"Turning On the Lights"

After I finished reading this article I found myself pondering my own education experience as well as, looking back over the many classes I have observed and the converstions I have with students about their own education. The first thing that I thought of was my own teachers would ask us to turn off our cell phones or not to use computers for our assignments. I think it was crazy not being able to use resources that we had at our exposure. Some of my own teachers thought we were being lazy if we used the computer for a project when really it would enhance our project. This proves the point from the article that teachers want students to "power down" once they step in to the classroom. I completely agree with the point, that as teachers we should use the technology to our advantage to help students learn more or increase their knowledge. Such as using games on the smart-board when we teach or having the students have some creative freedom for a project so that they can make it geared to one of their personal interests. There are so many different resources for our use as teachers that just are not being used in the classroom today. I believe if we start to tap into these different technology and websites, we will be able to hold our students attention longer and engage them in what we are trying to teach them. Another thought that came to me while I was reading this article was some of the conversations that I have overheard between students. Children who are in 2nd and 3rd grade talking about a youtube video that they watched last night on the internet, or checking there myspace and e-mail. When I was that age I had no clue what youtube was or how to use the internet. This just shows how times changed so fast and as teachers we need to be able to adapt to how our students are learning. I'm not trying to say throw out the old ways of teaching. We just need to find a balance, a new balance for teachers and students with technology in the classroom.