KNOW THYSELF

If I told you there is an institution that is base on your color, language, and writing to determine your status and ability to make money you would most likely think I am talking about racism. But I am not talking about racism, I am talking about gangs. Gangs are groups of people who come together under one color and make money most of the times illegally. If you don’t have their color or don’t belong to their group you will get hurt. They have their own gang symbols, language and dress codes. I guess I am now realizing the similarities between gangs and how our society is set up. I chose not to join a gang even if it meant that I couldn’t ride around in the new cars and have lots of money. Even if it meant I might get jumped walking down the street for not having on the right color. I feel the same way about myself as a man I will not join a group just out of fear that I won’t be able to make money. Or out of fear that I won’t be accepted and attacked because I am different. When I was younger I had to determine what was important to me and I stood up for my beliefs no matter what the consequences. Like Toya said today, it is about the ability to make a choice that makes all the difference. Yes, I want to provide for my wife and five children but not at the cost of loosing my values and myself, just as I chose not to join a gang but to wait for a better situation to come in my life. The only reason I have the strength to take a stand is because of my faith in God. I believe I only need to find His will for my life and everything else will fall into place.

Proverbs 16:7
When a man’s ways please the Lord, even his enemies will be at peace with him.

I pray when my life is over that God will say well done my good and faithful servant. People and groups change their ideas way too much for me to anchor my life decisions on their opinions.

Steve

The American School

As I am reading this book the one thing that hit me first is that schools were created to compensate for the failing FAMILY institution. Every group I have read about in this book talks about how they think education can save our society. We are now in 2011 with some of the same issues, still believing that education is this magic pill that will save us. The problem with this idea to me is that a person can learn ideas but they still have a choice to not live by those ideas. Every reform starts from top down. I believe the person and what they desire in life is what matters, at least to them. You can't have a country without people but you can have people without a country. This idea of ultimate control to be able to determine out comes by manipulating the educational process is not reality. Every person has the ability and right to make their own choice. I don't want to spend the rest of my life trying to control others put rather given them my love and support. I give my children advice but I always tell them no matter what road they choose I will always love them even if it is a life style I don't agree with. I find that the more I genuinely listen to them the more they listen to me because we have a mutual respect for one another's choices. I always tell my children "The Greatest gift of any human-being is choice. The power to choose whatever life you desire. Now reflect on your life and decide do you like your choices." Like Mann said" Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." A person is only a child for a very short period in their lives and even while they are still a child they begin to make their own decisions. My kids are very young but have decided that they like certain foods and dislike others. Yes, I try to convince them to eat their vegetables and even make them eat a small amount but that doesn't mean when they get older they will eat them. So it is best for my wife and I to first model certain behavior and continue to search for healthy foods that my children like. That is the beauty of being born, each individual decides their own journey. As a parent and teacher I want to serve and cheer my children and there dreams.

Steve

Ps. I am really starting to like blogging it is very cleansing process and to read others blog helps me understand myself better!

Can you please HELP Me! (part2)

Often you become aware of new information that is just too powerful to evaluate by yourself. I know we are responsible to help our students to better position themselves to achieve economic stablity but at what cost?
Part 2 has showed that the way students speak does not affect the way they learn. However, forcing them to change can encourage them to redraw.Yes,it is true that in society their culture is not excepted and it is possible that they would be looked over for a postion. But who is to blame for that the student who learned or the society that still discriminates. I know this is not a cut and dry descion so could you just give me your honest opinion, to help me gain a more complete perspective? My concern is what is my part in standing up against something I believe is wrong? I want my students to learn. I want them to love to learn. Yes, money is a necessity, however learning is something much more powerful. It is the window in which one discovers themselves and determines the path they choose to personally develop their journey through life. As a teacher I have no right to try to take charge of this process but only assist when asked for guidance, epecially if I am trying to make them change to appease a racist society that will always require them to change to be accepted. In doing this killing any desire for the student to learn and explore. Instead of requiring the student to change I should, no we should, stand up and tell those who still function like this that they are wrong. But that would take way more courage and conviction than to continue to force black kids to let go everything that is important to them to be sucessful.
We require more courage of children than we as the adults are willing to live in our own lives by coninuing to let this system live. That is ocourse if you believe it is wrong.

Stephen

June 23, 2011 PART 1

I really enjoyed todays class. It was very exciting to see everyone get into character. On a personal note I want to thank my group, group 2 for everything they said today it help me anwer some questions about becoming a teacher. I have always been fearful about the frustration that would come with teaching but now I see the difficulties in a different light. I see the letters from students who lives we change. I see men who their community help raise and now are becoming coaches themselves. I see the value of looking back and seeing simple things as a train stopping for water and coal as an opportunity to teach. I see that being successful is that much sweeter if you have to struggle to get there. I love the idea of helping other to succeed so I will continue to gain more tools and techniques to become the best teacher I can be. I realize that I must question my ideas to see if I can improve and develop new ideas. I must also listen to everyone's voices because other people are a source of untapped treasure. That is what I learned today that I am not alone on this journey. There are others with the same desires as me to help students reach their full potetial. We are a community of learners.

Steve

Web Log 1 Class Survey

1.Stephen Dorroh,Cleveland
2.Stephen or Steve
3. High School Physics
4. Jesus,My family,Exercising, and Basketball
5. In order for me to learn I need to be taught. I enjoy when a teacher takes their time to break something down into managable pieces. I also love building relationships life is all about the relationships you build.
6.As a student I love to take my time and enjoy the learning process. I am not learning simply for a grade but to enrich my life. When I can not learn something, if I feel comfortable, I will ask my professor. I understand that I will not master things on the first try, but I always give things my best effort.
7. I learn slow and steady. I do have weak areas that I am determine to improve in and I will always keep trying no matter what happens.
8. My favorite memory of a learning experience is a JCU with Dr. Lacueva she took very complex ideas and broke them down to very simple pieces. I really felt her love and support. I have a lot of professors who do push me and challenge me and it is very difficult however I know they care about me and want the best for me. I always love a challenge it makes me stronger.
9. My issues is being accept by my peers mainly those over me. I hope I will find a principal and school district that value me as a teacher and believe in my ability. I will make mistakes however if that genuinely support me they will continue to help me to improve.
10. What I need to stay active is love and support. I will shut down if I feel like I will be judge for every mistake I make. I believe you can feel when others are pulling for you. In other words they really want you to be successful no matter what. That is the kind of coach/teacher I have always been to my pupils. The reason is because I remember the many times I came in last or always getting in trouble at home and everywhere.People always counted me out or said I would go to prison or get killed. But though I may be a late bloomer I realized I can do anything I put my mind to. I realized there will always be people who no matter what you do will say negative things about you. But there will be others who no matter how many times you fall will be there to pick you up and encourage you. That is what I want to do for every student that comes into my class. Sometimes all students need is for someone with authority to believe in them. It took me 3 colleges to finally walk on the Cleveland State University division one basketball team. So in my experience you
KEEP TRYING UNTIL YOU SUCCEED AND NEVER QUIT!
I will encourage all my students that if no one else in the world believes in them and their dreams they must always believe in themselves and God will bring the right people into their lives to believe and support them.
My mission in life is to help others succeed and if nothing else, let them know that one person in their lives loves and believes in them.