Introductory Post

Hello TE 822ers.  My name is Adam Clements.  Originally I am from Midland, Michigan.  I attended Michigan State University and majored in Elementary Education with teaching specializations in Language Arts and Math.  (Certified: K-5 All Subjects / 6-8 ELA and Math)  After graduating, I completed a few of my master's credits overseas in South Africa on an amazing study abroad experience.  Aside from bungee jumping off the world's highest commercial bungee bridge (216 m), or riding an ostrich, the best part of that experience was being able to learn and work with a 3^rd grade class of about 50 students.  Following that experience, my internship year was at Attwood Elementary in Lansing, Michigan with a fantastic 5^th grade class.  I was then hired by Okemos Public Schools in Michigan and have been teaching 4^th grade for the past three years at Hiawatha Elementary School.

This course marks the more than half way mark in my journey through the MATC program!  I am now focusing on the concentrations requirement coursework and have chosen Socio-Cultural Perspectives in Teaching and Learning.  My goal for this course is to have the opportunity to critically reflect on the relationship between curriculum and culture and the impact they have in the classroom.  For example, how does the expectation of teaching a single curriculum with fidelity effect the many different students with diverse backgrounds, abilities, learning differences, and interests in a classroom?  I fear that a vast majority of curriculum is designed with a specific student in mind which often has damaging and inequitable consequences for many students who are already marginalized outside of our school systems.  How do we better meet the needs of ALL our students and what role can curriculum play in this?   

When I have a moment of free time, or when I am procrastinating grading something I often turn to Netflix!  I love movies and TV shows - I think that some of the best writing can be found in movies and TV - writing that provokes conversations and incites self-reflections.  It is less common now, but every so often you run into someone who says they don't have time for movies or TV - often said in a dismissive tone.  And that is okay… more for me!

When asked to think about one of my favorite TV shows that portrays teaching, perhaps it is the elementary in me - but my mind went to "The Magic School Bus" staring everyone's favorite science teacher… Miss Frizzle.  I have vivid memories of watching the show as a kid and being so engaged in the color and whimsical voice of Lily Tomlin.  What kid didn't wish that Miss Frizzle was their teacher - I mean they went on a fieldtrip every day… and not your basic fieldtrip to the planetarium or the natural history museum, but to the moon or to the Jurassic age!  Even later in my educational carrier when I found myself sitting in high level science courses, small fragments of science concepts that I had learned from that program had been retained and I was able to recall them.  As I reflect on the show through a teaching perspective, Miss Frizzle emulates the standard for quality teaching.   She skillfully provides students with opportunities for discussion, asks purposeful leading questions, guides students to construct their own conclusions, engages her students in lessons (even Arnold always comes around eventually), cultivates a classroom environment that students feel safe to take positive risks, designs hands on experiences, and engages in multiple high-leverage practices like eliciting and interpreting individual students’ thinking, building respectful relationships with students, and coordinating / adjusting instruction during a lesson.

I am looking forward to this course and learning with everyone.  

I included a video I used to introduce myself in a previous class.  Enjoy!