Thoughts from other Blogs

02.18.11
Just the other day, I came across another blog by a teacher of the name Dan Meyer. I must honestly say that by looking at what he has done, he has made me realize that I could be doing oh so much more. He truly is interested in making sure that students are able to connect what they are learning in the classroom to 'real stuff'. There was a quote that was said during a short video that he made about himself for an application that his applied for. He said that we always need to start with a question when we are teaching our students. Students need a hook. The video also shows how he used a flip camera to film him shooting a basketball. He then used imaging to make stills to have the students decide whether or not it would make it in. Students used notions of quadratics to figure out this mathematically. Let's just say that I was drooling. This was really, really cool. What is the best part is that he posts some of his lessons online for others to use as well. Lastly, he has a great saying on his blog...My name is Dan Meyer and I like to teach. How great is that!?! Keep up the good work Dan...

The video can be seen in the Feb 8 blog entry at http://blog.mrmeyer.com/

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Recently, I read a blog from a man by the name of Darren Kuropatwa. His blog is titled 'A Difference'. I find it very fitting as he put together a short clip reminding teachers why they are in the profession that they are in. It is not about the great lessons that a teacher created, it is about the learning from and application from those lessons that is most important. The students are the ones that belong in the spotlight, not the teachers. This just reinforces the fact that the teacher should only be the facilitator who makes sure that students are in an environment where such learning can exist. I hope that at some point in my life I can say that I truly made a difference! (All teachers should take the time to watch this)

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