Blog #1 Introducing Myself


    Hello readers! This blog is coming to you all from a second semester student teacher that is trying to balance teaching and college. Being a student and a teacher at the same time has given me a lot of insight as to what type of teacher I want to be. It also makes me to be aware of how things are changing in terms of technology in classrooms. Personally, when I teach, I tend to do slides. I include video samples if needed and use audiobooks. All of this to say that technology is now a key factor in students' lives. In college, most of us have some sort of device where we complete assignments or take notes. It's very similar in secondary education. All of my students in class have their own laptops. They have designated programs in these devices that have been mandated by higher ups for students' benefit.     Having programs that directly influence and help students out is very important. We all want students to succeed so if having extra online resources/tools to get there, I think it is worth it. We are moving onto a very digital age, which means that we want our students to keep up with what their future will look like. However, not everything is roses and candy. It has been difficult to keep students from being sidetracked by the same devices and tools that are supposed to help them. With the increase of AI students use AI detectors or other tools to cheat their way out of completing assignments. I think that because there are amazing tools, some students take advantage of that. This is all still a work in progress for how teachers should move forward with technology in classrooms. I think that despite all of the issues that may occur it's still very helpful for students to have.



Comments

  1. Aida HusakovicJanuary 25, 2025 at 8:46 PM

    Hi Zaira,

    I also use slides when I teach; essentially, they act as my lesson plan for each day and help me present information in a way that isn't overwhelming for students. You bring a valid concern about the use (and abuse) of AI and the distraction technology can cause in the classroom. So far this semester, I haven't had any problems in terms of students being off-task or using AI to complete their work. However, last semester, I've had to address unauthorized cell phone use several times, which, of course, took away from valuable instructional time, and noticed some students turn in work that was inconsistent with their skill levels. As a teacher, this is disheartening to see because not only do we want our students to produce original work, but we also want to know that we are making a genuine impact on their learning. With that said, I agree that online resources are helpful and are here to stay.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rosemary JuarezJanuary 25, 2025 at 11:10 PM

    Hey Zaira,

    I can definitely relate to you about trying to balance student teaching while in college. It’s pretty stressful and time-consuming, but as you mentioned, it also gives us as educators time to reflect and learn in real-time. I agree with your thoughts on the role technology plays in education today. It's crazy how much students rely on their devices now, whether it’s for notes, assignments, or resources. It’s so important to have those tools in place to help them succeed, and I think it’s great that you’re using slides, videos, and audiobooks to reach them in different ways. I personally like to use those tools as well. That said, I totally get the struggle with keeping students focused, especially with all the distractions that come with their devices. It's tough when the very tools that are meant to help can also become a way for students to avoid work, like with AI detectors and cheating. But I think it's all part of the process, and figuring out how to strike that balance between using technology effectively and keeping students accountable is an ongoing challenge.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog #2 Poetry

Image
Wings By Zaira (me)  Old folks with cracking bones How the angels lulled you safely home  Your lovely wings that roam.  I had only ever written poetry in English 409. I had to write a handful of poems and workshop them. I did not like it at all. The class was filled with creative writing major students, and I was the only one as an educational major students. I had never really written a poem like the ones I produced there before. Frankly I thought I’d never have to write a poem again. When I read, we had to write one for English 495ESM I began dreading it. It wasn’t until I saw the guidelines and the task, that I thought it might be fun. I was also able to write as much (as little) as I wanted to because it was my poem. I took inspiration from loved ones passing away and wrote it as a way to talk to them. Allowing students to write about their own personal experiences can make students be more inclined to participate as I did. Giving them the freedom to write creatively ...
Read more

Blog #3 Myths

Image
Creating a myth allowed me to use a lot more creativity. When I studied for a myth, it proved to be helpful when writing one myself. When we are tasked to study a myth, the majority of the time is taken to consider how it would influence and how we can connect to students. Creating a myth consists the creativity to flow in a different way than research and lesson planning did. Creating a myth felt like doing an assignment we’d ask our students to complete. Being about to take inspiration from random objects or individuals to develop crazy stories like the one I did and others did, was not easy. At least for me it wasn’t easy. For the majority of the time, I was stuck on how to make my idea into a myth. It definitely took some time but inspiration struck when I needed it.  While research and papers are important for students to get into a habit of doing, I learned that giving them an assignment to look forward to, is something we should give as teachers. Especially when you want s...
Read more