Comments on: Measuring Up http://doucwhatic.edublogs.org/2008/02/17/measuring-up/ What I do with what I see... Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:48:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: sisjulie1 http://doucwhatic.edublogs.org/2008/02/17/measuring-up/#comment-31 sisjulie1 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:50:38 +0000 http://doucwhatic.edublogs.org/2008/02/17/measuring-up/#comment-31 Wow! What great points and things to think about. I have missed having you stretch my brain and now because of Web 2.0 you can do it long distance. I think this is true for kids too. There can be a fine line between creating critical thinkers and influencing kids with my values. That's what makes this whole job such a tightrope. I too have noticed the last couple of years that my fourth and fifth graders go home and do not use the links I gave them. They google search! Perhaps I do need to be teaching more about evaluating resources as part of my literacy program. I have taught in different communities and I find that students from middle class backgrounds with educated parents do very well in my technology rich classroom. The parents and students love the inquiry, the projects, and limited worksheets and homework. Students from more of a poverty background (poverty not always defined economically) and their parents expect a more direct instruction approach. They want the basic worksheets and skill and drill. I'm trying to find a balance between the two and discover how to teach all of the students in my classroom, be true to myself, and keep everybody happy. Maybe it isn't possible. Wow! What great points and things to think about. I have missed having you stretch my brain and now because of Web 2.0 you can do it long distance. I think this is true for kids too. There can be a fine line between creating critical thinkers and influencing kids with my values. That’s what makes this whole job such a tightrope.

I too have noticed the last couple of years that my fourth and fifth graders go home and do not use the links I gave them. They google search! Perhaps I do need to be teaching more about evaluating resources as part of my literacy program.

I have taught in different communities and I find that students from middle class backgrounds with educated parents do very well in my technology rich classroom. The parents and students love the inquiry, the projects, and limited worksheets and homework. Students from more of a poverty background (poverty not always defined economically) and their parents expect a more direct instruction approach. They want the basic worksheets and skill and drill. I’m trying to find a balance between the two and discover how to teach all of the students in my classroom, be true to myself, and keep everybody happy. Maybe it isn’t possible.

]]> By: Lisa Parisi http://doucwhatic.edublogs.org/2008/02/17/measuring-up/#comment-30 Lisa Parisi Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:19:41 +0000 http://doucwhatic.edublogs.org/2008/02/17/measuring-up/#comment-30 Wow, there's a lot to think about here. It's interesting, fun, and a little scary to think about how close (or far away) I am from preparing our students for the future. To me, the most important is getting them to recognize their role in the global community. We have, for so long, been teaching them how wonderful their school, town, state, country is without ever taking time to move out into the world. If our children cannot be part of the global community, they will not be able to be successful at all. This is where I know I need to spend more time. Want to join together? Wow, there’s a lot to think about here. It’s interesting, fun, and a little scary to think about how close (or far away) I am from preparing our students for the future. To me, the most important is getting them to recognize their role in the global community. We have, for so long, been teaching them how wonderful their school, town, state, country is without ever taking time to move out into the world. If our children cannot be part of the global community, they will not be able to be successful at all. This is where I know I need to spend more time. Want to join together?

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