Cabbell (TC)

• School: Metz Middle School

• Location: Manassas, Virginia

• Grade: 6th and 7th

• Subject: English

• Years Teaching: 15

Jenette Peters

• Name: Jenette Peters (JP)

• School: Issac Lane Elementary

• Location: Jackson, Tennessee

• Grades: 6th

Question 1

Where do you think education is

headed in the future?

Answer: AL

• A paradigm shift has occurred within education from being teacher centered to being student centered.

• Recent popularity of the concept of “teaching with no walls” and there is more collaboration between everyone involved in education.

• Education is increasingly more technology based.

(Angela Lewis, personal communication, March 3, 2015)

Answer: TA• Technology is on the rise and it is a great concept of making

education universal.

• HOWEVER…….

• The lack of physical teachers takes away from social

interactions, with students and faculty.

• Too much technology, especially for online schooling. It will

leave the teachers without a job and drop out rates will

increase, because the students will not have any physical

accountability partner to motivate them to excel more.

(T. Ardis, personal communication, March 4, 2015).

Answer: ED

• "The new technology based programs implemented in

our school systems today with efforts of increasing

educational opportunities for our youth will ultimately

impact our school systems for the better. I feel through

constant implementation for effective programs our

education will continue to flourish."

E. Duckett, Interview (March 2015)

Answer: TC

• Education has become a political issue, yet politicians do not know what

occurs in an average classroom

• Technology is driving education as well as common core standards

• Classes overloaded with ELL and Special Education cannot facilitate higher

order, which is the way of the future

• Educational testing and desire for sameness has taken and will continue to

take over individualized instruction

• "If we continue to participate in placing 19 special education and 7 regular

students in the same classroom and call it general education we will create

a generation of illiterate kids"

(Tammy Cabbell, personal communication, March 5, 2015)

Answer: JC

• “I believe education is moving more toward

integrating technology in the classroom."

• “We are currently using interactive boards in

my classroom and I believe there is more

technology to come”

Interactive White Board (2015)

J. Peters, Personal Communication, March 8, 2015

Question 1: Common

Themes

• There is increasingly more technology involved in

education.

• Testing and standards have an increasing role in

education.

Question 2

How have their own life

experiences shaped their current

philosophy regarding education?

Answer: AL

• She was always drawn towards creating learning communities,

enjoyed explaining things to her peers, and learning the answer if she

did not have one already.

• She realized how much she enjoyed teaching when she took her first

teaching job as an agricultural teacher.

• Teaching is never stagnant and is constantly changing. She has

experienced the benefits of being flexible and adaptable.

• The more teachers resist the inevitable changes in standards and

methodology, the more difficult it is to teach students successfully and

enjoy the profession.

(Angela Lewis, personal communication, March 3, 2015)

Answer: TA • She believed that her K-12 years of school, was all about

programming her to follow certain steps, but never teaching her

about life, critical thinking, communication skills and others.

• If she did not venture off by herself, she would not have known how

to apply herself and listen to her inner voice.

• She believes “smarts” is based on “applied learning.” Every student

has the ability to have knowledge, but they have to apply

themselves.

• She would like the educational system to focus more on preparing

the students for life after school rather than focusing on a systematic

approach for academic testing for the government.

T. Ardis, personal communication, March 4, 2015).

Answer: ED

• “Becoming an educator has allowed me to see first hand the need for exceptional educators. We wear many hats. Often times we are mothers, counselors, nurses, and etc,. The need is for teachers to be compassionate about their roles played. Being an educator has afforded me the opportunity to make lifelong impacts in the lives of the students taught. I truly believe regardless of ethnicity, background, educational impairments or social status all children can learn once afforded the opportunity to do so.”

E. Duckett, Interview (March 2015

Answer: TC• Growing up Tammy felt many doors could be closed due to being a minority and a

woman, she understood the value and possibilities of passing through those doors

• She took responsibility for the path she wanted to be on in life

• Many of her educators spoke honestly and from their heart to her; Tammy knew they cared

• “I have a story as we all have a story, the difference is what we do about our story and who we let write our story”

• Love and passion for their craft was displayed by many of Tammy’s teachers it helped opened her eyes to the possibilities many had determined did not exist for her

(Tammy Cabbell, personal communication, March 5, 2015)

Jenette Peters

• “A lot! I had teachers that took the time to critique my strengths and weaknesses.”

• “On the other hand their were teachers who did not care and only had a curriculum that the followed.”

J. Peters, Personal Communication, March 8, 2015

Question 2: Common

Themes

• Past experiences with education, both good and

bad, have influenced them today.

• Inspired by educators.

• See the need for inspiration and compassion in

the classroom.

• Enjoyed being involved in a learning community

and incorporating it into a longer term career.

References

H3DWALLPAPERS. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.h3dwallpapers.com/world-map-pics-1736/

The Book Worm Educational Supplies. (2015). Retrieved from

http://the-bookworm.net/2013/05/happy-teacher-appreciation-week/

Interactive White Board (2015).

http://www.broadwaysmarketing.com/gallery/interactive_whiteboard.gi

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