Journal # 9

Waters, John K. "The Kids Are All Right” T.H.E. Journal, 3/29/2009, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23872

In my 364 class we talked about a concept of cultural congruence, where a teacher uses students language or culture in the classroom to understand each other. This article reminds me of that concept. The MacAurthur Foundation did a study on today's children seeing how technology will effect children and their future learning. What they found was that children are learning much differently now because of technology. They put children in three categories ranging from casually being on-line to full on geeks! What the article suggests is that we as educators catch up on the technology and bring what they are doing into the classroom to be more on their level.

1. What is one way to do this?
Something I heard once was to get a myspace page for their class. Almost every teenager has a myspace page, and they are on their 24/7. It would be a good idea to get on their level and do what they do. Getting students the information in a way that they are used to getting information could be a good resource for the classroom.

2. What if the students are doing something you are not familiar with?
Who is a better person to teach you then them? What I would do is break students into groups and have them teach me in a presentation things that are going on on-line that would be helpful for the classroom.