21st Century Educator

Most ed blogs seem to be forums of brilliant practice and places where folk show off things that have worked and reflect on positive experiences. I myself do this quite often. However, today is different…. this post is all about my big STUFF UP today!! I often talk about my media class with great pride and excitement. Quite often boarding on boasting about how awesome the program is and how brilliant my students are. However, today I stuffed up…. I did everything today in class that I get on my soap box and scream against.

Let me set the scene - I started today by letting the students know that we were going to look at trends in advertising. I showed them a few clips from the documentary “Merchants of Cool.” After showing the clip I spent 30mins lecturing them on what the clip was about. I tried to engage them in conversation but just lost it and became the old school lecturer. I stopped at the end of the lesson and realised what I had just done was exactly what I can’t stand seeing other teachers do. I disengaged the students with a topic that should have been interesting. I couldn’t believe how I botched up what should have been an exciting learning experience. They all (minus 1 or 2 really polite kids) made it clear through body language etc that the lesson was awful.

My bragging about a connected culture in schools that should be changing the way we teach was all coming back to haunt me. I was such a hypocrite. I know we probably all have these moments. So what does one do to get themselves back on track…. I re-watched this video created by a group of Marco Torres’ proteges…. Digital students in an analog world….

So sit back watch, enjoy, and be re-fired like I was this afternoon….

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