Monday, April 30, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Report on Collaboration for Project #15 and #16
Group Jaks collaborated on both projects using Skype, Google docs and texting. The majority of our collaboration for the project was done through Google docs. We met in person to put together our ideas. We used Youtube to add background music. I movie was used to finalize the projects. For our final project we wanted to be creative and show others how to change a boring class into a classroom filled with technology.
Blog Post 13
As simple as it may sound to just be for one day, this was probably the most difficult post yet and I have still not mastered the full 24 hours without technology. Attempting to go without technology really makes you realize how much of it you truly do use and just how often. I first attempted this on Thursday. I did well until the evening when I was supposed to be going to a concert with friends and my grandma who was at my home in Mississippi watching my younger brother for me started panicing like a normal grandma would do over her grandchild (ha-ha) because she has to know where I am every minute (she thinks) and could not get in touch with me. I eventually had to relieve her, so that was a fail. I then attempted Friday. Friday was even worse than Thursday because my mother kept calling after my doctors appointments and blood work to make sure I was okay. My final attempt was Saturday. This day I started late at 1:00 and just went straight through to Sunday. It went pretty well because my parents were now home from Texas and were not trying to call me all of the time. I babysat my three year old cousin and we just played outside, watched movies, colored and read books and such. She is a handful, so she kept me pretty occupied. This assignment would have been much easier if it had not been during a week that my parents were out of town and I hadn't had so many health issues involving doctors appointments. However, this assignment even though not completely accomplished was a real eye opener for me. It shows how much we really do rely on technology. We really feel as though we cannot last a full day without it, and I believe we take it for granted because there is a larger percentage of the world that do not even get the option to use technology in their daily lives at all along with other things more important as well. With all of that being said and learned, who are we to completely try to take technology away from students in the classroom when that's all they have really known to grow up with in their daily lives? If it is so hard for us to go a day without it, it must be the same feeling for student to go that seven or more hours in the classroom without it. So why not utilize it? Why not incorporate it as much as you can into their learning in the classroom as well? Why not? The answer: there isn't one.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
C4K
This C4K was really cool because we got to comment on and read posts from around the world.
The little wooden cat by Betty
On every morning when you walk to school, the little wooden cat watchs you. He is black from head to toe . He sit’s on the baby hex’s draw. Every minute of the day he sit’s reading the daily news. One day baby hex took the little wooden cat to the shop hex looked at the sweets , the little wooden cat looked at the vegables. Then hex dropped the little black cat suddenly a little girl called lily picked up the little black cat up and took him home and after a year he had a new friend.
My Comment: Hi Betty,
I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I absolutely loved reading your blog post. I am assuming that you enjoy writing. I too love to write. When I was younger I used to write stories, songs, and poems all the time. Now that I am twenty one I just stick to writing poetry because I feel that is what I am best at. Keep doing what you enjoy and keep up the good work dear!
-Katelyn Gill
I also got to comment on a little girl named Laura's post where she talked all about her family. She talked about what her parents do as far as jobs go and also about her siblings and their ages. I told her that our parents had similar jobs because my mother also worked in the medical field and my dad worked on helicopters like her dad works on computers.
My last C4K was on a little girl named Rosalinda's video called a mihi. On Rosalinda's mihi she shared information about her family and told how she was the youngest in her family with an older brother.
My Comment: Hi Rosalina!
My name is Katelyn and I am a student in Edm 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really like your mihi!I really like your headband you are wearing as well! I too have a brother, but he is younger than I am. I am the oldest. I hope to hear more stories from you later! Keep up the great work sweetheart!
The little wooden cat by Betty
On every morning when you walk to school, the little wooden cat watchs you. He is black from head to toe . He sit’s on the baby hex’s draw. Every minute of the day he sit’s reading the daily news. One day baby hex took the little wooden cat to the shop hex looked at the sweets , the little wooden cat looked at the vegables. Then hex dropped the little black cat suddenly a little girl called lily picked up the little black cat up and took him home and after a year he had a new friend.
My Comment: Hi Betty,
I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I absolutely loved reading your blog post. I am assuming that you enjoy writing. I too love to write. When I was younger I used to write stories, songs, and poems all the time. Now that I am twenty one I just stick to writing poetry because I feel that is what I am best at. Keep doing what you enjoy and keep up the good work dear!
-Katelyn Gill
I also got to comment on a little girl named Laura's post where she talked all about her family. She talked about what her parents do as far as jobs go and also about her siblings and their ages. I told her that our parents had similar jobs because my mother also worked in the medical field and my dad worked on helicopters like her dad works on computers.
My name is Katelyn and I am a student in Edm 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really like your mihi!I really like your headband you are wearing as well! I too have a brother, but he is younger than I am. I am the oldest. I hope to hear more stories from you later! Keep up the great work sweetheart!
Creativity and Curiosity: My Thoughts- Special Post #12 A
Do schools in the United States systematically destroy (or inhibit) the development of curiosity and/or creativity in students? Hmmm, well I would have to say yes, especially after doing our blog post assignment that required us to watch the hilarious, but true Youtube video discussing education by Sir Ken Robinson. I think all schools should have their teachers watch his video, along with others. I think there's a lack of curiosity and creativity because there is a lack of motivation and there is a fear of change and reactions from others. It is just too easy and comfortable to do it the way it has always been done before. If teachers would begin to challenge themselves creatively, I believe they could better challenge their students curiosity and creativity. If a teacher has little deire and creativity, why would the students be curious or creative in anything? Teachers should do more than just blab out the facts of knowledge they know. It isn't impressive, or enjoyable at all. Teachers should bring more to the classroom. They should be fun and creative. They should play learning games. They should do new and fun activities to excite and get students going, such as learning on the floor, lying on their backs and making the ceiling a place of learning too, fun games, scavenger hunts, and there's so much more you can do that doesn't include constantly sitting in a desk and spitting out facts. As a teacher, you always have to remember that: It starts with YOU!
Blog Post #12
Blog Post 1 Assissgnment:
Watch Maisie Lynch's Youtube video, What Do Students Expect From Teachers? . Write at least two paragraphs describing your reaction to this video. Also, read the comments and list what you as a student expect from your teachers, as well as what you wish your future students to think about or expect of you. Be sure to discuss in your blog how you plan to follow through with those expectations for yourself.
My Blog Post 1
After watching this video, I began thinking about how much teachers expect of us as students and wonder how often they think about what the students might wish for or expect of them in return. It is not only the students that must continue to learn, but also the teachers. I know that as a student myself, I expect respect from my teachers just as they expect respect from me. I also know that I expect to recieve the grade I deserve that depends on how much work and true effort I put into my assignments. I expect teachers to be kind, encouraging, fun and very motivational so that their students know that they are capable of anything.
I am not yet a teacher, but I feel I am working very hard to eventually get there. I am ready to dive in and have fun learning with my students. I do not want to be a dull teacher. When I thonk about a good teacher, I think about The Dead Poets Society. I want my students to have as much fun in something like a school day as they can. I am not afraid to make a fool of myself for the enjoyment of others. I enjoy making someone else smile and have fun and I plan on being the same way in the classroom. As a teacher, I plan on making an assignment such as this, the first for my students. I will have them anonymously write what they expect from me and try my hardest to reach those expectations while still allowing them to learn the best and most they can. I want to give them assignments and allow them to battle them out themselves with me motivating them throughout class and helping them when they need it. I cannot wait to be a teacher!
Watch Maisie Lynch's Youtube video, What Do Students Expect From Teachers? . Write at least two paragraphs describing your reaction to this video. Also, read the comments and list what you as a student expect from your teachers, as well as what you wish your future students to think about or expect of you. Be sure to discuss in your blog how you plan to follow through with those expectations for yourself.
My Blog Post 1
After watching this video, I began thinking about how much teachers expect of us as students and wonder how often they think about what the students might wish for or expect of them in return. It is not only the students that must continue to learn, but also the teachers. I know that as a student myself, I expect respect from my teachers just as they expect respect from me. I also know that I expect to recieve the grade I deserve that depends on how much work and true effort I put into my assignments. I expect teachers to be kind, encouraging, fun and very motivational so that their students know that they are capable of anything.
I am not yet a teacher, but I feel I am working very hard to eventually get there. I am ready to dive in and have fun learning with my students. I do not want to be a dull teacher. When I thonk about a good teacher, I think about The Dead Poets Society. I want my students to have as much fun in something like a school day as they can. I am not afraid to make a fool of myself for the enjoyment of others. I enjoy making someone else smile and have fun and I plan on being the same way in the classroom. As a teacher, I plan on making an assignment such as this, the first for my students. I will have them anonymously write what they expect from me and try my hardest to reach those expectations while still allowing them to learn the best and most they can. I want to give them assignments and allow them to battle them out themselves with me motivating them throughout class and helping them when they need it. I cannot wait to be a teacher!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Progress Report on Final Project #16
Characters: Teacher, students, 1 super hero We are creating a movie about how students seem like the day is dragging on and on and they are bored with the "normal lectures" that teachers give. We all know that sitting in a classroom for 7 hours a day can seem like forever especially when all it is is lecture and note taking. Have the superhero come in and show how a normal lecture could be turned into a fun, interactive, and creative day for the students. We collaborated on this project by using the following tools: Google Docs: To gather ideas and plan the video Telephone/Texting: To plan meeting day to record video Email: To write up the movie script Flip Camera: Use to record the video iMovie: To finalize the movie and add music to the background Sara Cardwell Allison Cullars Katelyn Gill Jonathan Freeman
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Blog Post # 11
Ms. Cassidy
Ms. Cassidy posted a youtube video called Little Kids....Big Potential that shows how her first grade class is using technology. Her students have their own blogs that they regularly post on and comment on others. Her class also has a classroom webpage that they can access both at school and home where they can choose what they would like to click on and learn.
Ms. Cassidy also did a Skype interview with Dr. Strange where he asked questions such as how she got started with using technology in her classroom and such. They discussed how long it took for her students to become familiar with the technology they were using and networking tools. I have a facebook account. I am now interested in checking out Flickr because I love photography, but I am not a huge fan of twitter. I think when I have my own classroom, instead of journal entries I will have my students create a blog and do blog posts instead. It will teach them better writing and communication skills and it will also teach them how to positively use technology. I look forward to the future.
Ms. Cassidy posted a youtube video called Little Kids....Big Potential that shows how her first grade class is using technology. Her students have their own blogs that they regularly post on and comment on others. Her class also has a classroom webpage that they can access both at school and home where they can choose what they would like to click on and learn.
Ms. Cassidy also did a Skype interview with Dr. Strange where he asked questions such as how she got started with using technology in her classroom and such. They discussed how long it took for her students to become familiar with the technology they were using and networking tools. I have a facebook account. I am now interested in checking out Flickr because I love photography, but I am not a huge fan of twitter. I think when I have my own classroom, instead of journal entries I will have my students create a blog and do blog posts instead. It will teach them better writing and communication skills and it will also teach them how to positively use technology. I look forward to the future.
Blog Post #10
Do You Teach or Do You Educate
This video may only be few minutes in length, but it is still powerful. It sends out a good message. It defines what it means to teach and what it means to educate. To teach, you are explaining, or showing how to do something. To educate, you are inspiring, mentoring, advising. I want to be an educaator. I want to be a mentor. I want to be an inspiration.
I want to be able to guide and help my students figure things out. I never learned well by being fed a bunch of facts throughout a lecture, and I don't expect my students to either. To help a student figure something out independently is awesome. Not only are you proud of them, but they are proud of themselves. Right now I am a substitute teacher at a montessori school. The students there do work on their own. You walk around and guide them, and they ask you for help. I intend on using these practices in my own classroom.
Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home! -Tom Johnson
John T. Spencer's blog post discusses the argument of pencils being sent home with the students. The academic specialist involved argues that pencils should not be sent home with students because a research study showed that students who did take their pencils home had lower standardized test scores. "Tom" however brings forth solutions such as giving students lists of projects they are interested to do. This post really more important than focusing on and arguing about the problem. Plus, like he mentioned in the blog post, even hang-man can bring forth some learning. I think that is better than no pencil at all. Also, with that being said, maybe another form of testing other than standardized should be looked into as well. I know plenty of people (including myself and my younger brother) that do not do well under that type of pressure, but excel otherwise and the blame can't be put on the pencil.
This video may only be few minutes in length, but it is still powerful. It sends out a good message. It defines what it means to teach and what it means to educate. To teach, you are explaining, or showing how to do something. To educate, you are inspiring, mentoring, advising. I want to be an educaator. I want to be a mentor. I want to be an inspiration.
I want to be able to guide and help my students figure things out. I never learned well by being fed a bunch of facts throughout a lecture, and I don't expect my students to either. To help a student figure something out independently is awesome. Not only are you proud of them, but they are proud of themselves. Right now I am a substitute teacher at a montessori school. The students there do work on their own. You walk around and guide them, and they ask you for help. I intend on using these practices in my own classroom.
Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home! -Tom Johnson
John T. Spencer's blog post discusses the argument of pencils being sent home with the students. The academic specialist involved argues that pencils should not be sent home with students because a research study showed that students who did take their pencils home had lower standardized test scores. "Tom" however brings forth solutions such as giving students lists of projects they are interested to do. This post really more important than focusing on and arguing about the problem. Plus, like he mentioned in the blog post, even hang-man can bring forth some learning. I think that is better than no pencil at all. Also, with that being said, maybe another form of testing other than standardized should be looked into as well. I know plenty of people (including myself and my younger brother) that do not do well under that type of pressure, but excel otherwise and the blame can't be put on the pencil.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Blog Post #9
What I've learned this year (first year)
In this blog post a teacher named Mr. Mcclung shares with us what he has learned in his first year of teaching. He tells how he has learned things such as: how to be flexible, communicate, don't be afraid of technology, listen to students, and last but not least never stop learning. Two things he said that caught my attention were "don't build your expectations too high for your students and become upset when they don't meet them", and "I truly believe that teachers do not know enough about the students they are teaching". I truly miss being in high school in a small town because I was actually close to my teachers and they really seemed to care. When cities, schools, and classes start to get bigger, it seems to get harder for teachers to truly interact with all of their students. I think one teacher here knows my name. I hope to be the teachers that appears to truly care about all of my students individually because I know how good that feels as a student. Another thing he said I liked was "it's never too late to change your way of thinking, learning, or style". That quote makes me think of his class because we are furthering our learning for our students. We need to continue to learn with our students.
alts"![]( "Orientation to HPE")
"
What I've learned this year (second year)
In this blog post he shares all of the things he learned in his second year as a teacher. He talks about things such as: adapting, taking he path less traveled,finding your school mom, checking your ego at the door, not being a control freak,scope and sequence, not losing sight of what's important, and it's about what you learn after you know it all that matters. He talks about how stepping out of your comfort zone and change is good and ultimately makes us better teachers. He also talks about relaxing with all of your lesson plans instead of trying to perfect everything. I agree with both of those things although change can sometimes be scary. It does make us better though. Another thing he discussed that I really liked was don't be afraid to make a fool of yourself for the students to better learn or understand a concept. I hope to one day be that crazy fun teacher her students love and enjoy. I really enjoyed reading his posts and truly do believe they have and will continue to help future teachers prepare for what's ahead of them.
In this blog post a teacher named Mr. Mcclung shares with us what he has learned in his first year of teaching. He tells how he has learned things such as: how to be flexible, communicate, don't be afraid of technology, listen to students, and last but not least never stop learning. Two things he said that caught my attention were "don't build your expectations too high for your students and become upset when they don't meet them", and "I truly believe that teachers do not know enough about the students they are teaching". I truly miss being in high school in a small town because I was actually close to my teachers and they really seemed to care. When cities, schools, and classes start to get bigger, it seems to get harder for teachers to truly interact with all of their students. I think one teacher here knows my name. I hope to be the teachers that appears to truly care about all of my students individually because I know how good that feels as a student. Another thing he said I liked was "it's never too late to change your way of thinking, learning, or style". That quote makes me think of his class because we are furthering our learning for our students. We need to continue to learn with our students.
alts"
What I've learned this year (second year)
In this blog post he shares all of the things he learned in his second year as a teacher. He talks about things such as: adapting, taking he path less traveled,finding your school mom, checking your ego at the door, not being a control freak,scope and sequence, not losing sight of what's important, and it's about what you learn after you know it all that matters. He talks about how stepping out of your comfort zone and change is good and ultimately makes us better teachers. He also talks about relaxing with all of your lesson plans instead of trying to perfect everything. I agree with both of those things although change can sometimes be scary. It does make us better though. Another thing he discussed that I really liked was don't be afraid to make a fool of yourself for the students to better learn or understand a concept. I hope to one day be that crazy fun teacher her students love and enjoy. I really enjoyed reading his posts and truly do believe they have and will continue to help future teachers prepare for what's ahead of them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)