As person who is curious about so many
topics, I have come to rely on the internet to learn about many subjects. It is
no surprise that many instructors are sharing what they have learned about
teaching in the internet.
When I see a video on pedagogy, I try to see
the video through different lenses. That means that I see it as a student (Do I
understand the concept? Do I know what the instructor is talking about?). I
also see it as a teacher, (Have I ever taught the subject in the video the same
way?) (Have I made the same mistakes that the instructor is making?).
When I saw the video Math with
Manipulatives - Subtraction Using Base Ten Blocks, I saw the
video with critical eyes. I have used a document camera to teach subtraction,
using base ten blocks. I think I have taught the same way as the instructor in
the video. But as an observer, I found the constant moving back and forth from
the writing confusing.
I think overall, the instructor was good but next time he
should be able to write without taking the card out of the field of vision. I
need to apply that in my teaching. I am deeply grateful for the tools we have
(document cameras and manipulatives), but I am aware that teaching comes down
to transferring information with the least amount of confusion. What I learned
is that as an observer, even minor disruptions can create confusion.
The second video I saw was an informative video on
Singapore math, which finally clarified what Singapore math is.
The third video I watched was How to Teach Elementary Math Through Real World Data | eHow. It is interesting
to hear someone teach math using Real World Data, think it is too elevated for
your grade, and then realize that you are using that same information in class.
Lastly, I am thankful that videos on pedagogy
exist and that they are available for anyone to see. These videos are helpful
in so many ways; 1. To teach a concept to a teacher, 2. To provide ways to
present the information, so that we don’t reinvent the wheel, 3. To help us
reflect on our own methods of communicating these ideas and be more clear.
Laura, I also rely on the internet for many things. I would be confident in saying that all of us use the internet for many things related to teaching. It is so wonderful that we have the world at our fingertips, able to search and learn new things within minutes. I often wonder what it would have been like to be a teacher before the internet. There are many times a school day I turn to Google to find a random fact or answer to a question I wouldn't know how to answer without looking up information first!
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