LeeHighSchool

InnovativeTeaching

RoughDraft

JiselOchoaMendoza
LeeHighSchoolSeniorCapstone
BrianCahoon
March27,2016

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JiselOchoaMendoza
Mr.Cahoon
Capstone
March27,2016
InnovativeTeaching
HenryFordoncesaidAnyonewhostopslearningisold,whetherattwentyoreighty.
Anyonewhokeepslearningstaysyoung.Lifeisaboutteaching,learning,andhopingtogoout
intotherealworldandessentiallyapplyeverythingweveseen,felt,andlearned.Michael
Stutmanimpliedthateducationandlearningarethemostimportantingredientstobecominga
personwithapotentialgreaterthanlifeitself
.
Hebelievesthathowopenandwillingyouareto
learningwillhelpdetermineyourpathinlife.(Stutman),alsoknowsthateducationandlearning
doesntjusthappeninschool.Yes,ofcoursewelearnmath,science,andEnglish,butreallife
learningexperienceshappenoutsidethefourwallsyouspendmostofyourlifein,waitingforthe
belltoring,thenexttest,andwhenlunchtimeis.Stutmanimpliedseveraltimesthatlearning
withapurposeisthebestlessoninlifeyoucouldlearn.Learningisalifelongprocess,but
learningcanhelpyoureachyourlifesfullpotentialandhelpyoubecomethebestpossible
versionofyourself.
Todayteachersuseacombinationoftechnology,creativity,and
innovationtomeetthechangingneedsoftheirstudents.
Usingtechnologyinthe21stcenturyhasbecomeamajorfactortohowearlychildhood
studentslearn.Ithasbecomelessofanoutlineandmoreofmeetingthestudentsneeds,whether
thatmeanschangingyourplanslastminute,orbecominginnovativewithhowyouteachthem.

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Theteachingstrategiestheyusedtenyearsagoareconsideredancientnow.Thesechildrenhave
apowerfultoolandarelearninghowtouseitatayoungage,technology.AsBevinReinen
impliedtodayschildrenwereborninadigitalageandaremoretechnologicallysavvythanthe
adults.Theylearnhowtouseanipad,iphone,orcomputerinamatterofseconds,whilesome
adultshavetoreadinstructionsandcarefullypinpointhowtousetheinstrument.Inordertouse
technologytoteachchildren,educatorsthemselvesshouldknowhowtousetechnologybefore
theytrytoteachthelittleones.Otherwiseitsuselesstoteachwithoutamotiveorendgoal.
Technologyismorethanjustwatchingamovieonanipad,whentechnologyisusedcorrectly
itsconsideredintegratingtechnology.BevinReinenanearlychildhoodteacherfromVirginia,
Beachdefinesintegratingtechnologyas
tappingintostudentsinterestsandstrengtheningtheir
technicalskills,allwhileprovidingenrichinglearningopportunities(Reinen).Todayslearning
processinearlychildhoodschoolsareverydifferent.Ratherthangivingastudentaworksheet
andcraftstolearntheyletthestudentpickwhatintereststhemandgoonfromtheir.So,letssay
thestudentsayshewantstobeadoctorwhenhegrowsup,wellthisistheperfecttimetogo
overthesciencecurriculumandfindawaytoteachthemwhattheywant,butkeepinginmind
whattheyhavetolearn.Thiswayitsmoreinterestingforthekidsandtheygettoresearch
doctorsonlineandsoon.Teachersareteachingstudentshowtousetechnologytherightway
andatthesametimelettingtheirstudentsimaginationsrunfree.
Therearefivecharacteristicstocreativityasauthor
RebeccaCheungsuggested,starting
with
novelty,product,problemsolving,cognitiveprocessesandpersonalattributes(Cheung).
PaulCollardalsobelievesthatcreativityisapriorityforeducationandiscentraltothe
discourseon21stcenturylearning(Collard).Inorderforteacherstounveilastudent'screative

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sidetheythemselveshavetofindinspirationintheireverydaylife.Ifyoureateacheryoumust
haveanappreciationforyourcareerotherwisethestudentscreativityandlearningisthrownout
thewindowinamatterofseconds.FirstgradeteacherDeedeeStasiakaffirmedyouhaveto
giveyourselftimebecauseifyoutryandtakeontoomuchyoubegintoloseit.Manypeople
thinkthatbeinga1stgradeteacheriseasy,buttheconstantneedtofindinspirationneverends,
studentsgetboredandwanttomoveontothenextthingthenextday(Stasiak).Creativityin
teachersplaysahugeroletomeetingthechangingneedsofstudents.
Innovationisdefinedas
anewmethod,idea,productandsoon.Noteveryschooldistrict
isfortunateenoughtohaveeveryresourcetheyneed,buttheyarefortunatetohaveteacherswho
haveinnovativeideas.Tobeateachermeanstobeinnovativeatalltimes.Firstgradeteacher
KelseySvrcinasaidthatjustbecauseyoudonthavetheresourcesdoesntmeanyougettosit
andcomplainaboutit,youhavetousewhatyouhaveandfindawaytoteachthestudents
(Svrcina).Beinginnovativedoesntjustmeaninnovativeideasonhowtousetechnology,but
howtousepaper,crafts,glue,glitter,markersandsoontofindfunandinterestingwaystoteach
children.Sometimestheinnovativeideasyouusearebetterthanwhatyoucouldhaveexpected.
Keepinginmindthatthechildrenarethepriority.
IgnacioEstradaoncestated,"Ifachildcantlearnthewayweteach,maybeweshould
teachthewaytheylearn."Teacherstodayuseacombinationoftechnology,creativity,and
innovationtomeetthechangingneedsoftheirstudents.Ateacherismorethananeducator,its
essentiallyahumanbeingthatteachesmorals,respect,andgivesthemcouragetobelievein
themselves.Ateacherwillteachyoumath,science,english,andreadingbut,agreatteachergoes
aboveandbeyondthat.Agreatteacherwillgivetheirstudentstheconfidencetheyneedinorder

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tobecomethefutureleadersoftomorrow.Thepriorityofateacheristoteachyouunderany
circumstancewhethertheyreplacedinthepoorestofdistricts,ortherichest.Theybecome
innovators,creators,andinventorsofallthings.

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WorksCited
Cheung,RebeccaHunPing,andMagdalenaMoChingMok."AStudyOfEarlyChildhood
TeachersConceptionsOfCreativityInHongKong."
EducationalPsychology
33.1
(2013):119133.
TeacherReferenceCenter
.Web.28Mar.2016.
Collard,Paul,andJanetLooney."NurturingCreativityInEducation."
EuropeanJournalOf
Education
49.3(2014):348364.
TeacherReferenceCenter
.Web.28Mar.2016.
Reinen,BevinK.
EarlyChildhoodTeacher
.N.p.,2015.Web.28Mar.2016.
Stasiak,Deedee.Personalinterview.Mar.2016.
Stutman,Michael.
InspireMyKids
.N.p.,20May2013.Web.28Mar.2016.
Svrcina,Kelsey.Personalinterview.23Mar.2016.