Changing Education Paradigms

  In Ken Robinson's video "Changing Education Paradigms", he talks about how schools lack creativity and are too rigid in instruction. I agree, teachers should have more freedom in their instruction. I think there has to be some sort of guidelines or standards to ensure the correct content is being taught, however I think there is too much pressure on teachers to all teach the same way according to government constraints. Teachers know their students better than anyone and not all students are the same. My third grade class is not going to learn the exact same way that my friend's third grade class learns. I also strongly believe that there is too much emphasis on standardized testing. Some people do not perform well under pressure, among other factors, and therefore score low on a test when, in reality, they know the material well. How can we tell students to be creative and encourage movements such as STEM, but then put a cookie cutter test in front of them that determines important decisions such as whether or not they advance to the next grade level? I think there are better, more creative ways to display knowledge. 

      Teachers should also not have so much pressure to teach a concept a certain way. Teachers should be able to teach concepts, such as how to add fractions, whichever way they think makes the most sense for their specific students. If a student struggles with that method, encourage a different method that makes sense. Students should not be constrained to one method of solving problems. Different ways of thinking should be encouraged. How will students learn to be unique if they are constantly being compared to numbers? I believe the change starts with us, the teachers.

Changing Education Paradigms

How To Be A Great Teacher

      In "How To Be A Great Teacher, From 12 Great Teachers", wonderful educators are interviewed and they share lessons learned, powerful moments, and tips they've learned during their career in education. One quote I found insightful was from Thomas Whaley. He stated, "It takes a lot for any student, especially for a student who is learning English as their new language, to feel confident enough to say, 'I don't know, but I want to know.' " I am currently doing field experience in an ELL classroom, so I found this statement especially impactful. The ELL students I am working with are so brave and confident. It is important as a teacher that I create a safe place for students to succeed and fail; a space where they feel safe to make mistakes. Again, as I mentioned in a previous blog post, it is paramount that we focus on students' successes rather than their mistakes. Build them up, encourage them, let them know they are on the right track, and practice makes progress. 

      Another quote from the article that I enjoyed is from Tia Tsosie Begay. She said, "I want them to say, 'At least one person, Miss Begay, is there every day for me. Miss Begay is going to wonder where I am if I go missing. There will be one person looking out for me, and it's Miss Begay.' " This is the heart of why I am going into teaching. I want to be that one person for my students. I want to make sure every one of my students knows that they have at least one person in their corner rooting them on. I want them to feel safe, loved, encouraged, smart, and powerful in my classroom.
How To Be A Great Teacher, From 12 Great Teachers

Social Media in the Schools

      In the EdScoop article "Districts turn to mobile apps and social media to engage parents, survey says", the idea of using technology to bridge school and family is discussed. I think the use of social media and mobile text alerts is an awesome way to get parents more involved and engaged with what is happening in their child's school. Most people are on social media after work or on breaks during the day anyway, so by having the school's information on there as well, it gives parents easy and instant access to what is happening and important reminders. I am also a fan of the mobile text alert system. I utilize this system to get updates from some businesses and blogs that I love. It is an easy and instant way for parents to get reminders or receive information without having to search for it. However, I do agree with the article in which Frank Catalano states, "Our survey demonstrates that not one size, or one method, fits all for using communications technologies to engage parents." Not all families have access to the Internet, so keeping the traditional automated phone call system is important. 

      I am excited to learn that MTSU College of Education is striving to be more active on social media outlets. I think this is a great way to keep College of Education students well informed of important deadlines, scholarship opportunities, study tips, events, and showcase students' work and ideas. One way students could be involved in the COE social media is by submitting pictures of projects, lessons, or activities they are working on and having them posted on the COE social media pages so that other COE students can see their ideas.
Districts turn to mobile apps and social media to engage parents, survey says

A "Minus 2 with a Smiley Face" Type of Teacher

      In Rita Pierson's TED talk, she talked about how to be a great teacher, not necessarily a perfect teacher. I appreciated that she "kept it real" and talked about mistakes she had made as a teacher, such as teaching a ratio lesson wrong. One point she made that really stood out to me, was when she talked about one of her students missing 18 out of 20 questions on a quiz. Instead of writing -18 at the top, Ms. Pierson wrote -2 and a smiley face. That really stuck with me. It is so important to remember to build students up while they are learning and not focus so much on what they are doing wrong, but rather what they are doing right. Even I, as an adult, shut down when someone only points out my mistakes instead of my successes. I am more likely to be eager to try again and improve if someone approaches me first with what I am doing right and encourages me to keep working.    

      A teacher is the heartbeat of the classroom. Without the teacher, a classroom is just a room, students are not taught and encouraged to grow, and lives are not changed for the better. Anyone with an education degree can call himself or herself a teacher, however it takes someone special to be a great teacher. Throughout my academic career, I have had many teachers. Some were just there for the paycheck, some were good educators, but did not care to remember their students’ names, and others were more than just teachers, they were great teachers, they became my friend. One teacher in particular that is a great teacher and influenced my decision to pursue elementary education is Melanie Lemon. I was a student in Mrs. Lemon’s third grade class. From the very first day, she made every student feel loved, appreciated, capable, and smart. She made it clear that she wanted to not only educate us, but also be a mentor, a friend, and a listening ear. She focused on the positive. She was a "-2 with a smiley face" teacher. This is the type of teacher I hope to be for my students.

Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion

Technology in the Classroom: A Student's Perspective

      I decided to ask Sullivan, a fifth grader, why he wants to use technology while learning. I was interested to hear his opinion as a student. First, he told me that he likes using technology to learn because his generation has grown up surrounded by technology, so he is more familiar with using technology while learning. It seems natural to him. This gave me hope when thinking about students using technology, because he seemed to be very familiar with using it within a school setting. I was not extremely surprised that he told me that he is familiar with using technology to learn because the schools in our area seem to be moving toward a technology-savvy learning environment by providing multiple resources for students and teachers to use, such as smart boards. Secondly, Sullivan explained that it is much faster to use technology when doing schoolwork. He told me that he would much rather use a laptop or other technology to do research or complete assignments. This is another reflection of the technology-savvy world we live in today, and how students want their schools to progress in technology to keep up with the advances happening in the world around them. Lastly, he said that he could easily access assignments online. He told me that he liked being able to look at an assignment whenever he wants to. Traditionally with paper assignments, it is common for students to leave a crucial part of the assignment at school and not be able to complete the assignment at home. Using technology eliminates this problem. Also, by using Google Classroom, or something similar, teachers can monitor progress in real time. This is honestly something I have never thought of before, but I think having at least some assignments online would be beneficial for both students and teachers. Students could also easily collaborate on partner work using Google Docs, etc.
       Overall, I was surprised to gain so much insight just from talking with a student about technology. I believe that is important to frequently ask students what is working for them and what is not in the classroom, because ultimately our job is to provide the highest quality education that we can. Sullivan intensified my desire to use technology in the classroom. According to our conversation, it seems like children prefer using technology when learning because of the efficiency of it and also because it seems more natural to them. If using technology is what it takes to make my students feel more prepared or makes learning more fun for them, then that is what I will do. I plan to implement many technology resources into my classroom, such as Kahoot and Google Classroom. I feel that technology enriches learning when used correctly. I believe one piece of technology that is very useful when implemented across schools is classroom websites. I plan to update my classroom website frequently and also use it as a tool for learning, such as posting Google surveys and including interactive educational websites. Traditional instruction using a pencil and paper is important, but I believe using technology can enrich learning experiences in a way that goes beyond paper.