Teaching Reflection

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The TV monitor can be an opening to adventures that students may never have the chance to explore. When I use cable television and video clips in my classroom my students get excited about what we are going to study. If a student is a visual-spatial learner the television or videos could be an excellent tool to use in order to meet their learning style. Alexander Golon explains “Visual-spatial learners are students who show advanced abilities with computers, maps, construction toys, and puzzles” (Golon). Throughout my paper I will explain how cable television and video clips can be useful tool because they appeal to different learning styles in the classroom and meet South Carolina’s state standards when used appropriately. Let’s face it; these tools are part of today’s society so let’s learn how to use them well. Using these tools can sometimes be just want you need to add that sparkle to your lesson.

Even though TV can be an excellent addition to a lesson, it can also be misused. When missed used the students get nothing from the lesson, and the TV ends up being a babysitter. When a teacher choses a video to show in their class it needs to have prior approval, or it can result in unnecessary exposer to violence, unsuitable subjects, or inappropriate stereotypes. If a teacher allows it to, the TV can also over shadow time needed for the basic skills of reading and writing. Stengel and Leavitt emphasis these concerns with statistics they found in Joan Anderson Wilkins’ book Breaking the TV Habit,

The average American, both child and adult, watches more than six hours

of television daily. By the age of 14, a devoted viewer will have witnessed

11,000 TV murders, claims Wilkins, and will digest 350,000 commercials

bef...

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...aised in the 21st century. When they enter the work force TV/media will be a huge part of their daily life. These tools can include CDs, mp3s, iPods, streaming, satellite radio, internet, television, or newspapers. Instead of avoiding what some think is turning their brain to mush, lets train teachers how to use it appropriately in the classroom. Ty Dawkins, principal at Fairforest Middle School, feels that “when TV/media is used effectively it can make a huge impact of student learning.” Mr. Dawkins supports the various learning styles that make up Fairforest Middle School student body. He also recognizes the need for cable television and video clips in the classroom because they meet state standards and branch out to other learning styles. Instead of labeling the TV monitor as the black hole, educate yourself on all the way it can open holes to the future.

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