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Tuesday, 28 October 2003
The Blog Concept
This is a great way to communicate ideas, for everyone. Now we can all access space on the internet; it gives everyone a voice, even if you cannot type. Electronic discussions are both informative and judged on the quality of ideas, not on what the communicator looks like. This is a very freeing medium, even if it is co-opted by capitalism, provided you can gain access for free, and in most communities you can.
I hope, some day, we'll be able to teach in a classroom that bears the same traits as the Blog concept, of course without the advertisements, and with everyone in the same room, in person.
Posted by feta-cheese
at 2:49 PM MNT
Tuesday, 21 October 2003
Sept. 11 blamed on removing prayer from US schools
Recently, on daytime television, an evangelical accused the US gov't. for what happened on Sept. 11/2001 because of, the so-called 'seperation of church and state,' the removal of mandatory Christian prayer from public schools. Some people might argue that this is not inclusive; Christians should have the right to pray in school if they choose. Well, as a matter of fact, they do have that right, it's just that the state cannot forcefully make students to pray. Those who choose to pray must do it on their own time.
Some schools in Ontario have been giving space to Muslims who choose to pray. However, they are not allowed to miss class by praying. Schools should allow students to pray, if they want to, but not during class, and they should not be able to push their religion on others. Yet they should not be persecuted for their own beliefs.
As for Sept. 11/ 2001, this evangelical is clearly on the right track. They should not only pressure the gov't. to bring back prayer, but bring back crucifixion of criminals, public sacrifices, and maybe they could part the Red Sea while they are at it.
Posted by feta-cheese
at 2:04 PM ADT
Friday, 17 October 2003
What does it mean to be integrated?
When people think about special needs students being fully integrated in 'normal' schools they think of the students right in the classroom. Although this happens in some cases, in many schools they are segregated within, rather than in their own, institutional-like, building (not that 'normal' schools are not institutional-like). Integrated schools allow students with special needs a chance to take more conventional classes, in a 'normal' environment, aimed at their learning level.
Posted by feta-cheese
at 12:41 PM ADT
Thursday, 2 October 2003
Inclusion and technology
This morning one of my colleagues announced that he felt that giving students homework to be done on a computer was not inclusive. Some families cannot afford computers so giving them computer homework will exclude some people. Although this is somewhat true, it is not entirely. Computers are in many public spaces: C@P sites, libraries, internet cafes. If given a great amount of time all students should be able to gain access to a computer somewhere. Was my colleague saying that we should never assign homework for computers? If yes, this greatly reduces the possibilities of such a great tool.
Posted by feta-cheese
at 5:16 PM ADT
Thursday, 25 September 2003
Inclusion defined.
It would appear that inclusion in public schools is not easily defined. What inclusion is to some is different for another. In fact, some schools appear to be labelling themselves as inclusive, but what they really mean is 'inclusive.' These schools are labelled as inclusive, but in reality they are not. They instead use this badge as a way of getting funding, or fitting the mandate of the provincial government. This is a very political situation, and the victims are the students.
Posted by feta-cheese
at 7:20 PM ADT
Friday, 19 September 2003
Differentiated Classrooms
Although a differentiated classroom might be an ideal situation for students, it will not be easy, especially if we are not given enough funding or support. Aren't these always the issues. These issues are the ones that control how far we individualize our classrooms. Clearly we cannot design a diffenrent program for every student, it's hard enough to make up just one!
Posted by feta-cheese
at 10:24 AM ADT
Sunday, 7 September 2003
Readings for week 2
I have completed three of the four readings and have found two to be simple refreshers (SMART, and Pyramid). Although no new ideas were expressed, the readings helped to bring me back into Bachelor of Education mode. The "SMART..." article drove me crazy. We covered this stuff last year in more than one class. However that article did come with some very amusing lines, like: "Assistive technology, such as computers, may allow a child to circumvent their weakness." Hooray for computers!! I found the language to be out of date and not especially academic.
But than there was the article about Blogs. I found this article to be both interesting and exciting. Making general comments about computers, like the other article, is ridiculous. Talking about specific inventions in cyberspace and how they can fit into contemporary pedagogy is not only exciting, but cool.
Posted by feta-cheese
at 4:04 PM ADT
Saturday, 6 September 2003
first entry
this is a test. over.
Posted by feta-cheese
at 2:52 PM ADT
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