Lost Generation

It is quite frightening to think that this stereotype is being laid on my generation. I would like to hope that my peers and myself will not be responsible for the greedy, unsatisfied generation. Divorce rates are increasing and with the economy, money is becoming more important to people. It is my hope that we can come out of this rut that we're living in and find our way back to where we were before it all started. It may be difficult to defy the odds and go against expert opinions, but if anyone is capable of it, wouldn't it be us? We've been a part of a huge trasition in society in terms of technology and innovative thinking. Life doesn't have to be predispositioned; if there's enough of a will to change common belief, it can be done.

Campus Lecture #3: Decorah Middle School Presentation on the Brain

As an audience member of last night's presentation, I took away two main things from her speech. First as a student, I thoroughly enjoyed the topic she talked about. I learned many new things that applied to my life as a college student with a not "fully developed" brain. Secondly as an education student, I was applying the aspects of her speech to what I've learned about teaching. One thing immediately came to mind. She reminded us that her original speech was directed to a room full of middle schoolers which became more evident as she spoke to us. In making a connection to Santrock, I looked to chapter 12 when the reading focused on the "Technology Revolution." One comment made by Santrock stuck in mind when I was evaluating Monday night's speaker. Santrock wrote, "The new information society still relies on some basic nontechnological competencies: good communication skills, the ability to solve problems, deep thinking, creative thinking, and positive attitudes." In my opinion, Monday's speaker was close to fulfilling each of these areas. Her communication skills were quite aparent from the start. Her topic was the brain yet she made it so every person in the room understood what she was discussing. She didn't use huge medical terminology; she put it in real English. Her problem solving and deep thinking was shown through her presentation as she was able to take scientific study's and interpret them. From her interpretation, she then could explain the information to everyday people. Creative thinking was something she could have improved on. Her PowerPoint was interesting to look at...but it was a PowerPoint. It seems that every speech these days has to be accompanied by a computer. Finally, her positive attitude was obvious to all listeners. She was far from monotonous, moved about the room, impersonated those she talked about, and kept everyone in the audience awake and on his/her toes. Overall, this presentation receives high marks from me both as a student and learning educator. The interest level was maintained as well as the amount of learning.

"High Stakes" Proposal

After observing and participating in the "role playing" activity, my eyes were opened. I gained a sort of sympathy for educators and school administrators. When new issues and changes in the district come up for debate, they have an extremely difficult position. Not only do they have to prepare and become fully educated in the area, these school authorities have the responsibility of convincing the audience what action is best for the school and community. One way to think of it is the requirement to defend their position on the issue and battle the complaints while answering questions raised by those outside the school. Schools involve an entire community and many different people. Making decisions requires careful consideration of each community members' viewpoint. If the wrong choice is made, people may not be happy and the school receives the brunt of that dissatisfaction.

Thinking back to my school experiences, I remember our school board's attempt to gain the community's approval of the levy. I recall the long process and numerous meetings where the board addressed concerns of the teachers, community members, and small business owners. With my father on the board, I watched how stressed he was; it seemed as if everywhere we went, he was continually talking with people about the issue. He was working hard to do what was best for our school, but at the same time he was putting his "image" on the line by showing such strong support. Authority figures within the school have a large plateful when it comes to decision-making. I give credit to them for their continual patience and desire for improvement.

Monday Night Information Session

After Monday night, I feel like I have a better grasp on what to expect in the Education program. Listening to Jennifer talk, I kept thinking to myself, "I've heard of that before." I was unable to recall any details and sometimes even what it was; she cleared up a lot of questions. By laying out a timeline, I feel more scheduled and comfortable with where I'm headed at Luther.

Chalk and Wire is an interesting "project" for us future teachers. I love that it's online. Not only does that make it more Earth friendly, but uploading documents and typing our personal statements seems so much quicker! I look forward to developing my portfolio in my education courses over the years. The introductory portfolio will be very helpful in getting me ready for the advanced and professional portfolio.


Overall, I felt that Monday night was very informative. It made me all the more excited for my upcoming years here at Luther and my future as a teacher.

Family Effects on Education in Vietnam

Seeing the cultural differences in education is very interesting as an evoloving teacher. The presentation on educational systems in Vietnam provided much insight into unique influences in other countries. One particular area of the lecture that stuck out to me was the chart on "Parent Expectations for their Children." In listening to the speaker, I noticed the number one and most important thing for parents is for their child/children to be "successful in study." This came one step higher than "filial piety." I have always been under the impression that respect for parents and ancestry was the high priority for the Vietnamese culture. To see that they actually respect students' education is very comforting. In my opinion, the United States could take a few pointers from the people of Vietnam. Not only do the Vietnamese value educational success and respect of ancestry, the lowest ranked expectation was for children to be considered rich. According to our speaker, parents in Vietnam simply want their children to have a "stable life and career." This does not necessarily mean how thick their child's wallet may be.








Although Americans seem to focus on the importance of a solid education, the emphasis often falls on salaries instead of contentment and stability of an occupation. It seems to me as a member of the young generation, that America is losing its respect for family history and finding more importance in the dollar amount on paychecks. A strong, foundational education should support a stable career; this should make any member of society satisfied. Especially during trying times in the economy, a secure job based on a sturdy education should provide plenty for parents to be proud of their children.

Campus Lecture #2: Biology Colloquium on Hormel Food Processing

On March 19, I attended a Biology Colloquium given by Dave Ruzek of Hormel Food Corporation out of Austin, MN. Mr. Ruzek's lecture was entitled “The Alchemy of Good Chemistry, Meat Science and Marketing: TheHormel Always Tender Pork Story”. His discussion focused on the processes involved in bringing meat products to market, with more emphasis on the chemistry aspect of food processing. The topic was quite informative but in analyzing his technique for instruction, I found that his speech was lacking. As many speakers do, Mr. Ruzek used a PowerPoint to highlight his major points he was discussing. With a classroom full of Biology majoring students, Ruzek lacked an energy and excitement behind his words. His tone often fell monotonous and students quickly lost interest and attention. With topics (especially the sciences), interest is often lost more quickly. Therefore, it is up to the teacher/speaker to grasp and hold on to the attention of the students. In order to "focus mental resources" students have to be engaged in what the instructor is talking about. As I sat observing the speaker and audience members, I realized that a few students were experiencing divided attention. Some students were present but lacked focus; they were doodling on paper, checking e-mail, texting, and other various distractions. Because they were dividing their attention among listening and their gadgets, they were also exhibiting selective attention. Listeners were ignoring the speech being given and focusing on more "relevant" things to them, such as computers and cell phones.

Overall, I enjoyed Mr. Ruzek's lecture. He was very well informed in his area and provided a lot of information on the subject of food processing. Personally, I felt that the best part of his speech was the open questions from students and professors. It gave him feedback and cleared up some discrepancies within his speech. Also, the questions helped to reveal which students had given Mr. Ruzek their attention and which students found other things to occupy their time.

Campus Lecture #1: Paideia Civil Rights Unit

On March 11, I attended the Paideia Lecture introducing the Civil Rights Unit. The lecture was given by Jacqueline Wilke and Lawrence Williams, Professors in history at Luther. The lecture was split into two half hour sections, one given by each. Professor Wilke began with a background to Civil Rights and how it correlates to other movements in history. She was very enthusiastic about what she was talking about. However, I felt that her presentation was difficult to follow. Using a PowerPoint as a guide, she often strayed from the slides. At times, what was on the screen did not connect to what she was speaking about. This made it confusing for the students taking notes. It was a challenge to decipher whether notes should be taken on her oration or the slides she had previously prepared.

Lawrence Williams gave the second portion of the lecture, talking about Martin Luther King Junior and the structure of his speeches. With a much more interesting topic than Wilke, he lacked that same enthusiasm. The majority of his speaking was in actuality, reading from his notes behind a podium. Students quickly lost interest and were only searching for facts that could be testable information. His style of speaking reminded me of the direct instruction approach; a teacher gives the information and students simply listen and take tedious notes. There was no student interaction.

One strong quality of the lecture was the use of technology. With a lecture hall full of college freshman, the two speakers needed a way to grab attention. They used videos to keep interest in the subject. Not only did this keep students focused, the videos gave prime examples of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches and provided a sturdy foundation for the upcoming Civil Rights unit.