Week 1- Did You Know?

Did You Know?
It is very crazy to think that China will eventually be the number one English speaking country. We never can really capture just how big our world is until we hear stats like these. Just 25% of India with high IQs is more than the population of America, I wonder what that is saying? Technology is so immense and endless and scientists and others are coming out with things that we don't even know exist yet.

By the time I have kids, the iPhone will probably just be an old cell phone. The rate of technology and how fast it changes is mind boggling. During Fisch's five minute video, babies were born and almost one million songs downloaded illegally. I'm kind of nervous to think about what all will change and what things will become when my kids are in high school and college. So what does all this mean? Technology never takes a break, as soon as we buy the new things an even better one will come out the next week.

Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle (retelling of Rip Van Winkle) awakes to a completely different world. Some people do not like change when it comes to certain things, I like certain things to remain the same. But, as we continue in our education, we need to stay up to date with technology. Mr. Winkle liked that the school he went to had not changed in 100 years, it was comforting to him and he felt like himself. He saw a computer, but it was covered in dust.

Even though we have all these resources such as iPhones and iPods and computers, we still need the basics, like Mr. Winkle wanted. We should still be able to think for ourselves. Yes, Google can answers all of life's problem, but some things such as reading and math, we should learn and actually use that brain we have.

One of my teachers mentioned the other day about how she used to have to stand in line to register on a piece of paper, now with the click of a button we have a class schedule. Mr. Winkle does make a valid point. Change sometimes is overwhelming, but I think it can be a good thing when we allow it. As a future teacher, I am beginning to think about how I should teach my kids and what are the best ways?

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
He made some excellent points. Evidence of human creativity, we never know what is going to happen next, there are amazing capacities that children have in them, and the unpredictability of it all is astounding. He said, "It's education that is meant to take us into this future that we can't grasp." I love that.

He mentions that it is okay to make mistakes, we are in a world that believes we can't make one mistake. Schools smother a child's creativity. He made a good point about how public schools don't focus on children's differences, they just teach one way and a child may be excellent at arts, but doesn't understand the concepts of math. Those gifted children who are creative are put at a disadvantage. I love the story of the girl he told who is a dancer whose mother thought she was sick, but the specialist said she's not sick, she has to move to think. Children have their own way of thinking and we need to encourage that and bring it out in them. A doctor can look at society intellectually, but a dancer can look at society and help others understand it.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis's way of teaching seems fun. She doesn't seem overbearing leaving everything to the students, but she does make sure they are independent and comfortable in their technology. We should embrace technology like she has, I am trying to learn it all such as blogging and Google spreadsheets, but it takes time. I think she has done an excellent job of the way she does teach her students.

She allows her students independence and is there if they need help. She mentions new terms and the students are required to look it up themselves. Teachers are expected to know everything, but i think it is effective when a teacher doesn't know everything and can work with his/her student to find an answer.