Faith

Our world is not round anymore it seams to be small and flat. We have ways of obtaining information from around the globe. Just the other day I was chating intantly with an old roommate from France, who was in France. This digital age has a great impact on our service to our jobs as educational leaders. We should embrace these changes with a full open hug, but at the same time be aware of the major power students can obtain. A digital economy can also affect our faith. With all this informaton avialable it looks as if we have it all. But our faith can be rocked by all the bad things we can obtain. For me sometimes just looking at the news brings me down. I feel like we are going down and nobody cares, and as a Christian we should not worry about these things.

Generational differences between teachers and administators can be observed daily. Just the other day I was part of this difference. I look at generationl differences as not being open minded. Most differences have to do with technological advances and the willingness to use them. At any one time people could be of generation Y, generation X, baby boomer, or a mature/traditionalist group. Each generation has its own ideas about things and level of experiene. I believe that generational differences that exist in the work environment are harder to get past than racial issues. So many generational gaps exist today and make it very difficult. I watched a funny video clip on this topic. If you go to youtube and type in the search, generational diferences in the workplace keynot segment, you can watch.

Disparities

When I searched the web for disparites in education and the first page of links were on racial disparites. I was reading an article written about racial disparities and it brought mixed emotions. I know this still exists today, even though it shouldn't, but I myself do not even notice racial differences in my students or those around me. I see all as equal and all should have equal opportunites. Other issues were money and social status (which are about the same). Leaders should model the approach to all being equal and all having equal opportuity. Leaders should address racial problems as they occur.

www.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief14/3parker.pdf?rd=1

Change

Today learners have a digital world and access to information beyond what I had growing up. We didn't have the information available to us with click of a mouse. Sometimes I think we had a simpler life, but then I imagine what I could have accomplished with the internet. I remember looking through a card catalogue, and now my students would not even know how to begin a search like that. I think I had the best of both worlds, because of the simple and digital age I grew up in. When I started college I had my first taste of the internet. Todays learners have a much easier time finding information, but most still don't know how to use this power properly.

http://www.youube/watch?v=Bfm1_yQtl4w

Shifts

In todays educational world we are asked to do more. When I was in school (not to long ago) did worksheets and the occasional hands on application. We are told we must implement manipulative lessons into our daily teaching routine. Technology is really important to todays learner. Educators need to embrace this new era as an opportunity to reach children. In my dream world every classroom would have wireless internet with laptops, teachers have every tech wish they asked for, and we could have all the support from administrators. Recently I asked about online books for studetns and was looked at like I was crazy. What are we going to do to implement technology and have everyone on board with it?

Ethics

Today’s world is accessible to students at the click of a finger. Students can speak to people half way across the world like they were sitting in front of them. Students can access research reports and other academic media easily as well. Educators need to teach students HOW to use the internet. When I bring my students into the computer lab, I sometime expect them to know how to use the internet wisely. I am always wrong. These kids have been brought up in a digital world and can play any game or assemble electronic devices, but most do not have a clue about wise internet usage. Chat rooms, citing sources, and displaying private information are all areas we can teach students about ethical computer usage. I like most assume students know what to do, and we all know what we do when we assume.

Classroom Tech

I sat in a meeting the other day to discuss new ideas for teaching students vocabulary. A man showed us how to create vocabulary briefcases, which involved using a manilla folder and notecards. Listening to his idea it occured to me that we haven't changed a thing in many years. All our ideas we kicked around were the same ideas we have been kicking for the last 6 years I have been a teacher. So the next day I emailed a frustrated email to all the members of the meeting and discused how we should be more inovative. I think I stepped on some toes, but I am tired of talking about the same old thing. I challenged them to integrate more technollogy into the classroom. Instead of keeping kids after school for tutoring, how about creating online learning communities students could access at home. The plan backfired and I was challenged to create the first lesson in all my free time. But I supposed I should be the leader of this movement.

Schools Reforming Countries

I was just reading the Austin American Statesman and an article titled, "Add schools, not troops," caught my eye. The autor of this article made a case to add more schools in Afghanistan, instead of more troops. The autor mentioned a man named Greg Mortenson, who is the author of "Three Cups of Tea," and his success of creating schools in Afghanistan. He has built 39 schools in Afghanistan and another organiziation named CARE has built 295 schools that educate 50,000 girls. Not one of these schools has been destroyed by the Taliban. So this should make us all think, does education rebuild or should we send more military. I believe that educating people will help the workforce and make more people decide for themselves what is right. The authors states that if we invested in a vast educational reform we would cut down on birth rates, promote stability, and and chip away at extremism. This article was very interesting and I could totally agree with him. I do think we need military to keep peace, but education is a long term fix.

Weekend

This weekend I saw my sister get married. I was happy to see her excited and ready for this new life ahead of her. I thought about all of us starting our new part to our life with this program. I know we are all stressed out, but we can help each other through.

Playing

I was reading in Pink's book about work and play. When I read the part about Ford saying that work and play is a toxic combination. I couldn't imagine my job without play. We spend most of our time working and if we didn't play how stupid would the day be. I have found myself rolling down hallways on tables, goofing off with kids, and palying jokes with coworkers. I believe work and play should go hand in hand.

Abundance

Reading the section in Pink's book on abundance really had me thinking about what is important in life. I have never been one to love material things, but I occasionally enjoy nice things. When I read that Americans spend more on trash bags than ninety other countries spend on everything I was blown away. And how about designer toilet brushes! I find myself getting caught up in the more "stuff" race and looking back on those times it makes me angry I submitted myself to this. I wonder if we will shift from abundance as we search for meaning in life?

First blog post

After reading the introduction to this book, this concept of right brain thinking does not seem new to me. This is how I operate and most of the people I associate with do the same. Maybe someone in the cohort can give me examples of why this is a whole new way of thinking.