Sunday, May 6, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Blog Post #12
First off, Ms. Copleland loves her job as a P.E teacher and it shows. She even tells the interviewer about how you must love your job to be any good at it or have any staying power in the field. She loves coaching, teaching, and students; which are the same reasons that I want to become a P.E teacher. I am personally thrilled to be around young people, they get my motor running. I also love sports and have no desire to get away from them if possible. My love for the students is why I want to become a teacher, my love for sports is why I want to teach them through P.E. Ms. Copleand talk about how most of the teachers at her school who have quit, have done so because of the students attitudes. That is an important factor to realize. No matter how much we try, we will become frustrated by students that we cant reach, but have to truly accept the fact that all we can do is try our hardest. I have tried to get through to people in my life that I just cannot, and it's frustrating as all get out, but i'm not going to quit. We all need to try and be as vigilant as Ms. Copeland in our teaching careers and love what we do. In the end all we can do is try and love the opportunity of being able to try.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Blog Post #11
Ms. Cassidy has done an excellent job of putting into practicing many of the ideas and teaching methods that we have discussed throughout out this class. Ms. Cassidy’s students were enjoying learning, which makes for the best kind of students, attentive ones. Her use of Nintendo’s, class room webpages, blogs, wikis, and skype has created a melting pot of technologically relevant learning resources for her students. I will definitely try to incorporate each and every one of those things into my own teaching plan. The class room web page was most impressive to me as these very young students actually enjoyed looking at it. We all know that a class room webpage is great for parents, teachers, and staff. To make a class room web page where the students actually enjoy checking it out is a wonderful accomplishment. From the interview with Dr. Strange, we see her total commitment to bringing technology to her students. Ms. Cassidy has a fantastic attitude in regards to her commitment to continue learning about and teaching technology to students no matter what road blocks may ever stand in her way. The actual application of using these resources was very nice to see as well. So often we hear ideas about things that we should do, but actually seeing children smiling because an idea has actually been put into action was a very nice thing to see. I wish Ms. Cassidy the best, and to just keep doing what she has been doing.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Blog #10
Do you teach or do you educate?
This video was not only very artistic in its delivery, but brings up an interesting paradigm concerning todays educators. An educator can choose to teach or educate their students. We are given the definition of “teaching,” and it consists of many concrete responses. We GIVE information, we CAUSE someone to learn, we INDUCE by example or punishment, and we encourage someone to ACCEPT as a fact or principle. Then we are shown that an “educator” is a kindler of a flame, an illuminator, a motivator, a mentor, and many other positive examples of what the idea of an educator is when compare to a teacher. While I completely agree with the examples given for the two words, I must somewhat disagree with the perceived point in the video that the two ideologies must exist completely apart form each other. I actually believe that it is our job to do both, educate, and teach. While we must do everything to nurture, motivate and all the good things associated with an educator, I think we must also accept that there is a time and place for a teacher as well. The coexistence of these two ideologies would create a much more balanced and helpful approach to the grooming of our future adults. We cannot only motivate, but we must teach facts as well. Also we cannot only teach facts, but we must nurture and motivate our students as much as we can. It is clear to me that we must both teach and educate to truly succeed at our chosen profession.
As far as what I plan to do in order to educate, that is a rather difficult yet simple answer at the same time. The answer is simple that I will just do whatever I can to get through to my students and be the nurturing, motivating, illuminating, mentor that they need. I will reassess what it takes to accomplish this goal, but the goal itself is very simple and defined. The question is also difficult to answer in that each student is different. What may get through to one student may not work on another. So to say what I will do in a concrete sense is almost impossible as it will depend on the student and the situation. I can guarantee that whatever it takes though, will be done.
Dont Let Them Take the Pencils Home
The point of this blog in my opinion is the growing problem of putting more emphasis on test scores than actual education in this country. Ever since the No Child Left Behind initiative was enacted, there is a growing sense of testing being the only measure of learning. I'm not saying that I don't like educational initiatives such as NCLB, but they do sometimes have side effects that are hurtful to our students. The comment about the children playing hangman as a waste of time is a prime example of not seeing the value in something as simple as this game. When playing Hangman, you must derive an answer from the blanks, use your turns wisely, and you must also know how to spell properly. This is a wonderful game for a child to play; they will learn much more playing hangman than say a video game about shooting aliens. Also, Gertrude is clearly marginalizing the students based on their socio-economic standing, basically giving up on the kids because of where they live and who their parents are. This is a gross form of educational negligence. I applaud Tom for standing up for his students and risking “his” lower test scores for the betterment of his students. I can only hope that I will have the courage to stand up for my own in this manner.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Blog Post #9
While I know the assignment required us to read 2 of these blogs and write about them, I have decided to do my blog post on all 3 of Mr. McClung’s yearly review blogs. As with other assignments, I have learned from actual teachers on a variety of topics, but this is the first time that we have actually been able to get a real sense of what to possibly expect from our first three years of teaching. We spend all of this time preparing to become teachers, and its nice to be able to experience what it was like for someone else once they became one. I definitely enjoyed this assignment and I hope that my summaries of Mr. McClung’s work will do it justice.
Mr. McClung starts his first year blog by stating that you have to “be flexible”, this is of the utmost importance in my opinion for a first year teacher to understand. It is so important because we cannot begin our careers by thinking that we know everything, or are perfectly prepared, or that everything is going to go as planned. These students are human beings each with different challenges as it pertains to reaching them in the right way to be taught. We are also, FIRST YEAR teachers, and that being said, we have a whole lot more to learn. So flexibility is something that I personally will go into my career planned to be ready for. The next topic that really caught my eye was when he said “don’t be afraid of technology”. This statement obviously pertains to what we are learning in this class, but also shows that other teachers are starting to acknowledge this important change in our society. We cant be afraid to push our student, parents, and ourselves further when it comes to the communication and learning of technologies benefits. As I have learned all semester, technology is going no where, and we either need to get on board, or get left behind. The last topic that I wanted to touch on is the “never stop learning” statement. This statement goes hand in hand with being flexible in my opinion. We truly can never shut ourselves out from continuing our education as well. Whether we need to learn more about technology, dealing with parents, communicating with students, or anything else. We can never stop learning.
Mr. McClung starts his second year blog talking about the need to be able to “adapt”. Adaptation is something that a lot of people struggle with. We get comfortable with ourselves and what we know and are used to doing, and we find it very hard to change that. We all need to be more open to adaptation with our students or surroundings. Our students need to be able to relate to us, and for that to happen, we will most likely have to some what adapt to them. The next topic I really enjoyed reading was about “check you ego at the door”, this follows along the same lines as other points Mr. McClung has made. We cannot go into a teaching situation thinking that we know everything and that our way is the right way. We need to keep an open mind to new ideas and new ways of doing things. People don’t respond well to someone who is egotistical, and a primary goal of a teacher is communication. So if we are to communicate the best we can, we must leave our ego at the door. The last topic I wanted to mention is how we are not to lose sight of whats important. Now that statement can mean different things to different people, but to all educators it should at least mean that we are never to lose focus on our students and their goals. These students are our responsibility, we have been entrusted with shaping them for the future. We can never lose sight of the student above all else.
The final blog that Mr. McClung wrote is probably the most profound. We can really see his evolution as an educator. He has gone from mostly extrinsic qualities and situation to much more intrinsic things that he now acknowledges. His first topic is “know who your boss is.” he then goes on to write about how the student is the focus and it should not be the parents, or faculty. This statement is wonderful, and truly shows what a wonderfully enlightened teacher Mr. McClung truly is. We can never forget who we are there for, and the day we do, is the same day we should possibly consider a different profession. While the principal, or administrator may have superiority over us, the student should be king in all teachers eyes. The student is who we are there for. “Don’t get comfortable” is another profound topic that Mr. McClung touches on. We should always be pushing ourselves to become better educators. We should always take a look at what we are doing to see if it can be done better or more efficiently. While some of us get comfortable after a while, the great teachers never do, they are always adapting, learning, listening, and working. This driving force is a key component to becoming a great educator.
Mr. McClung has possibly been able to articulate more about the first three years of teaching and learning to be a teacher, than anyone else could have. I am so very happy for the students that will be able to experience this man in their own class rooms for years to come. I can only keep these words close in hopes that they don't fade and I can one day too have the potential of this great teacher. I hope to read more of his work in the future, and I can only hope that maybe someone someday is as impressed by my teaching and insight as I am by his. Thank you.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
My PLN
PLN
I have been think about my PLN for some time, however my father calls it a "sphere of influence." My PLN has actually be coming along for many years now, and I didn't even know it. A teacher of mine from high school that I stay in close contact with named Mrs. Sherlin. Mrs. Sherlin has been and will always be a guiding force through out my teaching career. A dear friend of mine, Erin Knowles, who has recently begun her teaching career, is also a great help at not only getting through the tough classes I am currently taking, but also preparing more the job hunt as well. I have also started following several of the mentors and teachers that e have learned about in the class on Twitter, such as: Travis Allen, Lagwitches, Gary Hayes, Scott McLeod, Michael Wesh, and Paige Ellis just to name a few. I am also following sites like Reading Rockets as I understand the importance of staying up to date with the types of information that only these sites can provide. My PLN will be an ongoing and integral part of my future.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Blog Post #8
This is how we dream
These two videos touched on the theme of using more multimedia in our writings and composition to better get our point across. A common theme of this class is obviously using technology to better our teaching. Dr. Miller has brought up the idea that even in our most basic of writing compositions, we can use technology to improve on our delivery of whatever idea we may be trying to get across.
Dr. Miller makes an interesting point that there will be no more pencils, paper, or libraries but only laptops. While this is an exaggeration currently, it’s also most likely somewhat true of the future. Since our most simplistic of writing and composition tasks are now done on a computer rather than paper, wouldn't it make sense that we get the most out of our chosen means of communication? If we as a world are clearly making the transition every day to a more paperless world, I think it obvious that we would get more out of our composition with a little flair from adding film, images, or even sound.
We also, have to think that our students in this technological age are going to be much more involved and interested in a presentation or paper that has these other forms of media inside them. Our students almost expect this level of media interaction in their other entire daily tasks, why wouldn't we make teaching that much more interesting, especially when the added effort is so nominal. We can add interaction to a simple voting map, and make it surprisingly interesting to people, we can definitely make teaching more interesting for our students by applying these ideas as well.
In close, Dr. Miller had a great point in showing us the importance of using other media in our digital compositions. This is not something that we will have the choice of doing in the future but rather the norm I feel. I will definitely keep this in mind for all other assignments and classes in the future as well. Thank you.
Carly Pugh Assignment
As you can tell by my 11 YouTube videos, I am definitely working to attain my personal goal of becoming a PE teacher and coach. While PE is definitely a different type of classroom and learning environment, it has many of the same exact challenges as any other discipline taught in school. That being said I have found 11 videos to help guide me thru areas such as classroom management, podcasting, and others.
Classroom Management, Staying Calm: a Classroom Management Plan and Miss Q’s Classroom Management Plan are the three videos I found most helpful in creating and realizing my own classroom management plan. They not only helped in the actual creation of the plan, but also stressing the importance of even having one. Having a plan is only part of the process; we still must adapt, follow, and change our plans when needed
.Miss Q’s Classroom Management Plan
.Miss Q’s Classroom Management Plan
Staying Calm: A Classroom Management Plan
Classroom Management- Dr. Adolph Brown
The Benefits of Breakfast PE Podcast was an interesting use of using podcasting, even in the physical education area, to get important information across. I plan on having my students do similar assignments whether it is on diet, exercise, or miscellaneous. This was very forward thinking as PE and podcasting are not probably associated with each other as much as they should be.
The Benefits of Breakfast PE Podcast
Podcasting in the Classroom is just a wonderful video that gives me more desire and motivation to use this form of media to motivate and educate my students in a different way. I will use this video as a refresher when I need motivation to come up with a new idea on how to get my students engaged and involved.
Podcasting in the Classroom
Join the Global Classroom Today and Leveraging the Virtual Classroom are fantastic videos that stress what kind of teacher I hope to be. I definitely want to open my students up to the rest of the world and show them that there are students just like them all over. I think it would be a great idea to show them students in other parts of the world maybe playing different games and sports in their PE classes than we do, and give those games and sports a try for ourselves. No matter what the field of education I end up in, I will make a very conscious effort to expose my students to the global classroom and other students for sure.
Leveraging the Virtual Classroom
Leveraging the Virtual Classroom
School MUVE Physical Activity Program was a great example of thinking outside the box to get kids going. This teacher actually created something new to achieve her goal of getting these kids physically active. I definitely do not want to fall into the trap of always doing what’s been done, without looking for new and better ways to teach my students.
The Greatest PE Teacher was just a video that I like because it reminds me to always have fun. Students enjoy a teacher who enjoys teaching. By making sure that you are having fun and enjoying your teaching, I think that is almost a guarantee that you will be a better teacher as well. While we have to stay focused on our job of teaching, we can still have fun doing it.
The Greatest PE Teacher
These are just a few of the resources that I will refer to in my teaching career to make me a better educator. I hope you enjoy and get as much out of them as I did. Thank you.
Here are a few more as well..
Blogging in the Classroom
Blogging in the Classroom
Student Motivation in Physical Education
EDM310 is Different
The Chipper video and EDM310 for dummies videos were very entertaining and actually quite well made. I think it’s wonderful that we are learning to make movies like these for use later in life. Not only will our teaching benefit but our lives as well. We can make movies for rehearsal dinners, kids’ birthdays, or even events we may want to promote at school. The main message that I got from the Chipper video is that we need to do things the right way and for the right reasons to be successful. You have to have both of these attributes to truly get the most out this class, as well as our careers. The EDM310 for dummies movie just showed the sense of accomplishment that we get when we finally learn how to use these new tools that we are using in this class.
As far as a video that I might like to participate in, I was thinking of making The Perfect EDM310 Educator video. This would be a video that shows the absolute perfect ideal for an EDM310 educator. The teacher would use all the forms of media we have learned about with their students as well as show how their PLN’s and PLE’s help her daily. She would also be very creative and interactive with her students and teach them to be creative and interactive as well. I think that would be a fun assignment since there is no such thing as a perfect teacher, so we could try our absolute best to create one. I guess I like the idea of trying to create the impossible.
Learn to Change, Change to Learn
I absolutely agree with every point made in this video. As I have said before, technology is not an option, it is a standard. The school systems around the country are still fighting this for some archaic reason. We will have to submit to the fact that we MUST teach our children how to use these tools to better their lives. Our students already know how to do so much with technology, but for some reason we rebel against teaching those to do things that are productive and educational with these resources that they already use daily. Only when we can embrace this new world of learning will we truly be able to say that we are doing the best we can to teach our students, but not until then.
Scavenger Hunt 2.0
1. I did actually choose to sign up for Edmondo. I chose Edmondo for many reasons. The first of which is its similarity to Facebook and its familiarity not only for myself but for my students and parents as well. With so many people already familiar with Facebook, why not make use of something that makes people feel familiar with it and that might actually increase their usage as well. I also like the interactivity of this site. I can have polls, ask questions to my students or parents, and publish assignments and announcements as well. We can create study groups and message boards for homework or projects. Their truly is not much of anything in the form of communication with parents and students that cannot be accomplished using Edmondo.
2. I believe that they may have actually used Prezi to make their presentation. As I am already familiar with Prezi, the presentation looked very familiar from the beginning. The deal that they offer to teachers is wonderful....it’s FREE!! Well, there is one option for a free membership and one option for a premium membership that includes more storage space and a desktop software option.
3.My Comix
4. WAX is high performance special effects video software. You can really do just about anything to videos with this, even make something 3D. I can take movies and add any kind a special effect for the most part using the existing footage. This software is simple enough for beginners, but also advanced enough for seasoned video editors.
5.Take my Poll
5.Take my Poll
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Blog #7
The Networked Student.
This video was interesting in the fact that it asked the question of why and how a teachers role in this new technology age is even going to be relevant. In previous assignments, we have explored many different ways in which technology and social media are going to help teachers reach their students better. The question of why a teacher is relevant once a student becomes so connected is an interesting one, but I also believe an easy one to answer.
First off, “the networked student” is taught to do things such as, validate sources for his PLN, post findings on social bookmarking sites, create his/her own blog, and even listen to podcasts from other professors around the globe. These are all wonderful things that I hope all of my students will be able to do. But as just as I take this class, it becomes extremely apparent: who is going to TEACH them to do these things? While students are becoming more tech and media savvy than ever before, someone has to teach them to do these things. Maybe its their friends, family, or even themselves who could teach a student to do these things, but shouldn't we, as educators, do everything we can to ensure that they at least are shown a method that might possibly be better, or safer, or even more productive? I sure hope so.
At the end of this video we are shown several adjectives to describe the ideal teacher of this networked student. Theses ides include: learning architect, connected learning incubator, modeler, network sherpa, change agent, synthesizer, and learning concierge. All of these terms are wonderful, but the underlying truth beneath them as they are all the responsibility of today's educator for these students. Every student absolutely needs to learn how to make the most of these resources. Just as every student needs to make the most of these resources, every teacher needs to try and ensure that every student is shown a way in which to accomplish that goal.
I personally have grown up extremely connected. I have been on Facebook since high school and can text with my eyes shut, but I didn't know how to make a blog or validate a source for my PLN until this class. I’m sure I could have figured out how to write a blog, but I may never have appreciated how important it is to have one, without a TEACHER showing me another side to this. It's not that every student absolutely needs a teacher to show them how to do these things, then again I may be able to figure out open heart surgery, but wouldn't we all sleep better knowing that qualified teacher showed me how too?
A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)
This young student Wendy is a very bright, articulate, a well connected young lady, and I am extremely impressed. One thing that I wish she would have done is possibly given the teachers a little more credit for showing her how to do these things and how to use them, but oh well. As far as how her PLE compares to my PLN, I would hope to have something similar, yet more in depth than her. While she did have several links to Youtube videos, Facebook, and Skype. I did not see many personal connections in her PLE. As her teacher, I would encourage her to follow actual people and to learn and interact with them, whether through email, skype, blogging, twitter, or even actual face or phone time. All in all this young lady shows a lot of promise, and my hats off to her and the teachers that got her there.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Blog #6
Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving your Childhood Dreams
This lecture is one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen in my entire life. For Dr. Pausch who lives life with such gusto and passion has truly made me look at everything I ever thought I knew in a different light. This assignment came at just the right time in my life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to write about it in more ways than you will ever know. That being said, this blog post will be much longer than the 4 paragraphs you asked for as I don’t think that 4 paragraphs could begin to sum up some of the important messages Dr. Pausch has given.
First, he talks about “how YOU can achieve your dreams or enable the dreams of others”. I think it is very clear that everyone wants to achieve their dreams whatever they may be, but helping others to achieve theirs is such a morenoble task in my opinion. Dr. Pausch has shown me that it’s never going to be too late to devote my life to helping others achieve theirs. When he made the statement “the brick walls are there to
show us how badly we want something” and “brick walls keep out the ones who don’t want something bad
enough,” he is telling us that no matter what our dream may be or the dream of someone else that we want to help them achieve, giving up is never, ever going to be an option. Just because something does not go our way, or we mess up with something, we cannot lose that guiding force in our self to continue with what we know is right for our own or someone else's life. That human spirit to keep on keeping on is what makes us great.
Second, he made the statement that “experience is what you get, when you didn’t get what you wanted.” This is such a magnificent way to make the point that just because something didn’t work out like you thought it would, doesn’t mean that you can’t learn from it as well as possibly attain it later on. “The best gift an educator can give is to make someone self-reflective” is a statement he also makes along this line of reasoning. I recently have learned more about myself than possibly any other time in my life, and just because I didn’t get what I wanted doesn’t mean that I can’t gain experience from it. Through self-reflection, we can always attain a better knowledge of ourselves, our goals, our mistakes, and how to go on forward in a better manner. Dr. Pausch certainly achieved many of his goals, but he said himself that he learned more from the ones he didn’t attain. I think as an educator or just as a person, self-reflection, is the most important way to grow and improve. Sometimes while admitting your mistakes is not fun, it is necessary in order to not make the same ones ever again.
Dr. Pausch made the statement that “we learn from our students”. This statement is so important, yet is such a possible over-looked attribute in today’s educators. Any educator who is not willing to learn from their students, I would say that person is heading towards failure faster than any student they didn’t listen to ever will. I think that statement also touches on his previous statement about self-reflection. We all need to strive to learn and grow from any and all experiences, no matter where they come from. The worst thing I think we can do as teachers is just sit back and decide that everything is black and white. Some things are grey and some situations seem illogical, but make total sense. Sometimes we learn things we never wanted to, but we need to always strive to use that to our advantage.
One of the key things I took from this is Dr. Paunch’s optimism on humanity and how we should strive to live. He said that “it’s not about how to achieve your dreams; it’s about how to live your life. Live your life the right way and your dreams will come true”. He also makes the statement that “when you do the right thing, good stuff has a way of happening”. I think that these are very profound statements in their simplicity. Even if you have not gotten a result that you might have wanted, just TRY and live your life better and better every day, and good things will happen to you. While I have recently learned a whole lot about myself, I know I feel better knowing that for all the wrongs I have committed, that doesn't have to define my life in the future. I can always become a better and better person if I just hold on to those dreams and do the little steps every day to making those a reality. We are not perfect people, but with effort we can become better every day. This is a message that we should always hold on to and believe in and teach our students.
It is amazing that Dr. Pausch has managed to keep this beautiful, kind, forgiving, optimistic, outlook on life despite all the hardships that he was going through. He wrote a book on living while he was dying. This man has all the reason in the world to be angry and sad, but instead he is finding love in his work and life that others might not ever be able to understand. When other people may tell him to give up, he keeps going with what he believes in, that is truly inspiring. Dr. Pausch will definitely be missed by all, and I personally plan on trying to live my life in a more Pausch-like way.
Blog Post #5
Don’t teach your kids this stuff. Please?
This was a wonderfully creative way of getting the point across, in that technology and social media are not going away and we need to embrace that. While reading the blog it is very apparent that the University of Kentucky has a found a real creative gem to get their views on technology across to the masses. When a great creative mind like George Lucas uses Dr. Mcleods opinions, you know you are reading someone who should be listened too. I completely agree with his argument, the children whose parents and teachers are actively teaching their children and students how to properly use these different forms of media and communication, are going to have a massive leg up on their competition in the future. Not since the Industrial revolution has a shift become so prevalent in the way things get done. I sincerely would like to think that parents and teachers agree on the benefits of technology and social media being promising tools, but unfortunately not all do. And for the children and students of the nonbelievers, I genuinely feel pity as they will definitely be at a loss when the time comes to further their lives and careers.
Travis Allen Blogs
This was a wonderful couple of blogs; by what I’m sure is a force to be reckoned with in educational technology. Travis Allen has put into work what so many have been thinking and so many more need to start thinking about. We have talked several times about how technology and social media are the future for our children, but Mr. Allen has actually laid out a plan to implement those goals on schools starting today. The fact that he has taken his initiative and created a work force of 25 students to get the word out, shows how much he believes in what he's doing.
The one thing I do find curious is that his entire premises is based on Apple apps and OS platforms. While I personally love Apple products, to base a concept as great as this around one company’s product line is maybe a little concerning. Who is he proposing pick up the tab on this idea? Also, can his idea not be combined with maybe say every child using a laptop and programs rather than an iTouch, not even an iPad? I wish Mr. Allen all the luck in the world, as I think his general concept is wonderful. I do also hope that the specifics make his idea as easy to implement and maintain as it sounds.
Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
This is a wonderfully creative and beautiful piece of art. While the creativity and beauty lies within each of the singers, technology has offered us this unique way of putting it all together. The music itself is beautiful and cannot be denied, but being able to put it together in this way shows us that technology is opening up more creative ways of making art, and the limits are possibly endless. I don't know how Mr. Whitacre came up with this concept, but his execution is wonderful. This also, opens our minds to the fact that the entire world is easily connected to one another like never before.
Teaching in the 21st Century
This is definitely a thought provoking video. Students are going to be learning these things on the internet and how to teach themselves whether we like it or not; so I think our job should be to consider actively teaching them to use these tools the right way. This new generation of students has grown up with a second nature to technology, and they are going to learn to use Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Chat Rooms no matter what, as that is what they are taught from friends and alike. We, as teachers, need to consider not only teaching them facts, but also teaching them how to deduce properly and search out their own answers, using the tools at their disposal. Teaching has long been considered a way of delivering facts and figures to our students, but since we cannot ever teach them everything that they now have access too, maybe we should consider teaching them how to use and access these things more efficiently and safely. The job of a teacher is changing; we are no longer the end of what they will learn, only the beginning. The inherent egos of the past that teachers are always right is completely wrong, now as a student can find out whatever they want with a few clicks of a mouse. I think that we should make a conscious effort to nurture that ability and embrace this new found level of knowledge that they can gain whether they are in classroom or not. Wouldn't it be easier and more rewarding for a student, if instead of telling them our opinions of Einstein’s theory of relativity, if we simply taught them how to find and deduce their own opinions of it by simply clicking and seeing what others all over the world have written on the subject?
Reading Rockets
First off, I completely agree with Mr. Capps, I have never seen a resource sight so well thought out before. This site addresses parents, teachers, principals, and even librarians. I did not see who funds this site, but I sincerely hope that the funding continues. Reading Rockets is a one stop shop on how to address most issues that students, parents and teachers alike have to deal with. The amount of material in this site could take months to sift through, but it is easily laid out to find what you're looking for.
Blog Post #4
Podcasting with First Grade
This blog was very interesting in that these young 6 year old first graders became so involved and attentive in a less than standard teaching method, that the method should possibly be rethought about being non standard. I found it extremely motivating that the children were excited to know that other teachers and students around the world enjoyed what these kids did so much that it inspired the children to take more pride in what they were doing. Giving children confidence and pride in what they do is possibly the most important thing that we, as teachers, can ever hope to give our students. If it can start at such a young age, then that is even more amazing. I really can’t believe the impact that this project had on these young minds; it is just a wonderful thing. I also think that as far as my own personal podcast is concerned the most important thing that I learned is that I need to be completely open to any and all ideas, no matter where/who they come from.
Flat Stanley Podcast
I chose to do this podcast because I know about Flat Stanley, and I wanted to see what these kids actually made a podcast about. It’s fantastic that they were able to take a traditional school project and bring it up to date with the times. This project really brought out their creativity, which actually came naturally to them. The idea of doing the podcast made something already somewhat interesting to do, and made it even better. The children were excited and proud of the stories they came up with. For my own podcast, this makes me feel that you cannot ever forget to let your simplistic creative juices loose, no matter how simple, or silly they might seem. The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This was a wonderfully well made presentation on the benefits of using podcasts in today’s classroom. Podcasting and Video casting are excellent ways to reach out to this new generation of students, and also fantastic instruments for the parents and teachers themselves. This form of media allows for the students to relate, the parents to stay informed, and the teachers to continually improve the content of what their students are learning. This presentation hit on all the right topics, and I am thoroughly impressed with everyone who took part in this video. The benefits of podcasting and video casting are impossible to argue against and I think we are just scrapping the top of what lies in the future. I also am inspired for my own podcast to not only make as creative as some of the others, but this shows that making sure anything you put together is well made and paramount. Something can be entertaining, without informing, and then you're not really teaching.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Blog Post #3
Peer Editing
I chose to comment on my peers blog. I don't feel that i had an adequate blog to comment on as the author made it very clear that she did not care to do the assignment. I simply hope that she reads my response and might possibly take to heart that school and class, no matter what it may be, is of the utmost importance.
Technology in Special Education by Stephanie Tyler
This assignment is based on being to able to describe how technology can help our teaching. I completely agree with the notion that that technology can ABSOLUTELY help our students in their understanding, retention, and growth of knowledge. I do in this blog, however, want to hit on two points. One, how technology can help our students, and two, how as we have done in the past with critiquing; this blog aims to show one side of a story that has too many facets to address in a simple six minute video.
First off, I am an adamant believer that technology not only will help our students, but it is also the only way too truly keep them current with their futures in society. The work it has done, for not only special needs, but every single student out there is unquestionable. Of course special needs children needs more help, it's in the name, but technology has made crossing certain barriers easier than ever before. We are able to reach children on their level like we haven't been able to do in the history of time by speaking to them on their chosen form of communication. This cannot be discounted at all. Technology has more implications for the future of teaching than any other form of communication out there, and must be respected in its entirety.
Secondly, I feel that this did not discus fairly and impartially the shortcomings of technology in helping special needs children. I am completely sympathetic to the plight of these children, but Ms. Tyler simply spewed her one sided propaganda, and it sort of turned me off. Her side to all this seemed to come off as technology simply can fix these children's problems, and that with the right amount of technology we can feel free to discount whatever their problems may be. I feel that she fed a lot of these children the answers she was looking to receive and that in itself, seems horribly wrong to me. Don't get me wrong, what she is doing is an extremely admirable thing, but to deliberately show such a lop sided view just turned me off on her message, which is a true shame.
The implication oaf the "iPad apps" have absolutely no boundaries in teaching. The season being that apps distributed have no limits other than that of the creators. The apps shown in this blog are incredible for the learning acumen of these children, and the app creators should be commended by more than just the money they receive from selling their apps. But to my original point, the applications of "apps" in teaching have zero boundaries, as technological innovation has zero boundaries. So until someone is able to definitavly reign in the ingenuity of human beings. We have no where to look but up, for mankind and education as whole.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
This counter and the accompanying data is definitely an eye opener and shows the enormity that social media has on today's society. The fact that these extraordinary numbers of social media inputs are being done at once on different platforms is just a glance at the unmistakeable fact: social media is not only here to stay, but will most likely grow in importance in the future.
As far as how this phenomenon affects the careers of both current and prospective teachers, I would have to say that anyone wanting to stay relevant in the world is going to have to hop on the social media bandwagon or be left behind. Staying current with changes of this magnitude is imperative for any teacher who has a desire to prepare their students for anything outside of the classroom. How on earth would a teacher be able to say that they have prepared a student to get out into the real world without at least somewhat exposing them to social media, which has, is, and will be changing society in ways we have never seen before. Odds are that teachers will also begin having to use these means of communication in the near future to even conduct the day to day teaching. Social media is here to stay and the numbers don't lie, so I think its imperative that we stay current, if not at least attempt to actually lead the way.
A Vision of Students Today
Michael Wesch did a wonderful job creating such an intresting and entertaining video about some of the problems in higher education that students seem to face. The students reiterated some of the same themes from previous assignments such as, working in careers that don't exist today and how students are actually using social media like Facebook during class instead of learning. The students also seemed very disenchanted with the whole structure and reasoning behind education and did not seem to grasp why they were there at all really.
I think that students are not seeing the importance of what they are doing in higher education as much as they used to for a couple of reasons. First, students see this as just some right of passage as can be seen by how many students played through class rather listen and learn. They are respecting what an opportunity they have, because they feel they are not really going to have much of a leg up on the competition by the time they get out anyway. Another reason I think the students in the video are so unhappy is that the cost of school in many ways is not worth what some students will get out of it in a financial sense. As the girl who stated that she will be $20,000 in debt when she graduates, she may or may not be able to pay off for many years, depending on what field she enters into.
The modern student seems to have more worries than they used to. It used to be that a student could get a higher education and be guaranteed a better life than someone who did not have that education at all. Now, there are way more distractions and absolutely no guarantees in life then in the past. In closing, I think that we as teachers have to work harder than ever to keep our students inspired and focused on the task at hand, not just in school but at success in life.
I chose to comment on my peers blog. I don't feel that i had an adequate blog to comment on as the author made it very clear that she did not care to do the assignment. I simply hope that she reads my response and might possibly take to heart that school and class, no matter what it may be, is of the utmost importance.
Technology in Special Education by Stephanie Tyler
This assignment is based on being to able to describe how technology can help our teaching. I completely agree with the notion that that technology can ABSOLUTELY help our students in their understanding, retention, and growth of knowledge. I do in this blog, however, want to hit on two points. One, how technology can help our students, and two, how as we have done in the past with critiquing; this blog aims to show one side of a story that has too many facets to address in a simple six minute video.
First off, I am an adamant believer that technology not only will help our students, but it is also the only way too truly keep them current with their futures in society. The work it has done, for not only special needs, but every single student out there is unquestionable. Of course special needs children needs more help, it's in the name, but technology has made crossing certain barriers easier than ever before. We are able to reach children on their level like we haven't been able to do in the history of time by speaking to them on their chosen form of communication. This cannot be discounted at all. Technology has more implications for the future of teaching than any other form of communication out there, and must be respected in its entirety.
Secondly, I feel that this did not discus fairly and impartially the shortcomings of technology in helping special needs children. I am completely sympathetic to the plight of these children, but Ms. Tyler simply spewed her one sided propaganda, and it sort of turned me off. Her side to all this seemed to come off as technology simply can fix these children's problems, and that with the right amount of technology we can feel free to discount whatever their problems may be. I feel that she fed a lot of these children the answers she was looking to receive and that in itself, seems horribly wrong to me. Don't get me wrong, what she is doing is an extremely admirable thing, but to deliberately show such a lop sided view just turned me off on her message, which is a true shame.
The implication oaf the "iPad apps" have absolutely no boundaries in teaching. The season being that apps distributed have no limits other than that of the creators. The apps shown in this blog are incredible for the learning acumen of these children, and the app creators should be commended by more than just the money they receive from selling their apps. But to my original point, the applications of "apps" in teaching have zero boundaries, as technological innovation has zero boundaries. So until someone is able to definitavly reign in the ingenuity of human beings. We have no where to look but up, for mankind and education as whole.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
This counter and the accompanying data is definitely an eye opener and shows the enormity that social media has on today's society. The fact that these extraordinary numbers of social media inputs are being done at once on different platforms is just a glance at the unmistakeable fact: social media is not only here to stay, but will most likely grow in importance in the future.
As far as how this phenomenon affects the careers of both current and prospective teachers, I would have to say that anyone wanting to stay relevant in the world is going to have to hop on the social media bandwagon or be left behind. Staying current with changes of this magnitude is imperative for any teacher who has a desire to prepare their students for anything outside of the classroom. How on earth would a teacher be able to say that they have prepared a student to get out into the real world without at least somewhat exposing them to social media, which has, is, and will be changing society in ways we have never seen before. Odds are that teachers will also begin having to use these means of communication in the near future to even conduct the day to day teaching. Social media is here to stay and the numbers don't lie, so I think its imperative that we stay current, if not at least attempt to actually lead the way.
A Vision of Students Today
Michael Wesch did a wonderful job creating such an intresting and entertaining video about some of the problems in higher education that students seem to face. The students reiterated some of the same themes from previous assignments such as, working in careers that don't exist today and how students are actually using social media like Facebook during class instead of learning. The students also seemed very disenchanted with the whole structure and reasoning behind education and did not seem to grasp why they were there at all really.
I think that students are not seeing the importance of what they are doing in higher education as much as they used to for a couple of reasons. First, students see this as just some right of passage as can be seen by how many students played through class rather listen and learn. They are respecting what an opportunity they have, because they feel they are not really going to have much of a leg up on the competition by the time they get out anyway. Another reason I think the students in the video are so unhappy is that the cost of school in many ways is not worth what some students will get out of it in a financial sense. As the girl who stated that she will be $20,000 in debt when she graduates, she may or may not be able to pay off for many years, depending on what field she enters into.
The modern student seems to have more worries than they used to. It used to be that a student could get a higher education and be guaranteed a better life than someone who did not have that education at all. Now, there are way more distractions and absolutely no guarantees in life then in the past. In closing, I think that we as teachers have to work harder than ever to keep our students inspired and focused on the task at hand, not just in school but at success in life.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Blog Post #2
Did You Know??
In this video Dr. Strange does a remake of Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod's video about how much technology and the world as a whole are rapidly changing. These videos speak about two major topics in the world today. First, the changing societies of scale and how they will be drastically different in the near future. Second, the need for education to adapt to our teaching methods to these changes so that our students are better prepared to succeed in our major changing world.
China and India's population is growing at a much faster pace than the United States. Also, both are growing in both overall education and knowledge of the English language, so it is super important to understand and respect that the world will be a much more global and integrated market place. That marketplace, is exactly what we as teachers are responsible for getting our students to be more prepared to compete and live in. So teachers had better respect and embrace these changes rather than fight them, and teach our students to do the same.
As far as the paradigm of being able to teach and prepare our students for jobs and technologies that don't exist yet, it is my belief that teaching students to be creative and open-minded is the best course of action. While teaching analytical skills should NEVER be discounted, it is the nurturing of creativity that produces innovation, and it will keep students more able to adapt to newer innovations.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Matthew Needleman did a phenomenal job on this video. This video is a social narrative on two fronts. On one front this video starts off describing the changes that technology has brought to our society and how they might be seen by some one from the outside. Mr. Winkle is scared and made to feel somewhat lost by the changes that he is encountering. We cannot imagine what this would be like as we have watched these innovations blossom before our eyes.
The second point that this video makes is that the school system in America is the only aspect of our lives that has not caught up to the innovations of the rest of our live. It's ironic that those innovations inevitably being brought to us, but none other, than one time school children. Mr. Winkle feels comfortable and at ease in the school setting, because there are no signs that times have changed or that innovation has brought about any significant changes in learning whatsoever, other than the dusty computer in the back that is.
This video has done an excellent job of showing two very common extremes in our society today and how technology and innovation has changed them, or not changed them.. This societal narrative in an entertaining manner thru using a man who has been asleep for 100 years has shown our great triumphs and our great pitfalls.
The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson's talk on the importance of creativity has been one of the most entertaining pieces i have watched, and I personally found this piece to be the most thought provoking. Sir Robinson's speech at the TED conference brings to light a growing epidemic in our modern school systems and that is the shying away from the importance of creativity and the creative arts. As he states in the beginning, the world's school systems underwent a transformation around the turn of the century "to meet the needs of industrialization." This process of taking our children's education and consciously focusing it away from creativity quite possibly could be one of the worst mistakes in human history, with repercussions that could last forever.
Sir Robinson talks of the brilliant people that were told the things they were good at did not matter or worse. In doing so, it took some of the worlds greatest minds and shut them out from ever achieving what they capable of achieving. Creativity to Sir Robinson is "the process of having regional ideas that have value." If that is true, which I believe it to be, then no matter what field these creative endeavors are in, whether it be music, art, technology, dance, literature or anything else, then the idea has VALUE and should not be overlooked, or even discounted in the least. In fact, I think that these "valuable" ideas should be nurtured to their fullest. I am reminded of a line from Mr. Hollands Opus where Richard Dreyfus says that "if kids don't have music or art, then they won't have anything to read or write about." Sir Robinson is following the ideas of Mr. Dreyfus, and I think they are simply trying to say that the analytical thinkers of the world can only do so much; it will take creative thinkers to make this world as great as it truly can be. All of that being said, if an educational system is not willing to put the necessary emphasis on these things, then we as teachers should whatever we can to encourage these creative ideas as much as possible while our students are with us and beyond.
Vision for 21st Century Learning
The main argument in this short video, it seems to me, is that not enough children are literate in the current technologies of today. I can't say that I completely agree with this argument. I absolutely agree that some children have no exposure to modern technologies,which is a huge burden for those children. I feel that the amount of children without exposure to modern technology is so small compared to the opposite, that it is not really something of much concern. From previous blogs,I have seen more information to the contrary of this one that I just can't give it much consideration, other than agreeing that any child who does not have exposure to modern tech is at a disadvantage.
Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis is a very inspirational teacher and one that I think we should all strive to be somewhat like. Whether it is technology, the arts, or anything else for which you have a passion; Ms. Davis shows that with with passion and a little "out of the box" thinking, you can always get your point across and inspire your students to new levels at the same time.
The work she is doing with connecting her students to new virtual software as well as making a definite effort to connect them with others across the globe, is some of the most forward thinking that I have seen to date by a teacher. The fact that she understands the global societal shifts in both technologies and societies as a whole and can bring al lot that to a school on rural south georgia is amazing, kudos to her!
In this video Dr. Strange does a remake of Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod's video about how much technology and the world as a whole are rapidly changing. These videos speak about two major topics in the world today. First, the changing societies of scale and how they will be drastically different in the near future. Second, the need for education to adapt to our teaching methods to these changes so that our students are better prepared to succeed in our major changing world.
China and India's population is growing at a much faster pace than the United States. Also, both are growing in both overall education and knowledge of the English language, so it is super important to understand and respect that the world will be a much more global and integrated market place. That marketplace, is exactly what we as teachers are responsible for getting our students to be more prepared to compete and live in. So teachers had better respect and embrace these changes rather than fight them, and teach our students to do the same.
As far as the paradigm of being able to teach and prepare our students for jobs and technologies that don't exist yet, it is my belief that teaching students to be creative and open-minded is the best course of action. While teaching analytical skills should NEVER be discounted, it is the nurturing of creativity that produces innovation, and it will keep students more able to adapt to newer innovations.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Matthew Needleman did a phenomenal job on this video. This video is a social narrative on two fronts. On one front this video starts off describing the changes that technology has brought to our society and how they might be seen by some one from the outside. Mr. Winkle is scared and made to feel somewhat lost by the changes that he is encountering. We cannot imagine what this would be like as we have watched these innovations blossom before our eyes.
This video has done an excellent job of showing two very common extremes in our society today and how technology and innovation has changed them, or not changed them.. This societal narrative in an entertaining manner thru using a man who has been asleep for 100 years has shown our great triumphs and our great pitfalls.
The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson's talk on the importance of creativity has been one of the most entertaining pieces i have watched, and I personally found this piece to be the most thought provoking. Sir Robinson's speech at the TED conference brings to light a growing epidemic in our modern school systems and that is the shying away from the importance of creativity and the creative arts. As he states in the beginning, the world's school systems underwent a transformation around the turn of the century "to meet the needs of industrialization." This process of taking our children's education and consciously focusing it away from creativity quite possibly could be one of the worst mistakes in human history, with repercussions that could last forever.
Sir Robinson talks of the brilliant people that were told the things they were good at did not matter or worse. In doing so, it took some of the worlds greatest minds and shut them out from ever achieving what they capable of achieving. Creativity to Sir Robinson is "the process of having regional ideas that have value." If that is true, which I believe it to be, then no matter what field these creative endeavors are in, whether it be music, art, technology, dance, literature or anything else, then the idea has VALUE and should not be overlooked, or even discounted in the least. In fact, I think that these "valuable" ideas should be nurtured to their fullest. I am reminded of a line from Mr. Hollands Opus where Richard Dreyfus says that "if kids don't have music or art, then they won't have anything to read or write about." Sir Robinson is following the ideas of Mr. Dreyfus, and I think they are simply trying to say that the analytical thinkers of the world can only do so much; it will take creative thinkers to make this world as great as it truly can be. All of that being said, if an educational system is not willing to put the necessary emphasis on these things, then we as teachers should whatever we can to encourage these creative ideas as much as possible while our students are with us and beyond.
Vision for 21st Century Learning
The main argument in this short video, it seems to me, is that not enough children are literate in the current technologies of today. I can't say that I completely agree with this argument. I absolutely agree that some children have no exposure to modern technologies,which is a huge burden for those children. I feel that the amount of children without exposure to modern technology is so small compared to the opposite, that it is not really something of much concern. From previous blogs,I have seen more information to the contrary of this one that I just can't give it much consideration, other than agreeing that any child who does not have exposure to modern tech is at a disadvantage.
Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis is a very inspirational teacher and one that I think we should all strive to be somewhat like. Whether it is technology, the arts, or anything else for which you have a passion; Ms. Davis shows that with with passion and a little "out of the box" thinking, you can always get your point across and inspire your students to new levels at the same time.
The work she is doing with connecting her students to new virtual software as well as making a definite effort to connect them with others across the globe, is some of the most forward thinking that I have seen to date by a teacher. The fact that she understands the global societal shifts in both technologies and societies as a whole and can bring al lot that to a school on rural south georgia is amazing, kudos to her!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Blog Post #1
~ABOUT ME!
Well, this is my first blog ever! So the first couple may be kinda awkward! But any who! My name is Carrie Whitt, I was born and raised in Montgomery, AL and have lived in the same house my whole life! I went to Saint James High School kindergarten til I graduated. I played volleyball and basketball. After I graduated I moved to Mobile for school in the fall of 2009. Currently, I am a Junior, barely! I got a lot of catching up to do. I am getting my under grad in Physical Education so i will be a P.E. teacher and hopefully coach volleyball or basketball! And then I am going back to get my masters in Elementary Education and I would LOVE to teach 2nd grade, because they are still little but don't have the attitude yet! I moved back home in the summer of 2011. I just needed a break from school! So, I thought I was just moving home for the summer....but turns out i had to stay fall semester as well. For the summer I life guarded at the Montgomery Country Club where I got LOTS of babysitting jobs! When I found out I couldn't come back to South in the fall I got super lucky and got to keep all my babysitting jobs as well as be a full time nanny for 4 kids! But let me tell you, I am so glad to be back in Mobile and especially back in school as crazy as that sounds! And, that's all for now!
~A Little Info On Time Management (Randy Pausch)
Time management is a valuable commodity. You can never make more time, you have to spend the time you have as wisely as you can in order to achieve your goals. When deciding your goals as well as the time needed to accomplish your goals, it's extremely important to prioritize what you need to do to make it to your goal. Time is a precious thing, you can never get it back. Learn from your mistakes and use your time more wisely in the future. It made sense that Randy Pausch tried bettering everyone else's time management skills when he was told he only had 3 to 6 months to live, I'm sure he made the best of it.
Well, this is my first blog ever! So the first couple may be kinda awkward! But any who! My name is Carrie Whitt, I was born and raised in Montgomery, AL and have lived in the same house my whole life! I went to Saint James High School kindergarten til I graduated. I played volleyball and basketball. After I graduated I moved to Mobile for school in the fall of 2009. Currently, I am a Junior, barely! I got a lot of catching up to do. I am getting my under grad in Physical Education so i will be a P.E. teacher and hopefully coach volleyball or basketball! And then I am going back to get my masters in Elementary Education and I would LOVE to teach 2nd grade, because they are still little but don't have the attitude yet! I moved back home in the summer of 2011. I just needed a break from school!~A Little Info On Time Management (Randy Pausch)
Time management is a valuable commodity. You can never make more time, you have to spend the time you have as wisely as you can in order to achieve your goals. When deciding your goals as well as the time needed to accomplish your goals, it's extremely important to prioritize what you need to do to make it to your goal. Time is a precious thing, you can never get it back. Learn from your mistakes and use your time more wisely in the future. It made sense that Randy Pausch tried bettering everyone else's time management skills when he was told he only had 3 to 6 months to live, I'm sure he made the best of it.
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