Blog Post 10

Do You Teach Or Do You Educate?

After viewing Do You Teach Or Do You Educate, I feel like I've gained  better insight on the difference in between being a teacher and being an educator. To get started, one of the major differences, as pointed out in the video, is that an educator is someone that inspires you, not just helps you learn something. One of the first things I'm going to do as an educator is to simply get to know my class. Through all my years of school, I've been through quiet a number of teachers, and the ones that I can actually say inspired me the most were the ones that took the time to get to know me. .These educators played a major role in my life and are one of the main reasons why I'm still attending college today.Another way is through my enthusiasm, which is one of my best traits, and as an educator I will use it to inspire my students.
          One of the biggest things about educating someone is the effect it has on driving them towards reaching goals in their life. A teacher is someone that gives you a limited amount of information on a certain subject, whereas an educator is someone that will empower your desire to learn more on that same subject. I plan on getting involved in my class in a way that will change their lives. It is important to keep learning enjoyable, and I plan on doing this by setting up fun study methods, such as playing a trivia game in order to prepare for a test. Another way I plan on reaching out to my students is through the use of  my blog. Since I've began using this tool in January, it has opened my eyes to an entirely new world of online educating. With the help of Blogger, educators will be able to connect with their students online and allow them to view videos and other sources that pertain to the subject being taught. We have seen how various educators all over the globe have used their blogs to connect with their students with our C4T and C4K assignments, which has inspired me to do the same. At the end of the day, I just want to be remembered, and what better way to do that than by having a positive influence on someones life?

     Don't Let Them Take The Pencils Home

In Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take The Pencils Home, he brings to light a very important message in a unique way. It took me a little while to figure out the deeper meaning of the post, but after reviewing the links provided on Mr. Johnson's blog, I now have a better understanding. He uses this post to reveal the recent debate over whether or not allowing students to take home computers is helping them in the classroom or hindering them. He takes a very unique approach by replacing the word computer with the word pencil throughout his post. I enjoyed this method because it causes the reader to become engaged and to seek the deeper meaning of the post, a true sign of an educator.

          He is approached by one of his bosses/supervisors in which she presents the problem with allowing students to take their computers home. Her argument is that test scores tend to drop because instead of using the computer for learning, the students tend to use it for playing games. Mr. Johnson then points out the fact that their school is located in a poor community. He uses this information to support his argument because children in poor societies look at computers as a toy, not a  learning tool. He reveals his idea of how he will solve the solution by taking on a few simple tasks. First, he explains that he has met with both the students and their parents to discuss ways that computers should be used for learning. He then describes how he has began teaching the parents how to use the computer in similar ways in order for them to somewhat monitor how their children are using the computers. He also explains that he intends to keep the assignments enjoyable for his students, which is not hard to do with all the options and different educational tools offered online today. In conclusion, I support Mr. Johnson's argument because he concludes with the statement that even if they are playing games there is a good possibility that there is still learning taking place.