Impossible!

Cinderella once told her fairy godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" that was "impossible" for her to go to the ball after her stepmother had forbade it. They sing a lovely song together and finally end with "It's possible!"

This song rings so true of technology today. Many years ago, people thought to have every computer in the world connected was impossible. Today, not only is it possible, it is a complete reality. How neat is it that I am able to chat with my friend in China via Skype while cooking dinner? The internet has taken multi-tasking to a whole new level.

With these great possibilities also comes responsibility. Time and time again I have read news stories about students using social media to bully others, sometimes to the point of a child taking his or her own life. The lines between the internet and the real world are beginning to blur. Bullies have followed children home from school and as educators, it is important for us to teach responsibility.

Nothing is ever lost online and this vast world is only going to continue to expand. We shouldn't shy away from using this powerful tool but we should learn all that we can in order to keep our students up to date and safe.

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

Ferris Bueller's Day Off...an 80's classic.

While an enjoying movie to watch, it can also be a useful tool to demonstrate just why the teacher in the classroom is not enough. This past week, I have been working with Power Point and utilizing non-linear links to create interactive games. Prior to this, my knowledge of Power Point was somewhat basic.

As it is for what seems like the rest of the world.

A boring Power Point is much like Ben Stein's lesson in the movie: dry, dull, boring and dumb. No one is learning anything! That can all be turned around if teachers would simply watch a tutorial on some of the programs they use. I realize that we do not have much time as educators but investing what little time we do have to further engage our students will help us become more effective and our students more interested.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Ferris Bueller

Can You Hear Me Now?

The cellphone.

A wonderful device used to call, text, surf the internet and...learn in the classroom? Ask many teachers and they will say no to the idea of having a cell phone on the desk in front of a student. After all, these devices are mainly used for fun, right?

What if they could have more potential? What if instead of banning them we embrace them and allow our students to utilize the technology that is ever present in their daily lives?

Of course, there is the fear that using phones could result in cheating or unnecessary distractions. Yet, I feel it 's safe to say that by not using them, we are creating distractions for our students. To take away what some may call the very life force of this generation rather than embracing it shows our students that we -ourselves- are backwards. We seem out of touch with reality.

It is not only parents, teachers and friends that children rely on. It is the technology that has stretched within every inch of their lives. Let's show our students that we, too, can relate to their lifestyles and finally realize that a textbook is not the only fountain of knowledge.

In the beginning...

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I hope to post many useful articles and interesting facts on this page. Look for more coming soon!

Best,

Amanda