We Have A Lot To Look Forward To

Man, we as students studying to become teachers really don't know what we are getting into. I feel like it takes a lot to be acome a great or even a good teacher. It seems like this guy has a got a pretty good understanding of what it's all about after just one year. In my opinion, the student always comes first. The end result is helping your sttudents learn, and work toward a degree. And i'm sure that nothing makes Mr. Mcclung happier than to see all his principals come together to produce a great student. I think that my favorite of his ideals has to be the fact that all teachers must be flexible. Sure, you are handed a sylabus at the beginning of the semester by your boss, but it's up to you to mold that basic gameplan into what and how exactly your students need to learn.

Wikipedia...definitely not a valid source

Ever since i have been writing research papers, or around the eighth grade, i've known that my teachers were not big fans of Wikipedia. This is understandably so due to how the articles are edited and composed. Anyone, at any time has the right and ability to put his or her two cents in on a wiki article. This means that if a certain politician feels that he has been badmouthed on wikipedia, he can simply get online and put a positive spin on things. Strides have been made to counteract the reliablility of wikipedia by making the computer of the writer of a post traceable. This, however does nothing at the time. All the politician would have to do would be to run across the street to Starbucks and go to town. The author tracing system doesn't hold much power now, but it's a step in the right direction.

One Life To Live

By far the best video to blog about so far. I loved the video. The guy's outlook on life was exactly what everyone's should be. Randy Pauch's teaching style wasn't stated clearly; but if it is parallel to his personality and beliefs, then his students should be honored to learn from him. However, there were some teaching styles he did discuss briefly. Mr. Pauch obviously believed in setting goals, leadership, participation, different forms and appoaches of learning, and also having fun while doing so.

Most teachers in today's learning environment simply follow the curriculum. These teachers produce children who aren't exactly on fire for their education. The students affected simply stroll through their time as students meeting the "average" requirements set by their average educators. Pauch, on the other hand, seems to be a believer in believers. He says setting goals and sticking to them for your entire life is the way to achieve them. What a surprise, right? He also is a big fan of fundamentals. Afterall, what dream isn't complete without a fundamental gameplan?

As for the basis of his students' learning experience, he seems to be right on point. But it is hard these days to actually keep a dreamer dreaming, what with all the professional criticism out there. Exactly how are tomorrow's leaders expected to stick to their dreams of being whatever it is they would like to become one day? Pauch believes several forms of indirect learning and student involvement are key to a good learning experience. As for indirect learning, most students would make a more valiant attempt if they didn't feel like the material was being shoved down their throats. And as for student involvement, that's pretty self-explainitory. Any educator must keep their students involved and intrigued in their education.

Randy Pauch had many great theories and beliefs about education. But the one that truly inspired me was the man given six months to live saying, "don't let the brick walls keep you from achieving your goals." We all only have one life to live. Why not spend it in the pursiut of happiness, and at the same time trying to help eveyone else a little as we go.

My Reaction to the Fichbowl Blog

i did use the same example that i used in the previous blog but now that i think back on the situation it makes me mad to think that my school recived funding for those computers and didn't even use them.

Mr.Fisch, a little full of yourself, but you make a good point. computer-based learning is a great way of staying up to date as an educator. However, most educators aren't as computer savy as other.

I graduated in 2006 and mostly all of my teachers relied on boring notes and worksheets to teach the material. my science class was given four brand new Apple desktops, but were rarely ever used for teaching purposes. The teachers had no idea of what utinsils they had available at no cost. (such as youtube, podcasts, etc.) Not beacause they didn't know, but because they chose to be ignorant of technology. This reading this assignment was arequirement of my EDM 310 class and i feel like it was a good assigment. I particularly liked the part about 2020 vision.

My comment to Kelly Hines' Blog

My EDM 310 class is all about technology-based learning and i'm loving it. However, new technology is worth nothing without the proper training and equipment. My high school science class recieved four brand new Apple desktop computers and the most action they saw was facebook and the occasional youtube video.

I came from a rural community where most students didn't have home internet access so they wern't familliar with it when a computer was introduced into the classroom. But in my opinon, this could have all changed if the teaching staff would have taken advantage of the teaching instruments they had in front of them.

The opportunities for computer-based learning are limitless, and are only expanding as I type. You can take a class and totally turn it around using a computer to enhance the learning experience.

I Am A Multitasker

That video was pretty much right on point for my life. The first few weeks i have spent at South, I haven't had much down time. My classes take up my whole day. If im not actually in class, I'm doing work that corresponds to that class. I have to check my email two or three times a day to check if my EDF teacher hasn't dropped any late assignments or extra readings on me. By the way, I have yet to have a test or quiz or any assignment that covers what we were assigned to read.

Thats not to mention the fact that I simutaneously try to keep up a social life and worrk at the same time. I have a girlfriend. We try to talk for a good hour or two before we go to sleep evey night, but that doesnt happen a lot beacause we are both so tired from our day. On top of that i work around ten hours a week and play in a club football league which practices three nights a week. However, contrary to the videolucky to find the time to get on facebook or just play video games or watch TV.

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