Graduation

Do you agree with how many graduations we have at our school. It is very common at many of the other HBCU's and Universities that they have one graduation a year. Can you believe that? Do you think we have too many compared to other schools. We have 3 graduations total every year spring, summer and fall. I like to think of it as a blessing. Could you imagine that if you didn't pass a class in the spring semester having to wait a whole year before eligible to walk across the stage ? Or even if we had one graduation in may that means the time period and the space that we have wouldn't be enough. I love the way we have many graduations here it gives everyone a chance to catch up if they slip or if they need extra at the last minute. What do you think ?

The Horror of TAKS

Testing Testing Testing... Thats all I have heard over the past month. Here is my biggest issue with testing in Texas. The stress it places on the child that has to take the test is horrible. As a Texas high school graduate I feel current school age children's pain. Going through public schools you are given test to see your placement level. They also judge if you should move to the next grade. When I was in school it went as follows you take the TAKS test in 9th and 10th grade and it doesn't count toward moving up a grade. BUT your scores still should be passing or you will be put in a remedial class for either reading or math. Oh! But when you reach 11th grade it was called the TAKS exit exam. This exam was the deciding factor of graduation. Thats right no matter if you made straight A's and had a 3.0 g.p.a. you could not walk across the stage if you did not pass TAKS. Now the stress of knowing that you will not walk across the stage after all hard work put into your classes for the past four years. I was one of the students who didn't pass TAKS the first time when given. But I thank god till this day for my TAKS tutor she came and saved the day. In school we were not focusing on TAKS we were just learning as the teacher taught. It always seems that as soon as TAKS season came around thats all the teacher wanted to focus on. In actuality why isn't TAKS integrated throughout the year not just when its testing season?

Here is a article on the new STAAR test being harder than TAKS. 

Future Web 2.0 Use

As a future educator, I believe that I would implement many of our Web 2.0 tools implemented in this class. I've had a change of heart, I truly have enjoyed discovering new tools for electronic use. In the future years to come, I know that many other tools will come about but as for  now I will use prezi the most. The children will fairly enjoy this tool for they will be able to express themselves out of the normal PowerPoint. Also I would like to use google forms for them to sometime create their own form. That maybe could give examples of future test and stuff of what they would like. Overall I appreciate the knowledge of the web tools. The tools will def help me make my classroom more creative and and engaged environment.



Tool to use with your students!

NO Classes Offered !

Do you feel that you have not been properly advised during your college degree? Are you at the end of the road and your advisor springs new classes on you but, you have already set plans for expected graduation?  If you said no to any of my questions I feel your pain. As a education major we have certain classes that are only offered in the spring and the fall or maybe never offered. Only to find out we have to substitute the class for another. Or maybe you have saved all you basic classes for you last semester before student teaching or the summer. Only to be told they don't offer the class. Well if you didn't know about this semester let me enlighten you to what I found out. Recently, while I prepared myself to register for my last 8 hours for summer school I was astonished when i found out they weren't offering them at all. So after evaluating what they are offering they are offering more graduate classes than undergraduate. Which doesn't make sense or is fair. There excuse was because graduate students pay to go to school in summer because they are teachers and that is their break and best availability. Which is completely unfair, from the students eyes that go here everyday and are productive and proactive and are trying to graduate on time this only sets us back. If your going to cater to one group of students you need to cater to them all. Not whats going to benefit you best, this is why some do not graduate at all or on time because the process is very discouraging.

Check out a similar situation in California