Welcome!
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Hi all! My name is Kyle Cantelon and this is "gum on your pencil". This website is designed both as a blog and an e portfolio of sorts that is required by my education technology class. You must have a question as to why the goofy name. Simple, as a fan of all things comedy and humor (and as a natural goofball myself), it was the first ridiculous thing that came to mind. It also acts as a metaphor, just like this blank board to your left. It is my belief that children are mostly blank slates, and as teachers it is our job not necessarily to fill the slate in, but to give our students the tools to fill up their slates with their own beliefs and ideas.
At least, it used to be. In the year 2014 I am now of the belief that children are NOT blank slates. They bring into the classrooms a wealth of outside knowledge about a number of subjects. They all have started to gain at least some understanding of the things that they like, and the things that they dislike. It is my job as an educator to be mindful of those things and to use them to my classes benefit wherever possible.
So where does the gum come in? Were you ever bored in school as a kid and wondered if that piece of gum you had been chewing for the last half an hour would stick to the pencil you were holding? Then you know how impossible it is to try to get all the gum cleaned off of said pencil. Even after washing and drying it, there is always one piece left behind, and if nothing else your pencil is sticky forever.
If you never had this impulse I will naturally assume you were a better student than I was and not nearly as ADD. I would also encourage you to try it out. The point that I am trying to make is that learning is a lot like gum, and students are like pencils. The best teachers in the world know how to make some things just "stick", and once that student really learns and begins to comprehend what you are teaching, it is almost impossible for them to unlearn it. Even as the children age and begin to forget some of the things they are taught, at least a little piece of gum stay’s attached to that pencil, and always will.
Anyways, hope you like the site and happy learning!
Kyle Cantelon
At least, it used to be. In the year 2014 I am now of the belief that children are NOT blank slates. They bring into the classrooms a wealth of outside knowledge about a number of subjects. They all have started to gain at least some understanding of the things that they like, and the things that they dislike. It is my job as an educator to be mindful of those things and to use them to my classes benefit wherever possible.
So where does the gum come in? Were you ever bored in school as a kid and wondered if that piece of gum you had been chewing for the last half an hour would stick to the pencil you were holding? Then you know how impossible it is to try to get all the gum cleaned off of said pencil. Even after washing and drying it, there is always one piece left behind, and if nothing else your pencil is sticky forever.
If you never had this impulse I will naturally assume you were a better student than I was and not nearly as ADD. I would also encourage you to try it out. The point that I am trying to make is that learning is a lot like gum, and students are like pencils. The best teachers in the world know how to make some things just "stick", and once that student really learns and begins to comprehend what you are teaching, it is almost impossible for them to unlearn it. Even as the children age and begin to forget some of the things they are taught, at least a little piece of gum stay’s attached to that pencil, and always will.
Anyways, hope you like the site and happy learning!
Kyle Cantelon