Week 1: Blogs and Philosophies

My Educational Technology Philosophy

When I decided to become a teacher many thoughts filled my head. I sat down and contemplated what I wanted to accomplish in this profession. In my classroom we have a motto: Teamwork is the key to success. If we work together, there is no mountain we cannot climb. I really think that is true. Teachers and students should work together to accomplish their goals.

I believe the purpose of education is to prepare you for life. Without education it would be difficult to find a job and make money to support yourself. Education is also important when making decisions such as buying a house, buying a car, or shopping for groceries. Education allows people to make informed decisions.

The role of the learner is to take responsibility for their learning. The teacher can present the information and help as much as possible but the learner must have enough pride in their work to do their best.

The role of the educator is to be a guide. The educator helps students reach their goals by offering support and guidance along the way. The educator should also be a knowledgeable helper to their students, patiently assisting when the student is in need.

As my experience as an educator grows, my views are changing dramatically and I am sure will continue to change. At the beginning I thought the job of the teacher was to simply supply information. Now I believe the teacher should not just supply the information, they should find a way to relate it to their students in a way that is relevant. They should encourage their students to take ownership of their learning and guide them in a way that will help them accomplish their goals.

Having my philosophy written down will help me remember what I want to accomplish as an educator. It will remind me how I want my students to view me and how I want to act towards them. I would love for them to look back later in their lives and say that Mrs. Hollingsworth was my favorite teacher because she was patient and kind and always did her best to help me achieve my goals.

I think Downes' article on Educational Blogging was great! In my classroom I use blogs on my class website. It is nothing to in depth since I do teach second graders. Mostly I just post a question once a week and during our computer lab time the students go and share their opinions in a few sentences. They really enjoy using this resource.

From November's article I would have to say that area number one stuck out to me the most. "If it's on the Internet, is it true?" Before I began classes for my Master's degree every time I googled something I would just pick the first result of the search and be done with it. Now that I have learned more about searching correctly I know to check the resources of the website for validity. Just because you read it on the Internet does not mean it is true!