I recently have become obsessed with RSA animated lectures. Below are links to two that I think fit well with our text and could possibly help us address vocabulary gaps once students do reach our classrooms. I don’t mean to ignore the importance of the researchers’ findings (the importance of vocabulary development in the home, prior to schooling), but since we are all teaching students that have passed this point, I thought these could provide some food for thought. Plus, watching the guy bring that white board to life is always exciting :)
This first link was shared by one of my JHU professors. It challenges the aims and structure of our education system, and I think that as we consider the social development and vocabulary skills of our students, the question “What does a ‘good’ education look like?” must be considered. I think we must be open to alternative ideas given the ineffectiveness of traditional classrooms for many of our students.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
The second link, though not directly related to education, brings into question the power of language. What language skills will our students need in order to determine appropriate usages for different types of relationships? Is this something that we can teach explicitly and provide helpful remedial vocabulary instruction? Is it something we can foster less explicitly with our classroom culture and conscience choice of interaction and language?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-son3EJTrU
Somebody needs to comment on you "Slightly related+ Interesting Links" article, Nichols! Let me help you out..
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I did a little experiment in my classroom a few days ago that involved your first link - the Changing Paradigms in Education RSA Animate. Instead of doing CNN Student News with my kids that day, I told them we're going to change it up and watch a little clip about education in the United States. Before we watched, we had a short discussion where I asked them a few questions: Do you think public education is necessary or important in the US? What are your general feelings about public education across the United States, what about it right here in Baltimore? What are the specific things do you think are the most urgent to change?
After the conversation, we watched the clip while they were supposed to "take general notes." While they didn't take notes, they were surprisingly engaged in the video. Obviously, I think a large part of their engagement was the animation component of the clip, but I think they really understood some of it.
After the video, I asked what they liked about the video? What did they learn? And can you all agree on the most important thing said by the man in the clip? They all agreed: "Schools are like a factory." I told them I couldn't agree more, and I thought that point was amazing. They said they feel like the school doesn't really care about them, it just cares about passing the HSA or passing some class. This is so true, especially due to the high stakes testing today. I don't remember ever being pressured to do well on this state test or that state test, but they are pressed everyday, and I'm one of the people pressuring them.
Anyway, thanks for sharing the link with everyone, I think it is really powerful for us as educators and even for our students.