What does it take to be a teacher in the 21st century?

21st century teachers have to adapt to change quite quickly. In our world today we are being controlled by technology but luckily we have found a way to put it to good use. Today we have found many ways to implement technology in our classrooms and lessons. Now many people may disagree with this "new way" of learning saying students don't get all the information they need. Let us stop for a minute and think about it this way... You are a teacher with 20 students how are you going to answer all 20 questions thrown your way? Especially if students don't seem to understand no matter how hard you try to explain. With this new technology implementation students now have the freedom to look for answers themselves. They can now have resources which were not available before right at their fingertips. This way they can truly try to understand what it is they need help understanding. This way the teacher isn't the only source of information or knowledge. Since we are all so reliant on technology incorporating it into our education is a great way to get students motivated. They already use this stuff on a daily basis so using it to learn is a great way for them to do something they are use to doing. Teachers in today's world have to get to know their students. You see everyone learns differently some may be a more hands on learner while others may be auditory learners. Teachers have to know how to make a lesson to where every student can understand the material. We also have to understand students are effected by many factors not just their learning styles. An example would be world wide changes like climate change or social issues. You see students are now socially connected with each other all around the world. Using technology to connect with people around the world gives students a chance to learn new things about different cultures and beliefs. Another great thing that is being implemented is getting real life experience in a career students may want to do. Now you can be an inter at a school,office,or anything you want. This world and our educational system is changing rapidly. Being a 21st century teacher may be hard to adjust to at first but that does not mean it can't be done. We are adjusting our world and learning styles to become the best they can be.

 A great video to watch on 21st century education.
A great article to read about 21st century teachers

What do teachers make?

This week I watched the video What Do Teachers Make. It inspired me to think about this question more profoundly. I remember telling my parents that I wanted to be a teacher someday and I can never forget the look on their faces. My father told me "so all this education so you can waste your time being a teacher." My mother exclaimed "sweetheart you aren't going to school for so long to get a low paying job." Honestly it hurt that all they could think about was how much I would make and not about how happy it would make me. I told them being a teacher is not about money. It's about changing the world even if it's someone's world that you change. Being a teacher is about the passion you have for teaching. let's think about what being rich means? Being rich can be either money wise or knowledge wise. Teachers are rich just not the type of rich society thinks of. I mean think about it without teachers there would be no other professions. So when you put down teaching just remember that teaching got you to where you are now. I want to teach because I have a passion for teaching. I want to see my children go out into the world and do something that makes it better. I want to teach because to me being a teacher is the most powerful position you can have. I want to be a teacher because that is the type of rich I want to be. So to my parents I am not sorry if me being a teacher disappoints you. It is what will make me happy and to be honest nothing else matters besides my happiness. If you need any more reason to think teaching has a huge impact watch this video.

Here's where I find the treasure in teaching.

Like a great man once said "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all" - Aristotle. When we think of teaching we think everything we learn goes to our mind, believe it or not some stuff goes to our heart. Also teachers for example, some teachers I know teach from their hearts not just because it's their jobs. Teaching should be something you do because you love to change the world. One of my favorite teaching websites would have to be this one.
http://interactivesites.weebly.com

My hopes for TAFE competition

                     For my E.A.T. class we have decided to compete in TAFE. For those of you who don't know what TAFE stands for it means Texas Association of Future Educators. We get to compete against other "chapters" in a variety of events. I have made a small list of what I want to compete in. 

                     The first one is a scrapbook of our chapters history. What this means is a scrapbook of what our chapter did the year before. We are allowed to have a group of no more than 4 people doing scrapbook. The next one I would like to do would be children's literature. You would be making a children's book for Pre-k audience. There is a limit of 24 pages just the front or 12 pages front and back. The total people that can do the children's book are 2. Finally the last event I would like to compete in is teacher created materials. You would be making a material you can use in your classroom to help you teach. This event only allows 2 people to compete together and does qualify you to go to state. I have decided to do the scrapbook event with 2 of my very close friends. We will start first by finding pictures of what our chapter did last year. For example last year we did a book drive then donated them to a clinic that had none. We will work hard on our scrapbook after class or any spare time we may have. We hope this will take us about a month or so to complete. To be successful we will need to be focused and do our best on this scrapbook. We will need encouragement and a lot of practice on what we are going to say. I hope we do great so I can inform you all that our hard work payed off. 

Find your marigold: the one essential rule for new teachers

This week I read "Find Your Marigold" and in all honesty I liked this article. This is the link to the article
The author made me realize if you want to ever succed you need positivity around you. We call these positive people marigolds they help us through it all. Marigold are what gardeners plant as companions to help other plants grow better. A marigold is a symbol for those teachers that you want to "plant yourself" close to so you can grow. For these new teachers they should be looking around for these marigolds well whatever job you have you should be looking for them. Let's remember though that where there is marigolds the positivity there will be walnut trees the negativity.  On this topic there may be people who aren't all marigold or walnut trees so just stick close to those that make you happy and want to see you thrive. The most important lesson this article has taught me is that as long as you surround yourself with positivity you are sure to thrive and be the best you can be. So beware of the walnut trees my friends and let's all try to be the marigolds we wish for!
 I do recommend to anyone having a hard time to read this article it really does give great advice and motivates you to be the best you can ever be.

Welcome to my blog

Hello welcome to growing with Jacky.
 I am currently going on to my second year of being an education and training intern. Last year I assisted a first grade teacher a few days a week. On this blog I will be sharing any teaching strategies, teaching advice or really anything to do with teaching. I hope to find out this year if my true calling is being a teacher. So I would like to thank you for following me on this epic journey. I hope that you enjoy my blogs and grow along with me!