“I Believe…” Statements
I believe all children should have the opportunity to have quality education.
I believe all children have their own needs, and teachers should do their best to accommodate ALL of their students.
I believe teachers are the best mentors.
I believe students should feel safe at school, at all times.
Topic Exploration Paper
During ECS 100, we were assigned a paper which would outline a topic in which we are interested in, in terms of education. I decided to do my paper on technology in the classroom. In the world today, technology is obviously a big focus. It seems everyone has a phone, laptop, iPad, or another form of technology close by.
In schools, these technologies are also becoming familiar. Teachers have worked to understand technology, and how it can be integrated into a classroom. Some people may think that technology is just a distraction, which can be true. However if teachers know how to effectively use technology in the classroom, it can be very beneficial. Technology offers many new ways or students to learn. For example, there are many applications that can be downloaded onto things like iPad’s to further the learning in subject areas like math, reading, and even biology.
Since the world seems to be evolving around technology these days, I believe it is important for teachers to at least learn about the ways they could integrate it into their classrooms. Students will probably be using technology at home anyways, so teachers can bring it into their classrooms so that children will learn how to use it properly and safely from a young age.
Discussion Forums
At the beginning of the semester we were split into groups that we would collaborate with for the rest of the time we had together. Each week, one person would facilitate a discussion forum, asking some questions about the topics discussed that week in lecture. I thought this was a great way to see the perspectives of my peers, and expand my learning.
One of the first questions asked by one of my team members was, “Who should control the education system in schools today? Government, parents, or both?”
My response was, ” I was always pretty sure that my opinion was that the government should just make the decisions in terms of the curriculum. However, after our discussion on Friday, I have changed my mind slightly. I think it would be really great if we could somehow come up with a system that allows the parents to have input on what their children learn, and then the government takes all the suggestions and comes up with a curriculum.”
This shows initial learning, or change in perspective, right from the beginning.
Another interesting question posed by one of my group members was, “What do you believe about the learning environment of a classroom?”
My responds included, “I believe the learning environment for children should be a safe one. Whether they are learning science or participating in physical education, the child should feel safe. I remember sometimes when I was in school, I would not feel like I could answer a question because I was afraid that I would get made fun of by my classmates or even my teacher. I think we as teachers should make sure our students know from the beginning that they are free to share their opinions without having the fear of being harassed.”
I included this one because I feel very strongly about it. I hated having the feeling that, if I spoke up in class, that there was a possibility that I would get talked badly about by one of my peers. I strive to make all of my students feel very safe in my class.
Jayla's Educational Portfolio 