Article Review...10 projections the future of education

I found this article interesting. Some of the projections are probably true like no more paper text books, at least in wealthy areas or within schools lucky enough to get grants for ipads and tablets. No more middle schools, or at least a lot less. The trend has been to go back to K-8/ 9-12 split in schools. I think as long as you separate the play ground (keep the little ones away from the bigger ones) then it would work, most private schools I know of are K-8 anyways and the kids who attended those schools seemed better prepared and more confident for high school (at least in my experience). And I have seen online classes replace college programs (especially for masters degrees), I am enrolled in one, MAT at USC, it's all online/virtual learning, and I love it. I get the exposure to great USC teachers without having to sit in traffic and deal with the crime at the real campus in LA. Plus I get to meet people from all over the world from the comfort of my own home, the only tools I need are a laptop, webcam, and skype to attend class, oh and those online PDF reader books are so cheap, much better than paper textbooks, now if only someone would give me an ipad......(to read those books, of course).

Image from: MacTrast

Now for the bogus ones, at least in my opinion. What kid is really going to learn from a robot? I think if I was in elementary school this robot would creep me out. And what kid is really going to listen to a robot chew them out for misbehaving in class, come one? REALLY? And eliminating testing like SAT and ACT, hardly. I think they will just replace the archaic exams with new ones, because people would complain of unfairness of ranking student portfolios based on demographics and opportunity. Those are just my thoughts.

Image from: kyawkyawoo

What do you think? Will education change drastically in 10 years?

Why I want to teach........

This article shows some of the reasons I want to be a teacher.....below are my favorites and some of my own ideas. As well as an update and photos from my video lessons for a teaching class at USC.

Favorites
Being a teacher is giving them a safe harbor in which to work on their boats before sailing away.
Being a teacher is being incredibly alert for seven or eight hours straight, day after day. (So true)
Being a teacher is explaining the same thing in twelve different ways.
Being a teacher is wondering why on earth you got into this profession in the first place! (I know why)


My thoughts
 I can't wait to shape student's minds and open them up to the possibilities in the world by giving them the tools to start their lives. I can't wait to share my knowledge and watch my student's grow. I am excited to FINALLY have found a career that let's me talk and connect with other daily and one that is meaningful. I think being a teacher is being a role model and knowledge giver. I am so excited for fall to come so that I can begin working in classrooms for my teaching program.


For my first semester at USC I had to film a teaching video, I taught my boyfriend how to make cornbread muffins for the first lesson, then after learning teaching strategies in a class I had to re-create and re-teach the lesson, this time I borrowed my friend's daughters and taught them how to bake cupcakes. I had such a good time that afternoon and didn't want to leave... Here are a few still shots from the videos.....

I promise I will post details from my Northern California trip soon..........

Schooling Around

School has been great. I am truly excited about it. I was fortunate enough to get full Federal Loan funding (I am a bit fearful of my school debt, because I've never had it before, but I keep hearing school debt is good debt, let's just hope the USC name buys me a good job later on so I can pay them back!). I also was able to keep my marketing position on a part time basis (which helps with income). My life up to now has been work, study, gym, sleep.
My biggest worry is passing the CSET this summer (I have to pass it by September or I don't get to student teach and finish my degree on time), so that has been a lot of pressure. Especially since I am taking the multiple subject CSET which is everything, and I mean everything (reading, lit, history, science, math, pe, music, art, dram) you learned up to 8th grade, plus some things I never learned (as a business major) like reading development, human development, how to teach. Its daunting to review all the material, especially with a test looming over me, bu I am enjoying the material, which makes me feel I am on the right path with this career.
So please put me in your prayers this summer to pass the CSET, because I really do like what I am doing now

Starting Grad School

I realize it's been awhile (about 6 months) since I last posted. I decided that I did indeed miss blogging and now that I am in a better place (mentally) I decided to start this up again. Upon returning for Argentina last summer I dove right into the job search for a marketing position. By November I landed my self at a software company that links big software together to run nuclear power plants, refineries, oil rigs, factories, etc... It sounds cool but is really technical and boring. I landed the Marketing Manager position and then learned I was the WHOLE marketing department and had to build my position from scratch (a daunting task for a newbie in marketing). After a few months I realized a) I was really bored, b) sitting in a cubicle was suffocating, c) trade shows are no fun to attend and be on your feet for 12 hours smiling and pushing your product on mostly fat oil and utility moguls who were just there to eat and get the free stuff, d) Most jobs I started to apply to (and I applied to a ton after 2 months in my first position) were boring as well and required way too much time in a cubicle, alone. These were not good positions for as social and active of a person like me. So, I did some soul searching (I was supposed to do this in Argentina, which I did, but never came to an answer) and I realized that while I enjoyed my marketing internship at VOS in Buenos Aires, that I enjoyed learning and being in a school environment much more.
So..........after much deliberation and advice from Mom, Nick and friends I decided to finally pursue a teaching credential (yes, many of you out there are like, FINALLY, and I told you so). One stipulation was that if I did go back to school I wanted to do it right which meant I didn't just want to go back for a credential but a Masters as well. USC offers an online (virtual) Masters in Teaching program with a credential in 1 year (great deal). So I applied in March and got in in April. I officially started my program in May and I am loving it so far.............