What's going down this week...

This past week we've learned about what skills and traits make up an effective literacy teacher.  A KWL chart was created in class and my fellow classmates and I provided Dr. Poehner what we already know effective teachers use as well as what we as prospective teachers are concerned about.  Along with this we participated in an word sort activity.  This activity required us to associate certain words with others by category.  Oh how fun! Through last weeks lessons though, I'm able to reflect on what I think my greatest strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to literacy.  I feel my greatest strength ties into my greatest weakness because I'm a highly motivated individual with tons of energy but I am concerned with the being able to tie in the facts from my lessons in a motivational way.  I can't talk about this anymore... I'm becoming anxious.

It's what's happening now...

In my magical yet somewhat misrepresented mind, a 21st century classroom looks something like an ostentatious, Hollywood-movie-style FBI headquarters with an immeasurable amount of advanced technology.  Everyone in the room is multitasking to the 10th degree, transmitting and transferring information in unison at the speed of holy heck!  Now even though my mind's eye is a bit exaggerated, I'm not too far off from what's really happening now.  The 21st century was guided in by a remarkable technological revolution and every day emerging technologies are crawling their way into educational establishments.

In today's classrooms, the most common form of technology is typically the computer.  And what can be accessed with a computer?  The internet... an endless supply of information that can be obtained with just a couple clicks of a button.  Classrooms are becoming less textbook-driven and more research-based.  Teachers use to be the center of attention and the main provider of information.  However, classrooms are now becoming more student-centered and teachers can be seen as facilitators.  Learners are working more collaboratively with classmates and even others from around the world.  We are witnessing the rise of the global classroom.