At the start of the semester I was extremely nervous about entering my technology class. I have always had an understand of technology, but would never consider myself to be an expert or even proficient in the latest technology. Being the perfectionist I am, I feared that I would struggle to complete tasks and projects because of my lack of knowledge. The last thing I expected was the amount of progress that I have made!
Not only did I learn some great tools for my future classroom, but I also learned so much about technology and resources that I can use in my academic career and personal time. I thought Google was wonderful before, but now, I am amazed by Google. The best part- it's free! There are many words a college student would like to hear more than "free". I have been able to take resources like Google Calendar and Docs and use them in my every day routine.
I learned the most from our PBL project. Before this class, I had only been introduced to the idea of problem based learning. I knew it was something that could be extremely beneficial, but I was never quite sure what all it entailed. I can not wait not to introduce this to my students and watch the light bulbs turn on as they experience problem based learning themselves. I learned so much about PBL and am anxious to implement it in my classroom.
Aside from actual technology and website applications, the most important thing I am taking away from this class is that a teacher never stops being a learner. As educators we must continue to pursue the latest in education and push for what is best for our students. I feel so much more prepared to teach after this class and look forward to putting all of these tools to use!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Teachers As Learners
There are two fundamental parts of being an educator: the teacher, and the ever constant learner. This is the justification behind seminars, workshops, and all other forms of professional development that teachers are required to complete throughout their years of teaching. As teachers, we guide students on how to learn and then urge them to implement that knowledge through further lessons. In order to do this though, teachers themselves must be learners.
As educators, we must be actively engaged in the learning process ourselves. We must stay up to date with technology and curriculum and everything in between. We must read and research what is best for our students and how we can provide that for them, no matter the budget or resources. While the ideal situation is a school full of the top students, top technology, and experienced teachers. However, this is extremely unlikely to be the case. We must be able to use what we have to reach the students at the level they are and take them to the next. We are the people they look to for answers and resources, and if we fail to provide these answers or the avenues to reach them, then we fail as educators. And in order to do so, we must first find our avenues ourselves and explore the new developments in technology.
The video below provides examples of students who would have been more successful had their teachers allowed their input on technology in the classroom. I fear being this teacher, but in a way, I think that is a good thing. I want my students input, ideas, and concerns. As teachers we will learn just as much from our students as they do from us. It is our job to use this input to create a stronger learning environment.
Watch the video about 21st Century Teachers below:
https://sites.google.com/site/drasresources/i-need-my-teachers-to-learn
As educators, we must be actively engaged in the learning process ourselves. We must stay up to date with technology and curriculum and everything in between. We must read and research what is best for our students and how we can provide that for them, no matter the budget or resources. While the ideal situation is a school full of the top students, top technology, and experienced teachers. However, this is extremely unlikely to be the case. We must be able to use what we have to reach the students at the level they are and take them to the next. We are the people they look to for answers and resources, and if we fail to provide these answers or the avenues to reach them, then we fail as educators. And in order to do so, we must first find our avenues ourselves and explore the new developments in technology.
The video below provides examples of students who would have been more successful had their teachers allowed their input on technology in the classroom. I fear being this teacher, but in a way, I think that is a good thing. I want my students input, ideas, and concerns. As teachers we will learn just as much from our students as they do from us. It is our job to use this input to create a stronger learning environment.
Watch the video about 21st Century Teachers below:
https://sites.google.com/site/drasresources/i-need-my-teachers-to-learn
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Those Are So Twenty Years Ago!
Change is something that most people struggle with and are uncomfortable with. We enjoy our lives the way they are and whenever something begins to interrupt it, we find ourselves in a very uncomfortable place. This is exactly the case for Mr. Winkle, who wakes up from his nap of twenty years to find the world he once knew has drastically changed.
This is often the case for both students and teachers. As students transition from classroom to classroom, they are faced with different rules, schedules, and expectations. For any student, the first day of school is always a day full of both excitement and anxiety. But fearing the unknown and unfamiliar does not just apply to students, but teachers as well.
For teachers, this fear also occurs on the first day of school. Wondering if one is prepared enough or what students will be like are just a few concerns of the teacher. Just as for Mr. Winkle, technology can be something that makes teachers very uncomfortable. This should not be the case though. I feel that as educators we should use technology, whatever extent we are comfortable with, to better the education experience of students. In the video of Mr. Winkle Wakes, Winkle finds comfort in the monotonous classroom. I can only hope that my classroom in no way resembles the one in this video. I hope to further expand my knowledge of technology and integrate into every aspect possible. Students love technology and will be in the know, even if the teacher isn't. I feel that as teachers teaching to students in a world that is always moving and changing, the least we can can for our students is stay up to date with the technology because there are so many resources that would make learning more engaging and beneficial for students. Who knows, maybe these resources will even make things easier for students. But days spent lecturing? Those are so twenty years ago!
Watch Mr. Winkle Wakes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm1sCsl2MQY
This is often the case for both students and teachers. As students transition from classroom to classroom, they are faced with different rules, schedules, and expectations. For any student, the first day of school is always a day full of both excitement and anxiety. But fearing the unknown and unfamiliar does not just apply to students, but teachers as well.
For teachers, this fear also occurs on the first day of school. Wondering if one is prepared enough or what students will be like are just a few concerns of the teacher. Just as for Mr. Winkle, technology can be something that makes teachers very uncomfortable. This should not be the case though. I feel that as educators we should use technology, whatever extent we are comfortable with, to better the education experience of students. In the video of Mr. Winkle Wakes, Winkle finds comfort in the monotonous classroom. I can only hope that my classroom in no way resembles the one in this video. I hope to further expand my knowledge of technology and integrate into every aspect possible. Students love technology and will be in the know, even if the teacher isn't. I feel that as teachers teaching to students in a world that is always moving and changing, the least we can can for our students is stay up to date with the technology because there are so many resources that would make learning more engaging and beneficial for students. Who knows, maybe these resources will even make things easier for students. But days spent lecturing? Those are so twenty years ago!
Watch Mr. Winkle Wakes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm1sCsl2MQY
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Keeping Creativity Alive
In his TED Talk, Sir Ken Robinson speaks about the lack of creativity in children and why it is no longer flourishing. He provides many examples of children creativity but my favorite of these was a child who was attempting to complete his part as the third king in the Nativity story but instead of saying Frankincense, the child says "Frank sent this". I love this because it is a perfect example of an extremely admirable quality of children: they do not fear being wrong.
As teachers, it is our responsibility to provide children with a learning process in which being wrong is not punished but is seen as an opportunity to discover a new path of finding a conclusion. While there must be correct and incorrect answers, I believe that how a child finds the answer and what he or she discovers along the way is much more important than the final answer. This is where creativity is key.
Robinson explains that unless one is prepared to be wrong, he or she will never create something original. He also explains that under the current education system, many talented and creative students feel that they are not because of the negative responses that they have received upon providing creative answers. To me, the worst thing we can do as educators is make a child feel that they have no potential, lack creativity, and are talentless. As teachers it is our responsibility to foster the creativity and create lessons that build upon individual creativity. I believe there is a time for structured lessons because without these, students lack the fundamentals to build upon. However, I also believe that once the fundamentals are mastered, children should encouraged to create new things and build upon these ideas. It is likely that the children will create things that the teacher never would have imagined and exceed the expectations of the teacher.
Perhaps my favorite part of Robinson's talk was his description of the child's imagination as a gift and that children have a desire to learn that many adults lack. I can only hope that as an educator I can give students the knowledge they need to create and change the world in ways that I could not have created myself. I could not agree with Robinson more when he says that we may not see the future, but children will. Our future as adults is dependent on the success of the next generation and its ability to make the world better. There is no better person to foster this desire to make the world a better place than the teacher, and there is no better place than the classroom.
Watch Sir Ken Robinson:
http://youtu.be/ga2CYYCrtNE
As teachers, it is our responsibility to provide children with a learning process in which being wrong is not punished but is seen as an opportunity to discover a new path of finding a conclusion. While there must be correct and incorrect answers, I believe that how a child finds the answer and what he or she discovers along the way is much more important than the final answer. This is where creativity is key.
Robinson explains that unless one is prepared to be wrong, he or she will never create something original. He also explains that under the current education system, many talented and creative students feel that they are not because of the negative responses that they have received upon providing creative answers. To me, the worst thing we can do as educators is make a child feel that they have no potential, lack creativity, and are talentless. As teachers it is our responsibility to foster the creativity and create lessons that build upon individual creativity. I believe there is a time for structured lessons because without these, students lack the fundamentals to build upon. However, I also believe that once the fundamentals are mastered, children should encouraged to create new things and build upon these ideas. It is likely that the children will create things that the teacher never would have imagined and exceed the expectations of the teacher.
Perhaps my favorite part of Robinson's talk was his description of the child's imagination as a gift and that children have a desire to learn that many adults lack. I can only hope that as an educator I can give students the knowledge they need to create and change the world in ways that I could not have created myself. I could not agree with Robinson more when he says that we may not see the future, but children will. Our future as adults is dependent on the success of the next generation and its ability to make the world better. There is no better person to foster this desire to make the world a better place than the teacher, and there is no better place than the classroom.
Watch Sir Ken Robinson:
http://youtu.be/ga2CYYCrtNE
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