Interactive whiteboard

I read in Newsweek that a group of teachers subdued themselves to be duct tape to the to a gym wall while students hit them in the face with pies. The reason why they did this is because they wanted to raise enough money to buy an ‘Interactive whiteboard’. This ‘Interactive whiteboard’, is the same as ‘Blackboard’ I supposed? Mathew Philips also reported that it is the most “coveted piece of educational technology on the market right now”. I’m just wondering if he is right. What is the most coveted piece of educational technology in the school system? Mathew Philips from Newsweek also reported that in the “U.K.-70 percent of all primary and secondary classrooms have interactive whiteboard, compared with just 16 percent in the United States”. Studies showed that in the classrooms where interactive whiteboard was installed, the attendance rate raised and classroom participation increased. We have teachers that are stilled accustomed to writing lesson plans with pen and paper, so how are they going to learn something that they would be scared of learning. I know that we can train them to use it but if they don’t, it is just another expensive technology being unused.

President Elect

I know this has nothing to do with technology but it has enough warrant to be in my blog. A new beginning, a historical night, and something that I could talk to my kids about.

Barack Obama is finally the President of the United State of America. A trip that has taken him 2 years or so to accomplish, a feat that many say he is the first black President. Some of my friends and other people tell me that he is not the first black President of the United State but the 8th black President of the United State America. Emmanuel, my cousin, told me that John Hanson was not only the first black President of the United State (1781-1782 A.D), but the first President. George Washington was really the 8th President of the United State, meaning that there were six other Presidents after Hanson and before Washington! I know that John Hanson of Maryland was the first ‘President of the United States in Congress Assembled’, even though it was only for one-year, but is that not the same. Maybe George Washington was the first President of the United States and the others were also President (The Confederate States of America) but before the United States of America were assemble. I don’t know too much about History, certainly not enough to merit a decision like this. Controversial will arise if not already, but it will be good to know if Barack Obama is the First Black President of the United State of America…Or not?

My Education

I believe that education encompasses both the teaching and learning of knowledge, with good behavior, and technical skill that is right for the students. Education focuses on the cultivation of skills, trades or professions, as well as mental, or moral in developing the minds of youth to become professional in the real world. In addition, education should also includes knowledge and skills learned and refined during the course of life of the students to adulthood, whether it is out on the street of Chicago, home schooled, or privately tutored, the education that comes from experience will be practice in their profession and will be used over and over again.

The educational systems are established to provide education and training for children, youth, and adults that will provide and give them advantage in life. A curriculum should define what students should learn, know, understand and be able to do as the result of the lesson and education they receive. A teacher or professor teaches a lesson plans which enables the mind of a student to learn and generate what is being taught in the real world. I for one am trying to understand and practice of what I've learned and hopefully use it in the near future.

Do I want to be a teacher

As I sat in class rating my unit plan, I keep thinking to myself if I really want to be a teacher. How did you become a teacher? Did you posses the skills to teach, did any of your family decide for you, are you following in the footsteps of your parents, did you have a teacher that influence and made a difference on you, or did you always knew you wanted to be a teacher? The burden and pressure that you receive from student, principle, and specially parents, criticizing you and not acknowledging what you actually do for the students. Yes, you are a teacher and yes it is your job. What is the pleasure and satisfaction of being a teacher? Do you receive a "HIGH" when the students get the first ‘A’ in your class, the fact that you will make a difference (or no difference at all) for any students? Is it an obligation for you to fulfill because of all the education you receive of becoming a teacher (receiving your teacher certificate, graduating college, and receiving a master). If I question myself, does that mean I’m not ready to be a teacher, or…? I just need some input, whether to see if being a teacher is my calling or am I just stalling.

I read last week that the Chicago Board of Education might vote into having a gay and lesbian school. I don’t understand, is the school being run by politics? I thought the best interest for the students is having an education and exceeding their potential. I thought we were through with segregation and yet every year we seem to take a step back into the past.

Teachers in Technology

There is so much talk in class about how to use technology in a school setting. There are times when I just sit there and listen to what everyone is saying and yet don’t understand what everyone is talking about. I listen closely in hope of understanding what I learned in class will be applied in my teaching. I try to imagine how I would conduct my studies and learning through my classes and incorporate my learning in a curriculum that I can use in my student education. Students nowadays are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with each others. They are participating in an active role rather than the passive role in a recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, television, or radio. Kids nowadays know how to use a computer without taking classes, transferring music to an IPod, make a CD or video on a computer and teachers has no knowledge of it what so ever. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. We have IPods that can be manipulated into carrying information, test, formulas, and many other uses. In a where a teacher teaches technology, the students is actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills before a teacher touches up on the subject of technology. Moreover, I think the teacher is no longer the center of attention in giving information but rather the facilitator in when to use, where to use, how to use one technology in a classroom. When that’s said and done, the teacher’s role in a technology class is to provide suggestions and support for students, and teacher are finding themselves behind the technology outbreak.

Pedagogy

‘Pedagogy is also sometimes referred to as the correct use of teaching strategies’ (Wiki). This is what we talked about at last class session. I understand that you have to follow some guide line but for you to become a better teacher, don’t you have to put your own spin in to the mix. Sometimes the way the curriculum is written up does not always show that the student is learning. They may do the homework, participate in class, and be active; does that mean that the student is actually learning? I ask, because putting myself in a position where a young mind can be molded is a large task. I don’t want to be ‘the’ teacher where the teacher is teaching because it’s their job. I want to, at least, make a difference in their lives. I understand it’s a job but it’s no ordinary job.

Meaningful Learning

In our discussion in class ( Sept 29) about 'Meaningful Learning' is that there are series of stages or phases during which the learning processes new knowledge and integrates it with knowledge that they already know or exist. You have all this different meaning of 'Meaningful Learning' that distinguishing what is a 'Meaningful Learning' to a person still confuses me but I will understand what I need to do once I start teaching. I may not understand what we talk about in class sometimes but I believe I'll start understand when that moment (teaching) comes. I ask myself 'Why do I want to be a teacher' and the answer I always get is 'change in venue'. I know that will also change once I start teaching. I have not felt what it is like being a teacher and from what I see in class, it seems like everybody enjoy what they're doing.