Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
C4K October Summary
The first student that I left a comment for in October is a new student! His name is Tihi and he is in the second grade. I do not know much about him because he is just now getting use to the computer and hasn’t posted a lot of information about himself. I left him a comment telling him who I am that I hope he has a wonderful school year.
My second student is named Indy and she is in the sixth grade. She loves music and she plays the flute and piccolo as well as being in two bands. Another hobby of hers is playing sports and her favorites are softball, netball, tennis, and gymnastics. She is a very interesting student because she loves everything about school and her hobbies. I told her that I have really enjoyed reading all about her and that I hoped she has a wonderful school year.
My third student is named Eli and he is a seventh grader who attends school in Australia. I really enjoyed reading his blog because of the cultural differences in his blog versus mine. He seems to be having a wonderful year at school and his class seems to be doing a lot of fun activities. His blog was well put together and I told him that I liked seeing his page and that I wish him a very well school year.
My fourth student that I left a comment for is in the sixth grade. His name is Josh and he attends school in Iowa. He has to blog in class just like we do. I liked his page because he seemed like a really funny student. His posts were creative and I think that he writes well. I wished him luck in school and I told him that his post were funny.
My fifth student is in the second grade and her name is Sophie. She attends school at Leopold Primary School in Australia. Her blog was very well put together and I was very impressed by this. I must say that her blog is much better than mine! I had a hard time believing that she is only in the second grade because her blog looked amazing. I can tell that at her school, they really teach technology in the classroom. Sophie likes to travel so I commented on her ‘Holidays’ blog. She has been all over the world but her favorite place is Fiji. Her pictures were very cute and I enjoyed reading about all the places that she has been.
My second student is named Indy and she is in the sixth grade. She loves music and she plays the flute and piccolo as well as being in two bands. Another hobby of hers is playing sports and her favorites are softball, netball, tennis, and gymnastics. She is a very interesting student because she loves everything about school and her hobbies. I told her that I have really enjoyed reading all about her and that I hoped she has a wonderful school year.
My third student is named Eli and he is a seventh grader who attends school in Australia. I really enjoyed reading his blog because of the cultural differences in his blog versus mine. He seems to be having a wonderful year at school and his class seems to be doing a lot of fun activities. His blog was well put together and I told him that I liked seeing his page and that I wish him a very well school year.
My fourth student that I left a comment for is in the sixth grade. His name is Josh and he attends school in Iowa. He has to blog in class just like we do. I liked his page because he seemed like a really funny student. His posts were creative and I think that he writes well. I wished him luck in school and I told him that his post were funny.
My fifth student is in the second grade and her name is Sophie. She attends school at Leopold Primary School in Australia. Her blog was very well put together and I was very impressed by this. I must say that her blog is much better than mine! I had a hard time believing that she is only in the second grade because her blog looked amazing. I can tell that at her school, they really teach technology in the classroom. Sophie likes to travel so I commented on her ‘Holidays’ blog. She has been all over the world but her favorite place is Fiji. Her pictures were very cute and I enjoyed reading about all the places that she has been.
Additional Blog Assignment #3
Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Educational Paradigms
This is video was very well put together. By this, I mean that the video covered his issues with education on a level that everyone can understand. It was simple but it had very key point to his idea of changing the educational paradigm. His main point that I believe he is trying to make here is that education cannot go on the way it has been. It has to be diverse because not all kids are facing the same economic and cultural values on the same level. I do agree with this idea of changing education because it is not a one size fits all subject. I would like to think that all children have an equal opportunity to an education but they do not. As far as the video goes in general, I liked it because like I said before, it was put together in a way that everyone could understand it. We were asked what part of the film would we be in if it was ours and I have decided that I would not be in it at all. I do not like putting together videos so this doesn’t pertain to me.
This is video was very well put together. By this, I mean that the video covered his issues with education on a level that everyone can understand. It was simple but it had very key point to his idea of changing the educational paradigm. His main point that I believe he is trying to make here is that education cannot go on the way it has been. It has to be diverse because not all kids are facing the same economic and cultural values on the same level. I do agree with this idea of changing education because it is not a one size fits all subject. I would like to think that all children have an equal opportunity to an education but they do not. As far as the video goes in general, I liked it because like I said before, it was put together in a way that everyone could understand it. We were asked what part of the film would we be in if it was ours and I have decided that I would not be in it at all. I do not like putting together videos so this doesn’t pertain to me.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Blog Post #11
Ms. Cassidy via Skype
Ms. Cassidy is a first grade teacher in Canada. She did a skype interview with Dr. Strange in February of 2010. This interview is about how she became so involved with technology and the importance f it to her. She has been involved with technology for about 10 years now. It started when she received computers for her classroom which was full of 6 year olds. The computers were great, but you couldn’t add anything to them. She started playing around with them and that’s how she became so involved with technology. She has used things like blogging and twitter in her career to help her succeed. Her PLN is something that she builds on everyday and she uses it to connect her with others that will help her further her knowledge in the technology world. I admire her approach to this situation because it was done all by using the technology that was given to her. She used the technology to help her further her knowledge of it so that she can better teach it to the students. I learned a lot from watching this interview because it made me feel like you can overcome barriers with technology just by doing your own research.
Ms. Cassidy is a first grade teacher in Canada. She did a skype interview with Dr. Strange in February of 2010. This interview is about how she became so involved with technology and the importance f it to her. She has been involved with technology for about 10 years now. It started when she received computers for her classroom which was full of 6 year olds. The computers were great, but you couldn’t add anything to them. She started playing around with them and that’s how she became so involved with technology. She has used things like blogging and twitter in her career to help her succeed. Her PLN is something that she builds on everyday and she uses it to connect her with others that will help her further her knowledge in the technology world. I admire her approach to this situation because it was done all by using the technology that was given to her. She used the technology to help her further her knowledge of it so that she can better teach it to the students. I learned a lot from watching this interview because it made me feel like you can overcome barriers with technology just by doing your own research.
Blog Post #10
An Open Letter to Educators
Morgan Bayda is a teacher that received her degree in Canada. She travels all over the world to help other people out in any way that she can. I had to read several of her post for my comment for teacher assignments and I must say that she has been one of my favorites. She has posted pictures of all the places that she has traveled to and with them, she has written summaries about her experiences in those places. I admire her for all the traveling she has gotten to do and for all the help that she has given to people all over the world. I read her blog all the time and there is always something interesting on it. For this assignment, we were supposed to read her blog about Dan Brown’s video. Dan Brown is angry and he wants education to change. Morgan understands where he is coming from but she doesn’t agree with his decision to drop out of school. I also agree with Morgan because Dan has thrown away his future all because he is mad.
Don’t Let Them Take Home Pencils
The problem in this story is the same problem that many teachers face every day. It seems as if people are trying to just band-aid a problem rather than finding a solution to it. The teachers didn’t want the students to bring home pencils because of the low test scores on the standardized test. They believe the pencils are to blame so now the students can’t take home pencils. Instead of taking away the pencils, why not find a way to make the pencils helpful to the students? The cycle will just continue until someone stands up and tries to help the students out.
Two Questions that can Change Your Life
1.What’s my sentence? 2. Was I better today than yesterday?
These are two questions that the video asks its viewers to think about. This video is a type of self-help post to get others to become better people. I get its point, I just didn’t like it. I felt like it was way too short to get any real message across. I am forced to answer “what’s my sentence” so here it goes….
“I am a full time wife, daughter, sister, grand-daughter, and friend who loves life”
Morgan Bayda is a teacher that received her degree in Canada. She travels all over the world to help other people out in any way that she can. I had to read several of her post for my comment for teacher assignments and I must say that she has been one of my favorites. She has posted pictures of all the places that she has traveled to and with them, she has written summaries about her experiences in those places. I admire her for all the traveling she has gotten to do and for all the help that she has given to people all over the world. I read her blog all the time and there is always something interesting on it. For this assignment, we were supposed to read her blog about Dan Brown’s video. Dan Brown is angry and he wants education to change. Morgan understands where he is coming from but she doesn’t agree with his decision to drop out of school. I also agree with Morgan because Dan has thrown away his future all because he is mad.
Don’t Let Them Take Home Pencils
The problem in this story is the same problem that many teachers face every day. It seems as if people are trying to just band-aid a problem rather than finding a solution to it. The teachers didn’t want the students to bring home pencils because of the low test scores on the standardized test. They believe the pencils are to blame so now the students can’t take home pencils. Instead of taking away the pencils, why not find a way to make the pencils helpful to the students? The cycle will just continue until someone stands up and tries to help the students out.
Two Questions that can Change Your Life
1.What’s my sentence? 2. Was I better today than yesterday?
These are two questions that the video asks its viewers to think about. This video is a type of self-help post to get others to become better people. I get its point, I just didn’t like it. I felt like it was way too short to get any real message across. I am forced to answer “what’s my sentence” so here it goes….
“I am a full time wife, daughter, sister, grand-daughter, and friend who loves life”
Blog Post #9
"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung
This has to be one of my favorite posts this year. Mr. McClung is reflecting on his first year as a teacher and he talks about what he expected coming from a new college student to a full time elementary school teacher. He really gives insight on the realness of being in front of the students and how it was everything that he never expected. He gives advice for new teachers so that hopefully they can avoid some the stress that being a new teacher can cause. His advice includes the following: 1. How to Read the Crowd- which he means that being effective is making sure the students comprehend the material. 2. Be Flexible- be prepared for anything because a perfectly prepared lesson plan can still go wrong. “NO LESSON IS EVER PERFECT. THE LESSON YOU TEACH AND THE ONE YOU PLAN ARE ALWAYS DIFFERENT.” 3. Communicate- with the students and other teachers 4. Be Reasonable- Often we build our expectations too high for students, and become upset when they do not meet the expectation. 5. Don't be Afraid of Technology- use it because it is our friend 6. Listen to Your Students- because you may be the only person that does. 7. Lastly, Never Stop Learning-It's never too late to change your way of thinking, learning, or style. He gives very good insight on how teachers should approach their first year. I liked reading this because I felt like he was right on with his advice.
This has to be one of my favorite posts this year. Mr. McClung is reflecting on his first year as a teacher and he talks about what he expected coming from a new college student to a full time elementary school teacher. He really gives insight on the realness of being in front of the students and how it was everything that he never expected. He gives advice for new teachers so that hopefully they can avoid some the stress that being a new teacher can cause. His advice includes the following: 1. How to Read the Crowd- which he means that being effective is making sure the students comprehend the material. 2. Be Flexible- be prepared for anything because a perfectly prepared lesson plan can still go wrong. “NO LESSON IS EVER PERFECT. THE LESSON YOU TEACH AND THE ONE YOU PLAN ARE ALWAYS DIFFERENT.” 3. Communicate- with the students and other teachers 4. Be Reasonable- Often we build our expectations too high for students, and become upset when they do not meet the expectation. 5. Don't be Afraid of Technology- use it because it is our friend 6. Listen to Your Students- because you may be the only person that does. 7. Lastly, Never Stop Learning-It's never too late to change your way of thinking, learning, or style. He gives very good insight on how teachers should approach their first year. I liked reading this because I felt like he was right on with his advice.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Blog Post #8
Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2
Part 1 covers the basic things that we already know about technology. The video did not come as a shock to me because I am from a generation that uses technology in order to survive. It talks about how when students went to school in the past, they had to use the library in order to get the materials that they needed to class. They had to hand write papers and hand-write notes in class. In today’s classroom, we use computers to help us write our papers. When we take notes, we take them from our computer instead of with pen and paper. Technology has bettered our lives in many ways and this video just points the facts out.
Part 2 if the video covers how we use technology around the world. The video covered how technology is used everything from whale watching to nuclear scientists. Technology has made everything better by making life easier for people around the world. We can use technology for leisure purposes as well as using it to work. It is a great tool that we are fortunate to get to use.
EDM310 is Different:
We were asked to watch two videos made by students in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class. This is to help us get ideas of what our own video may be about. We are asked to produce a video on anything that we like and then post it to Youtube. It can be something simple or it can be an elaborate project. It just depends on the students creativity and experience with using the technology that we are asked to use. The two videos that I watched from past students were really good. This makes me nervous now because mine will not be as good as theirs. My favorite was “The Chipper” series because it shows the typical college student trying to wait until the last minute to finish a project. The movie Titled “EDM310 for Dummies” was really good as well. It gives simple questions and answers that students have about this class. This is great because it can be overwhelming at first until you become more comfortable with the computer. They were both great movies and I hope mine will be half as good as theirs.
Critiques of SmartBoards
This was the first time that I had done any real research on different opinions of smartboards and my-oh-my have I been missing out! There are some heated arguments on the pros and cons of SmartBoards. Some teachers really like them; some could give or take them, while others demand that they be removed from their classroom. I do not have a real opinion on this because I have not used one to teach yet and honestly, I probably never will considering that I am a Physical Education major, but I am still interested in this topic.
One teacher that I found to be interesting loves SmartBoards. She has a blog set up to help teachers get the tools they need to better their SmartBoard experience. She has a ton of links to webpage’s that are set up specifically for the use of SmartBoards. She has made it easier for other teachers to learn to love their SmartBoard as much as she likes hers. The link to her blog is http://abunday-smartboard.blogspot.com/. It is a great blog for future teachers to look at so that they can get the information that they need to help them with their SmartBoard.
On the other hand, there are people who absolutely hate their SmartBoard. The hate comes from everything between not being comfortable with it to hating it because it isn’t mounted in a good spot in the classroom. The arguments that I have found on this topic do seem valid, but like I said, I really cannot pass judgment on this debate. One argument that I found to be interesting can be located on this link: http://smartboardchat.blogspot.com/2007/05/mobile-verses-mounting.html.
Part 1 covers the basic things that we already know about technology. The video did not come as a shock to me because I am from a generation that uses technology in order to survive. It talks about how when students went to school in the past, they had to use the library in order to get the materials that they needed to class. They had to hand write papers and hand-write notes in class. In today’s classroom, we use computers to help us write our papers. When we take notes, we take them from our computer instead of with pen and paper. Technology has bettered our lives in many ways and this video just points the facts out.
Part 2 if the video covers how we use technology around the world. The video covered how technology is used everything from whale watching to nuclear scientists. Technology has made everything better by making life easier for people around the world. We can use technology for leisure purposes as well as using it to work. It is a great tool that we are fortunate to get to use.
EDM310 is Different:
We were asked to watch two videos made by students in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class. This is to help us get ideas of what our own video may be about. We are asked to produce a video on anything that we like and then post it to Youtube. It can be something simple or it can be an elaborate project. It just depends on the students creativity and experience with using the technology that we are asked to use. The two videos that I watched from past students were really good. This makes me nervous now because mine will not be as good as theirs. My favorite was “The Chipper” series because it shows the typical college student trying to wait until the last minute to finish a project. The movie Titled “EDM310 for Dummies” was really good as well. It gives simple questions and answers that students have about this class. This is great because it can be overwhelming at first until you become more comfortable with the computer. They were both great movies and I hope mine will be half as good as theirs.
Critiques of SmartBoards
This was the first time that I had done any real research on different opinions of smartboards and my-oh-my have I been missing out! There are some heated arguments on the pros and cons of SmartBoards. Some teachers really like them; some could give or take them, while others demand that they be removed from their classroom. I do not have a real opinion on this because I have not used one to teach yet and honestly, I probably never will considering that I am a Physical Education major, but I am still interested in this topic.
One teacher that I found to be interesting loves SmartBoards. She has a blog set up to help teachers get the tools they need to better their SmartBoard experience. She has a ton of links to webpage’s that are set up specifically for the use of SmartBoards. She has made it easier for other teachers to learn to love their SmartBoard as much as she likes hers. The link to her blog is http://abunday-smartboard.blogspot.com/. It is a great blog for future teachers to look at so that they can get the information that they need to help them with their SmartBoard.
On the other hand, there are people who absolutely hate their SmartBoard. The hate comes from everything between not being comfortable with it to hating it because it isn’t mounted in a good spot in the classroom. The arguments that I have found on this topic do seem valid, but like I said, I really cannot pass judgment on this debate. One argument that I found to be interesting can be located on this link: http://smartboardchat.blogspot.com/2007/05/mobile-verses-mounting.html.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Additional Blog Assignment #2
1.What do you think? If learners are motivated, can they teach themselves?
Yes. All students need is motivation and it helps to come from a teacher but it matters the most when it comes from the student themselves. I really enjoyed this video because I believe the point of it is to help the areas where there is not any education. As I read the comments that some people left about this video, I became really aggravated. I feel like half of the people that viewed it, misinterpreted it. He wasn’t saying that teachers aren’t important, nor was he saying that students are better off teaching themselves. The point that he was making was that there are areas where teachers will not go so the children there are left without an education. When you give them the option to succeed, the ones who want it the most will. Why segregate them the way they have been? With all the technology that we have in the world, there isn’t any reason to why these children do not at least have the opportunity to an education.
2.If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves?
Yes they can. It is not going to be an easy street for them but they can do it. If you want something bad enough, you do it. These students just need the opportunity to a better education because for some, the only education they will get will be from themselves.
3.What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or herself? The condition for a child to teach themselves has to be drastic before I believe it can be successful. When the child is faced with the option of either A. no education or B. an education that they taught themselves by-I believe the ones that want it will choose B.
4.What role do computers and internet access play in the process?
They play the most important role of all. Computers and Internet are the only resources these students will have to a proper education. They can learn all they need to learn just by using the internet.
5.What role does motivation, a desire to learn?
Motivation comes in first, then technology. A student must have the desire to further their education before anything can be done.
6.What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process?
There a lot of questions when it comes to self learning but I believe the good outweighs the bad.
7.How do you motivate someone to learn?
As a teacher, you encourage them to learn so that they can accomplish their dreams in life. For a student that lacks access to a teacher, the mother must motivate the child. Some children are just lucky enough to be dreamers all on their own. When they have dreams that they want to accomplish in life, they will motivate themselves to be better.
8.How are you motivated to learn?
I am motivated to learn when it interests me. I will be the first to tell you that if I am not interested in something that I am being made to learn, I will not pay attention. It has to be a goal I’m working toward in order for me to be motivated enough to do the things that I don’t want to do.
9.Can anyone who is not motivated to learn learn?
No. It has to come from within in order to succeed.
10.Do you teach yourself? When? Why?
All the time. I Youtube things that I need directions to because you can see the examples from a video instead of reading them. I taught myself how to sew from the internet and I also get ideas for teaching my kickboxing class from the internet.
11.What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your learning?
A teacher is there to help you put the pieces together. I can read something on the internet and be confused on the meaning of it, but when I get to class, the teacher explains it in a way that I can relate it to my life.
12.What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you as a result of watching this video?
That there are children out there that can learn on their own. When a student is faced with this only option and still wants to learn, I have to admire them.
13.What other questions or issues are raised by this video that should be considered and discussed by aspiring teachers?
Is it helpful to use out of classroom technology to further the student’s education even if there is a teacher on staff? A teacher must use other resources for the students that just simply learn better on their own. We help students that need more one on one attention so why not help the students that learn better by themselves?
Yes. All students need is motivation and it helps to come from a teacher but it matters the most when it comes from the student themselves. I really enjoyed this video because I believe the point of it is to help the areas where there is not any education. As I read the comments that some people left about this video, I became really aggravated. I feel like half of the people that viewed it, misinterpreted it. He wasn’t saying that teachers aren’t important, nor was he saying that students are better off teaching themselves. The point that he was making was that there are areas where teachers will not go so the children there are left without an education. When you give them the option to succeed, the ones who want it the most will. Why segregate them the way they have been? With all the technology that we have in the world, there isn’t any reason to why these children do not at least have the opportunity to an education.
2.If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves?
Yes they can. It is not going to be an easy street for them but they can do it. If you want something bad enough, you do it. These students just need the opportunity to a better education because for some, the only education they will get will be from themselves.
3.What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or herself? The condition for a child to teach themselves has to be drastic before I believe it can be successful. When the child is faced with the option of either A. no education or B. an education that they taught themselves by-I believe the ones that want it will choose B.
4.What role do computers and internet access play in the process?
They play the most important role of all. Computers and Internet are the only resources these students will have to a proper education. They can learn all they need to learn just by using the internet.
5.What role does motivation, a desire to learn?
Motivation comes in first, then technology. A student must have the desire to further their education before anything can be done.
6.What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process?
There a lot of questions when it comes to self learning but I believe the good outweighs the bad.
7.How do you motivate someone to learn?
As a teacher, you encourage them to learn so that they can accomplish their dreams in life. For a student that lacks access to a teacher, the mother must motivate the child. Some children are just lucky enough to be dreamers all on their own. When they have dreams that they want to accomplish in life, they will motivate themselves to be better.
8.How are you motivated to learn?
I am motivated to learn when it interests me. I will be the first to tell you that if I am not interested in something that I am being made to learn, I will not pay attention. It has to be a goal I’m working toward in order for me to be motivated enough to do the things that I don’t want to do.
9.Can anyone who is not motivated to learn learn?
No. It has to come from within in order to succeed.
10.Do you teach yourself? When? Why?
All the time. I Youtube things that I need directions to because you can see the examples from a video instead of reading them. I taught myself how to sew from the internet and I also get ideas for teaching my kickboxing class from the internet.
11.What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your learning?
A teacher is there to help you put the pieces together. I can read something on the internet and be confused on the meaning of it, but when I get to class, the teacher explains it in a way that I can relate it to my life.
12.What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you as a result of watching this video?
That there are children out there that can learn on their own. When a student is faced with this only option and still wants to learn, I have to admire them.
13.What other questions or issues are raised by this video that should be considered and discussed by aspiring teachers?
Is it helpful to use out of classroom technology to further the student’s education even if there is a teacher on staff? A teacher must use other resources for the students that just simply learn better on their own. We help students that need more one on one attention so why not help the students that learn better by themselves?
PLN Progress
My PLN so far….
I am a user and active member of Facebook
Websites I frequently use:
PECENTRAL.ORG
AAHPERD.ORG
BLOGGER.COM
I am a user and active member of Facebook
Websites I frequently use:
PECENTRAL.ORG
AAHPERD.ORG
BLOGGER.COM
Blog Post #7
RANDY PAUSCH'S LAST LECTURE
It was really an enjoyment for me to watch Randy because he was so funny and had such a good attitude and personality. He started off his speech talking about childhood dreams. He talked about the importance of them and how every child does have dreams whether they are big or small. I think as future teachers we should always encourage kids to be all they can and that if they work for their dreams they can accomplish them. This is very important for early childhood education teachers because the younger the children are, the more they believe in their dreams. I also loved how he stressed the fact that he actually did everything on his list and learned from every single experience.
One of the key points that Randy made in his speech was to help the children learn on their own. This idea caught me because I am a firm believer in the fact that children will remember things they experience for themselves better than something they are just told or taught. The difference comes from the children actually doing activities and learning from the hands on experience rather than just memorizing information from a textbook to get them through a test. That’s when education becomes what I call the “etch a sketch” effect. They memorize the information, spit it out for a test, and then erase it completely from their memory. When the students are faced with hands on experiences, it teaches them far more important information that they will retain for a longer period of time.
Randy talked about some of his old memories and one thing he always remembered was "when people stop correcting you they have given up". This statement is so true and it so important for teachers to realize this. Students know when a teacher has simply given up on them and this makes them not attempt their best or even worse, give up on their dreams all together. By giving students encouragement, you are also giving them a chance to succeed. Encouragement goes a long way in a child’s life and it is the simplest thing a teacher can do for someone.
Another point that Randy made in his speech was to help teachers realize that there needs to be fun in the classroom. When a student is bored to tears, they lose focus and determination. It isn’t hard to try to make the lesson plan a tad bit more fun and it’s a key factor in trying to help the students succeed. This goes for all grade levels, not just younger children. I feel like Randy had good points in his speech and it is something that I will remember in the classroom.
It was really an enjoyment for me to watch Randy because he was so funny and had such a good attitude and personality. He started off his speech talking about childhood dreams. He talked about the importance of them and how every child does have dreams whether they are big or small. I think as future teachers we should always encourage kids to be all they can and that if they work for their dreams they can accomplish them. This is very important for early childhood education teachers because the younger the children are, the more they believe in their dreams. I also loved how he stressed the fact that he actually did everything on his list and learned from every single experience.
One of the key points that Randy made in his speech was to help the children learn on their own. This idea caught me because I am a firm believer in the fact that children will remember things they experience for themselves better than something they are just told or taught. The difference comes from the children actually doing activities and learning from the hands on experience rather than just memorizing information from a textbook to get them through a test. That’s when education becomes what I call the “etch a sketch” effect. They memorize the information, spit it out for a test, and then erase it completely from their memory. When the students are faced with hands on experiences, it teaches them far more important information that they will retain for a longer period of time.
Randy talked about some of his old memories and one thing he always remembered was "when people stop correcting you they have given up". This statement is so true and it so important for teachers to realize this. Students know when a teacher has simply given up on them and this makes them not attempt their best or even worse, give up on their dreams all together. By giving students encouragement, you are also giving them a chance to succeed. Encouragement goes a long way in a child’s life and it is the simplest thing a teacher can do for someone.
Another point that Randy made in his speech was to help teachers realize that there needs to be fun in the classroom. When a student is bored to tears, they lose focus and determination. It isn’t hard to try to make the lesson plan a tad bit more fun and it’s a key factor in trying to help the students succeed. This goes for all grade levels, not just younger children. I feel like Randy had good points in his speech and it is something that I will remember in the classroom.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)