Chpt. 8 response: Crutches and Creativity

I really liked your interpretation of creativity. Clearly, we see creativity differently, but I think this is a good thing. I think the differences a teacher can bring to a classroom are what help children to develop to their fullest. If all of us were the same then there wouldn’t be any variety. I have figured out that you are a creative person and I think that is wonderful (I admire you for it!). I know that I have benefited by working in groups with you. I am more of a creative person when I have something to build off of and you usually provide that (like the vase). I do think as long as teachers recognize the importance of creativity, students will benefit from it. As I said in my journal, I would not consider myself a very creative person, but I do realize that it is important for everyone to develop their creativity. The suggestions in the book are incredibly helpful! This is where I think collaborative instruction can be helpful as well because then you get different perspectives and ideas.

With regards to spell checker and a calculator, I instantly went to my best friend from growing up. She always had this little electronic spell checker with her to help with writing. For some reason spelling did not come very easy to her. I think it impacted her future learning because she wasn’t forced to really concentrate on spelling words. Regarding calculators I don’t think many people take one to the store with them. However, I do math in my head all of the time when I go. So I think it is important to develop a basic foundation of these traits, but like you said, technology is where our future keeps heading. Students need to know how to use the computer if they want to succeed and not get lost in the future. Like you said, Professor Dunn has given us these useful websites that I feel will help students. I think teaching both skills are important for the overall education of students. One last thought on this is that lower socio-economic families may not have computers available to them and therefore they do need the ability to write and calculate without the use of technology. This is a sad thought, that not everyone is given the same opportunities, but one that needs to be considered.