Reflection on Assignment 2

Although time consuming, Assignment Two presented numerous learning opportunities in website evaluation.  It taught me how to do this in a more scientific manner, as opposed to merely expressing an opinion as to whether or not a particular website appeals to me.  The skills developed through this aspect of the module will definitely prove useful. 

Self-Networking

While many of us can acknowledge and appreciate the value of social media and social networking as an educational tool, there are others, including some educational administrators who hesitate at the mere thought.  This reluctance is not without basis, as these tools can be easily misused and abused.

Although I am a fan of social networking and have profiles in many of them, I am yet to use them optimally with my students for educational purposes. My reading has shown that, for instance, Facebook groups (check out mine on Facebook "Vincy Teachers") or class pages can be created, Twitter can be used for sending messages and reminders, class blogs can be created for a variety of purposes including reflection, journal writing, and professional collaboration can be established on Linkedin.

Clearly, the possibilities are numerous, and I have committed myself to turn what is now a hobby into an activity that will benefit me professionally.

Something to think about: Why has Facebook been blocked from the wireless networks in our Vincentian schools?

Reflection on Assignment 1

I thoroughly enjoyed working on Assignment One.  It offered an excellent opportunity for me to sincerely reflect on my teaching practice through an analysis of the seven roles of the educator. In some instances, I measured up well, while in others I was found wanting.

The practical component of the assignment, though not difficult, provoked some thought while attempting to match the documents with the various roles.

SPREADSHEETS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES

Spreadsheets can be very useful in the classroom, and many of us can attest to their potential for economizing on time and effort.  Many years ago, recording and analyzing students' test scores were tedious affairs that one did not look forward to.  The spreadsheet brings an end to this and makes managing, analyzing and sharing data far less burdensome.  Its presentation capabilities through the creation of graphs and charts are also significant. 

Despite the fact that I have been using spreadsheets for several years, I still found Activity 4 somewhat challenging.  It was time consuming.  I had to work with formulas that were previously unfamiliar, which meant entering them several times in some instances in order to get the desired outcomes.  It was certainly an exercise in patience, but one from which I learned a lot.  The "new" formulas will definitely assist me in doing more detailed and meaningful analyses of students' scores.

The Word Processor as a Teaching/Learning Tool

As a Language Arts teacher, I find the word processor particularly useful in and out of my classroom.  It can be effectively used as a teaching tool and also for lesson preparation.  In my classroom it is used in creative writing as a thesaurus, spelling and grammar checker, for collaborative writing and publishing of finished work. Naturally, this brief list is not exhaustive, and there is much that I need to learn in order to maximize the use of this important tool.

The activity at hand, as a consequence of my frequent use of the word processor, was relatively simple.  Notwithstanding this, more thought than usual was put into planning the lesson. thus making the activity one that was quite reflective and meaningful.

The Seven Roles of the Educator

Undoubtedly, the seven roles of the educator are key ingredients in the teaching and learning process.  These functions essentially capture the essence of what is involved with being a teacher in the contemporary classroom.  

Having said that, it is important to note that some of the roles appear to contradict many of the traditional roles with which I had been exposed decades ago firstly as a student, and then as a young, bright-eyed teacher.  One case in point is the role of mediator, which, if not completely absent, was accomplished incidentally rather than that which was deliberately planned for. 

Although attempting to rank these roles in order of importance would be difficult and indeed futile, I am especially challenged by the roles of interpreter, scholar and learning specialist.  In my daily classroom practice, I attempt to reflect constantly on whether or not what I do adequately meets my students' needs.  Consequently, I am on a lifelong quest to re-tool and re-train myself to face the daily challenges that accompany the task of teaching this generation of students.