Sherry+Johnson

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Post 3 web 2.0 class. ANOTHER school funding problem and public perception problem that happens in the US but not in //some// other countries: "Teachers will need time and training to learn to use these tools in the classroom, and we’re notoriously bad at spending time or money on this." The public seems to feel that teachers only job is to be face to face with a class full of students, as much as possible. This is a paradox. Businesses send employees all over the world for training and collaboration, but don't want educators to be educated? OR should the RICH teachers who have 3 whole months off in the summer, spend their own time and money to do their job effectively.

Post 2 web 2.0 class. "...the inherent characteristics of Web 2.0 are so aligned with significant educational pedagogies that we are going to have to dramatically rethink our educational institutions and expectations because of them." This quote is why I'm taking this class. I want my students to be engaged in their own learning. I don't want to be one of those teachers whose lessons are the same as when they began teaching. I want my students to be excited about learning about music in my classes.

The video made me think of how people in business and politics view education as a business too. They complain that most of the cost of education goes to the educators. Do they expect a PROFIT? They complain about the cost of education and voice their OPINIONS as FACT: Teachers are overpaid and not doing their job of educating EVERYONE here in the US. They compare us to countries that only educate the "smart" students and those whose parents are wealthy enough to pave the way for their children. In this world where advances in technology are opening doors for so many, they cut funding to education. Of course this limits students access to the very tools that could engage them in their own learning.
 * I'll be adding to the TOP from now on so you don't have to scroll down. The post below is the first for the Web 2.0 class. **

I heard a "business man" say "ALL Milwaukee Public School Teachers should be FIRED." I want to ask him if he will even drive through the inner city **in the safety of his car**, where these schools are located. Yes, the way we teach students needs to change, but defunding education, lowering teachers salaries by cutting benifits, and criticizing the heroic teachers that risk their very health and well being by teaching in the worst parts of our cities.

My sister-in-law, usually a reasonable and kind person, fumed that "ALL the teachers in Waupon TERRIBLE because students are leaving in DROVES. I had to walk away in the middle of her rant, wondoring about the makeup of the prison town of Waupon, and if perhaps prisoners families have settled in town? Our own administration stated that students are leaving Hartford because of TEACHERS who berate the school system. Teachers responded privately to this UNSUBSTANTIATED accusation by stating that some of the newer the STUDENTS and FAMILIES behaviors at the school where students are leaving are the cause.

Why have teachers been made the scapegoat for our nations financial problems? It takes the blame off of the actual creators of the problem. What can we do about it? We have to start standing up for ourselves. We have to use the media available to show the TRUTH about teaching. Will people that want to FIRE EVERYBODY change their opinions? Will they believe the FACTS instead of the retoric? That remains to be seen.

I just watched a youtube about wikis. I think that linking will be very easy as well as editing or even creating a wiki!

I started reading about journaling, didn't finish. prefer videos and having things read TO me, pictures and etc. Now an article about creative assessment. MOST were ART teachers, which makes me think, could I do a sound or music project as an assessment?

I am reading the book __Stupid History__. MANY of the historical "facts" we teach our students are INCORRECT, why do we continue to teach these falacies? See the Paul Revere info I pasted below as an example. Not only are we teaching children in a backwards way, we are teaching them things that are not even true!!!!

Paul was joined by at least 2 other men during his oh so famous ride. Prescott, a man named William Dawes and Revere, were all warning of the coming Brits, and all 3 were captured by them. The 3 men eventually escaped at different times. Revere was without a horse after his escape and went on foot back to Lexington. Dawes got lost in the dark, and Prescott finished the mission. I have no idea why Revere got all the notoriety for the warning ride, possibly because he was more well-known for other things. This is just another example of how history has been twisted around and we are fed half-truths all the time.

I read " Footprints in the Digital Age" and googled myself. Earlier this summer I found an article about how to limit access your facebook account. I did this, and am glad that everyone can't see my stuff anymore. I was woried about access to facebook. My husband is a plant manager. He googles every potential employee, and sees all kinds of stuff that often affects who he DOESN''T hire.

Just joined [|Classroom 2.0] !

Web 2.0 is simply the use of the Internet as a two-way medium- – -that it is a platform upon which content is not only consumed but also created.

I'm still having trouble editing the table... Taking WAY too long. Moving on... From now on I'll just type into tables to prevent //some// of the problems.

While reading about wiki's I found other new technologies I may use. AltaVista Link shows links to a page. glogs are interactive posters with AUDIO :) I joined Glogster!

We also need to teach our students strategies for evaluating Wikipedia entries—indeed, any information source online or in print. Even very young students can! For my composers WIKI, I will include directions to evaluate online (and paper) information.