Education Cuts

Watching and reading about all the cuts in education I wonder if I am still in the right career path. Most people know that I have always loved training and development. Loosing my job at Crate taught me that education is what I enjoyed most about that job. Preparing others for success in life is very important. Why is education being threatened all over the states. Wisconsin's teachers are under fire by legislatures that want to cut their benefits and right to collective bargaining. Other Midwest states are trying to do the same thing. In Florida Rick Scott has proposed huge cuts to education.
At my age, 46, I am uncertain about my job prospects after graduation.I have lots of questions and no answers. All I know is that I am staying on the path but will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation.

The Past Couple of Weeks

This class has been very challenging the past couple of weeks. I have realized that being a digital immigrant has its limitations. I have been working very hard on all the assignments but feel I am taking longer to complete them  than is necessary. It makes me wonder how other students can wait to the last minute to complete the assignments. If I did not plan ahead I would not be able to complete all my work. I realize this is what it means to be an educator in the 21st century, but I look forward to the day I can do it all with ease and competence.
Creating the wiki site has been the most difficult of all the assignments. It is not just coming up with ideas for the pages but also filling them with content. I think I have done a good job filling my wiki with topics about Latin America. This is such a huge subject that I tried to put enough content to make each page interesting. Just like all wikis, more content is added as the semester progresses. I look forward to updating and adding more content in the future. As I finish this post I realize that college is supposed to challenge and motivate you. This class and others I am taking are doing just that.

I keep thinking about spring break in a couple of weeks; Ft Lauderdale here I come.
Till next time.
RAFE

ToonDoo Challenge

This week I had to create a ToonDoo strip for my classroom. I decided to do a strip about the use of social media in the classroom. Since I eventually wish  to teach college level students, this would be an appropriate topic.At first I was a bit confused on how to use the website. After lots of trial and error it became very easy to use.
I can see using this site to illustrate rules and guidelines at the start of every class year or semester.  ToonDoo could be used to create fun presentations for the classroom wiki or newsletter. Students could use it to create brief presentations on current events.
Any way you use it, the possibilities for creativity are endless.

Group Activity

Last week was my first Group Activity. I was a bit hesitant due to my previous frustrations with groups in the past. I was expecting commitment and tardiness issues from some members of the group. Much to my surprise this did not occur. Initially two group members responded quickly to my first communication and the work process was in motion. The three of us made every effort to gain the involvement of  the two other members. It was not till the end of the week that one of them communicated with us. This team member jumped on the bandwagon and completed her part amicably.We worked well as a team and respected each other's schedule and time frames. In the end we were able to submit a good presentation.

As for me,  I worked on my need to be in control. I was able to trust my team members and knew that everyone was committed to the project. This new mindset freed me to enjoy the process. I was able to enjoy the interaction with my team members as well as focus on creating a great presentation.

I look forward to working with these people in the future.  

The process continues....

RAFE

Podcasts

This week I was assigned to work on creating a podcast. My first reaction was why would I want to record my self; and who would want to listen. Upon reading all the materials I realized how effective podcasts can be in educating students. As a teacher,  you can record class lectures, complementary materials such as videos, and group discussions. Podcasts can also be used to motivate students to create their podcasts on current class topics.
Being an avid traveler,  I realized I could utilize podcasts to document my trials and tribulations. I currently use  Facebook to post comments and pictures. However, the added use of a podcast could help me recall my experiences more fondly.
And the journey continues....
RAFE