Blog 2

What was really interesting to me this week was the teacher panel from Monday night. I enjoyed hearing about their different experiences and the tips they gave for upcoming teachers in the Luther education program. I think what really stuck with me was the concept that classrooms are changing considerably in terms of technology with the rise of kids using computers in classrooms as well as the struggles that these teachers are having with cell phone usage. I agree with what the panel said about it changing the way kids behave socially and how they learn in certain areas because they can just look things up online. Especially hearing that young elementary students did not know what to do when they went outside for recess or for that matter did not want to was vastly different from when I was in elementary school. Comparing the couple of years from when I was in elementary school to elementary classrooms now, it is clear that the tools that kids are learning with are so different because of the technology that keeps being created. In my opinion, I think that 5th graders should know how to use a computer however the concept that they each get their own is a little extreme and when one of the teachers said that she was pushing for 4th graders to receive their own computers I was just shocked because I think it is important for kids to know how to interact with each other and learn social skills that computers and technology might prevent them from learning.

I read the article "Are One-to-One Laptop Programs Worth the Investment?" that was handed out in class today and I think that this article is very relative to what was discussed on Monday night. I think that since the data shows that laptops has no impact on standardized testing, teachers should think critically on what activities they are having their students use technology for. In no means am I saying that technology shouldn't be incorporated into the classroom, but I think that some other tools for teaching or activities are being overlooked that help students learn and will also help them succeed socially. By creating a classroom that is heavily focused on technology, students might miss out on social interactions that are crucial to learning such as working in groups and leadership. I think it is up to teachers to recognize when it is appropriate to use computers and this will ultimately help the students so they get a education that is well rounded in various aspects.

Blog 1

I thought that the movie Paper Clips was really interesting because it really showed how important it is to teach diversity and to facilitate activities that create an enviornment where students want to learn. In my opinion I thought that the paper clip activity was really beneficial to students because it made learning fun and it got them interessted as well as motivated to explore more about the history of the holocaust. However, I think that the school could have expanded on this activity to push the students further and think deeper about diversity. The project was more focused on emotions and stories which should be taught, however I think the students needed to know more facts and could have explored other aspects to the holocaust that would have taught them more about diversity. Also, I think that in a community where the majority of people are white Christians, a unit on other cultures and maybe other religions would have been very beneficial for the students. I do think that this video showed a great way how to get kids motivated to learn and how important it is to find projects that will be interesting for kids.

I also enjoyed reading Chapter 2 because it was really informative in understanding how kids' brains develop. I think it is really important to remember in the future when planning activities and it would help you to better connect with your students. I enjoyed reading about how the brain develops and the different stages of development in the opinions of the two different psychologists. I think that by having a combination of Piaget and Vygotsky- knowing different stages of development but also understanding that a lot students learning depends on language and culture- will give you the best kind of picture of development. I think that this chapter is very important in understanding how to be a good teacher because it helps you recognize where your students are developmentally and will ultimately help you connect with them in a way that will help them achieve in school.