Technology by Mrs. Hines

When it comes to technology, I am also on the fence, somewhat like Mrs. Hines. I also feel that the new technology is very helpful in the classroom as an instructional aide. The basics should be taught and mastered before new information is introduced. I have seen many students in the classroom, that can not read or write properly, but yet they can do more on the computer than I can. This astounds me, students rely to heavily on spell check and other tools to help them write because they cannot do it themselves. Technology is advancing at such an exponential rate that these skills are something that is outdated as soon most people have mastered them.

It is true that teachers must keep up to date with these new technological tools. They must be used as instructional aides though, to show children the relevancy of the information being presented. How it relates to the topic, and how it could give more information, beyond basic instruction. Without the basics though these technologies are pointless. I understand that times are changing. but we can't lose site that those inventors were once students in the classroom, and without their basic understanding of math , English (or whatever language), science, and history they would not have succeeded. I don't know who originally said it, but "if you don't know your history you are damned to repeat it." Well here is my point, if not learned what will the future hold, technology can not save us from the same mistakes over and over. I guess I am still a little old school.