Our Children

Helping children to learn is what teaching us all about. But it isn't always easy to be a successful teacher. Teachers are human. They get tired bored upset sometimes frightened of change. In addition to dealing with up to 150 different personalities every day in the classroom teachers are faced with new challenges within their own profession. New subjects new concepts new methods for teaching. For example Educational Television has been available in many classrooms for at least 10 years but there are still teachers who reject television as a teaching resource because they feel uncomfortable threatened it will replace them in more uncertain as to how it can be constructively used in the classroom. Anxiety over new methodologies is heightened by a lack of knowledge about new subjects subjects like the metric system. This is an insert that's the educators term for a meeting where teachers become

students again a meeting that could be difficult without enthusiastic administrative support and would be the right. We were concerned that teachers would be you know sort of scared. They're starting something that they're not very familiar with. Very few of them talk about driving a kilometer. And when you feel insecure you shy away from it and are not going to be very eager to get into it in depth. And then the other thing is that we've only had one television set in the building. Now we have three. But that means that many teachers don't get to use television frequently. So television is relatively a new thing for them too. So they're really facing two challenges that are that are new. Yes. One of the nice things to know is that they they can tape ahead of time are taped a program lot of time so our classes are not arranged so in that the time period that you can show them now they can be taped.

What does that translate into what do you think that weighs an hour. Oh you know it's this isn't by no means to pay for this exam. Mission one last March that but I don't think that's our purpose right now when we're going to be competing with you I can't help you. Not yet I'm smiling. I will say don't appear. They don't want to appear stupid not to know as much as they'd like to have the feeling that they know just a little bit more. You can have for me I guess I mean we haven't had much experience but I think you need a lot of experience and grit children that can could very easily add those up better than we did a little bit with her met with the television. Yes I'm this background of experience is at least as much or more than students which is very important to them. I think on this tape over here demonstrated what the concept of the jury by showing that

it took so many square areas to cover certain area rather than just saying on areas like things with you can tell that because all the time but that really demonstrates that really works. See it is worth a great deal more than just hearing about it. And that's the big thing that television can do this is a demonstration which the teacher may not be prepared to give or may not feel she has the time to give or to prepare for. What out of the government released. Why. Right now we're in a corner and there's a measuring cup. And the banks are you be sure and mark it on the back. All right. That's why this poll to 100 milliliters and it's marked in 20 40 60 80 all the way up to 100 milliliters. A series like measure metric dramatize a variety of ways that

abstract theories are applicable in the real world. Students can then appreciate the importance of these concepts and gain an understanding of the process of analyzing and applying them. Not me. The villagers look. Like. Well I guess that's everything now. Gotta buy you something big enough to carry your wife here. I guess we're back to real little don't you beggar and I see. Why you see things. When you can just forgive me. What. About. That. Letter. It's a connotation of heaven restored. How do you figure out how much. Candy queues there are in that jar. How do you even come close to guessing the number. You can blind or worry you.

Today I'm going to pass out some papers to you that have six questions on them in regard to measuring measuring and using the metric system. First of all you're going to be going out there and and looking for an area a plot of land that is 12 square meters. Now you're going to have to figure out the dimensions for it and then. You're going to have to draw this plot of land on a graph paper letting one meter equal one centimeter. So it will be a scale drawing but on this plot of land you must have one tree. Right. A. Lot of times in the classroom they can do things. Children can think in their head because they've been taught to three times four equal to or lynx times with isher area. They know this say they go through this kind of like rote memory. But you get the real

situation and put them in the real situation they can't do it. That's 100 percent. OK 100. Look there's a tree right. OK. Who do you want. To make sure the one treating you. What we're trying to measure you measure and you get a tree we get a tree and we say you like you go right. Now what part don't you understand. Well on the scale. All right. I. Did ask you to draw one centimeter equaling one meter. What's the size of your. Of your lot. Three by four what. Meters. Nature's OK. Do you know that this

is it right here. How are we supposed to tell exactly where it is well that's why I'm asking you to figure out. So this is all part of this. I like to have them use their heads and think like I don't like to tell them answers a little more I'll let them make that mistake. An idea or two from our outside line should measure into the tree. Why would you do that now. Well then if you say it's a meter in ok ok then. We take it. So we measured a little here. All right. Then we took it 1 meter in and out video outside your tree. All right. In your new market. That's a start. I actually try it actually and see if the how it works out. OK all right. And if the idiot that doesn't know what he didn't do try to get away. All right very good very good very good to.

Hear from you suppose you like it. I'm going to I'm going to ask you to do something you know five to the square. But that that wouldn't be fair and I'm Jewish where's. That I want to. Thank you. For all the. Money unless you're going to discuss this right now. But we had three boys. And on the corner of one of ours we had a tree that was two and a half meters and we don't know how to put graphing paper. We had someone else in here that was having the same problem. All right then. Then you must take your tree must take up to meter sense to draw it in there try to make it a circle and take up two meters. I don't know now you pick it. OK. Start the ruler in the Legal

Lowdown. I'm going to tell you right. Now. Let me think about it. The distance around the whole total of your tree is to say two meters two meters of ground all the way around. How many squares would that take up in there. To. Look at Takes Up to then you're going to have to go way down around this way because you're going to have the negatives how many squares that are going to take up if you're going to take up just a really good way around this way. Yeah I find that when you work in groups. Children tend to talk to each other they learn to listen to one another and the one who thinks he's always right begins to back off and take a look at himself and say there are other ideas that are just as good as maybe I should listen a little.

One two three four. I wish it were mission one. Yeah. I want to be right here because I told you so. You're going to be working with a group of people when you get out of school come together tell us this is a long process it is not just taught in sixth grade it has to go through school some adults don't even learn how to do this well. You see I know it's in there. And it came out wrong every. Time. I had to ask you. Why. And is that. What you start with. Now we started the day. Yeah we're doing three before round the tree and we kept on going around the tree. I think you figure out why or after awhile that you think you

can and we still don't come to any conclusion. I decided I'm going to do that tomorrow that. If you're going out as a group you're not used to working together this much and normally you are not that close to friends in this group. How did you manage to work this out. Half of us didn't want to go anywhere and it was all between dandelions and grass and everything and we didn't we couldn't really decide on anything and then after that we couldn't get the measurements right. So we never got it. You're right. They didn't get along with you that well. And what we tried you know. We kept our nation this thing over and over you know we had disagreements. We did our right. We got along pretty good grid because like when I was in the county in the meters in one of those we're pretty good. It's funny but a long time ago people who didn't have all the formulas had to work things out in a good way just to see

how your mind works. So if you can't figure it out you've got a problem. You're not don't go home and ask your dad. Please. You see if you can't figure it out. Right. Put your papers away and your books and your excuse. I love the pretty lie in line with me. The more. I see so I find it better. Because education is more than learning facts. It is even more than learning to think about and apply abstract concepts.

It is also learning to think about who we are and what we feel. Whether teachers acknowledge it or not they are dealing with feelings every day. Their students feelings and their own feelings. Time for time to think right. Think about what has happened. Think about what has happened. I decided that the goal of a teacher of anyone that works for the child is to develop the whole child. And I stress this a lot of times to other teachers that I've talked to is that you know as a teacher we shouldn't just be teaching reading writing and arithmetic because if a person can't cope and deal with people they're reading writing arithmetic isn't doing any good because a world is not just books it's not just paper and pencil. It's people and people relating to one another. Yeah. In the past five years one of the innovations in education has been the introduction of what

is called aspect of education into the curriculum that is educational activities that focus on the exploration of feelings and ethical values. Now. Why. Me to minister when I have been talking shall not be good. So I really try and deal with their emotions and get them to realize that we have to work together that we have to be able to adjust ourselves to other people's feelings. And people have to adjust to us and accept one another for who we are. And we take them home. You can hear. Me now. So maybe want to draw my owning. Up to you. Now. I am. One of the major teaching tools for and thank you the education is television programs but dramatize conflict situations students must cope with in real life using the programs as a point of

departure. Children then explore and discuss their own feelings. The first such series designed for seven eight and nine year olds was inside out. They really enjoyed having that they look forward to it inside out. And if you have one and you don't get to it that day they remind you that you know it's here. When are we going to see the film puts us there. I mean it's a very realistic thing as far as the kids are concerned I don't think it's that the atmosphere in the classroom without once the film to show that you can share your thoughts of how you felt when you were 10 or whatever everybody shares. That's the neat thing they bring it and they feel it. Wow. This morning my sister now we're supposed to go to the beach. I was laying on the kinds of people really having a good time.

This year. She would just be trying to write. Al to see you smile. You. Got him took him away from the basketball game.

What I really found out of the group was work together and I found out that they were going to have some problems as far as emotions were concerned something that we could all get together rather than just talking to them about it. I chose a sense of joy because I wanted something that the kids could really get a good feeling. Sometimes you know people want to do other things that we really don't want to do. And sometimes we have to go ahead and do it. But once in a while we just really have to say you know I want to enjoy things myself. Joy isn't it something that should give you greater. And that's one thing that I've been trying to work on all year long in this classroom giving and getting out of a situation I've been again he. Talking. To me.

You. Don't like. Me. And. My. Family you took you away from me. Are you doing what you're. Doing. You know how I feel. Martin. That. You know. Anything about it. That you do. It. Thank

you. To go to school. Are you or are you. People. Like me. I. See. Because. You.

Are. On. The scene. Sometimes I'm. Just kidding. You. Know. This is it. First if that was to take their place. And more fun with. Our. Family. Think of.

It. I would really like to know what you feel what you mean. I really try and make focus in on what ever the situation is it doesn't do me any justice and I'm not in the hallway and they don't realize why they're being down right now and if they can deal with that situation themselves and come up with a solution on their own. And that's fantastic because they've solved the problem now and that's one of my goals is to let them realize that they can control their own lives you know there doesn't always have to be a teacher or a mom and dad solving their problems for them. And that either who wasn't fit to be. Part right you should give the paper back. Cool. Right. And you.

Can hear you. You give the paperback. Now here. Sure I am. There it is right there. It. Was a simple word it just was a very short simple word that means the same thing as cooperation to do what to share to share. We don't share. Then life is still a hard thing to go. Anthony thank you. Oh I'm good.

Why should you stand right right. Now. Why did you decide. When to start. I'm. Sure something you know I'm going to piggyback your features the past winter for. DINA. Thank you. I'm really pleased with you know what's happened this year because there were some problems earlier this year that I even and the question right now whether or not we're going to be able to deal with something I'm not going to see you know is directly from brightly from the program but what the program and what we've done in class action all of it together has really made a change. I think they're a little more aware of each other's feelings. We don't we still have a problem. Right. I am. What a sense of

joy. Television is not a panacea. It is not the be all and end all in education. But whatever resource teachers bring into the classroom they are still the human element the teacher and teachers are indeed human hard. I often tell them feel this way for you. There's one of me and I'm only human when I get upset. Now I'm human. I am in my state. But I've asked you to work on yours. I work on my. Slices of. Meat. Meat meat. Meat.

Meat meat. Meat. Meat. Were. You. Mean. In. Chinese. You.

Mean. You.