Sunday, October 31, 2010

Blog Assignment #10



To All Educators

I agree with most everything that Morgan has to say about education.  Education has become monotonous and monotone.  Students are told to go home, read a chapter, and maybe answer questions on it.  They return to class and usually have to sit through a boring lecture in which the instructor repeats almost everything they have already read in the book.  They take a test on the material and move on.  Do you think that these students will truly remember what they "learned?"  I would say that there isn't a chance.

Students need to apply what they are learning to their life.  That is the best way to learn.  They need to get into the material with other students and discuss, argue, and debate over it.  Students need to have a voice, and they need to be able to voice their opinions.  We, as teachers, are in charge of facilitating these types of discussions.  Kids are much more bound to get excited about something they can speak and share about.  This is what a classroom setting should look like.

Technology can be a very useful type of tool in this kind of learning.  Kids are much more likely to use tools from PLNs like Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, etc... to work together.  I have said it before, and I will say it again.  Technology is the best way to get kids excited and interested in learning.  It's time to teach kids to learn actively, not passively.  What better way to get them involved than using the gadgets they know and love?


What is Your Sentence?

This video really made me think about my career and more importantly, my life.  What do I want people to remember me as?  In my life, I strive to help others and show them love and encouragement.  I want this to be a part of my career as a teacher because I think this mindset can lead to some great things.  If I truly work to do this, then everything else will fall into place.  Through love, kindness, and patience, I hope to teach every child that they can learn and that they can love learning.

My sentence (for now) will be:  "She listened so that they might listen, she encouraged so that they might encourage, she helped so that they might help, and she loved so that they might love."
   
 



 

4 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I absolutely agree with you that students need to apply what they are learning to their life. I always made the honor roll in school and that was because I have an excellent memory and I memorized my material long enough for the test. I couldn't tell you much about any of those things I crammed into my brain. However, the things I do remember are from projects and activities where I was able to participate and get my hands on the lesson. I have a six year old niece and she LOVES to get on my laptop and play around, so I definitely agree that letting kids get their hands on the gadgets they love is an excellent way to get them involved. Oh, and I love your sentence :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, Kathryn, that is BEAUTIFUL sentence. Did you find it somewhere or was it inspired? It sounds familiar and GREAT... Lead by example!

    ReplyDelete