Blog #3

Peer Editing

I think that the amount of corrections depends on how you should edit them.  If what you are reading is well written and has a couple of mistakes, I think that they can be notified publicly.  However, if there are many mistakes, the material is poorly written and should almost be redone, I think you should send a private email.  If the problem continues, then they are showing that they don't care and you may publicly edit their work. 

I always edit my work and check for spelling.  No one is perfect and sometimes you can read something and know what it is suppose to say and that be what you read.  I know that it usually takes another set of eyes to proofread my work.  I don't want you to change my message, I just want you to make sure that what I have typed or written is spelled correctly and correct grammar is being used.  

It's not about the technology

Kelly Hines writes about the technology that is being used in classrooms today.  I really like the point that she is trying to make.  The whiteboards that are being placed in classrooms are not what is doing the teaching.  The teacher is still responsible for making sure that the students are still learning.  Kelly made 4 valuable points that I want to summarize for you.  1) Teachers must be learners.  That is a must.  Our students needs and requirements are always going to be changing.  So are the way they need to be taught to learn.  What works for one, may not work for another.  You must learn new ways to teach so that each and every child is taught what they need to know to progress.  2) Learning and teaching aren't the same.  Isn't that the truth.  You can't just teach to the students.  If they aren't learning, you aren't teaching.  The main focus is to make sure that each and every child  learns what they need to progress.  3) Technology is useless without good teachers.  That is true with everything in teaching.  Nothing that you use in your classroom is going to work if you aren't there to teach it.  4) Being a 21st century teacher without technology.  It's not the technology that the students need, it's a great teacher.  If you can teach without, then go for it.  The technology is there is you want it and is designed to keep the focus of the students.  Nobody wants to just be lectured.  But, if you throw some interaction in there, they will pay attention.  I agree with this post.  Teaching is what you do, not what you use.

Is it OK to be a technologically illiterate teacher?

Karl Fisch is a teacher that has some very strong opinions about if teachers should be technologically literate or not.  After reading his blog, I gather from what he says that he feels that teachers should be somewhat literate in technology and use it regularly in their lessons.  I like how he explains that it's OK for a parent to admit that they aren't good at math or computers with no problem.  Yet, they aren't as OK if they are illiterate.  Why is it OK to not be good with computers?  I guess it is what society has labeled as acceptable. 

I agree with Karl Fisch in that teachers need to use technology of some type in their lessons.  I believe that if students see certain programs being used, they won't be so scared of learning new things.  I really liked what he said about the Kindergartners today are the class of 2020 and we need to have 2020 vision.  That is so true and amazing to think about.  It takes the level of success up a notch.  I don't think that everything a teacher does must involve technology, but I do feel that it needs to be used more often.

Gary's Social Media Count

It is really amazing at the amount of technology users out there.  Some of the counts that are being calculated are for social purposes and some are for work purposes.  The technologically enhanced world that we live in is growing rapidly every second. This is just a piece of the technology puzzle that is out there. 

I am not sure what this means for my teaching career.  I think I will definitely have to use more and more technology in my lessons.  There are endless possibilities as to how far this will go.  I just hope that someone doesn't go as far as replacing teachers.  There is no way to know what the technology of the future will bring. 

A Vision of Students Today

What a powerful and true video.  I have learned that being a student is about the success in the long run.  I am aware that as a student, I am required to spend money on things that I don't think are beneficial to me now but, once I start my career, I am sure that there will be some relevance to what was required of me.  You can't focus on the present, you must lean for the future. 

I noticed that one of the signs said something to the affect of I am studying for a degree for a job that doesn't exist yet.  I think that teaching is the same way.  I don't think that teaching will be the same in 2 or 3 years.  Once I graduate and start my career, the technology that I am using now sill be outdated and there will be something out there bigger and better.  I do believe that my understanding of what is out there now will prepare me and give me the ability to learn the new technology in the future.  Whether we like it or not, technology is a part of our future and is growing everyday.