It’s People not programs

This article made me wonder what can be described as the “best” teacher.  How can we even define what the “best” teacher really is? Is it the teacher that laughs with the students and cracks jokes? The interactive teacher? The lecturer? I really don’t think that any of these fits the category of the “best” teacher. I think that the best teacher is the one that makes a learning environment with energy and excitement and is willing to change. The article talks about how one teacher turned a gym into this learning environment. I thought this was a great idea because you may know that it is a musty old gym but in the end you are learning in a new and exciting way that it doesn’t bother you as the teacher or the student. This is the best type of teacher, who is not afraid to try something new in order to engage their students in the learning process.  This is the type of teacher that I want to become because I am open to change my way of teaching so that my students can understand the material and be engaged in the material.  It is not the student the practice that needs to be changed, it is the person themself. The person needs to change and to adapt to different scenarios and environment to ensure the best teaching that they can give.   This also goes along with discipline.   A teacher may be using the same disciplinary action like every other teacher, but it is not seen that way because they adapt and change.  I really feel that as a teacher you should always be up for change or be ready for anything that is thrown at you.  If this fails, then in my honest opinion I don’t think that that teacher should be teaching. You have to find what works for you as a teacher and for your students to succeed.

Another thing I found interesting was the software used.  If schools are using the software, it may improve the school’s reputation but it doesn’t always help students in their learning experience. In order for students to improve their learning using these new programs, they have to have the best teachers who teach them the programs.  Any school can have the software but it is the teacher that makes the program.  

Connecting to the Lonely Profession Article

The article, http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/006927.html really caught my attention concerning collaborative projects.  It is truly essential that as teachers, we must learn not to isolate ourselves from other teachers and find other teachers that have common interests as yourself.  I feel that this is really important because when creating a project, it helps to understand and organize what everyone wants in the project.  As teachers, even though we have certifications and have "mastered" our content area, there is always room to learn something new, especially in the 21st century.  When we learn more about the different technologies that are around us, we can connect with others and get more people involved in the learning process. This is also a great way for teachers to meet others online and learn new ideas and suggestions for having the best type of teaching experience. The teacher i observe with only knows the basics of the smartboard and hasn't been exposed to webblogs, wikis and every other type of technology that is available to use in classrooms. 

I really like the idea of using a Wiki for student writing, revision and publishing.  I think this actually gets students involved in their work instead of just being given assignment that consists of writing an essay and handing it in.  I like how students are able to get feedback on their work from their peers and other people around the world.  It's such a great idea because students aren't obligated to just write an essay and be done with it and move on.  I think that this actually would benefit students as well. The teacher of the flat Classroom Project had said that her students had grown up and had undserstood time constraints and had developed self confidence in themselves.  I think that this should apply to all classrooms because  students are one step closer to working and surviving in today's world and become independent.  I think that students need to be independent and to be confident in themselves instead of relying on others to do something for them or lay out what they have to do.