"Nothing like waiting until the last minute!" That is pretty much what I am doing at the moment. It has taken me days to actually sit down and have the time to post my first blog for this class. So other than stating my guilt, I should apologize to Ken, our teacher, right off the bat.
I suppose that in many ways my need for this class & the difficulty in finally getting the initial steps up and running explain my present situation. The very first thing that I learned from this class is just how far behind I am when it comes to understanding not just modern technology, but also the speed at which it moves. It amazes me how the information that you have today is virtually outdated the next day. Is it truly possible to fully keep up with change? My brain tells me that it is neccessary to make a constant and consistent effort or be left behind. My gut tells me that our society is buying into a neccessary addiction.
My home computer is in the process of slowly crashing and burning, so I will have to purchase a new one soon. (Not to mention backing up a whole lotta files) I also still use dial-up for the internet. So the second thing that I learned from this class is something I have feared for a long time: I need to spend some dough and get into the 21st century.
The third thing I learned was how some of my students can be rather indifferent to modern technology. (I think it is not a conscious response, but just something they take for granted) I work with so-called "At Risk" students. I actually think that most of them are gifted, and that is why their brains down't function so well in a standard/boring classroom. My goal for this class is to use as many options as possible to spark their intellect and get them learning & growing.
One of the assignments that I have for my Freshmen is to keep a weekly journal. I thought it would be a great idea to have them do some of this in a form of a blog. If nothing else, computer proffiency is a skill that they will need. The day after this first academy class I came in to their room all excited and explained my ideas about this possibility. Their collective reaction was to simply shrug their shoulders and say "Eh, whatever." I love my students. I love my students. I love my students!!!!!!
Never the less, I still see many fun possibilities and I really am excited about trying them out. (Yes! Learning is supposed to be fun.) The questions that I still have are Legion. In fact, I can't really put them into words because there simply is so much to learn about all of this. Perhaps the main question that sits in the back of my mind at all times is this: "How can I make all of this work for my kids so that they really do discover how capable they are & how much potential they have?"
Joe
PS. My Grandmother is 96 years old. She grew up in a small town in North Dakota with no running water. She picked up cow chips to heat the stove. This was my mother's situation until they moved to Minneapolis during WW2. They both remember these as very happy times. (BTW: They never considered themselves poor because they didn't have an I-pod & the internet) Most of the world still lives some what the same as they did. Things in America & the Industrialized World certainly are more convient now, but I am not convinced that we are any richer. In fact, I really do wonder much of the time if we are not selling our souls for the sake of eye-candy stimulation & a good profit margine.
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