Sunday, December 7, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Blog Post #5 part 2
I have definitely expanded my PLN and I plan on continuing to expand it well after this class is over. It's a great resource for teachers. It allows us to keep up with the latest ideas and work together without having to meet everyday. With everyone's busy schedules I feel like this is a much easier way to interact with each other daily. I'm glad I've grown with my PLN.
C4T Summary
For my first C4T I commented on teachingmatters.org's blog post. He posted about educating new teachers. He stated that we should focus more on how we educate our teachers. He was very thorough in explaining his method for making our teachers better educators. I commented and told him that I really enjoyed his post and that I completely agreed that changing our education system for the better begins with our educators first. I also said that I liked his comments about technology in the classroom.
The second post I commented on was by trice25.edublogs.org. They began with a Mark Twain quote about imagination and went on to explain how people perceive different things differently. They made the example that two people can be walking together and witness the same thing happen yet come out with two different stories. People will always have different points of view and describe things in their own way. I commented saying how impressed I was by their blog post and how I absolutely agree that people do see things differently. I stated that I experience this at least a few times a week if not more. I thought it was a great post.
The second post I commented on was by trice25.edublogs.org. They began with a Mark Twain quote about imagination and went on to explain how people perceive different things differently. They made the example that two people can be walking together and witness the same thing happen yet come out with two different stories. People will always have different points of view and describe things in their own way. I commented saying how impressed I was by their blog post and how I absolutely agree that people do see things differently. I stated that I experience this at least a few times a week if not more. I thought it was a great post.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Blog post #14
I really liked reading the article Teaching Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein. It's very interesting reading ideas and thoughts from someone that operated the New York City's public school system for 8 years. I always feel like big ideas or events begin up north and slowly move their way down south over time. It seems that the north part of our country is quicker to change their ways and go with a plan than the south part of our country so it was interesting for me in that aspect of things. I really like his idea of professionalizing teaching. I agree that it should be more well respected as well. It is one of the most important professions in our country.
The seniority distraction part was an eye-opener for me. Joel states "job security and seniority dictate the way our schools operate." This is very true but not always a great thing. People that are more used to teaching will have many great ideas and suggestions I'm sure, but they also may be a little more set in their ways and not as open to new ideas for the classroom that might actually be a greater benefit to our country's education system. His views were very intriguing to me and I'd actually enjoy reading a little further into the topic.
The seniority distraction part was an eye-opener for me. Joel states "job security and seniority dictate the way our schools operate." This is very true but not always a great thing. People that are more used to teaching will have many great ideas and suggestions I'm sure, but they also may be a little more set in their ways and not as open to new ideas for the classroom that might actually be a greater benefit to our country's education system. His views were very intriguing to me and I'd actually enjoy reading a little further into the topic.
Project #6 C4K for November
For my first C4K I had to comment on Trevor C's post about saving money. Trevor told about how he saves his money and what he uses it for when he is ready to spend it. I commented on his post sharing that I too save my money and that I like to shop or pay bills when I have some to spend.
For the next post my C4k did not change. I was slightly confused but I just commented on one of Trevor's older posts to be safe. On the next post Trevor talked about what Veterans Day is and why we celebrate it. I commented and told Trevor that he did a very good job and that Veterans Day is special to me because I have many family members that have served our country.
For the next post my C4k did not change. I was slightly confused but I just commented on one of Trevor's older posts to be safe. On the next post Trevor talked about what Veterans Day is and why we celebrate it. I commented and told Trevor that he did a very good job and that Veterans Day is special to me because I have many family members that have served our country.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Blog Post #13
Write a blog post describing an art project you will have your students do.
Answer the following questions in your post:
1. What is the art assignment?
2. How will you incorporate technology into this art project?
For my art assignment to my students I will have each student creat a collage of all of their favorite things in life. They can add pictures of their families, pets, favorite games or other items. They can glue 3 dimensional objects (if not too big) to their collage. As we make these collages, we will learn about the history and importance of collages in the past.
I will use the smart board or some other type of visual technology to show the students videos and examples of collages.
Answer the following questions in your post:
1. What is the art assignment?
2. How will you incorporate technology into this art project?
For my art assignment to my students I will have each student creat a collage of all of their favorite things in life. They can add pictures of their families, pets, favorite games or other items. They can glue 3 dimensional objects (if not too big) to their collage. As we make these collages, we will learn about the history and importance of collages in the past.
I will use the smart board or some other type of visual technology to show the students videos and examples of collages.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
C4K For October
I recently commented on a post by Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn wrote a declaration on why there should be no homework. She stated that homework takes away from their free time and it is simply a repetition of what they already did in class. I commented on Kaitlyn's post stating that I agreed with the fact that homework can be a pain, however it serves a great purpose. I told her that homework helps to make sure we understand what we are learning in class, and allows for us to seek help on the parts that we do not grasp.
Next, I commented on Grant's blog post about a book he read about a bear named Toklo. He described a detailed scene where Toklo captured and ate a rabbit after not eating for days. I commented and told him that I had not read the book, but that it sounds very interesting and that he did a great job describing details.
Next, I commented on Kaiya's post, because Kaydance, whom I was originally supposed to comment for, did not show a blog post. Kaiya wrote about having a large family that she lived with and all of her pets that she had. She seems very happy with her large family and many pets, so I commented telling her that my family was small, but that it must be fun to have a lot of siblings.
Lastly, I commented on Sofi's blog post. Sofi posted about finding the fountain of youth and overpopulation and what we would do if that were to occur. She stated that we would probably have to have something similar to the movie The Hunger Games take place. I commented that I also like that movie, and that I agreed with her about overpopulation being a scary thing to think about.
Next, I commented on Grant's blog post about a book he read about a bear named Toklo. He described a detailed scene where Toklo captured and ate a rabbit after not eating for days. I commented and told him that I had not read the book, but that it sounds very interesting and that he did a great job describing details.
Next, I commented on Kaiya's post, because Kaydance, whom I was originally supposed to comment for, did not show a blog post. Kaiya wrote about having a large family that she lived with and all of her pets that she had. She seems very happy with her large family and many pets, so I commented telling her that my family was small, but that it must be fun to have a lot of siblings.
Lastly, I commented on Sofi's blog post. Sofi posted about finding the fountain of youth and overpopulation and what we would do if that were to occur. She stated that we would probably have to have something similar to the movie The Hunger Games take place. I commented that I also like that movie, and that I agreed with her about overpopulation being a scary thing to think about.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
C4T Summary
The first teacher I commented for was a kindergarten teacher named Ms.Davison. Ms. Davison provided many useful hints and tips for incorporating technology into the classroom. I read many ideas from her blog post that I would like to use in my own classroom one day. She knows many different tactics to use that get the students excited about using the technology and keeps their focus and engagement in a subject. She teaches technology to small children and keeps their full attention as well as lets them have some freedom to find their own way with using the technology they have to learn and explore. I was very impressed by her ability to have such small children so amused and so focused with technology. These children were very good at using it for learning, when I expected them to be more interested in playing. It definitely surprised me reading her blog.
The second teacher, Ms. Dorothy, posted a video in her blog with instructors in New Zealand explaining why they use technology in their classrooms. The instructors basically addressed using technology in classrooms, starting with younger children, as the best way to prepare
them for their future. With as much as technology is advancing in today's world, it is best to start the student off young with preparation and practice so that they will be more equipped with experience when they are older. One of the instructors in the video referred to this as "today's learning for tomorrow's jobs." I really enjoyed watching this video.
The second teacher, Ms. Dorothy, posted a video in her blog with instructors in New Zealand explaining why they use technology in their classrooms. The instructors basically addressed using technology in classrooms, starting with younger children, as the best way to prepare
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Blog Post #11
In Brian Crosby's Back to the Future video, I like how he came to know his students in the beginning of the school year by giving them an assessment to see where they stood on certain topics. I think this is great to use in every classroom to make sure that you know which students may need extra help, or missed out on learning something crucial the year before that may hold them back. I think it's important to know these things and not just assume. I like how he referred to imagination and creativity as an important part of having passion and instilling passion into all parts of any classroom. I agree very much so, and I think that it is important to instill passion in your students as well as showing them you have passion for everything you teach them. They have to be motivated and excited to learn. Another aspect of teaching I learned from Crosby is the High Hope letters they made. If you make them think about the future and keep them focused on their goals, they are more likely to reach them. He also shared a lot of good information on blogging which I think we could learn and benefit from.
In Paul Anderson's video, Blended Learning Cycle, I learned that blended learning is a combination of mobile, online, and classroom aspects to create a full learning experience for students that allows for in depth understanding and learning in and out of the classroom. Paul Anderson is very big on starting with a question. He says the power is in the question you ask. I agree with this in the sense that asking a student a question allows for them to learn on a deeper level in the long run. I also like that he uses acronyms to describe things so that they are easier to remember.
In Mark Church's Making Thinking Visible video, it showed students in groups in a classroom practicing collaborative learning. From this video I learned how to let students work together in groups to learn and think critically.
In the next video, Super Digital Citizen, Sam Pane teaches children ho to use the internet safely. He teaches them how to evaluate different websites according to the information they are looking for. He teaches them right from wrong, and safety rules of the internet. He uses lessons such as creating a super hero and letting them make their own "Super Digital Citizen" safety rules to help them understand how to be safe on the internet.
In Dean Shareski's Project Based Learning video, I learned about using Project Based Learning in a high school classroom setting. They don't learn in segmented subjects, but instead in integrated studies. They explained that this allows for deeper understanding for the students. They use technology to enhance the process of learning using PBL. They work along side of the students to encourage them and help their students to constantly improve their work. They allow for several evaluations from different teachers and their peers before the final project is revealed.
In the last video, Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program, I learned that Roosevelt Elementary School has PBL classes. These classes have integrated learning involving several different subjects. The students learn to work independently as well as collaboratively. They explained that this is better for knowing if your student really understand something or not. It also allows for the students to have some freedom and say-so in what they are doing with their project.
In Paul Anderson's video, Blended Learning Cycle, I learned that blended learning is a combination of mobile, online, and classroom aspects to create a full learning experience for students that allows for in depth understanding and learning in and out of the classroom. Paul Anderson is very big on starting with a question. He says the power is in the question you ask. I agree with this in the sense that asking a student a question allows for them to learn on a deeper level in the long run. I also like that he uses acronyms to describe things so that they are easier to remember.
In Mark Church's Making Thinking Visible video, it showed students in groups in a classroom practicing collaborative learning. From this video I learned how to let students work together in groups to learn and think critically.
In the next video, Super Digital Citizen, Sam Pane teaches children ho to use the internet safely. He teaches them how to evaluate different websites according to the information they are looking for. He teaches them right from wrong, and safety rules of the internet. He uses lessons such as creating a super hero and letting them make their own "Super Digital Citizen" safety rules to help them understand how to be safe on the internet.
In Dean Shareski's Project Based Learning video, I learned about using Project Based Learning in a high school classroom setting. They don't learn in segmented subjects, but instead in integrated studies. They explained that this allows for deeper understanding for the students. They use technology to enhance the process of learning using PBL. They work along side of the students to encourage them and help their students to constantly improve their work. They allow for several evaluations from different teachers and their peers before the final project is revealed.
In the last video, Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program, I learned that Roosevelt Elementary School has PBL classes. These classes have integrated learning involving several different subjects. The students learn to work independently as well as collaboratively. They explained that this is better for knowing if your student really understand something or not. It also allows for the students to have some freedom and say-so in what they are doing with their project.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Blog Post #10
Ms.Cassidy's videos were very inspiring to me because of how much passion and knowledge she has about what she does. I learned many new things that I can incorporate in my own classroom. Ms. Cassidy showed that you have to work with what you have as a teacher. You must make do with the supplies you are given. She proves that it is not impossible to work with what you have even if you aren't given enough. For example when Ms. Cassidy made good use of only having 5 computers in her classroom. It was awesome seeing such young students so excited about technology and so good at doing it. It amazes me at how quickly the young children catch on and excel at technology. They are more focused and determined with it than I would have imagined.
In the 3 Skype videos between Dr. Strange and Ms. Cassidy, they discussed how they use technology in the classroom. They talked about why they use blogs in the classroom and how it is beneficial to the students' education. I think that it is important for us as future educators to watch videos like this because it is coming from two experienced professionals in the industry already and it can give us so much insight to what to expect and look forward to. Also it makes it all a little clearer for us to understand how to teach since we did not grow up using technology this much in our own classrooms when we were being educated. My favorite part of the technology we are learning would have to be blogging. This is a way for students to express themselves the way they wish and allows for more individuality varying from student to student. Also blogging makes it easier for students, teachers, and even parents to connect outside the classroom. Parents and teachers can keep up with their students first hand and students can interact with each other easily. I feel as if it takes education from a student-teacher relationship only to a more advanced relationship that let's everyone interact and grow with each other.
Ms. Cassidy also discusses the importance of online safety for kids in the classroom. I think this has answered many questions that I have had in mind when thinking about incorporating technology in the classroom. According to Cassidy it is important for the students to learn what information is acceptable to give about themselves and what information does not need to be posted about themselves. Personal information and pictures are very crucial when it comes to the students' safety. It is all part of teaching them technology and how to keep themselves safe when using it, in and out of the classroom.
In the 3 Skype videos between Dr. Strange and Ms. Cassidy, they discussed how they use technology in the classroom. They talked about why they use blogs in the classroom and how it is beneficial to the students' education. I think that it is important for us as future educators to watch videos like this because it is coming from two experienced professionals in the industry already and it can give us so much insight to what to expect and look forward to. Also it makes it all a little clearer for us to understand how to teach since we did not grow up using technology this much in our own classrooms when we were being educated. My favorite part of the technology we are learning would have to be blogging. This is a way for students to express themselves the way they wish and allows for more individuality varying from student to student. Also blogging makes it easier for students, teachers, and even parents to connect outside the classroom. Parents and teachers can keep up with their students first hand and students can interact with each other easily. I feel as if it takes education from a student-teacher relationship only to a more advanced relationship that let's everyone interact and grow with each other.
Ms. Cassidy also discusses the importance of online safety for kids in the classroom. I think this has answered many questions that I have had in mind when thinking about incorporating technology in the classroom. According to Cassidy it is important for the students to learn what information is acceptable to give about themselves and what information does not need to be posted about themselves. Personal information and pictures are very crucial when it comes to the students' safety. It is all part of teaching them technology and how to keep themselves safe when using it, in and out of the classroom.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Blog Post #9
What can teachers and students teach us about PBL?
I think that by observing teachers and students using PBL it can shows us first hand how well PBL works. PBL is the best type of learning for students to engage in and to test the knowledge they have obtained. I think that by watching this happen with our own eyes and ears it can help erase doubts or confusion. The generation of today's future educators are not familiar with PBL, therefore they may want to shut the idea down, but if they were to witness how well it actually works they may be more open to it. I think students and teachers can teach us to be more open minded when using PBL.
In Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning I learned that you should always choose a topic in which your students will take a string interest in and will make them excited about learning. The most important step after that is to have your lesson plan well planned out and put together effectively with much thought. You should plan how you will start the topic off. Introduce it to the students by showing them some sort of resource introducing it. Next you should let the student share their opinions and thoughts on the topic and how they wish to go about presenting it in their projects. This video was very helpful for me to see how I can get started with incorporating PBL in my own classroom one day.
Next I watched the video Project-based learning for Teachers, which gives great information to the teachers trying to start out using PBL. It's great to see s resource just for introducing and helping teachers to further understand how to incorporate PBL in the classroom.
Next I watched the video PBL: What motivates students today. This video was great to see more of a student point of view and what motivates them. It's awesome to see a video like this so that we can tell what to pay attention to when it comes to motivating our students and keeping their full attention. If most students are motivated by their future careers then that tells us to incorporate more career- based topics in PBL.
Next I read the article Ten Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in Project Based Learning. I was interested in this article because of the great sources it gives. This gives good ideas of websites or tools that can be used in PBL. This is something for the entire EDM310 class to keep in mind for using in our own classrooms one day in the future.
Lastly, I read the article PBL and Physical Education. This one caught my attention because I did not know it was possible for the two to have anything in common, but they actually do. I learned that you are able to incorporate PBL in almost every are of school, including PE.
I think that by observing teachers and students using PBL it can shows us first hand how well PBL works. PBL is the best type of learning for students to engage in and to test the knowledge they have obtained. I think that by watching this happen with our own eyes and ears it can help erase doubts or confusion. The generation of today's future educators are not familiar with PBL, therefore they may want to shut the idea down, but if they were to witness how well it actually works they may be more open to it. I think students and teachers can teach us to be more open minded when using PBL.
In Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning I learned that you should always choose a topic in which your students will take a string interest in and will make them excited about learning. The most important step after that is to have your lesson plan well planned out and put together effectively with much thought. You should plan how you will start the topic off. Introduce it to the students by showing them some sort of resource introducing it. Next you should let the student share their opinions and thoughts on the topic and how they wish to go about presenting it in their projects. This video was very helpful for me to see how I can get started with incorporating PBL in my own classroom one day.
Next I watched the video Project-based learning for Teachers, which gives great information to the teachers trying to start out using PBL. It's great to see s resource just for introducing and helping teachers to further understand how to incorporate PBL in the classroom.
Next I watched the video PBL: What motivates students today. This video was great to see more of a student point of view and what motivates them. It's awesome to see a video like this so that we can tell what to pay attention to when it comes to motivating our students and keeping their full attention. If most students are motivated by their future careers then that tells us to incorporate more career- based topics in PBL.
Next I read the article Ten Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in Project Based Learning. I was interested in this article because of the great sources it gives. This gives good ideas of websites or tools that can be used in PBL. This is something for the entire EDM310 class to keep in mind for using in our own classrooms one day in the future.
Lastly, I read the article PBL and Physical Education. This one caught my attention because I did not know it was possible for the two to have anything in common, but they actually do. I learned that you are able to incorporate PBL in almost every are of school, including PE.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Blog Post # 8
When I sat down to watch the hour-long Randy Pausch video, I never expected it to be so meaningful and inspiring. It was far from what I had expected and I am very glad that I took the time to watch it. The computer Science major talked about his own life experiences and shared with us why it is important to have plenty of perseverance when it comes to your dreams. When you have big dreams, you are going to have obstacles or discouragements. It's natural to want to give up or turn another direction to avoid conflict, but this is when you should push your hardest to make it through. As educators we must be passionate when teaching children so that they will know how important it is to not only do something you love but to be excited and passionate about doing it.
Randy Pausch states how not only is it important to chase your dreams, but it is also important to grow and learn form your journey along the way. It is all a process. A process in which you will benefit form every aspect if you use it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Pausch tells how it is important to let your students see you teach with passion so that they will gain confidence in their own dreams. One thing that Pausch talked about in his video that really stuck with me was when he spoke about how we learn indirectly. After he stated this I reflected back on some of my biggest life lessons and almost never are they just something that someone informed me of. They all occurred when I learned something in the PROCESS of doing something else. I think this is important to teach people so that they will recognize it when they are going through something. Instead of having a negative mindset when going through a difficult situation, they can look at the issue and recognize how this will teach them, help them grow, and benefit them for the future. No matter what life may throw at you, you are able to grow from it. Take it as a lesson learned, and rememeber that it is all a part of your process. Pausch's video is a great example of perseverance and following your dreams. I think this is a video that would benefit everyone to watch. I'm glad I took the time to actually sit and watch it instead of just skimming through., This was a real attention grabber, and Randy Pausch is a very inspiring man.
Randy Pausch states how not only is it important to chase your dreams, but it is also important to grow and learn form your journey along the way. It is all a process. A process in which you will benefit form every aspect if you use it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Pausch tells how it is important to let your students see you teach with passion so that they will gain confidence in their own dreams. One thing that Pausch talked about in his video that really stuck with me was when he spoke about how we learn indirectly. After he stated this I reflected back on some of my biggest life lessons and almost never are they just something that someone informed me of. They all occurred when I learned something in the PROCESS of doing something else. I think this is important to teach people so that they will recognize it when they are going through something. Instead of having a negative mindset when going through a difficult situation, they can look at the issue and recognize how this will teach them, help them grow, and benefit them for the future. No matter what life may throw at you, you are able to grow from it. Take it as a lesson learned, and rememeber that it is all a part of your process. Pausch's video is a great example of perseverance and following your dreams. I think this is a video that would benefit everyone to watch. I'm glad I took the time to actually sit and watch it instead of just skimming through., This was a real attention grabber, and Randy Pausch is a very inspiring man.
C4T #2 Summary
In my first comment for teacher post I was instructed to comment on Ms. Davison's post about blogging in the classroom. Her post enlightened me on exactly how blogging is used in the classroom with younger kids. The examples she gave of how she incorporated it into her own classroom really opened my eyes to how neat and effective it can be for the students. I wasn't really sure how I'd ever use new technology such as blogging in my own classroom, but after reading some of her ideas I became really interested. One thing that I really agreed with Ms. Davison on, was how she stated that blogging is good for getting students engaged with people from cultures that they are not used to or know nothing of. This allows for opportunity in children learning things completely new and eye-opening. They will then have a broader range of intelligence with other cultures.
In the next comment for teacher post I commented on Ms. Jennifer LaGarde's (Library Girl) post about the art of listening. This post was super inspiring to me. Ms. LaGarde has a very interesting way with words that captures your attention and pulls you in to everything she has to say. I found myself lost in the post and the comments as well. She was very well at explaining how listening is just as important if not more important than speaking. She went on to explain an example in which she used the art of listening instead of talking to a group of coworkers she was mingling with. She stated how glad she was after using this technique and how much she learned from fellow teachers. I commented on the post letting her know how inspiring it was to me and how much I agreed with how important listening is in communication. I stated how I felt that this would be an excellent technique to incorporate in the classroom.
In the next comment for teacher post I commented on Ms. Jennifer LaGarde's (Library Girl) post about the art of listening. This post was super inspiring to me. Ms. LaGarde has a very interesting way with words that captures your attention and pulls you in to everything she has to say. I found myself lost in the post and the comments as well. She was very well at explaining how listening is just as important if not more important than speaking. She went on to explain an example in which she used the art of listening instead of talking to a group of coworkers she was mingling with. She stated how glad she was after using this technique and how much she learned from fellow teachers. I commented on the post letting her know how inspiring it was to me and how much I agreed with how important listening is in communication. I stated how I felt that this would be an excellent technique to incorporate in the classroom.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Blog Post #7
In the first video, How to Make an Audio QR Code, I learned how to make an audio QR code. This allows for you or students to record something and listen to it back. The teacher can record a book or a part of a lesson and the student is able to listen to it at their own leisure. They can listen as many times as they wish or even use their own recording to listen to if they wish. You can copy the code and share it with others. Then by going to QRcode Monkey you can turn text, email, and phone messages into QR codes. If you copy and paste the QR code into word you can resize, print, or make copies of you r QR code and more! You can download the free QR code scanner and access many different QR codes. This is great for communicating with your students and directing them to one exact place that you'd like them to visit or give them a description of an assignment. I look forward to using this tool in my own classroom.
In the video, ipad Reading Center, the students can video tape themselves reading something and it makes it more fun and engaging for them to play around recording themselves while practicing their reading skills. This gives each student the opportunity to work on their own mistakes by correcting themselves and spares embarrassment or shyness with other students. It makes it fun for the students as they are practicing their skills for becoming better readers.
The next video I watched was Poplet with Ginger Tuck. In this video I learned how to use Poplet in centers in a kindergarten classroom. Poplet is a free app that allows you to create a diagram like structure relating certain topics or subjects to each other. You can take pictures of objects and insert them into your Poplet. You can add text to your picture to describe or name your subject/object. This is great for the children to practice their typing skills.
The following video I watched was Alabama Virtual Library as a Kindergaten Center. You can download the Alabama Virtual Library app and log in to access. The students are able to search through the AVL on any given subject. The AVL has pictures, an introduction, videos, and audio recordings for the students to access. This is great for using worksheets with and comprehending what they learned or observed in the AVL. It is fun and easy for the students to use.
The next video I watched was Tammy Shirley Discovery Education Board Builder Moon Project. The students are able to create their own username and password and log into the Education Board Builder where they can choose their background and title it. When they create their own board they can make it on any given subject and then list features or facts, and add images and videos about their subject. Then the student demonstrated how she created her board builder about the moon. Then the student read her narrative on her trip to the moon and shared the image that she drew. Carly also demonstrated how to add videos and pictures to your board.
Next I watched the video Mrs. Tassin 2nd Grade Students Share Board Building Project. Here two of Mrs. Tassin's students demonstrated their board builders after taking a virtual field trip. The kids demonstrated how to obtain photos for their board builder off of safari and upload them to enhance their projects. The kids seem very enthusiastic and proud of their board builders. This allows them to independently think and create their own experiences and observations.
In the next video Using iMovie and the AVL in kindergarten, I learned that kindergarten students are using iMovie as well. They are making book trailers for books that they are reading in their classrooms. Michelle stated that the teachers haven't had to teach their students the specifics of creating a book trailer in so long that they have to refresh themselves on it. AVL is free to anyone in the state of Alabama. It is great for teaching students basic research. It gives articles, images, and research based information for the students to base their search on. The students really enjoy doing the research and are eager to continue looking for more each day.
The last video I watched was We All Become Learners. This was another group conversation between Dr. Strange, Michelle, and Elizabeth. In this video they discussed that they are learning that teachers are teaching students, students are teaching students, and students are teaching teachers. By this happening we are all becoming learners along the way. Kindergarteners are advancing more in technology than ever before so there is opportunity there for them to teach us new things as well as vice versa. Michelle discussed how she has seen padlet used in the classroom. The students become excited about showing and teaching about the work they have done through these programs. The students are always eager to teach their teacher and/or visitors that visit Gulf shores Elementary. Both of the media specialists are very excited about the change in technology that has taken places over the past several years in the Elementary classrooms.
In the video, ipad Reading Center, the students can video tape themselves reading something and it makes it more fun and engaging for them to play around recording themselves while practicing their reading skills. This gives each student the opportunity to work on their own mistakes by correcting themselves and spares embarrassment or shyness with other students. It makes it fun for the students as they are practicing their skills for becoming better readers.
The next video I watched was Poplet with Ginger Tuck. In this video I learned how to use Poplet in centers in a kindergarten classroom. Poplet is a free app that allows you to create a diagram like structure relating certain topics or subjects to each other. You can take pictures of objects and insert them into your Poplet. You can add text to your picture to describe or name your subject/object. This is great for the children to practice their typing skills.
The following video I watched was Alabama Virtual Library as a Kindergaten Center. You can download the Alabama Virtual Library app and log in to access. The students are able to search through the AVL on any given subject. The AVL has pictures, an introduction, videos, and audio recordings for the students to access. This is great for using worksheets with and comprehending what they learned or observed in the AVL. It is fun and easy for the students to use.
The next video I watched was Tammy Shirley Discovery Education Board Builder Moon Project. The students are able to create their own username and password and log into the Education Board Builder where they can choose their background and title it. When they create their own board they can make it on any given subject and then list features or facts, and add images and videos about their subject. Then the student demonstrated how she created her board builder about the moon. Then the student read her narrative on her trip to the moon and shared the image that she drew. Carly also demonstrated how to add videos and pictures to your board.
Next I watched the video Mrs. Tassin 2nd Grade Students Share Board Building Project. Here two of Mrs. Tassin's students demonstrated their board builders after taking a virtual field trip. The kids demonstrated how to obtain photos for their board builder off of safari and upload them to enhance their projects. The kids seem very enthusiastic and proud of their board builders. This allows them to independently think and create their own experiences and observations.
In the next video Using iMovie and the AVL in kindergarten, I learned that kindergarten students are using iMovie as well. They are making book trailers for books that they are reading in their classrooms. Michelle stated that the teachers haven't had to teach their students the specifics of creating a book trailer in so long that they have to refresh themselves on it. AVL is free to anyone in the state of Alabama. It is great for teaching students basic research. It gives articles, images, and research based information for the students to base their search on. The students really enjoy doing the research and are eager to continue looking for more each day.
The last video I watched was We All Become Learners. This was another group conversation between Dr. Strange, Michelle, and Elizabeth. In this video they discussed that they are learning that teachers are teaching students, students are teaching students, and students are teaching teachers. By this happening we are all becoming learners along the way. Kindergarteners are advancing more in technology than ever before so there is opportunity there for them to teach us new things as well as vice versa. Michelle discussed how she has seen padlet used in the classroom. The students become excited about showing and teaching about the work they have done through these programs. The students are always eager to teach their teacher and/or visitors that visit Gulf shores Elementary. Both of the media specialists are very excited about the change in technology that has taken places over the past several years in the Elementary classrooms.
Blog Post #6
In the video Project Based Learning Part 1, I observed a discussion between Anthony Capps and Dr. Strange about project based learning and all of its parts. It was a very interesting video for me because It involved Dr. Strange asking Anything Capps many questions, that I also had myself, and Capps would answer them accordingly. I learned very much about project based learning by watching this discussion video. Capps is very much for project based learning. He believes very strongly that it is an effective way of learning for the students. He says that not only will it help the students learn more effectively, but it will also be something they can enjoy doing. It forces them to be engaged in what they are doing/learning, which will be better committed to their memory in the long run. Capps gives some really good examples and stories of how well it has worked from his own experience. I think the format of Q & A was very helpful for me while watching this video, and Capps was very good at explaining his point of view. In the second video, Project based Learning Part 2, Capps tells us of a great example of one of the group projects that he had his students do on different cultures and backgrounds. This allowed for the students to independently find their own sources and become familiar with discovering their own answers by way of the internet. The students are free to roam endlessly for information to complete their project which is good for the students to learn without having boundaries. Capps states that limiting students to only one source or type of work is going to only hold them back. It is more enjoyable for them to roam freely and look for all kinds of information on a topic they are interested in. Capps likes to see his students proud of what they find and he likes for them to enjoy the process of learning, even though they may not even realize it. The last video I watched was the iCurio video, between Capps and Dr. Strange on iCurio. ICurio is a search engine made for students to use because it is filtered for the students, and restricts where they can go. They can look up information on a student-friendly site, that may be a little safer depending on different age groups. I think this is wonderful because as a future teacher, I have been very concerned about how much we are incorporating the internet into teaching the students due to the fact that sometimes the internet can be harmful to young eyes. iCurio is also great because it allows students to leave off and pick up where they'd like. If they are working on something but need a break, or it's time to go, they can save it in a folder and come back to finish their work later. I think this will be great to incorporate in my classroom in the future. 
Sunday, September 28, 2014
C4K summary
My other c4k was for a little boy named Francis from England that wrote about a new sport he found out about called Kabbadi. It is an aggressive sport that is similar to capture the flag or Rugby. It has been around for over 4000 years and it originated in India. I commented on his post saying how impressed I was with the research he did to write his article. He did a very good job explaining the sport to someone who new nothing about it. I was very intrigued by his blog post. It was quite interesting.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Blog Post 5
Part #1
The progress of my PLN was the hardest or most difficult part for me. It was basically searching for people that I felt would best benefit me and my PLN. Learning new tools and websites was also more confusing at times and harder to get used to. Once I was more familiar with the sites and I could better navigate myself through them, that made the TOOLS part a little easier. As far as obtaining my list of people. That was a little more in the blue for me, primarily because I wanted to be choosy with the people I picked and also because I wanted to make sure that I would be getting the best resources and answers from these people. My favorite PLN is Twitter. Twitter is full of a variety of information from people that are often experts in their field. I use Twitter for work, school, and personal reasons to better help me understand any given subject at hand. This was the most difficult part for me, just building my PLN by learning new tools and finding appropriate people.
Part#2
For the final summary of my PLN, I chose Symbaloo over Netvibes because I feel that it was easier to use and it had a more attractive layout that caught my eye. I liked the overall entire site better than Netvibes. My PLN is still making progress but I do feel like I have learned a lot more information about PLN's and the importance of having one, not only as a student but also when I am teaching. Using a PLN has opened my eyes to the endless amounts of advice, recommendations, and helpful tools that I am able to have access to at any time. I think this is a great idea and I will definitely be using mine very often now and I plan to expand and grow in my PLN. I will also recommend this idea to all of my peers that have yet to learn of this amazing opportunity. I really enjoyed creating mine once getting the hang of it!
The progress of my PLN was the hardest or most difficult part for me. It was basically searching for people that I felt would best benefit me and my PLN. Learning new tools and websites was also more confusing at times and harder to get used to. Once I was more familiar with the sites and I could better navigate myself through them, that made the TOOLS part a little easier. As far as obtaining my list of people. That was a little more in the blue for me, primarily because I wanted to be choosy with the people I picked and also because I wanted to make sure that I would be getting the best resources and answers from these people. My favorite PLN is Twitter. Twitter is full of a variety of information from people that are often experts in their field. I use Twitter for work, school, and personal reasons to better help me understand any given subject at hand. This was the most difficult part for me, just building my PLN by learning new tools and finding appropriate people.
Part#2
For the final summary of my PLN, I chose Symbaloo over Netvibes because I feel that it was easier to use and it had a more attractive layout that caught my eye. I liked the overall entire site better than Netvibes. My PLN is still making progress but I do feel like I have learned a lot more information about PLN's and the importance of having one, not only as a student but also when I am teaching. Using a PLN has opened my eyes to the endless amounts of advice, recommendations, and helpful tools that I am able to have access to at any time. I think this is a great idea and I will definitely be using mine very often now and I plan to expand and grow in my PLN. I will also recommend this idea to all of my peers that have yet to learn of this amazing opportunity. I really enjoyed creating mine once getting the hang of it!
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Blog Post 4
What we as future educators need to know about asking questions in order to be better teachers is more simple than we may realize. In order to know what kinds of questions to ask and how to ask them , we have to take ourselves out of the equation and only focus on the children. We have to put ourselves in the minds of the children we are teaching and at any given age, process the information into the words in which a child would ask a simple question. We have to look at the subject each time as if it is the first time we have ever laid eyes on it. As future educators we must begin practicing this technique early on and never lose it. Even throughout the expansion of our career as educators we will learn and grow to find more effective ways to teach by asking questions. Continuously growing as teachers is just as important to our education program. We can grow as teachers a lot by just listening to the children we teach and feeding off of that to improve our own notes and skills. One of the most significant reasons for questioning students is for the process that takes place after the question is asked. If educators ask the right questions, then the answer itself is not the most important part but the process in which the answer is found. Whether it be through the students thinking process, use of technology, or interacting in groups and discovering information together, it takes a process of learning, growing, and becoming self-sufficient that makes questioning a great teaching skill. It is most important for a student to become an independent thinker and find their own process of discovering information. By asking questions it allows the students mind to wonder into depths that possibly go further than the question itself and explore multitudes of options. This allows for opportunities for the pupil to realize they have the availability to become an independent thinker and rely on their own thoughts and actions as a student. This is the seed that beings the plant of furthering their personal growth in education and knowledge.
According to Ben Johnson's "The Right Way to Ask Questions in The Classroom," there are many different scenarios to consider when examining a teachers intent behind their questioning technique. The intention could be to check for understanding or it could be with the hopes of something further taking place in the students mind. It could be to teach them something more, whether it be about the topic at hand or about themselves. He goes on to explain that classroom observations is a very important part of learning the question process as an educator. The approach is both simple and effective if done the correct way. In order to be an effective teacher we must put a lot of thought and effort into this process.
In an "Essortment" article I recently found called "Teaching with Questions:Socratic Method," it states that in order to be an effective teacher you are required to ask open ended question. It goes on to state that as an educator you should be using questions as a learning tool rather than just an opportunity to clarify understanding.
According to Ben Johnson's "The Right Way to Ask Questions in The Classroom," there are many different scenarios to consider when examining a teachers intent behind their questioning technique. The intention could be to check for understanding or it could be with the hopes of something further taking place in the students mind. It could be to teach them something more, whether it be about the topic at hand or about themselves. He goes on to explain that classroom observations is a very important part of learning the question process as an educator. The approach is both simple and effective if done the correct way. In order to be an effective teacher we must put a lot of thought and effort into this process.
In an "Essortment" article I recently found called "Teaching with Questions:Socratic Method," it states that in order to be an effective teacher you are required to ask open ended question. It goes on to state that as an educator you should be using questions as a learning tool rather than just an opportunity to clarify understanding.
Project #15 Search Engines
1) WolframAlpha- http://www.wolframalpha.com/
The Search engine WolframAlpha seems to be more useful for topics involving math or other computable operations you are seeking to find. I typed in a few different equations and it showed me a step by step process of how to get final result instead of just giving the answer with no explanation.
2)Yahoo!- https://www.yahoo.com/
Yahoo in my opinion is one of the worst search engines. I never have any luck with searching for answers to my questions on yahoo. It always seems to pop up answers for information irrelevant and off topic for that of which I am searching. I simply type something in the search bar and it brings up related topics or recent news about the subject instead of definitions or directions, etc.
3)bing- http://www.bing.com/
Bing is a very useful search engine for many different resources. I use Bing more for directions or recommendations of places. Bing is not as helpful for subject dealing with school, but more for everyday matter, and wallpapers of course.
4)MSN- http://www.msn.com/
I really like MSN for finding definitions, synonyms, antonyms, things of that matter. It is usually always accurate for searching anything to do with grammatical questions, good definitions, and I even use it for directions sometimes because it provides a map from the place I am leaving to where I am going.
5)Ask Jeeves- http://www.ask.com/?l=dir&qsrc=999&o=2746&q=ask+for+jeeves&askid=59472f8e-8cf1-4dc2-8d5f-be01174782a8-0-us_mse&kwid=ask%20jeeves&cid=2055273481
Ask Jeeves is not a search engine I normally use. When I went to this site to me it appears a little less sophisticated than the other search engines I use on a daily basis. The site is not as "dressed up" and doesn't contain a lot f initial information. Other than that it seemed like a useful search engine for almost anything. It gave a lot of related searches on the side which can be helpful.
6)AOL- http://www.aol.com/
AOL is another site I don't use that often. When I visited this site however, it was very eye-catching, and had many interesting topics scrolling through that caught my attention. I think this site would be useful for someone who is just wanting to check on different news around the world; to use it as a newspaper so to speak.
7)Earth Link-http://www.earthlink.net/
Earth Link would be more useful to someone searching for business solution products or equipment. Earth Link is a good search engine when dealing with references on things related to business.
8)Lycos- http://www.lycos.com/
Lycos is a good search engine for many different resources. It has a very attractive and sophisticated site and also has some great images along side of the search you are doing.
The Search engine WolframAlpha seems to be more useful for topics involving math or other computable operations you are seeking to find. I typed in a few different equations and it showed me a step by step process of how to get final result instead of just giving the answer with no explanation.
2)Yahoo!- https://www.yahoo.com/
Yahoo in my opinion is one of the worst search engines. I never have any luck with searching for answers to my questions on yahoo. It always seems to pop up answers for information irrelevant and off topic for that of which I am searching. I simply type something in the search bar and it brings up related topics or recent news about the subject instead of definitions or directions, etc.
3)bing- http://www.bing.com/
Bing is a very useful search engine for many different resources. I use Bing more for directions or recommendations of places. Bing is not as helpful for subject dealing with school, but more for everyday matter, and wallpapers of course.
4)MSN- http://www.msn.com/
I really like MSN for finding definitions, synonyms, antonyms, things of that matter. It is usually always accurate for searching anything to do with grammatical questions, good definitions, and I even use it for directions sometimes because it provides a map from the place I am leaving to where I am going.
5)Ask Jeeves- http://www.ask.com/?l=dir&qsrc=999&o=2746&q=ask+for+jeeves&askid=59472f8e-8cf1-4dc2-8d5f-be01174782a8-0-us_mse&kwid=ask%20jeeves&cid=2055273481
Ask Jeeves is not a search engine I normally use. When I went to this site to me it appears a little less sophisticated than the other search engines I use on a daily basis. The site is not as "dressed up" and doesn't contain a lot f initial information. Other than that it seemed like a useful search engine for almost anything. It gave a lot of related searches on the side which can be helpful.
6)AOL- http://www.aol.com/
AOL is another site I don't use that often. When I visited this site however, it was very eye-catching, and had many interesting topics scrolling through that caught my attention. I think this site would be useful for someone who is just wanting to check on different news around the world; to use it as a newspaper so to speak.
7)Earth Link-http://www.earthlink.net/
Earth Link would be more useful to someone searching for business solution products or equipment. Earth Link is a good search engine when dealing with references on things related to business.
8)Lycos- http://www.lycos.com/
Lycos is a good search engine for many different resources. It has a very attractive and sophisticated site and also has some great images along side of the search you are doing.
C4T Summary
I commented on Ms.Davison's post about teaching and interacting with her kindergarteners with today's technology in the classroom. They were working with twitter and she was teaching them how to "tweet." I left her a comment stating how interesting this was to me and how impressed I was at how quickly the students caught on with it. I told her that I could definitely tell how much of a passion she had with this and how inspiring that was to me. Ms. Davison's post was very interesting to me.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Blog Post 3
In the video, "What is Peer Editing?" I liked that they stressed being positive as an important factor. I think a peer is more susceptible to listening and taking advice if the advice is not harsh, but more positively critical. If someone's comments come off as rude or condescending they will be more defensive an less approachable. By this happening, they will not learn from their mistakes but rather live on making the same mistakes because they felt the person's advice was not sincere or significant to them. I also liked how the video started with a fresh description of peer editing, from the exact definition to specifics on how to peer edit properly, The video was very clear and very appropriate for what peer editing is.
I leaned in the humorous video ways not to act with my peers during an editing session,as acted out by small children! It was comical, but at the same time very true. People can take some things you say the wrong way or you may get offended if someone calls out an error that you often have difficulty with. I think the main goal of peer editing is to help one another improve in our academics, so we should always keep in mind that the other person is there to help us. If you feel unsure or strongly indifferent about some corrections made by your peer, you can always research it or consult with your instructor. The whole purpose is to provide a learning experience, ad improve your work that much more.
I leaned in the humorous video ways not to act with my peers during an editing session,as acted out by small children! It was comical, but at the same time very true. People can take some things you say the wrong way or you may get offended if someone calls out an error that you often have difficulty with. I think the main goal of peer editing is to help one another improve in our academics, so we should always keep in mind that the other person is there to help us. If you feel unsure or strongly indifferent about some corrections made by your peer, you can always research it or consult with your instructor. The whole purpose is to provide a learning experience, ad improve your work that much more.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Blog Post 2
1. In the "Mr. Dancealot" video, I believe that the central idea to the viewer is that the way we teach classes do not allow students to engage in what they are learning about. The purpose of learning is to gain knowledge and familiarity, not to memorize materials until finals week approaches.
When the boy got up in the video to try and do the same moves the dance teacher was doing, the teacher snapped at him and told him to sit down in a way that made the boy feel what he was doing was wrong. It was actually better for the boy to be up trying to learn in action than write the dance moves down on a notebook.
The video goes on to show the students falling asleep in class from a lack of engagement in the classroom.
1) I believe the central message of this video is to incorporate more active ways of learning into the classroom instead of just a notes and memorization method. It is a more effective way to learn.
2)The author makes the case in this video by demonstrating that in the end the students were all holding their notebooks trying to figure out the dance moves that they had never practiced which proves that they learned nothing.
3)Yes, I do agree. The conclusion makes perfect sense to me because I too have been in the position that these students were in, left feeling lost and ignorant to a certain subject at the end of a semester.
2.In the video "Teaching in the 21st century," the central idea is to inform teachers of todays generation that teaching ways have changed drastically due to new technology, and in order to keep students attention we must incorporate this new technology into new ways for them to learn.
He gives various explanations of how students are using technology in and out of the classroom and gives many examples of the types of technology and sites they are using.
1) Robert thinks teaching in the 21st century needs to be meaningful and powerful. He thinks that we need to incorporate means of technology into tools for teaching. NOT entertaining, but engaging.
2)His argument includes:
Ways to engage the kids in technology
Teaching them HOW to use technology the right way
Teaching them ways to NOT use technology (Plagiarism, copyrighting, etc.)
Ways to engage the students instead of entertaining
3)I completely agree with Robert because as the world changes, the education and ways we teach needs to change as well.
4)It will affect me as an educator because I myself will have to become more familiar with certain types of technology in order to teach it correctly. I will need to become more familiar with ways to teach this technology to different age groups accordingly.
3.In "The Networked Student," The central idea of this video is to inform the viewers of the importance of connectivism in the classroom, or in this case out of the classroom, but in an educational setting.
The various explanations in this video include demonstrating just how connectivism works for a student. It proves how great it can be for a student researching or wanting to learn more about a topic.
1)The networked student needs a teacher to show them how to go about being a networked student. The teacher shows them how to find resources and sites, how to connect with other students and people researching and learning about the same topic, how to repost and blog about the information they have come across, and how to create their own virtual textbook for them to progress with and reflect upon. The teacher gets the networked student excited about engaging with others all over the world about the same topic of interest. The teacher teaches the student to always be a "networked student" with everything in life because it is an excellent resource for learning and obtaining more knowledge on any given subject. It teaches the student how to be actively engaged in the internet and how to find many sources of reliable information other than just googling.
4.In the movie "Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts," I believe the central idea is to show that engaging in higher technology is becoming a very big part of all schools in our country. Our education system is gradually changing to better accommodate internet resources.
Examples given in this video include the classroom visited in Georgia that showed students engaged in technology learning on their own as well as with their classmates.
1)I think the thesis of Davis's video is to prove that technology is an up and coming factor in the world of education today.
2)I believe that her argument is fair. Although I do disagree with some aspects of her argument. At one point in the video Davis sates that teaching in an environment with only pencils and paper is not going to be suitable to all students, however that argument can be said when teaching students in an environment with all computers and no pencils or paper also.
5. In John Strange's video "Who's Ahead in the Learning Race?" I believe that the elementary school students are definitely ahead in the learning race. I myself am apart of the undergraduate class, and as of now I feel pretty cheated in my education. I left high school right after they started incorporating technology into the classrooms and providing all students with personal computers, so I don't feel that it is my fault I haven't been taught all of these things. I do feel that the transition needed to be made however, it has caused me some issues with having to learn this technology and the new ways of the classroom so abruptly. I do want to learn the new ways of the classroom and all of the technology that is being introduced to elementary kids. This will be very important for me to know when it comes time for me to teach the subjects using these materials.
6. In "Flipping the Classroom" the central idea of this video is to inform parents that their children will adopt a new way of learning to better benefit useful classroom time.
1) This is the first time I have heard of Flipping a classroom and I do have many questions and concerns about it.
2) One of my main concerns as a future teacher is what students without computers at home will do. In the video the teacher said that students without computers will watch their videos in the morning, but doesn't that leave some students ahead of other and some students then left behind. And doesn't that waste precious classroom time as well? I understand the theory behind the idea and I think that initially it is a good a idea, however there are some underlying issues to be looked at as well.
7.I believe that this method of learn has much potential to be very helpful in the classroom. Especially to certain students that will stay better focused when dealing with this type of strategic problem solving. Incorporating this into a classroom could be easier for some students to relate to and understand. I do think that collaborating this method of "coaching" with other subjects that we will be teaching will indeed be effective in the classroom. I think that much more research and structure needs to be brought to a plan of action before presenting it to teachers to teach, but I definitely agree with the concept and the fact that it can be better to relate to some students' ways of thinking.
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