Blog Post 2

1. After watching my first video
Professor Dancealot all I can say is wow... I am so greatful that I
have never had a teacher like that. In this video, Professor Dancealot is instructing a course on many different dances. The way he does so is appalling. First, reading word for word from a powerpoint slide, I mean come on show some enthusiasm. Second, not actually including the students in the lesson and reprimanding them if they tried to learn actively. The message of this video to me is that the teacher must be committed to teaching as well as the students. If the teacher doesn't love what they are doing then they have no reason to try their hardest to help the kids. I greatly disagree with the teaching method of Professor Dancealot. You should always include your students in what you are teaching. This video captures that perfectly, that unless you are an active and helpful teacher then your students are not going to learn. This was clear during their final when no one knew how to do any of the dances. Teaching should be fun for the students as well as the teachers.
2. My second video I watched is called Teaching in the 21st Century. I can honestly say that was one of the most inspiring and informative videos I have seen on teaching. Teaching in the 21st century is a big step for teachers and students alike. No longer are the teachers one of the sole places students can look for information. With the internet the way it is today and all of the technological advances that we have seen the possibilites are endless. I believe that to Robert, teaching in the 21st century is the greatest time to teach and learn. There is so much information out there and so many ideas floating around. All it takes is teachers showing students how to find and use that information that creates a better world for everyone. Mr. Roberts main argument is that teaching can no longer be a burp-back test. There has never been a greater time that to move away from that teaching method. With endless amounts of information at students fingertips only one things is missing, someone to show them how to apply and capitalize from it.
3. The third video I watched is called The Networked Student. This video has a lot ideas getting thrown around is a short period of time. Although at the same time it makes perfect sense. When the question is brought up, " Why does the networked student even need a teacher," I immediately knew at least one reason. Just because the networked student has all of the information he could need, it does not mean he has the experience and/or judgement skills that a teacher would have. The purpose of the teacher in this video was to be the one who jump starts the students creative thinking. Also the helper for troubling questions such as, " Is this website and information credible to use." The teacher is always going to be needed in my opinion, there is always someone there who needs help.
4. The fourth video I watched is called Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts. I believe that the thesis of Davis' video is that you need to empower students to share with one another.  If you encourage them to share and to help each other then you are teaching them multiple life lessons and qualities all while teaching a specific idea. I strongly agree with Davis' teaching methods and ideas. I believe that if teachers would give there students a little more credit and a little more responsibility; then the teachers and parents would be impressed by what the kids can come up with.
5. The fifth video I watched is called Whose Ahead in the Learning Race. Well this video was very insightful. To answer the question,"  whose ahead in the learning race?" I am going to have to say the kindergarten, first and third graders from Gulf Shores Elementary. They proved that they can all adapt to using technology as advanced as macbook air laptops and even more difficult software. I wish that I would have been taught these things at such a young age because I know that these kids will do great things from already having these particular skills. I believe that my personal position in this race would actually be a little behind these young students. Merely because I do not even know how to run some of the software they were using i.e. ( iMovie)
6. My final video is actually an article and it is called Bringing the Locker Room into the Classroom. I know from experience that there is more to sports than playing positions and doing your job. I have played baseball all my life and still love the sport. Playing sports teaches you many life lessons such as teamwork and how to be strategical. Bringing these two concepts into the classroom would greatly increase the output of the students ability to obtain knowledge. Strategies play a big part in any sport, I also believe they should play a part in the classroom. To be strategical in the classroom is to be organized and always ready for what they teacher asks of you. To me these two concepts will greatly help any classroom that implements them into it.

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