Blog Post # 10

Are you a teacher or an educator?

The video Do You Teach or Educate, by Joshua Bloom, makes a powerful statement through the choice of words, pictures, and music. The video is asking if we are teachers or educators. It describes through the pictures, words, and music what it means to be a teacher and what it means to be an educator. I had to watch this video three times just to be sure that I was getting a clear picture of what Joshua Bloom intended to imply. At first, I was just reading the words. It wasn't until the second time that I realized that the pictures and music were important elements of Joshua's message.

I believe the intended message of this video, is that we need to understand what type of teacher we are currently, or what type of teacher we will become in the future. Are we teachers who just want to pass on information that we decide is relevant or required, or are we teachers who educate by inspiring and guiding students? Do we believe that education only exists inside the walls of the school, or is it everywhere around us in our environment? Do we view students as blank slates with little knowledge, or do they come to school with much of their own knowledge and skills to contribute? Will we punish students in order to get them to learn, or will we inspire them to pursue a lifetime of learning? This video is asking us to self reflect, and to understand the impact and outcomes that our teaching style will have on the children that we will teach or educate.

It is my goal to be an educator. I don't want to be a teacher whose main priority is to pass on facts and information. I believe that you must have a love for learning to be an educator. I didn't graduate from high school. In fact, I didn't even finish the eighth grade. In spite of this fact, somewhere along the way, I developed a love for learning. My love for learning is what has helped me get this far with a 3.98 GPA in college. I believe that an educator must see the possibility in every student. It is my goal to set high expectations for my students because I believe in their potential. According to Randy Pausch, even after our students have reached our expectations, we should push them to excel even further. I am from a low income family, I went to a low income school, I had my first daughter at the age of fifteen, and here I am today doing well in college. I know that anything is possible, and I see the possibility in every student. I believe an educator must have a love for kids. Any educator who does not have a love for kids should change their occupation. I believe every child deserves to be treated equally and fair. Children don't have a voice of their own, and they are often taken advantage of and treated unfair. As educators, we are their voice. It is our responsibility to protect and provide equal opportunities for all children. We have to create relationships and bonds, and let the children know that we care. Children know when adults are sincere, and they can tell when we're not being sincere. I can still remember many of the teachers that I have had in school and college that cared about the students. My house burned down when I was nine, and my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Milam, bought me clothes. I was so surprised that she cared, and I never forgot. I believe we have to continue to learn and gain knowledge to be an educator. I also believe that we can't be afraid to learn from our students. I believe we need to remember that educating is so much more than just teaching inside of the actual classroom. I also believe that we should learn from Mr. McClung, and self reflect at the end of every year. It can help us grow to become even more effective educators. Many of my friends and family think that I must be crazy to want to be a teacher. Even my aunt, who is a teacher, is continually trying to discourage me. I know that there will be obstacles and frustrations. I never expected it would be easy or perfect. Sometimes, you just know where you fit in and what your meant to do.

Don't Let Them Take The Pencils Home!
I love Tom Johnson's approach to explaining his point of view in his blog post Don't Let Them Take The Pencils Home!. He created a story to get people to understand how ridiculous the excuses have become concerning the lack of technology in schools. His goal is for every student to have a computer that they can also take home. The "pencil" in Tom's story is actually technology. The administration in Tom's story is totally against  the students taking "pencils" home. The administration even uses a journal article for an excuse. According to the administration, current research suggests that students who use "pencils" at home have lower standardized test scores. My favorite part of this story is how Tom describes standardized tests. He calls them drill-and-kill tests! He points out that this research is not reliable and is lacking in validity. The administration has yet another excuse. They propose that the students will just play Hang man (games) or use pen pal networks (social networks). Then, Tom offers a workable solution to the problem. He has been educating the parents concerning the technology that their children will be bringing home. Now that the parents understand how to use the "pencils", they can help with assignments and supervise their children when at home. However, Tom knows that some students may play hang man or use pen pal networks, but he believes that they will still be learning words and other valuable skills. His story is a great way to get people to understand how ridiculuos these excuses actually are. Are we supposed to keep technology away from all students because there are some who might only play games or use social networks? This sure doesn't sound like the No Child Left Behind Act. His blog also has many other educational posts that are definitely worth reading. I particularly like the post I Don't Want To Manage My Education Class on Education Rethink.