Engage me or Enrage me

"Engage Me or Enrage Me" catches the readers attention by first pointing out the three categories most students fall into. The overachievers, the ones who "play the game of school" and the students who just couldn't care less. The third group is quickly becoming the majority among today's students. These student's, we're told, are the biggest challenge. Children today are exposed to all kinds of engaging and entertaining technologies with endless amounts of possibilities. Because of this, school has become less and less entertaining, less engaging and therefore, less effective. Not just these students, but all students, could benefit from a more engaging classroom. Technology alone isn't the answer. But technology, along with effective teaching and creative ideas could lead to a more fun and effective learning environment for all three groups of students.


Blogs are one way to better engage students. Throughout school, students are expected to learn the material provided often without question. In a world where kids have numerous social networks available to them, where all they do is speak their mind it and voice their opinions, it could be benefitial to incorporate that in the classroom as well. A blog would allow students to design their own webpage filled with their own school-related thoughts and opinions. Here, the teacher could provide a topic or question and have the students all discuss their answers, reactions, opinions, advice, etc... One issue I struggled with in school was feeling like my thoughts didn't matter. I was just a number there, learning the same information as everyone else, taking the same tests in order to do the same thing all over again next year. A classroom blog could give students a sense of empowerment and independence in school. It could make them feel as if they are not just a number in a room full of students. They are individuals with their own thoughts and opinions. And each and every one of them could feel that by sharing those thoughts and opinions, he or she is providing something to the class that no one else can.

Personally, I fear advancements in technology. I use my computer for very basic purposes, internet, homework and so on. I've been putting off upgrading my phone because everything seems to be touchscreen now, and that's just too much for me. I feel like I finally got an understanding of power point and now all I hear about is Smart Board. It all comes down to patience. Touchscreen is different, Smart Board is different and computer programs confuse me. They each require time and patience to learn, neither do I feel like I have. So from this class, I'd like to work on my fear of technology. I feel like technology provides so much more opportunity to today's students and I'd like to use that to my advantage as much as possible. Right now, Smart Board being the prime example of what I would like to develop a better understanding of.