Dr. Funk’s Top 5 List - Educational Problems
Jun 15th, 2008 by funkphd
As you prepare to write your Area of Focus statements, I thought it might be a good idea to give you some ideas to think about in terms of educational problems facing educators in 21st century classrooms. This podcast is a result of a lunch conversation at UNC-Chapel Hill where my dad who was an educator for 30 years and I began talking about educational research, educational technologies and their impact on teaching and learning. As our conversation evolved, dad was trying to argue a point using a coaching analogy which prompted the idea for this podcast. See if you agree with our Top 5 Educational Problems facing 21st Century Teachers.
Please excuse all the outdoor noise, the incessant bird chirping, the truck noise, the sudden sawing of a tree and the crying baby. Lesson learned…filming podcasts outdoors may not be the best idea!
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It was great hearing from you dad as a coach and an educator with 30 years experience. I feel like I am prescribing strategies and monitoring whether or not they are working. It could be in so many different areas that I need to make adjustments. I try a different learning style, motivational technique, or type of technology to help the student learn. Which one is what I need at the time? That can be so hard to determine. The ways in which we are forced to assess many times are not going to provide a true picture of my students.
I thoroughly enjoyed the podcast. It was an ideal location to have the discussion. (ACC Fan here). I liked how he calls you Dr. Funk and you call him Dad. Anyway, I agree that educators do have to update their strategies for these new styled students. Also it is imperative that technology does have to be implemented effectively to all of our students - from my newly arrived ESOL students to the silver-spooned students that already know how to use a laptop when they show up for class in first grade. It does get tricky when they are in the same class. Collaborative teaching is currently being stressed in my school as a model. We are being told that the staff is going to be trained in SIOP as well. I appreciated that particular reference on assessing collaborative teaching effectiveness. I also enjoyed your father’s discussion on motivation and individualization –It is obvious he has been around the block – so to speak. Paul
Dr. Funk,
I enjoyed meeting your Dad and the analogy between coaching and teaching. The “Dad and Dr. Funk” Introduction was priceless…you two are so sweet together. It made me miss my Dad even more. My Dad passed away 6 years ago two days after Christmas. He was 84 years young. This was in 2002, which was the year I graduated from Kennesaw State with my BS in P-12 Health & Physical Education. I can remember praying for him to live long enough for me to graduate from college. I was the only sibling to graduate from college in my family and only 3 of 5 children graduated from High School. This a big accommplishment and he was very proud of me. I am sorry I rambled. I just miss that interaction with my Dad.
Anyway, I loved the Disney podcast. I have not been back in 27 years and now I want to go. I am going to plan a trip within the next year and take the grandbabies! It would be so cool to take them! I know it is not professional to have favorites, but you are my favorite professor. I have learned so much from you over the past two years. You are a fabulous teacher/instructor/professor!
See you next week! Sandy