Non-407 Feedback? Who knew?

rob said...
Megan,Thanks for taking the time to listen to the podcast. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts about this topic. How do you think this approach would work in the schools you have seen or in your own education?Having people who are wrestling with these ideas is the first step on the road to change.Rob
8.2.07

I copied and pasted this from the comment section of the Will Richardson / Rob Mancabelli post, and I'm honored that he took the time to comment to my blog (and a few others from 407, I believe...).

I've certainly wrestled with the idea of technology in the classroom. I'm only 21, so I'm not that far behind the advent and integration of new technologies. I don't disagree in the least that blogging and using video and audio in the classroom offers students a unique and intriguing classroom experience. I just worry about the logistics of it all- how to manage students, how to help them construct a positive classroom environment, and help students learn ELA at the same time. I guess my apprehension mirrors Nancie Atwell (innovator of Reading/Writing Workshop) in that I need to, paraphrasing, come out from behind my big teacher's desk and let go of my red marking pen. I haven't had experience in my own classroom setting, so I can't really predict how I'll actually teach.

My experience in the field thus far is limited (I spent 50 hours in an 8th grade classroom last semester). The classroom was a sad situation: the kids were out of control (bored), they didn't read or do homework (because the assignments were poorly constructed and irrelevant to their lives), and the teacher had low hopes for her students (because she didn't "raise the bar" any higher). I'm sure these students could have benefited in some way from any incorporation of technology. As we all know, many of the students are using video/audio recording, blogging, and social bookmarking on their own time, and the chance to use these in a classroom would automatically reel the students in.

If nothing else, the fact that the students are utterly bored doing worksheets warrants at least a trial run of some type of new teaching methods and technology in the classroom.

Thanks again for reading. Future insights are valuable; keep them coming!