Blog Post #2

How Does the Fox Dance?
According to Mr. Dancelot the fox learned to dance not by "trotting" to the beat but by listening to the drone of his teacher's voice. This video made me laugh. It implied that learning cannot be achieved primarily through lecture based delivery and instructor demonstration. Practice, participation, questions and demonstrations must be part of the learning process in order for a task or material to become knowledge. Students must be involved in each phase. This is part of the learning process. Mr. Dancelot used the technology available through Power Point to show diagrams of dance steps. He even demonstrates those same steps. Why, then, did his students look like a fox with four left feet during their final exam? After all, the final exam was not a written exam. His students were unable to apply all of the written material because they had never been able to practice with their peers in an environment that would give critical feedback, they could not ask questions to clarify their ideas, the demonstrations were hidden behind a desk and their first opportunity to practice was the test.

Students need to be taught how to put the information being poured into their brains into practice. They need opportunities to get things wrong, make mistakes and then to try it again. I agree with the idea behind Mr. Dancelot. The easiest way for me to sum it up is, "If you give a man a fish he eats for a day. If you teach a man to fish he eats for life." I do not know who first said this, but I think it must have been a teacher who loved to feed folks and fish. Teaching takes time and the results are not always immediate.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Teaching in the 21st Century is no longer a galaxy far, far away. It is here, now and present.
I. Teachers' Roles Are Obsolete
A. Teachers are no longer the primary source of information.
B. Students have unlimited access to information on the web.
II. Teachers Are Filters
A. Validate
B. Synthesize
C. Leverage
D. Communicate
E. Collaborate
F. Problem Solve
III. Fact & Content vs Skill
A. How do teachers and adults problem solve tasks?
B. How do students problem solve real life situations?
1. Are students being taught to create using technology responsibly?
2. When do students learn technological skill that lead to professionalism?
IV. The 21st Century Classroom
A. How do we gather information?
1. Are sources reliable?
2. Publishing and Evaluating Student Work
3. Collaborating
4. How can technology help struggling students
5. How do students learn to evaluate their progress?
6. Students Problem Solve Online
7. Student are able to explain, justify and evaluate
B. How Do We Manage Technology?
1. Relevant, Challenging, Engaging
2. Engagement is active
V. Teachers Must See What's Out There
I do not think Kevin Roberts is presenting a completely new idea on what it means to teach. The focus is on how teachers adapt from the pen and paper era to the digital age. As new challenges arise in the classroom teachers must maintain the balance between engagement and entertainment by keeping students actively involved in creating, producing, collaborating, publishing and asking. Teachers provide instruction as they model, and they have always been filters. The 21st century teacher has to become a quicker, larger filter that is able to guide students through the world wide wed. As a teacher I will remain a filter, but as a 21st century teacher I will use other teachers who embrace technology as a tool to teach me how to become a more durable filter.

Who Needs A Teacher Anyway?
Networked students need teachers to help them become networked students. For example, I can call myself a blogger because I am blogging. But without a teacher guiding me through various phases of the blogging process, requiring me to search for ways to enhance my blog and then expecting me to utilize those skills, I will never grow in my knowledge of blogging. I can know about blogs and blogging simply by being aware of it. But to experience blogging through participation, criticism, collaborating with other bloggers and steering from a teacher is to understand and know how to blog. Students need teachers to guide, lead, give advice, help them build connections and model lessons that are taught. Learning does not take place in isolation. It is a cooperative process.

Good Bye Paper & Pencil
Vicki Davis believes every student can learn but when only pencil and paper are used as a method of teaching and evaluating only certain children will learn. This has always been true and will remain true. Children have a variety of strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, abilities and personalities. Technology is another tool teachers can us to engage children in learning how to solve problems, what kinds of questions bring clarity to a problem and how to teach or lead others. Incorporating various forms of art such as improvisation or transformation projects is another tool that helps teachers evaluate a student's understanding of content. Creating blogs, collaborating with other bloggers, and creating podcasts are ways teachers can see and hear what students have learned. Vicki is a teacher who believes she can show her students how to do a project which empowers them to practice the skill she taught and ultimately helps them teach the process to others.

Could You Say That Again?
How often does a teacher have to rewind the lesson for a student who either was not paying attention or did not understand to begin with? The concept of flipping a classroom could be helpful with this delima. If the core of the content is presented the evening before an in class lesson is given the student is able to access the lesson in a quiet environment, gain prior knowledge of the content and have a general idea what to expect the next morning. The beauty of this process would come during intervention or enrichment. Those ready for enrichment could jump in quickly while the student needing clarification or further explanation could be addressed immediately. This is an interesting concept that is completely new to me. I see how it could be beneficial in meeting needs for intervention. My biggest concern would be whether or not the students would watch the video. There is so much competition for children's time that I think this might get pushed to the side or become a burden. I would argue that the idea of recording the lesson be used as enrichment first. Allow those struggling to view the lesson at home the night before so that the live lecture could build on the previous information. This may actually build self confidence because the student struggling with reading could listen to details from a history class or know exactly which dates or events to make a priority. This is an interesting idea, but I worry about it leading to weak in class instruction.