March Extra Blog Post

This month I have been doing quite a bit of investigating for my Senior Project. I have been researching and examining for of the most widely used History books in the state of California's school system. The reason as to why i've been looking into these books is that I want to see if any of them are biased in any way. This may include not staying true to the historical events, or maybe shedding a different light on an event or person, or even maybe not including all the facts. The book i've been looking into the most right now is Prentice Hall's World History: The Modern Era. So far it has proved my suspicions about this source being biased despite it not suppose to be. This will just strengthen my third answer that having reliable and truthful sources are important to teaching History.

Blog 18: Fourth Interview Questions

1. What is the most effective way to teach a History class?

2. Do you believe History is an important subject to learn?

3. Why do you believe some people have a negative view towards the subject of History?

4. If so, why?

5. In your opinion can bringing enthusiasm into the classroom be beneficial for teachers and their students?

6. One thing I came across while doing my research is that some History textbooks are biased. Do you believe that they are, and if so why?

7. Have you ever used enthusiasm as a teaching method, and if so has it been successful for you?

8. To you, is History an essential subject to our childrens education?

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9. Why did you decide to become a History teacher?

10. Do you ever have any problems trying to get the focus of your students?

11. What teaching methods do you use to get their attention?

12. My First Answer is, “Using enthusiasm is one of the best ways a History Teacher can effectively teach his class?” What do you think of it?

13. My Second Answer is, “Teaching the Importance of History is one of the best ways a History Teacher can effectively teach his class?” What do you think of it?

14. Do you have any ideas what I can have for my third and final answer?

15.  Do you have any ideas or suggestions for what I can do for my activity?

16. Are there any special methods or techniques you use when teaching your class?

17. Which method has been the most effective in your class?

18.How do you make your history class more fun?

19. What makes a good History teacher?

20. Why do you think History is one of those subjects that the students just sometimes don't want to learn?

21. Why should they learn it?

Blog 17: Answer 3

• What is the best way a History Teacher can effectively teach his class?
• My third answer is, "Using well written sources is one way a History Teacher can effectively teach their class."
• - First Hand Sources are especially beneficial to teaching a History class as they give you a special insight on historical events and what those witnessing it thought about it.
• - Second Hand Sources are the flesh of materiel used in History Classes. As it may prove difficult to acquire first hand sources. Second hand sources are especially important to a history class as they the most commonly used form of sources in gathering historical information.
• - Sources are important in History classes because without them you have no source material to teach to your students history with. If all the events in the past were never written down, the past very well might have been lost and just a mystery to everyone.
• Walt, L. W. "Seven Rules for Effective History Teaching or Bringing Life to the History Class." OAH Magazine of History 17.1 (2002): 65-71. Web.
• Without reliable sources the links to the past of history in classrooms would be lost.

February Extra Blog Post

 This month I have been busy getting on track with my Senior Project. I've worked on my Independent Component One this month which helped me a tremendous amount with my project. It really showed me what some of the best ways are as to how a History Teacher can effectively teach his class. I've been thinking about what I can do for my 2nd Independent Component. Since the idea of taking a college class didn't work out, I've had a couple of other ideas. One such idea is to make a 10 minute film in which I interview various History Teachers at my place of mentor ship and ask them why they think History is important and should be learned. I will then go to Historical museums and ask guests and/or curators if they think History is important and I will then ask random people if  they can answer some simple history questions. If they can answer them, then Kudos. If not, then shame on them. If they cant answer even the simplest questions then this will just strengthen my argument as to why History is important and why everyone should learn it.

Blog 16: Answer 2

1. What are the best ways a History Teacher can effectively teach his class?

2. One of the best ways a HistoryTeacher can effectively teach his class is through enthusiasm.

3. One of the best ways a History Teacher can effectively teach his class is showing your students the importance of History.

4.  A)It is important because people can at least know the basic History of there state and/or country
     B)You can appreciate all the sacrifices people have made before to get to this point in time and how the world came to be due to the past historical events.
     C)History is very important to learn, as a world leader you should know past events so that you may not repeat them.



5.Fowley, Howard. "Teaching in the 21 st Century." LA Times.com. LA Times Newspaper. 3 Mar 2010. Web. 10 Sep 2014.


6. Jason Alenko. "The Right Way to Teach History." Washington Post. The Washinton Post, 5 Nov. 2012. Web. 16 Jan. 2015.

7. With History we are the past, present, , future, good, and bad, we are history, and we continue making it everyday, its important know all of these wonderful things.

Independent Component 2 Approval

1. For my 30 Hours I plan to take a History Course at Citrus College.

2. I will meet the 30 hours by attending the class and providing a transcript at a later date as proof that I did it.

3. This will help with my Senior Project because it will show me how History is taught on the college level and I can see how the professor teaches his class of bored college students and makes sure the material he's teaching retains in their minds. I can then take this knowledge and apply it at my mentor ship.

4 I have added a log thingy slot for my Independent Component 2 on my hours log.

Blog 14: Independant Component 1

• Literal                                                                                                     
•  - "I, Alonso Villanueva, affirm that I completed my Independant Component which                       represents 30 hours of work."                                                                                                    -
• A source that really helped me with my Independant Component was Teaching What               Really Happened: How To Avoid The Tyranny Of Textbooks And Get Students Excited           About Doing History By  Author James Loewen.                                                                         The Link to My Senior Project Hours Is To the Right                                                                 
• For my Independent Component One I assisted my mentor with her teaching of lesson               plans over the course of the Quarter. I helped plan her lessons, assisted her with helping             the students with their classwork and in-class projects, helped her out with grading papers,         and sometimes I just sat at the back of the class and observed her class like I was a student         there to see how she brings life to the classroom and makes her History Class students               engaged and focused. 
• Interpretive                                                                                                                                              
• Once or twice a week for about 2 Hours I go to Walnut Grove Intermediate School in                 West Covina. This was the middle school I actually attended. At my mentorship I am                 Teacher Assistant for Britt Linke, she is the 8th Grade Honors Social Studies Teacher                 there. Over the course of these past two months I learned a lot about how a History                     Teacher can best effectively teach their class, it has been extremely helpful with my                   Senior Project. 
  
                            The Visitor Badge I am required to wear at all times when I check in at the                                                       Front Office of the middle school.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Myself Taking Awkward Pictures of the Middle School I mentor at.
  

                                             This book was my go to and most helpful source in my project

• Applied

             -Before this component, I had no idea how to even to teach in a classroom environment. Especially an American History one, since most of the people I know list History as one of their least favorite subjects. Through this component I learned how much work it takes to be a great teacher like my mentor, the amount of work she puts in to her lesson plans and projects is amazing. She ensures each one of the activities is fun while also teaching something related to the chapter the students are on, I learned what works best when getting your students engaged and focused on what you're teaching. One method that my mentor uses a lot is to get on the students level and be their "friend". Of course there is an exception to this, if you take it too far the students will just disregard your authority and not respect you as an instructor. I learned when its appropriate to be a teacher and a friend to the students when teaching American History.