When I think about myself as a teacher, i think about passing on my passion for science to students. There are so many cool real life examples of how science effects our lives everyday. Realizing this and seeing how science impacts everything we do, the environment around us and the products we use on a daily basis makes science seem more real to students. When students can actually see a subject in the real world, it can becomes more concrete and can spark an interest in students!
To me, teaching should not just be about textbooks. I'm sure we all remember half-reading the text or not reading it at all due to the incomprehensible and dense wording and subject matter. Teachers often rely too heavily on textbooks instead of expanding their use of resources in the classroom. There are so many great videos, games, activities, and inquiry projects to present information and guide students to their own learning.
21st century learners love and use multiple forms of technology and social media on a daily basis. Why should the classroom be any different? By connecting your classroom assessments/activities with student interests, they can flourish in the subject because it involves something they actually want to do. Blogs, websites, wikis, podcasts and vodcasts all allow students to use their phones, computers, tablets etc. to learn and be creative for assessments and homework. Technology will continue to grow and expand in the years to come, it would be a shame for classrooms to be left behind in this continuing expansion of knowledge and technology.
While I have not used clickers in middle school or high school, I have used them in a college physics class. I thought they were a great educational tool for both students and teachers! Students are able to see a problem (conceptual, math problem, analytic, or multiple choice) and vote anonymously for what they think the correct answer is. The teacher then sees how many students picked each answer. This allows students to not feel embarrassed if they do not know the right answer since it is anonymous, and it allows teachers to actually see how many students understand the topic. If many students do not understand, the teacher knows they need to spend more time covering the material. It is a win-win for students and teachers!