Blog post #1

After reading the blog post "If I built A School" by Krissy Venosdale, it brought on excitement as my imagination went to work. If her dream became a reality, I would be honored to one day be able to teach there. Venosdale showed the readers of her blog post creativity and imagination when describing her dream school. By describing the school, it also showed her passion for children and the learning experience they would have if her dream school became real. Sugata Mitra also has big plans for the future of learning and is beginning to put his plans into action. I love how Mintra said that "It's not about making learning happen, it's about letting it happen." I agree with his view on learning. Mitra shows us that technology will have a big part in the future of education and that the ways of the past are becoming outdated. I think ideas such as Venosdale had would be great for the environment of learning. However, Mintra focused more on the actual learning and not the environment, both are a very important part though.

I would love to teach second grade so if I was able to one day make my dream classroom into reality, it would be a comforting sight as soon as one entered the doors. I would want the setting of my classroom to be relaxing. Where butterflies in students stomach would disappear as one entered. Where students would look forward to coming to school because they know it wouldn't be horrible and boring, but exciting and fun. A place where imagination would be free to wander.

What I want my students to know

I would want my future students to know that learning can be fun if they want it to be. There are no limits of what a person is capable of learning and sometimes even how they learn it. For example, if memorization came by just straight facts or if someone learned by making something into a song, it is still learned and that is what matters. Memorization is a key to learning and many different ways are offered to learn this way. By memorization, one can then know the best way to approach things that are best for them. I would want my students to know that I will be supportive in their learning and that I would be proud no matter how long it took them to learn. Even up to this day, if I have a teacher who tells me I do well on something, I become motivated to do my best because I know I am capable of learning what is needed. By having these teachers I enjoyed learning in their class. This should be for every class out there.

What I want my students to be able to do

I would want my students to do the best they can and know that they did their best. I would hope they could leave my class at the end of the year confident in what they have learned and be ready to face the next grade.

What will be my primary ways of teaching what I want them to know and do

I learned best when I was able to do something and not just be told. My primary ways of teaching will be very hands on. Working with kids in the past I know they seem to concentrate better when they have an activity to do because they are not getting bored. By this way, not only does it help them concentrate, but also learn because they can see what is happening and what is changing.

What tools will I use in the classroom

I think I will use many different tools in the classroom. I recently learned about what a Smart-board is and love the idea of one. I would hope to someday be able to have one in my classroom. I think my classroom would also have some tools I used when I was young. Things that can be physically held can help students learn I think as well.

What roll will students play in the classroom

I think students will play the biggest roll in the classroom. Classrooms are for students to learn, so what would be the point of having a classroom without any students? Teachers jobs are to teach students who know hardly anything about something and let it become known. While teachers do play an important roll in the learning process, the process must be picked up on the other end by the students. This being a very important roll of the students in the classroom.