SparkNotes Vs Literature

Today SparkNotes has completely taken over high school, and even college literature courses. Students no longer feel the need to read an assigned book if they can simply read a few pages from a SparkNotes book. This is a problem because as a student and future teacher I can say that there is absolutely no substitute for reading the novel. It is impossible for SparkNotes to cover everything in a entire novel. But do not worry fellow educators, there is a solution!

A recent professor gave mentioned this idea to me about two weeks ago and I thought it was brilliant! As a project have the students compare and contrast SparkNotes to the actual book. This forces the student to read the actual novel and critique it themselves. The professor that has tried this found that there are countless errors in SparkNotes. A student would have never figured this out if he studied the SparkNotes alone. Also it helps the students take a closer look at the piece of literature, including figuring out their own themes, motifs, and character analysis!

Kean’s Education Majors

Kean University is known for it’s education program, but are they asking too much of their students? About three fifths of Kean graduates end up in the field of education, but compared to other majors they have quite a workload.

Kean takes their education department very seriously, in fact they take it so seriously it often makes their students stressed. Students who plan on majoring in secondary education(and this goes with most other types of education) must go through a entire application process after they are accepted into the university. At Kean being accepted into the university, does not necessarily mean you are accepted into their education program. There are several steps you must go through in order to officially be accepted.

First you must have a minimum of a 2.75 GPA. Although this usually isn’t that hard it’s a lot higher then what is expected of most majors. You must also receive a B- in all Subject Specialization and education classes. After completing a list of prerequisite classes, you are then able to go through the application process. This includes filling out numerous forms, having at least two recommendations, writing a personal statement, and an interview with the program coordinator. Before handing in the application you must also complete a speech/language screening test and a MAPP test(with a minimum score of 435). After doing all of this a teacher is required to take a Praxis test before graduating.

I understand that Kean University holds their education program above any other major, but the academic advisers are barely there for support and to lead these students in the right direction. After going through this myself, I have found a new respect for all education majors at the University!

Teachers Overpaid?

Researching ideas for my website over the weekend, I came across a discussion board that suggested that teachers are grossly overpaid. My mouth literally dropped as I read this statement.

The average teacher starting out makes about 30-40 thousand a year. This is hardly overpaid considering most of these teachers have an bachelors degree and are working for their masters. A teacher who has been teaching for years and has received a tenure makes a maximum of 60 thousand a year. Compared to other careers with similar credentials, an educators paycheck is not nearly as generous

Another point that most people do not seem to take into consideration is that teaching is NOT a 40 hour a week job. Many have this misconception that a teachers work ends as soon as the bell rings and the school day is over. What these people do not realize is that teachers do most of their work OFF THE CLOCK! After the bell finally does ring, they go on to their off the clock duties. This begins with after school help, which may take anywhere from 15 minutes to 3-4 hours. Then when it is time to go home the rest of the day( and most of the weekend) is consumed with grading tests and papers, writing up lesson plans, and preparing lectures. And I havn’t even touched on faculty responsibilities including numerous faculty meetings and countless workshops.

Yes I do agree that teachers have certain benefits that most jobs do not. It is also nice, especially if you’re raising a family, to know that you have holidays and summers off. However, most teachers end up working over these holidays. Since a good percentage of teachers who are just starting out are still working for their masters degree, the summers are usually a time to go to school. Also over the summer, and this especially goes for elementary school teachers, teachers spend countless hours in a hot classroom preparing classrooms with bulletins, borders, and learning centers.

So, are our teachers overpaid? Considering thier long hours and educational backround, I think not.

Helping Teachers With Low Budget Classrooms

    Every good teacher goes into a classroom, hoping to give their heart and soul into their career. However, this is not always possible with the budget that is given to educators in certain public school districts. Every year teachers take money out of their own pocket and purchase hundreds of dollars worth or classroom supplies. Together we can help raise money through www.ILoveSchools.com. This website is a non-profit organization that donates supplies to classrooms on a low budget.  If you are a teacher in need of classroom supplies, or would like to donate please visit the website and help public schools become a better learning environment. Thank you for your help and consideration!

The Scarlet Letter

Most of us have hear of Nathaniel Hawthorn’s “The Scarlet Letter”, but those who have actually read and analyzed the book know it’s truth. The story takes place in a Puritan community in the 1800’s. Hester’s husband leaves for quite a long time, so long in fact that Hester comes to believe that he is dead. During that time she falls in love and gives birth to her daughter Pearl.

When her husband finally returns Hester is accused of adultery. Her punishment for this crime was to wear a embroidered letter A wherever she went. Throughout the book she is looked down upon and the other women in the village look at her in disgust.

Even though Hawthorn was speaking of the 18th century Puritans, today’s society is still similar to his writings. Especially for women, one mistake can follow you around for the rest of your life. One good example of this was the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal. Although president Clinton may have been a great president, he will always be remembered for committing adultery.