Saturday, March 29, 2014

Blog Post #10

This week Dr. Strange asked us to view a video of Sir Ken Robinson Bring on the Education Revolution. I know I have said before that video's before were my favorite, but to be honest this video has to be my favorite video. This is a video that every educator not just future but, every educator should view. Sir Ken Robinson made some very valid points. I like that he said we don't need to reform our schools but that we need a revolution, because reforming our schools is only improving a broken model. That point is a excellent one because why would you improve something that's broken instead you should fix it or begin on a new model. The definition of revolution is a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system. This simply means that we need to start over with our school systems and come up with something new to help our kids grasp and understand the lesson and concepts in which we are trying to teach. Instead of being stuck in our old ways of thinking we should branch out and try new things. When Robinson quoted Abraham Lincoln his quote stuck out to me, I like that he paid close attention to the part about rising with the occasion not to the occasion, instead of waiting for a special event to happen to rise to but rise with an occasion no matter the event. Getting to the end of this video almost made me want to cry, the end of the video is where I learned the most. I learned that no matter a child's dream you should never tell them that their dream is not achievable. As adults not just educators we should tread softly on the things they want to become. No child should be told that what they want to be is stupid and its impossible. I have been told that I shouldn't go after my dream of being a educator because the money isn't worth it. When you have a dream and your passionate about it no amount of money will suffice the love you have for it.

W.B Yates Quote

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Project #15

Dr. Strange asked us this week to create another PBL. I decided that this time I would do science. Here is a link to Habitats of Life

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Blog Post #9

Dr. Strange has us watch First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class. The students in her class are very familiar with the internet and how to search for things needed for class. They have a Facebook page, where they use it to read their class books and use it for their resources and homework in their class. They use their class computers in centers and play different games to enhance their learning. This video gives future educators like myself great ideas on how to use technology in our classrooms.

After watching the interviews with Ms. Cassidy, her idea of having a blog, a Facebook page, and using Skype to talk to other classrooms and experts that help expand and explain the process of their different projects. I think the Facebook page is a great idea, this gives the students a sense of freedom and responsibility. Facebook is a site most kids know they're parents or even older siblings are using, this may make them feel like they are on the same level as everybody else and that they are not to young to use Facebook. When I first decided I would go back to school to pursue my dream career, even with the technology that was coming out then, I never thought I would be using it in my classroom. After watching this video it has made me want to use the idea of Skyping in my classroom. To hear from a expert on a particular project your class may be working on will only excite the students to go further and do their best on their school work. What child doesn't like when they can show off their work and get a great response from it? I don't know a child that wouldn't love that.

I listened to Ms. Cassidy's reasoning for blogging in her classroom. You would never think of how much of an impact it has on not only the students but on the people who stop and read their work. This not only helps students with their social skills but it also helps them with communication and writing. Blogging is something I'm still amazed that I do. Sometimes I think it's the hardest thing in the world, then Dr. Strange shares a video or we have to do our comment for kids and I feel a completely different way about it. If first graders can blog with so much enthusiasm, then why can't I suck it up and do the same. I even get excited when I get my email notifications to say I have a comment. I want nothing but to make my post better, I know if I'm getting that feeling I can only imagine how a child would feel when it happens to them. I think Ms. Cassidy's idea for technology will eventually if it hasn't already branch off and before we know it all schools and students will be using this idea of teaching. I appreciate teachers like her who go the extra mile to make sure students expand their minds to use other things to learn instead of just paper and pencil.

2teachis2share.blogspot.com

Monday, March 17, 2014

Project #14

Dr. Strange asked us to create a lesson plan using technology and how we would use it in our class I came up with a Black History Month project since history is my favorite subject. Famous African American Inventors

Sunday, March 16, 2014

C4T #2

I enjoyed some aspects of this blog, while some parts of it I didn't. I had the Langwitches blog and while this blog taught me so much, it was also a bit confusing. I loved the project she did with her students using different ways to take pictures and how to incorporate it with the lesson. I like the fact that she commented back when I left a comment on the first blog. I forgot to save my comment and her response, mistake on my part. This blog has a lot of resources on how she helped her students to learn different ways of using technology to their advantage and how to use the things they overlook on a daily bases as learning tools. I would probably go back to this blog to use some resources.

I really enjoyed this post, its so amazing that we use the app Instagram so much and never think that it could be a way of teaching our students photography. I love looking at all the pictures but I would have to say my favorite ones were the forced perspective photos. Those pictures were amazing, please tell your students that all of their pictures were great! I try to do the photo challenge every month on Instagram, because they have a new one once a month. I never can remember to keep it up, but you have just inspired me to start a challenge and finish it.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Project #9

Dr. Strange asked us to do a group discussion book report on Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering For Real Learning.. Each group had a topic to discuss and record, our topic was;

: "One of the great opportunities that technology has to bring us is the ability for those who have more, and who know more, to help those who don't. " (p. 190, Teaching Digital Natives ) What evidence does Prensky give in Teaching Digital Natives to support this conclusion? What other evidence would you offer to support it? Do you agree entirely with his assessment? If not, what reservations do you have and what evidence do you offer as an explanation for those misgivings about technology?

Blog Post #8

This Week Dr. Strange asked us to find some 21st century learning and communicating tools. I first thought this would be a hard task to do, because there are so many new things that are meant for communication. Then it dawned on me that I already have one at my fingertips. I had to do 20 observation hours for one of my classes. I had to go to the school and tutor and observe how a teacher taught her class and what kind of resources she used to help her students. The class I was in the students were learning about long division, and they were having a hard time understanding it. The teacher asked me to help find them some activities to get more practice and a better understanding on the concept of long division. Without even thinking I went to Pinterest. Pinterest is a site where you share different ideas, pictures, quotes, and stories. You place things in different categories, and when people search them your ideas come up. They call their categories boards, and they allow you to pin things to your board in order for you to save the particular idea. They have a board completely dedicated to education, thats one of my favorite boards. If you were to type in the search box 3rd grade division, different worksheets, activities and ideas on how to help your students with division, they have ideas for bulletin boards, for gifts for teachers, anything you want to search you are able to find it on Pinterest. I find myself going to Pinterest for just about everything. Most of the ideas are linked to a site where its either a blog, a website, or just a picture. The blogs are a lot of help, because once you click to go to the link it takes you to that blog and your able to see exactly what the person blogs is like. Most of the blogs are from teachers, so you can communicate back and forth with that teacher. You are even allowed to follow that particular board, which allows you to continue to see what that teacher is posting. I think Pinterest is a great website and a great place to keep teachers linked to one another. You can find and sign up for Pinterest at www.pinterest.com

www.tblc.org

Sunday, March 2, 2014

C4K Summary #1

I enjoyed reading all of the blogs that I was assigned to. My favorite out of all 4 I did was the last one about sacrifice. I enjoyed the opportunity to see what kids are writing about and how they use blogs in their schools and school work. When I first got in this class I was a little skeptical on how blogs would integrate with school work. The more I've been in this class and have had the opportunity to read and talk with these students on what their using their blogs for, I have walked away each time with a better understanding on how this could help me in my classrooms one day.

PraiseChildren


Comment#1
Hello Boden, My name is Alexis McSwain and I attend the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog and looking at your pictures. I remember reading the comics on Sunday mornings, they always put a smile on my face. Are you making comments for a certain class?

Comment #2
Hi Maika, My name is Alexis McSwain. I am a student at the University of South Alabama, you had an awesome chance to travel outside of the country! Even though it rained those first couple of days I am jealous. What all do you see on your vacation?

Comment #3
Hello Alayna, My name is Alexis McSwain. I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed reading your blog. Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun. This place sounds like a place I would love to visit, because I love to skate. Good job to Jacob with him being good at the claw game, I can never win anything out of those machines. Is your friend Kaylea's are okay now?

Comment #4

Hello Jeff, I'm Alexis McSwain, I'm a student at the University of South Alabama, majoring in Elementary Education. I liked your idea of challenging your readers to find something to sacrifice. Because of that I myself will take your challenge. Did you sacrifice something as well, if so what did you sacrifice? I enjoyed reading your blog! Keep up the excellent work.

I enjoyed reading all of the blogs that I was assigned to. My favorite out of all 4 I did was the last one about sacrifice. I enjoyed the oppurtnitiy to see what kids are writing about and how they use blogs in their schools and school work.

Project #13

This was a collabritive project. My group Excel, created a project based lesson. We named it the Shapes of Life. Click the link to see what we came up with.ShapesofLife

Blog Post #7

What Can We Learn About Teaching and Learning From Randy Pausch?
  This is a very resourceful video for when you need some motivating words of wisdom. After watching this video I learned quite a lot from Randy Pausch. The first thing I took from this video was that no matter what situation life hands you, always take the positive outlook on it. After being told that you only have a month to live, you would think a person would be depressed, angry, and more than likely maybe lazy. Instead of letting his bad news get the best of him, he took it in stride and continued living life as if he was to live forever. I liked his list of childhood dreams and how no matter how many no's he got, he never gave up on achieving them. The same motivation he had is the same motivation we as teachers need to give to our kids. I loved his quote about the brick wall and how its only up for those who are not willing to try to get over it. In every story he shared, he took away a life lesson. He was more than open minded to learning new things with each new obstacle he had to take on.

  His statement about not trying to talk to or teach someone when you are mad, or when they are mad with you is something I have witness in person. I recently had to observe a 3rd grade class, the teacher had been teaching time and elapsed time for 2 weeks straight. After she felt comfortable enough to give them a test, once she began grading them she realized that some of the students still didn't comprehend the lesson as well as others. She worked one on one with a particular student and the more he didn't understand, the more she yelled and became irritated. Of course yelling was something she didn't want to do, but it happened. She suggested that he walk away and collect his thoughts, as she did hers. When the student returned he immediately grasped the concept and worked his problems out perfectly. Sometimes as adults we expect children to have just as much knowledge as us, and we forget that we are the ones who teach them what they need to know. I learned that teaching is learning, when we think our students won't surprise us we end up learning from them. As teachers we should realize that sometimes we become the students and our students are there to teach us.

  I took away from Randy that giving up is not a option, even if its a childhood dream. He taught us to have patience with our students. That even as degree earned teachers we still have to be as opened to learning and helping our students reach there goals as well. This was one of my favorite videos to watch so far in Dr. Strange's class. This video even though it was not directed to teachers is a great resource. That brick wall will not get in my way. It will be blown away.

Here's the link to Randy's Video here