Mott,+Angela

Angela Mott



Originally from Iowa, USA, I currently teach lower school music in Shanghai, China! After 4 years of Shanghai, my husband and I will be starting a new adventure in Dubai next school year. When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy cooking, traveling, blogging, and exploring the city!

I think that conflict resolution is an important skill for teachers, students and families to have. Students come from a variety of backgrounds and bring with them different experiences, struggles, and emotions that help shape the classroom environment. Since I teach younger students, the conflicts we deal with are not as intense as some older students; however, students still struggle with how to deal with a bully or a friend being mean, etc. I hope this course will help explain ways to peacefully deal with conflict situations and give some insight on how we can help the student take control of the situation and deal with conflict in a positive way.
 * Assignment 1:**

5 topics that I would like for the course to include: 1. Conflict resolution strategies for lower elementary 2. How does the classroom community help with conflict resolution 3. Family support and development when dealing with conflict 4. How to teach students ways and methods of resolving conflict. 5. Peaceable environment: what does it look like and how is it created.

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In the beginning of American History X, we find the character Danny clearly demonstrating a frightening and hateful rhetoric to his principal, Dr. Sweeney. After that, we begin to learn where Danny inherited his racist beliefs. Our beliefs are a product of nurture; the beliefs that our parents pass onto us often end up being our own beliefs as well. Danny looks up to the only male role model he has in his life, which is his brother Derek. The last time Danny knew Derek before he was sentenced to prison, he was part of a hateful and racist gang. Danny, having learned what his role model’s values were, begins to adopt these values himself.=====

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In one of the flashbacks, Derek is sitting at the dinner table with his firefighter father talking about his upcoming English test. Derek is clearly impressed by his teacher Dr. Sweeney. He says that it is hard to not listen to what he has to say, and thinks he is overqualified for the public school that he teaches at. Derek’s father, however, expresses his opinion that ‘black books’ should be questioned, and goes on to say how affirmative action is un-American. Derek, in an effort to impress his father, agrees with him, saying that he didn’t think of it that way, but now he understands his father’s point. This probably caused Derek to question his previous notion: he respects Dr. Sweeney, but his father seems to not. Of course Derek will be inclined to side with his father. These thoughts are made more complicated by the fact that a black man ends up shooting his father while fighting a fire. As we see in the video footage of Derek being interviewed, his racist beliefs seem to solidify.=====

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Dr. Sweeney plays an important role in the lives of both Derek and Danny. After Danny is attacked in the prison, Dr. Sweeney challenges his former beliefs, and causes him to rethink his previous notions. As a teacher, Dr. Sweeney helps plant the seed that leads Derek away from his hateful beliefs. He, in turn, helps Danny to abandon his hateful beliefs. Dr. Sweeney also helps Danny by forcing him to reflect on his situation, and as we see at the end of the film, Danny comes to the conclusion that his notions are wrong. Dr. Sweeney is paramount is guiding both Danny and Derek from their previous, racist-fueled beliefs. Also, the fact that Danny and Derek are able to abandon their beliefs support the idea that they are learned, and not biologically inherited. Just as Derek and Danny’s father instilled racism in his boys, they were able to leave those beliefs behind. This proves that the racism that Derek and Danny both begin the movie with is learned; nurture, not nature.=====

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Cameron demonstrates how a mentor can also be detrimental to young and impressionable minds. He lures in Derek when he is hurting from his father’s death, and convinces him to join his gang. Derek looks up to Cameron as a mentor, and Cameron uses this respect and authority to convince Derek to do terrible things. Just as Dr. Sweeney played a vital role in helping to question the beliefs of both boys that are unproductive and destructive, Cameron played his own role by helping to foster these destructive beliefs. Mentors and teachers can both greatly help and greatly harm their students.=====

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The great thing about teaching at an international school, is that students are living, working and learning with different people. I think this helps with building a peaceable learning environment and community. I don’t necessarily think that there should be specific rules for the ideal Peaceable school, because wouldn’t people just try to break those rules? I think instead phrases such as Empathy, Respect, Belonging and Love would help build and strong community. It would be the responsibility of families, educators, and the community to help empower and encourage individuals to strive to live these ideals.=====

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As a single subject teacher, I see a variety of students various times throughout the day. When they come to my classroom, they are leaving the “traditional classroom environment” and coming in to a big, open and creative space. At the beginning of the year, each class comes up with essential agreements on how to build a positive music classroom environment. We use themes such as risk taker, respectful, working together, principled, open minded etc and all write down ideas and examples of what this looks like in the music classroom. Once the students and I narrow it down to 3-4 bigger ideas, I display our classroom agreement on the wall. This is a great way to develop a sense of community and teamwork. It is also helpful that the students create similar essential agreements with their classroom teachers. They are building from the classroom community and enhancing it in the single subject classroom! We connect with our agreement various times to check in with how we’re doing. If we are playing a high energy game or something challenging, I’ll ask the students: how can we be principled with the volume of our voices or how can I be a risk-taker with these activities? I feel that this helps create community within the classroom especially since the students gave their input to help create it.=====

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Waterboarding: This was an interesting video to watch. I’ve seen this done in movies and TV shows and it looks awful. It was interesting that at the beginning of the video he mentioned that this form of torture is used to elicit the feeling of drowning but in fact you’re actually being drowned slowly. I think that such violence and torture isn’t productive. If you’re trying to get the victim to break, they may say anything just to make the torture stop.=====

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For the quiz people were surprised by question 1 thinking that there would be a rise of violence. I think that due to technology and the media that crime and violence is more visible. I overestimated violence in the USA but not by too much because I was stuck thinking more of current events. To be honest, after living internationally for 4 years now, I am more afraid for my safety when I return home to America. Recently there has been a rise of violence both gun and physical in the US. School shootings, African-Americans getting shot at by cops, terrorist related bombings or shooting etc. I’d be interested to see that graph from 2013-2017.=====


 * Journal Entry 5: **

**Part 1:** After reading about the amygdala and emotions I couldn’t help but think of what happened at our school assembly today. The 2nd grade classes were presenting on traditions and how they are named in their culture. One student, Jay stepped up to the microphone and there was a technical problem, his speech interrupted by a video from the slide show. It started playing right when he was about to talk. He froze, the audience chuckled and then he burst into tears. The school quickly tried to cheer him on but he just stood on stage crying, frozen with his hand on his head! As one of this students teachers, I know that he is an emotional roller-coaster! I think that this was a perfect example of nerves and emotional high jacking. Thankfully he gained the courage to come back on stage and read his line again!

I really enjoyed this TED TALK. While watching this I thought about my own personal non-verbal communication and body language. As a musician and person who is used to being in front of an audience I would say that I come off as a confident person but am also very laid back with certain things. When she mentioned the job interview testing I reflected back to my job fair experience this January. Everything about being at the job fair is stressful! I think it’s important to use positive self-talk and be confident. In the classroom I think about what my non-verbal and verbal communication looks like with students who are much smaller. Here I am towering over these little kids making me seem powerful! I think it’s important to make sure to communicate with students on their physical level. Meeting them eye-to eye!
 * Journal Entry 5: Part 2 TED TALK **


 * Journal 6**

Conflict: Struggle amongst and against persons

Conflict Resolution: Ways to calmly resolve conflicting issues by working together to come up with a solution

My father and I often chat about politics. These casual conversations often turn into “shouting matches” where we are both trying to talk over each other or interrupting each other. I tell my dad to stop yelling and he replies with that he’s not yelling at me--he’s just talking loudly because he’s excited. I think in these situations, when we are having intense arguments about our opposing views we are high-jacked by our emotions. Because of our conflicting views our conversations were not enjoyable. So I had to resolve the conflict and I told my father that we could no longer discuss politics in our conversations. We would never agree and our views aren’t changing so it’s easier and healthier to just not discuss politics!

After watching the clip and finding a few articles, I couldn’t help but think of the movie Office Space. There are a few scenes in that film when the characters get so frustrated with the copy machine, their bosses, the memos that they curse it out! I often times find myself swearing it out if I’m stressed! According to a study from Keele university swearing is a way to release or vent emotions. As long as the swearing isn’t directed towards a person, it’s a harmless emotional release.
 * Swearing**


 * Journal 7**

We have student conferences coming up so I took advantage to use a few I messages.

-When you are not principled with your behavior, it is very difficult to patriciate in the activity and I will be notating this in your report card.

-look at how well you did on your green belt exam, you are improving your skills! I am very proud of all of your hard work.

I have a difficult 5th grade class this year and I try to use some of these I statements with them such as I plan to be positive towards you so that we can work together and accomplish our goals. It seems to help the students be aware of what I am looking for and give them guidance of what is expected of them.

Part 2:
 * Corrective**: When you show up at my house it bothers me because I am not at home and it makes myself and my boyfriend uncomfortable.
 * Positive**: When you call before you come over it shows me that you value my wishes. My boyfriend and I appreciate your effort.

=__**Journal 8**__= I decided on B because I am under prepared to deal with bullying in the classroom. What stood out in the first //Edutopia// article is that Conflict resolution belongs in curriculum and that teachers feel underprepared. That’s me! Underprepared to deal with these issues. To be 100% honest I don’t have time to deal with these issues during music class time so if it’s not something horrible I tend to brush it off. I also feel that at my current school, we don’t have streamlined procedures for conflicts or bullying so I’m not really sure what to do in these situations. Students go from grade to grade with different ideas of dealing with conflicts and bullying that there is no consistency. I think it’s important to create that whole school community that creates realistic ideas of dealing with conflict and bullying and to create a community where people are supportive towards one another. I also thought about how adults can influence these behaviors. The scary thing about this subject is that bullying is a learned behavior! Where are students learning this—Am I being a bully in the classroom? Another website addressed the idea of using inquiry projects to combat bullying. As a PYP school who focuses on inquiry I was intrigued by this idea of using students as the ones how come up solutions to bullying. Ideas that are student driven with student centered ideas and language may be a successful way to help combat the bullying issues.

__**Journal entry 9**__ For my personality profile, I scored highest on Creative Problem Solving and People Person. This was not surprising to me as I often relate to these personality traits. Recently my school had all of the staff take a “Strength Finder” assessment. Similar to this personality profile, the idea of the strength finder is to highlight what people are successful at and find ways to use it to your advantage. My five strengths were: communication, positive, activator, adaptability, and self-assurance. My strengths of communication and positivity relate to me being a people person. I find that open and honest communication make for a successful classroom and work environment and that having a positivity mindset is good for you and the people you’re around. The description of an activator is someone who is impatient for action and eager to get things started, which I feel relates to a creative problem solver. I disagree with the part of the description of creative-problem solvers and their organization. As someone who is creative, and trying new ideas, I don’t need my classroom or desk to be clean and type a. I’d rather live in the moment of the idea or the project than worry about what organization is or looks like to other people. Overall, I think it’s important to understand and have an understanding of personality traits but not let them take over.


 * Assignment 10: October Sky**

In the movie October Sky Homer broke away from the nurture aspect of his life as he did not play football, nor did he end up working in the coal mine. If he had been a product totally of his nurture, he would likely have worked in the mine like his father wanted. He did have a brief stint in the mine, bonding with his father for a time over their shared career. Derrick, on the other hand, was totally a product of nurture. He succumbed to a deep family racism that was passed on from his father, as we see at the dinner table one scene. Derrick was definitely a product of nurture, while Homer’s beliefs remained more true to his nature.

The mother of both Derrick and Homer are more passive to the influence of their fathers. Homer’s mother is clearly against the idea of Homer working in the mine, and more supportive of his interest in creating rockets. She stands up to John’s comments to Homer sometimes, and tries to comfort and encourage Homer’s nature. However, at the end of the film she plays a more active role in convincing Homer’s father to help him. Derrick’s mother is also passive, letting his father’s racism play an important role in his adolescence. She does not play much of a role in his life.

Miss Reilly encourages Homer’s interest in building rockets, plants the idea of attending the science fair and gives him a book about rockets. She also gives him a hard talk when he decides to work on the mine, and refuses to give up on him. Murray has a very small role in the movie. He argues with Derrick about being racist.

The principal visits Derrick while he is in prison, and helps him to see the error of his ways and helps him on his journey to rehabilitation. He also gives him a hard talk about the life he has been living, and encourages him to follow his true nature. Homer’s principal is more of a hinderance in the beginning of the film, but once he sees the true potential of Homer he also helps him to attend the science fair, and then has the school pay for Homer to attend the national science fair.

The community has sort of a negative effect on Derrick. He has changed his ways, but comes back into a community that knew him from before and does not accept the new Derrick. This makes it extremely hard for Derrick to be a changed man. Homer’s community is very helpful in his journey to the science fair by providing him with many materials and expertise needed to create his rockets, as well as attending his rocket launches and celebrating his successes with him. Homer’s community has a very positive effect on him, while Derrick’s is rather negative.