Wikis, Google Docs, and Social Networking, Oh My!!!!!

The focus in society is very much on staying connected with minimal effort. In EDUC5224, we explore this focus and how it will effect us as educators further than I really expected I would need to. I have to say, especially after this week's class, I am feeling a little overwhelmed with how many resources are out there and how connected I can be to my peers/colleagues and/or future students. I completely appreciate the usefullness of all this technology but I also find myself fighting with the Digital Imigrant inside of me. I'm pushing against my instincts to do things in the old way and I'm trying these new tools and techniques. Hopefully they'll soon begin to be instinctual to me as well. We'll see. Only time and continuous practice will tell.

Creativity...educated out of students?

The TED talk I looked at asked the question whether or not we’re killing creativity with how we educate our children today. This is something that I’ve always kind of been concerned about myself. As a person who was always moving and talking and doing something in my younger years to the point where my Grandmother constantly whispered “Whitney, SC (Self-control)” all day long, my Grandmother worked at my elementary school as a paraprofessional so she made sure I was in line literally all day long. She feared I was going to be labeled as ADD or ADHD)I feel for kids today. I sometimes wonder what I might have become if I was left to my own devices. Similarly, I do the same thing to my nephew and daughter today. I’m constantly trying to get them to conform to what is expected. Sit down here, stand there, etc. And they’re only 7 and 21 months old, respectively. It starts very young and then it continues in the school setting. It makes me want to set my classroom up differently from what I’ve experienced. But I’m thinking it’ll be tricky to keep the structure and still foster the creativity. But hopefully I’ll be able to learn some techniques to do that in this class and throughout my education at Roberts.