Fairy Dust Teaching Research Papers

Curriculum is a slippery term with different definitions. According to van den Akker (2004), curriculum is a Latin word which means a course or a track that have to follow. It is referred as the central learning activity and the plan for learning.

Curriculums are the roadmaps for schools which provide purpose and direction for administrators, educators, parents, and students. Curriculum typically refers to, “the knowledge and skills students are expected to learn, which includes the learning standards or learning objectives they are expected to meet; the units and lessons that teachers teach; the assignments and projects given to students; the books, materials, videos, presentations, and readings used in a course; and the tests, assessments, and other methods used to evaluate student learning.” (Curriculum, 2015, para. 1) Curriculums may come in many shapes and forms, whether they’re purchased as a package at the school or district level or they’re created or refined by educators and

Curriculum is so much more than the paper copy of lessons and activities that we receive as teachers, but before this course I never really thought of curriculum as

The Leadership Team will then need to meet with all literacy, math, and CTE teachers to develop skills for lesson planning that is aligned to the curriculum. If the curriculum is not aligned the integration will not be successful. Teachers must be willing to collaborate with one another to stay on track with the lesson plans. Curriculum maps serve as an effective tool to ensure teachers are incorporating academic standards in the lesson plans and how often they are used (Grams, Hebert-Giffin, 2011).

While I was always drawn to teaching careers, I craved the freedom to be flexible and creative in my

I always thought I would be a teacher and I would make differences in lives and it would be the greatest experience in the world for me, yet being a teacher wasn’t enough, I had a need to expand my education. I decided that perhaps I needed a new career, however, I felt certain education remained my passion. I began to explore new areas of education and I realized I still want to be a member of a classroom, a school and curriculum. I aspire to guide those leading our classrooms.

I first became interested in teaching in my sophomore year in high school. My inspiration came from three amazing teachers who showed passion for their subject matter as well as a love for teaching. My desire to become a teacher was amplified by the many leadership and teaching roles that I took on while I was in Boy Scouts. While teaching in Boy Scouts I learned that teaching was what mattered most to me. Under my leadership, I helped advance many scouts to the rank of Eagle Scout as well as winning multiple awards at every summer camp that we attended. This was my jumping point into enrolling in Old Dominion University’s education program.

Within three months of taking ED 523, my school district began using curriculum mapping. Curriculum mapping has facilitated my district in eliminating gaps and repetition in the curriculum and has allowed us to develop a fluent scope and sequence. This process has optimized student learning in my classroom. I now know what the students have already learned and can build upon those skills and understandings and can also better prepare them for the content they will be introduced to in the future. The mapping process has given me the ability to create cross curricular units with my colleagues. The students

“You will find the world in your own eyes, if they learn how to see; in your own heart if it learns how to feel; and in your own fingers if they learn how to touch.” (Dunham 188).

When were young we are full of interest and wonder to understand the meaning of life, yet although we never truly comprehend the reality that we see right in front of us. Our mind craves knowledge and that’s when we tend to ask questions, but never an answer and would be brushed aside leaving us with questions with no resolution. Our mind would wonder down bizarre paths but we go no further then what we know. Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless me Ultima proscribes that feeling when we are young our minds strive with curiosity to seek guidance to face the harsh reality of life in a manner we ourselves are prepared for when that time finally arrives.

Currently I'm helping out at a local primary school, which has allowed me to see new side to teaching that I didn't know existed. I was asked to prepare an activity that involved teaching different skills in one task. I had to think out the box and came up with making paper mache doughnuts, it was a fun, messy but ultimately it taught the children to think innovatively for themselves, it brought out their creative skills, taught them about 3D dimensions, colours and shapes. To think something as easy as paper mache could give these children a variety of knowledge in one task, is unbelievable. It makes me look at life in another light, to see if has a double learning opportunity. It is the simple things, like talk time in class that are highly important as the children are not only learning from the teacher, but they absorb information from others and build on that knowledge to feel confident enough to share their thoughts, it's absolutely fascinating to see how a child's mind works and what they can contribute to the class, without them realising they are actually learning.

Wonder unites within the knower the opposition between what one thinks one knows, what are the different types of knowing, what one is able to express of what one knows, and how much more one knows than one may be able to express. When Gallagher considers the maxim “know thyself”, he discusses how one must come to the conclusion that one doesn’t totally know oneself, but instead there are parts of one that may seem what he termed “distant.” Wonder starts “not primarily before the complicated, and abstruse, but before the simple, the obvious, the close at hand.” 1 From the external world to oneself, wonder in its various aspects is the source of all philosophical inquiry.

I believe that each child has the will to learn, and that if they have a teacher who is on fire they will be on fire. I think that if a teacher cannot be excited about why they are doing, how can they expect their students to be excited. I want to be a teacher who brings the

Hi! My name is Emily Hernandez. I am a student who will graduate in the Fall with an Associates in Elementary Education. I am a visual and active learner. Meaning, I hate sitting in a room and listening to a lecture for more than an hour or at least 30 minutes. So, it would be easier for me to learn by doing something that involves hands-on activities. For example, if I were to learn about biomes I would either do an experiment with growing plants in different temperatures or go to an Arboretum. I love moving around and going on adventures. I also love doing all kinds of projects like doing murals or build a lesson plan for a 6-hour class. I like anything that involves being artistic and anything that can be challenging.

My passion is to not only teach students in a creative and positive way that they are actually learning but also to inspire them to learn and make something great of themselves in their future. The reason being when I was younger I did not take my education that serious. If I would have known then how serious an education was, I feel that I could have accomplished more in middle and high school. After school I wouldn't care about actually learning about my homework. For this reason I want to inspire kids to want to learn at a young age and for them to see that their education and work ethic is very important even at their age. Most importantly I want my future students to want to learn.