BlogHer - teaching - Comments

Teach-orex

rebellious thinker — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:53:16 -0500

In school, I could have the instructions on the board, on the handout, and say it numerous times, but they often don't remember what I say--because they're not listening. I think that the human ear is highly attuned to the tone of all sounds that have a hint of a demand, a request, or an instruction. It seems to be a survival technique for them, which, of course, causes the exact opposite reaction in us. Someday, someday when that child tells her child to stop bunching up the towels you will realize that she was listening to you. But by then you may be immune to her, since she might be telling you to remember to take your pills.

Laura, www.rebelliousthoughtsofawoman.com

I agree...

mara — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:54:48 -0500

I agree. I think children grow up way to fast in this day and time. You are on the right path and your son will be better for it.

Mara http://24stepstogo.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Historiann — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:38:11 -0600

Thanks, Leslie, for the plug, and for your interest in this meme. Yay, public history! Please consider attending the Berkshire Conference on the History of Women this summer, June 12-15 in Minneapolis. (Details at berks.umn.edu). We've got lots of public history in the program this time around, and we're hoping to increase contact between academic and public historians (an artificial but sometimes heavily policed divide.)

Historiann.com

Pedagogies, Paradigms & the Police

FeliciaDonovan — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:57:45 -0600

Great post, Leslie. Prior to getting into law enforcement and becoming an author, I wore my own teaching hat for many years as both an English Teacher and Technology Coordinator where I struggled early on to integrate technology within the curriculum.

I think the problem with adaptation has more to do with paradigms that need to change about the role technology and these types of on-line, collaborative modules can play in education. I think Lauren's comment was right on when she said that most faculty are not well-trained in pedagogy. The paradigm has to shift to allow integration of these kinds of tools where and when it is most appropriate, not because it's available. I've never instructed in a university environment, but I can say that in public schools, new educators are often buddied up with veteran educators to "learn the ropes." Over time, they adopt their own methodologies flavored with their own personalities. It's hard to make a shift to accept a new paradigm that is outside a teacher's "comfort zone."

Putting on my law enforcement hat, I can tell you that our State Police Training Council uses Moodle extensively and successfully, but they have someone on staff who has spent a great deal of time and effort learning how to use it. They have used it for many of the pre-packaged, baseline courses that are, well, dry in content. I downloaded Moodle for possible use in my own department, but I have not had the time with all my other duties, to work with it. It was intuitive from the get-go.

Felicia Donovan
Author, THE BLACK WIDOW AGENCY Series
www.feliciadonovan.com
www.blackwidowagency.com

Great info

Virginia DeBolt — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:35:43 -0600

Thought provoking and informative. Thanks for the info.

http://www.webteacher.ws/
http://first50.wordpress.com/

Moodle

Virginia DeBolt — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 07:43:09 -0600

I remain surprised that more college and university level institutions don't adopt the open source Moodle instead of WebCT or Blackboard. Have you seen any mention of that as a favorite tool among teachers?

http://www.webteacher.ws/
http://first50.wordpress.com/

Thank you

Claire Fontaine — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:18:36 -0500

simply for being who you are, Birdie. Your inner light illuminates everyone and everything around you. Such lucky students! And lucky us, too - you're a perfect beginning to the day.

Thank you for featuring my blog!

Lynnae — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:50:39 -0500

And congratulations on your new job! Have a great week!

Thank you from FiveBlondes!

fiveblondes — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:46:18 -0500

Birdie, thank you for featuring our blog! We have lots of news to blog about after this weekend - we had a "Naughty & Nice" bridal shower for Kate, and Erica got engaged! We are five very happy blondes.

Lucky students, that's for sure.

lauriewrites — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:04:07 -0500

Congratulations on the new job. Teaching is one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life, but I love it. The profession needs more people like you who know that it's not about shoving information into anyone's brain - it's about helping them unlock their own interests and capacity to learn.

Next week I'm going back to school full-time for the first time in ten years...starting a new career, I guess, at the same time. BlogHer, and meeting women like you online and in person, gave me the jump start and a good bit of the courage I needed.

Thanks for this reminder:" I can imagine thousands of women like me starting something new this weekend - a new job, a new marriage, a new baby, a new perspective. Life moves forward, we can't hold it back, hurricanes be damned. Life finds a way."

It so does. I can't wait to read your stories about your new experiences this year.
Laurie

LaurieWrites

What a sweet life it is

AdkAmanda — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:27:08 -0500

Birdie! Thank you for casting your beautiful light my way, and congratulations on your new post. Lucky students indeed.