Cell from Hell

Technology is great, it helps fight diseases, it allows for businesses to stay connected and make decisions from all over the world, but it also has its downsides. It has caused an epidemic among teenagers, one that has swept the nation and left many young adults regretting there past decisions. This craze is one where teenage boys and girls are engaging in "text sex" in which they send pictures of themselves naked and include text messages filled with explicit words.

Many parents are becoming very concerned with this epidemic, but what the article is trying to draw attention to is how it is form of sex prevention and that the number of teenage pregnancies and teenagers engaging in sex has gone down considerably. Also to finish up the article, the author comes to the conclusion that we, as parents and teachers, will allows be playing catchup to our kids and the ever evolving technology.

Quantity and Quality

A week after three "rookie" teachers came to talk to our class about their experiences thus far in their short careers, but what they did not have in their repertoire to talk about was their experiences after the first stage of their career. Mr. Chambliss had years and years under his belt and with those years came experiences that helped shaped his view of the educational system and how it should be run. He was a teacher, a guidance counselor, and a superintendent throughout his long and accomplished career. It was a pleasure listening to his stories of his career and the advice he had for us from those years in the business. His advice for a possible career path was very helpful, even if not everyone agreed with his exact path. I will definitely take his advice about the profession he knows very well into consideration in the years to come as I will soon face decisions about my career path.

Rookies

Last week, a panel of three "new teachers" came and held a question and answer session to give us an insider look into the profession. Having an experienced teacher that has years and years under their belt can be very beneficial to a new teacher, but what can they do about the fears and nerves that have built up in the students of Luther College that have yet to teach in a classroom for longer than a few months at most. Personally, I am very nervous because I have heard horror stories and also I do not want to negatively affect the lives of the young ones I plan to teach. But hearing what the "new" teachers had to say about the transition from college to the real world was very beneficial. The next week, Mr. Chambliss came to talk to us about his years of service in the education programs in Iowa, but I took more out of what the "new" students had to say because what I was worried about was what they had just gone through, the beginning stages of their careers as educators. Questions like, "How did you decide where you wanted to teach" and "what subjects you wanted to teach?" as well as "What where the biggest differences between student teaching and the real deal?" were all questions better answered by the "new teachers". The one thing I regret not asking was to the teacher who now teaches at St. Ben's in Decorah and her thoughts and experiences on the difference between teaching in a public school and a parochial school.