Blog Post #2

In the Mr. Dancealot Youtube video, the central message is that students need to experience and practice what they have learned to fully understand the concept. This idea can be used with anything someone is learning. If you read the book and take notes in a math class all semester but never work a math problem, how will you be able to do well on the final that consists of only math problems? You most likely would not do well at all! The same idea goes for Mr. Dancealot's class. He taught them many different types of dance and the steps that go along with each dance but they could never see his feet nor would he allow them to stand up and practice the moves. When the final came and all they had was their notes from class, they had no idea what they were doing because they were not allowed to practice the steps as they were taught. I agree with the author's conclusion because as a dancer myself I know how hard it is to be taught dance choreography and not allowed to practice it first and the teacher turns on the music and expects you to know exactly what she just taught. That is how it works at dance conventions with famous choreographers but I believe, with out practice you will never fully understand the concept at hand.

After watching Kevin Roberts video about teaching in the 21st century, he thinks that to teach in the 21st century you will need to integrate technology as much as you can into your teaching strategies to benefit the children. The rate our world is advancing in technology, our students would be missing so much of information and learning opportunities if they are not taught the many different ways to use technology. I completely agree with Roberts that teaching is rapidly changing because we have so much technology in todays society. I think it will greatly affect me as an educator because not only will the students be constantly learning new things but I will be learning along with them. I also think that technology should not be the main point of a students learning journey, it should just be an extra resource.

In the Youtube video The Networked Student, they are explaining why a student that takes a mostly online class, with no textbook, needs an actual teacher at all. When I first think about the question I would say well of course he needs a teacher because no matter how much technology is used, it is not a class with out a teacher in my opinion. But after watching this video it really makes me think more about the question. I agree with the video when they say "the reason the student still needs a teacher is because she teaches him how to make those connections" and use the many aspects of technology. In a way, I think of the teacher as the link between the student and the knowledge and opportunities waiting in technology. Without the teacher, the student would learn things but not near as much as he does with the help and knowledge of the teacher.

In Vicki Davis' video she is talking about how she is teaching her students to grow in knowledge through technology but also helping them connect with other students all over the world. She is not just the speaker of boring facts, she is now a teacher that aids these students in unlimited amount of learning opportunities and teaches the students so much more than they could ever learn from a book. I agree 100% with her thoughts of technology and how the students are much more enthusiastic about coming to class and learning when they do not have to sit there for an hour and stare at a boring book.

I have heard of flipping a classroom before but I have never actually seen a class do it nor have I done it myself. I personally do not like the idea of flipping the classroom at all. I think, especially in younger grades, the students need to learn the lesson with the teacher in front of them and in the classroom setting. I know this idea would have been awful if it was used when I was growing up because I had dance everyday after school until late and then I would come home and try to stay awake while doing my homework. What if I had to come home and not only do my homework but learn and practice a new lesson for the next day in class? I think that is too much self learning for the child. It also seems as if flipping the classroom is like going through instructions out of order. I like to start at step one and go from there but if I used the flipping method I would start at step three or four in the learning process and I feel it would be less efficient and useful in my classroom.