Prensky Article

I felt that the Prensky article on Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants was extremely interesting. Marc explains the difference between Digital Natives (the technology based generation who learns at a fast pace and is very visually stimulated) and Digital Immigrants ( people who grew up before the computer and texting boom who tend to not be as familiar with the rapid change that technology brings.
After reading this I feel that it is true that the new generation thinks and learns differently than past generations. I feel it is necessary for a balance to be created with teaching from the past and teaching that is more interactive and visually based. I am a visual learner and feel as though many classes I took in middle school and high school would have been easier for me if they had made them for like playing a video game. Memorizing has always been difficult for me, however, I have found that with actually creating something or turning it into a mind game it had helped me.
I think I would be placed in the Digital Natives category, but I definitely feel that I am highly influenced from the Digital Immigrants. I would characterize myself as this because when I was in high school I feel the digital wave was really starting to begin. I find myself fascinated in learning in different ways and wanting to take part in activities rather than just sitting and listening. We are now taking the knowledge from the past and working with it to create a more modern style. Today many teenagers and young adults would not be able to go a day without their cell phones or Facebook. New inventions and new technology is not a bad thing, however, we have to remember to create a balance and to make sure that we aren't getting carried away with technology running our lives.

Why I want to be an art teacher

I have always had a passion for art ever since I was a young child. In high school I started experimenting with photography, painting and the computer arts. I recently graduated from Buffalo State College in the field of graphic design. Soon after I realized that I wanted to put both my passions together by combining art with teaching. I returned to Buffalo State this past semester pursuing my teacher’s certification. I have worked with many children in the past, some of which were through volunteer summer camp programs, babysitting, daycare programs and creating my own art program for inner city children. Not only am I experienced with different mediums of art, however, I also love working with children.