"Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?" by Scott McLeod
I really enjoyed reading this post. The sarcasm and tone Mr. McLeod created was wonderful. I want parents and future educators to be open to change. Whether we like it or not, technology is changing the world. There are good and bad things about it, but if you take advantage of the privacy options, then your kids will be protected.
In the post, McLeod seems to have a really negative attitude towards technology; however, at the end of it, he is very real with the readers. I think he is stating that since he allows his children to be involved in technology, they will have a leg up in the long run. I agree with him. Whether we want to be involved with it or not, if we want to keep up with the world, we are almost required to.
Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., is a professor at Iowa State University. He is one of the nation's leading academic experts on K-12 technology leadership issues, the director of CASTLE, a program dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators.
iSchool sounds like a great program. I really like the idea that when I become a teacher, I can have access to them via iTouch outside of the classroom. I think all schools should turn to this program, including colleges. It will teach the kids all the basic skills they need, just in a much more technologically advanced way.
Travis, thanks for this idea. I hope school administrators worldwide see this video and run with it. What a great way to revolutionize schools. I can't wait to see the change!
"The Lost Generation" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA
This video was very creative and inspirational. I like how what seems to be said today, can be reversed by this generation making a conscious decision. It's up to this era. How we choose to live, what we choose to believe, and who we choose to commit ourselves to matters. Our children will need to know that, "Money will make you happy," is a lie! And our employers need to understand that our family comes before our job.
Some of the comments after the video are inspiring. One said they want to "be that one person, one to change everything." I;m excited to know that there are people who don't want to just follow the crowd, but instead want to lead it. I think if teachers instill this leadership into the children, our country could turn this world upside down.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'
This video was awesome. What I found so profound about it was the age range. One time I saw a little girl and before that I saw a much older lady. I find it incredible that an experienced and an amateur can sing in the same choir, actually, one that had never met before. 185 people of all races, cultures, and ages found a way to get together and perform. Not once did this group of people practice together in person. It was all over the internet.
It's very exciting to know that with the internet, there are no limits. If you can sing, you can find people who want to sing with you, even from another country. I love that regardless of your passion, popular or not, the internet gives us more opportunities than we could ever of imagined.
"Teaching In the 21st Century"
I think this video is very real to teachers everywhere. Skills are of the utmost importance. Without skills, children will have a hard time gaining a job when they become adults. This video opens my eyes to why I want to be a teacher. I don't want to be a typical teacher, I have a desire to make a difference in the lives of children. I want to teach them in the best way I know how. If that means I have to "tweet" their homework or "comment" on their facebooks, I will have to keep up with them.
"To teach" in the 21st century means to present the children with questions and assignments that are challenging. Teaching kids has changed a lot since I was in elementary school and will continue to change. The teacher must find a way to stay up to date with the world.
Your post was very detailed and gave a sense of where you stand on each video. I agree with you about the post from Scott Mcleod. If we don't involve our students in technology then we are no helping them in the long run. By the time they are adults, technology will be all that is used. If we want to help our students be successful citizens then we have to incorporate technology into our classroom. The iSchool looks very promising but my only question is how will we make it become mandatory for parents to buy if we start using them in the school system? Your always going to have some parent fight you but you don't want that child to have to suffer because they don't have access to one. You summarized "Teaching in the 21st Century" perfectly! If we want to be effective teachers then we will have to make adjustments to our teaching styles and learn to incorporate anything that will help a child. Have a good semester!
ReplyDeleteYour text font is cute-- but as I read your great post, I kept thinking, "Wow, this text is cute, and easy to read." I will keep this in mind when I choose text for my classroom. I don't want it to be too distracting :-)
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you brought up the privacy options protection. That is key! The ret of your responses seem right on target. Good job Amanda!
Ps. I looked at your timeline, and congrats for making it almost 5 years now!