Hello! My name is Teija and this is my very first blog post! It's quite exciting, except I really don't know where to begin. Let me start off with some of my thoughts on education and what I have learned in my EDUC 4P27 course so far.
First of all, I strongly believe that education is a life-long journey. Education is never fully discovered and never fully learnt. We continue to teach ourselves new things everyday and the setting doesn’t always take place in a classroom. Michelangelo at the age of 88 famously said, “I am still learning.” I believe he understood the importance of continuing to educate ourselves, no matter our age. As well, John Dewey was a firm believer in teaching our students so they are prepared for the future.
You may be thinking how did I get into education? Honestly, at the end of high school I still didn’t know what I wanted to do (I was originally on the accounting route). For eight years, I babysat two girls that lived next door to me. I picked them up from the bus stop, brought them home, helped them with their homework, and paid close attention to their progress at school. I would teach them things that did not always have to do with the subject matter they were learning but it did give them experiences that they will remember. It was hard at times because it felt as if I was playing their babysitter, their sister, and sometimes their mother. But the interaction I had with those girls, I will cherish for the rest of my life. I continued to work with children through my church, summer camps, and volunteering at schools. I finally realized that what I wanted to be was something that I always was. And so the new chapter of my life began at Brock University.
That’s what brings me here today, to my EDUC 4P27 course on 21st Century Literacies Across the Curriculum. Throughout the first few classes, we constantly discuss the notion of using the curriculum and teaching to the curriculum. However, what exactly is the definition for curriculum? There have been many definitions stated by various authors explaining that the curriculum is formal and informal, hidden and written, as well as knowledge and skills (Drake, Reid, & Kolohon, 2014). Drake et al. (2014) ended up defining the curriculum through three main points:
· what is to be learned
· how it is to be learned
· how it is to be assessed
All of these points bring together the main qualities of the curriculum that is used by educators in schools. I believe that the curriculum is set in place to teach students the knowledge and skills they need to acquire in order to accomplish the goals they set out for themselves. Our schools are institutions that allow teachers to educate children so that they may become responsible and respectable citizens that are able to advance our society forward.
In our recent class, we discussed multiple literacies that would construct a 21st century learner. These literacies include moral, mental health, environmental, financial, media, multicultural, critical, and more. As we continue to learn about these literacies in our course, I recognize the need and the importance to integrate all of these literacies in the classroom. However, this is no easy feat. Teachers are given the difficult task to teach with the curriculum, assess our students, and educate them on the values of being a 21st century learner.
First of all, I strongly believe that education is a life-long journey. Education is never fully discovered and never fully learnt. We continue to teach ourselves new things everyday and the setting doesn’t always take place in a classroom. Michelangelo at the age of 88 famously said, “I am still learning.” I believe he understood the importance of continuing to educate ourselves, no matter our age. As well, John Dewey was a firm believer in teaching our students so they are prepared for the future.
You may be thinking how did I get into education? Honestly, at the end of high school I still didn’t know what I wanted to do (I was originally on the accounting route). For eight years, I babysat two girls that lived next door to me. I picked them up from the bus stop, brought them home, helped them with their homework, and paid close attention to their progress at school. I would teach them things that did not always have to do with the subject matter they were learning but it did give them experiences that they will remember. It was hard at times because it felt as if I was playing their babysitter, their sister, and sometimes their mother. But the interaction I had with those girls, I will cherish for the rest of my life. I continued to work with children through my church, summer camps, and volunteering at schools. I finally realized that what I wanted to be was something that I always was. And so the new chapter of my life began at Brock University.
That’s what brings me here today, to my EDUC 4P27 course on 21st Century Literacies Across the Curriculum. Throughout the first few classes, we constantly discuss the notion of using the curriculum and teaching to the curriculum. However, what exactly is the definition for curriculum? There have been many definitions stated by various authors explaining that the curriculum is formal and informal, hidden and written, as well as knowledge and skills (Drake, Reid, & Kolohon, 2014). Drake et al. (2014) ended up defining the curriculum through three main points:
· what is to be learned
· how it is to be learned
· how it is to be assessed
All of these points bring together the main qualities of the curriculum that is used by educators in schools. I believe that the curriculum is set in place to teach students the knowledge and skills they need to acquire in order to accomplish the goals they set out for themselves. Our schools are institutions that allow teachers to educate children so that they may become responsible and respectable citizens that are able to advance our society forward.
In our recent class, we discussed multiple literacies that would construct a 21st century learner. These literacies include moral, mental health, environmental, financial, media, multicultural, critical, and more. As we continue to learn about these literacies in our course, I recognize the need and the importance to integrate all of these literacies in the classroom. However, this is no easy feat. Teachers are given the difficult task to teach with the curriculum, assess our students, and educate them on the values of being a 21st century learner.
This video described some of my beliefs on education as well as reaffirming the importance of incorporating 21st century education within our schools.
As I continue with my course, I hope to gain more knowledge on how to apply these literacies in all aspects of classroom learning. As well, I hope to determine the models of curriculum, the approaches to instruction, and the strategies of assessment that will continue to shape my educational philosophy.
Thank you so much for reading my first blog post! There will be more posts coming soon so check back later. Feel free to leave a comment, I would love to know what you think!
As I continue with my course, I hope to gain more knowledge on how to apply these literacies in all aspects of classroom learning. As well, I hope to determine the models of curriculum, the approaches to instruction, and the strategies of assessment that will continue to shape my educational philosophy.
Thank you so much for reading my first blog post! There will be more posts coming soon so check back later. Feel free to leave a comment, I would love to know what you think!