So I presented my SMART Board game in class on Tuesday. It went better than I thought it would. I decided to present games that would help with a lesson on lice. I used "Hair Force One" and "Jail Louse Rock" that can be found at http://www.headlice.org/kids/headgames/index.htm. They were popular with the class and got a lot of laughs. I do think that the games were helpful because they helped with louse identification, nit identification, and what happens if you do not get rid of the nits. However, these little lessons are not explicitly presented within the games so to use them effectively there need to be moments of silence in the classroom that might be difficult to obtain with smaller children.
If I was to teach a lesson on lice to children I would first give the lesson on lice. Show some pictures of what a louse and a nit looked like, and educate them. I would talk about how lice is spread and what they should do if they think they have lice. Then I would quiz them, and the three students that answer correctly and the quickest to come up and play the games on the SMART Board.
I would also teach the same lesson to teachers so that they could be better educated on lice. However, I wouldn't quiz them and pick the three best "students." I would just ask for volunteers.
I don't know what game or activity I would do in the Philippines to supplement this lesson. I think with adults in the Philippines I wouldn't need any because they struggle with lice and would be able to pay better attention than children because they would understand the importance of being lice-free.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Why Education (and educating) is Important to Me...
I think education became important to me when I first experienced and overseas schooling environment (overseas in the third world). It was awful. I was in Guatemala and I realized that the children there had to pay a lot of money for thewir education (even if it was a public one) and they were not being taught as much as they could be (whether it was a private or public education). It saddened me. It made me realize how powerful an education is. Most third world countries lack a proper educational system. Coincidence?
I also realized how important an education was when the kids I nany for would try to eat their food with their hands that the dog had just licked! That is completely unsanitary and disgusting, but they didn't see anything wrong with it. Why? Because they had not received that education yet. No one had told them that doing that could make them extremely sick. Why should it be any different for a grown person in Guatemala or the Philippines? If no one has ever told them what is good hygiene and what is poor hygiene, how can they be expected to know?
Since that revelation, I realized that I could not blame anyone, I could only act. So that is what I will do, I will act upon my convictions. I will become an educator and teach people about their health and their beliefs and their world. They have a right to know.
I also realized how important an education was when the kids I nany for would try to eat their food with their hands that the dog had just licked! That is completely unsanitary and disgusting, but they didn't see anything wrong with it. Why? Because they had not received that education yet. No one had told them that doing that could make them extremely sick. Why should it be any different for a grown person in Guatemala or the Philippines? If no one has ever told them what is good hygiene and what is poor hygiene, how can they be expected to know?
Since that revelation, I realized that I could not blame anyone, I could only act. So that is what I will do, I will act upon my convictions. I will become an educator and teach people about their health and their beliefs and their world. They have a right to know.
Links, links, and more links!
Here are some articles at a school I will attend after Northwest. This is what I desire for myself and my life:
http://godinternational.org/godintl/?p=228
http://godinternational.org/godintl/?p=226
Please read, and enjoy!
http://godinternational.org/godintl/?p=228
http://godinternational.org/godintl/?p=226
Please read, and enjoy!
Technology in the Third World
You know, I really would like to see more technology in the third world. However, I envision a different technology than most others. I also see technology in a different light
Take for instance, the Philippines. I would love to see a new technology in the classrooms there: whiteboards. A whiteboard would be considered a new technology in the Philippines because they are currently using chalkboards. But then I think: What will happen to all the chalk boards? Would having whiteboards create new/more jobs? Would the loss of chalkboards eliminate jobs? Why are whiteboards better?
I do not have all the answers to these questions. But I do think that whiteboards would be a good addition. They are easier to maintain and there would be less dust in the classroom atmosphere. However, an in-depth study would be needed to determine if a whiteboard would truly be better than a chalkboard.
But that's the "Western" way of thinking: a whiteboard is better. Like I said previously, I really do not know if a whiteboard is better than a chalkboard, I just consider it to be a newer technology and therefore I want it. I want to use it because it's available to the world. But if it's not better, if it will cause more harm than anything else, what's the point?
Now, imagine this train of thought for each and every piece of technology that will be/could be introduced to the third world.
No wonder politicians look so tired.
Take for instance, the Philippines. I would love to see a new technology in the classrooms there: whiteboards. A whiteboard would be considered a new technology in the Philippines because they are currently using chalkboards. But then I think: What will happen to all the chalk boards? Would having whiteboards create new/more jobs? Would the loss of chalkboards eliminate jobs? Why are whiteboards better?
I do not have all the answers to these questions. But I do think that whiteboards would be a good addition. They are easier to maintain and there would be less dust in the classroom atmosphere. However, an in-depth study would be needed to determine if a whiteboard would truly be better than a chalkboard.
But that's the "Western" way of thinking: a whiteboard is better. Like I said previously, I really do not know if a whiteboard is better than a chalkboard, I just consider it to be a newer technology and therefore I want it. I want to use it because it's available to the world. But if it's not better, if it will cause more harm than anything else, what's the point?
Now, imagine this train of thought for each and every piece of technology that will be/could be introduced to the third world.
No wonder politicians look so tired.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Nervous Teacher?
So I get really nervous when I have to teach. Or basically when I am in the spotlight with any kind of pressure on me.
The subject that I think I will be most nervouse to teahc overseas will be different religions. I mean, I think it is important for people to be educated on the different beliefs of the world, but what if my witness isn't strong enough or if I, for some reason, paint a religion in a better light that Christianity? It's a lot of pressure, more so than teaching hygiene/health care.
I can only pray that I will be knowledgable enough on the subject(s) to do them, and God, justice. I just want to do what He wants me to do.
The subject that I think I will be most nervouse to teahc overseas will be different religions. I mean, I think it is important for people to be educated on the different beliefs of the world, but what if my witness isn't strong enough or if I, for some reason, paint a religion in a better light that Christianity? It's a lot of pressure, more so than teaching hygiene/health care.
I can only pray that I will be knowledgable enough on the subject(s) to do them, and God, justice. I just want to do what He wants me to do.
SMART Board Reflection
I don't know how I feel about a SMART Board. I mean, they are cool, but what's the big deal? I think that it's just the new and "hip" technology right now, but something will replace it. I guess I don't understand why the SMART Board is supposed to be a better educational tool than anything else. I think what's cool about it, to children, is the sense of wonder it taps in to. That and the fact that the kids can participate in their learning instead of sitting and observing.
I think as a teacher in the third world I will be hard-pressed to get my message out, but the SMART Board has taught me some things, none of which have to do with technology. It has taught me to make sure that my students can interact with me and the lesson that I'm presenting to them and to tap into their sense of wonder, because that will hold their attention.
I think as a teacher in the third world I will be hard-pressed to get my message out, but the SMART Board has taught me some things, none of which have to do with technology. It has taught me to make sure that my students can interact with me and the lesson that I'm presenting to them and to tap into their sense of wonder, because that will hold their attention.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Assignment #2
I just added some new link categories: Philippines, Global Issues, Bible Teaching, Health, and Global Ethics.
As a missionary all of these topics are important an necessary for me. I refer family/friends/supporters in the United States to the "Philippines" link so that they could have an idea of what I would be experiencing living in the Philippines. It would also be a helpful tool for short terms teams that woul plan on coming to the Philippines for a few weeks. They would be able to read about the history of the Philippines as well as the governmental structure of the country. I have the business link there as well because many Filipinos try to make money by having their own business, unfortunately they all have the same business (and usually side-by-side) called sari-sari stores. These stores stock everything from candy to laundry detergent. So I believe that encouraging and helping Filipinos to come up with a business that they will have a corner on will be beneficial to them and their community.
I have a "Global Issues" category that I would use as a resource for myself, my students, and my supporters. It is always important to know what is going on in the world, and having quick links that are easy to access would help that. I would want to empower the kids that I teach in the Philippines with knowledge about everything, including the world. It would be very beneficial and important for them to know about global politics, weather, food shortages, etc. It would also be good for my supporters to have access to these links so that if something major (politically, weather, etc.) happened in the Philippines they would be able to know right away and respond (prayer, help) accordingly.
The "Bible Teaching" category is more for me and my students than it is for people who support me. It contains links that I could reference/use for Bible studies with my kids. It would also provide a link for the kids to do studies on their own, without me present. That would be ideal because it would show that they have a personal drive for God and his word.
"Health" would also be for me and my students, primarily. I think it would be good for my supporters to see what kind of hygiene problems the people in the Philippines face. Most of them contain solutions that we see as obvious, such as washing our hands before we eat after we pet an animal. These links will help me to correctly inform my students about hygiene and health care. It could also be used as a reference for the students if they had a question and I wasn't there to answer it, they could look it up themselves.
Just as I believe that education on global issues is empowering, so do I also believe that education on global ethics is important and empowering. If the students can become more aware of the world around them then they can be prepared to deal with it. They will contain a knowledge that not many of their peers would have, giving them an edge in the job world. Plus, they could then educate their peers and those younger than them so that the need for "importing" foreign teachers would dwindle, again creating more jobs.
I'm excited about these links and the ideas they spark in me about education in the third world and information gathering. The concept makes it easy and stress reduced to keep people updated on my ministry and help those that I'm educating to help themselves.
As a missionary all of these topics are important an necessary for me. I refer family/friends/supporters in the United States to the "Philippines" link so that they could have an idea of what I would be experiencing living in the Philippines. It would also be a helpful tool for short terms teams that woul plan on coming to the Philippines for a few weeks. They would be able to read about the history of the Philippines as well as the governmental structure of the country. I have the business link there as well because many Filipinos try to make money by having their own business, unfortunately they all have the same business (and usually side-by-side) called sari-sari stores. These stores stock everything from candy to laundry detergent. So I believe that encouraging and helping Filipinos to come up with a business that they will have a corner on will be beneficial to them and their community.
I have a "Global Issues" category that I would use as a resource for myself, my students, and my supporters. It is always important to know what is going on in the world, and having quick links that are easy to access would help that. I would want to empower the kids that I teach in the Philippines with knowledge about everything, including the world. It would be very beneficial and important for them to know about global politics, weather, food shortages, etc. It would also be good for my supporters to have access to these links so that if something major (politically, weather, etc.) happened in the Philippines they would be able to know right away and respond (prayer, help) accordingly.
The "Bible Teaching" category is more for me and my students than it is for people who support me. It contains links that I could reference/use for Bible studies with my kids. It would also provide a link for the kids to do studies on their own, without me present. That would be ideal because it would show that they have a personal drive for God and his word.
"Health" would also be for me and my students, primarily. I think it would be good for my supporters to see what kind of hygiene problems the people in the Philippines face. Most of them contain solutions that we see as obvious, such as washing our hands before we eat after we pet an animal. These links will help me to correctly inform my students about hygiene and health care. It could also be used as a reference for the students if they had a question and I wasn't there to answer it, they could look it up themselves.
Just as I believe that education on global issues is empowering, so do I also believe that education on global ethics is important and empowering. If the students can become more aware of the world around them then they can be prepared to deal with it. They will contain a knowledge that not many of their peers would have, giving them an edge in the job world. Plus, they could then educate their peers and those younger than them so that the need for "importing" foreign teachers would dwindle, again creating more jobs.
I'm excited about these links and the ideas they spark in me about education in the third world and information gathering. The concept makes it easy and stress reduced to keep people updated on my ministry and help those that I'm educating to help themselves.
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