Data Driven Teachers

In my hypothetical classroom I see myself using a variety of data to assess and instruct my students. Not only do I plan to evaluate students based on day to day activities; however, I also hope that I am capable of using data from where students have previously been academically, to where I intend for them to end up. By doing this, I will gain a better understanding of the goals I must set and how I will help students reach these goals. Not only do I believe it is important to focus on the final product and goals students should achieve, but it is equally as essential to focus in constructing the path that will lead students to these goals. In other words, an effective teacher will utilize summative and formative assessment equally; creating a balance between the two. 

With that said, it is easy to plan on utilizing these teaching practices; however, it is much more difficult to put them into action. Knowingly enough, I realize that it will take years of experience to perfect these tasks, but I hope that Temple will provide me with the practice needed to make the work manageable.  I find that I am still having difficulty of finding the most appropriate goals for students at a particular age level. I am struggling with providing students with enough lessons that challenge their thinking, without generating too much frustration. Every classroom I am in will present me with different challenges, it is how I approach these difficulties that will determine my future.

My Online Community

The lesson I chose is entitled "My Online Community"...entended for students grades 2-3, this lesson explores the use and desire for the internet to connect people and communities. Teaching students that although the internet is not an actual, physical place we can vist, but a place where real people come together in a variety of ways. Students brainstorm the different ways people can connect by going online and using the Internet and what it means to do so. The main reason I believe this lesson is beneficial for this age group is because, although they are still rather young, students at this age are constantly being introduced to new ways of surfing the web and communicating online. Wether they have seen parents sending emails, older siblings talking on Instant Message, or been in a chat room or online community themselves, they will experience this first hand during this lesson. I would love to add more engaging activities for example, finding pen pals of the same grade in another area of the country to send emails to and communicate online. 

In align with this lesson, I would also integrate an online video from the website BrainPOPjr. On the list of Internet safety websites, I enjoyed this video for elementary students because it will further the idea that although we can communicate online we may not always be sure we know who we are communicating with. Strengthening the objective to understanding that the Internet is not a real, physical place it is a place where real people communicate. 

The Digital Generation

Although I have heard all about this up and coming 'digital generation' in almost all of my education classes at Temple, this reading really puts it into perspective for me. Not only has education changed in the way we present and engage in learning, but it has also changed in the way students think and process learning and material. I was never introduced to the idea that children's minds are wired differently than once before; developing hyperlinked minds that are changing shape and capacity all the time. What blows my mind is that for a while we have seen this coming; this generation is developing a future of digital learners who prefer parallel processing and multitasking, yet teachers continue to teach in a traditional/by the book manner. Are old school teachers to set in their ways to accept and acknowledge these changes? Are they ignoring the reality that times are changing? Does this give us future teachers, who are aware and knowledgeable of new technology, 'a let up' on jobs? This article makes me question the many changing faces of education and what it will become.

(Off topic, this reading also made me think of the fact that because students are so comfortable with using technology: cell phones, computers, video games, etc.....is this a contributing factor to the high rate of obesity within our schools? In and out of school children are constantly using and learning new technologies, but is this taking away from the active, physical, healthy lives they deserve?)