Going Aboard

     Tomorrow I climb aboard the internet vessel that is Twitter and begin a new social networking path. For the last five or six years, I have used Facebook. I rarely update my statuses unless I spot a whale, which is almost never, then I report "there she blows!" Because for me, only something as important as a whale sighting deserves to be published for all to see and is worth being published by all to see. However, twitter has revolutionized this view of social networking. Instead, twitter is nothing more than 140 characters of tweetness with no limit on how many times a day. I don't believe people care that much about me eating frosted strawberry pop-tarts, taking a shower, or brushing my teeth with a new kind of toothpaste. Call me Ishmael.
     A class I am taking this summer about integrating technology into the classroom is the cause of my dismay because I have to get a twitter account for the class. However, the articles they provided to generate this discussion pertain to using twitter not so much as a status update but a venue for which you can view other status updates to follow educational, twitter accounts. While I like the idea of exposure to new methods and measures, I don't like the idea of it on twitter. Why can't we follow these teachers or educational reformers blogs? Instead of being limited to 140 characters, these educators can fully develop their ideas. Some of the other articles have mentioned incorporating twitter into the classroom, and I don't know where I stand. On the one hand, I have fundamentally been against twitter becomes of its self-obsessive nature, but, in an educational setting, don't we want the students to be tuned into their self and what they are doing? However, the ever pervasive question with technology, won't it be a distraction if kids are tweeting in class? Allowing students to use twitter surrenders a teacher's power of controlling the classroom which is both positive (allows students to develop knowledge of decorum) and negatives (they don't exercise the knowledge of decorum). I can see where twitter could be like Queequeg (reliable, efficient, exotic, eye opening) in the classroom or could become a captain of the classroom like Ahab (maniacal and out of control).

Loomings

     Call me Ishmael. It is that time in summer when the heat begins to swelter, and one questions why is he confined to walls of a classroom. The mind lazily wanders into thoughts of summer swimming or the cyber world of Facebook. It is in these times, I wander why I confine myself to these walls. Upon reflection, I remember these walls contain my future, my passions, and my growth. In only three weeks, I have already grown in knowledge about education, come to an understanding about what it means to be a professional, and I have strengthened my convictions about why I want to be teacher. My colleagues all told inspiring tales of why they want to be a teacher. When it came my turn, I had no idea what to say, so I muttered a Frederick Douglass quote that always motivated me "give a nigger an el, and he'll take the yard." But that only captures my desired ends, not my reasons for teaching. While I could write for three hours to fill this blog about how my mother inspired me, how I love working with children, or the satisfaction I receive from watching a pupil revel in an "ah-ha" moment. Instead, I reflect back on my college graduation. In her speech, the President discussed what it means to graduate with a University degree from a public University. It means that the public has invested in you, now, you must invest yourself in the public. Be the change you wish to see in the world. John Dewey spoke of schools being place for social change, and he was right (for better or worse). Social change can occur on the smallest level. Call me an idealist, but I believe that by changing, bettering, and freeing the mind of each individual student will ignite a social change, one for the better. Let us not perish in the wake of the white whale of social change but push forth into placid waters free of our own social self-destruction.
     However, this desire of teaching to ignite social change comes at a very interesting time in our world history. The Internet revolution that began in the 1990's continue to revolutionize our society. Therefore the incorporation of technology into the classroom is one of the most important things we have to consider as a teacher. In class on Friday we discussed some pros and cons of involving technology in the classroom, but I worry how this can be done effectively. I remember back when I was in elementary, middle, and high school that every time we went to the computer lab or involved technology in the classroom it was generally a blow off class because the students knew more about the technology than the teacher. I hope this course prevents that from happening to me as I am not a huge technology person. I carry romantic visions in my head of incorporating film, audio, and computers, but where should the line be drawn? I hope J, K, or you guys have the answers because I don't.