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More Dangers of Technology

As an educator there is nothing more important to me than transmitting knowledge. The name of the game, essentially, is a transfer of information between individuals. This is not simply a one-way street as I often learn a great deal from my students. The general flow, however, is one from the teacher to the students. Anything that aids that flow is helpful… and anything that hinders it is counter-productive. Great technologies have aided that flow. The printing press enabled the creation of affordable books for the masses. These books transmitted knowledge and thus aided education. While book costs are sometimes … Continue reading →

The Move to Technology

Technology is a good thing. Airplanes fly, e-mail doesn’t require a stamp, and finding information doesn’t require a trip to the library (or even the bookshelf) because of the internet and the computer. In education the move to technology has also brought many improvements and benefits to older ways of doing things (I would not have completed a masters thesis if not for the modern word processor as a typewriter would have driven me mad). There are downsides to technology though. Oftentimes digital presentation software will replace the skill of speaking (both for teacher lectures and student presentations). When I … Continue reading →

Calculators in the Classroom

While eating lunch one day last week, some sixth grade teachers were discussing how their students struggled with subtraction that required borrowing. After the topic circled the table a couple of times, the conclusion was made that students are being allowed to depend on calculators too much. Many state tests and curriculums now allow students to use calculators for their math calculations. When I was teaching eighth grade pre-algebra, I taught my students how to use a scientific and graphing calculator. However, they could not use them on every day work or on the state test. Now things have changed. … Continue reading →

Technology in the Classroom

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Technology is everywhere in today’s world. Cell phones, MP3 players, Ipods, and the Internet are the norm. Education is no exception. Most schools are now equipped with computer labs. Technology has now made its way into the academic curriculum. Along with math, English, science, social studies, and reading, teachers are now teaching technology skills. Many children are well capable of navigating through computer games when they begin school. Others use the Internet on a daily basis. Students have email addresses and computers at home. However, there is more to technology than surfing the web. Children need to know how to … Continue reading →

Should Television Be Used in the Classroom?

We all know that schools, daycares, babysitters, and preschools allow children to watch television at some point to some extent. The question is should they? I am guilty. My kindergarten students do not watch television in my class on a daily basis. However, I have used the television for several different reasons. I have shown videos pertaining to our lesson as an instructional method. I have also used television as a treat for students during our daily snack time. In addition to these reasons, yes I have used it as a babysitter. Please let me explain!! Kindergarten children do not … Continue reading →

Learning Social Skills in the Summer

Nothing has plagued the homeschooling movement more than the idea that a child, who is not immersed in a traditional classroom setting, would be deficient in social skills.  In fact, some families have shunned the idea of educating their children at home because they feel the choice would turn their kids into social outcasts. This is a complete fallacy. There are a myriad of opportunities for homeschooled children to learn how to get along with their peers, though, summer often provides the most varied choices.  Some of the most popular include: Camps:  Some homeschool co-ops organize their own summer camps, … Continue reading →

School Supply Favorite: Apple Wireless Keyboard

Apple Wireless Keyboard:  My New iLove Obsession I purchased an iPad for my homeschool about a year ago. I cannot say enough amazing things about it and neither can my children. I bring it everywhere making every drive, waiting room, or park a classroom. We also conduct school on our porch and backyard. My smaller kids use apps most of the time and hardly noticed the need for a keyboard. Yet, my older kids and I often found ourselves wishing the iPad came with a small keyboard. I tried to fill the need by purchasing a case that had a … Continue reading →

NFB Wants Amazon to Make Kindle Accessible

The National Federation of the Blind is very concerned about something that Amazon.com is doing. The company has been distributing their Kindle e-readers and Kindle e-books to schools. The problem is that those devices are inaccessible for students who are blind or who have other difficulties with print. There is a protest planned. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. Their purpose is the complete integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality. They fight to remove legal, economic, and social discriminations … Continue reading →

Badges Help Teachers Identify Students With Special Needs

Teachers of “mainstream” classrooms may not be entirely aware when a student who has special needs is among the group. Unfortunately, this can cause the teacher to be unaware of how, or when, to provide appropriate help to that student. One school is using a specialized badge system to help teachers discretely identify students who have a special need. Historically, there are two concepts that special education swings back and forth between. One idea is that students who have special needs should remain in a classroom with other students who have special needs, and away from the general population. Proponents … Continue reading →

Getting an Early Start on a Photojournalism Career

I knew from an early age that I wanted to major in journalism. I was in second grade and my mother informed me that in order to be like my idol, Jane Pauley, I would have study hard in school and graduate college with a degree in journalism. I did exactly what my mother told me to do, yet I still didn’t end up co-hosting the Today show. However, I did learn a lot about all aspects of journalism along my educational journey, including photojournalism. To this day I am so thankful that I signed up for high school photojournalism … Continue reading →