BP3_2009101_Anti Teaching

For 21st century schools, I would implement individualized instructional strategies with technology. Educational system today do not work for the vast majority of students because there are too many students in one class and the period is just too short to absorb all information lectured in class. In reality with more than 3o students in one class with one teacher, lecturing is the only possible way. I teach 150 students in one day and each one stays with me only 43 minutes a day. I told my administrator about this and she knows the problem but it is not under her control either and she recommended me to assign certain number of kids to help on certain days. What about other kids? They just wait for me to approach them other days. Many students are not motivated, and lack of critical thinking skill. When I let them think, they prefer me to answer for them. It is because they have been raised and educated to receive lectures throughout their lives. It takes fair amount of time to really assist them to think critically, self-teach, and engage. I simply need more time with fewer students. I strongly think that individualized instruction is necessary. Teacher as a guide, support and encourage students to find their interests and dig in deeper on their interests. That way, teachers can assess each student?s need, strength, and weakness. Students depend on personal relationship to find meanings in their lives and a strong rapport between students and teachers will only help them engage into the lesson as mentioned by Wesch (n.d.).

Is it really impossible for one teacher to manage 150 students based on their individual need? Technology helps many things possible. CMS makes things easier for teachers and student engagement bigger. Students have to search and do their work and submit to teacher through CMS. Then teacher read and give individual feedbacks to each one just like Full Sail University online program. All professors are managing almost 100 students at once. Instead, students have to be actively engaged and motivated to do this. I cannot imagine doing this same thing with my high school students because they do not have the concept yet. Once students are exposed to technology gradually since kindergarten through elementary school, individualized instruction in a larger school can be possible through the effective use of technology.

One thing we need to consider is parental support. We are in the transitional time of old and new concept of technology. There are still many kids without computers and Internet assess at home because their parents are afraid that kids would be exposed to unfiltered materials. There should be a seminar of workshop for parents on how to monitor student?s learning through the use of technology.

As things get overwhelmed, PLE is such a helpful tool-using web 2.0. I sometimes forget checking my emails because I have eleven different accounts and five of them are inactive. I forget where I visited and hard to remember everything I have to do especially with a full-time job, full-time class and other community commitment. I love how iGoogle helps me to see everything in one place organized. It even teaches you how to organize things. I feel like I have my own web desk. I really change my Internet experience because information comes to you instead of you search for it.
Downsides of PLE for high school students are that students must learn how to discern relevant materials. ("7 Things," 2009)

References:

7 things you should know about personal learning environments. (2009, May 12). Educause. Retrieved October 2, 2009, retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutPerso/171521

Welsch, M. (n.d.). Anti-teaching: Confronting the crisis of significance. Education Canada. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/6358393/AntiTeaching-Confronting-the-Crisis-of-Significance