While doing the reading/viewing for this blog post I learned that a large number of assumptions are made about my shared future with my fellow classmates. Among these, and to begin with, there is this idea that we wish to blog. I personally find blogging to be self aggrandizing and egotistical. I suspect that to be a blogger, a person must really feel their opinions MUST be heard by society. To have a sense that their voice should be heard over any other. I personally feel more humble about my thoughts. While I do NOT suffer from any sort of self esteem deficit, I just don’t imagine that my subtle thoughts on the topic of the day needs to be shared or reblogged. Like the rest of the world, I am positive that my way is better than any other’s methods. (Of course I do have some knowledge others are lacking, just as I can learn from every person I meet, but this isn’t my point…) The saying about comparing opinions and a particular item of anatomy, comes to mind. I’m nearly 100% sure that if the world would only appoint me dictator, utopia would spring forth in a cacophony of sights, sounds and glory! Alas, reality and my ideals simply do not match. Segueing into my second point, my perceptions/ideals.
I have noticed a clear difference among educators themselves and the educators-to-be. It could be attributed to personality types or even history/bias in relation to the approach one should take on the road to enlightenment. (keeping in mind, most education systems only focus on regurgitation of information not a path of discovery.) Many of the people I have met share the opinion that minors, (referring to any school aged person k-12) should be sheltered and coddled to avoid … WHAT(?), I can only speculate on. This unclear philosophy makes me think of a quote by Robert A. Heinlein. I’ll use this opportunity to paste in my required photo.
Perhaps these well meaning, well wishers only seek to maintain the innocence often attributed to our precocious youth. I am of the mind that people should be treated with respect and given opportunities to discover the world for themselves. (I’m not advocating any sort of illicit behaviour or age inappropriate shenanigans. Simply dealing with reality.) To use a semi-taboo topic, I feel Sexual Education should occur when the child asks for knowledge. (Within reason of course.)
Bonus Pic: Just found this and let me just say… WOW!!!
source: http://izquotes.com/quote/130689
At this point, I’m reflecting on this assignment. Have I completed the tasks set before me? To discuss what I learned from this latest venture? I feel I have. After 3 redundant sources for information on how to approach peers in a constructive manner, I have not seen anything I did not already know. I can sum up all 3 with two cliches, “you get more flies with honey” and “treat others as you wish to be treated.”
ohh and 1 mor thang. Its simple realy, butt i must speak it on the type mashine. I fuly understand da neeed for cleer communacations, even on the internets. Especiallie in cases of philosopical discuss. ideas must be xpressed in a way dat every1 can follows. We has agreed to speek in english, arguably one of the most complix of moderns launguages. I suppuze I just feel most cases of web activity is “cazual” and like txt msgs, subject to relaxed standurdz. both fur brevity and 4 commentary and four humorz. Whilez my skillz at the ritten words r admitadly less then perfect, Im asstonished to discover the sheer volum of rules in grammer. rules dat dont always appli even. I gues dat if you are fur cerial bout beeing a blagger, thos things couldbe superduper kool. but… well, i means…. for the rest of us… see below.
source: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/grammar-nazi/photos
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment was a failed "Copy and paste" and I missed it.
DeleteHere is the video I tried the first time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ9zJYyBmAI
I agree with your emphasis that some personalities may naturally not find blogging enjoyable. I too love that fact that you are humble. In our society today there seems to be a fixation on self worship. I think your unique perceptions are a reason to write more. Voices like your need to be heard to balance the scales.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was nice seeing your feed back. I'm just not the sort of person to keep a blog though. :)
DeleteJohnetta says she likes it that you are "humble." I question her judgement! Apparently you do too: "While I do NOT suffer from any sort of self esteem deficit…"
ReplyDeleteWhy this paragraph: ohh and 1 mor thang. Its simple realy, butt i must speak it on the type mashine. I fuly understand da neeed for cleer communacations, even on the internets. Especiallie in cases of philosopical discuss. ideas must be xpressed in a way dat every1 can follows. We has agreed to speek in english, arguably one of the most complix of moderns launguages. I suppuze I just feel most cases of web activity is “cazual” and like txt msgs, subject to relaxed standurdz. both fur brevity and 4 commentary and four humorz. Whilez my skillz at the ritten words r admitadly less then perfect, Im asstonished to discover the sheer volum of rules in grammer. rules dat dont always appli even. I gues dat if you are fur cerial bout beeing a blagger, thos things couldbe superduper kool. but… well, i means…. for the rest of us… see below. ? Are you intent in showing that you can be as sloppy in your writing as anyone else? What do think the role of a teacher is? To set a poor example or to ask questions that challenge your student's thinking?
Do you really want to be a teacher? Or dictator of your utopia? My son, when he was six, declared that I thought I was the King of the world. What if I have beaten you to the punch?
If we lived in a world where we only did what we liked to do, what would it be like?
Here is an assignment, a real assignment. It replaces the next Special Blog Assignment which is coming soon. Complete it by February 16, 2014 and post it to your blog. Title it: Special Assignment - Blogs: Are They Useful Teaching Instruments or Not? Read these two posts: The Benefits of Using Blogs in Classrooms and Kaia and Room 10 - Why Blogs and Commenting on Blogs Are So Important. Critique my arguments in both those posts. Take a reasoned position of your own on the utility of using blogs in a classroom. We will discuss our difference when you have completed this assignment.
And carefully consider one of my earlier questions: Do you really want to be a teacher? Not a coddler, but a teacher? Not a dictator, but a teacher? Not a humorist, but a teacher? Not a self-styled philosopher, but a teacher?
I have in fact been teaching Ballroom dancing for 18 years now. I have taught all age ranges and persons of "abilities" (blind, deaf, man with one arm...) and I sincerely enjoy imparting knowledge on others. Not "dictating" as you put it. Frankly, I fail to see how my post has given this sort of impression. It was Friedrich Nietzsche who said, “You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.” I'm confused on what your definition of "teacher" is in this case. To me, a teacher is a person who imparts knowledge. And in that regard, I have learned as much from my students as I have from my teachers.
DeleteTo answer your question, "Do (I) really want to be a teacher?" Yes! Yes, I do. Without hesitation or question, I wish to be a Physical Education teacher and help young adults to be fit. In this scenario, my "utopia" includes bringing Ballroom Dancing into the class room to help end the false American stereotype that it's only for girls or homosexuals. To making our youth comfortable with dancing to any style of music. It was to those ends that I helped and continue to help a local non-profit called Teen Ballroom Dancing. It's a group that I helped conceptualize. it brings "elegant" dancing to under privileged youth.
But if you asked do I want to be a "Blogger"? Emphatically, no. Will I continue with this blog or any other beyond the realm of EDM310 requirements? Highly unlikely.
I agreed with you, when in class you said something along the lines of 'education is changing' and 'technology is helping to change it'. I find this to be a happy change and one I welcome with an eager smile. Perhaps in another 20 years the argument of "pencil and paper" being needed due to inequality, accessibility and just old fashion enjoyment, will have no legs to stand on. That will be a good day. But as for PE, activity is still required. There will never be a time in a PE class, that a computer will substitute a pair of running shoes. Perhaps a future with Virtual Reality Simulations will replace a field or court, but can it improve our cardiovascular system? Who knows, maybe one day it will... anything is possible right!? As for my life time... No.
Regarding my tongue in cheek paragraph- I was hoping it's meaning was clear. Your question about it, shows that it's purpose failed. My point was: Is the content of our words more or less important than the words themselves? During an examination of a blog, in a "real world" case, is it a larger issue to have perfect grammar or a well discussed idea? The rare times when I do read an article in the form of a blog, I'm considering first and foremost the information delivered. In that first case comes the OPINION of the blogger or Vlogger in the case of video blogs. If it is a technical entry on how to replace an auto part, I'm skimming for the key points. A review article, perhaps on a movie or book, I'm considering opinion. Never have I read something and decided the persons opinion wasn't valid based on a few errors of spelling of sentence structure. Unprofessional for a "professional" writer? Sure. Unacceptable for an English teacher? Absolutely! I would hope, as reasoning adults, we can consider a persons content of "thoughts" over the "issue" of using a word too often, which happened to be a "critique" I came across.
As for being "humble", I wanted to be clear that I'm not the "boastful" type of person. I was trying to make a clear difference between the idea that to be "humble" a person must subjugate themselves instead of not being boastful/proud. Often a problem with people who have a "low self-esteem".
Unprofessional. Does not address the topic assigned. Unsatisfactory.
ReplyDeleteIf that's the case, I'm afraid I grossly misunderstood the assignment. I was under the impression we were meant to write multiple paragraphs discussing the material found in the links provided for this blog entry and summarize them.
Delete"d. Write two or more paragraphs detailing what you learned from material listed in a, b and c above."
("A, B and C" of course referring to the two videos and one slide show.)
"At this point, I’m reflecting on this assignment. Have I completed the tasks set before me? To discuss what I learned from this latest venture? I feel I have. After 3 redundant sources for information on how to approach peers in a constructive manner, I have not seen anything I did not already know. I can sum up all 3 with two cliches, “you get more flies with honey” and “treat others as you wish to be treated.”"
I felt, if the meanings of the other 4 paragraphs were not understood, my use of cliches would help in that regard. It was a sincere concern of mine to be understood and I truly thought those well known "golden rules" would aid my efforts.
The final satirical paragraph and picture of course referencing the use of grammar found in the videos and slideshow.
If I am asked to discuss what I learned, and I find nothing new in the content, should I lie about my discovery of information?
Calling my work unprofessional is of course your right, but off topic and unsatisfactory? Help me understand your position please.
I'd like to respond to your first paragraph with the quote you provided by Robin Morgan.
ReplyDelete"Knowledge is power. Information is power. The secreting or hoarding of knowledge or information may be an act of tyranny camouflaged as humility."
Then I'd like to use the content of your first paragraph as response to the rest of your post. I just don't get it. You said you don't want to express yourself but then you digress from the topic of peer editing in order to express yourself. It took 4 paragraphs and 2 images before you even mentioned the peer editing assignment.
I apologize that my suggesting you shouldn't mention things like "Hannah Montana undies" to your colleagues on the internet upset you so much. My intention was to help you and your reputation but it seems I have started an avalanche. Quite frankly, I don't know a single parent who would be excited about a grown man with so much unprofessionalism and willingness to make inappropriate comments being in charge of their children. That's why I was trying to help you.
Also, it's not that Dr. Strange assumes anybody wants to blog. He uses blogger as his classroom management system AND, more importantly, to show students the enormity of networking and readily available information.
Two weeks ago, I was genuinely excited to be assigned to you because of your seemingly eccentric personality. Never did I imagine this was going to happen.
Thank you for your thoughts. Although they didn't follow the format this assignment was teaching, your perspective has some value all it's own, I am.sure
DeletePerhaps you noted the lines in reply to your previous comment or even in this blog post indicating that I will not be blogging after this class. In part to avoid the oopinions you have expressed in this comment along with reasons explicitly stated.
I'm sorry you find this post so damning and devastating to your hopes for future posts, never then less, eccentric would still apply.
I was giving the task of commenting on your blog. I agree with you, I too do not think I will be blogging after this class. I like the way that you expressed your thoughts, but I did have a little trouble at first knowing that this was that blog about peer editing. You started off stating your opinion and then later told us what your opinion was based off. I also agree with Dr. Strange that this blog did not address the topic properly
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI'm afraid I wrote this blog on a new tablet and neglected to ensure the title was correctly inputted. That would have resolved any confusion you had about the subject matter I'm sure.
DeleteThanks for sharing