Albig,+Jennifer

Here I am everybody!!

Module #1 Write a brief - 2- page (500 word+ or -) report describing the influences you observed and discussed. Put you first reflection on your individual wiki page. In the movie, American History X, there appeared to be many instances of nurture and influences that brought these tendencies about. In much of the movie, the boys had choices to make based on the things that they had been exposed to. Both the boys and their sisters were brought up in the same household and yet they had different viewpoints about the topic at hand. In our discussion, we talked about how this came to be. Could it have been the girls were reflecting the mother´s view and the boys of their father´s? After the father died, were the boys in need of a father figure, Cameron? How is it that at times the roles of teachers, mentors, and schools have more of an influence than parents? This movie when watched with these questions in mind, takes on a whole new meaning. Throughout the movie there seemed to be more tendencies leaning towards nurture rather than nature. In many ways, the two boys were brought up in a house that had the father figure that exposed them to prejudicial ideas. Then once the father was killed and Derek went to Cameron for guidance, he related the message from his father to what Cameron was saying. Meanwhile, Danny was getting exposure on all of this. He was still unsure of what to think or do, but through the influence of his brother, who he looked up to and relied on, he took on the same perspectives. These were negative nurturing tendencies that the boys were unsure of at first, but grew further into believing what they saw and heard. However, they also had a positive nurturing aspect in their lives, the principal, Dr. Sweeney. Dr Sweeney was constant and persistent figure in their lives. Even when their teachers wanted to give up on them, the principal was not ready to believe that they could unlearn these negative tendencies. It takes a whole staff to support the students at school. Dr. Sweeney found ways to connect with the boys; exposing to external influences (books, writing essays, speeches, films), relating their lives to each other and their family, and helping the boys come to the realization of their actions and how to make better choices. At one point, he asks Derek if there has been anything that has made his life better. Derek responded no and began to cry in knowing that what he was doing led to nothing great. Throughout the movie we see Derek want to take care of his family and be the big man in the house. He just never LEARNED how to do this in a way that was acceptable. He learns how by taking action, walking away, and reflecting. We see him move from one end of the spectrum to the other and a lot of that has to do with the nurturing process from Dr. Sweeney to his mother to the guy he worked with while in prison, and then lastly to himself. He learned through many influences that he had in his life. Sometimes people learn from their choices and consequences and that is what Derek did. Unfortunately, the ending was a consequence that the younger versions of what Derek once was hadn´t learned yet. There are some many negative influences, but we need more of the positive influences to help our students become self-confident, logical problem-solvers in today´s world. That is why teachers, mentors, and schools play a huge role in students´ lives because we never truly know what the influences at home are like. Are parents gone most of the time and students are left with the service staff of the house? Are our students watching or playing games that have inappropriate concepts? Sometimes all a child needs is another person in their life to be consistent, care, and be there to support them, no matter what. Sometimes that person is us!

Module #2 Violence - Prediction, Prevention and Intervention - Myth vs Reality - Write 5 Sentences about your reaction to the statistical data showing the trend below. I was a little surprised that the statistics showed that the overall report of violence stayed consistent throughout the past decades. I was not surprised that violence has steadily decreased in the past few years. I feel the exposure through articles I´ve read, the news, and other resources reporting on world-wide violence has not been as prevelant as what it once was. I think in some instances people could predict and prevent violence and now with the overall idea of not expressing concern dimishing allows the authorities to do their jobs. By authorities I mean anyone; teachers, police, friends, family, colleagues, etc.

Module #3 Hearts and Minds Describe three things you plan to do in your teaching practice to reduce stress and win the Hearts and Minds of your students and co workers. 1. I would really like to laugh more with my students. I do show my emotions, but usually it ends in frustration. I constantly tell my students that they can talk to me and that I am here to help and teach them. However, I find that they are still a little timid with me. 2. In the article it gave different activities that you can do to build repor with student-student and student-teacher interactions. Just this year I tried new things like one-on-one talk (focus groups), drama and role play (team building activities), and discussiong and debates (in Number Corner; look and think, discuss, and discourse, class questions or ideas). I feel like I really try to involve my students in every way possible, but sometimes they take it too far and I need to step in because they either don´t use it as constructive discussion or they get competitive. 3. Also, this year the grade 5 team tried to connect the curriculum to real-world circumstances. For example, we had a Social Studies unit about WW2 so we connect the Social Studies unit to writing expository text and reading historical fiction. Having all three of these connected really allowed the students to see different perspectives of the topic. Also, we connected war to current events that our students have witnessed or heard about. We would like to try to do this with each quarter so that students fully get adequate information and experience with the topic in order to relate it to their current lives.

Module #4 Do the Personality Prototype test with another person. Discuss what the results mean. When you Teach you learn. Tell us on this site what you learned by sharing PP Results with another person. I did this personality prototype with my 5th graders. I actually also used it as a math lesson with measuring with rules to create the grid. :-) I learned that even 5th graders get a kick out of hearing about their own personalities. I also shared my results with them and they said that it was totally me. Along with explaining each type to my students, I used the powerpoint about the personalities to show my students. We did not go through everything, but I shared what works for them, what makes them stressed, and how to resolve those relationships. The results I got back was quite interesting. I got mostly learned experts, equal amounts of people persons and creative problem solvers, and less practical managers. For some students it was no surprise and for others I think they either filled it out wrong or added wrong. Maybe they did everything right, but I do not see that side of them at school. They all got a kick out of it and related to the information somehow in their lives. I think it is important to remember that that prototype is not all of who we are. There are some aspects that are related to any or all four of those. It is just another insite to our inner minds.

Module #5 Moral Dilemma - Develop a MD for use in your teaching practice. Outline it here. Use any lesson plan style or outline that you might have for your class / subject / or grade level. Describe your audience, age, demographic and what you will do. 5th grade, 10-11 year olds, middle to high economic families, mostly Colombian In 5th grade we have been learning about WW2; causes, effects, people, allies, axis, Danish resistance, concentration camps, etc... The theme for 3rd and 4th quarter is ´Choice and consequence¨ that relate to WW2 and the African slave trade. To correlate with all this in quarter 3, I had each of my personality groups get together and come up with a dilemma, choices they had, actions that would go with each choice, and then what would their final choice be. They shared their results with the rest of the class and then there was opportunity to discuss after each group to ask questions or make comments. Then, we asked what each of the other groups would do. Below is an example from the activity that we did in class. I used this as more of an activity to help understand choices and consequences and how everyone views things differently.


 * Dilemma**- Danish people helping or not helping Jews (WW2 unit in 5th grade)
 * Focus question**- Should the Danish people/Resistance have helped the Jews?
 * Positions**- They could just continue on with their own lives and not help, They could help the Jews to escape, They could turn the Jews into the German Nazis to avoid punishments, They could help their country fight against the Nazis,
 * Group by positions**- Grouped by personality traits to come up with a solution
 * Compelling arguments**- Class discussed what each of the other groups would have done before the group presenting gave their opinions and reasons
 * Limited clarifying questions or comments**- Then, when the group gave their response and reasons, then they had a discussion or asked questions if they had any
 * Position change**- (technically did not do this)
 * Defensible scenario based on position**- The group chose to have the Danish people/Resistance help the Jews because they were empathetic to what the Jewish people were going through and they didn´t like how the Germans were treating people. They were proud of their country and would risk their lives to help defend it and then people in it.

Module #6 Post 2 "I" messages - (positive) comment on the reactions. Post 1 "I" Message (negative or corrective) Andrew, when I have a bad day and you give me a hug and a kiss on the forhead, I feel your love and support, which makes me feel comforted. (Andy reacted by giving me a hug and kiss. :-) ) Mom, when you talk to me with high spirits during these hard times and continue to encourage me to stay positive, it makes me feel stronger knowing I have a mom like you and I know things will work out one way or another. (Mom reacted with a smile, teary eyes, and I love you.) Laura, when we talk and discuss your work and then you go home and say something to you mother, I feel that the communication we have gets lost and it makes me upset. (Never said this one to Laura. Not sure if it would be a corrective or negative message.)

Module #7 1. Open a copy of the book IN STEPP. Read the Chapter on Time Management. Including Ben's Story. 2. Go to this Web Site. [|Values and Stuff] Explore the links that you find on the page. 3. In the upper left of the page, under the heading of tools look for the Mission Statement builder. Click on the link. 4. Then when the MSB page opens click on the link on the far right of the page (Your Values) and build a mission statement. 5. Post a copy of your mission Statement on your wiki page.

Using all three components (time management, values and stuff, and the builder), here is my mission statement...

"Live life to my utmost potentional; love whole-heartedly, help when I can, be adventurous, spend time with those I love, and continue to grow as an individual so that I can continue to guide myself in a positive direction."

Module #8 Select any one additional chapter to read. (Not Time Management) Describe the Chapter you read and your reaction to the chapter. Pick one activity from the book and describe how you will use this for Conflict Resolution.

Chapter 6: Managing Relationships - Honestly, I felt like it was repetitive in what it was trying to convey to me, however, it was good to read some new strategies like managing conflicts, SMART, and conflict clean up. It really brought you through the whole process of conflict, anger, and resolution. I know at times anger management can be hard to control, but it was nice to read that it is a feeling and is allowed. Now, it is just a matter of using anger more productively. That takes a little more time and energy to do. It takes a lot of patience to do everything that is says to manage relationships. I think if you can focus on two or three to use most of the time, that would be better to use on a regular basis.

Session 2 - Needs & Wants I think it is important to understand what I have to offer other people and what I want from other people in my life. If you can't be open about that, then of course you will probably have more conflicts in your life. I could even use this as an activity with my fifth graders for character education. It may be helpful since thye are going into middle school and will be more involved in social groups. They need to know themselves in order to have true friends.

Module # 9 Watch this youtube video [|Taught to Hate] Or view it below.

You've got to be taught before it's too late, Before you are six or seven or eight, To hate all the people your relatives hate, You've got to be carefully taught!
Describe one element of this class that you will do to teach the reciprocal Hate and Fear. How will Conflict Resolution continue to change the world? (250 words or less). or: Post two new resources for conflict resolution on our Wiki site under Video / other resources. Give your self credit.

Check under Video/other resources for my two resources.

Module #10 offers an alternative of two assignments. You can do either A or B. A. Beg, borrow, rent or steal a copy of the 1999 film October Sky. You may watch the movie as a group or individually but all work must be done individually, and posted on your own individual wiki page. After watching the movie compare and contrast that film with the film American History X. Use specific examples from each of the two movies to explain. -The role of nurture by the families of the two main characters, Derrick and Homer. -The role of the mother in the development of each of the two main characters Derrick and Homer. -The role of the teacher Murray in Derrick’s life and the role of Miss Reilly in Homer’s life. -The role of the two principals in the lives of Derrick and Homer. -The role of the community in the lives of Derrick and Homer.

I see more differences than similarites in these two movies. Both households have different nurturing styles, the mothers have different personalities, the role of the teacher and principal are different in the movies, and the communiies are different in both movies. There are a few ways in which they overlap or have similar concepts.

The nurturing style of both boys have different relationships at home. Homer is the youngest boy in the house and Derrick is the oldest. Homer is supposed to follow in his older brother's footsteps or the ideal process of the hometown, wherea Derrisk is the guiding sibling that sets the standard in the household. The last thing his father left behind was his viewpoints on the racial growth in the town. Derrick took that and went with it. Both fathers were very skeptical at the beginning or during most of the movie. This impacted the boys in developing differently. Derrick became more of a power figure and less of an educational figure in his house. Homer became more empowered at first, but then he faltered backwards and lost hope. The way the boys used their father's skeptisism was different and guided them into different paths.

The mothers played a key role in the movies. The American History X mother started as a happy, well-rounded mother at the beginning. Family life was good and they had family dinners and talked. After the father was killed, Derrick took on a new role and the mother lost her 'power.' Derrick believed it was his house to run and guide the others to believe what he believed. The mother defied his beliefs, but that didn't stop him. She was in a different world most of the time later because of her illness and meds. The mother in October Sky played more of an influence in the family, especially with the dad. The dad was hardcore, but the mother ran the house and how the boys were mostly raised. She encouraged Homer and supported the family emotionally. This a key factor in how the mothers played a role in the boy's lives.

The role of the teacher and principal in these movies are flipped. In American History X, Derrick's teacher, who later became principal, was a huge guidance in his life. However, his father's influence prevailed over his teacher. Derrick's brother's teacher was fed up with him and not wanting to waste his time, but the principal, who was Derrick's teacher, had the same attitude as to not give up on the child. Murray had a huge role in helping Derrick through his hardships. In October Sky, the principal was a skeptic of the boys and what they were trying to do. The teacher, Ms. Reily, was the encourager and guidance through their trail and error. The principal only came around when he found out that the boys' rocket was not a hazard, but great idea that should be shown to more people. He wanted the benefits from the boys going to the state fair, whereas the teacher wanted it for a success in the boys' lives in order to get out of the town and do great things. Derrick only realized his mistakes when thrown into the circumstances in prison and Murray was there for him every step of the way. Homer used trail and error to help guide hime through and the people in his life influenced him back and forth until he guided himself back out.

Both boys seemed to show strength and were searching for something. In the end, the guided themselves through their lives. Both boys endured hardships and trails and errors, but in the end they learned to believe in hope. For Derrick, it ended poorly with his brother being shot. For Homer, it ended positively with him going on the greater things. They both learned something though and that is what helped them to grow.