Content Knowledge

1. Describe how outside-school experiences have expanded or deepened your subject area content knowledge, and tell how it enhanced or changed your understanding. Include at least one specific experience.

My last student teaching placement was the first time that I had worked in a public elementary school. Yes, I was familiar with the popular spice and sugar infused snacks that students would bring to school to share with their friends. Red Hot Cheetos, Chocolate Milk, and Capri Sun were abundant at my current student teaching placement and in private schools where I had worked in the past. However, what was not abundant was the poor quality lunch provided by the National School Lunch Program, funded by the Federal Government. Looking at my students’ lunch choices every day I couldn’t help but wonder, “What is this made of?” I was puzzled looking at what my five and six year old students were filling up on to get them through the rest of the day. I was also startled by the lunches that my students brought from home. Most of them included neon colored juice, doughnuts, lunchables, bagel bites, fruit roll ups, fried onion rings, and some snacks that I did not even recognize. This made me wonder if my Kindergartners actually knew about real food and where it comes from. In my last four years working in low socioeconomic private and public elementary schools, I have noticed the unhealthy snacks and lunches that are either provided by parents, the federal government, or shared among friends. This made me think—if these students and/or parents knew the ingredients their children were consuming at lunch, whether provided by the NSLP or their local grocery store, and the consequences it may have on their health, would they choose healthier options? Although this is a rather BIG question to answer, I am approaching the problem from another angle. If students are provided with the information in their classrooms regarding healthy food and have the opportunity to interact and investigate real food and where it comes from, would that information empower them and their parents to make healthier choices?

2. Respond to the class discussion of Ball’s “The Subject Matter Preparation of Teachers.” Have your initial judgments or opinions changed based on the discussion?

My initial judgments have not changed drastically after discussing the article in our content groups. There are certain points where I agree with Ball. For example, I think that it is hard for students to zoom out of their education world and dig deep into the content. It is much easier for them to demonstrate and be tested on rudimentary steps in math and then apply that same type of learning to memorizing facts and dates in History. Where I happened to question Ball was when she pointed out that all teachers should or do take liberal arts classes in college. Unfortunately, we were unable to cover this topic in class, so I look forward to finishing up our discussion on Tuesday.

3. Where are you in developing and pursuing a line of inquiry? What is your question? Are you satisfied with your question? At this point, what do you know about the research available in this area? What ideas do you have for possible experiential learning sources?

I am in the early stages of developing a line of inquiry. As of late I have been researching my content question: What is the status of nutrition education in elementary schools? My pedagogical content question is: Can hands on learning though planting, tending, and interacting with school gardens help elementary school children make healthier food choices? I have been categorizing the results of my content question and sorting the research articles into three topics: education, the national school lunch program, and learning through planting school gardens. There is a ton of research in this field right now because there is a huge food reformation occurring in the country and in public education. Michelle Obama is a big proponent of this movement as her “Let’s Move” campaign is the center of her platform. I am not completely satisfied with either my content or pedagogical question, because I think it is possible to easily narrow down my content question to assist in researching my pedagogical one. In terms of experiential learning sources, my classmates have suggested that I reach out to Saint Perpetua Elementary School because they have a huge school garden. Also, Choice Lunch, is a privately run lunch provider who specializes in healthy options. It would be really great to meet them, see who their clientele is, and hear about feedback and recommendations they receive from their customers. I have a lot to do!

4. Express yourself:

 “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” 

― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

“Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.” 
― Michael Pollan

“The single greatest lesson the garden teaches is that our relationship to the planet need not be zero-sum, and that as long as the sun still shines and people still can plan and plant, think and do, we can, if we bother to try, find ways to provide for ourselves without diminishing the world. ”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

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