No More Shock Value

So I got the opportunity to go see a speacker, Ray Hughes, at the SK safe schools conference for my Ed foundation class. He talked about the impact the media has on teens and children. The presentation was meant to inform people, mostly parents and teachers, of the negative images, videos, music lyrics, video games, and TV shows that bombard the youth today. He put up some stats and he warned us all of the shocking results. I found nothing shocking! I was the start of this generation that watches too much tv and listens to explict music lyrics and plays violent video games. This is nothing new! I am not saying that I think it ok to have music videos where women are complete sex objects and guns and violence is glorified, but this is not going away! If you were to go back in time and ask parents from 100 years ago I can guarntee that they would have been complaining because women were now showing off their ankles. Every generation is less respectful than the previous. and more violent and deviant..... well according to the older generation anways.
We live in a society were the mass media runs what we see everyday and we can not control that, but come on people stop being shocked and mortified and do something about it! I had very lenient rules growing up when it came to tv shows I watched and music I listened to, I never turned out to be some crack addict, or with 15 kids with 15 fathers, or stealing cars, only because my parents made it known what was fake on tv and what was not appropraite behaviour! They never sheltered me, they prepared me for the real world! Of course that being said, I dont think you should let a 2 year old watch the Sopranos, but they more you tell someone not to do something or that they cannot even see it, they will want to do the act. Prohibition has not worked in the past, and it still does not work!
Put limits on tv and internet for your kids, my gosh would it be so bad for them to actually, dare I say, spend a whole hour outside playing! instead of playing video games.
It is depressing though that we live in a society where there is no longer a shock value. We can watch the most violent horrible acts and not even blink an eye.Kids are going to see awful things from the media, eitehr from friends or from the internet, or some source. Educate your kids people! I realize that I am not an expert I have no kids yet, but from my childhood experience, you need to prepare kids and not shelter them, set boundaries and expectations. Parents and teachers need to inform themselves of what is out there. Dont be so naive. Pretending your kids are seing, or listening or watching the bad stuff out there, is not going to solve anything.

Research Paper

So I have been thinking of ideas I want to write about in my resaerch paper. I have been trying to look for articles and research paper for ideas. I think as of right now I want to try to find information on teachers who have a lack of technology training and also what are the limitations that cause technology to not be used, or to be used ineffectively. For many teachers they think that if they know how to use a computer that they are tech savy, when realistically they are doing nothing to support their students. Technology should make learning easier and benefit the students and the teacher, not make more work. So hopefully I can find some good information on this topic!

Wikipedia Changes/additions

I decided to add to the Dashboard confessional wikipedia site. Dashboard Confessional is an indie band from Florida. I added in the rating rolling Stone gave their latest album. I also added in a whole small paragraph about the lead singer, Chris Carrabba. I added in information about his early life and how he began a solo career after being a guidance counsellor. I got the information from another website that had a biography.
The links are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashboard_Confessional

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Carrabba

Harrassment in the Arts Tunnel

I think I am going to start avoiding the Arts tunnel. Everytime I pass through I get stop a dozen times by people asking me to take some survey or buy some item, or go on some pubcrawl, or give money, or whatever else they sell/advertize down there. I understand getting the word out for organizations and all, but if I am interested I will stop on my own! Usually I am already in a hurry, I do not want to be stop by some person just to be made to feel guilty over something that I should participate in or buy. People are turning into used car sales men. (or should I say used car sales people, that is more politically correct now.....)
Another beef I have is when poeple hand out flyer type things to you as you walk by. I completely understand their purpose, but do not force people to take them! You know they are just going to end up in the garbage 5 feet later!! Hand them out to the peopel who willingly take them!
However even after I complain over this, I know that I will still use the tunnels (even if it takes me longer to get to class) because it is sometimes way too cold out!!

Poor Forever?

So again the unfortunate events of my car breaking down again has occurred! As I was driving down central on Sunday, heading to watch the superbowl, my car starting puttering and so I pulled over to the side of the road and then the car just died. Thank goodness I have CAA. The tow truck came and he towed the car away to the mechanics. I began the walk back to my house, and it was the WORST walk I have ever experienced. Within about 2 seconds I could not feel my cheeks.
It turns out that It willl now cost me 500$ to fix. Since I am a university student who has no income, this expense just sets me back even further. When will I ever not be poor and in debt? I really need a job.....

Knowledge: List 3 ways in which blogs can be used in education- Blogs would be a useful to way to get students to perform journal activities in your class. Blogging would reduce the amount of paper assignments required for handing in as well as make it simple for students to complete the task online.- Blogs could be kept by the teacher related to what was done in class on each day. Students could then check the blog to find out what they had missed in class, making it less difficult for them to catch up with course material.- Finally, blogs could be a useful communication tool with parents. Keeping an up-to-date blog would provide transparency in your classroom and allow parents to find out what has been going on in the class so that they can stay in tuned with their childrens' education.Comprehension: List 3 reasons why teachers should integrate blogs into their classrooms1. Improving student familiarity with the ever increasing popularity of communication methods such as blogs. Improving student computer literacy.2. Using blogs as a venue for assignment delivery, reducing the amount of paper to be handed in and making it easier for teachers to check student work.3. Blogging is more fun than doing things the traditional way, and it may improve student engagement with the class.

3. Application: Describe three ways in which you can use blogs for your own teaching or
professional development/
- Blogs can be used to post information, photos, videos, links, etc. for students to
access. It is easy to update often to reproduce or expand on class material, create
assignments, communicate with students and parents, have students comment or
catch students up if they miss a class.
- Blogs can also enable great sharing and discussion with other teachers to enhance
your teaching and help others do the same.
- Blogs can help you to explore and spread knowledge about various subject matter as
well, allowing teachers to develop their knowledge and resources to apply to their
teaching.
4. Analysis: Is the use of blogs in education better than the use of static websites?
- Both blogs and websites have advantages. Blogs are better suited to constant
updating and are easier to tailor to specific situations and classes. Static websites tend
to be easier to organize, and work really well for resources that you want up in just one
form. You might want resources and activities that you think you would use repeatedly
or share with other teachers on a static webpage, but leave specific or frequently
updated info. on a blog.

Synthesis: How might blogging change your role as an educator?
Blogging would change you role as a teacher by having the students have more responsibility and choice is what they do in class. The students would be able to comment on each other’s blogs and offer advice or guidance. Blogs could be used for group projects or used as a way for students to present their work to their classmates instead of doing an oral presentation.
Blogging changes the teacher’s role from being in control all the time to being more of a facilitator.

Evaluation: List at least potential disadvantages of using blogs in education?
Some potential disadvantages of using blogs would be you cannot control the comments that students make in class. Some students may write/post inappropriate comments, or it could be used as a bullying device.
Another disadvantage is that students do not interact face to face anymore, they interact solely through blogging. Some people may argue that blogging will limit children’s social interactions, and lead to a lack of social skills.
A third disadvantage of using blogs in education is that you need to have access to computers on a regular basis. Many times in school you can only book computer rooms once a week and you need to book weeks in advance. You can tell the students to blog at home, but you still have to worry about the students who do not have internet access at home. Either way, you cannot expect students to blog on their own time, you need to give them some time in class once in awhile.

First Blog

Not sure what my blog will be focused on, but what is new this week??.... of course my sunday involved watching the Brian Burke press conference. One thing I learned from watching all the news casts of Dion, was that he was very excited to be a maple leaf and he is excited to be there. hmm.... pretty sure that is just what he publist told him to say. This is still not going to save the leafs though...
As for the weekend, Superbowl!