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3- Watch the video below. Then respond to the video by responding to this blog post. In your response, please answer the following question
a. As a classroom teacher, do you feel that you have any responsibility for addressing the disconnect students feel between school and home? Why or why not?
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ReplyDeleteA friend of mine sent me this video while I was still in college. It really resonated with me. Many of the comments that were made by these students were exactly how I felt about my education. After I got my associates degree and went on to UTD I felt like I was on auto-pilot. I spent hundreds of dollars in books that I never read, not because I didn't want to, but I didn't have time to. I was working 40 hours a week at my job while being enrolled in school full time. I completed most of my assignments at the last minute, many times right before class started. I only studied what I had to, to get by. Basically I was doing the bare minimum. So now that I have graduated and I look back on the effort that I put in, I wonder how I managed to keep a 3.8 GPA. This also makes me wonder, if I was doing the bare minimum amount of work to get by and pass my classes, then what were the students making a 2.5 GPA even doing? The best classes I ever had were those that the professors got us involved in the subject matter in a way that did not involve sitting and listening to a lecture, only to go home and read about what he just listened to for 3 hours. Now that I am on the path to being a teacher I feel that it is extremely important to get students involved and interested in their learning early. Technology is already a major part of all students lives and if a teacher can harness and use this tool in a way that helps reinforce and build on their learning, then I believe that once they get to college they will be more successful. I wish that while I was in college and high school, that I had a professor or teacher to help me use technology in a way that would benefit my learning. I am a big fan of using projects to help make connections. The education system (at least in colleges) felt like a joke to me most of the time. I feel like as a future teacher that I do have a huge responsibility to help bridge the disconnection between school and home. I want to help prevent the apathetic mentality that students have towards school.
ReplyDeleteAs I answer the question given, it is important that I define my interpretation of "home" to be interests and or life outside of the classroom, not specifically a child's home.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that as a teacher there is some responsibility for addressing the disconnect between school and home. First, if the disconnect is a cause for a student's lack of interest or failure to grasp subject matter, then addressing it would be necessary. Additionally, addressing the disconnect will encourage those that are currently inspired by the subject matter to do more with it. By incorporating student interests and use of technology into curriculum, the subject matter becomes more viable and applicable to life outside of the classroom. In turn, keeping the classroom material current and supporting student’s connection between school and home.
I absolutely feel that as a classroom teacher it is my responsibility to address the disconnect students feel between school and home. Students today have many things on their plates outside of the classroom, and it is imperative that teachers aid their students in creating a balance between those outside influences and the learning that takes place in the classroom. Not only should there be balance, but as teachers we should make the subjects we teach relatable to the student's everyday life. They would be more likely to learn if the subject related to them more.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has changed the dynamics of how students learn and behave. I feel that this video depict a lot of the issues that are causing many of the disconnects between school and home. Just as one of the student displayed the statement saying she spends her time on the internet instead taking her classroom notes. Let’s put this into perspective… If she is doing this during class time, what does she do when arrives homes? Most likely she spends more time surfing the internet instead of performing her homework assignments.
ReplyDeleteSo as a classroom teacher, I feel that I have the responsibility of addressing any disconnect between school and home. In order to be an effective teacher, I need to understand what challenges my students face. The pros behind me understanding this information may lead to me changing my teaching/communication style or identifying how I can leverage Web 2.0 into my classroom. In either case, my objective is to close the gap between school and home.
Although, I can’t alleviate all of the issues between school and home, I can provide a nurturing environment that helps to foster a quality education.
Yes, the classroom teacher has a responsibility for addressing the student’s feeling of disconnect between school and home. I believe that the classroom teacher’s primary purpose is to provide a learning experience that increases subject matter knowledge so that - that knowledge can be used either for personal “gain” (e.g., as a foundation for future studies) or for the “greater good”.
ReplyDeleteThe disconnect based on the teacher’s belief that all of the information was on the blackboard was most concerning. This view has been incorrect for a long time, significantly prior to our current information age where pertinent information is as close as an internet connection. Good teachers acknowledge and assist students in identifying relevant subject matter from sources other than the standard class text.
I was also surprised by the magnitude of students who were willing to participate in the survey. It made me realize that when I become a teacher, I should never assume that I know the totality of what a student will find useful or relevant. It is important to ask, listen to the responses, and then adjust my teaching techniques to ensure that the knowledge imparted is useful and relevant for the younger generation.
Vanessa Medlock
The disconnect that students' feel between home life and school life is not a problem that can be cured over night. The reality is that students feel this disconnect for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they find the material taught in class to be uninteresting; perhaps their home life is so dismal that they are unable to perform in the classroom. Whatever the case, it is the job of an educator to engage their students in the material that is being taught and to make it relevant to their lives.
ReplyDeleteIn the video, one of the key concerns of the students were large class sizes and the fact that professors did not even know their names. While this might not be as problematic in elementary school and high school as it is in college, the message is clear that students feel like they do not get enough individual attention at school. Sometimes, just letting students know that you are available for "office hours" is not enough. If a student is struggling it would be better to ask them to set up a time for tutoring, or even setting up a study group.
Another aspect in which these students seem disconnected is the level of technology used in their everyday life compared to the "chalk board" mentality of the classroom. The internet has become more and more interactive over the last several years. Social networking sites, instant messaging, and search engines make access to information almost instantaneous. It is no wonder that students can become disinterested in a school environment. One possible solution to this is to make the information more engaging. Utilize the technology that they use in their daily lives.
As an educator it is important not to simply teach like we were taught, because at that pace it would be impossible to hold the attention of a modern student. It is imperative to understand that when the "information superhighway" is just a few clicks away, scrawling class notes across a chalkboard simply isn't going to cut it.
Checking to see if it works this time! I feel that it is very important for us as educators to address the disconnect students feel between school and home.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I feel that students learn much better when they are able to draw from and work in their own context. If they are frustrated or do not feel able to connect to what they are learning, they will not get the most from the lessons and experiences.
Secondly, I feel that it is important to lead by example, and if we want to create life-time learners that seek out learning experiences, we need to model that by consistently updating the tools we use with which to learn and present information and communicate. By using the technology that they are familiar with, we are teaching to their strengths, in their context, and modeling the value of learning and using new information as we can find it.