Blog Post #3

Michael Wesch: "A Vision of Students Today"
This video "A Vision of Student's Today" was a perfect example of student's today. Most students today are working hard to accomplish their career goals by going after an education. One of the signs that stood out to me was the girl that held the sign up that said she would be $20,000.00 in debt when she graduated. "I am one of the lucky ones" another student held up. Where will we be financially when we graduate? Will there be jobs for us?
 The signs about time spent doing different task throughout the day really made me think about what I am doing with my time. Am I using it wisely to get everything done? What could I do away with so that I can devote more time to the important things? How much time do I really spend on my assignments? How can I use technology to make better use of my time?

"It's Not About Technology" by Kelly Hines, Keeping Kids First
Kelly Hines could not have been more right in this article. Working in the education field already, I see perfect examples of this everyday. Thousands of dollars are being spent to equip our classrooms with Smart boards and Smart tables and teachers that have been teaching for 25 years are not interested in using or even learning about the programs. We, as educators, should be ashamed for not putting the children first. I work with Pre-K Special Ed. students; we received our Smart board at the beginning of this year. We were sent to a class with a few instructions then sent back to the classroom to use this technology. I will be the first to say that I thought it was a waste of money for our class to have such technology. I have been proven so wrong. It took research, lesson plans, activities, and those children loved it!!! They were saying the months of the year, days of the week, and learning holidays. They were interacting not only with the board but with each other. We were given the technology it was what we did with it that made the difference. We are already planning for a great year next year and taking the learning experience for the children in our class to a whole new level. Educators should not be afraid of learning or making mistakes in learning technology. 
I hear teachers everyday asking the question "I teach and teach why don't they get it?" I have never thought about it until I read this article. As educators we feel that we have done our best, that the students just are not getting it. I like the way Ms Hines states it "if a student has not learned, no matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done." As much as I hate to admit this it is the truth! We must learn how to teach or children. How do we regroup and turn our classrooms around? Is it just technology or our willingness to learn and use technology as a teaching tool?
I plan to share this article with my co-workers this summer.
"Is It Ok To Be A Technologically Illiterate"  The Fisch Bowl
I enjoyed this blog. It is blunt or as he calls himself, grumpy. It is truthful. In today's technical world we should not be proud that our children had to teach us to use iTunes or Facebook. I will admit my daughter had to teach me, but there is something to that statement. She taught me, now I do all of my own downloading. I am in agreement with the author of the blog I think that administration and above should be held accountable for their staff not learning and using the technology that is in their classrooms. I want to go a step further than him and say that administration should learn and use technology. There shouldn't be just one technology person per school, everyone in the school should know or continually learn about technology. He is right in saying that "a teacher who is technically illiterate and unwilling to learn is equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who couldn't read or write." My question would be; what do we do with all of these technically illiterate  teachers who are unwilling or to intimidated to learn?


"Gary's Social Media Count" by Gary Hayes
I was astounded at the how fast the numbers changed. I must admit my daughter contributes to the text message numbers changing so quickly. I guess anyone with a teenager can say that. It amazes me how far technology has come just since I have been an adult. The numbers were overwhelming. A career in teaching means I will always be studying technology if I want to be an effective teacher, and leader. Technology changes and upgrades daily and so must I.