Do you teach or do you educate?

To teach or educate is a concept lost by many. It may seem to be a fine line but it's not. To teach is to show someone how to do something but to educate is to inspire someone to learn how to do something and apply it to other areas of their life. To teach is easy, to educate hard. I love this video because it puts that idea into perspective. We are called as teachers to change our students lives and not just teach content. I hope this video reminds you of a tireless teacher in your life who constantly strives to bring out the best in their students and not just meet the objectives.

This post is in honor of Coach Paul Kellogg and in memory of Mrs. Gail Whitten. When I watch this video it is you who come to mind.

Why I Love Edmodo

Edmodo is a phenomenal tool for teachers. Have you tried it? My school system recently introduced our staff to the Blackboard meets Facebook website. After a brief tutorial from my technology coach (@jrichardson30) I was ready to introduce it to my students. Setting up classes was a breeze and my 7th grade students love it. Furthermore, it makes integrating technology into my social studies curriculum a task worth tackling. Here's my top three reasons why Edmodo is a welcome addition to my classroom:

1) Edmodo allows me to take the classroom to the kids -

I tell my students that Edmodo is simply a virtual classroom. Expectations within Edmodo are the same as expectations inside the brick-and-mortar classroom. What I found, however, is that the students are as enganged - if not more - as they are in the classroom because I have met them in their world. The format of Edmodo is similar to Facebook so many of the students are quickly comfortable using it. Those that aren't quickly adapt. But all students love technology so they are instantly interested just because I have met then in their world. For example, current events no longer require cutting and pasting of newspaper articles. Gone are the days of students telling me they had no ink in their printer. With Edmodo I create an assignment, they attach the link along with their writing assignment. Just like that, they've completed the same task only more efficiently. 

2) Edmodo brings conversation to the classroom -

One of the first things I noticed when my students began chatting on Edmodo was that the conversations were more diverse. Students were chatting that I had never seen talking in class. Students are more social behind a computer screen. However, the chatting was not senseless. Students were posting YouTube videos they had found regarding class discussions and creating dialogue that was an extension of the classroom. I didn't ask them to do this. It just happened. Students looked for ways to stay on Edmodo and continuing class discussions allowed them to do so. Class the following day was better because students were productively discussing videos from the night before. Students teaching students: what a great concept!

3) Edmodo allows me to teach when I'm not teaching -

I don't want to teach my students 24/7. I have a family that demands my time when I'm away from school. However, I can check in for 5 minutes each night with my phone or my laptop and answer questions that alleviate problems in class the following day. I've created a few videos of screen recordings that I post to their pages to help with basic tasks such as adding a picture or turning in an assignment. My one minute video then can be played repeatedly for those with similar questions and allow them to complete tasks in their own time. A virtual classroom requires a virtual teacher and Edmodo affords me that luxury

What do you love about Edmodo?

Why I Teach

September 15, 2011 began as any other day. It was Thursday - game day - at Simmons Middle School. The kids were excited as they always are before a football game. Something about boys in jerseys and girls in cheer jackets that heightens the normal schoolhouse buzz. Anticipation filled the air, but no one anticipated how the day would end. Life would change later in the morning.

For one girl, this day would be her last. A ride to school ended fatally for a former student of Simmons. She had moved on to the high school but her sister was younger and still in middle school. Both girls were connected in the community and beloved by those who knew them. As a teacher, I suspected the worst when the emails began to come from administrators. Monitor strictly for cell phone use, do not discuss the events with anyone - even teachers, pray for the best, prepare for the worst. The messages were written to protect the younger sister that remained in class but the tone indicated hope was lost. When the sister was removed from the classroom and taken home to be with her family the order was given for us, me, the teachers to deliver the news to the students.

I knew this would be difficult but failed to understand how it would effect me. I didn't know the girl that lost her life or the sister. What I didn't account for was that my students did. I began delivering the news to twenty-two students. They sensed something was wrong but never saw the worst coming. When I mentioned the girl that had lost her life by name a girl near me eagerly said, "Hey, I know her." I paused. At that moment the gravity of the situation hit me. This was going to be difficult, not because I knew the girl, but because I knew the students I was telling. In that moment I realized my voice, and my face would be seared in the minds of these students. For most all of the twelve-year-old's in the room this would be the first loss of someone they knew, especially someone their age. I kept my composure and finished the task at hand. Then the tears flowed; not mine, but those of many of the students. Boys and girls alike emotionally broke down as the reality surfaced: the girl they knew was gone.

Delivering the message was the most difficult task I've had as an educator. But I survived and grew from the moment. It refocused me on why I do what I do.  I teach history because I love history, but I teach because I love influencing the lives of kids. This was a painful reminder, but a reminder nonetheless, that my role as a teacher is bigger than the curriculum. It's about being there for the kids when they need me the most. An encourager, a motivator, a shoulder to cry on, a neck to hug, a teacher of civics. That's what I do, and the order in which I'll do it.