C4T #4

C4T #4, comment 1:

For my C4T#4, I was assigned to a teacher’s blog called “Concrete Classroom”. The author of this blog is Mike Kaechele from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mike is a concrete artist turned teacher and a certified new tech trainer for Project Based Learning. The post I decided to comment on was his “New Rule”.

When Mike developed this new rule him and the students were still getting to know one another, but he felt something needed to be done immediately. He had a problem with his students constantly asking him for permission to the restrooms or to get a drink. He informed his students that he did not like this at all and that if they have to go to the restroom or need a drink, to go ahead and do so. Mike believes in trust, respect, and responsibility with his high school students.

Comment 1:

To begin with, I really enjoyed reading this blog post. I think the new rule for Mike’s classroom will be helpful in many ways. It will help develop better trust and respect with his students. When I was a grade school student, my teachers never had a rule like this. I really wish they did. Asking to go to the restroom or to get a drink actually took up time from teaching and learning. I agree that it would save a lot of trouble by letting the students go to the restroom by themselves. I am considering adopting this rule for my future classroom. I thanked Mike for sharing.

C4T #4, comment 2:

The next blog post of Michael Kaechele that I commented on was the “Dark side of MLK”. Michael discussed how he was assigned to a group during orientation. He likes to introduce himself and the class with some research. Michael had the students to look at the site http://www.martinlutherking.org/ . Next, he had them answer questions on a google form. Some students took it seriously and some just answered quickly. Some groups questioned the validity of the information.

These groups were asked to find evidence that this information was “fake”. Students began to evaluate the sources and soon found out that the site was created by StormFront, a white supremacist group. They also looked up one of the experts and discovered he was a former Grand Wizard of the KKK. This new found information led to a class discussion about bias. Students thought this site of information was legit and were very surprised. Michael left his students with the thought that they should doubt and test everything. He told them, “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” At the beginning of the year, Michael likes to set a tone of critical thinking and questioning in his classroom.

Comment 2: I really enjoyed reading Michael’s post. It teaches a valuable lesson to not believe everything you read or see on the internet. I will be sure to share this concept with my students in the future. Validity is really important when it comes to information. It is always a good idea to research anything you find online before using it. I liked Michaels what he left his students with: “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” I thought it was very humorous. To conclude my response, I thanked Michael for sharing this post.