Homework

I know some people do not believe in homework. But I am here to say it os very important. Atleast for me, I think it is essential for progression in math. Repetition is the key. It's not about how long you study. It's about how many times. Practice is essential for math. It's the key for memorizing methods and increasing problem solving abilities. I don't believe in over loading students with homework. But it is important.

Collaboration and Creativity

I think collaboration is an important part of education. It teaches students to work in teams to produce quality work. Just like the world outside of school does. We are preparing them for it. I also think we shouldn't stiffle students' creativity. Through working with other students, their creativity can kicked up a notch. Students feed off each other's ideas and this can lead to quality productivity.

Podcasting

Ever since we have learned more about podcasts and their usefulness in the class room, I have been hooked. I am going to use podcasts when I start teaching. I already have a couple of ideas. Young people are already downloading music and listening to their ipods. So if they have the technology and resources to download a verbal review in a podcast, why not utilize this. I think podcasts will help teaching in many ways and also keep students interested in learning.

Twitter and Facebook

I am a strong believer in facebook and twitter. They are both very useful for sharing ideas. My PLN has grown tremendously becuase of facebook and twitter. I gain new perspectives for teaching when people share their ideas and when I gain feedback from questions I pose. I enjoy facebook more than twitter. I think because twitter is new to me. But it will grow on me as facebook did.

Group Learning

As a future teacher, I agree with teachers who utilize group learning in classrooms such as group projects, group study, and group discussion. Some students learn better discussing new things with their peers. It can act to solidify what they have learned by putting it into practice with their peers. Also since we are trying to prepare students for life out side of the classroom, they should be able to work civilized in groups and as a team. This is one the philosophies that I might utilize in the classroom.