Creativity

My views on creativity and how it impacts education.

Before I even started watching the TED Talk I really thought about my own opinion of creativity and all its effects. I started from the beginning. What is creativity? To me creativity is the capability to be able to think of original material or ideas. Creativity is the basis for individualization. Without creativity everyone would be the same and we would be stuck in a monotone world. Creativity not only makes things fun but it finds a way to apply an idea or even material to every individual specifically. Education would be lost without creativity. Students would be without interest and engagement. Some wouldn't understand anything because their learning style isn't being met. Creativity is a must in education. It keeps needs met and interests peeking.

After the TED talk, my original beliefs were confirmed. But that's not all... This video showed me that creativity has more of an impact then just keeping the students attention or meeting basic needs. Creativity can determine someone's whole future. If a teacher isn't being creative to help an average or a creative student then that teacher is potentially ruining that students future. Creativity unleashes aspirations and goals for students. It reveals capabilities that may have not ever been seen otherwise.

So be creative. Teach creativity. And inspire others to be creative as well... because without it not only education, but people, are doomed.

Click here to view the interesting TED Talk that reminded me just how important something as simple as creativity truly is!

My thoughts about Wendy Davis' educational plans for Texas... click here to read the article for yourself!

Though Wendy Davis may have only good intentions for Texas and it's education programs, I do not fully agree with everything she has to say. Wendy states her number one rule in her plan for Texas as, "High school students in the top 20% of his or her class during junior year who commit to teaching will be guaranteed early acceptance to college and a guaranteed teaching job in a Texas classroom upon completing his or her requirements and certification". Sounds nice to me as a junior in the top 20% of my class planning to become a teacher... but one must realize that not all juniors, in the top 20% or not, will make an adequate teacher. People should be hired on their capabilities and teaching skills... not on their high school ranking and or their plan to become a teacher. On the other hand, I do support one of Wendy's others rules being to "Reestablish the educational aide exemption to help teachers aides go back to school for certification as full-time teachers". I know many fantastic aides that would make incredible teachers but unfortunately they weren't able to go back to college. So if she would stay true to her word and really support aides in this way, I would be impressed. She has a plan for teachers pay being to "Attract and retain highly-qualified teachers by bringing Texas teacher pay in line with the rest of the country". Though I love this as well, I am a bit skeptical of this due to it being seemingly impossible without raising taxes.
I think Wendy Davis has some fixing to do with her planning before Texas should follow along, but I will agree that she has some good ideas when it comes to the education system.

My Final Exam

Tafe Projects: I did two Tafe projects, one being a Service project and the other is called Inside Our Schools.
For my service project me and two friends go to a retirement home once a week and teach the seniors all about technology. We call it "Teaching Our Teachers". So far, it is amazing. The seniors really enjoy it but aside from that, we as students love it!! I can't wait until next week so I can continue to get to know these sweet people.
My other project is a video showing me and two other girls teaching and some of our techniques. Click here to watch our video!

My wiki:
If you would like to view my wiki, my site where I post my links to everything, then just click here!

Perot Field Trip

Check out my Prezi that I made over my field trip to the Perot museum! It goes over some of the highlights of the field trip and includes a lesson for my students at the end. Hope you enjoy!

Procrastination

Procrastination is one bad habit. Procrastination will trouble you in any career! But especially in the teaching field. When you are a teacher, these students depend on you. You are the basis of their education and success. If you wait until the last minute or wait until it's too late to do something for them, they are the ones you are effecting. No longer are you just prohibiting yourself from success, but others as well. In order to prevent tho from happening, start fixing those bad habits now. Start setting goals as dates for yourself and make sure you stick to them. Not only will you be helping yourself, but essentially helping generations to come.

To read more about procrastination click here!

Don't let a bad habit such as this continue to effect you!!

                                                                 

Learning Activity

I'm interning for an 8th grade English class so I was limited on activities that wouldn't be too childish for my students. I thought for awhile of things that I knew that would interest them. And one thing kept coming to mind...INSTAGRAM! But how could I incorporate Instagram into education?

First, I decided that since Instagram is a photo sharing website that allows you to put short comments, I could use this as a strategy to analyze text of any sort. I mimicked Instagram's signature look by playing around on a word document. Then once I had it looking just like Instagram, I put short instructions of what the student are required to do. What is really neat about this assignment, is that it can work for any type of writing. This will help students get a deeper understanding of whatever text they are learning about, whether it be poetry or a short story. Where you would normally post a picture on Instagram, the student will draw a symbol or image that represents the text. Then where you would normally post a comment, is where the student would state the main point or theme of the text. And, just for fun, where the profile picture would normally be, the student can draw in their own. Then as a class, you discuss the variety of answers students put to create an even deeper understanding.
If you need ideas for poetry, click here for the top 100 poems!

  

Initiative in the Classroom

Initiative is the self determination to take action.

Here are ten ways to show initiative in your classrooms:

• Start working right when you walk in. Don't depend on the teacher to tell you what to do.
• Start thinkning of ways to help and sharing your ideas with the teacher
• Go on your own and make conversation with your students
• Start daily routines such as helping with attendence and warmups
• Asking questions
• Staying involved
• Talk to the teacher about ideas for future lesson plans
• Start creative activities and student led learning oppritunities
• Walk in with an attittude to succeed
• Stay proactive, do anything besides just sitting there.

For more ideas on how to take initiative or to get a better understanding of initiative go to this neat website!

Synonyms for the word initiative:

• Self-motivation
• Resourcefulness
• Inventiveness
• Imagination
• Ingenuity

This week we had a few moments of downtime and I wanted to make sure I didn't waste this opportunity. So, despite the chance of encountering an awkward situation... I went up to some of the students and started conversation. I thought I knew how they would react, with a "teacher-like" person bombarding on their student gossip...But they were quick to greet me. We then talked about their week, and before I knew it, they taught me a little handshake like game. This is just one example of how I used initiative in my classroom and it just happened to be my favorite example because I was able to get to know the students on a personal level.

Initiative is such an important quality that teachers must posses. Principals aren't going to beg the teachers to make lesson plans or to help their students. Teachers HAVE to be determined and have self-motivation. No-one will ask them do due their daily duties. If they don't have initiative, then the principal will find a new teacher who does.