Sunday, February 26, 2012

Blog Post #5

Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?

Scott Mcleod is the associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Kentucky. In his blog, Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please? he uses sarcasm against technology when he is really for it. I believe that teaching children to use technology correctly will help them emensely and give them a brighter future. It broadens their way of learning. I do not believe we should be fully dependent on it, but I do agree that we should teach and allow our children to use it correctly. We cannot always protect our children from absolutely everything in this world. Sometimes they have to learn other ways and on their own and if taught right and wrong we have to trust that they will do the right thing with what is in front of them.

Travis Allen

In the short videos: The iSchool Initiative and ZeitgeistYoungMinds Entry , a high school student from Fairfield, Georgia attempts to show the public a solution to our current education problems in America. He calls this solution iSchool. His proposal states that it will save the average student hundreds of dollars. This idea may save money and be more green friendly, but I don't know if I fully agree with it. I think this may make students a bit too dependent on technology. Technology in the classroom is a great thing, but I don't want an ipod eventually taking my place as a teacher. All parents may not want their children to own an ipod and some applications and most ibooks still have to be paid for. It just scares me.




Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

When I watched this short YouTube video of the "Lux Aurumque" performance, I was truly amazed. He put together a virtual choir consisting of 185 singers from twelve different countries. What is really amazing about this performance is the fact that not one of these singers have ever performed together or even met one another. It is genius and so beautiful. Bravo to Eric Whitacre and his lovely virtual choir.

Teaching in the 21st Century

Kevin Roberts believes that teaching in the 21st century means that teachers work more as a filter. Again, I will say I do not think that students should do everything on computers. No one should completely rely on technology. Everything should not be done online. I think if it were, then it would be like taking an online class. I don't know a single person who has enjoyed taking online classes. I know I really did not like them at all. Also again, I do believe we should use technology in the classroom, but not overuse. As teachers we should teach and guide students to use technology, just not for everything they do. I loved the interaction in the classroom while growing up. I love actual books, flipping real pages and looking at its pictures while I read. I love writing with pen and paper. I like writing on an expo board. I know that has changed and still believe in the future, students will rely on technology too much.

Reading Rockets

Reading Rockets is a great website that offers a number of reading strategies, lessons and activities designed to help students read better. It also helps to build fluency, vocabulary and comprehension for struggling readers. Penultimate is a popular note-taking application found. Alien Equation is another fun application I found; it has fun games that teach math skills. This website has so many wonderful resources for any subject and any student that aren't only for just the students themselves, but also gives helpful resources to parents, teachers and administrators as well. it also offers special resources for students with particular special needs. I believe this is a website I will definitely be referring to and sharing with my students and their parents in the future.

1 comment:

  1. Katelyn,

    You have done an awesome job! I love your blog and enjoyed reading your blog post! I hope that you enjoy teaching and keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete