Friday, May 3, 2013

Blog Post #15 Final Reflection


When I become a teacher, I want to teach somewhere around 1st-3rd grade. I would love to teach math but any subject will do. I want to use the Whole Brain Teaching style and Flipping the Classroom. I would do a lot of work online so that no one could be left behind and there would be no excuses. Technology would be used in our normal daily routine. Games and projects would be in our daily schedules. I will still expect a lot of my students because I know if I don't expect much out of them they will not strive to be as smart and talented as they are. I know everyone is capable of more than they realize so when you expect more they will surprise you.
My class would be fun, thought provoking, and cause students to want to learn even beyond what we do in the classroom. In my classroom we would use project based learning. We will spend most of the classroom time to review, practice, and help the students that are having the most problems. All review work and future work can be done online on our class website. Videos will be used to help those who need more help the children that are progressing fast than other can be given harder work to do while the attention is given to the ones that are in more need of help.
My class will not be a normal class with only pencil and paper. We will have all the technology that we could use at our finger tips. My students will use computers, Blogger and Youtube to keep up with all the work that we will be doing in class. All of this technology can also help parents be able to keep up with what is going on in the classroom at all times, even when they are not there. Technology is always growing so, as teachers, we have to keep up with it so that we are not doing our students a disadvantage. We have to prepare them to be comfortable with whatever technology comes their way. Our students will encounter technology that hasn’t even been thought of yet, so we have to get them ready to take it on. .
My students will work in groups, depending on what we are doing. Centers will be used in our classrooms to give students different areas of problem solving and working together. Students have to learn to work with others to strive for a common goal. They will also work as individuals so they can become independent learners and not have to depend on others to tell them what to do. We will use the Smart Board daily for lessons and interactive games. My room will not be like anything I grew up with. That ship has sailed and there is no going back to the way teaching used to be.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Project #16

Project #13


We used a Google Drive doc,text,google messages, and facebook to discuss what we wanted to do on our project. We had some issues with Skype and Google Hangout so this was our other option. Skype would not link all three computers together for some reason. Google Hangout would not load correctly. Using all of these tools allowed us to get work done a little bit faster when we had a planned meeting. We decided on some of the things we wanted do for our project.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Blog Post #14


In this article, we are informed of something called E-Reading. This is something that can be used to determine whether a student is reading the text book. Teachers never know if students are reading the material for class. Some students may never even open the book. This allows a teacher to keep up with who all is participating in reading the chapters that are being taught. Is this a good thing or bad thing?

Teacher's Point of View:
In the point of view of the teacher, this may be just another thing to add on to their work load. It also allows the teacher to determine if, even if someone did read, the book is appropriate for his or her classroom. There may be a possibility that, even if the student did read, the book may not explain a topic enough and the teacher needs to go over the topic in even more depth or explain the subject differently than the book did. It also allows the teacher to see which learning strategies work for which students. Some students may be able to just go by what the teacher teaches in class and not read and catch on just as quick. Some students may be able to read what is on the E-Reading but still not be able to comprehend what was read. When students get to college shouldn't they be expected to figure out their own study habits, so why should a college teacher have to keep up with something that should already be a responsibility for a student? This allows a teacher to determine if their class is so easy that students don't need a book. It could also show if a class is too hard. In that case the students did read the book they still had problems.

In the Student's Point of View:
The students may think that this is more work that has to be done on his or her part also. With the E-Reading tool they will be made to be even more responsible, this is a good thing. Now the teacher will know for a fact if they read what they were supposed to or not. They will not be able to get away with not reading and lying about reading. The proof will be in E-Reading. Although the student may not like this, it will actually help them be more prepared for class and tests they will be given. Also, this can show the students, if they didn’t do well on a chapter, reading is very important and it makes a difference in how you perform in the classroom. If the students come to this conclusion, they will take more of an initiative to read. The student will adjust his or her studying style to incorporate more reading.

Questions of Teachers:
-How much work does it add on to you to have to keep up with how much everyone is reading?
-What if a student is not good at reading and comprehending what they just read?
- What if a student reads and still does not do well on performances in the class?
-What if the E-Reading book does not explain the subject well. What would you have to do?
-Some students may be better at writing the information down when it is discussed in class instead of reading it. Would they be penalized for not reading even if they did well on the test?

Questions of Students:
- Are you more aware of the importance of reading your text book?
- Are you taking notes from your text book in your normal study habits?
-Would you prefer to write notes down to study or read?
- Do you like the fact that your reading is being watched?
-Have you noticed and improvement in your grades when you actually read the chapters?
-Are the books useful in your classes? Do they explain the topics in enough detail?

My Comment:
I think it may be a good idea for middle school and high school students, but not for college students. Those students should already have good study habits. Some students may not be able to just read a couple chapters and understand everything right away. I am definitely one of those students. I don't learn by reading chapter after chapter. I may even have to read something over and over until I completely grasp everything it is talking about because I get distracted very easily. I have to write stuff down, hear it out loud, and see it in action with my own eyes. Yes, it could be a good idea for some teachers to use as a guide, but just because some students don't read the text book and does well on a test does not necessarily mean they class is too easy. It may just be that they are a good guesser, studied their notes really hard, made flash cards and sang a little song to remember the information.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

PLN


I had fun finding my PLN. I found some through the assignments, through classmates, and some through just browsing through the internet. I think some of my favorites are Whole Brain Teaching, Teachers Pay Teachers, and TED Talk. Although all of my PLN can be useful, I think I will use those three the most. I want my classroom to be like a Whole Brain Teaching classroom. I will probably use Teachers Pay Teachers many times for cheap resources. TED Talk is a wonderful place for encouragement and ideas. I never knew what a PLN was, nor did I think it was important when I first heard about them. Now I am very glad to have one because I know how useful it can be for the future.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

C4T

Feb 20th My Comment on Teachernz: I am a student in EDM 310 at University of South Alabama. I have never heard anything about the Sixth Sense. After watching the Ted video I am very curious. I think that kind of technology could be very helpful. In reality, I don't think people will wear something of that size around their neck all the time. In my opinion it is not very realistic. Maybe if the product was smaller people would be more interested. I think in the future with some appearance changes it might be more appealing to buyers. March 1st My comment to Teachernz: My name is Jennifer Whitley and I am a student at University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I think a "Paperless Day" would be a very good idea to get the students out of their normal routine of paper and pencil. I believe this should happen very often. In the pictures, you can see the students are very engaged in all the activities they are given. I have never thought about bringing a cell phone in the class so they could learn how to bluetooth.That is a interesting idea. Doc Horse Tales
Joseph McCaleb recieved his PH.D at University of Texas with emphasis in English and rhetorical studies. He is the director of UMCP, which is focused on digital media.
My comment to Joseph McCaleb:
My name is Jennifer Whitley. I am from EDM 310 at University of South Alabama. I never realized how important having a PLN was until I started taking this class. I have come to the realization, as a future teacher, that without a PLN I would have to come up with every lesson plan myself with no help and hope my approach is good enough to engage the students. I am now building my PLN. I know I don't have all the answers and I can't be expected to have all of them but I do have all the resources I could even need at my finger tips. Why waste the technology? I would be doing myself and my students an injustice. I can learn from people that have been teaching for years. April 13th William Chamberlain teaches sixth grade at Noel Elementary school in Noel, Missouri. My comment to Mr. C: My name is Jennifer Whitley. I am from University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I really liked this video. It makes me think about how the teaching world is today. When a newer teacher wants to try something new in their classrooms, instead of the cookie cutter way, people are set back by it. They are scared of the idea of something new and unknown but as they test the waters with the new teacher more people see their accomplishments and want to join. As teachers we have to take a chance and come up with new ideas and stop following the same boring routine. Get out of the box and try something new and that could be in any area in our lives. April 17th He is a Chief Storyteller in room 304 at Waukee Middle School in Waukee, IA.He listens to, learns from, and provides feedback for sixty-five 11-and-12-year-old storytellers-in-training. My comment to Russ Goerend: I am Jennifer Whitley from University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I have actually never heard the term "dogfooding." As I kept reading I understood what you were talking about. We should never give our students something to work on that we would not even try ourselves. We should always be open to new technology. We should never discourage a student from using a certain product but some products are better for other people. It just depends on the person and what it will be used for. It is a fantastic I for product owners to do this, so they will get truthful feedback in the product.

C4C

Jan.26th
My Comment to Angela Vliet:
Angela, I am Jennifer from EDM 310. I completely agree with Dr. Pausch's statement too. I am not a very organized person and I have been learning the past couple years. Without planning when I would do my school work and study I would be in trouble.I have to put eveything in a calendar to keep track of everything. I ,also, completely understand your problems doing school work and studying. I have found that studying a little at a time can help in the long run. Once your teachers give you a chapter, studying that chapter that night is easier than having a cram session the day before the test. When I study it makes it easier if I take short breaks every couple hours if I know I will be studying for a long period of time. Also, I learned that when I study I have to be in a quiet room with no music or tv to distract me. When I was younger I could handle all the distractions with ease, but not now. I can't even handle people talking in the next room while I am doing school work. When you schedule a time to study or do work and stick to that schedule it makes school a lot less stressful.

Jan. 31st
My comment to Alexandria Thompson:
Alexandria, I think you did a good job on this blog. I liked how you quoted Sir. Ken Robinson to get your point across. I would suggest that you go back to the blog #1 and look under the "VERY IMPORTANT" section. This section shows how to separate each paragraph and topics. Also, you may want to check your spelling of Pinterest. Have a good day!

Feb. 7th
My comment on Rebecca Stuart:
"..that money could be used to go toward a much bigger national debt.." I agree. I don't understand why gaming is so big either. I just think of other things I could use that money for.
As a whole the blog post was fine, but you may want to go back and read it out loud. Some of the word choices you used were not really needed or was in the wrong tense.

February 12 My comment to Alexandria Thompson:
Alexandria, I think it is very interesting that students that are so young are learning to use this type of technology. I agree that it is a very good tool to use to keep the parents informed about what is going on in the classroom and seeing what the students are leaning. I believe creating a script is very important too. I never thought about how important punctuation is when you are talking. You made a very good point.Although, I did see a punctuation error. You may also want to check the very last sentence and reword it.

Febuary 20 My comment on Rebecca Stuart:
Rebecca, I completely agree with you about flipping the classroom. I think it is a fantastic idea. I have never heard of it before this class but it makes so much sense. Of course you may have to go over what was taught online in the videos for the children that don't quite get it but at least you will not spend most of the time on lecturing. The rest of the class can be spent on practicing what was learned and helping the other students in the class. I will find a school that allows me to teach this way because I believe so much in it.

March 1st
My Comment to Jarrod Roberts:
I think that is a fantastic analogy for why we need teachers, when it comes to networked students. All of those little parts really explain how much is out there but when you learn to use it correctly then it can function in the way it was meant to be.

March 6th
My Comment to Abigail Mularz:
I was worried too when I started reading about having a PLN. I think after we have more practice it will come easier to us. We have to have a PLN to help us in the future so we might as well get started now. Good luck with creating your PLN

March 20
My Comment to Abigail Mularz:
This is quote is the most mind blowing part of this video.
"Children are having a much more stimulating and rich environment outside of school. They are very rich content developers through their social websites, portable computers, and cell phones yet all of these are banned in school. 'Every turned off device is potentially a turned off child.' Technology needs to be accepted in the classroom; it is not there to provide information on traditional subjects."
I think this tells us, as teacher, we have to do everything possible to grab the attention of our students. What we are doing now is obviously not working so something has to change.

March 30
My Comment to Rebecca Stuart:
Rebecca, I feel the same way about student teaching and my first year of teaching. I can also be very shy around people I don't know, which will not make that situation better. It is a little scary to think of, so the first thing I did was read about his first year of teaching too. I have already learned by working at a daycare for four years that even if you plan like crazy it does not always go as planned. We never know what the day holds so it is better to be overly prepared than the students have nothing to do.

April 6
My comment to Alexandria Higdon:
My school was the same way about using phones. If we were caught they were taken until the end of the school year. I only had one teacher that used technology in the classroom for a fun way for us to learn and that was my favorite class. Kids are drawn to technology and staying in communication with people so why not bring that into the classroom.
"He realizes how much students will learn using technology and he challenges the reader at the end to try not using the technology and see which students come out on top. He knows that the students using the technology and resources not allowed to the others will reach more places and become better students."
This is so true! There are so many jobs that include knowing how to use computers and other technology. Students that have more knowledge about technology will be more likely to get better jobs and ultimately succeed in higher levels because they are more skilled.

April 17th
My comment to Lindsey:
These sites you have mentioned sound very interesting. I will have to go check them out for future use. As teachers, we have to come up with so much creative material for our classes. This site would be fantastic for a first year teacher. Thank you for the head start in preparing us!

April 24th
My comment to Ciara Deese:
I also love this type of teaching. This engages the students and makes them to competely understand the subject before moving to the next step.

C4K

April 6
Emily is in Mr. Boylen’s 8th grade class. Emily is 14 years old. She attends MFL Mar Mac. She has lived in the same small town Iowa in the USA all of her life.
Comment to Emily h:
It is nice to see someone that is really interested in learning more about blogging. I think that is fantastic that you are so active and creative. In my free time I love to sing, listen to music, read and attempt things I see on Pinterest. You are doing great! Continue to have that desire to learn and you will go far.

April 13th
Jasmin is in Mr. Chamberlain’s class. She is 14 years old.
My comment to Jasmin:
I also love to sing and act. When I was in high school I was in choir and drama classes, which were my favorite. Drama class is always more fun when you tell yourself, “If I feel goofy then I am probably doing it right!" Do you take choir and drama classes in school?


April 17th
Georgia is in the fifth grade in Mr. Heenan’s class.
My comment to Georgia:
Georgia, It gets hard to blog when you are so busy. Over the Christmas holiday I spend time with my family. My sister had a baby, so I spent most of my free time helping my sister recover and take care of my niece. That was my early Christmas present!

Monday, April 22, 2013

Final Project Update

In my group's final project, we have decided to look for some funny pictures and put them as the background of the clip. We are going to put in a podcast of things to do and what not to do to survive this class. I am hoping it will be informative but with some humor. It has taken us a lot of discussions and looking at past student's work to decide on what type of project would work for our group.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Blog Post #13


In Brian Crosby's video, he allows his students to do projects and then those students blog about the projects. They also use the class Wiki and many other web accounts to keep up with class work. These students don't take test like a normal class. I think this is really interesting that a class this young is doing all this with technology. I would love to do projects like this with my students. This makes the students more engaged and enjoy the class more. This is what classes should look like. These students are starting their PLN now. They are able to interact with people all over the world. I believe that eventually every classroom will look like this.
In Paul Anderson's video, he talked about the Blended Learning cycle. By using the acronym "QUIVERS", Paul is able to teach the students in his classroom. First, he brings up a question at the beginning of class. Then, he allows his students to investigate. Then, the students have to watch a video/podcast that the teacher has created. Next, Mr. Anderson elaborates on the subject matter. Then, he goes to groups or individuals and reviews by asking them specific questions on the subject matter to see if they know the answers. This allows the students to explain what they just learned. Last, after the students prove that they understand the subject matter at the time, a quiz is taken to prove they know the material. I think this is a very good strategy! The process makes sense. Every step has a purpose and without one step you cannot go on the next. When you take time to ask specific questions to small groups then you really can assess if they know the material or not. I would use this in my classroom. When class first starts, you always want something to grab their attention. When you ask a question it creates curiosity in what you are going to say or do next. Also, when you make the students review and prove they know the material before letting the take a quiz this it makes them more likely to do better on that quiz.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Project 15

C4T

April 13th
William Chamberlain teaches sixth grade at Noel Elementary school in Noel, Missouri.
My comment to Mr. C:
My name is Jennifer Whitley. I am from University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I really liked this video. It makes me think about how the teaching world is today. When a newer teacher wants to try something new in their classrooms, instead of the cookie cutter way, people are set back by it. They are scared of the idea of something new and unknown but as they test the waters with the new teacher more people see their accomplishments and want to join. As teachers we have to take a chance and come up with new ideas and stop following the same boring routine. Get out of the box and try something new and that could be in any area in our lives.

April 17th
He is a Chief Storyteller in room 304 at Waukee Middle School in Waukee, IA.He listens to, learns from, and provides feedback for sixty-five 11-and-12-year-old storytellers-in-training.
My comment to Russ Goerend:
I am Jennifer Whitley from University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I have actually never heard the term "dogfooding." As I kept reading I understood what you were talking about. We should never give our students something to work on that we would not even try ourselves. We should always be open to new technology. We should never discourage a student from using a certain product but some products are better for other people. It just depends on the person and what it will be used for. It is a fantastic I for product owners to do this, so they will get truthful feedback in the product.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Blog Post #12


Watch How to Get Students Ready for Learning and First Grade Student Encouragement
Here is a fantastic site that tells you everything you need to know about Whole Brain Teaching!
Write a blog post answering the following questions:
What do you think of these videos? Do you think these types of activities in class will actually help students learn and stay focused? Why?

I actually watched the "First Grade Learning Encouragement" ,about whole brain learning, several weeks ago to help me with my kids at the daycare I work at and was so interested in the teaching style. I think these videos could be so useful in a classroom setting. At first, I was kind of skeptical of how crazy the classroom was while the teacher was teaching the lesson. As I watched, I realized that every student was engaged in the lesson and they were having fun. I think these types of strategies actually help a student to learn. With this type of teaching style students are able to use their whole brain while learning. Students are able to interact with each other, teach what they learned, repeat certain phrases, use gestures, follow directions to help them focus on the teacher, and work as a team. Because students know they will have to teach their partners, they are more likely to pay attention with the rest of the class to join in on this fun learning experience. This type of learning is very fun, even for the teacher. When students are having fun they are more willing to learn and want to continue to learn.
In How to Get Students Ready for Learning, the teacher allows one of the students to have a choice in what would be done to change from one lesson to the next . She also gives some students responsibilities. I think this is a good idea because it gives them a job to do and makes them feel important and useful. I also thought that was very interesting. This teacher gave her students time to tell what they did that weekend. This allows the students loved and makes them feel like what they have to say is just as important as anyone else. The teacher gives her class time to stretch and calm down so they can focus on what the next task is. I think this is a fantastic is a fantastic idea. This is a fantastic idea for when class is just starting off in the morning and the students need to get prepared to learn. Although one classroom is high energy and one is very calm and quiet, I think both could be very useful in the classroom. One year you may have a class they needs to be calm and quiet but the next you have to change it up and have the high energy because the students may be completely different. Your teaching style really depends on the type of students in your classroom. We as teachers have to adjust our teaching to the needs of the students.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

C4T

Doc Horse Tales
Joseph McCaleb recieved his PH.D at University of Texas with an emphasis in English and rhetorical studies. He is the director of UMCP, which is focused on digital media.
My comment to Joseph McCaleb:
My name is Jennifer Whitley. I am from EDM 310 at University of South Alabama. I never realized how important having a PLN was until I started taking this class. I have come to the realization, as a future teacher, that without a PLN I would have to come up with every lesson plan myself with no help and hope my approach is good enough to engage the students. I am now building my PLN. I know I don't have all the answers and I can't be expected to have all of them but I do have all the resources I could even need at my finger tips. Why waste the technology? I would be doing myself and my students an injustice. I can learn from people that have been teaching for years.
My comment:
This is Jennifer Whitley from EDM 310 at University of South Alabama. I think this is a fantastic idea. Being able to keep a video to teach and can become more efficient to document progress. This post was very thought provoking. I am looking forward to reading another post in the future.

C4K

March 1st
Johnny is a student in Mrs.Martin's tenth grade English class.
My comment on Johnny:
Johnny,I am the same way. I can be very quiet but when I am around certain people or doing what I love, I can get very loud. I am slowly becoming more and more bold as years go by. Don't be afraid to show people who you are. I have learned the more you open yourself up to having conversations to complete strangers the more confidence you have and the more comfortable you are the next time. The older you get it gets easier, promise.

March 6th
Zea is a students in Mrs. Goerends fifth grade class.
My Comment to Zea:
Zea, I agree, things would be very different today if we did not have the First Amendment.We would not be able to workship in the way we desire,speak what we please or show our disagreement with anything the government said. We should all be thankful for all the amendments.

March 20
My Comment to JackL:
JackL,
"No one can succeed the first time"
"Nothing will ever be perfect and there is always something to improve"
This is very correct!In every situation or invention, these quotes are right. Even if you reach what you consider perfection, there will always be a way to improve. That is a wonderful realization to have. Keep up the good work!

March 30
My Comment to Htawara:
He is an 11 year old at Pt England School in Ms.King's seventh grade class. He lives in Htawara,
I think that is a wonderful story you told. The picture is very good. Keep up the good work!

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Blog Post #11


Ms.Cassidy's First Graders
Ms. Cassidy has a first grade class in Canada. I her classroom technology is not a foreign thing. The students in Ms.Cassidy’s class use different sorts of technology every day. Although her students are young, they learn how to make blogs, videos and all sorts of different technology. The students in her class use their blogs very often. They write on their blog and comment on other blogs. This allows this to connect with people outside in the real world. On the class website there are different types of learning activities that are labeled by pictures. The students can select a picture and it brings them to an activity to help with practice things what they have already learned. Also, the students can practice this at home with a parent and show them what they have been learning at school. I love the idea of having some fun practice work for the children online. This allows them to learn to use the internet, how to navigate through the classroom page, and practice what they learned in class at home. Also, it gets the parents involved in what their child is learning. I would definitely use this in my classroom.
Although technology is starting to become more and more a part of the education world, some people are still not welcome to this change. Some people want to keep teaching the ways they were taught, which is depriving there students and causes a lack of engagement in the classroom. If a teacher ever comes across this type of problem the best way to handle it is politely. First, explain the benefits for the children while using the technology. Next, show that the technology is helping and not distracting the students. Then, show examples of before the students started using technology and after. If you do all of this eventually people will warm up to the idea of using technology in their classrooms too. If a teacher takes on some of these changes in their classroom it could change their classroom forever. When you allow technology in the classroom it engages the children because it is already in their normal everyday lives so it is nothing new to them. Children probably know more than we do when it comes to technology. Also, when we bring technology in the classroom and a class website is used it allows the parents to see what the students are learning. It also gets parents involved in helping the students learn at home and keep them informed. There are so many things we can do to include technology and it is our choice how much we include it in our classroom.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Blog Post #10


John T. Spencer
This cartoon, created by John Spencer, is really about PCs and MACs. Of course, the old man has the PC and the younger man has the MAC. I know PC is cheaper computers which means they might have to be mixed more often. Is it really cheaper when you have to pay to get it fixed all the time? Is an extra couple hundred dollars worth getting a nicer computer? MACs are more expensive because they are a nicer and better computer. MACs have so many extra tools and things that can be used on them. APPLE is always improving all of their products and they will continue to add to what you can already do on a MAC, so they will only continue to get better. I own a PC and paid for it myself, so I know they are cheaper than other nicer computers. Thankfully I do not have a lot of problems with mine but I know it is more likely to have problem because it is not as nice of a quality as a MAC. Although MACs are more expensive, they are worth the extra money you spend on them. I wish I would have gotten a MAC instead of my PC but I will have a one eventually.

Why were your kids playing games?
In Mr. Spencer's blog, post a principal was against "playing games" in the classroom. After reading this conversation between Tom and the principal, I wanted to grab the principal by the shoulders, shake him and say, "Are you even aware of the words that are coming out of your mouth?” I am in shock by that conversation. Some people are just completely clueless to the many ways you can teach. There is not only one cookie-cutter way to learn. There are so many ways that we haven't even thought of yet. You can learn by "playing games"! It is absolutely ok to change it up from the normal paper and pencil learning.

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
In this blog post by Scott McLeod, he shows the concerns of parent’s concern using computers. Although there are many things a computer can be used for, not all of the things a computer can be used for is bad. Computers can be used for all kinds of things. As parents and teachers we have to show children how to use this type of technology. Just because there is a chance that technology could be used for a wrong purpose does not mean we cut it out all together. We have to show children how to use technology and then have precautionary boundaries in place in case of wrong usage. We cannot allow ourselves to become so overly protective of our children that they just avoid technology all together. There is even more of a danger of children getting into worse things if we do not give them some sort of leave-way and trust. If we don’t give children a chance then we never give them a chance to prove us wrong.

Project #11 Green Screen Video

Project #14 Smartboard

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Blog Post #9


Mr. McClung
In Mr. McClung's blog posts, I learned a lot. In this specific blog post he types a summary of what he has learned from his first year of teaching. He mentions communication as a main tool in teaching. Not just communication with students but also fellow teachers. Having good relationships with fellow teachers can be a big help to you in your teaching career. Teachers that have be teaching longer than you could give you advice on different matters or ideas you may not have thought of to help in your classroom. I have been reminded that I have flaws. I can never be a perfect teacher. It doesn't matter how much I plan or how long you teach on a certain subject. If I don't make it fun for the students then they will not get anything out of me standing in front of the class talking to them. Teaching is not about impressing the teachers next door or your boss but about creating a learning atmosphere for the students to show them that learning can be fun. Also, Mr. McClung made another good point. It is not always about talking at the students. Sometimes we have to sop talking and listen to our students. Kids just need someone to listen to them sometimes. We never know what is going on with a student outside of school. We have to take into consideration that they also need to be heard. There view and opinions are just as important as ours. I work at a daycare and my kids want to tell me everything. Once one kids starts telling me about something they did that weekend all the students start yelling, "Ms. Jennifer! Ms. Jennifer! Guess what I did this weekend!". Kids want to be heard and listened to. You can never ignore them because they will keep screaming at you and pulling your arm until you look them in the eye and pay attention to them. I have one kid that will grab your face and make you look at them while he is talking. As funny as it is, that is what kids need. They need your attention, approval, and love. If you ignore a child they are more likely to act out because of the lack of your attention. Either way they will get your attention, in a good way or bad.
In Mr. Mcclung's latest post,he informs us that after every year he tried to write about something he has learn from the ending school year. Although in years past he has had no trouble pin pointing what he has learned. This specific year he could not name something in particular that he had not already named in years past. Remember no matter how long you teach, you can never get in to a routine. When you do that things start to get boring and the students begin to get bored with it too. Always reflect back on how much thing have changed, for better or worse. Continue to grow and get better at what you do. Never get stagnant and happy where you are. Challenge yourself and don't be afraid to do anything new, for the student’s sake. Take risks , get out of the box, and have fun!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Blog Post #8


Richard Miller
In Richard Miller's videos, he talks about how incremental change. One example of this is, people are doing most of their work online and hardly ever go to libraries. Most work can be done on the computer instead of using pencil and paper. This is now accessible anywhere with any device, the information is endless. When you have the internet you create different videos or find videos and make the subject more interesting. The information on the internet changes all the time.
Educators can create material like these types of videos and share them to the world or use the videos and documents that we find in our classes. Information and materials should not be kept to ourselves but shared among others for their enlightenment and resources. As Richard Miller said in this video," This is a way to push ideas into our culture". I agree with Mr. Miller's statement. I believe that we can come up with our own ideas by watching and listening to other's ideas. As teachers we cannot be afraid to ask for help.
The generations we teach will be impacted. Do we want the next generation to impact for the good? If we can't do what needs to be done to prepare ourselves for the position we will have then we might want to step aside and let someone else more qualified to teach. As teachers we have to give our students ideas and inspiration so they can come up with their own ideas and dreams that is what teachers are there for. Teachers are not there just to put facts in kid’s head but to put ideas, dreams, values, and knowledge that can be used for their future.
I think I would be prepared to teacher my students with multimedia devices. I have grown up with a lot of these devices so I don't think it would be a problem for me. I think bring videos in to the classroom changes the atmosphere and the kids would love it. Although I have used Youtube many times, I have never thought of using it to save videos for my future classroom. Even if I didn't know much about multimedia I would have to learn how to use it because it is a huge part of society and teaching now. There are so many resources out there to use so why waste them. Then in the future I will have a wonderful idea and I can share it with the world.

Carly's Blog Post
I think's Carly's Post hits the nail on the head when it comes to Richard Miller's videos.She did a wonderful job of giving us an idea of finding and saving videos for future reference. As many times as I have watched videos on Youtube I have never thought about saving some for when I am teaching. She did a very good job picking out videos that could be very helpful.

EDM310 for Dummies and Student's Video
In the first video, they talked about procrastination. I have a huge problem with procrastinating and getting stuff done the day before it is due .I have been getting better. This video just shows that there are many excuses that we can make but eventually we all come to the same conclusion. Having a degree can not only help you get the job you want but it can help you get paid better too. The second video was a good video for beginners. This class is not extremely hard but it has a lot of work some weeks but if you don't procrastinate and get the work done on time then you don't have to worry. This class can be is vital for teaching in the future generations. We are being prepared without even knowing it. Even if we don't realize it now, later we will be grateful for this class.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn In this Learn to Change, Change to Learn video we are reminded that technology is a part of our normal life so why is it not part of our normal school life. I completely agree with this video. The students of today’s generations and everyone after them are use technology every day. It is a part of their lives and that will never change. As teachers, we are supposed to keep students engaged in what we do in the classroom. If we can't do that then we have no luck in keeping their attention. If we include technology in our classroom students we be more excited about learning because it is something they enjoy doing.

Scavenger Hunt
1.Wikispace
I have actually already created one for one of my other classes. You can decorate and put whatever information you want. You can work with a group to create a page or you can do it by yourself. It shows you who did what changes to the page. the members of the wiki can have a conversation to discuss the work on the wiki. You can share the page with friends.In the wiki a teacher could put any information ti the kids or parents need to know about homework,classwork, projects, or parent information. This could be a very useful site. There would ot reason for the paretns or children to not know what was going on in the class because everything would be in the wiki.
2.Comic Strip

3.Prezi
This is a powerpoint maker. It allows you to create the power point in any way you want. You can make a scene of whatever you like, then, put the slides all over the scene.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Blog Post #7


Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

I absolutely loved this video it has so much valuable information in it. While I was watching this video I could not help but to take notes the whole time because some of the points Dr. Pausch made were very noteworthy. I personally learned a lot while watching. Randy Pausch is such a wonderful person to listen to. I would normally never say I enjoyed a lecture but ,in his case, I sincerely did. He brings so much knowledge and humor to every lecture he teaches. In this particular lecture he begins by telling about himself and his dreams growing up. It is nice to hear from someone that is so open while teaching. This allows you to really get to know the instructor.

"Brick walls are there to let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us from the people who don't want to achieve their dreams".

In his class, his students were put into groups to do a project. After the projects were turned in, he realized the students did a lot better than he had expected. Instead of telling the students exactly what he thought, he kept that to himself. Dr. Pausch told the students they could have done better. You may question why he did not encourage his students and tell them how well they did but he had greater intentions. In this situation he wanted to make his students do better than even he could imagine. If he would give these students a standard to reach he would have actually done them an injustice. That standard he had in his mind was blown out of the water. As a teacher you have to expect greatness out of your students. Encouraging students to do better and don't set a bar. If you set a standard students will only do what they have to do to get by and not do what they capable of. He taught his students to do their absolute best. As a teacher, we have to let the sky be the limit.

"When you are seeing yourself mess up and no one is bothering to tell you any more that is a bad place to be. Your critics are the ones telling you they still love you and care."

When you have a classroom of students, you have to critique them and their work. If a teacher does not critique a student "that means they have given up" on them. A teacher should never give up on his/her students. When we show them what they are doing wrong then that causes reflection, which is "a teacher's best gift". I completely agree with this quote. I know as a singer I live off correction and critique. If you do not correct your students you are doing them an injustice. Without critique and correction they can never grow and get better. The students may not like the critiquing at the moment but later they will be thankful for it and cherish it.

"When kids have fun that is what they will remember you for"

When I have my classroom of students I want to be remembered as the fun teacher. I believe when student are having fun they are learning the most. Having fun on a daily basis will be a goal in my classroom. Although I know I will come in contact with difficult students, I have to be patient because as Dr. Pausch says, "when you give people enough time and people will impress you". "Every person has a good side" and I will just have to give them long enough to see it or help bring it out. Students will have the chance to prove they can work in groups because it causes them to not just focus on themselves. I will refuse to allow arrogance, giving up, and complaining in my classroom because it only keeps students from reaching their full potential and is an excuse to not work harder. When my kids leave my room I want the other teachers to have a sigh of relief, just as Pausch describes companies wanting his before they even graduate.

Project #9


My PLN:
When I started reading about a PLN I was a little worried if I was prepared enough. I have never heard of a Personal Learning Network before. Then, as I watched the videos Dr. Strange gave us, I became more comfortable with this idea. I have begun the journey to create a PLN by using Symbaloo. As I continue to learn and grow I can continue to add to this collection in a more organized way. I began following several of the people suggested on Twitter. I have come to the realization that I have more connections then I realized. I am close with a lot of teachers. My mom teaches at the high school I graduated from. I go to church with several teachers. I work at a preschool and daycare, so I come into contact with teachers on a daily basis. I have connections everywhere, along with all the connections that are possible on the internet through Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Blogger and all the other resources that are out there. Although I already have some connections, I need to make sure I become connected with the best of the best. I have realized that we, as teachers, don't have to know every answer to every question but we need to have someone on our PLN that does have the answer. Although all of these connections are available, I have to make sure I take advantage of them. Creating a PLN in place now will help me when I need them later. Why wait?

C4K


C4K #1
February 16, 2013
Kayla is a Canadian student in Ms. Balestrin's second grade class in Southwestern Ontario.She wrote a short little post about her dog.
My comment to Kayla W:
I think that is a very pretty name for a dog. I have a dog named Molly. She likes to wake me up in the morning too. What color is your dog?

C4K #2
Febuary 20th
Arthur is a student in Mrs. Jenny's second grade class, room 6, in Pt. England School in Auckland, New Zealand. He described in a video a picture of a sunflower and the way it looked to him.
My Comment to Arthur:
I think you did a very good job describing the flower. I think it looks like the sun too.

C4K #3
Febuary 20th
My comment to the class blog:
Room 6, I am from EDM 310 at University of South Alabama in the United States. I hope you have a wonderful year of learning. I look forward to your posts.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Project #10

Finding the Right Tool
While online I found a fantastic tool to teach 4th grade students about drug abuse and drug addiction. The National Institute of Drug Abuse provides a lot of information on this subject. It also provides teachers or parents with a wonderful project for the students to do to understand the subject better. I think it is good because it not only provides this information to teachers but to parents to be informed at home too. This site provides so many facts for students too read and pictures for students to look at to understand the effects of drugs to the body. This site also provides a class project that could be done during red ribbon week. The project is called "Brain Power" and it tells about different modules that the students can go through. These modules provide different hands-on projects to help students get a better grasp on this subject. It I think this site could be very helpful no matter what age you teach. Students need to know about the effects of drugs on the body so maybe it will prevent them in the future from falling into addiction

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Blog Post #6

Networked Students
Networked Students are students that are taught mostly by using the internet than by a teacher. These students use the internet as a tool to begin a journey of learning. This journey gives these students the opportunity to use the internet and all of its resources. This teaches the students how to use these resources to their advantage for the present and the future. Networked Students are taught to be independent learners. Students don’t realize everything the internet holds. It is not just a place to socialize about nothing that is remotely important. It is a place that holds so much more knowledge than we realize or know what to do with.
In the video the question is asked if teachers are even necessary or needed. This raises a very good question. With all of the information that can be found on the internet, do we really need teachers? If there is that large amount of information out there for everyone to use, why do we need to go to school to be taught what we can find out on our own. Although there are thousands of websites of information, students don’t know how to use all the information. They have to be taught. Not all information on the internet is correct. Some resources are not reliable to use.
When a classroom has networked students the teaching is a lot different than expected. Instead of depending on the teacher to tell all the answers and lecture all of the class time, students are expected to learn on their own. Teachers are expected to teach the students how to use all of the information they are being given. Because there is so much information out there, students have to be taught how to sort through it, so they can find the most accurate information out there. Teachers are needed to create learners not dependence.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Blog Post #5


If I built A School
What would you so if you were given an extremely large amount of money and told to build the school of your dreams. Krissy Venosdale began to dream about what her dream school could look like. The school she describes is very creative. The surroundings would promote learning. If was given that same opportunity, I would make my school very visually creative. The students would know which bus was theirs not because of numbers on the sides but because of the animal painted on the buses. A bus may have monkeys, whales, tigers, bears, lizards, dogs, and etc. When you walk in the school the students would be walking the mouth of the mascot. Every classroom would have its own theme and with decorative things hanging from the ceiling. All the desks would have positive notes from the teacher and from a student to help encourage a nice start to the day. In the hall there would be a large aquarium for the kids to look at every day. In the library would be several comfortable reading nooks with beautiful pillows for the kids to get alone and read. The shelves would be larger than life books to hold the library books. The playground would have a tree house, safety nets, bump and jumps, and a fun house. The school I would build would be fun and eye catching at every corner. Learning experience would have a lot of hands-on projects to bring the school work to life. Learning would not be just a chore; it would be a joy that causes curiosity in every student. All of the classrooms would have computers because every class would be a Flipped Classroom. Classroom time would be spend mostly on reviewing, group work, and helping students individually. I think flipping every subject helps not only the teachers but the students and parents. Classroom time should not be about repeating lessons. It should be about building off what they have already learned so they lessons can go deeper.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
In this video a choir is made by singers that have never met or performed together. The entire performance was put together through the internet and posted on You Tube. People that are not musically inclined might look at this and say it is not a big deal but they don't understand all the effort that went in to this. Being a singer, I am completely amazed and speechless. I am so curious of how this is possible. Singing with a group of people that large is hard enough but when you have never sang together or even met, it can be very difficult. It is completely astounding to me how all the parts are correct. If you notice in the video some of the people are wearing headphones and listening to the music so they can stay on the right key and follow along with it. The technical part putting all together would have also been very difficult.
It is incredible how this type of technology can connect so many people. People from all over the world are coming together for a purpose and walking away from this virtual choir with close friends that they can continue to connect with. It is so fascinating how people who don't know each other can come together and accomplish something as beautiful as this. To listen to Eric Whitacre talk about all of the thousands of people and that wanted to be involved in his virtual choir, it reminded me that everyone has a longing to interact with others. People want to feel a part of something. This choir has allowed them to be in contact with people they normally never would.

Teaching in the 21st Century
In this video it reminds us of all the resources and technology that can be used for teaching today's generations. There is not problem finding information because there are so many resources that can be used on the internet. Where we have been lacking is teaching the students how to use different resources and information. In this video is explains the difference between keeping students entertained and engaged. Engaging is the key to grabbing student's attention so they can learn and continue to learn. Keeping students entertained will not accomplish much. Entertainment only lasts for a short amount of time.

Flipped Classroom
I have never heard of a flipped classroom until watching all the videos Dr. Strange gave us to look at. After I finish my degree, I want to teach math and this is a perfect tool to use. I am super excited about this type of classroom setup. I think this is the best way to keep students engaged in the classroom. It causes them to learn to work outside the classroom and become more prepared before coming to class, which gives more time in the classroom for helping each group of students. Flipping the Classroom makes the students want to be more involved in what is going on in the class. It also allows students to help each other. This style of teaching allows the teachers to connect with the parents. The parents are able to keep up with what is going on in the class. This learning style can help students learn at their own pace. This allows the teachers to help the students that need more help in the class and it also allows the students that grasp the concepts faster to move ahead so they are not bored while waiting on the other students to understand. A flipped class allows the students to excel in and out of the classroom. This type of learning allows students to become more independent learners. I think in the future we will see more subjects and schools to be involved in a flipped Classroom.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

C4T#1

Jan.26th
Mr. Elias blog was about how technology can be a struggle for several of the older teachers and a relief for the younger ones. Technology effects the teaching world.
My comment to Scott Elias:
Mr. Elias, I am a student at University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I understand when you talk about there being a huge technology gap between the generation today and the older generation. Last week in class we were discussing how fast technology has come in just twenty years. A am studying to be a teacher and I know it can be hard to keep up with all the technology that is coming out but if we don't keep up then we will get left behind. If we get left behind we are doing yourself and the students we are teaching an injustice. In ten years there will be even more technology to use that didn't exsist today. It is hard to know how we are supposed to teach our students when we are not even sure what will be accessable to them in the future. We have to show students how fast technology grows, prepare them for a world surrounded by technology, and show them how fun and useful it can be . Then, they will hopefully learn to use it to their advantage.

Feb.7th This bog was about how the rich are using their money to make the schools set up how they want and the effects it could have.
My comment to Scott Elias:
Mr. Elias, My name is Jennifer Whitley. I am from University of South Alabama EDM 310. I agree that the “Walmartization” of education sound scary. If the rich are the ones running the school that can do whatever they want with them. Every school, county, state, and students are not alike. You can’t have one standard for all of them. In education you have to work with the students to help them with their specific needs. The education world is not an experiment the rich can move around and play with as they want. That video is very interesting and scary.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Special Blog Post #1

WolframAlpha
When I searched "Compare populations of India, China, and United States" on WolframAlpha, I found some interesting facts. India and China have a tremendous population compared to the United States. The US has a little bit longer life expectancy but in numbers we have no chance of catching up. The United States would have to triple in population to even come close to the numbers in India and China. I search several other populations to see which ones were the closest. I searched Australia, Africa, South America and Canada. I found that South America has the closest population to the United States. When using this search engine I discovered many charts and graphs that could help me understand the difference between every population I compared against the United States. I also did some random searches on how many teeth are in the human mouth and how many teeth are in a shark's mouth. Instead of pulling up a bunch of sites that might have the answers, it told me exactly what I wanted to know.
I think this site can be very helpful to students. It makes things very easy to understand. When you type something into this search engine it takes your straight to the answer. If you type in a question it does not show you hundreds of sites that may have something to do with teeth, stories about teeth, videos or pictures of teeth. It only gives you the answer to the question you needed. I also think this site is good because it is less distracting to someone using it. When you use other search engines you can easily get distracted by all the different sights that pop up. When using this you don’t have to wonder around on many different sights to find what you are looking for.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count
When I visited Gary Hayes Social Media Count I did not recognize what I was seeing at first. When I began reading all of the types of social media and watching the numbers continued to rise with extraordinary speed, I was amazed. I did not realize how much social media was used in a matter of just one second. I came to a shocking revelation after watching for a couple minutes. Technology in this world will only continue to become more and more a part of our lives. It will continue to grow and get more
As teachers, we have to follow the flow of technology so we can keep up with what is going on with the younger generations. We have to know how to catch their attention on their level. If we continue in the ways of teaching that we are now, we will never be able to grab their attention. Social media is so much a part of their lives and it will continue to be. As the years go on the social network will grow bigger and we have to be prepared to find ways to use it to our advantage.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Blog Post #3


Peer Editing
In “What Is Peer Editing”, "Peer Editing With Perfection Tutorial", and "Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes", the creators help you understand the best way to help correct a person's personal work. I completely agree with the technique used in these peer editing videos. As they describe, when writing a comment, first, you should complement the writer on something specific. Then, politely point out the issues you saw in their writing. Last, suggest ways the writer can adjust their work to make it better. What happens if a peer only comments and corrects the work without a suggestion? The writer may not know how to correct the work. Giving a suggestion could help someone figure out how to improve their work.
Someone may question the importance of a complement, but when commenting on someone’s work it can be vital. When you complement the writer it starts off the comment on a positive attitude. This also makes the writer more prone to listen to what you have to say. When writing a comment you must take into consideration that the writer cannot see your body language or hear your attitude while writing the comment. When correcting someone’s work you have to be very careful of the writer’s feelings. A peer must be careful on how a comment is given. If someone mindlessly starts typing, the writer may become very defensive. To some people, correcting their work is not only an attack on their writing but on them personally. It is important to tread lightly but still get your point across.

Assistive Technologies
While watching “Assistive Technology For Vision and Hearing Impaired Children” and “The Mountbatten”, I was introduced to the idea of teaching deaf and blind students. I was also shown the technologies that have been created to help these students in the classroom. When teaching, you may encounter students that have these types of disabilities. Before watching these videos, it never crossed my mind that I may encounter these students. I have personally only come in contact with four people that have been blind or deaf. I am not sure if I would be ready to handle a situation like that. Gladly, there is technology out there that can help a teacher interact with those children even if you cannot read brail or sign. This insight has made me start thinking about how I would have to adjust my teaching to accommodate students with those handicaps. Thankfully, I know my alphabet and a couple words in sign language, so I have some sort of advantage over the average person. When in education, you never know the types of problems a child may have before they walk through your classroom door and come into your world. We all have to be prepared to adjust our teaching styles to every child that walks into our world.
Although there is useful technology out there for blind people to use, they still have some issues that could be corrected. Other technologies are still being created and improved. One example of helpful tools is in Art Karshmer’s video, “Teaching Math to the Blind”.This video informs the viewers the struggles blind people have with learning math. Math is not only a problem for blind people but for the average person. When a blind person reads brail the whole math problem is laid out sideways; this causes problems for everyone. The technology that Karshmer has created has changed the way a person with this handicap can learn by providing an easier way to learn math, which is a huge success. Apple has joined in on the effort to help technology to stretch its capabilities to accommodate the blind. In "iPad Usage for the Blind", this technology has been introduced on the iPad. The iPad now has the capabilities to personalize and adjust to the people that are using it. Using multiple ways to touch the screen and voiceover, the iPad has improved its accessibility. Although this technology has been very encouraging to see, they still have their down falls.
Although the technology has been very encouraging to see, they still have improvements that can be made. By watching a parent learn how to use this iPad in “Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/ Blind Child Is Learning On the iPad” video, I thought about another way this technology could be improved. Without having to listen to the voiceover to navigate through the iPad, a person should be able to talk to the iPad just like they would the iPhone , using Siri. This option would eliminate having the hear a narration through every file and app. Then, the user can get straight to their destination without the long drawn out process.In a classroom setting, if a child needed to use the voiceover that student would have to have earsphone to be able to use this technology. Athough it is an amazing tool for that child, it can be a distraction

Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts
Harnessing student’s digital smarts is a very good way to help students be prepared for using technology. It allows a student to have hands on, work with others, and be independent learners. As Vicki Davis said in this video, “when you use only pencil and paper only certain types of students will succeed”. Every student learns in a different way. When you allow students to vary from using only paper and pencil, it allows them to attempt to learn in a different atmosphere and way of thinking.
In Vicki David’s class all of the students work on computers and she does not always lecture in front of the class. Mrs. Davis is “letting them learn how to learn” and allowing her students to be “very comfortable with any technology". I agree with Mrs. Davis’ teaching style. By allowing the students to search for how to do a certain task they were given in class, this is a very good way to make students learn even more than just the meaning of a word or how to do a task. These students learn how to sort through the internet and find the information they need. It causes independence thinkers so the students are not dependent on the teacher to show the class every little task that needs to be done.This teacher if preparing them for life and not so they can pass another test.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Project #2


Blog Post #2


Did You Know?
In this video by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod there are many facts that inform us of things we might not have known. My eyes have been opened after watching this video. I did not realize some of the facts it discussed. There are so many reasons why technology is important for us to keep up with. Technology is taking over our world and if we don't keep up with it we will be left behind. There has been a huge technological boom in the last twenty years and there is no stopping now. As future teachers, we have to take advantage of the technology in front of us so we can show the generations we will teach to do the same. The jobs we have today may not be here in ten or twenty years. Only time can tell what the future jobs might include.
Depending on technology too much can be just as much of a problem. Although I know technology can be very useful, I have a tendency to avoid some of it because of the effort I would have to make to figure it out, which is not always the best decision. Some countries pride themselves on being proficient in using and make technology. As one of the clips in the video suggested, some countries have a higher percentage of students that graduate with honors. I think this is correct because American people have a tendency to be very lazy. People in some countries don't have to freedom we have to slack off. Other countries are very hard on their students. Parents and teachers know the importance of grades and make sure the students do well to increase their chances of getting into college and ultimately have a better life, which I completely agree with. So many of Americans sit at home and want all the wealth and knowledge in the world to fall in their laps without any effort.

Mr. Winkle Wakes
In Mr.Winkle Wakes, an old man, wakes up and discovers the world around him is very different than when he last saw it. He sees all the technology in a work place and a hopital and began to feel very uneasy and uncomfortable. Then, as he walks through a school, he sees everything like he remembered it to be. In the school there was one dusty computer. I think this is very accurate in many of today's schools. Alot of schools have very few computers. Even if computers are in the schools they are not used very often or students are not being encouraged to use them. This is a very sad reality that needs to change. When the world around us changes we have to adjust with it.
How can we expect to teach students about the world around them if we leave out all the technology that they will come in contact with on a daily basis? Schools need to learn how to incorporate technology as much as possible. The more students use these tools the more comfortable they will become with them and the more prepared they will be when they get out of school and into the real world. Teaching students to use the technology around them can show other ways to communicate with others and found out information. Although technology can be good, there can be a problem with too much technology if we become too dependent on them. Teachers need to make these changes in our world a priority in the classroom. It is very important to find ways to incorporate these daily.

Sir Ken Robinson: Importance of Creativity
In this video by Ken Robinson, he talks about how creative arts classes in schools are being discouraged as being important. Schools today teach that Math, English, History, and Science are the most important above everything else. If you ask a small child what was their favorite part of the day, I assure you, it will not be the class where all they did was sit at their desk while the teacher lectured to them. The child will tell you how they made a craft, did a science project, sang a song in music, or show you a picture they drew in class. Then, as children get older they begin to let go of their childhood creativity because, as they are taught, it is not as important as other things learned in school. I agree with Sir. Robinson I think supporting creativity in children as they get older is very important. What if we talk a child into being a teacher when they long to be the most incredible drummer the world has ever seen? I believe being creative is not held to a high enough standard.
As I watched this video I began to think of all the people that I know that were considered ADD or ADHD and are talented in music or dance, including family, friends, famous writers, singers, and artist. There are so many people that could have walked away from what they love just because a someone said it was not a good career choice, unrealistic, or you could never make it. Doctors hand out ADD and ADHD medication like candy now days. Instead of finding other ways to help a child work with these types of personalities, doctors are so willing to label it and give a child medication to "fix the problem". Although some children need a little help to focus, these medication can also keep the children from having a normal happy life. These medicines can keep them from continuing to be creative and cripple them in the long run.

Pinterest
In Four Ways to Use Pinterest in Education it describes a few ways teachers can use Pinterest to their advantage. I believe I could use all of the different sites and suggestions this site provides. Pinterest is a very useful tool. It has many creative ideas for everything you can think of. Organization can be very helpful to me because I lack natural organization skills. I have to work at organization and get ideas from others so I can improve. Lesson plans are something every teacher has to do and sometimes it is hard to come up with new fun ideas. This site has many different fun ideas that you might not have thought of. Teachers have to stick together and share ideas. When a teacher finds something that worked very well with his or her students, it is only polite to share it so other teachers can enjoy it too. I think anyone can use Pinterest. It is a very useful tool, not only for now but for future use. I have already began to pin pictures and sites for future use in my classroom.
On the website "20 Best Pinterest Education Boards" I have found so much fun information on this website to help in a classroom setting or just for fun. One of my favorites is Ted Ed News this pinterest takes you to the Ted Education site, which has alot of videos. These videos are very entertaining, educational, and funny. I would suggest them to everyone that is a teacher or wants to be a teacher. Another one of my favorites, out of the twenty boards, is Vicki Davis'. This board has many pins for teaching ideas, lesson plans, decorations, helpful suggestions, games and organization. Kathy Schrock's Pinterest has anything you could ever need for teaching resources,ideas to bring technology in the classroom, working with special needs children, and helpful assessments. For anyone in their first year on teaching to someone in their twenty-fifth year of teaching, these sites have enough information for the rest of your teaching career. There should be not excuse for anyone not making their classrooms fun and inviting. This site has make being a teacher more fun and less stressful by not having to rack our brains trying to come with something to keep the children's interest.
Although I am still in school, I am very glad to have all the difference resources that Pinterest provides. This type of technology has so much information for me to use in the future. I can pin lesson plans, organization ideas, crafts, and room decorations now and use them when I finally finish my degree. It is better to be prepared now than struggling to figure it out all on my own. There are plenty of resources at the tip of my fingers so why let them go to waste? This website can, make the learning environment more inviting, help me improve my teaching skills and make school fun so students are more excited about learning.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Blog Post #1


About Me

My name is Jennifer Whitley and I am twenty-two years old. I live in Hurley,Mississippi. I have worked at Magnolia Blossom's Daycare for four years. I am currently majoring in Elementary Education. I began my college life at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gautier,Mississippi. After graduating with my Associates Degree, I transfered to University of South Alabama. I am the only one in my family to have been to college more than three consecutive years. While I am going to school, I am living with parents until I graduated and find a job. I have a brother,Jarrod, and a sister,Amanda. My sister is married with one child. Thankfully, she lives twenty minutes away so we can visit often. Unfortunately, my brother and his wife live in Texas,ten hours away, so we don't get to visit with them often. We only see them twice a year.
Ever since I was a little girl I have always been obsessed with office supplies,played teacher with my friends and said I would be a teacher when I grew up. As I got older I wanted to be a counselor. After working at a daycare for a year and going through my first year of college, I changed my major to Elementary Education. I just love working with children because they are so loving, energetic, and eager to learn. I absolutely love having fun with the kids and acting just as goofy,singing and dancing as they are sometimes because I am truly a big kid at heart. I love finding things that will keep the kid's attention and cause curiosity.

My Future Classroom

I am the type of teacher that expects alot out of her first grade students because I know they are capable of more than they realize. In my class I will encourage them to do their absolute best in every subject, taking into acount that every student learns at his or her own pace. Sometimes it may be challenging but in the end they will be proud of what they have accomplished. Learning will be reenfored by giving homework because it is a reflection of what students have learned at school, but this work is not only sent for the students. Homework helps to involve the parent in the the learning proccess.
Coming up with fun ways for the students to learn is my goal,it may includes songs, games,or dancing to help students learn. I believe if you make learning fun students are more likely to remember what they learned and will want to continue to learn. The students will learn by working in groups to improve their skill of working together with people with different ideas. They will work together as a class to answer questions. Students will also work individually to show how much they have learned without depending on help. Students will learn by asking questions and working together to problem solve.
I will use a large whiteboard or a smart board to teach on. The classroom will have small,portable whiteboards, dry earse markers,colored markers, crayons, work books, reading books,and learning centers for all the students to use. Learning centers are used to help students learn to work together or individually. It also helps them get away from their desks and get into a less stressful environment. Students will also learn by singing songs together, such as School House Rock. Fun games will be played with the class to encourage them to enjoy math. Science allows us to explore the world around them with experiments, explorations,and projects.
I will use Pinterest, other internet sites, ideas from other teachers, and ideas from my prior teaching experience to find fun ways to make my class room more comfortable for the new students coming in my class. Before the students even come in the classroom, they will be greeted with a fun decorated door to makes them feel more at ease about coming in to my classroom. The classroom will be colorful, fun, and inviting. Fun facts will displayed for the students to have a little laugh to start of the day. Music will be played for a transitioning que so the students will hear the music and know what is next without the teacher having to say a word. Yelling for the student's attention will not be allowed in my class. Time will fly in this class because every subject of learning will become fun for everyone.

Randy Pausch On Time Management

I think time management is a very important. Randy Pausch's video can be very helpful to someone that has problems with managing time, figuring out priorities, and having a plan. To-Do Lists can be very helpful when managing what needs to be done.I have recently had to start writing down to-do lists to be able to keep track of what needs to be done. These lists can be very helpful when there is so much going on in our lives. Dr. Pausch says, after you realized what all needs to be done, then figure out which ones are more important and why. When you figure out why then you can know how important it really is. When you do the bigger one first then the smaller ones can be handled earier.
Procrastinating is one of the main reasons my life has been so stressful in my life. I wait to the last minute. I think I have plenty of time and I end up stressing out because I am rushing to get finished last minute. Having a plan is very important. When you have a plan then stick to it until it needs to be adjusted. I must have a plan for classes, work, class work, remembering due dates, what is due, when work it due,and making time for spending time with family and friends. If I don't have a plan set ahead of time then it will be complete chaos. having a plan and making a to-do list prevents so much chaos. It causes me to be less stressed and makes my life so much more. This video has reminded me to get back on track with my organizational skills.