Ms. Weisenfels' Blogs

Week 3 EDUC 5113 Julia Weisenfels Question: Am I more Naturalistic or Technological? Do I see any possibilities to adopt a dual approach in curriculum design and instructional delivery? As a science and mathematics teacher in a small, rural school district, I have experienced the adoption of new curricula as well as the elimination of curricula.  They were both the results of student needs, or lack thereof, and state requirements.  A Physics course was dropped and the administration opted for it to be offered on line due to lack of interest from students.  Quantitative Reasoning (Q.R.) was added and replaced Advanced Topics Mathematics, which was mandated by the Arkansas Department of Education.  The curriculum for the new math course was guided by the standards, and I designed the curriculum, as I assessed the interests and needs of my students.    ...

  EDUC 5113 Week 2 Assignment Julia Weisenfels Based on information from Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) website, I compared the rankings of Finland to the United States in education.  The following are my thoughts and answers to the questions as written. 1. Why do I think Finland outperformed so many developed countries with such equitable and non-consequential guiding notions?      I think Finland outperformed many other developed countries for a number of reasons, but mainly, because the education system focused on equity and shared responsibility, not choice and competition (Sahlberg, p 27). Finland was a leader in education among developed countries in 2022, and became a model for other countries.  Their approach to education focused on fairness and equity, and efficient use of its resources.  Finland was rebuilding their economy and reconnecting with ot...

      My philosophy of teaching centers around my students and their individual abilities.  My goals are to create a safe and welcoming learning environment where my students feel important and are encouraged to learn.  I educate my students in the many learning styles that students exhibit and strive to meet the needs of all learning types.  I want to be the facilitator of the learning, so throughout the educational journey my students take, I gradually release more of the teaching to the students and I become the facilitator.      I consider myself a blend of a traditionalist and a critical theorist.  I think the grade level makes a huge difference in what type of educational approach I choose.  I have 7th through 10th graders who have many modifications or accommodations, and just a little bit of freedom and a lack of structure turns into chaos.  As a traditionalist, I emphasize basic knowledge, using my state standards and ...