Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Chapter 4: Always Be Real (Not Just Relevant)

Discuss the guiding questions from the chapter:

  1. What is the difference between real and relevant?
  2. How can I always be real?
  3. How can I teach for the future?

27 comments:

Aocean Clarke said...

What is the difference between relevant and real?
Relevant means students can relate something you are teaching or discussing to something they know or have experienced in their life. They can relate their classwork or what they are learning to something in the present day. Real is a connection by students at every moment between what they are learning and their ability to use that learning to do something useful in the world. With real students can experience immediate connections. For example if a teacher is doing a unit on space, students can find astronauts on twitter and Facebook to engage in conversation about life in space. Or if students are studying china they can Skype and chat with students from china.

How can I always be real?
By helping my students connect to the real world through lessons. The connections should most importantly be from the world of the students and what they are passionate about. These connections should encourage students to change and improve their world. Also students should have access to use real world tools and technology. For example students should be allowed to access wikis and blogs online where they can post their thoughts, opinions and even leave messages on different topics.

How can I teach for the future?
Have students think about what problems or issues they will face in the future and how they can conquer them. Reading and discussing appropriate science fiction stories, to give students an idea of the problems or changes they will encounter. Helping students to connect with their passion so they know what they want to do after they graduate in the near future. Constantly evolving lessons to represent what’s current in today’s world and how my students can connect to it. Having students engage in internships and other external activities.

estarr said...

Relevant is teaching material to your students that they understand and can relate it to something in their own life. For example, if you are teaching your students about the weather and it is fall, have your students go out and collect leaves for show and tell. Real is the ability to take what they learn no put it towards something useful in the world. Tis connection can be immediate.
I should be real because it will help my students connect and mAke sense of the information being taught to them. The students need to understand it, and have a passion for it. Technology is a good example of this because it is used by everyone and the young generations are so passionate for it.
I can teach for the future because that's life. Part of growing up is learning and understanding how to function without your parents help, so as an educator it is my job to help my students be successful in the future. Group work will help my students in the future for social reasons and how to work with one another. When dealing with math, try to relate it to money since that is used on a daily basis and children are interested in it.

Unknown said...

1. What is the difference between relevant and real?
Relevant is being able to relate a topic to something the students know already. For example the students know that ladders are used to reach high places like the top of a house. That is something that is relevant to the students, but it isnt real. Real is not only relevant to the students, but they have immediate use for the material being taught to them. For example a student that likes baseball can look up statistics on players or teams, then predict the future using those statistics (like will this player hit the ball against this pitcher, or looking at winning and losing patterns of certain teams.)

2. How can i be real?
For an accounting class i can teach the students about investments, then have them as a class decide in one company's stocks and i can either personally invest some money in the stocks, or if the school would fund it that would be even better. I can make geometry real by looking into the structure of houses, bridges, and buildings. I can then go into the pressure at certain points for each of the structures and which shapes spreads pressure better than others. For the most part it is a good idea to look into what is going on locally around us and then look at what math is involved because there is almost always some math involved, then have the students do it themselves.

3. How can i teach for the future?
I feel the best way to teach my students so that they are prepared for the future, is to prepare them for the unpredictable. The way to do that is to teach them how to utilize all the resources that are available to them, think of resources that arent available, and then how to obtain those resources. As a teacher i can be a resource, but i must be a limited one that guides them towards other types of resources other than myself.

Mary Owens said...

What is the difference between real and relevant?
If your teaching is relevant, it means that the students can relate to it. For example, if you’re teaching about histograms, you might show the students a histogram of the top grossing movies of the current year. The students have probably seen some of the movies in your graph, so they can see how the graph relates to their life. In a way, it makes the students “buy” what you’re teaching. It gives your lesson validity.

If your teaching is real, the students don’t need to “buy” it because they are part of it. Instead of the movie histogram, you might ask the students to collect their own data in order to make a histogram. The students become connected to the material because they are using it to create.

How can I always be real?
I’m going to be honest - I have a hard time with this. People say you can be “real” when you’re teaching anything, but when you’ve got a certain curriculum to follow and only so much time to cover all the topics, it’s a stressful and time-consuming task to take-on. Certain topics in math definitely lend themselves well to creating a real lesson that the students really enjoy and care about. If you’re teaching statistics and not using real data, shame on you. If you’re teaching probability and you’re not using real life games or situations, why aren’t you? If you’re teaching transformations and you don’t talk about MC Escher or art, you’re depriving the students of something great. It’s the other, more tedious topics I’m talking about: factoring, algebraic fractions, orders of operations, combining like terms, etc. When students ask why we’re learning this or am I ever going to use this, I have a hard time answering them. Can I always be real when I have NY State breathing down my neck telling me what needs to be taught? I don’t know. I intend to try and I’ll continue spending time and energy on looking for new, real ways to teach what I’m told to teach.

How can I teach for the future?
It’s very important that teachers realize that their job does not begin and end with their content area. We are not teaching a class, we are teaching individuals. In addition to teaching algebra, I’m influencing their lives outside my classroom and I’m preparing them for their near and distant futures. Because partnering encourages students to be their own thinkers, to create, analyze, and discover, they can apply these skills everywhere.

Anonymous said...

What is the difference between real and relevant?

Relevant means you are teaching something students can relate to in their life. They can understand why you are teaching it but it is not something tangible. Real means it is something you are teaching that students are creating themselves about a particular topic. The students are actually apart and engaged in the topic being discussed. They are actually taking what they are learning and applying it to their world.

How can I always be real?
I never thought about this until I read this chapter. I am only a teaching assistant right now in kindergarten but with the overwhelming curriculum I haven't seen the teacher teaching real material. I think it definitely needs to be incorporated in the classroom especially with the young ones. I think we need to incorporate topics they are interested in into their learning such as video games or their toys. I think I need to do more research on examples on how to always be real and practice it.

How can I teach for the future?
I think teaching for the future is helping students learn how to utilize all the resources available to them and how to actively find these resources. Encouraging the students to think critically and research will help them in any part of their lives. Also, incorporating peer teaching helps students work together in the class but also in the real world. Allowing the students to become independent in their learning will help them become active participants in the direction of their futures.

Matthew Kennedy said...

What is the difference between relevant and real?
Relevancy in the classroom deals with material that the students can relate to from previous knowledge that you might be teaching about or something you say in the classroom. You might reference a recent films or television that could be related to the topic of the class. I know that I tend to use newspaper articles over the textbook in my economics class when it comes to teaching about recession, credit, and other topics. Real, however, means there is a perceived connection by the students, on a consistent basis, between what is being learned and the ability to actually used this learning to do something in the world. Today, immediate connections are so important to students because they do not want to wait to apply what they learn. They want it to make a difference immediately.

How can I always be real?
To make my classrooms real in the future, I would need to make the partnering classroom go well beyond what is happening in the private world of students but about improving the world as a whole. Through partnering and these real world connections students use real-world tools to access and analyze all the public information on the internet to solicit change. Seeing how I wanted to teach Social Studies, I thought it was interesting to see some of the tips from Prensky on how to make social studies real. Virtual tours of historical sites, war simulations, restoration of historical sites, and using webcams to connect and improve lives of others.

How can I teach for the future?
With partnering the teacher must always be thinking about the world that students will be going out into to and preparing them for that world which they will have to fit in. Instead of waiting for students to find themselves in college, students in our classrooms need to able to explore their passions or find their passion, so they will know what to do during and after college. I need to realize that the world will be drastically changed because in previous years teachers assumed the world that students would be inherit would be similar to their own, but things have drastically changed in only a few years. Technologically there has been an explosion and students need to be prepared for the world outside the class, not just thinking about exam questions.

Huberte Desmar said...

As explained in the chapter, “relevant” means when an individual can take what he or she finds interesting to learn in the classroom because they can apply what they learn to a personal experience. Teaching with relevancy means that teachers provide information to students that they feel students will respond well to because the information is necessary for students to learn when exploring outside of the classroom setting.

“Real” means that teachers provide information to students that will enable students to experiment and discover on their own that the information taught has significant meaning. When I think of real teaching, I think of teachers teaching facts to the students about a specific subject (an artist’s work) and discover on their own that the paintings discussed in class were accurately depicted after visiting a famous museum.

I believe that teachers should teach information that is both relevant and real to students. Students connect to information that they find important and can apply to in real life. Teachers need to learn how to teach their lessons in a way that students find it necessary to understand and learn about.

kimberlycartmell said...

Relevant means referencing or making connections with contemporary ideas or media information in a lesson. My subject area is English so I may teach my students about rhetoric and ask them to debate a current topic or court case in order to be able to apply their knowledge to what they hear on the news and through other media sources. I could ask them to identify appeals and persuasive elements in the television commercials they see everyday.

Real means encouraging students to incorporate their passions into what we are working on in class. Also, making connections between what we are learning and its real-world application. Students can contribute to a class blog or wiki and utilize it as a forum for debate and discussion. Students can also create their resumes while considering what they would like to pursue in the future and how that determines what verbs they should use and what skills they should highlight in their resume. Prensky also notes that students should be encouraged to read publications dealing with their passions and contribute or communicate with the editor in order to learn more about their field of interest.

As an educator, I can be real by always considering the true pedagogical value of the assignments, questions, and projects I create for my students: Can my students apply the skills learned or knowledge developed to their world? How will my students benefit from this activity? What do I hope they will learn and take away from this experience? I believe that self-reflection is necessary in order to be real. Often teachers assign busy-work or simple exercises in order to move the students through the curriculum at a faster rate, but this is not valuable, meaningful, or beneficial to students. Simple, mindless assignments that pose no challenge are tedious and not memorable. In order to teach for the future, we must ask our students to reflect on the future, continue to challenge themselves and think critically about current issues and theories.

Amanda said...

Although relevance to student's lives, the community, and the world is important in education, lessons, and material, to take it one step further educators need to make learning real. The difference between relevant and real education is the ability to apply their learning and execute change outside the class. Yes you can make connections in the classroom between Night and the oppression in other areas such as Uganda or Darfur through literature and activities, but to make it real for the students, the students must actively participate in creating a social change from applying what they learned in the classroom to make that change. To make education more real for the students, is, surprise, learning in a partnering class. Students can research, ask questions, provide feedback on blogs, share information and discoveries with each other, and follow their passions all in and outside the classroom regarding one or multiple topics and issues. The teacher encourages this behavior, guiding them through the process and allowing paths to emerge and diverge as the unit develops.
To make English real, I definitely do not agree with the books idea of scanning literature. I understand keeping up with technology is important and more and more resources are available online, but perhaps this is my limitation with this class and as a future english teacher. I want my kids to get lost in a book. Skip ahead and read the end when they are nervous something wont work out, easily flip back when they think they missed something or have forgotten a characters name, get immersed in the pages and the characters breathing in the faint smell of sawdust. Books are books. I do like the idea of students writing blogs online and having their work critiqued as wells as creating documents they can use for the future, but I still want them to journal privately about intimate feelings they aren't comfortable sharing that lead them to learn more about themselves from such collaborative activities of learning about each other.
One idea of how I would apply this and teach in the future are debates. After learning how arguments are formulated and presented, how to find accurate and reliable statistics, sources, and information.. as well as public speaking activities, they can apply this knowledge in a real-time debate with their class mates grouped by interest/passion and then given the side they don't actually agree with on one subject, and then another time the side they agree on for another. I think this would be more dynamic than learning pros and cons because students would be learning from each other about real issues in the world that they care about or may begin to care about. To succeed in their debates, students will have had to learn all areas of argumentative writing and public speaking, and these debates can be done throughout the semester as side activities to constantly draw upon their previous knowledge, while tailoring the subjects of debates with the curriculum.

Amanda said...

(woops.)

Students can then take the information from the class and whether it is regarding animal rights, political issues, editing Mark Twain.. get together in groups and participate in either letter writing campaigns, rallys, petitions, visiting rescue shelters, interviewing survivors of a natural disaster, etc.
Before this chapter I saw real and relevant as synonyms, but real goes much deeper than simply make connections, it involves making change.

AngelaM said...

1) What is the difference between real and relevant?
a. Relevant means that students can relate to the material to something that is familiar to them. Real means that the student has a direct connection to the material because it related to their lives directly.

2) How can I always be real?
a. In order to always be real, a teacher must make everything they are teaching come from the students’ world. By knowing the students passions, this can be made easier, but even if it doesn’t relate to their world right now, you can also relate to their world in the future. Teach them things that will help them create a better future for themselves.

3) How can I teach for the future?
a. You can teach for the future by having students constantly questioning what things will be like in the future what kinds of problems may arise for them. And you as the teacher should be always thinking about what kinds of things your students will be facing in the future and help prepare them for those things.

1Superwoman said...

When things are relevant, kids can relate to them and have an understanding as to what is being said or taught- they recognize the topic and have some information on it. Real means making the connection between what they are learning and their ability to use it in the world. Kids are making a real connection with the outside world through the use of technology- by using Twitter, blogging, Facebook, and online games, etc. Relevant makes a general connection and real makes a direct, immediate connection.
I can always be real, by designing my lessons using things that are presently going on in their world, and what they are interested in. I can continue to challenge my students with guiding questions and higher order thinking questions using Blooms taxonomy and allow the time for them to use digital technology to complete assignments. Making the connections with past and present situations (using technology as a resources) will prepare the students for the challenging future. Reminding students that the world is constantly changing and asking them what changes they would make for a better world – keeps them constantly thinking.

Karen R said...

What is the difference between real and relevant?

To be "relevant" as a teacher means that you incorporate content and/or materials into your lessons that students can relate to or that is popular among your students. This is a way to engage their interests in a lesson. For example, an English teacher may have her students read The Hunger Games or Twilight because they are current and motivating for students. I would say that when a teacher is "real" she always has an answer to the question that teachers always hear. That question is "Why do I need to learn this?" Real means that students make personal connections to what they are learning and use it to benefit their life outside the classroom.

How can I always be real?

I can be real by always connecting lessons to students' real lives. For instance, I would choose books that contain situations that my students may encounter in their lives and have them journal or discuss what they would do in that situation. Also, I may have students read newspaper or magazines articles and come up with their own solutions to the problems they read about. Also, teachers should utilize technology , since this is the way that most students communicate. Blogs, wikis, or social networking sites are great ways for students to collaborate and voice their opinions and feelings on certain topics.

How can I teach for the future?

I think the first thing a teacher needs to do in order to teach for the future is get to know her students. She needs to be aware of their interests, passions and backgrounds. Once she knows that, then she can create lessons that will benefit them long after they leave the classroom.

Christine Berg said...

What is the difference between real and relevant?

“Being relevant” refers to one’s understanding of pop culture, or what is “trending.” Examining current articles or using a popular tv show to help illustrate an educational point demonstrates relevance. However, “bring real” refers to the perceived connection between the student and material. Realness creates meaningful learning as students apply that learning to the world around them.

How can I always be real? How can I teach for the future?

I can always be real by allowing students to make as many immediate connections with their own experiences as possible. It is through these connections that they will become knowledgeable and suitable for the real world around them. For example, I could choose reading material that discusses companies, websites, and local issues that impact them on a daily bases. Students could also request (or require) students relate the content to their interests. Still further, I can help students make the connections through guided questioning (ie: “how is Pearl Harbor like 9/11 and how can we stop it from happening again?”)

ali.incarnato said...

What is the difference between real and relevant?

If you are teaching information that is relevant, it means that you are teaching information that the students in your class can relate to. The students are albe to make the connection to why you are teaching them this lesson. If you are teaching information that is real, it means that you are teaching information that the students are able to make a direct connection with because they are creating it or able to use it directly in their lives.

How can i always be real?

As a teacher I can always be real by creating lessons that allow students to make instant connects to their own lives and material that they can use within their daily lives as well. For a physical education class the new craze in working out is crossfit, insanity, px90, and other types of work outs like this. I could incorporate them into my class instead of doing the same old units that the students have done for years.

How can I teach for the future?

The best way that I feel I can teach for the future is by staying educated on what is currently happening in my field and where it is headed. But also keeping in mind what my students are interested in and the trend that they like to follow. Bringing in other units is easier in physical education then in a classroom with a set curriculum preparing students for an AP or a state exam. I feel that keeping up changes and making those changes noticable in my class will help me develop better units that engage the students more and give them information and techniques that are real.

Unknown said...

What is the difference between real and relevant?

The difference between real and relevant is a simple concept. It means simply that we as teachers are keeping the content and delivery modes relevant to our student’s interests. If we as teachers are able to do this, I feel we will be able to reach our students on a deeper level. If we keep our teaching relevant we the students will not only see “the point” in learning the content but have fun while doing it!

How can I always be real?

It is extremely important as a teacher to always be real. To accomplish this, a teacher has to try to make his or her lessons and units as relevant to the students as possible. We have to strive to incorporate aspects of our students lives to keep them motivates and interested. As a physical education teacher this past year I did a Video Games Active Unit. I was able to bring in my Wii and Xbox Kinnect and share them with my students grades Pre-K thru 8th. That day, I set u a few stations, some utilizing the systems and some not. The students were able to move around the stations with their small groups and participate in physical activities. It was great to see all my students enjoying themselves!

How can I teach for the future?

I can teach for the future by always remembering the as a teacher I am a lifelong learner. I have to stay up to date on what is relevant to my students and their interests. I can do this by attending conferences, staying abreast of new developments in my field and of course by taking an interest in my students likes and dislikes. As we know CHOICE is very important. Allowing our students to have a choice in what they are learning and how they relate that information to one another is key to success.

Unknown said...

*What is the difference between real and relevant?*
Relevant means that students can relate to the material that the teacher is teaching. It can also be applied to what the teacher says or perhaps making a reference to what they know about. Real means that there is a connection made between what the students are learning and their capability of using what they learned to use in the "real world".

*How can I always be real?*
I believe that a teacher can be "real" by making lessons around the world of the students. This also considers their passions as well. Also, the teacher can make it "real" to the students by changing and enhancing the lives of the students. All subjects can be real- it just takes a different kind of planning on the teacher's end.

*How can I teach for the future?*
The teacher must always consider the world that the children will be going into in the future-which is rapidly changing. A teacher needs to prepare their students for this. Teachers also need to not live in the past and realize that the world in which we live in now is constantly evolving and becoming much more fast paced. Partnering allows you to take all of this into consideration and not only prepares them for school that they are in now-but allows students to find their passions so that they are prepared for their future as well.

Larissa said...

- What is the difference between real and relevant? -

Relevant is being able to relate the lesson to something student's already know or have experienced, or to something that is current events. Real is taking what they already know, what is relevant to them, and applying it to their real life.

- How can I always be real?

This is a tough one. I can hope to stay "real" as a teacher by implementing lessons that my students can apply to real life, and by giving them the opportunity to use real life tools. This probably won't be easy with a curriculum to follow, however with the ideas and helpful tools Prensky states in his book, I am up to the challenge. My main objective when teaching my future students would be to ask myself, "how can this lesson be applied to my student's real life?"


- How can I teach for the future?

I can teach for the future by helping, and encouraging my students to find their passions, and keeping in mind the world my students will be going into. By staying educated in my profession, and keeping up to date with today's fast developing world and current events, I can incorporate what I learn into my lessons.

Unknown said...

1. Relevant means that students can relate to what you are teaching or to something they know. This can be something the students read in a book, saw on TV, etc. They can understand what is being presented to them because of their previous knowledge but it is not tangible. It can be like taking a reading from a current newspaper instead of an old textbook. The passage is relevant because it is current, but it does not mean the students have a personal connection. If you use something students are familiar with, such as teaching statistics and you use statistics used during the recent presidential recent debates, students will understand the material because they would know about the election.

I think real has better implications. Learning that is real means students can take what they have learned and apply it to something in their life right away. Real means students have a connection between what they are learning and their ability to use that to do something useful in the world. They can take something they learned in class and take action right away rather than wait until they graduate to use their knowledge. For example, after a class discussion a student can blog online about their opinion and reach a world-wide audience. Real world connections can make a large impact because students can apply something to their own interests and life. They can also be more engaged in the lesson because they are interested in the topic and will use their knowledge right away. I also think real means that students have created a personal connection with the content.

2.Instead of just teaching something to prepare students for tests or follow the curriculum, I can be real by teaching to student’s passions and interests. I think it is important to stay current and be able to relate your lessons to what the students follow. By relating the material to something useful, it will make students remember what was taught. For example, I can know that the recent hurricane devastated many areas of long island, but if I wanted to make it more real, I could encourage the class to go out and make a difference by volunteering and helping. The teacher can also make sure they are relating to the student’s world and encourage them to improve their world. I like the book’s suggestion with regards to social studies, in that students can use technology to take virtual tours of historical sites or form a committee to preserve something in their town. I think this makes learning real because it makes it more tangible and puts everything right out in front of you, rather than just memorizing facts in a textbook or looking at an old photograph. The real application can captivate students and make them apply the history they learned. I also enjoyed reading how a teacher has endless possibilities when it comes to making each subject “real.” I think it means that teachers must be open to teaching their students a variety of ways to take what you have taught them and apply it in society.

3.To teach for the future I can teach students to keep an open mind and think about improving our world. It is important to encourage students to use the knowledge you helped impart and make a difference. The teacher must remember that students need to be prepared to use their knowledge on their own in the world. By realizing that the future may be a different world, partnering allows the teacher and students to prepare and help. Rather than just knowing facts for a test, students will be better able to use the knowledge they have gained and apply it with their passions. As a future teacher, I think it is important to make assignments meaningful with have a purpose, rather than act as busy work. A meaningful assignment can be applied to real life and impact a student. I can remember certain projects I created back in middle school that I enjoyed doing. Students should be challenged and encouraged to think critically while constantly questioning the future.

Unknown said...


Chap 4
After reading this chapter I surmised that: Relevant is the job and real is the paycheck.
1. What is the difference between real and relevant?
Teaching a relevant lesson is a concept of understanding. It encompasses a method of introduction and even expounding on what the students may already know. I decided to refer to relevant lessons as a one or perhaps two dimensional way of teaching. For example, an apple is a fruit. Apples grow on trees. Fruit is good for you. I am certain that a real lesson is a multifaceted or multidimensional pedagogy. Real teaching raises question and makes each student think. Where are apples grown? What season is the best for the harvest? Are there different kinds of apples? What is the benefit of eating an apple? If apples are a healthy source of nutrition, how do they benefit me? These are real questions that apply to the individual students. The students will embark on strategies to research this information. They may get different perspectives on apples. What does a company like Monsanto say about apples? What does Stonyfield Farm say about apples? The two companies will have two vastly different viewpoints. The process of critical thinking will place. The students will raise real questions that affect themselves. Are the apples that “I” buy in the supermarket truly healthy? Should “I” buy them? Should “I” eat them? How does this affect “ME”? An immediate question is made between the lesson and the student. This is a real lesson.
2. How can I always be real?
I can always be real with my students by knowing who they are and what drives them. I will most necessarily have to delve into what peaks their interest and keep them engaged. It will be my duty as an educator to discover what makes them passionate. Moreover I will need to orchestrate a way to present the required curriculum in an investigative and attention-grabbing way. The lessons must always apply to the student. There must be a connection and a direct association with what is being taught and how is valid to each individual student. I will bring to light a way connect the lesson to the student. Real is the an essential part of the teaching.

3. How can I teach for the future?
I can teach for the future by allowing the class to reach beyond the textbook and explore beyond the walls of the classroom. My students will discover new ideas and ascertain fascinating conclusions using the latest technology. My main goal is to build self teachers. An educator’s sole purpose is to encourage the students to be thinkers that can compete in today’s world. I’m determined create fervor for knowing. Moreover my learning process will never stop. I will have to learn and re-learn. This will enable me to be the best guide and coach for my class. This will bring forth more then understanding it will bring about real accomplishment. I believe the lesson is the door, technology is the key and I am the doorman who will encourage my students to walk boldly cross the threshold.



Unknown said...

1. What is the difference between real and relevant?
Relevant means that the teacher ties the information from the class to something that the students can relate to. The teacher forms a connection between the class material and something that is familiar to the students. However, relevant connections can only go so far. These connections can only help students understand the material by relating it to something they can identify with but these connections can show students how the information can be used in the real world. Real connections, on the other hand, connect the information to a real-life issue and show students how it can be used in the world directly. Real connections should be used in the classroom during every lesson. Teachers who use real connections teach students about how the real world relates to the material from the curriculum. In real teaching, students use real world tools to find and research information from the real world that relates to the material of the curriculum.

2. How can I always be real?
As a teacher, being real all the time can seem like a very difficult job. However, with the use of today’s technology, other colleagues, and the students themselves, the task is not as tough as it seems. Real teaching allows students to grasp a deeper understanding of the material and be able to directly apply it to their lives and the world. Real teaching focuses more on how the issues in the world relate to the curriculum than how the curriculum relates to the real world. One way to always be real is to always have the world and the students’ passions in mind when planning lessons. Real teaching is a way for students to connect with the world, receive information from people all over the globe, and share their own ideas. Focusing on the world rather than just what an old textbook has to say better prepares students for the world and their future, and keeps their interest. In order to always be real, teachers need to constantly keep up-to-date on the world issues and the ever-changing culture of the world. Teachers need to be able to use technology and the opinions of their students to relate all lessons and materials to the world. Teachers also need to consistently think of ways to prepare students for the future and how the world will be changed by then.

3. How can I teach for the future?
Teaching for the future is a major aspect in partnering and real teaching. The future that students think about today will be drastically changed by the time they reach that so-called future. It is important to teach students that the future is rapidly changing and they must be able to keep up with the times. In order to teach for the future, a teacher must have their students master the verb skills so when the nouns change in the future they can still successfully carry out the verb skills. It is important to teach students to adapt to change, yet still change the world.

Unknown said...

Chapter 4

1. What is the difference between real and relevant?
Relevant is when a student is able to take what is being taught in class and relate it to something they have experienced in their own life. Real is relevant material but that can be used immediately. An example from the text that I found most useful to understand the difference include this:
“Let‘s talk about how technology changed the Iranian election” -Relevant

“Let‘s look at the Tweet stream from Iran and send our own tweets over there.” –Real

This examples demonstrates how real and relevant can be used in the classroom. The relevant example is used when a teacher is lecturing the classroom on the technological advancements in Iran. The real version of this lesson is allowing the students to use their resources and skill on the computer through twitter to communicate with people from Iran about technological advancements. This way is more engaging and the students will learn more from the hands on experience.
2. How can I always be real?
It is found that real is much more useful in the classroom. It provides a stable base for what the student is learning. In order to be real in the classroom, the teacher should base their lessons on things from the students’ world. Like the example from the book, the teacher allowed the students to create twitter accounts and discuss issues overseas instead of simply lecturing and telling the students about the technological advancements in Iran. By being real, the teacher give the students the chance to make connections instantly with their lives and what is going on around them.
3. How can I teach for the future?
We are aware that this world is rapidly changing generation to generation. The generation of our parents, are currently still learning how to manipulate an Ipad, MP3 player, or smart phone device while our generation it almost seems to be in our wiring to understand these technologies. Teachers want to be conscience of this rapidly growing society and preparing to teach for our future so that when the children we teach are older they are prepared for the demands of their generation. Teachers need to also take advantage of the technology given to them today. If a smart board is place into the classroom, it needs to be used with the students, some older teachers have a hard time transiting to the technology.

Latesha said...

Being real refers to students being able to utilize their skills to be able to have an effect on something that is in reach. Relevant means that you are referencing a source to help support something. Being real is not hard. In fact, students appreciate it more. Keeping an open mind in my classroom and allowing for my student’s to be heard will help me with being real. I can teach for the future by making sure that I stay current with what’s going on in the world and to create partnering to ensure connections that are more meaningful to my students.

Mrs.S. blog said...

What is the difference between real and relevant?
Real means that students can make a connection between what they are learning and their ability to use that learning to do something useful in their life. Relevant means that students relate what teachers are teaching to something they know.
How can I always be real?
I can be real by learning from my student’s passions and research them to apply it in my lessons. Knowing what they like and using that information in the classroom will keep students engage and will use that learning in their life. To always be real I have to constantly be updated on my student’s new passions.
How can I teach for the future?
I think teaching for the future is encouraging students think critically and to find and use their resources to meet their needs. I will have class discussion on topics that are affecting or will affect the world. I will prepare students for the real world, after school, and will help them find their passion and encourage them to be themselves.

Unknown said...

Relevant relates to how current somethings is. As for real, its something that is fixed or factual. Therefore, whats relevant to students is something that they can relate to or be part of such as our recent presidential race. As for real,it is something they know through learning or its existence.
A teacher can be real with their students by teaching. However, the teacher must make it relevant for the students to understand.
You can teach the future by relating them to what they are being. So, they not only are well informed but are also build with skills to prepare for the future. For example, don't teach them how to add and subtract but also teach them how to budget and pay bills.

Oskeete said...

1. What is the difference between real and relevant?

Real means that there is an apparent correlation by the students, at every moment, between what they are learning and their ability to use that learning to do something useful in the world. In contrast, relevant means that kids can relate something you are teaching, or something you say, to something they know.

How can I always be real?

As the chapter suggests, I can always be real by making teaching come directly from the world of the students, either their world of today or their world of tomorrow and by making learning not just about students’ world, but about changing and improving their world.

How can I teach for the future?

As a lifelong learner I will continue to research new teaching techniques, learn from my colleagues and continue to become a better educator. As a teacher, one of my goals is to instill the love of learning in my students by using all possible resources and new technology. I would teach them how to utilize all the resources that are available to them, think of resources that might not be available, and a way to find those resources.

Unknown said...

1. When students learn things that are relevant to them, it simply means that they can relate what they are learning to something that they are already familiar with. When student s are learning something that is real, they are acutely aware of a connection between what they are learning, and how they can apply that information to their world in a manner that is useful. Engaging in real learning is more about applying what you have learned to real-life situations, as opposed to relating what you have learned to your previous knowledge.

2. My students can always engage in “real” learning if I allow them to be active participants in what they are learning, and by teaching the material in a way where it has immediate usefulness in their lives. If I ask the students to apply what they are learning to their worlds, this is teaching on a real level. I would strive to make sure that I teach in a way where the students are immersed in what they are learning; make learning an actual experience. Technology is a fantastic tool for “real” learning, as it allows students to interact with the world in endless ways. Additionally, it allows students to gather information from a variety of current sources from all over the world, as opposed to gathering information from a textbook written by just one or a few authors. They become part of what they are learning, instead of simply being told or reading about second-hand information in a book.

3. I can teach for the future by asking my students questions that will allow them to think about both the near and far-off future. My students will be asked to think about the implications of current issues on the future, what issues may arise in the future, and the effect that advancements in fields like science, technology and medicine will have on the future world and its people. I think that this not only helps students to think critically and sharpen problem-solving skills in terms of the real world they will be living in, but by asking students to examine such topics, I can also help to create people with a social conscience.