Comments on: Are we preparing our kids

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:12:37 +0000

Oh yeah but if that is what you have either you become more involved in the process or become part of a global community that really stimulates you. Try NYSCATE’s ning community. We all collaborate there. You need to partner yourself with visionaries and those statewide that are using the tools. I can help you with that.
nyscate.org

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:11:01 +0000

Now that is great. I was hoping someone would use a real example of how they are making changes. The next steps to this is to see how you can globalize what you are trying to do with your students. You need to connect them to the community but where else can this go

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:09:25 +0000

So how are you doing that right now if you truly believe that

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:07:50 +0000

dave – you are so right. Globalization is a necessary integrated part of what we do for our students. How are you personally handling that???

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:06:04 +0000

You are right and that is the unfortunate piece. It sounds like you feel powerless in helping out your students. Do you think you can take control and make some changes on your own? Is there another way.

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:04:34 +0000

lInteresting comment about students not thinking critically and perhaps they are lazy or things are being done for them. I have a few thoughts on that – there are always and have always been students that have thought critically but for those that did not strive to that level there were employment opportunities for them. When we were a manufacturing society and most people didn’t know where Europe was we could prepare workers to be successful but not now. Our kids are the same it is the job market and society that has changed.
like the fact you recognize the need but what you are personally doing about it in your own classroom right now!!!!

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:01:38 +0000

You had me at the beginning of your statement. I liked your example of engaging students and if we set the stage for them to be successful then they will know what it feels like and want it for themselves. Very good perspective. But I really lost he last part. Blooms is saying that the most basic level, recall, is not the best way to teach and that if that is what we strive for then students will not be able to apply their knowledge. I would like to see how you would look on the positive side and see how it can work rather than not.

By: Adam M

Adam M — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:32:34 +0000

“Those that are interested are those that have a vision for themselves so they see why they need to learn. Those in poverty or perhaps in a situation that does not value your future this does not occur.”

I do not agree fully with this idea. i teach in a district that is poverty stricken. I teach the students that are repeating the lowest level mathematics course offered for the second or third time. I think that this is part of the idea, but there is something more to it. In general, we all want to feel successful. That success can generate activity in a classroom. The most important aspect is to set a student up for success. When students are set up for success, and know that they can succeed, they will become interested in a topic. At least interested enough where an effective teacher can foster that interest and create a powerful student-centered learning community.

I agree that rows are a dated way to set up a classroom. However, not all subjects allow for a radical classroom arrangement. A classroom can be set up almost any way because that isn’t the real issue. If a teacher delivers a dry lesson with a monotone voice, of course the students will not be interested. A teacher should be passionate about the subject they are teaching. There should be enthusiasm, and excitement in the teacher’s voice when a lesson is delivered.

With respect to how we can use technology in the classroom, my question is at what point does it hinder learning? It spans back to the way math is taught in the Elementary level, but I see a problem when students can’t multiply 7 and 8 without using a calculator. I am finding that the use (or lack of) technology in the classroom hides the real issue. The real issue (and I am being math specific) is that there is no rote skill in our students. It follows Blooms Taxonomy that the most basic level is Recall, and students are stumbling there. I don’t care how much technology is available, but without the ability to Recall, technology doesn’t do us much good at all.

By: Stephanie Jablonski

Stephanie Jablonski — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:31:02 +0000

I agree that we as educators need to work harder these days to teach kids how to think. Through my experience teaching, I’ve noticed that many kids don’t know how to think critically. They fail to go the extra mile on an assignment or don’t analyze, question or evaluate what they read. A lot of things are done for them in life and they think the minimum is good enough. Perhaps it’s laziness, but I think students need to make sense of everything they do. According to your blog, I agree that those students who yearn to succeed will focus and work hard despite the learning environment, but for those who don’t care about their future, they need better stimulation and engagement. As educators, we need to model how technology plays an imperative role in our lives and teach that it will inevitably become more advanced in the future. Our goal should be to make every student enjoy the opportunity to learn and help them to formulate a vision for themselves for the future.

By: John DeVenuto

John DeVenuto — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:28:25 +0000

Thanks for yelling at us, geez. Anyway, I believe you are correct that the responses from not only our grad class, but most teachers as well, about technology is really depressing and out of date. But the major difference in our opinions is that, to me, teachers do not see technology as incredibly important either due to a conflict of educational opinion or the fact that waiting for that new technology can be better spent using what you have. I had to fight for a projector in my classroom for 2 years, I use computers in the class that were meant to be disposed of for being old, and I teach in an area that is becoming less and less relevant (Unified Arts). I would absolutely love to have the technology to do these miraculous activities in the classroom. Its just difficult when your school’s budget never passes and you lose 10% of your classroom budget every year.
I really believe technology in the classroom has to be re-evaluated. When you teach a course on technology, and your newest computer is 6 years old, while at the same time the ELA department is getting Smart Boards and ELMOS when they dont even ask for them is ridiculous. Some of the best courses I have ever taken used no technology, and I am a technology freak. Im sorry for rambling, but it is very discouraging when stuff like this happens. This is where our close minded view of instructional technology comes from.