Sunday, January 23, 2011

Blog Post #2





Did You Know?
These movies always seem to amaze me! I have seen a few of them before, but I have never really sat down to think about the information provided. The first thing that I noticed about this movie is that it was posted in 2008. I would love to know what the actual facts were now that we are in 2011. I also laughed at the very last fact of 694,000 songs being downloaded illegally during the course of the presentation. As a musician, I am strongly against this even though I have done it. I just found it very interesting!


As an educator watching this video, I had to think for a second about how this information would effect my students. Each student watching this will have more information presented to them in a few years than my parents were ever given! I find it amazing that we can be the main conducive elements of knowledge for these students. It is our responsibility to make sure that every one of our students absorbs as much knowledge as their brains can take in!


Mr. Winkle Wakes
I really enjoyed this video, mostly because of the story that it drew its main character from: Rip Van Winkle! More than anything though, I enjoyed the sarcastic tone that was used throughout the video. The video made a great point about technology: After 100 years of change in technology in our society, why are we still educating our children the same way that they have been educated for years now?


If students are expected to graduate from high school and college being technologically literate, why are not teaching with this technology? We cannot expect our students to go out into today's workforce and be competitive if we are not teaching them the knowledge that it takes to do so! Sounds to me like the education system needs to step up their standards in order to make our students not only competitive with their fellow Americans but also with the students from other countries!


The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson brings to mind perfect points! Being a student who is extremely interested in music and the arts, I do believe that all children have some sort of creativity and we just have to find it in them and figure out how to keep the creativity flowing! Sometimes, I believe the creativity is just waiting to be released.


Last Summer, I had a teacher made the best point and argument for a case like this that I have ever heard! She said that instead of punishing a child for drawing on a desk, we should give them paper in which their creation can come to life! We, as educators, cannot just sit at our desks in front of the class and decide to get upset with our students because they are doodling! Instead, we should embrace the creativity and help them learn from it!


Cecelia Gault's Interview
Let me start off by saying that Cecelia is one bright child and could have a career in reporting very easily! When it comes to children that are this inquisitive, I believe that we, as educators, should do everything within our powers to each them that it is natural to asks questions. We need to let our children know that knowledge comes from a healthy sense of questioning!


Whenever we have a child who comes to our class like Cecelia, we need to make sure to help her gain all of the answers that she seeks. I believe that children like Cecelia are a rare gem and are what dreams are made of when it comes to the type of children I want to teach! I wish that all children were so easily excited by the prospects of education. However, I will do my best to make sure that every child, Cecelia-like or not, will be pushed to learn as much as possible!


Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
I think that it is extremely cool that a teacher in a rural Southern state is using technology in the classroom. It seems to me that she is looking at her students and figuring out how to modify her lessons in order to suit them instead of expecting her students to modify to her. In return, she is not only teaching the students, but they are teaching her as well! This exchange of knowledge is amazing!


I think the ideas behind "Digi Teen" is great! With so many social networking outlets today, it is easy to spend hours upon hours on websites such as facebookmyspace and twitter and accomplish absolutely nothing! With Digi Teen, it is not only a social networking tool, but also a learning tool that expands the classroom to the entire world! I give Mrs. Davis two thumbs WAY up!

6 comments:

  1. You have mentioned some of my favourite videos on youtube. Great work with your blog, I will follow with much interest

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  2. Thanks Mr. Robinson! I really enjoyed scanning through your blog! I'm sure there is something that I can find that I can change over to a music concept!

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  3. I think we should not worry about stuffing brains to the limit of their ability to absorb, but rather train students to use (and make sure they have) the tools that will allow them to access "all information (that they need) in all places at all times. The quote is from a book written in 1978 (Guttenberg II)which predicted that condition by 2000. We didn't quite make it, but we are getting closer and closer.

    Paper instead of punishment! I like that.

    We all must learn from each other agreed!

    Well done!

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  4. Thank you for watching Mr. Winkle Wakes. I'm glad you understand and appreciated the sarcastic tone that some viewers miss.

    I would argue, however, that we need to incorporate technology rather than teach technology. Students often know more about how to use it than their teachers. However, students don't necessarily know how to use it in an educational context or know how to use it safely, responsibly, or productively.

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  5. Dr Strange,

    I think that quote should be something we strive to attain, even after we have reached the point that it is talking about! Great words to think about! Thanks! :)


    Matthew,

    I grew up with stories like Rip Van Winkle and I'm glad somebody decided to use him to point out such a valid idea!

    I understand what you are saying and agree completely!

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  6. GREAT blog! Love your pictures and I agree with your opinions all the way....good thought.

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