Welcome to my website! I look forward to working as a team to prepare your students for the future. I thought if we had a place we could stay in touch, we can make sure that your children, my students, would always have the support they need to succeed. I look forward to brainstorming with you and always inspiring the kids so that they can connect with us using the technology they understand and love. People love to discuss the challenges of raising children in the 21st century. On this blog, I hope we will embrace the opportunity technology has given us to connect with students.
We live in a new world. Our kids seem to know more about Angry Birds and Madden than they do about our founding fathers. But if we think the new technology that defines our students' generation is a barrier to student enrichment, rather than a chance to expand their learning, we are crazy! The children of the 21st century are surrounded by technology most of us never experienced, but if we embrace the technology, and know it can be more than a distraction, we will win our kids hearts and minds and be able to prepare them effectively for jobs that rely on that technology. It's time to stop seeing their love of iPhones and computers as a hobby, and embrace it as a tool we can use to teach them more effectively.
There are many ways we could use technology in the classroom to make our kids smarter and more ready for the world, but there are two types of technology our kids could benefit from right now.
1. The SMART Board
The SMART Board is the 21st Century chalk board. You and I spent our time writing out equations and vocabulary on white boards and chalk boards, and the next generation has a tool that constantly engages them in a much better way. Remember, when we think about technology, we have a tendency as the older generation to think about the distractions it causes. Instead, we need to think about the engagement it offers. The SMART Board helps to engage the students, and by doing so, it converts their love for technology from a distraction to a helpful engagement.
2. iPad
I know, I know. We think of iPad and we think of games and surfing the web and watching movies. But it's easy to forget the iPad can also be a great tool to engage students. All of those great features that distract so many people are also features that can help students learn. Surfing the web suddenly becomes learning about the history of our country. Games quickly convince students to work on their math and their vocabulary. Movies enrich our students with their documentary knowledge.
If we can remember that every piece of technology our kids can use is an opportunity, and not a distraction, we can start reaching the kids in a 21st century way. I hope you'll join me, and I really look forward to seeing your comments and responding to them here. Let's embrace the future together.
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A REAL FUNDRAISING BLOG. THIS IS A COURSE REQUIREMENT AT NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
References
http://smarttech.com/smartboard
http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/
