Blog Post #13

For this blog post, Dr. Strange asked us to create a blog post on a topic that we felt was left out. It needed to be focused on our speciality, but besides that, these were the only instructions given to us. As a future educator, one of the most important things to be is to be engaging. We had previous blog posts on what can we learn from watching these videos, but they were all related to project based learning and technology. These post didn't address what it takes to be a teacher. It addressed how to utilize technology in the classroom or how to succeed in project based learning.This blog post addresses how to be a better teacher without the use of technology.

Blog Post #13

Have you discovered how to use “magic?”

Watch Christopher Emdin’s TEDtalk titled, Teach Teachers how to Create Magic and then respond to this video and answer this following question: Have you discovered how to create magic? Explain what your take on the "magic" is.

Christopher Emdin's TEDtalk opens with him creating pictures for the audience to imagine. As future educators, his depictions really hit home. Why do we spend endless hours studying old texts written by some educator who is no longer alive? Why do we slave for hours over perfecting our lesson plans when we know no matter how prepared we are, things aren't always going to go right? It's not for us. It's for other people to grade us on. To set a standard for us. But, Emdin then talks about people who are great educators, but have no idea of the education process. They don't have the formal knowledge of how to teach education, but they are some of the best educators. It's in the way they talk, the way they move. While Emdin focuses on the urban lifestyle, take his advice and apply it to your own teaching style. As a future educator, I will create an atmosphere where my lessons tell a story. Where my students are interested in what I am saying and are paying attention to where even a simple movement speaks a thousand words. Don't be afraid to get expressive and get your students engaged through speaking. Don't be afraid to ask for that amen in the middle of a lesson! The magic Emdin's talks about is the ability to capture the attention of your students with just words.