Here are just a couple of points from our jam-packed Skype session with George Couros on Thursday...
Students now are posting more online than ever before, and they are not using a filter. They are posting inappropriate status', tweets, and even pictures of themselves getting drunk. Yeah, great idea. Then, a little down the road, they are applying for jobs and wondering why the are not getting them.
Hmmm... I wonder why?! Maybe if they would use their head and actually think before they post, they may not be having that issue!
As pre-service teachers, we are constantly told we must teach the curriculum, but George brought up a good point regarding that... Teaching the children is our first job. You have to know how to teach the children in your class before you can attempt to teach them the curriculum. Without this step, you may have some issues transferring the knowledge and getting the children to have a deeper understanding of the material. By actually taking the time to teach the individuals, we may find out more about the students as well (learning disabilities, exceptionalities, etc).
We need to be school teachers, not just classroom teachers. A classroom teacher will only focus on their own room and their own students. Their intrigue and initiative gets left at the door when they walk out and they do not care what happens after that point. A school teacher, however, thinks of the entire school community as a whole. They collaborate with other teachers and resource staff, as well as treat all the students as if they were all in their class. This creates a much better sense of belonging for all and should be an overall goal for all schools and teachers.
When calling parents...
First off, I have to say that the animated picture of you with the robot totally just cracked me up. Nice work! lol Anyway, back to George Couros. I agree his Skype visit was definitely jam packed and I also really liked the points George made about teaching students first and curriculum second, and the importance of being a "school" teacher, vs. a "classroom" teacher.
ReplyDeleteA great ending to a great post. Very good visual. Even though email is so easy, a phone call is still so much personable, and it truly shows that you care for the student, instead of hiding behind typed text. The parents will at least get to hear your tone to see if you are being genuine or not. Also, great picture!
ReplyDeleteI felt like I was hiding in my classroom in my last placement. I always had so much to do and was always planning, reflecting, tweaking, etc. I tried to get to know other students when on duty at recess, but they kind of looked at me with that, "Who are you?" look. I thought George made a good point though. We need to be school teachers and not just classroom teachers. I will make the effort to be a school teacher in my spring placement. Thanks for sharing Steve.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I love the Facebook and wine picture.
Yes, Students need to be careful what they are posting online. It seems that people are displaying anything and EVERYTHING about them online and some of it is probably not appropriate. I live by the motto: Don't post something online (or on Facebook) that you wouldn't want your grandma to see!
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