The Power of Simple Research as a Learning Tool

As I was preparing for a presentation for the Bi-national Conference, I came to the realization that you can learn from doing very some simple research. My presentation is about the advantages of Googling for K-12 educators. Yes "Googling" is a term and probably one with many meanings. What I mean here is the use of Google's products in an enthusiastic and efficient way of to get KIDS to learn. In my case, KIDS are over 20+. I'm so nice. I wish others would call me a KID!

Over the last few months I've been intrigued by Todd Nesloney's introduction of the SAMR model at a workshop he gave to San Benito CISD teachers and staff. You can GOOGLE "SAMR" and learn more about it on your own. I guarantee it would be worth it. The first two stages fall under what is called Enhancement. Enhancement includes Substitution and Augmentation. These stages don't go too far or seem too different from face-to-face teaching. Transformation, the next category in the model requires advanced skills and thought, Modification and Redefinition. These last two stages take an educator further to transform their teaching.

While conducting research for the presentation, something happened that I would like others to experience, the joy of discovering new knowledge while working on an assignment. We as teachers give students assignments with a very short term goal. We need to think that there is a more important goal than learning the process to solve an equation or the meaning of a word. Developing a love for learning should be our goal.

There are some tools that help us to become life long learners faster than others. Reading is one of these; however, extending reading to searching for solutions and gaining knowledge on the Internet is even more powerful. Eventually, I believe that through this process students will develop a habit of continuously researching on their own.

No one really asks me to accept presenting, I just love to do it. I did it as a teacher, science department chair, science specialist, and dean of instruction. Presenting my ideas and what I've discovered, to me, is an opportunity to share what I have discovered works. This may not be the reason for others to click on their computer or tap their tablet; however, I believe that if you do it enough (that's where teachers come in) that's when you eventually get hooked on a life-long journey of discovery.

Work is Unending

Day in and date out the amount of work climbs on our shoulders weighing us down, but because of our belief to help others, to never be content with mediocrity, and to be optimistic, we persevere and move forward. That's what I read in students' blogs these past few weeks. Their words give me hope that the mountains of papers and growing inbox are all worth the work I do.

No one has ever had it easy if it's worth doing. I see parents being patient and caring for children that some day are going to make them proud. If we, as parents and grandparents, were to give up on the weak and helpless beings placed in our care, they would have a hard and surely impossible time in life. All children in our care need our commitment and compassion. So putting the extra effort will all pay off in the long run.

Next year we'll have another class and we do it all again. It's our plan to have learned more to be a better teacher to the list of names on our roster. We do the unending work for them, but also for ourselves. Continued acquisition of knowledge, skills, and ways to apply what we learn is our way of coping with our jobs. Moving forward means trying to find ways to become more proficient.

With every skills learned, we make a decision of whether to use it. If it benefits others, we should. If it makes life fulfilling, we should. If it makes teaching efficient, we should.

Continue learning and think of how you can apply skills gained to help others.

Strategies for Writing

My blog has more posts in draft form than it has published posts and I'm glad it does. This strategy has served me well. Before beginning this post I saved and closed a draft of another post. This early in the writing of this one, I'll probably do the same here and probably begin another.

The funny thing is that we don't have only one thing to say during a day or week. We have several, but often without the time to put the words on paper or in this case digital prose. The ideas are expressed much more eloquently if they are left alone for a while just like a fine wine. Tomorrows thoughts blend and enrich our past in the present.

English teachers often use a strategy to deepen original ideas and make them more meaningful and creative. Imagine being asked to take a walk and note what you see in short notes and drawings. Once the short journey is complete, you return and list three of the most important things you saw in a very special way.

The teacher asks you take one of the ideas and write about how the idea made you feel, how it touched you personally, and how it connected to something in your past. You are given three minutes to pen your ideas. Once the time is up, the teacher asks you to highlight the three ideas and select one that makes the greatest connection to you. Once again you write and highlight three important ideas and select one to repeat the process again.

What comes next often shocks students. The teacher asks for you to take all of the drafts and ideas and crumble them before throwing in the trash can. The moral of the story is that creativity is not on the paper, but in your mind.