tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post5457471377611707845..comments2024-03-19T02:22:46.855-07:00Comments on Teacher Tom: 11 New "Subjects" More Important Than TechnologyTeacher Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-38003482675747959302013-06-25T17:01:23.326-07:002013-06-25T17:01:23.326-07:00@Tamsyn . . . True. Ancient Athenians attempted to...@Tamsyn . . . True. Ancient Athenians attempted to govern themselves through direct democracy, a form in which there is a danger that the will of the majority will trample the rights of a minority. Our founders were, of course, aware of this potential for "tyranny of the majority" and so when choosing what form of government to embody in our Constitution, they went with a republic in which representatives are elected democratically. In other words, instead of government directly controlled by the people, it is indirectly controlled: what dictionaries at the time defined as a "representative democracy." Encyclopedias have been written, and will continue to be written, discussing the nuances of the republic vs. democracy debate, one that I'd rather not engage in here on the blog, except to say that however you define our form of government, we are, together, attempting to self-govern with democracy as the centerpiece, and that, as it has been from the onset, is a grand experiment.Teacher Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-35572941850133907292013-06-25T06:08:40.864-07:002013-06-25T06:08:40.864-07:00I love your list overall, but I would be remiss if...I love your list overall, but I would be remiss if I didn't point out that our country is a republic, not a democracy.Tamsyn Spackmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17426794664378940590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-2633231391108681682012-07-07T13:04:44.176-07:002012-07-07T13:04:44.176-07:00I'd love to see dance in mainstream school cur...I'd love to see dance in mainstream school curriculum. It encourages the use of both hemisphere's of the brain. It develops gross motor skills and coordination as well as creativity. Of course I am rather biased as I am a dance teacher. But having taught Swing Dance to hundreds of Teens over the years it's always amazing to see the social development in this age group and the way it brings so many different "types" of teens together. Dance is a powerful teacher.SwingMammahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17954599433323496069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-45540044202234543872012-06-21T19:08:39.796-07:002012-06-21T19:08:39.796-07:00It appears your wife is just as brilliant as you a...It appears your wife is just as brilliant as you are! Great list, thanks for sharing.Jennifer Sneeden, Boca Raton Therapisthttp://www.bocamarriagecounseling.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-47596845991487967282012-06-20T21:51:27.473-07:002012-06-20T21:51:27.473-07:00I am 34 years old and still struggle with most of ...I am 34 years old and still struggle with most of these things. Okay, all of them. The only thing I don't struggle with is cooking, but that's mostly because I have found it immensely rewarding to learn to cook over the past 16 or so years. When I got married, I'd sometimes burn water.<br /><br />If these things were part of the core curriculum in schools, we would raise a generation of amazingly functional people. I get paranoid sometimes that this is the exact reason these things are not taught.Maghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04618225986003203692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-3558535702125949712012-06-16T21:07:03.028-07:002012-06-16T21:07:03.028-07:00Along the lines of seeing many gardens everywhere....Along the lines of seeing many gardens everywhere..I would like to see an updated version of an etiquette class where manners and gestures of grace are taught. We have a little of this embedded into sharing meals at the school I teach. But like your theme, after 13 years of schooling we could be living in a world with more kind adults.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-11147866977294791642012-06-16T10:55:56.253-07:002012-06-16T10:55:56.253-07:00I would definitely go to that Middle/High School! ...I would definitely go to that Middle/High School! And my kids would too. At three and six they're already working the computer, so that would be a wasted class. :)Shelleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17544384586083219529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-54475578540437734632012-06-16T01:37:07.048-07:002012-06-16T01:37:07.048-07:00I'am an Early childhood teacher and have found...I'am an Early childhood teacher and have found Technology to be a powerful learning tool that can engage children and enhance their learning. I always make integrating technology meaningful and find the multiple communication possibilities exciting. I found some fantastic resources that describe effective uses of technology and give me some great ideas to use with my children http://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/technology-in-early-childhood-advice-for-parents-and-teachers-from-a-truste/ <br />http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PS_technology_Examples.pdf <br />http://www.fredrogerscenter.org/<br />http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/<br />Technology is a tool not a subject that enhances children critical thinking, communication, reasoning, problem solving, reflecting and questioning skills.These skills are valuable in any other subject, such as the ones that everyone has been discussing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-85702952152731140112012-06-15T22:21:35.734-07:002012-06-15T22:21:35.734-07:00Home and Auto Maintenance would be SO GREAT to kno...Home and Auto Maintenance would be SO GREAT to know! And Home Ec, more than the 1 year I took it (not core, elective)... because it does teach so much more than just cooking, at least it could. Gardening would be great, too! Give kids the confidence in it to do it at home and you may actually help families while kids are still in school, too!Momma Jorjehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17736034293320117257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-71509305906280856422012-06-15T20:55:38.003-07:002012-06-15T20:55:38.003-07:00I don't know Tom. I have been working with co...I don't know Tom. I have been working with computers for well over 13 years now and I still feel like I don't know anything about them:)Deborahhttp://www.teachpreschool.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-13303981118029913012012-06-15T19:12:28.816-07:002012-06-15T19:12:28.816-07:00I taught a class for the kids 8-11 last week at ch...I taught a class for the kids 8-11 last week at church where I used fake money to pay them so they could figure out their tithing. Saddest part of the lesson was a young girl struggling to figure it out and saying "I can do it on paper, but I can't do it in real life." I wanted to shout, real life is the only place it matters! Thank you for your curriculum suggestions. It really sums up what I want my own children to learn.RobynHeudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11549257304859673021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-69207721838408122952012-06-15T13:40:37.472-07:002012-06-15T13:40:37.472-07:00Love this.Love this.liznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-13167817601993666382012-06-15T13:39:56.446-07:002012-06-15T13:39:56.446-07:00Love this.Love this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-20809754720029524632012-06-15T12:15:06.561-07:002012-06-15T12:15:06.561-07:00especially since in the course of 13 yrs, whatever...especially since in the course of 13 yrs, whatever computer tech they started with will become obsolete.<br /><br />i would add some sort of physical ed. that list, with a focus on physical and mental integration and awareness. <br /><br />also, anatomy and physiology presented in a really personally relevant style. too many people have no real understanding of how their bodies work.<br /><br />and art/music because they are imperative and underestimated as foundational for the more "pragmatic" things and valuing designated time simply creating for it's own sake, for expression or design or beauty, keeps some of the crazy from getting out of balance.berleenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-45806741643003585012012-06-15T11:39:21.551-07:002012-06-15T11:39:21.551-07:00Hi Tom,
I recently found your blog and have reall...Hi Tom, <br />I recently found your blog and have really enjoyed your words, thoughts and perspective. <br /><br />I agree with everything on your list with some extra love towards community organizing, personal finance, and conflict resolution. <br /><br />The thing is that I wish I had been required to learn how to use spreadsheets and powerpoint in high school. I think it would have been an asset. Since technology is so pervasive in our society I think may be helpful to look at learning technology as a horizontal skill that touches upon these enlightened subjects. Like part of the personal finance course would be building spreadsheets to manage and plan finances and part of a community organizing curriculum would include creating a powerpoint to share with stakeholders (because of course these classes would be hands on and project based, right ;)<br /><br />Again, thanks for the inspiration.Hillaryhttp://www.infinitelearners.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-38969715674656555072012-06-15T11:26:55.872-07:002012-06-15T11:26:55.872-07:00I would love to see urban farming on the public sc...I would love to see urban farming on the public school curriculum. They do a bit of gardening this time of year, but how awesome would it be if we could expand it to keeping chickens, bees, a few goats... So good for so many of the kids' needs. <br /><br />I do want to keep technology around, though. Maybe it's redundant at a private school where the students have ample access to technology outside of school, but in public schools like the one my son attends that's simply not the case. (You're familiar with the concept of the "digital divide," I'm sure.) School and the library are the only "hands on" time some of these kids get with computers. (Our school also teaches bike riding and bike safety in P.E. class for similar reasons. Not everyone has a bike or a safe place to learn how to ride it.)<br /><br />Also, technology is a HUGE benefit for kids on the autism spectrum who struggle with handwriting and other tasks that come easily to typical students.Floor Piehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06533240227865369012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-24899247916990653602012-06-15T11:22:24.993-07:002012-06-15T11:22:24.993-07:00Montessori is elementary too, not just preschool. ...Montessori is elementary too, not just preschool. <br />HeatherAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-16812084345758193862012-06-15T11:11:09.766-07:002012-06-15T11:11:09.766-07:00Media Critique/Analysis and Public Speakig fall in...Media Critique/Analysis and Public Speakig fall into the purview of English, which is what I teach :) its a part of the standards in CA. I also incorporate technology, typing, online submissions and editing, blogging and response, etc. <br /><br />On election years, we do a bit of political activism - usually involving debate and analysis of campaign materials, but that belongs in a high school Government class. Community organizing is handled in required community service hours (although that's not enough) and the annual letter writing campaign we do in class- where students have to identify and problem in the communit and argue for a particular solution (letter form, mailed to the city council). <br /><br />A lot of these should definitely be touched on every year in age appropriate way, and we can incorporate them into the classes we already have.<br /><br />It just takes people with vision to help change the way administrators and teachers think about curriculum development.Jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11910339848371245054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-49034413786313342182012-06-15T11:10:36.331-07:002012-06-15T11:10:36.331-07:00Hi Tom,
Funny you mention "integrating"...Hi Tom,<br /><br />Funny you mention "integrating" the technology...<br /><br />I work at a PreK-8 school in the NorthEast and my official job title is "Technology Integration Specialist". I read your blog all the time, and have been inspired in a number of ways from your postings. Just the other week, in PreK - 1st grade we gathered up a large number of old laptops, desktops, radios, VCR's, cordless phones, etc. and laid them all out with tools to have the kids take them apart and see what's inside and tinker with. They had a blast! (so did my colleagues after they got over thinking I was a bit off for giving PreK real tools to take apart a computer...) <br /><br />We also have a number of iPads, and (based on a student taking the iPad and rubbing it on his head to show me how he could use it that way) we did a series of explorations to see how many objects the iPad will react with - Fun Fact discovered by a child, you can use a dry sponge in your hand to interact with an iPad.<br /><br />While I agree with a lot of your post, "Technology" class doesn't have to be a terrible thing, any more than a "play-based curriculum". Just like a Math class where you only ever do worksheets, Technology class is only as good as the teacher's approach. The trick is to use technology devices like iPads and computers as creation rather than consumption devices (if I can find it, will have to send you a great animated story with voice-overs from PreK about a heroic duck saving a princess from dragons and zombies)<br /><br />It's all in how you use it :)<br /><br />- SteveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-33643373595497370132012-06-15T10:57:32.819-07:002012-06-15T10:57:32.819-07:00When I was in school Technology class was what mos...When I was in school Technology class was what most people would call shop - wood working, metal working, some work with electronics, etc. It was required for two years in middle school and then became optional but specialized beyond that. That class was outstanding, particularly for those of us who don't have handy families and hadn't had any kind of woodworking since preschool. It was the class called Computer Skills, which was thankfully only required for a semester, that was the waste of time. I still don't quite understand why we were being graded on our ability to make calenders and play the touch typing games we used to play in the third grade. I remember dreading that class... but "tech," as we called it, was a favorite.Aly Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-37836121215166011242012-06-15T10:17:10.223-07:002012-06-15T10:17:10.223-07:00Great list! I love them all, and wish I had been b...Great list! I love them all, and wish I had been better trained in some of those topics. <br /><br />I do think if computer programming was what they meant by technology, it would be beneficial. Though I may be a bit biased (I am a programmer). ;)Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12146270736158297146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-19560511167340652472012-06-15T10:05:46.768-07:002012-06-15T10:05:46.768-07:00Yep Chaz, I think most preschools consider all of ...Yep Chaz, I think most preschools consider all of these to be vital "subjects," but it so often gets lost as the kids move through to older grades. Just one more thing we need to be pushing "up" into elementary school and beyond!<br /><br />(Yeah, the automobile one made our list only because we were trying to think of a machine that is more "important" to use correctly than a computer.)Teacher Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-49530155488637642792012-06-15T09:47:30.003-07:002012-06-15T09:47:30.003-07:00Amazing how so many of these are actually taught a...Amazing how so many of these are actually taught at my kid's Montessori school.<br /><br />Conflict Resolution? Check.<br />Personal Finance? Check.<br />Public Speaking? Check.<br />Political Activism? Check.<br />Entrepreneurship/Business Management? Check.<br />Community Organizing? Check.<br />Gardening? Check.<br /><br />We don't do home and auto maintenance at GSMS but I damn sure have the home stuff covered. Auto? That's what mechanics are for.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03514247779667765054noreply@blogger.com