My Childhood Education Critical Experiences

I have matured into an outstanding man with very familiar characteristics of my father.  I am not sure if I can teach for forty years, but I have developed into the person today because of the life influences from my parents. If it was not for my parents I would not be where I am today. They have given me strength and little doubt. So when did I feel the passion to become a teacher? The passion developed late at 19 years old after my father died at 67.  Both my father and mother are school teachers.  During my college I observed their teaching philosophies and it inspired me to become a teacher. I am pursuing teaching because it played a big role in my adolescent life. The intrinsic motivation, the self-determination and the social identity experiences developed me into the person that I am today.
Intrinsic motivation developed through my self-esteem and the stressfulness of the school environment. What is intrinsic motivation? The author notes that, “Intrinsic motivation is ope-rationalized as a preference for academic challenge, high curiosity in school work, and an independent approach to mastery of the academic environment” (Fenzel). The intrinsic motivation has pushed me to my intellectual limits. For example, I had a hard time with in my 7th grade biology class because the science material was hard to comprehend and process. I used intrinsic motivation throughout my childhood to improve my interventions to speak better and comprehend English. During my middle school experience I received more peer assistance through speech and language support. For example, the author suggests that, “Instructional practices may be a possible mechanism that mediates the correspondence between teacher and student motivation” ( Shui-fong, & Rebecca Wing-yi). This intervention helped me develop a lifelong learning process of motivation.
I experienced self-determination in my second year of college at Macomb Community College and my first semester at WMU. I was determined to achieve my academic goals after I learned my father died from cancer of the liver. He was a teacher for over 40 years and I enjoyed observing his lesson plans while growing up. His teaching influence and philosophy had a big impact on my self-determination process. In January of 2009 I volunteered my free time to develop and explore teaching. I tutored and taught until mid-June of 2009 at Brownell Middle School. The experience was amazing and uplifting to me. The experience inspired me to further myself and to become a teacher. Parts of the self-determination that I developed today are from my parent’s behaviors. My life experience in America has been outstanding, but it was difficult to learn. Why did I struggle with learning? The article, “Improving the Reading Comprehension of Middle School Students” notes that,
“One of the most vexing problems facing middle and secondary school teachers today is that many students come into their classrooms without the requisite knowledge, skills, and disposition to read and comprehend the materials placed before them”. (Ae-Hwa Kim, Vaughn, S., Klingner, J. K., Woodruff, A. L. 2006, 235).
Students such as me have experienced poor academic reports because of the little preparations for schools. I was ambitious to volunteer at Brownell Middle School and learn self-determination to earn a teaching degree.  My parents were huge role models in my life, especially my father. They taught me how to build my character and treat others the right way I would want to be treated. For example, the article, “Modeling Appropriate Behaviors: Helping Teachers Recognize their Position as Role Models for Children” points out that, “These are: (1) modeling social/emotional skills; (2) modeling intellectual growth; and (3) modeling physical development” (Wilford, 2007).
Students should try to connect to their stories to teachers and other role models so they can build upon their own lives.  I would have never dreamed of graduating college in Bulgaria my because I never thought it was possible. I have come so far in the past 19 years because I have developed strong strengths from the parents that raised me

I have developed my self-determination this far because of them.  Parents like mine were my own teachers. They were determined that I would learn to achieve no matter how high the stakes. The article, “Good or Bad, What Teachers Expect from Students They Generally Get!” found that,
“Teachers convey expectations using four factors: climate, feedback, input, and output. The four factors can better be controlled if teachers are more aware that they are operating in the first place. Even if teachers do not truly feel that a student is capable of greater achievement or improved behavior, they should at least act as though they hold such heightened positive expectations” (Tuaber 1998). This example is how I developed into a self-determined individual that set high goals.

The social identity behaviors I developed from my friends and parents developed me into the person I am today.  I was not a social person until after my sophomore years in college at WMU. I became more social during the school extracurricular such as student government and Christian youth groups. During my late adolescence I was intimated to become more social because I was eager to create separation from my parents. The author explains that, “Identity achievement is achieved between 18 & 21 years old” (Fondacaro). That for me was true. The article “Late Adolescence” clarifies that “No longer under parent’s roof-the university or open world setting reveals “new ideas, ideals and values” (Kroger). For example, I would agree with my friends and have different ideas and values compared to my parents to develop into a larger social context.

In conclusion, it is because of my childhood and adolescence experiences I am the person I am today. I came from a unique background in Bulgaria. Much of the success I have experienced today is thanks to my parents. My parents left a piece of a puzzle for me to accomplish and they role molded me to learn consciously to never again give up in everything.

Rethinking Globalization: Child Labor

Introduction:

Child labor is still a huge problem globally because of poverty. Children are replaced to work the same jobs as the adults. Many of the jobs are dangerous and hazardous to their physical, mental, or emotional health. Poor families depend on child labor so that they don’t starve. Today in the U.S. child labor is still present and that majority is illegal. The problem is child labor is still present because of poverty and the work prevents children from attending school.

Literature Review:

This issue is prominent because many businesses depend on child labor to make higher revenue profits. According to the article, “Child Labor: Pain and Resistance”  notes that “The way the world  of business is set up pushes companies to be almost concerned with making money, increasing their profits” ( Peterson, 2002, p.189). Countries such as, Nepal depend on agriculture, while using child labor. Millions of children work for long hours in poor conditions. The article explains that, “It is clear that tens of millions of children often work 12 hours a day without a break, sometimes even longer” (p.201).  Some countries need child labor to make money. For example, the author suggests that, “In 1993 carpets made more than half -60%- of all the money the country made through trading products with other countries” (p.188). European countries are organizing efforts to expose the bad conditions of child labor. The coverage of child labor dropped product sales and the government’s layoff of child workers. This in return allows children to attend school. The author explains that, “Some children were able to attend special schools set up for former child workers” (p. 189). Not all children attended school some families still need money to survive. The children sneaked back to their old factories to work for pennies a day. The main reason child labor still exist is because of poverty and nations will exploit labor to make high profits for lower wages. The author found that “In the U.S number of organizations- including the National Labor Committee, Campaign for Labor Rights, Sweatshop Watch, and Global Exchange-have demanded an end to sweatshops and to the exploitation of   children (p. 191). This is a good start, but other nations have to take drastic strides to end child labor.

Analysis:

Child labor replaces adults from working for a cheaper wage and the sacrifice education for work. Why is work more important than school in some countries?  Adults who still want to do work have to compete with child workers, who work for much less money. My opinion is that child labor will cease to exist because families depend on money to live. Adults have to earn more at their jobs to support an entire family. If this issue is not solved than education will not replace work? Families are pressured to have their children work to survive. The author suggests that, “It’s for that reason people opposed to child labor need to learn about the roots of the world poverty and inequality and help work to end those problems as well” (p. 203). The WTO has to step up and create ways to end child labor. I think that child labor exists today in nations because there is not enough justice standing up to stop it. I think countries have to redistribute their incomes and replace child labor with new interventions.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, child labor is a global problem that will not be solved overnight. Stopping child labor means families will become even poorer. Global poverty and inequality prevents the end to stop child labor. There needs to be new interventions and programs to both help families and end child labor. Equal education should be more important for children than labor in countries that exploit it.

 

References:

Bigelow, B., & Peterson, B. (Eds.). (2002). Rethinking Globalization: Child Labor: Pain and        Resistance. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools Press. 188, 189, 201, 203.

A Tribute to my Father’s Work in Life

I am becoming more as my father when he was a teacher after graduating from college in 1968 for Wayne State Univ, MI. He had a special charismatic that people and his students loved when he taught in classrooms. I want to share that same experience with my job. I can remember the days he took me to work and I would sit in his classes as a young boy and say to myself “look at that the students listen and do everything he says because he talks down to their level, he doesn’t act or behave like he is the boss.” And at the same time my father guided a whole school student body. To be similar to his leadership I must learn to use that in my teaching endeavors.

R.I.P – Gregory Owens

My Elementary Academics during Childhood

I was born from the poor streets of Bulgaria. I was blessed to receive a future from the adopted American parents that gave me the best education. In May of 1993, my new family flew me on a plane to America to the eastside suburbs of Detroit, Grosse Pointe, Michigan. I Sometimes consciously wonder how I got this far, but then I remember it is all because of my American parents and the teachers I have experienced. My father was a teacher and a Principal in his education career for 40 years and he loved his job. Over time I learned that from my American father so I could that I could and would love the job also mutually forever. He would say sometimes, “This is for the kids at my school”. I would wonder as a child who he was talking about, but now that I am older I realize it was because he desired and earned to be an educator for forty years. So when did I feel the passion to become a teacher? It was late for me. But the motivation I have today from this experience drove me to where I wanted to be in life and in the future.
I cannot even remember my real parents from birth when I was orphan. I had the best American parents ever because I was once a broke, poor, and orphaned. I was consecrated to be raised by American parents that later in my early childhood changed it all for the better days ahead. So at 6 and half years old I was put in kindergarten at a great school, Kerby Elementary, of GPPS, in 1995. Since then I am stronger mentally because I had teachers from the beginning that taught me the lessons in education that I use today. I would give my life away for children to realize that education makes you the person who you want to become. The Principal at the school recently passed away, and a new female Principal replaced her position at the elementary school. So when I was earning my education at that school I was unsure and not really motivated like the other children to do simple tasks such as reading or writing. One day, I was in the Principal’s office for starting a fight or being in a fight back then in school. I didn’t mean to start the fight, I don’t even remember how it started, but I was in it for some insignificant reason. The Principal, Mrs. Hubble, said “Peter I know you wouldn’t want a suspension”. I replied “Yes”. Later that day the visit turned out well and the Principal offered me a suggestion. I replied “Alright, never again”. So after that misunderstanding was resolved life got better. What grade was the best at that school? It was because of my 4th grade teacher and the speech tutors that I experienced throughout my early childhood education that developed me into the person that I am today.
First, the teachers and other educators that taught me to be all I could be were amazing people. I didn’t even realize that until after graduating from my high school in 2007, Grosse Pointe South, while I was walking across the risers and stage. Ms. Collins was honest, kind, and willing to make sure her students were on the right path to earn to their fullest potential during their time earning a vital education. She taught 4th grade English/Reading, which was my weakness that I possessed at 10 years old. I was failing some quizzes and exams. So she recommended we have a conversation on this matter. I was nervous at the meeting and was restless. She calmed me down by asking me a few personal questions such as she asked, “Where you from?” I responded, “Bulgaria”. She refuted back with emotions of excitement as if her eyes jumped out but she was just excited to hear she had the opportunity to have an international student from a foreign country.
I am not sure why Ms. Collins felt that, but maybe because I was the first Bulgarian that she got to teach at the school. So from there on that day, she and I made an agreement that I would try my best all the time. If I was having reading difficulties in class or at home I should remember that there are children are gifted and talented but there are tendencies where help is needed more often through educating children and adolescents on life choices. And everyone earns that help in their lives. So I had to do extra hours of learning from the teachers and tutors. The first book I read was Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. She asked me questions because I was failing a few quizzes, and I nervously said “It took me a long time to read the chapters”. The teacher notified my parents and my father of course being the boss of his own school stepped in and said to me, “Pete please stop the fights at your school, you can’t go on and learn that’s how you resolve fights, use words to counter attack instead!” And I was embarrassed to hear that my father was notified because he was a Principal and I was scared of punishment as a child, as all children are afraid sometimes of punishments. My father never punished me and he taught me lessons that I needed teachers at my elementary to know what were my needs were as a student. He made sure that the teachers at the elementary I met and experienced while earning my education agreed that I would work to inhabit the ambition emotion to be educated. And, Ms. Hubble, the Principal at the elementary even learned that I was adopted and made rest assured with all the speech Pathologists and reading tutors that I never felt again that I was left behind ever again in earning my early childhood education. I was earning double the required education because I needed assistance in speech and reading from 4th to 5th grade. Today there are 4th to 5th graders who are reading ahead of some of the norms that were back in my time, and children today are introduced to reading/ or writing at a younger age from their parents. So my father was always busy with teaching and managing his schools through his lifetime and making sure his son at his school was earning the best possible education.
In conclusion, I received the best education at my elementary, Kerby, and I was left to continue my part in this world after this to at least be raised by a family that taught me right to realize that’s what humans do to make a living on this planet. I experienced some of the best education ever that I could ever dream of to earn during my childhood. Sometimes I feel that I am in a dream or experiencing a story because I was made to become this and be this person today. I sometimes wonder, what if? But I heard that from teachers all time, why do students dream wonders and ask “what if” to teachers. My father said to me one time, “Don’t ask questions that are unnecessary question to ask Pete, that’s rhetorical. You need to understand everything in life is what it is, because it was created that way from the beginning of time”. I was puzzled after that statement my father told me that day. But teachers and my people like my father that I experienced through earning my education also had hardships in their lives. Millions experienced WWII and Vietnam or 9/11. So the teachers at Kerby, and my father left a piece of a puzzle for me to accomplish and they molded me to learn continuously to never give up ever again in my lifetime.

Social Construction of Adolescents

The developmental stages from childhood to adolescents are sometimes the most difficult time for students to progress in earning their education. Some students go through a behavior phase of being stereotypical and they characterize their own age group. According to the article “Adolescent Storm and Stress, Reconsidered” clarifies that education is a “storm and stress and it’s not a made up legend but a developmental stage for adolescents and their parents in the norms of society” (Arnett 324). The article explains that there are conflicts that interfere with children earning a successful outcome after education. The article states that “students go through mood disruptions and in their higher rates of their behaviors vary everyday with stressors of life” (Arnett 324). So what does this storm and stress expression mean for students in earing their education? How are teachers dealing with adolescent developments? Studies have proved that most young adolescents have a good relationship with their parents. According to the Article from the readings it quotes that “But it is, largely because of widespread misunderstanding of what happens during the teen years” (Kantrowitz and Springen 50). So this means students develop attitudes and values similar to their parents and move forward from the adolescent stage. There are also statements that technology has generated and is the “invention” the adolescents today. Therefore, students are developing from the early adolescent stage to the next by associating with their own similar peers or cultures and interventions of technology to develop while earning an education.
First, regardless of what social class students associate with it is because the size of some family’s children associates themselves to stereotypical peers and classmates that inhabit ideologies and behaviors that they define according to their own set of beliefs. So when people that are adults ask question such as, “What make you, you? It is so complex to explain they use easy behaviors or characteristics to show off their example. For example students that go to a school dance called Prom to show off their talents. It’s necessary a trick or illusion their talent is what they possess inside that make them dream or imagine how they are viewed by other peers or adults. The article “On the “Invention” of Adolescence” it quotes that “The lifestyle associated with the role of student in the modern secondary school defines much adolescence as we know it” (Fasick 6). So what is to be an adolescent to some children? All adolescents’ desire is some ideals to have in life and so they are totally creating their own meanings to be an adult when they progress in life to believed success. Yet the stages that determine this are stated from the same article that the developments are “The transition from primary to secondary school” (Fasick 6). This is built upon the basic role by introducing “roles that students copy their parents they want to achieve marriage, parenthood, fulltime employment” (Fasick 6). So adolescents do evolve to their set image and beliefs by but following peers and their set cultures learned from their parents while earning an education.
Second, the new developmental technologies have advanced adolescents ahead of their parents because new introductions to going back to the beginning and developing some kind of technology to change a creation by humankind. The increase in population has much to do with less industrialized nations that America are contributing technology to their nations and to their adolescents such as the United Arab Emirates, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, and Australia. Fasick quotes that, “It is large scale bureaucratic organization of work and the distribution of population into affluent urban centers that help generate adolescent lifestyles” (Fasick 10).
So this refers back to the affluence created by industrialization and postindustrial development approaches adolescents believe and idealize both indirectly and directly to develop their own education. For example the creation of water goes back to the beginnings of the planet’s tectonic plates and fresh water that today is so vital to for all humans and species to coexist on earth. So adolescents wonder how some cultures like the Japanese have developed over time to be so effective in learning through different scopes. They use their parental set values and beliefs just like American believe, but it’s a tradition developed earlier than other nations to contest the secondary level of interventions as adolescents in societies abroad around the world.
In conclusion, the developmental stages of adolescents make the educational stages and technology intermix and every day there are new ways teachers are teaching diverse populations. Why do schools integrate technology? Why then are education theories changing? These are questions that are complex and individualistic for the adolescent behavior technology integrates the adolescent’s brain overtime. For example, the article, “Tech, teachers & teens” quotes that,
“Students are already tapping into the tools they need to prepare for the future, but most schools are meting out punishment when students use them. Many high schools ban cell phone and iPod use on campus and employ intricate firewalls that block access to useful sites. Adults expect teenagers to self-regulate, to come to class eager to sit and focus without the screens that motivate and interest them. Teachers and administrators are working at cross purposes by developing rules and policies against technology use” (Colcord & Stuht 26).
So the articles explains that the advancements of technology in today’s forever changing society limits the basics of education for adolescents because the access of sources make children and teens inhabit it in their lessons of today’s education. And the answer to that is an easy one because that is why there is an increase of college enrollment across America. Education is reforming and so the adolescents reform their own ideologies while learning the true historical foundations of education. The report by the Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers, states that “The right type of assisted technology can improve a child’s ability to communicate” (Assist Technology for Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children with Disabilities). So this article clarifies that communication help assist adolescents with their ability to speak and write during life. Therefore, education can offer new interventions to the adolescents today by integrating technology into teacher’s educational lessons and curriculum’s.

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Field Experience Reflection

The day I started my fieldwork experience at Kalamazoo Central I had no idea what I goals or what outcomes I would receive from the students that needed the extra tutoring to accomplish their particular studies and homework assignments. I just started the field experience assignment two weeks ago. The first was my tutoring orientation day, two weeks ago. And that day I barely learned and listened enough to fully understand what I wanted to accomplish as my goals by the end of the field work experience. But I realized my goals and what I wanted to achieve out of the tutoring work last week because I experienced my first teacher to student moment by tutoring two students. My goals now that I have tutored two students after 1 week of being fully involve working with students through succeeding higher academic grades so students know how to earn good grades that students want from their tutors and future teachers. I don’t want to be a self-minded teacher. Where I just think of myself and my ideas I want to be serve as a tutor at a broad level. The big goal of mine I want to earn out of this is to be there to provide students as the backup solution so that I feel that they are achieving the best possible positive attitude and achieving the best academic grades possible during my field experience as a school tutor.
First, to achieve and feel the positive attitude from students I must work and understand it through the student’s studies and goals so that I can learn according to the educators that have influenced my past education. I started there Sept. 19, which was a great day, because it gave us a whole week to get prepared for the new field work session. I have one implementation to enforce and that is to have students put forth to receive the effort and the rewards of devoting time to achieve higher grades on all tests and assignments. The extra time they spent with the tutors was in order to not face serve heavier more stressful academic consequences. Students so far have come to me so they can achieve higher grades in the desired class they need in assistance with completing their academics.
Next, the past two years have been the best years of my educational work and studies at WMU. During the winter to the spring of Jan. -June 2009, I decided I wanted aspire to earn my BA degree within Sec Ed. to become an effective aspiring history or English teacher. What motivated me and what goals do I have today such as with the tutoring I am doing now at Kalamazoo Central? It was the experience during working with the diverse mental and physical skills that some students lacked at the junior high level. So the experiences with the tutoring position at Kalamazoo Central impacted my goal orientations to achieve as a tutor and to effect students by teaching theories such as self-determination. It is making students feel this self determination to succeed highly by achieving the best possible grades with their academics. I want to influence children the importance of earning and never stop giving up so I do educating through my tutoring use creative methodologies. So such as testing students what they previously learned from their early childhood education is repeated during the tutoring. I offer alternative routes such as the opportunity so I can help as a teacher and tutor and students achieve the best possible grades. I want to make sure the students believe in their own strengths and weaknesses so that I can motivate students to fully achieve the alternate route to earn the best possible education.
Third, the rewards or goals I want to feel at the end of each day tutoring is so that I am contributing a secondary alternative support in order to reach higher academic school grades. I am a very focused and organized orientated person and as a tutor I want to teach effectively through my education methodologies and never give up on my passion to become a teacher. I want to succeed and provide as much possible while offering the support for the stressed academic pressure to test students and teach effectively so students earn superb grades through my tutoring and academic guidance to earn the best for their classes. So what do I want out of this? The educational goals I want to achieve after the end of the tutoring position is the contributing factor I offer as a secondary school support. The issue I want to accomplish is called to have students feel motivated and self-determined to succeed. Students have to be motivated and to help students understand their beliefs and arguments I need to achieve it while tutoring them. Because I am so aspired to become a teacher and currently tutor at Kalamazoo Central, I want to complete such goals as to achieve my goals and feel like I am exerting an effective effort of work to earn my rewards as a volunteer tutor. Students are the ones making the assumptions about my tutoring to teacher theory and I have to live up to their expectations so that I can be helpful to their academics. Throughout the week tutoring session I offer to accomplish my academic goals as a tutor and at the same time assist students academically to achieve the best grades for the next class period. While also offering a secondary support to feel more motivated about classwork and to earn good grades, but they must be willing to be worked with and taught to always complete homework and to never give up on fully completing all course related material on time. So that to the extent where I am influencing students to become hard workers, because the rewards that I expect from my tutoring field work experience.
In conclusion, after writing this reflection I want to set high goals so that I feel I have accomplished and effectively completed my field work experience position to the fullest potential. So I want for both students and for me to feel we are mutually fulfilling goals. So they are at least exerting their fullest effort to earn higher academic grades than ever imagined. I want students to have that motivation and earn the best possible. But how is that achieved? I just want to work and feel I can contribute effective teaching methodologies while tutoring so students can achieve their fullest and the best possible grades during my sessions tutoring at the school.

Club Golf WMU

There will be a possible scrimmage scheduled with the MSU club golf team soon and the date is yet to be confirmed. To join and get involved and play please go to the site and read about us and come to Bronco Bash and Welcome week. 

The 18 percent that are undecided need to decide and support the Nation. Why is this the worst US election track against the two parties for the 2012 Presidential election?

Why is this so hard to understand? Is Obama a bad President or are the Republican leaders lying. 

Are they lying to get votes? What does that tell you about the Romney Campaign. No better than anyone. Lying to make America and voters to feel shame.

Who will they support the poor or the rich??

There are many false facts the Romney VP nominee is sharing to steer up votes for the campaign and the control over the stimulus and the medicare bill to cut it and take it away for seniors younger than 55. So how are they winning this so far with the VP nominee shouts of lies to America and shame how Americans how we should feel for Obama and his past 4 years in office. They are pundits and lies to make us feel guilty and jealous for people who are Obama supporters and 2012 voters. 

Vote for who brought us this good change, Obama and his Congress Admins.
Its hard to realize with his change, comes pain and suffer because the gov. that did nothing for us 5 years ago left for Obama to fix and mess up with, it was most the Bush Admins. fault and their late gov. policies and he had to do deal it for his first term and in 2008-09. Just vote smart and don’t be undecided

Vote Obama! Keep the Change that saved the American markets and created job for 3 of the 4 yrs and the job market is up 1.7% for 22 months in row. Since the Winter of 2009.

to find more information and register to vote please go to http://www.barackobama.com/obama-for-america-2012-campaign

Obama for America
Campus Dashboard at WMU
Peter Owens

Woods: ‘No issues’ with back

Woods is out for the player of year on PGA. Rory has more wins and Top 10s this year.

Words to the Loved Ones who Love Me

I can’t change how life is and he will never be here on earth but you can make and decide like him and be my guidance like my father. But you have to let me be and do what my father would want and me to become.

Please realize I am becoming like him, I will be Professor or Doctor at a University one day. But if I am ever to get there I need your trust and the will dad would do if he was here, but since he is not I need yours to be with me and give what is left to me from you both.

I am forever grateful for your gifts and love.  I would not be here without you both in my life. I love you Mother and Father.