Blog Post 2

Did You Know?

I found the video "Did you Know" to be very informational and inspiring. It is overwhelming to realize the wealth of knowledge being generated through the use of modern day technologies. I think that this video proves the importance of new products and the way they impact the world we live in.

I really enjoyed the segment that talked about the differences in the amount of information processed during Shakespeare's realm, and the amount that we process today. I believe this "Pandora's box" we have opened up with our modern day discoveries are influencing us in ways that we don't even consciously realize. This video is an eye-opener to that type of blindness, and it definitely shows how rapidly technology effects the way we learn as humans. Although it may be intimidating, I think that technology is something we all need to embrace and make use of in our lives, and our classrooms.

Mr Winkle Wakes

"Mr Winkle Wakes" is a sarcastic look into some of the schools that are still falling short of keeping up with the times. What good is it to allow the world around us to advance, if we are not advancing ourselves in the way we teach our students? This video addresses those schools that are still taking the same approach that was taken a hundred years ago. A mundane and outdated approach that puts kids to sleep.  

Of course someone who didn't know any better would take comfort in that setting, but in this day in age, WE know better. Why make our students sit in uncomfortable desks and listen to us lecture on and on about the ways of the world a hundred years ago, when we might as well still be in it if we are not incorporating modern day methods? There are so many interactive programs now that get the student out of the desk and having fun while learning. The world we live in is constantly changing, and if we aren't keeping up in our schools we are causing ourselves, and our students to fall behind. 

The Importance of Creativity

First off, what an amazing speaker Ken Robinson is!! I loved this video. Mr. Robinson had amazing points, and really got me thinking about the way I want to go about teaching in my future classroom. I loved his statement, "Education takes us into a future we can not grasp." To me, that is a profound thought. It made me wonder, how will I educate my students on a world of unpredictability? This question is something I don't think I will ever come up with an exact answer for, but I do think it will motivate me to always be searching for new ways to approach my students and the process of learning.

A second statement that really stood out to me was, "If you aren't prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original." Awesomely put Mr. Robinson! That is so encouraging to me, and I believe, would certainly be a great attitude to take within the classroom. It is so important to let kids know, it's okay to be wrong. What may be wrong for one person may be right for another and vice versa. This motto would be comforting to students and not put so much pressure on them to be "right" all the time. The fear of being wrong in the past has certainly discouraged me from taking risks to be creative, and I do not want my children or my students to ever let that fear hold them back.

Another comment that Mr. Robinson made was "Creativity is as important as literacy".  Hallelujah, Amen! One more brilliant point to recognize. It is so sad that we live in a world that values a child's mind (which of course should be valued), but doesn't equally value a child's personal creativity. Whether or not a child is a genius in math or science, or writes essays that challenge the works of Stephen Hawkings, should not determine if he or she is going to be successful. What about the child that struggles with math, but paints like Matisse? How about the child that can't sit still, but can play music like Mozart? Success should be defined by much more than a child's skills in literacy. Creativity can just as well lead a child down the path of success. I think that if more people thought like Ken Robinson, children would be allowed to realize their own potential, and that could be a very powerful thing.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

I believe Vikki Davis' style of integrating new technologies into her classroom is great! She is taking rural teenagers out of their community, and through new technology, putting them in social situations with other teens around the world. I think that gives the students a great opportunity to see how different their social surroundings may be compared to those of a teenager across the world. 

I also think that using these strategies, and allowing students to see things from new perspectives, is such a valuable tool. Some kids will never have the opportunity to get out and see new places or different countries. Therefore, we should not take the technology that allows us to do this for granted. I enjoyed watching this video and seeing how involved Ms. Davis' students were in her class. She gave them the opportunity to make discoveries and teach each other about what they found. I imagine they are learning much more through their own experiences than they would just reading about someone else's in a book.