Do you think Julia Garcia's approach to the integration of technology in her classroom by making her students the producers, rather than the consumers of their own knowledge is a good one? Do you feel this is a valid approach for today's teachers and one that you might use in the future? Why or why not?
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I think Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom by making her students the producers is great. By doing so it is making their time together in the classroom more meaningful because the students will be less worried about taking notes and more focused on problem solving and critical thinking. I love that she described her classroom as a lab instead of a lecture hall. A lab is a more laid back environment with hands on learning and I believe that is what all students need to succeed. I feel this is a great approach because it allows the students to learn things for themselves while the teacher is there guiding them along. I definitely would consider using a similar approach to this in the future with my classroom. It will make classroom time more efficient and engaging. -Dayna O.
I think Julie Garcia's teaching methods are exceptional, not only the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. I beleive she is an innovator, in a sense that her use of technology in the classroom allows students to use the technology for mathematics, which leads to higher academic success. I concur with the fact that allowing students to learn at their own pace, and at their own level, gives students the confidence to succeed, and allows students who may be shy to enjoy learning, and not worried about being called on in class. Julie Garcia's introduction of the Ipad, and Ibooks in class in a great tool to use for mathametics, and I beleive will leads to higher academic scores and acheivement. Also, allowing students to create and watch videos at home, in instrumental in students' sucess. It give students a chance to review material, as well learn at their own pace. These methods are beneficial to both the students, and teacher. Julie Garcia is a highly motivated teacher, who cares about her students sucess, not only in the classroom, but in life as well. We can all strive to be like her, and hope we can have a profound effect on a child's life, just as she has had with her students.
Julia's approach to the integration of technology is what is needed in the classroom, but in many places especially in New York City where I work, administrators are constantly breathing down your neck. I recently had an issue with my administrator because I showed 4 of my special education children a program with mathematics on my IPad. Personally, I love the approach, but feel that in some places her approach will never be accepted, because of the people like my administrator who refuses to work with her staff.
I think Julie Garcia's opinions and ideas towards education, is the mentality every educator should have. I love her passion for her students and how she designs her lessons and strategies in a way she knows her students will respond positively to.The way she utilizes technology to individualize the learning process for each student makes their learning experience so much more personal and meaningful. I also love how she makes videos of her lessons that her students have access to. I think this is an amazing idea. I know when I was struggling with something in school, it would have made a big difference if I could have re-taught myself at home, at my own speed. Julie Garcia presents such amazing approaches towards technology. She personalizes each student's learning experience and even encourages them to use applications on the IPad that relate to their own interests. I know I did not have an opportunity like that when I was in school. If I was able to connect mathematics towards something that interested me, I believe math would have been a lot more enjoyable. I thought this was a great article to read, and it really made me evaluate the strategies I use towards my students. It also opened up many beneficial approaches I could use to breakthrough to students who are having a tough time making a connection.
In my opinion I believe Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is excellent. She has conquered so many angles of improving the learning experience for her students. Through this approach she is able to personalize the classroom and offer the children the chance to work at their own pace, never rushing anyone, and never having students waiting. This keeps the students engaged, as well as motivated. Two key ingredients in the recipe for success. Through Garcia’s description of her classroom as a math lab rather than a lecture hall I believe she has built classroom community. Inside of this lab, the students come eager to learn and participate, and respect one another while doing so. I firmly believe a strong sense of classroom community is necessary for all students to achieve. If students are uncomfortable, or feel unsafe, the classroom no longer becomes a place to learn. Another strength of this approach the allowance of the teacher to offer his/her students the opportunity to be challenged, without being compared and contrasted to their peers. Unfortunately, all classrooms will contain a certain level of competition, but in my opinion integrating technology to allow the students to work on activities on alone, creates competition in the least threatening way. (For instance, the only people who will be aware of the fact that a student answered a question either correctly or incorrectly will be the only people who need to know… the teacher, and the student him/herself.) I do believe this is a valid approach for today’s educators, and certainly an approach I will consider using in the future. I believe it is necessary for a teacher to challenge, engage and motivate students, however this must be done in a guide-like manner. I believe every child should learn the height of their own potential and the only person who will know this height, is the student him/herself. I believe this approach allows the learning experience to occur through the incorporation of student engagement, a challenging opportunity, relatable curriculum, a sense of classroom community, and the presence of technology, all factors, which ultimately lead a child to their success academically. As a future educator, this is the result I am looking for… -Ariel V
Reading the interview with Teacher Julie Garcia, has reflected on me all the ideals that for a long time have been brewing on my head, but with one distinction; is that I thought being human in the classroom would not be cosidered to be professional. One of my ideals is that a good teacher is the one that takes his,or her job and makes it personal with the purpose to show students that education should be considered a treasure which was embedded in my by my mother. For example, this is what my mother would say, "I could give you all, but your education you can only achieve it, put your best effort in to it because that is the only thing that no one can take away from you." Ms. Garcia shows her students the value of education by demonstrading them how hard she works in intergrating adequate technology into the lessons that makes learning more practical and relevent to her students' life experiences. This approach of pairing technology with curriculum successfully is demanding, but to be an effective teacher is to have students to learn efficiently and become driven to conquer the unexpected. Finally, my desire is to become a teacher like Ms. Garcia. My greatest passion now is to be able to learn all the essential tools in technology; because our technology driven era seems to inspire the young to new challenges, perhaps due to their capability in mastering technological skills. Nora R.
Reading this interview was very inspiring. Her ideas of integrating Technology in the classroom was brilliant. Her love for teaching or maybe I should say her finding love in teaching was touching. I think its so nice that she became inspired by her mother who taught for over 40 years. Her mother must be so happy that she is her daughters role model. Garcia really makes an effort to show her students her enthusiasm and passion for teaching in every way possible. She demonstrates the value of education to her students and goes beyond the expectations of a teacher. My desire is to one day become a teacher just like Garcia and her extensive knowledge about technology.
Comment to Dayna O., You emphasized a valid point when you mentioned, allowing students to become producers will allow the time spent in the classroom to become more meaningful. I could not agree more. Looking back on my past learning experience, I recall many of times when I was too concerned with keeping up with my note-taking rather than absorbing the significance of the lesson I was supposed to be learning. Offering the students the time to focus more heavily on problem solving and critical thinking skills while in the classroom is definitely a greater advantage for the students. In addition, I also agree classroom time would become more efficient and engaging through the use of this educational approach. -Ariel V.
I think that Julia has a wonderful approach to teaching and i think it is one that more teachers today should be using. I love the idea of having students creating and watching videos at home. I believe in the idea that students should be pushed to achieve a higher level of education and not have it lowered to their level. Expecting greatness leads to greatness! Julia also ensures her student knows she is there for them and that she cares about their success, something i deeply appreciate in a teacher as i recall this exact quality in the teachers i looked up to and strived to be like as a future teacher. -Carmin d.
Julie Garcia's approach was inspiring. Teachers are sometimes scared to let go of the control in the classroom for many reasons, however student centered learning gives students the opportunity to be active learners. By doing this, learners will become active and motivated learners and take accountability for their education. As a teacher, I am guility of being a control hog in the classroom. I am always afraid because I feel like it takes away structure. After reading Julie's ideas, I have rethought my approach and the structure of my planbook.
Julie Garcia expresses in this interview that technology has allowed her to personalize her classroom. As she says “One size does not it all and technology helps me to truly individualize the teaching and learning process.” This is such a true statement with the incorporation of technology into the classroom students don’t have to be involved in one segment, and fragment of the class lesson. Tech is a great tool for differentiation, and individual enrichment of the students, and provides further interaction with the curriculum material. She also explains how technology allows for students to create work using tools such as iMovie, and Garage Band and b critiqued by their peers. It is important that we continue to include modern technology into the classroom so that students show their talent, knowhow, and proficiency through project-based learning utilizing real world activities and tools. I also believe another of Julie Garcia’s important factors that she explains are the five factors that are important to a student’s well-rounded education. These are 1. Engaging and active involvement in the learning process. 2. Challenging students to do better. 3. Problem solving to be essential. 4. Importance of social skills. 5. Expanding their basic skills. These are also essential to keep in mind when using technology in the classroom with students. Jonathan R
I enjoyed reading this interview with Julie Garcia. She has an excellent approach for integrating technology in the classroom. Garcia has enhanced the learning experiences of her students by allowing them to engage in active learning situations. She challenges her students in new an creative ways which allow for the needs of multiple learning styles to be met. As I am a relatively new teacher, I find Julie Garcia inspiring. Her innovative strategies for using technology in the classroom give students the ability to move at their pace, while still meeting the expectations set for the class as a whole. I hope to incorporate some of Garcia's approaches into my own classroom in order to prove my students with different avenues of learning. - K. Doria
I believe that Julia Garcia approach to integrating technology has proven to be highly effective in her classroom. Her students are actively engaged in their learning experience. She has been able to personalize her class by having students use technology in a way that meets their needs for each topic. This allows to differentiation each lesson for her students and allows them to progress at their own pace. I have seen teachers use online videos of their lessons before in hope that they can spend more time working on problems and enrichment; however, it has failed because the teacher was not as consistent as Ms. Garcia was. By being consistent with how her classes are run, her students know exactly what they should be doing each day, both behaviorally and academically. She puts forth the effort to find new and innovative strategies that will help her students to understand the importance of math and how it can be applied to real life. Through project-based learning, her students are able to produce videos that their peers can use to aid their learning process. Ultimately, her students have become their own teachers and Ms. Garcia has become the facilitator of her mathematics classroom. As a math teacher, I believe that what Ms. Garcia is doing in her classroom is something that should be done in all math classrooms.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach is a well-rounded approach that not only affects the student but also affects the teacher and how they teach. By making students producers you are putting them in control of their own learning and this gives them the ability to learn how they learn best. This enables the student’s creativity, intelligence, and self-esteem to allow them to learn as well as teach others. I agree with Garcia’s beliefs and approaches. No two students learn the same way therefore making it very difficult for a teacher to teach an entire class without any aide of technology of separation of groups to gear the lesson towards the students learning abilities. I think this is a valid approach for teachers because it allows for students to be confident and work at their own pace creating their own success. By having the teacher, as a guide more or less is something students I believe will benefit from. I would like to use this approach in the future; I am not sure how plausible it is considering most schools do not have the budget to get every student an iPad. I hope that when I become a teacher I will have come up with an alternative way for students to become producers without using such extensive technology. Or if my dreams are able to come true and all of my students have iPads I will absolutely implement these approaches in the classroom because all students should feel like they are at the top of the class no matter what it takes from the teacher. Working hard as a teacher is in the description, it just depends on how hard you are willing to work to get your students ready not only for the next grade or state test, but the real world; social situations and everyday educational skills. Whether we teach students how to balance a checkbook or graph the integral of some number they need to have the self-esteem and confidence to do it and these approaches are the answers to those questions.
Julia Garcia allows her students to learn through inquiry based practices which I am a strong advocate of. Throughout my many experiences in schools, I constantly try to engage my students using different types of learning modalities, especially incorporating technology, centers, group work, and research whenever possible. I find that the students I have worked with are very tech savvy, and in some cases even more technologically literate than some of their teachers! I plan to incorporate technology into my classroom just like Garcia did. I really like her use of the iPad apps to encourage the students to work at their own pace and use applications that help reteach and explain the material, rather than just review. Using apps like iMovie can help them become producers rather than consumers, because they are taking what they have learned and presenting it in a way that makes more sense to them. Garcia uses technology in many other effective ways encouraging students to do a lot of individual work and research so that they are the ones discovering, inquiring, and determining their successes.
I strongly agree with Julie's ideas and approaches to her teaching. She proves her appreciation towards students and their education. Julie holds each and every student with high expectations, and provides consistency with the students. I believe that consistency is key for students, because they should know what is expected of them each day. I especially like how Julie mentions that she focuses on growth in relative terms, rather than just their grades. If the students progress throughout the school year by improving their attitude, attendance, etc., then they are progressing.
I also strongly agree with Julia's approach to the integration of technology in her classroom. By allowing students to actively participate and attain ownership of their work, students become able to self-edit and become more independent in the learning process. By differentiating the curriculum with different technology, students are using multiple resources to help them understand the topic or lesson. The use of technology will help differentiate the curriculum, and being able to view class lessons on video at home is great for letting the student learn at his or her own pace. Being able to view the video at home could be helpful for the student who wants to review, the student who needs to go back and slow down the pace of a certain part, and it could even be helpful to the parents. I thought this was a great article because she has a number of beneficial approaches that educators can incorporate into their own teaching. Her passion for teaching is very evident, and having students produce their own ideas rather than just simply restating or memorizing is always the right way to go.
I believe Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is not only a positive approach but an approach that is the future of teaching. I love how she combines the old school way of teaching preaching competitiveness and high standards in a classroom to the new way of teaching by preaching technology to allow students to learn at their own pace. I like the idea of making the students the producer and allowing them to learn at their own pace. As a student I would feel more comfortable if I was able to do this. Not only do I think this is a valid approach for today’s teachers I think it should be encouraged. As a teacher I will try and use different ways to engage my students and technology being at the top of the list. Today’s students are not only engaged with technology socially, but as you move on in education you become dependent on technology. Julia Garcia’s approach is giving the student a chance to discover on their own and I think that is important for every student. Her approach is proving success in her classroom and if modeled correctly I think it will be a success in all our future classrooms.
I strongly believe that those who have a passion for teaching and treat each and every student with individualized care make exceptional teachers. Julia Garcia is an example of a teacher who has gone above and beyond for her students. One of the ways she has done this is by incorporating the use of technology in her classroom. She has allowed her students to learn at their own pace which makes for a less stressful learning environment. This also encourages them to think independently and not to rely solely on the teachers for help. This use of technology is not only beneficial in the classroom but it is most importantly preparing them for the outside world. Technology is the way of the future and making students technologically literate is extremely important for their futures. As a future Special Education teacher I am learning about the importance of assistive technology to aid students with special needs. Technology in a special education classroom is essential to promote the highest level of learning.
Julia Garcia outlined several important values and practices of both an educator and an educational system. Garcia repeatedly stressed a handful of interesting ideas.One of the most thought-provoking ideas presented by Garcia is the notion that the use of technology allows students to set their own learning pace.Garcia suggests that technology allows student to have more agency in their learning because it manufactures opportunities for individual pacing and judgement free exploration. Technology allows students to replay or revisit problems and attack them at their own speed and with their own technique. I would be interested to hear about the specific programs or lesson plans Garcia creates to promote this type of learning and instruction. The larger point Garcia is making is that students should have more agency in their education-- learning should be more student centered. This is a very progressive and newly-popular idea; I believe that technology is one big step in creating that type of environment.
Like Hannah said, I wonder about the course of technology in the classroom in respect to the funding, availability, and timeline of implementation. It would certainly be wonderful if my first classroom came with 30+ iPads. I imagine it would be bothersome and exhausting if my classroom was provided 5 iPads. In that scenario, I would be expected to implement technology into instruction when resources were limited and each student would not be given ample time to use the technology. Certainly technology is in our future. What is less certain is when and how new technologies will become available to the majority of public school students.
I believe Julia Garcia's outlook for the future of technology in schools is wonderful. With so many diverse learners, technology can reach many students through video, audio, interactive learning. I have seen this with my own students. Students with no verbal skills can speak, ask questions and tell people what they want. Students who couldn't write because of poor or no fine motor can type beautifully. Our world is becoming more and more dependent on technology. Students without access and knowledge of many diverse forms of technology will be at a disadvantage. I believe that utilizing and explaining numerous forms of technology benefits our students in school and throughout their lives. I see this in my current position and hope to do the same for my own students in my future classroom.
I believe Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom by making her students the producers is a great one. I feel that this approach is valid for today’s teachers and I might use it in the future. It is important to understand that not every child is capable of learning at the same pace or with the same techniques. As Julia Garcia mentioned in her interview, every child has different needs that need to be addressed when learning. Learning should be a loving and comfortable process where the child is confident in learning the material and not feel any type of pressure by his/her classmates. On a personal note, I do not remember my learning experiences as being so great. I was a shy student and did not participate in class often because I would be afraid that my answers might be incorrect or that my classmates would judge me. Therefore, I know how some children may feel when they are in large classroom settings, in that it is possible that these children are not able to succeed in their academics due to a lack in confidence. Teachers should help students who are shy or quiet to build confidence within themselves. The confidence would help them grow as individuals and effect their education and learning abilities immensely. Using technology in learning is one of the best approaches for students to learn. Not only are they learning at school, they will be learning at home. Some students might learn better at home than in the classroom because they will be more comfortable. Also, there will be less time constraints allowing each individual to learn at their own pace. I believe today’s generation are more in tune with the latest technology and are quick learners. As a teacher, I would take advantage of the cutting edge technology that is available in the world today to give each child equal opportunity and build confidence, creating a positive and lovable experience with education.
Overall, I feel that Julia Garcia's interview was very inspiring. Her outlook on helping students reach their own, highest expectations is something that all teachers should ensure that they accomplish throughout the school year. Teachers must not lower their expectations in order to help their students, but hold each student to their individual, highest standard in order to help them succeed. I also feel strongly about her five factors for student success. Unfortunately, many teacher's get caught up during the day and don't remember to ensure that their students are all positively impacted by their teaching strategies and techniques. Engaging, challenging, problem solving, emphasizing social skills, and expanding knowledge are all ideas that are crucial to a teacher's success, which is essential to the success of their students. I also really liked her idea of using technology in order to meet the individual needs of her students. She stated that technology allows the students to work at their own pace, which promotes the idea of creating student centered classrooms. I agree with Nora's post about how technology seems to inspire students, which teacher's should use as an advantage. Technology can help transform a classroom into a diverse, exciting, and interesting place where students feel safe to explore and increase their knowledge and understanding or new ideas. - Jaime S.
I found the responses that Julie Garcia gave to also be very inspiring and give me a good point of reference of how to apply technology to educating all of the students. I found her interview to be very genuine. I found it helpful to see how she can apply Math through technology as well. As someone who really enjoy New Media, I found it very insightful how she could use iMovie and Garage band to help further highlight the math topics and engage the students. I especially liked her answer for what makes her a good teacher: "I provide every student the opportunity to succeed. I do this not by lowering my standards but by holding every student to high expectations. I believe in my students and they know I will not settle for anything less than their best". I also found her ideas for what a dream school would be like "with learning opportunities everywhere" to be inspiring of what the future and ideals of a school can be. I also will save and refer back to this article as I definitely believe that her five factors to students success definitely make her a role model teacher. Lastly, I like her answer of greatest challenge, you need to look at the child's progress in your class, and not stress about state tests and "NCLB". Overall, I learned a lot from the article, and will definitely want to refer back to it.
I definitely support Julia Garcia's approach to education by making her students the producers. There is such a shift now toward teacher-focused lessons because of the increased attention to standardized testing and the implementation of Common Core, that Mrs. Garcia's approach is a fresh and innovative way to make her students actually want to learn. I could not agree with Julia Garcia more when she argues the point that students learn best by actually "doing" and interacting with one another. There is no question that I would try to use this approach in my future classroom. There is also no question that my future students will be familiar with technology. I think that establishing common ground with my students by bringing technology into the classroom will undoubtedly excite them. Having the students be in the driver's seat when it comes to learning will be a huge motivator, and in turn that motivation WILL lead to positive results. I applaud Mrs. Garcia for actually breaking the mold and challenging what is happening in the country right now.When standardized testing is demanding that each student learn the same things in the same way at the same time, that doesn't seem to me Mrs. Garcia's priority. She clearly values technology and how it can impact each students individual education. Mrs. Garcia made extremely valid points by mentioning the importance of addressing student needs and letting students work at their own pace by using technology.Ideally, I obviously want to meet the needs of each of my students individually, and i can definitely see how the use of technology in Mrs. Garcia's classroom can do that . Mrs. Garcia's passion for teaching and discovering innovative ways to teach her students is very clear in this interview. I agree with Jamie's post about holding students to higher expectations, but not higher standards. It is important that each student feel confident in his or her ability to learn. Once the confidence and trust is shaken, it is very difficult to gain it back. -Alexa R.
I love Julia Garcia's innovative approach to technology,especially in the subject of mathematics,where many students are intimidated. Diverse learners can work at their own pace and many students are already familiar and fluid with the use of technology,making for a more positive learning experience.Engaged and active learners are usually more successful. Julia Garcia's flexibility and passion for her job as an educator,make the use of technology that much more inviting. "Teacher driven change" for the good of her students is refreshing to hear and I believe her enthusiasm does rub off on her students.
I too found Julie Garcia’s interview to be very inspiring. Her drive and passion for teaching are very evident in her responses, and in how she seems to conduct her classroom. Her statement of “you have unbelievable influence over every student in your classroom” resonated with me. This is something I am fully aware of, but it can be easy to forget when you go through the motions of the day to day. Reading these words helped me to remember why I wanted to become a teacher, and how important it is to be the best teacher you can be each and every day. I loved Ms. Garcia’s approach to technology in the classroom, and her use of the IPADS in the classroom. I am excited to be able to use our class IPADS as an opportunity to also allow my students to learn by doing in a non-threatening way. In this way, I am hopeful that the students will be able to take ownership of their learning. I am also eager to try out some new technologies like iMovie and GarageBand to help encourage students work together, and to act as teachers to one another. I also agree that a flip classroom is a great idea to get students involved in the lessons, and excited about learning. This is a concept that I have thought of trying, but after reading Ms. Garcia’s interview and the success she has found from this technique, I am super excited to try it out this upcoming September. Kelly S.
In todays academic world, it is rare to find a teaching program that puts an emphasis on each individual child's learning accomplishments. Yes, we have IEPs for those students that meet the criteria to have special treatment, but what about the students that need just that little bit of an extra push to get them to pursue academic success? I am referring to the ones that fall through the cracks because they aren't the smartest students but yet aren't the slowest ones in the class either. Julie Garcia should be a role model to all teachers that are struggling to find ways to address all students individual learning needs. These days, teachers are teaching to the state tests that are being administered, rather than in a way in which all students are actively engaged and learning the topics. Her confidence and passion when it comes to her job are inspiring. She saw that all students have individual needs and recognized that the use of technology would help address all of these different needs. This job can not be done by one teacher within a classroom of 30 or more students. Therefore, technology allows the students to work at their own pace and helps them with their different learning needs. I can only hope that all teachers follow in Julie's footsteps and approach each day of teaching with an eagerness to improve each child and help them reach their individual highest potential. I agree with Nora R and I too am eager to learn new ways that technology can improve our students learning. It will be essential for all teachers to know how to use technology in order for the future of academics to improve.
I believe that Garcia's approach to the integration of technology in the classroom is inevitably fascinating. Technology is something that is always interesting to students, and they seem to know more about it than adults may. This gives the students the chance to express themselves through video, or descriptions. I have never thought of videotaping my lessons, and then posting the videos online for my students to watch. I found this to be very beneficial because students now have a chance to look back if they had any complications in completing their independent work, or just study. With this integration, each student is allowed to learn at their own pace, and with the use of other students posting videos and/or questions, it allows for the students to interact and possibly even teach each other. I also love how Garcia mentioned that there is in fact more than one way to solve a mathematical problem because growing up, I was taught that there is only one way to solve it, and if you did not follow that one way, even though you had the right answer, you were wrong. Im sure it is evident that i believe that technology is a great approach to use in the classroom. I will consider using a similar approach of technology in my future classroom because it WILL make the time teaching in the classroom more engaging for the students, as well and efficient and engaging for the teacher! I agree with Kelly S in the sense of trying out such applications on iPads (if the school will provide them) such as garage band and iMovie. I think the students will enjoy this, and not feel as if they are actually being forced to learn a concept. After all, learning is more fun when you do not think you are learning at all!
I love Julie Garcia's teaching methods. I think if we had more teachers like her our education system would be one of the best. She is a teacher who loves her job and is teaching for the right reasons. I saw a news story about a computer based program for teaching math and I thought it was brillant. The fact that Julie uses this type of program in her classroom shows her commitment to her students. The news story dicussed how the teacher would provide the students with access to the computer program. While at home they were to view the lesson. The beauty of the program was that the student can go back and review the sections of the lesson they did not understand and go at their own pace in the comfort of their home. There isn't any pressure to complete the assignment in a certain period of time. When the student's return to the classroom the next day, they would do their homework. The lesson was taught in reverse, just like Julie's lesson. The reasoning is that the teacher can then spend time with their students going over the areas in which they are having difficulties. The program provides the teacher with an update about each student, so that, the teacher can see where each student is struggling. As soon as I started to read the article I realized that this is exactly what Julie is implementing in her classroon. Technology is such an important part of children's lives, why not use it to teach. Especially for children with special needs, technology can be a great way to help them learn. As a teacher being able to know the areas in which children are struggling goes a long way to helping them overcome their issues and succeed.
After reading the interview with Julie Garcia, I couldn’t help but think we need more teachers like Julie Garcia! Her devotion to education is apparent and it is refreshing to hear her say that she feels that same about teaching now as she did when she first started. Garcia proclaims that when she first started she didn’t realize how hard being a teacher would be. The statement is brutally honest as I now see how difficult it is to truly be an effective educator. Nonetheless, she is encouraging, as she outlines what she feels a successful teacher tries to accomplish. Specific aspects of the interview that I felt were valuable was when she talks about the energy a teacher puts into a good lesson, student success, and the dream she has for a future school setting.
Garcia essentially explains that a good lesson is hard work and a teacher puts all their heart into it. She then explains that the students know when a teacher is putting in a tremendous amount of effort and respond to that effort in a positive way. I found this so important and I feel it is valid. This idea coincides with integrating technology within the classroom. There is a vast amount of technology today that can make lessons more meaningful and not using it to aid in student learning is almost a disservice, I think students are becoming aware of this fact. By Garcia having available video lessons and an I pad to help individual students she is aiding in their learning while also showing that she is truly trying to do her best, and I think the students pick up on that behavior. All teachers, especially teachers of subject's students struggle most in, like math, should take the same approach. If technology can make the learning process easier for a child why wouldn’t a teacher utilize it to the best of their ability?
Furthermore, Garcia explains the measuring of success in a very practical way. She explains that she holds everyone to high standards but also rates success on different measures. For example, she says that a student attending more classes can be considered a success. I felt this is a great way for teachers to look at the positives in every student. The way she viewed each child differently and measured their success differently is something that I feel is often overlooked in the educational system today.
The last part I found interesting was the description of future schools. Garcia explains that there would be no walls or bells and that students of different ages would work collaboratively, essentially learning would have no boundaries. The idea of this type of school system is so radical but in a way practical. Students would be in charge of their own learning and it would be so much more meaningful. In addition, they would get to work with students of all ages. Collaboration with people of different age groups happens outside schools so why not in the classroom setting? Garcia is truly a forward thinker who has the capacity to change the mindsets of both students and teachers alike.
I think Julie Garcia’s interview was enlightening. A lot of times many teachers come from a similar background as she did. Having a parent or family member being a teacher and being inspired themselves to be a teacher. Also a lot of teachers have had those teachers when they were students that had an effect on them that made them become a teacher, at least I know that was the case for me and for Garcia. She makes a lot of strong points especially in regards to technology. And how it is useful in school and it would allow the students to have more hands on role in their education. I believe the videos the does and has the students watch is an awesome idea. It allows students to be more in control of their education. Which would help them succeed better. This leads me to what she says about taking things too personal with your students. Of course we as teachers want our students to succeed. But when they don’t, the ones that fall through the cracks it is for a multiple of reasons and not only the teachers fault especially when the teacher did all they could to help the students succeed. I agree with her five factors for students’ success. And the two key ones I think are having students actively engaged in school and teachers have not to be afraid to challenge their students to do well. Her response to how she hopes schools are in ten years though enlightening and it is my hope too, I think schools are so reluctant to change and need to be regimented that it would be hard to have what she hopes for but if it is anywhere like that in ten years it would be a great thing for the educational system.
While I too found the ideas and ideals presented by Ms. Garcia to be very inspiring, I think the practical applications of these strategies are limited to a certain population of students and therefore impractical in the current educational environment. Until technology is embraced, and budgeted, by each and every school district for all classrooms the success she has had using these strategies in her technology based school cannot be accepted as projected proof of success for all districts.
I also am very confused as to her approach to handling her students and their different learning abilities. Providing an engaging and demanding curriculum but wanting her students to learn at their own pace in an environment that makes is difficult for them to fail seem to be contradictory classroom management strategies with no clear outline for measuring progress. Having held demanding positions in large companies this type of attitude is exactly contradictory to what students will face when they leave the comforts of school and are subject to employment that is performance and deadline driven.
I have not taught in a classroom yet but one of my main goals is to provide my students the ability to access many different sources of knowledge so that they may continue learning in any environment and be just as comfortable as if they had access to the current technology. The use of technology is a wonderful and exciting component of education but I believe that teachers still must utilize varied strategies to provide a well rounded education and tools for learning that students can take anywhere. Gregory W.
I agree with Elizabeth A. who wrote on January 27th 2013. Elizabeth pointed out how Julia videos her lessons and that her students have access to them. I think this is a great idea especially for the students who may have missed school or forgot how to do the math when they stated their homework. I personally liked how Julia was able to personalize lessons to the students personal interests. I feel this will help to engage the students a lot more and allow them to become more interested in the material. This can also allow the students to relate the material that they learn to their everyday lives. -Andrea D
I believe that Julia Garcia's approach to integrating and utilizing technology is a noteworthy method. Students are empowered through the idea of being the producers of their own knowledge. It is important to uphold this notion throughout the entire school year in order to instill and strengthen problem solving skills on a daily basis. Additionally, as Julia pointed out, the use of technology should connect curriculum content with real world applications in order for students to value the information they acquire and discover. By incorporating inquiry based practices, students are able to gain a sense of responsibility and independence, making the learning experience all the more worthwhile and valuable. Not only can the use of technology strengthen content knowledge but it can also allow students to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills that they will need for life beyond school. Ultimately, as a future teacher of social studies, I believe that the use of technology will enrich the curriculum and allow students access to dynamic, hands-on learning experiences and also foster a sense of democracy in the classroom.
I enjoyed reading Julie Garcia's interview about being an outstanding educator. Many of her ideas and beliefs resonated with me. Similar to Ms. Garcia, I too became an educator because I was brought up with a great respect for educators and also had an inherent desire to keep on learning. That desire is an important part of being a successful teacher because there is always new things to learn and experience. Students know when their teachers work hard for them, and just like Ms. Garcia said, they in turn will work hard for you. One thing I have noticed with my students over the years is that they know what teachers genuinely care and who shows up just for their paycheck! One of the first responses that Ms. Garcia gives is the idea that the student and teacher relationship is reciprocal. She made the point that the teacher shows compassion and students give back joy. Creating a classroom with that kind rapport is essential to creating a safe learning environment for the students and a fulfilling career for the teacher. Ms. Garcia was very truthful about how difficult teaching is. The first few comments from my student teachers and my mentees have been just that! Hopefully, the schools have support networks to retain new teachers and help them stick it out...more districts have moved toward that. Lastly, Ms. Garcia said that she was not just teaching math but, helping her students "understand how math is connected to their lives." When we think back about the best teachers we had, we remember that they did that for us. Learning must be relevant or it is quickly forgotten. I agree with Suzanne L. that Ms. Garcia shows an eagerness to help all children and is a great example of what educators should always strive to be.
After reading Julia Garcia's interview, I am even more inspired and encouraged to impact and mold the lives of my future students. I strongly agree with Ms. Garcia's outlook on creating a warm and nurturing environment as well as establishing high expectations for each and every student. I agree with her on the idea that each student learns differently and at a different pace. In acknowledging this, it is crucial for teachers to create an environment where each student can facilitate individual success. Students of today are surrounded by technology every where they go. I believe that incorporating technology into the classroom is an excellent way to keep students engaged and actively involved in what they are learning. In addition, I also strive to help students make the connection between math and their everyday lives by creating lessons that provide them with realistic and relevant problems. In order for students to successfully learn new material, they must understand how it relates to them and their everyday lives.
I agree with Nora's post about how in today's day and age technology inspires students and teacher's should most definitely use this to their advantage. Technology enables teachers to transform their classrooms into exciting, stimulating, and diverse places, where students feel comfortable to learn and increase their knowledge of new ideas. -AnnMarie P.
I found this article to be very relatable to what I have learned in the short time that I have been teaching. I agree with her on many points, such as how important technology is in education. I also love how much it is being used in every classroom and how easy it is to bring interactive games to a classroom. I agree also about the fact that not everyone can be a teacher and it is very challenging. I feel like it is a 24/7 job. If you’re not at school you’re worrying about your students or what you should be doing to plan for them or buy for them. We have summers off, but there is not a day that goes by that I do not think about my job. I also love her idea of a perfect public school. I wish that tests were not as important as they are today. I wish the students could choose some of the things that they learn. I wish teachers would be complimented for the hard work they do, not just criticized for their small mistakes. Hopefully one day a school could be run by a teacher’s heart, not money.
Reflecting on this article, I believe that Mrs. Garcia is a very bright, resourceful, and progressive teacher who has a passion for her children, and also understands learning styles and abilities, and is able to use technology, as well as her own sensibilities to extract the most potential from every student in her classroom. One of the most important points I think that Mrs. Garcia states is that "technology allows active participation, which leads to students being more responsible about their own learning". Mrs Garcia emphasizes the students first approach, and uses technology accordingly, allowing students to work at their own pace and learn the material, rather than have to be put in front of their peers and pressured into knowing an answer or solve a problem they may not be ready for. These types of examples help students to gain confidence, and increase their willingness to learn. The various technological tools available such as IBooks and GarageBand help to personalize the classroom, and give students a hands on experience that allow each individual to thrive. Mrs. Garcia is a professor who preaches giving every student the best opportunity to succeed academically and socially, and uses various technological resources that can be molded to fit all learning styles and abilities, thus giving students both success and confidence.
It is clear that Julie Garcia is an exemplary educator who teaches for the right reasons. Her passion and dedication to her students show in every statement made throughout the interview. It gives me comfort to know that setting high expectations in the classroom has paid off for both her students and her self, because I know that I, too, will be this type of teacher. Julie Garcia seems to know a great deal about what it takes to reach students and help them to succeed, and I hope to gain this knowledge and this confidence through my first few years in a classroom. There is obviously a lot of wisdom that comes from the experience of teaching that goes beyond what we read in textbooks. As far as technology in the classroom is concerned, I now realize that I have a lot to learn. While I am familiar with some educational tools (not many though), I would not have thought to utilize them in such ways as Julie Garcia has described. She acknowledges the benefits of technology in the classroom and uses these tools in ways that benefit all students, from those who struggle to those who need to be challenged further. I hope that I become a teacher who regularly incorporates technology into the classroom to meet the needs and enhance the learning experiences of all students.
I share Arielle V.'s concern regarding student access to technology at home. When students of different economic backgrounds share a classroom, there is always the chance that some will have access to more resources at home than others. I would never want to slight any of my students, especially those who are already at a disadvantage. For this reason, I think teachers must ensure that equal opportunities are given to all students. For example, some students do not have computers with internet access at home, and therefore they would not be able to access helpful websites or videos of lessons posted online. Teachers should give these students opportunity to access these websites at school if they cannot do so at home. Technology can certainly have many benefits in the classroom, but the opportunities must exist for all students in order to promote a safe, supportive environment.
Throughout the video I had many concerns regarding student access to technology at home. Upon reading the many comments posted by my classmates I realized these concerns were not only present in my mind. I agree and share the concerns both Jessie C. and Arielle V. express about student access to technology at home. Even though Garcia expresses the importance of providing opportunities to students who live in “low social economic areas”, she forgets that’s these children might not have the means of technological access at home. As Jessie C. mentions, some students are able to gain access to more resources than others at home. Many students may be at a disadvantage and we should be able to provide equal opportunities to all students. Upon reading the article I thought to myself, “how are students going to access online lessons or helpful websites with no internet access at home?” Teachers need to think of every possible outcome and try to think of a possible solution. Students should be given extra time before or after school to gain access to these sources or be able to find another means such as gaining access to internet tablets that may be taken home and used by students. Learning is best achieved with opportunity, and as teachers we must be able to provide these opportunities for each and every one of our students.
Julia Garcia is both an exemplary and an amazing teacher. Her many approaches to teaching are wonderful. As an educator myself, her surprise to how hard teaching could be comes at no surprise however, the gratitude and fulfillment both her and I share towards being able to provide, as Garcia explains it “every opportunity for students to succeed” makes me understand that this is what I was meant to do.
Furthermore, as Garcia explains technology provides educators the ability “to personalize” the classroom based on the needs of each student and therefore allows the differentiation of instruction. As a teacher you also have to become a learner. Dedicated teachers must be able to adapt and learn the new technology that is available. That is exactly what Garcia has done in order to provide an environment for her students that incorporated every possible instruction that will benefit and help her students succeed. This is what teaching is all about.
After reading the article on Julie Garcia, I concur with many of her views. Education is not a one size fits all environment. Our job as future educators demands that we strive for each one of our students to achieve their personal maximum potential. Using today’s available technology creates a safe environment where students can learn at their own pace. This is important because it allows our gifted students to deeper explore theories and concepts; while our struggling students review these theories until they feel comfortable moving forward. The material should be individually geared so every student is challenged but not overwhelmed, ensuring they will reach their highest potential. I agree with AnnMarie P. that incorporating technology into today’s classroom will help keep students engaged and motivated. In addition, the safer the students feel in their classrooms, the better the work they will produce.
After reading this, I agree with Julie Garcia on almost all of her points. I think that her integration of technology into the classroom is both convenient and motivating for the students. I have found that the more a teacher uses technology, whatever the method may be, students are more likely to participate and get involved simply because they like it. They are enjoying the learning process. Technology is a great way to differentiate instruction because it allows students to go at their own pace. When they don’t feel pressured by their peers they are more likely to participate in the lesson. When students work from home using technology, whether it be ebooks or videos, their limited time in the classroom is more meaningful. I feel that any way a teacher can make class time more meaningful should be done. I agree with Ms. Garcia that it is important to hold all students to high standards- high standards yield high results. But this is all relative to a student’s individual abilities and growth. Technology can also be used to measure a student’s growth.
Jessie and Arielle both bring up a good point about the availability of technology in the students home. This would create complications and would limit the effects of Julia's lessons being posted online. But if the students do not have access to the technology at home it makes it even more important for it to be present and used in school.
I thought this was a nice piece to read that outlines a lot of great parts of what it means to be a great teacher, and why technology plays such an important role in education. The individualistic and personal nature of technology allows both teachers and students to use it to their benefit. Teachers can create innovative lessons while students can work at their own pace. Not only can technology help within the classroom setting, it can spark interest in students that otherwise may not have been triggered.
Garcia had a love of teaching from an early age because she grew up in a home where her mother was a teacher and there she learned the importance of a teacher's role. She stresses the use of technology in her classroom. Technology in the classroom is very important tool. For example, it allows the children to be more active learners and it aids in differentiating instruction.
This woman talks about having compassion for her students and having high expectations for them as well. She emphasizes educating the whole child and differentiating instruction, as well as creating engaging lessons and encouraging students to be active learners. Allison McDermott
The Future of Technology is Here: Julie Garcia’s educational perspective of integrating technology with student driven initiative is a growing movement. This is a movement that I believe would be beneficial to all students. Videos, student run math labs, online forum, iBooks, involvement of the school community are ways that Ms. Garcia addresses each child’s individual needs. Children learn differently and many of Ms. Garcia’s methodologies would accommodate different learning styles. The use of technology also would help the children thrive because as Ms. Garcia explains, it allows them to play an active role in their learning. The instruction can be differentiated so that each child could move at their own pace. Ms. Garcia’s inclusion of the Common Core, I believe is crucial in the success of each student making significant measurable gains. The Common Core would be her road map for the direction that the students would travel. Christine S.
I truly admire Julie Garcia’s passion for teaching. She seems like she is an amazing teacher that any student would be fortunate to have. I found it amazing that Julie is still happy teaching as the first day she started. Being a teacher can be very stressful, however, Julie has not lost her passion. We need more teachers like her who can maintain their love for teaching because once it’s gone I believe that it negatively impacts the students. I respect the fact that Julie does not lower her standards in order for her students to succeed. Especially while working in low social economic areas, Julie created an engaging and demanding curriculum. Lowering standards for students stunts their educational growth. Instead Julie challenges her students while creating a comfortable judgment free environment. In addition, I agree that as teachers or future teachers, we all need to remember that success is defined by student growth, not necessarily external standards. If we grasp that concept I believe we will continuously be motivated to help our students. Julie is very creative when it comes to including technology in the classroom. She uses technology as opportunity to cater to the needs of her students which also allows them to work at their own pace. I believe this is a great tactic because it may relieve that some students may feel. Allowing students to watch videos at home and giving them an opportunity to make their own choices gives them a sense of empowerment which helps build their confidence and can ultimately help their academic success. The downside is that all students may not have the luxury of technology in their home or readily have access. As teachers, we want to be mindful of this when creating assignments including technology. Shamika L
I found this article very beneficial as a future educator and it outlined many key points throughout. It's explanation of why technology plays such a crucial role in the classroom I found very convincing. Technology doesn't just benefit the students but the teachers as well. Teachers can now make their classroom setting anything they want it to be. Besides from improving the classroom setting, technology can serve as a motivation for students as well. This article was one that I found very interesting and would highly recommend it as well. JF
Roisin M. - I believe Julia Garcia has very solid ideas about teaching. Students do learn better in safe and nurturing environments. Students also enjoy learning and are more apt to retain material when they find the material relatable to their everyday lives. Ms. Garcia was also correct when she stated that teaching is a lot of work. In order to be an affective teacher, a teacher needs to spend a great deal of time organizing lessons so that their lessons are logical and understandable to the students. Unorganized teachers or teachers who fly by the seat of their pants are totally ineffective. I also like the idea of the home videos, great concept!
This Wikibook is about adaptive technology and how to use it with special education students. It goes on to explain the history of adaptive technology and the advantages and disadvantages of it. I think that there are many important advantages of adaptive technology by making people with disabilities more independent. They can complete assignments and participate in the classroom a lot easier with this technology. A huge disadvantage is the cost; of course all of this newest and latest technology does cost a lot, but hopefully parents of these special education students save up the money that the state gives them to use it properly. Also hopefully the schools save up the money also. I feel that the disadvantage of not having enough training could be easily fixed if people would just ask for it. I know that there are a lot of opportunities that people can attend to learn about this technology that is for free, people just need to ask. All of the examples of adaptive technology would highly benefit not only special education students, but all students.
After reading the article about Julie Garcia’s proposal to incorporate more technology into the classroom, I feel she is an innovator in today’s teaching world. I liked her idea about recording herself in the classroom so the students could access the lesson from home. I gives the students a way to look back at the lesson when their doing their homework and preparing for tests. I also like the fact that she is incorporating technology into her lesson because it shows the student a responsible way to access technology in the classroom and on a daily basis. I agree with Suzanna L when she explains how Ms. Garcia has seems like she has an eagerness about her when she is teaching in the classroom. Ms. Garcia’s strategies make me want to strive to be a great innovative teacher that goes above and beyond.
I found this interview both interesting and informative. I find it easy to relate to Julie's passion for teaching and found myself identifying with so many things she said. As we grow up, we are influenced by those around us whether it be parents, guardians or teachers. Often people become teachers because they grow up with teachers around them, as was the case with Julie and her mother. I had a similar experience growing up with a mom as a teacher. Her passion for teaching is something I was born with and she helped to nurture it as I grew older. With that fostering of passion, she also instilled many of her views on education in me. While I was not force fed her opinions, I think my way of thinking evolved from growing up with the knowledge of her beliefs. This is similar to Julie's experience and perhaps why I feel so strongly tied to the thoughts expressed in this article. -Melanie P
Julia Garcia has taken technology to the next level in her classroom, which I find to be a truly excellent learning environment for each student. Not only does Julia open her classroom up to a world of different learning opportunity, she stresses the importance of learning real world math skills that her students will be able to transfer into their daily lives. Creating an environment in which students are the producers gives each individual the chance to play an active role in, not only their own learning, but the class as a whole. She gives them the opportunity to explore multiple methods of learning rather than making education a one way street. As educators, we know that everyone learns and understands certain subjects in a variety of ways. Giving students the opportunity to create their own lessons, I believe produces a greater chance at success because the students will learn multiple ways to solve the same problem.
Julia Garcia’s approach to learning creates motivated and responsible students who take pride in their education. Through use of technology, each student is provided with differentiated instruction enabling students to move at their own pace. This allows for greater success rate and removes the stress out of learning. It also allows for an appreciation of completing the task at hand. The use of different mathematical applications allows students to explore topics of interest and different methods to solve each problem. Garcia also provides math forums which give the students opportunity to discuss different math problems and ways in which they can solve the problems. This is a great method to use for students who are on the shyer side, allowing them to open up and interact with their peers. Outside of the classroom, Garcia often video tapes lessons so that each student is able to fast forward through information they are already comfortable with, while a student who is not understanding has the ability to rewind and go through the lesson at their own pace. Not only is this a helpful method for each individual, it also provides greater time in the classroom to work on meaningful mathematics geared toward each individual’s need. As a teacher, I would absolutely use many of Garcia’s teaching techniques due to the fact that they are geared toward student learning through use of exploration and interaction with peers. Students who feel responsible for their learning tend to take more of an interest in learning and succeeding. -L. Gallo
I definitely agree with L. Gallo's last point that students who take ownership of their own learning will be more interested in learning in general. The students will feel responsible to make a time commitment to their learning. This will lead to positive results in both their learning and confidence. -Melanie P
I believe Julia Garcia's approach to education is valid and useful. She created a learning environment that utilizes engaging and demanding curriculum, but still makes learning joyful for students. I agree with her statement that student success and growth should be measured in relative terms, not according to NCLB standards. For example, if a student participates more regularly in class, or if a child completes more homework assignments, these are measures of success also, regardless what they score on state assessments.
Her use of technology in instruction both differentiates her curriculum and allows for students to work at their own pace. One way she does this is by taping her lessons so students have access to them for reference. As L.Gallo mentioned, it also allows for more classroom time to be devoted to individual's needs. Many of these strategies can be used in my classrooms as well. -Suzie B.
I think that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology by making her students the producers is a great way for the students to learn. This approach allows the students to be responsible for their learning and gives them an opportunity to teach their knowledge to others. This strategy allows the students to be successful in class according to their own interests, their own pace and their level of learning. It was proven through many of Julia’s students that her children did not feel forced to learn, they actually enjoyed coming to her math class. This motivation continued outside of the school environment when they were able to integrate the technology in the students' homes. Once students begin to take ownership for their education, confidence will most likely follow. Therefore, I feel that this approach is valid and I would absolutely use this in my future teaching. After reading Julia Garcia’s interview about her personal experiences, I feel that all teachers should give this approach a try. It is clear that there have been many positive learning outcomes from integrating technology by making students producers.
Julia Garcia, an exemplary math teacher uses all forms of technology in her classroom. Similar to Howard Gardiners theory of multiple intelligences; Julia Garcia uses technology to engage students best learning styles in order to engage her students and provide relevant math lessons. Students progress is not gaged by NCLB or state testing but rather how they interact with each other and the lesson at hand. By instructing her students in this manner, she is allowing them to work at their own pace. A strategy that will absolutely help students, especially in Math where so many struggle with the common core requirements. So many of the students that I work with, especially those that have a learning disability cannot keep up with the lesson. They either fall behind or just do not understand. How wonderful it would be if they could work at their own pace! The majority of these children would flourish.
As educators, we are constantly shown that no one student learns the same way or has the exact same abilities. Yet, we are to distribute a state exam which is a complete one way path. I definitely agree with your statement that students should be measured in a variety of forms to display whether or not educational growth has occurred. ~L. Gallo
Julia Garcia clearly has passion and dedication to her students. Of all the wonderful strategies she uses, I feel that extending the classroom outside of the school day is very innovative. In a high school setting, a teacher sees students for 40-45 minutes a day. Although extra help and other avenues are available, some students need more time to understand material. By putting lessons online as well, Garcia allows students to revisit whatever lessons they need. I wish that I could entail the same philosophy to my classroom. -Sean C.
I think that Julie Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is a good one. By making her students the producers rather than the consumers of their own knowledge, Julie Garcia has developed a method of teaching math that is allowing students to take on a more active role in their learning. It is important, especially with the new Common Core State Standards, for students to be more responsible for his or her own learning through inquiry and exploration, rather than dictation from the teacher. As a fifth and sixth grade math and science teacher, I can relate to what Julie Garcia was saying about engaging the students in math lessons and relating each lesson to the students personally. The students seem to grasp the topic more readily by actively engaging in activities and using project-based learning with real world activities. After reading this article, I feel that I may not know as much as I thought about using technology in my classroom, and I want to incorporate more technology into all of my math and science lessons.
I definitely feel that this is a valid approach for today’s teachers and one I may use in the future. The children in this generation grew up using “Google” when he or she needed to find information. While I was substitute teaching, I told a student about a time when I was growing up without computers or “Google.” The whole fifth grade class asked how I looked up information. With that being said, the students in this generation can navigate around computers, tablets, iPads, and websites better than most teachers. Using Julie Garcia’s approach can help gear lessons towards each child’s individual preferences and learning needs. Teachers should use Julie Garcia’s integration of technology in almost every lesson possible.
I think Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is extremely positive and will help students grow. It gives each student the chance to become more interactive in the classroom as well as from home. Her approaches and techniques allow each student to work at their own speed, with her help, whenever needed. The fact that any student in Julia’s class can watch a video of a lesson and pause, rewind, and fast-forward is great. This gives her students the ability to learn at their own pace. Many of Julia’s students love her class because they don’t feel pressured to learn. She teaches through real life situations and uses examples to go along with her lessons. Her students appreciate this and realize that she is working hard; therefore, they put hard work and effort into their work as well.
This is a valid approach for today’s teachers and it is definitely one that I will use in my future classroom. It is a great tool if a student did not fully understand the lesson taught in class or is having difficulty grasping a specific concept. They can simply go home and watch the videos created to better understand the topics. This is also a great approach because it helps those students who are timid and do not like speaking up in class. It allows them to voice their opinion, ask questions, and answer questions without being overwhelmed or feeling embarrassed. I can relate to Julia’s techniques and hopefully one day integrate them into my classroom.
I agree with Janet H. in the fact that many students are struggling due to the new common core requirements. The common core standards are still new, not only to the students, but also to the teachers. Teachers are still learning about the common core and incorporating it into their lessons. By using Julia’s approach to the integration of technology in classrooms, it allows students to work together; therefore, the classroom becomes an easier place to learn when using the common core standards.
Julie Garcia offers her students the unique opportunity to deviate from the required curriculum though the use of technology. By integrating technology into the classroom, Julie has the ability to create a “fun”-learning environment for students by taking advantage of “teachable moments” both inside and outside of school. Within the four walls of the classroom Julie gives students the “formula” then allows them to become the masters of their own success. In my opinion Julie’s use of technology in her lessons bridges the gaps between an ordinary teacher and an extraordinary teacher.
As a prospective teacher, I will adopt Julie Garcia’s practice of videoing lessons for students to watch at home. As Julie expresses in her interview this is a effective way for each student to learn at their own pace; featuring the ability to rewind and/or fast-forward when needed. This leaves room for more effective learning in the classroom. Giving students this access through various forums will give them the tools to be life long learners
The new Common Core State Standards do not allow for individualism in classroom learning anymore. I agree that today, more then ever it is important for students to be more proactive in the success of their education. Like you stated above, “Julie Garcia has developed a method of teacher that allows students to take a more active role in their learning”; rather than being told exactly what to do, Julie empowers her students through the use of technology to inquire why and explore how. By doing this Julie encourages her students to take advantage of the access they have, rather then imprison them to an expected standard. It is refreshing to hear that you too, encourage the use of technology and will empower your students with the access they have by integrating technology in all possible lessons. Best of Luck!
The interview with Julie Garcia I found to be very interesting. I believe that Julie's approach with the new technology out there will increase the students potential and academic learning. The new technology discussed by Garcia will give the students a chance to be more interactive within the classroom. I absolutely love the idea of taping the lessons be taught. Garcia also uses real life situations in her lessons which makes the lessons more relatable to the students. I would love to use Garcia's approach in my classroom one day. The idea of allowing your students to learn at their own pace and feeling comfortable about what they are learning is just one great step towards success. -Nicole A
I definitely agree with Joanna S in that the process of taping lessons. It allows the students to rewind, fast forward and even pause the lesson, which gives the student time to comprehend and understand what is being taught. This is a great idea for any classroom, but this technique would be greatly appreciated in an inclusion program or special education program in that each student learns and comprehends differently. And the process of having lessons on tape allows the students to learn at their own pace. -Nicole A
I believe that Ms. Garcia's approach to technology in the classroom is excellent. She has taken the most modern resources and used them to allow her students to become the most successful individuals that they can be. Allowing students to become producers instead of consumers, in a sense allows them to take their future into their own hands. They are able to work at a pace that is most comfortable for them, and it gives the students opportunities aside from just a structured classroom setting. As a future educator, I fully believe that it is a good idea to incorporate this level of technology into the classroom. By the adolescent years, students have become so well adapted to technology that it is second nature for them to use. Not only is it helpful for the learning process, but it allows education to be more fun for the students. Furthermore, it is valid for teachers today to use technology because it allows for a new level of comprehension and understanding by the students.
Melanie P, I agree with what you said in your blog post. I also think that it is very easy to relate to what Ms. Garcia is saying about her passion for teaching. Like you, my mom is also a teacher, and her passion for it has allowed me to see what a great career it really is. From being around teachers/instructors for so many years, I definitely believe that my life has been greatly influenced by them.
I enjoyed reading the Julie Garcia interview. Her mother and past teachers have greatly influenced her enthusiasm and dedication for teaching. She is a positive role model for her students as well as present and future teachers. Ms. Garcia has created a wonderful learning environment where all of her students feel safe and respected. I believe that in this environment her students feel comfortable to take risks and engage in their learning. Her use of technology allows her students to explore the math concepts that they find interesting and share those thoughts with other students in online discussion groups--free from the classroom pressure of being called on. By using technology, Ms. Garcia is able to customize the learning of her students that enables them to works at their own pace. I agree with her that by having the students create their own examples based on their past experiences connects them to their learning. And by having them work in groups will hopefully promote respect of and tolerance for each other.
I think that Julia Garcia’s approach is an effective one.It provides and engaging learning environment. In addition, students hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their education by being the producers. As an elementary school teacher, in a low income area, I face many challenges each day, trying to integrate technology into the classroom. However, Julia Garcia named many benefits of its impact on student learning and success. For example, shy students can discuss their ideas online, and applications can be personalized for learning.
At first glance, many educators feel that the common core learning standards don’t leave room for differentiating. However, I agree with Julia Garcia’s statement, that while teachers keep expectations high, they also make it hard for their students to fail. That means providing multiple means and strategies to an end (even if it is the same end for all students).
We live in a world that is constantly moving forward in technology. I believe that part of educating our students includes preparing them. I would like to try Julia Garcia’s approach in the future.
I also agree with Joanna S that having the lessons on video enables students to check their own comprehension at home, again taking ownership of their learning at their own pace. Erin H.
This interview was extremely compelling because it was heartfelt and honest. Julie Garcia does a wonderful job of highlighting both the glorious parts of teaching as well as the parts that she wishes would change. I particularly agreed wholeheartedly with her answer to the last question that the interviewer posed. Julie pinpoints exactly my thoughts on the ideal way a school should be run: student centered. She also goes beyond academics and includes socialization and cooperation among students. Socialization and cooperation are equally important in schools as academics are because they help create well-rounded people which in my opinion should be one of the ultimate goals of the education system. In addition, I think Julie does an outstanding job reflecting on her teaching including her strengths and especially her weaknesses. This is a crucial ability that teachers need to have. Samantha F.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is excellent because it encourages students to be more responsible for their own learning. Julia Garcia’s approach motivates students to be the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumers by engaging them through active involvement in their learning. In addition, her approach allows students to take ownership of their learning including taking risks and making choices for themselves. By taking ownership of their own learning, students will find what they learn to be much more meaningful.
I absolutely feel that this is a valid approach for today’s teachers and I would definitely use this in the future. Integrating technology in the classroom would be very useful for use with the common core standards as it will improve education and increase student understanding of new concepts and ideas. In addition, technology integration provides ways in which to differentiate the curriculum and allow students to complete work at their own individual pace. Integrating technology in the classroom will also help to create a safe, comfortable, and non-threatening environment for students to learn in. I especially love Julia Garcia’s idea of creating videos of her lessons for students to watch at home. This is an idea that I would think to use for the future because it allows students the flexibility to fast forward through information they already know and work through the lesson at their own individual pace. In addition, creating lesson videos for my students will allow for learning to not just take place in the classroom.
I agree that her method of taping lessons to give students extra time to learn material is effective. She clearly has a firm grasp on the fact that lessons need to be differentiated and by allowing students to revisit the material they may not understand it can aid them in succeeding. It also centers the learning around the student, making them responsible for their own success. This is an interesting theory because we've always thought of teachers as the leaders in the classroom. By allowing students to be responsible, it makes the teacher a facilitator rather than a lecturer in the class. Samantha F.
I also agree that schools should be student centered allowing students to explore and learn together, instead of just listening to the teacher. Socialization and cooperation are essential to have in any classroom. Students enjoy working as a team collaboratively. This allows the stronger students to help the weaker students in the class. Julie Garcia stresses each student learns in their own individual way and this is definitely one of them. Christina G.
I think that Julie is very unique in how she incorporates technology into her teaching. Using technology and programs really helps when it comes to the the differentiation of instruction because not all students learn in the same ways or at the same pace. Julie understands this and allows for and guides the students to find their own way of learning, which is much better than her trying and possibly failing at teaching students her way. I believe that a good teacher understands that there might be times when they might not be able to teach or fulfill a students needs with how they personally teach, and instead of giving up or trying an ineffective way of instruction over and over again, they point their students to other ways to help in their instruction. It is also beneficial in bridging the gap between the faster learners and the slower learns. Faster learners can possible go ahead rather than getting bored while slower learners can get the supplementary help they need in order to not get left behind in the lessons. Not only that, but using technology in such away would also help develop a student's independency, and ability to research and learn on their own. I also like the idea about her ideal future of learning and schools. It might take some time to foster children's love and interest in learning and self improvement, as well as the responsibility to learn on their own and with others, but I think her teaching philosophy and the way she integrates technology, it could happen. -Gabe G.
There was a lot to take in. What concerns me as a future teacher has always been whether or not I would remain as passionate in the end as when I started. Reading how Julia was originally not sure if teaching was for her but realized it later on and as she continued to teach only became more passionate gives me confidence to pursue teaching even more. Her constant concern for the well-being and education of her students is inspirational.
In addition, as others have mentioned, her integration of technology and the idea of students teaching each other is cutting edge and implemented the right way can definitely make a change in how classrooms are formatted and children learn.
That interview was very interesting for me. Lately I have been thinking of why it is I want to be a teacher, since I have been going on so many interviews. It was enlightening to read Ms. Garcia's take on the teaching profession. One specific quote stands out to me, Ms. Garcia stated teaching takes "your heart and soul for a lesson to be effective." That really made me think of teaching as an art. Teachers are the ones who help to shape students' futures, almost as if they were a sculptor with clay. This interview really stuck with me and I'm sure I will be going back to it through my career. -Kara M.
I agree with Nick C. In so many places administrators are looking to cut costs. Technology is usually a huge target for this because of the non-importance of so many of the tech items. It is important, however, to teach using Ms. Garcia's approach because it makes learning interesting for students. If students are not interested, they will not learn as much. -Kara M.
Out of all of Ms. Garcia's characteristics that make her a strong educator, enthusiasm is the one I respect and have. I have 5 middle school math classes now and I do not have the technology she has, but I am able to bring that type of enthusiasm too I hope. With so much pressure to cover material of Common Core I don't feel it's realistic in my district to start making videos and using iPads now. I have too many 7th graders that don't speak English well enough to read their word problems, and too many students who are on such a lower level academically. I laughed out loud when she suggested in her dreams 10 years later there would be no bells, no walls, and no grades as all ages would work together. Not in my district.
I think Julia Garcia's approach to the integration of technology in her classroom by making her students the producers is a awesome and bold choice. It encourages them to explore and use the internet to research & problem solve. It makes learning intriguing and not always about learning to pass standardized tests. I think it is a valid approach to teaching because each student has their own way of retaining information & own pace while learning. Being able to turn a difficult subject like math or any subject into exploration, group discussions, shared learning will benefit each student. I think using technology in my classroom the way Julia Garcia did will be something that I will definitely do. Technology has evolved over the years, students are always on their laptops, mobile devices, IPADS, & tablets. So, getting them to do math problem-solving activities, interacting in forum discussions, researching topics in mathematics is an excellent idea rather than them always focused on social media, video games & other distracting things.
Julie Garcia's approach to technology in the classroom is exceptional. Her enthusiasum in her classroom and her love for her students is motivational and endearing. I believe technology is a wonderful way to keep students involved in your lessons and classroom. I never realized how great of a tool the Ipad and IBooks could be in the mathematics classroom. I feel implementing these tools in the classroom could only help the students and higher assessment scores at the end of the year. In all, most teachers if not all, should try and incorporate a large portion of technology in their classrrom
I think Julie Garcia's overall educational approach is extremely important for modern educator's to take note of and learn from. The notion that students be producers in their own education, rather than consumers, is not merely a valid approach but a critical component of effective educational practices. It is not coincidental that "ACTIVE involvement in the learning process" is listed by Garcia as the primary element that leads to student success. Students must be active and involved in their own education. Only by prepraring students to be producers of their own education can teachers guide those students toward becoming autonomous leaners (both in the classroom and beyond)
As the saying goes.. Give a person a fish, they can eat for a day. But teach a person to fish and they can eat for a life time. This saying gets to the heart of Garcia's approach. Students who are producers in their own education gain the motivation, drive, and savoir-faire to become producers in their post academic life. They will be prepared for a life beyond the classroom. This should be the true goal of all education. -Jesse G.-
I believe Julie Garcia is a very experienced and motivated teacher. She cares deeply about the success of her students and she made an amazing point to state that success is not just measured in grades. With the help of technology she is able to accommodation all her students especially with the use of tablets, e readers, and other technology. She can tier her lessons using tablets allowing students to work at their own pace and ability. Using this technology can motivate and engage the students better because this is what they have grown up with. No longer can a simple PowerPoint entertain students. Technology such as smart boards can actively engage students during every class. When students can physically participate in a class that is when they will learn and retain the information the best. -Liam R
By making the students the producers it is holding each student to a higher expectation which in turn makes them more accountable for their own actions. I think that I agree with taking more attention off the teacher and more attention onto the students. It shows a more student-centered approach and gives students a constructivist way of learning. They are constructing their own knowledge of what their learning which in my eyes gives each lesson more meaning to each student. I think that Julia has a very good way of approaching the integration of technology into the classroom. Teachers must be first comfortable with letting the students take control of their learning which Julia has done. I think that project-based learning tends to have more of a successful effect on students. I would completely use her teaching strategies in my future classroom because we share the same beliefs. I like her way of interacting with the students and have them create their learning. It takes more power to let the students have more control, but I think that it makes a bigger impact.
By making the students the producers it is holding each student to a higher expectation which in turn makes them more accountable for their own actions. I think that I agree with taking more attention off the teacher and more attention onto the students. It shows a more student-centered approach and gives students a constructivist way of learning. They are constructing their own knowledge of what their learning which in my eyes gives each lesson more meaning to each student. I think that Julia has a very good way of approaching the integration of technology into the classroom. Teachers must be first comfortable with letting the students take control of their learning which Julia has done. I think that project-based learning tends to have more of a successful effect on students. I would completely use her teaching strategies in my future classroom because we share the same beliefs. I like her way of interacting with the students and have them create their learning. It takes more power to let the students have more control, but I think that it makes a bigger impact.
Liam, I agree with you completely. I as well think that Julia is a motivated teacher. As I read the article, it was clear that she has a lot of passion for what she does and loves teaching. I missed the line when she said that success is not measured in grades. I think that statement is very interesting and true. Technology can help form better bonds with children and learning so that grades aren’t everything that measures how well or not so well students have gathered a concept. I also like when you stated, “when students can physically participate in a class is when they will learn and retain the information the best”. I have been a part of many classrooms with smartboards and ipads. The children not only have a wonderful time but they are taking in and comprehending what they learn. It is no longer just traditional pen to paper but wonderful assistive technologies out there. - Suzanne S.
The changes Julie Garcia is bringing to schools and students through technology is an incredible feat. It’s great to see that with the use of technology in the classroom students can become “producers and creators” instead of “consumers” of their education like me and I would imagine many of my peers were. I have great respect for Julie Garcia’s positive attitude and approaches to teaching (i.e. high standards, treating students equally and fairly, consistency, her definition of success, and relating the material taught to real life situations) and hope to instill these philosophies in my teaching and classroom someday. I like that Julie Garcia differentiates her lessons by allowing students to watch the lessons at home and using time in the classroom for extra help and/or practice of the material. Just like she says in the article it allows each student to learn/work at his/her own pace without stopping any other students from learning. Also, that she makes learning Math a fun, collaborative, creative experience through students’ use of various applications and projects. I know from my own education that Math is a challenging and difficult subject to teach and learn, and most students do not find it enjoyable, so Julie Garcia’s approach to Math education is truly innovative and refreshing.
Suzanne, I agree with your comment about how it is difficult for teachers to give up some control over student learning but that when students do have some control over their learning that it has a greater impact. It is also true for any situation that if someone can accomplish something individually or in a group that he/she has a significant amount of control over the person/people will have a greater sense of accomplishment and belief in him/her/themselves because he/she/they were able to complete the task.
Julia Garcia has a great approach for integrating technology into her classroom. She understands students learn at their own pace and through technology they can achieve that without pressure from the teacher of other students. The idea of video lessons that be watched at home incorporates this even further. A former co-worker of mine who is a Spanish teacher has extra help sessions online through video chats. Students are able to sign in and type their questions for her to answer. As a former athlete she understands the value of competition (even internally), motivation, and success. Some students are already motivated to do their best while others may need an extra push. For those who care little about math to try or even attend, she understands that a "win" is not to make them a A students, but to catch their interest enough to make a difference in their education.
Suzanne Schalk is correct when she says the student-centered approach to teaching gives more meaning to each student. Students seem to remember more when the discover the information themselves than during a teacher-centered lecture approach. Julia Garcia enhances this by letting the students teach other students some of the details of the lesson.
Julie Garcia is someone who is very dedicated to the field of education and a great example to all future teachers. I like that she sees her students as family and she will do anything to help them succeed. Additionally, I love her idea of implementing technology into the lessons where students can make their own product to explain a math topic. From my student teaching I have found that students understand the material better when they experience it for themselves. All teachers should use this approach because it allows the students to interact with the content through the use of technology and learn to think on their own. -Mariya L.
Julia Garcia’s approach to integration of technology in her classroom is definitely making her students the producers of their own knowledge. This is beneficial to the students because it puts their learning into their own hands. If the students have the responsibility of their learning they are more likely to focus and work harder to succeed. This approach is valid for today’s teachers because technology is so accessible to mostly everyone. I really liked Julie’s approach on taping her lessons and having students stream them at home. This creates much more classroom time to practice and master the skills. This approach also allows students who are struggling or advancing to rewind, rewatch, or fast forward through the lesson. This strategy seems highly effective because it is adaptable for each student’s needs.
Julie Garcia has many wonderful ideas and her implementation of technology is extraordinary. First her attitude and mentality of high expectations for all her students, not settling for anything but their best and helping them get there are marks of a great teacher. Her ideas of use of the iPad to individuate student learning are really great. Allowing students to develop at their skill level will help all students. That means no student is being left behind and confused and other are not bored from going over something they already understand. I love the idea for students to create their own videos for alternative teaching strategies. This makes the students really think of the method of a problem and each step involved, then will well other students who watch the video seeing another method for explaining the problem. Students doing podcasts and answering each other’s questions is great collaboration and team building having students work together for a great mutual understanding is a great use of technology in teaching.
Justin makes a good point for the value of competition for motivating students. Students are always in competition with each other in physical sports and using the same motivation for academic success seems like a great way to promote learning. It helps give students a reason to try and motivate themselves to do better.
I found Julie Garcia’s discussion on looking other ways to measure her students’ success rather than using grades and ability to meet state standards. A good attendance rate, arriving on time, and paying attention are skills needed for success anywhere, but improvement in these skills alone should also be viewed as success. A difficult subject like math may have students maintain relatively low grades. Giving attention to other ways students can improve and succeed can help the student feel motivated and cared about.
Julie Garcia is particularly positive about integrating new technology and using the common core to create better educational experiences for her students. I was very surprised to find she has a very positive stance on the common core because so far most teachers I have come across hold a grudge against it and this only makes their jobs more difficult for them. As for integrating technology a teacher’s stance on integrating technology seems to depend on their experience, success, or the amount of training the teacher has had with the new technology. From the interview, it is clear that Julie sees the positives and advantages in using technology regularly in her classroom. She highlights how technology can allow students to work at home and more importantly at their own pace.
I find math to be a very bland subject so I think it is wonderful that Julie has found new ways to spice up the material while building student comfortability with new technology. Videos and podcasts are a great way to help students who were absent, have difficulty paying attention, need visuals, and struggle with note taking in class. Integrating technology into her classroom has definitely helped her cater to the different learning styles and needs of her classroom. Technology has also has helped Julie to make her math lessons more meaningful, accessible, and engaging. -Jessica S.
The question I found myself asking as I read the article was, “how can I do something like this?” Although it’s a challenge to let go of the traditional lecture-based model of teaching that perhaps many of us were brought up with, it is clear to me that young learners need to stay engaged in the classroom. New technologies are appealing, interactive, and can be fun to use. I think savvy teachers are aware of this and use this reality to the advantage of their students. Making the students the producers of their own work provides the foundation for critical thinking skills and original thought. Isn’t that the goal of a good, solid education?
It is good to see so many other posts of people who find great value in Garcia’s approach to teaching. A few comments I read confirmed that many of us share the same vision for the classroom. Phrases like interactive learning, centers, group work, collaboration, and creativity all speak to the kind of learning environment I wish to implement. -Peter L.
After reading the interview with Julia Garcia, I felt her approach to teaching in general is inspiring and can be extremely effective. The concept of making her students producers rather than consumers is a smart idea. When students feel a sense of responsibility for their learning and are held to high expectations, I think students will be more motivated to succeed. I also liked that this form of integrating technology into the lessons allows for differentiation of instruction and lets the students learn at their own pace. I feel that this approach can be helpful for today’s teachers and is a method I would definitely consider using in my own classroom. Especially when teaching students with special needs, they will all be on a different level of learning and will all have varying learning styles. Today’s iPad apps and other similar programs are teaching students concepts that have been taught for years, but now these programs are keeping students interested and motivated. Students are learning through real world activities and drawing conclusions from their own individual experiences. I think from a teacher’s perspective, this also allows you to work with each individual child at their own pace and learn more about their individual needs so you can adjust how you teach the class.
ulia Garcia's dedication to technology is important for all students. It is important that teachers need to adapt to new technology. Technology for teaching will always be changing and it is important for teachers to change with it. A lab environment is a good strategy for many subjects including math, it allows students to go at their own pace and the added technology allows students to access their work anywhere. Students will have an option of customizing their education. By videotaping lessons, it allows students to focus on key ideas and concepts they do not fully understand. I believe this is an effective method of teaching and all new teachers should embrace the inclusion of technology. -Patrick H.
I think that the integration of technology in Garcia’s classroom is great. I never really thought how a Math teacher would be able to do this but it is clearly something that works for her students. When Garcia mentioned making her students the producers of their knowledge because that way the students are taking more ownership in their learning process is incredibly important. I feel now students want instant gratification and if they do not understand something they just quit. By using similar technology to Garcia she gives them the tools to work at their own pace. That way they can really control how they learn and they can appreciate the lesson and knowledge much more than just being force fed material.
I would love to be able to integrate something like this into my classroom. It may be a little more difficult for me to do in Social Studies but I would definitely like to use some of it in my lessons. Class periods are so short and it is often hard to give the students all the material they need to succeed. So if I was able to integrate some of these concepts I think not only would the students learn more but I think they would enjoy learning some things outside of the classroom, too.
In response to Kaitlyn B., I agree with her that it is often difficult to relinquish some sort of control to your students but the way Garcia does it, she still is in control and the class is structured. I think we have to find a way to work as a team with our students towards a common goal without allowing the students to realize that they do need some sort of structure and that you, the teacher, are in control of the lessons.
I do think that this integration of technology is more appropriate in subjects like mathematics than it in subjects like English or Social Studies. While you certainly can find effective ways to use this technology it cannot be exclusively used.
I agree with many of the comments here that Garcia's methods are effective for math. These methods also lend themselves to other subjects. However, teachers of different subjects should find uses of technology that would better fit their subjects.
I think that Julia Gracias approach to the education process is great. The way that she uses many different approaches such as introducing things on IPad as well as other technologies in the classroom will only help here students. Luckily for her students, Julia Garcia realizes that the use of new technology is the future of both learning, and will also be a large part of her students future when they enter the work force. I also believe that this can help students with special needs as well as gifted and talented students. When using technology like the iPad the teacher can adjust the lesson to each student individually without making some students feel bad that they may not be keeping up with other students. -Nick Gilbert
I agree with the many comments made on this blog post. In today’s classrooms a Power Point Presentation is not enough and does not engage the students in classroom. Teachers should take advantage of the latest technology such as the iPad because it allows the learner to be more engaged with the content. Additionally, educators should use this technology to create lessons that are adjusted to a student’s personal level. -Mariya L.
I really like the idea of personalizing the classroom based on students needs, this is something I plan to do when teaching. Julia Garcia said that this approach allows students to take ownership of the material which also boosts their confidence. The purpose of the online forums, benefiting all students especially the shy students and taking off the pressure of being called on is also something I think is great to have in the classroom. I like the idea of recording the lesson and the students being able to watch it and fast forward when they already know something or rewind if they need it repeated, and in a perfect world where every student has a device at home that is something I would love to do. But as we all know, that is not the case in some situations. If that is the case, I would like to use her idea of having the lessons recorded so the students can learn at their own pace but more as a reinforcer, instead of actually replacing the lesson and allowing time in class for students to view this material.
The first thing I came to appreciate while reading this interview is Julia Garcia's passion for math. I have always found that math is one subject that the teacher needs to be passionate about. If a math teacher is bored with what he or she is teaching, it is likely that the information will not be absorbed by the students in the classroom. I also appreciate that she talked about how hard being a teacher is. I think most people believe it is an easy profession, and that is certainly not the case. I think her teaching methods are great. I love that she uses the technology to help students learn at their own pace. I am not technologically inclined, so I really appreciate what Julia is doing, and I hope one day I am able to incorporate technology in my classroom as much as she has. -Kayla Bettineschi
Julia Garcia approach to integrating technology has proven to be greatly successful in her classroom. This can be concluded in how engaged her students are in their learning experience. Julia Garcia allows to differentiation of instruction in each lesson for her students and allowing them to move forward at a pace that meets their needs the interesting and remarkable part is that this all incorporates technology in one way or another. I agree with Megan R that the success that Julia Garcia has is directly related to her consistency. Julia Garcia follows a Universal Design for Learning not allowing students to be excluded in a lesson, but also accepting the theory “One Size Fits All” is not acceptable. While using technology can still cause some skeptics and is not always welcomed, what Julia Garcia is doing is extremely effective.
The interview “The Future of Technology is Here”, with Julie Garcia, explains why she went into teaching, and why she believes in transforming public education. Julie speaks about her mother’s love for not only her work, but the compassion she felt towards her students. By watching her mother express love towards her students, Julie learned to do this as well. I think having a solid relationship with your students not only makes teaching easier, but also more rewarding. Julie also explains how she feels technology has helped in her classroom because she is able to personalize her lessons based on the needs of each student. She allows her students to use an iPad, because for some, this makes the work seem less threatening. Julie seems like an extremely passionate and experienced teacher.
Amanda said...The interview “The Future of Technology is Here”, with Julie Garcia, explains why she went into teaching, and why she believes in transforming public education. Julie speaks about her mother’s love for not only her work, but the compassion she felt towards her students. By watching her mother express love towards her students, Julie learned to do this as well. I think having a solid relationship with your students not only makes teaching easier, but also more rewarding. Julie also explains how she feels technology has helped in her classroom because she is able to personalize her lessons based on the needs of each student. She allows her students to use an iPad, because for some, this makes the work seem less threatening. Julie seems like an extremely passionate and experienced teacher.
The interview with Julia Garcia shows how much work but also how rewarding it is to be a teacher. She is what every teacher should be:enthusiastic, dedicated, caring, and a motivated to keep improving. My goal is to be as a great as a teacher she is/strives to be. I want to include technology in my classroom, hold high expectations, build a rapport with my students, and treat each student as an individual but also an equal.
The interview with Julia Garcia provided many interesting ideas. I particularly liked her comment about how her philosophy towards education teaches her students that by working hard, they can accomplish their goals both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, Garcia comments that "success can be defined in many ways" and that "we need to focus on student growth in relative terms" are excellent. Most of the time, teachers are concerned with with how students perform as it relates to a set of predetermined standards instead of measuring their progress as it relates to their own individual growth. I agree with Garcia that technology can be used to personalize the classroom and differentiate instruction as it allows students to work at their own pace and can be tailored to a student's individual needs enabling them to take control of their learning.
I feel Julia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is not only a positive approach but a necessary one. I agree students need to be engaged in the lessons that are being taught. In our classroom our students with special needs thrive on technology and the interaction. Also, the fact that students can learn at their own pace through technology is essential. As a future teacher I would try to implement Julia’s approach. However, one must be cognitive to the fact that not every school has the funds to provide these resources to their teachers and their students.
Julie Garcia seems like a wonderful teacher. There were many times through the interview where I was definitely able to relate. She is a mathematics teacher, as am I. I know that you need to have a love for math and numbers to stick with teaching mathematics to our youth. When she said "My love for education has always revolved around mathematics. As a young middle school student I was continually inspired by several math teachers. I often think about these teachers, their energy and enthusiasm." I began to remember my years through my own schooling and the same characteristics of her teachers that helped her gain insight into what career to go into were the same as my own. I will always remember one specific math teacher in my mind that really made me make the decision to become a math teacher.
I also liked her honesty about her strengths and weaknesses. I believe that to become a good educator you need to use your strengths and develop your weaknesses to grow as a teacher.
In addition to the portion of technology, I work in a school district where all students have iPads. I understand the pro's and con's of technology. However one quote of Julie stuck out at me "Technology has allowed me to personalize my classroom according to the needs of my students. With technology I am able to work with students at their own pace." While working in my district I do notice that the IPads are very useful for some students who have special needs and accommodations. The IPads are more beneficial for some and sometimes not for others. It is all about meeting the needs of our students when we use technology in the classroom. Lauren Stein
By taping lessons to give students extra time to grasp material is seems very effective. Lessons need to be different and let students go back to revisit material they may not understand. Students can reward themselves for what they are learning by themselves. We have always believed that the teachers stand in the front of the classroom and be the leaders to the students. With her method, the teacher will guide the students instead of being the lecturer in the classroom. Students enjoy working together rather than alone. This allows some of the weaker students to grasp information in their learning technique rather than the same method every lesson.
I think the way Julia runs her classroom is a great procedure. Julia cares about her students and wants to make sure that they are engaged and learning while in her classroom. I agree that technology within the classroom is a great way to incorporate learning. In my classroom, we use many types of technology such as ipads, computers, and smart boards. This allows students to be more engaged in their learning and allows them more resources as well. Technology is a great tool for students to have and leads to students to achieve and gain higher academic scores. Michelle Anander
Julia Garcia and I have many similarities. We both have a parents that told us education is important and that teaching is a great profession to get into it. Both my parents are teachers and I always saw how much they loved their jobs and how they loved making an impact in their students lives. The integration of technology into schools is growing more and more every year. My administrators in the DOE in New York City are constantly checking if I am up to date with technology and I have even attended Professional Development in technology to update myself each year. Although some schools like mine can't afford Ipads and all of the brand new technology coming out, it can be a great tool to enhance student engagement and interaction. It would be easier to reach a higher level of learning and students can become less reliable on the teacher and more reliable on themselves.
Julia Garcia and I have many similarities in our views on how a teacher should be. My favorite comment by her, was when she answered what makes her a great teacher? She said she pushes all of her students to their full potential. She expects the best work and she feels that having these high expectations work best for the students. I too believe in this, I think each student can do there best at whatever grade level they are at. I think technology is a wonderful tool in the classroom. In Julia Garcia's classroom she uses the technology because it leads to higher academic scores and I think it helps the students love what there doing. This generation is all about technology, the main component is to know how and when to use technology to bring the lesson to a higher level for the students.
Julie Garcia seems to be an innovative teacher with a passion for education that so many of us aspire to have. Her integration of technology allowed her students to excel yet challenge them to push their own limits. I believe her practices would help many other educators. She is an engaging teacher who cares about her students' education and success.
Reading the interview with Julia Garcia was such a rewarding experience for me. It is evident in her philosophy of education, and teacher practices that she is an empowering educator; who through her drive, honesty, and personal insight, into education has ultimately empowered other educators, like me, to achieve greatness. Teaching is an art and a craft that gets better every year, and like any art form, requires hard work and necessary skills that need to be harnessed and strengthened for maximum efficiency in producing a masterpiece. The one thing that clearly stood out for me in the interview was that she sets high expectations for her students. Common Core no doubt raises the bar, but doesn’t take into account or consideration the students different skills, learning needs or challenges. Thus, it will not suffice to just teach students to become proficient in common core standards, but rather we must teach them to set high goals for themselves in and out of the classroom and work hard at attaining them. For too long, educators have lost their spark, drive, passion, curiosity, etc… and expect children to be enthusiastic about learning. It needs to come from us first, through modeling, scaffolding and facilitating. We need to set high expectations for ourselves, our students and their parents/guardians as well as our learning communities. Like Julia Garcia eloquently put it “I work hard for you and expect you to work hard for me in return.” Another thing that touched home for me was when she stated that “The learning environment cannot just be the classroom.” Indeed it cannot, because the skills we are teaching children are to prepare them for the real-world and life outside the four walls they have become acquainted with. It is necessary for teachers to work collaboratively with parents to ensure that the creative process, the problem solving process and higher order thinking processes are continued and strengthened at home.
(Comment to Lisa's blog) I agree that the infusion of technology in classrooms is necessary, and that when technology is not embedded in instruction it is not always the teacher’s fault or lack of trying but lack of funding. Go Math provides a plethora of opportunities for students to learn, interact and grasp concepts through the use of technology, but it still needs to be differentiated further according to our student's needs. In other words, using the smart board alone as a technology component does no justice for our students who are growing up and learning in a digital age, so the how and why of smart board instruction needs to be differentiated as well.
After reading the interview with Julia Garcia, I felt her approach to teaching could be extremely effective. When her students are given a sense of responsibility, they have motivation to succeed. It is important to make sure each student is driven to his or her full potential. Integrating technology into lessons definitely allows for a differentiation of instruction within each lesson. Technology helps lessons adapt to each learning style and can benefit the way students learn overall. Integrating technology gives the students the ability to learn at their own pace. This approach can be helpful in classrooms today and I would consider using these ideas in my own classroom. This generation is growing up with technology all around them, so using technology in a lesson can benefit students’ learning as well as keep them engaged.
One of the most encouraging anecdotes from this article is the fact that Julia Garcia still enjoys teaching just as much as she did when she started work on her first day as an educator. Unfortunately not all teachers can say the same thing, and I believe the secret lies in the fact that Julia is truly passionate about her job as a teacher and pours her heart and soul into every lesson plan that she creates. It speaks highly of her character that she was able to start her career in a low income area (at risk) and demand and expect the best from all of her students. Rather than allowing the students to continue achieving the bare minimum, her high expectations force the students to expect better of themselves.
Julia Garcia should also be commended for her willingness to include technology in the classroom for her students benefit. She was really able to find a way to keep her students engaged through the introduction of the ipad and applications that come along with it.
I admire Ms. Garcia’s teaching philosophy, especially how her goal is to personalize the classroom for each student. Math can be a difficult subject for many students, and by having the students be creative in class instead of taking notes, it makes them utilize their critical thinking skills more often than not. Allowing students to work at their own pace, while asking them to meet high expectations is a very tough task. Ms. Garcia’s ability to utilize technology makes it a lot easier for her to understand what areas students need help in, for them to achieve what she wants them to. I applaud Ms. Garcia for using technology to help introverted students. Although they may be too nervous or scared to speak up in class, technology helps the become part of the discussion regarding the topics they are learning. Ms. Garcia understands that one of the best ways to keep students engaged is through technology, and from what Ms. Garcia stated in the interview, her students are very lucky to have her as a teacher.
I like Julie Garcia's approach as a teacher. She describes her teaching style as not lowering her standards. She explains that this makes it hard for her students to fail. I feel that when a teacher shows little to no leniency, it forces the student to put forward more effort than they normally would. It's also very impressionable when a teacher shows that they are committed to the students. A teacher who genuinely cares and shows an attachment to their class creates a bond that a student might feel hesitant to break otherwise. I feel Julie's teaching style makes students look forward to her class. The combination of enjoying being in class and respecting your teacher is a formula for success, in my book at least. Julie makes a practical statement in that she's able to work with students at their own pace using technology. The iPad is a familiar tool that students use everyday for fun. By incorporating it into schoolwork students already feel like they know what they're doing, encouraging them to move forward
I agree with Julie Garcia's ideas about technology in the classroom. I think too often, adults are afraid of bringing technology into the classroom because it will be a distraction for the students.
But Julie Garcia embraces technology using it in a math classroom. I agree that technology can allow students to learn things at their own pace. It also helps the teacher when it comes to evaluating these students. You have a record of what level they're at in the subjects that you're teaching and it lets you know on a individual level what every student is having difficulties with. It also gives you, as the teacher, new and innovative ways to help the students who are struggling.
You can clearly see in this question and answer article that Julie Garcia cares about each individual student, which is what every teacher should focus on.
I agree with Julie Garcia's approach to teaching. I too, also feel that technology in the classroom gives the students a way to work at their own pace and also at home. I thought that Julie's videos of her lesson plans were a great idea. I feel that is a great way for students to work from home at their own pace, rewind something they dont understand or skip over parts they already know. Students in the classroom feel pressured to answer the question outloud, with technology they do not have to. The shy students have an opportunity to speak their voice as well. I also agreed with her 5 ways of teaching. You need to engage but at the same time challenge the students and push them to want to succeed and do better. Every student needs to feel or be motivated, enjoy learning and feel confident. Technology helps students feel like that.
I agree with Julia Garcia's approach to teaching. She embodies all the attributes that make a great teacher. She helps her students reach their own, highest expectations by motivating, challenging,engaging, and emphasizing social skills. It is also very important to Ms. Garcia to treat all her students fairly and expects them to work to their full potential.She says" I provide every student with the opportunity to succeed, I do this by not lowering my standards but by building every student to high expectations." In addition, Ms. Garcia incorporates the use of technology in her classroom to challenge and inspire her students. This is also another way for her students to take ownership of their learning. This interview was inspiring and encouraging. It reminded me why I love teaching so much - the chance to impact and influence the lives of all my students each and everyday!
I think that Julia Garcia's teaching methods are great. I love the integration of technology in her classroom. I agree with Megan Parton that her videos are a great idea. They enable students to learn at their own speed by allowing them to rewind or fast forward when needed. The idea of a flipped classroom is becoming more prevalent in today's classrooms and I believe that it is beneficial to the students in many ways. I will definitely consider incorporating a similar approach in my classroom. It will enable me to have more time to answer specific questions, work on math problems with my students, and have a more hands-on approach in the classroom. -Lauren G.
I really enjoyed Julia Garcia's ideas about using technology while also personalizing her classroom. She pushes them to reach their full potential while keeping them actively engaged. Technology is a pertinent aspect of life today and incorporating it within the classroom appropriately is in high demand. I like how Garcia talked about allowing her students work at| their own pace which can alleviate issues of competition. But also, it allows for students the ability to understand their strengths and weaknesses without worrying about where everyone else is at. As a future educator and current TA, I understand that each student learns and processes subjects in various ways. Allowing students the opportunity to develop their own lessons, it produces greater chances of success as the students will learn multiple ways to solve the same problem.
I will certainly utilize technology in my future classroom. There are so many things at our fingertips which can only enhance the learning experience for students when done correctly and appropriately. While there are always cons to any situation, I feel that there are great ways to implement technology into lesson plans and teaching methods.
I read the interview about Julie Garcia and I found it very interesting and inspiring. She is a math teacher and that is the specialty area that I am planning to teach. You can tell from her responses that she has a passion for teaching and cares about each and every student she teaches. I like her approach to using iPads in the classroom by letting her students learn by doing and not just listening. I think this is a great way to incorporate technology into a classroom in a fun and exciting way. I really like her idea to flip classroom technique. This technique makes the students the teacher and she said it was a very effective way to get students involved in a lesson and excited about learning. Reading her interview reminded me how important it is to try to be the best teacher you can be every single day. Allison Sloper
Julie Garcia's teaching methods are definitely inspiring. I found myself relating to many of her ideas in regards to her list of five factors to create a successful, well-rounded education. Garcia's use of technology in her classroom is effective. It is making her students have responsibility towards their own learning.
A lot of students learn by doing and Garcia makes every attempt to make math relatable to their everyday lives. In a field such as math, students often ask how is this going to relate in the future so by making the students learn how to apply the math rather than just memorize the facts, it is more effective. I do feel that this is a valid approach for today's teachers.
Students are very engrossed in the world of technology. I personally liked that she flipped her classroom and uses videos and podcasts for her students to learn; which allows the students to repeat any information more than once. I definitely will try to implement technology in my lesson plans and teaching methods through all subjects. It will definitely make the lessons more hands on and cater to their individual needs.
Julia definitely has some great ideas. Being hungry for knowledge is certainly easier to teach to then a student who may be not as interested. Of course, her use of technology helps facilitate all of her students getting interested in the topics. As several classmates have mentioned the flipped classroom idea, if effectively done right, this idea can be successful. As a coach, I get students feedback a lot when making decisions for important meets, so that they feel like they have an input. This can be weather they are more confident about the event they are running or the order of the relay. In a way, the athletes are "producers".
Julie Garcia's approach to integrating technology in the classroom is excellent, but her reasoning for her approach is even more exceptional. Putting them in control of their own learning gives them the opportunity to learn how they learn best. I agree that no two students learn the same way, and I believe that Julie Garcia has developed her own methodology for the use of technology to address a multitude of issues so that she can in fact reach each student individually. I firmly believe that giving the students the opportunity to learn at their own pace and in their own way increases the outcomes that all of the students will learn the work and have a greater feeling of accomplishment and increased self esteem.
From the interview with Julia Garcia, it is clear that she has a great affection for teaching. From reading her reasonings for becoming an educator, it is evident that teaching is her life's passion. Julie's passion clearly thrives when she assist her students in learning in anyway. Their success seems to be her greatest inspiration. When reading about her use of technology, she discusses how technology allows her to personalize her lessons for her students. By allowing her students to "interact with the curriculum" through technology, she is able to modify curriculum to their benefit. I felt that her ability to use programs such as iMovie and Garageband to teach mathematics is truly amazing. Teachers like Julia Garcia is who we need to look to when we are looking for inspiration in our own lessons. In my own reflection, I thought about how I sometimes find it hard to incorporate technology with my content. However, I feel if Julia Garcia can do it with mathematics, then I need to reexamine the way I incorporate technology in my classroom.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom revolutionary. I love that she is taking a stand against the traditional teacher-lecturing and students-listening style. Her approach is excellent because it encourages students to be more responsible for their own learning. I believe that information is retained at a much higher rate by being active rather than passive learners. Julia Garcia’s approach motivates students to be the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumers by engaging them through active involvement in their learning. In addition, her approach allows students to take ownership of their learning, including taking risks and making choices for themselves. By taking ownership of their own learning, students will find what they learn to be much more meaningful. Students hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their education by being the producers.I hope to follow in Garcia's footsteps as an educator and make my classroom as outstanding and memorable as hers is.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom revolutionary. I love that she is taking a stand against the traditional teacher-lecturing and students-listening style. Her approach is excellent because it encourages students to be more responsible for their own learning. I believe that information is retained at a much higher rate by being active rather than passive learners. Julia Garcia’s approach motivates students to be the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumers by engaging them through active involvement in their learning. In addition, her approach allows students to take ownership of their learning, including taking risks and making choices for themselves. By taking ownership of their own learning, students will find what they learn to be much more meaningful. Students hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their education by being the producers. I hope to follow in Garcia's footsteps as an educator and make my classroom as outstanding and memorable as hers.
Julie Garcia is an excellent example of an inspiration to all aspiring teachers. I admire her dedication and story as to how she began to love the teaching field. Although she stated that she had been surprised as to how difficult teaching can be, she figured out through experience how to work out and come up with different methods that were beneficial not only to herself, but her students as well. I really like that she holds her students accountable for their work and tries to do whatever she can to help them succeed. She also began to realize that success can be measured in multiple ways, and that not all students learn in the same manner. I agree that the use of different technology within the classroom will help improve both teaching and learning as a whole. I also agree that it will help teachers the capability and access to personalize their classrooms, as well as motivate students to learn effectively across the globe.
I agree with Jillian that Julia Garcia's approach will help drive students to be more involved in learning as well as the ability to take ownership of their education. Because technology will help learning be more personalized for teachers, their classroom and students, I agree that they will enjoy learning more because it will be more meaningful.
After reading this interview with Julie Garcia, I have to say that I am truly impressed and inspired by her passion and whole-hearted approach to her career in education. You can tell that she doesn't work to live, she truly loves her job and feels as though she is making a difference in each and every student's life. This is a goal I can only hope to achieve in my professional life. One thing I particularly liked about Garcia's approach to teaching was her method of providing every student with the opportunity to succeed, "not by lowering standards, but by holding every student to high expectations." Although she does admit that not every student can be held to the same exact standard, I do agree that students need to feel challenged in order to be motivated to work hard and value their education. Garcia allows her students to take ownership of their education, and cites technology as a major tool in that process. She had many methods of technology integration in the classroom, such as allowing students to bring their own devices, like iPads. I found this to be particularly interesting, as my section of the Horizon Report focused on the benefits of students using their own personal devices in the classroom, and it is good to see teachers beginning to implement these policies. I agree with Megan, regarding the benefits of Garcia giving her students the ability to learn at their own pace through the of videotaping her lessons, in an attempt to 'differentiate the curriculum.' More advanced students can fast forward through what they already know, and students who are struggling may re-play sections of material they find confusing. Overall, I learned a lot from reading this article about Julie Garcia, and will definitely reflect on her ideas as I build my own classroom in the future.
I really enjoyed reading Julie Garcia’s interview about her teaching style and how she integrates technology in her classroom. Julie Garcia is a great example for all teachers. She believes that every student should be held to high expectations and has the opportunity to succeed. She believes that what makes a great teacher is to care for your students, treat everyone fairly, and to work hard for your students. In the interview she talks about how she uses technology to differentiate the curriculum by having students work at their own pace. She has her students be actively involved in the learning process and feels this is important for making them more responsible and engaged. She calls her math class a math lab, she has students watch videos of her at home and in the classroom she has them participate in problems that cater their individual needs. I really like how she uses technology to create video lessons that the students watch at home so that in the classroom she can meet the needs of each student. Julie Garcia also has her students create videos and publish them to teach their classmates. Students’ teaching each another is great strategy to get students to learn and learn how to work together. Julie Garcia’s interview was very motivating for me because it not only showed me how to integrate technology in the classroom, but important qualities and beliefs every teacher should possess.
I believe Julia Garcia's approach to integrating technology in the classroom so that her students are the producers rather than the receivers of knowledge is a great idea. According to the article, Julia believes that technology allows the teachers to individualize the students' learning. I think that it is a valid approach and would use it in my future classrooms because it is important for students, in general, to learn through producing or creating experiences on their own terms instead of consuming or listening through direct instruction. This idea relates with Freire and Dewey in regards with the "banking system" of education and learning through experience. Teachers can promote critical thinking skills and inquiry-based teaching when they use technology as a resource in their lessons. Teachers and students can pull information and other ideas from their technology use to promote critical discussions in their classroom environment. Technology knocks down the classroom walls, meaning that students can think outside of the box because they have other resources to interact and connect to rather than basic classroom textbooks and other classroom tools.
One concern I feel about integrating technology in the classroom is that students need to be the lead role in producing their knowledge while using technology in the classroom. Teachers can engage their students by creating opportunities so that students can contribute to the different classroom activities. Technologies can help assist students’ critical thinking, but it is the responsibility of the teacher to take the role of the facilitator and create the stars of the classroom, which are the students. Teachers can use technology to facilitate learning, and students can take the resource to think and contribute on their own. It is important for students to use technology as a resources instead of having students rely on technology for their education.
Julia Garcia is both a women and an educator whom we should all look up to. Between her enthusiastic attitude and the dedication she shows towards teaching, she is someone all future educators should wish to one day be. As we all know, any job at one point or another can become difficult at times but teaching can sometimes feel like that more often than others. Through Julia Garcia’s experiences, she used them to help shape her way of learning and teaching today. In her lifetime, Julia has used what she has learned through the years in order to help shape the methods and ways of teaching she uses in order to not only make her better, but to also bring out the best in all of her students. Technology today is becoming more and more important, especially within the classroom. Using technology in the classroom most definitely will help broaden children’s learning but it is also a great motivational factor, which is something that was also mentioned by Julie in the interview. This interview is one that all teachers and future teachers to read because it puts such a strong emphasis on using technology in the classroom, which is very important in today’s world.
I agree with what Thomas O’Leary said about it being important for students to use technology as a resource instead of having them rely on it for their education. While technology is a fantastic tool, children today definitely rely on technology in order to help them get through many things. It is important to make sure that when using technology that the students truly understand what it is they are learning, doing, or finding information on. It is easy for someone to just copy and paste or re-word what they find on a particular resource but actually knowing and taking in what is being taught is crucial.
I agree with Tom in regards to teachers needing to be the facilitator while implementing technology in the classroom. There seems to be tons of creative and innovative ways to incorporate websites, video clips, laptops, iPads, SmartBoards, etc. but the trick is to use them appropriately and educationally. Students will figure out their way around things very quickly. As a facilitator, the teacher must keep them on task. However, technology should not be the sole way that these students learn. Like Tom, I believe that this cannot be the only resource relied up to convey a lesson. It is imperative to always have an alternative way to teach the lesson. Technology is resource not the only learning tool available.
I think that this blog speaks to me because I feel the same way about a lot of things mentioned in the interview. It is important to have a passion for teaching and understand that you get out what you put into it. I will always find new ways to individualize learning and to challenge my students. I think Julia's approach of having the students become teachers to their peers is a great way to activate their interest and to build that respect for each other. Students helping students is definitely a strategy I plan to use in the future. I have also thought about teaching and leaving behind a video for my students to access when I am not around. I rely on Youtube often to teach me things and find it an awesome help to fast forward and rewind for better understanding. Technology breaks down walls and students do learn better when supported in the various ways explained. The students individual needs are addressed more efficiently with the use of technology and Julia states how it is helps her in her teaching experience. Peer mentoring and teacher created or adapted apps will help keep students engaged and will scaffold their learning. I love the type of teacher she is and I hope to be the same kind of teacher. An awesome one! :) -Gina A.
I believe Julia Garcia's approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is wonderful. By having her students become the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumer is absolutely incredible. It gives students the chance to learn for themselves instead of being force fed ideas and facts. It is also productive for the classroom because then students will worry less about notes and such inside of the classroom and will be able to focus more on expanding the knowledge they produce themselves. The technology she uses in her classroom is also very beneficial for every student even those with special needs. The program she uses allows students to work at their own pace and progresses as they progress. I would like to try and implore these ideas in my own classroom as I believe this idea will help motivate students to learn for themselves and possibly motivate them to go out of their learning comfort zone and try to advance their knowledge.
Danielle Collins says... Allowing the students to work and learn they need too, to be successful i see as very beneficial. Not all students are the same, but placing the responsibility in the students laps, it gives them more independence, control and importance. By having the students create their own education, they see the benefits of it, which encourages more effort and pride. They know what they are interested in, if they create the curriculum to be interesting to themselves, then they will learn better.
I think Julie Garcia's methods for teaching and integration of technology are needed in classrooms throughout the country. I agree with her methods of teaching and the fact that she does not lower her standards of students but holds them to high standards and expect the most and best out of her students. I believe in the same things that her students should be more hands on with technology because this will allow the students to learn more and allow the content to stick with them longer.
154 comments:
I think Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom by making her students the producers is great. By doing so it is making their time together in the classroom more meaningful because the students will be less worried about taking notes and more focused on problem solving and critical thinking. I love that she described her classroom as a lab instead of a lecture hall. A lab is a more laid back environment with hands on learning and I believe that is what all students need to succeed. I feel this is a great approach because it allows the students to learn things for themselves while the teacher is there guiding them along. I definitely would consider using a similar approach to this in the future with my classroom. It will make classroom time more efficient and engaging.
-Dayna O.
I think Julie Garcia's teaching methods are exceptional, not only the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. I beleive she is an innovator, in a sense that her use of technology in the classroom allows students to use the technology for mathematics, which leads to higher academic success.
I concur with the fact that allowing students to learn at their own pace, and at their own level, gives students the confidence to succeed, and allows students who may be shy to enjoy learning, and not worried about being called on in class.
Julie Garcia's introduction of the Ipad, and Ibooks in class in a great tool to use for mathametics, and I beleive will leads to higher academic scores and acheivement. Also, allowing students to create and watch videos at home, in instrumental in students' sucess. It give students a chance to review material, as well learn at their own pace. These methods are beneficial to both the students, and teacher.
Julie Garcia is a highly motivated teacher, who cares about her students sucess, not only in the classroom, but in life as well. We can all strive to be like her, and hope we can have a profound effect on a child's life, just as she has had with her students.
-Tim A
Julia's approach to the integration of technology is what is needed in the classroom, but in many places especially in New York City where I work, administrators are constantly breathing down your neck. I recently had an issue with my administrator because I showed 4 of my special education children a program with mathematics on my IPad. Personally, I love the approach, but feel that in some places her approach will never be accepted, because of the people like my administrator who refuses to work with her staff.
Nick C.
I think Julie Garcia's opinions and ideas towards education, is the mentality every educator should have. I love her passion for her students and how she designs her lessons and strategies in a way she knows her students will respond positively to.The way she utilizes technology to individualize the learning process for each student makes their learning experience so much more personal and meaningful.
I also love how she makes videos of her lessons that her students have access to. I think this is an amazing idea. I know when I was struggling with something in school, it would have made a big difference if I could have re-taught myself at home, at my own speed.
Julie Garcia presents such amazing approaches towards technology. She personalizes each student's learning experience and even encourages them to use applications on the IPad that relate to their own interests. I know I did not have an opportunity like that when I was in school. If I was able to connect mathematics towards something that interested me, I believe math would have been a lot more enjoyable.
I thought this was a great article to read, and it really made me evaluate the strategies I use towards my students. It also opened up many beneficial approaches I could use to breakthrough to students who are having a tough time making a connection.
Elizabeth A.
In my opinion I believe Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is excellent. She has conquered so many angles of improving the learning experience for her students. Through this approach she is able to personalize the classroom and offer the children the chance to work at their own pace, never rushing anyone, and never having students waiting. This keeps the students engaged, as well as motivated. Two key ingredients in the recipe for success. Through Garcia’s description of her classroom as a math lab rather than a lecture hall I believe she has built classroom community. Inside of this lab, the students come eager to learn and participate, and respect one another while doing so. I firmly believe a strong sense of classroom community is necessary for all students to achieve. If students are uncomfortable, or feel unsafe, the classroom no longer becomes a place to learn. Another strength of this approach the allowance of the teacher to offer his/her students the opportunity to be challenged, without being compared and contrasted to their peers. Unfortunately, all classrooms will contain a certain level of competition, but in my opinion integrating technology to allow the students to work on activities on alone, creates competition in the least threatening way. (For instance, the only people who will be aware of the fact that a student answered a question either correctly or incorrectly will be the only people who need to know… the teacher, and the student him/herself.)
I do believe this is a valid approach for today’s educators, and certainly an approach I will consider using in the future. I believe it is necessary for a teacher to challenge, engage and motivate students, however this must be done in a guide-like manner. I believe every child should learn the height of their own potential and the only person who will know this height, is the student him/herself. I believe this approach allows the learning experience to occur through the incorporation of student engagement, a challenging opportunity, relatable curriculum, a sense of classroom community, and the presence of technology, all factors, which ultimately lead a child to their success academically. As a future educator, this is the result I am looking for…
-Ariel V
Reading the interview with Teacher Julie Garcia, has reflected on me all the ideals that for a long time have been brewing on my head, but with one distinction; is that I thought being human in the classroom would not be cosidered to be professional. One of my ideals is that a good teacher is the one that takes his,or her job and makes it personal with the purpose to show students that education should be considered a treasure which was embedded in my by my mother. For example, this is what my mother would say, "I could give you all, but your education you can only achieve it, put your best effort in to it because that is the only thing that no one can take away from you." Ms. Garcia shows her students the value of education by demonstrading them how hard she works in intergrating adequate technology into the lessons that makes learning more practical and relevent to her students' life experiences. This approach of pairing technology with curriculum successfully is demanding, but to be an effective teacher is to have students to learn efficiently and become driven to conquer the unexpected. Finally, my desire is to become a teacher like Ms. Garcia. My greatest passion now is to be able to learn all the essential tools in technology; because our technology driven era seems to inspire the young to new challenges, perhaps due to their capability in mastering technological skills.
Nora R.
Reading this interview was very inspiring. Her ideas of integrating Technology in the classroom was brilliant. Her love for teaching or maybe I should say her finding love in teaching was touching. I think its so nice that she became inspired by her mother who taught for over 40 years. Her mother must be so happy that she is her daughters role model. Garcia really makes an effort to show her students her enthusiasm and passion for teaching in every way possible. She demonstrates the value of education to her students and goes beyond the expectations of a teacher. My desire is to one day become a teacher just like Garcia and her extensive knowledge about technology.
Comment to Dayna O.,
You emphasized a valid point when you mentioned, allowing students to become producers will allow the time spent in the classroom to become more meaningful. I could not agree more. Looking back on my past learning experience, I recall many of times when I was too concerned with keeping up with my note-taking rather than absorbing the significance of the lesson I was supposed to be learning. Offering the students the time to focus more heavily on problem solving and critical thinking skills while in the classroom is definitely a greater advantage for the students. In addition, I also agree classroom time would become more efficient and engaging through the use of this educational approach.
-Ariel V.
I think that Julia has a wonderful approach to teaching and i think it is one that more teachers today should be using. I love the idea of having students creating and watching videos at home. I believe in the idea that students should be pushed to achieve a higher level of education and not have it lowered to their level. Expecting greatness leads to greatness! Julia also ensures her student knows she is there for them and that she cares about their success, something i deeply appreciate in a teacher as i recall this exact quality in the teachers i looked up to and strived to be like as a future teacher.
-Carmin d.
Julie Garcia's approach was inspiring. Teachers are sometimes scared to let go of the control in the classroom for many reasons, however student centered learning gives students the opportunity to be active learners. By doing this, learners will become active and motivated learners and take accountability for their education. As a teacher, I am guility of being a control hog in the classroom. I am always afraid because I feel like it takes away structure. After reading Julie's ideas, I have rethought my approach and the structure of my planbook.
Kaitlyn B.
Julie Garcia expresses in this interview that technology has allowed her to personalize her classroom. As she says “One size does not it all and technology helps me to truly individualize the teaching and learning process.” This is such a true statement with the incorporation of technology into the classroom students don’t have to be involved in one segment, and fragment of the class lesson. Tech is a great tool for differentiation, and individual enrichment of the students, and provides further interaction with the curriculum material. She also explains how technology allows for students to create work using tools such as iMovie, and Garage Band and b critiqued by their peers. It is important that we continue to include modern technology into the classroom so that students show their talent, knowhow, and proficiency through project-based learning utilizing real world activities and tools. I also believe another of Julie Garcia’s important factors that she explains are the five factors that are important to a student’s well-rounded education. These are 1. Engaging and active involvement in the learning process. 2. Challenging students to do better. 3. Problem solving to be essential. 4. Importance of social skills. 5. Expanding their basic skills. These are also essential to keep in mind when using technology in the classroom with students.
Jonathan R
I enjoyed reading this interview with Julie Garcia. She has an excellent approach for integrating technology in the classroom. Garcia has enhanced the learning experiences of her students by allowing them to engage in active learning situations. She challenges her students in new an creative ways which allow for the needs of multiple learning styles to be met. As I am a relatively new teacher, I find Julie Garcia inspiring. Her innovative strategies for using technology in the classroom give students the ability to move at their pace, while still meeting the expectations set for the class as a whole. I hope to incorporate some of Garcia's approaches into my own classroom in order to prove my students with different avenues of learning.
- K. Doria
I believe that Julia Garcia approach to integrating technology has proven to be highly effective in her classroom. Her students are actively engaged in their learning experience. She has been able to personalize her class by having students use technology in a way that meets their needs for each topic. This allows to differentiation each lesson for her students and allows them to progress at their own pace. I have seen teachers use online videos of their lessons before in hope that they can spend more time working on problems and enrichment; however, it has failed because the teacher was not as consistent as Ms. Garcia was. By being consistent with how her classes are run, her students know exactly what they should be doing each day, both behaviorally and academically. She puts forth the effort to find new and innovative strategies that will help her students to understand the importance of math and how it can be applied to real life. Through project-based learning, her students are able to produce videos that their peers can use to aid their learning process. Ultimately, her students have become their own teachers and Ms. Garcia has become the facilitator of her mathematics classroom. As a math teacher, I believe that what Ms. Garcia is doing in her classroom is something that should be done in all math classrooms.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach is a well-rounded approach that not only affects the student but also affects the teacher and how they teach. By making students producers you are putting them in control of their own learning and this gives them the ability to learn how they learn best. This enables the student’s creativity, intelligence, and self-esteem to allow them to learn as well as teach others. I agree with Garcia’s beliefs and approaches. No two students learn the same way therefore making it very difficult for a teacher to teach an entire class without any aide of technology of separation of groups to gear the lesson towards the students learning abilities. I think this is a valid approach for teachers because it allows for students to be confident and work at their own pace creating their own success. By having the teacher, as a guide more or less is something students I believe will benefit from. I would like to use this approach in the future; I am not sure how plausible it is considering most schools do not have the budget to get every student an iPad. I hope that when I become a teacher I will have come up with an alternative way for students to become producers without using such extensive technology. Or if my dreams are able to come true and all of my students have iPads I will absolutely implement these approaches in the classroom because all students should feel like they are at the top of the class no matter what it takes from the teacher. Working hard as a teacher is in the description, it just depends on how hard you are willing to work to get your students ready not only for the next grade or state test, but the real world; social situations and everyday educational skills. Whether we teach students how to balance a checkbook or graph the integral of some number they need to have the self-esteem and confidence to do it and these approaches are the answers to those questions.
Julia Garcia allows her students to learn through inquiry based practices which I am a strong advocate of. Throughout my many experiences in schools, I constantly try to engage my students using different types of learning modalities, especially incorporating technology, centers, group work, and research whenever possible. I find that the students I have worked with are very tech savvy, and in some cases even more technologically literate than some of their teachers! I plan to incorporate technology into my classroom just like Garcia did. I really like her use of the iPad apps to encourage the students to work at their own pace and use applications that help reteach and explain the material, rather than just review. Using apps like iMovie can help them become producers rather than consumers, because they are taking what they have learned and presenting it in a way that makes more sense to them. Garcia uses technology in many other effective ways encouraging students to do a lot of individual work and research so that they are the ones discovering, inquiring, and determining their successes.
Casey C.
I strongly agree with Julie's ideas and approaches to her teaching. She proves her appreciation towards students and their education. Julie holds each and every student with high expectations, and provides consistency with the students. I believe that consistency is key for students, because they should know what is expected of them each day. I especially like how Julie mentions that she focuses on growth in relative terms, rather than just their grades. If the students progress throughout the school year by improving their attitude, attendance, etc., then they are progressing.
I also strongly agree with Julia's approach to the integration of technology in her classroom. By allowing students to actively participate and attain ownership of their work, students become able to self-edit and become more independent in the learning process. By differentiating the curriculum with different technology, students are using multiple resources to help them understand the topic or lesson. The use of technology will help differentiate the curriculum, and being able to view class lessons on video at home is great for letting the student learn at his or her own pace. Being able to view the video at home could be helpful for the student who wants to review, the student who needs to go back and slow down the pace of a certain part, and it could even be helpful to the parents.
I thought this was a great article because she has a number of beneficial approaches that educators can incorporate into their own teaching. Her passion for teaching is very evident, and having students produce their own ideas rather than just simply restating or memorizing is always the right way to go.
Kerrie B.
I believe Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is not only a positive approach but an approach that is the future of teaching. I love how she combines the old school way of teaching preaching competitiveness and high standards in a classroom to the new way of teaching by preaching technology to allow students to learn at their own pace. I like the idea of making the students the producer and allowing them to learn at their own pace. As a student I would feel more comfortable if I was able to do this. Not only do I think this is a valid approach for today’s teachers I think it should be encouraged. As a teacher I will try and use different ways to engage my students and technology being at the top of the list. Today’s students are not only engaged with technology socially, but as you move on in education you become dependent on technology. Julia Garcia’s approach is giving the student a chance to discover on their own and I think that is important for every student. Her approach is proving success in her classroom and if modeled correctly I think it will be a success in all our future classrooms.
I strongly believe that those who have a passion for teaching and treat each and every student with individualized care make exceptional teachers. Julia Garcia is an example of a teacher who has gone above and beyond for her students. One of the ways she has done this is by incorporating the use of technology in her classroom. She has allowed her students to learn at their own pace which makes for a less stressful learning environment. This also encourages them to think independently and not to rely solely on the teachers for help. This use of technology is not only beneficial in the classroom but it is most importantly preparing them for the outside world. Technology is the way of the future and making students technologically literate is extremely important for their futures. As a future Special Education teacher I am learning about the importance of assistive technology to aid students with special needs. Technology in a special education classroom is essential to promote the highest level of learning.
Julia Garcia outlined several important values and practices of both an educator and an educational system. Garcia repeatedly stressed a handful of interesting ideas.One of the most thought-provoking ideas presented by Garcia is the notion that the use of technology allows students to set their own learning pace.Garcia suggests that technology allows student to have more agency in their learning because it manufactures opportunities for individual pacing and judgement free exploration. Technology allows students to replay or revisit problems and attack them at their own speed and with their own technique. I would be interested to hear about the specific programs or lesson plans Garcia creates to promote this type of learning and instruction. The larger point Garcia is making is that students should have more agency in their education-- learning should be more student centered. This is a very progressive and newly-popular idea; I believe that technology is one big step in creating that type of environment.
Like Hannah said, I wonder about the course of technology in the classroom in respect to the funding, availability, and timeline of implementation. It would certainly be wonderful if my first classroom came with 30+ iPads. I imagine it would be bothersome and exhausting if my classroom was provided 5 iPads. In that scenario, I would be expected to implement technology into instruction when resources were limited and each student would not be given ample time to use the technology. Certainly technology is in our future. What is less certain is when and how new technologies will become available to the majority of public school students.
--John Elliott
I believe Julia Garcia's outlook for the future of technology in schools is wonderful. With so many diverse learners, technology can reach many students through video, audio, interactive learning. I have seen this with my own students. Students with no verbal skills can speak, ask questions and tell people what they want. Students who couldn't write because of poor or no fine motor can type beautifully. Our world is becoming more and more dependent on technology. Students without access and knowledge of many diverse forms of technology will be at a disadvantage. I believe that utilizing and explaining numerous forms of technology benefits our students in school and throughout their lives. I see this in my current position and hope to do the same for my own students in my future classroom.
- Kathleen M
I believe Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom by making her students the producers is a great one. I feel that this approach is valid for today’s teachers and I might use it in the future. It is important to understand that not every child is capable of learning at the same pace or with the same techniques. As Julia Garcia mentioned in her interview, every child has different needs that need to be addressed when learning. Learning should be a loving and comfortable process where the child is confident in learning the material and not feel any type of pressure by his/her classmates. On a personal note, I do not remember my learning experiences as being so great. I was a shy student and did not participate in class often because I would be afraid that my answers might be incorrect or that my classmates would judge me. Therefore, I know how some children may feel when they are in large classroom settings, in that it is possible that these children are not able to succeed in their academics due to a lack in confidence. Teachers should help students who are shy or quiet to build confidence within themselves. The confidence would help them grow as individuals and effect their education and learning abilities immensely. Using technology in learning is one of the best approaches for students to learn. Not only are they learning at school, they will be learning at home. Some students might learn better at home than in the classroom because they will be more comfortable. Also, there will be less time constraints allowing each individual to learn at their own pace. I believe today’s generation are more in tune with the latest technology and are quick learners. As a teacher, I would take advantage of the cutting edge technology that is available in the world today to give each child equal opportunity and build confidence, creating a positive and lovable experience with education.
Overall, I feel that Julia Garcia's interview was very inspiring. Her outlook on helping students reach their own, highest expectations is something that all teachers should ensure that they accomplish throughout the school year. Teachers must not lower their expectations in order to help their students, but hold each student to their individual, highest standard in order to help them succeed. I also feel strongly about her five factors for student success. Unfortunately, many teacher's get caught up during the day and don't remember to ensure that their students are all positively impacted by their teaching strategies and techniques. Engaging, challenging, problem solving, emphasizing social skills, and expanding knowledge are all ideas that are crucial to a teacher's success, which is essential to the success of their students. I also really liked her idea of using technology in order to meet the individual needs of her students. She stated that technology allows the students to work at their own pace, which promotes the idea of creating student centered classrooms.
I agree with Nora's post about how technology seems to inspire students, which teacher's should use as an advantage. Technology can help transform a classroom into a diverse, exciting, and interesting place where students feel safe to explore and increase their knowledge and understanding or new ideas.
- Jaime S.
I found the responses that Julie Garcia gave to also be very inspiring and give me a good point of reference of how to apply technology to educating all of the students. I found her interview to be very genuine. I found it helpful to see how she can apply Math through technology as well. As someone who really enjoy New Media, I found it very insightful how she could use iMovie and Garage band to help further highlight the math topics and engage the students. I especially liked her answer for what makes her a good teacher: "I provide every student the opportunity to succeed. I do this not by lowering my standards but by holding every student to high expectations. I believe in my students and they know I will not settle for anything less than their best". I also found her ideas for what a dream school would be like "with learning opportunities everywhere" to be inspiring of what the future and ideals of a school can be. I also will save and refer back to this article as I definitely believe that her five factors to students success definitely make her a role model teacher. Lastly, I like her answer of greatest challenge, you need to look at the child's progress in your class, and not stress about state tests and "NCLB". Overall, I learned a lot from the article, and will definitely want to refer back to it.
-Steve C
I definitely support Julia Garcia's approach to education by making her students the producers. There is such a shift now toward teacher-focused lessons because of the increased attention to standardized testing and the implementation of Common Core, that Mrs. Garcia's approach is a fresh and innovative way to make her students actually want to learn. I could not agree with Julia Garcia more when she argues the point that students learn best by actually "doing" and interacting with one another.
There is no question that I would try to use this approach in my future classroom. There is also no question that my future students will be familiar with technology. I think that establishing common ground with my students by bringing technology into the classroom will undoubtedly excite them. Having the students be in the driver's seat when it comes to learning will be a huge motivator, and in turn that motivation WILL lead to positive results. I applaud Mrs. Garcia for actually breaking the mold and challenging what is happening in the country right now.When standardized testing is demanding that each student learn the same things in the same way at the same time, that doesn't seem to me Mrs. Garcia's priority. She clearly values technology and how it can impact each students individual education. Mrs. Garcia made extremely valid points by mentioning the importance of addressing student needs and letting students work at their own pace by using technology.Ideally, I obviously want to meet the needs of each of my students individually, and i can definitely see how the use of technology in Mrs. Garcia's classroom can do that . Mrs. Garcia's passion for teaching and discovering innovative ways to teach her students is very clear in this interview.
I agree with Jamie's post about holding students to higher expectations, but not higher standards. It is important that each student feel confident in his or her ability to learn. Once the confidence and trust is shaken, it is very difficult to gain it back.
-Alexa R.
I love Julia Garcia's innovative approach to technology,especially in the subject of mathematics,where many students are intimidated. Diverse learners can work at their own pace and many students are already familiar and fluid with the use of technology,making for a more positive learning experience.Engaged and active learners are usually more successful. Julia Garcia's flexibility and passion for her job as an educator,make the use of technology that much more inviting. "Teacher driven change" for the good of her students is refreshing to hear and I believe her enthusiasm does rub off on her students.
I too found Julie Garcia’s interview to be very inspiring. Her drive and passion for teaching are very evident in her responses, and in how she seems to conduct her classroom. Her statement of “you have unbelievable influence over every student in your classroom” resonated with me. This is something I am fully aware of, but it can be easy to forget when you go through the motions of the day to day. Reading these words helped me to remember why I wanted to become a teacher, and how important it is to be the best teacher you can be each and every day.
I loved Ms. Garcia’s approach to technology in the classroom, and her use of the IPADS in the classroom. I am excited to be able to use our class IPADS as an opportunity to also allow my students to learn by doing in a non-threatening way. In this way, I am hopeful that the students will be able to take ownership of their learning. I am also eager to try out some new technologies like iMovie and GarageBand to help encourage students work together, and to act as teachers to one another.
I also agree that a flip classroom is a great idea to get students involved in the lessons, and excited about learning. This is a concept that I have thought of trying, but after reading Ms. Garcia’s interview and the success she has found from this technique, I am super excited to try it out this upcoming September.
Kelly S.
In todays academic world, it is rare to find a teaching program that puts an emphasis on each individual child's learning accomplishments. Yes, we have IEPs for those students that meet the criteria to have special treatment, but what about the students that need just that little bit of an extra push to get them to pursue academic success? I am referring to the ones that fall through the cracks because they aren't the smartest students but yet aren't the slowest ones in the class either. Julie Garcia should be a role model to all teachers that are struggling to find ways to address all students individual learning needs. These days, teachers are teaching to the state tests that are being administered, rather than in a way in which all students are actively engaged and learning the topics. Her confidence and passion when it comes to her job are inspiring. She saw that all students have individual needs and recognized that the use of technology would help address all of these different needs. This job can not be done by one teacher within a classroom of 30 or more students. Therefore, technology allows the students to work at their own pace and helps them with their different learning needs. I can only hope that all teachers follow in Julie's footsteps and approach each day of teaching with an eagerness to improve each child and help them reach their individual highest potential. I agree with Nora R and I too am eager to learn new ways that technology can improve our students learning. It will be essential for all teachers to know how to use technology in order for the future of academics to improve.
Suzanne L.
I believe that Garcia's approach to the integration of technology in the classroom is inevitably fascinating. Technology is something that is always interesting to students, and they seem to know more about it than adults may. This gives the students the chance to express themselves through video, or descriptions. I have never thought of videotaping my lessons, and then posting the videos online for my students to watch. I found this to be very beneficial because students now have a chance to look back if they had any complications in completing their independent work, or just study. With this integration, each student is allowed to learn at their own pace, and with the use of other students posting videos and/or questions, it allows for the students to interact and possibly even teach each other. I also love how Garcia mentioned that there is in fact more than one way to solve a mathematical problem because growing up, I was taught that there is only one way to solve it, and if you did not follow that one way, even though you had the right answer, you were wrong. Im sure it is evident that i believe that technology is a great approach to use in the classroom. I will consider using a similar approach of technology in my future classroom because it WILL make the time teaching in the classroom more engaging for the students, as well and efficient and engaging for the teacher!
I agree with Kelly S in the sense of trying out such applications on iPads (if the school will provide them) such as garage band and iMovie. I think the students will enjoy this, and not feel as if they are actually being forced to learn a concept. After all, learning is more fun when you do not think you are learning at all!
- Jackie K
I love Julie Garcia's teaching methods. I think if we had more teachers like her our education system would be one of the best. She is a teacher who loves her job and is teaching for the right reasons. I saw a news story about a computer based program for teaching math and I thought it was brillant. The fact that Julie uses this type of program in her classroom shows her commitment to her students. The news story dicussed how the teacher would provide the students with access to the computer program. While at home they were to view the lesson. The beauty of the program was that the student can go back and review the sections of the lesson they did not understand and go at their own pace in the comfort of their home. There isn't any pressure to complete the assignment in a certain period of time. When the student's return to the classroom the next day, they would do their homework. The lesson was taught in reverse, just like Julie's lesson. The reasoning is that the teacher can then spend time with their students going over the areas in which they are having difficulties. The program provides the teacher with an update about each student, so that, the teacher can see where each student is struggling. As soon as I started to read the article I realized that this is exactly what Julie is implementing in her classroon. Technology is such an important part of children's lives, why not use it to teach. Especially for children with special needs, technology can be a great way to help them learn. As a teacher being able to know the areas in which children are struggling goes a long way to helping them overcome their issues and succeed.
Kelly S. (Tue, Thurs 6-9)
After reading the interview with Julie Garcia, I couldn’t help but think we need more teachers like Julie Garcia! Her devotion to education is apparent and it is refreshing to hear her say that she feels that same about teaching now as she did when she first started. Garcia proclaims that when she first started she didn’t realize how hard being a teacher would be. The statement is brutally honest as I now see how difficult it is to truly be an effective educator. Nonetheless, she is encouraging, as she outlines what she feels a successful teacher tries to accomplish. Specific aspects of the interview that I felt were valuable was when she talks about the energy a teacher puts into a good lesson, student success, and the dream she has for a future school setting.
Garcia essentially explains that a good lesson is hard work and a teacher puts all their heart into it. She then explains that the students know when a teacher is putting in a tremendous amount of effort and respond to that effort in a positive way. I found this so important and I feel it is valid. This idea coincides with integrating technology within the classroom. There is a vast amount of technology today that can make lessons more meaningful and not using it to aid in student learning is almost a disservice, I think students are becoming aware of this fact. By Garcia having available video lessons and an I pad to help individual students she is aiding in their learning while also showing that she is truly trying to do her best, and I think the students pick up on that behavior. All teachers, especially teachers of subject's students struggle most in, like math, should take the same approach. If technology can make the learning process easier for a child why wouldn’t a teacher utilize it to the best of their ability?
Furthermore, Garcia explains the measuring of success in a very practical way. She explains that she holds everyone to high standards but also rates success on different measures. For example, she says that a student attending more classes can be considered a success. I felt this is a great way for teachers to look at the positives in every student. The way she viewed each child differently and measured their success differently is something that I feel is often overlooked in the educational system today.
The last part I found interesting was the description of future schools. Garcia explains that there would be no walls or bells and that students of different ages would work collaboratively, essentially learning would have no boundaries. The idea of this type of school system is so radical but in a way practical. Students would be in charge of their own learning and it would be so much more meaningful. In addition, they would get to work with students of all ages. Collaboration with people of different age groups happens outside schools so why not in the classroom setting? Garcia is truly a forward thinker who has the capacity to change the mindsets of both students and teachers alike.
Anthony R.
I think Julie Garcia’s interview was enlightening. A lot of times many teachers come from a similar background as she did. Having a parent or family member being a teacher and being inspired themselves to be a teacher. Also a lot of teachers have had those teachers when they were students that had an effect on them that made them become a teacher, at least I know that was the case for me and for Garcia. She makes a lot of strong points especially in regards to technology. And how it is useful in school and it would allow the students to have more hands on role in their education. I believe the videos the does and has the students watch is an awesome idea. It allows students to be more in control of their education. Which would help them succeed better. This leads me to what she says about taking things too personal with your students. Of course we as teachers want our students to succeed. But when they don’t, the ones that fall through the cracks it is for a multiple of reasons and not only the teachers fault especially when the teacher did all they could to help the students succeed. I agree with her five factors for students’ success. And the two key ones I think are having students actively engaged in school and teachers have not to be afraid to challenge their students to do well. Her response to how she hopes schools are in ten years though enlightening and it is my hope too, I think schools are so reluctant to change and need to be regimented that it would be hard to have what she hopes for but if it is anywhere like that in ten years it would be a great thing for the educational system.
Andrew Pignataro
While I too found the ideas and ideals presented by Ms. Garcia to be very inspiring, I think the practical applications of these strategies are limited to a certain population of students and therefore impractical in the current educational environment. Until technology is embraced, and budgeted, by each and every school district for all classrooms the success she has had using these strategies in her technology based school cannot be accepted as projected proof of success for all districts.
I also am very confused as to her approach to handling her students and their different learning abilities. Providing an engaging and demanding curriculum but wanting her students to learn at their own pace in an environment that makes is difficult for them to fail seem to be contradictory classroom management strategies with no clear outline for measuring progress. Having held demanding positions in large companies this type of attitude is exactly contradictory to what students will face when they leave the comforts of school and are subject to employment that is performance and deadline driven.
I have not taught in a classroom yet but one of my main goals is to provide my students the ability to access many different sources of knowledge so that they may continue learning in any environment and be just as comfortable as if they had access to the current technology. The use of technology is a wonderful and exciting component of education but I believe that teachers still must utilize varied strategies to provide a well rounded education and tools for learning that students can take anywhere.
Gregory W.
I agree with Elizabeth A. who wrote on January 27th 2013. Elizabeth pointed out how Julia videos her lessons and that her students have access to them. I think this is a great idea especially for the students who may have missed school or forgot how to do the math when they stated their homework.
I personally liked how Julia was able to personalize lessons to the students personal interests. I feel this will help to engage the students a lot more and allow them to become more interested in the material. This can also allow the students to relate the material that they learn to their everyday lives.
-Andrea D
I believe that Julia Garcia's approach to integrating and utilizing technology is a noteworthy method. Students are empowered through the idea of being the producers of their own knowledge. It is important to uphold this notion throughout the entire school year in order to instill and strengthen problem solving skills on a daily basis. Additionally, as Julia pointed out, the use of technology should connect curriculum content with real world applications in order for students to value the information they acquire and discover. By incorporating inquiry based practices, students are able to gain a sense of responsibility and independence, making the learning experience all the more worthwhile and valuable. Not only can the use of technology strengthen content knowledge but it can also allow students to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills that they will need for life beyond school. Ultimately, as a future teacher of social studies, I believe that the use of technology will enrich the curriculum and allow students access to dynamic, hands-on learning experiences and also foster a sense of democracy in the classroom.
-Polina A.
I enjoyed reading Julie Garcia's interview about being an outstanding educator. Many of her ideas and beliefs resonated with me. Similar to Ms. Garcia, I too became an educator because I was brought up with a great respect for educators and also had an inherent desire to keep on learning. That desire is an important part of being a successful teacher because there is always new things to learn and experience. Students know when their teachers work hard for them, and just like Ms. Garcia said, they in turn will work hard for you. One thing I have noticed with my students over the years is that they know what teachers genuinely care and who shows up just for their paycheck!
One of the first responses that Ms. Garcia gives is the idea that the student and teacher relationship is reciprocal. She made the point that the teacher shows compassion and students give back joy. Creating a classroom with that kind rapport is essential to creating a safe learning environment for the students and a fulfilling career for the teacher.
Ms. Garcia was very truthful about how difficult teaching is. The first few comments from my student teachers and my mentees have been just that! Hopefully, the schools have support networks to retain new teachers and help them stick it out...more districts have moved toward that.
Lastly, Ms. Garcia said that she was not just teaching math but, helping her students "understand how math is connected to their lives." When we think back about the best teachers we had, we remember that they did that for us. Learning must be relevant or it is quickly forgotten.
I agree with Suzanne L. that Ms. Garcia shows an eagerness to help all children and is a great example of what educators should always strive to be.
Rachel P.
After reading Julia Garcia's interview, I am even more inspired and encouraged to impact and mold the lives of my future students. I strongly agree with Ms. Garcia's outlook on creating a warm and nurturing environment as well as establishing high expectations for each and every student. I agree with her on the idea that each student learns differently and at a different pace. In acknowledging this, it is crucial for teachers to create an environment where each student can facilitate individual success. Students of today are surrounded by technology every where they go. I believe that incorporating technology into the classroom is an excellent way to keep students engaged and actively involved in what they are learning. In addition, I also strive to help students make the connection between math and their everyday lives by creating lessons that provide them with realistic and relevant problems. In order for students to successfully learn new material, they must understand how it relates to them and their everyday lives.
I agree with Nora's post about how in today's day and age technology inspires students and teacher's should most definitely use this to their advantage. Technology enables teachers to transform their classrooms into exciting, stimulating, and diverse places, where students feel comfortable to learn and increase their knowledge of new ideas.
-AnnMarie P.
I found this article to be very relatable to what I have learned in the short time that I have been teaching. I agree with her on many points, such as how important technology is in education. I also love how much it is being used in every classroom and how easy it is to bring interactive games to a classroom. I agree also about the fact that not everyone can be a teacher and it is very challenging. I feel like it is a 24/7 job. If you’re not at school you’re worrying about your students or what you should be doing to plan for them or buy for them. We have summers off, but there is not a day that goes by that I do not think about my job. I also love her idea of a perfect public school. I wish that tests were not as important as they are today. I wish the students could choose some of the things that they learn. I wish teachers would be complimented for the hard work they do, not just criticized for their small mistakes. Hopefully one day a school could be run by a teacher’s heart, not money.
~Amanda L.
Reflecting on this article, I believe that Mrs. Garcia is a very bright, resourceful, and progressive teacher who has a passion for her children, and also understands learning styles and abilities, and is able to use technology, as well as her own sensibilities to extract the most potential from every student in her classroom. One of the most important points I think that Mrs. Garcia states is that "technology allows active participation, which leads to students being more responsible about their own learning". Mrs Garcia emphasizes the students first approach, and uses technology accordingly, allowing students to work at their own pace and learn the material, rather than have to be put in front of their peers and pressured into knowing an answer or solve a problem they may not be ready for. These types of examples help students to gain confidence, and increase their willingness to learn. The various technological tools available such as IBooks and GarageBand help to personalize the classroom, and give students a hands on experience that allow each individual to thrive. Mrs. Garcia is a professor who preaches giving every student the best opportunity to succeed academically and socially, and uses various technological resources that can be molded to fit all learning styles and abilities, thus giving students both success and confidence.
Stephen Collins
It is clear that Julie Garcia is an exemplary educator who teaches for the right reasons. Her passion and dedication to her students show in every statement made throughout the interview. It gives me comfort to know that setting high expectations in the classroom has paid off for both her students and her self, because I know that I, too, will be this type of teacher. Julie Garcia seems to know a great deal about what it takes to reach students and help them to succeed, and I hope to gain this knowledge and this confidence through my first few years in a classroom. There is obviously a lot of wisdom that comes from the experience of teaching that goes beyond what we read in textbooks.
As far as technology in the classroom is concerned, I now realize that I have a lot to learn. While I am familiar with some educational tools (not many though), I would not have thought to utilize them in such ways as Julie Garcia has described. She acknowledges the benefits of technology in the classroom and uses these tools in ways that benefit all students, from those who struggle to those who need to be challenged further. I hope that I become a teacher who regularly incorporates technology into the classroom to meet the needs and enhance the learning experiences of all students.
-Jessie C.
I share Arielle V.'s concern regarding student access to technology at home. When students of different economic backgrounds share a classroom, there is always the chance that some will have access to more resources at home than others. I would never want to slight any of my students, especially those who are already at a disadvantage. For this reason, I think teachers must ensure that equal opportunities are given to all students. For example, some students do not have computers with internet access at home, and therefore they would not be able to access helpful websites or videos of lessons posted online. Teachers should give these students opportunity to access these websites at school if they cannot do so at home. Technology can certainly have many benefits in the classroom, but the opportunities must exist for all students in order to promote a safe, supportive environment.
-Jessie C.
Throughout the video I had many concerns regarding student access to technology at home. Upon reading the many comments posted by my classmates I realized these concerns were not only present in my mind. I agree and share the concerns both Jessie C. and Arielle V. express about student access to technology at home. Even though Garcia expresses the importance of providing opportunities to students who live in “low social economic areas”, she forgets that’s these children might not have the means of technological access at home. As Jessie C. mentions, some students are able to gain access to more resources than others at home. Many students may be at a disadvantage and we should be able to provide equal opportunities to all students. Upon reading the article I thought to myself, “how are students going to access online lessons or helpful websites with no internet access at home?” Teachers need to think of every possible outcome and try to think of a possible solution. Students should be given extra time before or after school to gain access to these sources or be able to find another means such as gaining access to internet tablets that may be taken home and used by students. Learning is best achieved with opportunity, and as teachers we must be able to provide these opportunities for each and every one of our students.
-Margarita D.
sorry, I meant throughout the article**
-margarita d.
Julia Garcia is both an exemplary and an amazing teacher. Her many approaches to teaching are wonderful. As an educator myself, her surprise to how hard teaching could be comes at no surprise however, the gratitude and fulfillment both her and I share towards being able to provide, as Garcia explains it “every opportunity for students to succeed” makes me understand that this is what I was meant to do.
Furthermore, as Garcia explains technology provides educators the ability “to personalize” the classroom based on the needs of each student and therefore allows the differentiation of instruction. As a teacher you also have to become a learner. Dedicated teachers must be able to adapt and learn the new technology that is available. That is exactly what Garcia has done in order to provide an environment for her students that incorporated every possible instruction that will benefit and help her students succeed. This is what teaching is all about.
-Margarita D.
After reading the article on Julie Garcia, I concur with many of her views. Education is not a one size fits all environment. Our job as future educators demands that we strive for each one of our students to achieve their personal maximum potential. Using today’s available technology creates a safe environment where students can learn at their own pace. This is important because it allows our gifted students to deeper explore theories and concepts; while our struggling students review these theories until they feel comfortable moving forward. The material should be individually geared so every student is challenged but not overwhelmed, ensuring they will reach their highest potential.
I agree with AnnMarie P. that incorporating technology into today’s classroom will help keep students engaged and motivated. In addition, the safer the students feel in their classrooms, the better the work they will produce.
Chris Gehrig
After reading this, I agree with Julie Garcia on almost all of her points. I think that her integration of technology into the classroom is both convenient and motivating for the students. I have found that the more a teacher uses technology, whatever the method may be, students are more likely to participate and get involved simply because they like it. They are enjoying the learning process. Technology is a great way to differentiate instruction because it allows students to go at their own pace. When they don’t feel pressured by their peers they are more likely to participate in the lesson. When students work from home using technology, whether it be ebooks or videos, their limited time in the classroom is more meaningful. I feel that any way a teacher can make class time more meaningful should be done. I agree with Ms. Garcia that it is important to hold all students to high standards- high standards yield high results. But this is all relative to a student’s individual abilities and growth. Technology can also be used to measure a student’s growth.
-Danielle L.
Jessie and Arielle both bring up a good point about the availability of technology in the students home. This would create complications and would limit the effects of Julia's lessons being posted online. But if the students do not have access to the technology at home it makes it even more important for it to be present and used in school.
Andrea
I thought this was a nice piece to read that outlines a lot of great parts of what it means to be a great teacher, and why technology plays such an important role in education. The individualistic and personal nature of technology allows both teachers and students to use it to their benefit. Teachers can create innovative lessons while students can work at their own pace. Not only can technology help within the classroom setting, it can spark interest in students that otherwise may not have been triggered.
Jake Baron
Garcia had a love of teaching from an early age because she grew up in a home where her mother was a teacher and there she learned the importance of a teacher's role. She stresses the use of technology in her classroom. Technology in the classroom is very important tool. For example, it allows the children to be more active learners and it aids in differentiating instruction.
This woman talks about having compassion for her students and having high expectations for them as well. She emphasizes educating the whole child and differentiating instruction, as well as creating engaging lessons and encouraging students to be active learners.
Allison McDermott
The Future of Technology is Here: Julie Garcia’s educational perspective of integrating technology with student driven initiative is a growing movement. This is a movement that I believe would be beneficial to all students. Videos, student run math labs, online forum, iBooks, involvement of the school community are ways that Ms. Garcia addresses each child’s individual needs. Children learn differently and many of Ms. Garcia’s methodologies would accommodate different learning styles. The use of technology also would help the children thrive because as Ms. Garcia explains, it allows them to play an active role in their learning. The instruction can be differentiated so that each child could move at their own pace. Ms. Garcia’s inclusion of the Common Core, I believe is crucial in the success of each student making significant measurable gains. The Common Core would be her road map for the direction that the students would travel.
Christine S.
I truly admire Julie Garcia’s passion for teaching. She seems like she is an amazing teacher that any student would be fortunate to have. I found it amazing that Julie is still happy teaching as the first day she started. Being a teacher can be very stressful, however, Julie has not lost her passion. We need more teachers like her who can maintain their love for teaching because once it’s gone I believe that it negatively impacts the students.
I respect the fact that Julie does not lower her standards in order for her students to succeed. Especially while working in low social economic areas, Julie created an engaging and demanding curriculum. Lowering standards for students stunts their educational growth. Instead Julie challenges her students while creating a comfortable judgment free environment. In addition, I agree that as teachers or future teachers, we all need to remember that success is defined by student growth, not necessarily external standards. If we grasp that concept I believe we will continuously be motivated to help our students.
Julie is very creative when it comes to including technology in the classroom. She uses technology as opportunity to cater to the needs of her students which also allows them to work at their own pace. I believe this is a great tactic because it may relieve that some students may feel. Allowing students to watch videos at home and giving them an opportunity to make their own choices gives them a sense of empowerment which helps build their confidence and can ultimately help their academic success.
The downside is that all students may not have the luxury of technology in their home or readily have access. As teachers, we want to be mindful of this when creating assignments including technology.
Shamika L
I found this article very beneficial as a future educator and it outlined many key points throughout. It's explanation of why technology plays such a crucial role in the classroom I found very convincing. Technology doesn't just benefit the students but the teachers as well. Teachers can now make their classroom setting anything they want it to be. Besides from improving the classroom setting, technology can serve as a motivation for students as well. This article was one that I found very interesting and would highly recommend it as well. JF
Roisin M. - I believe Julia Garcia has very solid ideas about teaching. Students do learn better in safe and nurturing environments. Students also enjoy learning and are more apt to retain material when they find the material relatable to their everyday lives. Ms. Garcia was also correct when she stated that teaching is a lot of work. In order to be an affective teacher, a teacher needs to spend a great deal of time organizing lessons so that their lessons are logical and understandable to the students. Unorganized teachers or teachers who fly by the seat of their pants are totally ineffective. I also like the idea of the home videos, great concept!
This Wikibook is about adaptive technology and how to use it with special education students. It goes on to explain the history of adaptive technology and the advantages and disadvantages of it. I think that there are many important advantages of adaptive technology by making people with disabilities more independent. They can complete assignments and participate in the classroom a lot easier with this technology. A huge disadvantage is the cost; of course all of this newest and latest technology does cost a lot, but hopefully parents of these special education students save up the money that the state gives them to use it properly. Also hopefully the schools save up the money also. I feel that the disadvantage of not having enough training could be easily fixed if people would just ask for it. I know that there are a lot of opportunities that people can attend to learn about this technology that is for free, people just need to ask. All of the examples of adaptive technology would highly benefit not only special education students, but all students.
~Amanda L.
After reading the article about Julie Garcia’s proposal to incorporate more technology into the classroom, I feel she is an innovator in today’s teaching world. I liked her idea about recording herself in the classroom so the students could access the lesson from home. I gives the students a way to look back at the lesson when their doing their homework and preparing for tests. I also like the fact that she is incorporating technology into her lesson because it shows the student a responsible way to access technology in the classroom and on a daily basis. I agree with Suzanna L when she explains how Ms. Garcia has seems like she has an eagerness about her when she is teaching in the classroom. Ms. Garcia’s strategies make me want to strive to be a great innovative teacher that goes above and beyond.
I found this interview both interesting and informative. I find it easy to relate to Julie's passion for teaching and found myself identifying with so many things she said. As we grow up, we are influenced by those around us whether it be parents, guardians or teachers. Often people become teachers because they grow up with teachers around them, as was the case with Julie and her mother. I had a similar experience growing up with a mom as a teacher. Her passion for teaching is something I was born with and she helped to nurture it as I grew older. With that fostering of passion, she also instilled many of her views on education in me. While I was not force fed her opinions, I think my way of thinking evolved from growing up with the knowledge of her beliefs. This is similar to Julie's experience and perhaps why I feel so strongly tied to the thoughts expressed in this article.
-Melanie P
Julia Garcia has taken technology to the next level in her classroom, which I find to be a truly excellent learning environment for each student. Not only does Julia open her classroom up to a world of different learning opportunity, she stresses the importance of learning real world math skills that her students will be able to transfer into their daily lives. Creating an environment in which students are the producers gives each individual the chance to play an active role in, not only their own learning, but the class as a whole. She gives them the opportunity to explore multiple methods of learning rather than making education a one way street. As educators, we know that everyone learns and understands certain subjects in a variety of ways. Giving students the opportunity to create their own lessons, I believe produces a greater chance at success because the students will learn multiple ways to solve the same problem.
Julia Garcia’s approach to learning creates motivated and responsible students who take pride in their education. Through use of technology, each student is provided with differentiated instruction enabling students to move at their own pace. This allows for greater success rate and removes the stress out of learning. It also allows for an appreciation of completing the task at hand. The use of different mathematical applications allows students to explore topics of interest and different methods to solve each problem. Garcia also provides math forums which give the students opportunity to discuss different math problems and ways in which they can solve the problems. This is a great method to use for students who are on the shyer side, allowing them to open up and interact with their peers. Outside of the classroom, Garcia often video tapes lessons so that each student is able to fast forward through information they are already comfortable with, while a student who is not understanding has the ability to rewind and go through the lesson at their own pace. Not only is this a helpful method for each individual, it also provides greater time in the classroom to work on meaningful mathematics geared toward each individual’s need. As a teacher, I would absolutely use many of Garcia’s teaching techniques due to the fact that they are geared toward student learning through use of exploration and interaction with peers. Students who feel responsible for their learning tend to take more of an interest in learning and succeeding.
-L. Gallo
I definitely agree with L. Gallo's last point that students who take ownership of their own learning will be more interested in learning in general. The students will feel responsible to make a time commitment to their learning. This will lead to positive results in both their learning and confidence.
-Melanie P
I believe Julia Garcia's approach to education is valid and useful. She created a learning environment that utilizes engaging and demanding curriculum, but still makes learning joyful for students. I agree with her statement that student success and growth should be measured in relative terms, not according to NCLB standards. For example, if a student participates more regularly in class, or if a child completes more homework assignments, these are measures of success also, regardless what they score on state assessments.
Her use of technology in instruction both differentiates her curriculum and allows for students to work at their own pace. One way she does this is by taping her lessons so students have access to them for reference. As L.Gallo mentioned, it also allows for more classroom time to be devoted to individual's needs. Many of these strategies can be used in my classrooms as well.
-Suzie B.
I think that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology by making her students the producers is a great way for the students to learn. This approach allows the students to be responsible for their learning and gives them an opportunity to teach their knowledge to others. This strategy allows the students to be successful in class according to their own interests, their own pace and their level of learning. It was proven through many of Julia’s students that her children did not feel forced to learn, they actually enjoyed coming to her math class. This motivation continued outside of the school environment when they were able to integrate the technology in the students' homes. Once students begin to take ownership for their education, confidence will most likely follow. Therefore, I feel that this approach is valid and I would absolutely use this in my future teaching. After reading Julia Garcia’s interview about her personal experiences, I feel that all teachers should give this approach a try. It is clear that there have been many positive learning outcomes from integrating technology by making students producers.
- Holly P.
Julia Garcia, an exemplary math teacher uses all forms of technology in her classroom. Similar to Howard Gardiners theory of multiple intelligences; Julia Garcia uses technology to engage students best learning styles in order to engage her students and provide relevant math lessons. Students progress is not gaged by NCLB or state testing but rather how they interact with each other and the lesson at hand.
By instructing her students in this manner, she is allowing them to work at their own pace. A strategy that will absolutely help students, especially in Math where so many struggle with the common core requirements. So many of the students that I work with, especially those that have a learning disability cannot keep up with the lesson. They either fall behind or just do not understand. How wonderful it would be if they could work at their own pace! The majority of these children would flourish.
Suzie,
As educators, we are constantly shown that no one student learns the same way or has the exact same abilities. Yet, we are to distribute a state exam which is a complete one way path. I definitely agree with your statement that students should be measured in a variety of forms to display whether or not educational growth has occurred.
~L. Gallo
Julia Garcia clearly has passion and dedication to her students. Of all the wonderful strategies she uses, I feel that extending the classroom outside of the school day is very innovative. In a high school setting, a teacher sees students for 40-45 minutes a day. Although extra help and other avenues are available, some students need more time to understand material. By putting lessons online as well, Garcia allows students to revisit whatever lessons they need. I wish that I could entail the same philosophy to my classroom.
-Sean C.
I think that Julie Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is a good one. By making her students the producers rather than the consumers of their own knowledge, Julie Garcia has developed a method of teaching math that is allowing students to take on a more active role in their learning. It is important, especially with the new Common Core State Standards, for students to be more responsible for his or her own learning through inquiry and exploration, rather than dictation from the teacher. As a fifth and sixth grade math and science teacher, I can relate to what Julie Garcia was saying about engaging the students in math lessons and relating each lesson to the students personally. The students seem to grasp the topic more readily by actively engaging in activities and using project-based learning with real world activities. After reading this article, I feel that I may not know as much as I thought about using technology in my classroom, and I want to incorporate more technology into all of my math and science lessons.
I definitely feel that this is a valid approach for today’s teachers and one I may use in the future. The children in this generation grew up using “Google” when he or she needed to find information. While I was substitute teaching, I told a student about a time when I was growing up without computers or “Google.” The whole fifth grade class asked how I looked up information. With that being said, the students in this generation can navigate around computers, tablets, iPads, and websites better than most teachers. Using Julie Garcia’s approach can help gear lessons towards each child’s individual preferences and learning needs. Teachers should use Julie Garcia’s integration of technology in almost every lesson possible.
I think Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is extremely positive and will help students grow. It gives each student the chance to become more interactive in the classroom as well as from home. Her approaches and techniques allow each student to work at their own speed, with her help, whenever needed. The fact that any student in Julia’s class can watch a video of a lesson and pause, rewind, and fast-forward is great. This gives her students the ability to learn at their own pace. Many of Julia’s students love her class because they don’t feel pressured to learn. She teaches through real life situations and uses examples to go along with her lessons. Her students appreciate this and realize that she is working hard; therefore, they put hard work and effort into their work as well.
This is a valid approach for today’s teachers and it is definitely one that I will use in my future classroom. It is a great tool if a student did not fully understand the lesson taught in class or is having difficulty grasping a specific concept. They can simply go home and watch the videos created to better understand the topics. This is also a great approach because it helps those students who are timid and do not like speaking up in class. It allows them to voice their opinion, ask questions, and answer questions without being overwhelmed or feeling embarrassed. I can relate to Julia’s techniques and hopefully one day integrate them into my classroom.
-Joanna S.
I agree with Janet H. in the fact that many students are struggling due to the new common core requirements. The common core standards are still new, not only to the students, but also to the teachers. Teachers are still learning about the common core and incorporating it into their lessons. By using Julia’s approach to the integration of technology in classrooms, it allows students to work together; therefore, the classroom becomes an easier place to learn when using the common core standards.
-Joanna S.
Julie Garcia offers her students the unique opportunity to deviate from the required curriculum though the use of technology. By integrating technology into the classroom, Julie has the ability to create a “fun”-learning environment for students by taking advantage of “teachable moments” both inside and outside of school. Within the four walls of the classroom Julie gives students the “formula” then allows them to become the masters of their own success. In my opinion Julie’s use of technology in her lessons bridges the gaps between an ordinary teacher and an extraordinary teacher.
As a prospective teacher, I will adopt Julie Garcia’s practice of videoing lessons for students to watch at home. As Julie expresses in her interview this is a effective way for each student to learn at their own pace; featuring the ability to rewind and/or fast-forward when needed. This leaves room for more effective learning in the classroom. Giving students this access through various forums will give them the tools to be life long learners
-Ashley M.
Christina,
The new Common Core State Standards do not allow for individualism in classroom learning anymore. I agree that today, more then ever it is important for students to be more proactive in the success of their education. Like you stated above, “Julie Garcia has developed a method of teacher that allows students to take a more active role in their learning”; rather than being told exactly what to do, Julie empowers her students through the use of technology to inquire why and explore how. By doing this Julie encourages her students to take advantage of the access they have, rather then imprison them to an expected standard. It is refreshing to hear that you too, encourage the use of technology and will empower your students with the access they have by integrating technology in all possible lessons. Best of Luck!
-Ashley M.
The interview with Julie Garcia I found to be very interesting. I believe that Julie's approach with the new technology out there will increase the students potential and academic learning. The new technology discussed by Garcia will give the students a chance to be more interactive within the classroom. I absolutely love the idea of taping the lessons be taught. Garcia also uses real life situations in her lessons which makes the lessons more relatable to the students. I would love to use Garcia's approach in my classroom one day. The idea of allowing your students to learn at their own pace and feeling comfortable about what they are learning is just one great step towards success.
-Nicole A
I definitely agree with Joanna S in that the process of taping lessons. It allows the students to rewind, fast forward and even pause the lesson, which gives the student time to comprehend and understand what is being taught. This is a great idea for any classroom, but this technique would be greatly appreciated in an inclusion program or special education program in that each student learns and comprehends differently. And the process of having lessons on tape allows the students to learn at their own pace.
-Nicole A
I believe that Ms. Garcia's approach to technology in the classroom is excellent. She has taken the most modern resources and used them to allow her students to become the most successful individuals that they can be. Allowing students to become producers instead of consumers, in a sense allows them to take their future into their own hands. They are able to work at a pace that is most comfortable for them, and it gives the students opportunities aside from just a structured classroom setting.
As a future educator, I fully believe that it is a good idea to incorporate this level of technology into the classroom. By the adolescent years, students have become so well adapted to technology that it is second nature for them to use. Not only is it helpful for the learning process, but it allows education to be more fun for the students. Furthermore, it is valid for teachers today to use technology because it allows for a new level of comprehension and understanding by the students.
-Victoria L.
Melanie P,
I agree with what you said in your blog post. I also think that it is very easy to relate to what Ms. Garcia is saying about her passion for teaching. Like you, my mom is also a teacher, and her passion for it has allowed me to see what a great career it really is. From being around teachers/instructors for so many years, I definitely believe that my life has been greatly influenced by them.
Victoria L.
I enjoyed reading the Julie Garcia interview. Her mother and past teachers have greatly influenced her enthusiasm and dedication for teaching. She is a positive role model for her students as well as present and future teachers. Ms. Garcia has created a wonderful learning environment where all of her students feel safe and respected. I believe that in this environment her students feel comfortable to take risks and engage in their learning.
Her use of technology allows her students to explore the math concepts that they find interesting and share those thoughts with other students in online discussion groups--free from the classroom pressure of being called on. By using technology, Ms. Garcia is able to customize the learning of her students that enables them to works at their own pace.
I agree with her that by having the students create their own examples based on their past experiences connects them to their learning. And by having them work in groups will hopefully promote respect of and tolerance for each other.
I think that Julia Garcia’s approach is an effective one.It provides and engaging learning environment. In addition, students hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their education by being the producers. As an elementary school teacher, in a low income area, I face many challenges each day, trying to integrate technology into the classroom. However, Julia Garcia named many benefits of its impact on student learning and success. For example, shy students can discuss their ideas online, and applications can be personalized for learning.
At first glance, many educators feel that the common core learning standards don’t leave room for differentiating. However, I agree with Julia Garcia’s statement, that while teachers keep expectations high, they also make it hard for their students to fail. That means providing multiple means and strategies to an end (even if it is the same end for all students).
We live in a world that is constantly moving forward in technology. I believe that part of educating our students includes preparing them. I would like to try Julia Garcia’s approach in the future.
Shaina H.
I also agree with Joanna S that having the lessons on video enables students to check their own comprehension at home, again taking ownership of their learning at their own pace.
Erin H.
This interview was extremely compelling because it was heartfelt and honest. Julie Garcia does a wonderful job of highlighting both the glorious parts of teaching as well as the parts that she wishes would change. I particularly agreed wholeheartedly with her answer to the last question that the interviewer posed. Julie pinpoints exactly my thoughts on the ideal way a school should be run: student centered. She also goes beyond academics and includes socialization and cooperation among students. Socialization and cooperation are equally important in schools as academics are because they help create well-rounded people which in my opinion should be one of the ultimate goals of the education system. In addition, I think Julie does an outstanding job reflecting on her teaching including her strengths and especially her weaknesses. This is a crucial ability that teachers need to have.
Samantha F.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is excellent because it encourages students to be more responsible for their own learning. Julia Garcia’s approach motivates students to be the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumers by engaging them through active involvement in their learning. In addition, her approach allows students to take ownership of their learning including taking risks and making choices for themselves. By taking ownership of their own learning, students will find what they learn to be much more meaningful.
I absolutely feel that this is a valid approach for today’s teachers and I would definitely use this in the future. Integrating technology in the classroom would be very useful for use with the common core standards as it will improve education and increase student understanding of new concepts and ideas. In addition, technology integration provides ways in which to differentiate the curriculum and allow students to complete work at their own individual pace. Integrating technology in the classroom will also help to create a safe, comfortable, and non-threatening environment for students to learn in. I especially love Julia Garcia’s idea of creating videos of her lessons for students to watch at home. This is an idea that I would think to use for the future because it allows students the flexibility to fast forward through information they already know and work through the lesson at their own individual pace. In addition, creating lesson videos for my students will allow for learning to not just take place in the classroom.
Sean C,
I agree that her method of taping lessons to give students extra time to learn material is effective. She clearly has a firm grasp on the fact that lessons need to be differentiated and by allowing students to revisit the material they may not understand it can aid them in succeeding. It also centers the learning around the student, making them responsible for their own success. This is an interesting theory because we've always thought of teachers as the leaders in the classroom. By allowing students to be responsible, it makes the teacher a facilitator rather than a lecturer in the class.
Samantha F.
Samantha F.,
I also agree that schools should be student centered allowing students to explore and learn together, instead of just listening to the teacher. Socialization and cooperation are essential to have in any classroom. Students enjoy working as a team collaboratively. This allows the stronger students to help the weaker students in the class. Julie Garcia stresses each student learns in their own individual way and this is definitely one of them.
Christina G.
I think that Julie is very unique in how she incorporates technology into her teaching. Using technology and programs really helps when it comes to the the differentiation of instruction because not all students learn in the same ways or at the same pace. Julie understands this and allows for and guides the students to find their own way of learning, which is much better than her trying and possibly failing at teaching students her way. I believe that a good teacher understands that there might be times when they might not be able to teach or fulfill a students needs with how they personally teach, and instead of giving up or trying an ineffective way of instruction over and over again, they point their students to other ways to help in their instruction. It is also beneficial in bridging the gap between the faster learners and the slower learns. Faster learners can possible go ahead rather than getting bored while slower learners can get the supplementary help they need in order to not get left behind in the lessons. Not only that, but using technology in such away would also help develop a student's independency, and ability to research and learn on their own. I also like the idea about her ideal future of learning and schools. It might take some time to foster children's love and interest in learning and self improvement, as well as the responsibility to learn on their own and with others, but I think her teaching philosophy and the way she integrates technology, it could happen.
-Gabe G.
There was a lot to take in. What concerns me as a future teacher has always been whether or not I would remain as passionate in the end as when I started. Reading how Julia was originally not sure if teaching was for her but realized it later on and as she continued to teach only became more passionate gives me confidence to pursue teaching even more. Her constant concern for the well-being and education of her students is inspirational.
In addition, as others have mentioned, her integration of technology and the idea of students teaching each other is cutting edge and implemented the right way can definitely make a change in how classrooms are formatted and children learn.
- Doug
That interview was very interesting for me. Lately I have been thinking of why it is I want to be a teacher, since I have been going on so many interviews. It was enlightening to read Ms. Garcia's take on the teaching profession. One specific quote stands out to me, Ms. Garcia stated teaching takes "your heart and soul for a lesson to be effective." That really made me think of teaching as an art. Teachers are the ones who help to shape students' futures, almost as if they were a sculptor with clay. This interview really stuck with me and I'm sure I will be going back to it through my career.
-Kara M.
I agree with Nick C. In so many places administrators are looking to cut costs. Technology is usually a huge target for this because of the non-importance of so many of the tech items. It is important, however, to teach using Ms. Garcia's approach because it makes learning interesting for students. If students are not interested, they will not learn as much.
-Kara M.
Out of all of Ms. Garcia's characteristics that make her a strong educator, enthusiasm is the one I respect and have. I have 5 middle school math classes now and I do not have the technology she has, but I am able to bring that type of enthusiasm too I hope. With so much pressure to cover material of Common Core I don't feel it's realistic in my district to start making videos and using iPads now. I have too many 7th graders that don't speak English well enough to read their word problems, and too many students who are on such a lower level academically. I laughed out loud when she suggested in her dreams 10 years later there would be no bells, no walls, and no grades as all ages would work together. Not in my district.
I think Julia Garcia's approach to the integration of technology in her classroom by making her students the producers is a awesome and bold choice. It encourages them to explore and use the internet to research & problem solve. It makes learning intriguing and not always about learning to pass standardized tests. I think it is a valid approach to teaching because each student has their own way of retaining information & own pace while learning. Being able to turn a difficult subject like math or any subject into exploration, group discussions, shared learning will benefit each student. I think using technology in my classroom the way Julia Garcia did will be something that I will definitely do. Technology has evolved over the years, students are always on their laptops, mobile devices, IPADS, & tablets. So, getting them to do math problem-solving activities, interacting in forum discussions, researching topics in mathematics is an excellent idea rather than them always focused on social media, video games & other distracting things.
Julie Garcia's approach to technology in the classroom is exceptional. Her enthusiasum in her classroom and her love for her students is motivational and endearing. I believe technology is a wonderful way to keep students involved in your lessons and classroom. I never realized how great of a tool the Ipad and IBooks could be in the mathematics classroom. I feel implementing these tools in the classroom could only help the students and higher assessment scores at the end of the year. In all, most teachers if not all, should try and incorporate a large portion of technology in their classrrom
- Christina M.
I think Julie Garcia's overall educational approach is extremely important for modern educator's to take note of and learn from. The notion that students be producers in their own education, rather than consumers, is not merely a valid approach but a critical component of effective educational practices. It is not coincidental that "ACTIVE involvement in the learning process" is listed by Garcia as the primary element that leads to student success. Students must be active and involved in their own education. Only by prepraring students to be producers of their own education can teachers guide those students toward becoming autonomous leaners (both in the classroom and beyond)
As the saying goes.. Give a person a fish, they can eat for a day. But teach a person to fish and they can eat for a life time. This saying gets to the heart of Garcia's approach. Students who are producers in their own education gain the motivation, drive, and savoir-faire to become producers in their post academic life. They will be prepared for a life beyond the classroom. This should be the true goal of all education.
-Jesse G.-
I believe Julie Garcia is a very experienced and motivated teacher. She cares deeply about the success of her students and she made an amazing point to state that success is not just measured in grades. With the help of technology she is able to accommodation all her students especially with the use of tablets, e readers, and other technology. She can tier her lessons using tablets allowing students to work at their own pace and ability. Using this technology can motivate and engage the students better because this is what they have grown up with. No longer can a simple PowerPoint entertain students. Technology such as smart boards can actively engage students during every class. When students can physically participate in a class that is when they will learn and retain the information the best.
-Liam R
By making the students the producers it is holding each student to a higher expectation which in turn makes them more accountable for their own actions. I think that I agree with taking more attention off the teacher and more attention onto the students. It shows a more student-centered approach and gives students a constructivist way of learning. They are constructing their own knowledge of what their learning which in my eyes gives each lesson more meaning to each student. I think that Julia has a very good way of approaching the integration of technology into the classroom. Teachers must be first comfortable with letting the students take control of their learning which Julia has done. I think that project-based learning tends to have more of a successful effect on students. I would completely use her teaching strategies in my future classroom because we share the same beliefs. I like her way of interacting with the students and have them create their learning. It takes more power to let the students have more control, but I think that it makes a bigger impact.
By making the students the producers it is holding each student to a higher expectation which in turn makes them more accountable for their own actions. I think that I agree with taking more attention off the teacher and more attention onto the students. It shows a more student-centered approach and gives students a constructivist way of learning. They are constructing their own knowledge of what their learning which in my eyes gives each lesson more meaning to each student. I think that Julia has a very good way of approaching the integration of technology into the classroom. Teachers must be first comfortable with letting the students take control of their learning which Julia has done. I think that project-based learning tends to have more of a successful effect on students. I would completely use her teaching strategies in my future classroom because we share the same beliefs. I like her way of interacting with the students and have them create their learning. It takes more power to let the students have more control, but I think that it makes a bigger impact.
Liam,
I agree with you completely. I as well think that Julia is a motivated teacher. As I read the article, it was clear that she has a lot of passion for what she does and loves teaching. I missed the line when she said that success is not measured in grades. I think that statement is very interesting and true. Technology can help form better bonds with children and learning so that grades aren’t everything that measures how well or not so well students have gathered a concept. I also like when you stated, “when students can physically participate in a class is when they will learn and retain the information the best”. I have been a part of many classrooms with smartboards and ipads. The children not only have a wonderful time but they are taking in and comprehending what they learn. It is no longer just traditional pen to paper but wonderful assistive technologies out there.
- Suzanne S.
The changes Julie Garcia is bringing to schools and students through technology is an incredible feat. It’s great to see that with the use of technology in the classroom students can become “producers and creators” instead of “consumers” of their education like me and I would imagine many of my peers were. I have great respect for Julie Garcia’s positive attitude and approaches to teaching (i.e. high standards, treating students equally and fairly, consistency, her definition of success, and relating the material taught to real life situations) and hope to instill these philosophies in my teaching and classroom someday. I like that Julie Garcia differentiates her lessons by allowing students to watch the lessons at home and using time in the classroom for extra help and/or practice of the material. Just like she says in the article it allows each student to learn/work at his/her own pace without stopping any other students from learning. Also, that she makes learning Math a fun, collaborative, creative experience through students’ use of various applications and projects. I know from my own education that Math is a challenging and difficult subject to teach and learn, and most students do not find it enjoyable, so Julie Garcia’s approach to Math education is truly innovative and refreshing.
Suzanne,
I agree with your comment about how it is difficult for teachers to give up some control over student learning but that when students do have some control over their learning that it has a greater impact. It is also true for any situation that if someone can accomplish something individually or in a group that he/she has a significant amount of control over the person/people will have a greater sense of accomplishment and belief in him/her/themselves because he/she/they were able to complete the task.
Julia Garcia has a great approach for integrating technology into her classroom. She understands students learn at their own pace and through technology they can achieve that without pressure from the teacher of other students. The idea of video lessons that be watched at home incorporates this even further. A former co-worker of mine who is a Spanish teacher has extra help sessions online through video chats. Students are able to sign in and type their questions for her to answer.
As a former athlete she understands the value of competition (even internally), motivation, and success. Some students are already motivated to do their best while others may need an extra push. For those who care little about math to try or even attend, she understands that a "win" is not to make them a A students, but to catch their interest enough to make a difference in their education.
Suzanne Schalk is correct when she says the student-centered approach to teaching gives more meaning to each student. Students seem to remember more when the discover the information themselves than during a teacher-centered lecture approach. Julia Garcia enhances this by letting the students teach other students some of the details of the lesson.
Julie Garcia is someone who is very dedicated to the field of education and a great example to all future teachers. I like that she sees her students as family and she will do anything to help them succeed. Additionally, I love her idea of implementing technology into the lessons where students can make their own product to explain a math topic. From my student teaching I have found that students understand the material better when they experience it for themselves. All teachers should use this approach because it allows the students to interact with the content through the use of technology and learn to think on their own.
-Mariya L.
Julia Garcia’s approach to integration of technology in her classroom is definitely making her students the producers of their own knowledge. This is beneficial to the students because it puts their learning into their own hands. If the students have the responsibility of their learning they are more likely to focus and work harder to succeed.
This approach is valid for today’s teachers because technology is so accessible to mostly everyone. I really liked Julie’s approach on taping her lessons and having students stream them at home. This creates much more classroom time to practice and master the skills. This approach also allows students who are struggling or advancing to rewind, rewatch, or fast forward through the lesson. This strategy seems highly effective because it is adaptable for each student’s needs.
Julie Garcia has many wonderful ideas and her implementation of technology is extraordinary. First her attitude and mentality of high expectations for all her students, not settling for anything but their best and helping them get there are marks of a great teacher. Her ideas of use of the iPad to individuate student learning are really great. Allowing students to develop at their skill level will help all students. That means no student is being left behind and confused and other are not bored from going over something they already understand. I love the idea for students to create their own videos for alternative teaching strategies. This makes the students really think of the method of a problem and each step involved, then will well other students who watch the video seeing another method for explaining the problem. Students doing podcasts and answering each other’s questions is great collaboration and team building having students work together for a great mutual understanding is a great use of technology in teaching.
Justin makes a good point for the value of competition for motivating students. Students are always in competition with each other in physical sports and using the same motivation for academic success seems like a great way to promote learning. It helps give students a reason to try and motivate themselves to do better.
I found Julie Garcia’s discussion on looking other ways to measure her students’ success rather than using grades and ability to meet state standards. A good attendance rate, arriving on time, and paying attention are skills needed for success anywhere, but improvement in these skills alone should also be viewed as success. A difficult subject like math may have students maintain relatively low grades. Giving attention to other ways students can improve and succeed can help the student feel motivated and cared about.
Julie Garcia is particularly positive about integrating new technology and using the common core to create better educational experiences for her students. I was very surprised to find she has a very positive stance on the common core because so far most teachers I have come across hold a grudge against it and this only makes their jobs more difficult for them. As for integrating technology a teacher’s stance on integrating technology seems to depend on their experience, success, or the amount of training the teacher has had with the new technology. From the interview, it is clear that Julie sees the positives and advantages in using technology regularly in her classroom. She highlights how technology can allow students to work at home and more importantly at their own pace.
I find math to be a very bland subject so I think it is wonderful that Julie has found new ways to spice up the material while building student comfortability with new technology. Videos and podcasts are a great way to help students who were absent, have difficulty paying attention, need visuals, and struggle with note taking in class. Integrating technology into her classroom has definitely helped her cater to the different learning styles and needs of her classroom. Technology has also has helped Julie to make her math lessons more meaningful, accessible, and engaging.
-Jessica S.
The question I found myself asking as I read the article was, “how can I do something like this?” Although it’s a challenge to let go of the traditional lecture-based model of teaching that perhaps many of us were brought up with, it is clear to me that young learners need to stay engaged in the classroom. New technologies are appealing, interactive, and can be fun to use. I think savvy teachers are aware of this and use this reality to the advantage of their students. Making the students the producers of their own work provides the foundation for critical thinking skills and original thought. Isn’t that the goal of a good, solid education?
It is good to see so many other posts of people who find great value in Garcia’s approach to teaching. A few comments I read confirmed that many of us share the same vision for the classroom. Phrases like interactive learning, centers, group work, collaboration, and creativity all speak to the kind of learning environment I wish to implement.
-Peter L.
After reading the interview with Julia Garcia, I felt her approach to teaching in general is inspiring and can be extremely effective. The concept of making her students producers rather than consumers is a smart idea. When students feel a sense of responsibility for their learning and are held to high expectations, I think students will be more motivated to succeed. I also liked that this form of integrating technology into the lessons allows for differentiation of instruction and lets the students learn at their own pace.
I feel that this approach can be helpful for today’s teachers and is a method I would definitely consider using in my own classroom. Especially when teaching students with special needs, they will all be on a different level of learning and will all have varying learning styles. Today’s iPad apps and other similar programs are teaching students concepts that have been taught for years, but now these programs are keeping students interested and motivated. Students are learning through real world activities and drawing conclusions from their own individual experiences. I think from a teacher’s perspective, this also allows you to work with each individual child at their own pace and learn more about their individual needs so you can adjust how you teach the class.
-Danielle B
ulia Garcia's dedication to technology is important for all students. It is important that teachers need to adapt to new technology. Technology for teaching will always be changing and it is important for teachers to change with it.
A lab environment is a good strategy for many subjects including math, it allows students to go at their own pace and the added technology allows students to access their work anywhere. Students will have an option of customizing their education. By videotaping lessons, it allows students to focus on key ideas and concepts they do not fully understand.
I believe this is an effective method of teaching and all new teachers should embrace the inclusion of technology.
-Patrick H.
I think that the integration of technology in Garcia’s classroom is great. I never really thought how a Math teacher would be able to do this but it is clearly something that works for her students. When Garcia mentioned making her students the producers of their knowledge because that way the students are taking more ownership in their learning process is incredibly important. I feel now students want instant gratification and if they do not understand something they just quit. By using similar technology to Garcia she gives them the tools to work at their own pace. That way they can really control how they learn and they can appreciate the lesson and knowledge much more than just being force fed material.
I would love to be able to integrate something like this into my classroom. It may be a little more difficult for me to do in Social Studies but I would definitely like to use some of it in my lessons. Class periods are so short and it is often hard to give the students all the material they need to succeed. So if I was able to integrate some of these concepts I think not only would the students learn more but I think they would enjoy learning some things outside of the classroom, too.
In response to Kaitlyn B., I agree with her that it is often difficult to relinquish some sort of control to your students but the way Garcia does it, she still is in control and the class is structured. I think we have to find a way to work as a team with our students towards a common goal without allowing the students to realize that they do need some sort of structure and that you, the teacher, are in control of the lessons.
-Heather M.
I do think that this integration of technology is more appropriate in subjects like mathematics than it in subjects like English or Social Studies. While you certainly can find effective ways to use this technology it cannot be exclusively used.
I agree with many of the comments here that Garcia's methods are effective for math. These methods also lend themselves to other subjects. However, teachers of different subjects should find uses of technology that would better fit their subjects.
-Patrick H.
I think that Julia Gracias approach to the education process is great. The way that she uses many different approaches such as introducing things on IPad as well as other technologies in the classroom will only help here students. Luckily for her students, Julia Garcia realizes that the use of new technology is the future of both learning, and will also be a large part of her students future when they enter the work force. I also believe that this can help students with special needs as well as gifted and talented students. When using technology like the iPad the teacher can adjust the lesson to each student individually without making some students feel bad that they may not be keeping up with other students.
-Nick Gilbert
I agree with the many comments made on this blog post. In today’s classrooms a Power Point Presentation is not enough and does not engage the students in classroom. Teachers should take advantage of the latest technology such as the iPad because it allows the learner to be more engaged with the content. Additionally, educators should use this technology to create lessons that are adjusted to a student’s personal level.
-Mariya L.
I really like the idea of personalizing the classroom based on students needs, this is something I plan to do when teaching. Julia Garcia said that this approach allows students to take ownership of the material which also boosts their confidence. The purpose of the online forums, benefiting all students especially the shy students and taking off the pressure of being called on is also something I think is great to have in the classroom. I like the idea of recording the lesson and the students being able to watch it and fast forward when they already know something or rewind if they need it repeated, and in a perfect world where every student has a device at home that is something I would love to do. But as we all know, that is not the case in some situations. If that is the case, I would like to use her idea of having the lessons recorded so the students can learn at their own pace but more as a reinforcer, instead of actually replacing the lesson and allowing time in class for students to view this material.
The first thing I came to appreciate while reading this interview is Julia Garcia's passion for math. I have always found that math is one subject that the teacher needs to be passionate about. If a math teacher is bored with what he or she is teaching, it is likely that the information will not be absorbed by the students in the classroom. I also appreciate that she talked about how hard being a teacher is. I think most people believe it is an easy profession, and that is certainly not the case.
I think her teaching methods are great. I love that she uses the technology to help students learn at their own pace. I am not technologically inclined, so I really appreciate what Julia is doing, and I hope one day I am able to incorporate technology in my classroom as much as she has.
-Kayla Bettineschi
Julia Garcia approach to integrating technology has proven to be greatly successful in her classroom. This can be concluded in how engaged her students are in their learning experience. Julia Garcia allows to differentiation of instruction in each lesson for her students and allowing them to move forward at a pace that meets their needs the interesting and remarkable part is that this all incorporates technology in one way or another. I agree with Megan R that the success that Julia Garcia has is directly related to her consistency. Julia Garcia follows a Universal Design for Learning not allowing students to be excluded in a lesson, but also accepting the theory “One Size Fits All” is not acceptable. While using technology can still cause some skeptics and is not always welcomed, what Julia Garcia is doing is extremely effective.
The interview “The Future of Technology is Here”, with Julie Garcia, explains why she went into teaching, and why she believes in transforming public education. Julie speaks about her mother’s love for not only her work, but the compassion she felt towards her students. By watching her mother express love towards her students, Julie learned to do this as well. I think having a solid relationship with your students not only makes teaching easier, but also more rewarding. Julie also explains how she feels technology has helped in her classroom because she is able to personalize her lessons based on the needs of each student. She allows her students to use an iPad, because for some, this makes the work seem less threatening. Julie seems like an extremely passionate and experienced teacher.
Amanda said...The interview “The Future of Technology is Here”, with Julie Garcia, explains why she went into teaching, and why she believes in transforming public education. Julie speaks about her mother’s love for not only her work, but the compassion she felt towards her students. By watching her mother express love towards her students, Julie learned to do this as well. I think having a solid relationship with your students not only makes teaching easier, but also more rewarding. Julie also explains how she feels technology has helped in her classroom because she is able to personalize her lessons based on the needs of each student. She allows her students to use an iPad, because for some, this makes the work seem less threatening. Julie seems like an extremely passionate and experienced teacher.
The interview with Julia Garcia shows how much work but also how rewarding it is to be a teacher. She is what every teacher should be:enthusiastic, dedicated, caring, and a motivated to keep improving. My goal is to be as a great as a teacher she is/strives to be. I want to include technology in my classroom, hold high expectations, build a rapport with my students, and treat each student as an individual but also an equal.
The interview with Julia Garcia provided many interesting ideas. I particularly liked her comment about how her philosophy towards education teaches her students that by working hard, they can accomplish their goals both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, Garcia comments that "success can be defined in many ways" and that "we need to focus on student growth in relative terms" are excellent. Most of the time, teachers are concerned with with how students perform as it relates to a set of predetermined standards instead of measuring their progress as it relates to their own individual growth. I agree with Garcia that technology can be used to personalize the classroom and differentiate instruction as it allows students to work at their own pace and can be tailored to a student's individual needs enabling them to take control of their learning.
I feel Julia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is not only a positive approach but a necessary one. I agree students need to be engaged in the lessons that are being taught. In our classroom our students with special needs thrive on technology and the interaction. Also, the fact that students can learn at their own pace through technology is essential. As a future teacher I would try to implement Julia’s approach. However, one must be cognitive to the fact that not every school has the funds to provide these resources to their teachers and their students.
Julie Garcia seems like a wonderful teacher. There were many times through the interview where I was definitely able to relate. She is a mathematics teacher, as am I. I know that you need to have a love for math and numbers to stick with teaching mathematics to our youth. When she said "My love for education has always revolved around mathematics. As a young middle school student I was continually inspired by several math teachers. I often think about these teachers, their energy and enthusiasm." I began to remember my years through my own schooling and the same characteristics of her teachers that helped her gain insight into what career to go into were the same as my own. I will always remember one specific math teacher in my mind that really made me make the decision to become a math teacher.
I also liked her honesty about her strengths and weaknesses. I believe that to become a good educator you need to use your strengths and develop your weaknesses to grow as a teacher.
In addition to the portion of technology, I work in a school district where all students have iPads. I understand the pro's and con's of technology. However one quote of Julie stuck out at me "Technology has allowed me to personalize my classroom according to the needs of my students. With technology I am able to work with students at their own pace." While working in my district I do notice that the IPads are very useful for some students who have special needs and accommodations. The IPads are more beneficial for some and sometimes not for others. It is all about meeting the needs of our students when we use technology in the classroom.
Lauren Stein
By taping lessons to give students extra time to grasp material is seems very effective. Lessons need to be different and let students go back to revisit material they may not understand. Students can reward themselves for what they are learning by themselves. We have always believed that the teachers stand in the front of the classroom and be the leaders to the students. With her method, the teacher will guide the students instead of being the lecturer in the classroom. Students enjoy working together rather than alone. This allows some of the weaker students to grasp information in their learning technique rather than the same method every lesson.
I think the way Julia runs her classroom is a great procedure. Julia cares about her students and wants to make sure that they are engaged and learning while in her classroom. I agree that technology within the classroom is a great way to incorporate learning. In my classroom, we use many types of technology such as ipads, computers, and smart boards. This allows students to be more engaged in their learning and allows them more resources as well. Technology is a great tool for students to have and leads to students to achieve and gain higher academic scores.
Michelle Anander
Julia Garcia and I have many similarities. We both have a parents that told us education is important and that teaching is a great profession to get into it. Both my parents are teachers and I always saw how much they loved their jobs and how they loved making an impact in their students lives. The integration of technology into schools is growing more and more every year. My administrators in the DOE in New York City are constantly checking if I am up to date with technology and I have even attended Professional Development in technology to update myself each year. Although some schools like mine can't afford Ipads and all of the brand new technology coming out, it can be a great tool to enhance student engagement and interaction. It would be easier to reach a higher level of learning and students can become less reliable on the teacher and more reliable on themselves.
Joe G.
Julia Garcia and I have many similarities in our views on how a teacher should be. My favorite comment by her, was when she answered what makes her a great teacher? She said she pushes all of her students to their full potential. She expects the best work and she feels that having these high expectations work best for the students. I too believe in this, I think each student can do there best at whatever grade level they are at. I think technology is a wonderful tool in the classroom. In Julia Garcia's classroom she uses the technology because it leads to higher academic scores and I think it helps the students love what there doing. This generation is all about technology, the main component is to know how and when to use technology to bring the lesson to a higher level for the students.
Julie Garcia seems to be an innovative teacher with a passion for education that so many of us aspire to have. Her integration of technology allowed her students to excel yet challenge them to push their own limits. I believe her practices would help many other educators. She is an engaging teacher who cares about her students' education and success.
Reading the interview with Julia Garcia was such a rewarding experience for me. It is evident in her philosophy of education, and teacher practices that she is an empowering educator; who through her drive, honesty, and personal insight, into education has ultimately empowered other educators, like me, to achieve greatness. Teaching is an art and a craft that gets better every year, and like any art form, requires hard work and necessary skills that need to be harnessed and strengthened for maximum efficiency in producing a masterpiece. The one thing that clearly stood out for me in the interview was that she sets high expectations for her students. Common Core no doubt raises the bar, but doesn’t take into account or consideration the students different skills, learning needs or challenges. Thus, it will not suffice to just teach students to become proficient in common core standards, but rather we must teach them to set high goals for themselves in and out of the classroom and work hard at attaining them. For too long, educators have lost their spark, drive, passion, curiosity, etc… and expect children to be enthusiastic about learning. It needs to come from us first, through modeling, scaffolding and facilitating. We need to set high expectations for ourselves, our students and their parents/guardians as well as our learning communities. Like Julia Garcia eloquently put it “I work hard for you and expect you to work hard for me in return.” Another thing that touched home for me was when she stated that “The learning environment cannot just be the classroom.” Indeed it cannot, because the skills we are teaching children are to prepare them for the real-world and life outside the four walls they have become acquainted with. It is necessary for teachers to work collaboratively with parents to ensure that the creative process, the problem solving process and higher order thinking processes are continued and strengthened at home.
(Comment to Lisa's blog) I agree that the infusion of technology in classrooms is necessary, and that when technology is not embedded in instruction it is not always the teacher’s fault or lack of trying but lack of funding. Go Math provides a plethora of opportunities for students to learn, interact and grasp concepts through the use of technology, but it still needs to be differentiated further according to our student's needs. In other words, using the smart board alone as a technology component does no justice for our students who are growing up and learning in a digital age, so the how and why of smart board instruction needs to be differentiated as well.
After reading the interview with Julia Garcia, I felt her approach to teaching could be extremely effective. When her students are given a sense of responsibility, they have motivation to succeed. It is important to make sure each student is driven to his or her full potential. Integrating technology into lessons definitely allows for a differentiation of instruction within each lesson. Technology helps lessons adapt to each learning style and can benefit the way students learn overall. Integrating technology gives the students the ability to learn at their own pace. This approach can be helpful in classrooms today and I would consider using these ideas in my own classroom. This generation is growing up with technology all around them, so using technology in a lesson can benefit students’ learning as well as keep them engaged.
One of the most encouraging anecdotes from this article is the fact that Julia Garcia still enjoys teaching just as much as she did when she started work on her first day as an educator. Unfortunately not all teachers can say the same thing, and I believe the secret lies in the fact that Julia is truly passionate about her job as a teacher and pours her heart and soul into every lesson plan that she creates. It speaks highly of her character that she was able to start her career in a low income area (at risk) and demand and expect the best from all of her students. Rather than allowing the students to continue achieving the bare minimum, her high expectations force the students to expect better of themselves.
Julia Garcia should also be commended for her willingness to include technology in the classroom for her students benefit. She was really able to find a way to keep her students engaged through the introduction of the ipad and applications that come along with it.
I admire Ms. Garcia’s teaching philosophy, especially how her goal is to personalize the classroom for each student. Math can be a difficult subject for many students, and by having the students be creative in class instead of taking notes, it makes them utilize their critical thinking skills more often than not. Allowing students to work at their own pace, while asking them to meet high expectations is a very tough task. Ms. Garcia’s ability to utilize technology makes it a lot easier for her to understand what areas students need help in, for them to achieve what she wants them to. I applaud Ms. Garcia for using technology to help introverted students. Although they may be too nervous or scared to speak up in class, technology helps the become part of the discussion regarding the topics they are learning. Ms. Garcia understands that one of the best ways to keep students engaged is through technology, and from what Ms. Garcia stated in the interview, her students are very lucky to have her as a teacher.
I like Julie Garcia's approach as a teacher. She describes her teaching style as not lowering her standards. She explains that this makes it hard for her students to fail. I feel that when a teacher shows little to no leniency, it forces the student to put forward more effort than they normally would. It's also very impressionable when a teacher shows that they are committed to the students. A teacher who genuinely cares and shows an attachment to their class creates a bond that a student might feel hesitant to break otherwise. I feel Julie's teaching style makes students look forward to her class. The combination of enjoying being in class and respecting your teacher is a formula for success, in my book at least. Julie makes a practical statement in that she's able to work with students at their own pace using technology. The iPad is a familiar tool that students use everyday for fun. By incorporating it into schoolwork students already feel like they know what they're doing, encouraging them to move forward
I agree with Julie Garcia's ideas about technology in the classroom. I think too often, adults are afraid of bringing technology into the classroom because it will be a distraction for the students.
But Julie Garcia embraces technology using it in a math classroom. I agree that technology can allow students to learn things at their own pace. It also helps the teacher when it comes to evaluating these students. You have a record of what level they're at in the subjects that you're teaching and it lets you know on a individual level what every student is having difficulties with. It also gives you, as the teacher, new and innovative ways to help the students who are struggling.
You can clearly see in this question and answer article that Julie Garcia cares about each individual student, which is what every teacher should focus on.
I agree with Julie Garcia's approach to teaching. I too, also feel that technology in the classroom gives the students a way to work at their own pace and also at home. I thought that Julie's videos of her lesson plans were a great idea. I feel that is a great way for students to work from home at their own pace, rewind something they dont understand or skip over parts they already know. Students in the classroom feel pressured to answer the question outloud, with technology they do not have to. The shy students have an opportunity to speak their voice as well. I also agreed with her 5 ways of teaching. You need to engage but at the same time challenge the students and push them to want to succeed and do better. Every student needs to feel or be motivated, enjoy learning and feel confident. Technology helps students feel like that.
Megan Parton
I agree with Julia Garcia's approach to teaching. She embodies all the attributes that make a great teacher. She helps her students reach their own, highest expectations by motivating, challenging,engaging, and emphasizing social skills. It is also very important to Ms. Garcia to treat all her students fairly and expects them to work to their full potential.She says" I provide every student with the opportunity to succeed, I do this by not lowering my standards but by building every student to high expectations." In addition, Ms. Garcia incorporates the use of technology in her classroom to challenge and inspire her students. This is also another way for her students to take ownership of their learning. This interview was inspiring and encouraging. It reminded me why I love teaching so much - the chance to impact and influence the lives of all my students each and everyday!
I think that Julia Garcia's teaching methods are great. I love the integration of technology in her classroom. I agree with Megan Parton that her videos are a great idea. They enable students to learn at their own speed by allowing them to rewind or fast forward when needed. The idea of a flipped classroom is becoming more prevalent in today's classrooms and I believe that it is beneficial to the students in many ways. I will definitely consider incorporating a similar approach in my classroom. It will enable me to have more time to answer specific questions, work on math problems with my students, and have a more hands-on approach in the classroom.
-Lauren G.
I really enjoyed Julia Garcia's ideas about using technology while also personalizing her classroom. She pushes them to reach their full potential while keeping them actively engaged. Technology is a pertinent aspect of life today and incorporating it within the classroom appropriately is in high demand. I like how Garcia talked about allowing her students work at| their own pace which can alleviate issues of competition. But also, it allows for students the ability to understand their strengths and weaknesses without worrying about where everyone else is at. As a future educator and current TA, I understand that each student learns and processes subjects in various ways. Allowing students the opportunity to develop their own lessons, it produces greater chances of success as the students will learn multiple ways to solve the same problem.
I will certainly utilize technology in my future classroom. There are so many things at our fingertips which can only enhance the learning experience for students when done correctly and appropriately. While there are always cons to any situation, I feel that there are great ways to implement technology into lesson plans and teaching methods.
Katie Risolo
I read the interview about Julie Garcia and I found it very interesting and inspiring. She is a math teacher and that is the specialty area that I am planning to teach. You can tell from her responses that she has a passion for teaching and cares about each and every student she teaches. I like her approach to using iPads in the classroom by letting her students learn by doing and not just listening. I think this is a great way to incorporate technology into a classroom in a fun and exciting way. I really like her idea to flip classroom technique. This technique makes the students the teacher and she said it was a very effective way to get students involved in a lesson and excited about learning. Reading her interview reminded me how important it is to try to be the best teacher you can be every single day.
Allison Sloper
Julie Garcia's teaching methods are definitely inspiring. I found myself relating to many of her ideas in regards to her list of five factors to create a successful, well-rounded education. Garcia's use of technology in her classroom is effective. It is making her students have responsibility towards their own learning.
A lot of students learn by doing and Garcia makes every attempt to make math relatable to their everyday lives. In a field such as math, students often ask how is this going to relate in the future so by making the students learn how to apply the math rather than just memorize the facts, it is more effective. I do feel that this is a valid approach for today's teachers.
Students are very engrossed in the world of technology. I personally liked that she flipped her classroom and uses videos and podcasts for her students to learn; which allows the students to repeat any information more than once. I definitely will try to implement technology in my lesson plans and teaching methods through all subjects. It will definitely make the lessons more hands on and cater to their individual needs.
-Christie Mistretta
Julia definitely has some great ideas. Being hungry for knowledge is certainly easier to teach to then a student who may be not as interested. Of course, her use of technology helps facilitate all of her students getting interested in the topics. As several classmates have mentioned the flipped classroom idea, if effectively done right, this idea can be successful. As a coach, I get students feedback a lot when making decisions for important meets, so that they feel like they have an input. This can be weather they are more confident about the event they are running or the order of the relay. In a way, the athletes are "producers".
Shawn Anderson
Julie Garcia's approach to integrating technology in the classroom is excellent, but her reasoning for her approach is even more exceptional. Putting them in control of their own learning gives them the opportunity to learn how they learn best. I agree that no two students learn the same way, and I believe that Julie Garcia has developed her own methodology for the use of technology to address a multitude of issues so that she can in fact reach each student individually. I firmly believe that giving the students the opportunity to learn at their own pace and in their own way increases the outcomes that all of the students will learn the work and have a greater feeling of accomplishment and increased self esteem.
From the interview with Julia Garcia, it is clear that she has a great affection for teaching. From reading her reasonings for becoming an educator, it is evident that teaching is her life's passion. Julie's passion clearly thrives when she assist her students in learning in anyway. Their success seems to be her greatest inspiration. When reading about her use of technology, she discusses how technology allows her to personalize her lessons for her students. By allowing her students to "interact with the curriculum" through technology, she is able to modify curriculum to their benefit. I felt that her ability to use programs such as iMovie and Garageband to teach mathematics is truly amazing. Teachers like Julia Garcia is who we need to look to when we are looking for inspiration in our own lessons. In my own reflection, I thought about how I sometimes find it hard to incorporate technology with my content. However, I feel if Julia Garcia can do it with mathematics, then I need to reexamine the way I incorporate technology in my classroom.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom revolutionary. I love that she is taking a stand against the traditional teacher-lecturing and students-listening style. Her approach is excellent because it encourages students to be more responsible for their own learning. I believe that information is retained at a much higher rate by being active rather than passive learners. Julia Garcia’s approach motivates students to be the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumers by engaging them through active involvement in their learning. In addition, her approach allows students to take ownership of their learning, including taking risks and making choices for themselves. By taking ownership of their own learning, students will find what they learn to be much more meaningful. Students hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their education by being the producers.I hope to follow in Garcia's footsteps as an educator and make my classroom as outstanding and memorable as hers is.
I believe that Julia Garcia’s approach to the integration of technology in her classroom revolutionary. I love that she is taking a stand against the traditional teacher-lecturing and students-listening style. Her approach is excellent because it encourages students to be more responsible for their own learning. I believe that information is retained at a much higher rate by being active rather than passive learners. Julia Garcia’s approach motivates students to be the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumers by engaging them through active involvement in their learning. In addition, her approach allows students to take ownership of their learning, including taking risks and making choices for themselves. By taking ownership of their own learning, students will find what they learn to be much more meaningful. Students hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their education by being the producers. I hope to follow in Garcia's footsteps as an educator and make my classroom as outstanding and memorable as hers.
Julie Garcia is an excellent example of an inspiration to all aspiring teachers. I admire her dedication and story as to how she began to love the teaching field. Although she stated that she had been surprised as to how difficult teaching can be, she figured out through experience how to work out and come up with different methods that were beneficial not only to herself, but her students as well. I really like that she holds her students accountable for their work and tries to do whatever she can to help them succeed. She also began to realize that success can be measured in multiple ways, and that not all students learn in the same manner. I agree that the use of different technology within the classroom will help improve both teaching and learning as a whole. I also agree that it will help teachers the capability and access to personalize their classrooms, as well as motivate students to learn effectively across the globe.
I agree with Jillian that Julia Garcia's approach will help drive students to be more involved in learning as well as the ability to take ownership of their education. Because technology will help learning be more personalized for teachers, their classroom and students, I agree that they will enjoy learning more because it will be more meaningful.
After reading this interview with Julie Garcia, I have to say that I am truly impressed and inspired by her passion and whole-hearted approach to her career in education. You can tell that she doesn't work to live, she truly loves her job and feels as though she is making a difference in each and every student's life. This is a goal I can only hope to achieve in my professional life.
One thing I particularly liked about Garcia's approach to teaching was her method of providing every student with the opportunity to succeed, "not by lowering standards, but by holding every student to high expectations." Although she does admit that not every student can be held to the same exact standard, I do agree that students need to feel challenged in order to be motivated to work hard and value their education.
Garcia allows her students to take ownership of their education, and cites technology as a major tool in that process. She had many methods of technology integration in the classroom, such as allowing students to bring their own devices, like iPads. I found this to be particularly interesting, as my section of the Horizon Report focused on the benefits of students using their own personal devices in the classroom, and it is good to see teachers beginning to implement these policies.
I agree with Megan, regarding the benefits of Garcia giving her students the ability to learn at their own pace through the of videotaping her lessons, in an attempt to 'differentiate the curriculum.' More advanced students can fast forward through what they already know, and students who are struggling may re-play sections of material they find confusing.
Overall, I learned a lot from reading this article about Julie Garcia, and will definitely reflect on her ideas as I build my own classroom in the future.
Carly
I really enjoyed reading Julie Garcia’s interview about her teaching style and how she integrates technology in her classroom. Julie Garcia is a great example for all teachers. She believes that every student should be held to high expectations and has the opportunity to succeed. She believes that what makes a great teacher is to care for your students, treat everyone fairly, and to work hard for your students. In the interview she talks about how she uses technology to differentiate the curriculum by having students work at their own pace. She has her students be actively involved in the learning process and feels this is important for making them more responsible and engaged. She calls her math class a math lab, she has students watch videos of her at home and in the classroom she has them participate in problems that cater their individual needs. I really like how she uses technology to create video lessons that the students watch at home so that in the classroom she can meet the needs of each student. Julie Garcia also has her students create videos and publish them to teach their classmates. Students’ teaching each another is great strategy to get students to learn and learn how to work together. Julie Garcia’s interview was very motivating for me because it not only showed me how to integrate technology in the classroom, but important qualities and beliefs every teacher should possess.
I believe Julia Garcia's approach to integrating technology in the classroom so that her students are the producers rather than the receivers of knowledge is a great idea. According to the article, Julia believes that technology allows the teachers to individualize the students' learning. I think that it is a valid approach and would use it in my future classrooms because it is important for students, in general, to learn through producing or creating experiences on their own terms instead of consuming or listening through direct instruction. This idea relates with Freire and Dewey in regards with the "banking system" of education and learning through experience. Teachers can promote critical thinking skills and inquiry-based teaching when they use technology as a resource in their lessons. Teachers and students can pull information and other ideas from their technology use to promote critical discussions in their classroom environment. Technology knocks down the classroom walls, meaning that students can think outside of the box because they have other resources to interact and connect to rather than basic classroom textbooks and other classroom tools.
One concern I feel about integrating technology in the classroom is that students need to be the lead role in producing their knowledge while using technology in the classroom. Teachers can engage their students by creating opportunities so that students can contribute to the different classroom activities. Technologies can help assist students’ critical thinking, but it is the responsibility of the teacher to take the role of the facilitator and create the stars of the classroom, which are the students. Teachers can use technology to facilitate learning, and students can take the resource to think and contribute on their own. It is important for students to use technology as a resources instead of having students rely on technology for their education.
Julia Garcia is both a women and an educator whom we should all look up to. Between her enthusiastic attitude and the dedication she shows towards teaching, she is someone all future educators should wish to one day be. As we all know, any job at one point or another can become difficult at times but teaching can sometimes feel like that more often than others. Through Julia Garcia’s experiences, she used them to help shape her way of learning and teaching today. In her lifetime, Julia has used what she has learned through the years in order to help shape the methods and ways of teaching she uses in order to not only make her better, but to also bring out the best in all of her students. Technology today is becoming more and more important, especially within the classroom. Using technology in the classroom most definitely will help broaden children’s learning but it is also a great motivational factor, which is something that was also mentioned by Julie in the interview. This interview is one that all teachers and future teachers to read because it puts such a strong emphasis on using technology in the classroom, which is very important in today’s world.
I agree with what Thomas O’Leary said about it being important for students to use technology as a resource instead of having them rely on it for their education. While technology is a fantastic tool, children today definitely rely on technology in order to help them get through many things. It is important to make sure that when using technology that the students truly understand what it is they are learning, doing, or finding information on. It is easy for someone to just copy and paste or re-word what they find on a particular resource but actually knowing and taking in what is being taught is crucial.
I agree with Tom in regards to teachers needing to be the facilitator while implementing technology in the classroom. There seems to be tons of creative and innovative ways to incorporate websites, video clips, laptops, iPads, SmartBoards, etc. but the trick is to use them appropriately and educationally. Students will figure out their way around things very quickly. As a facilitator, the teacher must keep them on task. However, technology should not be the sole way that these students learn. Like Tom, I believe that this cannot be the only resource relied up to convey a lesson. It is imperative to always have an alternative way to teach the lesson. Technology is resource not the only learning tool available.
Katie Risolo
I think that this blog speaks to me because I feel the same way about a lot of things mentioned in the interview. It is important to have a passion for teaching and understand that you get out what you put into it. I will always find new ways to individualize learning and to challenge my students. I think Julia's approach of having the students become teachers to their peers is a great way to activate their interest and to build that respect for each other. Students helping students is definitely a strategy I plan to use in the future. I have also thought about teaching and leaving behind a video for my students to access when I am not around. I rely on Youtube often to teach me things and find it an awesome help to fast forward and rewind for better understanding. Technology breaks down walls and students do learn better when supported in the various ways explained. The students individual needs are addressed more efficiently with the use of technology and Julia states how it is helps her in her teaching experience. Peer mentoring and teacher created or adapted apps will help keep students engaged and will scaffold their learning. I love the type of teacher she is and I hope to be the same kind of teacher. An awesome one! :)
-Gina A.
I believe Julia Garcia's approach to the integration of technology in her classroom is wonderful. By having her students become the producers of their own knowledge rather than the consumer is absolutely incredible. It gives students the chance to learn for themselves instead of being force fed ideas and facts. It is also productive for the classroom because then students will worry less about notes and such inside of the classroom and will be able to focus more on expanding the knowledge they produce themselves. The technology she uses in her classroom is also very beneficial for every student even those with special needs. The program she uses allows students to work at their own pace and progresses as they progress. I would like to try and implore these ideas in my own classroom as I believe this idea will help motivate students to learn for themselves and possibly motivate them to go out of their learning comfort zone and try to advance their knowledge.
-Michael O'Keeffe
Danielle Collins says...
Allowing the students to work and learn they need too, to be successful i see as very beneficial. Not all students are the same, but placing the responsibility in the students laps, it gives them more independence, control and importance. By having the students create their own education, they see the benefits of it, which encourages more effort and pride. They know what they are interested in, if they create the curriculum to be interesting to themselves, then they will learn better.
I think Julie Garcia's methods for teaching and integration of technology are needed in classrooms throughout the country. I agree with her methods of teaching and the fact that she does not lower her standards of students but holds them to high standards and expect the most and best out of her students. I believe in the same things that her students should be more hands on with technology because this will allow the students to learn more and allow the content to stick with them longer.
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