Blog Assignment #10

I just looked at John Spencer's blog on Adventures in Pencil Integration and read some of the other blogs on his site as well as the link to what inspired this blog. I think that the key point he is trying to get across to teachers and administrators is that they tend to follow statistics and usually focus on a particular group and it generally doesn't paint the appropriate picture of truth behind the study. He is trying to say that pencils are not the cause of the problem. It is the people that control them without the proper knowledge to really get the most use out of that are not using the pencil correctly. So many people are good at identifying the problem; but, they have no idea how to come up with a solution. Doctors and scientist have identified all kinds of viruses. How many have they found a solution for to reduce or eliminate? They just put the sample in a lab and study why it is bad. There is no thought that the solution is better than the prevention. This is similar to education. Teachers and administrators see some statistic that pencils make students scores go down and they don't identify a solution. Instead, we just ban it and say that it is an avoidable subject. This can be compared to many items or ideas in our society that are labeled as black and white when we know that almost everything has a grey area.
He also touched on something in a blog called Capturing reality in which he touches on the idea of good vs bad. It talks about a conversation between a little girl and her father about taking pictures. She asks him why people need pictures to help them have a memory of a particular event or place. The story gets to the root of being a person that captures life through technology or participates in the moment using the technology. It is a matter of the context and how that applies to you. This has so much to do with the first blog in that everybody is different in how we learn. We cannot label a pencil or anything else as the cause of problems in education. It is supposed to be a joint effort between students, parents, and teachers to get students to use the tools properly and for the benefit of their education. Technology and pencils are just tools that we use to facilitate our thoughts, ideas, and innovations. But guidance is a necessary tool that we all will continue to need. Even the teachers that are educating the students!!!

I just got done watching the Do your Teach or Do you Educatevideo and it really hits home on why I am so passionate about becoming a teacher. In fact it is why I want to become an EDUCATOR!! The definition of teaching has many different variations; but, it all says the same thing. You are merely showing them how to do or remember something that is required from the curriculum. On the other hand, educating someone is reaching them on a whole new level. This is where I can make a real difference in their lives. It is my passion and it is the motivation that makes me want to educate!! There are so many ways to reach your kids on a personal level. That to me is the best way to have an impact on their education. Let them know that you really want to help them learn to be better human beings. Not just smarter students with a high GPA or part of an honor society. I think the key to education is teaching that exceptional student to take what they learned in the classroom as well as the life skills that we can provide and do something that will have a positive impact on their lives. Whether that be financial success or humanitarian relief, know that they were influenced by the care we showed them at a young, impressionable age!!
I just heard something in church that makes me think a lot about this video. My pastor mentioned that "Success is being able to take something and simplify it" It was the mindset that made Steve Jobs such an incredible person!! Jobs wanted to create a computer that was user friendly but cool looking at the same time. Well, I want to take education and simplify it so that everyone can enjoy it; but, I want to make it fun and cool and interesting at the same time!! The point I am saying is I have always wanted to truly touch the lives of my future classroom participants. Whatever impact that is(no matter how small) will be the highlight of my teaching career!!