The Medium is the Message

This section was a really good one to think about. Postman talks about the students sitting there and listening to the teacher and how they don't have any real opportunity to help decide which problems are worth studying and they never have any opportunities to make observations or perform any intellectual operations (Postman 19). I'm thinking that I want my kids to make at least one test or quiz per semester when I'm a teacher. Why not? Individual students could make up a question or something and if they complain-hey, your friends made it, not me. That sound more engaging to me. Or what if we even let one of the students (kind of) teach part of a lesson or something? That would certainly mean something different for sixth grade than it would for twelfth grade, but wouldn't that be cool? When the students go to do their homework they don't necessarily have someone to keep them accountable or often they don't even see a purpose in it. Some do it just to get a grade and others just because they know the teachers wants them to. But talk about accountability and purpose-if you don't prepare well then you will be in front of the whole class and not know what to say. I mean it probably couldn't be anything elaborate, but why not get students that feel comfortable in front of the class up there doing something that might seem more worth while. Even just explaining what a part of speech is or something. I really want to do that with my students.