Blogging as a Teacher

Blogging has been around for years, and people have made them for an array of topics from baking to politics. One recently new type of blog, however, is the educational blog. These blogs are created and used by teachers for their classes, where students can see different assignments, discussion topics, and more. Recently, teachers have also had students create their own blogs where they have had to participate in group discussions and peer review activities, among other things. According to NSU Florida, blogging has had many positive effects on students who have taken part. Students who blog are able to express themselves more, promotes critical thinking in students, and improves their writing skills. These skills are useful for students to learn, and doing so digitally fits how they will experience a large amount of their lives. 

While reading through my peers' blogs, I focused on how technology can be used in the classroom, something I wrote about myself earlier in the semester. The first topic that stood out to me was Finch Davis's blog on ChatGPT. I loved how Finch used the AI to help him find primary sources for his history class, and I think it's incredible that technology has come so far as to be able to find these sources so quickly. I then looked at Makenzi Dougherty's blog on how technology can benefit the classroom. I liked her example of NearPod, and how it can be used in the classroom to create interactive questions and stimulate discussion. I also liked how she mentions students using technology to do their own research on topics, stimulating interest in the topic and research outside of the classroom. The last blog I looked at was Haylie Lacy's own blog on technology in the classroom. I liked how she documented her personal experience of seeing technology develop in her own classroom, like when her classroom got SmartBoards in elementary school or laptops in middle school. Technology will keep evolving, and we, as (future) educators, need to evolve with it.

Students using laptops in school.

Blogging seems to be a great way to get students engaged in lessons, helps them work on critical thinking and writing skills necessary to them further in their educations. The blogs I found spoke on the benefits of technology in education, and I think blogging can be a big part of this, whether it's students writing their own blogs or teachers using theirs to stimulate class discussion and critical thinking skills.

The Arts' Place in School

Students taking a class on painting in an art school.

The Arts can sometimes be one of the most overlooked aspects of a school. Those who don't participate in them sometimes forget about their existence in education, but other people are incredibly active in them! Between music, theater, drawing, and photography, among other things, the Arts allow students to destress and work on skills that are not the primary focus of the students' other classes. U. S. News states that students can learn to communicate better, lower stress levels, and develop social skills through the Arts. I think that reducing levels of stress for students is very important, and to be able to do so through a class in school is incredibly helpful to students because of how important a student's mental health is to their education. 

I believe that the Arts are one of the most important aspects of education. The ability to help students relieve their stress while still in school is really important to me because it can create a safe space for students in their school where they know they can go to calm down and enjoy themselves. The Arts are also a great substitute for sports. In high school, I always played sports and could not imagine not playing one throughout the entire year. However, many others in my school didn't play any. Instead, their time was devoted to after school arts activities, such as theater, band, and a sing/dance group we had. These students put a lot of effort into their own hobbies, and they were lucky enough to do so because of the opportunities they had available to them. Some people, however, do not have those same opportunities. They may not have a safe space at school or a place to go when the day is done to spend time with other people they share interests with, and they're not able to destress or learn to talk to new people. The Arts is so important to some students, while others don't get to try them. The Arts need to be prioritized in schools to give students the opportunities they deserve to meet new people, practice new skills, and genuinely enjoy school more.

How Can Technology Be Integrated Into Education?

In recent years, technology has become an irreplaceable part of our day-to-day lives. A lot of people carry a smartphone or laptop on them at all times to stay connected with people, do research, or look up information they want to know on the spot. However, many high school teachers prohibit the use of technology because it can distract students and hurt their chances of successfully learning the topic at hand, among other things. Many people, students and teachers alike, know how helpful technology is in education, according to American University, but there are many problems when it comes to implementing it into schools. There are worries about how accessible technology can be for some people; with students coming from various backgrounds, some families may not be able to afford laptops for their children. Others are concerned about a required internet connection for online work at home because some families may not have a stable connection. There are many factors to consider when trying to integrate technology into education, but I believe that it can be done if enough effort is put into it. 

Smartboards can help students see subjects in different perspectives.

The biggest hurdle I see with schools to implement more technology into their classes is funding. I believe that schools that are able to should invest in laptop carts for their students. In my high school, these carts could be reserved for teachers for certain times of the day and allowed students to do work online while still in class, such as projects or essays. Some schools can even take a step above these carts by giving students their own personal devices strictly for school use. These were not prevalent when I was in high school, but I have heard more frequently about the idea, and even saw it implemented in a middle school math class that I had the privilege to observe. This system gives students their own computer to use throughout the school day and at home for homework, and from what I saw, the technology is a big part of their school system. Of course, being able to have a system like this depends on the school's budget, and some schools may not be able to do so. I still believe that there should be some integration of technology into schools, even if it's as simple as using different websites to help students see examples in different ways. Technology is a really good way to stimulate students and catch their attention and see different perspectives on topics, and should absolutely be integrated into classrooms one way or another.

Mental Health in Education

Over the last couple of years, mental health has become much more prioritized in schools. Research shows that students have experienced a decline in mental wellness over the last three to five years, citing various different reasons, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and increases in gun violence. These hits on the mental wellness of students can impact how well they do in their classes and how they interact with their peers, among other things. Thankfully, people are trying to make it easier for students to access mental health care in schools, which can help professionals find early signs of mental health problems to try and help students as much as they can.

Psychologists can help students feel more comfortable speaking about issues they may have.

Personally, I believe that the mental wellbeing of students is not brought up as much as it should be in the American education system. And while it is being improved, there is still a lot to be done to ensure students have proper mental health care. My high school, for example, has some school psychologists in the building to help students with their needs if teachers or other staff members suspect something is wrong, which is a very good thing to have in a school! However, the office for the psychologists was not advertised to students, and most students didn't even know we had a school psychologist. In my opinion, this poor management counteracts how great it is that my school had a psychologist - why hire a trained professional who can help students if they need it when most kids don't even know about them? There are many solutions to this problem, but the main one I find myself focusing on is having the school tell their students that there is a doctor that can help them however they may need it, even if it's just to talk to them. Having a psychologist in the building is not enough to make a difference if they are not known or recognized. However, changing this can help students feel comfortable enough to go to the doctor and speak with them on their own, and is one small step educators can take to help students with any issues they may have.