Blog Post 14 Final Reflection

Sorry if any technical difficulties, my computer not would not work so I had to borrow one and it took a while to get it to work!!!

Project # 16

Project #13 Report on Collaboration

   I was very lucky to have a cooperative group for projects 15 and 16. We got through our assignments together and had a good time while doing it. My group is called F-jam and it includes Jami Martin, Fred Robinson, Melissa Harrison and of course myself. Through Facebook, texting, Google hangout and a few Google docs we pushed through and got the job done.
With conflicting schedules we managed to do the best in collaborating through Google hangout and the documents we created.
   I will say at first we just tried video chatting through Google and it just was not for us. We could not all get it to go together, but the hangout was great. We could all get on and dicuss what are plans were and even do screenshares where we could see each others computer screen. My group and I would use the screen share option to pull up the instruction manual and other documents to help us through the assignments. Especially project 15, we would pull up the lesson we were working on and the person who had it pulled up could edit it while we were all watching. It was very neat. Personally I have used Google hangout a lot since I was introduced to it, with my family that lives out of town.
We never attempted to use Skype because the hangout just fulfilled what we were trying to accomplish. Being able to share our ideas through the web was a great experience.  At first we struggled on understanding how a project could be done without ever meeting face to face, except to record it, but as we found the tools necessary, we quickly changed our opinions of collaborating through means of technology. Through this experience I have learned a lot about Google and how useful it is.
    The Google docs where we shared our ideas on a document was useful as well. I can remember one night just sitting with one of my members and writing back and forth about ideas for our projects. We had so many ideas flowing that we just could not stop editing.  With children as everyone in my group has this effort of collaboration was a great success.        

C4T Four

Intrepid Teacher

For this C4T, I had had the opportunity to explore Mr. Jabiz Raisdana. In the post, Identify the Boundaries , he raises questions about sharing. After exploring around on his blog , I realized that Mr. Raisdana is a advocate for open expression and sharing for students and teachers. He teaches at the Sinarmas World Academy and is building a community of learners. Mr. Raisdana wants students to fulfill their human potential.

He raises many questions in the post, for example, what do we feel uncomfortable sharing online?, what can we gain from it?, and how does openness connect us to others?. Having the openness to connect and share with others gives unrelated individuals the opportunity to relate to one another. Sharing can form relationships that are long-lasting and helpful. A community of learning that is limitless through the web. Living in a very open world today, wouldn't you want your students to explore and be susceptible to many things? What better way than to guide them to share. By sharing, we can find people to befriend and learn from them. A connection that ties us all together.

Mr. Raisdana makes a good point that we all mostly share the positive things about our goals and life in general. Why not let out some negative aspects, or something that has happened that we learned from? This, I believe, could help others. He asks the readers to think about three questions that were somewhat tricky to answer. The three questions were as follows: 1. What makes you feel uncomfortable? 2. What is too private to share? 3. What is too much to share?
They were tricky because it took a while for me to answer. Think about it, even though most of us are very open to share our thoughts and views, there are some things that we hold back. Some say that individuals should only post appropriate things, but what really is appropriate? It varies from person to person. As I commented on the post, if something is going to make me feel uncomfortable when people asks me questions then I will not write it. All in all the boundaries are based on the actual person.
In reality there should be no boundaries, except the cultural no nos, and he points a few out in the post also. The more we share, the more people can relate to us, and the more we can learn from each other.

Launch Forth

In this post Mr. Jabiz is discussing Walt Whitman and Ze Frank. I have never read anything by Walt Whitman and the poem that I was introduced to was Noiseless Patient Spider. Mr. Jabiz discusses the connection that Walt Whitman makes to connections and the web. The best part of this post was about Ze Frank. He is very interesting. As I commented on the post, I took a very powerful thought with me; which was that our thoughts can make us feel unconnected, actually connect all of us. We connect on the web. The point was very well made.

Blog Post #13

Engage in an E-Media Fast 

I was asked to engage in an e-media fast, meaning I was not allowed to use any type of electronic devices from television to cell phones. I mean nothing. I attempted this process about three times. It was very difficult. Having two children it was extremely hard to refrain from the television, even though I really do not watch it, and my cell phone. I can say that I did refrain from my cellular device the longest.
All the time in the past, growing up, I do not see how I survived with out a cell. I actually turned mine on vibrate and had my daughter Kaylee check when it vibrated that it was not anyone super important. She thought I had gone nuts. I think the hardest part of not having my cell phone was that I am constantly checking my Facebook on it and/or checking my email and I could not do that. I never realized how much time I spent flicking through pages on my phone. WOW.
At first I did not think this assignment would be hard. I quickly found out that I was wrong.My computer was a big issue also. It was very hard to stay off of it, seeing as how I am on it 24 hours a day it seems like. My fingers were just itching to get on and type or check something to do with school. I realized that when I got bored; I wanted to get online or get on the phone and chat.
I just realized how dependent I am on these devices. I actually felt somewhat empty with out my phone. I know it sounds crazy. My grandmother has always told me to just glue that thing to my hand. I see what she is saying know. When I was in school I didn't have the devices that I have now. Not like my kids, who both have tablets and televisions in their rooms. I attempted to get my oldest daughter to do this with me but she quickly rejected. Saying, MOM what will I do if I do not have my tablet. That made me think, I wonder if that is what most kids these days say when they get to school.
I wonder if they are just counting down the minutes to get home to their devices? Then it dawned on me they probably are. If we incorporate these tools in the classroom the students would surely be more engaged. Time has changed and now I see the beauty of technology devices and multimedia tools and still wonder how we ever did anything without them.

Final Report on PLN

I really think that having a PLN is great. I created mine through Symbaloo and I am still using it. I have added many sites to mine and I am continually trying to fill it up. The only problem I am having is that I regularly still use my book marking sidebar. It is what I am used to doing. When I realize that I am navigating through my bookmarks, I think of my PLN and quickly go to it. I think if I made my PLN my homepage, I would use it more. It is a quicker way to getting where I need to go online. Having it all at my fingertips in one place is great.
One thing that I prefer to do when I am adding a tile to my PLN is to create my own. I have noticed that most of the web-pages I have added already has a tile, but I like the idea that I can pick how it looks. I hope that I get more and more familiar with it and use it more often. I know that when I become a teacher, with all the shuffle, that it will definitely be a helpful tool. One idea I have is to create one for my classroom with learning games and material that the children can do during center time.

Project #15 - Smartboard Lesson Part 2

Report on Final Project

So far my group and I are working towards creating a video about the class. A preview of EDM310, that will take intimidating thoughts away form upcoming students. After we video project 15, we plan to merge our ideas together that we have been discussing on Google doc and Google hangout. The video will serve the purpose for the new students to familiarize themselves with the tools we use in the class. It will consist of many different things. Basically it will be a video to help students prepare for the class.

Creativity and Curiosity: My Thoughts- Special Post #12A

Creativity and Curiosity 

    In my opinion, creativity and curiosity go hand in hand. How can we have one without the other? Either a students creativity will spark their curiosity or their curiosity will spark creativity. For me, creativity sparks my curiosity. If an assignment or project allows me to be creative or is presented in a creative way, I am more curious about the subject at hand. I think I could become more curious if I start to look under the surface of things. Most of the time there is an underlying message in all that people do.
   We were asked if teachers can increase the creativity and curiosity of the students and my answer would definitely be YES. I read the article by Elspeth Bishop, who is a writer for In Good Measure and goes by Elli, Curiosity fuels Creativity and she makes some really good points. One of them is that we should let the students know that it is okay not to know the answer and to ask questions. This will spark curiosity in the children. Elli also comments that the curious student is an engaged student. Isn't that what we all, as teachers, want to accomplish? Asking questions and and the children being involved invites creativity. The students can bounce off of each others questions and give ideas to others. One good way that teachers could allow this process to happen is instead of the teacher answering a posed question, he or she could let the other students have a try at answering it.
           
     "if you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with something original"
                                                                                            Sir Ken Robinson

     Teachers kill curiosity and creativity by not letting the students express their ideas freely in the classroom. The classroom should be a place where students want to learn. Personally I believe it lies in the teachers hands. Some teachers are so rigid that they do not even involve the children or promote question asking. As I learned from Mr. McClung, we should let the audience guide our lessons. The curriculum has a lot to do with the creativity and curiosity of the children. The way the material is presented is very important. The more creative way material is presented the more curious the students are about the matter.
    In the article Creativity in the Classroom, the author gives suggestions to teachers on promoting creativity and I wanted to share it with all of you.

• Encourage owning and creating ideas, and discourage borrowing and stealing answers. The idea is to teach children the importance of assembling their own thoughts and ideas, even if they are imperfect.
• Always assign grades with some productive feedback about what to do in order to improve bad grades. Never undermine a child for lack of effort, because if she is getting bad grades it is solely your fault and responsibility.
• Instead of demonstrating something to the children, have them practice it individually. A child will never learn the right way of doing something without doing it the wrong way first.
• When a problem arises, it should be defined and analyzed before a structured solution is offered for it. This is a far better way of doing things than simply explaining an example.
• Discourage conformity and challenge the child to think for herself. Do not praise neatness and tidiness too much as this restricts the child from truly expressing herself.
• Instead of making suggestions yourself, ask open questions. Let the flow of the interaction determine the course of action to be taken. You will be amazed at how often the end results of this process coincides with the very suggestions you had in mind.
• Lastly, teach the child to follow their own minds rather than copying the answers from other places. Originality and uniqueness is far more valuable than a blatant duplicate of someone else's work.

  Teachers who can relate to the students are the one's that will spark creativity and curiosity in the students. They remember what it was like being a student. I will say that some teachers want to be the ONE who promotes creativity, but the school will not let them. The schools play a big role in not allowing the students to be expressive. I completely agree with Sir Ken Robinson in that the schools are killing creativity. They are to worried about the presentation of the school and the overall test scores that it is diminishing creativity for the students. How can students express their ideas freely if the overall school system is demeaning the idea? These individuals should be more interested in what the students are actually taking form the educational experience rather than uniform policies and scores. It should be an experience that will help them excel in the present future. I truly think that incorporating technology into the classrooms will spark so much creativity. The students could do so much more with what they know and take the assignments to the next level.
    A transformation in the classroom that involves the students in giving ideas about what happens in the classroom. I recently tweeted Ms. Cassidy, a first grade teacher in Canada, and asked her how her classroom has changed since she has incorporated technological tools like blogging in her classroom. She replied back that she thinks her classroom is more connected, the kids are more empowered and parents more aware of what is happening in the classroom. Ms. Cassidy's reply should be enough to sway teachers into using technology. The children are more empowered. Think about how they will carry this empowerment and succeed in the future. We should start instilling this in our children at a young age. The kids already use technology as a tool at home socially and for games; why not use it in the classroom as a learning tool to expand their knowledge. In general schools, teachers,and administrations should understand the need for creativity and curiosity in the classroom. We all should let the children have a voice and instill values that promote creative thinking and spark curiosity to the highest degree.

"I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn"
                                                                                            Albert Einstein

C4K April Summary

Cool Chicks With Power Kicks For this C4K I got to experience the World Blog Challenge. I was introduced to Daisy W, a student in New Zealand. My first comment was on her post about New Zealand. She really know a lot about where she lives. I learned a few things from her, for example, I did not know that New Zealand was separated by three different islands. The island that she lives on, Mount Maunganui, is located in the North Island. They had a ship crash into the reef and destroyed the beaches; I thought that was sad. Daisy stated that she has traveled many places, so I asked her to name a few; because I would love to travel. I think it is great to be able to travel. It shocked me that she had traveled to France and Thailand but had not ever been to the South Island of New Zealand.

My second comment on Daisy W. was on her avatar. I thought this was neat. She was able to create an image of herself to place on her blog. I was curious about this and asked her what site she used because it was a good picture. I also encouraged her to write another post on New Zealand. I think that it is a beautiful place. For the third comment I was suppossed to write on Daisy; I chose another student on her blog. They had been on their holiday and had not posted anything new. I chose Lily. We had a lot in common. Her post was on ten random things about her, and I think it is good to learn about new people. I found out that Lily has a rat and likes to have parties. She seems to be a prankster, because she stated that she placed whipped cream on her Nana's couch. I thought that was funny.

The last and final C4K I got to do for now was on a Self Portrait by Shayna in Ms. Cassidy's Year one class. It was a nicely drawn picture of three girls with different colored shirts on. It just amazes me that first graders are using technology in this way and sparking a revolution for education. I was wondering which girl in the picture was her, so I asked. I went on to discuss my favorite color was green and that if I drew myself, I would have on a green shirt. I also asked who she drew in the picture with her. I wanted to know if if was her sisters.

Blog Post #12

My Blog Post Assignment:


For this Blog Post assignment, watch the Videos: Inclusion in Education and What is Inclusion by Lynne Adams. While watching the videos, I want you to think about what "Inclusion" really means.
Write an two or more paragraphs on your reaction to the videos and how you feel about inclusion in the classroom. Also, Identify the three types of inclusion and which one you feel that is most helpful to the student.



Inclusion In Education

Inclusion means that kids with special needs are included in classrooms with others. There are three types of inclusion: full inclusion, partial inclusion, and substantially inclusion. Ms. Lynne Adams gives very good insights to what the three mean in the video, What is Inclusion. I believe that inclusion is a good thing for the children with special needs. It allows them to feel involved with the other students and not so much like outsiders. I feel that full inclusion or no inclusion is the best.
In my opinion, partial inclusion can lead to children asking questions about why the others are only in the room for part of the day. If a child asks, where the other went, what would a teacher say? We as teachers do not want to place any kind of rude thoughts in the mind of a child. Even though I will say that if the student can only handle partial inclusion and needs to be taken out of the classroom for specific reasons that can only be handled outside of the regular classroom, then it is the best. It is hard to determine which one works the best in a classroom. It depends on the child and their needs.
Inclusion is a good thing in the schools. We as teachers should include these children as much as possible, so they will feel like part of the group. As in the video, Inclusion in Education, we all can have the same destination, but the path doesn't have to be the same. No two children are alike, despite if a special need is there or not. I feel inclusion will bring the children together more and act as one. If we prove that there is no difference in a person but only differences in characteristics, then the students might want to learn more and be more inviting to the special need students. Don't you think?

Blog Post # 11

Ms. Cassidy's Class and Skype Interview

Ms. Cassidy is a first grade teacher in Canada who uses technology as an educational tool in her classroom. In the class video, Little Kids Big Potential, the students give a overview of the things they use in the classroom. One of the tools that I want to use in my class room would be the class webpage. The students can access it at home to see past assignments and parents can keep up with the activities that the children are engaging in everyday. Ms. Cassidy posts pictures on the site with links to information that will help the students with assignments or learning material. I think that is a great idea.
Another tool I would like to try in my classroom would be the blogging experience. Ms. Cassidy states in the Skype interview that she has had a class blog for about 5 years. That just shows me how I was behind the advancements of education until this class. One of the students commented on the video that they feel they are better writers on the blog. All of the students in her classroom seemed excited about the things they do while at school. That is something I hope to accomplish in my classroom.
I want to now to talk a little more about the Skype Interview that I had the pleasure of watching. I wish I could have been in that class during the interview, because I would have asked Ms. Cassidy, how her classroom as a whole has changed since she began using the technology.
The fact that she made the computers useful in the classroom was great. I am sure that their are some teachers that would have just brushed them off as a reward. For example, some might have put the computers as a reward to use on Fridays for having good behavior. I think Ms. Cassidy had courage to attempt what she did years ago. As she stated in the interview, we do not want to handicap the kids. If given the opportunity for the children to learn more effectively and learn in a way that is not strange to them, then why not? It will only benefit them in my opinion. We all, even as teachers, learn something new everyday.
After watching these videos, I am now trying to find my entry point to pursue, as Ms. Cassidy advises. I hope to instill some of these things in my classroom, and starting now with ideas and collaborating with different people is only going to help me in my journey.

Technology in Education

Something valuable found on twitter, that I wanted to share. I opted to follow the 21st Century Teacher (@21stCenturyTch) on twitter. They sent me a message to check out the website The 21st Century Teacher. I think that this site is very valuable to teachers.
The post that got my attention that I wanted to share is Technology in Education- Why? by Jake Glasgow. It is a very informal post on why we as teachers should include technology in our classrooms. On statement I caught on to is "it is our job as educators to prepare our students to succeed in a world as it is (will be)the best we can."
I encourage all of you to check it out and my comment I left on the post. Also check out John Pages's answers to why we should have this technology in education.

Here is also a video from the post I wanted to share.
Learning to Change/Changing to Learn: Student Voices:

Blog Post # 10

Do You Teach or Do You Educate?



In this blog post I was required to watch a short video on the differences in teaching and educating. The two are very separate, but also go hand in hand. I intend to educate as many children as I can while I have the opportunity. In the video, educators are tied to inspiration, enlightenment, guidance and mentoring. All of these qualities I hope to uphold. Teaching is in reference to giving instruction, explaining how to do something and causing someone to learn by example. Can't we as teachers tie both of these together?
I want to be the teacher that is wanted by every student. Not because the past students have passed and enjoyed my class, but because I made a change and inspired children in ways that others do not. Instead of just explaining information; I want the children engaged so I can be a guide to their success. I plan to tie the teaching aspects into my educating skills by being a supporter of student centered activities. You can not have instruction without guidance and you can not have inspiration without some kind of examples to bounce off of. I plan to give my students the lee-way to explore different options and finding out that they to can be an inspiration to me.
I want an open classroom, where the students and I have great communication. Some might say this is impossible, but hopefully I can prove them wrong. I intend on using my skills and to help the students prepare for the upcoming years and give them a sense of reasoning that follows accomplishment. Accomplishment that they have set forth themselves and achieved it.


Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home

Don't let them take the pencils home sends a good message to others. It took me a while to figure out what exactly he was referring to but I think I finally got it. The writer shows us that it is less important to focus on the problem at hand, and more importance on finding a solution to better the situation.
Teachers should be more focused on what the child is actually learning rather than the test scores they obtain. What really does a test prove? In most cases nothing. Some children can be very bright and make very good grades except when it comes to test taking. It is not fair for them to be rated or judged because of the test they took.
The outcomes of a student should be far more interesting than a pencil and paper test. Teachers should look at their whole learning process. They should be focusing on the advancements that the students are making as the year goes by.

Blog Post # 9

At the Teachers Desk

For this blog post I had the pleasure of reading a few posts by Mr. McClung. The posts were about his experiences and what he learned throughout the first three years of teaching. I was instructed to only read two of the posts, but I thought it was proper to read all three. Especially after I read the first one and then the last; I had to read the middle post. It was interesting to see how his outlook on things changed.
He continues to list things he has learned from year to year. The list in the beginning is somewhat different from the end list. In his first year, the most important thing he learned is to stay positive. He talks about being flexible and having good communication with the students. One piece that got to me was that he saw teachers more concerned with teaching the material correctly that they lose sight of the children. They become consumed in just the material. I hope that I never become so concerned with the material and teaching it correctly that I lose sight of what I plan to achieve in my classroom.
Letting the audience guide my lesson is the perfect way to get to the audience's attention. Audience meaning the children. First and for most, if the children are not interested in the lesson then teachers are wasting their time. If they become the lesson and are engaged in it; then the students will actually learn. Mr. McClung wrote about good communication and how important it is. Yes we must all as teachers have a proper relationship with our students that involves good communication.
From reading these posts, I have learned that a day in the classroom is ever-changing and I need to plan to be flexible, to roll with the changes. If something goes different with my lesson, I can not let it bother me. Teachers need to be prepared to change up their plans from day to day. One point he made was to listen to the students. This I know is very important. I think of children who have no one at home to talk to, children who do not have people to turn to when in trouble. The teacher could be this person. That's what I plan to do. I know I say this over and over in my posts but I hold this statement close to my heart; I want to be the one who makes a change if not in all of my students, then just one. As Mr. McClung pointed out, teachers might be the only person that will listen to these children. Its a sad world we live in and we, as teachers, should be there to help the children and guide them in directions that no one else will.
After reading these posts, I have learned that I need to keep myself motivated. I hope that teachers do not lose what they set out to do in the schools. Teaching is a gift to me. A gift that not everybody gets to experience. Seeing the children learn and succeed is more than a gift. It is a honor. What the students bring in the classroom is another thing that Mr. McClung learned. He stated that he learned to "learn with the students". Teachers should be open minded to the students and what they have to offer. They do not come in as 'blank slates", as the old teacher centered generation thinks. Sometimes they come in the classroom with more knowledge about certain things than the teacher has. So, why wouldn't a teacher be susceptible to learning from them. I know I will be. I hope I get to experience the lessons that Mr. McClung has over the past three years. I take these posts as advice to upcoming teachers and I know I will surely take it and apply it in my classroom.

C4T Three

New Prep, New Digs

For this C4T, I was assigned to Mr. Frank Noschese. This post was on his new class for the quarter. A chemistry class with only 11 students in it. I was shocked to see that their was only 11 kids in the class. That is a great size classroom for the students to learn and actually grasp the material. As I commented on his post, I like small classes; because the teacher- student relationship is closer. He will be placing emphasis on student-centered models and use the OPPS curriculum. Which deals with three types of matter. The students can focus on the material and take it with them. Seems exciting. The fact that the communication level will be high is another thing I like about this type of class. Mr. Noschese seems very interested in the subject, even though he stated it had been a while since he had chemistry. I hope one day I get to experience a class as this one. I wish Mr. Noschese the best of luck with his new class!

My Challenge to Silicon Valley
by: Frank Noschese

In this post Mr. Noschese is somewhat comparing the "flipped" classroom to the traditional one. He uses informal graphs that show that interactive engagement outperform traditional classes. This was no surprise to me, with all the hype about the technology that is ever-changing schools and the students embracing it. He also gives some good points about the learning cycle. I completely agree with him,, in that, students should be continuously engaged in the learning cycle.
Children need time for exploring all the new resources that are available to them. I was a bit confused on the post, because I could not tell if he was for the advancements or not. I read the post a few times and came to the conclusion that he is in support of the somewhat "flipped" classroom. In my opinion, it is very important for the children to somewhat learn on their own and move away from rote memorization. But the fact of doing the classwork at home and the homework in class, is disturbing to me. The children should be able to explore on their own at home in different areas without guidance of a teacher. The instruction and lecturing, or the things a teacher does should be done in class.

Project # 14

C4K March

Jennifer

For this C4K, I got to post on Jennifer's blog post of a 100 word count. She told a small story about a wasp. As I commented on her post, she has a great imagination and good word choice. I asked her to explain the 100wc a little more to me, because I tried to research her assignment and wanted to know more.

Short Movie Project 11

Blog Post # 8

This is How we Dream Parts 1 and 2

This two part video by Richard E. Miller is fascinating. He and his colleague has some extreme ideas. Dr. Miller is a writing professor at Rutgers University. The videos focus on writing with multimedia. A way we can all communicate globally. It is a way for students and educators to use up to date and ever-changing information. Information at our fingertips. Writing in a pen and paper way is a solidarity act, but when individuals take it to a virtual experience, they involve everyone. Dr. Miller refers to this as a incremental change. Incremental meaning a gradual change to the virtual world.
He also referred to research opportunities. With this writing with multimedia style, students can perform projects without ever stepping into a library. This idea I can grasp. It could be beneficial for certain children and their education. I am particularly interested in special needs children. Some of whom can not write and read. Having this multimedia aspect in schools could help them excel in ways as never before. For instance, a special needs child who can not write. The student can use the keyboard to write what he or she is trying to express. Communication can become easier for these children. Having everything at their fingertips is a valuable aspect.
Using the virtual world to do projects is a great way for children who are sick and/or can not leave the house. They do not have to miss out on assignments and collaborate with the class through the networking.A web based document is freely shared and constantly updating. It is always changing. The digital environment, in my opinion, would be a plus to the educational system.

Are teachers that have been in the system ready for this change? I would be worried. Some are stuck in the 'old-fashioned' ways that they do not even want to try to educate themselves on topics as this. But as upcoming teachers in a digital world, we should familiarize ourselves as much as possible. The ideas are slowly creeping up and taking over. Granted it will be a while until this takes over, but the possibilities are limitless. I hope I am preparing my self for the change. It is fascinating that individuals can take a written on paper document, read it and be done; not retaining anything. When the document is made on the web and virtually shared the individuals can bookmark it or save it and refer back to it when needed. A way to push ideas and arguments into the ever-changing culture.




Carly Pugh's Blog Post 12

For this assignment Dr. Strange instructed us to read Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12, and I am glad he did. This class has opened my eyes in many ways and this blog post opened them even wider. She refers to creating a playlist on you tube. A playlist that would refer to our teaching philosophy. With her playlist she did a great job in opening up the eyes of upcoming teachers. Dr. Strange wanted us to think about how close she comes to Dr. Miller and his philosophy of writing with multimedia, and Ms. Carly is very close.
A video she has posted on her post, Six Questions for Everyday, is something that all teachers should watch. School is a haven for children for almost for 12 years. It should be a place where they feel safe and want to come. We, as teachers, should make it worth their while. This particular video made me think that if teachers can not answer most of the questions with a YES, then maybe they need a new profession. Teachers should be able to reach the child on their level and keep them entertained. Take music for example, It is entertaining and everybody loves it. When a child hears a song on the radio even for the first time; when it comes on again they can at least carry the tune of the song. They grasped it because it interested them. I personally believe that if education was taught in a way that children could relate to and enjoy; that they would be more excited about school.
In the video, which I am going to share on my post because I really think that it encompasses what "teachers should be", asks questions such as, Do you have the curiosity of a child. Questions like that make me re-evaluate myself. Think about it, of course teachers should have the curiosity of a child. In this way they can better relate. Its not only the students that are learning. One thing I have learned is that teachers can gain much knowledge from the students. I do not know if this is what Dr. Strange intended for us to gain from the assignment, but I truly have stepped back and answered these questions. My philosophy of teaching will be that I want my students to engage themselves and want to come to class. I want them to want to be at school more than at home. A classroom with no limits, to an extent. I intend on my students to share their opinion and be enthusiastic about their education.
A video that Ms. Carly also shared from her playlist is one entitled, "Think Different". I have to say that when I build my playlist to share with all, I will definitely be including this one. One statement that hit me hard is " the people crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do". Individuals who step outside the boundaries, who take teaching to another level and push the ideas among people are the ones that stand out. Ms. Carly's post made me want to be the one who stands out. I want to be remembered for making a change even if it is in just one child. Think about it. Watch the video .











Video Idea

I believe the primary reason for the Chipper Series was to encourage students who are new to EDM 310, to keep up with the assignments and how much time the class requires. Also the importance of the class to our education and upcoming careers.
I personally think that this class should be required for all majors. My idea for a video would be a bit like the Chipper Series. The class is very intimidating at first, very overwhelming. A video that consists of a preview to the class for students to watch before actually beginning the class would be beneficial for some.
For example, the video could consist of things like an introduction to blogging since some people have never encountered it before. Students could be in the lab and actually performing some of the required activities and giving short tutorials on them. We could have past students speaking discussing the pros and cons of EDM 310. It would be like a preview of a movie. That way students could realize the importance of the class and the amount of time it takes; so they can decide if they are taking the class at the right time. I think a preview of EDM 310 would help the students better prepare themselves for the class. I personally would have done some research on certain things to familiarize myself with the tools needed in EDM 310. I am sure I am not the only one. Dr. Strange could update it every so often with newer students and any changes that he makes to the class.



Learn to Change, Change to Learn

A group of brilliant individuals made this video to reach out to the educational systems. The schools of today are not preparing the children of the real world. They are growing up in a society of technological advancements that are limitless. I enjoyed this video and agree with the high points that they refer to. The children of today dwell in networking sites and technology. For example, most children spend more time on the internet than actually reading a book. So why not make the books virtual?
The title of this video speaks for itself. Children thrive in a rich environment and as one individual states the school is not a rich enviroment for the schools. Some educational environments are more interested in getting them in and passing the tests for high graduation rates. Some say that this aspect makes the schools look better. In my opinion, who cares about the scores and rates of a school. If the child is not thriving and ready for the real world upon graduation; what is the point of all those years on school. The need for a new classroom is imperative today. A nontraditional classroom with the student at the center performing abilities of understanding and creativity.
As the video points out the classroom should become a community of learning with access to tools that will reflect and relate to their everyday life. Most jobs are team based or some form of teamwork and the students should start early in preparing themselves on collaborating together on projects. To change the schools we are changing the students in ways that will help them in the future. We must start with the teacher and prepare them for this change. How can the student learn and excel in the technological world if the teacher is blind to it? The students have so many things they can access with the touch of a finger and we as teachers should push them in that direction. A learning process that has changed from memorization and boredom to creativity and excitement.
We need teachers who step outside the box and remodel the classroom to fit today's children. As the individuals in the video, I hope the system makes this change. The students will be excited and flourish in ways that are unimaginable. An environment where students actually learn and enjoy it; using the tools they use for extracurricular fun. Combining the two is a great idea. They learn much more through technology of today.

Scavenger Hunt 2.0

In this section of the post we were instructed to explore the site Web 20.11, which is now Web 20.12. On this site I found a great way for lessons to come to life in the classroom. I have never heard of this before and it is really easy to use. Animoto
is a tool for creating videos and presentations in the classroom. It includes some nice features that are super easy to use. Just to name a few, spotlight lets you give specific items more screen time and Cinematic A.I automatically analyzes your music and pictures.
After creating an account locate the pricing link on the top right corner of the web page. They offer a free download, but it only allows you to make 30 second videos, a plus version or a pro version. There is also an iPhone app that users can download where you can shot your videos anywhere. As I stated before, it is very easy to use. All you do is chose a style, music, add pictures and text then produce your video. Here is a sample I created for a preview to the podcast I had to do.

Try our video maker at Animoto.



Poll Everywhere
My first poll:

Get a free sms student response system at Poll Everywhere

Edmodo

I chose edmodo for this piece of my post. It is a networking site where teachers can post assignments and collaborate with others. I created an account to visually see all the features. It is a site where students can join a group I create and follow it all year. The assignments and a class calender can be posted on my page. All students can join to keep up with the events of class. Like Facebook, I can have daily posts. Another good feature is the community link. A support community where teachers can connect with other teachers.

Project 12 - Book Trailor

C4T TWO

Social Media Policy

This assignment I was given the opportunity to Mr. David Hopkins site, Don't Waste Your Time. I have taken the time to explore around and found some interesting things. I placed a comment on his post about the key elements of Victoria, Australia's Department of Justice social media policy. The video that was provided was explaining the connections in social media between personal life and the workplace. The main point that was made is that the two should not overlap. As I commented on this post, Dr. Strange tells us that, 'We are leaving a intellectual trail for future employers', and the video clearly makes this point. There are thousands of social media networks. Twenty hours a month are used on these sites and privacy is a major issue. Individuals who use these networks should consider the privacy acts and understand that all of it is public. The video also explains that when commenting on social networks for a company that the comment is directed to everyone who works there; but when individuals comment personally it is a factor that people take into account. One example that places emphasis on this is posting pictures. The director placed a picture of someone that looks as if they had been partying, and asks the question would we want our employers to see that. I know I would not want that. Our personal life should not interfere with our professional.

Dr. John Strange's Strange Thoughts


Lectures

In Dr. Strange's blog, he provided some thoughts on lectures. Comments from Mr. Jeffery Young's article about Michael Welsch and lecturing. I agree with Mr. Young in that the messanger of a lecture is more important that the message. It is hard for students to keep along with an hour long lecture without being distracted. Therefore, having a professor who is actively engaging the students and making it enjoyable will help the student with attentiveness. That is the major problem with lectures.

As I commented on Dr. Strange's post, I hope to lead discussion based lectures. Lectures where the students are directed questions and have a active role in it. As Micheal Wesch states, the bond between professor and student is important. The students learning the material and retaining the information is equally important to me. Again as I stated in my post, what is the purpose of school and education if the students are not learning and retaining the information. I also think that smaller class sizes will help the issues of lecturing. With small classes the instructor can involve everyone in an active lecture.

Blog Post # 7

Networked Student by:Wendy Drexler

In this video, The Networked Student, Mrs. Drexler informs us about students in the 21st Century. The idea of connectivism is a great way of learning. Learning that will stay with the students throughout their educational experience, as well as their careers. Connectivism is the idea of no textbooks and no lectures. Instead it is a learning base by using networks and connections.
There are so many sites that can assist the student in the learning process. One that is mentioned in the video is google scholar. It helps students find articles and web pages related to the material that is needed for class assignments; the items that are presented is needed for educational purposes. Without lectures, the video directed attention to podcasts. A student can find podcasts on the assignments that are presented to them, and have a lecture on their own by various professors. The question that was raised was " Why does the networked student even need a teacher?".
The answer to that question is simple. Students need mentors and guidance throughout the schooling years. In connectivism, instead of the teacher standing in front of the class and lecturing on and on about material pushing facts into the students head, they serve as a tool. A tool that pushes the student in the right direction, helps them when they are stuck on an assignment and to praise them on a job well done. The networked student uses all the tools of technology to gather information. If the student has never used them before then the teacher is there to help them understand the proper use of the technological tools.
The children are in control of their learning and this gives them motivation to succeed. Note that all children are not the same. Some learn better on their own and some learn more efficiently with a mentor giving directions and rules. Teachers today, should prepare themselves on how to handle that situation. They need to start thinking about the future and what could possibly happen in schools. 21st century learning is happening in places and creeping up in every school. While it is good to have one on one interactions with teachers, the students do indeed learn by far more when they are actively learning and pursuing it on their own. This video was a learning experience for me, I am ready to become a 21st century teacher and guide children in ways that will influence them for the rest of their lives.

A 7th graders PLE

This particular 7th grade class is focused on internet based learning. The children have control of their learning experience via the internet. This student in the video states that it provides a responsibility to her that is helpful. Her PLE compared to my PLN, which I have just started, is way more advance. I only wish I got the educational skills in school that children are getting today. She uses a note taking site called evernote to keep track of all the information she uses. This will be a helpful tool for me. Also her PLE, is organized in rows of categories. For example, all of her school sites are in one row and her social sites are in another. I definitely think that would help me have a more organized PLN, and it would benefit me in learning the use of it. As I began search helpful insights on building my PLN, I stumbled across this video, that can be useful.

Project # 10

Progress of PLN

The progress of my PLN is slowly coming along. I have acquired some sites and people to help me through my learning. I chose to use Symbaloo for my PLN.
I am trying to get used to using it. I normally just use the bookmarking tool. I like the idea that I have everything in one area and I do not have to go back and forth through my bookmarks. I have not set it as my home page yet, but I think I would get used to using it more and more if I do that. Hopefully as I continue to use it, I will become more familiar with it. One helpful webpage I found to assist me in the process is Sue Waters Blog post on PLNs. She conducted a survey of PLN users and the results helped me get started.

Blog Post # 6

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving your childhood dreams

This video absolutely brought tears to my eyes. In Randy Pausch's last lecture he discusses lessons learned, achieving childhood dreams and advice. He also talks about enabling the dreams of others. This amazing video has touched my heart. How Mr. Pausch was so upbeat about his cancer is awesome. He had liver tumors and was given six months to live. He states that we can't change the cards we are dealt, but to play the hand we got to the best of our ability. He focuses on four direct things which are as follows: have fun, never lose the childhood wonder, help others and have a feedback loop and listen to it. He also places emphasis on not complaining , being good at something, be prepared and find the best in everybody.

I took the advice he has given and am going to try to use it in everyday life. The heart of this man has touched my soul. "Permission to dream is huge" is one of the quotes I will definitely use in my classroom and even at home with my own children. Someone who can instill these values in the children is an amazing person to me. I want my classroom to know that everything is limitless. Even if the dreams are not accomplished that they, the students, will take something away form the experience. As Mr. Pausch promotes, the brick wall is there for a reason.

Brick walls are there to prove how bad we want the things we done. They are there for individuals to break the mold. Everyone has a good side and is capable of anything; if you give them a chance. Enable the dreams of others. What better way to do that than to be a educator. To be able to mold children and teach them how to be self reflective are things I want to achieve in my classroom. I want my students to see that there are no limits and they can have fun while learning. Mr. Pausch said the best way to teach someone something is, they have to think they are learning something else. He refers to this as a head fake.

The tears began to pour when I realized that I was experiencing a head fake during this video. I never thought I would be so interested in a lecture as I was this one. Truly Mr. Pausch has changed my outlook on many things. I plan to use all of his advice in my classroom. His students were very lucky to have him as a teacher. I can only imagine what they learned from him. I am sure the range of possibilities is never ending. The determination he has had, makes me see that focusing on people and being loyal are imperative to the things I plan to accomplish.

As I have said before, I want to be the one person that changes a child's life. To teach is something that is a gift and we should cherish it and use it to our advantage. Even if it is a small change that pushes a child in the right direction; I will feel like I have achieved my goal. I will not stop or set the bar for myself. Mr. Pausch is a role model to educators and if you are reading this and haven't watched the Last Lecture; then you most definitely should. It gave my the push I needed to become the teacher I want to be when I graduate.

Project 8 - Podcast

Project 9b- Few Facts about The Berenstain Bears

C4K February Summary

C4K #1
Mohamed in Mrs. Diaz Class
Mohamed commented on the best school ever. He claimed that his school was his second home. I rarely hear students say they like school, much less it being their second home. I hope some of my students feel that way about my future classroom. I was so glad to see these thoughts about a school come to life. He stated that he has changed schools many times and I could relate to that, because I have been to five schools since kindergarten.

C4K #2
Charlotte in Australia

Charlotte wrote a post on her holidays. She had a nice slide show of pictures that showed a few fun things things that she and her family did. She is from Australia, so it is warm there for Christmas.

I would love that. It is funny the children that I am being assigned to, all have something in common with me. Charlotte's mom, mum is how they say it, birthday is in January and so is mine. I was very shocked at how a fourth grader had such a terrific blog. I stated that I am just getting started and she probably knows more about it than I do. I could feel the excitement from her just from her comments.

C4K #3
Sarah

Sarah is from Winnetka, California. She is in a seventh grade computer class and they have assignments that they post on this site. I read Sarah's about me first. She posted about how she loved cupcakes, music and had good friends that support her. I commented that i also love cupcakes and make them for parties. I was eager to know if she ever made her own cupcakes, so I asked her in my post.
One of the assignments she had to post is a self portrait of herself using paint. It looked so good, as if she actually drew it. It amazes how well these kids know how to use the resources that a computer offers. They make it look so easy. I attempted to use paint and do a self portrait and it did not look so well. The more I explore her site, the more I wish we had a class like this when I was in seventh grade.


C4K #4
5p2 GF
Mrs.T.G Class


My student this week is in 5th grade in Iowa. He was commenting on how sporting good stores should have more sales. He commented on the store Scheels. I had never heard of this store before, so I went online to see what they have. Being a softball mom, I would like this store. I completely agree with him about the sales. Sports can get very expensive.

Blog Post #5

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

This post by Dr. Scott McLeod was very interesting to me. He took the approach of downsizing the use of technology in the schools. Discussing the dangers of the web and how the basics are important. Basics meaning pen and paper assignments. This is how some educators view technology is the classroom, as a threat. Dr. McLeod actually does use the technological advances in his classroom. He is the founding director of the nations only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of the schools. Dr. McLeod is trying to get administrators of schools to understand the importance of technology. He also holds the position of Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky.
As I was reading this particular post, I gained a new insight on how I will teach my students. I learned that not only do I need to guide students in learning the technological advances; but I also have to prepare them in the dangers they might face. Technology should be viewed as a good resource that the children can use to their advantage. We have parental blocks that can be used and if we as parents and teachers monitor what our children do on the web, then it will cut down the amount of dangerous contacts. Technology is overtaking our society and we as teachers and parents should keep up with it. Dr. McLeod mentions the future, as to who will have the leg up on technology. I believe that we as education majors can assist the students and schools we enter into with learning and applying technological devices.

Videos By: Travis Allen

These two videos iSchool Initiative and Zeitgeist Young Mind's Entry are the future of education as we know it. Travis Allen has this idea of schools becoming virtual through itouch. He calls his program the iSchool. Travis believes that this will cut back on budget cuts and large classes. The educational experience needs change and he believes he has the answer. He states that it would save 600 dollars per student. The main objective is the question does technology belong in schools. Yes, it does! The rise of technology is upon us, and these ideas will rebuild the educational process. With the ischool the teachers can place a lock on internet controls of the students.
The itouch is already capable with apps that are necessary to schooling. With the teacher being able to customize them, the experience would be amazing. This mobile learning will enable the students to be creative and they will also be prepared for the digital world.
This 'Go Green' idea will save money and at the students fingertips they will be connected to the world.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

WOW!! I am absolutely amazed by this video. Eric Whitacre directs a choir via the internet. It was beautiful. They seemed so connected as if they were face to face. I thought to myself, is this real. I went and did more research and found The Introduction to the Virtual Choir. Mr. Whitacre speaks about why he started the virtual choir. The way he took 185 voices and places them together is spectacular. The following video is the actual Introduction to the Virtual Choir from you tube. Watch it!




What Does it Mean to Teach in the 21st Century

This collaborative is by Kevin Roberts. He sees teaching changing in a way where students will acquire higher order thinking skills. To teach is to guide the students in a networking system that will stay with them forever. These ideas of web based learning instead of pen and paper will link the students to the world. When i graduate I hope I can lead my students in 21st century learning. A student centered, project based classroom is ideal. The students engage in creativity and learn to apply real life skills. I see students being more interested in schooling and making it meaningful for their future. Don't we all, as future teachers, want this for our students. I know I do!


Reading Rockets
www.readingrockets.org

This website is truly a very resourceful tool. It has so many interesting ideas and ways to help teachers and parents assist children in reading. It provides suggestions to help the students. It is limitless to the range of students. The website provides these tips to normal learning students and to students with disabilities. I completely agree with Mr. Capps in that this website is very valuable to teachers.
One of the pages that I found helpful is the article on Autism. One of the quotes that is listed on the site is, "Teaching kids to read, and helping those who struggle"; this quote is very moving for me. I hope to pursue a teaching career in Special Education. This article explains what autism is, tips for the parents and teachers, and what is being done in the schools to help with this learning disability. One area it places emphasis on is to find the students strengths and focus on them.
Another useful article that I stumbled upon was Creating a Classroom Library. I enjoyed this one the most and plan to use this in my classroom. It is a instructional article on how to effectively create a classroom library. It begins by listing some ideas on how to organize the library. The steps include: marking the books, labeling bins and sorting the books. The author also includes suggested categories on how to create the labels. This teaches the children organization skills. They can partake in a active role in helping to set up the library. To make the classroom their own. Check out the video that is posted in the article and watch the children's faces when the teacher involves them in this process of creating a classroom library.

Project 9a- Important Dates in My Life

Blog Post #4

Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting

This post by Silvia Tolisano, is about how podcasting can be a good tool in listening and understanding the written material. Mrs. Tolisano, being a world language teacher, has some great ideas of how the students can understand the material they are reading and other languages. Letting the students record sentences of books in other languages and critiquing themselves is a good way for them to understand the importance of editing. She did a podcast with second graders in Hebrew. Each student was assigned a sentence to record. The sentences were placed out of order and the children had to put them back in the correct place. Hearing the script over and over helps the students understand the material. She stated that this lets the students play with the mechanics of languages. They also gain speaking skills while doing a project of this nature. I do not know how I could use this for my podcast, but it is very informational to podcasting. She used Garageband to record their sentences and that will be a useful tool for me.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom

This post, including the video by Joe Dale will be very helpful to me while doing my podcast. It demonstrates the importance of podcasting in the classroom. The students gain higher order thinking skills and they can let their creativity shine. Since technology has overtaken this generation, podcasting is a very useful tool. One point the video makes is that podcasting gives the classroom a more student centered approach of learning. It makes learning enjoyable. Near the end of the post are some useful links that I will use in making my podcast. One of the links, How to Podcast, is a step by step tutorial of how to do these things. I will definitely be using that link during making of my project. I plan to incorporate podcasting in my classroom, as a teacher, because if allows the parents to be active and differentiation.

Podcast Collection by: Judy Scharf

This post also included some valuable information that we as students or teachers can use. Mrs.Scharf defines a podcast and provides some links to tutorial videos on how to podcast. I found all of the videos useful because I was lost on the idea of podcasting. I feel somewhat behind the world in technology. She also provides some tips on a successful podcast, which I recommend saving a copy, or writing them down. One of the tips provided is to be sure that you are comfortable with the software you are using to do the podcast. This makes me feel like I should review the instructions and be sure I properly know how to use the software. Another thing that she provided was a example time schedule. The time schedule is helpful because we can all keep up with what is going on. She also provided a list of suggested podcast projects that can be useful in the classroom.