The Thinking Stick blog is by Jeff Utecht. He is an international educator, educational technology consultant, and author that teaches in Middle East Asia. The first blog post I was assigned to comment was "Standards and Benchmarks are Crap."
Mr. Utecht has had an opinion for awhile but refrained from speaking his thoughts because it was not expressed my many others. He goes on to tell that one day in conversation his thoughts of Standards and Benchmark became public knowledge.
I love this comment in his post:
Here's ISB's Definition of Learning:
Learning is the primary focus of our school and we recognize learning as a life-long adventure. We value meaningful learning where students construct enduring understanding by developing and applying knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Increased understanding is evidenced by students who:
* Explain its relevance
* Describe how it connects to or conflicts with prior learning
* Communicate it effectively to others
* Generalize and apply it effectively to new situations
* Reflect critically on their own and other's learning
* Ask questions to extend learning
* Create meaningful solutions
Post 2
I had never heard of "reverse instruction" before reading Mr.Utecht's blog.In his post titled "Flipping for Mr. Bennett" he tells about a teacher is has watched teach. Mr. Bennett is in his 2nd year of teaching and using technology to teach his students. Mr. Bennett uses what is known as reverse instructions for his class. Mr.Bennett teaches with lessons that he has prepared with technology, which means that he has electronically prepared before actually going into the classroom. This method allows him to spend more time with students and less time worrying if he has covered all the required materials mandated by the education system. It also provides the students with knowledge of what technology there is that will help them excel.
It has been really interesting for me to read the blogs of the students I have been assigned to. The subject that 2 out of 3 has really impressed me. One of the students I have blogged is in the 4th grade in a school in Birmingham. This is the first year that the class has blogged and learned more in detail about technology. The student I blogged had embedded his first video that he made. A great laugh for someone triple his age that has also embedded her first video this year.
The other two however have had a completely different approach. The subject they both tell about is so called forbidden in our public school system. This subject supposedly goes against the freedom of some which I HIGHLY disagree. One of the students begins by making you think he telling us his story about building a model car. He goes on to say that his dad is wanting him to wait for a day they have more time and he pleads his case that he is just excited. His father then explains to him that great things take time even though most people want things done quickly regardless of what could be overlooked or done better with more time. His father used the example of God building the world. WOW! I was so excited to know that elementary aged children are not scared, ashamed or forbidden to express a believe that is so special for so many of us.
Then my last student I am to tell about is my 6th CAC blog. Rachel wrote that many of her classmates was scared to go to school on the day of they were teaching a lesson about God because they did not know anything about him. She encouraged others by quoting Matthew 9:35. I am so thankful that I have been able to see these kids blogs and know that God is still present in schools.
There is hardly anyone who can honestly say they are not nervous about their first teaching in front of a class and fellow teachers. We all fear the critiques and judgments we will hear. We want the “perfect lesson” just like Mr. McClung wrote about on his blog. We all dread recovering from mistakes that we haven’t even made yet. Mr. McClung writes about his first year of teaching on his blog. He tells what he experienced and learned in his first year of teaching.
How to read a crowd….. When you first read this you probably thought of reading adults, I did. Mr. McClung learned that it is not the adults in the room that you are teaching in that you should be focused on, it is the children. After all, is it not the children you are teaching? I haven’t taught yet in a classroom but can certainly understand it. It is very important to not loose focus of why you are there and who should really have your attention and who should give you feedback on your performance. He also mentions to be flexible, communicate and be reasonable. These are all great tips from someone who has walked in shoes you are about to put on. In life things rarely go as planned or scheduled no matter how much intense effort we put in it, a classroom is no different.
He also touches on technology and that everyone should explore technology. We can only gain more knowledge from it! I would bet there is not a person that can say they regret learning or did not benefit from multimedia. Our students are why we are or are going to be teachers. We have to be more than there just to teach we have to listen to them.
Dr. Richard E. Miller made 2 videos that discuss how writing has changed and how it will change tremendously in the future. He mentions how today we are part of an evolution concerning “writing” that can be considered one of the most historical transformations ever. People of this era will be effected by the changes that media writing and how they obtain information. Books will be basically obsolete in the world that Dr. Miller describes. Printed documents will become online web based documents. Technology will give the way for electronic images, text, collaboration and production in all areas of communication, teaching and learning.
The younger generation of today is being raised with so many technological gadgets that they most likely do not even know that research was actually done in libraries at one time. Disney channel advertises on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (I am sure on all shows) for children to get their parents to help them find stories and games online. Disney is even directing my 3 year old to the computer for education not books. It is understandable why they feel more comfortable with computers and exploring.
As a future teacher I understand how necessary it is to be technology literate and open to new ways to teaching. There are endless resources for an educator, parent and student with multimedia. While it is terrifying to me to be dependant on technology as our main resource for education it is inevitable that our world will be that way. It is like a double edge sword in a since. We have everything at our fingertip, literally the keyboard, with access to websites, videos, blogs, You Tube and Twitter to name a few. We can connect to a finite number of people around the world; have up to the second information about anything happening in our universe while sitting at our home. I did not grow up with computers like children.
Exploring blogs, twitter, facebook, websites, PLN’s, symbaloo, podcast, and other multimedia resources is something I am learning at 35. (Half of those things are not even in my dictionary, Ha!) There are children in kindergarten that already have these things as assignments, which tells me how far behind I am. I was asked if I was prepared to write multimedia, that answer is NO. I am not ready now but I WILL BE. I was also asked if my students will be ready to write multimedia. I think that by the time a student reaches 6th grade they will be able to. Due to the economy and the budgets our school system is forced to function on it is not realistic that our schools will be equipped to teach strictly with multi media. While students will most likely learn majority of their computer knowledge at home or in elective (limited time) classes they will be able to benefit from the increase in communication it provides.
Chipper: Many people feel that procrastination is acceptable like Jaimelynn said in this video. Those people tend to do the bare minimum because of the lack of time allowed to perfect their work. While their intention may be good their work reflects the efforts.
EDM310 for Dummies: I can certainly relate to all the emotions they showed in the video honestly. I have been down and crazy at times. EDM310 could really be written and I bet majority of the class would buy it. The only thing that makes EDM310 difficult is being scared to try new things.
Learn to Change; Change to learn! This video is amazing. Technology is something people are scared to explore for what ever reason. The students of today's classes do not know any different than functioning with technology. One of the most valid points in the video for me was the valid point that the way students communicate is not allowed in schools. Communication is a key to being a successful person regardless of your career. What since does it make to not allow students to productively explore the ways of communication that they are being raised with. Everyone has to learn that change is inevitable. We are left with no choice but to change with the times to be able to learn.
If any of you reading are like me, I did not know what a PLN was when I first read it. I am in an EDM310 at the University of South Alabama, which is class about technology. A PLN is a personal learning network. It is a combination of accumulated resources that a person can go to help them learn about things. I will be completely honest and confess that I am not as technology literate as I should and want to be. However, after being assigned to watch a You Tube video of a girl in middle school and her experience with her established PLN, I became curious. I have been assigned since the beginning of my class to be working on my PLN but just really did not grasp how useful it could really be until watching the video.
Twitter has become very useful and informative about teaching connections. I used to think You Tube was for recreational entertainment WOW was I wrong. It is just as much for education as entertainment. Google Docs is also probably the most useful tool I have learned about.
Randy Pausch without doubt has cause to be respected and admired by everyone! He continued to be passionate about his desire to achieve and educate. He suffered from horrific health issues including cancer yet remained motivated enough to travel giving lectures. Mr. Pausch’s lectures reveals a lot about himself and why he wants to others to have opportunities if desired enough. He even references “self reflection” in his last lecture.
During his last lecture he tells about someone calling him and asking him to lunch. He knew the person was making up an excuse to call and ask him to go but figured he should go and at least here what could be said. He did not see things in many ways as this person did. During his lecture he says “You need to know when you are in a pissing match and know when to get out.” He tells that the person was annoying him but everyone should realize that if you “give people and hour and they will impress you.” Mr. Pausch seemed to find in good or at least a learning experience in every situation. This quality is what has him the ability to be such a good influence and mentor to others.
Randy Pausch left a legacy of diverse teaching programs, such as head fake and Alice.
He also left such an inspirational impact on not only those whom he taught, lectured to but continues to do so with his video lectures. He stressed how important it was for children to have parents and mentors in their lives. One of things he said that I will not forget is “When we are connected to others, we become better people.”
I think often people who strive for something particular and do not achieve it find themselves as failures. Randy Pausch puts what some consider failure in a totally different perspective. He said that “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” This is absolutely the truth. I hope more people learn this. Just because you do not end up with what you tried for does not mean you did not get something. Experience will make you wiser! Mr. Pausch lectures was an experience I had no expectations for and I have finished watching it with a lot learned.
Bryan Jack is an extraordinary teacher I have been assigned to blog. He is very adventurous in his assignment with his students. He strives to get them to think outside the box and relate things to themselves. His ideas of creativity are inspiring to me as a student and future teacher. He urges his students to not only understand but relate to history. He wants them to voice their take on things as if the actions were during their time period.
Everyone really needs to go check out his blog!!!
http://bryanjack.edublogs.org
His sister saw this poem written on a wall in Saskatoon during summer of 2010, and brought a copy of it back to share with others. Jack carried a copy around for a long time then made a song of it. It is very inspirational and I can see why he has done so. His sister also took pictures of where the poem was written to allow you to reflect on the setting of the where she found it. It was written on a brick wall in a public stairwell that lead s to an open place. Some may consider it graffiti but as you can see it is much more than that.
What is said in the song that Jack has published on his blog is true. If more people reflected on what they have within themselves they could stop chasing so many other things. I think most people do not realize that we have to find things for ourselves within ourselves. Others can help us find it but we have to have it for them to find. It motivates everyone to find things, search for more, and know that good can be found.
