In the video Did You Know? 3.0-A John Strange 2012 Version, it discussed how the United States is being outnumbered by both India and China in terms of English speaking people and high achieving students. On-line applications, such as Google and You Tube have changed the way we access and share information. The current generation uses and has access to technology at a level that has never previously existed and is expanding rapidly. The job market they will encounter will look very different than the one of today. Outsourcing is going to become a increasing problem.
I was aware of the importance and daily usage of technology, but not the broad scope of the use. I don think it is important for our students to be technologically literate to be competitive in the job market they will encounter. However, I do find it important to balance technology with personal interaction. I think it is too easy to lose, or never gain, interpersonal communication skills when your default is to send a text or an email. Speaking face to face is a skill just the same as using technology. I think they both have value and merit. Both should be developed and utilized. One need not suffer for the other.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle Wakes by Mathew Needleman makes the point that classrooms of today are not keeping up with, nor utilizing the technologies available. School is depicted as having changes very little over the last century. Obviously our schools have changed over the last century, but definitely not at the rate of everything else, namely technology.
If you have children I think you will often find that your children are more technologically literate than you are. I know this to be the case at my house. It is the norm for them. Change can be hard. It causes people to move out of their comfort zone. To prepare our students adequately, we as teachers, must step out of our comfort zones and embrace the changes that have already and will continue to occur.
The Importance of Creativity
In The Importance of Creativity, Sir Ken Robinson discusses the importance of fostering creativity in our children. Our current education system does not stress the importance of creativity or the arts. Schools often seek to encourage students to conform to a rigid set of ideals. I particularly enjoyed his example of the choreographer who, as a child, had a difficult time in a traditional school setting. She excelled in a dance school setting and went on to be extraordinarily successful. Staying in a traditional school setting may not have led her to the same destination.
I think that teaching and learning is definitely not one size fits all. Students learn in different ways and have varying interests. Creativity can come in many forms, not just the classic example of the arts. You can be creative in science, history, etc. Fostering a child's creativity is also fostering their desire to learn.
Pinterest is amazing! Where has it been all my life? I could easily have gotten sucked in for hours. I will definitely be using Pinterest for both my personal and professional life.
After watching Four Ways To Use Pinterest In Education I don't know why anyone would not want to use Pinterest in the classroom. The ideas for lesson plans are endless. It would also be a great way to organize them. I am a clipper and a saver. Just think of all the paper clippings I could avoid. As a parent I definitely liked the idea of the boards that are shared with students and parents. What a great communication tool. I also think that you could tailor it to any grade for collaborative projects.
I would almost have to say that I would want to follow all of the boards, but after some review I did narrow it down to some favorites. Patricia Brown's had great variety and was full of classroom and technology use ideas. Teacher Vision had an abundance of tech help on everything from Google to Twitter to I-Pads. Kathy Schrock"s guide to everything was really just that. Eric Scheniger's was Twitter paradise. Edudemic has links to 1,000 educational websites. You can't go wrong with that. Charity Preston's was geared specifically to elementary education. Lastly, Debbie Fucoloro's is geared to beginners, which I definitely am.
I think I will use Pinterest in a variety of ways in my classroom. Obviously it will be a great tool for lesson plans. I love the idea of having a board as a communication tool with parents. Boards can also be used to show off students work. Collaborative projects can be done both at school and at home. The ideas are endless. I'm looking forward to starting my collection of ideas. I should have a pretty good stash by the time I get a classroom.
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