04/14/11-My Beliefs

This all may be a little repetitive from the first two blogs that I posted, but they are what I feel strongly about.  First my concerns are that students are being able to access too much of things that we are not wanting them to.  I know that in school we can put blocks are certain websites, but that does not include the access that they have on their phones whatever, whenever, wherever they want it.  The internet holds so much power and whether or not we are up to date with technology, our students will know even more.  They will be able to do things that we don't know of and that scares me that they have that much power and control.

Another concern is with the students writing skills.  I think that using technology is a fine way of communicating, I know that I text more then I call, but I don't want my kids or my students to only be used to the texting abbreviations and things like that, because it does show in their normal everyday life and in school.  Also, I am concerned with social time.  Because kids are always texting and instant messaging they rarely talk about things face to face.  People start relationships online, people end relationships online or over texting.  Call me old fashioned, but that is tacky, rude and cowardly.  I even find myself trying to text through a problem I have with someone, instead of going to them or even calling them on the phone.  I know it is just getting worse and worse.

Even though I have my share of concerns, I am also all for integrating technology in the classrooms.  We have already made leaps and bounds with technology in the classrooms, we are going to progress even more.  Students will have the opportunity to do things on their own and have more hands on activities and learning.  There are great programs and games to help practice math and writing.  There are smart boards that we can use as teachers to show the internet and to manipulate objects.  A new world is being opened to us and we need to embrace it, but the only way to do that is to stay up to date on it and continue to learn.