Final PLN Report

For my Personal Learning Network I used Symbaloo. I have been using it as much as I can. Its a very good way to stay organized with all of my websites. Using a Symbaloo it makes it very easy to access everything and keep it in one place.

Blog Post 13

This week we were challenged not to use technology for 24 hours. This is not possible for me to do. I tried to do it and then I would need to call my mom or check an email. Living away from home, my cell phone is the only way my family can get a hold of me if they need me. I have my phone on me at all times. I am also an officer in a sorority on campus which requires me to check my email everyday because that is how we get information out to each other. I also have a campus job which requires me to check emails. I never realized how depending I was on technology until recently. I really don’t know how to live my life without it. I guess it’s just the generation that I grew up in. I was never taught how to live without it.
Something else that was a big problem to me was not being able to listen to music on my radio or iPod. I always am listening to music whatever I am doing. I can’t ride in the car without music playing. I go crazy without it. I am very thankful for technology. If I would have kept going with the fast without giving up I would have never know about the shooting on campus and that we had a lockdown. Because when it happened I was off campus and I was about to head back when I got the email. Emails are the new way of communication. I have realized that it is impossible for me to live 24 hours with out these tools because that’s all I know

C4T #4

C4T #1
Slippery Slopes
This post talks about how websites are about to start charging to watch videos. Instead of you being able to just watch any video on line people would have to start paying for it. This would hurt sites like YouTube. I said I think this is a very interesting topic. Videos are an importing tool in learning. I think it would harm more than it would help if they started looking at it as copyright infringement.
C4T#2
The importance of teaching brainstorming
This post talks about how we should give a topic to a child enables that child to let their mind run free on ideas that would help them explain it. In timed settings primarily for the older students, it allows them to be pushed to a certain degree and helps prepare them for what they might see in higher education classes. Brainstorming helps these kids provide more in depth papers or deeper understanding of what their topic is, because of the many discoveries they would have. I commented and said.

Project # 15 SMARTboard Instruction Part 2

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

Schools destroy the development of curiosity. Students are taught for the state test and they have to do things in a cookie cutter way. Students do not get to think outside of the box. Some students even get picked on for trying to go outside that box. Curriculum need to be more open ended. It needs to let the students learn while doing something instead of sitting in the classroom all day. Make the Curriculum fun for the students. A student is more likely to want to know more about a topic if it’s presented in a fun way. Sometimes the student might not even know they are learning. It’s all about the way things are presented. Being curious and creative can go together. If a student is curious about a topic than they can find a creative way to find out about it.
The teachers has a big part of the attitudes of the student if a student walk in to a classroom and the teacher looks sad then that will make the students sad. If the teacher is excited to teach the subject than they students will be more excited to learn about it. If the teacher wants the student to be creative they must be as well. They cannot just expect the student to sit and listen all the time.

C4K April Summary

Josh 1st Challenge Post
His post was facts about him. The facts he listed are below:
I like to waste time at school
I like plaid shirts
My age is (20 ÷ 4) + 5 + 3 – 1 + 8 + 3 – 13 +2 – 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 – 4 + 7 + 1 – 6 – 2 = ?
My favorite number is 12
My favorite video game is Modern Warfare 2 and 3
My Gamertag on xbox 360 is Beecut swag
My best friend is Dakota Sathertooth

My comment was, I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I am in a class called Edm 310. I will be commenting on your blog for the next 3 weeks and I can’t wait to see what you post. I loved the list of random facts. If I did my math right you are 12. What kinds of things do you do to waste time at school? I enjoyed learning a little bit about you.
ORJU 2nd Challenge Post
This post talks about how she loves soccer. She talks about how her dad has been her coach for a while now but she us started in the school league so he can’t. She has been playing soccer since kindergarden. She is now playing indoor soccer.
I commented my name is Ashley. I attend the University of South Alabama. I am in a class called Edm 310. I think is awesome that you love soccer. I have played just for fun,but I am not that good. How is indoor soccer different then outdoor? I look forward to reading more of your blog post.
Ashley

3rd Challenge Post
This post talks about the troops. How all around the world people are crying because of people dying. Troops right now are trying to help Iraq get a democracy.
I commented I enjoyed reading your blog post. This is a very deep topic.

David
He put a a video talking about how he attended Polyfest.
I commented and said I am so glad you had fun at Polyfest

Blog Post 12

Watch the video on the Girl effect .Explain why education is so important when girls are younger? Should we place a more important emphasis on education in the US?



Education is very important especially in this situation. A lot of people take education for granted and do not realize how important it truly is. I think all young girls deserve to go to school and have a good life that they control. I think there needs to be more emphasis on education in the United States. Some people don’t even know things like this are happening in our world. If we could change the world one girl at a time the world would be a better place. Teachers need to be appreciated more. This would make students respect them more as well. As you can see in this video you need education for everything but teachers are not given credit

Progress Report for Project 16

Rosemary and I are still looking at three ideas for our final project.

1. We will teach a kid how to use a SMARTboard or another piece of technology. Then we will either record us teaching them how to use it, or we will record them using it on their own.

2. We will survey one child from each grade K-6 about how much technology they use outside of class and how much technology they use inside of class.

3. We will interview teachers and see if they think technology is necessary in the classroom.

We are communicating mostly though text message and email.

Blog Post 11

Skype Interview with Ms. Cassidy.
Technology was introduced in a classroom filled with first graders and they were all very excited because it was a new, different, and exciting kind of experience for them. They were able to interact and learn in different ways, making it more fun for them. When Cassidy began, she received mixed feelings from the other teachers about using the internet in the classroom and letting their students learn from the internet. She said that those who used the internet supported it completely, but those who hadn't used the internet didn't think that it was the greatest idea. In the classroom you could make the children excited about it so they could get their parents to. If a child is excited its easier for the parents to be to.
Parents loved being able to check up on their students' progress and see what they are learning, and the students of course loved it. Her message was to basically let people know that technology in the classroom in this generation are more able and willing to learn because it works for them, than if they were to use the more traditional ideals, like using pencil and paper.
Teacher need to keep learning all the time and not be stuck in their ways. One thing she said that stuck out to me is” Technology is not going away its going to stay”. People try to avoid it but there is no way to stay out of technologies way.

Progress Report for Project 13

Rosemary Catlin and I have been trying to communicate without meeting. This has been difficult because we have a Math class together. We have been texting, emailing and using Facetime to talk about project 15. We have not decided fully on what it will be about. Here is a picture of us using Facetime.

Blog Post 10

Do You Teach or Do You Educate?


This video was very interesting. It talks about the difference teaching and educating. The video states that teaching is to explain how something is done or to show someone concepts. An educator is someone who is a mentor. Someone who can be there for their students, and can also be there to encourage them. Someone who can be an advisor to them and be someone they can look up to.

I want to be an educator. I want to be there for my students and to be the person they can trust with anything. I want to help them not just learn the material but to find joy in learning it. I will make learning fun for my class. I always enjoyed subjects better when the teacher was engaged and made it exciting. This is something that is very important to me and I will make sure it’s used in my classroom. I want to be someone that they feel like cares about them and want the best for them. Not just someone who wants to teach to get paid but feels like I am there for them.

Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home

In this post he is using pencils as a metaphor for technology. He is talking about how people are trying to keep technology out of the classroom and how it is a bad idea. Students need to have technology in the classroom. They need to know how to use it because when they grow up they will be using it in the real world. Teaching them to use it now can help them in their future job.

Having technology in the classroom also makes the student more excited about learning it. It can make it more fun for students. He says that they won’t remember stuff if it’s just to pass a test and then it’s over. If you make it fun and make them want to learn it they will remember it for longer. He talks about how important technology in the classroom truly is .

Blog Post 9

What I Have learned This Year 2009.
Mr. McClung was a fresh new teacher. He arrived in Noel , Missouri. He learned a lot the first year of teaching. He learned to read the crowd and find out what your students understand, make sure your being clear to your students. You also have to be flexible. Don’t be to controlling over everything. If something goes wrong just go with it. Make sure you have good communication. Be a reasonable teacher. Remember that not all students are perfect and you have to stay encouraging. Use technology in the classroom. This could be very helpful for visuals for a class. Be there for your student and care about them. In some cases you might be the only person that will listen to them. It’s never too late to change how you do something. You can always change something to adjust it to a class. These things that he learned are important for all teachers. You have to learn to evaluate yourself to make your class the best it can be for your students.

What I Have Learned This Year for the Year 2010.
Mr McClung did a post on what he had learned. He used to teach science but he moved to a new school where he had to teach social studies and step out of his comfort zone. He decided to make social studies more relevant like he did in his science classes before. He leaned to be more relaxed with his planning. He taught his students to think on their own and to have their own decision. He learned a few tricks for being at a new school. One of them is to find a mom. Find a mom that knows how things run. They can tell you the normal ways to do things. You don’t want to mess up the normal routines. He also says that you have to leave you ego. You have to act excited about a topic and sometimes even act silly to show the student that you are passionate about the topic. I remember when I was in high school when the teacher was excited about it you got excited about it too. You also can’t be a control freak. Let the student help out in the class room. Give them easy jobs .No matter how bad things get you have to remember what is best for the students. They are the most important thing and the reason you are a teacher. I think these tips are very useful for any class room. He learned some very important things that I will for sure be using in my classroom.

Project 14

C4T # 3

1. My post I was assigned to comment on was called paper reinforcers. This post is pretty much about how she organizes herself. She talks about her upcoming class. How she is ready to walk in to the class room and find out what they student wants from her. She wants her students to know who she is. She wants them to trust her. She wants to create a good learning experience. I commented and said it’s important to build a community and experiences where trust and relationships can be formed throughout the classroom with the students. I enjoyed reading your post.

2. My post I was assigned to was called Your PLN gives you more people to disappoint. She talks about her nervousness about going into a new class. Not only is she just going to a new class room but a new environment completely. She will have new students in a new country at a new school. She just talks about how she doesn’t want to make herself look bad. She will be teaching Language A&B English and Technology. I commented I am sure you are going to be a great teacher and inspire them. Just keep your head up and you will do amazing.

C4K March Summary

The post I commented on was called Poem for Barbara by Klaudia. It was a rather short poem that talked about Barbara and how amazing her class was. I also said how loving and amazing she was.I commented I love your poem. I am glad you like Barbara.