The video titled "Did You Know", hit me like a ton of bricks. Some of the information given was unbelievable and, in some ways, very scary. I cannot believe how rapidly some of the Asian countries are growing. It seems as if it is only a matter of time before they surpass the United States as a super-power.
One quote that I found interesting was that the material that today's college students learn their first year will be outdated by their third year. It makes you wonder why it is even important to learn the material if it is going to be outdated before they can put it to use. It is amazing how much our technology has blossomed within the past decade. In the 1990's there were many households who did not have a computer, much less the Internet, and now everyone has it on their cell phones.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
The video titled "Mr. Winkle Wakes" really brought a few things to my attention. In today's world of technology everything has been made to make our lives easier. People can hold video conferences from anywhere they want, even from the comforts of their own home. There are even technological advances in medicine that can actually keep people alive.
The one thing the I realized is how much school have not changed. With everything in today's world evolving so much, a traditional classroom has remained pretty consistent overtime. Like the video stated teachers still teach students who are lined up in perfect rows while they are taking notes.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
In the video of Sir Ken Robinson he talks about how important creativity is to children and how our schools today kill creativity. In today's society, schools discourage students from being creative. I never really realized the truth to this until i watched this video. We teach our students from an early they should focus on subjects like Math and English, instead of Art and Music. The children are told not to focus on art or music because they are not going to be artist or musicians when they grow up. This is killing the creativity in our students.
I also realized the realistic words of Sir Ken Robinson when he said that today's schools start teaching students from the waste up, then move up to the head, and then to the left side of the brain. What he means is we are only exercising the left hemisphere of the brain with Math and Science instead of the right hemisphere with things like Dance and Drama. I also was fascinated by the story of Gillian Lynne and how they thought she had a learning disability because she could not sit still. In a conference between a man from the school and her mother. He embraced her creativity by encouraging her to enroll in a dance school. Thanks to this man embracing creativity Gillian ended up choreographing man plays, such as "Cats" and "Phantom of the Opera." In today's schools she would have probably been put on medicine for ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). I wish we had more people embrace the arts like this unknown man did.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
In the video "Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts" Vicki Davis talks about her innovation teaching style in her classroom. I think that it is great that she is teaching her students, who are rural kids from South Georgia, cutting edge technology. In today's technologically advanced world these students are getting a head start on what is needed to be successful.
I am also from a rural town, but was not taught these types of things in high school. Mrs. Davis is teaching her students how to create programs in her technology class. I took a technology class in high school, but all we were taught was how to type on the computer.
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteDid You Know: I too was astounded by all the surprising facts. Your comments about countries like China and India surpassing us as a super-power led me to think about the possibility that they already have. Perhaps the U.S. has become too egocentric and are unaware of our fellow nations accomplishments. Globalization is a word that is thrown around a lot these days, but maybe if we can learn something from other nations-- its something worth striving for. What do you think?
Mr. Winkle Wakes: How do you feel about the "consistency" of education practices? This video really made me start to think about what my future classroom will be like. If I want to revolutionize the way my students learn-- I am bound to make many mistakes along the way... will those mishaps be worth it?
Sir Ken Robinson: I am so glad you recapped Gillian's story-- it is such an important one to share. How will you respond to you "problem students?"
Vicki Davis: It is sad to see how limited our technological exposure is as primary and secondary students. Especially when it is so easy to experience more of the world through conversations with people from all over it via technology. That being said-- I plan to work in low income schools or in the rural school that I was raised in... If you are like me, funding for these resources is going to be an obstacle, how will you overcome it?
I don't expect you to answer any or all of the questions that I asked you, but definitely think about them. When you watch your videos-- let your mind wander, and report your thoughts along the way.
Your responses are great so far, keep up the good work!
Anthony
Hey Ashley,
ReplyDeleteA lot of the things that stuck out to you about the four videos stuck out to me as well. I was shocked by the students' statistics in both China and India. It is unbelievable how quickly technology changes. I was also impressed by how Vicki Davis is able to take a classroom in rural South Georgia and connect her students with students around the world. Technology is growing so quickly and schools need to incorporate it more in the classrooms.