Lucas Leydon
Williams
English 1A
25 September 2013

"When the student has a quality education from a teacher, they then have creative control towards their future endeavors'"
A quality education will open doors to endless possibilities for students. With a quality education, students will have critical thinking skills that allow them to take control of their future. Instead of relying on getting any job that is hiring, they will be able to pursue a career in the field of their choice. This gives them freedom and flexibility in finding a job, and also security knowing they are qualified for similar positions in their field. Having the luxury of a quality education can also allow students to make a career out of doing what they love. Personally, the ability to go to school for music has been a blessing. This will allow me to study music in detail and gain experience and qualifications to build a career out of. As Ken Robinson said in his Ted Talk, "Doing something you love (as a career) will make an hour feel like 5 minutes, doing something that does not resonate with you spirit will make 5 minutes feel like an hour." I feel this is tru for anybody and a quality education can assist in pursuing a career that "resonates with your spirit".

Ted Talk: Ken Robinson

I enjoyed Ken Robinsons Ted Talk on education very much. I was surprised to see that his topics of discussion match my essay ideas almost exactly. I am writing about the importance of focusing on students natural talents and subjects they are inclined to succeed at rather than the "linear" approach that schools take in "manufacturing" out the typically educated person that is not prepared for life upon graduation. I also mention how teachers play a major role in being flexible and creative in catering to the needs of the individual. I like Ken's reference of "fast food" and "industrialized" education systems that treat schools like an assembly line, sending every single person through the same routine expecting a successful out come. I agree strongly that everyone has that one (or many) thing(s) they are born to do, and these tendencies should not go overlooked at a young age in school just to satisfy the conformist's idea of what education should be. Stripping people of their passions to fill their head with trivial information just to pass a test is a disgrace to human society. As Ken mentions, those who do what they love for a living wouldn't even consider work "work", yet the vast majority conforms to the standards of what society tells you to be. This was a topic mentioned in "The Passion Project" as well. I agree with Ken completely that schools need a complete revolution and shift to an, as Ken mentions, "organic" mode of operation. Personally, I am completely relieved that schools offer degrees in music because I have no idea what I would be doing if that wasn't an option; And that is scary to think that a great number of people don't even have the chance to pursue the career of their dreams if it is not accepted by society. This is something that definitely needs to change for the betterment of the future generations to come. Schools need to have more flexibility and offer more variety in what is taught, and have the resources necessary to blossom individuals in the direction of their own temperament. Great video.

Lucas Leydon
Williams
English 1A
12 September 2013

Rule of Three: Part 3

The future of education lies in teachers who are passionate about what they teach. Teachers must grab the students attention by stimulating an interest in the subject and a desire for further learning. It is the teachers job to instill an optimistic outlook in the students and make them excited about learning. Teachers must have the ability to be creative in their teaching methods and reach out to students on a personal level. The encounter of just one passionate teacher can change a students whole outlook on education. The more involved and enthusiastic a teacher is, the more responsiveness will be reflected in the student. Great teachers are those who can inspire students to go above and beyond their potential and make learning an experience of joy. These types of teachers are what is needed to stimulate successful educational systems that prepare the generations to come. Good teachers have the ability to be flexible and adjust to the individual needs of the student.
Schools should have a system that caters to the individuals potential and interests. Certain learning styles may not work for every student, therefore teachers must be flexible and creative in their approach. It is important for students who are struggling stay motivated to continue learning and to avoid the feeling of failure. Students must be engaged in the subject being taught and understand why it is important in a wider sense. This creates a sense of purpose. Having the feeling of learning something just to pass a test will not suffice for successful learning. The teachers must spark interest in the student and be creative with their methods such as using games or watching videos that compliment their lessons. I also feel that students should be allowed to focus on subjects in which they are most inclined to succeed and plan to pursue for a career. This will give them more motivation to learn and more experience in their field. Personally, I feel much time in high school was spent learning about trivial information that was quickly forgotten, when that time could have been used to focus on my desired field of study or on practical knowledge that would help outside of the academic walls.
Schools must integrate courses that provide preparation for practical life situations that students are sure to face. This is important so students know what to expect in the "real world" and aren't caught off guard. I feel people can learn through other peoples experiences and it would be helpful to have lecture speakers or mentors to guide students through the mistakes they have made and overcame throughout their life. This can aid in keeping students focused on what is important in life and prevent them from taking part in certain actions or situations that would not benefit them in the long run. It is important to know essential information about the practical aspects of society such as how banking systems work and building credit, money management techniques for buying a house or starting a family, and also an understanding of common laws and how to deal with certain situations such as car accidents, being the victim of robbery, or dealing with a death in the family. This could be accomplished by creating courses that are aimed at discussing how to deal with these types of situations and better prepare students for life beyond graduation.

Blog 2 - Mirror Neurons

Lucas Leydon

Eng 1

9/2/13

Williams

Mirror Neurons

In “The Passion Project” I enjoyed hearing about mirror neurons and I feel they connect to the area of my writing assignment where I mention how teachers need to be passionate about what they are teaching and grab the students attention by stimulating an interest for the subject and a desire for further learning. Students who have a teacher that is dynamic and excited about what they teach feel much more engaged and involved in the subject rather than a teacher who gives a boring lecture through power-point slides or teaches word-for-word out of a textbook. I’m sure everyone has come across a teacher who has left an inspiring, lasting impression in them that they can recall to this day because of their unique and passionate personality, rather than just a grade received on a report card. It is teachers like these that strengthen, or spark new, interests in students and give them the motivation to follow through in the subject of study, and maybe even inspire them to become a teacher themselves. It is quite obvious that the more the teacher is involved and excited, that responsiveness and willingness to learn will be reflected in the student. It is said that with the development of mirror neurons in human beings, the possibility to learn from others was birthed. This supports why good teachers make for good students. “(The mirror neuron system) is thought to play an important role in the understanding of actions made by others and may be responsible for our ability to learn by observing and imitating others (Educ Psychol Rev 2009).” In my personal experience, being a music major , I feel mirror neurons are constantly in use while I am engaged in guitar lessons and also while watching others perform. Even if it is music I have never heard before, just by watching someone play something on guitar, I am able to feel what it would be like to play myself, and feel I have gained if even the smallest amount of experience just by the exposure. This is a major factor in my area of study, having a guitar performance focus, by allowing me to recognize my own mistakes while watching my guitar teacher play a piece that I am learning. By observing the position of his hands and minor finger adjustments throughout the piece I am able to mimic his actions and refine my own technique in perfecting my performance of the piece. I am also taking music theory classes which explain how and why certain situations in music work or do not work in a given context. This theoretical knowledge goes very deep and can be compared to learning a new language. And just in language, by learning certain words you can begin to formulate ideas and sentences in your mind, so too in music you are able to come up with musical movements and ideas of how a song will sound without even using an instrument! This technique composers use when beginning to write a piece of music with a certain feeling or emotion in mind; and it is also how Beethoven was able to continue to compose music even when he lost his hearing and went completely deaf! By witnessing how my teachers use and apply the theoretical aspect of writing music, I have been able to apply those concepts myself and am not only engaged in critical thinking, but also in critical learning. “Interestingly, there are indications that the same brain areas involved in in the execution and observation of motor actions also become active when people listen to sentences that describe the performance of human actions using hands, mouths, or legs, or when people imagine performing an action without actual movement (Educ Psychol Rev 2009).”

Blog 1

I feel my blog space represents me by displaying myself doing the things I love. I have been skateboarding and playing guitar for about 10 years and I find myself enjoying them more and more as time goes on. There is a picture of me playing with my band and also a video of me skateboarding. The most important things in my life right now are school, family, friends, music, and skateboarding. My major in school is guitar performance. Writing music and teaching private lessons are what I see myself doing in the future and I am looking forward to what lies ahead. I am planning on transferring to Cal State East Bay in the fall of 2014. It is close to where I live and they have a really good guitar program. My guitar teacher at Chabot went to East Bay and is now teaching there as well. I am excited to see what they has to offer! The reason I am taking this class is to fulfill my A.A. requirement. I was never too fond of English class but I feel I am not too bad at writing essays. You seem like a really nice, down to earth teacher and I look forward to the semester with you. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cuO5NzP6now