Blog Three: My thoughts on Education

What is happening to our education?

Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity (Video:  See link below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

Hello friends!  I apologize as I have been fairly inactive in relation to blogging and responding.  I am still in the process of learning and ask that you kindly bear with me :)   Today I want to focus on the broader topic of education.  Most of my points will be coming from the following documentary (see link) by Ken Robinson (it's about 20 minutes in length, but is certainly worth listening to!).   To break this video down, Robinson outlines the problem of students who are completing their university degrees, but who are uncertain as to what they want to do vocationally upon the completion of that degree.  Essentially, Robinson argues that the education of our day is eroding the creativity of students within North America. He raised thought provoking points which I thought were generally true; “. . . our education system is predicated on the idea of academic ability” (11:17).  In other words, success within nations which we consider developed is based on one’s educational and academic accomplishments.   Another quote which truly was mind blowing was this:  “. . . in the next 30 years according to UNESCO, more people will be graduating through education since the beginning of history” (12:20).   I was quite shocked at this statistic.  I certainly recalled the scene from the animated movie The Incredibles where the villain constructs a plan to make everyone in the world ‘super’.   He believed that if everyone is ‘super’ or equally powerful, ultimately no one would be ‘super’.  Though this is a far fetched analogy, I believe it has some bearing in relation to our education system.  If we look back approximately 50 years ago, most people who had achieved a high school diploma would be qualified to join the workforce.  This has changed drastically as university has now become the expected norm for the joining the workforce. 

After watching this video, I have wondered about my future beyond the walls of university.  Ideally I would like to remain within Ontario, but given the latest uprising of unrest within the various public school boards, I feel my chances of getting a position here as a teacher are slim. Even before applying to Redeemer, I knew that entering the education program would be risky. Why then did I choose such a program if I knew the possible repercussions in terms of job scarcity? Ultimately, my decision came down to two driving factors:  1) my passion for working with and assisting children, and 2) the burden which God has placed on my heart to give back to Him.   I will explain the latter point.  When I was in elementary school (Wellandport Christian School), I struggled with organization and focus.  I was rarely interested in schooling and would rather spend my time either goofing off or playing outside.  Despite all these ailments, my teachers would repeatedly encourage me to stay focused and praised me when I would finish my assignments.  Over time, I learned that hard work contributed to eventual success.  It was during high school when I realized that my ‘success’ was not on my own, but rather through strength which God provided me.  Ever since this realization, I've had a strong desire to give back in some way.   Over my life, God had blessed me richly and I cannot be thankful enough.   As I continue to rely on His leading, it is my hope that perhaps one day, I will be able to be an educator, whether here in Canada or elsewhere.  Even though university degrees may seem to be losing their power as reflected in the video by Ken Robinson, I will continue in the grace of God to put forth my best.  He has blessed me with this incredible opportunity and therefore I hope to honour Him as I continue onwards in the vocation of teaching.

A Reflection on Teaching and Technology

Blog Post 2:

During this past week, our assignment consisted of us viewing the following articles:

http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2

http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/netsessentialconditions.pdf?sfvrsn=2

We were asked to respond to what we read.   I hope my thoughts are not too dry and I hope you can relate to them as well :)

Teachers Standards:

  I thoroughly enjoyed section 1 particularly the notion of encouraging students to not only think critically of current world problems, but to also explore them through “digital tools and resources”.  In all honesty, I feel that our society (particularly the upcoming generation) must be prepared for the future in relation to the economy and general stewardship.    I remember an assignment which I was given in elementary school where we were taught on the problem of pollution (particularly littering).  After the lesson, we were given the task of physically drawing and creating a plan to help reduce littering.  This certainly engaged my critical thinking as I was forced to think outside the box.  The only solution I could come up with for the project was the land fill idea.  Near the end of class our teacher went over the possible solutions, such as recycling, composting and others.  We were also shown a short video on recycling and its benefits.  Thus, I consider myself a strong advocate for practical application when using technology in the classroom

Another point which I was drawn to was the section titled Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.   In a nutshell, the section advocates for teachers and educators to be involved in the greater community outside the school building (attending a conference on classroom management for example). In doing so, educators and teachers can learn key information from each other and ultimately enhance the learning of their students when they return to class.  I believe such initiatives are useful.  A prime example which I am a part of now is the Future Teachers Association at Redeemer.  This group involves education faculty and provides students in the education program with resources and knowledge.     

Essential Conditions for Technology in the Classroom:

One of the broader themes which I have noticed upon reading the ‘necessary conditions’ is the general requirement of technological knowledge.  I feel this list of requirements has allowed me to see the expansion of technology within our classrooms.   For example, the section titled Skilled Personnel requires that all ‘educators’ be familiar with the various technological components within a school setting.  Thus, such requirements reflect the growing use and acceptance of technology within the classroom.  

Overall, I am continuing to see the effects of globalization as our world becomes more intertwined through technological advancements.  It is my hope and prayer to use these resources (in reference to technology within the classroom) effectively and ultimately for the glory of God :)

My first blog and post!

About Me:

Good morning, friends!!  For those of you who may not know me, my name is Nick Sarides.  I am currently 22 years old. I was born in the awesome month of November (1990) in Brazil and was adopted at the early age of 3 months.  Since then, I have lived in Canada (Fonthill, Ontario) most of my life and have been truly blessed!  I am currently a 4th year student at Redeemer.  I have unofficially completed my major/Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies as well as  minor in Social Work.  I am in the process of completing my second minor in History as well as the concurrent education/Bachelor of Education program at Redeemer.  I absolutely love following hockey and am thankful that the NHL lockout is finally over.  This means that the Toronto Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup :)  Finally, I must note that I am a Christian and truly hope to honour Jesus in all I do.

Interests of Education:

In terms of education interests, I thoroughly enjoy Geography, particularly the study of nature.  I also love working with ESL (English as a Second Language) students.  I have been involved in several programs already which have accommodated visiting students from countries such as Venezuela, Korea, Brazil, and Columbia (This link is the place where I worked: http://www.eslniagara.com/ ).  It is my hope to one day become either an elementary teacher or an ESL teacher. 

Reasons For Choosing This Course:

I feel this course would provide useful knowledge in relation to classroom management when using computers.  I also chose this course because I feel that it would help me become more efficient in using my computer.  It is my hope to use the methods learned from this course in a classroom setting

Why Teachers Should use Technology:

In our present day, the dependency on technology continues to increase daily.  The children of today are becoming familiarized with devices such as ipods, cellphones, video game systems, and others.  In order to prevent distraction within the classroom, we as educators should have a general knowledge of such devices.  In relation to teaching, technology can be a powerful ally, particularly in the enhancement of visual aid.  Also, having resources such as the internet (if used properly) can aid both the teacher and student (for example, improving accessibility to outside information and resources).  Overall, if technology is used properly, it can drastically improve efficiency within any classroom.