Learning between the lessons

Like many of my fellow MACers, I too am struggling to find the relevance in some of the things we are learning. How are concept maps and taxonomy tables going to help me as a Spanish teacher? Well, I'm not exactly sure yet. But I have to say that I am learning a lot. While I'm learning some valuable content from our esteemed professors, I have to say that I am learning the most valuable and applicable lessons (for me, as a future teacher) between the lessons.


My lessons learned between the lessons:

• A safe learning environment is essential. If my students feel like they will be criticized for their contributions to the class, eventually they will just stop trying. (Hey-o! A Benchmark!)
• Things never go the way you've planned. Always prepare to be surprised!
• Some students who need some time to form their opinions before they are ready to share them--these students need to be included. Find a way to make this happen. Whether it be through blogs or discssion forums, giving them a heads up about a discussion topic, or just making sure they have an opportunity to share later in the conversation, make it work.
  
• I need to develop a thicker skin. If I can't learn to let things roll off my back, I'll be running away screaming before my first week of teaching has even come to a close.
• Even the most diligent overachieving student needs to take a day off from work now and then.
• Take the things that frustrate you and turn them into learning experiences.
  
• Although I am a very nervous public speaker, I can actually find a lot of confidence and ease when speaking about a topic I feel comfortable teaching.

Outlaw YouTube?

A lot of workplaces these days are filtering the online content their employees are able to access at work, schools included. Although I've spent my fair share of time sitting in front of a computer counting down the hours 'til the end of the workday, I understand why places of business do not want their employees messing around on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. But what if these so-called "time wasters" are actually valuable teaching tools in disguise? We've discussed the merits of using Twitter, wikis, and blogs in the classroom. And we all know how an occasional video can capture students' attention as they start zoning out mid-lecture. (And if a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is a video worth...??) But doesn't it pose a problem when even the teachers are blocked from accessing these websites?! How do we get around this?

I understand that cyber-bullying is becoming an important issue, but will getting rid of these sites solve the problem? Or will it simply bring bullying back to the playground, as this suggests? (This issue is really a separate blog post....maybe you should keep an eye out for it in coming weeks!)


...if we ban YouTube in the classroom, students miss out on gems like this:



and




Nothing wrong with using a little Justin Timberlake to teach verb conjugation! And it gives me some great ideas for having my students make their own videos.....