I agree with the content of this video. It seems as though we are teaching from what has worked in the past, rather than working towards new concepts and new strategies. There seems to be a stereotype for each type of learning: science is straightforward and predictable, math always has an answer and requires no creative though, art or drama is free lance and requires no effort. This is far from the truth. Students need a culmination of all skills in order to succeed at all subjects. Who’s to say that a creative mind did not think up computers or even Penicillin? What kinds of mathematical and analytical strategies are required to create a work of art? All of these subjects are interconnected, and each one uses strengths from the others in order to develop more works, more discoveries, and more information. These subjects need to be taught together fluidly, not one stronger than another. They complement each other, and should be treated as such.
The message of this video is to allow students to have some control over their own education. Rather than holding them to strict guidelines, give them an assignment and allow them to take the reins for a little bit. Rather than simply having teacher guided projects, allow students to have a voice in their own projects, and therefore, a voice in their own educations. They will put themselves fully into it if they are given more responsibility, or the project is of more personal significance to them. Giving students a voice, and choices for learning, will bring out students and be a much more powerful message than and strict, rubric assignment. Naturally, the teacher should lay out expectations and constantly monitor the progress of the students, however, giving them some time to explore and work on their projects is such a powerful teaching tool. Additionally, allow students to fail. They will learn from their mistakes. Telling kids to never be wrong, and always be right, does not allow them to learn. Students need to learn to be wrong, and to figure out how they were wrong, why they were wrong, and how it can be changed to make it better. "Failure is instructional."
In teaching students, the curriculum needs to engage all students, and not be solely geared towards one way of teaching. In this video, the speaker illustrates that many methods in place in the school system are geared more towards girls than boys. They have to sit quietly, have neutral topics to write about, and have zero tolerance for expressing themselves as boys. Many boys, not all, but some, want to write about gaming, or sports, or even action or adventure. Why not teach to their interests? As teachers there needs to be a less defined line about what is acceptable to write about, as well as more technology or acceptance of gaming for educational purposes. As a gamer myself, I know how much fun it is; if it can be paired with educational software, the learning experience will be so much more enhanced.
I agree with this speaker, who states that many students are educated out of creativity. There is such a focus on literacy, increasing test scores, and increasing reading levels, that many of the ideas of the students which would lead to development of further creative skills are actually being pushed aside and abandoned in order to teach students basic academic skills rather than build on their creative talents. We are focusing on test scores, scoring well, and bring students up to the required reading level. The arts are taken out of schools so there can be more time and more efforts focused on what students will be tested on. Within the schools, the speaker states that there is even a hierarchy of school subjects: literacy, math, science, and the arts. Why should the arts be last? Why should we push aside student creativity? Why is it not as important as these other subjects? Creativity should be developed and improved upon by introducing students to different arts and introducing them to different ways of seeing things. The arts need to be integrated into the curriculum and encouraged by the teacher on a daily basis to develop and sculpt these creative minds.
I agree with the content of this video. It seems as though we are teaching from what has worked in the past, rather than working towards new concepts and new strategies. There seems to be a stereotype for each type of learning: science is straightforward and predictable, math always has an answer and requires no creative though, art or drama is free lance and requires no effort. This is far from the truth. Students need a culmination of all skills in order to succeed at all subjects. Who’s to say that a creative mind did not think up computers or even Penicillin? What kinds of mathematical and analytical strategies are required to create a work of art? All of these subjects are interconnected, and each one uses strengths from the others in order to develop more works, more discoveries, and more information. These subjects need to be taught together fluidly, not one stronger than another. They complement each other, and should be treated as such.
The message of this video is to allow students to have some control over their own education. Rather than holding them to strict guidelines, give them an assignment and allow them to take the reins for a little bit. Rather than simply having teacher guided projects, allow students to have a voice in their own projects, and therefore, a voice in their own educations. They will put themselves fully into it if they are given more responsibility, or the project is of more personal significance to them. Giving students a voice, and choices for learning, will bring out students and be a much more powerful message than and strict, rubric assignment. Naturally, the teacher should lay out expectations and constantly monitor the progress of the students, however, giving them some time to explore and work on their projects is such a powerful teaching tool. Additionally, allow students to fail. They will learn from their mistakes. Telling kids to never be wrong, and always be right, does not allow them to learn. Students need to learn to be wrong, and to figure out how they were wrong, why they were wrong, and how it can be changed to make it better. "Failure is instructional."
In teaching students, the curriculum needs to engage all students, and not be solely geared towards one way of teaching. In this video, the speaker illustrates that many methods in place in the school system are geared more towards girls than boys. They have to sit quietly, have neutral topics to write about, and have zero tolerance for expressing themselves as boys. Many boys, not all, but some, want to write about gaming, or sports, or even action or adventure. Why not teach to their interests? As teachers there needs to be a less defined line about what is acceptable to write about, as well as more technology or acceptance of gaming for educational purposes. As a gamer myself, I know how much fun it is; if it can be paired with educational software, the learning experience will be so much more enhanced.
I agree with this speaker, who states that many students are educated out of creativity. There is such a focus on literacy, increasing test scores, and increasing reading levels, that many of the ideas of the students which would lead to development of further creative skills are actually being pushed aside and abandoned in order to teach students basic academic skills rather than build on their creative talents. We are focusing on test scores, scoring well, and bring students up to the required reading level. The arts are taken out of schools so there can be more time and more efforts focused on what students will be tested on. Within the schools, the speaker states that there is even a hierarchy of school subjects: literacy, math, science, and the arts. Why should the arts be last? Why should we push aside student creativity? Why is it not as important as these other subjects? Creativity should be developed and improved upon by introducing students to different arts and introducing them to different ways of seeing things. The arts need to be integrated into the curriculum and encouraged by the teacher on a daily basis to develop and sculpt these creative minds.