HW 40 - School Interviews and Analysis

Based on what was discussed in class, a connection between both school and motivation, whether it be made through the school's students or teachers, the following question was generated. "When the principal walks into students classrooms for those few minutes to evaluate things, is the principal evaluating the teachers or the students? And despite who is being evaluated, during the principal's presence, if a teacher or student begins to act or behave their most best for those few minutes, jumping into roles, How can actual headwork be made by the principal to improve?

responses:
myself: i believe the principal is evaluating the teachers through us. Evaluating students means to find out how they are taking to a teacher's unit and also class behavior. If one's behavior is not as expected for a classroom enviroment, it is also the teachers job to control them. I also think that no real headwork can be made, because it is based on what is seen or heard through the students mouths to their principal. Changes would be made, but none that would genuinelly benefit.

my brother: He said he thought the principal is evaluating the teachers more than the students as students and their work reflects upon the job that is being done by the teacher. He also thought that if the principal tried the surpise pop-in more then he could get a better idea of how the students act or the interactions made between them (students and teachers).

my friend: He said he thought the Principal was more likely taking notes on the students actions. He also thought that the principal should try the technique of sneaking up on students more.

my teacher: He said he thought that my question was an excellent one, and that its true the Principal does have a hard time making headwork on beneficial changes. Although, he said the teacher was the one being more evaluated, he felt that if students didn't change their way of acting when the principal walks in he would get a better understanding. he also stated that in the presence of the principal, teachers dont change their ways, only the students do, a habit in which they have to get out of.

my principal:He is evaluating both teachers and students, looking for different things each times. he thought that for headwork to be made kids would have to step up and stop reenacting. He said one good thing about a small school is you learn to understand most of the kids, and in situations like those you can analyze them for whether they are acting as theirselves or not.

Please synthesize insights from your interviews (that you figured out or that someone said) to write a paragraph or two about a particular aspect of school that you find important and interesting.

I always looked at High School as "the greatest four years of your life". It became totally the opposite. Maybe its the urban to suburban rule that i overlooked, nevertheless, i experienced nothing i imagined i would the day before my very first day. For starters, i always thought id be having gym at least once a day, visualizing an entire track and field with matching uniforms. Even though there are more important matters overlooked within school hours, like foreign language and Art. Except.... in my School those two aspects are too valued lesser than imagined. One year of French and One year spanish, with the school knowing that one year of Basic french and spanish wont really advance my expertise in them anymore. Art, was a freshmen course, where we didn't even look into famous art or art that inspired past centurions. The truth is, Schools are only worried about credentials, and not the ones earned by students. Like any other business, the school is one filled with employees and an employer, who conclusively have to meet certain quotas. No more credit recovery, because the Superintendent is visiting sooner or later, and hopes for certain students (myself included ESPECIALLY) are no longer benefitted in a year that is most drastic to them, senior year. And the random need to change our image to a more "spiritual" one as a whole has another whole hidden agenda behind it, one yet explored. Im talking about the need for these pep rallies. idk man....

From my responses in part A, including my own, i think that in the presence of the principal, students and even sometimes teachers will change roles. Their original state of being more wilder than expected in a classroom is turned into the perfect student-teacher relationship once they enter the room. But once the principal sees only what the students want him/her to see, the changes he makes that are to "benefit" us are made only based on the flaws he sees within a classroom. But if we expose him to none how is actual headwork supposed to be made within a classroom?

HW 39 - First school Assignment

Part A:
Three of the most interesting, fascinating, and powerful questions to come across my mind, lets see... i dont know if they will be powerful let alone interesting but they are the ones that some people might ponder upon just as much as i did. "What is the meaning of substitute teachers if they arent replacing the lessonplan for the day?" "Why are classes like music/drama and others are not mandatory but Physical education is?" "Shouldn't there be more classes that teach kids things they will need to know for jobs in the future? i.e. how to use programs on a computer rather then how to use a scientific calculator? Instead of learning truth/tables or probability, why not further explore revenue and learn how to take inventory.

Part B:
For my brother's graduation, his graduating class wore the traditional cap/gown with a colored tassel and colored stole. Only the colors were all different, categorized, based on the major they finished with. I thought it was pretty cool that they could not only choose their classes but the major they wanted to finish with. That could easily reflect onto a college they would choose and what road or path they would follow soon after. In SOF, we not only dont have the priviledge of choosing our classes, but are forced to interact and do classroom activities/projects with the same students for an entire year. Only times are you able to mingle with different students are in different grade levels, if you are lucky. Also, i dont even know what kind of major i will be graduating with, my brother graduated as a business major in his High School, some math and some art, and another major i cannot remember. But what will i graduate as? and if it comes out to be the same major as every other single kid in my graduating class, is it fair for everyone to be that one major, if everyone has different plans and pursuits after High School?

HW 38 - Art Project Cool

Untitled from Stephanie Adames on Vimeo.

1.) The message that my group and i tried portraying here was a person who is seen by everyone else as "cool" but the way he approaches cool is by being a jerk to all who surround him. Also, he maintains this role within school, classrooms, hallways, but given the opportunity, such as seen in the "student council meeting" held in the auditorium, he shows a bright side to himself that demonstrates him stepping out of his playted role for one second and showing another side to himself.

2.) We literally winged each step. Group members all shared ideas of what we could do that would be something a jerk during school hours would actually do, while shooting. All our takes were done within one History period. Every idea was either added onto or changes were suggested upon, leading to what we had conclusively. I played the role of the "insightful jerk" and helped come up with how to direct/setup each scene.

3.) I wouldnt consider this to be art. Art is something that everyone can create a connection to, whether it be personally or an outside-connection to the world. Our video remains strictly within a school environment. And for every HW assignment to be an art project, and for students always choosing the option of a video to demoinstrate art, i believe is to be the easy way out rather than taking the time to do something special and meaningful, including myself.