Public Education

Here is where I'll put my thoughts that I hope won't get me fired 


Another Voice on Public Education
Posted 06-28-2012

I found out about Adam Bellow today through the ISTE Remote Conference.  The annual ISTE, International Society for Technology in Education, conference was in San Diego this year.  I was not able to make it, but like the true practitioners they are, they provided access to a portion of the day of the conference online.

I enjoyed the entire day viewing the Keynote Speaker for the day, Dr. Yong Zhao, three sessions and a visit to the virtual lounge in between sessions.  The running chat within each session allowed for the interaction of participantes that I had not counted on.  I felt a sense of community and could interject and learn in return.  Virtual community at it's best.

I would have preferred to be there, but still it was a very fruitful day for me and everyone I chatted with.  Adam Bellow was a new discovery for me.  I'd like to share him and his ideas with you.  His website edutecher.net is a great resource and he's developing something similar to Pintrest that is a little more education specific.  Visit the sites, view the clip and enjoy.  I did.  Let's continue the conversation.




 

 Creativity and Learning, posted 04-26-2012

There was a time when, creativity and learning went hand-in-hand, especially in elementary school.  Pre Schoolers, Kindergarteners and some times first and second graders were encouraged to learn through play.  They learned through finger painting, gluing, pasting, coloring, drawing, dancing, moving, singing and making music.  They learn colors, shapes, sounds, what their bodies can do, how paint feels on your fingers and what it does when you wipe it on objects like paper, their clothes, the furniture, etc.  They love to sing and move without inhibitions and with great joy.  They learn how their body feels as it moves through space and how some sound are loud and harsh and other are soft and pleasant.  There is so much that is learned through play, exploration, discovery and being creative.

I saw a clip of Sir Ken Robinson from a 2007 TED Conference.  I have no idea how I found this clip but his talk with the audience resounded within my very soul.  He eloquently delivered and explanation one of the major reasons why our education system is failing.  Below is a edited version of the one I first saw on TED.com.


Creativity and literacy should be seen as equals, as much as creativity and teaching.  Pedagogy's first definition 'is the function or work of a teacher.'  But the second definition is 'the art and science of teaching.'  Just as we have push art and creativity to the lower levels of importance in education, we have also done the same with it's importance in the realm of teaching.  When creativity is present, the student is not the only one doing the learning. We have enough of the science of teaching.  Let's get back to the art of teaching.  Let's get creative.  That is were the passion of learning and teaching lives.



No comments: