Blog Post #2

Did You Know 3.0:

I have seen this video before, but it is still shocking to imagine some of the information from it. It is hard to believe all of the technological advances the video predicts, like that there will be a computer in thirty odd years that will have more computation capabilities than the entire human race. It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie or something, but it could happen in our lifetimes.

This video really shows why we as teachers and as human beings should try to keep ourselves as informed as possible with the newest technological advances, because our children will have access to things that we cannot even fathom now. My own parents and grandparents are still trying to figure things out, like cell phones, facebook, and the internet in general, while I've been familiar with these things for years. My mom works on computers, so she knows a bit about them. She and I often get calls from my grandparents asking questions about how to do certain things that seem simple to both of us, whether that be typing up a resume or finding someone's facebook page. The point is, kids know how to do things that many adults do not and this is not going to change, so teachers need to be as technologically literate as possible to keep up and to utilize some of that technology in the classroom.


Mr. Winkle Wakes

This really showed how much things have changed in the world in the past 100 years. Advances in medicine allow people to live through things that would have killed them years ago, business people are able to communicate with each other instantly from across the world, and so on. Ipods, laptops, and cell phones are seen just about anywhere you go and there are constantly new gadgets to figure out.

What the video also points out, though, is how little education has changed. Mr. Winkle walks into a school and is completely comfortable there, because things are not so different than they were a hundred years ago when he fell asleep. In many cases, things are like they were in the school that Mr. Winkle visited, with no real use of technology or exposure to the outside world. It's a shame considering how much technology there is these days. There has to be a way to incorporate some of that into the classroom, right?

The Importance of Creativity

I really enjoyed listening to Ken Robinson talk. He was really funny, but he also made a great point about creativity.

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original".

I completely agree with this quote and his stance on creativity in education. Children can be corrected and told they are wrong so often that they can lose their creativity for fear that they may be wrong again, which is what Mr. Robinson is saying here. I like his ideas about teaching students the arts the same way that we teach mathematics and the humanities. Encouraging the creativity of students should be important too.

Teachers should work to harness students' creativity and encourage them to grow in the things that they are good at instead of, as he said, telling them that they should not work on these areas because they will never get a job in those fields. The story about Jillian was really interesting and what he said, that someone else might have medicated her and told her to calm down, is so true. We should work to be more like that doctor was, encouraging rather than discouraging creativity.


Harness yout Students' Digital Smarts

The work that teachers like Ms. Davis (and our own Dr. Strange) are doing is amazing. When I was in middle school, I had no idea what a blog was nor did I get to use any of the tools that she is putting to use in her classroom. I never really thought about all the options there are to connect students with the world around them, rather than just sitting them down and teaching them facts. This way they are really being educated and are engaged in what they are doing.

It is so important to be able to use a computer now, so it is really smart of her and others like her to use them in the classroom. I also like that she teaches them how to learn and encourages them to figure things out for themselves, because she won't always be there to show them how to do everything. More teachers should be like she is in her classroom!

Can U.S. Students Compete?

Project #2 - Wordle

Blog Post #1

Our first blog is supposed to tell a little about ourselves, so here we go: 


My name is Kristen Whitehurst. I was born in Mobile, Alabama and have lived in Grand Bay, Alabama, a small town nearby, ever since. I am the oldest of two girls; my younger sister's name is Emily and is five years younger than me. A few of my interests are reading, particularly historical books, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends. I am a lefty, a neat freak, have never been into sports of any kind, incredibly clumsy and usually very shy until I get to know you. 


I came to USA because I love where I live and being near my family. I really couldn't see myself moving away for college. I am in my second year here at South and am double majoring in secondary education and social sciences. 


Why did I chose to be a teacher? As a kid, I remember telling everyone that I was going to be an artist or a teacher. Turns out I have little artistic skill, but I have always kept the idea of teaching in the back of my head. I first thought of being an elementary teacher, because I love spending time with younger kids, but eventually I decided to go for secondary. When I started here I was planning to teach Literature because I have always loved reading, but I changed it to Social Sciences after my first year when I realized that I was more interested in my history classes than in my English classes. 


So that's a little about me. I look forward getting to know my classmates, professors and our assistant professors this semester. I am sure that I will be bugging you all for help! 

Practice post

This is my practice post.