reflections: mad about (for?) technology
this is my fourth reflection: technology
I am happy that I waited a while, and actually reflected on the past week. I left the information session about the computers a little bit mad and maybe more confused than I was previously. After discussing the issues of technology in the classroom with Peter Arthur, I felt like I had a decent grasp on the pros and cons. In the discussion last Wednesday, I felt like someone was trying to sell me a time-share or something equally unappealing. I understand that the school district has probably been on the defensive over the laptop question and have had to put forth a very positive outlook to the public in order to convince some skeptical parents. Still though, I was miffed that at the session any questions that we asked were met with cookie cutter responses. To be fair, technology isn’t going anywhere, and I am eager to embrace it into the classroom- in my opinion, it is ignorant to assume that teaching with a piece of chalk will be the reality in five years time. At the same time, it is my expectation that the school district will look upon the decision to implement laptops in the classroom as an experimental initiative, and be open to criticism. The idea of transparency is an important one, and I think that this should extend into a program such as the laptop program. If teachers in training, who are currently studying these issues are not able to feel comfortable about the answers they are receiving what is the point? I just think that if we have to work with this technology then we should know the ups and downs as the district sees them.
On a more positive note, I am very excited to work with the computers. When I was a student at
Acadia, the computers added so much to some classes. If a teacher knew how to use the computer effectively, the class was so interactive. I definitely left the class and felt as though something was accomplished. I really look forward to bringing that to my classrooms. For one of the lesson plans that I have to do, I have been looking on youtube for music and videos. The amount of information out there is awesome. I think that it can really bring the outside world in- when I am teaching French the internet will be a medium through which I can make French relevant. In the class that I visited two weeks ago, the teacher used so many different things to show her students that French is actually a language that people use. That experience is so much different from my own- Roch Voisine was about as relevant as we got. It didn’t really make anyone too excited to learn French.
Subject change. I was talking to a mother of one of my friends who has been a teacher for 20 years, and I asked her Doug’s question about heart. She said that heart is the only reason that anyone becomes a teacher, and all teachers would be happy to hear that the up and comers think the same thing. Thought that was pretty cool.
