Sunday, November 13, 2011

Blog Post # 10

education and puzzle pieces illuminated


Do You Teach Or Do You Educate
I guess you don't really consider that there is a difference between teaching and educating. I got into teaching because I feel that it is a profession that I will always enjoy doing and there is always a chance to grow and learn yourself. I enjoy being around people and I believe that being around youth keeps you young as well. Generations are always evolving and can teach you new things along the way. You also have the privilege of showing them something new that they didn't know before either. The trick is and our job is to make sure that they retain that knowledge not just temporarily memorize it to get a grade.

I think my best way I can think of educating someone is through reinforcement. Comparing this to when I played basketball in high school is a great example as far as applying my method. We didn't just go out and play the games because we would have got killed. We had to practice our plays over and over again. We didn't just learn them one day and then hope we remembered it on game day. We went through skill building workouts day after day until we got it right... and then we did it some more. I feel you have to revisit what you went over by taking out the time of the class necessary. I know you can't sacrifice the other materials that need to be learned but I feel you have to reinforce information so it isn't forgotten. I also think that you have to recognize the students who regularly participate and the ones that don't. Don't let the kid who raises there hand every time get the others through the period. Ask every student and figure out where they are weakest and ask them every class period particular questions. Eventually they are going to be able to tell you the answer be for you ask the question. They'll never be able to forget it. I couldn't spell spaghetti in 7th grade. My teacher use to randomly ask me how to spell it during class and I would have to give my answer. I eventually could spell it and I developed my own way to remember how to spell it. I know it's only one word but I believe this method is a successful one and can be applied in any learning environment.

Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home!
I believe the argument that Tom Johnson was trying to make was that technology is a good thing and that it is a helpful tool that needs to be shown by the parents. He was talking about computers to be specific and the advantages of kids being introduced to advanced learning methods. I like the sarcasm used by using the most basic school utensil as a diabolical culprit of low test scores. When they were talking about the physical harm of pencils it seemed to me that it was an over the top example of how education could be painful outside of the realm of head aches. The title itself grabs your attention because you're not really sure where the content of what you are about to read may take you. I feel that through sarcasm he is mocking those who are afraid to take the time to help children learn outside of the school. As if they are confined to the classroom to expand their minds because their education needs to be regulated by an institution. 

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