In chapter 5, Tony Wagner explains that students are constantly wanting to connect with their friends on the net and are desperate at times to interact with the world. They can be in class and wanting to check their Facebook or Instagram page. Future generations are going to learn differently from past generation because they need to be challenged. Things are easier for them because the Web provides them with everything they need. Technology is what these students are being raised by and we as teachers should provide that in the classroom. For example, yesterday I noticed I had a teaching moment where I tried motivating students by providing them with music. The bad part was that they wanted music that was in style. I had put music from the 70's and 80's and it was a bad idea. As a result, students want was relevant to their lifestyle and not what we as teachers want. I agree with what Wagner is saying in this chapter. In my next survey, I want to ask my students what type of music to they listen and what interest do they have outside of school. Technology is a way of getting to students. As a teacher, I need to focus on applying things that are relevant to what my students are doing in their daily lives. I don't want a classroom in which I have to lecture at all times.
Chapter 5
In chapter 5, Tony Wagner explains that students are constantly wanting to connect with their friends on the net and are desperate at times to interact with the world. They can be in class and wanting to check their Facebook or Instagram page. Future generations are going to learn differently from past generation because they need to be challenged. Things are easier for them because the Web provides them with everything they need. Technology is what these students are being raised by and we as teachers should provide that in the classroom. For example, yesterday I noticed I had a teaching moment where I tried motivating students by providing them with music. The bad part was that they wanted music that was in style. I had put music from the 70's and 80's and it was a bad idea. As a result, students want was relevant to their lifestyle and not what we as teachers want. I agree with what Wagner is saying in this chapter. In my next survey, I want to ask my students what type of music to they listen and what interest do they have outside of school. Technology is a way of getting to students. As a teacher, I need to focus on applying things that are relevant to what my students are doing in their daily lives. I don't want a classroom in which I have to lecture at all times.
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Chapter 4
In chapter 4, Tony Wagner focused on his experience as a teacher, an administrators and how teachers and administrators are prepared for their profession. This chapter has provided insight as to what to expect when becoming a teacher and what it was like for Wagner when he was a student teacher. Wagner explains that with his mentor teacher he really didn't get the chance to discuss his lesson planning or what is it that he needs to improve on. On my part, I feel like I have been blessed to have such great mentors that are willing to give me feedback on what I need to improve on. It has been an honor to have mentors that are experts at what they do but know that teaching is a learning process. If I was the KING of the world, I would abolish the assembly line structure that schools have. Students should want to be able to go to school and learn about things that are relevant to their lifestyles. If a child wants to know how to build a skateboard or a ramp, he/she should know what are the requirements to do so. Obviously they are going to have to learn math, computer designing, etc. I guarantee the student will get to know math because he/she will be enjoying the learning process because it is something that the student enjoys doing. I would want a school filled with teachers that are willing to collaborate and critic each others work with no repercussions. In addition, I would want administrators to be flexible and understanding of teachers. Teachers should have this ability to be creative and at the same time fail at what they are doing so that they can learn from their mistakes. Being the King of the world would be nice to implement all of these ideas, but being the best teacher a student can possibly have would be my ideal world. Chapter 3
In this chapter, the focus was on testing and the consequences it has on our students. Test taking is not preparing students to be critical thinkers or problem solvers. Test taking is more about memorizing ideas, events, issues or problems that most of the times the students will forget in a week. During college, one of my best classes was Somatic learning where the teacher gave us exams based on open-ended questions. Until this day, if I was to take that test again I will pass it because I was forced to study and analyze what the question may be asking for. At first, I was nervous to have essay questions as our test but I found myself researching information and asking questions regarding the test. I practically spent more time in the library and at my professors office trying to pick his brain. I agree with Wagner's views because when teachers are basing their learning on preparing students for the SAT that eliminates the purpose of learning. Students need to learn how to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. In addition, most of the elite universities are not considering the SAT scores because it does not provide evidence that students know that particular subject. On the other hand, most of the electives are shoved out of the way because of these testings. Electives such as art, music, physical education are being treated as if they are not important. These electives provide creativity and critical thinking for students and provides them with life skills that they will need in the real world such as: working in groups, creating ideas, problem solving, etc. School should be about learning not about taking a test where half of that stuff is not relevant to the students life. In reading Grant Wiggins article "A veteran teacher coach shadows 2 students......", I have learned that students most of the time are sitting throughout the day. Therefore, by the end of the day students are lethargic and when going home they feel like crashing. On top of that, teachers handout homework and then they wonder why students don't do their homework. In the school I am in, I rarely see this happening because I am not in a classroom. I get to see students run around and participate in activities since I am PE teachers. When assisting in a ELD classroom, I have noticed that the teacher has the students move around and participate in a group discussion all the time. In the last 20 minutes, the students are given a choice to either work on their homework, read, or work on their projects. I believe that this article aligns with my beliefs on education. I have felt that as a student, I tend to learn the most when I am engaged in a group activity and moving around. I am a person that hates being in one place let alone sitting for a whole day. I want my students to feel free to talk to other students about the topic at hand. Students most of the time are tired because of their bodies changing and going through puberty that we as teachers are often quick to say "Why are you tired? You are too young to be tired! This article puts things into perspective and it allows teachers to know what a student goes through during a full day. Therefore, as a teacher I need to focus on how to make a lesson engaging and at the same time comprehensive for the students to learn. When students are engaged, they tend to grasp the topic, issues, or problems in a faster rate.
Inquiry: How many authentic questions (those that you truly do not know the answer to) can you come up with around your topic?
1. What are the steps when paddle boarding? 2. When paddle boarding are the waves a big factor? 3. How long will it take to master this skill? 4. Am I setup for failure? 5. If I learn to paddle board, would it be easy to learn surfing? 6. What exercise can I implement to maintain balance? 7. Where can I learn to paddle board? 8. Should I get a coach for this? 9. Can I learn on my own? 10. How can I choose a decent paddle board? What would a successful learning outcome look like? Being able to paddle for the entire time without falling into the water. Does your idea have elements of knowledge, play, and making in it? My idea has elements of knowledge, play, and making in it because I will get to have fun out in the sun. Whenever there is a chance of going to the beach and practicing how to paddle board sounds to me like a whole lot of fun. This idea can be challenging but it can be achievable. This idea will take some time to understand and grasp since I've never tried paddle boarding my whole life besides the only time in Cabo San Lucas. Am I preparing my students to get a job at Google? No I'm not. I want to prepare my students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers so when they get in the workforce they can overcome any obstacle. I believe it is up to the students to decide where to work and if they choose to work for Google more power to them. Two topics that I enjoyed the most from this article: Humility and Ownership. Most people are never taught these qualities and are distraught when someone corrects their behavior or performance at work. As a teacher, I make sure to expose my students with skills that they will fail so that they can learn from their mistakes. Just like what we are doing for our 20% project. Humility shows students that they are correct all the time but it does not hurt to listen to others for advice. I want my students to be life-long learners and have an open-mind for things they hear. I do agree to on the philosophy that Google has when hiring a new employee. I believe that every company/corporations should build this foundation to have a positive environment in which people will not be afraid to fail at what they do. With that being said, I believe teachers should be allowed to fail and be creative when teaching students. After all, if they want students to be creative, critical thinkers and problem solvers teachers should have some expertise in these topics. When people say that Physical Education isn't as important as math, English, and science, I get offensive because it has plenty of importance on students as much as other subjects. In this video, Dr. Thom McKenzie talks about the advantages and benefits when students participate in a moderate to vigorous activity for 60 minutes. He also adds that adults should take the responsibility to promote physical education and advocate for physical activity throughout the day. When students are not active they run the risk of being overweight and acquiring chronic diseases. Most of the time students in school are sitting for hours at a time. That alone is bad for anyone in particular because it adds to the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Physical education promotes healthy, active lifestyles, increased physical fitness and it teaches movement and behavioral skills. This video has inspired me to be a PE teacher that informs my students of the benefits of living an active lifestyle. Sir Ken Robinson explains in this video why we should change our school system. Schools are organized on factory lines, for example, ringing bells, separate facilities, separate subjects, and we still educate children by batches (by age groups). Students have many distractions in this day an age are being diagnosed with ADHD and the leading cause of this may be standardized testing. As educators we should use these distractions to an advantage to create a positive learning environment. I believe students do want to learn when they come to school but are tired of learning about things that are not relevant to their lives. If teachers were to include math with video games or the things they are interested about, the students will be more engaged in the classroom. That is the reason why having a student survey in the beginning of the semester may help a teacher know their students qualities, interests, and beliefs. Overall, this video inspires me have students be creative in the classroom and have a say in real life issues. Sometimes we as teachers are to scare to talk about topics that are going in the real world because of what the parents have to say. In reality, students should have an open-mind as to what is going on around their lives.
Idea #1: Paddle Boarding Inquiry: How many authentic questions (those that you truly do not know the answer to) can you come up with around your topic? 1. What are the steps when paddle boarding? 2. When paddle boarding are the waves a big factor? 3. How long will it take to master this skill? What would a successful learning outcome look like? Being able to paddle for the entire time without falling into the water. Does your idea have elements of knowledge, play, and making in it? My idea has elements of knowledge, play, and making in it because I will get to have fun out in the sun. Whenever there is a chance of going to the beach and practicing how to paddle board sounds to me like a whole lot of fun. This idea can be challenging but it can be achievable. This idea will take some time to understand and grasp since I've never tried paddle boarding my whole life besides the only time in Cabo San Lucas. Idea #2: Learn to play the Accordion.
Inquiry: How many authentic questions (those that you truly do not know the answer to) can you come up with around your topic?
1. How do I choose a good Accordion? 2. What brands are the best when choosing an Accordion? 3. What is the best size Accordion to start with? 4. How difficult will it be to learn how to play an Accordion if I have never taken a music class? What would a successful learning outcome look like? Being able to play at least two songs. Does your idea have elements of knowledge, play, and making in it? My idea will take some time to make it since I don't have a background in music. It will take plenty of patience but it is something that is fascinating. When I watch someone play the Accordion, especially Ramon Ayala (King of the Accordion), it is a thing of beauty. In learning this idea, I can acquire an interest in music and study what it takes to be an instrument player. This is a masterful video that illustrates what I teenager is thinking of the world today. In this video "Hackschooling makes me happy", Logan LaPlante explains that schools in this day and age do not allow students to be creative. "Creativity" he says is as important as literacy. When creativity is present in the classroom, it can have a great impact on a teacher because he/she gets to see what the students are learning and their interest. Logan also says, "Education is oriented on making a living rather than making a life." We as people sometimes value materials over being happy and it creates a mindset in which everyone is competing over who has better things. Being happy is when you are doing the things you love and not what others what from you. Adults, including myself, ask kids "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and for Logan that question is annoying. We should ask kids instead, what is it that makes you happy? We should not determine what a child should be in his life because it isn't our choice. A child should be whomever they want to be as long as they are happy.
"Once you are motivated to learn something, you can get a lot done on a short time" - Logan LaPlante Dr. Michael Wesch’s video was intriguing to say the least. It is imperative for us to recognize our students and the questions they ask us. It can really help a teacher if the students are paying attention in class by the types of questions they ask. “How many points is this project worth? How long does this paper need to be?” Instead of having students read a book about science, history or health we should have students research information and find valuable information that they can use for years to come. We want students to be able to learn things that pertain to the real world not just things that they will never get to use in the future. Instead of just dumping information which is being knowledgeable, we can have students find, analyze, criticize, create and sort new information. We need more people to become a voice in our communities filled with ideas to create a better tomorrow and it starts in the classrooms.
Dr. White describes the differences of being a visitor and a resident when being online in his video "Visitors and Residents". He explains that visitors when they go online, they do what they need to do and leave no trace. They are more like private individuals that are online for a certain time for a particular reason. Visitors are worried about identity theft and are likely to see at as a toolbox where they grab a certain tool and they put it back. As for a resident, a portion of their lives is being online, even when they log off their identity is still out there. They are social and visible online. Residents comment on people's blog and are members of a social network. Basically, it is important for a resident to be visible on the Web. I see myself as a Visitor when it comes to my personal life, resident when it comes to becoming a better teacher and getting in contact with teachers that have great ideas. Before watching this video, I have been a visitor on the Web because I like my privacy and alarmed at the fact that someone can still your identity. As a teacher, I want to start building a community of teachers on the Web filled with ideas to expand and acquire information that will help in my classroom. I can use the Web to communicate with students and parents. For example, I can open a Facebook page or Google Forms to display the syllabus or Youtube videos that are educational for them to see since most school districts do not allow students to log on to Youtube. I can then be a visitor and a resident at the same time. In reading the book Why School? by Will Richardson, it has presented great ideas as to why we need to start implementing technology into our teaching. We as educators should let students find out information about certain topics through technology to help them expand their learning abilities. Google presents students with great information to learn about history, math, English, and Physical Education. If students were to log in to Youtube, they can basically learn how to build a dog house or learn how to play a certain instrument. So Why School? In my opinion, as a teacher we must guide and have the students become creative because after all companies and corporations want people that are problem solvers and critical thinkers.
Will Richardson in his book Why School? presents us with six unlearning/relearning ideas for educators that believes we all must support. 1. Share everything (or at least something): As a beginning teacher, I don't have much things to share because I have yet to learn my craft. What I will share though is my knowledge in physical education, how the body works, nutrition, weightlifting and fitness. I love sharing positive things as to how to maintain a balanced life. 2. Discover, don't deliver, the curriculum: I will make sure to apply this idea to my teaching because it is important to have the students struggle to find an answer to the problem at hand. When students graduate from high school and get to the workforce they will not be handed everything. So, as a teacher I will make sure to prepare my students to become problem solvers and critical thinkers. 3. Talk to strangers: Talking to strangers has not been a typical thing to do as a child but there is strangers out in the world that can present a child/students with great information. These strangers can be found in the internet and presumably in places like Youtube or Skype. 4. Be a master learner: I agree 100% with this idea because constantly our books or topics (anatomy, history, math, English) are being modified to new findings. As a teacher, I will continuously learn about the subject I"ll be teaching to better prepare my students for what's new in the world. After all, we learn new things every day. 5. Do real work for real audience: When students become creative and work with each other to accomplish an assignment it has more value in the real world. They will be doing the same when they get out in the world, so why not start applying these values in their heads to help students know what to expect when getting in the workforce. 6. Transfer the power: "Don't teach my child science; instead, teach my child how to learn science- or history or math or music." |
Carlos GaleanoI am a PE teacher, personal trainer, and baseball instructor. My passion is to help students live a healthy lifestyle. Archives
May 2015
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