Blog Post #2

1.) Did you know...

          In the "Did you know" video by Dr.Strange and "Did you know"by  Karl Fisch and Scott Mcleod, there was an amazing amount of facts presented. The reality of the technology that we have yet to see is mind blowing. Think about it. Some people are still trying to adjust to the technology of today. In both videos it was stated that teachers are teaching students for jobs and careers that are not even in existence yet. The thought of that alone makes my mind wonder. What does the future hold for the children of this generation. Our kids and grand kids will be exposed to technology that we haven't encountered yet; so how will we be able to help them adjust to the future?


       Another thing that caught my attention in the "Did you know" videos is how intelligent other countries are becoming. Take India for example, 25% of India's population with the highest IQ's is greater than the total population of the United States. This factual information is a hard pill to swallow. Not only India, but China will eventually become the number one English speaking country in the world. Other countries are becoming superior to America in more ways than one. No one knows what the future holds, but one thing is for sure, technology will be a major factor in years to come.


2.) "Mr. Winkle Wakes".......

         The video "Mr. Winkles Wakes" by Matthew Needlemen was an excellent video portraying that no matter how much technology and the world changes, the basics of school are still the same. Not saying the same as in not moving forward in technology, but as in still teaching the basics like reading, writing, and arithmetic. The history of teaching dates back hundreds of years. I like that no matter how much had changed in 100 years, Mr. Winkle was still able to find comfort in something that he was familiar with. I believe that over time Mr. Winkle will adapt to the technology around him.


         I wish the video ("Mr. Winkle Wakes") was a tad bit longer so it could show how Mr. Winkle adapts to the new technology around him. This video is an example of how much things can evolve over the course of 100 years. As an educator we must teach our students well and instill great values in them so that they won't become a Mr. Winkle in their lifetime. Also as teachers we must continue to learn about new technology so that we can teach our students about the new technology. I feel that educators need to embrace new technology to help themselves and their students.




3.) Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

                                                


        I really enjoyed Ken Robinson's lecture on the importance of creativity. I love Mr. Robinson's outlook on educating kids in the future. No child is the same; they are all different. Some kids are going to grow up to be athletes, doctors, lawyers, and teachers, so its important to learn how to engage with kids' creative side. Ken Robinson did an excellent job on keeping his audience engaged with his jokes.


       I feel that if you don't allow a child to use the creative part of their mind, over a period of time they will lose their creativity. In my opinion students learn better when a teacher is creative, because being creative grasp their attention and makes them want to learn. Mathematics, reading, and writing will always be important in education, but sometimes educators need to step out of the box and teach a child how to connect with their creative side.




4.) Classroom Disruption

       The video "Classroom Disruption" is a video that portrays two classrooms, with two teachers, who have two completely different teaching methods. In the first classroom, the teacher enters with happiness and joy. His energy is expressed by the way he greets his students with excitement. In the second classroom the teacher enters with a monotone grumpy voice. This makes the students feel as if they're being persecuted for being at school. The second teacher walked in and began to boss his students around by giving out orders. The second teacher also has a lifeless plain classroom that is full of non-interactive grief. On the other hand the teacher in the first class has a classroom filled with life, computers, and other gadgets to grasp the students attention. The looks on the students' faces tell two separate stories. The students in the first class face tells a story of excitement and a will to learn. The students in the second class faces express a look of dismay and lack of interest.


       As and educator you should strive to be like the teacher in the first classroom. There are too many teachers who sit behind a desk and bash students over the head with lectures and assignments. I'm a firm believer in having an interactive classroom. In order to be a great teacher that interacts with your class, you have to be up to date on all of the new technology. The teacher in the second classroom didn't look to be up to speed with the current technology. The teacher in the first class used the internet and social networks to his advantage for his class. Teachers must learn to use all of the resources around them to learn. Technology is a vital part of today's educational system.