Blog Post #10

Do You Teach or Educate? 

For me as an individual and aspiring teacher of a new generation of students I will educate! So easy to type it or say it but not exactly easy to do. However going through the Education program at the University of South Alabama has taught me or should I say educated me on what it is to educate rather than just teach. Educating involves a relationship between the students and the teacher. (I will use the word teacher because it is what educators are referred to at the moment, bare with me.) It is not just walking into the classroom or learning environment provided, taking notes, and testing, but it is a way of life. I say this because education will go on after classrooms and graduation simply because you cannot go far without obtaining a diploma, or let alone having the skills to simply learn.

I will educate my students so that they will be able to use the tools I instill in them in life outside of my classroom walls. Learning will never stop. So I would begin by educating them on how to learn and why it is very important in our society now. Through educating them they will do more than just memorize a topic or lesson but they will know it. It will be something I make sure is hard to forget by doing projects with them and making their learning experience fun and interesting. I choose to go into education because I want to make a difference in the lives of students whether it be 2 or 3. I want to help them learn science but also develop into successful adults after leaving my class. I will guide them and help them understand anything they do not and help them learn to love and care for their futures in our country so that they will want to push themselves to the next level. Educators are needed in our classes today. We need people who care about the students and not just test scores or having a "good" class. We must not forget these students are humans with feelings not robots. With that in mind we can make a difference by caring about them and pushing them to do better by attempting to solve problems inside of our class instead of quickly sending students to the office or OCS (on campus suspension). Believing in education and remembering our purpose will lead to success and will pay off in the long run by creating brighter futures for our students. Education alone will open doors for them.




Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home

I must begin by saying Mr. John Spencer's entire blog is very interesting. In this particular blog Mr. Johnson writes about a conversation between two teachers. They are discussing the idea of students being allowed to take home "pencils". Tom is approached by the "School Curriculum Instructional Interventionist Academic Specialist", Gertrude, about the test scores being lowered due to "pencils" being taken home. Her job title is hilarious! I'm sure in the school system there are a lot of teachers that feel the way that she does. Tom argues that the research done to come to that point is not measured accurately. He also speaks on the fact that in low income areas where the families do not own "pencils" or do not know the correct use for them see them as use for entertainment. He goes on to say how he meets with parents to show them how "pencils" can be used for learning. He says he will teach them things the students will do on them through developing a program for them to learn.

The argument being made is obvious. The "pencils" being discussed in the blog are actually computers or laptops. Schools today are allowed use of laptops inside the classroom and some schools even provide the laptops. I feel the use for computers by students is a good idea.  Teachers can instruct the students how to use the computers for educational use. Things like blogging, podcasting, iMovies, and more can lead to success in the classroom for the students. With help provided for family members as well lifelong learning can be pushed and the entire family can be educated. Students may still use the technology at home for fun use such as Facebook, Twitter, or Skype. However they will learn to manipulate the computer and how to upload different things. As with anything there are pros and cons with the use of technology, but with how developed the world is today technology cannot be overlooked when it comes to education. How Spencer made his point is very clever and I feel we should have programs for parents to learn. Things are always changing and the parents and students should all be aware and have access to such technology and education, and as educators we can help.