Thursday, December 8, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
C4T#4
Post 1 on Dean Shareski's blog Ideas and Thoughts
The first post that I commented on was Mr. Shareski's post Guitar Lesson 8. This post was about the joy in learning. First I watched his video of him learning a new song the guitar. I then read his post that says he is having trouble with his students finding joy in learning. I commented on his post saying that I enjoyed his blog post! I think learning new things is always fun. For my EDM310 class I have had to learn a LOT of new things. In fact, I actually enjoy learning new things. At the beginning of the semester I was overwhelmed and hated the class but, I have realized that everything I am learning will benefit me in my future as an educator.
I think that people should be more open minded about learning. If they were more open minded about it, they might find joy in it. There will always be challenges when learning new things but, the outcome of learning something new is always good.
Post 2 on Dean Shareski's blog Ideas and Thoughts
The second post that I commented on was Mr. Shareski's post EdTech Posse 7.2. In this post, Dean Shareski posted a recorded podcast. The conversation that takes place in the podcast is about different things happening in each others lives. One of the people talks about a recent trip to Australia and one speaks about her new book. I commented on this post saying that I really enjoyed listening to his podcast. I also mentioned that for a group project in EDM310, my group chose to do a podcast and we really enjoyed it. I ended my commenting with saying thanks for an interesting and enjoyable podcast.
The first post that I commented on was Mr. Shareski's post Guitar Lesson 8. This post was about the joy in learning. First I watched his video of him learning a new song the guitar. I then read his post that says he is having trouble with his students finding joy in learning. I commented on his post saying that I enjoyed his blog post! I think learning new things is always fun. For my EDM310 class I have had to learn a LOT of new things. In fact, I actually enjoy learning new things. At the beginning of the semester I was overwhelmed and hated the class but, I have realized that everything I am learning will benefit me in my future as an educator.
I think that people should be more open minded about learning. If they were more open minded about it, they might find joy in it. There will always be challenges when learning new things but, the outcome of learning something new is always good.
Post 2 on Dean Shareski's blog Ideas and Thoughts
The second post that I commented on was Mr. Shareski's post EdTech Posse 7.2. In this post, Dean Shareski posted a recorded podcast. The conversation that takes place in the podcast is about different things happening in each others lives. One of the people talks about a recent trip to Australia and one speaks about her new book. I commented on this post saying that I really enjoyed listening to his podcast. I also mentioned that for a group project in EDM310, my group chose to do a podcast and we really enjoyed it. I ended my commenting with saying thanks for an interesting and enjoyable podcast.
Monday, November 28, 2011
C4K Summary Post (November)
C4K# 9
For my ninth comment for kids, I was assigned to comment on Mr. McClung's 8th Grade World post Lessons Learned. In this post Mr. McClung talked about spirit week at his school. The kids get to dress out each day in costumes that fit that particular day such as cowboy day. During that week Mr. McClung took part in a beard off contest. He wont the contest and had to shave his beard what ever way the kids chose.
I commented on his post and said that spirit week sounds like a lot of fun! I then mentioned how their spirit week is very much like homecoming week at the school I went to. I ended with saying that I enjoyed reading his post and looking at his blog. It brought back memories from when I was younger.
C4K# 10
For my tenth comment for kids, I was assigned to comment on Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog. The post I commented on was Skyping With Georgia! This post was about a Skype interview that Mrs. Yollis' class had with a class in Georgia. She ended this post with what some of the students had to say after the interview.
I commented on this post saying that I really enjoyed the blog post. The students really seem to enjoy Skyping with students from different states. One of her students, Ellie, made a comment after the interview saying that "They “shoot the Hooch” on weekends. That means they ride the
river on a raft." In my comment I said that Ellie's response brought back a memorie of mine because a few summers ago me and my family took a trip to Georgia and we got the "shoot the Hootch"! I ended my comment with telling them to keep up the good work!
C4K# 11
For my eleventh comment for kids, I was assigned to comment on Isara's blog. She did a post that was titled The Important Invention Named Chewing Gum. In this post she explains how Adam Smith randomly decided to chew on a piece of chicle. He then decided to add mint flavor to the chicle. This prompted him to open a factory and make chewing gum.
I commented on her blog post saying that she did a great job and I had never thought about the guy who invented gum. I thanked her for teaching me something new and then asked "I wonder what made him decide to try the lump of chicle?" I ended with telling her to keep up the good work!
For my ninth comment for kids, I was assigned to comment on Mr. McClung's 8th Grade World post Lessons Learned. In this post Mr. McClung talked about spirit week at his school. The kids get to dress out each day in costumes that fit that particular day such as cowboy day. During that week Mr. McClung took part in a beard off contest. He wont the contest and had to shave his beard what ever way the kids chose.
I commented on his post and said that spirit week sounds like a lot of fun! I then mentioned how their spirit week is very much like homecoming week at the school I went to. I ended with saying that I enjoyed reading his post and looking at his blog. It brought back memories from when I was younger.
C4K# 10
For my tenth comment for kids, I was assigned to comment on Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog. The post I commented on was Skyping With Georgia! This post was about a Skype interview that Mrs. Yollis' class had with a class in Georgia. She ended this post with what some of the students had to say after the interview.
I commented on this post saying that I really enjoyed the blog post. The students really seem to enjoy Skyping with students from different states. One of her students, Ellie, made a comment after the interview saying that "They “shoot the Hooch” on weekends. That means they ride the
river on a raft." In my comment I said that Ellie's response brought back a memorie of mine because a few summers ago me and my family took a trip to Georgia and we got the "shoot the Hootch"! I ended my comment with telling them to keep up the good work!
C4K# 11
For my eleventh comment for kids, I was assigned to comment on Isara's blog. She did a post that was titled The Important Invention Named Chewing Gum. In this post she explains how Adam Smith randomly decided to chew on a piece of chicle. He then decided to add mint flavor to the chicle. This prompted him to open a factory and make chewing gum.
I commented on her blog post saying that she did a great job and I had never thought about the guy who invented gum. I thanked her for teaching me something new and then asked "I wonder what made him decide to try the lump of chicle?" I ended with telling her to keep up the good work!
Final Report on PLN
On my PLN I have added a few new websites. One of the websites I added was At the Teacher's Desk. Another website that I added is Adventures in Pencil Integration. Both of those websites are educational blogs that I came across while doing work for EDM310, I found both blogs helpful and decided they deserved a spot on my PLN. I still have a lot of empty spaces on my PLN that I hope to fill up as time goes by. I think having a PLN is great.
Blog Assignment 14
Top Ten Tips for Using Technology in the Classroom
By: Jose Picardo
In the video Top Ten Tips for Using Technology in the Classroom, Jose Picardo goes over his top ten tips for using technology in the classroom. His first tip is to use streaming video such as websites like YouTube. YouTube is a great website if used properly. There are a lot of educational videos on YouTube. His second tip is to use music. This is a good tip because people of all ages love music. Many people use iTunes for music but, it can also be used for educational purposes. His third tip is to use teleconferencing tools such as Skype. Skype is very cool. It can be used to talk to people from all over the world. It is a good way to communicate with other classrooms that are from different states or countries. His fourth tip is to create your own interactive exercises such as making games that can help students learn. His fifth tip is to use your interactive white board more effectively. I love smart boards. They are awesome and can do a lot of cool things. It can really help students learn because it is fun and it can get students excited about learning. His sixth tip is to create your own podcast. This is fun. For one of our group projects, my group created a podcast where we pretended to have a radio talk show. This is a good way to make a boring project more fun. There are several ways to make a podcast, Jose Picardo recommends Audacity. His seventh tip is to start a blog or wiki. I like having a blog. It is a good way for people to see your work and it is something that can show your creativity. His eighth tip is to use social networks. Before I took EDM310 I would have said no to that tip but, I have come to realize that using social networks for education is a really good idea. Having a Facebook page for a class is a great way for students to ask questions and get answers. His ninth tip is to use internet tools. There are a lot of free tools online that can help with education. His tenth and final tip is to make the most of your pupils' gadgets. This is a good tip because most students these days will have i Pods and/or cell phones. If you can find a way to incorporate these gadgets with technology, students would enjoy enjoy that because they are always on cell phones or i Pods.
Jose Picardo has some really good tips. I also looked at his blog and looked over his really long list of resources for teachers. This list is great. It literally has tons and tons of websites that can be helpful to all teachers.
By: Jose Picardo
In the video Top Ten Tips for Using Technology in the Classroom, Jose Picardo goes over his top ten tips for using technology in the classroom. His first tip is to use streaming video such as websites like YouTube. YouTube is a great website if used properly. There are a lot of educational videos on YouTube. His second tip is to use music. This is a good tip because people of all ages love music. Many people use iTunes for music but, it can also be used for educational purposes. His third tip is to use teleconferencing tools such as Skype. Skype is very cool. It can be used to talk to people from all over the world. It is a good way to communicate with other classrooms that are from different states or countries. His fourth tip is to create your own interactive exercises such as making games that can help students learn. His fifth tip is to use your interactive white board more effectively. I love smart boards. They are awesome and can do a lot of cool things. It can really help students learn because it is fun and it can get students excited about learning. His sixth tip is to create your own podcast. This is fun. For one of our group projects, my group created a podcast where we pretended to have a radio talk show. This is a good way to make a boring project more fun. There are several ways to make a podcast, Jose Picardo recommends Audacity. His seventh tip is to start a blog or wiki. I like having a blog. It is a good way for people to see your work and it is something that can show your creativity. His eighth tip is to use social networks. Before I took EDM310 I would have said no to that tip but, I have come to realize that using social networks for education is a really good idea. Having a Facebook page for a class is a great way for students to ask questions and get answers. His ninth tip is to use internet tools. There are a lot of free tools online that can help with education. His tenth and final tip is to make the most of your pupils' gadgets. This is a good tip because most students these days will have i Pods and/or cell phones. If you can find a way to incorporate these gadgets with technology, students would enjoy enjoy that because they are always on cell phones or i Pods.
Jose Picardo has some really good tips. I also looked at his blog and looked over his really long list of resources for teachers. This list is great. It literally has tons and tons of websites that can be helpful to all teachers.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Blog Assignment 13
This assignment asks " What percentage of China's population is the population of the United States?" I got two different answers to this question. Depending on how you interpret the question, I got 439% and 22.89%. If you do the math as China's population divided by the United States population, the answer is 439%. If you interpret the question as what percentage of 1.35 billion (China's population) is 309 million (United States population) the answer would be 22.89%. I copied the question from the blog instructions and pasted it into the search box on WolframAlpha and the answer it gave me was 439%. I also typed in the question but instead of the actual words, China's population and United States population, I typed in the actual number of the population and the answer it gave me was 22.89%.
I was also asked "What percentage of Indias's population is the population of the United States?" This question can also be interpreted two different ways. When I typed in the question exactly how it was stated, the answer I received was 393%. When I substituted the names of the countries with the countries actual population number, the answer I received was 25.54%.
After doing this research I still find the facts from our first blog assignment mind blowing. I can't believe how much bigger China and India are than the United States.
I think WolframAlpha can be very useful for my future students. It can be used when we do in class projects and projects at home that require researching different things. I think it might be more useful for students that are in middle or high school because I think that they will be asked to do more research than elementary students will.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Missed the Metaphor Special Assignment
I am not really sure why I missed the metaphor in Tom Johnson's post. I did not realize that the entire story was made up but, I knew that he was trying to get a point across. To help students understand metaphors, educators can go over the meaning of a metaphor and use them often. I think that people use metaphors to keep things interesting and not boring. They can also be used to really get people to start thinking more. 
Monday, November 14, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Blog Assignment 12
For this blog post I want you to make a video about your favorite author. If you do not have a favorite author, pick the author of your favorite book. If you do not have a favorite book, I suggest you do a little bit of research and find an author that interests you. The video should be at least 1 minute or longer. You are to narrate the video. It can be about the author's life or about a series of books the author has written, as long as it is about that author and/or something he has written. After you finish the video upload it to YouTube then embed it into your blog. I want you to also write a short paragraph stating what author you chose and why.
For this project I chose to do my video on J.R.R. Tolkien. I chose Tolkien because I am a huge fan of Lord of the Rings books. I think the books are amazing. I also love that he created his own languages. I think that is really neat.
For this project I chose to do my video on J.R.R. Tolkien. I chose Tolkien because I am a huge fan of Lord of the Rings books. I think the books are amazing. I also love that he created his own languages. I think that is really neat.
C4K #10 Ms. Yollis' 3rd Grade Class
For C4K #10 we were assigned to thoroughly examine Mr. Yollis' class blog. Mr. Yollis is a third grade teacher in Los Angeles, California. Her class consists of 22 students, 11 boys and 11 girls. Not only is Mrs. Yollis a teacher but, she is also a student. She says in her Meet Mrs. Yollis section in her blog that she recently finished a Master's degree in Integrating Technology in the Classroom.
Mrs. Yollis' blog was a little overwhelming at first because there are so many things to explore! i really enjoyed looking over the section of her blog called Learn About California! In this section of her blog she has a video with a lot of interesting facts about California. I learned a few things that I did not already know! Another section of the blog that I really enjoyed was the section called Learn How to Shoot Great Images! This section has a great video that was made my some of her student's. In the video they demonstrate the do's and do not's about using a camera. Mrs. Yollis also has a page that is called Time Zones of Friends. I LOVE this section of her blog because it lets her students know what time it is where their friends from other classes are. I also love the Learn HTML Code! section of her blog. If I was in her class this section would be very beneficial to me because I can never remember those codes. I was really surprised to see Mrs. Yollis' CLustrMap so full of red dots! They get a ton of visitors from all over the world. I think that it is awesome that they can communicate with so many people through blogging.
Mrs. Yollis' blog was a little overwhelming at first because there are so many things to explore! i really enjoyed looking over the section of her blog called Learn About California! In this section of her blog she has a video with a lot of interesting facts about California. I learned a few things that I did not already know! Another section of the blog that I really enjoyed was the section called Learn How to Shoot Great Images! This section has a great video that was made my some of her student's. In the video they demonstrate the do's and do not's about using a camera. Mrs. Yollis also has a page that is called Time Zones of Friends. I LOVE this section of her blog because it lets her students know what time it is where their friends from other classes are. I also love the Learn HTML Code! section of her blog. If I was in her class this section would be very beneficial to me because I can never remember those codes. I was really surprised to see Mrs. Yollis' CLustrMap so full of red dots! They get a ton of visitors from all over the world. I think that it is awesome that they can communicate with so many people through blogging.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Progress Report on Final Project
So far for Project 16, my group has met a few times and come up with some really good ideas. We have decided that we are going to put together an EDM310 Survival Kit. We are going to video each of us going over all of the items in the survival kit. I think that this video will be beneficial to future EDM310 students because it will give them a good idea of what they will need to survive this class.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Blog Assignment 11
Ms. Cassidy's First Graders in Mr. Cassidy's Class and Skype Interview with Ms. Cassidy
Little Kids...Big Potential is a video about Ms. Cassidy's first grade class. It shows how the students use blogs, Skype, and even their Nintendo DS's to help them learn. It gave me a good idea of what Ms. Cassidy's classroom is really like. In the Skype interview with Ms. Cassidy, she reveals that she began using the internet to help her students learn because she was given five computers for her classroom. She began figuring out ways to use the computers in her classroom because she did not want them to go to waste. The computers only had internet access and new programs could not be downloaded onto them which led to the use of personal web pages and blogging.
The first grade students seem to really enjoy blogging. Ms. Cassidy states that it makes the kids feel special to think that the whole world can see what they are writing about. She also points out that technology is not unusual to them, it is part of their world. I like how she mentioned that because it is very true. The children that we will be teaching are born into a world where technology is used by everyone, all day every day. Ms. Cassidy also mentioned how she keeps the identities of the children safe. The children's last names are not used and pictures are never placed with the children's names. She also teaches her students how to be safe on the internet and how avoid bad websites by staying away from advertisements and by using the links that she gives them.
During the interview Ms. Cassidy tells about "blogging buddies". The students from Ms. Cassidy's class and students from a different school read each others blogs and comment on them. The students can communicate through blogs and Skype to discuss how to improve their writing. I like the idea of "blogging buddies". It could even be used between different classes of the same grade that are at the same school. I am starting to realize how much children can really benefit from using technology in this way. After watching this interview it is clear to me that students really enjoy blogging and using tools like Skype to help them learn.
I think that in the future I could use blogging in my classroom. I could stay in contact with other elementary teachers in the area that use blogging so that the students could have "blogging buddies". The students could also use Skype to communicate with other students. I also really enjoy making videos. I think elementary students would get excited about making videos that we can share with other classrooms. I think that using technology like this can get students excited about learning.
Little Kids...Big Potential is a video about Ms. Cassidy's first grade class. It shows how the students use blogs, Skype, and even their Nintendo DS's to help them learn. It gave me a good idea of what Ms. Cassidy's classroom is really like. In the Skype interview with Ms. Cassidy, she reveals that she began using the internet to help her students learn because she was given five computers for her classroom. She began figuring out ways to use the computers in her classroom because she did not want them to go to waste. The computers only had internet access and new programs could not be downloaded onto them which led to the use of personal web pages and blogging.
The first grade students seem to really enjoy blogging. Ms. Cassidy states that it makes the kids feel special to think that the whole world can see what they are writing about. She also points out that technology is not unusual to them, it is part of their world. I like how she mentioned that because it is very true. The children that we will be teaching are born into a world where technology is used by everyone, all day every day. Ms. Cassidy also mentioned how she keeps the identities of the children safe. The children's last names are not used and pictures are never placed with the children's names. She also teaches her students how to be safe on the internet and how avoid bad websites by staying away from advertisements and by using the links that she gives them.
During the interview Ms. Cassidy tells about "blogging buddies". The students from Ms. Cassidy's class and students from a different school read each others blogs and comment on them. The students can communicate through blogs and Skype to discuss how to improve their writing. I like the idea of "blogging buddies". It could even be used between different classes of the same grade that are at the same school. I am starting to realize how much children can really benefit from using technology in this way. After watching this interview it is clear to me that students really enjoy blogging and using tools like Skype to help them learn.
I think that in the future I could use blogging in my classroom. I could stay in contact with other elementary teachers in the area that use blogging so that the students could have "blogging buddies". The students could also use Skype to communicate with other students. I also really enjoy making videos. I think elementary students would get excited about making videos that we can share with other classrooms. I think that using technology like this can get students excited about learning.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
C4K Summary Post (October)
C4K #5
For my fifth comment for kids I was assigned to comment on We are Kids with a View. I was to leave a comment for Ashira and I was to tell her something interesting about the United States. I told her that the crookedest street in the world is in Iowa.
I thought the crookedest street in the world was in San Francisco, California, where I got the chance to visit this summer.
C4K #6
For my sixth comment for kids I was assigned to two students. The first student was Aubrey. Aubrey posted a post that was about Halloween. She talked about how the Halloween traditions were started and what some of the traditions were. I commented on her post saying that I really enjoyed reading it and that she informed me of many things that I did not know about such as the symbol of the apple and the tradition of the Celts wearing animal heads as costumes.
The second student that I was assigned to was Walker. Walker posted a post about why they did not have school on Columbus Day. In his post he talked about how the Native Americans discovered America before Columbus and that Columbus pushed the Native Americans away. Walker says that he would never do what Columbus did. At the end of his post he asked if we understand why they did not have school on Columbus Day. I commented on his blog telling him that I agree with him and that I would not do that either. I then answered his question with yes, I understand why they did not have school on Columbus Day.
C4K# 7
For my seventh comment for kids I was assigned to comment on the video of Mr. C's 7th Grade Art Work. This video was a slide show of a lot of pictures that her class has drawn. I commented on the video saying that I really enjoyed looking at the art work. Each piece of art was very creative and that each student is very talented!
C4K# 8
For my eighth comment for kids I was assigned to comment on Brooklyn's Australian Animation. I left Brooklyn a comment saying that I loved her Australian Animation and that she did a wonderful job! I also told her that her video really shows her creativity. I ended with telling her to keep up the good work!
For my fifth comment for kids I was assigned to comment on We are Kids with a View. I was to leave a comment for Ashira and I was to tell her something interesting about the United States. I told her that the crookedest street in the world is in Iowa.
I thought the crookedest street in the world was in San Francisco, California, where I got the chance to visit this summer.
C4K #6
The second student that I was assigned to was Walker. Walker posted a post about why they did not have school on Columbus Day. In his post he talked about how the Native Americans discovered America before Columbus and that Columbus pushed the Native Americans away. Walker says that he would never do what Columbus did. At the end of his post he asked if we understand why they did not have school on Columbus Day. I commented on his blog telling him that I agree with him and that I would not do that either. I then answered his question with yes, I understand why they did not have school on Columbus Day.
C4K# 7
For my seventh comment for kids I was assigned to comment on the video of Mr. C's 7th Grade Art Work. This video was a slide show of a lot of pictures that her class has drawn. I commented on the video saying that I really enjoyed looking at the art work. Each piece of art was very creative and that each student is very talented!
C4K# 8
For my eighth comment for kids I was assigned to comment on Brooklyn's Australian Animation. I left Brooklyn a comment saying that I loved her Australian Animation and that she did a wonderful job! I also told her that her video really shows her creativity. I ended with telling her to keep up the good work!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Blog Assignment 10
Do You Teach or Do You Educate?
This video was very interesting to me. I had never thought about the difference in teaching and educating before. This video states that to teach is to show or explain how to do something, give information about or instruction in, and cause someone to learn or understand something. It then states that to educate is to give intellectual, moral, and social instruction. It also says an educator is someone who guides and shows the way.
While completing some observation hours this week, one of the 2nd graders in the class asked me "Mrs. Howard, why do you want to be a teacher?". I wasn't sure how to answer her at first because I have never really thought about why I actually chose this profession other than my usual answer "I love kids". After a lot of thought, I have concluded that I want to be a teacher because I love children and I love helping them learn and grow. Being a teacher, I will be helping them in many ways. I will be teaching them things and helping them grow as people. I will be helping them learn what is write and wrong, how to work well with others, and how do things. The reasons I have just listed pretty much fall under the educator category. While teaching them the different subjects I will also be educating them and helping them learn good morals and social skills. Teaching is not just about making sure that they learn about science, math, and history, it is about guiding them in the right direction and showing them the way.
Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home!
I really enjoyed reading this blog post by Mr. Johnson. This post is an actual conversation between Tom and Gertrude about students who take home pencil and paper. Gertrude is arguing that students should not be taking home pencils because an article stated that the students that take home pencils have lower standardized test scores.
Throughout the conversation Tom is coming up with solutions to the problem. He argues that the pencil and paper homework is not what is making the student score lower on standardized tests, it's what they are actually doing with the pencil at home. The kids were being assigned with boring homework which was leading them to play games with their pencils which kept them from learning as much. Therefore, when the kids were taking their standardized tests with pencils they were playing with their pencils rather than paying attention to the test which caused their scores to go down. Tom then explained to Gertrude that he assigns homework that should interest students, but in the end what they do with their pencil is ultimately up to them.
This blog post shows how someone can read information and completely take it the wrong way. There are always different conditions and circumstances that should be taken into consideration when reading information about things. It is important to always take every circumstance into consideration when coming across new information.
This video was very interesting to me. I had never thought about the difference in teaching and educating before. This video states that to teach is to show or explain how to do something, give information about or instruction in, and cause someone to learn or understand something. It then states that to educate is to give intellectual, moral, and social instruction. It also says an educator is someone who guides and shows the way.
While completing some observation hours this week, one of the 2nd graders in the class asked me "Mrs. Howard, why do you want to be a teacher?". I wasn't sure how to answer her at first because I have never really thought about why I actually chose this profession other than my usual answer "I love kids". After a lot of thought, I have concluded that I want to be a teacher because I love children and I love helping them learn and grow. Being a teacher, I will be helping them in many ways. I will be teaching them things and helping them grow as people. I will be helping them learn what is write and wrong, how to work well with others, and how do things. The reasons I have just listed pretty much fall under the educator category. While teaching them the different subjects I will also be educating them and helping them learn good morals and social skills. Teaching is not just about making sure that they learn about science, math, and history, it is about guiding them in the right direction and showing them the way.
Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home!
I really enjoyed reading this blog post by Mr. Johnson. This post is an actual conversation between Tom and Gertrude about students who take home pencil and paper. Gertrude is arguing that students should not be taking home pencils because an article stated that the students that take home pencils have lower standardized test scores.
Throughout the conversation Tom is coming up with solutions to the problem. He argues that the pencil and paper homework is not what is making the student score lower on standardized tests, it's what they are actually doing with the pencil at home. The kids were being assigned with boring homework which was leading them to play games with their pencils which kept them from learning as much. Therefore, when the kids were taking their standardized tests with pencils they were playing with their pencils rather than paying attention to the test which caused their scores to go down. Tom then explained to Gertrude that he assigns homework that should interest students, but in the end what they do with their pencil is ultimately up to them.
This blog post shows how someone can read information and completely take it the wrong way. There are always different conditions and circumstances that should be taken into consideration when reading information about things. It is important to always take every circumstance into consideration when coming across new information.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
C4T #3
C4T comment 1 on Dorothy Burt's blog Manaiakalani
Do Shoes Help us Learn?
On Dorothy's blog she posted a post titled "Do shoes help us learn?" In this post she mentions that she was thinking about the wearing of shoes and not wearing of shoes being an indicator of students learning. She then states that she did not wear shoes to primary school except on days when it was "frosty", but in highs school she was required to wear shoes as part of the uniform. She ended her post with asking this question "What was your experience with shoes and school, and how do you think they influence student learning?"
I commented on her post saying that I was required to wear shoes with my school uniform, but I think it would be really neat to get to experience school without having to wear shoes. I then said that I always liked wearing uniforms to school because I never had to worry about what I was going to wear the next day. Uniforms are also a good idea because everyone wears the same thing and the students see each other as the same.
C4T comment 2 on Dorothy Burt's blog Manaiakalani
Teacher Dashboard and Google Apps for Education.
This post was about Teacher Dashboard and Google apps that are used for education. In this post there was a video that showed how Teacher Dashboard is used and how Google Apps are used. I enjoyed watching this video because it showed me how helpful these things can be when it comes to teaching. I commented on this post saying that I was first introduced to Google Docs this semester in EDM310 and I love it. I also said that I did not realize how much Google had to offer until I read this post. I ended my comment with saying that the teacher dashboard looks awesome and very helpful. It seems to be a big help in staying organized and keeping up with students and their work. Teacher Dashboard will definitely benefit me in my future as a teacher.
Do Shoes Help us Learn?
On Dorothy's blog she posted a post titled "Do shoes help us learn?" In this post she mentions that she was thinking about the wearing of shoes and not wearing of shoes being an indicator of students learning. She then states that she did not wear shoes to primary school except on days when it was "frosty", but in highs school she was required to wear shoes as part of the uniform. She ended her post with asking this question "What was your experience with shoes and school, and how do you think they influence student learning?"
I commented on her post saying that I was required to wear shoes with my school uniform, but I think it would be really neat to get to experience school without having to wear shoes. I then said that I always liked wearing uniforms to school because I never had to worry about what I was going to wear the next day. Uniforms are also a good idea because everyone wears the same thing and the students see each other as the same.
C4T comment 2 on Dorothy Burt's blog Manaiakalani
Teacher Dashboard and Google Apps for Education.
This post was about Teacher Dashboard and Google apps that are used for education. In this post there was a video that showed how Teacher Dashboard is used and how Google Apps are used. I enjoyed watching this video because it showed me how helpful these things can be when it comes to teaching. I commented on this post saying that I was first introduced to Google Docs this semester in EDM310 and I love it. I also said that I did not realize how much Google had to offer until I read this post. I ended my comment with saying that the teacher dashboard looks awesome and very helpful. It seems to be a big help in staying organized and keeping up with students and their work. Teacher Dashboard will definitely benefit me in my future as a teacher.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Blog Assignment 9
What I've Learned This Year (2008-09)
By: Mr. McClung
This post by Mr. McClung was written in regards to his first year of teaching. He starts off by talking about how he was not sure what to expect because he was young and inexperienced. He then states that after his first year of teaching he learned a lot and also matured as a person and teacher. Mr. McClung says that while he was in college he developed a mindset that everything was always about him (the teacher). He says that many people have that mindset and lose touch of what they are actually doing and that is helping students learn. I think that many teachers do that and get so caught up in their lesson and how they are doing as a teacher that they lose sight of the children. Our goal is to help them learn and comprehend things. It is not about how we give the lesson, but about making sure the students understand. Mr. McClung also talks about being flexible. He states that "NO LESSON IS EVER PERFECT. THE LESSON YOU TEACH AND THE ONE YOU PLAN IS ALWAYS DIFFERENT." He is so true when he says that. Teachers plan out their lessons and want things to go exactly how they planned, but a lot of times things come up and plans need to be changed. It is key to not make a huge deal about small mistakes and teach the lesson the best way that you can. Mr. McClung also talks about being responsible and expectations that teachers have regarding their students. He points out that many teachers set high expectations for their students, but when they fail to meet them they get upset with the students. This is the worst thing teachers can do. Students are in school to learn. If they are being scolded for not understanding things then they will become discouraged. I love what Mr. McClung says when he says this "Our job as teachers is to simply pick them up after they fail, dust them off, and encourage them to try again." He is so right. We as teachers should always encourage our students to keep trying. The next thing Mr. McClung talks about is technology. He says that many adults are afraid of technology. Technology really isn't a bad thing. It can be very helpful. One thing I have learned in Dr. Strange's class is that we are all lifelong learners. We should never be afraid of new technological advances. We should always be willing to try new things because technology can only help. The last thing that Mr. McClung talks about his never stop learning. Like I said just before. We are all lifelong learners and should always be open to new ideas.
What I've Learned This Year (2010-11)
By: Mr. McClung
This post by Mr. McClung was written in regards to his third year of teaching but his first year to teach at the same school for more than a year. Mr. McClung starts off by talking about many new experiences he had during during the '10-'11 school year. These experiences are his first time being a head coach, coaching cross country, and first experience as a computer applications teacher. He then talks about knowing who your boss is. He says that many times teachers lose sight of what we are trying to do and that is teach students. Often times we start trying to please adults when instead we should be focusing on our students. He also touches on the fact that no matter what we have going on in our personal lives, we must never let if affect our job as a teacher. The point is we should always be student focused and we should always make sure that we do our best job as a teacher so that our students can learn and grow. Mr. McClung then talks about change and not expecting others to be as excited about change as you are. He says that he is the type of person that gets excited about new ideas and new things but there are also those people that do not care one bit about new ideas and would prefer to not have to learn about them. He then states that the moral of this lesson is that you can't let others get in the way of your excitement and joy about new ideas. I agree with him. If you are excited about something but a teacher you know thinks it is stupid, you shouldn't let their opinion bother you and bring you down. You should stick to what you believe in and what you think will help you teach. He then talks about not being afraid to be an outsider. This goes along with the previous topic. He says to be true to yourself and don't be afraid to be an outsider. It's okay to be different. It is okay to think differently than other teachers. Be the teacher that you want to be not the teacher that others want you to be. The next thing that he talks about is something I totally agree with. He talks about when a student has a problem understanding something, we as teachers often take over and do the task for them. We should not do that. Like Mr. McClung said, if we take over and do it for them, the student will never truly learn how to master the skill. If we keep encouraging them and helping them they will figure it out and in the end they will excel. The last thing that Mr. McClung talks about his not getting comfortable. Many teahers after a few years get into a routine. He says that he began to pick up new tasks and joined committees that prevented him from developing a routine. This is a really good idea. We should be willing to try new things and move forward.
I really enjoyed reading both of these blog posts by Mr. McClung. He makes a lot of good points and I have definitely learned a lot from reading these.
By: Mr. McClung
This post by Mr. McClung was written in regards to his first year of teaching. He starts off by talking about how he was not sure what to expect because he was young and inexperienced. He then states that after his first year of teaching he learned a lot and also matured as a person and teacher. Mr. McClung says that while he was in college he developed a mindset that everything was always about him (the teacher). He says that many people have that mindset and lose touch of what they are actually doing and that is helping students learn. I think that many teachers do that and get so caught up in their lesson and how they are doing as a teacher that they lose sight of the children. Our goal is to help them learn and comprehend things. It is not about how we give the lesson, but about making sure the students understand. Mr. McClung also talks about being flexible. He states that "NO LESSON IS EVER PERFECT. THE LESSON YOU TEACH AND THE ONE YOU PLAN IS ALWAYS DIFFERENT." He is so true when he says that. Teachers plan out their lessons and want things to go exactly how they planned, but a lot of times things come up and plans need to be changed. It is key to not make a huge deal about small mistakes and teach the lesson the best way that you can. Mr. McClung also talks about being responsible and expectations that teachers have regarding their students. He points out that many teachers set high expectations for their students, but when they fail to meet them they get upset with the students. This is the worst thing teachers can do. Students are in school to learn. If they are being scolded for not understanding things then they will become discouraged. I love what Mr. McClung says when he says this "Our job as teachers is to simply pick them up after they fail, dust them off, and encourage them to try again." He is so right. We as teachers should always encourage our students to keep trying. The next thing Mr. McClung talks about is technology. He says that many adults are afraid of technology. Technology really isn't a bad thing. It can be very helpful. One thing I have learned in Dr. Strange's class is that we are all lifelong learners. We should never be afraid of new technological advances. We should always be willing to try new things because technology can only help. The last thing that Mr. McClung talks about his never stop learning. Like I said just before. We are all lifelong learners and should always be open to new ideas.
What I've Learned This Year (2010-11)
By: Mr. McClung
This post by Mr. McClung was written in regards to his third year of teaching but his first year to teach at the same school for more than a year. Mr. McClung starts off by talking about many new experiences he had during during the '10-'11 school year. These experiences are his first time being a head coach, coaching cross country, and first experience as a computer applications teacher. He then talks about knowing who your boss is. He says that many times teachers lose sight of what we are trying to do and that is teach students. Often times we start trying to please adults when instead we should be focusing on our students. He also touches on the fact that no matter what we have going on in our personal lives, we must never let if affect our job as a teacher. The point is we should always be student focused and we should always make sure that we do our best job as a teacher so that our students can learn and grow. Mr. McClung then talks about change and not expecting others to be as excited about change as you are. He says that he is the type of person that gets excited about new ideas and new things but there are also those people that do not care one bit about new ideas and would prefer to not have to learn about them. He then states that the moral of this lesson is that you can't let others get in the way of your excitement and joy about new ideas. I agree with him. If you are excited about something but a teacher you know thinks it is stupid, you shouldn't let their opinion bother you and bring you down. You should stick to what you believe in and what you think will help you teach. He then talks about not being afraid to be an outsider. This goes along with the previous topic. He says to be true to yourself and don't be afraid to be an outsider. It's okay to be different. It is okay to think differently than other teachers. Be the teacher that you want to be not the teacher that others want you to be. The next thing that he talks about is something I totally agree with. He talks about when a student has a problem understanding something, we as teachers often take over and do the task for them. We should not do that. Like Mr. McClung said, if we take over and do it for them, the student will never truly learn how to master the skill. If we keep encouraging them and helping them they will figure it out and in the end they will excel. The last thing that Mr. McClung talks about his not getting comfortable. Many teahers after a few years get into a routine. He says that he began to pick up new tasks and joined committees that prevented him from developing a routine. This is a really good idea. We should be willing to try new things and move forward.
I really enjoyed reading both of these blog posts by Mr. McClung. He makes a lot of good points and I have definitely learned a lot from reading these.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Blog Assignment 8
This Is How We Dream Part 1 and Part 2
By: Richard Miller
In part one, Richard Miller begins his video with talking about his love for books and how he "dreamed of a career working with books". He did end up writing a book that is sold on amazon.com for 59 cents. He then begins to talk about how things are changing. We do not use pen, paper, and libraries anymore, we use our computers or laptops to write things, look up books, and do research. Everything is on the internet. Miller was asked to write an article in response to the one year anniversary of the killings at Virginia Tech. He says that he was able to find all of his information on the internet, he never had to step foot in a library. Everything we want to know is on the internet. The internet is constantly being updated with new information. Miller talks about the fact that without the internet his lectures may not be published for another two years, but thanks to the internet, it can be published and made public in a matter of hours.
In part two, he speaks about the building that he has taught in for the past 16 years. He says that it was designed for the automobile because the parking lot is in the center of all of the buildings. He then talks about building a "green building" that unites the best of the humanities and the best of the sciences. The building would be a green building that is solar powered. His building looks cool and sounds cool, but it takes up the entire parking lot. He wants to build a green building, but where are the students going to park? How are they going to get to school if they can not drive to school? Maybe he has another plan for transportation that was not mentioned.
Technology has come a long way and will continue to do so. The possibilities are endless. The internet has made it very easy to get access to all kinds of information. For students, the internet and technology can be very beneficial. I still believe that paper and pencil should still be used in the classroom but, I think that technology can be beneficial also.
Blog Post # 12
By: Carly Pugh
I really liked how Carly Pugh did this blog post. It really shows her creativity. She makes an assignment that requires students to create a YouTube playlist that consists of 10 videos. She then creates her own playlist and states that "good teachers teach by example". Throughout her post she links several videos that better explain why she made the assignment. This post is like Richard Miller's ideas because it shows how we can use the internet to learn about things.
Carly Pugh ends her post with talking about how videos and projects can make learning more interesting. I agree with her. I love doing projects. I have enjoyed doing the videos for EDM310. It is a great way for people to show their creativity. In middle and high school I did several video projects such as a Veggie Tales movie and a history movie called Chapter 10. I enjoyed making each of them. As an elementary teacher I'm not sure how I would be able to get students to do a video project on their own, but I could do in class video projects with them.
The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies
I really enjoyed watching both of these videos. I really enjoy making videos, I think they can be really fun. I really want to make a cooking show video. I was hoping to be able to do that for Project # 11 the short movie project, but unfortunately I don't think that I will have time. I also think a good idea would be to make a video of a children's book. Not like the book trailer but actually make the book into a movie.
Both of these videos are great videos for EDM310. Edm310 can be very challenging and overwhelming at times. Procrastination is a huge no no when it comes to this class!
Learn to Change, Change to Learn
I enjoyed watching this video. There are several points made that I agree with. I think that there needs to be some changes in schools. A classroom should be more fun. Students need to be encouraged to be creative. Being in a classroom is for more than just learning. It helps students become responsible and it helps them work better with other children. They need to be in a school where they can gain social skills and understand how to get along with others. I believe that everyone should have a good well rounded knowledge of history and other subjects. People should not rely on the internet when they need to know something.
This video had some very good points. Yes, there needs to be some change in the classroom.
By: Richard Miller
In part one, Richard Miller begins his video with talking about his love for books and how he "dreamed of a career working with books". He did end up writing a book that is sold on amazon.com for 59 cents. He then begins to talk about how things are changing. We do not use pen, paper, and libraries anymore, we use our computers or laptops to write things, look up books, and do research. Everything is on the internet. Miller was asked to write an article in response to the one year anniversary of the killings at Virginia Tech. He says that he was able to find all of his information on the internet, he never had to step foot in a library. Everything we want to know is on the internet. The internet is constantly being updated with new information. Miller talks about the fact that without the internet his lectures may not be published for another two years, but thanks to the internet, it can be published and made public in a matter of hours.
In part two, he speaks about the building that he has taught in for the past 16 years. He says that it was designed for the automobile because the parking lot is in the center of all of the buildings. He then talks about building a "green building" that unites the best of the humanities and the best of the sciences. The building would be a green building that is solar powered. His building looks cool and sounds cool, but it takes up the entire parking lot. He wants to build a green building, but where are the students going to park? How are they going to get to school if they can not drive to school? Maybe he has another plan for transportation that was not mentioned.
Technology has come a long way and will continue to do so. The possibilities are endless. The internet has made it very easy to get access to all kinds of information. For students, the internet and technology can be very beneficial. I still believe that paper and pencil should still be used in the classroom but, I think that technology can be beneficial also.
Blog Post # 12
By: Carly Pugh
I really liked how Carly Pugh did this blog post. It really shows her creativity. She makes an assignment that requires students to create a YouTube playlist that consists of 10 videos. She then creates her own playlist and states that "good teachers teach by example". Throughout her post she links several videos that better explain why she made the assignment. This post is like Richard Miller's ideas because it shows how we can use the internet to learn about things.
Carly Pugh ends her post with talking about how videos and projects can make learning more interesting. I agree with her. I love doing projects. I have enjoyed doing the videos for EDM310. It is a great way for people to show their creativity. In middle and high school I did several video projects such as a Veggie Tales movie and a history movie called Chapter 10. I enjoyed making each of them. As an elementary teacher I'm not sure how I would be able to get students to do a video project on their own, but I could do in class video projects with them.
The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies
I really enjoyed watching both of these videos. I really enjoy making videos, I think they can be really fun. I really want to make a cooking show video. I was hoping to be able to do that for Project # 11 the short movie project, but unfortunately I don't think that I will have time. I also think a good idea would be to make a video of a children's book. Not like the book trailer but actually make the book into a movie.
Both of these videos are great videos for EDM310. Edm310 can be very challenging and overwhelming at times. Procrastination is a huge no no when it comes to this class!
Learn to Change, Change to Learn
I enjoyed watching this video. There are several points made that I agree with. I think that there needs to be some changes in schools. A classroom should be more fun. Students need to be encouraged to be creative. Being in a classroom is for more than just learning. It helps students become responsible and it helps them work better with other children. They need to be in a school where they can gain social skills and understand how to get along with others. I believe that everyone should have a good well rounded knowledge of history and other subjects. People should not rely on the internet when they need to know something.
This video had some very good points. Yes, there needs to be some change in the classroom.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Blog Assignment 7
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Randy Pausch is very inspiring. I personally could not have done what he did when he gave his last lecture. He led a very fulfilling life and he accomplished many things. After watching this video, he is someone that I admire and look up to.
Mr. Pausch starts off with telling us his childhood dreams. He then begins by telling us how he achieved all of his childhood dreams. One of his dreams was to play in the NFL. Although that dream did not come true, he did get the chance to play football throughout his childhood. Mr. Pausch learned a lot of valuable lessons from playing football. In the beginning of his lecture he shares many reasons why it is a good idea for children to play on sports teams at school. It doesn't matter if the child is great at the sport, by playing the sport they can learn good sportsman ship, how to get along well with others, how to work in groups/teams, and how to work hard towards goals. Mr. Pausch calls this 'head fake' learning. His definition of "head fake" learning is indirect learning, for example, playing a sport because it's fun, but then, gaining a better knowledge of how to get along well with others. I have never thought about "head fake" learning before, I think that it is a great to get children involved in things that will also teach them valuable lessons.
Later during his lecture, Mr. Pausch talks about some of his experiences involving "brick walls". He explains that "brick walls are not there to hold us back but to show us how bad we want something" I have never thought of brick walls in that sense. Mr. Pausch makes a very good point though, don't give up because one thing gets in the way, keep trying as hard as you can and you will eventually get to where you wanna be. One of his personal "brick walls" that he dealt with was when he was trying to become an Imagineer for Disney. When he first tried to pursue this dream he was initially turned down. However, a little later in his life he was able to have this dream and he was given the opportunity to work on a virtual reality project for Disney. Mr. Pausch had a dream and he never gave up, because he never gave up he was able to have his dream come true. He is a great example to all of us with dreams.
Mr. Pausch also speaks about how he was trying to get sabbatical so that he could go and do the project with Disney. When he was trying to do this, he went to the Dean of his department. When he first asked about it, his Dean was angry and rude to Mr. Pausch because he did not know anything about it or what he was talking about. After talking with him he then went to the Dean of Sponsored Research who also knew nothing about what he was talking about. However, the Dean of Sponsored Research was very open minded and wanted to learn more about the project with Disney. There is a huge lesson that can be learned from this. Just because you may not know something, do not be close minded about it, be open minded and want to learn about it. I will admit that I myself can be a little close minded at times. I was a little close minded about this class when it first started. I thought "oh this class isn't going to help me, this class is stupid". I was VERY wrong. This class has taught me A LOT and I take back everything I initially thought. I am very open minded to all of the things in this class because I know that they will help me in my future as a teacher.
Mr. Pausch ends his lecture with stating that there are two "head fakes" to learn from this lecture. The first "head fake" was that the lecture is "not about how to achieve your dreams but how to lead your life", I was a little surprised when he said that because what I got form his lecture was ways on how to achieve my dreams. After hearing that, I thought about it and realized that he is right. This lecture is definitely about how to lead your life, Mr. Pausch says that "if you lead your life the right way then your dreams will come true". Lead your life by excelling in whatever you do and never giving up. He then revealed the second "head fake" which was that "this talk wasn't for you, it was for my kids". When he said that I was really "wowed" Mr. Pausch obviously cares for is family very much. This lecture is about his life, his dreams, and his achievements. His children will learn a lot of valuable things from their dad when they watch this lecture. In my eyes, Mr. Pausch is an awesome person. He achieved a lot of amazing things in his life.
I am a HUGE Cinderella fan. Since I was a little kid I have always loved her and the movie. This quote is one of my all time favorite quotes. :)
Randy Pausch is very inspiring. I personally could not have done what he did when he gave his last lecture. He led a very fulfilling life and he accomplished many things. After watching this video, he is someone that I admire and look up to.
Mr. Pausch starts off with telling us his childhood dreams. He then begins by telling us how he achieved all of his childhood dreams. One of his dreams was to play in the NFL. Although that dream did not come true, he did get the chance to play football throughout his childhood. Mr. Pausch learned a lot of valuable lessons from playing football. In the beginning of his lecture he shares many reasons why it is a good idea for children to play on sports teams at school. It doesn't matter if the child is great at the sport, by playing the sport they can learn good sportsman ship, how to get along well with others, how to work in groups/teams, and how to work hard towards goals. Mr. Pausch calls this 'head fake' learning. His definition of "head fake" learning is indirect learning, for example, playing a sport because it's fun, but then, gaining a better knowledge of how to get along well with others. I have never thought about "head fake" learning before, I think that it is a great to get children involved in things that will also teach them valuable lessons.
Later during his lecture, Mr. Pausch talks about some of his experiences involving "brick walls". He explains that "brick walls are not there to hold us back but to show us how bad we want something" I have never thought of brick walls in that sense. Mr. Pausch makes a very good point though, don't give up because one thing gets in the way, keep trying as hard as you can and you will eventually get to where you wanna be. One of his personal "brick walls" that he dealt with was when he was trying to become an Imagineer for Disney. When he first tried to pursue this dream he was initially turned down. However, a little later in his life he was able to have this dream and he was given the opportunity to work on a virtual reality project for Disney. Mr. Pausch had a dream and he never gave up, because he never gave up he was able to have his dream come true. He is a great example to all of us with dreams.
Mr. Pausch also speaks about how he was trying to get sabbatical so that he could go and do the project with Disney. When he was trying to do this, he went to the Dean of his department. When he first asked about it, his Dean was angry and rude to Mr. Pausch because he did not know anything about it or what he was talking about. After talking with him he then went to the Dean of Sponsored Research who also knew nothing about what he was talking about. However, the Dean of Sponsored Research was very open minded and wanted to learn more about the project with Disney. There is a huge lesson that can be learned from this. Just because you may not know something, do not be close minded about it, be open minded and want to learn about it. I will admit that I myself can be a little close minded at times. I was a little close minded about this class when it first started. I thought "oh this class isn't going to help me, this class is stupid". I was VERY wrong. This class has taught me A LOT and I take back everything I initially thought. I am very open minded to all of the things in this class because I know that they will help me in my future as a teacher.
Mr. Pausch ends his lecture with stating that there are two "head fakes" to learn from this lecture. The first "head fake" was that the lecture is "not about how to achieve your dreams but how to lead your life", I was a little surprised when he said that because what I got form his lecture was ways on how to achieve my dreams. After hearing that, I thought about it and realized that he is right. This lecture is definitely about how to lead your life, Mr. Pausch says that "if you lead your life the right way then your dreams will come true". Lead your life by excelling in whatever you do and never giving up. He then revealed the second "head fake" which was that "this talk wasn't for you, it was for my kids". When he said that I was really "wowed" Mr. Pausch obviously cares for is family very much. This lecture is about his life, his dreams, and his achievements. His children will learn a lot of valuable things from their dad when they watch this lecture. In my eyes, Mr. Pausch is an awesome person. He achieved a lot of amazing things in his life.
I am a HUGE Cinderella fan. Since I was a little kid I have always loved her and the movie. This quote is one of my all time favorite quotes. :)
My PLN Post 1
For my PLN I used Symbaloo. Symbaloo really made it easy for me to add all of my favorite websites. For my PLN I added the websites I use on a weekly basis. These websites include, Google, Dictionary.com, USA Online, and some others. I added a link to the Pinterest website. Pinterest is a neat website. It lets you "pin" things that you like and things that you are interested in, it also lets you upload your own personal pins. I also added a link to a blog that I love, this blog is Keiko Lynn. Her blog is about fashion, makeup and clothes. It keeps me up to date with with the latest trends. My PLN is pretty simple right now but I definitely plan to keep adding to it.
Monday, October 3, 2011
C4T #2
C4T Comment 1 on Eva Buyuksimkesyan's Blog A Journey in TEFL
On Eva's blog she hosted a Blog Carnival. From what I read, I think a blog carnival is when many people share share different links and different ideas. For this blog carnival she asked for ideas for activities to do in the first week of school. I commented on her blog post saying that I loved the idea. There were many great ideas that I hope to use one day.
C4T Comment 2
On Eva's blog she did a post of a photoblog challenge. She posted 2 similar pictures with a cat in them and 3 tasks regarding the pictures.
Tasks:
Find at least 5 similarities between the pictures.
How are the cats different from each other?
Which of these cats would you take as a pet? Give your reasons.
I commented on her blog saying that I had never heard of a photoblog challenge because I am still very new to blogging. I also said that it looks fun and interesting and that it has given me ideas of things I can do with blogs in my future as a teacher.
On Eva's blog she hosted a Blog Carnival. From what I read, I think a blog carnival is when many people share share different links and different ideas. For this blog carnival she asked for ideas for activities to do in the first week of school. I commented on her blog post saying that I loved the idea. There were many great ideas that I hope to use one day.
C4T Comment 2
On Eva's blog she did a post of a photoblog challenge. She posted 2 similar pictures with a cat in them and 3 tasks regarding the pictures.
Tasks:
Find at least 5 similarities between the pictures.
How are the cats different from each other?
Which of these cats would you take as a pet? Give your reasons.
I commented on her blog saying that I had never heard of a photoblog challenge because I am still very new to blogging. I also said that it looks fun and interesting and that it has given me ideas of things I can do with blogs in my future as a teacher.
Friday, September 30, 2011
C4K Summary Post (September)
C4k #1
For my first comment for kid I was assigned to Victoria. Victoria attends school at the Pt England School. Victoria's class did a Multiple Intelligence test and posted their results on their blogs. I commented on hers saying that taking a M.I. test is really neat and can give you a different look on things. Her post has given me an idea of something I can do in the future as a teacher.
C4k #2
For my second comment, the class did a project where they discovered how many words they could type in one minute. I did the project and I typed 70 words per minutes. I commented telling them my score and that I thought it was a creative project.
C4k #3
For my third comment for kid I was assigned to Vatzana. Vatzana goes to school at St. Elmo. Her class did a video called "We are Similar Because..." In the video each student said how they are similar and how they are different from others. Vatzana said that she was respectful and creative. I commented to her saying that being respectful and creative are great things. I also said that respectfulness and creativity can take you very far in life!
In the video, the kids seemed to have really enjoyed making the video. They all showed their creativity and did a great job.
C4k #4
For my fourth comment for kid I was assigned to Max. For Max's blog assignment he was to create an avatar that was like him. His avatar looked like him, wore a hat representing a baseball team he likes, is holding a cat, and wearing a baseball glove. His avatar represented several things that he himself enjoys. I commented on his post saying that he did a great job with his avatar. I also told him that I too like cats and baseball. His avatar really showed his creativity.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Blog Assignment 6
The Networked Student
By: Wendy Drexler
This video explains how a student at the 21st Century Highschool uses the internet for learning. This student uses Google Scholar to collect data and information from credible websites that he will need for class. He has a blog that he uses for class (like our blogs for EDM310) that his fellow classmates can comment on and share thoughts.
"Why does the networked student even need a teacher?" He needs a teacher because a teacher is there for guidance and support. Teachers are there to help their students learn.
I feel that I am fully prepared to teach a "networked student". However, I do not wish to be a teacher of a "networked student". I think that students need to learn in a classroom setting, not at their own convenience using the internet.
A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)
This girl seems to do a really good job in school. She seems to know how to navigate through the internet and apply it to her school work. I have not completed my PLN yet so I can't really compare her PLE to my PLN. I think that her PLE is neat. It seems to be very beneficial to learning and she seems to enjoy it.
By: Wendy Drexler
This video explains how a student at the 21st Century Highschool uses the internet for learning. This student uses Google Scholar to collect data and information from credible websites that he will need for class. He has a blog that he uses for class (like our blogs for EDM310) that his fellow classmates can comment on and share thoughts.
"Why does the networked student even need a teacher?" He needs a teacher because a teacher is there for guidance and support. Teachers are there to help their students learn.
I feel that I am fully prepared to teach a "networked student". However, I do not wish to be a teacher of a "networked student". I think that students need to learn in a classroom setting, not at their own convenience using the internet.
A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)
This girl seems to do a really good job in school. She seems to know how to navigate through the internet and apply it to her school work. I have not completed my PLN yet so I can't really compare her PLE to my PLN. I think that her PLE is neat. It seems to be very beneficial to learning and she seems to enjoy it.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Blog Assignment 5
Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
By: Scott McLeod
I really enjoyed reading this blog post. Scott McLeod makes a very good point. I completely agree with what he had to say. Parents need to realize that technology and the internet can help their children learn. They need to realize that yes, there are bad things out there, but with proper instruction and teaching their children can learn what to stay away from.
Dr. McLeod is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He recognized as one of the nation's leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues. Dr. McLeod has been awarded with many honors such as Leader in Learning by the cable industry, an Emerging Leader by Phi Delta Kappa International, one of the National School Board Association’s 20 To Watch, and many more.
The iSchool Initiative
Zeitgeist Young Mind's Entry
By: Travis Allen
Travis Allen's the iSchool is a very neat idea. I'm not sure if I completely agree with the idea but, I do think it is a good one. I think that there should still be books, paper, and pencils in school. Part of leaning is taking notes and reading books. Yes, you can read books and take notes with the iSchool but, staring at a small iTouch or iPad all day can not be that good for your eyes, it certainly bothers mine. I personally think that actually writing notes down on paper is beneficial to me because it helps me remember them if I write them.
One thing I really liked about the iSchool was that you can store everything on one device. No backpack filled with heavy books and binders, no lockers, and no planners. The more I think about the iSchool the more I think that it is a good idea. I am still torn though because I feel that the traditional methods of teaching should still be used. With the iSchool there are many benefits such as low cost and the saving of paper but, I do not think that the iSchool is the solution to the education system's problems.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
After watching this video, the first thing that came to my mind was WOW! This is an amazing use of technology and the internet. For someone to be able to use technology and the internet in this way is just awesome. In a way this brings each of the 185 people together. Even though they are not in the same place, they are all participating in this epic movie that tons of people will view. This video just goes to show that with technology and the internet, just about anything is possible.
Teaching in the 21st Century
By: Kevin Roberts
Kevin Roberts thinks that to teach in the 21st century means that, books, paper, and pencil should be replaced by laptops, iPads, and e-books. He also thinks that Students should learn skills, not just information such as history and science. He suggests that students be taught how to do things and what to do in certain situations. I am not so sure that I completely agree with him. I think that students should still have to write down notes and read actual text books. I think that students should also be taught all of the main subjects. I believe that everyone should have a good well rounded knowledge of history, science, and other subjects. If Kevin Roberts is correct, it will effect teachers in many ways. Teachers will be using podcasts, computers, iPads and other technological devices to teach. Books, paper, and pencil will not be used anymore.
I think that technology is great and I think that it can be very helpful. However, I do not think that it should take over education. As long as it is used the right way, it can certainly be beneficial to students and teachers.
By: Scott McLeod
I really enjoyed reading this blog post. Scott McLeod makes a very good point. I completely agree with what he had to say. Parents need to realize that technology and the internet can help their children learn. They need to realize that yes, there are bad things out there, but with proper instruction and teaching their children can learn what to stay away from.
Dr. McLeod is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He recognized as one of the nation's leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues. Dr. McLeod has been awarded with many honors such as Leader in Learning by the cable industry, an Emerging Leader by Phi Delta Kappa International, one of the National School Board Association’s 20 To Watch, and many more.
The iSchool Initiative
Zeitgeist Young Mind's Entry
By: Travis Allen
Travis Allen's the iSchool is a very neat idea. I'm not sure if I completely agree with the idea but, I do think it is a good one. I think that there should still be books, paper, and pencils in school. Part of leaning is taking notes and reading books. Yes, you can read books and take notes with the iSchool but, staring at a small iTouch or iPad all day can not be that good for your eyes, it certainly bothers mine. I personally think that actually writing notes down on paper is beneficial to me because it helps me remember them if I write them.
One thing I really liked about the iSchool was that you can store everything on one device. No backpack filled with heavy books and binders, no lockers, and no planners. The more I think about the iSchool the more I think that it is a good idea. I am still torn though because I feel that the traditional methods of teaching should still be used. With the iSchool there are many benefits such as low cost and the saving of paper but, I do not think that the iSchool is the solution to the education system's problems.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
After watching this video, the first thing that came to my mind was WOW! This is an amazing use of technology and the internet. For someone to be able to use technology and the internet in this way is just awesome. In a way this brings each of the 185 people together. Even though they are not in the same place, they are all participating in this epic movie that tons of people will view. This video just goes to show that with technology and the internet, just about anything is possible.
Teaching in the 21st Century
By: Kevin Roberts
Kevin Roberts thinks that to teach in the 21st century means that, books, paper, and pencil should be replaced by laptops, iPads, and e-books. He also thinks that Students should learn skills, not just information such as history and science. He suggests that students be taught how to do things and what to do in certain situations. I am not so sure that I completely agree with him. I think that students should still have to write down notes and read actual text books. I think that students should also be taught all of the main subjects. I believe that everyone should have a good well rounded knowledge of history, science, and other subjects. If Kevin Roberts is correct, it will effect teachers in many ways. Teachers will be using podcasts, computers, iPads and other technological devices to teach. Books, paper, and pencil will not be used anymore.
I think that technology is great and I think that it can be very helpful. However, I do not think that it should take over education. As long as it is used the right way, it can certainly be beneficial to students and teachers.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Blog Assignment #4
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better
After reading this article I found out that iPods can be used in many ways. Many people think that iPods are only used for listening to music; however, they can be used for studying, reading books, and learning. iPod' and iPad's are not only good for adults but for children as well. Young children can play games that help them learn their colors, alphabet, animals, and many more. Apple now makes a lot of different apps that can be very beneficial when it comes to learning.
Benefits of Podcasting
By: Joe Dale
After watching this video I realized that there are many benefits to podcasting. With podcasting, teachers can record their lectures so that their students can re-watch them for review. Podcasting can also be used as a good project for students. Students can come up with their own ideas and make their own podcast. Podcasts can be of great use for students that have to miss school because they are sick. Teachers can upload each of their lectures so that the student can listen to them or watch them from their home computer. Podcasting is also good for parents. If a child is having trouble with a certain subject, the parent can watch the podcast so that they can better help their child. Podcasting is also an opportunity for parents to get involved by seeing what goes on in the classroom.
Langwitches
After reading the article “1st Graders Create Their Own Read-Along Audiobook” I was very impressed. Each student in the class read a part of a story and was recorded. Once the entire story was recorded, she turned it into a podcast. The teacher then created a little booklet so that the children could follow along as they listened to the podcast. The students really enjoyed listening to the podcast and following along with their booklet. I thought that this was a great idea. It really gets the students involved and excited about learning. I plan to do projects like this in my class room when I am a teacher.
After reading this article I found out that iPods can be used in many ways. Many people think that iPods are only used for listening to music; however, they can be used for studying, reading books, and learning. iPod' and iPad's are not only good for adults but for children as well. Young children can play games that help them learn their colors, alphabet, animals, and many more. Apple now makes a lot of different apps that can be very beneficial when it comes to learning.
Benefits of Podcasting
By: Joe Dale
After watching this video I realized that there are many benefits to podcasting. With podcasting, teachers can record their lectures so that their students can re-watch them for review. Podcasting can also be used as a good project for students. Students can come up with their own ideas and make their own podcast. Podcasts can be of great use for students that have to miss school because they are sick. Teachers can upload each of their lectures so that the student can listen to them or watch them from their home computer. Podcasting is also good for parents. If a child is having trouble with a certain subject, the parent can watch the podcast so that they can better help their child. Podcasting is also an opportunity for parents to get involved by seeing what goes on in the classroom.
Langwitches
After reading the article “1st Graders Create Their Own Read-Along Audiobook” I was very impressed. Each student in the class read a part of a story and was recorded. Once the entire story was recorded, she turned it into a podcast. The teacher then created a little booklet so that the children could follow along as they listened to the podcast. The students really enjoyed listening to the podcast and following along with their booklet. I thought that this was a great idea. It really gets the students involved and excited about learning. I plan to do projects like this in my class room when I am a teacher.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Blog Assignment 3
For the classmates blog that I had, I gave advice publicly on her blog. The blog post was very enjoyable to read. I agreed with my classmate on most everything that she had to say and she was very clear in everything that she had to say. I noticed very few grammatical and spelling errors. I chose to give advice publicly because I feel that there is no shame in making mistakes. We are all learners and we will continue to be learners throughout the rest of our lives.
It's Not about the Technology by: Kelly Hines
I am going to start off by saying that I completely agree with what Kelly Hines has to say. It most certainly is not all about the technology. Technology can be very helpful when it comes to teaching and learning however, technology is not going to solve every one's problems. I love when she says that "teachers today must be perpetual learners who are invested in their professions". This statement is very true. Technology is changing every day and so are current trends. As teachers we must stay up to date with technology and trends so that we can teach our students successfully. Kelly Hines says that technology is useless without good teaching. I agree with that statement. Schools spend thousands of dollars on new "teaching tools" because they think it will help the teachers teach however, if the teacher is unsure of how to use the tool and has not been taught properly then the tool is useless. As teachers we must accept the new technology and be eager to learn about how to use new things.
Technology can be great until it is misused. Some teachers may think that they can not teach and that students cannot learn with out all of the new technology. They are wrong. As long as we (teachers) encourage students to be creative and we teach them problem solving skills and critical thinking skills with little to no technology, students will be prepared for the future.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I agree and disagree with what Karl Fisch has to say in this blog post. I agree and think that teachers should be technologically literate. Every class room in the school that I graduated from had a computer in it. If teachers do not know anything about technology, they would be lost. Technology has come a long way in the education system and it has many benefits. Technology can help students learn but, really it just makes it easier for teachers to lecture and teach. I agree with him when he says that we as teachers need to explore with our students and that we need to experience the tools that they'll be using in the 21st century. I think as teachers we need to know what our students are doing so that we can better understand them.
Karl Fish states "If a teacher today is not technologically literate- and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more- it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write." I think that that is a bit extreme. I do not think that being technologically illiterate will hurt a teacher. Technology doesn't determine whether or not a teacher can teach. I think that technology can only benefit a teacher and their methods of teaching.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
After watching the Social Media Count I was in shock. It is mind blowing how much the numbers change. I feel that in my future, as a teacher, I will be using the Internet a lot. I think that standards are changing that blogging will become more common and that social networking will be used in education. I'm still not on board with the blogging and the social networking being used in the classroom but I suppose I will have to come around eventually. These numbers are changing so rapidly and these days people younger and younger are using technology.
I would not be surprised if in the near future every student had a lap top or sat a computer in all of their classrooms. Each day more and more people are starting "journeys" on the Internet with Facebook, twitter, Google +, and many others. I feel that one day these things will become standards for every student to have
and to use on a daily basis.
Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
This video was a very interesting video and I very much enjoyed watching it. This video has opened my eyes and made me think about how much things have changed over the years.
One thing that stood out to me was when one of the students held up a piece of paper saying that her neighbor paid for the class but never comes to class. I have seen this in all of classes at The University of South Alabama. I think that teachers should reward those that come class. Obviously we are adults and must make the decision to come to class on our own. If students are rewarded with bonus points they then have an initiative to come to class and may be more motivated to come. I also think that when students bring laptops to class it can be a distraction. One student said that she brings her laptop to class but does not do school work. This too is a problem that occurs in the classrooms at South. Yes, laptops can benefit those who bring them to class and actually do school work but, when they are not used to do school work it is a huge distraction. Technology and the way students are being taught has changed a lot over the years and is going to keep changing in the future.
It's Not about the Technology by: Kelly Hines
I am going to start off by saying that I completely agree with what Kelly Hines has to say. It most certainly is not all about the technology. Technology can be very helpful when it comes to teaching and learning however, technology is not going to solve every one's problems. I love when she says that "teachers today must be perpetual learners who are invested in their professions". This statement is very true. Technology is changing every day and so are current trends. As teachers we must stay up to date with technology and trends so that we can teach our students successfully. Kelly Hines says that technology is useless without good teaching. I agree with that statement. Schools spend thousands of dollars on new "teaching tools" because they think it will help the teachers teach however, if the teacher is unsure of how to use the tool and has not been taught properly then the tool is useless. As teachers we must accept the new technology and be eager to learn about how to use new things.
Technology can be great until it is misused. Some teachers may think that they can not teach and that students cannot learn with out all of the new technology. They are wrong. As long as we (teachers) encourage students to be creative and we teach them problem solving skills and critical thinking skills with little to no technology, students will be prepared for the future.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I agree and disagree with what Karl Fisch has to say in this blog post. I agree and think that teachers should be technologically literate. Every class room in the school that I graduated from had a computer in it. If teachers do not know anything about technology, they would be lost. Technology has come a long way in the education system and it has many benefits. Technology can help students learn but, really it just makes it easier for teachers to lecture and teach. I agree with him when he says that we as teachers need to explore with our students and that we need to experience the tools that they'll be using in the 21st century. I think as teachers we need to know what our students are doing so that we can better understand them.
Karl Fish states "If a teacher today is not technologically literate- and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more- it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write." I think that that is a bit extreme. I do not think that being technologically illiterate will hurt a teacher. Technology doesn't determine whether or not a teacher can teach. I think that technology can only benefit a teacher and their methods of teaching.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
After watching the Social Media Count I was in shock. It is mind blowing how much the numbers change. I feel that in my future, as a teacher, I will be using the Internet a lot. I think that standards are changing that blogging will become more common and that social networking will be used in education. I'm still not on board with the blogging and the social networking being used in the classroom but I suppose I will have to come around eventually. These numbers are changing so rapidly and these days people younger and younger are using technology.
I would not be surprised if in the near future every student had a lap top or sat a computer in all of their classrooms. Each day more and more people are starting "journeys" on the Internet with Facebook, twitter, Google +, and many others. I feel that one day these things will become standards for every student to have
and to use on a daily basis.
Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
This video was a very interesting video and I very much enjoyed watching it. This video has opened my eyes and made me think about how much things have changed over the years.
One thing that stood out to me was when one of the students held up a piece of paper saying that her neighbor paid for the class but never comes to class. I have seen this in all of classes at The University of South Alabama. I think that teachers should reward those that come class. Obviously we are adults and must make the decision to come to class on our own. If students are rewarded with bonus points they then have an initiative to come to class and may be more motivated to come. I also think that when students bring laptops to class it can be a distraction. One student said that she brings her laptop to class but does not do school work. This too is a problem that occurs in the classrooms at South. Yes, laptops can benefit those who bring them to class and actually do school work but, when they are not used to do school work it is a huge distraction. Technology and the way students are being taught has changed a lot over the years and is going to keep changing in the future.
C4T #1
C4T comment 1 on Karl Fisch's Blog, The Fischbowl
Karl Fisch assigned his algebra student's their first writing/blog assignment. They were instructed to talk about how their first week of school has been and any concerns they may have. The student's are also told to set three goals for themselves for this semester. One goal related to the school in general such as grades or sports, a second goal related to Mr. Fisch's algebra class, and a third goal outside of school.
I left Mr. Fisch a comment saying that I love the idea of his first writing/blog assignment. I said that it is a good way to learn about his student's and their goals. I also said that more teacher's should assign their student's to do the same thing so that the teachers can better understand their students.
C4T comment 2 on Karl Fisch's Blog, The Fischbowl
My second comment was on Mr. Fisch's blog post of a video called Iowa, Did You Know? This video is an Iowa specific verson of Did You Know? Mr. Fisch says that he thinks this could be a good conversation starter. I commented saying that I agree with him, the material in this video can be a good conversation starter. I also said that the video is very interesting and that all of the statistics are mind blowing. One of the statistics that really caught my eye was that 25% of american family's live in a house with only cell phones and I am one of those families.
Karl Fisch assigned his algebra student's their first writing/blog assignment. They were instructed to talk about how their first week of school has been and any concerns they may have. The student's are also told to set three goals for themselves for this semester. One goal related to the school in general such as grades or sports, a second goal related to Mr. Fisch's algebra class, and a third goal outside of school.
I left Mr. Fisch a comment saying that I love the idea of his first writing/blog assignment. I said that it is a good way to learn about his student's and their goals. I also said that more teacher's should assign their student's to do the same thing so that the teachers can better understand their students.
C4T comment 2 on Karl Fisch's Blog, The Fischbowl
My second comment was on Mr. Fisch's blog post of a video called Iowa, Did You Know? This video is an Iowa specific verson of Did You Know? Mr. Fisch says that he thinks this could be a good conversation starter. I commented saying that I agree with him, the material in this video can be a good conversation starter. I also said that the video is very interesting and that all of the statistics are mind blowing. One of the statistics that really caught my eye was that 25% of american family's live in a house with only cell phones and I am one of those families.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Blog Assignment 2
Did You Know 3.0
By: Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod
Did You Know 3.0 is a very interesting video. It shows how much technology is growing. It also shows that we are constantly learning and opening out eyes to new experiences. One fact said that the top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004. It also said that we are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist.
The statistics in this video are mind blowing. Something that really caught my eye was how rapidly the earths population is growing. During the video 67 babies were born in the U.S., 274 babies were born in China, and 395 babies were born in India. This makes me wonder, where are all of these people going to go? Is there enough room on Earth for all of these people? This video helps us to understand that we depend on technology in ways we did not realize, it shows that we use technology to help us solve problems that will effect us in the future.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
By: Mathew Needleman
In the video Mr. Winkle Wakes, Mr. Winkle wakes up after being asleep for 100 years. This videos shows Mr. Winkle walking through a city and encountering many new things such as computers and machines in hospitals. The one thing that had not changed and that was familiar to Mr. Winkle was a school filled with students listening to their teachers lecture.
This video shows how much technology changes over the years. Mr. Winkle is uncomfortable with the new technology but, in my opinion, the new technology is a good thing. The fact that the methods of teaching had not changed was comforting to Mr. Winkle. I also like the fact that the methods of teaching has not changed very much. I think that to much technology can take away from learning.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson stresses the importance of creativity and education. I agree with what he has to say. He thinks that creativity is being done away with and that students are being told what to learn and what to do. Students are being told that without education, they can not be successful; but what about the students who have trouble learning in school? The students that want to use their creativity to become successful? Those students are being shut down. I think that creativity is very important and that schools should put more emphasis on creativity.
Robinson shows a concern of academic inflation. In today's society it is becoming harder and harder to find a good job with just a 4 year degree. Many students are going the extra mile and furthering their education which makes it easier for companies to require that their employees have more than just a 4 year degree. Students have grown to fear being wrong which leads to less risks being taken. If teachers could focus more on creativity and students could learn to not fear being wrong, many people might pursue creative careers such as art and dance.
Cecelia Gault (Young Student in Finland) Interviews Sir Ken Robinson
By: Cecelia Gault
In this video Sir Ken Robinson is being interviewed by Cecilia Gault. One thing she asks him about is the three myths of creativity. Robinsons response to the first myth that only certain people are creative is that the myth is not true. I agree with him and I think that everyone is creative in their own way and that different interests can spark different types of creativity. I also agree with his thoughts on the second myth of creativity that creativity can only be about certain things. Robinson says that creativity can be about anything. Robinsons response to the third myth of creativity that you are either creative or your're not is that you can teach people to be creative. I agree with him and I think that to help someone be creative all you need to do is get them to try new things and open up their minds to new ideas and perhaps spark to new interests.
Robinson states that he think that computers should be at the center of education. I disagree. I think that computers are very useful and can be of great help, however, I think that to much use of computers can take away from the learning experience.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smart
By: Vicki Davis
Vicki Davis has created her own method of teaching. She states that not all students can succeed with just pencil and paper, however, by using technology all students are encouraged to succeed.
I do not agree with her. She is teaching her students things that they can learn on their own. I think that students should learn about math, science, language, and the history of the world while they are in school. I also think students can benefit from knowing how to blog and how to do things on a computer, however, I do not think that those things should be taught in the classroom.
By: Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod
Did You Know 3.0 is a very interesting video. It shows how much technology is growing. It also shows that we are constantly learning and opening out eyes to new experiences. One fact said that the top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004. It also said that we are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist.
The statistics in this video are mind blowing. Something that really caught my eye was how rapidly the earths population is growing. During the video 67 babies were born in the U.S., 274 babies were born in China, and 395 babies were born in India. This makes me wonder, where are all of these people going to go? Is there enough room on Earth for all of these people? This video helps us to understand that we depend on technology in ways we did not realize, it shows that we use technology to help us solve problems that will effect us in the future.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
By: Mathew Needleman
In the video Mr. Winkle Wakes, Mr. Winkle wakes up after being asleep for 100 years. This videos shows Mr. Winkle walking through a city and encountering many new things such as computers and machines in hospitals. The one thing that had not changed and that was familiar to Mr. Winkle was a school filled with students listening to their teachers lecture.
This video shows how much technology changes over the years. Mr. Winkle is uncomfortable with the new technology but, in my opinion, the new technology is a good thing. The fact that the methods of teaching had not changed was comforting to Mr. Winkle. I also like the fact that the methods of teaching has not changed very much. I think that to much technology can take away from learning.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson stresses the importance of creativity and education. I agree with what he has to say. He thinks that creativity is being done away with and that students are being told what to learn and what to do. Students are being told that without education, they can not be successful; but what about the students who have trouble learning in school? The students that want to use their creativity to become successful? Those students are being shut down. I think that creativity is very important and that schools should put more emphasis on creativity.
Robinson shows a concern of academic inflation. In today's society it is becoming harder and harder to find a good job with just a 4 year degree. Many students are going the extra mile and furthering their education which makes it easier for companies to require that their employees have more than just a 4 year degree. Students have grown to fear being wrong which leads to less risks being taken. If teachers could focus more on creativity and students could learn to not fear being wrong, many people might pursue creative careers such as art and dance.
Cecelia Gault (Young Student in Finland) Interviews Sir Ken Robinson
By: Cecelia Gault
In this video Sir Ken Robinson is being interviewed by Cecilia Gault. One thing she asks him about is the three myths of creativity. Robinsons response to the first myth that only certain people are creative is that the myth is not true. I agree with him and I think that everyone is creative in their own way and that different interests can spark different types of creativity. I also agree with his thoughts on the second myth of creativity that creativity can only be about certain things. Robinson says that creativity can be about anything. Robinsons response to the third myth of creativity that you are either creative or your're not is that you can teach people to be creative. I agree with him and I think that to help someone be creative all you need to do is get them to try new things and open up their minds to new ideas and perhaps spark to new interests.
Robinson states that he think that computers should be at the center of education. I disagree. I think that computers are very useful and can be of great help, however, I think that to much use of computers can take away from the learning experience.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smart
By: Vicki Davis
Vicki Davis has created her own method of teaching. She states that not all students can succeed with just pencil and paper, however, by using technology all students are encouraged to succeed.
I do not agree with her. She is teaching her students things that they can learn on their own. I think that students should learn about math, science, language, and the history of the world while they are in school. I also think students can benefit from knowing how to blog and how to do things on a computer, however, I do not think that those things should be taught in the classroom.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Blog Assignment 1
I was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. I am an elementary education major. I love children and I hope to teach kindergarten one day. I love to travel. My most recent vacation was to California with one of my best friends. A goal of mine is to visit Uganda, Africa. My aunt and uncle are living there doing mission work and they are the ones who inspired me to become a teacher. They have started several schools and created their own type of education system that is well on its way to becoming the education system for the entire country of Uganda. One of my dreams is to move there for a year or two and teach in one of their schools. I have a twin sister named Chelsea. For eighteen years my sister and I lived in the same house and went to school together. When we decided on what colleges we wanted to go to she decided on The University of Alabama and I decided on The University of South Alabama. Our freshman year of college was pretty tough on us both because we had never been apart for that long. Thanks to Skype we were able to still see each other on a weekly basis and catch up on each others lives.
All throughout middle and high school I was a cheerleader and took gymnastics. Unfortunately i was unable to cheer here at South because after years and years of gymnastics I now have a pars defect in my L5 vertebra (defect in my lower back). On top of my back issues, both of my knees are bad and constantly causing me problems and pain. My back and knee issues have caused me to "retire" early however, they have not taken away my hope of one day opening my own gym and teaching gymnastics to tons of children! I also have a love for J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings. I'm not sure why I love it so much but there is just something about it that draws me to it. I love the beach, I have hopes of one day living on Dauphin Island. I also love boating, fishing, Disney World, and trees. :)
I pretty much knew everything that Dr. Pausch talked about. I agree with everything he says and I definitely try to practice some of the things that he talks about such as making do to lists and having a plan for everything. However, I will admit that I am not always organized and on top everything. I do let myself get overwhelmed with things but after listening to what he had to say I am going to try harder to make sure that I manage my time better.
All throughout middle and high school I was a cheerleader and took gymnastics. Unfortunately i was unable to cheer here at South because after years and years of gymnastics I now have a pars defect in my L5 vertebra (defect in my lower back). On top of my back issues, both of my knees are bad and constantly causing me problems and pain. My back and knee issues have caused me to "retire" early however, they have not taken away my hope of one day opening my own gym and teaching gymnastics to tons of children! I also have a love for J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings. I'm not sure why I love it so much but there is just something about it that draws me to it. I love the beach, I have hopes of one day living on Dauphin Island. I also love boating, fishing, Disney World, and trees. :)
I pretty much knew everything that Dr. Pausch talked about. I agree with everything he says and I definitely try to practice some of the things that he talks about such as making do to lists and having a plan for everything. However, I will admit that I am not always organized and on top everything. I do let myself get overwhelmed with things but after listening to what he had to say I am going to try harder to make sure that I manage my time better.
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