Intimidating words

Intimidating words I read in my first article assigned for my MEd class:

eulogistic
de jure
despotically
capricious
insuperable
incommensurability
flux
inure
antithetical
obverse

Since I spend my day with teenagers, I barely get to use a word above 2 or 3 syllables... so in a way, this is a refreshing change. Or at least that's what I was thinking by the end of the first page of the article. After a few more pages, when my eyes teared up and I had shaken my head to clear it before reading a paragraph over for the umpteenth time to try and ascertain some vague meaning from it.. I decided that plain language would be better. Hey, who knows, maybe this course will make me smarter?!! :P If not more intelligent, surely a more adept thesaurusizer (is that a real word? who cares, it's 5 syllables!!).

John Dewey: Democracy in Education

In response to John Dewey's Democracy in Education

Throughout his historical recounting of the examination of education, Dewey seems to criticize either the means or the aims with which society has attempted to find primary value in the educational process. Either the creative and unique nature of the individual is stifled in order to serve an economic or nationalistic purpose, or the societal framework is insufficient to support the kind of development needed to be in harmony with nature and “truth”.

Dewey leaves us with a challenge to reconcile our own aims and means. He promotes an open communication amongst all peoples and a dialogue that transcends borders and politics. Dewey also supports a system that will allow individuals to flourish and capitalize on their own strengths, which in turn would naturally support societal growth, change and progress:

“Accomplishment of this end demands not only adequate administrative provision of school facilities, and such supplementation of family resources as will enable youth to take advantage of them, but also such modification of traditional ideals of culture, traditional subjects of study and traditional methods of teaching and discipline as will retain all the youth under educational influences until they are equipped to be masters of their own economic and social careers.” (p. 11)

A New Start

School starts in less than a week. Believe it or not, I always look forward to going back to work after 2 months off. I don't know what it is, but by the end of the summer I am ready to get back to it. Usually that feeling wears off quickly after school begins though... ;)

I have been going in to work for a few days to set up my classroom, and it definitely feels like I am back at work. After all, I am working. I wish I could just lead a life of leisure! D'oh...

This year, not only am I taking on a major practicum student-teacher, but I am also going to be working toward my Masters degree in Educational Practice. I have had student teachers before, so I know what I am getting myself into in that regard, but I have no idea how much work I will have to do for the MEd. program... and I am starting to panic. It's easy to contemplate doing all these tasks outside of regular teaching when I am relaxing during the summer, but crunch-time is quickly approaching. Will I be able to handle it? Time will tell.