C4T#3

In Mr. Spencer's blog his parody is designed to show the tool cost from one medium to the next. On the on hand, students can choose pencils, which are cheaper, but fragile, and on the other hand students can choose the "Ticonderoga" the costly tool, but it is cooler. Both will achieve the same desired results. One medium has the style of the times, while the other has faint remembrances of scan tron tests. In other words, we see technological tools as an innovative use in education, but his satire shows us that technological advances may not always be the best investment.

I commented on Mr. Spencer's blog, citing that I did not agree with his point of view. I understand the nostalgia of pencils in the classroom, but nostalgia does not prepare students for a digital future. I stated that when I started my program, I was ready to buy a chalkboard and a lifetime supply of chalk, but as I have been introduced to this new media my eyes have been open to better ways to reach students. Even though the investment monetarily is great in the beginning, the outcome far out weights the cost.

In Adventures in Pencil Integration Mr. Spencer attempts to use a game to implement learning. The game is done in such a way the kids are creating a "factory" and there output is writing text. The blog centers around this game Mr. Spencer was implementing, but the game was being viewed by superiors as a bad idea. He goes on to say that, the principal asked him to stop games all together. The principal takes it further sighting that Mr. Spencer should focus on certain prep test and/or algorithm work packets. 

As you read this blog you begin to feel drawn into this material. The reason is it is a conversation between Mr. Spencer and the principal and it is presented to the reader in a dynamic fashion. It is written in a dialogue, so as you read you actually feel like you are in the room. 

I really enjoyed this read and commented in that fashion. I agreed with his position on games in the classrooms. If they are beneficial to learning then we should be implementing them everyday. This blog adheres to Mr. McClung's final reflections, on focusing on the students not your superiors. Mr. Spencer is doing that, he is focusing on learning and his students, not the principal and his agenda. In turn the students find the activity enjoyable and the students absorb the material without ever realizing they are learning. I believe that is what we should all strive for as future teachers. Teach students in such a way as to make it fun, yet they absorb those lessons we teach without them ever knowing he/she was taught.