Personal Learning Network II

I have not added very many websites to my PLN. I have really benefited from the ones I found though. I am always interested to see what Mrs. Baggett has to say. She goes on so many interesting adventures, and she's great about posting information and pictures. I also really enjoy At the Teacher's Desk. I feel as though I'm learning a great deal from this person, and they don't even know it. I comment on their posts occasionally, and I think I will begin to interact with all my PLNs much more since this class is coming to an end. I will have more time on the computer to look into their blog posts. There are so many useful things. I also like to see what Dr. Strange has to say. He is the best about updating his blog. I think my PLN will be a very valuable tool for me in the future. It's already proving itself to be very interesting now. I hope that my professional blog will be included on someone else's PLN one day. Once I'm in the classroom, I will gladly share what I learn with others. That's one of the major perks of an educational career. We can learn so much from each other!

Au Revoir

The semester has ended, and it's time to say goodbye. I have enjoyed this class, but as I look forward to summer, I must say that I'm glad it's over. I'm glad all my classes are over. I plan on enjoying a nice summer relaxing! I hope we can all continue to grow, not only in technology, but as educators as well. It would be nice to keep in touch, and see what everyone is doing in their classrooms in a few years. So...for now, goodbye!

Technology Presentation

Teacher Interview

I completed a teacher interview with Mrs. Robin Dunnam. She is a K-5 teacher at Gilliard Elementary School on Dauphin Island Parkway in Mobile, Al. She had some very good words of wisdom.

1.Why did you become a teacher? What should motivate someone to be a teacher?
After working in daycare, camps and Vacation Bible School, Mrs. Dunnam knew she loved working with children, and that she was gifted with the ability to present something to a child in a way they could understand it. If you want to be a teacher, you have to know that you like working with children because you will be in a room full of them for 8 hours every school day.
2.What do you like about being a teacher? What are the rewards?
The biggest reward that comes from having a teaching career is the time that Mrs. Dunnam has for her own three children. She has learned how to manage her time so well that she can be there for her children's after school activities. She also loves being around the children in her class.
3.What are some of the challenges and difficulties you face?
Some of the decisions made by the higher authorities don't always make sense to the teachers. The main difficulty is accepting things that you can't change. The class sizes are very large at Mrs. Dunnam's school, but there is nothing she can do to change this.
4.How did you decide on where to interview for a job? Which district, school, etc? Please describe the application and interview process.
Mrs. Dunnam knew someone with a connection to school where she began her teaching career. The application includes a lot of requirements with the central office such as a TB test, proof of graduation, and fingerprinting and photograph. The school board determines where there is an opening, but the principal of the school makes the final decision as to whether you're hired or not.
5.Why did you select the grade level you teach?
At such a young age, the children are still respectful and eager to learn. They look at the teacher in awe because they see her as a giver of all this knowledge. Apparently, K-5 is not as fun as it used to be, but it is still a very entertaining grade to teach.
6.Why did you select public school over private school for your teaching career? What are the differences between teaching in public school and private school?
Money was the main reason Mrs. Dunnam decided to teach in a public school. When she began teaching, the private schools were not paying teachers as much as the public schools.
7.What knowledge, attitudes, and skills are most necessary and useful for a teacher?
A teacher needs to be caring, and they should also have a sense of reality. It is very important to balance these two attitudes. You must also have a sense of responsibility for the children that you teach. You are responsible for their learning, but you can't pay their power bill or buy them new clothes. It's just a matter of doing what you can for the child.
8.How is your competency as a teacher assessed? Who does this assessment?
The new plan called Educate Alabama is the official way that teachers are assessed. The state has trained employees to do this assessment. This process is completed at least once a year for new teachers, but after you've been teaching for awhile, it occurs every couple of years. There are also informal evaluations by the principal at least once a week.
9.What are your duties and responsibilities other than classroom teaching?
You have to make sure that you are prepared for the next week or the next day. Also, because Mrs. Dunnam lives in the community in which she teaches, she must be sure to act like a professional educator when she's out in public grocery shopping, at church etc. You have to be a role model for the students. Everyone at her school has afternoon duty because the dismissal process is so strenuous. These duties are usually determined by the principal so it depends on the school.
10.Do you belong to a professional organization? If yes, what does it do for you? If no, why don't you belong to one?
Mrs. Dunnam does not belong to any professional organizations because she does not feel she has the time. She does not hold this as a high priority.
11.What is your typical daily and weekly work schedule? How many hours do you work per week?
Mrs. Dunnam gets to school a little early and leaves a little late every day to avoid having to do much at home. This is easier for her to do because K-5 does not have the intense grading that other grade levels require.
12.Why do teachers burn out? How do you avoid this?
Teaching is a very demanding career. There is a lot of “do it because I said so” which some people just can't handle. Teachers are at the bottom of the totem pole. To avoid burn out, you need to have balance between your career and your life. This will help you enjoy teaching much more.
13.How much time do you spend on things such as record keeping? What specific records do you keep? What is the importance of keeping accurate records?
Keeping records is much easier now because it is all done on the computer. Doing it by hand was more time consuming. A teacher must keep attendance, grades and discipline records of the students.
14.Who chooses your textbooks and trade book? Who decides curriculum and methods to be used?
The state of Alabama chooses the textbooks and curriculum for all schools.
15.What is your best advice about classroom management?
You have to be firm and persistent. You can be kind and loving, but you can't let them get away with anything.
16.How do you motivate your students?
Mrs. Dunnam tries to make the learning fun so it's motivating in itself. She also has the negative motivational tools like taking away fun time if they don't do something.
17.What is the best way to deal with discipline problems?
If there is a large discipline problem, the first step is to speak with their parents. After this has been done, you just have to remain persistent. Don't let a student get away with something one day that you wouldn't let them do another day. Let the students know what you expect so you can avoid as many discipline problems as possible.
18.How are you held accountable for your responsibilities as a teacher?
Teaching responsibilities begin when you clock-in in the morning. Your reports have to be turned in on time. The office and principal keeps up with who is performing their responsibilities. Testing also holds teachers accountable. If your students perform badly year after year on tests, it is going to reflect on you as the teacher.
19.What are the demographics of the school where you teach? Do you feel prepared to teach all of these groups? Which are you most and least comfortable/prepared to teach, and why?
Mrs. Dunnam's class is 95% free lunch and 90% African American. The school is one of the lower in socioeconomic standing. Most students in her class live in rental property. Most of the parents are working little money and have more than one job. There is a teacher in each grade level that takes all ELL and special ed in her classroom. They are not separated from the general classroom, but they are all in one class. Mrs. Dunnam has been this teacher in previous years. She feels very prepared to teach these students because the system is very good at making sure you are capable. Mrs. Dunnam is less comfortable teaching special ed. It's not because she does not feel prepared to teach them. She likes to see the “light come on” when a student understands something and with special ed, you are less guaranteed to have this.
20.Do you multiculturize content, approach, discipline or classroom management? If yes, how? If no, why not?
Mrs. Dunnam has noticed a change in multiculturalization over the years. These days, Christmas is Santa Claus and Easter is the Easter Bunny, but teachers do not go beyond that. You have to be very careful because not all students believe the same things. She does not feel that her school is as multiculturalized as they should be.
21.What do you do to accommodate an English Language Learner when they are in your classroom?
The ELL students that Mrs. Dunnam has taught have been so eager to learn the English language that any accommodations made have not been that major. She may have to stop by their desk a few more times to make sure they understand or pair them with a peer that can help to explain things.
22.How do you communicate and collaborate with parents and guardians?
At her school, each student is given a planner. The student must take this planner back and forth from the teacher to the parents daily. Each parent knows to check the planner each evening for homework and notes from the teacher. Mrs. Dunnam checks each students planner in the morning for notes from the parents. There are progress reports sent home throughout the year to keep the parents informed. Other than this, there are face to face conferences occasionally.
23.What is the structure of the school administration? Who reports to whom at school? How are the school board, superintendent, and central office involved? Do teachers do administrative work?
Under the present administration, the principal makes the final decision in the school. The principal must report to the supervisor and members of the central office before she can approve of anything. There is a clear line between teachers and administration, so teachers do not do any administrative work.
24.What do you think about standardized testing? How does it affect your teaching?
Standardized testing does affect Mrs. Dunnam as directly in a K-5 classroom because she does not administer them to the students. In K-5, she must make sure that she covers all the objectives in the state curriculum. If she does not prepare them for 1st grade, they will fall behind and this will become obvious when they take their first standardized test in 3rd grade.
25.If you could improve anything about your job, your school or your district, what would you change and how?
If Mrs. Dunnam could change anything about her job and school, she would have less children in her classroom. She would also like teacher's aides that are not there to help the teacher, but to help the students. It would not just be for students who are having trouble, but also for those who are ahead of the rest.
26.Describe what your duties would be during each of the following emergencies: fire, tornado, intruder/lockdown, student with a weapon in class, and medical emergencies.
In the case of a fire or tornado, there are specific procedures for each classroom. These are given by the principal and state. For a fire, she is responsible for lining up the children and escorting them out the nearest exit to the playground. For a tornado, she must escort the children into the hallway and have then kneel down. For lockdown, she must lock her door and close all window blinds. The students must gather in a corner of the classroom and sit down. There are specific runners during each emergency that check to make sure everyone is doing what they're told and that no one has been left in the bathroom, etc. Your role is clearly defined in the safety plan given to the teachers at the beginning of the year. For medical emergencies, you send the child to first aid. If it is an immediate emergency, she buzzes the office using the intercom system and they send someone to her room and call 911.
27.What is your best advice for someone considering a teaching career?
If you are considering being a teacher, you must know that you are very busy during the day. Organization is key.
28. Are your children in public or private school? Why?
Each of her children went through public school. They did the magnet program for a few years. She did not want her students to attend the school where she taught, but she also did not want to pay for them to attend a private school. She has strong feelings that at a private school, the education the children receive is only as good as the teacher in the front of the classroom.
29. How does your family show support for your career?
Her family shows support by being patient. She is sometimes short with her children after dealing with 20 kindergarteners all day.
30. Did you have a favorite teacher when you were in school? Do you duplicate her methods?
Mrs. Dunnam really liked her 3rd grade teacher because she showed her students that she was interested in things outside of the classroom. This really fascinated her. It's different when teaching K-5, but Mrs. Dunnam does try to show her students that she genuinely cares about them.

Google Earth

This is a tour of Google Earth of all the amusement parks I've visited in the United States. It begins in Disney World in Orlando, Fl. It then goes to Great America in Santa Rosa, CA. After this it shows you Cedar Point in Ohio. The tour ends at Six Flags over Georgia in Atlanta.

Teach Someone Technology

For this assignment, I was advised to teach others about at least one aspect of technology we learned in class and how to use it. I chose to teach others how to blog. I find blogging very useful and very fun so I think others could really get into it if they had the opportunity. Below you will find a list of procedures to create and maintain your own blog.

Creating and maintaining a blog:

1. Visit www.blogger.com.
2. Click on "Create a Blog" in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
   
3. You will need to answer each of the questions posted. Don't forget to check the box saying you agree to all terms and conditions of the website!
   
4. After all questions have been completed, click "Continue."
5. You will then be prompted to name your blog. You may choose any name you wish. You will also have to create a blog URL address. This may also be anything you wish as long as it does not match a URL address that already exists. To see if the address you chose is ok, click "check availability" right below the area where you typed the address.
6. Once you have named your blog and created a personal URL address, you are ready to get started!
7. To get started, you need to personalize your blog. To do this , we will first change the background template. Click "Customize" in the top right corner of the screen. Then, click on the tab that says "Pick a New Template."
8. Choose the template you like by selecting one of the circles next to the name.
   
9. If you wish to customize your blog even more, you may choose the tab that says "Fonts and Colors." Here, you may choose from many different fonts and font colors. Simply select the ones you like and click "Save Changes."
10. If you want to rearrange the items on your blog, press the "Page Elements" tab. This will allow you to rearrange your blog, as well as add new gadgets such as text boxes or links.
    
11. That should finish your blog customization. To return to the home screen for your blog, press the orange "B" in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
    
12. Once you have returned to your blogger dashboard, you should create a profile. To do so, click on the link that says "edit profile" on the left of your blog title. Here you may put as much or as little as you'd like. You may even add a picture to your blog. This picture will be shown next to any comments you leave on other blogs as well. Don't forget to hit "Save Profile" when you're finished.
    
13. Now, it's finally time to create a blog post for your blog. To do so, you should return to the Blogger dashboard by clicking on the orange "B."
    
14. Under the title of your blog, you should see a highlighted area that says "New Post." Click on this to create a post. This will take you to a blank blog document.
15. Before you begin typing, be sure the tab at the top of the text area shows "Compose" highlighted. This will make your life much easier.
16. There is an area for a Title to your post above the actual text document. Simply type in a title here.
17. In the text area below, you may type whatever you wish to say in your blog post. The top of the area shows you various commands you may use.
18. At the top of the text document, you may change the font and font size. You may also make the font bold or italicized. The next button gives you the option of changing font color. You are also given options for centering text, right hand margins, left hand margins, or full screen margins. There is a numbering and bullet option as well. There is a spell check button, and the eraser at the end allows you to remove all formatting from the post.
    
19. I skipped a few buttons at the top that needed further explanation. The button that shows a chain link allows you to embed links into your blog. For this, you highlight the words you wish to take you to a link and click on that button. A window will appear asking you for the URL address of the website you wish to embed on your blog. Simply type in the URL and click "ok." The words you selected should now be a link to that website.
    
20. You also have the option of adding pictures to your blog post. To do so, click on the picture of the landscape at the top of the text box. You may browse your computer for saved images, or you may use one from the internet by intering the URL. Choose the layout and the size of the image you prefer and press "Upload Image." You may move the image anywhere on the blog post that fits the layout you chose.
21. The last option given to you is to embed a video to your blog. To do so, click on the film reel at the top of the text document. Browse your computer for a saved video, give the video a title for your blog post, check the box saying you agree to all terms and conditions, and press "Upload Video."
22. Once you have finished a particular blog post, you may either save it as a draft by clicking the blue button below the text window that says "Save Now," or you can publish it to your blog by pressing the orange button that says "Publish Post."
    
23. You always have the option of editing posts by returning to the Blogger dashboard and clicking "edit posts" under the title of the blog.
    

Blogging is very easy, and it just gets easier the more you do it. You will catch on quickly I'm sure!

Week 14 Blog : Due April 25, 2010

Honest Reflection

1. There are so many programs out there that I did not know existed. I think one major thing I've learned from this class is that if I need something done, there is probably a program out there that can help me do it quicker and easier. I loved the blogs because it opened my mind to a new way of learning in the classroom. I learned quite a bit about Google in this class. I had no idea you could make a powerpoint presentation on Google. Before, I simply used Google as a search engine only. GoogleDocs has so much to offer. I still have not really become fascinated with Twitter. I'm more of a Facebook girls I suppose. I've always loved YouTube because you can find practically anything there. iTunes and iTunesU are nothing new to me. I used iTunes immediately after buying my iPod my sophomore year in high school. iTunesU was popular at Auburn University where I spent my freshman year of college. GoogleEarth is interesting, but I don't really know what its use could be. I suppose it would be an interesting way for students to see sights around the world. The podcasts were really fun. It's pretty fascinating to know that I am on iTunes. I think my favorite assignment all semester was the Comments4kids assignments. I'm majoring in early childhood/elementary education so kids are obviously one of my passions. It was great to see how hard these children were working in class. It was also great to see the assignments the teachers created. It gave me some great ideas! Those were the projects that had the most impact on me.
2. I can imagine that there is so much left to learn about technology, but I had little to no idea that what we did learn in this class even existed. I have no idea what else we could have possibly learned.
3. There really is not anything I would like to forget necessarily. There may be some things that we learned that I may not use in my classroom, but it doesn't mean I want to forget how to do it. Some things may be a little too complicated for me to attempt at first, but as I become more comfortable in my teaching career, I will become more comfortable trying new things. I think everything we learned in this class is useful.
4. I can't really say that this class excited me, but that's mainly because I don't have a profound interest in technology. This class excited my interest in technology if that makes any sense, but that's as far as I would go.
5. I wouldn't say that the blog about teaching someone technology was intellectually challenging, but it did make me think in a new way. It was difficult to give detailed instructions to someone when I did not have a way to give them visual instructions as well. It wasn't a challenging project, but it did take me a bit longer than most other ones because I had to determine the best way to explain everything, and I had to make sure I did not leave any step out of the equation.
6. The time spent in class was sometimes boring. Most of the projects we did could have been completed at home with no class at all. This is actually being corrected, if I understand correctly, by slowly making this an online class. I think this is a great idea. The only time I really needed an instructor was when I needed an assignment explained further. As long as instructors were available to students when they needed additional help, making this an online class would be a great idea.
7. I can't really say that I would add or delete anything from this course. I'm sure in the future things will change, and new things will need to be added. Deleting things from the course is not necessary because, even if I did not feel as though I benefited from something, someone else may have gained quite a bit from the experience. I don't think the workload was overwhelming. I think some things should have just been explained in more detail.
8. I would say that I'm in the middle on a technologically literate scale. I've definitely increased my literacy through this class, but I still have so much to learn. I think I learned a great deal that I can use in the field of education, and that was my major goal in this class. I feel as though I've succeeded.
9. I plan on keeping up on the blogs and websites in my PLN. I feel these sources will help me stay up to date on the latest in technology for education. Also, I think we will be seeing more technology used in our classes at South. (At least I hope this is the case.) I hope to never be very far behind in technology.

Two Questions

I watched a video about two questions you should ask yourself daily. The first is "What's my sentence?" This may not make any sense to you now, but it comes from the quote, "Every great man is a sentence." This means that you could be described as a great person in one sentence. Your sentence could be something along the lines of " I helped educated children" or "I created something useful." This gives each of us a goal.
The other question we should ask ourselves daily is "Am I better today than I was yesterday?" This is a very straight-forward question, but it's great motivation. We should all strive to be a little better each day. We don't have to be the best, but we can all improve on parts of our lives I'm sure. I could improve my patience one day. The next day, I could work on procrastination. It's another goal we should have for ourselves.

Comments4Kids

This weeks comments4kids assignment led me to Matthew T.'s blog about the South Sydney Rabbitohs. He really seemed to love this sports team and had high hopes for them winning all of their games. I hope they do well!!

Week 13 Blog : Due April 18, 2010

Topic of Choice

I really enjoyed comments4kids in this class because I was able to see the various ways teachers integrated technology into their classroom. Before entering this class, I did not know the depth that technology was used in some classrooms throughout the world. When I was in elementary school, we were lucky to have computers in our classroom. The majority of the computers in the school were located in the computer lab. When we had our designated time to go to computer lab each week, we would play educational games for math, spelling, reading, etc. These games counted for a grade. Sometimes, if we finished our work early and had nothing else to do, the teacher would let us take turn on the 2 computers in our classroom. For this enrichment activity, we would often play the game Oregon Trail. Thinking back, this game was not that fun, especially when compared to games kids play today. I really like how teachers integrate blog posts into their classroom as well. Apparently I have been underestimating the children of today. They know how to maneuver around a computer better than I do. My favorite class to visit was the Pt. England School in Auckland, NZ. I was actually assigned to post a comment on their blog this week. They have such creative kids that were blessed with such a creative teacher that allows them to gain the experience of using technology in the classroom. We are in for something new!

Comments4Kids

This week, I was assigned to comment on the post called "Cloud Animals" on the blog by Pt. England School in Auckland, NZ. We have interacted with this class all year. They always have so many wonderful things to post to their class blog. The post I was assigned to comment on was about the activity they did in class. They went outside and laid on their back. They looked at the clouds in the sky and listened to the wind in the trees. It served no other purpose other than getting the children out of the classroom from what I could see. They apparently were assigned a descriptive blog post about it which is a wonderful way to incorporate learning and nature. I think nature is a great tool for learning, and I'm hoping to use it in my classroom!

Comments4Teachers Weeks 13-14

I was assigned to comment on John Spencer's Blog. I'm very glad I was assigned to his blog because he has some WONDERFUL things to say. The post I read for the first week was called "What Kids Can Teach Us About Community." I loved what he had to say! There is so much we can learn from children, and making friends is at the top of the list. Children rarely judge. They classify everyone they know as a friend. They do not understand "acquaintance" or "co-worker." They have fun together, and they do not suppress their feelings. Sometimes it's better to get your feelings out. Grudges and gossip do not make for pleasant relationships. We all need to open our eyes to what we can learn from children.

This week, my post for John Spencer's blog was on a topic determining the different loves he has for his children and his students. I really liked this post because it's an issue I foresee myself having in the classroom. I become very attached to children, and I know that once I see these children 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, I am going to develop a bond with them. I may see some of these children more than their parents do. This is going to make me want to act somewhat like a parent to them, but Mr. Spencer broke it down very simply. The love of a teacher and the love of a parent are very different, but both are very important. I want to be a loving teacher that truly cares about my students. I don't want to focus on them passing my class. I want to focus on them succeeding in life.

Personal Learning Network

My personal learning network is not the largest, but I am very confident that it is still great! I am following At the Teacher's Desk which is an "experiment in professional learning, collaboration, and sharing of ideas." It is a great blog with a ton of useful information as a future educator!

I am also following Mr. C's Class Blog. Dr. Strange seemed to really like the ideas and methods he posted to his blog so I knew he was a "must-have" for my PLN.

Finally, I am following my AED (Art in the Elementary School) teacher, Mrs. Baggett. Her blog, Pondering Paige, is extremely interesting. Also, I want to use art as much as possible in my classroom, and her blog has some wonderful thoughts and ideas to do this.

Week 12 Blog : Due April 11, 2010

Dr. Seuss- The Zax



This video is very eye-opening. The world going to continue to advance, and we have the choice to follow along or stay still. In the video, we see that the Zax decided to stay still, yet the world grew around them. This is an inspirational video for anyone, but it is especially important for current and future educators. We have the opportunity to share this message with each of our students. Don't stand still and watch everything continue around you. Be a part of it!

PS 22 Video

This is a great example of how posting student work to the internet can have wonderful outcomes! These kids obviously worked very hard on this production of the song, and I'm sure it meant so much to them to be asked to sing in Madison Square Gardens. Had their teacher not posted their work to a blog, they would have never been given this opportunity.
We have encountered various instances when posting things to a blog have had wonderful outcomes. One example is Kaia and her blog. She is so young, yet she has already been given multiple opportunities that otherwise would have been impossible for her to have. You should definitely take a look at Kaia's Blog. Another great example of posting student work to blogs is Pt. England School Room 18. They integrate blogs into their class routine, and the children really seem to enjoy it and benefit from it. We have had the opportunity to comment on some posts by this class, and they are doing wonderful things! Another fabulous example is Mr. C's class at Noel Elementary School. Similar to the children at Pt. England School, Mr. C's Class integrates blogs into their daily schedule. It is a wonderful way for children to show their work to others, for parents to see what's happening in the classroom, and for others all over the world to see the great things these kids are doing! Mr. C's class is also the ones the class that gave Dr. Strange the idea for Comments4Kids.

Comments 4 Kids

This week, my comments for kids was for Kaitlynne. She is a student at Pt. England School in Auckland, New Zealand. She is in the 6 year old classroom, and her first post was a video of herself called "Kaitlynne's Holidays Story." She also has a picture she drew which includes herself and her house. I think she did a wonderful job!

Week 11 Blog : Due April 4, 2010

Dear Kaia

I read Kaia's blog first, and I was completely amazed at what she had created. Her photograph video was beautiful. It looks like she really enjoys photography, and she also seems to appreciate the small things in life. What her daddy told her was very true, sometimes "garbage" can be beautiful when seen from another perspective. I'm not advocating littering. Don't get me wrong! Kaia showed us in one of her pictures that garbage was not always ugly, though. The picture of the can in the sand on the desert was not ugly. She showed us a beautiful side to the garbage someone else had left. Her dad seems very supportive of her use of technology. I think this will be very beneficial to her in the future, as well as today.

Singing Hearts

This blog was written by Kaia's father. It was very inspiring as a future educator and future parent. I love what he is doing with Kaia. It is a wonderful way to document her life. He has valid concerns about making his daughter so open to the public, but there are always privacy settings he can create if he gets too worried. It would be nice if we could all feel comfortable on the internet, but it is not always the safest place to be. I would like to start a blog for my children when I have them. I have family that does not live close enough to come visit often so a blog for my child would be a unique way for them to stay up to date.

Mr. Chamberlain

The voicethreads that Mr. Chamberlain's class made for Kaia were very cool. It amazes me how much we can do with technology today. I'm sure Kaia really appreciated them taking the time to read her blog, comment and create that voicethread. She's becoming quite popular from what I understand. This is going to have a really interesting affect on her as she matures.

Comments4Teachers Week 10-12

For this assignment, I am reading Tom Johnson's Adventures in Pencil Integration. The first post I read was entitled, "A Party for Pencils." In this post, Mr. Johnson describes how sometimes as human beings, we find ourselves focused on things that don't really matter in the long run. Technology is important, and it's very useful and innovative; however, we still need to focus on the projects being completed with this technology. Students may write a paper and include some really amazing technological stationary and photos, but the content of the paper should still be the main focus. Don't let your own focus be swayed!

This week I read another post by Tom Johnson. It was called "pencils and pointless prep." It gave an example of a student known as "cynical gifted boy." He asked the question, "why do we use pencils?" The response given was "It's a learning tool. Why do you learn?" The response the student gave was all about preparing for the future. He learns to prepare for tests, middle school, high school, college, work, and retirement. Mr. Johnson makes the wonderful point that we need to learn for the now, not the future. The future is important, and you do have to prepare for it in certain ways, but it's not against the rules to learn in the now.

Week 10 Blog : Due March 28, 2010

An Open Letter to Educators

The video by Dan Brown was very interesting to me. I had many of these same thoughts, but I was never really able to organize them into a decent argument. I think he did a fine job presenting his points. Universities seem to be behind the time in most areas. It is very frustrating to find yourself in a class when you seem to ask yourself daily, "How is this benefiting me?" It's even more frustrating when you can't think of a decent answer. Most classes are only beneficial for credits to graduate. This should not be the case. Universities are a place to learn! We are supposed to be preparing ourselves for a career, not trying to pass classes by doing pointless assignments. In days like these, I believe students are more accustomed to hands-on learning. This is very true in elementary grades, but college is becoming similar. I plan to be an elementary school teacher, and in this age level, I need to be innovative and fun. Students should enjoy learning. From the previous video we watched, students should be learning without even realizing it when possible. Lectures are a thing of the past. Today, technology is the way to go!

Comments4Kids

This week, I was assigned to Mrs. Goerend's Class Blog. The post I was assigned to was written by Kasey C. It was called "The US Shouldn't Be in War." I thought it was a very well-written post, and it stated Kasey's opinion very clearly!

Technology of Today

TimeToast

I used Timetoast to create a timeline of the life of Disney's Mickey Mouse. I'm a huge Disney fan so I thought this would be an interesting topic for experimenting with Timetoast. It's such as easy website to use, and it helps you get organized. You could create a timeline for any subject. These could be used in presentations or to study for a test. You may view my timeline below.



Skype
I use Skype quite often to talk to high school friends who moved away for college. It's a great and easy way to keep it touch, and it's much more personal than texting or a phone call. I had to buy a separate camera because my laptop is older and did not come with one. My camera works very well, and it has a microphone so everything I need is all together. I enjoy using Skype. It's communication for the future. For this assignment, I skyped with my friend who is attending the University of Miami. It was a great way to catch up with each other rather than just calling or Facebook chatting. It was much more personal.

Vocaroo
Vocaroo is a voice recording system that allows you to record something and post it to the internet or send it in an email. It's a cool idea because a person can listen to you instead of reading an email. It's similar to an answering machine on a telephone in that it's a voice recording that can be listened to at the convenience of the person receiving it. They can save it and listen to it repeatedly if necessary.

Try it out on your own!!


Powered by Vocaroo

Google Survey

My Google survey was about cell phones. I created a survey using Google forms, and I was able to send it to all of my classmates through email. It was a very easy process! I asked the following questions in my survey:

• How old were you when you got your first cell phone?
• Which cell phone provider do you use?
• Do you have internet access on your phone?
• Do you use the texting feature on your phone?
• How often do you use your cell phone during class?
• Do you prefer texting or calling?

I received the following responses from 28 of my classmates:

• The majority of students were 13-15 years old when they got their first cell phone.
  
• 50% of students use At&t as their cell phone provider. 5 students use Verizon, and 5 students use T-Mobile. 2 responded saying they use Cellular South, and only 1 uses Alltel.
  
• 14 students have internet access on their phones. 6 have internet access, but they don't use it. 8 students do not have internet access on their phones.
  
• 27 students responded that they do use the texting feature on their phone. Only 1 student does not.
• 6 students use their cell phone often during class. 7 students use it occasionally during class. 11 students rarely use it during class, and 4 students never use it in class.
  
• 13 students prefer texting, and 4 students prefer calling. 11 students could not decide, and responded that they liked both texting and calling.
  

Week 9 Blog : Due March 14, 2010

ALEX

Alex, also known as Alabama Learning Exchange, is a tool used by teachers to share information. On the homepage, there are 8 different sections to choose from including Course of Study, Web Links, Lesson Plans, Search, Personal Workspace, Professional Learning, Podcast Treasury and Help. Each of these sections prove very useful to an educator. There is so much that this website has to offer.
The Course of Study section breaks each section down into Alabama state standards. You can click on a general subject and it will break it down by grade level or a more specific subject. If you click on the subject or grade level of your choice, you can view the standards for the state of Alabama and some ways to complete these standards. The Web Links sections contains websites for teachers, administrators, and students. The links are organized by specific categories. You can choose the one that's most closely fits your needs and there will be a list of helpful websites for you. The lesson plan section allows you to search for lesson plans by subject or grade level. Once you click on a subject or grade level, there are specific lesson plans from which to choose. Each lesson plan includes the activity, which standards it fulfills and so much more. The search section is pretty self-explanatory. It allows you to search the entire ALEX database for whatever it is you may need. ALEX also allows you to create your own personal workspace through the personal workspace section. You can create an account and make personal lesson plans, etc. The professional learning section provides a place to view professional development opportunities, the latest news about the teaching profession, teaching and learning tools, and the best practices used by those in the field. The podcast treasury is similar to iTunesU. It offers podcasts on many different subject areas. Last, but not least, the Help section provides answers to those frequently asked questions.
I find ALEX to be a very useful sight because it has many tools located in the same place. Instead of having to search for everything you need separately, you can just go on ALEX and find it all in one area. This is convenient for the teacher who finds himself or herself without adequate time for researching. Not only does ALEX provide tools for teachers, but there are also tools for administrators and students. It's a very versatile website that I believe many educators will find useful.

ACCESS

ACCESS is short for Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide. This website is for Alabama public high school students. It was built to provide equal learning opportunities for everyone. It allows students to complete online courses during semesters similar to those in college. They aim to improve students' achievements through this method of distance learning.
There are four sections of this website that are of particular interest to educators today. The first section is entitles Courses. Here you will find courses offered, test preparations, exam exemption forms, course catalogs and FAQs. Courses offered are those offered in all high schools throughout the state of Alabama. There are advance placement courses for those who would like a challenge. There are also test prep sections to help high school students prepare for graduation exams and AP exams. The next section of interest is entitled Educators. Here, you will find tools for administrators, teachers and counselors. There is a website to connect teachers so they are able to easily share information. There is also a place to apply for a teaching position with ACCESS. There are policy manuals as well as information for on-site classroom facilitators. The third section of interest in entitled Resources. This section is useful to both educators and students because it offers a menagerie of resources. These resources include, but are not limited to, AP test prep, Alabama Virtual Library, ALEX, Curriculum Pathways, Elluminate, Graphmatica, HippoCampus and MathType. An educator should explore each of these resources to see what they have to offer. The final section of interest is entitled Students. This section obviously focuses on the students and what they need to know about ACCESS. Here, you will find testimonials from students who have used ACCESS, information for parents, and overview of ACCESS and technical support.
I though ACCESS was a great idea. As an educator, I would probably use ALEX more because it offers more in a well-organized manner. I found ACCESS to be more beneficial to students because of the help if offered them in classes and test preparation. I would probably suggest this website to my students if I felt they would benefit from it.

Comments4Kids
This week, I visited Mrs. Yollis's class blog. I commented on a post about Groundhog's Day. The students observed that the groundhog saw his shadow. According to tradition, this means there will be 6 more weeks of winter. This class is located in Southern California so hopefully their winter wasn't too cold!

Comments4Teachers
My comments for teachers post is located a few posts down. It is just before the Week 7 blog post.

Week 8 Blog : Due March 7, 2010

Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Randy Pausch begins his last lecture by introducing himself. He has liver cancer and has been told he will only live a few more months. Because of this, he decided to give a "last lecture." In this lecture, he not only gives advice, but, more importantly, he gives inspiration. At the beginning of the lecture, he gives a list of quite a few of his childhood dreams. Throughout the first half of the lecture, he gives examples of how he accomplished each of these dreams. This man is still very young, yet he has managed to accomplish so much of what he wanted to in life because he was persistent. One of my favorite things said in this lecture is that brick walls are there to show us how much we want something. I've never thought of this before, but it's very true. A roadblock, in any situation, is there to weed out those people who don't really want it. If you truly want something, go after it. Don't let a minor roadblock keep you from achieving your dreams. I think this is something we can all learn from in life. Everyone experiences brick walls, but there is always a way around them if you try hard enough and remain persistent and dedicated.
One section of the lecture was about teaching people how to make people excited and happy. This is a great thing to learn because, as teachers, our goal should be to help others achieve their dreams. Another great piece of advice for a future teacher is that when you're trying something new, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. This should alleviate any thoughts that it only happens to you. Don't be afraid to try new methods. Things will not go perfectly the first time. Deal with what you've got, and improve on it next time. As a teacher, we should teach students to be self-reflective. This comes with many benefits. A student needs to learn to focus on something. Why not put this focus on themselves? I don't mean in a selfish way at all. We should teach people to focus on aspects of themselves that that like. Then focus on how they could use these talents to help others. We should also focus on what they would like to improve about themselves. Don't dwell on the negative, but focus on what could come from improvement. I truly liked the "head fake" method as well. This works for students of all age groups, elementary to graduate school students. If people believe they are learning something else, other lessons will come from it. If you don't want to teach a particular thing, or you think the students won't be receptive of the way you teach it, throw it in with an activity that focuses on something else. The students may enjoy it more, and the lesson will still be learned. "Have fun while learning something hard."
There are many things that affect a child's behavior, attitude, learning and life. Parents and mentors are probably at the top of the list because the children spend the most time with these people when they are developing. Children have it all right. We, as adults, need to continue to have fun. We need to continue to portray that "child-like wonder." Children are so open to new ideas, and they are always wanting to learn something new. Don't let these characteristics fade as you grow older. Dr. Pausch also focuses on helping others. Show gratitude when gratitude is deserved. We should always try to find the best in everyone. This may not be apparent for years and years, but everyone has a good side. Patience will allow you to find this with everyone. You have to be persistent and dedicated if you really want to achieve your dreams. If you live your life the right way, it will seem as though your dreams are just falling into place, but remember what you had to do to get there. Don't complain about the situation. Just work harder to fix it. The advice given in this lecture will be some that I will remember, and hopefully utilize, for the rest of my life. Thank you Dr. Pausch.

Comments4Kids

This week, I commented on Michala's blog. Her blog post included a cinquain about Friendship. She had a very well written cinquain, and she seemed to truly value who friendship.

Week 7 Blog : Due February 28, 2010

This is How We Dream: Part 1 & 2

Dr. Richard E. Miller created these videos to show exactly how technology can be used today. He had some very interesting ideas and examples. It was also pretty cool that the information Dr. Miller was presenting was being exemplified through the presentation itself. He was speaking about movies and motion images while these things were on the screen. It gave the viewer a first-hand look at the information. Mr. Miller made an obvious point that most people don't want to hear, myself included. Print is soon to be out of the picture. Books and libraries are no longer a necessity. This upsets me because I love reading books. To me, reading a book is not just about reading the content. The physical book makes it so much better. Maybe I'm one of few who feels this way anymore, but I hope books don't go out of style until way after my lifetime. This also brings another thought to my mind. If books go out of style, and everything is published on the computer, won't that be extra strain on our eyes when we read? I know that if I read a book in poor lighting my eyes start to hurt after a period of time. If I have to read a lengthy article on the computer, my eyes will begin burning. How should I be expected to read an entire book on the computer? These books online are not a thing of the future. They are everywhere in today's world. My concern is that eventually, instead of just printing a copy and putting one on the computer, the printed copy will become extinct.
One thing I found pretty cool on Dr. Miller's video was the motion picture within the body of the text. Call me a dork, but the first thought that came to my mind was the newspaper in Harry Potter. Any picture within the newspaper was moving. There was no such thing as a still image shot. This could make the reading more interesting, and it would break it up a little by placing a video to watch between two paragraphs. Also, more information could be presented, and it provides two different learning styles with an activity. Some people gain more information by reading the material, but some gain more by hearing someone else say it. Both of these learning styles would be exemplified within this document.
I particularly liked the statement Dr. Miller made about ideas belonging to us as a culture, not to us as individuals. We need to unite and share our ideas if we want to progress. I also really liked the emotional profiling that was introduced in this video. It would be cool to find out what the predominant emotions were in each city. This technology could also be used for so much more. I'm not sure that I'm prepared to teach about technology this extensively; however, through this class, I am learning more about what I need to know. One issue with learning this technology is that the classroom I will most likely be teaching in will be lucky to even have a SmartBoard. The finances are just not that readily available at this point in time. Does that mean it's a waste of time trying to become tech-savvy? No, it may not be long before this technology is more available and widespread.

The Networked Student

This video reminded me a great deal of what we are doing in EDM 310 this semester. Dr. Strange and Mr. Tashbin have been advising us to build a personal learning network. This personal learning network is the equivalent to the connectivity in this video. Through our personal learning network, we will encounter many different views on MANY different topics. As an education major, I am generally following teachers' blogs, but a personal learning network can be created for any subject. I'm not easily persuaded so I was always the student who questioned the textbook. The good thing about this is that you are not completely reliable on the textbook. In the past, I've encountered some fairly biased textbooks. I mean, humans write these books so it's hard to say that they are pure fact. This is not to say that nothing on the internet is biased, but by viewing different sources, you are more able to determine between fact and opinion.
My thoughts on teaching these students has not changed much since I've entered this classroom. I believe that I will be prepared to handle all of this technology, but I'm not so sure I could necessarily teach it to others. Once I've finished this class, I hope this view has changed. I want to have a technologically advanced classroom. It's hard for me to imagine, however, because I plan to teach kindergarten. I know that 5 years olds these days can use technology, but most of the examples I've seen in this class show 1st graders and above using the technology. I'll have to do some research to see what's going on in the kindergarten classroom.

Toward a New Future of Whatever

This video brought to mind many things I've never considered. I know media has a major impact on our lives, but I never focused on the extent of this impact. The media of today's world (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc) shapes our environment and our conversations. Different statements may be made depending on the type of media tool being used. In my own personal case, I would be more likely to say something through text than through video. While most social networking tools are not anonymous, my comfort level with videos makes me feel very vulnerable when using them. The point was made in this video that people are becoming more daring in what they say on these media tools because of the anonymity, as well as the distance. If you are negative in a comment to someone who lives across the world from your home, the chances of you running into this person and it becoming a problem are slim to none.
I also agree that today's society is much more focused on themselves. The words "I" and "me" are probably being used more now than ever. People are very focused on what they are doing and what they want from society. This can lead to narcissistic tendencies or self-consciousness. Both of these paths are equally likely. The example was made about American Idol. People audition for American Idol knowing that they will make it and go on the win the coveted title. This shows their narcissistic views. These views often lead to major disappointment. Taking the alternative path of self-consciousness, we see the not-so-great replay option. When people are posting videos on YouTube, they have so much to consider. They have to consider the content of their video. They also have to consider the huge audience that will see this video once it's placed on YouTube. They also have to get past the fact that they are not talking to an individual, but to a camera that will broadcast this video to many individuals. One other thing they have to consider is how they appear to themselves. Most people do not pay attention to detail when they are having a conversation because, unless they are being filmed, it cannot be replayed. The option of replaying something leads to the greatest self-consciousness and self awareness in my opinion. Self-consciousness seems to be the negative terminology, while self awareness puts a positive connotation to the meaning. Either way, people are paying more attention to the details of themselves.

Comments4Teachers Weeks 7-9

For this project, I was assigned to follow Caren Carrillo's blog. Her blog is titled: History, Education, Technology and Beyond. The first post I read by Mrs. Carrillo was entitled Action Plan to Fix Non-Examples. The titles really caught my attention. In my comment to this post, I stated that Mrs. Carrillo had very good methods for dealing with "Non-Examples" such as ELL or special needs students. I will use her information when dealing with these students in my classroom.

The second week of this assignment, I commented on a post entitled Test Taking Tips: Shortest Essay Ever. Mrs. Carrillo created a method of essay writing that involved the students making an outline of an essay instead of writing the entire thing. This gave her less essays to read (most of which included fluff to compensate for the student's lack of knowledge). It also guaranteed that students could not complete the assignment satisfactorily unless they had sufficient knowledge on the subject. They could fill the entire essay will eloquent language to make the teacher think they knew what they were talking about.

The final week of this assignment, I read a post by Mrs. Carrillo about asking questions. She made a very good point that some students feel embarrassed to ask questions when they don't understand something because they don't want to feel less intelligent. She proposed the idea that, as a teacher, instead of saying "Are there any questions?" we should say, "What questions do you have?" This lets the students know that we expect questions, and just because you ask questions doesn't mean you don't understand the material. I've really enjoyed this blog, and Mrs. Carrillo will be added to my personal learning network.

Comments4Kids Week 7

This week I commented on a "How To" essay. The essay I was assigned was written by Kasey. Kasey wrote the essay on how to dribble a basketball. It was a very informative essay, and I think Kasey really understood the assignment.

Week 6 Blog : Due February 21, 2010

Advice from Alice Christie

Dr. Christie had some very good ideas for teachers and students. She seems to be very aware of all the technology to which we have access. Her website helped me develop my own ideas. I especially enjoyed her information on Electronic Teacher Portfolios. I'm a very organized person, and any tool that helps me stay organized is my best friend. This portfolio seemed like such a good idea because it lays everything you need to know out in an orderly fashion. You can organize it any way you'd like which I think is important because not all people organize things in the same way. I'm not a big fan of templates. If I were to create an electronic portfolio as a teacher, I would probably have it divided by subjects. I would also be sure to clearly state which Alabama Course of Study objective each activity covered. This would assure me that I was covering everything that needed to be done. I also like the point she made about being a model for your students. If you have an electronic portfolio, your students will be more likely to create one of their own. As a student at South Alabama, I've already had experience creating an electronic portfolio.
Dr. Christie also had some very good ideas posted in her Web Design section. Most of the schools I've encountered today have their own website. Some even have separate websites by grade level or by teacher. I think this is a wonderful idea! If parents have access to computers (which more and more parents are getting), they have an excellent insight into their child's classroom. I would create my own website for my class. This would be a place to post the work the children have completed. It would also be a place where parents could contact me. Homework could be posted on this website. It would also have a blurb about me so parents and students could get to know me a little better before ever meeting me. I would continue to use the old fashioned methods of parent conferences, homework, etc because I know that not all parents will have access to the internet, but, for those who do, a website would be a very useful tool.

iTunesU

This new technology was a amazing invention. It's great for students and teachers! As a student, you can find almost anything you'd like to learn about posted somewhere in iTunesU. They have lessons on almost any subject. You can learn a new language through this program. It's also very easy to use. One perk about iTunesU is that, if you have a technologically-advanced teacher, he or she may post lectures. This is very beneficial if you missed a day of class and needed to catch up. Not only can you catch up on lectures, but you can do exploring of your own. Teachers are not the only people who submit things to iTunesU. Museums also do their fair share of postings. You can explore many places in the world just by logging on to iTunesU. There are videos and podcasts to check out as well. iTunesU is a great tool for students because it covers almost any subject imaginable.
As a teacher, iTunesU is also beneficial. I believe that if I were a college professor, I would post my lectures on iTunesU. I may not do this as an elementary teacher because it is VERY rare that elementary teachers actually lecture. As an elementary teacher, however, I would use iTunesU for educational videos to show my students. I think this would be the biggest use I would get from this program. Young children love to watch videos. This thing about videos with a younger crowd is that they don't always realize they are learning from them. This can be very useful in a restless classroom. You can learn almost everything you'd need to know about iTunesU at http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/

iPods in the Classroom

I found a wonderful website (http://www.pre-kpages.com/ipods/ )with many ideas for using an iPod in the early childhood classrooms. I'm interested in this aspect of the iPod because I plan to teach the younger students. Music is a large part of learning, and the iPod is the perfect place to store your educational music. It is small and portable. Speakers are easy to transport and fairly cheap. iPods allow you to organize your music in playlists. It's perfect! It's the perfect alternative to cassette and CD players. It can do everything those can do, plus more! You can still record yourself reading a book and have students listen to it at a particular center in class. Podcasts are another plus for iPods. You can create a podcast on any subject you wish to cover! If you want to have your students listen to an educational blurb about endangered animals, for example, than you can create a podcast. All they have to do is listen. It will be a nice change of pace for the students. These can also be sent home to parents to give them information they need to know.
Duke University did a study of the educational uses of iPods. They provided each student with an iPod at the beginning of the year. They took a survey at the end of the year to see exactly how teachers and students used the technology in learning. Most students used the recording feature the most. It was easy to record class lectures and listen to them again later. This created some concern from the professors because they feared class attendance would drop if the lectures would be available online later. Duke decided not to give each first-year student an iPod the next year. However, those students taking classes that used the iPod the most would still be provided with one. I think this is a step in the right direction. We just have to be sure that whatever happens with technology, the students are still learning.

The Technologically Literate Teacher

Dr. Strange has created a wonderful Wiki about a tech-literate teacher. My favorite part about this Wiki is that it's interactive. This promotes using technology to learn about technology. I'm not technologically literate at all. Before entering EDM 310 this spring semester, I truly believed that I was tech-literate. There is an entire world of technology of which I was unaware. Some things I was aware of, but I had no idea how to use them. This won't do me any good as a teacher. I will continue to use this Wiki in my teaching career.

Comments for Kids

This week, I watch a video by Mya about her trip to the Life Education Bus. She seemed to really enjoy her time there. Last week, I read a "Book Blurb" by Zakaria about the Boxcar Children series. These were some of my favorite books when I was younger. The first Comments 4 Kids that I did was for Room 227's Blog. They had a video called "Bag the Bags." It was very informative, and it's nice to see them doing their share to save our planet.

Week 5 Blog : Due February 14, 2010

Wikipedia

The controversy about Wikipedia is not a new one. When I was in high school, my teachers would go crazy if they found out we used Wikipedia as a source for an essay or research paper. It was always a little annoying to us as the students because Wikipedia was usually the source with the most information. It was also the first source on a Google search, and convenient. This WikiScanner that Griffith created may provide a service that was already possible, but it makes it much easier to do. After reading the NPR blog and comments, most people agreed that this wasn't a useful program because it was already possible to track edits on an entry. This may be the case, but, for me, this program makes tracking much easier. I have no idea how to trace edits on an article or find IP addresses. For someone like me, this program is very helpful.
The podcast and article about Wikipedia provided much of the same information as the blog. They both essentially said that, because Wikipedia can be edited by anyone from any computer, it is not a reliable source. This is very true. They gave multiple examples of people and companys who have changed information in an article that pertains to them. Many negative and controversial articles about companies are simply erased by said company. Political parties can change word choice to make their views heard. The WikiScanner would theoretically fix this problem by showing you who edited information on a particular article. However, WikiScanner is not foolproof. If a company wants to make changes to an article about them, they can make these changes from a personal computer or an internet cafe. The only way the changes would be traced back to the company is if they were made from a computer within the company's building.
Essentially, what these articles and blogs are saying is that Wikipedia can be edited, making information found on this free encyclopedia subject to personal opinions and such. WikiScanner is a start to fixing this problem, but it is not the final answer. I use Wikipedia for a source to look up quick facts about a random topic, but I would never rely on it for an important subject or research paper.

What I Have Learned This Year

Mr. McClung had some very useful advice for a first-year teacher. I believe that I am much like him in planning and expecting it to go exactly as I had planned. I like to think of myself as flexible, but, in all actuality, I am probably going to be upset the first time my activity does not go as smoothly as I had hoped. By reading this blog post, I know I am not alone which is one of the most comfortable feelings for me. I will also try to focus more on the students and their personalities when teaching. I want to get to know my students and build a strong teacher-student relationship with them. I remember my elementary school teachers very well, and I want my students to remember me as well. Of course, I want them to remember what they liked about me, not what they didn't. This just gives me a goal to get to know them and to present the information to them in a manner that benefits them best.
Another good point Mr. McClung made was to be reasonable. Kids in this day and age are more mature than they were years ago. I know that the kindergarten of today is the first grade of 10 years ago. I was talking to a current K-5 teacher and was a little surprised that her students no longer took naps. They are not able to do as many arts and crafts as they used to do. This teacher has been teaching K-5 for 25 years so she has seen the change first-hand. The point I am trying to make is that students are more mature now, and I believe because of this, teachers have raised their expectations for them. This is obviously necessary, but I believe some teachers expect way too much. While these kids can handle much more than I probably could at their age, they are still 5, and you have to keep that fact in mind when teaching and disciplining. Mr. McClung had some very insightful information for future teachers, and I really enjoyed reading it.

Comments4Kids

This week I was assigned to comment on Avoca School District 37 Blog. I commented on Zakaria's blog entitled "Book Blurb." He read one book in The Boxcar Children series. It seemed like he really enjoyed it. I loved this series as a child, and it's nice to see that children are still enjoying it!

Class Presentation

Week 4 Blog : Due February 7, 2010

Podcast Preparation

The first website I looked at was the www.curriki.org. It was pretty helpful because it has step by step instructions on how to create a podcast and what exactly should be included. It also had a pretty long list of topics so if anyone was interested in doing a podcast outside of the class and could not think of a topic, this is the place to go! It gave an example of how this person would grade a podcast which helps students better prepare their podcasts in class. If you know what the teacher is looking for, you should be able to include it. There were also a couple of examples given on this page. Examples are always helpful!
I thought the EPN (Education Podcasting Network) was really interesting. This could be very helpful for me as a future teacher. Educators have found that they can share their knowledge by podcasts. Others across the globe can gain this knowledge by listening. On the left-hand side of the homepage, there is a list of subjects. Each of these subjects has numerous posts by teachers with a large amount of information regarding that subject. Everything is very well organized so anything you need should be quite easy to find. I will definitely be keeping this website in mind for future reference.

Comments4Kids

This week I commented on Room 227's Class Blog. The post I was assigned was entitled "Bag the Bags." It was a great video with a wonderful message. I have a strong passion for the environment so this assignment was perfect for me! The students in Room 227 are doing their part to help bag the bags. What can you do to help?

Week 3 Blog : Due January 31, 2010

Little Kids...Big Potential

This is definitely an eye-opener if you haven't already realized how advanced children are in technology. I'm not sure how ready I am for this! I'm sure I could learn how to use any piece of technology out there with some practice, but it is still a little overwhelming. Even a 1-year old can navigate around an iPhone! I have a 4-year old and a 7-year old cousin who are both really good with technology. They love their Nintendo DS, Wii, and computer games. Most of the time, I have to get them to explain how to do things on this. This is not okay! My 4 year old cousin is a pro at the Nintendo DS. The first time I saw her with it I was amazed. She's also learning to read at a faster pace because she has to read the instructions before she can play the game. I was astonished at some of the words she was reading, and this is just because of playing a video game.
The other video Mrs. Cassidy's class posted was just as impressive as the last. Not only do these kids know what they are doing, but they can teach others how to do it. That's the most important thing in my opinion. It goes along with Blooms Taxonomy. There are so many levels of learning, and knowledge is just the first. The fact that these kids can explain what they are doing shows they comprehend it, and that they have analysed and synthesized to create a method of teaching others. Classrooms in the future are going to be unbelievable!

Podcasts

My assignment was to listen to various podcasts and determine the pros and cons of the methods they used. Some of these podcasts resembled traditional radio shows with a host who shared his/her opinon on certain topics. Other podcasts had one or two hosts and featured guests that were experts on the topics at hand. There were still other podcasts that featured more of a group discussion. I really enjoyed the few that had some improvisation and humor.
I listened to Teachers Teaching Teachers first. It was interesting, but it seemed a little unorganized. Debates and discussions need some order, otherwise, you can't really understand what anyone is trying to say. It reminded me of the pre and post games on NFL network. These shows always have 4 or 5 people that are talking about the games. They rarely agree, and it turns into chaos when each one of them wants to share his opinion at the same time. I also listened to EdTechTalk and it was very similar to Teachers Teaching Teachers. It was a group discussion, and it was also a little chaotic.
This Week in Photography was probably the most interesting to me, but this has nothing to do with the format. I really enjoy photography. This one was a very simple podcast, which I liked. It was just a couple of hosts speaking about the new technology in the photography field. The topics they discussed were very interesting. I believe this is one way to keep the audience's attention. They were also pretty organized and seemed to have fun with it.
The podcasts I've mentioned in my blog are the ones that stuck out to me. I also listened to SmartBoard Lesson, KidCast, and MacBreak Weekly. These three were very similar to talk shows you normally hear on the radio. It was a host with a topic to speak about. When I do a podcast, I think I'm going to focus on making it interesting and fun. I love to learn when humor is involved. The information sticks with me longer if I learned it in an entertaining way.

Week 2 Blog : Due January 24, 2010

Social Media Counts

Gary Hayes' Social Media Counts are UNBELIEVABLE! The increase in the numbers is unreal. It's kind of hard to explain it all though because it seems so unbelievable; however, in our society, I believe it. I guess the unbelievable part about the entire thing is not that the numbers are actually increasing so rapidly, but that our society is actually to this point in technology. I am only 20 years old, and ,even in my lifetime, technology has made so many advancements. When I was in elementary school we did not own a computer. My family got our first computer when I was in 6th grade. I can't imagine life without one now! I don't know how my older brother survived high school with a type writer and word processor. I use the internet so often for research. I have probably completely forgotten how to use the reference center at the public library. When I was a young child, our librarian at school would always show us how to look up books in the public libraries using the index card reference system. Now, librarians are teaching students how to use the internet. It's crazy how quickly things have progressed!

A Vision of Students Today

This video does a very good job of representing the average student life at most colleges and universities today. This is my first semester at the University of South Alabama. I began my college career at Auburn University which is located in a very small town in eastern Alabama. Although the town is extremely small, the university is very popular. My first year of college consisted of many core curriculum classes. In these classes, there would be 300-450 students. This was very intimidating when coming from a high school classroom of maybe 25 students. While sitting in these crowded classrooms, I noticed that many people around me were checking emails or Facebook while the professor was lecturing. Are the large classes really beneficial? Teachers can't possibly monitor that many students at a time. While college students should be mature enough to come to class and learn, it takes a lot of self discipline to do so when alternatives are so easily accessible.
I suppose there are a few things I could add to this assessment about student life today. The main thing I've noticed since entering college is that the focus of lectures and class discussions is often only on information that will be on the test. Dr. Strange often refers to this method of teaching and learning as the "burp-back method." I agree completely. Teachers are assessed by the number of students that do well in their class. In order to improve their statistics, teachers focus on giving students good grades. Everyone knows a teacher can not simply give students good grades without proof that they earned them. This is where the burp-back method comes into play. If a teacher stands in front of a class and says, "This next sentence will be a question on the next test," how many students do you think will listen? The answer is all or most. The term test question triggers the ears of those students that are not listening intently to the professor. This allows them to get the information that will be on the test, but they do not benefit from anything else said in the classroom. This has been the main thing I've noticed about school these days.

It's Not About the Technology

I believe Ms. Hines makes some very good points. I also have to disagree with some of the points she made as well. I love the inspiration she gives for teachers to continue learning. This should not be a 21st century idea. No one knows everything. This means everyone has something to learn (teachers included). While today's children are often teaching teachers about technology, yesterday's children had their own valuable lessons to teach. There is so much you can learn from a child.
Ms. Hines also says that she doesn't think it's all about the technology. I agree that it's not ALL about it, but technology, whether we like it or not, is a big part of our society. While education should not revolve around technology, teachers should know how to benefit from the technology that's offered to them. Ms. Hines makes a very good point about wasting money on technology in the classroom that's never being used. Teachers should be learners. She says so herself. In my opinion, teachers should take the initiative to learn how to use this technology to benefit their students. While the technology cannot make you a good teacher, it can improve some methods of teaching. I believe the technology helps to bridge the gap between students and teachers. I know I have seen quite a few of my teachers and professors on Facebook. This allows a more personal relationship. While some may say that a personal relationship with your teacher is not beneficial, I don't think it hurts. It is very helpful to see your professor in another setting other than the classroom. I'm not saying that professors should invite their students to dinner or anything, but to see them involved with something you are, such as Facebook or Twitter, opens up a new relationship.

Is It OK to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

I've been asking myself this question for some time now. I would not call myself technologically literate. I can make my way around a computer and the Internet, but there is so much out there that I can't do. Is this acceptable since I am going to school to be a teacher? I love the comparison made between technology today and reading 3o years ago. It was never acceptable to not know how to read, ESPECIALLY if you were a teacher! In this day and age, technology is easily compared to reading in its value in education.
I want to teach the 2nd grade or below when I begin my teaching career, and I really don't know that much about technology yet. Imagine a similar scenario 30 years ago. I want to be a 2nd grade teacher, but I just can't read that well. Would this be accepted? NO! As a younger elementary school teacher, there should be very little that the students know and you don't. When I was in high school, there were always those kids who liked to question the teacher. They had, perhaps, researched on the subject more or just happened to know more details. This very rarely happens in lower elementary grades. (At least to my knowledge.) Teachers need to keep up with the times. Technology is today's world, and we need to join it!

Week 1 Blog : Due January 17, 2010

Did You Know? 3.0

This video had quite a bit of surprising information to offer. The rapid, exponential rate at which technology is increasing within our world is astonishing. It is also surprising that America is so far behind other major nations on the globe. China will soon be the number one English speaking country on the globe. Does this mean that English will soon be the predominant language everywhere? It seems that many nations teach their students English, starting at a young age. While Americans typically learn a foreign language, most of us could not survive very long in a country that speaks that language. Why are we not teaching our students to speak another language fluently? India has more honors children than the US has children? Is it just the large difference in population that causes this, or is our education curriculum really that far behind?

Technology is becoming so advance that most jobs that existed years ago are obsolete. Most jobs these days require schooling. If a college education is not required, technical training is almost always necessary. I think it's very disheartening that a student enters their college career hoping to find a job upon graduation, but graduates only to find out that what they learned as a freshman is no longer correct or relevant. It seems as though the job market is going to have to adjust for this new technologically advanced society to function properly.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

Mr. Winkle Wakes is a short movie created by Mr. Needleman to show the changes in technology over the past 100 years while Mr. Winkle slept. He makes the point that many business and hospitals have made huge advancements in technology while schools seem just as they were 100 years ago. I believe this is true to a point, but I believe this movie exaggerates it a bit. Hospitals and business have advanced much more rapidly than the school system. There are many new ways to communicate instantly across the globe. Not only can you hear a person that is half way across the country, or even the globe, but you can also see this person as well. There are advances to the cell phone and computer programs of which I am not even aware. Hospitals have ways to helping people that were not even fathomable 100 years ago. Doctors have learned to prolong life in so many ways. This is mostly possible because of technology.

The exaggeration within this movie is the school systems lack of advancement. While I do agree that the schools have not advanced as much as businesses or hospitals, I do not believe they are anything like they were 100 years ago. There are computers located in almost every classroom in every school. We have moved past chalkboards to more advanced technology. At USA, smartboards have been installed in most classrooms. Even if technology at some schools has not come this far, overhead projectors replaced chalkboards years ago. The issue in the school system, in my opinion, is not the lack of technology, but the lack of knowledge as to how to use this technology. As I have already mentioned, USA has installed SmartBoards in most classrooms. While this is clearly an advancement, most of my teachers are not familiar with how to use these. Because they are not familiar with them, they tend to avoid them and look for alternative methods of teaching. This is not the case with all teachers or all schools. Many teachers are very technologically savvy, but for those who are not, it shows.

Killing Creativity

This video sums up almost exactly how I feel about school systems. I have lived in Alabama my entire life. I have never attended a school outside of the state of Alabama, so I never knew that the issue of creativity was a problem elsewhere as well. I always hated to make generalizations, but after watching this video it seems that this is, indeed, an issue in most places across the globe. Creativity is almost always stifled at a young age. I believe a reason for this is because there is no right and wrong answer when dealing with a creative subject. Many teachers that I've encountered like to grade things with right or wrong answers because it's easier. Yes, sometimes it's hard to grade a work subjectively, but creativity it what's it's all about in the present time. With the issues in today's world, creativity is going to be the only answer. Mathematics and science can only take us so far. Eventually, we are going to have to get creative with our methods if we want to change anything. If the education system continues to stifle the creativity in children, not much will ever change.
I loved the example of the dancer, Jillian. This seems to be a common occurrence recently. His point about ADHD really hit the nail on the head. I know that some children truly suffer from attention deficit disorder, but I believe that doctors are too quick to diagnose them with this. As in the case with Jillian, she simply needed an alternative method to learning. She was not apt for sitting in a desk and listening to a teacher lecture throughout the day. This leads me into the idea that, not only do teachers need to allow their students to be creative, but teachers themselves need to be creative. There are many different children entering the education system. Each of these children has a different method of learning, and teachers need to be able to identify these methods and adapt to them. I believe if teachers become more creative in their teaching, students will learn that creativity is not a bad thing. This could greatly improve our world.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

I really enjoyed how involved Mrs. Davis was in the education of her students. She seemed genuine in her teaching, and very interested in what they had to say. She understands how rapidly technology is advancing, and she does not want any of her students left behind. It is so easy these days to get behind in the advancements. There are many people who believe they are technologically literate, but generally have no idea what has recently been developed. There is so much more than instant message, e-mail and social networking sites. The programs Mrs. Davis has her students use are some that I've never even heard of myself. I do not consider myself up-to-date with technology at all, but I've already discovered so many things that I did not know in my first 2 days of class that I'm further behind than I thought.
Not only did I like the programs that Mrs. Davis chose for her students, but I also really liked her method of teaching. Technology is not something you can learn through instructions. It takes hands-on interactions to actually master it. Mrs. Davis had her students very involved in all of the programs. They each had to navigate through the program themselves. I also liked how she allowed her students to teach. One sure way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. She was also very quick to say that she was not finished learning about this technology herself. I think that's one of the joys of technology. There is not true point when you know everything there is to know about it. I love learning, and I find technology interesting because there is no point when you stop learning. Mrs. Davis has a bright outlook on the technological advancements of the day, and her students will definitely be up to date with all advancements made in the near future.