1. Philosophy of Education
My philosophy of education is that teachers and schools need to provide a safe environment where students are engaged in learning. Teachers should be positive role models for their students and provide as many opportunties they can for students to be successful. Teachers should be approachable for students and not a classroom dictator. Sometimes I have found that the best way to help students learn is to sit back, listen to them, and find out how I can best help them to have a successful, positive future. At the same time, school should not be a series of steps that students all walk along toward graduation. Each class they take should engaging and challenging. The best way to achieve this is to have teachers who are excited about what and who they teach.
My educational philosophy hasn't really changed throughout the week, but I have learned some new tools that will help me to achieve my goals as an educator. The web 2.0 tools that I have learned this week will help me to find new avenues of engaging and challenging my students in a way that they will be able to relate to. I know that using these tools are not going to solve every problem in school and I need to be careful not to get in over my head in using them right away, but I do believe that using more technology in my classes will help to engage my students and make my life easier.
First of all, Having all of my classroom documents posted online will cut down on the extra papers I have to hand out to students who lose them and it will be easier for me to check student work from home without lugging a heavy backpack home with me every day. Web 2.0 technology will also make things easier for my students. They will be able to complete most group work without having to get together with their group at one specific time and place and it should be easier for them to ask questions and get feedback when it is all done online.
The best way that I think will help in getting these resources out to all of my students is by showing them how useful they can be. One complaint that I have heard from students using these types of tools is that it creates more work. Technology should be reducing the workload for students as long as it is used correctly. It is my goal to ensure that it does just that.
A New Year has Started!
16 years ago
awesome reflection
ReplyDeleteYou've blended the time-saving and curriculum-enhancing benefits of Web 2.0 into your classroom very effectively. That's what you set out to do on the first day of this class. You've been very focused on meeting both your goals and your student's needs.
ReplyDeleteKeep challenging yourself to find ways to allow your students to create with these tools. I know lab access is a major concern for you and your building, but know that learning is more effective if students apply technology to become collaborators and creators. Keep looking for ways for students to take ownership of knowledge in creative ways. You'll have to continue to be creative yourself to make that happen.