Jen's Reflection

I think that our presentation went well.  Even though there were a few technical difficulties with the iPads and the apps, I think that it is a great way to get students interested and engaged in a topic.  I especially liked the apps that we found relating to the Government and I think that it showed the class how many useful government apps are out there.  I think that our presentation could have been more directly focused on the Government Shutdown as opposed to just the government in general however.  I personally think a presentation will always will always fall into place, but I think that this presentation could have been better organized and timed better.  I think Jocelyn and I worked well together and I think that we both put in a lot of time and effort into the whole current events project.  I am pleased with how the whole project turned out, considering our countless struggles with the blog in the beginning!  I think that the class learned a lot about technology, iPads, the apps, and the government but I think that we could have been more specific to the Government Shutdown during our presentation.  I think that our blogs had a lot of information about the Government Shutdown but we should have talked more specifically of it during the presentation.  I do think the class enjoyed working in small groups with the technology and were all very engaged and enthusiastic.

The current event project as a whole was very interesting and informative.  I learned a lot of specific, important information about a number of different current event projects that I originally had known nothing about.  I think it is important for people to be up to date with current events and I wish that I was.  I liked how each group had a different event to teach us all about and I think that everyone did a great job.  Each group got really excited and into their event and did a lot of research and explaining.  The blog was a unique way of portraying current events but I think it worked great and was an easy way to spread the information amongst the class.

I personally know vastly more information about my specific current event and also learned a lot of information about the other events as well.  I am particularly more interested in the news and the things that are happening around me and I think the current event project made this happen.  I think that current events are an important aspect of social studies and I will make sure to make it a part of my classroom one day.  I feel as though I know more about what is going on in the world and am more confident in talking about issues that are currently going on.  

Blog 3 - Jennifer Kasper

   

     Taking action about a topic is important in a society.  It is important for citizens to have the confidence to speak their views and voice their opinions on a matter.  I think it is cruical to teach students about social justice and how they each have their opinion on a subject.  Students should know that if they do not agree with something, then they can make the effort and do something to try to change it (petitions, etc…).  I think it is especially important for students to understand that their perspectives are insightful. 

     “Struggle for social justice is central to our nation’s history…“Concerns about the common good and the rights of the individual, no matter how humble in social standing, transcends politics and holds a definitive place in the realms of morality, ethics and federal law, and therefore in the world of teaching social studies”

     I personally think this quote is expressing that, anyone, no matter who, has the right to take action towards a subject and as educators I think it is important to implement this into our classrooms.  We can do so by providing examples of events that have occurred and how some citizens stood up for their rights as citizens.  For example, the Rosa Parks case, whereas she stood up against authorities on a point that she thought was unethical, beginning a movement.  There have been numerous instances where people have taken action and essentially caused a change.