Technology in the Classroom

I see technology as something essential in education. As a college student I see technology being used everyday, even right now as I am typing. For my Music Theory, Ear Training and Music History classes I have to use online mp3 files for listening. For Education Psychology I have to research different philosophers and view different opinions on them. As you can see, many of my classes use technology as an essential tool.
I only see technology becoming used more and more in the future. However, I do NOT think books should be ruled out over the internet or online readings. There should always be interaction with a book because, as Henry Miller said "A book lying idle on a shelf is wasted ammunition, books must be kept in constant circulation...for books represent infinitely more than money. A book is not only a friend, it makes friends for you. When you have possessed a book with mind and spirit, you are enriched. But, when you pass it on you are enriched threefold."

Controversial Issue- How to change economic status in schools

George Will said describes how we can, as teachers, schools, and society change economic status to level it out by 1) graduating students from high school 2) encouraging students to wait until after high school to be parents 3) wait until after high school to get married. I agree with all three of these point but I do believe they can be expanded on a little more. For instance, how would we graduate more students? Would we lower the standards? Would we make dropping out illegal? Questions like these should be addressed.
In order to get more students to graduate, I believe we should make dropping out of school less of an option for students. Our schools systems should incorporate more classes geared toward student interests, but still keep the general programs such as the arts, math, science, social studies etc. Lower income schools should recieve quality teachers. Currently, schools that pay more money (incentives) such as suburbian schools recieve the most qualifed teachers and lower income schools cannot afford such talent. The government should make it a point to level this gap out. I believe George Will provides us with a 3 great point on how we can level the economic status in our schools, but now it is our turn as a society to expand more on these ideas and put them into practice.

Why Do We Teach?

Teaching is about making other lives better. It creates new opportunities and shares new ideas with people. Social skills, critical thinking and broadened horizons all come from learning. To accomplish these tasks, a teacher must be flexible with their teaching and lives. They must provide energy to feed off of in the classroom. A good teacher analyzes their teaching and their students progress in the classroom. Use of technology and different mediums is a great way to spot a good teacher. The best teachers I have had made every class period new, there was no repetition or routine in their approach; it was always exciting. Great teachers must presentnew ideas as well as old ones and formulate their own approach to present these ideas. A great teacher can also traverse the border between school work and student learning. Just because you present an idea to a student doesn't mean they are going to learn it. The student must apply the idea in their lives to understand it. This will also keep the student interested in the material being taught.