Teaching Styles

In the story of the little boy, the first teacher, who adapted the concept of direct teaching, asked the students to draw a flower and to follow her strict instructions. I have mixed feelings about this way of teaching.

On the one hand, I agree that the students need to learn how to follow the instructions.

In first school, the teacher tried to direct her students in several occasions such as when she asked the little boy to wait for his classmate to be ready and also when she told him how to draw the flower. In fact, some educators believe that children need instructions to learn how to be commitment in the future. Also, they claim that the concept of direct teaching will help the students to follow the rules and to enhance their ability in terms of working within the group. Now, I can’t agree more that this method may assist the children to achieve the previous aims. Because, in this age the children are more receptive to learn new qualities.

However, on the other hand, these instructions have a thin line and if we crossed that line, we will raise a generation without any ambitions, creativity or independence. In other words, we need to differentiate between two kinds of instructions. The one that will help the students to be commitment like when she asked the little boy to wait for his classmate. The instructions that may eliminate their ability to make a decision and that was obvious when the little boy moved to the new school. The poor boy waited for his teacher to direct him. I believe we can raise a generation who is committed to the rules and independent at the same time by giving them the space to act freely.

Teaching Styles

In the story of the little boy, the first teacher, who adapted the concept of direct teaching, asked the students to draw a flower and to follow her strict instructions. I have mixed feelings about this way of teaching.

On the one hand, I agree that the students need to learn how to follow the instructions.

In first school, the teacher tried to direct her students in several occasions such as when she asked the little boy to wait for his classmate to be ready and also when she told him how to draw the flower. In fact, some educators believe that children need instructions to learn how to be commitment in the future. Also, they claim that the concept of direct teaching will help the students to follow the rules and to enhance their ability in terms of working within the group. Now, I can’t agree more that this method may assist the children to achieve the previous aims. Because, in this age the children are more receptive to learn new qualities.

However, on the other hand, these instructions have a thin line and if we crossed that line, we will raise a generation without any ambitions, creativity or independence. In other words, we need to differentiate between two kinds of instructions. The one that will help the students to be commitment like when she asked the little boy to wait for his classmate. The instructions that may eliminate their ability to make a decision and that was obvious when the little boy moved to the new school. The poor boy waited for his teacher to direct him. I believe we can raise a generation who is committed to the rules and independent at the same time by giving them the space to act freely.

The Little Boy

In the passage,the teacher wants the boy to draw a picture.The boy started right away without waiting for the teacher to finish with the instruction on what to do or what picture to make.I agree with teachers idea of making students wait and begin together,in this way it helps the students to work together as a group,make them busy with a calm classroom environment and also to listen to instructions before starting a work.

In the process of giving instructions where the teacher noticed that the boy ready?With his crayon ready to draw?She said "Wait".This made the boy listen to the teacher for that moment and the boy started again without being told to do so.Again the teacher says "Wait".The teacher then makes a model for them and tells the student they can begin their drawing of a flower.

It is good for students to listen to instructions or read them before starting any task asigned to them.I taught a class where i had a similar issue with the students in my class.The first thing they hear from  me the teacher,then they begin to write without waiting for the full instruction that they have to follow.It is the instruction of the teachers that has to be modified suite the level of the students and also teachers understanding their students level of comprehension.

From the passage when students listen to instruction fully before starting a task,all instructions are followed,classroom envionment is calm and busy and this encourages critical thinking.

The Teacher was Wright

  In the story the little boy, he studied at school. One day, he wanted to draw flower but his teacher told him, "wait."  Because she wanted him drew flower which she showed him. Without a doubt,   There is not only one correct way for teacher to teach her students. Each teacher has different one or two methods.
According to the article about the little boy,  the teacher wanted  her students do one specific thing. She determined what must they do in same time. Such as in the story the teacher said to her students," I will show you how draw red flower." As a result, she taught about one thing she wanted it, and students will influence with way teaching her. For instance, in my country teachers tell students what they have to do in a class. I remember in elementary school my teacher taught my classmates and I how drew birds.
Consequently, I think the teacher tried to assist her students because she wanted to obtain about ability each one. To conclude, I agree with each teacher seeks to help her students that they aware what their teacher wants of them. She teach them with correct methods.

The Little Boy

In the story there are two types of teachers in the classroom setting. In the first type, the teacher tells the students to wait for her till she finishes her explanations.  The second teacher gives sometime for the students to use their own talent in their exercise before she begins the lesson of the day. The students those who have experienced with the first teacher always wait for the teacher to start. Maybe these students lose their creativeness. I agree with the first teacher who tells the students to wait for her explanation. When I was a first grade teacher at St. Aloysius Catholic Grade school my students were very interesting.  Each one was unique.  During the class there was a student called John who did not listen to the teacher and made mistakes very often.  So I had to ask him to wait and listen for my instruction first. One time I said to the class "today we will draw a map of our country", but John did not pay attention to me and he drew a picture of dog.  It happened many times to John.  Therefore I had to repeat again and again the word "wait" "listen and observe me first then continue your work." My main purpose was I wanted my students to become an attentive listeners and do things exactly what was told. Therefore I agree with the first teacher who leads the students in the classroom by telling the word "wait" 

Know a Rose before You Draw One by Mickey

Know a Rose before You Draw One


     How can a student draw a rose when he doesn't know what it is? "The Little Boy" portrays the story of a boy who seemingly lost his passion for creativity after a teacher trains him with the art of obedience and imitation. After simply following the teacher for some time, the boy meets another teacher. When the second teacher tells the boy to make a drawing, the boy draws the same kind of flower his first teacher had taught him: a red rose. But can we really call this a death of creativity? Because in my opinion, not all red roses look alike.
     The teacher had only been trying to "stuff" the boy with the most fundamental and necessary information, along with cooperation. I believe that, in the modern society, creativity only becomes useful when intellectual support is present, and thus I agree with what the first teacher tried to do. 
     Our protagonist lacked two important traits, and one of them was a basic concept of how flowers look in real life. While a flower with yellow leaves and a purple stem is indeed a blooming sense of imagination, his education or social reputation may be put into question if 
he cannot draw other real-world flowers. While the teacher may have discouraged the boy's creativity to some degree, she was also trying to inform the boy of what roses, sunflowers, and other flowers look like. The boy still had room for creativity after learning what a 'typical' rose looks like. Just as no two people, not even twins, are identical in looks, there are just about trillions of different red roses that may stem from the boy's pool of imagination.
     Deference is the one other feature the boy needed developing. Patience may be the other word. The boy will be facing various directions and orders in life, especially if the boy grows up to enter a bureaucracy. If he is not capable of waiting for the teacher to finish such a simple instruction, how will he adapt to all the sophisticated and difficult instructions in life?
     Even the pearl in an oyster cannot exist without the shells, and the first teacher had just been trying to provide the shells to the boy. Facts and deference never serve as hindrance for creativity, but rather serves as basis for an even richer imagination. Order is something we cannot live without, and the first teacher had surely been only trying to teach the boy these core values that need internalization and are crucial as the boy grows up and encounters the world.

What the First Teacher Missed by Ciara

There is no one ultimately right way to teach students. As each student has a different, unique personality, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to students. In this regard, i could not agree with the way that the first teacher guided the boy although I could partly understand her purpose. The first teacher had a responsibility to guide all of her students equally, so she wanted to make sure that everybody in her class get along with each other well. That is why she gave a group project to her students in her art class. She gave students some materials to share hoping that they could learn how to share limited resources with their friends, sometimes waiting for their turns. However, the little boy in her class started his own project using all the materials without any agreement with his group, and it obviously made his classmates uncomfortable. From her perspective, the new boy did not respect his classmates and may have some troubles in her class. Therefore, she decided to teach him that there is a set of rules he has to follow in a certain circumstance. The only problem is that her instruction and guidance were given in a very strict and disciplined way which did not consider the boy's unique personality and eventually killed his creativity.  Since she gave the boy instructions even how to draw a flower and how to make a dish in a very clear way and asked him to follow them, the boy lost his ability to create his own things and became a passive learner whether she intended it or not.
In my opinion, there are two different areas in education. One is fostering students ability to cooperate as members of our society, and the other one is helping them to show their unique potential as human beings. In the former area, education should be given as the first teacher did, teaching a set of rules to the students to comply and guiding them to respect others. However, this type of education always has a risk to make every student the same because it ignores the fact that every single student has different personality and different potential, and this is where the other type of education is needed. Education should be given in a way which encourages students to grow their creativity and not to lose their own personality. Through this type of education, students can explore their own possibility and potentiality and take active parts on their own life. What the first teacher missed was the latter part. Her educational approach was only focused on the former area of education. In this regard, I could not agree with the way she taught the little boy, but also could not tell she was entirely wrong. It is hard to make a balance between two areas, so this should be the major goal which our contemporary education should seek for.

The Teacher Should be More Flexible, By Nanako

      In the story of The Little Boy, the teacher had an art class which was the first class for the little boy who came from another city. When the little boy started drawing what he wants, the teacher said "wait" to him and told to imitate the teacher's flower. Although I agree with the teacher's idea of teaching, an art class is not an appropriate place to use it. In her class, she wanted students to do the same thing at the same time. She did not carefully see and evaluate what he was going to create. That seems like limiting children's creativity to me. I agree with her idea that a teacher should teach children to listen to a teacher and follow the directions, but I think that they should not force children to do so in an art class. In the case of Mathematics or Science, there is often one correct answer, and the directions such as how to calculate are necessary for students. On the other hand, there is not only one correct answer in arts, and art is the best place to express children's creativity or characteristics. If teachers limit student's creativity and the ability to express one's idea as artistic expression, it will be difficult to recreate their ability just like the story of the little boy.  In the story, he went to another school, and there, he was not able to create things that he wants. Consequently, he became the boy who cannot create things without teacher's directions although he could do it in the beginning of the first school, before teacher force him to follow her directions. In the end, I do not think that her idea of teaching is wrong, but I think she should not have used it in the art class.

(sourcehttp://www.actualinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/The-Art-and-Science-of-Creativity-by-Susan-Weinschenk-ai.jpg)

Being Available 24 Hours a Day By Nanako

           According to research, there are three types for escaping from being perpetually available in work. The first way is accepting that a worker accepts the demands of being available 24 hours a day. The second way is passing that pretend to be available but secretly escape it. The third way is revealing that says one’s ideas and push back each other along workers.

I would be a passer if my boss says to me that I should be available 24/7.

In my culture, the hard workers who can work out of work time even on Sunday are rewarded. However, in my opinion the rewarded worker is their bosses say. I do not want to be a person like them, and I think they do not have consistent belief in their work. On the other, a passer does not do what they do not want to though they say they do. I think that is the smartest way to survive in a stressful society.

                One analyst says in the article, a passer hides oneself in one’s work, so he or she have a relatively high turnover late. Also because a passer would not show one’s real feeling in the work, it relates to the lack of engagement. According to the author, a revealer can make an ideal workplace because a revealer has well-rounded perspective and brings it to the work.

                After I read the article, I am convinced the idea that an ideal workplace is the group of revealers, because they can make creative workplace by bringing ideas from outside of the workplace. However, it is not easy to be a revealer in my culture, because to say “NO” to a boss is considered the wrong idea. All I need to be a revealer is time to analyze my boss and colleagues. If it is evident that my boss and colleagues can understand the idea of a revealer, I would be a revealer. Although I hope I can be a revealer, I am twenty years old and have not experienced working, so I would be a passer and pretend to be available 24/7.

Another Solution for Microbeads by Omrana

                   One significant solution to the serious microbeads problem is people awareness. According to the article about microbeads. We learn that people are causing the pollution in their country. I think if they know how fix this problem then they would take care of their country better. Furthermore, I interpret microbeads issue as a problem with customers. Additionally, people consistently buy things with microbeads in them. One specific solution is procedures awareness. Awareness benefits as people can use products without microbeads. Moreover, if the government enact legislation to stop selling products without microbeads then it would decrease the danger for people. For instance, one day, my brother brought apples. My younger sister wanted to eat them. But, my mother said to her,” You should wash them before you eat them.” This example shows how my mother wanted my sister to be safe from germs. When my mother told her to clean them before she eating them. Because my mother aware germs. Personally, I believe if people know about dangerous things then they will stop buying things with microbeads. Because it is harmful to their bodies. To conclude, the way to fix this problem is educate people that they can stop to buy things contain microbeads.

What have you learned about your culture by experiencing American culture? by Josephine

I have learned a lot about my own culture by experiencing American culture.  The first thing I learned here in US, people are very sociable, hospitable and shows great respect to each other. Americans always greet each other by saying “hello” with a big smile. They are more like an extravert which means they enjoyed with the crowd.   In Myanmar we seldom greet each other even to our family members and friends but never to the strangers. Myanmar people are shy, timid, fear, anxiety and very quiet type like introvert. The research done on cultural difference between Americans and Asians strongly confirms that most Asians do exhibit an introverted personality.  In contrast, America has built upon a foundation of extroversion. I am still learning my own culture by experiencing American culture and at the same time trying to move from introvert to extrovert to reach a balanced life.

Another solution for Microbeads by Jim

Beyond individual consumer choice, we can legislate a new rule to limit the products with microbeads from the manufacture factories. In the article, it suggests that we, the consumers, should refuse to buy the products with microbeads. It's a specific procedure to solve this environmental problem. However, we also can fix this problem from the source of the problem. We may appeal to modify the related rule in the law. Therefore, we can prohibit the production firms from using microbeads as a material when they make the products. In my opinion, we might get a significant achievement in decreasing the quantity of microbes in this way. We can solve the problem about microbes and improve our environment.

Why have you learned about your own culture? by Omrana

                 One of the big differences between my culture and American culture is mixing men and women students in classes. First of all, when I arrived to the US I got culture shock because their culture is different than my culture. For instance, when I started to study at GU that was difficult for me because of mixing the genders. I felt shy when I studied with men. Now, it is  easy for me because now I know about their culture. According to my brother, who had lived in the US, men and women in the US study together in the same class. As a result, he gave me evidence that American people have freedom in their culture. However, in Saudi Arabia women and men should not learn together. Additionally, people in Saudi Arabia follow what the Quran says about men and women being together. Furthermore, without doubt, I have learned that each country has different cultures. I grew up without mixing men and women, but now, I live in the US and now I have adapted to the American culture. After studying in the US I think that if my country mixed men and women in the same class, they could exchange opinions. That makes me feel happy because there maybe more equality between them. In conclusion, living in the US has taught me about my culture.

What have you learned about your own culture? by Jim

I realized the Taiwanese culture are more care about ourselves and emphasize on self-defense than American culture. Therefore, it makes us colder and less respectful to other people in Taiwan. Actually, there is one of culture shocks for me. When I have lived in the U.S. I have noticed how people treat the homeless in different ways than my home country. The citizens are friendlier on treating the homeless people in the U.S. For example, they are not afraid of talking with homeless, or they are more generous to serve the food or give money to the homeless people. Moreover, they have the food bank organization and shelters to support the homeless, so the homeless could get Basic food and equipment to live. I think because the respect is one of the crucial value of American culture, and they respect the equal rights for everyone although the society roles or positions are different. However, the homeless would face an opposite situation in my country. Most Taiwanese people have gotten used to keeping away homeless. Furthermore, the homeless was hard to ask for food or financial support. In my opinion, the reason is sometimes the homeless people are dangerous in my country. For example, they probably stole or destroyed the public facilities. Therefore, we have become careless and cold to treat homeless people, because we want to protect ourselves, and we don't want to elicit troubles on ourselves. In conclusion, I can say the Taiwanese culture are more care about ourselves and emphasize on self-defense due to the environment that we faced is different than the U.S.

Culture Differences by Nanako

               

I noticed that Japanese people are not friendly to unknown people in compared to American people. I mean that most Japanese people are friendly to people who they know each other, but they do not have relationships with unknown people in daily life.  Before I came here, I had never been to another country in my life. I have lived in Japan and Japanese culture for twenty years. When I came to the U.S., many things surprised me. For example, when I walked on streets, many people smiled to me and said, “Hi” though they totally did not know me. I was confused and could not reply. Then I noticed that in Japanese culture, people never smile and say “Hi” to strangers, because nobody does so. If I smile or say “Hi” on streets in Japan, people might look at me strangely. Also, Japan is small and crowded, particularly in Tokyo, where I have lived. I have studied and worked in Tokyo, Shinjuku, and every day when I walk in station, I did not look at other people. Other people did not. Nobody cares about other people, because nobody wants to get know other people and make new relationships.

                My university professor says that the reason why Japanese people are not friendly to unknown people is that they have already a strong relationship with their family or friends. Japan is an island, and the people who have lived in Japan have been surrounded people who have the same race, culture, and tradition for long time. Since birth, Japanese have lived in a community that is created already. However, in the U.S., most people were immigrants from another country. I do not mention about the American people who live now and were born in America, but most of their ancestors were immigrants from another country. In this situation, immigrants had to get along with unknown people to survive in a new place because they had few family and friends in the U.S. Even now American people are surrounded by people who have different cultures and races. This history and diversity of the U.S. makes people friendly to others.

                I did not know why American people smile to others on streets, but this theory of my professor convinced me. In the U.S., it seems that there is no culture which American people have in common because they have many different cultures and races, but these differences make new culture. I think this is really interesting. American culture makes me confused in many ways, but every time when I think about attitudes of American people, I subconsciously compare to Japanese people. Then I notice differences between my country and the U.S. I really would like to think about factors that create culture both Japan and the U.S.

 

(Source;http://www.aframnews.com/america-is-the-land-of-immigrants)

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