Children begin school with a natural curiosity to learn, the need for human interaction and the will to be successful. Early elementary classes focus on engaging students in different learning styles and formats that encourage the student to retain knowledge. As students are promoted to higher grades, classrooms look more like institutions. Students sit in neat rows, taking notes, and memorizing facts for the upcoming test. The excitement of learning is lost and monotony sets in. In my Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) classroom, my students will experience a variety of activities and projects that will provide hands-on and cooperative learning.
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Ellen Richards was a pioneer in developing home economics as a profession. Ellen not only opened higher education for women, but she advocated for Domestic Science classes in High Schools and lunch rooms for students. She saw the need to teach students to manage their future households and families, also to train them to be leaders in their community. Future Homemakers of America began in June 1945 with the goal “to help youth assume their roles in society through Home Economics Education in the areas of personal growth, family life, vocational preparation and community involvement.” FHA became Family, Career, and Community Leaders of American in 1999. The emphasis remains on personal growth and leadership of the student. FCCLA focuses on the many roles of each student: family member, wage earner and community leader.
In my Family and Consumer Sciences classes, my goal is to teach basic life skills to students in order to prepare them for adulthood. The dictionary defines education as “the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.” FCS classes cover many topics, much more than the traditional cooking and sewing classes. FCS includes topics such as child development, family relations, leadership skills, career planning, personal finance, health and nutrition, housing and design, tourism and hospitality, and family and consumer services. The content that FCS covers is necessary to everyday life. Students learn best when they can see the significance in what they are being taught.
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Humans need other humans. From birth, we require human interaction and stimulation to develop emotionally, socially and physically. Humans learn from interaction with other humans. Growth and development stem from interacting with others. Lessons that are learned by interacting with others are lessons not easily forgotten. Cooperative learning will be a major component of my classroom. You will see students working in pairs and groups on projects and assignments. Students also tend to improve relationships with other peers, especially when paired together with members of other ethnic groups. Critical thinking and oral communication skills are improved with cooperative learning. Because the student is valued by other team members, in turn their self-esteem is increased. Cooperative learning in my classroom will help prepare students for the future in their careers and relationships.
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Lastly, I believe that all humans want to succeed. There are different levels of success, but overall, whatever challenge you face, you want to be successful in it. All humans are striving to reach their full potential. Students need to feel supported, safe, heard, and have an understanding of their own personal needs. I will have routines set in place for arrival and dismissal, as well as how to turn in assignments. My classroom will establish a sense of belonging, much like a home or community. Each student will share in the responsibilities of the classroom, this gives each child a sense of purpose, value, and mutual respect that all students have equal contributions to the class as a whole. This environment will help each student achieve their personal potential.