Blog Post #2

Mr. Dancealot
I think the central message of this video was on how NOT to teach. Mr. Dancealot stood behind a podium while he taught the moves for his dance class. He also told a student to sit down when they tried to see over the podium and learn the dance steps. At the end of the semester, the students had to physically do the dance steps even though they had not been able to the entire semester in the class. I don't agree with Mr. Dancealot's teaching style, because students need to learn hands-on practice with the material they're taught. In elementary school, this is extremely important for the children so that they can have experience.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Students have all of this technology at their disposal and there are so many ways that they can get information, that a teacher can show them how to utilize that technology to help them better understand their world.
I. Importance of Technology
   a. Teaching in the classroom
   b. How students can use technology to learn
II. Resources
   a. Internet
III. How Will I Use Technology In My Class

The Networked Student
With so much access to information, students are able to learn so many things without a teacher in front of them lecturing. But we do still need teachers to guide them and show them how to use the technology effectively.

I took only one online class in high school and I was given a deadline for all of my work to be done at the end of the semester, and it did not matter when I completed it. I never had to contact the teacher who lived two hundred miles away and I could choose to complete the entire course in one month at the end of the semester. I don't completely agree with this kind of teaching through technology. I never learned anything through the course because I had no interaction with the teacher, in person or over phone calls, and I was able to pass the class easily with an 'A'. Teachers who actively guide a student in using technology are key to our world's classrooms.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
She helped them understand how to use technology and blogging without standing up in front of the classroom and lecturing. I really like her teaching style. I think she was correct in saying that teachers are learners too and that the students teach her things all the time.

Who's Ahead In The Learning Race?
In a lot of situations, elementary students are ahead of our generation in the Learning Race. They are learning how to use advanced technology at such a young age, that there is no telling what kind of learning styles they will be using years from now when they are in high school.

I have a niece who is three years old and as soon as she sits down on the couch at my house, she has her mother's iPad and starts playing games on it or uses it to watch Netflix. She knows exactly where to go on the device and she likes to take "selfies" when she gets bored of her shows on Netflix. It's amazing how quickly children and students are adapting to technology in the 21st century.

Flipping the Classroom
I have never heard of "flipping the classroom" before and it is definitely interesting and something I would do as a future educator. Getting the parents involved is very important and I think they should know what goes on in the classroom. I would always be for implementing technology in the classroom and helping my future students learn their material better.

Bringing the Locker Room Into the Classroom
I believe teamwork is very important in the classroom and students who work together on a project should voice their opinions on their work and other's work. When we use teamwork, we all come together for a main goal and I really liked team-based learning in my classes these past few years. It felt satisfying that we all worked toward a common goal and accomplished it.